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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a machine that emulates strokes which including breathing exercises. The invention is to provide a platform for practice all strokes to familiarize students with the swimming skills. [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0004] All of the swimming lessons of schools are held in the swimming pools, for those schools which have no swimming pools, swimming courses must be held in another swimming pool outside their school, this is very inconvenient. In order to solve the problems of non-swimming pool schools, a swim simulator is invented. [0005] Take freestyle for example, the arms should pass the underside of the lying body along the body center line from the front head to the back thigh, the body has to rotate to match the rhythm of breathing and arm cycles which includes palm enter, stretch, catch, pull, recovery to the front. In order to completely simulate the freestyle movements on land, the body needs to be supported from head to feet entirely, meanwhile, a space under the body must be reserved for arms to move, and also a body rotation mechanism is need for linking arm cycle and breathing. [0006] A swimming simulator should allow the user to lie down on it comfortably just like floating on water, and let user learn swimming techniques on land like swimming in water. [0007] How to do it? [0008] My personal view is to have the following requirements. 1. It should have an adequate length of backward tilt board to support the whole lying body from head to tiptoes. (like buoyancy of water which support the whole body on water). The backward tilt board is to simulate the body is in an inclined downward position when swimming in water 2. It should have an arm and hand guide part. (to give user a precise route to familiar with the arm movement) 3. A body rotation part is necessary for freestyle and backstroke. (to simulate the body rotation movement of freestyle and backstroke and to facilitate breathing of freestyle) 4. It should have a space below the tilt board for arms to move just like swimming. 5. It should have a suitable pad for feet kicking. (for support the legs and feet do the similar motion as in swimming) 6. It should have a breathing part (to familiar with the complete swimming technique on land instead of go in water) The rhythm of swimming is the first things to be considered in develop the invention, in other words, familiar with swimming technique is more important than increase swimming muscle strength for beginners. User should practice arms and legs move in sequence without disorder. [0016] According to the requirements of item 1, with adequate length of bench board to support the lie down body length is the basic elements of the invention, the user can practice swimming rhythm just as if the body floating in the water. The prior inventions which are missing or short of board to support the foot, user cannot kick freely with the straight foot and use the instep to kick on a surface; the hands and feet coordination cannot be done, either. This would include devices such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,291,049 (James H. Davis), U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,164 (James Davis), U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,163 (Keith Van De Laarschot), U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,912 (John Profaci), U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,513 (Michael P. Reeves). [0017] According to the requirements of item 2, the swimming arm cycle which includes open palm entry, open palm stretch, open palm catch, open palm pull and push, exiting the stroke with palm muscle relaxed with high elbow recovery. So the palms are always open during the arm cycle. Many of the prior inventions let hands grab handles, arm cranks or levers without open palms to practice swimming, because the muscles used for the palm grip and the palm open are different, it means grip something with a palm is not the same palm posture as swimming. This would include devices such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,585,256 (David Day Harbaugh, IV), U.S. Pat. No. 7,104,931 (Robert Marc Saul), U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,163 (Keith Van De Laarschot), U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,432 (Joseph B. Hippensteel), U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,431 (Mark Stuart Yoss), U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,513 (Michael P. Reeves), U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,463 (Harry C. Hopkins). U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,396 (Lindsay A. Hooper) have palms opened but tied on a flat paddle, however it still can't totally release their muscles for simulate recovery movement due to a string force kept doing on the arms, but the U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,396 (Lindsay A. Hooper) license date in 1985 Aug. 27 shows an important idea that by placing a paddle on a string handle is a better way to simulate the open palm condition of swimming. Another U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,251 (Robert H. Sleamaker) license date in 1994 Oct. 11 also shows the same usage of a paddle fastened on a string for swimming practice. [0018] U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,129 (Viatcheslav K. Zaitsev) shows a pair of fixed traction elements which are curved surfaces from the side view, the arms are stretched without bend when move along the curved traction elements, It is very laborious if swim this way because the stretched arm produce bigger torque to the arms. [0019] The U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,912 (John Profaci) license date in 2000 Nov. 7 shows a paddle assembly is installed on a hand track, the hand tracks is summarized as follows: 1. Hand track system includes a pair of hand tracks positioned on opposing sides of the table. 2. Hand track is contoured of a preset, yet adjustable path that replicates an “S-shaped” path below the body. 3. The paddles will rotate around the rails when move to the back. 4. Each hand track is comprised of a plurality of track sections. As we know from above mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,396 (Lindsay A. Hooper) license date in 1985 Aug. 27 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,251 (Robert H. Sleamaker) license date in 1994 Oct. 11 that the paddle had been used for swim simulator since then. [0024] Today, however, swimmers use straight line arm stroke rather than the contoured, S-shaped” path stroke as can be seen in all swimming race and instructional videos, the reason is that the body and the arms should be looked as a whole, the contoured, S-shaped” path stroke is not a streamlined body shape because the lead arm stretch to the front but expand outwards will cause forward resistance and reduce the pushing effect of the other hand. [0025] Another invention needs to be discussed is U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,634 (John Profaci), it has a straight hand track system and is summarized as follows: A. The hand track systems are joined by a cable. B. The cable is received by a pair of pulleys coupled with forward portions of the enclosure, for directing the cable between the hand track systems. C. The pulleys are coupled with the forward portions of the enclosure so that the cable is placed in an orientation which substantially parallels longitudinal axes defined by the hand track systems. D. The hand grip which is sliding received by the rail for movement along the longitudinal axis of the rail and for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the rail. [0030] The item A are relation between cable and pulley, many of the prior art had already disclosed this knowledge, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,716,027 (Fritz Henry Gehri) license date in 1955 Aug. 23, disclosed the same pulley-cable combination. U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,752 (Sam Kupperman) license date in 1976 Dec. 28 disclosed a pulley-cord with adjustable hand grips. U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,240 (Virgil M. Dunston) license date in 1977 Nov. 29, disclosed a design to adjust cord length of pulley-cord device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,119 (Richard T. Robertson, Jr) license date in 1990 Aug. 14, disclosed an independent resistance device (same as independent systems including return mechanism mention in U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,119) for simultaneous pulling movement use, so it is a well known knowledge of the usage of pulley and cable combination. [0031] The item B shows the rail and the pulley are Installed separately. [0032] The item C shows the pulleys installed in a higher position of the enclosure than the rails. [0033] The item D states the slide sleeves will rotate on the rail. [0034] The facts about the straight hand track of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,634 (John Profaci) is: 1. The paddle assembly will roll when sliding along a rail. 2. The paddle assembly keeps not rotated by a guiding board of the enclosure. 3. The cable is possible to derail from the pulleys because the rails are horizontally but not vertically installed, even if the pulleys are installed a little bit higher than the rails, as when the horizontal forces made by the user disappear, the cable is in a relaxed condition, and the gravity is not able to help the horizontal cable remain on the grooves of the pulleys. 4. The tracks and the pulleys are firmly fixed on the enclosure and are not intend to adjust for different users. [0039] In order to satisfy our need, the rotatable hand grip will change to a not rotating paddle and further to solve the problem of derailment. [0040] According to the requirements of item 3, a good body rotation mechanism is the one which only rotates the body (as shown in FIG. 7A ) but not moves the body (as shown in FIG. 15 ). The prior body rotation inventions are divided into two categories: 1. The inverted pendulum movement (which is not a rotation motion but a swing motion) (as shown in FIG. 15 ): As long as there is a combination of a supporting board rotated by a shaft, no matter how the rotating shaft is under the supporting board or passes through the center of the supporting board, as the supporting board rotates around the shaft, the lying body on top of it is doing an inverted pendulum movement. It means the body center rotates around the rotating shaft but not itself, the body moves from left to right and from top to bottom. When the body tilts to one side form the highest middle point, the body center is below the highest middle point, it's laborious to against gravity and to make the body return to the highest middle point and then reach to the other side lower point, it takes strength to lift the center of gravity of the body for back and force swing. In actual experiment, once the body tilt to one side, many users failed to tilt the body back to the highest middle point, even if they did, it shows that the body and the head are in a continuous back and forth swing, this is not the expected motions we want as the fact that the head won't offset to the right or left when swim. If a sink is installed in front of it, the user's head will swing back and forth and cannot stay steady above the sink to practice breathing. The inverted pendulum movement is totally different from actual swimming body rotation and should not be adopted for an ideal body rotation mechanism. This would include devices such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,601,103 (Her-Chun hen), U.S. Pat. No. 7,591,764 B2 (Brian Zuckerman), U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,164 (James Davis), U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,899 (William R. Rassman), U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,251 (Robert H. Sleamaker), U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,513 (Michael P. Reeves), U.S. Pat. No. 2,109,775 (Jesse B. Hudson). 2. The body rotation movement (as shown in FIG. 7A ): U.S. Pat. No. 2,109,775 (Jesse B. Hudson) license date in 1938 Mar. 1 has shown an arc shaped body support was adopted in swimming machine, nevertheless, this invention with arc shaped body support didn't promise a true body rotation effect because its underside part is a shaft and the shaft will pivot the arc shaped body support, therefore swing the above body, this invention shows the arc shaped body support had been used but cannot ensure a pure body rotation movement (as shown in FIG. 15B ). U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,564 (Michael P. Doane), license date in 1995 Jul. 4, U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,632 (Michael P. Doane), license date in 1997 May 13, U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,912 (John Profaci) license date in 2000 Jan. 7 are three nice approaches to body rotation mechanisms. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,632 (Michael P. Doane) is modified from U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,564 (Michael P. Doane), this two can be regarded as one. So only two of the above three inventions left for discussion. [0046] The body rotation features of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,632 (Michael P. Doane) is: (for easy to watch, we redraw a perspective illustration of the invention as shown in FIG. 16 ) 1. It is a rolling rotation movement. 2. The bottom of the torso support has two curved tracks (called the crescent shaped support pieces) rest upon two pairs of rollers. 3. The rollers are grooved such that the curved tracks sit in the grooves of them to prevent the torso support from any forward or rearward movement. 4. Use springs or resilient bands serve to fix the torso support down to the rollers. The spring or resilient bands also help to pull the body from rolled down position back to the neutral position. [0051] The body rotation features of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,912 (John Profaci) is: 1. It is a sliding rotation movement. 2. The lower frame and the above tray are coupled by bearing structures. 3. The lower frame is a curved surface base which is a sliding part. 4. The underside of the tray has curved races to engage the curved tracks on the frame and a channel of the frame for receiving a stop of the tray. 5. For purposes of safety, an elastic band attached to and extending between the tray and stationary portions of the table, for stabilizing the tray relative to frame or to bias the tray toward a neutral (centered) position. [0057] The similarities between the above mentioned patents are: 1. Both have either projected or recessed tracks to guide the rotation. One is curved races of upper torso support to grooves of rollers and the other is curved races of tray to engage the curved tracks of frame. 2. Both of their contact interfaces of rotation, by side view, are not at the ends of the torso support or the tray. 3. Both have elastic band or resilient bands to stabilize the upper torso support or tray. [0061] The reason why elastic band be used to secure the body rotation mechanism is because of the contact interfaces of rotation is in the middle section, the length of the two contact interface is shorter than the length of above torso support or tray, this is an unstable condition, when a force applied on the front edge or the rear edge of the torso support or the tray, a bending moment is formed to turn over the torso support or the tray, so the spring or resilient bands is to resist the bending moment. But the spring or resilient bands also limit the rotation effect of the torso support and the tray. We will abandon the use of the spring or resilient bands and be more stable by improved supporting structure. [0062] According to the requirements of item 4, the overall dimensions of the body rotation mechanism should be as compact as possible and should not be too big to obstruct the arm movement under the body along the body center line. [0063] The lower frame of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,912 (John Profaci) is a fixed rigid body, the dimensions of the lower frame won't change, when the above tray rotates from side to side, the lower frame is remain intact, the arm moves to the back will be restricted by the top edges of the lower frame, the arm is hardly to move along the body as we can see from the end elevation view that the unchanged lower frame stops the way. In fact this body rotation mechanism only provide a first half space for the arms, there is no enough room for arms pushing to the second half space under the body like swimming, forced the rails of the hand tracks be installed on the opposite sides of the table from its middle portion. [0064] The lower part of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,632 (Michael P. Doane) is a single beam, because strings are used for the arms movement, no arms guide tried to install under the body rotation mechanism. [0065] Another U.S. Pat. No. 7,291,049 (James H. Davis) has a different body rotation mechanism, but has the same problem that there is no space reserved for arms movement under the body. [0066] According to the requirements of item 5, a suitable pad for legs is the one which has more downward sloping than the inclined board. The reason is when we kick in the water, our legs start near the water level and finish under the water with some depth, the position of the underwater leg is more downward sloping than the body line, so we installed an inclined pad on the second half of the inclined board for legs to kick with the foot straight as in swimming. My point of view is let the pad provide a space for the legs to kick freely and support them when not kick, guide the legs with any modules is not necessary because user can control the legs doing a simple up and down motion and they will not deviate. In fact, with foot straight and use the instep to kick the pad surface is the key point to be noticed and can promise forward propulsion be produced when in swimming. [0067] The prior art about the lower body support are fall into the following categories: 1. Feet are guided or bounded so leg kick by the instep cannot be performed. This would include devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,104,931 (Robert Marc Saul), U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,320 (Huei-Nan Yu), U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,060 (John J. Murray), U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,426 (James P. Glavin), U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,748 (Oscar L. Little), U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,513 (Michael P. Reeves), U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,363 (Robert J. Kennedy). 2. The whole support pad doesn't bend from the middle. They are flat surface to support the user from head to foot, be horizontal or tilted placed, but there is no bending downwards since the middle point of the support for legs to kick like swim. This would include devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,585,256 (David Day Harbaugh), U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,818 (Craig Askins), U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,163 (Keith Van De Laarschot), U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,634 (John Profaci), [0070] The U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,632 (Michael P. Doane) illustrates its font torso support is sloped upward from the horizontal hip support; this is contrary to my concept. If we observe the swim posture of freestyle under water, we can find the legs are kicking downward relative to the body which is in the level. [0071] According to the requirements of item 6, a breathing sink appeared for the first time could be added as a useful tool for a complete practice of swimming on land, allows user concentrate on breathing practice and will not be as nervous in the water. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0072] The design of the swimming machine is very subjective, inventors build it by their personal perception of swimming, and I always compare the swimming profile on my invention to my swimming posture in the water, try to make then consistent. A view of an embodiment of freestyle of the invention is shown in FIG. 2 for the following description. [0073] The first thing is to support the full body from head to foot toe like float on water. The head position is a little higher than the foot when swimming, so I use an elongated and inclined board to support the body on land to simulate the floating on the water. [0074] The arm and hand guide is necessary part which can guide the user to familiar with the arm and hand posture by self practice and reduce the burden of the coach. Our arm and hand guide module use two linear motion systems (or hanging roller and hanging track) as straight line motion guidance which are readily available commodities for any linear motion to use, each has a slide block on the rail and the sliding block can carry thing to sliding on the rail (or has a hanging roller which can also carry thing and sliding inside the track). First install a paddle on each of the slide block, then install a pulley which has outer casing directly on each of the front end of the rail, so each of the pulley is in combination with the rail and integrated as one, connect the two slide blocks with a inelastic rope pass through the two pulleys, an arm and hand guide module is assembled and ready for use. It is an independent module which can be moved to any desired position to operate, the rail prohibits the slide block to rotate and makes only linear motion, the slide block won′ t touch the flat bottom surface of the rail so the rail can be placed on any flat surface to operate the module, the paddle locked on the top of the slide block is always fixed in a upright position and won′ t rotate because the slide block won′ t rotate, the rope which connect the two paddles will not derail from the pulleys' grooves in any case because there are casings encase each of the pulleys, so the cable is always restricted inside the space created by the casing and the pulley groove, the system is completely independent, as shown in FIG. 9 . It can be suspended on the brackets under the inclined board with Velcro straps to stick on and is very easy to adjust the positions forward or rearward or the width between the pairs for fit different sizes of users. It can be removed from the suspension brackets for storage quickly and easily. When for backstroke use (see FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 ), it is an easy job to move the arm and hand guide module from the underside brackets to the supports which is outside of the opposing sides of the inclined board. [0075] The arms and hand guide module is a straight track with a locked, not rotating paddle rather than the U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,912 (John Profaci) using the contoured, S-shaped tracks with rotatable paddle assembly, the reasons are as follows: 1. In my personal point of view, the straight arm path stroke is consistent with the trend of modern swimming technique. Straight tracks positioned under and parallel to the body center line can guide the user to maintain streamlined body shape. If we watched the 2012 London Olympics' underwater camera you will see the swimmers drop their arm immediately rather than taking the long route of the S-shape. Dropping your arm results in more direct propulsion force to the back rather than making an S-shape movement that will disperse rearward force. 2. The S shape stroke is always right if you look at a freestyler's hand from outside bystanders, as it is a combined motion of body rotation and hand pull. But from the freestyler's own perspective, it is always not necessary to imitate the S-shape pull by hand because combine the contoured, S-shaped path stroke together with body rotation but will distort the forward motion. [0078] The arm and hand guide module give the user a good guideline to do the pull and push of the arm stroke, but the arm is in a horizontal straightening posture before pull the paddle back. When in practice, a horizontal hand stay is used to attract the arm straight forward and hold the arm on the horizon. The horizontal hand stay is a plate with telescopic rods installed on the forefront of the inclined board ahead of the user's head. It is retractable and can guide the arm straight to front and make the arm remains horizontal. Conjunction use of the arm and hand guide module and the horizontal hand stay, as shown in FIG. 19 , will guide the user to achieve a complete swimming arm cycle. [0079] The most distinctive difference with the other inventions is a breathing sink be installed on the forefront gap of the inclined board for breathing practice. No patent reports about breathing sink have ever been found in swim simulator categories. The breathing sink is packed into the front support frame which is the surrounding of the forefront gap of the inclined board. Several blocking things surround the support frame are used to secure the breathing sink. It is better to use a transparent sink for eyes to see far because we don't like our sight be blocked by a very closed article such as the inclined board, by seeing through the transparent breathing sink and the forefront gap of the inclined board, the user can as seen in the swimming pool water. Even if practice swimming on the land, the breathing sink with water inside gives the user a similar scene like swimming pool. With the emergence of the breathing sink, user can practice the complete swimming skills with breathing on land before entering the water. It is very excited for the user to go to the swimming pool to check if he has learned to swim with on land practice. [0080] For freestyle, the breathing sink must be work with a body rotation mechanism to perform the breathing movement otherwise we have to turn our heads alone for getting a breath. The neck will hurt with such turn. Breathing for people tends to be the hardest concept to get while putting together the whole strokes. It is why the invention intend to build a breathing sink on the inclined board to practice breathing together with the arms and legs movements. Users may in an unhurried way to practice swimming. But a sink only cannot perform freestyle breathing movement because our body needs to roll from side to side when we breathe; our heads are actually rolled when the body rolls, to get that breath. Since breathing is to rotate the body and the head together, breathing need to turn the head about 90 degrees (from face down direction to face right or face left directions) to get a breath, with the help of a body rotation mechanism, rotate the body for 45 degrees first, for example, then turn the head for the rest 45 degrees to get a breathe. Thus a simulator with good body rotation mechanism is necessary to assist the freestyle breathing be achieved. [0081] For body rotation mechanism, to solve the bending moment problem and the stable problem of the prior arts, we use an arc panel (or called curved plate) for a contact surface for rotation instead of the crescent shaped support pieces of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,632 (Michael P. Doane) and the curved races of the tray of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,912 (John Profaci), thus the narrow area of the races or tracks for rotation is substituted by a large piece of curved surface; the whole convex surface of the arc panel is a surface for contact and rotation. Next, support the arc panel with at least two cylindrical conveyor rollers to replace the small contact interfaces of the grooved rollers of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,632 (Michael P. Doane) and the small contact interfaces of the channel on the frame of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,912 (John Profaci), therefore, the new supporting region covers the whole upper body of the user. The cylindrical conveyor rollers holds the arc panel and drives the arc panel to rotate, as shown in FIG. 5 . A view of different combinations of rolling elements is shown in FIG. 6 . From the side view, there is no risk that a bending moment will happen to turn over the arc panel because the center of gravity of the above body always falls inside the front and back support limits of the cylindrical conveyor rollers, so the body rotation mechanism is in a very stable from front to back. Next by the front view, two cylindrical conveyor rollers installed at outmost end points of the inclined board are as wide as the width of the arc panel, but not exceed the width of the arc panel, for a stable support, this can promise the center gravity of the above body supported by the arc panel will never exceed the supporting limits of the outmost two cylindrical conveyor rollers. Several bolts are installed on two opposite edges of the arc panel with arbitrary level for set and limit the rotation angle of the arc panel and could prevent the arc panel turn over from lateral sides. [0082] In the prior art, in order to fasten or stabilize the torso support or the tray, the elastic band are used. However, the elastic band become a brake of these mechanisms, it means the more angle you rotate your body, the longer the elastic band stretched, and the more efforts you have to pay, the resistance of the elastic band will cause the user to spent more effort to rotate the body, this is contrary to the body rotation of swimming, when we swim in water, the bodies rotate effortlessly, a body rotation mechanism should be rotate freely without the binding force (the elastic band is one of the binding force) and can drive the body to rotate effortlessly, so the prior inventions with elastic band design didn't satisfy our expectation of body rotation mechanism. [0083] When the axial torque and lateral stability problems of the prior art are resolved by an example of conjunction use of the arc panel (or curved plate) and the conveyor rollers, a new problem arise: will the rotation center of the body match the rotation center of the arc panel naturally? The answer is no. There are three rotation conditions for the arc panel. [0084] First, an inverted pendulum motion caused by the rotation center of the body is higher than the rotation center of the arc panel, as shown in FIG. 17B ; the reason is the diameter of the arc panel is too small for the body or the pad is too thick. This is the same condition as the supporting board and a rotation shaft condition. The body center is above the rotation center of the arc panel so it is unstable and not suitable for a body rotation mechanism. [0085] Second, a true body rotation motion caused by the rotation center of the body is the same height as the rotation center of the arc panel. This condition is achieved by using a proper thickness of pad to elevate the body's center to match the rotation center of the arc panel, as shown in FIG. 7A ; the body will perform a pure body rotation effect just like swimming does, so it is good to be used for freestyle because the proper pad not only overlap the body center and the rotation center of the arc panel but also release the chest pressure. [0086] Third, a pendulum motion caused by the rotation center of the body is lower than the rotation center of the arc panel. This condition is achieved by let the body lying directly inside the arc panel with no pad or with less pad, as shown in FIG. 17A . The body center is below the rotation center of the arc panel so it is super stable because once the body rotates to one side, it will be pulled back to the middle by gravity. This is suitable for backstroke use, as shown in FIG. 7B ; because the back spines won't feel support pressure like chest, with fewer pads or without pad is not matter. The auto back to middle effect makes the backstroke motion easy and stable, besides, the eyes is in a higher level than the body center, it is close to level of the rotation center of the arc panel, makes user feel no swing of head. A view in FIG. 7B shows the backstroke with a pendulum motion. [0087] To sum up, an apropos arc panel for user means the arc panel is bigger enough to hold the body's chest, but not too wide to obstruct the arms movement. When pad properly, the two centers overlap and is good for freestyle use. When there is no pad or less pad inside the arc panel, the rotation center of the body is below the rotation center of the arc panel, a pendulum motion formed (as shown in FIG. 17A ) and is suitable for backstroke use. On the contrary, if padded too high, the over elevated body will swing around the rotation center of the arc panel, an inverted pendulum motion is formed (as shown in FIG. 17B ) and is not good for body rotation mechanism. We can prepare several thickness of the semi-circular pad to elevate the body's height for different users until the two centers overlap for a comfortable body rotation but never over padded. Velcro straps are used to fix the semi-circular pad inside the arc panel for easy replacement. [0088] For breaststroke and butterfly, the body don't rotate, the body rotation mechanism is not necessary, a not rotating regular torso pad is enough for them, as shown in FIG. 14 for breaststroke and FIG. 18 for butterfly. But keeping a body rotation mechanism in use has the merit for practice the body balances because the arc panel will shake the body a small amount of left to right as if the body is in an unbalanced condition in the water. FIG. 13 shows a breaststroke practice with the body rotation mechanism. [0089] For backstroke, breathing sink is unnecessary, a pillow is instead for support the face up head, the body rotation mechanism is needed for face up body rotation practice, as shown in FIG. 10 . [0090] Legs provide several functions for swimming, some of which directly aid the propulsion, some of which lift the body, some of which balance the arm. So it is necessary to have a surface to provide legs performing above multi-functions for leg kicking practice. So the leg support should slope downward from the longitudinal body line. [0091] The inclined kicking pad of my invention is an inclined surface pad which has a downward inclined surface relative to the to the inclined board surface, as shown in FIG. 8A . Without the lower body supporting pad, legs and feet are nowhere to rest on and all the pressure of the body weight will concentrate on the upper body which is the chest and belly position, the chest is uncomfortable under this condition. With the inclined kicking pad to support the lower body, the body pressure is evenly distributed to the whole body just like the buoyancy of the water propped the body. The downward inclined surface of the inclined kicking pad represents a downward maximum foot kicking angle, user may gently lift his leg up to horizontal line and then kick with the instep downward to touch the inclined surface, the inclined surface will give the instep a reaction force like water does, thus guide the user to familiar with a small and steady kick of insteps, as shown in FIG. 8B . The most important function of the inclined pad is to provide a proper surface for the kicking legs to coordinate the movement of the arm stroke and breathing. Coach may instruct the students to swim with precise timing because the body is always keep Swimming posture supported by the inclined board. For breaststroke, legs are doing longitudinal axial movement; it will retract to the front and kick to the back. A triangle cross section between the legs is formed when the legs retract to the front, we use a column pad which is a bigger bottom area and a smaller top area, to fill the entire space between the legs, as shown in FIG. 14 , when the legs retract toward the front, they are guided by the sides of the pad; when the kick is completed, allow the straight and closed legs rest on the small area of the top. [0092] With proper combination of the above mentioned special technical features, swim simulators for different strokes are assembled as follows: [0093] A swim simulator for freestyle includes (as shown in FIG. 1 ): [0094] an inclined board with an opening at the forefront, [0095] a breathing sink, [0096] a body rotation mechanism, [0097] an inclined kicking pad, [0098] a horizontal hand stay and [0099] an arm and hand guide module which is suspended under the inclined board and the connecting rope of the two tracks is an inelastic one to perform alternating movement of the two paddles. [0100] A swim simulator for backstroke includes (as shown in FIG. 20 ): [0101] an inclined board, [0102] a pillow, [0103] a body rotation mechanism, [0104] an inclined kicking pad and [0105] an arm and hand guide module which is support or suspended with independent level supports beside the inclined board and the connecting rope of the two tracks is an inelastic one to perform alternating movement of the two paddles. [0106] A swim simulator for butterfly includes (as shown in FIG. 18 ): [0107] an inclined board with an opening at the forefront, [0108] a breathing sink, [0109] a not rotating regular torso pad, [0110] an inclined kicking pad, [0111] a horizontal hand stay and [0112] an arm and hand guide module which is suspended under the inclined board which the connecting rope is an elastic one to perform synchronized motion of the two paddles. [0113] The swim simulators of butterfly and freestyle have lot in common, we can use the swim simulator of freestyle to practice butterfly just put the inelastic connecting rope into an elastic one, allow the two paddles do the synchronized motion like the arm stroke of butterfly. But on the other hand, without the body rotation mechanism, the swim simulator of butterfly is not suitable be used for freestyle practice. [0114] A swim simulator for breaststroke includes (as shown in FIG. 14 ): [0115] an inclined board with an opening at the forefront, [0116] a breathing sink, [0117] a not rotating regular torso pad, [0118] a specialized breaststroke kicking pad which has cross section of trapezoid or semicircle. [0119] a horizontal hand stay and [0120] an arm and hand guide module which is suspended under the inclined board which the connecting rope is an elastic one to perform synchronized action of the two paddles. [0121] A simplified swim simulator with minimum elements of the above combinations is a board with the body rotation mechanism plus a pad for legs is enough for practice swimming on land, as shown in FIG. 21 . As rotation of the body is the major simulation movement on land, once we can rotate our body on a dry land like swim, the arms are free to move along the body center line under the board, a basic swimming training can be achieved on land. For experienced swimmer, without arm and hand guide, he can perform his own way of arm stroke. [0122] The present invention allow user to do the same swimming movements such as freestyle, backstroke, buttery and breaststroke, furthermore, even swimming breathing can be practiced together with. The present invention comprises the adequate lengths of inclined board to support the whole body. The first appeared swimming breathing sink has achieved breathing on land. The body rotation mechanism not only makes rotation for the body but also reserves space for the arms to move under the body. The inclined kicking pad is a surface for legs to kick and allow the legs to coordinate with arms and breathing. The breaststroke trapezoidal column pad especially for breaststroke kicks practice. The straight line arm and hand guide module works with the horizontal hand stay to practice the complete arm movement, all together achieve the goal of simulating swimming on land. Our theory is, once you can do the right swimming technique on land, you can learn to swim very soon. The theory has been confirmed to be true by an experiment of a six year old not swim boy who had practiced swimming with the invention for four times within two weeks, then try a test swim in the water, reached for 20 meters with breathings. [0123] The object of the present invention is to provide a swim simulator which can practice a complete swimming movement on land which includes breathing. [0124] It is thus an object of the present invention to provide those schools which have no swimming pools a new tool and method to teach swimming by using the swim simulator on land. [0125] It is thus an object of the present invention to substitute the swimming pool as the only mean for swimming teaching and learning place, allowing coaches to demonstrate swimming technique and correct the students' swimming movement on land. [0126] Another object of the present invention is to create a body rotation mechanism for simulating the body rotation effect of freestyle and backstroke on land by use of the arc panel and underside rolling elements. [0127] Another object of the present invention guides the user to become familiar with the arm cycle by use of the combination of the arm and hand guide module and the horizontal hand stay. [0128] Another object of the present invention is to provide a linear motion arm and hand guide module to guide the user's arms to do swimming stroke along the sides of the shoulders for backstroke. [0129] Another object of the present invention is to provide a quick release arm and hand guide module which can be assembled and disassembled quickly from freestyle use to backstroke use. [0130] Another object of the present invention is to provide an inclined kicking pad which gives legs and feet a surface to rest and to practice legs kick with insteps. [0131] Another object of the present invention is to provide a specialized breaststroke kicking pad which is a trapezoid column pad, gives straight legs a narrow surface to rest and retract the legs along the two bevel edges of the trapezoidal column to practice legs kicking of breaststroke. [0132] Advantageously, the present invention allows user to practice a joint motion of arms, legs and breathing, all work together, with a slow or even paused pose to check each action is correct or not, user may completely ignore the buoyancy problem which will be faced when practice in water because the inclined board always support the body and the user doesn't has to hold his breath to practice arms and legs joint movements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0133] FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration showing a user utilizing the appliance in accordance with the present invention to swim freestyle. [0134] FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of a swimming appliance in accordance with the present invention. [0135] FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of an exemplary appliance of the swimming breathing sink embodying the invention. [0136] FIG. 4 is an exploded schematic view of an exemplary appliance of the mirrors placed in the side walls of the sink embodying the invention. [0137] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of one of the embodiments of body rotation mechanism from exploded view to assembled diagram. [0138] FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of various exemplary structures of the underside rolling support parts of the body rotation mechanism of the invention. [0139] FIG. 7A is a front sequential schematic view showing a user rolls by the body rotation mechanism of the invention for freestyle will always keep the body in the center. [0140] FIG. 7B is a front sequential schematic view of the invention showing a user rolls by the body rotation mechanism with less or no pad inside to make a stable auto back to middle motion for backstroke. [0141] FIG. 8A is a side elevational view of the embodiment of the invention which the surface of the inclined kicking pad is a downward slope with respect to the inclined board and is suitable for the kick practice of freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. [0142] FIG. 8B is a side elevational view showing a user practice the legs kick with the instep flat on the inclined kicking pad to simulate the kick in water. [0143] FIG. 9 includes FIG. 9A , FIG. 9B and FIG. 9C which shows the independent arm and hand guide module is a combination of linear motion systems, shelled pulleys, paddles and rope. [0144] FIG. 9A is an exploded view shows a hanging roller inside each of the tracks. [0145] FIG. 9B is a perspective illustration shows an embodiment of the invention of the arm and hand guide module which is a combination of tracks, hanging rollers, shelled pulleys, paddles and rope. [0146] FIG. 9C is a perspective illustration shows an embodiment of the invention of the arm and hand guide module which is a combination of rails, sliding blocks shelled pulleys, paddles and rope. [0147] FIG. 10 is a perspective illustration showing a user utilizing the appliance in accordance with the present invention for freestyle to practice backstroke with the breathing sink replaced by a pillow and use four level stands outside the inclined board to support the arm and hand guide module. [0148] FIG. 11 is a perspective illustration showing a user utilizing the appliance in accordance with the present invention for freestyle to practice backstroke with the breathing sink replaced by a pillow and use invert suspension brackets on each of the four level stands to suspend the arm and hand guide module upside down. [0149] FIG. 12 is a front elevational view showing a user utilizing the appliance in accordance with the present invention to practice backstroke with adjustable suspension bracket installed on the underside of the inclined board to support and adjust the arm and hand guide module. [0150] FIG. 13 is a sequential schematic view of the embodiment of the invention for breaststroke with the inclined kicking paid replaced with a trapezoidal column pad, allowing legs to do the kicks of breaststroke. [0151] FIG. 14 is a perspective illustration of the embodiment of the invention for breaststroke practice which the body rotation mechanism shown in FIG. 13 is replaced by the general torso pad which will not rotate the body. [0152] FIG. 15 is a front sequential schematic view showing whether it is a flat (see FIG. 15A ) or a curved (see FIG. 15B ) body support, as long as it is driven by a shaft underneath, will cause the above body swaying and off the center line. [0153] FIG. 16 is a perspective illustration of a redraw of the prior art invention of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,632 (Michael P. Doane). [0154] FIG. 17A shows the body lying on the arc panel without pad will sway and off the center line like a motion of pendulum. [0155] FIG. 17B shows the body lying on the arc panel with an excessively thick pad will sway and off the center line like a motion of invert pendulum as shown in FIG. 15 . [0156] FIG. 18 is a perspective illustration showing a user utilizing the appliance in accordance with the present invention to swim butterfly. [0157] FIG. 19 is a perspective illustration of the embodiment of the arm and hand guide used in conjunction with the horizontal hand stay for a complete arm stroke movement. [0158] FIG. 20 is a perspective illustration showing a user utilizing a customized appliance in accordance with the present invention special for the backstroke use. [0159] FIG. 21 is a perspective illustration showing a user utilizing the simplified appliance in accordance with the present invention to practice the coordination of the whole body. [0160] The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various Figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0161] FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment swim simulator which is to implement the swimming of freestyle. One embodiment of the swim simulator as shown In FIG. 2 is generally comprised of an inclined board 1 which is supported by descending straight line arranged supporting legs 2 . There are three different height of supporting legs with arithmetic proportion in this example, which are the shortest supporting leg 21 , the longer supporting leg 22 and the longest supporting leg 23 , formed a inclined supporting line. With three legs can prevent the inclined board 1 from bending caused by body weight above it. We use the inclined board 1 rather than a horizontal placed board is to match the true swimming stance, which means the head is higher than the foot when swimming. There is an opening at the front edge of the inclined board 1 which is called the forefront opening 11 and allows the user to see through the inclined board 1 for release pressure of eyesight. [0162] Above the forefront opening 11 is installed a swimming breathing sink kit 3 which is fixed in position by numbers of blocking things 31 surround the forefront opening 11 . These blocking things 31 can prevent the swimming breathing sink kit 3 from dumping. FIG. 3 shows an example of the blocking things 31 around the swimming breathing sink kit 3 . The swimming breathing sink kit 3 includes a transparent sink 32 which will give the user a good vision to see the front view by seeing through both the transparent sink 32 and the forefront opening 11 . For practicing swimming breathing, a half full of water is added inside the transparent sink 32 first, mirrors 33 could be stick to the side walls of the transparent sink 32 for the user to view his breathing, as shown in FIG. 4 . [0163] An example of body rotation mechanism 4 is shown in FIG. 5 , which is installed right after the swimming breathing sink kit 3 , is capable of rotating the body rather than swinging the body. It comprises of two parts, the upper part and the under part, the upper part is an arc panel 41 hold a semicircular column pad 47 , the under part is called underside rolling support parts 44 . The function of the arc panel 41 with semicircular column pad 47 is to receive an upper body of the user and drive the upper body to rotate. The underside rolling support parts 44 consists of numbers of cylindrical conveyor rollers 45 or the equivalents and its function is to support and roll the arc panel 41 , several different underside rolling support parts 44 are shown in FIG. 6 . In this example, the under part consist of two cylindrical conveyor rollers 45 for convenience, installed on the inclined board 1 with locating tabs 46 , side by side with a lateral width smaller than but close to the projection width of the arc panel 41 , thus the arc panel 41 will rotate about its own rotation center but will not overturn. Because the inclined board 1 will cause the arc panel 41 slide to the back when rotating on the two cylindrical conveyor rollers 45 , a rolling barrier component 48 is installed right after the arc panel 41 for stop it from moving and rotate it with low friction. For assemble convenience, the underside rolling support parts 44 and the rolling barrier component 48 can be installed on abase plate 441 first, then fix the whole parts on the inclined board 1 . [0164] We reserved some space between the cylindrical conveyor rollers 45 and the sides' edge of the inclined board 1 for installing an anti-slip armrest 9 on both sides of the inclined board 1 as shown in FIG. 2 . The anti-slip armrest 9 is a hand stays for the user easy to get on and off the inclined board 1 . The above arc panel 41 is a curved plate, supported by the two conveyor rollers 45 , they will perform contact rotation, the arc panel 41 will rotate about its virtual rotation center, and the conveyor rollers 45 will rotate at its fixed axis. For elevating the body center of the above user to match the virtual rotation center of the arc panel 41 , we can use thin mats layer by layer to increase the thickness of a semicircular column pad 47 , elevating the center of the body to overlap the virtual rotation center of the arc panel 41 , so when the arc panel 41 rolls, the body will also rotates about the center of itself, thus, a true body rotation movement is achieved, as shown in FIG. 7A . For different body type, fat or thin, we may prepare several different thicknesses of semicircular column pads 47 to fit everyone. The semicircular column pads 47 can be fastened inside the arc panel 41 with Velcro straps for easy replacement. [0165] The head of the user will keep in its original position when the body rotates with this body rotation mechanism 4 . Several symmetrical high and low adjusting holes 42 are drilled on the sides of the arc panel 41 , as shown in FIG. 5 , with some of the adjusting bolts 43 screwed on some of the desired adjusting holes 42 , we can control the rotation angle and prevent turnover of the arc panel 41 . The body rotation mechanism 4 is so stable that when we push the arc panel 41 to one side and then release, it will oscillating and back to the neutral position in the end automatically by gravity, so when the body lying above the arc panel 41 and rolls, it will roll back and forth with ease. Besides, no longitudinal axle bending moment will happen on this body rotation mechanism 4 because the under conveyor rollers 45 support the upper arc panel 41 from front to the end, so no fasten things such as rubber bands are needed to fasten the torso support. Besides, replace a different size of the arc panel 41 , for example, different diameter or different length, for different body type is just a pick it up and put it down procedures. [0166] An inclined kicking pad 5 installed immediately after the body rotation mechanism 4 . FIG. 8A shows an inclined kicking pad 5 which is a triangle from side view and a rectangle from top view. Because the legs kicking of swimming are downward to some depth relative to the longitudinal body center line, the surface of the inclined kicking pad 5 has a more slope downward relative to the inclined board 1 . The surface of the inclined kicking pad 5 is a preset downward kicking slope for legs, when practicing downward kicking, use the instep to kick the inclined kicking pad 5 , make the instep as closely aligns to the surface as possible for getting efficient kick. The surface will provide a reaction force like water resistance to the foot, as shown in FIG. 8B . A further important function of the inclined kicking pad 5 is to provide legs kick to coordinate with the arms movement, allowing the user to practice timing and the rhythm of the combined movements of arms and legs, finally, swimming breathing will be joined for a complete swimming technique practice on land. The inclined kicking pad 5 is a simple but important board for the practice of the kick of freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. [0167] An arm and hand guide module 6 is a guidance of all strokes, for freestyle, it is suspended by brackets 61 under the inclined board 1 . We use the linear motion systems which are mature and readily available commodities as the straight-line gliding mechanism. It is consist of a track 62 to guide a hanging roller 63 or a rail 64 to guide a sliding block 65 , as shown in FIG. 9 . The track 62 and the hanging roller 63 are operated in a upside down position compared to its normal use, so the hanging roller 63 can moves inside the track 62 and allowing a paddle 66 be installed on top of the standup hanging roller 63 . When using the rail 64 and the sliding block 65 , the paddle 66 is installed directly on top of the sliding block 65 . A shell pulley 67 is installed at the front end of the track 62 , we need two sets of this linear motion systems for both arms, by connecting both paddles 66 through the shell pulleys 67 with a inelastic connecting rope 68 , the two paddles 66 on each hanging roller 63 are linked now and the inelastic connecting rope 68 will not derail in any case, no matter the inelastic connecting rope 68 is tight or loose, the paddles 66 will guide the arms to do the freestyle arm cycle by turns. The arm and hand guide module 6 can be fixed on the brackets 61 with screws, but for easy to adjust and quick releases, Velcro straps are used to secure the tracks 62 on the brackets 61 . When different users come to use one after another, it is very quick to adjust the track 62 position back and forth to fit each user's hand position. Because the tracks 62 exceed the inclined board 1 a lot, when not in use, we can take down the arm and hand guide module 6 from the brackets and store it under the inclined board 1 for space saving. [0168] A horizontal hand stays 7 is consist of two parts, a set of telescopic rails 71 and a palm-rest plate 72 , as shown in FIG. 8A . The telescopic rails 71 are installed under the forefront opening 11 of the inclined board 1 ; the palm-rest plate 72 is installed on the other end of the telescopic rails 71 . By stretching the telescopic rails 71 , we can adjust the position of the palm rest plate 72 , for matching hand of different arm length to stay, as shown in FIG. 8B . The horizontal hand stays 7 will be used in conjunction with the arm and hand guide module 6 to perform the complete arm cycle of swimming. The horizontal hand stays 7 is responsible for the palm entering the water period and the arm and hand guide module 6 is responsible for the following pull, push and recovery periods and back to the palm-rest plate 72 for the next arm cycle. The palm-rest plate 72 will keep the front arm maintaining level to reduce forward resistance while the other arm is pushing the paddle 66 back to the thigh meanwhile the feet are kicking downward to the inclined kicking pad 5 . The combined use of the arm and hand guide 6 and the horizontal hand stays 7 is shown in FIG. 19 [0169] An elastic mark rod 8 is fixed on two opposite sides of the inclined board 1 adjacent to the sink 3 as shown in FIG. 2 . The purpose of the elastic mark rod 8 is a marking of water level, for reminding the user to raise his arm high enough to cross the water surface when the arm recovered to the front of the arm cycle. Without the elastic mark rod 8 , novices often forget keeping their elbows high during recovery period, the mark rod 8 could be folded under the surface when users familiar with arm stroke. [0170] An anti-slip armrest 9 is installed on two opposite sides of the inclined board 1 adjacent to the body rotation mechanism 4 as shown in FIG. 2 . It provides the user a place to grab for getting on and off the inclined board 1 . [0171] For backstroke, the swimming breathing sink 3 is replaced by a pillow 34 for supporting the head and the horizontal hand stays 7 is not needed. The arms stroke of the backstroke are along the sides of the body, unlike the arms are under the body of freestyle, so the two tracks 62 of the arm and hand guide module 6 is moved to positions parallel to and with a distance outside the inclined board 1 . Three embodiments are shown here, one is the arm and hand guide module 6 be placed beside the inclined board 1 and the paddles 66 position are below the body level, as shown in FIG. 10 , the arm moves in a wide and deep pull and push, each track 62 is supported by two independent level stands 10 , choose a proper width between inclined board 1 and the tracks 62 for different user's need by adjusting the level stands 10 to create adequate space for the arm and elbow to move through. Because the two tracks 62 of the arm and hand guide module 6 is positioned wider than for freestyle, the connecting rope 68 must be replaced by a longer one to compensate the increased width between the two tracks 62 , once the connecting rope 68 is changed to a suitable one, the arm and hand guide module 6 is ready for backstroke use. Another embodiment is hung upside down the arm and hand guide module 6 with the height above the body, by Installing the invert suspension brackets 101 on the level stands 10 to increase suspension height, the tracks are suspended upside down on the invert suspension brackets 101 , as shown in FIG. 11 , this embodiment guides the arms doing a narrow arm pull and push stroke which the arms are very close to the sides of the body. The installation of the invert suspension is a little bit complex than the previous one but runs very smooth and may keep the body in a straight line move. [0172] The other embodiment is to install four adjustable suspension brackets 102 on the underside of the inclined board 1 as shown in FIG. 12 . The backstroke suspension brackets 102 are articulated bracket which consist of plural of pipes connected by knuckle Joints, here we use the combination of two pipes to demonstrate the assembly of one adjustable suspension brackets 102 , we need four of the two pipes for the front pair and the rear pair, one end of the adjustable suspension brackets 102 is fixed on the bench board 1 and the other end is to support the track 62 , with the knuckle Joints, the joint angle of the adjustable suspension brackets 102 can be adjusted between the bench board 1 and the paddle 66 , to match the unique arm need for different users. [0173] For butterfly, as shown in FIG. 18 , all parts are the same as used in freestyle except the following two, the body rotation mechanism 4 and the arm and hand guide module 6 . The body rotation mechanism 4 could be replaced by a not rotating regular torso pad 49 for economic consideration, but it is not necessary if you already have a body rotation mechanism 4 for freestyle because a left and right balance of body could be practiced with the little shake of the body rotation mechanism 4 . The arm and hand guide module 6 for butterfly needs to move the two paddles 66 with a synchronized motion, by replacing the inelastic connecting rope 68 used for freestyle with a elastic connecting rope 69 , the user can pull the two paddles 66 with synchronized motion to the back, when both arms leave the paddles 66 and recovered to the front horizontal hand stays 7 , the two paddles has already pull to the front by the elastic connecting rope 69 and ready for the next pull. [0174] For breaststroke, all parts are the same as used in freestyle except the following three, the body rotation mechanism 4 , the arm and hand guide module 6 and the inclined kicking pad 5 . The body rotation mechanism 4 could be replaced by a not rotating regular torso pad 49 for avoiding the rear edge of the arc panel 41 of the body rotation mechanism 4 obstruct the legs retraction movement to the front as shown in FIG. 13 . The arm and hand guide module 6 for breaststroke is the same type as used in butterfly with the connecting rope 69 be elastic and also suspend under the inclined board 1 . To ensure unobstructed legs kicking practice, replace the inclined kicking pad 5 by a specialized breaststroke kicking pad 51 as shown in FIG. 14 . When swimming, retracting legs of the breaststroke is done by spread out and bends the legs to the front, a triangular or trapezoidal space is formed between the two legs. We could use a pad which is a bottom wide and top narrow shape to match the angle of the spread legs, such as a trapezoid or a semicircle are two of the same types, here we use a trapezoidal column as the example of the specialized breaststroke kicking pad 51 . The top narrow area is able to support the legs when the two legs are straight toward the back and draw close, the bevel edges of the trapezoidal column will support and guide the legs to spread and move to the front. When the legs kick to the back and will stay on the top narrow area with the two legs straight again. In FIG. 21 , the other embodiment is for the beginners. By using only a narrow board to support the lying body and a body rotation mechanism 4 to rotate the bodies while the arms can move freely under the bodies, plus an inclined kicking pad 5 or a readily available common pad, is enough for them to practice the basic technique with a lying posture like swimming. Coaches may also demonstrate dedicated swimming skills with lie down posture and without the limitation of the arm and hand guide module 6 . REFERENCE NUMERALS AND DESIGNATIONS [0000] 1 . inclined board 11 . forefront opening 2 . descending straight line arranged supporting legs 21 . the shortest supporting leg 22 . the longer supporting leg 23 . the longest supporting leg 24 . adjustable supporting leg 25 . hinge 3 . swimming breathing sink 31 . blocking things 32 . transparent sink 33 . mirror 34 . pillow 4 . body rotation mechanism 41 . arc panel 42 . adjusting hole 43 . adjusting bolt 44 . underside rolling support parts 441 . base plate 45 . conveyor roller 46 . locating tab 47 . semicircular column pad 48 . rolling barrier component 49 . not rotating regular torso pad 5 . inclined kicking pad 51 . specialized breaststroke kicking pad 6 . arm and hand guide module 61 . bracket 62 . track 63 . hanging roller 64 . rail 65 . sliding block 66 . paddle 67 . shell pulley 68 . inelastic connecting rope 69 . elastic connecting rope 7 . horizontal hand stay 71 . telescopic rail 72 . palm rest plate 8 . elastic mark rod 9 . anti-slip armrest 10 . level stand 101 . invert suspension bracket 102 . adjustable suspension bracket

The invention is related to a swimming teaching apparatus which provides user to make a complete swimming like action on land. The special technical features are a body rotation mechanism, arms guide, a breathing sink and a kick pad for legs, all together to perform on land swimming exercise. All strokes can be skilled with a precise instruction by the coach when the user is stationary on the invention. The invention allows user to do continuous practice of the swimming movements without be interrupted by a breathing problem, when the arms and legs are well coordinated, breathing sink then add to exercise, user can do combined actions slowly to ensure the correctness. The invention is tried to substitute the buoyancy of water as a pre-training machine for those schools which have no swimming pools can still carry out swimming courses for their students to reduce drowning incidents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an optical deflector, a method of producing the optical deflector, an optical scanning device, and an image forming apparatus, and particularly, to an optical deflector, a method of producing the optical deflector, an optical scanning device, and an image forming apparatus used in a color image forming apparatus. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] An image forming apparatus employing an electrophotographic process is used in a laser printer, a digital multifunction machine, a common facsimile machine, and so on. In such an image forming apparatus, along with realization of color image formation and high speed of image formation, a tandem image forming apparatus is widely used which has plural (usually four) photoconductors. [0005] For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-92129 discloses an optical deflector used in a color image formation apparatus, which optical deflector includes plural polygon mirrors laminated in a rotation axis direction, and deflection reflection surfaces of different stages of the polygon mirrors are fixed while being inclined relative to each other in the rotation direction to form a preset angle between the deflection reflection surfaces of different stages of the polygon mirrors in the rotation direction. Such a color image formation apparatus is capable of high-speed image output with a lesser number of light sources in an optical scanning device, and thus, the cost of the image formation apparatus is low. In addition, since the number of the light sources is reduced, the probability of trouble occurring in the light sources is low, and thus the image formation apparatus is of high reliability. [0006] However, the techniques in the related art suffer from the following problems. [0007] In the related art, when fabricating an optical deflector, since it is difficult to machine plural deflection reflection surfaces with those deflection reflection surfaces in an integrated state, usually, two polygon mirrors are machined separately, specifically, deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors are machined separately in advance, and the polygon mirrors are then laminated and assembled to form a polygon scanner. In this case, it is difficult to precisely incline the laminated polygon mirrors in the rotation direction by a desired angle and precisely fix the polygon mirrors without damaging the deflection reflection surfaces. In addition, due to imposed thermal stress, or acceleration or de-acceleration operations for starting or stopping, the polygon mirrors may shift from their original positions along with time, which causes imbalance of the rotary member and produces large rotational vibration. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] An embodiment of the present invention may solve one or more problems of the related art. [0009] A preferred embodiment of the present invention may provide an optical deflector, a method of producing the optical deflector, an optical scanning device, and an image forming apparatus which can save resources, are of high reliability and low cost, enable laminated polygon mirrors to be arranged precisely with a relative-rotated angle between the polygon mirrors, and are able to prevent the polygon mirrors from deviating from an original position, thus prevent imbalance of the polygon mirrors and resulting large rotational vibration even when a thermal stress is imposed, or during acceleration or de-acceleration operations for starting or stopping the optical deflector. [0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical deflector, comprising: [0011] a rotary member that is supported by a bearing and is driven to rotate by a motor, a plurality of polygon mirrors being fixed on the rotary member, each of the polygon mirrors having a plurality of reflection surfaces, [0000] wherein [0012] the polygon mirrors are laminated in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotary member, [0013] the polygon mirrors are arranged so that each of the reflection surfaces of one of the polygon mirrors is offset relative to the corresponding one of the reflection surfaces of another one of the polygon mirrors by a predetermined angle in a rotation plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, and [0014] an effective deflection area of each of the reflection surfaces of any one of the polygon mirrors is positioned away from a center of the corresponding reflection surfaces of the other one of the polygon mirrors in the direction of the rotation axis. [0015] As an embodiment, each of the reflection surfaces of each of the polygon mirrors has an arc-shaped boundary. [0016] As an embodiment, the polygon mirrors are made individually, and are fixed to a bearing shaft of the rotary member by shrinkage fit and are integrated together. [0017] As an embodiment, the polygon mirrors form a single part. [0018] As an embodiment, the polygon mirror as a single part is machined by forging. [0019] As an embodiment, corners of the reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors on an interface of adjacent polygon mirrors are cut off. For example, a surface formed by cutting off one of the corners of the reflection surfaces is a plane surface. [0020] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of fabricating an optical deflector having a rotary member that is supported by a bearing and is driven to rotate by a motor, a plurality of polygon mirrors fixed on the rotary member, each of the polygon mirrors having a plurality of reflection surfaces, wherein the polygon mirrors are laminated in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotary member, the polygon mirrors are arranged so that each of the reflection surfaces of one of the polygon mirrors is offset relative to the corresponding one of the reflection surfaces of another one of the polygon mirrors by a predetermined angle in a rotation plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, and an effective deflection area of each of the reflection surfaces of any one of the polygon mirrors is positioned away from a center of the corresponding reflection surfaces of the other one of the polygon mirrors in the direction of the rotation axis, [0021] said method comprising the step of: [0022] forming each of the reflection surfaces by mirror processing in a longitudinal direction of the reflection surface with the laminated polygon mirrors being integrated together. [0023] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical scanning device, comprising: [0024] an optical system that includes an optical deflector and directs a light beam from a light source to a scanning surface through the optical system to form a light spot on the scanning surface, said optical deflector deflecting the light beam to form a scan line on the scanning surface, [0000] wherein [0025] the optical deflector includes [0026] a rotary member that is supported by a bearing and is driven to rotate by a motor, a plurality of polygon mirrors fixed on the rotary member, each of the polygon mirrors having a plurality of reflection surfaces, [0000] wherein [0027] the polygon mirrors are laminated in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotary member, [0028] the polygon mirrors are arranged so that each of the reflection surfaces of one of the polygon mirrors is offset relative to the corresponding one of the reflection surfaces of another one of the polygon mirrors by a predetermined angle in a rotation plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, and [0029] an effective deflection area of each of the reflection surfaces of any one of the polygon mirrors is positioned away from a center of the corresponding reflection surfaces of the other one of the polygon mirrors in the direction of the rotation axis. [0030] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical scanning device, comprising: [0031] an optical system that includes an optical deflector and directs a plurality of light beams from a light source to a scanning surface through the optical system to form a plurality of light spots on the scanning surface, said optical deflector deflecting the light beams to form plural scan lines on the scanning surface, [0000] wherein [0032] the optical deflector includes [0033] a rotary member that is supported by a bearing and is driven to rotate by a motor, a plurality of polygon mirrors being fixed on the rotary member, each of the polygon mirrors having a plurality of reflection surfaces, [0000] wherein [0034] the polygon mirrors are laminated in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotary member, [0035] the polygon mirrors are arranged so that each of the reflection surfaces of one of the polygon mirrors is offset relative to the corresponding one of the reflection surfaces of another one of the polygon mirrors by a predetermined angle in a rotation plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, and [0036] an effective deflection area of each of the reflection surfaces of any one of the polygon mirrors is positioned away from a center of the corresponding reflection surfaces of the other one of the polygon mirrors in the direction of the rotation axis. [0037] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming device, comprising: [0038] a photoconductor having a photoconductive surface, [0039] an optical scanning device that directs a light beam from a light source to the photoconductor to scan the photoconductive surface and form a latent image on the photoconductive surface, and [0040] a unit that converts the latent image to a visible image, [0000] wherein [0041] the optical scanning device includes an optical system that includes an optical deflector to deflect the light beam and form a scan line on the photoconductive surface of the photoconductor, [0042] the optical deflector includes [0043] a rotary member that is supported by a bearing and is driven to rotate by a motor, a plurality of polygon mirrors fixed on the rotary member, each of the polygon mirrors having a plurality of reflection surfaces, [0000] wherein [0044] the polygon mirrors are laminated in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotary member, [0045] the polygon mirrors are arranged so that each of the reflection surfaces of one of the polygon mirrors is offset relative to the corresponding one of the reflection surfaces of another one of the polygon mirrors by a predetermined angle in a rotation plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, and [0046] an effective deflection area of each of the reflection surfaces of any one of the polygon mirrors is positioned away from a center of the corresponding reflection surfaces of the other one of the polygon mirrors in the direction of the rotation axis. [0047] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming device, comprising: [0048] a photoconductor having a photoconductive surface, [0049] an optical scanning device that directs a plurality of light beams from a plurality of light sources to the photoconductor to scan the photoconductive surface and form a latent image on the photoconductive surface, and [0050] a unit that converts the latent image to a visible image, [0000] wherein [0051] the optical scanning device includes a scanning optical system that includes an optical deflector to deflect the light beams and form a plurality of scan lines on the photoconductive surface of the photoconductor, [0052] the optical deflector includes [0053] a rotary member that is supported by a bearing and is driven to rotate by a motor, a plurality of polygon mirrors fixed on the rotary member, each of the polygon mirrors having a plurality of reflection surfaces, [0000] wherein [0054] the polygon mirrors are laminated in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotary member, [0055] the polygon mirrors are arranged so that each of the reflection surfaces of one of the polygon mirrors is offset relative to the corresponding one of the reflection surfaces of another one of the polygon mirrors by a predetermined angle in a rotation plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, and [0056] an effective deflection area of each of the reflection surfaces of any one of the polygon mirrors is positioned away from a center of the corresponding reflection surfaces of the other one of the polygon mirrors in the direction of the rotation axis. [0057] According to the present invention, polygon mirrors are laminated in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotary member to be integrated together, while the polygon mirrors are relatively rotated by a predetermined angle in the rotation direction of the rotary member; further, the effective deflection areas of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors are located away from the centers of the deflection reflection surfaces in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotary member. [0058] Due to this, it is possible to process the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors with the polygon mirrors being integrated together. Therefore, the laminated polygon mirrors can be arranged precisely while being relatively rotated by a predetermined angle in the rotation direction of the rotary member. Due to this, even when a thermal stress is imposed, or during acceleration or de-acceleration operations for starting or stopping the rotary member, the polygon mirrors can hardly shift from their original positions to cause imbalance of the rotary member and produce large rotational vibration. [0059] These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments given with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0060] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an optical deflector including a rotary member according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [0061] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the optical deflector according to the first embodiment of the present invention; [0062] FIG. 3 is a perspective view for illustrating a method of machining the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 to be mirror surfaces according to the first embodiment of the present invention; [0063] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the method of machining the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 to be mirror surfaces according to the first embodiment of the present invention; [0064] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an optical deflector including a rotary member according to a second embodiment of the present invention; [0065] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the optical deflector according to the second embodiment of the present invention; [0066] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an optical deflector including a rotary member according to a third embodiment of the present invention; [0067] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the optical deflector according to the third embodiment of the present invention; [0068] FIG. 9 is a perspective view for illustrating a method of machining the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror unit 130 to be mirror surfaces according to the third embodiment of the present invention; [0069] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the method of machining the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror unit 130 to be mirror surfaces according to the third embodiment of the present invention; [0070] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a configuration of an optical scanning device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; [0071] FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view illustrating functions of the half-mirror prism 4 in the fourth embodiment of the present invention; [0072] FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B are schematic views illustrating functions of the polygon mirror deflector 7 ; [0073] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating modulation of the light intensity of the light source when writing a black image and a magenta image; [0074] FIG. 15 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of an optical scanning device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and [0075] FIG. 16 is a schematic view illustrating operations of an image forming device including the optical deflector as shown in FIG. 15 . DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0076] Below, preferred embodiments of an optical deflector, a method of producing the optical deflector, an optical scanning device, and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention are explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. First Embodiment [0077] FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an optical deflector including a rotary member according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [0078] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the optical deflector according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [0079] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , a rotary member 101 of the optical deflector of the present embodiment includes polygon mirrors 103 , 104 , which are fixed to the outer surface of the bearing shaft 102 by shrinkage fit, a flange 105 attached to the polygon mirror 104 , and a rotor magnet 106 attached to the flange 105 . [0080] A radial oil retaining bearing includes the bearing shaft 102 and a fixture sleeve 107 . A bearing gap is less than 10 μm along the diameter direction of the bearing shaft 102 . In order to secure stability during high speed rotation, the radial bearing has dynamic pressure generation grooves (not illustrated). The dynamic pressure generation grooves are provided on the outer surface of the bearing shaft 102 , or on the inner surface of the fixture sleeve 107 , and preferably, on the inner surface of the fixture sleeve 107 formed from a sintered member of good machining properties. [0081] Preferably, the bearing shaft 102 may be formed from martensitic stainless steel, such as SUS420J2, which is of good abrasion resistance and is quenchable, resulting in a high surface hardness. [0082] The flange 105 is below and attached to the polygon mirror 104 , and is fixed by caulking or adhesive bonding. [0083] The rotor magnet 106 is fixed on the inner surface toward the bottom of the flange 105 ; the rotor magnet 106 and a stator core 109 (a winding coil 109 a ) fixed on a bearing housing 108 constitute an outer rotor brushless motor. The rotor magnet 106 is bonded using a resin as a binder, and the outside diameter portion of the rotor magnet 106 is held by the flange 105 . The rotor magnet 106 may be fixed to the flange 105 by an adhesive agent; however, it is preferable to fix the rotor magnet 106 by press fitting, because this results in an even high rotation speed, does not causes small movement of the fixing portion even in a high temperature environment, and can maintain balance of the rotary member 101 at high precision. [0084] An axial pivot bearing brings a convex curved surface 102 a formed on the bottom surface of the bearing shaft 102 into contact with a thrust cup member 110 . [0085] For example, the thrust cup member 110 may be formed from resin materials to improve lubricity. Alternatively, the thrust cup member 110 may be formed from martensitic stainless steel, ceramic, or metal materials, and hardening treatment such as diamond-like-carbon (DLC) treatment can be performed on the surface of the thrust cup member 110 to prevent generation of abrasive powder. [0086] The thrust cup member 110 and the fixture sleeve 107 are held in the bearing housing 108 , and a fluid seal 111 is used to prevent outward flow of the oil. [0087] When the rotary member 101 is rotated at a speed of 25000 rpm or higher, in order to reduce vibration, it is necessary to balance the rotary member 101 precisely, and maintain the balance of the rotary member 101 precisely. There are two portions of the rotary member 101 used for imbalance correction; one is at an upper position, and the other one is at a lower position. Specifically, as the one at the upper position, a circular depression 103 a is formed on the mirror 103 ; as the one at the lower position, a circular depression 105 a is formed on the flange 105 , and an adhesive agent is applied on the circular depression 103 a and the circular depression 105 a for balance correction. It is required that the imbalance be less than 10 mg·mm, for example, at a position having a radius of 10 mm, the correction should be less than 1 mg. [0088] When carrying out the above fine adjustment, if it is difficult to control the imbalance due to attachment to the adhesive agent, or if the adhesive agent is detached or scattered at a rotational speed as high as 40000 rpm or more due to a small amount of the adhesive agent and thus a weak adhesive force, it is preferable to eliminate some of the weight of the rotary member 101 , for example, by drill grinding or laser machining. [0089] In the present embodiment, the motor system is an outer rotor motor in which where is a magnetic gap in the radial direction, and the rotor magnet 106 is placed on the outside diameter portion of the stator core 109 . In addition, rotational driving is performed in the following way. That is, a signal is output from a Hall device 113 mounted on a circuit board 112 , which is referred to as a position signal, through the magnetic field of the rotor magnet 106 . Then excitation switching of the winding coil 109 a is carried out by a driving IC 114 , thereby causing rotational motion. The rotor magnet 106 is magnetized in the radial direction, and a rotational torque is produced between the rotor magnet 106 and the outer surface of the stator core 109 , thereby causing rotational motion. In the outer-diameter portion of the rotor magnet 106 other than the inner-diameter portion and in the height direction, the magnetic circuit is open, and the Hall device 113 for switching excitation of the motor is placed in the open magnetic circuit. A controller 115 is connected to a harness (not illustrated) through a connector to receive electric power from the main body, start or stop the motor, and input or output control signals indicating the speed of rotation. [0090] Each of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 has four deflection reflection surfaces, and the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 are laminated (stacked) in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotary member 101 . The polygon mirror 103 and the polygon mirror 104 are relatively rotated (offset) by 45° in the rotation direction of the rotary member 101 , thus, the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 are inclined relative to the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 104 , in other words, the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 are offset relative to the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 104 , and one of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 and the corresponding one of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 104 form an angle of 45° in the horizontal plane in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , which horizontal plane is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotary member 101 . [0091] The polygon mirrors 103 , 104 are fixed to the outer surface of the bearing shaft 102 by shrinkage fit, and thereby the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 are integrated together. [0092] A portion of the bottom of the polygon mirror 104 , which interferes with the top of the bearing housing 108 , is removed, and thereby a cup-shaped portion is formed at the bottom of the polygon mirror 104 . Fixtures are used when fixing the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 to the outer surface of the bearing shaft 102 by shrinkage fit, while ensuring that the polygon mirror 103 and the polygon mirror 104 are relatively rotated by 45°. [0093] Effective deflection areas 103 b of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 and effective light deflection areas 104 b of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 104 are not at centers of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 and the polygon mirror 104 in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotary member 101 (the vertical direction in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 ). Specifically, in the polygon mirror 103 , which is at an upper position relative to the polygon mirror 104 in the direction of the rotation axis, the effective deflection areas 103 b of the polygon mirror 103 are formed near upper sides of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 ; whereas in the polygon mirror 104 , which is at a lower position in the direction of the rotation axis, the effective deflection areas 104 b of the polygon mirror 104 are formed near lower sides of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 104 . In other words, the effective deflection areas 103 b of the polygon mirror 103 are positioned away from the centers of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 , and the effective deflection areas 104 b of the polygon mirror 104 are positioned away from the centers of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 104 . [0094] FIG. 3 is a perspective view for illustrating a method of machining the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 to be mirror surfaces according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [0095] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the method of machining the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 to be mirror surfaces according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [0096] In FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , a core portion of a mirror processing machine is schematically illustrated. [0097] As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , a disk shape member 201 is fixed to a principal rotation axis of a mirror processing machine, and a cutter 202 is attached to the surface near the outer end of the disk-like material 201 . The mirror processing machine is rotated relative to its principal rotation axis, and the cutter 202 moves in the longitudinal direction of the deflection reflection surface, and hence grinds the deflection reflection surfaces to mirror surfaces. [0098] In this process, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , corners of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 interfere with the cutter 202 of the mirror processing machine, and machining work cannot be performed near the interface between the laminated polygon mirrors 103 , 104 . As a result, the effective deflection areas 103 b , 104 b of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 are formed away from the centers of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 . Specifically, when machining the polygon mirror 103 , which is at an upper position in the direction of the rotation axis, in order to avoid interference of the corners of the polygon mirror 104 , which is at a lower position in the direction of the rotation axis, the cutter 202 of the mirror processing machine grinds the upper area of each of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 . Thus, the effective deflection areas 103 b of the polygon mirror 103 are formed near the upper sides of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 . On the other hand, when machining the polygon mirror 104 , which is at a lower position in the direction of the rotation axis, in order to avoid interference of the corners of the polygon mirror 103 at an upper position, the cutter 202 of the mirror processing machine grinds the lower area of each of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 104 , and thus, the effective deflection areas 104 b of the polygon mirror 104 are formed near the lower sides of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 104 . [0099] After the mirror processing is finished, as shown in FIG. 2 , the loci of mirror processing are drawn on the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 , and these loci form arc-shaped boundaries 103 c , 104 c on the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 . [0100] In the above mirror processing process, the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 are fixed on the mirror processing machine by a polygon mirror fixture device 203 . The polygon mirror fixture device 203 has an angular positioning mechanism (not illustrated), the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 , which are integrated with the bearing shaft 102 , are fixed, and the deflection reflection surfaces are processed one by one. Specifically, after processing of one deflection reflection surface is finished, the angular positioning mechanism of the polygon mirror fixture device 203 rotates the integrated structure of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 by a certain angle, and processing of the next deflection reflection surface is started. For example, when each of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 has four deflection reflection surfaces, the integrated structure of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 may be rotated by 45° each time to alternately grind one deflection reflection surface at the upper position (that is, the deflection reflection surface of the polygon mirror 103 ), and one deflection reflection surface at the lower position (that is, the deflection reflection surface of the polygon mirror 104 ). Alternatively, the integrated structure of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 may be rotated by 90° each time to first grind the four deflection reflection surfaces at the upper position successively (that is, the four deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 ), and then grind the four deflection reflection surfaces at the lower position successively (that is, the four deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 104 ). For example, the angular positioning mechanism of the polygon mirror fixture device 203 has an angular positioning precision as high as 1/60° (1′). Because of such a high angular positioning precision, the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 can be processed and orientated highly precisely. [0101] As described above, in the optical deflector of the present embodiment, each of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 has four deflection reflection surfaces, and the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 are laminated in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotary member 101 ; the polygon mirror 103 and the polygon mirror 104 are relatively rotated by 45° in the rotation direction of the rotary member 101 , that is, the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 and the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 104 form an angle of 45° in a horizontal plane; the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 are fixed to the outer surface of the bearing shaft 102 by shrinkage fit, and thus the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 are integrated together. [0102] Therefore, the laminated polygon mirrors 103 , 104 are arranged precisely in the vertical direction such that they are relatively rotated by a predetermined angle in the rotation direction of the rotary member 101 . Due to this, even when a thermal stress is imposed, or during acceleration or de-acceleration operations for starting or stopping, the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 can hardly shift from their original positions to cause unbalance of the rotary member 101 and produce large rotational vibration. [0103] In addition, since it is not necessary to allocate the effective deflection areas 103 b of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 and the effective light deflection areas 104 b of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 104 at the centers of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 103 and the polygon mirror 104 in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotary member 101 , the corners of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 do not interfere with the cutter 202 of the mirror processing machine; thus, it is possible to process the deflection reflection surfaces with the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 integrated together. [0104] In addition, since each of the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 has a simple shape, before processing the deflection reflection surfaces with the mirror processing machine, the deflection reflection surfaces can be machined to have nearly the same shape of the polygon mirror 103 or 104 , thus forming the deflection reflection surfaces. This is referred to as “blank machining”. In this way, the polygon mirrors 103 , 104 can be fabricated easily at low cost by the blank machining. [0105] In the present embodiment, the polygon mirror 103 or 104 has four deflection reflection surfaces, but the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, two polygon mirrors each having six deflection reflection surfaces may be laminated in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotary member 101 (vertical direction), the two laminated polygon mirrors may be relatively rotated by 30° in the rotation direction of the rotary member 101 (a horizontal plane), and be fixed to the outer surface of the bearing shaft 102 by shrinkage fit to integrate the two polygon mirrors. Second Embodiment [0106] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an optical deflector including a rotary member according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [0107] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the optical deflector according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [0108] In this embodiment, the same reference numbers are assigned to the same elements as illustrated in the previous embodiment, and overlapping descriptions are omitted. [0109] As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 , a rotary member 101 of the optical deflector of the present embodiment includes a polygon mirror unit 120 , which is formed from a single element. The rotary member of the present embodiment differs from the rotary member of the previous embodiment only in the polygon mirror unit 120 , and the rest of the configuration of the rotary member of the present embodiment is the same as the rotary member of the previous embodiment. [0110] The polygon mirror unit 120 includes two polygon mirrors, each of which has four deflection reflection surfaces, which two polygon mirrors are laminated in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotary member 101 . In addition, the two polygon mirrors are relatively rotated by 45° in the rotation direction of the rotary member 101 so that the deflection reflection surfaces of the upper polygon mirror are offset (inclined) relative to the deflection reflection surfaces of the lower polygon mirror by 45°, in other words, one of the deflection reflection surfaces of the upper polygon mirror and the corresponding one of the deflection reflection surfaces of the lower polygon mirror form an angle of 45° in the horizontal plane in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 , which plane is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotary member 101 . [0111] The polygon mirror unit 120 is fixed to the bearing shaft 102 by shrinkage fit; thereby the polygon mirror unit 120 and the bearing shaft 102 are integrated together. [0112] Effective deflection areas 120 b , 120 c of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror unit 120 are formed away from centers of the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror unit 120 in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotary member 101 (the vertical direction in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 ). Specifically, in the upper polygon mirror, the effective deflection areas 120 b are formed near upper sides of the deflection reflection surfaces of the upper polygon mirror, and in the lower polygon mirror, the effective deflection areas 120 c are formed near lower sides of the deflection reflection surfaces of the lower polygon mirror. [0113] The deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror unit 120 are machined to mirror surfaces in the same way as that in the previous embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6 , after the mirror processing is finished, the loci of mirror processing are drawn on the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors of the polygon mirror unit 120 , and these loci form arc-shaped boundaries 120 d on the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror unit 120 . [0114] According to the present embodiment, the upper polygon mirror and the lower polygon mirror are integral to be a single part. Due to this, the number of parts is reduced, and during the shrinkage fit, it is not necessary to use the fixture to set the relative rotation angle between the upper polygon mirror and the lower polygon mirror, and it is easy to assemble the rotary member. [0115] Since the upper polygon mirror and the lower polygon mirror are integrated to be a single part, the shape of the polygon mirror unit becomes somewhat complicated. However, by forming the polygon mirror unit 120 by forging, it is possible to form the polygon mirror unit 120 , which has a complicated shape, at low cost compared to the method of grinding a raw material to cut off a polygon mirror object. Third Embodiment [0116] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an optical deflector including a rotary member according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [0117] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the optical deflector according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [0118] In this embodiment, the same reference numbers are assigned to the same elements as illustrated in the previous embodiment, and overlapping descriptions are omitted. [0119] As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 , a rotary member 101 of the optical deflector of the present embodiment includes a polygon mirror unit 130 . The rotary member of the present embodiment differs from the rotary member of the previous embodiments only in the polygon mirror unit 130 , and the rest of the configuration of the rotary member of the present embodiment is the same as the rotary member of the previous embodiments. [0120] In the polygon mirror unit 130 of the present embodiment, corners of deflection reflection surfaces of the lower polygon mirror and corners of deflection reflection surfaces of the upper polygon mirror, which corners are on an interface of the lower polygon mirror and the upper polygon mirror, are cut off. [0121] The cut-off corners are those corners which interfere with the cutter of the mirror processing machine when machining the deflection reflection surfaces to mirror surfaces. In the present embodiment, because those corners interfering with the cutter of the mirror processing machine are cut off, the cutter of the mirror processing machine can be moved near the interface between the laminated upper polygon mirror and lower polygon mirror for machining. As a result, the effective deflection areas 130 b , 130 c of the polygon mirror unit 130 can be made broad compared to those in the previous embodiments. Therefore, it is not necessary to separate the deflection reflection surfaces of the lower polygon mirror and the deflection reflection surfaces of the upper polygon mirror away from each other in the rotation axis direction, but the lower polygon mirror and the upper polygon mirror can be closer to each other. Thus, it is possible to reduce the size of the polygon mirror unit 130 in the rotation axis direction. Furthermore, if the surfaces, which are formed when cutting off the corners of the deflection reflection surfaces, are plane surfaces, the polygon mirror unit 130 can be fabricated easily at low cost by blank machining. [0122] FIG. 9 is a perspective view for illustrating a method of machining the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror unit 130 to be mirror surfaces according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [0123] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the method of machining the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror unit 130 to be mirror surfaces according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [0124] The deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror unit 130 are machined to mirror surfaces in the same way as that in the previous embodiments. As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 9 , after the mirror processing is finished, the loci of mirror processing are drawn on the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors of the polygon mirror unit 130 , and these loci form arc-shaped boundaries 130 d on the deflection reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror unit 130 . Further, in the present embodiment, the arc-shaped boundaries 130 d are positioned closer to the interface between the laminated upper polygon mirror and the lower polygon mirror than in the previous embodiments. [0125] Similar to the second embodiment, by forming the polygon mirror unit 130 by forging, it is possible to reduce the cost compared to the method of grinding a raw material to cut off a polygon mirror object. Fourth Embodiment [0126] Next, configurations and operations of an optical scanning device having an optical deflector as described in the first through third embodiments are described. [0127] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a configuration of an optical scanning device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [0128] As shown in FIG. 11 , there are two semiconductor lasers 1 a and 1 b , each of which emits a light beam, which two semiconductor lasers constitute a light source. The semiconductor lasers 1 a and 1 b are held in a holder 2 and are separated from each other at a certain distance. [0129] Two light beams from the semiconductor lasers 1 a and 1 b , separately, are converted into beams of appropriate beam configurations (parallel beams, weakly-diverging beams, or weakly-converging beams) by coupling lenses 3 and 3 a so as to fit the subsequent optical system. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the coupling lenses 3 and 3 a convert the incident light beams into parallel beams. [0130] The light beams from the coupling lenses 3 a and 3 b , which have desired beam configurations, pass through an aperture 12 , which defines the width of the incident light beam. The shaped light beams are incident on a half-mirror prism 4 , and each light beam is divided into two parts in a sub-scan direction by the half-mirror prism 4 . [0131] FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view illustrating functions of the half-mirror prism 4 in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. [0132] As shown in FIG. 12 , the half-mirror prism 4 divides an incident light beam into two parts in a sub-scan direction. Specifically, a light beam L 1 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1 a is divided into two parts in the sub-scan direction, producing a light beam L 11 and a light beam L 12 . Similarly, although not illustrated, a light beam L 2 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1 b is also divided into two parts in the sub-scan direction, producing a light beam L 21 and a light beam L 22 . [0133] In FIG. 12 , the vertical direction is the sub-scan direction; the half-mirror prism 4 has a semi-transparent mirror 4 a and a reflection surface 4 b , which are arranged in parallel in the sub-scan direction. When the light beam L 1 is incident on the half-mirror prism 4 , the light beam L 1 propagates to the semi-transparent mirror 4 a , where a portion of the light beam L 1 transmits straightforward through the semi-transparent mirror 4 a and turns into the light beam L 11 ; the remaining portion of the light beam L 1 is reflected on the semi-transparent mirror 4 a , is directed to the reflection surface 4 b , and is totally reflected on the reflection surface 4 b , turning into the light beam L 12 . [0134] In this example, since the semi-transparent mirror 4 a and the reflection surface 4 b are arranged in parallel, the light beam L 11 and the light beam L 12 emitted from the half-mirror prism 4 are parallel to each other. [0135] In this way, the light beam L 1 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1 a is divided into the light beam L 11 and the light beam L 12 in the sub-scan direction. Similarly, the light beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 1 b is also divided into two light beams in the sub-scan direction. [0136] Namely, in this example, one light source (number of light source m=1) emits two light beams, and the half-mirror prism 4 divides each of the two light beams into two parts (number of divisions q=2) in the sub-scan direction, obtaining four light beams. [0137] Returning to FIG. 11 , the four light beams emitted from the half-mirror prism 4 are incident into cylindrical lenses 5 a and 5 b ; the cylindrical lenses 5 a and 5 b condense the light beams in the sub-scan direction, and form long line-shaped images in the main scan direction near deflection reflection surfaces of a polygon mirror deflector 7 . [0138] Among the light beams emitted from the semiconductor lasers 1 a , 1 b and divided by the half-mirror prism 4 , the light beam transmitting straightforward though the semi-transparent mirror 4 a of the half-mirror prism 4 , which light beam is indicated as “light beam L 11 ” in FIG. 12 , enters into the cylindrical lens 5 a , and the light beam reflected on the semi-transparent mirror 4 a and further reflected on the reflection surface 4 b , which light beam is indicated as “light beam L 12 ” in FIG. 12 , enters into the cylindrical lens 5 b. [0139] As shown in FIG. 11 , a soundproof glass 6 is provided on a window of a soundproof housing of the polygon mirror deflector 7 . The four light beams emitted from the semiconductor lasers 1 a , 1 b enter the polygon mirror deflector 7 via the soundproof glass 6 , and the incident light beams are deflected by the polygon mirror deflector 7 and are emitted to the side of a scanning-imaging optical system through the soundproof glass 6 . [0140] As shown in FIG. 11 , the polygon mirror deflector 7 includes an upper polygon mirror 7 a and a lower polygon mirror 7 b , which are laminated in the direction of the rotation axis of the polygon mirror deflector 7 and are integrated together. The polygon mirror deflector 7 is driven by a driving motor to rotate with respect to its rotation axis. [0141] In the present embodiment, the upper polygon mirror 7 a and the lower polygon mirror 7 b have the same shape, and each of the upper polygon mirror 7 a and the lower polygon mirror 7 b has four deflection reflection surfaces. In addition, the deflection reflection surfaces of the upper polygon mirror 7 a are inclined relative to the deflection reflection surfaces of the lower polygon mirror 7 b by 45° in the rotation direction. In other words, the upper polygon mirror 7 a and the lower polygon mirror 7 b are relatively rotated by 45° in a rotation plane perpendicular to the rotation axis. [0142] As shown in FIG. 11 , there are provided first lenses 8 a and 8 b , light-path bending mirrors 9 a and 9 b , second lenses 10 a and 10 b , and photoconductors 11 a and 11 b. [0143] The first lens 8 a , the light-path bending mirror 9 a , and the second lens 10 a constitute a first scanning-imaging optical system. The first scanning-imaging optical system directs the two light beams, which are emitted from the semiconductor lasers 1 a , 1 b , transmit though the semi-transparent mirror 4 a of the half-mirror prism 4 , and are deflected by the upper polygon mirror 7 a of the polygon mirror deflector 7 , to the photoconductor 11 a on which optical scanning of these light beams is performed; as a result, two light spots of the two light beams divided in the sub scan direction are formed on the photoconductor 11 a. [0144] Similarly, the first lens 8 b , the light-path bending mirror 9 b , and the second lens 10 b constitute a second scanning-imaging optical system. The second scanning-imaging optical system directs the two light beams, which are emitted from the semiconductor lasers 1 a , 1 b , reflected on the semi-transparent mirror 4 a of the half-mirror prism 4 , and deflected by the lower polygon mirror 7 b of the polygon mirror deflector 7 , to the photoconductor 11 b on which optical scanning of these light beams is performed. As a result, two light spots of the two light beams divided in the sub scan direction are formed on the photoconductor 11 b. [0145] Optical elements described above are arranged so that when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis of the polygon mirror deflector 7 , principal rays of the light beams emitted from the semiconductor lasers 1 a , 1 b intersect near the deflection reflection surface. Hence, the pair of the two light beams incident on the deflection reflection surface form an opening angle, which is defined to be an angle, when viewed from the deflection reflection surface side to the light source side, subtended by projections of the two light beams on a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis. [0146] Because of the opening angle, the light spots respectively formed on the photoconductors 11 a and 11 b are separated in the main scan direction, and for this reason, it is possible to separately detect each of the four light beams, which respectively scan the photoconductors 11 a and 11 b , and acquire a synchronization signal indicating start of the optical scanning for each of the light beams. [0147] In this way, the two light beams deflected by the upper polygon mirror 7 a of the polygon mirror deflector 7 scan the photoconductor 11 a (namely, multi-beam scanning), and the two light beams deflected by the lower polygon mirror 7 b of the polygon mirror deflector 7 scan the photoconductor 11 b (this is also multi-beam scanning). [0148] Since the deflection reflection surfaces of the upper polygon mirror 7 a are inclined relative to the deflection reflection surfaces of the lower polygon mirror 7 b by 45° in the rotation direction, which is perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis of the polygon mirror deflector 7 , when the upper polygon mirror 7 a deflects the incident light beams to scan the photoconductor 11 a , the light beams incident on the lower polygon mirror 7 b are not directed to the photoconductor 11 b ; whereas, when the lower polygon mirror 7 b deflects the incident light beams to scan the photoconductor 11 b , the light beams incident on the upper polygon mirror 7 a are not directed to the photoconductor 11 a. [0149] In other words, optical scanning of the upper polygon mirror 7 a and optical scanning of the lower polygon mirror 7 b are carried out alternately in time. [0150] FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B are schematic views illustrating functions of the polygon mirror deflector 7 . [0151] In FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B , the light beam incident on the polygon mirror deflector 7 is indicated to be an “incident light beam” (actually, there are four incident light beams), and the light beams deflected by the polygon mirror deflector 7 are indicated to be “deflected light beam a and deflected light beam b”. [0152] In FIG. 13A , the incident light beam is incident to the polygon mirror deflector 7 , and is reflected and deflected by the upper polygon mirror 7 a , generating the deflected light beam a. The deflected light beam a is directed to the scanning position, namely, the photoconductor 11 a . During this process, the deflected light beam b, which is generated by the lower polygon mirror 7 b , is not emitted to the scanning position, namely, the photoconductor 11 b. [0153] In FIG. 13B , the deflected light beam b generated by the lower polygon mirror 7 b is directed to the scanning position, namely, the photoconductors 11 b , whereas, the deflected light beam a, which is generated by the upper polygon mirror 7 a , is not emitted to the scanning position, namely, the photoconductor 11 a. [0154] When the deflected light beam produced by one of the upper polygon mirror 7 a and the lower polygon mirror 7 b is scanning the corresponding one of the photoconductor 11 a and the photoconductor 11 b , in order that the deflected light beam produced by the other one polygon mirror does not become “ghost light”, as shown in FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B , a light shield SD may be provided to shield the deflected light beam so that the deflected light beam is not directed to the scanning position. The light shield SD can be implemented easily by making the inner wall of the above-mentioned soundproof housing irreflexive. [0155] As described above, the multi-beam scanning of the upper polygon mirror 7 a and the multi-beam scanning of the lower polygon mirror 7 b are carried out alternately, for example, during the multi-beam scanning of the photoconductor 11 a ; the light intensity of the light source is modulated to correspond to black image signals; and during the multi-beam scanning of the photoconductor 11 b , the light intensity of the light source is modulated to correspond to magenta image signals. Thereby, a black latent image is written on the photoconductor 11 a , and a magenta latent image is written on the photoconductor 11 b. [0156] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating modulation of the light intensity of the light source when writing a black image and a magenta image. [0157] Specifically, FIG. 14 shows a time chart when the same semiconductor lasers 1 a , 1 b are used for writing a black image and a magenta image and when the entire effective scanning area is irradiated with light. [0158] In FIG. 14 , the solid line waveforms are for writing a black image, and the dashed line waveforms are for writing a magenta image. As described above, a synchronization light-receiving unit (for example, a not-illustrated photo diode) is provided outside the entire effective scanning area to detect the light beam going to the optical scanning starting position, and the timing of writing a black image and the timing of writing a magenta image is determined from the detection results. [0159] According to the optical scanning device of the present embodiment, because the number of parts and amount of materials in the light source are reduced, the environmental impact is lowered, and furthermore, occurrence of trouble in the light source can be effectively prevented. Fifth Embodiment [0160] FIG. 15 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of an optical scanning device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [0161] In FIG. 15 , the optical system of the optical scanning device is a plan view in the sub scan direction, that is, in the direction of the rotation axis of the polygon mirror deflector 7 . For sake of simplicity, in FIG. 15 , illustration of light-path bending mirrors is omitted, and the light paths are drawn as straight lines. [0162] In the optical scanning device of the present embodiment, for example, there are two light sources (number of light sources m=2) and four scanning positions, and optical scanning light paths are formed to lead light beams emitted from two light sources to four scanning positions. The optical scanning light paths to the four scanning positions (number of scanning positions n=4) are selected sequentially, and based on image signals corresponding to one of the scanning positions associated with the selected light path, the intensity of the light beams from the two light sources is modulated. Thus, four scanning positions are scanned with light beams emitted from two light sources. [0163] Alternatively, each of the two light sources (number of light sources m=2) emits only one light beam (number of light beams p=1), each of the two light beams from the two light sources is divided into two parts (number of divisions q=2) in the sub-scan direction, therefore, each of the four scanning positions is scanned by one light beam. [0164] In addition, four photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M, 11 C, and 11 K are provided at the four scanning positions. Electrostatic latent images formed on the four photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M, 11 C, and 11 K are separately converted into visible images by magenta, yellow, cyan, and black toner, thereby forming a color image. [0165] As shown in FIG. 15 , in the optical scanning device of the present embodiment, there are provided semiconductor lasers 1 YM, 1 CK, and each of the semiconductor lasers 1 YM, 1 CK emits one light beam. For example, the semiconductor laser 1 YM is intensity-modulated based on image signals corresponding to a yellow image and image signals corresponding to a magenta image alternately; whereas, the semiconductor laser 1 CK is intensity-modulated based on image signals corresponding to a cyan image and image signals corresponding to a black image alternately. [0166] The light beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 1 YM is converted into a parallel beam by a coupling lens 3 YM, the light beam from the coupling lens 3 YM passes through an aperture 12 YM and is shaped. The shaped light beam is incident on a half-mirror prism 4 YM, and is divided into two light beams in the sub scan direction by the half-mirror prism 4 YM. Here, the half-mirror prism 4 YM is the same as the half-mirror prism 4 as described with reference to FIG. 12 ; one of the divided light beams is used for writing the yellow image, and the other one of the divided light beams is used for writing the magenta image. [0167] The two light beams divided in the sub scan direction are incident on cylindrical lenses 5 Y and 5 M, which are arranged to be overlapped in the sub scan direction; the cylindrical lenses 5 Y and 5 M condense the two light beams in the sub-scan direction, and direct the light beams to the polygon mirror deflector 7 . Here, the polygon mirror deflector 7 has the same structure as described with reference to FIG. 11 , FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B . Specifically, the polygon mirror deflector 7 includes an upper polygon mirror and a lower polygon mirror, which are laminated in the direction of the rotation axis of the polygon mirror deflector 7 and are integrated together. The polygon mirror deflector 7 is driven by a driving motor to rotate with respect to its rotation axis. The upper polygon mirror and the lower polygon mirror have the same shape, and each of the upper polygon mirror and the lower polygon mirror has four deflection reflection surfaces. In addition, the deflection reflection surfaces of the upper polygon mirror are inclined relative to the deflection reflection surfaces of the lower polygon mirror by a certain angle in the rotation direction, in other words, the upper polygon mirror and the lower polygon mirror are relatively rotated by the certain angle in a rotation plane perpendicular to the rotation axis. The cylindrical lenses 5 Y and 5 M condense the incident light beams in the sub-scan direction, and form long line-shaped images in the main scan direction near deflection reflection surfaces of the lower polygon mirror and the upper polygon mirror. [0168] The light beam deflected by the polygon mirror deflector 7 transmits through first lenses 8 Y and 8 M, and second lenses 10 Y and 10 M, and the first lenses 8 Y and 8 M and the second lenses 10 Y and 10 M direct the incident light to form light spots at the scanning positions 11 Y and 11 M to scan the scanning positions 11 Y and 11 M. [0169] The light beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 1 CK is converted into a parallel beam by a coupling lens 3 CK, the light beam from the coupling lens 3 CK passes through an aperture 12 CK and is shaped. The shaped light beam is incident into a half-mirror prism 4 CK, and is divided into two light beams in the sub scan direction by the half-mirror prism 4 CK. Here, the half-mirror prism 4 CK is the same as the half-mirror prism 4 YM, and one of the divided light beams is used for writing the cyan image, and the other one of the divided light beams is used for writing the black image. [0170] The two light beams divided in the sub scan direction are incident on cylindrical lenses 5 C and 5 K, which are arranged to be overlapped in the sub scan direction; the cylindrical lenses 5 C and 5 K condense the two light beams in the sub-scan direction, and direct the light beams to the polygon mirror deflector 7 . [0171] The light beams deflected by the polygon mirror deflector 7 transmit through first lenses 8 C and 8 K and second lenses 10 C and 10 K, and the first lenses 8 C and 8 K and the second lenses 10 Y and 10 M direct the incident light to form light spots at the scanning positions 11 C and 11 K to scan the scanning positions 11 C and 11 K. [0172] FIG. 16 is a schematic view illustrating operations of an image forming device including the optical deflector as shown in FIG. 15 . [0173] In FIG. 16 , the optical deflector is indicated by a reference number 20 , which has the same structure as described with reference to FIG. 15 . [0174] As shown in FIG. 16 , one of the light beams deflected by the upper polygon mirror of the polygon mirror deflector 7 is guided through a light path bent by light-path bending mirrors mM 1 , mM 2 , and mM 3 to a photoconductor 11 M, which constitutes the physical substance of the scanning position. The other one of the light beams deflected by the upper polygon mirror of the polygon mirror deflector 7 is guided through a light path bent by light-path bending mirrors mC 1 , mC 2 , and mC 3 to a photoconductor 11 C, which constitutes the physical substance of the scanning position. [0175] On the other hand, one of the light beams deflected by the lower polygon mirror of the polygon mirror deflector 7 is guided through a light path bent by a light-path bending mirror mY to a photoconductor 11 Y, which constitutes the physical substance of the scanning position. The other one of the light beams deflected by the lower polygon mirror of the polygon mirror deflector 7 is guided through a light path bent by a light-path bending mirror mK to a photoconductor 11 K, which constitutes the physical substance of the scanning position. [0176] Therefore, each of the light beams from the semiconductor lasers 1 YM, 1 CK (m=2), each of which lasers emits only one (number of light beams p=1), is divided into two light beams in the sub-scan direction by the half-mirror prisms 4 YM, 4 CK, thus producing four light beams; and these four light beams scan four photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M, 11 C, 11 C. The photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M are alternately scanned by the two light beams generated by dividing the light beam from the semiconductor laser 1 YM along with the rotation of the polygon mirror deflector 7 , and the photoconductors 11 C 11 K are alternately scanned by the two light beams generated by dividing the light beam from the semiconductor laser 1 CK along with the rotation of the polygon mirror deflector 7 . [0177] All of the photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M, 11 C, 11 K are rotated clock-wise at a constant speed, and are charged uniformly by charging rollers TY, TM, TC, TK, respectively, which serve as a charging unit. The photoconductors 11 Y, 1 M, 11 C, 11 K are scanned by the corresponding light beams, thereby forming electrostatic latent images (negative images) corresponding to the yellow, magenta, cyan, and black images. [0178] The electrostatic latent images are developed by developing units GY, GM, GC, GK by reversal developing, resulting in yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toner images on the photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M, 11 C, 11 K. [0179] These toner images are transferred to a transfer sheet (not illustrated). Specifically, the transfer sheet is conveyed by a conveyance belt 17 , where a transfer unit 15 Y, a transfer unit 15 M, a transfer unit 15 C, and a transfer unit 15 K transfer the yellow toner image, magenta toner image, cyan toner image, and black toner image from the photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M, 11 C, 11 K, respectively, to the transfer sheet sequentially. [0180] In this way, the yellow toner image, magenta toner image, cyan toner image, and black toner image are superposed and combined to form a color image. This color image is fused on the transfer sheet by a fusing unit 19 to form a color image. [0181] As described above, in the present embodiment, electrostatic latent images are separately formed on plural photoconductors, namely, the photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M, 11 C, 11 K, by optically scanning the plural photoconductors; these electrostatic latent images are converted into visible toner images on the photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M, 11 C, 11 K, and these toner images are transferred to the same recording sheet and are combined there to form a color image. This is the so-called tandem-type image forming device. In such kind of image forming devices, there are four photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M, 11 C, 11 K. The optical scanning device in the image forming device has two semiconductor lasers 1 YM, 1 CK, and the light beam from each of the semiconductor lasers 1 YM, 1 CK scans two of the four photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M, 11 C, 11 K so that the electrostatic latent images formed on the four photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M, 11 C, 11 K are separately converted into visible toner images to form a color image. As a result, the number of parts and amount of materials in the light source are reduced, and thus the environmental impact is lowered. Furthermore, trouble in the light source can be effectively prevented. [0182] While the present invention is described with reference to specific embodiments chosen for purpose of illustration, it should be apparent that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but numerous modifications could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the basic concept and scope of the invention. [0183] For example, in the above image forming device, the “single beam method” is used to scan each of the photoconductors, certainly the light source can be configured as shown in FIG. 11 to perform “multi-beam scanning” to scan the photoconductors. [0184] This patent application is based on Japanese Priority Patent Application No. 2005-373604 filed on Dec. 26, 2005, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

An optical deflector, a method of producing the optical deflector, an optical scanning device, and an image forming apparatus are disclosed that are able to save resources, provide high reliability at low cost, and enable stacked and relatively-offset polygon mirrors to be arranged precisely. The optical deflector includes a rotary member supported by a bearing with plural polygon mirrors fixed thereon. The polygon mirrors are stacked along a rotation axis of the rotary member, the polygon mirrors are relatively offset by a predetermined angle in a rotation plane of the rotary member, and an effective deflection area of each of the reflection surfaces of any one of the polygon mirrors is positioned away from a center of the corresponding reflection surfaces of the other one of the polygon mirrors in the direction of the rotation axis.

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/242,744, filed Sep. 30, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,241,485, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/832,408, filed Apr. 26, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,504,019, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/529,617, filed on Jun. 7, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,957, which claims priority from PCT/US98/21815, filed on Oct. 16, 1998, which claims priority from U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/061,982, filed Oct. 16, 1997, all of which are incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention is in the general field of electrodes for amperometric biosensors. More specifically, the invention is in the field of compounds for use as mediators for the recycling of cofactors used in these electrodes. NAD- and NADP-dependent enzymes are of great interest insofar as many have substrates of clinical value, such as glucose, D-3-hydroxybutyrate, lactate, ethanol, and cholesterol. Amperometric electrodes for detection of these substrates and other analytes can be designed by incorporating this class of enzymes and establishing electrical communication with the electrode via the mediated oxidation of the reduced cofactors NADH and NADPH. NAD- and NADP-dependent enzymes are generally intracellular oxidoreductases (EC 1.x.x.x). The oxidoreductases are further classified according to the identity of the donor group of a substrate upon which they act. For example, oxidoreductases acting on a CH—OH group within a substrate are classified as EC 1.1.x.x whereas those acting on an aldehyde or keto-group of a substrate are classified as EC 1.2.x.x. Some important analytes (e.g., glucose, D-3-hydroxybutyrate, lactate, ethanol, and cholesterol) are substrates of the EC 1.1.x.x enzymes. The category of oxidoreductases is also broken down according to the type of acceptor utilized by the enzyme. The enzymes of relevance to the present invention have NAD + or NADP + as acceptors, and are classified as EC 1.x.1.x. These enzymes generally possess sulfydryl groups within their active sites and hence can be irreversibly inhibited by thiol-reactive reagents such as iodoacetate. An irreversible inhibitor forms a stable compound, often through the formation of a covalent bond with a particular amino acid residue (e.g., cysteine, or Cys) that is essential for enzymatic activity. For example, glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.9) is stoichiometrically alkylated by iodoacetate at Cys 149 with concomitant loss of catalytic activity. In addition, the enzymes glucose dehydrogenase, D-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH), and lactate dehydrogenase are known to be irreversibly inhibited by thiol reagents. Thus, in seeking to develop stable biosensors containing NAD- or NADP-dependent dehydrogenases, avoidance of compounds that are reactive toward thiols is imperative, as they can act as enzyme inhibitors. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is based on the discovery of NAD + and NADP + mediator compounds that do not bind irreversibly to thiol groups in the active sites of intracellular dehydrogenase enzymes. Such mediator compounds avoid a common mode of enzyme inhibition. The mediators can therefore increase the stability and reliability of the electrical response in amperometric electrodes constructed from NAD- or NADP-dependent enzymes. In one embodiment, the invention features a test element for an amperometric biosensor. The element includes an electrode, which has test reagents distributed on it. The test reagents include a nicotinamide cofactor-dependent enzyme, a nicotinamide cofactor, and a mediator compound having one of the formulae: or a metal complex or chelate thereof, where X and Y can independently be oxygen, sulphur, CR 3 R 4 , NR 3 , or NR 3 R 4+ ; R 1 and R 2 can independently be a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or heteroaromatic group; and R 3 and R 4 can independently be a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, amino, alkoxyl, or aryloxyl group. In some cases, either X or Y can be the functional group CZ 1 Z 2 , where Z 1 and Z 2 are electron withdrawing groups. Any alkyl group, unless otherwise specified, may be linear or branched and may contain up to 12, preferably up to 6, and especially up to 4 carbon atoms. Preferred alkyl groups are methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl. When an alkyl moiety forms part of another group, for example the alkyl moiety of an alkoxyl group, it is preferred that it contains up to 6, especially to 4, carbon atoms. Preferred alkyl moieties are methyl and ethyl. An aromatic or aryl group may be any aromatic hydrocarbon group and may contain from 6 to 24, preferably 6 to 18, more preferably 6 to 16, and especially 6 to 14, carbon atoms. Preferred aryl groups include phenyl, naphthyl, anthryl, phenanthryl and pyryl groups especially a phenyl or naphthyl, and particularly a phenyl group. When an aryl moiety forms part of another group, for example, the aryl moiety of an aryloxyl group, it is preferred that it is a phenyl, naphthyl, anthryl, phenanthryl or pyryl, especially phenyl or naphthyl, and particularly a phenyl moeity. A heteroaromatic or heteraryl group may be any aromatic monocyclic or polycyclic ring system, which contains at least one heteroatom. Preferably, a heteroaryl group is a 5 to 18-membered, particularly a 5 to 14-membered, and especially a 5 to 10-membered, aromatic ring system containing at least one heteroatom selected from oxygen, sulphur and nitrogen atoms. 5 and 6-membered heteroaryl groups, especially 6-membered groups, are particularly preferred. Heteroaryl groups containing at least one nitrogen atom are especially preferred. Preferred heteroaryl groups include pyridyl, pyrylium, thiopyrylium, pyrrolyl, furyl, thienyl, indolinyl, isoindolinyl, indolizinyl, imidazolyl, pyridonyl, pyronyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, oxazolyl, thiazolyl, purinyl, quinolinyl, isoquinolinyl. quinoxalinyl, pyridazinyl, benzofuranyl, benzoxazolyl and acridinyl groups. When any of the foregoing substituents are designated as being substituted, the substituent groups which may be present may be any one or more of those customarily employed in the development of compounds for use in electrochemical reactions and/or the modification of such compounds to influence their structure/activity, solubility, stability, mediating ability, formal potential)(E°) or other property. Specific examples of such substituents include, for example, halogen atoms, oxo, nitro, cyano, hydroxyl, cycloalkyl, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, formyl, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyl, alkanoyl, alkylthio, alkylsulphinyl, alkylsulphonyl, arylsulphinyl, arylsulphonyl, carbamoyl, alkylamido, aryl or aryloxy groups. When any of the foregoing substituents represents or contains an alkyl substituent group, this may be linear or branched and may contain up to 12, preferably up to 6, and especially up to 4, carbon atoms. A cycloalkyl group may contain from 3 to 8, preferably from 3 to 6, carbon atoms. An aryl group or moiety may contain from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, phenyl groups being especially preferred. A halogen atom may be a fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine atom and any group which contains a halo moiety, such as a haloalkyl group, may thus contain any one or more of these halogen atoms. An electron withdrawing group may be any group, which forms a stable methylene group CZ 1 Z 2 . Such electron withdrawing groups may include halogen atoms, nitro, cyano, formyl, alkanoyl, carboxyl and sulphonic acid groups. Preferably, X and Y are both oxygen atoms. It is also preferred that R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from phenyl, naphtuyl, pyridyl and pyrrolyl groups with pyridyl groups being especially preferred. The term “pyridyl group” also includes the N-oxide thereof as well as pyridinium and N-substituted pyridinium groups. Preferably, R 1 and R 2 are unsubstituted or substituted only by one or more, preferably one or two, alkyl groups, especially methyl groups. It is especially preferred that R 1 and R 2 are unsubstituted. R 3 and R 4 , if present, are preferably independently selected from hydrogen atoms and alkyl groups. Metal complex and chelates include complexes and chelates with transition metals, especially first-, second-, and third-row transition elements such as ruthenium, chromium, cobalt, iron, nickel and rhenium, with ruthenium being particularly preferred. Other groups such as 4-vinyl-4′-methyl-2,2′-bipridyl (v-bpy) and bipyridyl (bpy) groups may also be included in such complexes and chelates as parts of a complex metal ion. Typically, such complexes and chelates will form as a result of heteroatoms in R 1 and R 2 coordinating with a metal ion or metal ion complex. The test reagents can be deposited on the electrode in one or more ink-based layers. The test reagents can be screen-printed onto the working electrode in a single layer. The element can be an amperometric dry-strip sensor that includes an elongated, electrically insulating carrier having a pair of longitudinal, substantially parallel electrically conducting tracks thereupon, and a pair of electrodes. The electrodes can each be electrically connected to a different one of the tracks; one of the electrodes can be a reference/counter electrode, while another electrode can be a working electrode. The element can also include a dummy electrode. Further, the element can include a membrane positioned to filter samples prior to their introduction onto the electrodes. The sensor can additionally include a supporting strip of electrically insulating carrier material (e.g., a synthetic polymer such as polyvinyl chloride, or a blend of synthetic polymers). The mediator compound can be a quinone. Examples of suitable quinones include 1,10-phenanthroline quinone, 1,7-phenanthroline quinone, and 4,7-phenanthroline quinone. In another embodiment, the invention features an electrode strip for an amperometric sensor having a readout. The strip includes a support adapted for releasable attachment to the readout, a first conductor extending along the support and comprising a conductive element for connection to the readout; a working electrode in contact with the first conductor and positioned to contact a sample mixture; a second conductor extending along the support and comprising a conductive element for connection to the readout; and a reference/counter electrode in contact with the second conductor and positioned to contact the sample and the second conductor. The active electrode of the strip includes a mediator compound having one of the formulae: wherein X, Y, R 1 , and R 2 are as previously defined. Still another embodiment of the invention features a method for mediating electron transfer between an electrode and a nicotinamide cofactor. The method includes the steps of using a mediator compound in the presence of a nicotinamide cofactor-dependent enzyme, where the mediator compound is a quinoid compound that is incapable of binding irreversibly to the thiol groups. The mediator compound can, for example, have reactive unsaturated bonds in adjacent aromatic ring. Suitable mediator compounds include those having the formulae: wherein X, Y, R 1 , and R 2 are as previously defined. For example, the mediator compound can be 1,10-phenanthroline quinone, 1,7-phenanthroline quinone, or 4,7-phenanthroline quinone. In yet another embodiment, the invention features a printing ink. The ink includes a nicotinamide cofactor-dependent enzyme, a nicotinamide cofactor, and a mediator compound having one of the formulae: wherein X, Y, R 1 , and R 2 are as previously defined. For example, the mediator compound can be 1,10-phenanthroline quinone, 1,7-phenanthroline quinone, or 4,7-phenanthroline quinone. The enzyme can be, for example, alcohol dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glucose dehydrogenase, formaldehyde dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, or 3-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, technical manuals, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present application, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. An advantage of the new mediators is their non-reactivity with respect to active-site thiol groups in enzymes. This improves the stability and the shelf life of biosensor electrodes to an unexpected degree. Also as a result of this stability, the enzyme and mediator can be incorporated together in a printing ink or dosing solution to facilitate construction of the biosensors. The use of a mediator that is not an irreversible inhibitor of the enzyme will result in the retention of a large proportion of enzyme activity during the biosensor manufacture. NAD- and NADP-dependent dehydrogenase enzymes are generally expensive and labile and improvement of their stability is therefore highly desirable. Advantageously, the compounds disclosed herein can also be used as mediators to the cofactors NADH and NADPH coupled with a wide range of NAD- or NADP-dependent enzymes; as labels for antigens or antibodies in immunochemical procedures; and in other applications in the field of electrochemistry and bioelectrochemistry. The mediators require low oxidation potentials for re-oxidation following the reaction with NADH or NADPH. This is of particular advantage when testing in whole blood, in which the potential for interference from exogenous electroactive species (e.g., ascorbic acid, uric acid) is particularly high. The low potential can be advantageous because it can obviate the need for a dummy electrode to remove electroactive species in the sample. Also, the oxidized native form of the mediator can decrease the background current that would be present with a reduced mediator. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an electrode strip according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a representation of an assembled electrode strip. FIG. 3 is a graphical plot of current in μA against NADH concentration in mM for printed electrodes containing 1,10-phenanthroline quinone. FIG. 4 is a graphical plot of current in μA against NADH concentration in mM for printed electrodes containing Meldola's Blue. FIG. 5 is a bar chart displaying residual enzyme activity (i.e., as a percentage of the initial activity) after incubation of HBDH with various mediators. FIG. 6 is a graphical plot of current in μA against D-3-hydroxybutyrate concentration in mM for printed electrodes containing 1,10-phenanthroline quinone, D-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and NAD + tested after 4, 14, and 26 weeks. FIG. 7 is a graphical plot of current in μA against D-3-hydroxybutyrate concentration in mM for printed electrodes containing Meldola's Blue, D-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, and NAD + tested after 2 and 14 weeks, respectively. FIG. 8 is a graphical plot of calibrated response to glucose in whole blood for printed electrodes containing 1,10-phenanthroline quinone, glucose dehydrogenase, and NAD + . FIG. 9 is a graphical plot of current μA as a function of potential in mV for a working electrode formulated in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 10 is a graphical plot of current in .mu.A as a function of potential in mV for a working electrode formulated in accordance with Geng et al. FIG. 11 is a graphical plot of integrated current in μC as a function of the concentration of glucose in mM. FIG. 12 is a graphical plot of integrated current in μC as a function of the concentration of glucose in mM. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A class of compounds, selected for their inability to combine irreversibly with thiols, is disclosed for use as NADH or NADPH mediators. The structural, electronic, and steric characteristics of these mediators render them nearly incapable of reacting with thiols. Because these mediators are virtually precluded from binding irreversibly to the active site sulphydryl groups of NAD- and NADP-dependent dehydrogenases, inactivation of the enzyme and consequent loss of biosensor stability is circumvented. The NADH and NADPH mediators can be used in the manufacture of amperometric enzyme sensors for an analyte, where the analyte is a substrate of an NAD- or NADP-dependent enzyme present in the sensor, such as those of the kind described in EP 125867-A. Accordingly, amperometric enzyme sensors of use in assaying for the presence of an analyte in a sample, especially an aqueous sample, can be made. For example, the sample can be a complex biological sample such as a biological fluid (e.g., whole blood, plasma, or serum) and the analyte can be a naturally occurring metabolite (e.g., glucose, D-3-hydroxybutyrate, ethanol, lactate, or cholesterol) or an introduced substance such as a drug. Of particular utility for the manufacture of amperometric enzyme sensors, the present invention further provides an ink that includes the NADH and NADPH mediators disclosed herein. The present invention also includes any precursor, adduct, or reduced (leuco) form of the above mediators that can be converted in situ by oxidation or decomposition to the corresponding active mediators. Such precursors or adducts can include hemiacetals, hemithioacetals, cyclic acetals, metal o-quinone complexes, protonated forms, acetone adducts, etc. A non-limiting list of enzymes that can be used in conjunction with the new mediators is provided in Table 1. TABLE 1 1.1.1.1 Alcohol Dehydrogenase 1.1.1.27 Lactate Dehydrogenase 1.1.1.31 3-Hydroxybutyrate Dehydrogenase 1.1.1.49 Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase 1.1.1.47 Glucose Dehydrogenase 1.2.1.46 Formaldehyde Dehydrogenase 1.1.1.37 Malate Dehydrogenase 1.1.1.209 3-hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase I Amperometric enzyme sensors adopting the mediators of the present invention generally use a test element, for example, a single-use strip. A disposable test element can carry a working electrode, for example, with the test reagents including the enzyme, the nicotinamide cofactor (i.e., NAD + or NADP + ), the mediators of the present invention for generation of a current indicative of the level of analyte, and a reference/counter electrode. The test reagents can be in one or more ink-based layers associated with the working electrode in the test element. Accordingly, the sensor electrodes can, for example, include an electrode area formed by printing, spraying, or other suitable deposition technique. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , an electrode support 1 , typically made of PVC, polycarbonate, or polyester, or a mixture of polymers (e.g., Valox, a mixture of polycarbonate and polyester) supports three printed tracks of electrically conducting carbon ink 2 , 3 , and 4 . The printed tracks define the position of the working electrode 5 onto which the working electrode ink 16 is deposited, the reference/counter electrode 6 , the fill indicator electrode 7 , and contacts 8 , 9 , and 10 . The elongated portions of the conductive tracks are respectively overlaid with silver/silver chloride particle tracks 11 , 12 , and 13 (with the enlarged exposed area 14 of track 12 overlying the reference electrode 6 ), and further overlaid with a layer of hydrophobic electrically insulating material 15 that leaves exposed only positions of the reference/counter electrode 14 , the working electrode 5 , the fill indicator electrode 7 , and the contact areas 8 , 9 , and 10 . This hydrophobic insulating material serves to prevent short circuits. Because this insulating material is hydrophobic, it can serve to confine the sample to the exposed electrodes. A suitable insulating material is Sericard, commercially available from Sericol, Ltd. (Broadstairs, Kent, UK). Optionally, a first mesh layer 17 , a second insulative layer 18 , a second mesh layer 19 , a third insulative layer 20 , and a tape 21 can overlay the hydrophobic insulating material. Respective ink mixtures can be applied onto a conductive track on a carrier, for example, in close proximity to a reference electrode 14 connected to a second track. In this way, a sensor can be produced, which is capable of functioning with a small sample of blood or other liquid covering the effective electrode area 5 . The mixtures are preferably, but not exclusively, applied to the carrier by screen printing. In general, NAD(P)-dependent dehydrogenases catalyze reactions according to the equation: RH 2 +NAD(P) + →R+NAD(P)H+H + where RH 2 represents the substrate (analyte) and R the product. In the process of the forward reaction, NAD(P) + (i.e., NAD + or NADP + ) is reduced to NAD(P)H. Suitable amperometric biosensors provide an electrochemical mediator that can reoxidize NAD(P)H, thereby regenerating NAD(P) + . Reoxidation occurs at an electrode to generate a current that is indicative of the concentration of the substrate. In one embodiment, a dry sensor is provided. The sensor includes an elongated electrically insulating carrier having a pair of longitudinal, substantially parallel, electrically conducting tracks thereupon, each track being provided at the same end with means for electrical connection to a read-out and provided with an electrode, one of the electrodes being the reference/counter electrode and the other being the working electrode, together with test reagents. The sensor can be configured in the form of a supporting strip of electrically insulating carrier material such as a synthetic polymer (e.g., PVC, polycarbonate, or polyester, or a mixture of polymers such as Valox) carrying the two electrodes supported on electrically conductive tracks between its ends. For example, the electrodes can take the form of two rectangular areas side by side on the carrier strip, as shown in FIG. 2 (i.e., electrodes 14 and 16). Such areas can be designed as a target area to be covered by a single drop of sample, such as whole blood, for testing the analyte. If desired, non-rectangular areas (e.g., diamond-shaped, semicircular, circular, or triangular areas) can be employed to provide a target area for optimized contact by a liquid sample. The carrier includes at least two electrodes, namely a reference/counter electrode and a working electrode. Other electrodes such as a dummy electrode can also be included. These other electrodes can be of similar formulation to the working electrode (i.e., with the associated test reagents), but lacking one or more of the working electrode's active components. A dummy electrode, for example, can provide more reliable results, in that if charge passed at the dummy electrode is subtracted from charge passed at the working electrode, then the resulting charge can be concluded to be due to the reaction of interest. A membrane can be provided at or above the target to perform a filtration function. For example, a membrane can filter blood cells from a sample before the sample enters the test strip. Examples of commercially available membranes that can be used include Hemasep V, Cytosep, and Hemadyne (Pall Biosupport, Fort Washington, N.Y. 11050). As an alternative, a filtration or cellular separation membrane can be cast in situ. This can be achieved by casting hydrophobic polymers such as cellulose acetate, polyvinyl butyral and polystyrene and/or hydrophilic polymers such as hydroxypropyl cellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate. In another embodiment, there is provided a single use disposable electrode strip for attachment to signal readout circuitry of a sensor system. The strip can detect a current representative of an analyte in a liquid mixture. The strip includes an elongated support adapted for releasable attachment to the readout circuitry; a first conductor extending along the support and including a conductive element for connection to the readout circuitry; a working electrode on the strip in contact with the first conductor and positioned to contact the mixture; a second conductor extending along the support, comprising a conductive element for connection to the readout circuitry; and a reference/counter electrode in contact with the second conductive element and positioned to contact the mixture and the second conductor as depicted in FIG. 1 . The working electrode can include a printed layer on the support, and the printed layer itself can include an NAD- or NADP-dependent dehydrogenase enzyme capable of catalyzing a reaction involving a substrate for the enzyme. This layer can also include the corresponding nicotinamide cofactor and a mediator of the present invention capable of transferring electrons between the enzyme-catalyzed reaction and the first conductor via NADH or NADPH, to create a current representative of the activity of both the enzyme and the analyte. The first conductive element and the active electrode can be spaced apart from the second conductive element and the reference/counter electrode, and the electrodes sized and positioned to present a combined effective area small enough to be completely covered by a drop of blood or other test sample; typically the reaction zone is 5 mm 2 but can be as large as 25 mm 2 . The test sample completes an electrical circuit across the active electrode and the reference/counter electrode for amp erometric detection of the activity of the enzyme. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention a working electrode is produced by using a formulation which includes not only the enzyme, nicotinamide cofactor and the mediator but also filler and binder ingredients which cause the working electrode to give an increasing monotonic response to concentrations of interest for the analyte being sensed when measured in a kinetic mode in which oxidation and reduction of the mediator both occur during the measurement. The concept is to provide a stable reaction layer on the surface of the working electrode when the sample is applied. This allows the use of mediators which are sparingly soluble in the sample. As the mediator is reduced by reaction with the enzyme, cofactor and analyte, it is retained in close proximity to the electrode surface so that it can be readily reoxidized without significant loss to precipitation. The maintenance of this thin reaction layer also allows the overall analytical reaction to occur in a small volume of the overall sample so in effect what is measured is the flux of analyte from the bulk specimen to this reaction layer. This reaction layer needs to remain stable for at least the time to conduct a reproducible kinetic measurement. Typical times for such a measurement range between about 5 and 60 seconds, although stability for longer times is preferred. Typically, the disposable electrode strips of interest are mass produced and therefore it is desirable to have a safety margin with regard to any required property to account for the inherent variability in any mass manufacturing process. The stability of the reaction layer can be improved by a proper combination of fillers and binders. The layer is preferably sufficiently stable to give an approximately linear reproducible response in a kinetic measurement over the concentration range of interest for a given analyte. For instance, for Ketone bodies (measured as hydroxybutyrate) this would be between about 1 and 8 mM while for glucose it would be between about 2 and 40 mM. The kinetic measurement involves the cycling of the mediator between an oxidized state and a reduced state. The rate of this cycling, which is reflected in the current observed during the course of the test, is dependent upon the concentration of the analyte in the sample. The greater the concentration of the analyte the more enzyme cofactor which is reduced in the course of the enzyme oxidizing the analyte. The mediator in turn becomes reduced in reoxidizing the cofactor and is then reoxidized at the electrode surface. However, because of its very low solubility only a small amount of mediator is immediately available to react with the reduced cofactor. Consequently mediator which reacts with reduced cofactor and is reoxidized at the electrode will then react with further reduced cofactor and this continues through the course of a kinetic measurement. Thus the greater the concentration of the reduced cofactor (reflective of a greater concentration of analyte in the sample) the greater the driving force for the cycling of the mediator and thus the greater the rate of cycling. In some cases the cofactor may also engage in cycling between an oxidized state and a reduced state during the kinetic measurement. This depends upon whether there is a sufficient quantity of cofactor initially present to convert all the analyte present in the reaction layer. If there is insufficient cofactor initially present as oxidized cofactor is regenerated it promotes the oxidation of any analyte remaining in the reaction layer by becoming reduced again. However, what is critical is that a given concentration of analyte reproducible results in the production of the same signal in the kinetic test for a particular electrode strip design and that the signal increases monotonically, preferably linearly, with the concentration of the analyte (in other words that the signal be a true function of the analyte concentration) over the concentration range of interest. This allows the manufacturer of the electrode strips to establish a universal calibration for a given lot of electrode strips such that any given signal obtained from a given strip under standard test conditions uniquely correlates to a particular analyte concentration. Thus it is important that within the concentration range of interest there be no uncontrollable variable other than the analyte concentration which would substantially affect the signal. The signal may be the current observed at a fixed time after the test is initiated or it may be the current integrated over some period occurring some fixed time after the test is initiated (in essence the charge transferred over some such period). The test is conducted by covering the working electrode and a reference/counter electrode with sample and then applying a potential between them. The current which then flows is observed over some time period. The potential may be imposed as soon as the sample covers the electrodes or it may be imposed after a short delay, typically about 3 seconds, to ensure good wetting of the electrodes by the sample. The fixed time until the current or current integration is taken as the signal should be long enough to ensure that the major variable affecting the observed current is the analyte concentration. The reference electrode/counter electrode may be a classic silver/silver chloride electrode but it may also be identical to the working electrode in construction. In one embodiment the two separate conductive tracks may both be coated with an appropriate formulation of enzyme, cofactor and mediator in a binder and filler containing aqueous vehicle to yield a coating. In those cases in which the coating is non-conductive, e.g. when the filler is a non-conductor, a common coating may overlay both electrodes. When a potential is applied one of the electrodes will function as a reference/counter electrode by absorbing the electrons liberated at the other, working, electrode. The mediator at the reference/counter electrode will simply become reduced as a result of interaction with the electron flow at its electrode. The reaction layer which yields the desired behavior is obtained by formulating the working electrode with binder and filler ingredients. The object is to allow the sample to interact with the enzyme, cofactor and mediator but to also ensure that these chemically active ingredients remain in the immediate vicinity of the surface of the electrode. The binder ingredient should include materials which readily increase the viscosity of aqueous media and promote the formation of films or layers. Typical of such materials are the polysaccharides such as guar gum, alginate, locust bean gum, carrageenan and xanthan. Also helpful are materials commonly known as film formers such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl pyrrole, cellulose acetate, carboxymethyl cellulose and poly (vinyl oxazolidinone). The filler ingredient should be a particulate material which is chemically inert to the oxidation reduction reactions involved in the measurement and insoluble in aqueous media. It may be electrically conductive or non-conductive. Typical materials include carbon, commonly in the form of graphite, titanium dioxide, silica and alumina. The active electrode may be conveniently produced by formulating the enzyme, cofactor, mediator and binder and filler ingredients into an aqueous vehicle and applying it to the elongated, electrically insulating carrier having conducting tracks. The formulation may be applied by printing such as screen printing or other suitable techniques. The formulation may also include other ingredients such as a buffer to protect the enzyme during processing, a protein stabilizer to protect the enzyme against denaturation and a defoaming agent. These additional ingredients may also have an effect on the properties of the reaction layer. The working electrode typically has a dry thickness between about 2 and 50 microns preferably between about 10 and 25 microns. The actual dry thickness will to some extent depend upon the application technique used to apply the ingredients which make up the working electrode. For instance thicknesses between about 10 and 25 microns are typical for screen printing. However, the thickness of the reaction layer is not solely a function of the dry thickness of the working electrode but also depends upon the effect of the sample on the working electrode. In the case of aqueous samples the formulation of the working electrode ingredients will effect the degree of water uptake this layer displays. The filler typically makes up between about 20 and 30 weight percent of the aqueous vehicle. The amounts of the other ingredients are typically less than about 1 weight percent of the aqueous vehicle and are adjusted empirically to achieve the desired end properties. For instance, the amount of buffer and protein stabilizer are adjusted to achieve the desired degree of residual enzyme activity. In this regard one may use more enzyme and less stabilizer or less enzyme and more stabilizer to achieve the same final level of enzyme activity. The amount of binder and defoaming agent should be adjusted to give suitable viscosities for the method of application with higher viscosities being suitable for screen printing and lower viscosities being suitable for rotogravure printing. A suitable aqueous ink formulation can be formulated in accordance with Table 2 with the balance being deformer, buffer, enzyme activity enhancers and water to make up 1 gram of formulated ink. TABLE 2 Enzyme (such as Glucose Dehyrogenase 200 to 4000 Units or 3-hydroxybutyrate Dehydrogenase) Nicotinamide cofactor (such as NAD) 5 to 30 weight percent Mediator (such as 1,10 phenanthroline 0.1 to 1.5 weight percent quinone) Filler (such as ultra fine carbon or titania) 10 to 30 weight percent Binder (such as alginate or guar gum) 0.01 to 0.5 weight percent Protein stabilizer (such as Trehalose or 0.01 to 2 weight percent Bovine Serum Albumin) The stability of the reaction layer can be readily evaluated using cyclic voltammetry with various time delays. The working electrode formulation is evaluated by exposing it to a sample containing a relatively high concentration of analyte and subjecting it to a steadily increasing potential to a maximum value and then a steadily decreasing potential back to no applied potential. The resulting current increases to a peak value and then drops off as the voltage sweep continues. Such cyclic voltammetry evaluations are conducted after various delay periods after the working electrode is exposed to the sample. The change in peak current with increasingly long delay periods is a measure of the stability of the reaction layer. The more stable the reaction layer the smaller the decrease in peak current. An evaluation was conducted to compare the stability of a working electrode formulated in accordance with the teachings of the present invention to that of a “working electrode” formulated according to the teachings of Geng et al. at pages 1267 to 1275 of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume II, number 12 (1996). The working electrode representative of the present invention was formulated with about 25 weight percent filler (ultra fine carbon), binder, protein stabilizer and deformer as taught hereinabove and the working electrode representative of Geng was formulated with a high molecular weight poly (ethylene oxide) as described at page 1267 of the Geng article. In each case a potential was applied at a scan rate of 50 millivolt per second up to 400 mV versus a silver/silver chloride reference electrode after exposing the working electrode to a 20 mM aqueous solution of glucose for 3 seconds and 60 seconds. The formulation according to the present invention yields a stable reaction layer in which the peak current after 60 seconds is 60% of that observed after 3 seconds while the formulation according to the Geng article yields an unstable reaction layer in which no peak current is observable after 60 seconds exposure. This is attributed to a dissolution of the electrode with a loss of the reagents to the bulk solution. The respective voltammograms are shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 . The test strips of this invention can detect analytes that are substrates of NAD- or NADP-dependent dehydrogenase enzymes using a mediator selected from the compounds disclosed herein, such as 1,10-PQ. Test strips according to this invention are intended for use with electronic apparatus and meter systems. These control the progress of the electrochemical reaction (e.g., by maintaining a particular potential at the electrodes), monitor the reaction, and calculate and present the result. A particular feature that is desirable in a meter system for use with test strips of this type is the capability of detecting the wetting of the reaction zone by sample fluid, thus allowing timely initiation of the measurement and reducing the potential for inaccuracies caused by user error. This goal can be achieved by applying a potential to the electrodes of the test strip as soon as the strip is inserted into the meter; this potential can be removed for a short time to allow wetting to be completed before initiation of measurement. The meter can also feature a means for automatically identifying test strips for measuring different analytes. This can be achieved, for example, when one or more circuit loops are printed on the test strip; each loop can provide a resistance characteristic of the type of strip, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,034 at column 4, lines 3 to 17. As a further alternative, notches or other shapes might be cut into the proximal end of the test strip; switches or optical detectors in the meter can detect the presence or absence of each notch. Other strip-type recognition techniques include varying the color of the strips and providing the meter with a photodetector capable of distinguishing the range of colors; and providing the strips with barcodes, magnetic strips, or other markings, and providing the meter with a suitable reading arrangement. In one example of a test strip for large scale production, the strip electrodes have a two-electrode configuration comprising a reference/counter electrode and a working electrode. The carrier can be made from any material that has an electrically insulating surface, including poly (vinyl chloride), polycarbonate, polyester, paper, cardboard, ceramic, ceramic-coated metal, blends of these materials (e.g., a blend of polycarbonate and polyester), or another insulating substance. A conductive ink is applied to the carrier by a deposition method such as screen printing. This layer forms the contact areas, which allow the meter to interface with the test strip, and provides an electrical circuit between the contacts and the active chemistry occurring on the strip. The ink can be an air-dried, organic-based carbon mixture, for example. Alternative formulations include water-based carbon inks and metal inks such as silver, gold, platinum, and palladium. Other methods of drying or curing the inks include the use of infrared, ultraviolet, and radio-frequency radiation. A layer forming the reference/counter electrode is printed with an organic solvent-based ink containing a silver/silver chloride mixture. Alternative reference couples include Ag/AgBr, Ag/AgI, and Ag/Ag 2 O. The print extends to partially cover the middle track of the carbon print where it extends into the reaction zone. It is useful if separate parts of this print are extended to cov er parts of other carbon tracks outside the reaction zone, so that the total electrical resistance of each track is reduced. A layer of dielectric ink can optionally be printed to cover the majority of the printed carbon and silver/silver chloride layers. In this case, two areas are left uncovered, namely the electrical contact areas and the sensing area which will underlie the reactive zone as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 . This print serves to define the area of the reactive zone, and to protect exposed tracks from short circuit. For the working electrode, one or more inks are deposited to a precise thickness within a defined area on top of one of the conductive tracks within the reaction zone, to deposit the enzyme, cofactor and a mediator of the present invention. It is convenient to do this by means of screen printing. Other ways of laying down this ink include inkjet printing, volumetric dosing, gravure printing, flexographic printing, and letterpress printing. Optionally, a second partially active ink can be deposited on a second conductive track to form a dummy electrode. Polysaccharides can optionally be included in the ink formulation. Suitable polysaccharides include guar gum, alginate, locust bean gum, carrageenan and xanthan. The ink can also include a film former; suitable film-forming polymers include polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl pyrrole, cellulose acetate, CMC, and poly (vinyl oxazolidinone) Ink fillers can include titanium dioxide, silica, alumina, or carbon. The following are illustrative, non-limiting examples of the practice of the invention: EXAMPLE 1 Mediators: Meldola's Blue (MB) (Compound 3) was obtained as the hemi-ZnCl 2 salt from Polysciences, Inc. 2,6-Dichloroindophenol (DCIP) (Compound 6) and Tris buffer were purchased from Sigma. The phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution (Dulbecco's formula) was prepared from tablets supplied by ICN Biomedicals, Ltd. D-3-Hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH; EC 1.1.1.30) from Pseudomonas sp. was purchased from Toyobo Co., Ltd. p-Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + ) and D,L-3-hydroxybutyric acid were supplied by Boehringer Mannheim. 1,10-Phenanthroline quinone (1,10-PQ) (Compound 7) was prepared according to the method of Gillard et al. ( J. Chem. Soc. A, 1447-1451, 1970). 1,7-Phenanthroline quinone (1,7-PQ) (Compound 8) was synthesized using the procedure described by Eckert et al. ( Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 79:2533-2536, 1982). 2,9-Dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline quinone (2,9-Me 2 -1,10-PQ) (Compound 10) was synthesized as a byproduct of the nitration of neocuproine as disclosed by Mullins et al. ( J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 75-81, 1996). 1-Methoxy phenazine methosulphate (1-MeO-PMS) (Compound 5) was prepared via the methylation of 1-methoxy phenazine adapted from the method described by Surrey ( Org. Synth. Coll. Vol. 3, Ed. E. C. Horning, Wiley, New York, 753-756). 1-Methoxy phenazine was synthesized by a modified Wohl-Aue reaction as reported by Yoshioka ( Yakugaku Zasshi, 73:23-25, 1953). 4-Methyl-1,2-benzoquinone (4-Me-BQ) (Compound 4) was prepared via oxidation of 4-methyl catechol with o-chloranil according to a general procedure by Carlson et al. ( J. Am. Chem. Soc., 107:479-485, 1985). The 1,10-PQ complex [Ru(bpy) 2 (1,10-PQ)] (PF 6 ) 2 (Compound 12) was obtained from [Ru(bpy) 2 Cl 2 ] (Strem Chemicals, Inc.) as reported by Goss et al. ( Inorg. Chem., 24:4263-4267, 1985). Preparation of 1-Me-1,10-phenanthrolinium quinone trifluoromethane sulphonate (1-Me-1,10-PQ + ) (Compound 11) Methyl trifluoromethane sulphonate (Aldrich) (1.0 ml) was added to a solution of 1,10-PQ (0.50 g, 2.38 mmol) in anhydrous methylene chloride (25 ml) under nitrogen. Immediate precipitation occurred and the resulting mixture was stirred for 24 hours. Filtration followed by washing with methylene chloride afforded 1-Me-1,10-PQ + (0.65 g, 73%) as a fine yellow powder. Evaluation of Meldola's Blue and 1,10-PQ as NADH Mediators in Dry Strips: Screen-printed electrodes incorporating 1,10-PQ and MB were produced from an organic carbon ink containing these NAD(P)H mediators at a level of 3.5 mg/g ink. The solid mediators were mixed into a commercial conducting carbon ink (Gwent Electronic Materials). The dose response curve for the electrodes containing 1,10-PQ tested with aqueous NADH solutions (0-16.7 mM) in PBS at a poise potential of +400 mV versus a printed Ag/AgCl reference electrode is shown in FIG. 3 . A slope of 0.58 nA mM −1 NADH was recorded. The dose response curve for the electrodes containing MB tested with aqueous NADH solutions (0-12.4 mM) at a poise potential of +100 mV versus a printed Ag/AgCl reference electrode is shown in FIG. 4 . An increased slope of 8.48 μA mM −1 NADH was observed. Assessment of Mediator Inhibition of D-3-Hydroxybutyrate Dehydrogenase: A series of 18 solutions (2.5 ml each) were prepared, each containing 50 U/ml HBDH and 1.29 or 2.58 mg of the following NAD(P)H mediators: MB(3), 4-Me-BQ(4), 1-Me0-PMS (5), DCIP(6), 1,10-PQ(7), 1,7-PQ(8), 2,9-Me 2 -1,10-PQ(10), 1-Me-1,10-PQ + (11), and [Ru(bpy) 2 (1,10-PQ)](PF 6 ) 2 (12) in Tris buffer (50 mM, pH 8.2). A control solution was also prepared, containing enzyme but no mediator. The solutions were incubated for 0.5 hours at 37.5 C, then assayed (in triplicate) for NADH at 340 nm, using a Sigma Diagnostics D-3-hydroxybutyrate kit. The extent of the interference of the added mediator with the assay rate compared to the control afforded a quantitative measure of the mediator's efficiency as an oxidant of NADH. The enzyme was then reisolated from the mediator solutions by filtration through a polysulfone membrane (nominal molecular weight cut-off: 30,000) in a microcentrifuge filter (Millipore). The enzyme remaining on the filter was dissolved in Tris buffer (0.2 ml), and the resulting solution was assayed (in triplicate) with the Sigma kit. By comparing the results of the assays before and after filtration, the effect of any covalently and/or irreversibly bound mediator on the enzyme activity could be determined. The results of the two assays on each solution before and after filtration are collected in Table 3. TABLE 3 Assay Rate (absorbance units/min) control before after Mediator (Compound No.) (no mediator) filtration filtration 1,10-PQ 0.167 0.149 0.160 (96%) 1,7-PQ 0.155 0.115 0.150 (97%) MB 0.167 0.008 0.026 (16%) 4-Me—BQ 0.170 0.005 0.007 (4%)  1-MeO—PMS 0.150 0.009 0.071 (47%) DCIP 0.150 0.104 0.085 (57%) 2,9-Me 2 -1,10-PQ 0.197 0.189 n/a 1-Me-1,10-PQ + 0.197 0.150 0.185 (94%) [Ru(bpy) 2 (1,10-PQ](PF 6 ) 2 0.197 0.114 0.193 (98%) Although these results demonstrated that the phenanthroline quinone mediators were relatively inefficient NADH mediators compared to Meldola's Blue and 1-MeO-PMS (i.e., the assay rate “before filtration” was depressed only to a small extent), over 90% of the original enzyme activity for the solutions containing 1,10-PQ, 1,7-PQ, 1-MeO-1,10-PQ, or [Ru(bpy) 2 (1,10-PQ)](PF 6 ) 2 was restored “after filtration.” This was not the case for MB, 1-MeO-PMS, DCIP, or 4-Me-BQ. Indeed, the quinone mediator 4-Me-BQ proved to be the most potent inhibitor with only 4% of the original activity remaining “after filtration.” Thus, the latter four mediators partially inactivate HBDH while the newly described mediators advantageously had little or no effect on enzyme activity. The percentage residual enzyme activities for each mediator are displayed as a bar chart in FIG. 5 , which reveals that the mediators of the present invention, represented by black bars, are not strong inhibitors of HBDH. In contrast, MB, 4-Me-BQ, 1-MeO-PMS, and DCIP all irreversibly inhibited HBDH, with concomitant losses in activity ranging from 43 to 96%; these results are represented by grey bars in FIG. 5 . EXAMPLE 2 Evaluation of Meldola's Blue and 1,10-PQ in Dry Strips Containing HBDH: Screen-printed electrodes were produced from an aqueous carbon ink incorporating 1,10-PQ or MB at a level of 2.4 or 4.3 mg/g ink, respectively, together with the enzyme HBDH (120 units/g ink) and NAD + (110 mg/g ink). The ink also contained a polysaccharide binder. The dose response curves for the electrodes containing 1,10-PQ are given in FIG. 6 . The electrodes were tested after 4, 14, and 26 weeks of storage (30° C., desiccated) with aqueous D-3-hydroxybutyrate solutions (0-25 mM) in PBS at a poise potential of +400 mV versus a printed Ag/AgCl reference electrode. All three dose responses were non-linear and levelled out with a current of 8.5 μA being recorded at 24 mM D-3-hydroxybutyrate. This demonstrated that the response of the dry electrodes was stable for at least 26 weeks. The dose response curves for the electrodes containing MB are provided in FIG. 7 . The electrodes were tested after 2 and 14 weeks storage (30° C., desiccated) with aqueous D-3-hydroxybutyrate solutions (0-28 mM) in PBS at a poise potential of +100 mV versus a printed Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The dose response curves were similar to those in FIG. 4 . A current of 8.6 μA was recorded at 24 mM D-3-hydroxybutyrate for these electrodes after 2 weeks storage. This is almost identical to responses obtained from dry strips containing 1,10-PQ. This result demonstrated that the ability of a compound such as MB to mediate very efficiently with NADH compared to 1,10-PQ is outweighed by the fact that it inhibits HBDH. Furthermore, the stability of the electrode response to D-3-hydroxybutyrate is compromised through the inactivation of HBDH by MB. FIG. 7 shows that the response of these electrodes dropped by an unacceptable margin of approximately 7% after 14 weeks storage. In summary, biosensor electrodes containing a mediator of the present invention displayed responses which were stable after at least 26 weeks storage. In contrast, those electrodes incorporating a traditional mediator such as MB which is an irreversible enzyme inhibitor exhibited responses which declined after only 14 weeks storage. EXAMPLE 3 Evaluation of 1,10-PQ in Dry Strips Containing Glucose Dehydrogenase (GDH): Screen-printed electrodes were produced from an aqueous carbon ink incorporating 1,10-PQ or MB at a level of 2.4 or 4.3 mg/g ink, respectively, together with the enzyme Glucose dehydrogenase (120 units/g ink) and NAD + (110 mg/g ink). The ink also contained a polysaccharide binder. The calibrated dose response curve for the electrodes is given in FIG. 8 . The electrodes were tested with whole blood containing physiologically relevant concentrations of glucose ranging from 3.3 to 26 mM. A poise potential of +50 mV was maintained against a printed Ag/AgCl electrode. The electrodes produced a linear response over the glucose range. Thus, it was demonstrated that a mediator of the present invention can be used to construct a clinically useful glucose sensor which operates at a particularly low applied potential. EXAMPLE 4 Electrode strips were prepared utilizing the construction illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 with a silver/silver chloride reference/counter electrode and a working electrode prepared by screen printing a formulation in accordance with Table 2. In one case, the filler was 25 weight percent ultra fine carbon and in the other case the filler was 25 weight percent titania. In both cases the enzyme was Glucose Dehydrogenase (GDH), the cofactor was NAD, the mediator was 1,10-PQ, the binder was guar gum, the protein stabilizer was Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the buffer was Tris (0.325 weight percent). These electrode strips were evaluated by applying a 200 mV potential between the reference/counter electrode and the working electrode while an aqueous glucose solution covered both electrodes. The observed current from 15 to 20 seconds after the application of the potential was integrated and plotted against the glucose contents of the test solutions. The carbon-filled formulation gave a slope of 2.6 microcoulomb per mM of glucose and an X axis intercept of −1 microcoulomb while the titania-filled formulation gave a slope of 1.5 microcoulomb per mM of glucose and an X axis intercept of 0.6 microcoulomb. The plots are shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 . Other Embodiments It is to be understood that while the invention has been described in conjunction with the detailed description thereof, that the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention. Other aspects, advantages, and modifications are within the scope of the invention.

The present invention is based on the discovery of NAD + and NADP + mediator compounds that do not bind irreversibly to thiol groups in the active sites of intracellular dehydrogenase enzymes. Such mediator compounds avoid a common mode of enzyme inhibition. The mediators can therefore increase the stability and reliability of the electrical response in amperometric electrodes constructed from NAD- or NADP-dependent enzymes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This patent application claims priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent applications 60/757,443, filed Jan. 9,2006, and 60/760,511, filed Jan. 21, 2006, and as a continuation-in-part under 35 U.S.C. §120 of co-pending U.S. patent applications Ser. Nos. 11/090,574 and 11/090,588, filed Mar. 24, 2005 and a Continuation of Ser. No. 11/621,536 filed Jan. 9, 2007, the contents of which provisional and non-provisional applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates in general to the field of medical devices and, in particular, to devices for use in interventional and diagnostic access, manipulation within, and negotiation of, the vascular system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] The vascular field of medicine relates to the diagnosis, management and treatment of diseases affecting the arteries and veins. Even when healthy, the anatomy of these vessels is complex, with numerous divisions leading into progressively smaller branches. Development of disease within these vessels often complicates matters by altering their caliber, flexibility, and direction. The interior, or lumen, of a blood vessel may develop constrictions, known as stenoses, and at times may even be obstructed, as a result of the development of atherosclerotic plaques or by the occurrence of tears or lacerations in the vessel wall, known as dissections. These obstructions may complicate the vascular anatomy by leading to the formation of new collaterial pathways that establish new routes around the obstructions in order to provide blood flow down-stream from the blockage. [0004] In order to diagnose and treat vascular diseases, a physician may in many instances perform a diagnostic or interventional angiogram. An angiogram is a specialized form of X-ray imaging, requiring physical access into a vessel with some form of sheath, needle or guide in order to allow a contrast dye to be injected into the vasculature while X-rays are transmitted through the tissue to obtain an image. The contrast dye illuminates the interior of the vessels and allows the physician to observe the anatomy, as well as any narrowings, abnormalities or blockages within the vessels. At times, more selective angiograms are used to delineate a particular area of concern or disease with greater clarity. Access to these more selective areas often requires the insertion of guidewires and guide catheters into the vessels. [0005] Vascular guidewires and guide catheters can be visualized from outside the body, even as they are manipulated through the body's vascular system, through the use of continuous low-dose fluoroscopy. The negotiation of the complex vascular anatomy, even when healthy, can be difficult, time consuming and frustrating. When narrowed or obstructed by disease, the vessels are even more difficult—and sometimes impossible—to negotiate. [0006] Attempts to address and overcome the difficulty of negotiating vascular anatomy have led to various devices, primarily guidewires and guide catheters, for assisting physicians. The devices vary in shape, diameter and length. In order to negotiate the smaller blood vessels as well as to provide some standardization within the industry, for example, many catheterization systems are sized to cooperate with guidewire diameters of 0.035″ or less (0.018″ and 0.014″ being the next most common sizes). [0007] The tips of these devices may be pre-formed into any of a variety of shapes to help negotiate obstacles or turns within the vasculature having particular geometries. For example, if the tip of a straight guidewire cannot be turned into the opening of a branch vessel, a guiding catheter with a tip having a 30 degree angle may be placed coaxially over the guidewire and used to point the tip of the wire into the appropriate orifice. Once the wire is in place, the catheter can be removed and the wire advanced further until the next obstacle is encountered at which time the guiding catheter is re-advanced into position. [0008] A distinct disadvantage of these pre-formed devices is a need to constantly exchange and substitute different devices throughout the procedure. Changing of devices generally requires either that a catheter be withdrawn from the vasculature, while the collocated guidewire remains in position, and then be fully disengaged from the stationary guidewire; or, alternatively, that a guidewire be removed while the catheter remains in place, and substituted with a different guidewire. This exchange is not only time-consuming, but can also be dangerous: repetitive passage of these instruments within the vasculature can injure a vessel wall or release an embolic particle into the bloodstream that could lead to stroke, loss of limb, or even death. In an attempt to address and overcome these problems, catheters and guidewires have been developed to allow a practitioner to control, or at least to alter, the tip of the device in a more direct fashion. By means of an external control, the tip of the wire or catheter is turned, bent, flexed or curved. [0009] Two types of approaches are currently used to impart the control of the wire/catheter tip: (1) direct mechanical linkage and (2) shape memory alloys (SMAs). The direct mechanical linkage approach employs actuators (e.g., wires, tubing, ribbons, etc.) that extend the full length of the guidewire/catheter. Manipulating the external, proximal portion of the control actuator, displaces the distal, internal portion of the wire. Specifically, the direct mechanical linkage can be disadvantageous in that when it is activated to deflect a guidewire's tip, it can impart a stiffening, shape-altering, performance-limiting constraint on the guidewire as a whole, thereby limiting its functionality. [0010] The SMA approach involves use of alloys that are typically of metals having a Nickel-Titanium component (e.g., Nitinol) that can be trained in the manufacturing process to assume certain shapes or configurations at specific temperatures. As the temperature of a shape memory alloy changes, the structure of the material changes between states and the shape is altered in a predetermined fashion. SMAs are used extensively in the medical field for a variety of purposes, e.g., stents, catheters, guidewires. Typically, the material is trained to assume a specific configuration on warming (e.g., stents) or to return to its predetermined shape after deformation (e.g., Nitinol guidewires.). [0011] If manufactured in a specific fashion, SMAs demonstrate a negative coefficient of thermal expansion when heated and can be trained to shorten a specified amount of linear distance. By passing an electric current through the material, the material's electrical resistance produces an increase in the material's temperature, causing it to shorten. Upon cooling, the alloy returns to its previous length. This characteristic of shape memory alloys has been used to impart a deflection or alteration in the tip of a guidewire or catheter. [0012] One approach involves an outer sheath, an inner core and several nitinol actuators disposed concentrically about the inner core. These actuators are controlled via an electrical connection with the core wire and conducting wires traveling in parallel with the core itself. A controlling device is attached at the proximal (practitioner) end of the wire. By manipulating the controlling device, such as a joystick, the distal wire tip can be displaced in multiple directions. Another approach provides an end-mounted control device, at the proximal end, having a box shape. [0013] Another approach involves an array of microcircuits that control two nitinol actuators that slide on an eccentric board with a low coefficient of friction. By altering the amount of actuator that is activated, a more or less bidirectional deflection can be imparted in the guidewire tip. As with the previous example, this device is also controlled by an end-mounted control device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0014] The apparatus, methods and systems according to the present invention, in their various aspects, address any of a range of problems associated with the manipulation of catheters and guidewires within vascular systems during invasive diagnostic or interventional radiological procedures or in other fields requiring precisely controlled penetration of narrow passageways. Among other advantages, embodiments of the present invention provide controllers for variable control, steerable guidewires that may have one more of the following advantages: coaxial structure, over-the-wire catheter compatibility, remote controllability, variably deflectable tip, low profile guidewire, controllability by a detachable, side-entry, easily positioned, single-handedly manipulated, combination torque and guidewire tip control device, ergonomic controllability from a position adjacent to the point of entry into the vasculature (or other passageway being accessed), and economical manufacturability. Aspects of the present invention also encompass or facilitate a reduction, or minimization, of the number of guidewire or guide-catheter exchanges necessary to accomplish a designated task or procedure, yielding an advantage not only in terms of the saving of time and other resources, but more importantly in reducing trauma to the passageways in which the guidewire is deployed. The combination of guidewire and controller according to aspects of the present invention allow convenient side-entry and single-handed repositioning of the controller along the length of the guidewire to allow the practitioner to manipulate the guidewire tip at any location along the guidewire, including at or near the point of entry, thereby improving ergonomics, control, efficiency, and ultimately, for medical guidewires, patient safety. [0015] When used in the field of interventional radiology, the apparatus, systems and methods according to the present invention provide a solution in the form of an economical, completely coaxial, variable tip, low-profile guidewire remotely controlled by a detachable, easily positioned, single-handedly manipulated, combination torque and guidewire tip control device (controller). This device, with which embodiments of the controller according to the present invention may be used, overcomes shortcomings of prior vascular guidewire devices which lack the combination of a fully variable tip, a coaxial wire allowing compatibility with other devices, and a remote control system. Its dual utilization of the outer wrapped wire as a conducting element and structural support enables final low-profile design measurements that permit this system to be used with standard, currently available over-the-wire devices (e.g., stents, angioplasty balloons, and endo-grafts). The variable and controllable nature of the guidewire tip enhances the user's ability to manipulate the guidewire through difficult anatomy. Therefore, it minimizes the number of guidewire or catheter exchanges necessary to accomplish a designated task or procedure. [0016] In one embodiment, a vascular guidewire and control system according to the present invention is a compact, coaxial, remotely and electrically controllable, variable tip guidewire that is fully exchangeable and compatible with most interventional catheter based devices. [0017] A controller according to another aspect of the present invention provides a side-entry torque device compatible with the steerable guidewire according to the present invention, permitting single-handed repositioning of the controller along the guidewire, while reducing or minimizing trauma to the guidewire's electrical conducting wires. In addition to meeting criteria for the strength of the grip the controller applies to the guidewire, it offers several additional advantages. According to one aspect of the invention, the controller is provided with a switch that can be operated by the user to energize the steerable tip at the distal end of the guidewire to which the controller is affixed. This arrangement (among others according to the invention, discussed below), permits repositioning of the guidewire, by axial displacement, rotation and tip deflection, by the practitioner using a single hand. According to another aspect, the controller includes a fully detached collet adapted to engage with the body of the controller and a cap of the controller in order that the collet grip the guidewire with a uniform distribution of inwardly radial force. That is, the load each prong or face of the collet, of which there may be two or more, applies to the guidewire is uniformly distributed in a direction parallel to the axis of the guidewire, thereby reducing or minimizing the possibility of damage to the guidewire in the region where it is being gripped by the controller. [0018] In an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, the controller can easily be attached or detached and moved freely along the surface of the guidewire, which in turn allows a completely coaxial guidewire structure. In addition, the coaxial guidewire structure permits its unhindered use within existing types of catheters, sheaths and vessels. In other words, the guidewire can be made to be free of any permanent, designated attachment sites along its length. Thus, when the controller is removed, the guidewire has an unhindered, low-profile state with a uniform design diameter extending from the distal guidewire tip to the proximal guidewire end. The substantially uniform diameter guidewire configuration in an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention enables easy exchangeability with other guidewires and catheters, since catheters, sheaths, balloons or other devices can be readily slid over, or removed from, the guidewire. [0019] In an embodiment of yet another aspect of the present invention, a controller, referred to above, comprises a combined torque and variable control device, which allows precise control of a guidewire tip, while retaining an ability to reposition and manipulate the guidewire in a mechanically advantageous position near the guidewire entry site into the sheath or catheter. As described above, the controller's easy attachment or removal at the closest possible point to the variable tip of the guidewire provides greater controllability of the tip. An embodiment of the invention permits flexible coupling of the controller to the guidewire, precise guidewire control, as well as a uniform diameter, purely coaxial guidewire system. [0020] In an embodiment of a further aspect of the present invention, a guidewire controller comprises a guidewire torque control device combined with a switch, preferably of ergonomic design, for energizing the deflectable catheter tip. This combination permits the controller to be used to torque the guidewire, and to deflect or relax the guidewire tip, single-handedly. This combined configuration allows a precise manual guidewire control, aided by the tactile feedback of the distal guidewire tip, to help negotiate difficult anatomy or obstacles. [0021] In an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, a controller for facilitating manual control by a user of a guidewire comprises a housing having a primary axis and a first engagement feature substantially along the primary axis, a second engagement feature, non-parallel to the first engagement feature adapted to receive the guidewire, and a third engagement feature parallel with the first engagement feature for accommodating a portion of the guidewire. One or more of the engagement features may comprise slots. Furthermore, the second engagement feature may be perpendicular to the first engagement feature. [0022] The invention, in yet another embodiment, provides a switch coupled to an electrical circuit causing the flow of electricity to the tip of a guidewire, wherein the switch may be held and/or manipulated by the user in conjunction with a controller for the guidewire in a single hand. [0023] In an embodiment of another of its aspects, the invention provides a method of using a controller to displace, rotate, or deflect the tip of a guidewire using a single hand, comprising the steps of aligning a non-parallel engagement feature with the guidewire so that the controller is in a first position, engaging the guidewire with the non-parallel engaging feature, and shifting the controller to a second position in which the guidewire is fully received by the controller. The first position may or may not be perpendicular to the second position. [0024] The various aspects of the present invention can be used in concert with guidewires, energizers, switches and according to methods that are the subject of co-pending applications entitled: Vascular Guidewire System, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/090,589; Energizer for Vascular Guidewire, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/090,588; Method for Use of Vascular Guidewire, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/090,512; and Vascular Guidewire Control Apparatus, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/090,574; all filed on Mar. 24, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0025] FIGS. 1A-1F show aspects of an embodiment of a guidewire according to the present invention. [0026] FIGS. 2A-2G show aspects of an embodiment of a guidewire controller in accordance with the present invention. [0027] FIGS. 3A-3D show aspects of an embodiment of a guidewire power source or energizer according to the present invention. [0028] FIG. 4 shows aspects of a second embodiment of a guidewire controller according to the present invention. [0029] FIGS. 5A-5C show more detail of aspects of the embodiment of the controller shown in FIG. 4 . [0030] FIGS. 6A-6B show a shaft, body, or housing portion of a second embodiment of a guidewire controller according to the present invention. [0031] FIGS. 7A-7C show a cap portion of a second embodiment of a guidewire controller according to the present invention. [0032] FIGS. 8A-8C show a controller assembly in an embodiment of the present invention including a shaft or housing portion according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6A-6B , a cap portion according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A-7C and a collet portion according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9A-9E . [0033] FIGS. 9A-9E show a collet portion of a second embodiment of a guidewire controller according to the present invention. [0034] FIGS. 10A-B show aspects of an embodiment of a controller assembly including a shaft or housing portion having an engagement feature adapted to receive a guidewire along its side at a location near the point of entry. [0035] FIGS. 11A-B show aspects of an embodiment of a switch used in conjunction with a guidewire controller according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0036] FIGS. 1A-1F show various views of an embodiment of a guidewire 1 according to the present invention. Guidewire 1 , shown fragmented in FIG. 1A to permit the entirety of the guidewire to be shown in one figure, comprises three main sections. Guidewire 1 includes an elongate, tubular structure, having a proximal end 6 (see FIG. 1F ) which resides exterior to the body of a patient (or other passageway with which guidewire 1 is being used) and physically handled by a practitioner, and a distal end, which in use will be within the passageway, having an actuator portion 2 . The actuator portion 2 at a most distal portion of the guidewire 1 comprises a shape memory alloy (SMA) 12 or other suitable component adapted to introduce a deflection in a tip of guidewire 1 , when activated. A third, central or mid-portion 4 of guidewire 1 is that section of the guidewire 1 between, and coupling, the distal and proximal portions and contains an inner, centrally disposed, electrically insulated, conductive wire 8 . This wire, according to an aspect of the present invention, may be provided with a gradually tapered diameter as it progresses toward the distal tip of the guidewire. In the presently illustrated embodiment, the proximal end 6 of the guidewire 1 demonstrates where the inner wire 8 extends beyond the outer wrapped wire 10 and is exposed so as to be available for electrical connection to the controller device 46 and 150 as described below and illustrated in the accompanying figures. [0037] FIG. 1A includes a more focused view of the mid-portion 4 of the guidewire 1 in an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention. The inner core wire 8 is a centrally disposed, electrically insulated, conductive wire having a gradually tapered diameter as it progresses toward the distal tip of the guidewire. Electrical insulation for the inner core wire 8 can be any of a variety of different suitable materials, but, in an embodiment of this aspect of the present invention, the insulation is preferably provided with a very low profile to accommodate the small diameter of the guidewire 1 . In one embodiment, the insulation may be of a paralyene or polyamide coating of the type often used in medical indications. In another, an enamel coating similar to that used on magnet-wire could be used, as could other suitable materials. [0038] In another aspect of the present invention, core wire 8 eventually tapers from a cross-section dimension that almost entirely fills the lumen of the outer wrapped wire 10 near the proximal end 6 of the wire to an appreciably smaller diameter as it progresses toward the distal end. Core wire 8 , however, in this embodiment, may not necessarily extend to the most distal extent of the outer wrapped wire 10 . Moreover, the full extent of the inner wire 8 , its tapering characteristics and the selection of its composition can be varied to form embodiments exhibiting differing mechanical behavior at the tip of the guidewire 1 , including but not limited to the magnitude and speed of deflection, stiffness, resiliency, and other characteristics. Some candidates for core wire 8 include, without limitation: NiTi based wires or steel musical wires with variable material characteristics of elasticity, resilience and ductility. [0039] In an embodiment of one aspect of the present invention, the outer wrapped wire 10 serves dual functions. First, it provides a support layer which happens to be on the exterior of the guidewire 1 . In this capacity, it provides mechanical structure sufficient for the wire to provide pushability, torquability and flexibility for proper use. In this embodiment, the outer wrapped wire 10 is constructed of a single filament wire, capable of electrical conduction, yet insulated in a similar fashion to the inner core wire 8 . In one embodiment, the filament is a 304v stainless steel filament with a paralyene or similar insulating coating. In another embodiment, the filament is an approximately 34 to 36 AWG tin or copper wire, with an enamel insulating cover. Other suitable filaments, with or without coatings, may also be appropriate. [0040] When in a helical configuration according to one aspect of the present invention, the outer wrapped wire 10 forms a tubular structure having a hollow lumen arising from its being wrapped/coiled in a tight, uniform diameter, helical fashion. In one example, outer wrapped wire 10 is sufficiently tightly coiled to possess a final maximal diameter less than or equal to about 0.035″. Other arrangements of the outer wrapped wire 10 , whether modified helical or non-helical arrangements, or even if tubular, woven or of other outer surface layer configuration, are also possible and within the scope of the present invention. Regardless of the precise wrapping configuration, the outer wrapped wire 10 in one embodiment extends from the most distal extent of the guidewire almost to the proximal portion of the guidewire. [0041] Secondly, the outer wrapped wire 10 in an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention serves as an electrical path (e.g., return) for the actuator 12 . The outer wrapped wire 10 forms an electrical connection with the distal end of actuator 12 at the end cap 18 as described below. Being electrically insulated, as described above, outer wrapped wire 10 remains electrically separated from the actuator 12 and the inner core wire 8 , preventing short circuiting. At or near a proximal attachment site 14 of actuator 12 , described below, the insulation of the outer wrapped wire 10 is selectively removed, exposing an electrically conductive portion of this wire 10 . The outer surface of this insulation can be selectively removed in the manufacturing process by direct abrasion, chemical dissolution or other suitable process. The result of such process is an electrically conductive exposed surface, that nevertheless maintains electrical separation from any inner structures. [0042] In another embodiment, the connection points of the actuator 12 could be reversed, such that the proximal attachment site 14 connects the outer wrapped wire 10 with the proximal end of actuator 12 while the distal end of actuator 12 is connected to the inner core wire 8 . The described embodiment provides an actuator 12 that is straight when in a resting, unactuated state. This arrangement accommodates insertion and navigation of the guidewire 1 through the vasculature to a point where the sort of precise control enabled by the various aspects of the present invention can be deployed. In an alternative embodiment, not shown, that is also within the scope of the present invention, the actuator 12 could be in a non-straight or flexed condition when in a resting or non-energized state, and then return to a straightened position as the actuator 12 is energized by the user. [0043] In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 1F , the guidewire 1 includes an inner core wire 8 (which, per FIGS. 1A-1C is connected at its distal end with the actuator 12 ) as well as a separate inner conducting wire 11 . Inner conducting wire 11 is distinct from the inner core wire 8 and connects the proximal end of the actuator 12 to the proximal end of the outer wrapped wire 10 , effectively bypassing a portion of the outer wrapped wire 10 in order to provide a decreased electrical resistance for the guidewire and actuator assembly. At the proximal portion 6 of the guidewire 1 , this inner conducting wire 11 may be attached (e.g., without limitation, via soldering) or otherwise placed in direct or indirect electrical communication with the outer wrapped wire 10 , such that a complete electrical connection can be made at the proximal portion 6 of the guidewire 1 , e.g., at the proximal tip 17 , via the energizer and switch. [0044] FIG. 1F shows the extension of inner core wire 8 beyond the most proximal portion of the outer wrapped wire 10 , in an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention. The exposed inner wire 8 , with its insulation removed at this location, facilitates attachment of an electrical contact 20 , such as an alligator clip, of a controller (described below) in order to complete an electrical circuit for the guidewire tip actuator 12 . Outer wire 10 includes insulation 9 that is removed in a proximal. portion 11 . In use, the portion labeled 13 , uninsulated, would serve as an electrically negative (or positive) connection point, while the uninsulated portion of the exposed inner core wire 8 , to which the reference numeral is directed in FIG. 1F , would serve as an electrically positive (or negative) connection point. [0045] FIGS. 1B and 1C show, among other features, the variable tip portion of the guidewire 1 in an embodiment of the present invention. The actuator 12 is a portion of the guidewire 1 that provides a mechanical force for deflecting the distal tip 2 of the guidewire 1 . In this embodiment, actuator 12 comprises a fine wire constructed of a shape memory alloy (SMA). These alloys, as discussed above, most typically consist of a nickel-titanium (NiTi) based metal wire having a negative coefficient of thermal expansion, but may consist of different alloys. When heated, these alloys may contract a certain percentage of their overall length. Being electrically conductive, but having a comparatively high electrical resistance, they become heated when an electrical current passes through them and so contract linearly. When an applied current is switched off, the alloy cools and returns to its prior length. Typically, an alloy of this sort can tolerate thousands of repeated contraction and expansion cycles. In addition, SMAS are available in various diameters, lengths, surface coatings and characteristics. In one embodiment, a guidewire actuator 12 according to the present invention comprises a wire of SMA having a diameter of about 0.004″. Other dimensions are possible and may be selected for particular guidewire characteristics. By altering the actual length and diameter of the actuator 12 , different tip deflections can be configured to meet specific clinical situations. [0046] FIG. 1D demonstrates an overall view of the distal tip 2 with an enlarged view of its proximal portion in an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention showing the actuator's proximal attachment site 14 . The insulation on the inner core wire 8 is removed at this attachment site to provide an electrical contact with the actuator 12 . The surface coating of the proximal actuator 12 is also removed to improve the connection. NiTi- and possibly other SMA-based wires may be difficult to attach via standard solder/weld methods and appear to be best connected via a mechanical means such as crimping or tying. In an embodiment of this sort, a fine mechanical crimp may be applied to attach the actuator to the inner core wire. An alternative embodiment would involve creating a divot in the inner core wire 8 , about which the actuator 12 could be knotted. In yet another embodiment, a spot weld or conductive epoxy would fix the wire 8 at this site. Various methods for attaching actuators 12 to inner core wires 8 , outer wrapped wire 10 or inner conducting wire 11 , may provide a suitable a mechanical and electrical connection between the components of the guidewire 1 . [0047] In an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, referring again to FIGS. 1B and 1C , the distal end of the actuator 12 is mechanically and electrically coupled at its distal attachment site 16 to the outer wrapped wire 10 in an eccentric (i.e., off-center) fashion. As shown in FIG. 1B , actuator 12 progresses from a central location 15 on the inner core wire 8 at its proximal attachment site 14 , to an eccentric location at its distal attachment site 16 to the distal outer wrapped wire 10 . This slight offset facilitates a mechanical advantage by which the actuator 12 can impart a deflection in the distal tip 2 of the guidewire 1 . At the point of connection 16 between the outer wrapped wire 10 and the actuator 12 , the insulation is removed from the outer wrapped wire to facilitate the electrical connection with the actuator 12 . The mechanical connection is accomplished by crimping/compressing the actuator 12 to the outer wrapped wire 10 with the end cap 18 (shown in FIG. 1A ). Alternative means of connection as listed above for the proximal attachment site could also apply to the distal attachment site. [0048] FIGS. 2A-2G depict various views of a variable tip guidewire control mechanism (controller) 46 in an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention. The illustrated embodiment of the controller 46 provides a self-contained, dual purpose device capable of controlling the deflection of the guidewire tip 2 while also serving as a torque controller. In addition, as described below, the controller can be placed or repositioned anywhere along the length of the proximal end of the guidewire 1 to permit control of the axial progression or withdrawal of the guidewire 1 . Controller 46 thus enables direct, inline, single-handed, fingertip control of the guidewire 1 at any point along the proximal portion of the guidewire 1 and external to the object, or medical subject, undergoing a procedure with the guidewire 1 . [0049] FIG. 2A provides a plan view of controller 46 and FIGS. 2 B and 2 C- 2 F side and end sectional views, which are exploded views to detail the interior of the device. The long axis of the controller 46 runs parallel with and is adapted to receive the guidewire 1 in a lateral fashion. When the controller 46 is in use, the guidewire 1 is seated in the guidewire channel 22 . Guidewire channel 22 runs the full length of the controller 46 and its diameter is commensurate with the diameter of the guidewire 1 being used to permit an effective mating fit of the guidewire 1 within the controller 46 , as elaborated upon below. With a latch 24 in an open position, access to the guidewire channel 22 is achieved via slot 26 . This slot 26 extends the full length of the controller 46 , with the exception of the region of a grasper swing door 28 . The grasper swing door 28 is mounted via hinges 30 and fastened in a closed position by latch 24 . With the guidewire 1 seated in place in the guidewire channel 22 , the grasper swing door 28 can be placed in a closed position. In the closed position, a grasper mechanism 32 is placed firmly in contact with the guidewire 1 , to permit torquing or linearly loading the guidewire 1 . [0050] As seen in. FIG. 2G , the grasper mechanism 32 includes a set of metal prongs 34 , e.g., without limitation, three in this embodiment, which may be of any suitable material, including but not limited to copper, brass, steel or other suitable electrically conductive material (if it is to provide an electrical connection in accordance with an aspect of the invention in the presently illustrated embodiment). In other embodiments where the actuator 12 will be energized by other means, the prongs may be of plastic, resinous or other suitable non-electrically conductive material. The prongs 34 may be positioned in order to circumferentially surround the guidewire 1 and thereby allow firm contact and grasping of the guidewire 1 . Prongs 34 may be buttressed at their respective bases 52 , such that they protrude slightly into the lumen of the guidewire channel 22 . Therefore, when the grasper swing door 28 is closed, the prongs 34 are urged into contact with the guidewire 1 . This arrangement serves two key functions. By firmly grasping the guidewire 1 , controller 46 permits a torque to be applied to the guidewire 1 surface allowing the guidewire tip 2 to be rotated through 360 degrees in order to facilitate negotiation of obstacles. Additionally, the positioning of a grasper mechanism prong 34 at a 12:00 position on guidewire 1 facilitates an electrical connection with the exposed surface of outer wrapped wire 10 . Thus, when slide switch 36 is moved forward by the user, switch contact 38 on the switch 36 touches contact 40 , which is connected to the 12:00 grasper prong 34 . The slide switch contact 38 is in electrical communication with the positive pole of battery 42 via an insulated, flexible wire 44 . The negative pole of battery 42 is then connected to the attachment wire 48 . The attachment wire 48 then extends from the controller 46 as a flexible external wire connected to attachment device 20 (such as an alligator clip). This attachment device 20 may then be clipped or otherwise electrically and mechanically coupled to the exposed portion of inner core wire 8 . The slide switch 36 is therefore the means for activating the deflection of the guidewire tip 2 . When slid into the forward position, slide switch 36 causes a complete electrical connection to be set up between the battery 42 and the actuator 12 . [0051] FIG. 2G depicts a method for operation of a guidewire 1 system in an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention. The controller 46 , described above, is a separate physical entity from the guidewire 1 . The distal portion and then the body portion of the guidewire 1 are introduced into the vasculature (or other passage way, for non-vascular guidewires) at a point of entry 60 in any of the standard ways known to those familiar with these techniques. The guidewire 1 can be manipulated by itself without the need for the control mechanism according to the present invention until the user reaches a point where the guidewire 1 can not be further negotiated through the vasculature, either secondary to the nature of the native anatomy or due to a diseased state such as a stenosis or obstruction. At this point the user has the option of using the controller 46 according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2B , the controller's connection wire 48 is first attached to the exposed portion of the inner core wire 8 via attachment 20 . The user can then attach the controller at any point along the guidewire 1 that is convenient. As discussed above, the side entry feature of the controller 46 enables a user attach and remove the controller 46 from the guidewire 1 without needing to do so coaxially. [0052] In order to attach the controller 46 to the guidewire 1 , the grasper swing door 28 is unlatched and placed in the open position. The controller 46 is then placed on the guidewire 1 by means of the side-entry feature provided by the slot 26 . The slot 26 directs the guidewire 1 into the guidewire channel 22 . The guidewire channel is formed proximal as well as distal to the grasper mechanism 32 , ensuring that the guidewire 1 is adequately supported until the grasper swing door 28 is closed. When the user is satisfied with the location of the controller, the grasper swing door 28 is closed and latched by means of the latch 24 . The guidewire 1 is now firmly grasped in position. When the user slides the switch 36 forward, the actuator is energized as described above. This energized state permits current to flow to, and through, the actuator 2 , thereby imparting a deflection on the guidewire tip 2 . The degree and ultimate configuration of the deflection depends on several factors, including: the duration of activation, power source characteristics, and design considerations of the guidewire tip 2 (e.g., the length and diameter of actuator 12 and length of inner core wire 8 ). [0053] In an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, by rotating an attached controller 46 , while simultaneously energizing the actuator 12 (by moving switch 36 in an ON position), the user can manipulate the guidewire tip 2 through the anatomy or past an area of disease. The same can be done with alternative embodiments, including such as are described below. When the slide switch 36 is returned to its off position, the actuator 12 is de-energized, allowing the guidewire tip 2 to return to its original position. This procedure can be repeated for thousands of cycles. The controller 46 can easily be repositioned on the guidewire 1 by releasing the latch 24 , sliding the controller to the desired position and then re-latching the grasper swing door 28 (or as otherwise permitted by the particular mechanical design of the detachable controller, including one or more configurations described below). When it is not needed, the controller 46 can be removed entirely from the guidewire 1 without difficulty. [0054] In an alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2A (shown in dashed lines) the power source 56 for the controller 46 can be housed in apparatus separate from the controller device 46 . [0055] Another aspect of the present invention concerns the profile of the distal tip of the actuator 12 , which in an embodiment of this aspect of the present invention is tapered. A wide variety of profiles are possible, and may be selected among to arrive at configurations suitable for particular design criteria for the guidewire 1 . The deflection characteristics of the distal end of the guidewire 1 can be altered by appropriate selection of the design parameters of the distal tapered portion of the inner core wire 8 . See, for example, FIG. 1E . Narrowing the distal taper, for example, will generally impart a tighter curve radius. This design principle according to the present invention can be used for different guidewires 1 as well as for differing uses, such as for accessing the renal arteries versus the carotid. arteries. [0056] A set of profile geometries that have been considered, but without limitation, are set forth in the table below. Included are two predominant cross-sectional shapes, oval and D-shaped (here, semicircular), with a listing of widths, heights (for the oval profiles), cross-sectional areas and lengths. [0000] ACTUATOR TIP PROFILES CROSS- SECTIONAL WIDTH HEIGHT LENGTH AREA DIMENSIONS (INCHES) (INCHES) (INCHES) (INCHES) OVAL 1 0.010 0.0039 0.25 3.9E−5 2 0.010 0.0039 0.5 3.9E−5 D-SHAPED/SEMICIRCULAR 1 0.008 see width 0.25 2.5E−5 2 0.10 see width 0.25 3.92E−5  3 0.008 see width 0.25 2.5E−5 [0057] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, an actuator tip having a D-shaped cross-sectional profile advantageously permits onset of curvature of the tip in a preselected direction. Actuator tips having an asymmetrical cross section have a preferential direction of curvature when subjected to axial loading upon energizing of the actuator. D-shaped or semicircular cross sections tend to initiate curvature consistently about the flat side of the “D” or semicircle. Among other advantages, a profile having this general configuration will tend to repeatedly curve in the same direction, so that a user that happens to be holding the guidewire 1 in a particular orientation need not “recalibrate” with each energizing of the actuator 2 . [0058] Many alternative embodiments of the actuator 2 are within the scope of the present invention. In one example, an actuator wire 12 according to the present invention makes use of a pulley-type of mechanism, whereby an end of the actuator 2 is attached to the inner core wire 8 as before. The insulated wire 12 is then looped around the distal end of the outer wrapped wire 10 , rather than being fixed at that location. Insulated wire 12 is then run in parallel to itself and attached more proximally 54 to the outer wrapped wire 10 , as shown. This arrangement enables a doubling effect of the actuator force as it shortens over a given distance. A greater degree of force can then be used to impart different configurations on the guidewire tip 2 than might be possible in other embodiments of this aspect of the present invention. [0059] FIGS. 2B-2F show an embodiment of a latch mechanism for controller 46 according to the present invention. This embodiment involves a compressive internal latch mechanism rather than an external latch as described above. This embodiment could offer improved single-handed operation of the controller 46 and guidewire 1 . The latch is engaged in a simple manner by closing and squeezing the grasper swing door 28 , that is, with guidewire 1 mounted in the controller 46 . To release the latch, the door is compressed a second time, thereby releasing the hooking mechanism and allowing the grasper swing door 28 to open again. [0060] In still another embodiment, FIG. 2G shows an integrated “all-in-one” system that does not require an external connection wire 48 . The controller 46 uses the outer wrapped wire 10 in a similar fashion to the embodiment described above, while a second, pointed, penetrating contact point 58 on the controller penetrates in-between the coils of the outer wrapped wire and makes contact with the inner core wire 8 . This contact is connected to the opposite pole of the battery by a wire. This would allow a complete electrical circuit to occur when the slide switch 36 is activated, thereby facilitating deflection of the guidewire tip. [0061] Yet another embodiment of various aspects of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1D . As shown in the upper portion of FIG. 1D a fine inner conducting wire 11 is provided in coaxial location within the outer coil 10 , permitting the electrical return current to be transmitted with less resistance, lowering the total power necessary to activate the actuator 12 at the distal end of the guidewire 1 . This electrically insulated inner conducting wire 11 is electrically connected to the proximal end of the actuator 12 via an electrical connection that is insulated from the inner core wire 8 . This inner conducting wire 11 tracks along the surface of the inner core wire 8 and is electrically coupled to the proximal end of the outer coil 10 . The attachment of the proximal end of the wire 11 to the power source (not shown) can then still be made using the outer coil 10 as the conducting surface. This inner conducting wire 11 may be composed of a highly conductive material capable of transmitting a current with very little drop in resistance, despite its fine diameter. An example of this material, without limitation, would be a MP35N-DFT having a Silver core. A potentially suitable diameter, without limitation, would be in the range of 0.002″. Both of the electrical connections of the guidewire 1 to the external power source can occur at the proximal end of the guidewire 1 . [0062] Another aspect of the present invention concerns an energizer and connection system 100 providing a mechanism for attaching the proximal portion of the guidewire 1 to a power source, the energizer 110 . In order to obtain a completely coaxial system, the proximal portion or end of the guidewire 1 should preferably fall within design tolerances, e.g., diameter, for the remainder of the wire. This arrangement allows for therapeutic and diagnostic catheters and devices to be axially or coaxially mounted over the (free) proximal end and coaxially track over or ensheathe the guidewire 10 . An embodiment of this aspect of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 3A-3D and. FIG. 4 . The proximal portion 6 of the guidewire 1 is formed of an outer wrapped wire 10 , having a protruding inner core wire 8 . The inner core wire 8 is electrically insulated from the outer core wire 10 . The proximal tip 17 (as seen, e.g., in FIG. 1F ) of the inner core wire 8 has little or no insulation, such that it may make electrical connection with a connection jack 120 . The proximal portion of the outer wrapped wire 10 also lacks insulation, such that it may also make electrical contact with a different portion of the connection jack 120 . Therefore, these two distinct connection points on the guidewire are able to make an electrical connection between the guidewire 1 and the connection jack 120 in order to allow delivery and return of electrical current while still meeting the design requirements of a low profile, coaxial system. Thus, this embodiment of a connection system 100 according to the present invention still employs the essential characteristics of the guidewire 1 described above, namely using of the inner core wire 8 and the outer coil wire 10 . The inner conducting wire 11 , in an embodiment of this aspect of the present invention, merely provides a more efficient transmission of power from the distal actuator 12 to the proximal end 17 of the outer coil 10 . [0063] An embodiment of another, related aspect of the, present invention, a power source for activation of the guidewire 1 is shown in FIGS. 3A-3D . A controller 46 (or, per the description below, 150 ) provides improved tactile feedback and ease of manipulation of the guidewire 1 when it is as light as possible. Therefore, housing a battery-type power source within the housing of the controller 46 itself may not be preferred, though it is within the scope of the present invention. A power source or energizer 110 , in an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention, may itself be separate from the controller 46 or 150 in a fashion similar to that described in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A . The power source or energizer 110 , shown in FIGS. 3A-3D , includes a connection jack 120 to accept the positive and negative terminals of the guidewire 1 , a power source in the form of one or more batteries 130 , and connecting wires that couple a detachable switch on the controller 46 or 150 to the power source or energizer 110 . [0064] In an embodiment of this aspect of the present invention, the connection jack 120 of this system allows insertion of a length of the proximal end 17 and a proximal portion of the guidewire 1 so that an electrical connection can be made between the outer core wire 10 and the inner core wire 8 . Other arrangements are also possible, including but not limited to a distinct connector element adapted to mate with jack 120 , but should preferably have an external diameter not substantially greater than a maximal diameter of the guidewire 1 . The power source or energizer 110 also provides a means to mechanically grasp and stabilize the proximal portion or end 17 of the guidewire 1 during use. In an embodiment of this engagement mechanism 112 according to the present invention, the mechanism is slidably operable with a thumb or finger to releasably engage the proximal end or tip of the guidewire. The power source or energizer 110 is light enough such that as the guidewire 1 is advanced, the power source or energizer 110 is easily pulled with the guidewire 1 . Or, the guidewire 1 may be looped around the power source or energizer 110 to build slack into the guidewire 1 and reduce or minimize the necessary movement of the power source or energizer 110 . The power source or energizer may be provided with a recess or slot 124 , or other suitable mechanism, for receiving a portion of the guidewire 1 in order to enhance stability of the guidewire 1 during its use. The power source of energizer 110 may also be provided with a mechanism 114 (which as shown may, but need not, be on the engagement mechanism 112 ) for temporarily gripping the proximal portion or end of the guidewire. The connection jack 120 also allows 360 degrees rotation of the guidewire 1 within the power source or energizer 110 to allow the user, via controller 46 or 150 , to torque the guidewire 1 without limitation. The mechanical connection may occur in a variety of means including through the use of an electrically conductive gripping spring, socket or latch. This jack 120 is electrically connected to the power source or energizer 110 . Based on the anticipated power requirements, the power source or energizer 110 may be varied. In one embodiment, two wires exit the energizer 110 and are connected via wire(s) 122 to the switch, e.g., 26 or 160 . When the switch 36 or 160 is closed, electrical current flows from the battery, e.g., 130 , through wire(s) 122 and the switch, e.g., 160 , to the guidewire 1 with the resultant activation of the distal tip. [0065] In another embodiment, the switch 1.60 may be configured to be attachable to the controller 150 . The switch 160 may be of circumferential geometry, with a slot provided along one side. This slot is sized to accommodate the side-entry ability of the controller 150 . The switch 160 could be placed over the guidewire 1 and then advanced onto the back end of the controller 150 , where it would lock into position on the controller 150 . When the switch 160 is not necessary for use of the guidewire 1 during a particular procedure, the switch 160 can be removed from the controller 46 and be placed or stored elsewhere. This removability, in this embodiment, may permit greater versatility of use. In various embodiments, the switch 160 may, for example, incorporate a rubberized, bladder type switch with two near-circumferential contacts. This embodiment, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 A- 5 C, allows a user to activate the switch 160 at any point on its circumference, providing the user with simple, ergonomic control of the switch 160 . [0066] In another embodiment of the switch 160 , the switch 160 is not configured to be attachable to the controller 150 . Rather, it is ergonomically designed to be separate from the controller 150 and held in the practitioner's hand in conjunction with, but separate from, the controller. This still allows single-handed control of the distal tip of the guidewire 1 . [0067] In another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 11A-B , the switch can be designed to sit in the user's hand while being held by, for example, just the fourth and fifth fingers, or even a single finger. According to this embodiment, the switch may be composed of a polymer or elastic material known or used in the art, and may consist of two halves or portions as shown in FIG. 11B . Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11A , the switch may have a curved surface 610 adapted for the contour of the user's fingers gripping the switch, and a related, convex surface 620 accommodated for the palm or portion of the user's hand adjacent to the fingers holding the switch. Thus, use of the fourth and fifth fingers to hold the switch according to this embodiment may include using part of the user's hand or palm as well. The switch may be activated by squeezing one or both of the surfaces 610 and 620 of the switch when it is placed in the user's hand as described above. Embedded electronics, not shown in these Figures, may be used to help accomplish such activation. These features of the switch allow the user to maintain simple, ergonomic control of the switch and single-handed control of the distal tip of the guidewire 1 . In this embodiment, the switch may be separate from the controller 150 , but used in conjunction with the controller 150 in a single handed fashion. Furthermore, the switch may be connected to energizer 110 by either a wired or wireless connection. [0068] Another embodiment of the controller 150 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 A- 5 C. This embodiment employs a side-entry slot mechanism; like the embodiment described above. Rather than the latch type closing mechanism disclosed in that example, however, this embodiment employs a screw-down collet configuration, which may permit a mechanical advantage relative to the illustrated latch-type mechanism. The controller 46 in this embodiment includes three components. The first, shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B , is a housing, body or shaft 200 having an inner lumen 210 and a side slot 220 along its length. The slot 220 allows for side-entry of the guidewire 1 into the shaft lumen 210 . The distal end 230 of the shaft 200 is provided with external screw-threads 240 for adequate mechanical advantage when engaging a mating, internally threaded cap 300 having mating threads 310 . The shaft 200 may be formed of any number of suitable materials including, without limitation, nylon-based, high grade medical plastics having a comparatively stiff modulus of elasticity. [0069] According to embodiments of aspects of the present invention, the controller 150 is provided with an engagement feature for enabling, or at least facilitating engagement of the guidewire 1 by the controller 150 using one hand only. In one embodiment, the single handed engagement feature is an engagement slot that is non-parallel to a primary receiving feature (e.g. slot 220 ) of the controller 150 . FIG. 10B represents one possible depiction of this embodiment of an aspect of the invention, in which the engagement slot 540 is substantially perpendicular to the primary receiving slot 520 . This depletion represents only one way of achieving the single handed engagement feature of the controller 150 , as other arrangements of the engagement slot 540 and primary receiving slot 520 may also be utilized. [0070] The side-entry slot mechanism or single handed engagement feature in this embodiment of the controller 150 , or in the embodiments described above, may consist of a slot having three portions: a primary slot 520 parallel to the axis of the controller, a second, engagement slot 540 , which may be non-parallel to the primary slot 520 , for engaging the guidewire, and a third slot 560 , parallel with the primary slot 520 and the controller 150 , for accommodating a portion of the guidewire 1 . As shown in FIG. 10 , the primary slot 520 may receive a length of the guidewire 1 similar to slot 26 or 220 in the embodiments above. The engagement slot 540 , perpendicular to the primary slot 520 in this illustrated embodiment, is continuous with the primary slot 520 and is similarly adapted to align with and receive a guidewire 1 . Together, these portions of the slot may engage the guidewire 1 . Using a single hand, the practitioner can first orient the controller 150 non-parallel to the guidewire 1 and place the engagement slot 540 over the side of the guidewire 1 . Subsequently, the practitioner can align the primary elongate slot 520 such that it can slide over and finally sit on the guidewire 1 . The practitioner may, during this procedure, maintain control of the guidewire 1 with the other hand, which remains free during engagement of the controller 150 . The engagement slot 540 may function as a fulcrum that facilitates the act of aligning the primary slot 520 over the guidewire 1 and locking the controller 150 onto the guidewire 1 . The “L” shape of the slot in this particular embodiment allows the practitioner to achieve such alignment and repositioning of the controller 150 in an efficient, single handed manner Furthermore, the advantages of side entry and removal with respect to the guidewire are preserved. [0071] The second component of the controller 150 is a collet 400 , shown in FIGS. 8A-8C and 9 A- 9 C. The collet 400 is configured to slide in an axial fashion within the lumen 210 of the shaft 200 . The collet 400 is also provided with a side slot 420 to allow the guidewire 1 to pass within its lumen 410 . On the opposite side of the slot 220 of shaft 200 is a spline 250 that fits within a groove on the inner surface of the shaft 200 . Therefore, when the collet 400 is within the shaft 200 , the collet 400 will not rotate, but will maintain an alignment of the slots 420 and 220 , respectively, of the collet 400 and the shaft 200 . The distal end 430 of the collet 400 includes at least two prongs. In the illustrated embodiment, but without limitation, the prongs 442 , 444 , 446 , 448 , of which there are 4, are formed as part of the collet 400 , which slides within the lumen 210 of the shaft or housing 200 . Therefore, as the cap 300 is tightened, it compresses the prongs 442 , 444 , 446 , 448 on the front end radially inwardly toward the guidewire 1 in order to grip it. The cap 300 also drives the sliding collet 400 into the shaft 200 as it is tightened. The distal or leading end 230 of the shaft or housing 200 is provided with a reverse bevel 235 so that, as the collet 400 is driven into the shaft 200 , the prongs 442 , 444 , 446 , 448 , which are provided with respective complementary bevels 437 at their proximal end, are also compressed by this bevel 235 of the shaft or housing 200 . This bevel arrangement increases the mechanical advantage of the collet 200 and also allows the prongs 442 , 444 , 446 , 448 to grip the guidewire 1 with a more evenly distributed gripping surface—rather than being gripped at only one point, which can rotate the prongs and cause them to impart undue and damaging point stresses on the guidewire 1 or its components. Distribution of the prongs 442 , 444 , 446 , 448 around the lumen 410 permits their compression to impart a grip on the guidewire 1 when the cap 300 is tightened to engage the bevels 350 of the cap 300 and shaft 200 with the complementary bevels of the prongs 435 of the collet 400 . A gripping surface 470 on each prong 442 , 444 , 446 , 448 may be curved, concavely with respect to the guidewire 1 , to disperse the compression forces of the respective prong 442 , 444 , 446 , 448 along the surface of the guidewire 1 . This dispersion reduces or eliminates a focused, high-pressure contact that could potentially damage underlying electrical components of the guidewire 1 . Further, the shaft in this embodiment incorporates a means to lock the removable switch 160 in place. [0072] A third component of the controller 150 is the cap 300 , shown in FIGS. 5A , 7 A- 7 C and 8 A- 8 C As shown in FIGS. 8A-8C , the cap 300 mates with the shaft 200 . Inner threads 310 of the cap 300 allow for longitudinal motion of the cap 300 along the shaft 200 . The cap 300 also is provided with a slot 320 that is aligned with the shaft slot 220 and collet slot 420 during insertion and removal of the guidewire 1 . As the cap 300 is tightened, the inner bevel 350 of the cap 300 compresses the prongs 442 , 444 , 446 , 448 of the collet 400 down and onto the guidewire 1 . Furthermore, as the collet 400 is driven into the shaft 200 , the proximal bevel 437 of the collet prongs 442 , 444 , 446 , 448 abutting bevel 235 of the shaft 200 provide additional mechanical advantage to compress the prongs onto the guidewire 1 . The cap 300 is constructed of any suitable material having a sufficiently stiff modulus of elasticity in order to prevent outward deflection of the cap 300 as it is tightened on the shaft 200 . [0073] The outer configuration of the shaft 200 incorporates a proximal tapered end that allows for advancement of the switch 160 from the back end and onto the controller 150 . The switch 160 may snap into position (engaging with means 260 ) when desired. [0074] An additional embodiment of the switch and connection system according to an aspect of the present invention may utilize a wireless system. In this wireless embodiment a transmitter within the switch is configured to transmit a signal to the power source or energizer 110 at the proximal end of the guidewire 1 . When the power source or energizer 110 receives the signal, a circuit is closed within the power source or energizer 110 , thereby allowing deflection to occur at the distal end of the guidewire 1 . This wireless embodiment may incorporate a small scale wireless device, such as (but not limited to) a Zigbee or Bluetooth wireless protocol system, which permits the system to be implemented within the design constraints of the switch and connection system. [0075] The various aspects of the present invention not only permit the use of a steerable or controllable guidewire having advantages over previous systems, but also allow the guidewire to be controlled at or near the point-of-access into the vasculature. The present invention also enables on-the-wire control while leaving the proximal end of the guidewire 1 to be selectably and easily freed to permit coaxial loading of other interventional radiology devices on the guidewire 1 (e.g., catheters, angioplasty balloons and other devices). [0076] The various apparatuses and methods according to the present invention, and the principles that make them possible, may be applied in any fields requiring a steerable guidewire. Such fields include not only the vascular field of medicine, but also additional medical fields including, but not limited to, urology, general surgery and gynecology. Furthermore, these principles could also be applied to areas outside the medical field, such as veterinary medicine, inspection, mining, telecommunications (e.g., conduit), water distribution, security, national defense, electrical, entertainment and other systems. [0077] While the various aspects of the present invention have been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments, persons skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The many details and specifics should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention as claimed, but rather as exemplifications, and the scope of the invention should be determined not by these illustrated embodiment(s), but rather-by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

A controller for use with a guidewire, such as a vascular guidewire, provides a mechanism for gripping and applying a torque to the guidewire without the need to thread the guidewire axially through the controller and at a location close to a point of access of the guidewire. In one embodiment, the controller includes a side-access, multi-part assembly including a collet or other gripping element that applies a uniform radially inward force on the guidewire. In another embodiment, for use with guidewires having active electrically controllable elements, the controller integrally or removably incorporates a switch or other mechanism to initiate an energized state. The controller thereby permits ergonomic, single-handed control of an electronically steerable guidewire, including axially displacing, torquing and steering the guidewire.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The invention pertains generally to missile flight control systems and particularly to cruciform missiles subjected to aerodynamically-induced roll moments at high angles-of-attack, which are steered by pitch and yaw thrust vector control actuators alone, having (at low speeds and/or high angles-of-attack) no means for direct control of roll moment. Description of the Related Art A four-winged reaction and/or aerodynamically controlled cruciform missile is a body of revolution with four movable control surfaces or control fins in a cruciform array, and a two-axis (pitch and yaw) means for thrust vector control. During guided atmospheric flight, a missile may be required to maneuver in any lateral direction during an interception of target and may experience angles-of-attack of any value, including 90° during a turnover maneuver at low velocity. At low angles of attack with effective aerodynamic control the steering (yaw and pitch) and roll characteristics of a cruciform missile are essentially independent. Rotation of the missile about its longitudinal axis (roll) has no significant effect on steering direction and, conversely, steering maneuvers in pitch or yaw have negligible effect on missile roll. At higher angles of attack, a systematic and periodic roll moment exists as a function of bank angle as is well-known in the art. This cross-coupling phenomenon occurs because of aerodynamic forces exerted on the cruciform fixed wing and control fin array which act to cause roll moments as functions of the pitch and/or yaw angles-of-attack. Bank angle is a function of pitch and yaw angles-of-attack; specifically, the arctangent of yaw angle-of-attack divided by pitch angle-of-attack. The primary aerodynamic phenomenon responsible for these roll moments is the asymmetric loading of the fixed wings and controls. The asymmetric loading produce roll moments which increase with the sine of the angle-of-attack. Another interpretation of this aerodynamic phenomenon which contributes to these roll moments is the increase in pressure differential between the windward and leeward side of the fixed and control surfaces at angles-of-attack. The problem of aerodynamic cross-coupling is well-known in the art and is generally considered to be an undesirable effect of missile aerodynamics. Many practitioners in the art have proposed methods for eliminating or compensating for the effects of aerodynamic cross-coupling at high angles-of-attack. The simplest solution to the problem of unwanted roll moments is to avoid missile operations at large angles-of-attack. Heretofore this was the only available aerodynamic solution in in the absence of a separate roll control thrust vector because the typical aerodynamic roll control, a separate fin, is ineffective at low velocities and unreliable and unpredictable at angles-of-attack approaching 90°. Adding reaction roll moment generation is undesirable because providing a separate roll control thrust vector system, such as a reaction motor, is expensive in terms of dollars, weight and complexity, often the only workable non-aerodynamic solution is to avoid missile operation at large angles-of-attack. U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,968 issued to Stallard discloses an improved flight control system for use in cruciform guided missiles which measures the lift force and roll moment for each individual control surface. A computer uses these forces and moments to compute a set of compensating forces necessary to equalize the aerodynamic force on each of the steering and roll control fins. Stallard developed this improved flight control system to allow any desired steering maneuver, either in pitch or yaw (or both) without causing other unwanted rolling motions from aerodynamic cross-coupling. However, his system requires a roll autopilot to issue the control fin roll moment commands required to maintain a preferred roll orientation of the missile and does not consider the problem of eliminating roll moments caused by aerodynamic cross-coupling when no aerodynamic or reaction roll control is available. Stallard's system improves steering and roll control stability at higher attack angles using aerodynamic yaw, pitch and roll control fins, but does not consider the problem of roll stabilization at high attack angles for thrust vector control guided missiles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,237 issued to Cowgill et al. describes a novel concept for minimizing the aerodynamic cross-coupling problem at high angles-of-attack by using an ellipsoidal missile body. Cowgill's lifting body missile is controlled by pitch and roll commands that change in accordance with missile roll and angle-of-attack. The flattened lifting body is steered by the pitch and roll controllers and the yaw axis controller serves primarily to decouple the steering axis. This contrasts with the cruciform missile body which is steered by the pitch and yaw controllers with the roll controller employed primarily to decouple the steering axis. Although Cowgill solves the problem of aerodynamically-induced roll moments at high angles of attack, his method is not applicable to cruciform missiles having bodies of circular cross section wings. U.S Pat. No. 4,173,785 issued to Licata discloses an electronic guidance system which functions without an active roll control by continuously pointing the velocity vector toward the target position. Licata's electronic guidance system requires the insertion of target position coordinates prior to launch, without which the system will not function. By reducing the guidance problem to two dimensions, Licata reduces the complexity of the initial platform guidance system and eliminates the need for an active roll controller. Licata doesn't address the problem of reducing aerodynamic roll moments at large angles-of-attack in a cruciform missile where no external target localization system data are available. U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,142 issued to Yost et al. discloses a missile control system that obtains control stability at high angles of attack by cross-coupling the roll and steering sensor signals. This method allows the control system to respond at high angles-of-attack with response times, bandwidths and stability similar to those normally available at low angles-of-attack. This is accomplished by inserting roll sensor signals into the steering (yaw and pitch) controller and inserting steering sensor signals into the roll controller at angles-of-attack greater than a specified amount. Yost's missile control system does solve the problem of aerodynamic roll moments at large angles-of-attack. He uses a separate roll control system to accomplish this. Without a separate roll controller, Yost et al. are unable to reduce the effects of roll moments at large angles-of-attack. The above and other developments known in the art serve to demonstrate the importance of the aerodynamic cross-coupling problem at large angles-of-attack for the cruciform missile guidance control system. Although this is an important problem well-known in the art, means for eliminating the effects of aerodynamic roll moments at large angles-of-attack, in a cruciform guided missile having no independent roll control means, are presently unknown. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a method and apparatus for the damping and control of roll moments in a cruciform guided missile system through the use of pitch and yaw thrust vector control (TVC) actuators alone. An advantage of the present invention is that roll moments can be controlled at any angle-of-attack without the expense or weight of a roll reaction control thruster. Another advantage of the present invention is the availability of stable roll moment control and damping at high angles-of-attack where aerodynamic roll stabilizers and controls are unpredictable and unreliable. This capability allows a cruciform missile to operate at high angles-of-attack despite severe cross-coupling between steering and roll aerodynamic controls. Yet another advantage of the present invention is the capability of switching out the disclosed roll damping system at low angles-of-attack where conventional aerodynamic roll control surfaces can sufficiently dampen the relatively small cross-coupled roll moments occurring there. The method and apparatus of the present invention is easily implemented using standard autopilot components and capabilities. The illustrated embodiment merely adds an additional control loop to an existing autopilot using components and techniques well-known in the art. The essential feature of the present invention is the control of roll moment using only the pitch and yaw (TVC) actuators or thrusters by creating TVC rate control signals in response to a computed bank angle. These TVC rate control signals adjust the pitch and yaw thrust to adjust bank angle to produce damping roll moments to reduce the measured roll rate. Another essential feature of the present invention is the resulting decoupling of pitch and yaw thrust vector control systems from any rolling motion that occurs. The bank angle is adjusted at a rate proportional to the bank angle itself in a second stable control loop. The novel features that are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself as well as additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of the illustrated embodiment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and the intended advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent as the invention is better understood by reference to the following detailed description with the appended claims when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematic illustrating an embodiment of the present invention together with a schematic model of the physical laws governing the interaction of the cruciform missile with the aerodynamic and physical environment; FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the mathematical model for the natural solution of the equations of motion for a guided missile as a function of the position of the pitch thrust vector control system; FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the illustrated embodiment of the present invention incorporated in an autopilot control system; FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the mathematical model for the nature solution of the equations of motion for a guided missile as a function of the position of the yaw thrust vector control system; FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the method used in the preferred embodiment for deriving the roll damping pitch and yaw rate commands from the actual bank angle; FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the natural solution of the equations of relating the guided missile attitude vectors to the angles-of-attack and thrust vectors; FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the solution of the natural equations of motion relating the thrust vectors of the guided missile to the bank angle (cross-flow angle) of the wind; and FIG. 8 provides the complete Symbol Definition Table I. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention is best illustrated in its preferred embodiment by considering the cruciform guided missile control system together with its relationship to the missile body and the aerodynamic environment. Accordingly, referring to FIG. 1, we consider a block diagram containing natural and artificial elements. The artificial elements represent the transformation of dynamic states into measurements. These measurements are further transformed into physical action through artificial electronic elements and actuator systems, which transform electrical signals into physical forces and comprise the thrust vector control system. FIG. 1 comprises both artificial elements and elements that schematically represent natural dynamic processes. The present invention can be best understood as an implementation of a method for transforming measurements into action. In FIG. 1, the pitch thrust vector control model 10 and the yaw thrust vector control model 12 are merely natural solutions to the equations of motion for a guided missile as are well-known in the art. These equations relate the missile attitude and angle-of-attack to the position and effectiveness of the pitch and yaw thrusters. Pitch system 10 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 2 and yaw system 12 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 4. The definition of all mathematical variables illustrated in the drawings is provided in FIG. 8 Table I. Referring briefly to FIG. 2, pitch rate Q, TVC control effectiveness M.sub.δ are determined from roll P, yaw rate R, pitch angle-of-attack α Q , and nozzle deflection δQ tvc . Similarly, in FIG. 4, yaw rate R, yaw control effectiveness N.sub.δ are determined from roll rate P, pitch rate Q, yaw angle-of-attack α R , and nozzle deflection δ RTVC . The natural equations of motion represented schematically in FIGS. 2 and 4 are well understood by practitioners in the art. For instance, refer to Guided Weapon Control Systems, P. Garnell, Pergammon Press, 1987 Edition. Also, refer to Aircraft Dynamics and Automatic Control, McRuer, Ashkenas and Graham, Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 1973. Referring again to FIG. 1, the first thrust vector attitude control model 14 and the second thrust vector attitude control model 16 are schematic representations of the equations of motion relating the thrust vectors and bank angle to the guided missile angle-of-attack and attitude angles. Model 14 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 6 and model 16 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 7. Referring briefly to FIG. 6, note that total thrust vector control angle TVC, angle-of-attack pitch component α Q , angle-of-attack yaw component α R , pitch Q, roll P, and yaw R are all related to intermediate variables L, V, U, and W. In FIG. 6, rates of change of velocity components U, V and W, along with roll rate P, are determined as a function of the angle of attack pitch and yaw components α Q and α R , rolling moment L, thrust vector control angle TVC and physical characteristics of the missile. Referring briefly to FIG. 7, intermediate variables L, V, U, and W are related to the angle-of-attack pitch and yaw components α Q and α R with thrust amplitude L thrust and bank angle (cross-flow angle of the wind) φ wind . In FIG. 7, the resulting velocity components U, V and W, along with L thrust , rolling moment caused by thrust vector misalignment with the missile's roll axis, are used to determine angle-of-attack pitch and yaw components α Q and α R , rolling moment L, and bank angle φ w . As with models 10 and 12, the natural equations of motion represented by models 14 and 16 are well known in the art and can be understood by referring to the references cited above together with the symbol definition Table I in FIG. 8. In FIG. 1, the autopilot control system 20 accepts pitch rate command Q c and yaw rate command R c from a guidance computer control means (not shown) and provides a thrust vector control signal TVC, which is a total thrust vector angle comprising components in the pitch and yaw planes. System 20 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 3. Roll damping control system 22 accepts a bank angle φ w input and provides roll damping pitch rate command Q c φw and roll damping yaw rate command R c φw, which are forwarded to autopilot control system 20. System 22 is disclosed in detail in FIG. 5. Generally, the measurements aboard the guided missile include vector control deflection and body rates and accelerations as measured by rate sensors and accelerometers, processed by the computational power normally available in a standard Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). In FIG. 5, the IMU is shown as the source of the bank angle φ wind . U, V, and W (as measured by the IMU) available for use in the present invention are the missile velocity component (assumed to be with respect to a substantially still atmosphere) resolved into body-fixed coordinates. Using these velocities in missile-body coordinates, the angle-of-attack α and the bank angle φ wind are computed in a well-known fashion. With this information, a reasonable estimate of the aerodynamic forces and moments acting on the guided missile airframe is available at all times. The control system illustrated in FIG. 5 embodies the central feature of the present invention, which is the creation of thrust vector control rates that damp the missile's rolling motion in response to computed bank angle φ wind . An associated feature of system 22 is the resulting decoupling of the pitch and yaw systems from unwanted and unintended rolling motion, which is a well-known problem with cruciform guided missiles. Referring to FIG. 3, the present invention is included in a pitch-over control system that accepts the pitch and yaw (angular accelerator) rate commands Q c and R c . These commands enter system 20 at 24 and are limited by the circular limiter 26. Limiter 26 acts to preserve vector direction while limiting total nozzle deflection. A key feature of the present invention is the generation of the additional commands, in body coordinates, inserted at 28. These roll damping pitch rate Q c φw and yaw rate R c φw commands are generated by system 22 in FIG. 5. The roll damping commands and rate commands are summed at 28. The sums are interpreted by the autopilot as angular rate commands in body coordinates. The actual body rates, obtained from rate gyros, are subtracted at 30 to create rate errors Q and R in body coordinates. To remove errors Q and R with a 1/K q time constant, the errors are multiplied by the gain K q at 32. To equalize the control loop at gain K q , rate commands Q c and R c are divided by the control effectiveness M.sub.δ and N.sub.δ associated with pitch and yaw controls. This division occurs at 34, producing pitch and yaw control deflection commands δQ c - tvc and δR c - tvc . These control deflection commands are circularly limited at 36 to produce the limited control deflection commands δQ c - tvcLTD and δR c - tvcLTD .The actual control deflections δQ tvc and δR tvc , as measured by missile instrumentation, are subtracted from these limited control deflections at 38 to provide δ Q and δ R . To remove these control deflection errors in 1/K S seconds, deflection errors δ Q and δ R are multiplied by loop gain K S at 40. Another important and novel feature of the present invention is the roll rate compensation R 42 and Q 42 added at 42. This compensation is generated at 44 by multiplying actual roll rate P, as sensed by a rate gyro, by the pitch and yaw control deflections δQ tvc and δR tvc at 44. Roll rate compensations R 42 and Q 42 are subtracted from the amplified deflection errors at 42 and the resultant control deflection rate commands δ Qc and δ Rc are circularly limited at 46. The circular limiting of the commanded control deflection rates at 46 preserves vector direction while limiting total nozzle deflection. The limited control deflection rate commands are then executed in the control servos at 48. Total thrust vector control angle TVC is shown schematically as equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the actual pitch and yaw control deflections δQ tvc and δR tvc at 50. We see that the illustrated embodiment in FIG. 3 accepts pitch and yaw rate commands Q c and R c at 24 and issues thruster deflection commands at 48 which result in actual pitch and yaw control deflection values δQ tvc and δR tvc . To accomplish this, the system in FIG. 3 uses actual yaw and pitch R and Q from the gyro, yaw and pitch control effectiveness ratios N.sub.δ and M.sub.δ and roll damping pitch and yaw rate commands Q c φw and R c φw, which are generated by system 22 as shown in FIG. 5. System 22 in FIG. 5 is that portion of the present invention which computes the roll damping commands as a function of the IMU bank angle φ wind of the guided missile. Although the actual rolling moment, expressed as a function of φ wind and total angle-of-attack α total , may require a complex description, the key characteristics of these moments can be captured for the purpose of this disclosure by using the following simple concepts. The roll moment of interest varies substantially sinusoidally with bank angle φ wind and is proportional to the sine of the total angle-of-attack α total . The sinusoidal nature of this roll moment means that the value repeats every 90° of bank angle. Hence, there is a stable roll orientation every 90° where the roll moment magnitude passes through zero. There is also a marginally stable roll orientation every 90° that is offset from the stable roll orientation by 45°, where the roll moment passes through zero. With this simple conceptual illustration we add the important notion that bank angle φ wind can be changed by rolling the missile about its center line, or by yawing the missile's center line at non-zero pitch angles-of-attack. System 22 in FIG. 5 is an important part of the present invention which generates the roll damping rate commands Q c φw and R c φw. These are used in system 20 to dampen roll moments by adjusting pitch and yaw rate commands Q c and R c . Referring to FIG. 5, bank angle φ wind at 52 is determined by the IMU 54 assuming that the atmospheric wind velocity is zero. The nearest stable bank angle to which the system should be allowed to drift by rolling in response to the naturally induced roll moment is determined by the simple logic 56. This logic 56 selects a stable bank angle value of -135° if the present bank angle is between -90° and -180°. Similarly, for bank angles between +90° and +180°, a stable value of 135° is selected. Alternatively, for bank angles between 0° and ±90°, a stable bank angle value of ±45° is selected. The purpose of this logic 56 is merely to select the nearest stable bank angle position. At 58, the angular error between the actual bank angle φ wind and the desired stable bank angle value nsφ wind is calculated to be φ diff using simple subtraction. A simple logic 60 decides whether the damping loop should be closed or disabled. Logic 60 disables the roll damper if the pitch and yaw autopilots are off or if the roll autopilot using aerodynamic surfaces for roll control is on. For example, if the angle-of-attack is so large that the aerodynamic control effectiveness is completely unreliable, logic 60 will close the loop and activate roll damping control signals for the reaction control actuators and moment generators. At logic 62 and logic 64, the signs of the yaw and pitch components of the bank angle φ wind are determined. The sign of the yaw roll damping control signal f R is positive for bank angles between +90° and +180° and between -90° and -180°. The sign of f R is negative for bank angles between +90° and -90°. Similarly, as seen in FIG. 5, the sign of the pitch roll damping rate command f Q is -1 for bank angles between 0° and -180° and +1 for bank angles between 0° and +180°. Conceptually, a bank angle rate command proportional to the error in bank angle φ diff is generated at 66. A potential stability and transient response problem exists at 66 if gain K q/ DIVK q is too high with respect to K q . As a guide for preliminary design, the quantity DIVK q is set in the range from 2.0 to 4.0. K q is the loop gain of the rate control loop while K q /DIVK q is the gain in the attitude control loop. The exact value of DIVK q can be set by a qualified control system designer to maintain required stability constraints in a detailed design using techniques well-known in the control arts. The control loop is gain-compensated at 68 and 70. Because pitch and yaw rate affects bank angle in inverse proportion to the total angle-of-attack α total , the loop gain is regulated by inserting the additional gains proportional to the total angle-of-attack α total at 68 and 70. The commands at 68 (Q c φw) and 70 (R c φw) are the roll damping pitch and yaw rate commands sent to system 20, where they are summed with pitch and yaw rate commands Q c and R c at 28 in FIG. 3. It will be appreciated that we have described a system which adds damping to the roll control system by appropriate manipulation of the pitch and yaw thrust actuators. The essence of the invention is inherent in the recognition that the roll moment P can be adjusted by changing the bank angle φ wind and that bank angle φ wind can be adjusted at a rate proportional to the bank angle itself in a loop with appropriate gain and compensation (system 22 in FIG. 5). Obviously, other embodiments and modifications of the present invention will occur readily to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of these teachings. Therefore, this invention is to be limited only by the following claims, which include all such obvious embodiments and modifications when viewed in conjunction with the above specification and accompanying drawings. TABLE I Symbol Definitions A x =Acceleration Along Missile Centerline A y =Acceleration Normal to Missile Centerline, Yaw Plane A z =Acceleration Normal to Missile Centerline, Pitch Plane C L =Rolling Moment Coefficient D=Reference Length (Aerodynamic Reference Length) DIVK Q =[2.0, 4.0], An Arbitrary Constant f Q =Sign of Q c φw Computed from Actual Bank Angle f R =Sign of R c φw Computed from Actual Bank Angle F y =True Normal Force in Yaw Plane F z =True Normal Force in Pitch Plane I xx =Roll Moment of Inertia I yy =Moment of Inertia About Yaw Axis I zz =Moment of Inertia About Pitch Axis K q =Rate Control Loop Gain K s =Thrust Control Deflection Error Correction Gain L=L thrust +L D L cp-q =Distance Between Center of Pressure and Missile Cg. (Pitch Moment Arm) L D =Aerodynamically Induced Roll Moment L tcg =Distance Between Thrust Source and Missile Cg. (TVC Control Arm) L thrust =Roll Moment Resulting From Thrust Offset from Missile Centerline M=True Yaw Moment MASS m =Mass of Missile M acro =Pitch Moment Resulting from Pitch Angle-of-Attack M D =Aerodynamically Induced Pitching Moment M g =Not Used M tvc =Yaw Moment Resulting from TVC Nozzle Deflection in Yaw Plane M.sub.δ =Pitch Control Effectiveness Ratio N acro =Yaw Moment Resulting from Yaw Angle-of-Attack N D =Aerodynamically Induced Yawing Moment nsφ wind =Desired Bank Angle=Nearest Stable PHI w (φ wind ) N.sub.δ =Yaw Control Effectiveness Ratio P=True Body Roll Rate Gyro Output PHI w (φ wind )=Stable Bank Angle Value as a Function of Measured Bank Angle Q=True Body Pitch Rate Gyro Output Q=True Body Pitch Angular Acceleration Q=Q c +Q c φw -Q=Pitch Rate Error in Body Coordinates Q c =Pitch Rate Command Q c =K q ×Q=Pitch Angular Acceleration Command Q c φw =Roll Damping Pitch Rate Command Q 42 =P×δQ tvc =Pitch Component of Roll Rate Compensation R=True Body Yaw Rate Gyro Output R=True Body Yaw Angular Acceleration R=R c +R c φw -R=Yaw Rate Error in Body Coordinates radii=Roll Moment Arm in Terms of Missile Body Radius R c =Yaw Rate Command R c =K q ×R=Yaw Angular Acceleration Command R c φw =Roll Damping Yaw Rate Command R 42 =P×δR tvc =Yaw Component of Roll Rate Compensation THRUST m =Total Thrust Force Produced by Missile Motor THRUST mx =Component of Thrust Along Missile Centerline TVC=[δQ tvc 2 +δRtvc2] 1/2 =Total Thrust Vector Control Angle U=Velocity Component Along Missile Centerline V=Velocity Component Normal to Missile Centerline, Yaw Plane W=Velocity Component Normal to Missile Centerline, Pitch Plane Z.sub.α =Normal Force Coefficient α Q =Pitch Component of the Angle-of-Attack α R =Yaw Component of the Angle-of-Attack α total =Total Angle-of-Attack δ Q =δQ c-tvcLTD -δQ tvc =Pitch Control Deflection Error δQ c =Pitch Control Deflection Rate Command δQ c-tvc =Q c /M.sub.δ =Pitch Control Deflection Command δQ c-tvcLTD =Circularly Limited Pitch Control Deflection Command δQ tvc =Actual Pitch Control Deflection δR=δR c-tvcLTD -δR tvc =Yaw Control Deflection Error δR c =Yaw Control Deflection Rate Command δR c-tvc =R c /N.sub.δ =Yaw Control Deflection Command δR c-tvcLTD =Circularly Limited Pitch Control Deflection Command δR tvc =Actual Yaw Control Deflection φ diff =nsφ wind =Bank Angle Error φ w =φ wind =Bank Angle (Cross-Flow Angle) of the Wind Φ wc =Bank Angle Rate Command

A control system for thrust vector controlled (TVC) cruciform missiles having only pitch and yaw thrusters is disclosed wherein roll damping feedback signals are generated from bank angle data in a separate feedback loop with appropriate gain and compensation. Additional roll rate compensation is added to the missile pitch and yaw rate control subsystem by multiplying actual roll rate by pitch and yaw control deflections and inserting the resultant roll rate compensation command in the pitch and yaw rate error control loops. The addition of these two control feedback loops to the existing pitch and yaw thrust vector control system reduces roll rates caused by aerodynamic forces without the need for aerodynamic or reaction roll control means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] (1) Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a battery onto an electric vehicle. [0003] (2) Description of Related Art [0004] Structures for mounting batteries using battery frames onto electric vehicles have been known in the art. The following related documents 1 and 2 disclose examples of such a structure. Although no description about material of the battery frame is disclosed in the related documents 1 and 2, conventional battery frames are metal because the battery frames support heavy batteries. [0005] [Related Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Publication H7-69077 [0006] [Related Document 2] Japanese Laid-open Publication H7-69237 [0007] However, metal battery frames increase the weight of electric vehicles, and accordingly, the range of the electric vehicles becomes shorter and the drivability becomes worse. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The present invention has been developed in consideration of this situation, and it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a structure for mounting a battery onto an electric vehicle to improve the crash-resistant capability of the battery mounted on the electric vehicle while preventing increased weight and enhancing the rigidity of the electric vehicle. [0009] For this purpose, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure for mounting the battery onto the electric vehicle comprising: a body member, which is made from metal, forming a body of the electric vehicle; a battery case, which is made from resin, including the battery containing electric power for driving the electric vehicle; a framework member, which is made from metal, being embedded in said battery case; a connecting member connecting between said framework member and said body member. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] The nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will be explained in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures and wherein: [0011] FIG. 1 is a top view schematically showing the entire configuration of an embodiment of the present invention; [0012] FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing the entire configuration of the embodiment of the present invention; [0013] FIG. 3 is a top view schematically showing a battery tray in the embodiment of the present invention; [0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view mainly showing batteries in a battery case and a battery holder in the embodiment of the present invention; [0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view mainly showing metal frames built into a battery tray in the embodiment of the present invention; [0016] FIG. 6 (A) is a top view schematically showing a built-in nut in the embodiment of the present invention; [0017] FIG. 6 (B) is a side view schematically showing the same built-in nut in the embodiment of the present invention; [0018] FIG. 6 (C) is a bottom view schematically showing the same built-in nut in the embodiment of the present invention; [0019] FIG. 7 is a cross-section view schematically showing the same built-in nut in the embodiment of the present invention; [0020] FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing the bottom side of the battery case in the embodiment of the present invention; [0021] FIG. 9 is a perspective view schematically showing the bottom side of the battery case in the embodiment of the present invention; [0022] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing lateral-end supporting members and a front-end supporting member in the embodiment of the present invention; [0023] FIG. 11 is a cross-section view indicated XI-XI in FIG. 1 schematically showing a part of the structure in the embodiment of the present invention; [0024] FIG. 12 is a cross-section view indicated XII-XII in FIG. 1 schematically showing a part of the structure in the embodiment of the present invention; [0025] FIG. 13 is a cross-section view indicated XIII-XIII in FIG. 1 schematically showing a part of the structure in the embodiment of the present invention; [0026] FIG. 14 is a cross-section view indicated XIV-XIV in FIG. 1 schematically showing a part of the structure in the embodiment of the present invention; [0027] FIG. 15 is a front view schematically showing a cover plate in the embodiment of the present invention; [0028] FIG. 16 is a perspective schematic view mainly showing the cover plate in the embodiment of the present invention; [0029] FIG. 17 is a cross-section view indicated XVII-XVII in FIG. 16 schematically showing a part of the structure in the embodiment of the present invention; [0030] FIG. 18 is a cross-section view indicated XVIII-XVIII in FIG. 16 schematically showing a part of the structure in the embodiment of the present invention; [0031] FIG. 19 is a perspective view schematically showing a battery cover in the embodiment of the present invention; [0032] FIG. 20 is a top view schematically showing the battery cover in the embodiment of the present invention; and [0033] FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing the connecting structures connected by metal parts in the embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0034] The embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. [0035] As shown in FIG. 1 , side members (also called ‘body members’ or ‘first body members’) 11 and 11 are mounted on the left and right sides of an electric vehicle 10 . The side members 11 and 11 extend in the longitudinal direction of the electric vehicle 10 . [0036] Further, a battery cross member (also called ‘body member’ or ‘second body member’) 12 , which extends in the transversal direction (left-right direction) and which connects the pair of side members 11 and 11 , is also mounted in the electric vehicle 10 . [0037] The side members 11 and 11 and the battery cross member 12 are iron, and constitute a body of the electric vehicle 10 . [0038] At a position between the pair of side members 11 and 11 and rear of the battery cross member 12 , a battery case 13 is disposed. The battery case 13 , which is made from polybutylene resin including glass fibers, contains and holds batteries 20 (shown in FIG. 4 ) inside thereof while avoiding ventilation between outside and inside by keeping the inside of battery case 13 airtight. [0039] As shown in FIG. 2 , the battery case 13 mainly comprises a battery tray 14 and a battery cover 15 . [0040] As shown in FIG. 3 , a front-end wall (second resin wall) 16 , a left-end wall (third resin wall) 17 , a right-end wall 18 , a rear-end wall 19 , a front partition 21 , a middle partition 22 and a rear partition 23 are fixed in the battery tray 14 . [0041] The front partition 21 , the middle partition 22 and the rear partition 23 are walls extending between the left-end wall 17 and the right-end wall 18 in the left-right direction of the battery tray 14 . [0042] The front partition 21 is disposed at the front of the middle partition 22 . The rear partition 23 is disposed at the rear of the middle partition 22 . [0043] Further, in the battery tray 14 , front-battery partitions 24 A, 24 B, 24 C and 24 D are fixed. The front-battery partitions 24 A, 24 B, 24 C and 24 D are walls extending between the front-end wall 16 and the front partition 21 in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction). Particularly, front-battery partitions 24 A and 24 D are also called first resin walls. [0044] Furthermore, in the battery tray 14 , rear-battery partitions 27 A, 27 B, 27 C and 27 D are fixed. The rear-battery partitions 27 A, 27 B, 27 C and 27 D are walls extending between the rear-end wall 19 and the rear partition 23 in the front-rear direction. [0045] Still further, in the battery tray 14 , front reinforcing walls 25 A and 25 B and concave side walls 29 and 29 are formed. The front reinforcing walls 25 A and 25 B are walls extending between the front partition 21 and the middle partition 22 in the front-rear direction. The concave side walls 29 and 29 are walls to individually make concave portions 28 A and 28 B. [0046] Between the rear partition 23 and the middle partition 22 , middle-battery partitions 26 A and 26 B are formed which walls extend in the front-rear direction. [0047] Further, between the middle partitions 26 A and 26 B, rear reinforcing walls 31 A and 31 B are formed which walls extend in the front-rear direction. [0048] As shown in FIG. 4 , batteries 20 are fixed securely inside the battery case 13 in such a way that after the batteries 20 are individually disposed at the correct positions on the battery tray 14 , the batteries 20 are supported by battery holders (not shown), then the battery holders are fixed to the battery tray 14 by bolts (not shown). [0049] As shown in FIG. 5 , in the battery tray 14 , a frame set (also called ‘metal frame’) 32 is included. The frame set (framework member) 32 , which is made from iron, mainly comprises front frame set (front framework) 33 and rear frame set (rear framework) 34 . [0050] As shown in FIG. 21 , the side members 11 , the battery cross member 12 , the metal frame 32 , the front blocks 63 A and 63 B, and the lateral crash-proof blocks 66 A, 66 B, 66 C and 66 D, which are metal parts, interconnect with each other directly or indirectly so that the rigidity of the battery case 13 is increased. [0051] The front frame set 33 includes a front-left frame 38 , a front-middle frame 36 and a front-right frame 37 . [0052] The front-left frame (third metal reinforce) 38 which is an L-shaped member integrally formed by a front-left metal portion (side portion) 38 G and a front-left-front metal portion (front portion) 38 F. [0053] The front-left metal portion 38 G is embedded in the left-end wall 17 (shown in FIG. 3 ) of the battery tray 14 . The front-left-front metal portion 38 F is embedded in the front-end wall 16 (also shown in FIG. 3 ) of the battery tray 14 . [0054] On a left surface of the front-left metal portion 38 G, nuts 38 A, 38 B, 38 C and 38 D are welded. On a front surface of the front-left-front metal portion 38 F, nut 38 E is welded. Further, on a rear surface of the front-left-front metal portion 38 F, nut 38 H is welded. The front-right frame (third metal reinforce) 37 which is an L-shaped member integrally formed by a front-right metal portion (side portion) 37 G and a front-right-front metal portion (front portion) 37 F. [0055] The front-right metal portion 37 G is embedded in the right-end wall 18 (shown in FIG. 3 ) of the battery tray 14 . The front-right-front metal portion 37 F is embedded in the front-end wall 16 (also shown in FIG. 3 ) of the battery tray 14 . [0056] On a right surface of the front-right metal portion 37 G, nuts 37 A, 37 B, 37 C and 37 D are welded. On a front surface of the front-right-front metal portion 37 F, nut 37 E is welded. Further, on a rear surface of the front-right-front metal portion 37 F, nut 37 H is welded. [0057] The front-middle frame (third front frame) 36 which is a U-shaped member integrally formed by an A-reinforce (first metal-wall reinforce) 39 A and 39 B and a B-reinforce (second metal-wall reinforce) 36 C. [0058] The B-reinforce 36 C, which is embedded in the front-end wall 16 and extends in the transversal direction, interconnects the A-reinforces 39 A and 39 B. On a front surface of the B-reinforce 36 C, nuts 36 A and 36 B are welded. Further, on a rear surface of the B-reinforce 36 C, nuts 36 D, 36 E and 36 F are welded. [0059] As shown in FIG. 21 , the left side of the A-reinforce 39 A is embedded in the front-battery partition (first resin wall) 24 A and is disposed on the rear side of the front-A block (also called crash-proof block, first crash-proof block or connecting member) 63 A and is between imaginary lines L 1 and L 2 [0060] The imaginary line L 1 extends in the transversal direction through the nut 38 E at which point the left front block 63 A and the front-left-front metal portion 38 F are connected. [0061] The imaginary line L 2 extends in the transversal direction through the nut 36 A at which point the left front block 63 A and the front-middle frame 36 are connected. [0062] The right side of the A-reinforce 39 B, which is embedded in the front-battery partition (first resin wall) 24 D and is disposed at the rear side of the front-B block (also called crash-proof block, first crash-proof block or connecting member) 63 B, is disposed between imaginary lines L 3 and L 4 . [0063] The imaginary line L 3 extends in the transversal direction through the nut 36 B at which point the right front block 63 B and the front-middle frame 36 are connected. The imaginary line L 4 extends in the transversal direction through the nut 37 E at which point the right front block 63 B and the front-right-front metal portion 37 F are connected. [0064] The front-left frame 38 is distanced from the front-middle frame 36 in gap G 1 . Likewise, the front-right frame 37 is distanced from the front-middle frame 36 in gap G 2 . [0065] The left front block 63 A is fixed to the nut 36 A welded on the B-reinforce 36 C of the front-middle frame 36 by a bolt 67 . Further, the left front block 63 A is fixed to the nut 38 E welded on the front-left-front metal portion 38 F of the front-left frame 38 by another bolt 67 . Additionally, the left front block 63 A is fixed to the battery cross member 12 by a bolt (not shown). [0066] Likewise, the right front block 63 B is fixed to the nut 36 B welded on the B-reinforce 36 C of the front-middle frame 36 by a bolt 67 . Further, the right front block 63 B is fixed to the nut 37 E welded on the front-right-front metal portion 37 F of the front-right frame 37 by another bolt 67 . Additionally, the right front block 63 B is fixed to the battery cross member 12 by a bolt (not shown). [0067] Next, the rear frame set 34 will be described in detail as follows. [0068] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 21 , the rear frame set 34 includes a rear-lateral-left frame 41 , a rear-end-left frame 42 , a rear-end-middle frame 43 , a rear-end-right frame 44 and a rear-lateral-right frame 45 . [0069] The rear-lateral-left frame (first or second rear frame) 41 is embedded in the left-end wall 17 (shown in FIG. 3 ). Nuts 41 A, 41 B, 41 C and 41 D are welded on a left surface of the rear-lateral-left frame 41 . [0070] Likewise, the rear-lateral-right frame (second or first rear frame) 45 is embedded in the right-end wall 18 (shown in FIG. 3 ). Nuts 45 A, 45 B, 45 C and 45 D are welded on a right surface of the rear-lateral-right frame 45 . [0071] The rear-end-left frame 42 , the rear-end-middle frame 43 and the rear-end-right frame 44 are embedded in the rear-end wall 19 (shown in FIG. 3 ). Nut 42 A is welded on the rear-end-left frame 42 . Nuts 43 A, 43 B and 43 C are welded on the rear-end-middle frame 43 . Nut 44 A is welded on the rear-end-right frame 44 . [0072] A gap G 3 is formed between the rear-lateral-left frame 41 and rear-end-left frame 42 . A gap G 4 is formed between the rear-end-left frame 42 and the rear-end-middle frame 43 . A gap G 5 is formed between the rear-end-middle frame 43 and rear-end-right frame 44 . Further, a gap G 6 is formed between the rear-end-right frame 44 and the rear-lateral-right frame 45 . [0073] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 21 , in the battery case 13 , battery holders 131 - 140 hold batteries 20 individually. A set of the battery holders 131 - 135 is disposed on a forward side of the battery case 13 . Another set of the battery holders 136 - 140 is disposed at the rear of the battery case 13 . [0074] In the front set of the battery holders 131 - 135 , the left most battery holder 131 is called front-A battery holder 131 , and the battery holder 132 , which is located on the right side of the front-A battery holder 131 , is called front-B battery holder 132 . [0075] On the other side, the rightmost battery holder 135 is called front-E battery holder 135 , and the battery holder 134 , which is located on the left side of the front-E battery holder 135 , is called front-D battery holder 134 . [0076] Further, the battery holder 133 , which is located between the front-B battery holder 132 and the front-D battery holder 134 , is called front-C battery holder 133 . [0077] Likewise, in the rear set of the battery holders 136 - 140 , the leftmost battery holder 136 is called rear-A battery holder 136 , and the battery holder 137 , which is located on the right side of the rear-A battery holder 136 , is called rear-B battery holder 137 . [0078] On the other side, the rightmost battery holder 140 is called rear-E battery holder 140 , and the battery holder 139 , which is located on the left side of the rear-E battery holder 140 , is called rear-D battery holder 139 . [0079] Further, the battery holder 138 , which is located between the rear-B battery holder 137 and the rear-D battery holder 137 , is called rear-C battery holder 138 . [0080] The front-A battery holder 131 has a front sleeve 131 A communicating with the nut 38 H welded on the front-left frame 38 . [0081] Further, the front-A battery holder 131 has a rear sleeve 131 B communicating with an upper opening 52 A of a built-in nut 51 A which will be described later referring to FIG. 6 . [0082] A bolt (not shown) is inserted into the front sleeve 131 A and is engaged with the nut 38 H. Likewise, another not-shown bolt is inserted into the rear sleeve 131 B and is engaged with the built-in nut 51 A. [0083] The front-B battery holder 132 has a front sleeve 132 A communicating with the nut 36 D welded on the front-middle frame 36 . [0084] Additionally, the front-B battery holder 132 has a rear sleeve 132 B communicating with an upper opening 52 A of a built-in nut 51 B. [0085] A bolt (not shown) is inserted into the front sleeve 132 A and is engaged with the nut 36 D. Likewise, another not-shown bolt is inserted into the rear sleeve 132 B and is engaged with the built-in nut 51 B. [0086] The front-C battery holder 133 has a front sleeve 133 A communicating with the nut 36 E welded on the front-middle frame 36 . [0087] Further, the front-C battery holder 133 has a rear sleeve 133 B communicating with an upper opening 52 A of a built-in nut 51 C. [0088] An unillustrated bolt is inserted into the front sleeve 133 A and is engaged with the nut 36 E. Likewise, another not-shown bolt is inserted into the rear sleeve 133 B and is engaged with the built-in nut 51 C. [0089] The front-D battery holder 134 has a front sleeve 134 A communicating with the nut 36 F welded on the front-middle frame 36 . [0090] Additionally, the front-D battery holder 134 has a rear sleeve 134 B communicating with an upper opening 52 A of a built-in nut 51 D. [0091] An unshown bolt is inserted into the front sleeve 134 A and is engaged with the nut 36 F. Also, another unshown bolt is inserted into the rear sleeve 134 B and is engaged with the built-in nut 51 D. [0092] The front-E battery holder 135 has a front sleeve 135 A communicating with the nut 37 H welded on the front-right frame 37 . [0093] Further, the front-E battery holder 135 has a rear sleeve 135 B communicating with an upper opening 52 A of a built-in nut 51 E. [0094] A bolt (not shown) is inserted into the front sleeve 135 A and is engaged with the nut 37 H. Further, another not-shown bolt is inserted into the rear sleeve 135 B and is engaged with the built-in nut 51 E. [0095] On the other side, the rear-A battery holder 136 has a rear sleeve 136 B communicating with the nut 42 A welded on the rear-end-left frame 42 . [0096] Additionally, the rear-A battery holder 136 has a front sleeve 136 A communicating with an upper opening 52 A of a built-in nut 51 F. [0097] An unshown bolt is inserted into the rear sleeve 136 B and is engaged with the nut 42 A. Also, another unshown bolt is inserted into the front sleeve 136 A and is engaged with the built-in nut 51 F. [0098] The rear-B battery holder 137 has a rear sleeve 137 B communicating with the nut 43 A welded onto the rear-end-middle frame 43 , and has a front sleeve 137 A communicating with an upper opening 52 A of a built-in nut 51 G. [0099] An unillustrated bolt is inserted into the rear sleeve 137 B and is engaged with the nut 43 A. Also, another unillustrated bolt is inserted into the front sleeve 137 A and is engaged with the built-in nut 51 G. [0100] The rear-C battery holder 138 has a rear sleeve 138 B communicating with the nut 43 B welded on the rear-end-middle frame 43 , and has a front sleeve 138 A 1 , which communicates with an upper opening 52 A of a built-in nut 51 H, and another front sleeve 138 A 2 , which communicates with an upper opening 52 A of a built-in nut 51 I. [0101] A bolt (not shown) is inserted into the rear sleeve 138 B and is engaged with the nut 43 B. Further, other bolts (not shown) are individually inserted into the front sleeve 138 A 1 and 138 A 2 and are engaged with the built-in nuts 51 H and 51 I. [0102] The rear-D battery holder 139 has a rear sleeve 139 B communicating with the nut 43 C welded onto the rear-end-middle frame 43 , and has a front sleeve 139 A communicating with an upper opening 52 A of a built-in nut 51 J. [0103] An unillustrated bolt is inserted into the rear sleeve 139 B and is engaged with the nut 43 C. Further, another bolt (not shown) is inserted into the front sleeve 139 A and is engaged with the built-in nuts 51 J. [0104] The rear-E battery holder 140 has a rear sleeve 140 B communicating with the nut 44 A welded on the rear-end-right frame 44 , and has a front sleeve 140 A communicating with an upper opening 52 A of a built-in nut 51 K. [0105] An unshown bolt is inserted to the rear sleeve 140 B and is engaged with the nut 44 A. Further, another not shown bolt is inserted to the front sleeve 140 A and is engaged with the built-in nuts 51 K. [0106] Each lower edge of a front set of the built-in nuts 51 A- 51 E is fixed by an unillustrated bolt to a lateral-end supporting member 61 B which will be described later. [0107] Likewise, each lower edge of a rear set of the built-in nuts 51 F- 51 K is fixed by unillustrated bolt to a C-supporting member 61 C which will also be described later. [0108] As described above, the rear-end-left frame 42 is fixed to the C-supporting member 61 C via the rear-A battery holder 136 and the built-in nut 51 F. [0109] Also, the rear-end-middle frame 43 is fixed to the C-supporting member 61 C via the rear-B battery holder 137 , the built-in 51 G, the rear-C battery holder 138 , the built-in nuts 51 H and 51 I, the rear-D battery holder 139 and the built-in bolt 51 J. [0110] Likewise, the rear-end-right frame 44 is fixed to the C-supporting member 61 C via the rear-E battery holder 140 and the built-in nut 51 K. [0111] A built-in nut 51 shown in FIG. 6 (A), (B), (C) and FIG. 7 is embedded in the battery tray 14 . [0112] The built-in nut 51 shown in FIG. 6 (A), (B), (C) and FIG. 7 is identical with each of the built-in nuts 51 A, 51 B, 51 C, 51 D, 51 E and 51 F. [0113] The iron built-in nut 51 mainly comprises an upper nut 52 , a middle stem 53 and a lower nut 54 . [0114] The upper nut 52 is a cylindrical part which extends in the vertical direction and has an upper opening 52 A which opens upwardly. Inside the upper nut 52 , a bolt groove 52 B is formed. [0115] The lower nut 54 is identical to the upper nut 52 except that the upper nut 52 is in an upside-down position. In other words, the lower nut 54 is also a cylindrical part which extends in the vertical direction and has a lower opening 54 A which opens downwardly. Inside the lower nut 54 , a bolt groove 54 B is formed. [0116] The middle stem 53 is a cylindrical part between the upper nut 52 and the lower nut 54 . On the surface of the middle stem 53 , a plurality of notches (serrated portion) 53 A are formed. [0117] Between the upper nut 52 and the middle stem 53 , an upper constriction 55 A is formed. Also, between the middle stem 53 and the lower nut 54 , a lower constriction 55 B is formed. [0118] The upper constriction 55 A and the lower constriction 55 B are cylindrical parts whose outer diameter (second diameter) D 2 is smaller than the outer diameter (first diameter) D 1 of the upper nut 52 , the lower nut 54 and the middle stem 53 . [0119] Because of the serrated portion 53 A formed on the middle stem 53 , it is possible to avoid loosening and spinning of the built-in nut 51 embedded in the battery tray 14 even if a rotational torque is inputted to the built-in nut 51 around the center axis C 51 . [0120] Further, according to the upper constriction 55 A and the lower constriction 55 B, it is possible to avoid the built-in nut 51 dropping from the battery tray 14 even if the force is inputted to the built-in nut 51 along the direction of the center axis C 51 . [0121] As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 , lateral-end supporting members (also called ‘supporting members’ or ‘first supporting members’) 61 A, 61 B, 61 C and 61 D are fixed to the bottom surface 14 A of the battery tray 14 . [0122] The lateral-end supporting member 61 A is disposed at the front row called an A-supporting member 61 A. The lateral-end supporting member 61 B disposed rear of the A-supporting member 61 A is called a B-supporting member 61 B. [0123] Further, the lateral-end supporting member 61 C disposed rear of the B-supporting member 61 B is called a C-supporting member 61 C. Likewise, the lateral-end supporting member 61 D disposed rear of the C-supporting member 61 C is called a D-supporting member 61 D. [0124] As shown in FIG. 1 , each of the lateral-end supporting members 61 A, 61 B, 61 C and 61 D extends in the transversal direction connecting between the side members 11 and 11 to support the bottom surface 14 A. The lateral-end supporting members 61 A, 61 B, 61 C and 61 D are made from iron. [0125] As shown in FIG. 8 , on the A-supporting member 61 A, front-end supporting members (also called ‘supporting members’ and ‘second supporting members’) 62 A and 62 B are fixed. Each of the front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B is a part which extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 10 and is projected forward from the front end of battery tray 14 . [0126] As shown in FIG. 10 , the front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B are only connected to the A-supporting member 61 A and are not connected to the B-supporting member 61 B, C-supporting member 61 C and D-supporting member 61 D (see ‘X’ in FIG. 10 ). [0127] As shown in FIG. 1 , the front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B connect between the battery cross member 12 and A-supporting member 61 A via front blocks 63 A and 63 B which will be described just below. In addition, the front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B are made from iron. [0128] On the front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B, each of the front blocks (also called ‘crash-proof blocks’ or ‘first crash-proof blocks’) 63 A and 63 B is welded respectively. The front blocks 63 A and 63 B are fixed to the front-end wall 16 by bolts 64 (shown in FIG. 8 ) and are fixed to the battery cross member 12 by bolts 65 (shown in FIG. 1 ). [0129] In other words, the front blocks 63 A and 63 B are parts which individually connect between the battery cross member 12 and the A-supporting member 61 A and are disposed between the battery cross member 12 and the battery tray 14 . Further, the front blocks 63 A and 63 B are made from iron. [0130] As shown in FIG. 1 , lateral-end supporting members (also called ‘‘crash-proof blocks’, ‘second crash-proof blocks’ or ‘connecting member) 66 A, 66 B, 66 C and 66 D are respectively welded on both ends of each of the lateral-end supporting members 61 A, 61 B, 61 C and 61 D. [0131] The lateral crash-proof block 66 A fixed on the A-supporting member 61 A is called an A-lateral crash-proof block (front second crash-proof block) 66 A. The lateral crash-proof block 66 B fixed on the B-supporting member 61 B is called a B-lateral crash-proof block (front second crash-proof block) 66 B. The lateral crash-proof block 66 C fixed on the C-supporting member 61 C is called a C-lateral crash-proof block (rear second crash-proof block) 66 C. [0132] The lateral crash-proof block 66 D fixed on the D-supporting member 61 D is called a D-lateral crash-proof block (rear second crash-proof block) 66 D. [0133] As shown in FIG. 8 , the lateral crash-proof blocks 66 A, 66 B, 66 C and 66 D are fixed to the left-end wall 17 and the right-end wall 18 of the battery tray 14 by bolts 67 , and are fixed to the side members 11 and 11 by bolts 68 . [0134] As shown in FIG. 2 , the lateral crash-proof blocks 66 A, 66 B, 66 C and 66 D, which connect between side member 11 and the battery case 13 , are respectively disposed between the bottom surface of the side member 11 and the lateral-end supporting members 61 A, 61 B, 61 C and 61 D. Each of the lateral crash-proof blocks 66 A, 66 B, 66 C and 66 D is made from iron and is a hollow square pillar in shape. [0135] Further, each of the A-lateral crash-proof block 66 A and the B-lateral crash-proof block 66 B is directly fixed to the side member 11 , whereas, the C-lateral crash-proof block 66 C is fixed to the side member 11 via a C-connecting block 69 C. Also, the D-lateral crash-proof block 66 D is fixed to the side member 11 via a D-connecting block 69 D. [0136] Although the side member 11 is extended from a point (shown as an arrow A in FIG. 2 ) backwardly and upwardly, the battery tray 14 is kept in a horizontal position because the C-connecting block 69 C is interposed between the side member 11 and the C-supporting member 61 C, also the D-connecting block 69 D is interposed between side member 11 and the D-supporting member 61 D. [0137] As shown in FIG. 11 , the A-supporting member 61 A is fixed by the bolt 68 engaged with a cap nut 11 B mounted in the reinforcing member 11 A of the side member 11 . The B-supporting member 61 B is also fixed to the side member 11 by the structure shown in FIG. 11 , description of which is omitted in the drawings. [0138] As shown in FIG. 12 , the C-supporting member 61 C is connected to the side member 11 via the C-connecting block 69 C. The C-connecting block 69 C is a hollow iron part in which a cap nut 11 C is mounted. The C-supporting member 61 C is fixed to the C-connecting block 69 C by the bolt 68 engaged with the cap nut 11 C. [0139] As shown in FIG. 13 , the D-supporting member 61 D is connected to the side member 11 via the D-connecting block 69 D. The D-connecting block 69 D is a hollow iron part. The D-connecting block 69 D is fixed to the side member 11 by the bolt 68 engaged with the cap nut 11 D mounted in the side member 11 . [0140] Further, a nut 69 D 1 is welded on the bottom of the D-connecting block 69 D. The D-supporting member 61 D is fixed to the D-connecting block 69 D by a bolt 71 which engages with the nut 69 D 1 . [0141] As shown in FIG. 9 , between the left-end wall 17 of the battery tray 14 and the side member 11 and between the right-end wall 18 of the battery tray 14 and the side member 11 , two high-voltage cables 72 are respectively disposed. The high-voltage cables 72 , which are capable of carrying about 300V, connect between the batteries 20 mounted in the battery case 13 and an inverter (also called ‘external device) not shown in the drawings. [0142] Each of the high-voltage cables 72 has a hole connector 73 connected to an electric-output socket (not shown) in the battery case 13 . [0143] At both the lateral surface of the battery tray 14 facing the side members 11 (namely, at the left-end wall 17 and the right-end wall 18 ) and the bottom surface 14 A of the battery tray 14 , dent portions 28 A and 28 B are formed. [0144] Each of the dent portions 28 A and 28 B has a concave side wall 29 , which extends parallel to the side member 11 , a concave front wall 74 , which extends from the front end of the concave side wall 29 in the lateral direction, and a concave rear wall 75 , which extends from the rear end of the concave side wall 29 in the lateral direction. [0145] Further, as shown in FIG. 14 , casing bolt-hole portions 76 , a casing low-voltage cable hole portion 77 , a casing center-hole portion 78 and a casing high-voltage cable hole portion 79 are formed at the concave side wall 29 . [0146] A cover plate 81 shown in FIG. 15 is fixed on the back surface of the concave side wall 29 . Cover plate 81 will be described below in detail. [0147] Each of the casing bolt-hole portions 76 shown in FIG. 14 is a hole through which a plate fixing bolt (not shown) is engaged with a plate bolt-hole portion 82 formed on the cover plate 81 . [0148] Low-voltage cables 89 (shown in FIG. 16 ) used for supplying about 12V electric power to electrical equipment pass through the casing low-voltage cable hole portion 77 . Further, the casing low-voltage cable hole portion 77 communicates with a plate low-voltage cable hole portion 83 formed at the cover plate 81 . [0149] The casing center hole portion 78 communicates with a venting hole 84 formed at the cover plate 81 . [0150] High-voltage cable 72 (shown in FIG. 9 ) passes through each of the casing high-voltage cable hole portions 79 and 79 . The casing high-voltage cable hole portions 79 and 79 respectively communicate with plate high-voltage cable hole portions 85 A and 85 B formed at the cover plate 81 . [0151] Further, each concave side wall 29 is kept at a distance L 5 (shown in FIG. 9 ) defined based on the outer diameter D 3 of the high-voltage cable 72 from the side member 11 . [0152] The greater the outer diameter D 3 (thickness) of the high-voltage cable 72 , the greater distance L 5 between the concave side wall 29 and the side member 11 becomes to permit bending of cable 72 . Conversely, the smaller outer diameter D 3 , the shorter distance L 5 may be. [0153] As shown in FIG. 15 , the cover plate 81 is fixed to the back surface of concave side wall 29 of the battery tray 14 . The cover plate 81 is a plate made from aluminum covering the casing bolt-hole portions 76 , the casing low-voltage cable hole portion 77 , the casing center hole portion 78 and the casing high-voltage cable hole portions 79 as discussed with reference to FIG. 14 . [0154] Aluminum is used for cover plate 81 because both rigidity and weight saving are required, and it is also necessary to avoid detachment between the cover plate 81 and battery tray 14 even if the resin material of battery tray 14 expands or contracts due to temperature variation. [0155] One point the inventors have focused attention on is that the linear expansion coefficients of the main material of the battery tray 14 which is polybutylene resin including glass fiber and the material of the cover plate 81 which is aluminum, are almost the same, and accordingly, the cover plate 81 is made from aluminum. [0156] At the cover plate 81 , the plate bolt-hole portions 82 , the plate low-voltage cable hole portion 83 , the venting hole 84 and the plate high-voltage hole portions (cable hole portions) 85 A and 85 B are formed. [0157] Each of the plate bolt-hole portions 82 is a hole in which each of the plate fixing bolts 104 shown in FIG. 17 are engaged. [0158] The plate bolt-hole portions 82 open to the front side (near side in FIG. 15 ) of the cover plate 81 . However, the plate bolt-hole portions 82 do not open to the back (far side in FIG. 15 ) of the cover plate 81 . [0159] Consequently, the cover plate 81 is not penetrated by the plate bolt-hole portions 82 . [0160] In the plate low-voltage cable hole portion 83 , as shown in FIG. 16 , a rubber cap 88 is fitted. The low-voltage cables 89 are inserted through the rubber cap 88 . [0161] The venting hole 84 is a hole for venting air from the battery case 13 when the air pressure increases in the battery case 13 . [0162] In venting hole 84 , a one-way valve (not shown) is fitted, thereby maintaining airtightness in the battery case 13 . [0163] As shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 18 , each of the plate high-voltage cable hole portions 85 A and 85 B is a hole into which individual socket ends 101 A and 101 A of cable holders 101 and 101 are inserted. The plate high-voltage cable hole portions 85 A and 85 B are respectively communicated with the casing high-voltage cable hole portions 79 and 79 shown in FIG. 14 . [0164] Into the cable holders 101 and 101 , each of the high-voltage cables 72 and 72 is individually inserted. Each of the socket ends 101 A and 101 A of the cable holders 101 and 101 has a rubber O-shaped ring 103 individually equipped to secure airtightness in the battery case 13 . [0165] The cable holders 101 and 101 are fixed to the cover plate 81 by holder fixing bolts 102 and 102 , respectively. The holder fixing bolts 102 and 102 are bolts which are individually engaged with cable holder hole portions 86 A and 86 B. [0166] The cable holder hole portions 86 A and 86 B are holes which are respectively formed adjacent to the plate high-voltage cable hole portions 85 A and 85 B. The cable holder hole portions 86 A and 86 B open to the front side of the cover plate 81 and do not open to the back side of the cover plate 81 . [0167] The inner surface of each of the plate high-voltage cable hole portions 85 A and 85 B is mirror finished so that the O-shaped ring 103 fits each of the plate high-voltage cable hole portions 85 A and 85 B without leaving a gap. [0168] Further, because of the mirror finished inner surface, it is possible to protect the O-shaped ring 103 from any damage when the O-shaped ring 103 is inserted into each of the plate high-voltage cable hole portions 85 A and 85 B. [0169] Additionally, a sealing groove 87 is formed around the outer edge of the cover plate 81 . Sealing agent (not shown) is filled into sealing groove 87 to avoid leaving a gap between the concave side wall 29 of the battery tray 14 and the cover plate 81 as shown in FIG. 17 . [0170] As shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20 , the battery cover 13 has a front raised portion 91 , a middle raised portion 92 and a rear raised portion 93 . [0171] The front raised portion 91 is a portion which is raised near the front end of the battery cover 13 . [0172] The rear raised portion 93 is a portion which is raised near the rear end of the battery cover 13 . On the front raised portion 91 , a maintenance hole portion 94 is formed. [0173] The maintenance hole portion 94 is formed for maintaining inside the battery case 13 and is normally covered by a covering plate (not shown). [0174] The middle raised portion 92 is a portion which is raised between the front raised portion 91 and the rear raised portion 93 , however, the middle raised portion 92 is lower than the front raised portion 91 and the rear raised portion 93 in height. [0175] A flange 95 , on which cover bolt hole portions 96 are formed, is formed around the edge of the battery cover 13 . [0176] As shown in FIG. 3 , tray bolt hole portions 105 , corresponding to the location of the cover bolt hole portions 96 , are formed on the front-end wall 16 , the left-end wall 17 , right-end wall 18 , and rear-end wall 19 of the battery tray 14 (namely, around the edge of battery tray 14 ). [0177] According to this arrangement, the cover bolt hole portions 96 and the tray bolt hole portions 105 respectively communicate with each other when the battery cover 15 is put on the battery tray 14 . Thus, it is allowed that bolts (not shown) are individually inserted into the cover bolt hole portions 96 and the tray bolt hole portions 105 to fix the battery tray 14 and the battery cover 15 . [0178] Namely, the embodiment of the present invention can provide the following effects or/and advantages. [0179] For example, if the front side of the electric vehicle 10 is crashed, the battery case 13 containing batteries 20 moves forward due to inertia. Particularly, the batteries 20 are comparatively heavy, therefore, it is impossible to omit kinetic energy of the battery case 13 when the electric vehicle 10 is crashed. [0180] However, according to the present invention in this embodiment, it is possible to avoid the battery case 13 moving forward and being crashed against the battery cross member 12 because the lateral-end supporting members 61 A, 61 B, 61 C and 61 D and the front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B are provided. [0181] Namely, it is possible to maintain the gap (see G F in FIG. 1 ) between the battery case 13 and the battery cross member 12 even if the electric vehicle 10 is crashed, and therefore, it is possible to avoid damage to cables (not shown) installed in the gap G F so that the reliability of the electric vehicle 10 is improved. [0182] The front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B are not connected to all of the lateral-end supporting members 61 A, 61 B, 61 C and 61 D, however, the front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B are connected to only the lateral-end supporting member 61 A which is disposed at the front row. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the length of the front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B, and therefore, it is possible to suppress the weight and cost of front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B in weight and cost. [0183] Namely, it is possible to improve crash-resisting capability of the batteries 20 mounted on the electric vehicle 10 while preventing increased weight and cost. [0184] Further, the lateral-end supporting members 61 A, 61 B, 61 C and 61 D and front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B are made from iron. In addition, the battery case 13 is made from polybutylene resin including glass fibers. According to this arrangement, it is possible to reduce the weight of the battery case 13 at a reasonably low cost in mass production. Further, it is also possible to improve the mounting stiffness of the battery case 13 in relation to the electric vehicle 10 . [0185] The battery case 13 containing the batteries 20 is robustly supported by the lateral-end supporting members 61 A, 61 B, 61 C and 61 D, and further, the front blocks 63 A and 63 B prevent collision of the battery case 13 with the battery cross member 12 if the battery case 13 moves forward due to inertia even if the front side of the vehicle 10 is crashed. [0186] Further, the lateral crash-proof blocks 66 A, 66 B, 66 C and 66 D are inserted between the side surface of the battery case 13 and the side member 11 , and accordingly, it is possible to avoid a collision of the battery case 13 with the side member 11 if the battery case 13 moves laterally due to inertia even if the lateral side of the vehicle 10 is crashed. [0187] Namely, it is possible to keep the gap (see G S and G S in FIG. 1 ) between the battery case 13 and the side members 11 , therefore, it is possible to prevent damage of the high-voltage cables 72 and low-voltage cables 89 installed in the gap G S and G S so that the reliability of the electric vehicle 10 is improved. [0188] Additionally, the lateral-end supporting members 61 A, 61 B, 61 C and 61 D, the front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B, the front blocks 63 A and 63 B and the battery cross member 12 are made from iron. Further, the battery case 13 is made from polybutylene resin including glass fibers. [0189] According to this arrangement, it is possible to reduce the weight of the battery case 13 at a reasonably low cost in mass production. Further, it is also possible to improve the mounting rigidity of the battery case 13 on the electric vehicle 10 . [0190] The front-end supporting members 62 A and 62 B and the battery cross member 12 are connected via the front blocks 63 A and 63 B. Further, the lateral-end supporting members 61 A, 61 B, 61 C and 61 D and the side members 11 are connected via the lateral crash-proof blocks 66 A, 66 B, 66 C and 66 D. According to this arrangement, it is possible to lower the center of gravity of the battery case 13 containing the heavy batteries 20 . [0191] Further, due to inserting the front blocks 63 A and 63 B between the battery case 13 and the battery cross member 12 and inserting the lateral-end supporting members 66 A, 66 B, 66 C and 66 D between the battery case 13 and the side members 11 , it is possible to avoid collision with the cross member 12 or the side member 11 if the battery case 13 moves due to inertia even if the vehicle 10 is crashed. [0192] Therefore, it is possible to improve the crash-resistant capability of the batteries 20 mounted on the electric vehicle 10 . [0193] Namely, if the front side of the electric vehicle 10 is crashed, it is possible to avoid collisions with the battery cross member 12 if the battery case 13 moves forward due to inertia. Likewise, if the lateral side of the electric vehicle 10 is crashed, it is possible to avoid collision with the side members 11 if the battery case 13 moves laterally due to inertia. [0194] As discussed previously with FIG. 9 , the high-voltage cables 72 and 72 are individually inserted into the plate high-voltage cable hole portions 85 A and 85 B formed at the cover plates 81 respectively fixed on the dent portions 28 A and 28 B of the battery case 13 . Further, the high-voltage cables 72 and 72 , which are disposed between the side members 11 and the battery case 13 , are curved in an arc shape with a bending radius. [0195] Further, each of the concave side walls 29 of the dent portions 28 A and 28 B is distanced L 5 , which is defined corresponding to the outer diameter D 3 of the high-voltage cable 72 , from the side member 11 . Accordingly, it is possible to avoid damaging the high-voltage cables 72 due to bending the high-voltage cables 72 with excessively small radius and it is also possible to avoid wasting the space in the battery case 13 due to curving the high-voltage cables 72 with excessively large radius. [0196] In other words, it is possible to easily install the high-voltage cables 72 connected to the batteries 20 mounted on the electric vehicle 10 while utilizing limited space in the electric vehicle 10 . [0197] Further, the high-voltage cables 72 are connected to the batteries 20 via the hole connectors 73 , and accordingly, it is possible to secure the connection between the high-voltage cables 72 and the batteries 20 at a lower cost. [0198] Particularly, it is possible to avoid unwanted disconnection of the high-voltage cables 72 from the batteries 20 due to using the hole connectors 73 to connect between the batteries 20 and the high-voltage batteries 20 as compared with using conventional detachable connectors. [0199] Therefore, it is possible to improve the reliability of the electric vehicle 10 by preventing accidental disconnection between the high-voltage cables 72 and the batteries 20 . [0200] Further, it is possible to reduce cost and weight of the electric vehicle 10 by using the hole connectors 73 as compared with using conventional detachable connectors. [0201] Each of the high-voltage cables 72 is drawn from inside the battery case 13 through the plate high-voltage cable hole portions 85 A and 85 B formed at the aluminum cover plate 81 , and accordingly, it is possible to avoid excessively varying the inner diameter of the plate high-voltage cable hole portions 85 A and 85 B due to variation of air temperature. [0202] Further, it is possible to avoid external air flowing into the battery case 13 due to sealing by each O-shaped ring 103 between the outer surface of the high-voltage cables 72 and 72 and the inner surface of the plate high-voltage cable hole portions 85 A and 85 B. [0203] Additionally, although the plate bolt-hole portions 82 open to the front side of the cover plate 81 , the plate bolt-hole portions 82 do not open to the back side of the cover plate 81 , and accordingly, it is possible to secure the airtightness in the battery case 13 while allowing the plate fixing bolts 104 , for fixing the cover plate 81 to the battery case 13 , to be engaged with the plate bolt-hole portions 82 . [0204] As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 , portions whose outer diameter is locally small (second diameter D 2 ) at the built-in nut 51 , namely, the upper constriction 55 A and the lower constriction 55 B in which resin of battery tray 14 is entered. Accordingly, it is possible to avoid the built-in nut 51 dropping from the battery tray 14 even if force is vertically inputted to the built-in nut 51 . [0205] Further, due to the serrated portion 53 A formed on the middle stem 53 , it is possible to avoid spinning of the built-in nut 51 embedded in the battery tray 14 even if torque is inputted to the built-in nut 51 to rotate the built-in nut 51 around the center axis C 51 , accordingly, it is possible to surely engage the bolt (not shown) with the built-in nut 51 . [0206] If the front side of the electric vehicle 10 is impacted, the battery case 13 will exhibit forward movement due to inertia. Consequently, such an impact is exerted on the battery case 13 through the front blocks 63 A and 63 B. In this case, the front-battery partitions 24 A and 24 D, which are disposed behind the front blocks 63 A and 63 B, and the additional plates 39 A and 39 B, which are embedded in the front-battery partitions 24 A and 24 D, may absorb the impact. [0207] Therefore, it is possible to improve crash-resisting capability of the batteries 20 mounted on the electric vehicle 10 while preventing increased weight and cost. [0208] Further, it is possible to further improve the rigidity of the battery case 13 because the B-reinforce 36 C, which is embedded in the front-end wall 16 which is made from resin and forms front edge of the battery 14 , connects the pair of additional plates 39 A and 39 B. [0209] Additionally, the A-reinforces 39 A and 39 B and the B-reinforce 36 C are embedded in the battery tray 14 and consequently it is possible to keep the inside of battery case 13 airtight. [0210] Furthermore, gap G 1 is formed between the front-left frame 38 and the front-middle frame 36 , and gap G 2 is formed between the front-right frame 37 and the front-middle frame 36 . Accordingly, it is possible to adapt to design changes of the battery case 13 , and it is possible to flow resin material into a mold when the battery case 13 is formed. [0211] The left front block 63 A connects the battery cross member 12 , the front-left frame 38 and B-reinforce 36 C. Likewise, the right front block 63 B connects the battery cross member 12 , the front-right frame 37 and B-reinforce 36 C. Consequently, it is possible to improve further the rigidity of battery case 13 while preventing an increased number of parts. [0212] The iron metal frame 32 , which is embedded in the resin battery case 13 containing batteries 20 , and the side frame 11 are connected by the lateral crash-proof blocks 66 A, 66 B, 66 C and 66 D which are made from iron. Further, the iron metal frame 32 embedded in the resin battery case 13 and the battery cross member 12 are connected by the front blocks 63 A and 63 B also made from iron. According to this arrangement, it is possible to increase rigidity of the battery case 13 while reducing weight of the battery case 13 , and it is also possible to improve the crash-resisting capability of the batteries 20 mounted on the electric vehicle 10 . [0213] Further, it is possible to adapt to design changes of the battery case 13 thanks to the metal frame 32 consisting of two separate frames, the front frame set 33 and the rear frame set 34 . [0214] It is possible to keep the essential rigidity of the battery case 13 by interconnecting the front frame set 33 and the rear frame set 34 via the side member 11 . [0215] Even if the lateral side of the electric vehicle 10 is crashed, it is possible that collision of the battery case 13 with the side member 11 will be prevented by the lateral crash-proof blocks 66 A, 66 B, 66 C and 66 D. [0216] The front frame set 33 consists of a separate front-left frame 38 , front-right frame 37 and front-middle frame 36 , so accordingly, it is possible to adapt to design changes of the battery case 13 . Further, it is possible to flow resin material into a mold when the battery case 13 is formed. [0217] The front-left frame 38 and the front-middle frame 36 are connected by the left front block 63 A fixed to the battery cross member 12 , and the front-right frame 37 and the front-middle frame 36 are connected by the right front block 63 B fixed to the battery cross member 12 . In other words, the front-left frame 38 , the front-right frame 37 , the front-middle frame 36 , the side member 11 and the battery cross member 12 are all iron parts, and are all connected. Therefore, the rigidity of battery case 13 is further enhanced. [0218] The rear frame set 34 consists of a separate rear-lateral-left frame 41 , rear-end-left frame 42 , rear-end-middle frame 43 , rear-end-right frame 44 and rear-lateral-right frame 45 , and accordingly, it is possible to adapt to design changes of the battery case 13 . Further, it is possible to flow resin material into a mold when the battery case 13 is formed. [0219] The C-supporting member 61 C and the rear-end-left frame 42 are connected by the battery holder 136 , and the C-supporting member 61 C and the rear-end-middle frame 43 are connected by the battery holders 137 , 138 and 139 . Further, the C-supporting member 61 C and the rear-end-right frame 44 are connected by the battery holder 140 . According to these arrangements, it is possible to connect all iron parts which are the rear-lateral-left frame 41 , the rear-end-left frame 42 , the rear-end-middle frame 43 , the rear-end-right frame 44 , the rear-lateral-right frame 45 and the side member 11 , and therefore, it is possible to further improve the rigidity of battery case 13 . [0220] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention. [0221] In the above embodiment, the side member 11 , the battery cross member 12 , the metal frame 32 , the front blocks 63 A and 63 B and lateral crash-proof blocks 66 A, 66 B, 66 C and 66 D are made from iron. However, it is acceptable to make these parts with a non-iron metal (i.e. aluminum or titanium). [0222] From the invention thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following clams.

A structure for mounting a battery onto an electric vehicle comprising: a body member, which is made from metal, forming a body of the electric vehicle a battery case, which is made from resin, containing the battery charging electric power for driving the electric vehicle; a framework member, which is made from metal, being embedded in the battery case; and a connecting member connecting between the framework member and the body member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser No. 61/404,430 filed on Oct. 1, 2010 by Jianchao Shu FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH No SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM No BACKGROUND This invention relates to a novel helical dual-center engagement converting mechanism and its applications in fluid-powered actuation system, more particularly to a highly reliable, simple, powerful and balanced and less expensive helical rotary actuator. This actuator comprises a self-balanced linear/rotary dual-center engagement converter, compact porting systems, easy manufacturing modules, various body configuration and shaft interfaces with other components. This actuator also provides a rotary position control and backlash eliminating mechanism to meet high precision requirements with lighter weight, smaller size and higher accuracy of position and can be interfaced with different machines, such as subsea valves, earthmoving equipment, construction equipment, lifting equipment, landing gears, militarily equipment and robotic and medical devices, artificial arm and leg joints. Conventional fluid-powered helical actuators have been used in many industries for years, it is based on an old helical linear/rotary converter mechanism and includes a cylindrically shaped housing and two moving parts: a shaft and an annular piston. Helical spline teeth machined on the shaft engage a matching complement of splines on an inside diameter of the piston, an outside diameter of the piston carries a second set of helical splines that engages a ring gear integral with the housing. While conventional linear pistons with pivot joint, the rack and pinion and vane actuators still have majority market share over the helical rotary actuators, the reason is that conventional fluid-powered helical rotary actuators have many unsolved problems and disadvantages; (1) low efficiency, about 60%-70% efficiency for helical rotary actuator is in comparison with that of 90 to 98% for the rack and pinion or vane actuators, so it prevents the actuator from low pressure applications, there are fewer helical pneumatic actuators in the market in comparison with rack and pinion and vane actuators, it not only wastes lot of materials and energy but also can not be used for limited space or restrict weight applications (2) high unbalanced thrust, the unbalanced thrust is still an unsolved problem, it requires more internal parts to balance the thrust, so length of actuator becomes very longer, size of the actuator becomes bigger even there are some balanced helical actuators in the prior art, none of the trials has been commercial success (3) backlashes, due to cumulative clearances of two sets of helical teeth engagements, it increases the impact on the teeth and reduces the accuracy of moving position, life of actuator, some efforts were made in the prior art, but none of trials has been commercial success (4) high stress concentration on cylindrical bodies with helical teeth either by pinging, welding or integrating, it has been struggled for years to seek the solution, under high pressure 3000-5000 psi, the root of helical teeth on cylindrical body generates high stress concentration, this structural problem not only reduces the load capacity and increase the actuator size and weights, but also it can cause sudden break down based on Paris law and is considered to be unreliable and unsafe for critical operations where linear piston with pivot joint devices which have the same rotation function still play a key role in earthmoving equipment and landing gears (5) restrict installation position, most helical actuators are designed for either vertical or horizontal position, they are not suitable for any position between them, due to lack of proper structure and bearing (6) lack of position control, due to lack of control of rotary position and fail to close or open function, it prevents the actuator from critical applications such as military equipment, robotic devices and valve control (7) lack of interface function, most of the actuator bodies are cylindrical shape, such a shape is difficult for three dimensional joint (8) low reliability, according to Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), a piston with internal and external helical teeth has the highest severity, with lack of redundancy, the conventional helical actuator never can compete with linear piston with pivot joint in critical applications like landing gears (9) structural inferiority (a) most cylindrical body can not sustain high structural bending load and compression load, it prevent it from those applications like rotation with high bending or compression (b) material incomparability, since material requirement of mechanical property for body is very different from that of teeth, for the body, it requires high strength, ductile, while for the teeth, high hardness and wearing resistance are the key requirements, since the helical teethes are a part of the body, so most designs are to put the body strength first and to scarify teeth design, as a result the teeth with soft surface will be damaged first or wore out fast even with hydraulic fluid (10) difficult and expensive manufacturing, it is difficult and expensive to make helical teeth, specially internal helical teeth or internal splines on the body as an integral part, it not only makes the manufacturing process more difficult if not impossible, it is impossible to replace the teeth alone, since there is no modulization design in the actuator, conventional actuator manufacturing require large inventory for each size actuator (11) inlet and outlet ports are far away and not standardized, so it is difficult to connect the ports, especially in case of counterbalanced valve is required, additional tube and adapter is needed, it not only increase cost but also reduce reliability, any addition joint adapter and tube can cause leak. In order to overcome the disadvantages or solve the problems of the conventional fluid-powered helical rotary actuators, many efforts have been made in the prior arts. There are four approaches to improve the conventional helical actuators in the prior arts, but those approaches work against each other within a limited scope. The first approach is to improve the conversion mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 3,255,806 to Kenneth H. Meyer (1966), U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,229 to James Leonard Geraci (1978) show a approach is to use a number of keys and keyway to prevent the piston sleeve from rotation under linear force, this conversion mechanism did work, but there were two drawbacks, one is to waste large internal body space due to the keyway, the other is to cause high stress concentration on the body, under 3000-5000 psi pressure, such stress condition is unsafe and prohibited, likewise other actuators are provided with splined design to prevent the piston from rotation for valve actuations, in addition, it is expensive to make, so many other solutions came out like U.S. Pat. No. 1,056,616 to C. E Wright (1913), U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,194 B1 to Joseph Grinberg (2004) the approach is to use two bars to prevent piston sleeve from rotation, the drawback is to waste a large interior housing space and it is restricted to smaller actuator applications, finally current widely acceptable helical actuator is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,393,610 to R. O. Aarvold (1966) disclosed a device with a pair helical gearing means between a housing and a shaft in an opposite direction, but it did not prevent the piston rotation, rather it is used as medium to generate a reaction torque between the housing and the shaft and in turn to rotate the shaft, the drawback is to waste internal space and more energy to rotate the piston and increase backlash and cost, a desirable design for this conversion mechanism is that only rotary part should be a rotary shaft, not a body or a piston, moreover the additional rotation will wear bearings and o rings faster and more than under a linear movement only, in addition the arrangement greatly restricts an engaged diameter of the piston, as a result, the output torque is greatly reduced, again, high stress concentration on the body still exists, even it become more difficulty to manufacture with internal and external teeth in a piston. The second approach is to balance thrust force and ease consequences of the unbalanced forces on helical actuators, U.S. Pat. No. 3,255,806 to Kenneth H. Meyer (1966) shows an actuator with two actuator assembled in an opposite teeth and direction, the design become more difficulty for machining the keyways on the longer body, other effort made is shown on U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,847 to Julian D. Voss (1988) discloses a new design with four parts; a shaft, a housing, a linear piston, a rotation piston, it causes more leak paths and make the actuators more complicated and less reliable, finally U.S. Pat. No. 3,393,610 to R. O. Aarvold (1966) shows two sets of helical teeth in an opposite direction on a piston, it balances the thrust force on the piston but not on the shaft or housing, this arrangement causes a constant tension on the piston during linear/rotary converting, so the piston is subject to torsion well as tension while the load is still applied to shaft and housing, as a result the size of piston is increased while the housing and shaft are underused, so far there is no successful full balance design in the market. The third approach is to simplify the manufacturing process, there is few development in the field, the most internal helical teeth are as an integral part of a housing or shaft, few welding process or pining process have been tried, but for the current pressure vessel safety standards, those practices under 3000-5000 psi pressure are considered to be unsafe, so stronger, heaver body or shaft with a integral helical teeth are only the solution for now, there is no improvement in the filed The fourth approach is to ease the backlash and improve performances of the actuator, a typical example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,791,128 to Howard M. Geyer (1957) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,486 to Paul P. Meyer (1989), a complex mechanical adjustable devices are introduced, but in most applications, such a design is considered to be impractical or too costly due to inherent disadvantage of clearance of two set of helical teeth, the fundamental adjustment mechanism is still unchanged. So the fluid-powered actuation industry has long sought means of improving the performance of fluid-powered actuation system, eliminating the unbalanced thrust increate efficiency, increate integrity of the body strength, and increasing reliability and accuracy rotary position with less cost. In conclusion, insofar as I am aware, no fluid-powered actuation system formerly developed provides higher system performances with a modularization structure, less parts, highly efficient, versatile, reliable, easy manufacturing at low cost. SUMMARY This invention provides a simple, highly reliable, modular, compact, efficient and balanced rotary actuator. This actuator comprises a novel and improved helical linear/rotary converting modules, compact porting systems and shaft/body interface modules and is much simpler for manufacturing and assembly. It is constructed as converting modules and shaft/body modules, which are easily connected to various components. It also provides rotary position controllers for 90, 180 or 360 degrees with no backlash and lighter weight, smaller space and higher accuracy of position and can be used for a combination device of a hinge and rotary actuator or a rotary actuator either under high axial load or gravity load between vertical and horizontal positions, or for quick cycle, high vibration, quick opening or closing applications and other critical applications to replace linear pistons with pivot joint devices or landing gears for aircraft or artificial or robotic leg and arm joints The helical linear/rotary converting module can be constructed as a body, a converting unit and a shaft, the converting unit can be constructed as one piston having a two-center linear engagement means and a helical rotary engagement means with the body and the shaft, the two-center linear engagement means is constructed as a pair of a centric and eccentric section which are engaged with a centric bore and eccentric bore between the converting piston and the body or shaft, the helical rotary engagement means is constructed with a pair of helical converting means which includes spline teeth engagement, spline groove/pin and teeth engagement with balls between the converting piston and the body or the converting piston and the shaft, the converting unit can be constructed as two pistons have two pairs of the linear engagement means and rotary engagement means located and moved in an opposite direction. The body can be constructed as one piece a body or two piece split bodies, while shaft can be constructed as one pieces part with helical rotary converting means or two-center linear converting means or multiple pieces parts. The actuator includes various shapes of bodies for different applications. The actuator can be constructed with various shape of bodies, the spherical shape of the body is constructed for supporting high axial load both on the shaft or body or installed between vertical and horizontal positions and sustain high bending and compression loads or with robotic and artificial arm and leg joints, other shape of body is provided with one end closed and other end opened for operating rotary valve, finally a split body is constructed to receive large engaged diameter of piston with smaller end shaft or large spring to generate return force. The actuator can be constructed with position control devices. One of the feature is to combine a vane actuator and helical actuator as one unit, it not only eliminate backlash but increase output torque and improve the accuracy of rotary position, other is to provide two hard adjustable hard stop in both ends of rotation of 90, 180, 270 or 360 degree. In the manufacturing of the actuator, this invention provides other joint method to separate helical teeth from shaft or body, so the helical teeth can be manufactured replaced easily at low cost. Accordingly, besides objects and advantages of the present invention described in the above patent, several objects and advantages of the present invention are: (a) To provide a highly efficient linear/rotary converting mechanism with less energy, maxim output torque and fewer components. (b) To provide a linear/rotary converting mechanism with less stress concentration, so the mechanism can be more reliable, compact and still robust for critical applications (c) To provide a fluid-powered actuation system with highly optimal division of functions among the modular members in a balanced manner, so such a system allows a user to have higher integrity of a system with fewer components and reduce a system space, leakage and manufacturing and replacement cost (d) To provide a directly coupling means for an actuator and other components so as to eliminate adapters, reduce the space for their connection. (e) To provide a fully balanced means for an actuator, so the actuator is constructed with more powerful and reliable mechanism with less weight, parts and cost. (f) To provide a fluid-powered actuation system with actuator, which has less displaced fluid volumes on both sides of pistons, so the energy loss can be reduced to a minimum level (g) To provide an internal porting means for a fluid-powered actuation system, the system is not subject to external tube corrosion and breakdown and has quick response time and can be either connected through a shaft or body. (h) To provide a fluid-powered actuator with high holding torque, so it is not susceptible to vibration and more stable and can be used in applications of high vibration, quick cycle. (i) To provide a fluid-powered actuation system with gravity balance mechanism, so the actuator can be used between vertical and horizontal positions. (j) To provide a fluid-powered actuation system without backlash, so the system becomes more stable and accurate at pre-setting position (k) To provide a fluid-powered actuation system with highly reliable, inherently redundant, intrinsically safe control functions, so the system can be used for critical applications such as military operation, medical emergence care/device and aircraft landing gears (l) To provide a produced-friendly, fluid-powered actuation modules with simple, flexible structures, easy manufacturing and process and various size and material selection, the modules require simple manufacturing process and flexible construction methods for different applications, so a manufacturer for the system can easily implement rapid product development and outsourcing at lower cost (m) To provide a linear-rotary converting device with compact, adaptable rotary shaft and body. Therefore, the devices can use as a combination of a hinge joint and rotary actuator for robotic or artificial arm and leg joints. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from study of the following description and the accompanying drawings. DRAWINGS Drawing Figures FIG. 1 is an exploded, quarter cut view of a helical linear/rotary converting mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of helical linear/rotary converting mechanism of FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is a side view of helical linear/rotary converting mechanism of FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is a cross sectional views of helical linear/rotary converting mechanism of FIG. 2 along line A-A. FIG. 5 is an exploded, quarter cut view of an alternative embodiment of helical linear/rotary converting mechanism of FIG. 1 . FIG. 6 is an exploded, quarter cut view of an alternative embodiment of helical linear/rotary converting mechanism of FIG. 1 . FIG. 7 is an exploded, quarter cut view of an alternative embodiment of helical linear/rotary converting mechanism of FIG. 1 . FIG. 8 is an exploded, quarter cut view of an alternative embodiment of helical linear/rotary converting mechanism of FIG. 1 . FIG. 9 is an exploded, quarter cut view of an alternative embodiment of helical linear/rotary converting mechanism of FIG. 1 . FIG. 10 is an exploded, quarter cut view of a helical rotary actuator embodiment of the helical linear/rotary converting mechanism of FIG. 8 . FIG. 11 is a front view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 10 . FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 11 . Along line B-B. FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 11 . Along line C-C. FIG. 14 is a detail view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 13 . Along cycle of F. FIG. 15 is an exploded, quarter cut view of an alternative embodiment of helical rotary actuator of FIG. 10 . FIG. 16 is a front view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 15 . FIG. 17 is a cross sectional view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 16 . along line E-E. FIG. 18 is a cross view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 16 . along line D-D. FIG. 19 is an isometric view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 16 . FIG. 20 is an exploded, quarter cut view of an alternative embodiment of helical rotary actuator of FIG. 10 . FIG. 21 is a detail view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 20 . along cycle of A FIG. 22 is a front view of a subassembly of FIG. 20 . FIG. 23 is a side view of the subassembly of FIG. 22 . FIG. 24 is a cross sectional view of the subassembly of FIG. 22 along line F-F. FIG. 25 is a cross sectional view of the subassembly of FIG. 22 along line G-G. FIG. 26 is an exploded, quarter cut view of an alternative embodiment of helical rotary actuator of FIG. 10 . FIG. 27 is a front view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 26 . FIG. 28 is a cross sectional view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 27 along line I-I. FIG. 29 is a cross sectional view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 27 along line H-H. FIG. 30 is an exploded, quarter cut view of an alternative embodiment of helical rotary actuator of FIG. 10 . FIG. 31 is a front view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 30 . FIG. 32 is a cross sectional view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 31 along line K-K. FIG. 33 is a cross sectional view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 30 along line J-J. FIG. 34 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of helical rotary actuator of FIG. 30 . FIG. 35 is a front view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 34 . FIG. 36 is a cross sectional view of the helical rotary actuator of FIG. 35 along line L-L. FIG. 37 is an exploded, quarter cut view of an alternative embodiment of helical linear/rotary converting mechanism of FIG. 5 . FIG. 38 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of helical linear/rotary converting mechanism of FIG. 9 . FIG. 39 is an exploded, quarter cut view of an alternative embodiment of shaft of FIG. 8 . FIG. 40 is an exploded, quarter cut view of an alternative embodiment shaft of FIG. 9 . Reference Number In Drawing 10 Single Helical Converter 20 Double Helical converter a, b, f a, b, c, d, e, f, h 11 body a, b, c, d 21 Body, a, b, f 12 Converting piston, a, b, c, d 22, 22′ Converting piston a, b, f 13 Shaft, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h 23 Shaft, a, b, f 14 Centric section, a, b, c, d 24 Centric section a, b, f 15 Eccentric section, a, b, c, d 25, 25′ Eccentric section a, b, f 16 Centric bore, a, b, c, d 26, 26′ Centric bore a, b, f 17 Eccentric bore a, b, c, d 27, 27′ Eccentric bore a, b, f 18 Helical internal teeth, a, b ,d 28, 28′ Helical internal teeth a, b, f 19 helical external teeth, a, b, d 29, 29′ Helical external teeth a, b, f 18 Helical groove, c 19 Helical groove pin, c, 1 Support ring e, f, g, h 9 Retaining ring g 4 Centric section, e, f, g, h 2 Helical teeth ring, e, f, g, h 5 Eccentric section, e, f, g, h 3 Shaft e, f, g, h 6 Centric bore e, f, g, h 7 Eccentric bore, e, f, g, h 8 Set of Balls 100 Helical Actuator, a, b, c, d, e, g A port, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 130″, 130 Converting piston B Port, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 131′, 131 Groove 101′, 101 Body, 132′, 132 Centric section 102′, 102 Centric bore, 133′, 133 Eccentric section 103′, 103 Eccentric bore 134′, 134 Internal helical teeth 104′, 104 body end 135′, 135 External helical teeth 105 Horizontal Passageway 136′, 136 Piston inward surface 106 Spherical external surface 137′, 137 Piston outward surface 107 Cylindrical External surface 138′, 138 Link hole 108′, 108 Groove 139′, 139 bore 109′, 109 End Vertical surface 110′, 110 End Horizontal surface 150 Spherical Cover 111 End Spherical surface 151 Spherical internal surface 112 Out-vertical surface 152 Out-Vertical surface 113 Horizontal surface 153 Horizontal surface 117 Inter-vertical surface 154 Spherical external surface 120 Center chamber 155 End Vertical surface 121′, 121 Side chamber, 156 Shaft hole 122′, 122 Helical internal teeth right 157 Inter-Vertical surface 123′, 123 Helical internal teeth left 158 Flat cover 124 Spherical external surface 159 O ring groove 125 Thread hold 126 Bolt hole 170 Vane cover 127 hole 171 Vane 128 hole 172 Piston land 129 O ring groove 173 Inward port 140 Shaft 174 Outward port 141′, 141 External helical teeth, 175 vane Key 142 176 Middle ring 143 Centric section 177 hole 144 Eccentric section 178 Inside surface 145′, 145 end 179 Outside surface 146 keyway 197 Link port 147 center hole 198 recess 148′, 148 Side hole 180 Conical step 160 O ring 181 Conical surface 161 O ring 182 Conical surface 162 O ring 183 Vane chamber 163 O ring 184 Vane chamber 164 O ring 185′, 185 Slot 165 Spherical bearing 186 plug 166 bolt 187 setscrew 190 Spherical supporter 188 Flat screw 191 Shell plate 189 spring 192 Recess surface 195 Vane land 193 Thread hole 196 groove DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a helical linear/rotary converting mechanism 10 a constructed in accordance with the present invention. The mechanism 10 a comprises a body 11 a , a converting piston 12 a and a shaft 13 a for converting reciprocal movements of piston 12 a to rotary movements of shaft 13 a . Body 11 a includes a centric bore 16 a and an eccentric bore 17 a parallel to centric bore 16 a , converting piston 12 a is movably disposed in body 11 a and has a centric section 14 a engaged with centric bore 16 a and an eccentric section 15 a engaged with eccentric bore 17 a , shaft 13 a movably positioned in converting piston 12 a has external helical teeth 19 a , converting piston 12 a has an internal helical teeth 18 a engaged with external helical teeth 19 a Referring to FIG. 5 , a helical linear/rotary converting mechanism 10 b based on mechanism 10 a comprises a body 11 b , a converting piston 12 b and a shaft 13 b for converting reciprocal movements of piston 12 b to rotary movements of shaft 13 b . Body 11 b includes internal helical teeth 18 b , converting piston 12 b is movably disposed in body 11 b and has external helical teeth 19 a engaged with internal helical teeth 18 b , shaft 13 b movably disposed in converting piston 12 b has a centric section 14 b and an eccentric section 15 b parallel to centric section 14 b , converting piston 12 b has a centric bore 16 b engaged with centric section 14 b and an eccentric bore 17 b engaged with eccentric section 15 b. Referring to FIG. 6 , a helical linear/rotary converting mechanism 10 c based on mechanism 10 a comprises a body 11 c , a converting piston 12 c and a shaft 13 c for converting reciprocal movements to rotary movements. Body 11 c includes a centric bore 16 c and an eccentric bore 17 c parallel to centric bore 16 c , converting piston 12 c is movably disposed in body 11 c and has a centric section 14 c engaged with centric bore 16 c and an eccentric section 15 c engaged with eccentric bore 17 c , shaft 13 c movably positioned in converting piston 12 c has a pin 19 c , converting piston 12 c has a helical grooves 18 c engaged with pin 19 c. Referring to FIG. 7 , a helical linear/rotary converting mechanism 10 d based on mechanism 10 a comprises a body 11 d , a set of balls 8 , a converting piston 12 d and a shaft 13 d for converting reciprocal movements to rotary movements. Body 11 d includes a centric bore 16 d and an eccentric bore 17 d parallel to centric bore 16 d , converting piston 12 d is movably disposed in body 11 d and has a centric section 14 d engaged with centric bore 16 d and an eccentric section 15 d engaged with eccentric bore 17 d , shaft 13 d movably positioned in converting piston 12 d has external helical teeth 19 d , converting piston 12 d has internal helical teeth 18 d engaged with helical teethes 18 d by means of balls 8 . Referring to FIG. 8 , a helical linear/rotary converting mechanism 20 a based on mechanism 10 a comprises a body 21 a , two converting pistons 22 a , 22 a ′ and a shaft 23 a for converting reciprocal movements to rotary movements. Body 21 a includes two centric bores 26 a , 26 a ′ and an eccentric bore 27 a parallel to centric bores 26 a , 26 a ′, converting piston 22 a is movably disposed in a left side of body 21 a and has internal left helical teeth 28 a , a centric section 24 a engaged with centric bore 26 a and an eccentric section 25 a engaged with eccentric bore 27 a , converting piston 22 a ′ is movably disposed in a right side of body 21 a and has internal right helical teeth 28 a ′, a centric section 24 a ′ engaged with centric bore 26 a ′ and an eccentric section 25 a ′ engaged with eccentric bore 27 a , shaft 23 a is movably positioned in converting pistons 22 a , 22 a ′ and has external left helical teeth 29 a engaged with helical teeth 28 a and external right helical teeth 29 a ′ engaged with teeth 28 a′. Referring to FIG. 9 , a helical linear/rotary converting mechanism 20 b based on mechanism 20 a comprises a body 21 b , converting pistons 22 b , 22 b ′ and a shaft 23 b for converting reciprocal movements to rotary movements. Body 21 b includes internal left helical teeth 28 b and internal right helical teeth 28 b ′ in an opposite direction, converting piston 22 b is movably disposed in a left side of body 21 b and has a centric bore 26 b , an eccentric bore 27 b and external helical left teeth 29 b engaged with teeth 28 b , while converting piston 22 b ′ is movably disposed in a right side of body 21 b and has a centric bore 26 b ′, an eccentric bore 27 b ′ and external helical right teeth 29 b ′ engaged with teeth 28 b ′, shaft 23 b is movably disposed in pistons 22 b , 22 b ′ and has eccentric sections 25 b , 25 b ′ in an opposite direction and a centric section 24 b engaged with bore 26 b and bore 26 b ′, eccentric section 25 b is engaged with bore 27 b , while eccentric section 25 b ′ is engaged with bore 27 b′. FIGS. 10-14 illustrate a fluid powered helical rotary actuator 100 a based on helical linear/rotary converting mechanism 20 a constructed in accordance with the present invention. The actuator 100 a comprises a body 101 a having an eccentric bore 103 a , two centric bores 102 a , 102 a ′ and pistons 130 a , 130 a ′, a shaft 140 a is movably disposed in pistons 130 a , 130 a ′, body 101 a is covered by a spherical cover 150 a and a flat cover 158 a and has standard ports A 1 , B 1 which includes port size and distance between port A 1 , B 1 and respectively connected to a pressurized fluid and a sink fluid (not shown), the actuator 100 a is provided for rotary movements. Pistons 130 a , 130 a ′ are axially opposed and respectively have sections 132 a , 133 a movably engaged with bores 102 a , 103 a and sections 132 a ′, 133 a ′ movably engaged with bores 102 a ′, 103 a in an opposite direction. Pistons 130 a , 130 a ′ also include internal helical teeth 134 a , 134 a ′ in inner surfaces to operatively engage with sections 141 a , 141 a ′ of the shaft 140 a , a center chamber 120 a is provided between inward surfaces 136 a , 136 a ′ and bore 103 a and is connected to port B 1 and to grooves 131 a , 131 a ′ through gaps between teeth 134 a and 141 a , teeth 134 a ′ and 141 a ′ and link holes 138 a , 138 a ′, while side chambers 121 a , 121 a ′ are defined respectively by cover 150 a , an outward surface 137 a and bore 102 a and by cover 158 a , an outward surface 137 a ′ and bore 102 a ′ and connected to port A 1 through a passageway 105 and grooves 108 a , 108 a′. Cover 150 a is mounted on a left side of shaft 140 a and has a first vertical surface 152 a , spherical surface 151 a , a second vertical surface 157 a and a horizontal surface 153 a with an o ring groove 159 a , body 101 a has a first vertical surface 112 a , a spherical surface 111 a , a second vertical surface 117 a with an o ring groove 129 a and horizontal surface 110 a , a spherical bearing 165 a is placed between surfaces 151 a and 111 a for providing a bearing and a seal, while o-rings 160 a and 161 a are respectively placed in groove 129 a and groove 159 a for providing a vertical seal and a horizontal seal between cover 150 a and body 101 a. Referring to FIGS. 15-19 , a fluid powered helical rotary actuator 100 b based on fluid powered helical rotary actuator 100 a comprises a spherical body 101 b , pistons 130 b , 130 b ′, a shaft 140 b is movably disposed in pistons 130 b , 130 b ′, body 101 b is covered by two spherical covers 150 b , 150 b ′ and has standard ports A 2 , B 2 which includes port size and distance between port A 2 , B 2 and respectively connected to a pressurized fluid and a sink fluid (not shown), there are other optional ports A 3 , B 3 respectively connected to a pressurized fluid and a sink fluid (not shown), the actuator 100 b is provided for rotary movements. A center chamber 120 b is connected to port B 2 through hole 147 b , while side chambers 121 b , 124 b ′ are connected to port A 2 through holes 148 b , 148 b ′ and grooves 108 b , 108 b ′. Covers 150 b , 150 b ′ are mounted respectively on a left side and a right side of shaft 140 b , a holder 190 b has a cylindrical bar extended to shell 191 b with a spherical recess 192 b to receive actuator 100 b for securing a pre-set position, holes 193 b and thread holes 125 b are provided for bolting between actuator 100 b and holder 190 b. Referring to FIG. 20-25 , a fluid powered helical rotary actuator 100 c based on fluid powered helical rotary actuator 100 a comprises a body 101 c , pistons 130 c , 130 c ′, two vanes 171 c and two vane covers 170 c , a shaft 140 c is movably disposed in pistons 130 c , 130 c ′, vanes 171 c and vane covers 170 c , body 101 c is covered by two covers 158 c , 158 c ′ and has standard ports A 4 , B 4 which includes size port and distance between ports A 4 , B 4 respectively connected to a pressurized fluid and a sink fluid (not shown). the actuator 100 c is provided for rotary movements. Pistons 130 c , 130 c ′ are axially opposed, movably disposed in body 101 c since the left piston 130 c is as the same as the right piston 130 c ′, only the left side piston is described here, two vane chambers 183 c and 184 c are defined by piston 130 c , vane cover 170 c , vane 171 c , a vane land 195 c of vane 171 c and a piston land 172 c of piston 130 c , a center chamber 120 c is connected to vane chamber 183 c through gaps between shaft 140 c and piston 130 c , radial hole 138 c and axial hole 173 c and a slot 185 c ′, while a side chamber 121 c is connected to chamber 184 c through hole 174 c , slot 185 c , vane 171 c is coupled with shaft 140 c by keyway 146 c and key 175 c. Referring to FIG. 26-29 , a fluid powered helical rotary actuator 100 d based on fluid powered helical rotary actuator 20 a comprises a body 101 d having a left closed end except a shaft hole 127 d and a right end with a centric bore 102 d to receive a middle ring 176 d , pistons 130 d , 130 d ′, a shaft 140 d is movably disposed in pistons 130 d , 130 d ′ and middle ring 176 d , body 101 d is covered by cover 158 d and has standard ports A 5 , B 5 which includes port size and distance between ports A 5 and B 5 respectively connected to a pressurized fluid and a sink fluid (not shown), the actuator 100 d is provided for rotary movements. Middle ring 176 d is axially placed between pistons 130 d , 130 d ′ and has a centric outside surface 179 d and an eccentric inside surface 178 d . Pistons 130 d , 130 d ′ have respectively centric sections 132 d , 132 d ′ engaged with bore 102 d and eccentric sections 133 d , 133 d ′ engaged with eccentric surface 178 d . Pistons 130 d , 130 d ′ also include internal helical teeth 134 d , 134 d ′ in inner surfaces to operatively engage with external helical teeth 141 d , 141 d ′ of the shaft 140 d . Middle ring 176 d also includes three radial holes 177 d , 177 d ′ and is secured by two screws 187 d through holes 177 d , conical tips of two screws 187 d are engaged with conical surfaces of 182 d , 182 d ′ for controlling inward positions of pistons 103 d , 103 d ′, two screws 188 d are threaded through cover 158 d for controlling outward positions of piston of 130 d , hole 176 d ′ is linked between port B 5 and inside surface 178 d. Referring to FIG. 30-33 , a fluid powered helical rotary actuator 100 e based on fluid powered helical rotary actuator 100 a comprises a pair of split bodies 101 e , 101 e ′ to receive a middle ring 176 e and pistons 130 e , 130 e ′, bodies 101 e , 101 e ′ respectively have centric bores 102 e , 102 e ′ and eccentric bores 103 e , 103 e ′, pistons 130 e , 130 e ′ are axially opposed and respectively have sections 132 e , 133 e engaged with bores 102 e , 103 e and sections 132 e ′, 133 e ′ engaged with bores 102 e ′, 103 e ′, a shaft 140 e is movably disposed in pistons 130 e , 130 e ′ and middle ring 176 e , split bodies 101 e , 101 e ′ are secured by four of bolts 166 e and sealed by o-ring 164 e , bodies 101 e , 101 e ′ have standard ports A 6 , B 6 which includes size port and distance between port A 6 , B 6 respectively connected to a pressurized fluid and a sink fluid (not shown), the actuator 100 e is provided for rotary movements. Pistons 130 e , 130 e ′ are axially opposed, movably disposed in bodies 101 e , 101 e ′, a center chamber 120 e is connected to port B 6 , while side chamber 121 e , 121 e ′ are connected to port A 6 through a passageway 105 e and grooves 108 e , 108 e ′, body 101 e has two holes 128 e , two screws 187 e are respectively threaded through holes 128 e and engaged with conical surfaces 181 e , 181 e ′ defined by ring 176 e and piston 130 e for controlling an inward position of pistons of 130 e , 130 e ′, screws 188 e are threaded through cover 158 e for controlling outward positions of piston 130 e and are secured by plugs 186 e. Referring to FIG. 34-36 , a fluid powered helical rotary actuator 100 g based on fluid powered helical rotary actuator 100 e comprises a pair of split bodies 101 g , 101 g ′, spring set 189 g , pistons 130 g , 130 g ′, a shaft 140 g is movably disposed in pistons 130 g , 130 g ′ and a spring set 189 g , split bodies 101 g , 101 g ′ are secured by four of bolts 166 g and sealed by o-ring 164 g , the pair of split bodies 101 g , 101 g ′ has standard ports A 7 , B 7 which includes size of port and distance between ports A 7 ,B 7 respectively connected to a pressurized fluid and a sink fluid (not shown), the actuator 100 g is provided for rotary movements. Bodies 101 g , 101 g ′ respectively have centric bores 102 g , 102 g ′ and eccentric bores 103 g , 103 g ′, pistons 130 g , 130 g ′ are axially opposed and have respectively sections 132 g , 133 g and sections 132 g ′, 133 g ′ engaged with bores 102 g , 103 g and bores 102 g ′ and 103 g ′, the spring set 189 g is placed between pistons 130 g and 130 g ′ for spring return. Referring to FIG. 37 , a helical linear/rotary converting mechanism 10 e based on 10 b of FIG. 5 comprises a body 11 e , a support ring 1 e , a converting piston 12 e and a shaft 13 e for converting linear movements to rotary movements. Body 11 e has a centric bore 6 e and an eccentric bore 7 e , support ring 1 e has a section 4 e engaged with bore 6 e and an eccentric section 5 e engaged with bore 7 e and internal helical teeth 18 e. Referring to FIG. 38 , a helical linear/rotary converting mechanism 20 f based on 20 b of FIG. 9 comprises a body 21 f , a support ring 1 f , converting pistons 22 f , 22 f ′ and a shaft 23 f for converting linear movements to rotary movements. Body 21 f has a centric bore 6 f and an eccentric bore 7 f , support ring 1 f has a section 4 f engaged with bore 6 f and an eccentric section 5 f engaged with bore 7 f and helical teeth 28 f , 28 f′. Referring to FIG. 39 , a shaft assembly 13 g based on 20 a of FIG. 8 comprises a pair of teeth rings 2 g , 2 g ′ two retaining rings 9 g and a shaft 3 g , shaft 3 g has a left centric sections 5 g with a left groove 196 g and a right centric section 5 g ′ with a right groove 196 g ′ and an eccentric section 4 g , teeth rings 2 g , 2 g ′ have bores 6 g and 6 g ′ movably engaged with sections 4 g and bores 7 g , 7 g ′ movably engaged with section 5 g , 5 g ′, teeth rings 2 g , 2 g ′ placed on both ends of shaft 3 g are secured by two retaining rings 9 g respectively disposed in grooves 196 a , 196 a′. Referring to FIG. 40 , a shaft assembly 13 h based on 20 a of FIG. 8 comprises a shaft 3 h and a teeth ring 2 h , shaft 3 h has an eccentric section 5 h and an centric section 4 h , teeth ring 2 h has a centric bore 6 h engaged with sections 4 h and an eccentric bores 7 h engaged with section 5 h. Operations For the mechanisms 10 a , assume that piston 12 a is inserted into body 11 a by engaging between sections 14 a , 15 a , and bores 16 a , 17 a with a clearance fit, then shaft 13 a is inserted into piston 12 a by engaging between helical teeth 19 a and helical teeth 18 s with a clearance fit, piston 12 a tends to rotate under axial force, but since there is an offset between bores 16 a , 17 , the offset only allows piston 12 a to move linearly but prevents piston 12 a from rotation, as a result, the helical teeth 18 a on piston 12 a forces helical teeth 19 a as well as the shaft 13 a to rotate, in case of mechanisms 10 c , 10 d , only difference is the helical converting means. For the mechanisms 10 b , assume that piston 12 b is inserted into body 11 b by engaging between helical teeth 19 b and helical teeth 18 b with a clearance fit then shaft 13 b is inserted into piston 12 b by engaging between sections 14 b , 15 b , and bores 16 b , 17 b with a clearance fit, piston 12 b rotates under axial forces, since there is an offset between bores 16 b , 17 b , as a result, the offset force shaft 130 b to rotate along with the piston 12 b. For mechanisms 20 a , assume that shaft 23 a is inserted into body 21 a , then piston 22 a is inserted into ring 21 a from the left side by engaging between sections 24 a , 25 a , and bores 26 a , 27 a with a clearance fit and between helical left teeth 29 a and left helical teeth 28 a , then piston 22 a ′ is inserted into body 21 a from the right side by engaging between sections 24 a ′, 25 a ′ and bores 26 a ′, 27 a with a clearance fit and between right helical teeth 29 a ′ and right helical teeth 28 a ′, two equal but opposite forces are applied inwardly and outwardly to piston 22 a and 22 a ′, piston 22 a tends to rotate under axial forces, but since there is an offset between bores 26 a , 27 a , the offset only allow piston 22 a to move linearly but prevents piston 22 a from rotation, as a result, the helical teeth 28 a on piston 22 a forces helical teeth 29 a as well as the shaft 23 a to rotate clockwise, while piston 22 a ′ tends to rotate under axial forces, but since there is an offset between bores 26 a ′, 27 a ′, the offset allows piston 22 a ′ to move linearly but prevents piston 22 a ′ from rotation, as a result, the helical teeth 28 a ′ on piston 22 a ′ forces helical teeth 29 a ′ as well as shaft 23 a rotate the clockwise due to opposite direction between teethes of 29 a , 28 a and 29 a ′, 28 a ′, so the axial forces balances on shaft 23 a. For the mechanisms 20 b , the balance mechanism is the same as the mechanism 20 a , while the operation is the same as mechanism 10 b For actuator 100 a , assume that shaft 140 a is inserted into body 101 a , then piston 130 a is inserted into body 101 a from the left side by engaging between sections 132 a , 133 a , and bores 102 a , 103 a with a clearance fit and between helical teeth 134 a and helical teeth 141 a , then piston 130 a ′ is inserted into body 101 a from the right side by engaging between sections 132 a ′, 133 a ′ and bores 102 a ′, 103 a with a clearance fit and between helical teeth 134 a ′ and helical teeth 141 a′. Port A 1 and port B 1 are respectively connected to a pressurized fluid source/a fluid sink (not shown), there is no movement of the piston 130 a , 130 a ′ or that of shaft 140 a . When a pressurized flow fluid is allowed to enter to chamber 121 a , 121 a ′ through port A 1 , then spilt into two flows into passageways 105 a , then into grooves 108 a , 108 a ′, the flow fluids provide sufficient pressure against pistons 130 a , 103 a ′ from outward surfaces 137 a , 137 a ′, while fluids in chambers 120 a through B 1 connected to the fluid sink have a lower pressure, so pressure differentials generate two equal but opposite forces against pistons 130 a , 130 a ′ inwardly and cause inward movements of two pistons 130 a , 130 a ′ in a synchronized manner, so shaft 140 a is balanced in the axial direction, because of offset engagement between body 101 a and piston 130 a , 130 a ′, piston 130 a , 130 a ′ are only allowed to move linearly, as a result, the helical teeth 134 a on piston 130 a and teeth 134 a ′ in piston 130 a ′ force helical teeth 141 a , 141 a ′ as well as the shaft 140 a to rotate clockwise. On the contrary, when the connections of ports A 1 and port B 1 with the fluid source/the fluid sink are switched, the conditions of flow fluids are reversed, shaft 140 a is rotated anti-clockwise. For the actuator 100 a installed in between vertical and horizontal positions, the gravity force or an external axial force is applied to cover 150 a and shaft 140 a , in turn cover 150 a will distribute the load into bearing 165 a and body 101 a evenly due to the spherical surface engagement, then shaft 140 a distribute the torsion evenly to two pistons 130 a , 130 a ′ due to the balanced arrangement of pistons 1301 a , 130 a′. For actuator 100 b , it can be used as a combination of a hinge and an actuator, actuator 100 b can installed in any position and sustain great bending as well as axial force due to spherical shape of body and cover which can cancel out most of non axial force, it also can be easily used for connecting other dimensional rotary device. For actuator 100 c , when a backlash is not allowed, actuator 100 c can be used, by nature a vane actuator has no backlash, actuator 100 c based on 100 a can be modified by adding two the same vane actuators on both ends of pistons 130 c , 103 c ′. Ports A 4 ,B 4 are respectively connected to a pressurized fluid source/a fluid sink (not shown), there is no movement of the pistons 130 c , 130 c ′, or that of shaft 140 c . When a pressurized flow fluid is allowed to enter to chamber 121 c , 121 c ′ through port A 4 , then spilt into two flows into passageways 105 c , then through hole 174 c , slot 185 c into vane chamber 184 c , the flow fluids provide sufficient pressure against land 195 c which is keyed with shaft 140 c by key 175 c and keyway 146 c , while low pressure fluids in vane chambers 183 c enters chamber 120 c through holes 173 c , 138 c and engagement gaps between shaft 140 c and piston 130 c , in turn, chamber 120 c is connected to the fluid sink, so pressure differentials forces lands 195 c as well as shaft 140 c to rotate clockwise. On the contrary, when the connections of ports A 4 and port B 4 with the fluid source/the fluid sink are switched, the conditions of flow fluids are reversed, shaft 140 c is rotated anti-clockwise. For actuator 100 d which can be used when precision rotary position is required, piston 130 d , 130 d are placed in center of body 101 d , two screws 187 d are threaded in holes 128 d , 177 d with conical tips engaged with both conical surfaces 182 d , 182 d ′, by rotating the screw 182 d , 182 d ′, inward movement of pistons 130 d , 130 d ′ are controlled to a preset position, on the outward sides, two flat tip screws 188 d are threaded through cover 158 d , by rotating the screw 188 d , 188 d ′, outward movement of pistons 130 d , 130 d ′ are controlled for a pre-set position of shaft 140 d. For actuator 100 e , assume that ring 176 e is pressed into piston 130 e , then two pistons 130 e , 130 e ′ are placed from both ends of shaft 140 e , then two bodies 101 e , 101 e ′ are placed from both ends of shaft 140 e by aligning up between hole 128 e , conical surfaces 181 d , 182 d and secured by bolts 166 e . Port A 6 and port B 6 are respectively connected to a pressurized fluid source/a fluid sink (not shown), there is no movement of the piston 130 e , 130 e ′ or that of shaft 140 e . When a pressurized flow fluid is allowed to enter to chamber 121 e , 121 e ′ through port A 6 , then spilt into two flows into passageways 105 e , then into grooves 108 e , 108 e ′, the flow fluids provide sufficient pressure against pistons 130 e , 130 e ′, while fluids in chambers 120 e through port B 6 connected to the fluid sink have a lower pressure, so pressure differentials move pistons 130 e , 130 e ′ inwardly in a synchronized manner then make shaft 140 e to rotate clockwise. On the contrary, when the connections of ports A 6 and port B 6 with the fluid source/the fluid sink are switched, the conditions of flow fluids are reversed, shaft 140 e is rotated anti-clockwise. For actuator 100 g which can be used for single acting application, top and bottom is interchangeable for fail closed and fail open of valve control without changing any part, assume that one set of springs 189 g is placed into shaft 140 g , then two pistons 130 g , 130 g ′ are placed from both ends of shaft 140 g , then two bodies 101 g , 101 g ′ are placed from both ends of shaft 140 g and secured by bolts 166 g . Port A 7 and port B 7 are respectively connected to a pressurized fluid source/a fluid sink (not shown), there is no movement of the piston 130 g , 130 g ′ or that of shaft 140 e . When a pressurized flow fluid is allowed to enter to chamber 121 g , 121 g ′ through port A 7 , then split into two flows into passageways 105 g , then into grooves 108 g , 108 g ′, the flow fluids provide sufficient pressure against pistons 130 g , 130 g ′, while fluids in chambers 120 g through port B 7 connected to the fluid sink have a lower pressure, so pressure differentials move pistons 130 g , 130 g ′ inwardly in a synchronized manner then make shaft 140 g to rotate clockwise and compress springs 189 g . On the contrary, when the connections of ports A 7 loses pressure, the pressure differentials disappears, the compressed springs force pistons 130 g , 130 g ′ to move outward and make shaft 140 g rotated anti-clockwise. Advantages From the description above, a number of advantage of some embodiments of my helical rotary actuator become evident: (1) high efficiency, with double effective areas of pistons, balance design, this embodiment increase the efficiency of helical rotary actuator from about 60%-70% to 85-95, with less materials and weights, smaller size, it opens the door to the low pressure pneumatic actuators market against rack and pinion and vane actuators (2) a balanced thrust, the thrust is fully balanced on the shaft without any bearing under both inward and outward pressures, so under no time, the piston bears any external axial load, both the body and shaft take external side or axial loads evenly, so the piston can generates more torque than any helical actuator and last longer, the other benefit is vibration proof, due to left and right pistons work in an opposite direction, any axial movement will not change rotation position of shaft as long as there is no the relative position change between the left and right positions. (3) no backlashes, first the dual center engagement does not add any axial clearance, second the left helical teeth and right helical teeth works against each other and cancel out any clearance in the axial direction, finally the piston with the vane actuator completely eliminate any backlashes structurally (4) No high stress concentration on the body, with the dual center engagement, the body no longer has high stress concentration on the wall without the teeth or shape spline, it greatly reduce the wall thickness of the body and increase safety of the body and meet the pressure vessel standards for critical applications (5) free installation position, with spherical joint between body and cover, balanced thrust, the invention provides an actuator which can be installed between any position between vertical and horizontal positions. (6) precision position control, with conical and flat surfaces engagements devices, both inward and outward positions are fully controlled, now this actuator can be used for a critical applications such as military equipment, robotic devices and valve control (7) versatile interface functions, most of the actuator bodies are cylindrical shape, such a shape is difficult for three dimensional joint (8) high reliability, without high stress concentration on the body, high tension on the piston and balanced thrust on the shaft, this actuator has highest safety design over all existing helical rotary actuators, in addition, the dual independent pistons, porting systems provide redundant functions, if a left piston fails, the right piston still functions independently, it can be used for airplane landing gears or linear piston with pivot joint in the construction machines or lift equipment. (9) optimized structural design (a) spherical body can sustain high structural bending and compression loads, it can be used for stand-along or combine with additional actuator for 2 D or 3 D position control (b) material comparability with design, now material for body can be different from that of teeth rings for design or application purpose, so teeth ring can be heat treated or hardened, while body can be ductile with anti wearing coating in ID wearing resistance, so it sustains high pressure on body and high compression and wearing on ID surface and does not scarify any design requirement and greatly increase the life of the product. (10) Easy and low cost manufacturing, the dual-center mechanism with two pair of simple cyclical bore/sections engagements greatly reduce manufacturing and assembly cost and time at least by 50%, an axial distance adjustment becomes much easy, most of all, helical teeth ring can be replaced without replacing the body or shaft, with middle ring with eccentric surfaces, even the offset machining becomes simpler, moreover, teeth ring can be pre-made, only left is ID or OD, (11) Standard input and out port, the novel internal port system makes standardized the port size and distance between inlet port and outlet port possible, it reduces adaptor and tube, but also increases the reliability of the connection, the ports can be directly connected with counterbalanced valve, two way to four way solenoid valve without tube or adaptors. CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS AND SCOPE The dual-center engagement mechanism in helical rotary actuator completely changes the rotary/linear converting concept and provides breakthrough performances and advantages over all existing rotary actuators (1) simplicity, two simple cylindrical engagement with an offset, but magically much better than the conventional helical actuators either have complicated dual internal and external helical teeth on piston or external spline and internal helical on the piston, more effective areas for axial forces than that of conventional helical actuators, the double center engagement can be arranged as example of mechanism 20 a , A left offset+A center+A right offset, so the left offset can be balanced the right left offset within the body under axial forces, or A centric+An offset+A centric, such a arrangement can reduce machining, or simple a centric bore with middle ring with a centric OD and an eccentric ID like mechanism 100 d (2) robust, there is no detrimental features on the body, two cylindrical engagement convert the torsion from the piston to compression, such a compression structure greatly increase the body ability for holding the torque than any other methods on the conventional helical actuators while no space waste for keyway or helical or spline teeth or seals, in case of high cycle operation, there is no one location standing high impact force on the body unlike the conventional helical actuator, the impact force can enlarged the small fraction on teeth on the body and cause body buster. (3) compact, since there is no external helical teeth, the internal teeth diameter on piston can be made bigger with the size of the conventional helical piston, since there is no keyway or spline teeth, the seal groove can be on any place on the piston, it reduce at 50% length of the conventional helical actuator requires. (4) synergy, without the dual-center engagement mechanism, no full thrust balance can succeed, as the readers look back the history of helical actuator, as it evolves, no truly balance structure has been succeed, the reason is that the conventional helical actuator without an axial balance mechanism is already too longer at least twice as longer than that of the dual-center engagement mechanism actuator, if other half is added, it will be at four time longer than the dual-center engagement mechanism actuator, it is away beyond design scope in term of strength, stability and concentricity, and it is difficult to make, with dual-center engagement mechanism, fully balance helical actuator is about the same as the conventional one piston helical actuator Each of embodiments of the present invention provides each advantage, each unique solution and each special modular structure to solve each problem existing for very long time, there are three interface elements, body where to hold, shaft where to rotate, fluid port where to get energy for operation, with all existing problem in mind (1) mechanism 100 a is used as a hinge with rotary actuator in many lift equipment and deal with installation issue between vertical and horizontal positions, it provide a novel sandwich three seals, vertical o ring and horizontal o ring and conical or spherical bearing, which made out soft metals like bronze, or engineering plastics like peek to provide a seal between the cover and the body and, a bearing function to shift the load from the cover and shaft to the body to the body, the triple seals secure a sound sealing function in any rotation position between vertical and horizontal positions, when it is installed in vertical position, or a horizontal position or between the vertical seal or horizontal seal with no or a bit effect of gravity for seal due to spherical or conical engagement between the cover and body, while spherical bearing play a key to swift gravity load to the body as well for hard seal (2) mechanism 100 b dealt with adaptability issue, it is used for providing 360 degree rotation, it is breakthrough in term of usage, it can sustain very high compression load or bending load, three of them combine can provide any three dimension position due to the spherical joint between cover and body, it can be used as robotic arm joint to replace linear piston with a pivot joint device or artificial arm or leg joint with a linear piston arm or leg, it can be used as a self motored hydraulic wheel for at 360 degree rotation (3) mechanism 100 c dealt with backlash issue, the backlash causes loss of control of position, damage of output shaft or other piston or body and weakens joint between actuator and other connected part and is a nightmare for control engineers, with a conventional helical actuator, it is impossible to eliminate the backlash, or loss motion, because two sets of clearance between the body and piston, piston and shaft are caused by one piece of the piston, but with this embodiment, the two teeth engagements are separated by two pistons, there is no cumulative clearance, moreover actuator 100 c solves the problem by adding two vane actuator on both sides, by nature, vane actuator has no backlash, the helical actuator provide a converting, rigid torque, the torque is not susceptible to an inlet pressure frustrations, while the vane actuator provides a soft direct torque without converting or delay, when the actuator start to rotate the shaft, a combination soft and rigid torques provides a smooth, backlash free rotation movement, by changing size of hole 174 c vane torque can be either reduced or increased, moreover the vane actuator can be used as a damper when actuator acts too fast, this combination of vane actuation and two pistons arrangement solution surpass all previous efforts (4) mechanism 100 d is used for applications like rotary valve actuation, it is required a body bottom connection with a valve for precision position, inward position control is provided with a pair of conical tips of screws, outward position are controlled by two flat tip screws, since the piston is not rotated unlike conventional helical actuator (5) mechanism 100 e is used for lager torque output with limited axial space and precision position, with split bodies, the diameter of helical teeth can be made much larger without wasting lot material, since they are symmetric, it reduce the casting or forging mould cost, other application is used for spring return, it saves lot of money by reducing haft the spring sets in comparison with the conventional helical actuator with spring return devices, specially in subsea rotary valve applications, light weight, easy installation, versatility are the key requirements for a diver to install a valve system, the other advantage is top and button of connection can be interchanged for fail closed or fail open applications without changing any part. Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustration of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.

This invention relates to a novel helical dual-center engagement converting mechanism and its applications in fluid-powered actuation system, more particularly to a highly reliable, simple, powerful and balanced and less expensive helical rotary actuator. This actuator comprises a self-balanced linear/rotary dual-center engagement converter, compact porting systems and easy manufacturing modules and various bodies and shaft interface with other components. This actuator also provides a rotary position control and backlash eliminating mechanism to meet various requirements with lighter weight, smaller size and higher accuracy of position and can be interfaced with different machines, such as subsea valves, earthmoving equipment, construction equipment, lifting equipment, landing gears, militarily equipment and medical devices, robotic and artificial leg and arm joints.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an array controller for use in a fault tolerant hard drive-based data storage system, and, more particularly, for managing and supporting up to two detachable cache modules in the array controller, making sure that the data is not lost because of user mishandling of the cache modules. An array controller that allows one or two easily detachable cache modules to be plugged in also creates a potential problem of users mishandling the cache boards while there is good data in them. A user can swap the cache modules while plugging them in another controller, or can mix and match with another controller's cache modules while there is good data in them. This can cause the system to be corrupted if not detected and handled properly. The use of two cache boards in an array controller increases cache capacity and performance. However this increase in capacity and performance comes at the price of potential mishandling by the end user. The user might cause the controller firmware to encounter anomalous or lock-up conditions due to the mishandling of the cache boards while, for example, moving them from one controller to another. It would therefore be desirable for the controller to be able to detect and if possible correct for these anomalous situations and to avoid erasing good data in the cache boards, creating a system lock-up, or creating another undesirable fault condition. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, an external array controller based on Power PC processor includes two cache boards. The controller memory consists of 2 MB of ROM to hold firmware image and 16 MB of RAM as main memory. The controller also includes a local PCI bus, also called secondary PCI bus. All the PCI devices are connected to each other through this bus. Out of 16 MB, the lower 8 MB of RAM is only visible to Power PC and is used for code and local data. The upper 8 MB is visible on local PCI bus and is available for access to all the devices on the bus. The local PCI devices also include a bridge between Power PC and local PCI bus, two dual-channel SCSI controllers, each with two SCSI buses, and a Fiber Channel controller. The controller enclosure box also has a PCI bus, called Primary PCI bus and two controller slots connected through this bus. The controller has a bridge between the secondary PCI bus and the primary PCI bus. The bridge also serves as a DMA engine. It also has provision for attaching up to two DIMMs (memory modules). The bridge is capable of DMAing (transferring data) from secondary PCI bus or its memory to primary PCI bus. The bridge memory (DIMMs) is used for the controller cache. Thus, the terms “DIMMs” and “cache boards” are used interchangeably. The DIMMs are equipped with batteries in order to preserve data if power or the controller fails while there is cached data in the DIMMs. The firmware is implemented so that it caches data at the logical volume level and not at the physical drives level. The entire logical volume is viewed as divided into logical volume stripes, each being 32 sectors long. Similarly, the cache is also viewed as divided into cache lines, each line being 32 sectors in length. A given stripe is mapped on to a cache line using set associative mapping. There are algorithms to handle conflicts, that is, if a stripe is mapped on to an already occupied cache line. The unit of cache accesses is a sector (512 bytes), that is, cache can only be accessed in terms of sectors. The controller cache is also referred to as Array Accelerator. As the name suggests, it provides a big boost to the controller performance. The function of having controller cache between host and disk drives is much similar to having processor cache between the processor and main memory in a computer system. For example, for a write operation initiated from a host, the controller can cache the incoming data and immediately send back completions to the host without actually writing data to disk. The data is later flushed to the drives when the controller is free enough. This way its performance increases by many folds. Such a write operation is referred to as a “Posted Write”. Similarly, if the controller observes a pattern in read operations initiated by the host, it can read more data from the drives then needed into the cache, so that later on when host needs the data, it is readily available from cache. The array controller of the present invention also includes software to enable the controller to determine whether or not there is any unflushed data in a cache board, to identify a used cache board, and to detect whether or not the cache board belongs to the controller in use or to another controller. Once a problem is identified, the controller is further programmed to issue an appropriate message and to take corrective action, if possible. The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the dual-cache controller according to the present invention, bridge, and including a fibre switch, first and second cache boards, and internal and external storage; and FIG. 2 is a an address map of a PCI to PCI bridge circuit used in the dual-cache controller of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 . DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1, a PCI to PCI bridge 22 on the controller connects the secondary PCI bus 44 (or local PCI bus on the controller) to the primary PCI bus 46 on the controller 10 box (back-plane). Bridge 22 is also a DMA engine, capable of transferring data from local PCI bus to the primary PCI bus. Since there can be two controllers 10 and 20 in a box, both of them are connected through the primary PCI bus 46 , and one controller can transfer data from a device on its local PCI bus 44 to another device on the other controller using the bridge circuit 22 . A representative controller 10 includes a fibre controller circuit 14 for receiving the fibre bus 42 switched through external fibre switch 12 . The fibre controller circuit 14 is in communication with first and second SCSI controller circuits 16 and 18 , as well as PCI to PCI bridge circuit 22 , and processor to PCI bridge circuit 24 through the local PCI bus 44 . In turn, the first and second SCSI controller circuits 16 and 18 are in communication with internal storage 30 and external storage 32 , respectively through SCSI bus 52 and 50 . Processor to PCI bridge circuit 24 is in communication with processor memory 26 and Power PC Processor (“PPC”) 28 . Bridge circuit 24 is also optionally in communication with a similar bridge circuit in a second controller 20 through serial and kill busses 48 . Cache boards 34 and 36 are in electrical communication with bridge circuit 22 , as is further described below. Cache boards 34 and 36 are identical and are physically connected to the controller board or box 10 through coupling devices 38 and 40 such as a multi-pin electrical connector and slot as is well known in the art. The bridge circuit 22 also has its own memory space, which is shown in the memory address map 60 of FIG. 2 . The controller 10 has provision of attaching up to two cache boards or DIMMs (memory modules) 34 and 36 behind the bridge 22 . Each of the cache boards 34 and 36 is typically 64 MB or 128 MB in capacity. This memory is controlled by the bridge 22 and is mapped on to the local PCI bus 44 so that other devices such as a Power PC 28 can access it. On the controller 10 , the base address for the bridge 22 memory is set at 0xa0000000. Some of the bridge 22 memory is used for other purposes, but mostly it is used as cache. Referring to FIG. 2, the bridge address map 60 is spread across one or two DIMMs. The numbers along the left hand side of the address map are the offsets. Note that the start of the Cache Line Status area depends upon the total memory capacity. The first 0×400 bytes of the address space 62 are reserved for the bridge registers. This includes configuration registers, transaction queue registers, SDRAM bank registers, and the like. However, before these registers can be accessed as memory mapped registers, some of the configuration registers have to be set using PCI configuration cycles. The next part of the memory 64 is allocated for the bridge 22 FIFOs. This space ranges from offset 0×400 to 0×40000 (nearly 256 kB). The bridge 22 uses this space to store the values posted to its FIFOs. On the controller 10 , these FIFOs are heavily used for message passing between the two controllers 10 and 20 . The next portion of the memory 66 is allocated for transfer buffers. This space ranges from offset 0×40000 to 0x1000000, (16 MB-256 kB) in size. The transfer buffers are the temporary buffers used to hold data during host I/Os and other internally generated I/Os, and to perform various RAID operations on the data. The Cache Signature and Configuration Information (CSCI) area 68 starts at offset 0x1040000. It is 0x800 bytes long. However, in order to align it with 32-sector boundary (cache line boundary, as is explained in further detail below), it is extended to 32 sectors in length. Hence, it ranges from offset 0×1000000 to 0×1004000. The CSCI area 68 consists of a cache signature, which is a string of characters that the firmware uses to verify that a specific pre-identified dual-cache controller once used the cache board. It also consists of a Reserved Information Sectors (“RIS”) configuration signature, which is used to verify that the cache board contains data that belongs to this particular controller. The RIS is a collection of sectors on drives that are reserved to store information regarding the logical volume configuration. The CSCI also has an RIS update counter to verify if the data is obsolete. It is also used to store critical information such as a snap shot of expansion progress so that the controller can recover from a power failure. This CSCI area 68 is specially added for Dual Cache Modules support. An exact copy of Cache Signature and Configuration Information is also stored at the end of bridge memory in memory area 74 . The “Cache Area” 70 is a bridge 22 memory area that is used by the firmware as cache. It is the largest of all the other portions of bridge memory. It is divided into cache lines, each being 32 sectors. It starts at offset 0×1044000 and its length depends on the number of DIMMs attached and their capacities. The cache may be divided into two parts, Read Cache and Write Cache. The user can configure the sizes of each part. Typically they are equal in size. The read cache is used to bring in read-ahead data and write cache is used for posted-write operations. Since bridge memory is battery-backed, the data in cache that has not been flushed on to drives, called dirty data, is preserved if the controller fails or power fails while I/Os are going on. The “Cache Lines Status” area 72 of bridge 22 memory is used by the firmware to store the minimum status information of each and every cache line, which should not be lost if the power fails or the controller fails. It consists of two 32-bit words per cache line. The first word, called a tag, represents a unique value that identifies the logical volume stripe that is stored in the corresponding cache line. The other word, called dirty status, is the bit map of the 32 sectors, one bit per sector, showing which of the sectors in the cache line are dirty. A dirty sector is the sector that contains posted write data that has not been flushed to drives yet. Since there are two 32-bit words per cache line, the size of status Cache Lines Status area 72 depends upon the number of cache lines, which in turn depends upon the number of DIMMs and their capacities. Memory section 74 is an exact copy of the Cache Signature and Configuration Information area 68 stored at offset 0×1040000 and described above. However, this area is exactly 0×800 bytes in length and is always located at the end of the bridge memory. Although there are two slots 38 and 40 on the controller 10 , the firmware supports both one DIMM as well as two DIMM configurations. If there is only one DIMM 34 , it may be inserted in any of the slots 38 and 40 . In other words, all the possible combinations are valid configurations. Note however that if there are two DIMMs 34 and 36 used, the implementation requires that they are equal in capacity. In this case, the Address Map 60 is split across the two boards 34 and 36 , and the split occurs within the Cache region 70 of the address map. Table 1 below shows some of the cases in which the two cache boards are improperly handled. Dx is a cache board in slot x (0 or 1) containing unflushed data. Ex is a cache board that was previously used in another controller and contains unflushed data. X is defined as an empty cache board slot. TABLE 1 Slot 0/ Slot 0/ Slot 1 Slot 1 Before After Reason for the Error D0/D1 D0/X The user removed the cache board from slot 1 while there was unflushed data in it. D0/D1 D1/X The user removed the cache board in slot 0 and probably replaced the one in slot 1 into slot 0. D0/D1 D1/D0 The user swapped the cache boards, probably while replacing a failed controller with a new one. D0/D1 D0/E1 The user accidentally replaced the cache board in slot 1 with another cache board being used in slot 1 of another controller. D0/D1 E0/D1 The user accidentally replaced the cache board in slot 0 with another cache board being used in slot 0 of another controller. D0/X D0/E1 The user added a cache board, but the cache board is a part of cache on some other controller. D0/D1 D1/E1 The user replaced one of the cache boards with another controller's cache board and swapped their positions as well. D0/D1 E0/D1 The user replaced one of the cache boards with another controller's cache board. To ascertain the existence of a problem with the cache boards, and to effect a possible solution, the following operations are performed during power-up: determining if there is unflushed data in a cache board; identifying a used cache board; and detecting if the cache board belongs to this controller or to another controller. The firmware has been coded in such a way that batteries are enabled only upon the very first write from the controller. The firmware disables the batteries as soon as it is done flushing. Hence the batteries are enabled only when there is some dirty data (unflushed data) in the cache. It is primarily done to save battery power, but doubles as an excellent way of telling whether or not there is any unflushed data in a cache board. The second operation performed is to identify if a cache board was ever used in any predetermined dual-cache board controller. For this purpose the Cache Signature and Configuration Information (CSCI) area is used. This area stores a string called the “cache signature”, which identifies the presence of a specific cache board. The firmware writes this signature on every cache board at the power up time. Since there are two copies of CSCI area and both of them are located at a certain computable address, that memory location can be read to determine if a cache board was ever used. The cache signatures can also be used to identify if the cache consisted of only one cache board or two cache boards. If for a given cache board, we can read cache signature in CSCI copy 0 and CSCI copy 1 , then the cache board has full cache contained in it. If on the other hand we just find CSCI copy 0 and no CSCI copy 1 , then it means that the cache board is the first half of the total cache. Similarly, if we just find CSCI copy 1 and no CSCI copy 0 , then it means that the cache board is the second half of the total cache. The third and final operation that we should be performed is to determine if the cache board attached to this controller really belongs to it. For this purpose we will make use of the RIS signature stored in Cache Signature and Configuration Information (CSCI) area. The RIS signature is also stored on the drives. Hence we can read RIS signature from the drives and compare it to the one read from CSCI to determine if the cache board has data that was meant for the drives on this controller. Here we are assuming that the chances of having the same RIS signature between two controllers' logical volumes is negligibly small, which is a reasonable assumption. When the controller powers up, the firmware has to figure out if the cache boards have been replaced since the last power cycle. Most of the time this will not be the case. However, due to some rare occasions of controller failure, the user will have to move the cache boards to a new controller and in doing so, he might do things like swapping the cache boards, or even worse, mix and match cache boards of some other controller. In such cases, the firmware determines what has happened by looking at the currently attached cache boards. The first thing that the firmware does is to look at the batteries of the attached cache boards to find out which cache boards have unflushed data. If all of the cache boards have batteries disabled, it just proceeds as normal. If at least one of the boards has the batteries enabled, then it looks at the two copies of Cache Signature and Configuration Information (CSCI) area in the cache boards that have batteries enabled. Depending upon the number of cache boards that firmware finds with batteries enabled, and whether it finds CSCI copy 0 and/or copy 1 , it may run into one of the different possible error cases described below in further detail. For this case, the firmware tries to access both CSCI areas. Depending upon which copy it finds and which it does not, the firmware will have to handle four different cases. Table 3 explains these cases. We also assign a likelihood to each of these cases. The likelihood is an integer, between 1 and 4 inclusive, assigned to each case showing the approximate relative probability of occurrence. Table 2 gives the meaning of each likelihood level. TABLE 2 Likelihood Meaning 1 Probability of occurrence is negligibly small. Probably will never occur. 2 May occur but very rare chance. 3 Rare but relatively higher chance of occurrence. 4 Highest chance of occurrence. This will be the normal case. As explained above, Table 3 explains the various possible case when there is only one cache board attached and the batteries are enabled, wherein CS 0 is the Cache Signature and Configuration Information Copy 0 , and CS 1 is the Cache Signature and Configuration Information Copy 1 . TABLE 3 Sub case Likeli- # CS0 CS1 hood How could it happen? 1.0 Absent Absent 2 Batteries depleted while there was unflushed data in cache OR Enable batteries of a new cache board with some software/hardware tool. 1.1 Absent Present 2 Misplace one of the two cache boards while replacing a failed controller. 1.2 Present Absent 3 Misplace one of the two cache boards while replacing a failed controller. 1.3 Present Present 4 Turn off the controller while I/Os are going on. Turn it back on. In Subcase 1.0 both the CSCI copies are absent but the batteries are enabled. This could happen if the controller was left without power for a couple of days and the cache board had batteries enabled because of unflushed data in it. The batteries got depleted and the data was lost. This is likely to happen. The other way to run into this situation would be by enabling batteries of a new cache board using some kind of hardware or software tools. This is quite unlikely. We assign the overall likelihood of 2 to this case. The controller reports possible data loss to the user in this case and locks up. In Subcases 1.1 and 1.2, CSCI copy 0 is not present but CSCI copy 1 is present. Hence the cache board was once one of the two cache boards used in a controller and still has the unflushed data from that controller. This probably occurred because the user stopped the running controller, and removed one of the cache boards. In this situation, the firmware locks up and outputs the message to replace the missing cache board. Subcase 1.3 is the normal situation wherein the cache board has both the CSCI copies present. That is, the cache board was used as cache in the previous power cycle, and the data could not be flushed to the drives. The firmware proceeds normally by first flushing the data on the drives and then uses the cache board as fresh new cache. Error Case 2 occurs when there are two cache boards but only one of them has the batteries enabled. In this case, we only consider the cache board with batteries enabled. Again, the firmware looks at the two copies of CSCI and determines the situation it is in. Table 4 shows the various sub-cases. TABLE 4 Sub- case Likeli- # CS0 CS1 hood How could it happen? 2.0 Absent Absent 2 Batteries depleted while there was unflushed data in cache OR Enable batteries of a new cache board with some software/hardware tool. 2.1 Absent Present 2 Replace one of the two cache boards with a new unused cache board. 2.2 Present Absent 3 Replace one of the two cache boards with a new unused cache board. 2.3 Present Present 4 Add another cache board to increase cache capacity. In Subcase 2.0, both the CSCI copies are absent but the batteries are enabled. This could happen if the controller was left without power for a couple of days and the cache board had batteries enabled because of unflushed data in it. The batteries got depleted and the data was lost. This is likely to happen. The other way to run into this situation would be by enabling batteries of a new cache board using some kind of hardware or software tools. This is quite unlikely. We assign the overall likelihood of 2 to this case. The controller reports possible data loss to the user in this case and locks up. In Subcases 2.1 and 2.2, one of the CSCI copies is present and the other one is not. Hence the cache board was once one of the two cache boards used in a controller and still has the unflushed data from that controller. This can only occur if the user replaced the other module with the one totally unused. The chance of this case to occur is very low. In this situation, the firmware locks up and outputs the message to replace the missing cache board. In Subcase 2.3. there are two cache boards, one of them has batteries disabled and the other one has batteries enabled. The one with batteries enabled has full cache in it. This probably occurred because the user added a new cache board. This is very likely to occur. The firmware flushes the data in the cache board that has batteries enabled. Once it is done it reconfigures the cache to extend it to two cache modules. This can only be done when there are no outstanding I/Os going on. One way of doing so is at the boot-up time. However flushing the whole cache could take up to a couple of minutes if the cache is full with good data. Causing the user to wait for such a long time during power-up is not feasible. The other way is to leave the cache configuration to use only the enabled cache board during boot up time and set a flag saying that cache reconfiguration is needed. Then in the background, the firmware constantly keeps on checking to see if the reconfiguration is needed and there are no outstanding I/Os going on. As soon as this condition is satisfied, it goes ahead and reconfigures the cache to extend to two cache boards instead of one. Although there may be some time when there are two cache boards on the controller, but only one of them is being used as cache, this method will extend the cache configuration in the background and this will not be noticed by the end user. Error case 3 is when there are two cache boards and both of them have the batteries enabled. In this error case, there are two cache boards present and both of them have batteries enabled, that is, unflushed data. The two cache boards may not belong to the same controller. The firmware looks at the two copies of CSCI in both the cache boards to figure out what might have happened. Table 5 shows the different possible error scenarios, in which CS 0 M 0 is Copy 0 of CSCI (CS 0 ) in slot 0 cache board (module M 0 ), CS 1 M 0 is Copy 1 of CSCI (CS 1 ) in slot 0 cache board (module M 0 ), CS 0 M 1 is Copy 0 of CSCI (CS 0 ) in slot 1 cache board (module M 1 ), and CS 1 M 1 is Copy 1 of CSCI (CS 1 ) in slot 1 cache board (module M 1 ). TABLE 5 Sub case # CS0M0 CS1M0 CS0M1 CS0M1 Likelihood 3.0 Absent Absent Absent Absent 2 3.1 Absent Absent Absent Present 1 3.2 Absent Absent Present Absent 1 3.3 Absent Absent Present Present 1 3.4 Absent Present Absent Absent 1 3.5 Absent Present Absent Present 2 3.6 Absent Present Present Absent 3 3.7 Absent Present Present Present 2 3.8 Present Absent Absent Absent 1 3.9 Present Absent Absent Present 4 3.10 Present Absent Present Absent 2 3.11 Present Absent Present Present 2 3.12 Present Present Absent Absent 1 3.13 Present Present Absent Present 2 3.14 Present Present Present Absent 2 3.15 Present Present Present Present 2 In Subcases 3.0, 3.1, 3,2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.8 and 3.12, at least one of the cache boards has neither CSCI copy 0 nor CSCI copy 1 , yet its batteries are enabled. This could happen if the controller was left without power for a couple of days and the cache board had batteries enabled because of unflushed data in it. The batteries got depleted and the data was lost. This is likely to happen. The other way to run into this situation would be by enabling batteries of a new cache board using some kind of hardware or software tools. This is quite unlikely. We assign the overall likelihood of 2 to this case. The controller reports possible data loss to the user in this case and locks up. In Subcases 3.5 and 3.10 both the cache boards have either copy 0 or copy 1 . This means that one of the boards does not belong to this controller. By matching the RIS signature on the drives with the one in CSCI, the firmware finds out which one is alien. Then it outputs this message on the serial port to replace that cache board and locks up. This case is very unlikely to happen. In Subcase 3.6 the firmware finds out that both the CSCI copies are present but the cache boards are swapped. That is, copy 0 is in the cache board in slot 1 and vice versa. The firmware internally reprograms the PCI-to-PCI Bridge Bank Registers to swap the address space. This way it automatically swaps the cache boards from within the firmware and the user does not even notice any difference. This is likely to happen when the user replaces a failed controller with a new one and reuses the old cache boards. In Subcases 3.7, 3.11, 3.13 and 3.14 one of the cache boards has full cache data on it and the other cache board is a part of another cache. This can happen only when the user tries to extend the controller's cache, but he accidentally uses an already in-use cache board on another controller. This is very unlikely to happen. The firmware uses RIS signature to determine if the cache board that has the full cache belongs to this controller. If so, it flushes the contents of the cache. It then locks up outputting an appropriate message. Subcase 3.9 is the normal case and most likely to occur when there are two cache boards attached. This can happen when the user turns off the controller while I/Os are going on or the controller fails, then he replaces the controller with a new one and places the cache boards in appropriate slots. The firmware just proceeds as normal in this case. In Subcase 3.15 both the cache boards have their own full caches. At least one of them does not belong to this controller. The firmware finds that out by comparing RIS signature, and then locks up after displaying a message to the user to replace the wrong cache board. Having described and illustrated the principle of the invention in a preferred embodiment thereof, it is appreciated by those having skill in the art that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. We therefore claim all modifications and variations coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

A dual-cache array controller for a hard-drive based storage system includes software for identifying and addressing errors made in user handling of the cache boards. Controller firmware is programmed to determine whether or not there is any unflushed data in a cache board, to identify a used cache board, and to detect whether or not the cache board belongs to the controller in use or to another controller. Once a problem is identified, the controller is further programmed to issue an appropriate error message and to take corrective action, such as locking up the system until the correct cache board changes are made.

[0001] This patent application also claims benefit and priorities from the following US Provisional patent applications, hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties: 60/452,362 of Mar. 2, 2003. 60/464,171 of Apr. 14, 2003 [0004] This Patent application claims priority from Israeli application 153893 of Jan. 12, 2003, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. [0005] This patent application also claims benefit and priority from Canadian patent application 2,428,628 of May 3, 2003, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0006] 1. Field of the Invention [0007] The present invention relates to communications where data is being transferred, such as for example through the Internet or through Fax communications, and more specifically to a system and method for increased security over such communications, so that the sender can preferably be sure that the receiver received the message and/or at least is able to prove that he indeed sent it, and preferably the receiver for example can be sure that the message indeed originates from the purported sender. Therefore, this preferably includes also for example a system and method for preventing theft of digital signatures and/or forgeries of source addresses on the Internet, such as for example when sending E-Mail. [0008] 2. Background [0009] Although Microsoft recently came up with the slogan of trustworthy computing, real comprehensive security in computers requires solving a few deeper inherent problems, as explained for example in another patent application by the present inventor (Israeli patent application 136414 of May 28, 2000, which became later PCT application W00192981). Similarly, there are a few inherent problems in communications between computers and/or between other electronic devices (such as for example Fax machines), which can initiate a similar call for trustworthy communications. These problems are caused mainly by various limitations in the currently employed communication protocols, for example over the Internet, or in Fax transmissions. The two main problems are: Verification by the sender that the user indeed received the message, and verification by the receiver that the purported sender indeed is the one who initiated the message. Both of these features are currently lacking for example in normal Fax communications and in normal email communications. [0010] In Fax communications, for example, unless the receiver can trace the source of the call, the receiver does not know for sure if a Fax transmission indeed originated from the purported sender, or someone for example forged the sender's phone number and/or logo on the head of the Fax. Similarly, unless the sender specifically phones the receiver and requests for example voice confirmation and/or confirmation for example by a return Fax, the sender cannot be sure that the receiver indeed received the Fax or received it properly, or at least cannot prove it in case it is needed later for example in some dispute resolution. [0011] In electronic communications over the Internet, similarly, for example normal email communications allow users very easily to falsify the sender's email address, as happens for example many times when spam (unsolicited junk mail) is sent, or when various viruses, such as for example the Klez worm, spread themselves. This stems from the fact that in E-Mail technology, and Internet technology in general, there are currently no automatic provisions for preventing forgery of source addresses. This allows for example viruses, such as for example the Klez worm, to use for example stolen or fake e-mail addresses in order to pretend coming from other e-mail addresses, thus confusing attempts to track the real sender. For example, there are various incoming-mail server systems that automatically remove this specific Virus when detecting it and also issue a warning to the sender, however, since the sender E-mail address is typically faked by the virus, this message goes to the wrong place (or to nowhere—if the given sender email address doesn't exist at all) and thus has little value and can cause more confusion instead of helping. A similar problem is the fact that spammers (people who send junk e-mail to large groups of irrelevant people that did not ask for it) many times hide behind a bogus e-mail address so that they don't get automatic retaliation by e-mail. An even more severe problem is faking emails from various e-commerce sites, such as for example emails from criminals that can pretend to be for example from eBay, that ask clients for various details and then use that to misuse their accounts there. A deeper issue in preventing the faking of email addresses is preventing the faking of IP addresses, since, clearly, making sure that the IP address is not forged can help considerably for verifying also the email address. Similarly, when sending normal email messages, the user cannot be sure that the receiver indeed received the message and/or if he opened it or read it. Although there are already some solutions to this 2 nd problem, these solutions still have various remaining problems, so the problem has not been completely solved yet: There are a number of services today over the internet which offer certified email in a way similar to the way that electronic “greeting multimedia cards” are sent—the message itself is sent to a server, and the receiver gets a notification from the server that a message is waiting for him/her, with a specifically generated URL address, and when the receiver goes to that URL he/she can see the actual message, and the server can confirm that the message has been received. U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,454, issued on Nov. 6, 2001 to Sony corporation defines such a service, although it does not describe precisely how the receiver gets the message from the server. Anyway, this method of delivery still has a number of drawbacks: 1. It is more cumbersome than sending a normal message. 2. If the message is a message that the receiver will probably not like to get, he can always ignore the invitation to view the message or deny that he even received it. U.S. pending application 20020046250 by Nick Nassiri adds the use of a central authority that forwards the message to the actual receiver, and can also keep for example a copy of the content of the message, but it has a number of drawbacks: 1. It does not define how the server itself verifies that the end receiver indeed received the message, so it merely pushes the problem one step forward. 2. It is even more cumbersome, since the sender is required to first access the service site and establish a registration account. Clearly a more straightforward and comprehensive solution is needed. [0012] A related problem is the problem of security when using digital signatures. Recent legislation in the USA regards digital signatures as no less obligating than handwritten signatures, and in other countries there are similar legislations in process. One of the biggest service suppliers in this area even bragged that it could take almost infinite time to break the private keys in these digital signatures, but ignored the simple fact that there is no need to break the keys since it is much easier to steal them, for example by a Trojan horse, which can arrive for example by e-mail or for example through a web page, by exploiting various loopholes in browsers and/or in e-mail programs. Since such a signature can be compelling in any kind of contract, including for example wills and huge real estate deals, and can involve “non-repudiation” even if you prove for example that your computer was compromised by a Trojan horse, it is clear that the damage from stolen keys can be enormous. In fact, a recent article by two leading experts—Carl Ellison and Bruce Schneier—in the Computer Security Journal, Vol. 16, Number 1, 2000 (http://www.counterpane.com/pki-risks.html), shows that the PKI (Public-Key Infrastructure) concept is highly flawed and can expose users to extreme danger. In the above other patent application by the present inventor et. al. (Israeli patent application 136414 of May 28, 2000, which became later PCT application WO0192981), we showed that such private keys are not safe without proper automatic segregation and verification upon accessing the keys and/or the communication channels. In this patent I show an alternative method for securing the private keys based on hardware. The idea of keeping the private keys for digital signatures for example on a separate card is not new in itself, but current cards which only store the keys themselves are still vulnerable for example to Trojan horses that can intercept for example the access to these cards from the computer and/or for example initiate an access of their own after such interception. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] The present invention solves the above problems by providing various solutions that preferably include improvement of the protocols. [0014] Regarding Fax transmissions, there are a number of possible solutions, so preferably at least one of them is used: 1. In order to ensure the sender's identity in Fax transmissions, one possible solution is that for example the telephone company's computer identifies automatically Fax transmissions and adds its own identification of the originator's phone number to the transmission. This can be done for example by transmitting this number directly to the receiving Fax machine for example as part of the protocol or as additional protocol, so that the receiving Fax machine can understand this number and can for example add it to the header of the Fax. Another possible variation is that the receiving Fax can automatically identify the phone number of the sender (like in identified phone calls, unless for example the sender has blocked it) and preferably can thus automatically add it to the printed Fax. Another possible variation is that this can be added for example by the phone company's computer to the Fax transmission itself, so that it behaves for example like the first few pixel-lines or last few pixel-lines of the Fax transmission or is added or superimposed over some pixel lines such as for example the first or last few original pixel lines, which has the advantage that no special additional protocols or features in Fax machines are needed. (However, this could be problematic if for example an encrypted Fax is sent, since in that case the few added pixel-lines will not be compatible with the encryption—so in this case one possible solution is for example that the phone company adds an additional non-encrypted transmission with the additional data). On the other hand, preferably the sender also has the option of disabling the sender's number identification. However, in such cases preferably the phone company still enforces at least a regional identification—such as for example the real area code of the sender, so that if for example someone forges the logo of another company or organization, at least he cannot do it with an organization that is in another country or area code, because his real area code will show up, and/or in such cases for example the phone company can enforce identifying at least part of the number (such as for example 2 or 3 of the digits, which can be for example the first digits or any other part of the number), so that this does not enable calling back the sender but gives additional identifying details. Another possible variation is that the phone company's computer automatically identifies if the connection is used for a normal voice communication or for Fax transmission, and if it is a Fax or similar kind of transmission preferably the phone company forwards the number to the called number even if the user has normally a block on identified phone calls when he initiates a normal voice call. Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. 2. In order to confirm that the receiver indeed received the Fax, one possible solution is that the Fax communications protocol is improved, so that for example each Fax machine automatically sends back a confirmation Fax to the sender if the Fax was received OK, or does it at least if the sender for example requests it for example by setting a “request-confirmation” flag in the sending Fax machine. Of course the confirmation can be sent for example by having the receiving Fax automatically call back the sending Fax, but more preferably the confirmation is done using the same connection that was dialed out by the sending fax, which solves the problem of incurring phone expenses by the receiving fax. The confirmation preferably can include sending back for example one or more or all of the received pages (which is preferably done directly from the receiving Fax's memory, or for example from the hard disk—if the fax machine is for example a fax/modem card in a computer) and/or sending back a serial number of the received Fax (for this preferably each Fax machine has a serial counter which automatically increments by 1 when each Fax is received), and/or sending back for example a digital key, which preferably is based on a unique identifier of the receiving Fax (Preferably a private key), which is preferably converted into another number or numbers, which preferably reflect also the time and the date, preferably in addition to the automatically incrementing serial number, so that it becomes very difficult to be able to fake such a return key. For example, each Fax machine might have one or more unique digital identifier or identifiers (as explained above, preferably a private key) and/or a unique formula for mathematical manipulations on these identifiers as a function of time and date and preferably also of the serial number and preferably also of some identifier of the content. Another possible variation is that the confirmation that the fax was sent and/or that it was received is sent automatically in addition or instead for example by the phone company's computer. Preferably the receiving Fax machine prints the unique confirmation key and/or serial number also on at least one page of the received Fax, so that the receivers also have a good trace of which confirmations were assigned by their fax machine for each message. Another possible variation is that the sending fax also automatically similarly adds is own unique serial number and/or key that preferably reflects also a time and date stamp (for example by some combination of its private key with the time and date), so that the receiver also has a confirmation that the fax sent to him was authentic, for example in case of later dispute. Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. 3. Another possible variation is to use for example one or more trusted authorities and send the Fax through such authority, so that the authority itself preferably automatically sends back to the sender a confirmation of the sender and intended receiver and preferably also of the time and date the Fax was sent (and preferably also of the content of the Fax, so that preferably each return confirmation page is stamped by the authority), and also takes care of forwarding the Fax to the intended receiver. The confirmation from the authority to the sender can be done for example by any of the methods described in solution 2 above, and/or for example through email. When forwarding the Fax to the receiver, the intermediate authority can for example use any of the methods described in solution 2 above, or for example, if the receiving Fax machine does not have such features, continue to attempt sending the Fax again at least for a number of times and/or for a certain time, until normal conventional confirmation is received from the receiving machine that the transmission went through OK and/or for example until confirmation according to any of the variations of the above solution 2 is received, and/or until too much time has elapsed and/or too many attempts have failed. The authority then preferably forwards the confirmation also to the sender (again, for example by Fax or by email, for example if provisions for adding email addresses are added for example to the Fax protocol or for example if the user registers there with his number and gives also his/her email), or for example notifies the sender that transmission was unsuccessful, and preferably keeps a record of that also at the trusted authority's archives. This record may include for example also the content of the Fax itself. This way the user can have a 3 rd party verified confirmation of the time and date of the transmission, and whether it was successfully also received by the end receiver, and preferably also a confirmation of its content, and the confirmation can be for example in the form of the stamped return Fax, and/or for example in the form of a copy in the authority's database, which can be retrieved upon request also later for example in case of dispute (preferably the copy is kept in the database for at least a few years—for example 7 years). The trusted authority can be for example a government body, such as for example the US postal service and/or for example the phone company itself. Preferably the authority has at least one local branch in each main country so that the fax can be sent to a local number, and preferably the data is then automatically transferred to the branch nearest to the receiver through the Internet. Another possible variation is that the fax machine can be connected to the user's computer in a way that causes it to send the images of the faxed pages directly into the computer so that it can be send directly by email, preferably without having to add a fax card to the computer itself and an additional phone line. This can be done for example by connecting the fax to the parallel port or to the USB and for example adding a function to the fax that allows the user to send the fax-coded images to the computer instead of over phone lines (or for example dialing a special number, such as for example 0 activates this), and then the user can for example send it directly through email to the authority. Of course, like other features of this invention, this feature can be used also independently of any other features of this invention. Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. Regarding digital signatures, there are a number of possible solutions to ensure that the private keys are not stolen for example by malicious software, so preferably at least one of them is used: 1. In order to ensure the safety of private keys even without a comprehensive generic security system on the computer itself, any separate and preferably detouchable hardware that contains the private keys preferably contains also all the software or firmware for accessing and processing these keys, so that in order to digitally sign and encrypt a document preferably the entire document has to be sent to this hardware and processed by the hardware itself, so the returned output from the hardware is the already encrypted and signed document. This way preferably this hardware is like a black box to any software that can access it from the computer. Preferably the hardware also uses at least one incrementally changing element, which can be affected also for example by the exact time and date, in order to reduce the chance of replay for example by Trojan horses that may intercept the encrypted message. Of course using the hardware preferably requires also typing some, preferably user-chooseable, password or secret number or code, since otherwise the hardware itself might be stolen and used. 2. In addition, preferably any such hardware has a secure and/or encrypted channel for accessing for example the computer screen or the printer or has an output means of its own, in order to display to the user the correct unencrypted document that is being signed. This is important because otherwise a Trojan horse might for example still intercept the connection with the hardware and then send to it for example a dangerous document to be actually processed, while displaying to the user a totally different document which looks innocent to the user. Another possible variation is that the hardware can indicate for example at least the File size and/or CRC and/or other fingerprints of the file that is being signed and preferably some security software and/or for example a function of the Operating system alerts the user if the file that the user sees on the screen has for example a different fingerprint or other parameters than the fingerprint or other parameters shown by the hardware. Another possible variation the user himself has to compare the fingerprint or other parameters displayed by the hardware with the fingerprint or other parameters displayed by the computer, and in such a case preferably there is no access from the computer to the fingerprint, so that for example no malicious software can steal the fingerprint from the hardware and display that on the computer's screen. Another possible variation is to use a security software that ensures that the user always sees the correct real document on which he/she is digitally signing, which can be used for example also if no hardware for the digital keys is used. This is preferably done by preventing any other software from accessing the hardware and/or the driver and/or software that come with the hardware without explicit permission by the user. Of course, this can be also for example, in addition or instead, a feature provided by the Operating system itself. 3. As an additional precaution, in order to prevent for example a Trojan horse from “grabbing” a user's authorization, preferably each authorization can be used only once and must therefore be explicitly reapplied in order to sign an additional document. In other words, if for example the user has to connect the hardware to the computer or for example insert some additional detouchable element within the hardware as an act of signing or for example press his fingertip against a scanner, etc., he/she is preferably required to re-do it again each time a document needs a signature, even if the hardware is called repeatedly for consecutive signings. Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. Regarding email transmissions there are a number of possible solutions, so preferably at least one of them is used: 1. In order to prevent faking of the sender's email, since many outgoing e-mail servers already use a list or range of acceptable IP addresses for deciding if to relay an e-mail message or not (for example the Hebrew University mail servers refuse to relay e-mail messages sent by users who are currently logged in for example through Netvision, and vice versa), similar principles can be used also according to the source e-mail that the user provides. So for example, each such mail server can look not only at the source IP address but also instead or in addition at the “From” field and/or “reply-to” field of the e-mail message that the user is trying to send and refuse to relay the message if the “From field” indicates an email address who's corresponding IP address is beyond the range or list of allowed IP addresses for that server. Of course, this prevents only faking e-mail addresses which are outside the given organization or area and does not prevent using fake sender addresses that are within the organization. So this can only considerably reduce the problem but does not solve it completely. However, this is a very good heuristic solution and very easy to implement, even without any additional changes in protocols. Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. 2. Another possible variation is checking also if the given sender e-mail address actually exists at all—for example by sending a short message to it (Preferably by the 1 st email server that receives the outgoing email message) and seeing if there is an acknowledgement or a warning message that there is no such real address. This can be done for example within the organization and/or also with e-mail addresses that are outside the organization, by checking the response of the appropriate remote e-mail server. Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. 3. Another possible variation could be a change in the e-mail protocol, so that for example each e-mail-sending program must use some random code and/or preferably also for example the exact time in milliseconds when the message was generated, and the email server immediately contacts back the sender and asks it to repeat the sent code and refuses to relay an e-mail message if the sender does not respond with the correct answer. This way, if a fake sender address has been used, the sending programs there will not be able to respond with the correct code. However, this solution is more cumbersome, and also is impractical since in most cases where people use e-mail today, they are connected to the Internet for example via a dial-up connection or an ADSL connection, which can change each time they make a new connection, and thus the sender e-mail address that they use is typically some logical address on the incoming mail server of their access provider. Thus the source e-mail address that they use is by definition typically not identical with the identity of the real sending machine. So this stringent method could work only for example when people send e-mail messages through a University mainframe, in which case the sender e-mail address is indeed identical with the sending computer. However, this or similar principles can be used for example for making sure that the user does not use a fake IP address and for similarly preventing malicious programs (such as for example various viruses or worms or Trojan horses) from pretending to be themselves a relaying e-mail server instead of an e-mail client program. Therefore, such a solution, applied to IP addresses, can be used for example in combination with solution no. 1. (Another possible variation is that whenever the user sends an email message the appropriate incoming mail server is automatically informed about it and thus can respond to the challenge and preferably for example the ISP automatically allows this only to users who are indeed allowed to access it, and/or for example the ISP automatically adds to each outgoing message the defined incoming-mail server, however such a solution is more cumbersome and creates unnecessary limitations on the user). Another possible variation is that the ISP for example automatically adds the user's real assigned IP address and/or the confirmed user identity preferably to all outgoing packets or for example at least to emails. Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. 4. Another possible variation, which can further help implement for example solutions 1 and 3, can be used in the future IP structure where physical (geographical) IP addresses are used. In a physical address system each server can instantly know if any IP address given by the user is real or not according the trace of its route, and thus refuse to communicate with a source that uses an IP address that is impossible according to its real position on the Internet. For this, preferably each relay server or router preferably adds its own IP address to each packet as it travels though it. Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. 5. Another possible variation that can further solve the problem of using a bogus sender e-mail address that belongs to someone else within the organization is that preferably the access provider and/or the e-mail server require the user to list for example up to 3 phone numbers (or any other preferably small reasonable or limited number of allowed phone numbers) which can be used by him/her when connecting to the Internet through that access provider, and preferably when making the connection the phone company automatically provides the access provider with the correct phone number used by the user, and the access provider's server then preferably automatically records the actual phone-number and the IP address assigned for that connection and for example makes sure what e-mails are associated with that phone number. This way if for example a malicious program on the user's computer then tries to access the Internet with a false IP address, the access provider's servers can immediately find that the IP address does not fit the real IP address assigned to that connection and preferably for example block all such packets which contain the falsified IP address and/or log the case and/or notify the access provider's authority, etc. For enforcing this, preferably the phone company's computer automatically identifies if the connection is used for a normal voice communication or for electronic data connection (including if it is for example ADSL or cable TV connection to the internet, etc.) and if it is a data connection preferably the phone company forwards the number to the ISP even if the user has normally a block on identified phone calls when he initiates a normal voice call. This is very important since many computer crimes are committed from stolen accounts. Another possible variation is that, if the phone company cannot provide this service, the user himself has to provide the number used each time (This is less reliable, however in combination with the above solutions it can still achieve good results). Another possible variation is that for example some unique identifier of the user's computer and/or for example of its communication card is used preferably by the ISP as the unique identifier instead of or in addition to the actual phone number, for example in a way similar to using such unique identification during secure http (https://), except that the identifiers are preferably saved by the ISP also between sessions. This method can be used also in case of connecting to the Internet from mobile devices, such as for example mobile phones or palm computers or portable computers. If the user changes the device from which he communicates with the Internet or changes for example the communications device in it, then preferably he has to explicitly inform his ISP about this and authorize the change. Of course this can be used also for preventing the use of stolen accounts and/or passwords. This way, for example the nearest end-node of the access provider always knows if the IP address used by the software on the User's machine is indeed the correct one assigned to it by the access provider. Within large organizations where users work for example from within a large building, this phone method can also be used, and/or for example any other physical address or fingerprint identifying the machine and/or the specific network connection used. This itself can ensure only that IP addresses are not faked, which can be also very useful for example in cases of DDOS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks, so that the attacked server or its firewall can immediately start dropping packets arriving from the attacking IP addresses, since otherwise an attacking Trojan horse could for example change a faked IP address all the time. This does not by itself prevent faking of email addresses within the organization or within the valid range of IP addresses of the access provider, but it allows for example very easily tracing the user who's computer generated a false email address if it is later determined to be false for example by the receiver of the message. Another possible variation is that each user is allowed by the access provider for example to explicitly provide a list of allowed sender email addresses that can be used from each uniquely identified computer and/or connection and/or phone numbers. Another possible variation is that each time a user's computer sends an email address or uses some IP address it is logged on the nearest access provider's node along with unique identifying data of the computer and/or the connection and/or for example the phone number used and/or the IP address that was assigned to this connection, and if the sender email address changes more than a certain allowed number of times during that session then for example messages with additional sender email addresses are for example blocked and/or the case is logged and/or reported to for example to the access provider authority. (Another possible variation is to do the same also for IP address changes, but as explained above preferably attempts to use the wrong IP address are automatically blocked). Of course various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. 6. Another possible variation for preventing faking of source IP addresses is that the first server or node (preferably of the access provider) that the outgoing packets from the user's computer reaches first sends back a short package to the given source IP address and forwards the packets only if the machine at the given IP address confirms that it indeed initiated the outgoing packets. Preferably such confirmation is based on replying to a unique challenge so that only the real originator can respond. However, a malicious program could circumvent such checks for example by pretending to be another server or router or for example an email server. But, since in normal email protocol typically the sending mail server connects directly to the receiving mail server at the domain of the target address without going through other mail servers on the way (so there are typically only routers on the way that relay the packets)—preferably the mail server on the receiver's side verifies the IP of the sender's side server by contacting back the sender's side mail server, preferably with a challenge so that only the real originator can respond, and thus even if the sending client can pretend to be a server, it doesn't help him since attempts to fake the IP address will not work. Another possible variation is for example to perform this check also between at least some nodes on the way, but that would be less efficient. Another possible variation is that normal users that are not running servers are automatically marked by the access provider as end-node and thus attempts to pretend to be a server can be automatically ignored. This is very easy to accomplish since most access providers for example in Israel do not allow normal users to run servers. Another possible variation is that the access provider identifies if someone runs a real server for example according to its behavior. Another possible variation is that there are also for example one or more email authorities (for example in a way similar to phone companies) in which users can or have to register in order to confirm who they really are and that they are indeed the one who are using that email addresses. Of course various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. 7. Another problem is the fact that when people connect to the Internet for example from an Internet Café, many times they forget to close down open connections and/or at least they leave behind traces such as for example various cookie files, temporary files, history logs, etc. There have already been cases that users who subsequently used the same computer misused this for example to send a false suicide note or to send a false kidnapping message, etc. Although some web based email sites, such as for example Hotmail and Yahoo, allow the user to mark when he/she is using a public computer, this relies on the user marking it and is anyway just a limited solution. Therefore, preferably the OS itself, preferably during installation, enables the administrator to specify that this is a public-use computer, and preferably this setting can be changed only for example with the original installation disk and/or with a password and/or with some other physical key. Preferably when defined as a public computer, the OS itself indicates this in outgoing electronic communications such as for example emails, for example by adding this info at the socket layer, and preferably any session-related traces are automatically removed by the system for example after a short time of inactivity and/or if the user does not re-enter a password chosen by the original person that started the session, or for example such traces are not saved at all. Another possible variation is that in addition for example the OS allows the user to send additional email messages from the same session only if he/she know the password entered or chosen by the user when he/she started the session, etc. Another possible variation is that this is enforced for example instead or in addition by a security software that is installed on the computer. 8. In order to enable delivery confirmation of email messages, one possible variation is to use one or more trusted authorities like in solution 3 for Fax transmissions. The additional advantage of this is there can be an independent confirmation also of the content of the message, a feature which is lacking even in normal certified mail. This confirmation can be, again, for example in the form of a certified copy returned from the authority, for example with various stamps or signatures, and/or in the form of a record kept at the authority for example for 7 years, in case a later certificate is needed. However, preferably no previous setting of account by the sender at the server is required, and each sender can preferably automatically use the services of the trusted authority by simply using a properly formed message. This is explained in more detail in the reference to FIG. 1 . Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. 9. Another possible variation in order to confirm that the receiver indeed received an email message, is that the email communications protocol is improved, so that for example each end-node email server that communicates directly with the final receiver (typically this is the mail server at the domain of the receiver's email address) preferably automatically sends back a confirmation to the sender and/or to the mail server at the sender's side if the email was received OK, or does it at least if the sender for example requests it for example by setting a “request-confirmation” flag in the sent email message. The confirmation that the message was received OK by the receiving server can be for example by the aid of sending also at least one CRC or fingerprint or size data together with the message from the sending server, so that the receiving server can confirm that the message came OK, and/or for example the receiving server also sends back to the sending server a copy of the message it received, so that the sending server can check if it is identical with the sent message. Preferably the copy is sent back with a digital stamp and serial number, like in the case of using a trusted authority. In the existing prior art protocol, the sending server only knows if it succeeded to connect to the receiving server and if the requested address there exists, but not if the message itself was received completely, etc. Another possible variation is that the mail server at the side of the receiver preferably also automatically informs the mail server at the side of the sender and/or the sender directly if and when the receiver's client program actually downloads the message from the mail server at the side of the receiver. This feature is also not done in the prior art. This is explained in more detail in the reference to FIG. 2 . Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. 10. Another problem is that many times a messages is received but is simply lost because the user does not notice it among all the dozens of junk emails that most users get each day, which can happen for example if the sender uses a subject that looks somewhat similar to a typical subject of junk mail. In order to prevent this preferably the user can instruct the receiving server and/or for example his email client to mark more conspicuously and/or put in a separate group or list all the emails from a list of senders which the user marks as preferred. Another possible variation is that this group can be generated also, instead or in addition, automatically for example by the email client program and/or for example by the closest email server, for example by putting in the list all the emails to which the user himself sent messages and/or giving them for example a higher position if the user sent more messages to them, and thus automatically messages from email addresses with which the user has already communicated receive automatically higher emphasis than any incoming messages from sources to which the user never sent an outgoing email message or reply. Another possible variation is that the user can for example create similarly a list of email addresses from which he wishes messages to be put in a separate list of suspected junk mails or less important emails or for example to be automatically ignored or deleted, which is of course much more useful in combination with any of the above methods for preventing faking of the sender addresses. Another possible variation is that the sending server keeps a record of messages that were sent out (at least for example subject, sender and receiver) at least for a certain period, and the receiving server and/or the user's client email program can preferably be instructed by the user for example to check once in a while if and when any messages were sent from a certain sender (or list of senders) to the user. This way, for example if the user considers it very important that he does not miss any messages from the USPTO, he can instruct for example the receiving server or his email client to query for example once a week or once a month or once a day the email server (or servers) of the USPTO to download a list of all the messages that were sent to the user, and thus find out if there were any missed messages. If the sending server keeps also the message itself at least for a while then preferably the user can request its automatic resending, otherwise at least he knows that an email was lost and can request it again from the sender itself. Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. [0031] Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used, both within the solutions and across them. On the other hand, many times users have a legitimate need to use a constant or official e-mail address in which they want to use as their representative e-mail address even when actually sending the message from another source. For example they might be sending e-mail from home but they want the sender address to be the address on their Internet site's server (for example using the domain of their site). Therefore, the above solutions must not interfere with this legitimate need. There are a number of possible solutions to this problem, so preferably at least one of them is used: 1. The sender can use any official sender and/or “reply-to” e-mail address that he wishes, but preferably he/she must include also an additional field which shows the correct e-mail address which was actually used during the sending of the message. (This field can be called for example “sent-via:”, or any other suitable name). 2. The mail server on the user's site allows legitimate users (for example if they have the correct login and password to access it) to define various e-mails and/or IP addresses that they might use when actually sending the messages, and in order to enable this, for example if the outgoing mail server finds that the sender address is not within the allowed range, it can still relay the message for example if it queries the server at the user's site and the server confirms that the actual sender address is listed there. Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used, both within the solutions and across them. Of course, the above principles are not limited only to e-mail messages, but can be used also for example for preventing using telnet from fake IP addresses, or for example for preventing using digital signatures from IP addresses that are outside a range or list of allowed IP addresses, for example as supplied by the owner of the digital signature. This way, for example, no one can use a stolen digital signature from another place. Preferably in all of the solutions where a confirmation is sent back to the user by a trusted authority or by servers along the way, the party that sends the confirmation preferably also confirms for example by any of the above methods that the sender indeed received the confirmation or at least is able to send again the confirmation if the sender requests it. [0034] Also, the above solutions can still allow people to use anonymous addresses by using for example the e-mail services of public sites that allow anyone to open an e-mail box online and send e-mails from there, such as for example hotmail.com or yahoo.com, except that at least some of the above solutions can also be used to enforce that an email sent for example from [email protected] will not use as the sender field the fake email address of for example [email protected] or any other e-mail address outside that system. [0035] Another possible variation is to create various combinations with conventional postal services, such as for example certified mail based on leaving only “the last miles” to hand-delivery. This way, for example, preferably the certified email message or Fax is automatically relayed for example to a post-office branch which is near or nearest to the receiver's Physical address, and is printed and hand-delivered from there like an ordinary certified mail, except that the whole process can be of course much faster than ordinary certified mail. This is preferably used in combination with IP addresses that contain also physical addresses, preferably based on a Hierarchy, as explained for example in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/375,208 of Feb. 17, 2003, by the present inventor. However, until such physical IP addresses are implemented, preferably matching is automatically done for example by using the physical address of the receiver and automatically matching it with the near post office branch, for example by a combination of country, city and zip code. [0036] Another possible variation is using various combinations between Fax and email messages, so that for example certified communication can be sent to the trusted authority for example as email messages and converted there to Fax communications with the receiver, and/or for example certified communications can be sent to the trusted authority for example as Fax messages and converted there for example to email communications with the receiver, etc. [0037] Of course various combinations of the above and other solutions can also be used. Some of above receipt-verification features may be used for example if the user specifically requests certified communications, or for example automatically even without requesting it, or for example automatically for basic verification and based on user request for more intensive verification, so that for example the basic verification is sending back from the last server or router or node that communicates directly with the receiver at least a confirmation serial number and/or time and date stamp and/or digital key (that preferably contains also the time and date and serial number of the message and some unique identifier of the server). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0038] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a preferable example of a configuration using a trusted authority for verifying the receipt and preferably also the content of an email or fax message. [0039] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a preferable example of using for example mail servers or routers along the way for verifying the receipt and preferably also the content of an email or fax message. IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION AND GLOSSARY [0040] All these drawings are just or exemplary drawings. They should not be interpreted as literal positioning, shapes, angles, or sizes of the various elements. Throughout the patent whenever variations or various solutions are mentioned, it is also possible to use various combinations of these variations or of elements in them, and when combinations are used, it is also possible to use at least some elements in them separately or in other combinations. These variations are preferably in different embodiments. In other words: certain features of the invention, which are described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination. SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transport Protocol. MIME stands for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. Typically email is sent between email servers through SMTP or MIME protocols, and the connection between the receiver's client program and the receiving email server is typically through POP protocol, which stands for Post Office Protocol. Throughout the patent, including the claims, “mail server” or “email server” means a server that sends or receives email messages. “Email” is the standard term for electronic messages, although in the future it might include for example also photonic messages if the computers and communications become all-optical. ISP stands for Internet Service Provider, which means the companies that provide the users with physical access to the Internet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0041] All of descriptions in this and other sections are intended to be illustrative examples and not limiting. [0042] Referring to FIG. 1 , I show a preferable example of a configuration using a trusted authority for verifying the receipt and preferably also the content of an email or fax message. The email message from the user's computer ( 11 ) goes through the trusted authority ( 12 ) on the way to the receiver's computer ( 13 ). The additional advantage of this is there can be an independent confirmation also of the content of the message, a feature which is lacking even in normal certified mail. As explained in the patent summary, this confirmation can be for example in the form of a certified copy returned from the authority, for example with various stamps or signature, and/or in the form of a record kept at the authority for example for 7 years, in case a later certificate is needed. The confirmation itself can be sent for example by a stamped return FAX or digitally signed email. However, preferably no previous setting of account by the sender at the server is required, and each sender can preferably automatically use the services of the trusted authority for example by simply using a properly formed message. The authority itself preferably automatically sends back to the sender a confirmation of the time and date the email was sent (and preferably also of the content of the email, so that preferably the return confirmation email is digitally signed by the authority), and also takes care of forwarding the email to the intended receiver. When forwarding the email to the receiver, the intermediate authority can for example use any of the methods described in this invention to verify that the receiver indeed receives the message, and, if the receiver has not received it, preferably continues to attempt sending the message again at least for a number of times and/or for a certain time, for example until confirmation according to any of the above variations is received, and/or until too much time has elapsed and/or too many attempts have failed. The authority then preferably forwards the confirmation also to the sender, or for example notifies the sender that transmission was unsuccessful, and preferably keeps a record of that also at the trusted authority's archives. Another possible variation is that the trusted authority delivers the message to the user by the “greeting card” method described above, or for example tries to use the “greeting card” method only if normal confirmation (for example by any of the other methods described in this invention) is not received for example within a certain time and/or after a certain number of attempts to resend the message. The confirmation record may include for example also the content of the email itself. This way the user can have a 3 rd party verified confirmation of the time and date of the message, and whether it was successfully also received by the end receiver, and preferably also a confirmation of its content, and the confirmation can be for example in the form a stamped return Fax and/or digitally signed return copy of the sent email message, and/or for example in the form of a copy in the authority's database, which can be retrieved upon request also later for example in case of dispute. Another possible variation is that the authority saves for example one or more CRCs and/or other types of fingerprints of the message that can be used for proving what the content was, without having to save the full content itself, which can thus save a lot of space on the authority's database. Another possible variation is that the authority for example charges a smaller amount for saving only the CRC's (and/or other fingerprints of the content) and a larger amount for saving the full content (and/or charges for example depending on the size of the content that has to be saved). The trusted authority can be for example a government body, such as for example the US postal service and/or for example any online legal or trusted authority. Preferably payments for the authority's services can be done for example by adding an appropriate header (or other element or part) to the message, so that no special account-setting is needed for that, such as for example by giving preferably encrypted credit card info, or paying for example by small micro-payments credit points, for example by automatically adding it directly to the regular ISP bill, or for example payment can be done later when the authority gets back to the sender. Also, preferably the email protocol is improved to allow secure email that preferably contains unique parameters of the sender's computer or connection, which are preferably sent encrypted in a way similar to a secure access to a web page (https:// . . . ), or for example S/MIME is used, which already does something similar. This is preferably done by creating some bi-directional link between the sending computer and the receiving mail server. Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. [0043] Referring to FIG. 2 , I show a preferable example of using for example mail servers and/or routers and/or other types of nodes along the way for verifying the receipt and preferably also the content of an email or fax message. In this example for example various email servers and/or routers ( 22 - 24 ) between the user's computer ( 11 ) and the receiver's computer ( 13 ) can be used for verifying the receipt. Preferably the email communications protocol is improved, so that for example the end-node email server or router ( 24 ) that communicates directly with the final receiver ( 13 ) (typically this is the mail server at the domain of the receiver's email address) preferably automatically sends back a confirmation email to the sender and/or to the mail server at the side of the sender ( 11 ) if the email was received OK, or does it at least if the sender for example requests it, for example by setting a “request-confirmation” flag in the sent email message. The confirmation preferably can include sending back for example a digitally certified copy of the email message and/or at least part of it and/or sending back for example some serial number of the message preferably with a time and date stamp and/or a digital key, which preferably is based on a unique identifier of the server or router (for example some private encryption key), which is preferably converted into another number or numbers, which preferably reflect also the time and the date and preferably also the serial number of the message, so that it becomes very difficult to be able to fake such a return key. For example, each server might have one or more unique digital identifier or identifiers and/or private encryption key and/or a unique formula for mathematical manipulations on these identifiers as a function of time and date. Another possible variation is that the return key includes for example also identifiers for the content, such as for example one or more CRCs and/or fingerprints that can be used for confirming that what the content was. Another possible variation is that the server can for example save a copy of this CRC or CRCs or fingerprints at least upon request for example for at least a certain time period. Preferably for example the unique private key of the server prevents forgery of the receipt, so that knowing the secret key is required in order to be able to create the proper receipt at the given time and date and preferably with the correct fingerprints. This can prevent the need for keeping a log of these confirmations on the mail server. Another possible variation is to keep a log anyway, preferably with the serial number of each message, at least for a certain period, in order to even further reduce the risk of forgery and in order to enable the sender to request a copy of the confirmation also at a later time, for example in case of dispute. However, since preferably only fingerprints of the content of the message have to be saved in this log and not necessarily the entire message, this does not take too much space on the server. Another possible variation is the sending email server similarly also adds its own confirmation key and/or time and date stamps and/or serial number, so that these can be used by the receiver as a confirmation about the content of the message that was sent to him for example in case of later dispute. Preferably the mail servers and any trusted authorities are protected by a powerful security system that prevents hackers from breaking into them and stealing for example their private keys or tempering with their logs, such as for example the security system described in the above Israeli patent application 136414 of May 28, 2000, which later became PCT application WO0192981. Preferably the logs of these servers and similarly of the servers of a trusted authority, if such authority is used, are also constantly or regularly, preferably automatically and incrementally, backed up offline, so that even if hackers succeed to break into the server they cannot temper with the offline records. Another possible variation is to use a similar confirmation for example also from relay mail servers or routers or other types of nodes or servers along the way and not only the last one, except that preferably in this case only confirmation keys are sent along the way and preferably at most only one return certified copy of the email is sent back to the sender. However, this is typically unnecessary, since usually the mail server on the side of the sender connects directly to the mail server on the side of the receiver, without any intermediate mail servers, with only routers that forward the packets along the way. Another possible variation is for example to change the email protocol so that for example the last server or router that communicates directly with the receiver can query or always queries the receiving end-node after sending the message, and the receiving end-node either answers that it received it or that it didn't, and preferably if no answer is received, the last sending node keeps trying at least for a certain number of times and/or a certain period. Another possible variation is that the original server of the sender or any other server along the way can send the request for acknowledgement to the receiving node and wait for the confirmation. Preferably the acknowledgement also contains some unique identifier and serial number of the message and some manipulation on the time and sate stamp. Another possible variation is that the mail server at the side of the receiver preferably also automatically informs for example the mail server at the side of the sender and/or the sender directly for example when the receiver's client program actually downloads the message from the mail server at the side of the receiver. Another possible variation is that either the trusted authority, if such an authority is used, or for example the final server before the receiving node (typically this is the mail server at the domain of the receiver's email address) or for example the sending mail server, preferably encrypts the mail and sends in to the receiver so that the receiver gets a “Closed envelope”. When the receiver wants to read the message, preferably the email client program automatically downloads an opening key from the relevant server, and this way the server can know for sure that the message has been read and can send back the confirmation to the sender. This way the message itself does not have to be saved in the server (or for example on the trusted authority's server if a trusted authority is used), and the receiver does not have to go explicitly to receive the email from some server, unlike the “greeting card method”. Although this encryption can also be done in addition or instead for example by the receiving mail server, preferably it is done by the sending mail server, which has the further advantage that the message is encrypted on the way between the sending server to the receiving server, thus guarding it also from tempering along the way between them. However, as explained above in other variations, preferably the server saves at least also one or more fingerprints of the content and can send it back to the sender for example upon request and/or automatically as part of the serial confirmation code. Another possible variation is that the receiving email client automatically downloads the key from the relevant server as soon as the message is received without waiting for the user to request to open the message, which has the advantage that the user can for example first download all the messages and then read them offline. Another possible variation is more generally that the email protocol is changed so that the receiving mail server has to send some kind of acknowledgement to the sending server any time during the transmission of a message before the transmission is considered complete, such as for example at the beginning, in the middle, and/or in the end, and if it is not received preferably the server continues to try to send it at least a certain number of times or for a certain period. Preferably at least two confirmations can be sent: One when the message is received by the receiving mail server, and the other when the user opens the message for reading. Another possible variation is that the mail server at the side of the receiver preferably also automatically informs the mail server at the side of the sender and/or the sender directly when the receiver's client program actually downloads the message from the mail server at the side of the receiver. Preferably the sender and/or the sending server can also query the receiving mail server if the message has been downloaded by the receiver's client program, for example in case this notification has not reached the sender because of some error along the way. This is another reason why preferably a log is also kept on the receiving server, since otherwise if for example the server keeps new mail messages for only two months, without a log which is preferably kept for longer times, after two months the receiving server might not know if a deleted messages was deleted because the client downloaded it or because it expired. If the mail server is for example on a Unix machine or on a mainframe computer and the sender gets the mail for example directly through logging-in, for example through telnet, then preferably the receiving mail server informs the sender and/or the sending mail server that the message has been forwarded to the receiver at the moment that the servers adds the message to the user's messages Box, and preferably the software that allows the user to later access the message preferably also sends a confirmation to the server when the user actually opens the mail message. Preferably this is done with a resident software or driver that ensures that the server is informed whenever the message is accessed, so that tempering with the client software cannot prevent notifying the server. Similarly, if the mail is for example on a mailbox web service, such as for example yahoo.com or hotmail.com, then preferably the receiving mail server informs the sender and/or the sending server that the message has been received as soon as it stores the message at the appropriate mailbox, and preferably when the receiver accesses the server and opens the message, the server preferably automatically sends another message to the sender, confirming that the message has been read. In these cases too preferably the sender can also query the server at least for a certain period to find if the message has already been opened or not. Another possible variation is that in any of the above variations there is also another type of indication—if the user saw the header of the message, even if he didn't open it, which is preferably also sent to the sender and/or to the sending mail server. This additional indication can be done for example by the software that allows the user to access the messages, or for example different opening keys are needed for the header and for the content of the message. Another possible variation is that the sending mail server and/or the receiving mail server automatically add an HTML code to the message that when executed makes the client mail program immediately connect to some address on the mail server, thus automatically confirming that the message has been opened. Using such an HTML link in the message that connects to some intermediary 3 rd party's server along the way has been used already as an email-tracing method. However that is less convenient since in that case the user has to send the message in coordination with some third party. The preset variation is better since it makes this an internal element in the mail protocol, preferably using automatically at least the sender's side mail server and/or the receiver's side mail server. The above features for confirming receipt of the mail or at least some of them can be for example applied automatically for any email, or for example applied only if the user marks the message as “certified email”. If payment is required for certified email, then preferably this is in the form of micro-payments, preferably charged directly from the sender's ISP, or for example the ISP charges just a little more for ISP services that allow using certified email and thus enables free use of certified email for example to users that are subscribed to it. Of course when the message is sent through a trusted authority, the authority can also similarly use any of the above methods to ensure that the receiver has indeed received the message. Another possible variation is that a copy of the message is sent in parallel also to a trusted authority for example for keeping a full log of the content without the need to route the message through the authority, if any of the above methods are used to sufficiently ensure that the message indeed has been received by the receiver. Of course, various combinations of the above and other variations can also be used. [0044] While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications, expansions and other applications of the invention may be made which are included within the scope of the present invention, as would be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Like Microsoft's call for trustworthy computing, there are similarly a few inherent problems in communications between computers and/or between other electronic devices (such as for example Fax machines), which can initiate a similar call for trustworthy communications. These problems are caused mainly by various limitations in the currently employed communication protocols, for example over the Internet, or in Fax transmissions. The two main problems are: Verification by the sender that the user indeed received the message, and verification by the receiver that the purported sender indeed is the one who initiated the message. Both of these features are currently lacking for example in normal Fax communications and in normal email communications. In electronic communications over the Internet for example normal email communications allow users very easily to falsify the sender's email address, as happens for example many times when spam (unsolicited junk mail) is sent, or when various viruses, such as for example the Klez worm, spread themselves. A deeper issue in preventing the faking of email addresses is preventing the faking of IP addresses, since, clearly, making sure that the IP address is not forged can help considerably for verifying also the email address. Similarly, when sending normal email messages, the user cannot be sure that the receiver indeed received the message and/or if he/she opened it or read it. Although there are already some solutions to this 2 nd problem, these solutions still have various remaining problems, so the problem has not been completely solved yet. The present invention solves the above problems by providing various solutions that preferably include improvement of the protocols and preferably include also methods for preventing theft of digital signatures.

REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/685,475, filed Jan. 11, 2010, which is itself a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/836,107, filed Apr. 30, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,647,498, and the contents of both these applications is incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates generally to communication between electronic devices and, more particularly, to the authentication of two electronic devices including authentication by a third device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] In communication between electronic devices, it is sometimes desirable for two devices to communicate with each other using a third device. Typically, one device will seek to establish communication with a second device by making a request to the third device. In such a circumstance, the third device may act as a gatekeeper and prevent or allow such communication based on permissions defined for the two devices. [0004] Where the security of the communication between devices is in issue, the two communicating devices may be provided with a secret value or key that may be used to determine if a channel of communication may be established between the two devices. A third device may execute instructions to permit or deny communication between the devices, based on the shared values held by the respective communication devices. [0005] In a more general way, there may be other reasons for authenticating two devices to a third device. In cases where each of the two devices to be authenticated each have the same secret value, the third device may authenticate the two devices by each of the devices providing their copies of the secret value to the third device for comparison. [0006] However, if the communication between the first or second device and the third device is potentially not secure, or if the third device itself is potentially not secure, direct communication of the secret value or key to the third device is typically not desirable as the secrecy of the shared value is placed at risk. [0007] It is therefore desirable to have a mechanism for authentication of two devices by a third device in which the risk of exposure of the shared value is reduced. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] According to an aspect of the invention there is provided an improved method of device authentication. [0009] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an authentication procedure, to authenticate two devices each having a shared secret value, in which a third device is able to determine if each of the communicating devices has the same shared secret value without directly being provided with that value. [0010] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for a communications channel to be established between two devices using a third device. The two devices seeking to communicate are provided with a shared secret value. The communicating devices are able to prove to the third device that they each possess the same secret value (and are thus authenticated). In this authentication procedure, the third device is able to determine if each of the communicating devices has the same shared secret value without the third device being provided with that value. [0011] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for securely closing the communications channel established using the authentication described above. [0012] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for the authentication of a first and a second device by a third device, the first and the second devices each possessing a shared secret key value h, each of the devices having available to it a public key P, selected such that the operation of deriving the secret key value h from the product hP is a computationally difficult operation, the method comprising the steps of the first and the second device communicating a set of values to each other using the third device, such that the first device is able to calculate a first expression with a value equivalent to the product hP and the second device is able to calculate a second expression with a value equal to the product hP, the third device retaining copies of the values being communicated between the first and the second device, the method further comprising the step of the third device calculating and comparing the values of the first expression and of the second expression to authenticate the first and the second devices. [0013] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method in which the first device is a wireless handheld device, the second device is an enterprise server, and the third device is a router and in which the step of the third device authenticating the first and second devices comprises the step of establishing a communications channel between the first and second devices. [0014] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method in which the communications channel established includes the third device as part of the channel and the third device having retained the values communicated between the first device and the second device, the method further comprising the step of closing the communication channel between the second device and the third device, the step of closing the said channel comprising the steps of the second device and the third device exchanges sets of closing authentication values to permit the third device to carry out a computation of an expression based on the retained values and the closing authentication values to authenticate the closing the communication channel. [0015] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for the authentication of a first and a second device by a third device, the first and second devices each possessing a shared secret key value h, each of the devices is operative to carry out mathematical operations on defined groups E(F q ) and Z p , where F q is a finite field of prime order q, including scalar multiplication defined with reference to the group, the method comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a public key P, such that P generates a prime subgroup of the group E(F q ) of order p, and making available to each of the devices the public key P, b) the first device obtaining a random value r D such that 1<r D <p−1, and calculating a value R D =r D P, c) the first device communicating the value R D to the third device, d) the third device retaining a copy of the value R D and forwarding the value R D to the second device, e) the second device obtaining a random value r B such that 1<r B <p−1, and calculating a value R B =r B P, where R B is determined such that it is not equal to R D , the second device obtaining a random value e D such that 1<e D <p−1, the second device communicating the values e D and R B to the third device, f) the third device retaining copies of the values R B and e D forwarding the said values to the first device, g) the first device calculating a value y D =h−e D r D mod p, the first device obtaining a random value e B such that 1<e B <p−1, the first device communicating values y D and e B to the third device, h) the third device retaining copies of the values y D and e B forwarding the said values to the second device, i) the second device calculating a value y B =h−e B r B mod p, the second device communicating the value y B to the third device, and j) the third device authenticating the first and second devices when the condition y B P+e B R B =y D P+e D R D is satisfied. [0026] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method, further comprising the step of the first device authenticating the second device when the condition y B P+e B R B =hP is satisfied. [0027] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method, further comprising the step of the second device authenticating the first device when the condition y D P+e D R D =hP is satisfied. [0028] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method, in which the first device is identified by a non-authenticating identifier and in which the second device retains a set of key values which set includes a key value shared with the secret key value of the first device, the method comprising the step of the first device communicating the non-authenticating identifier to the second device whereby the second device may select the key value shared with the secret key value of the first device from the set of key values. [0029] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method, further comprising the step of deriving the value h from a shared secret value S. [0030] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method, in which the step of deriving the value h comprises the step of carrying out a one-way hash function on the shared secret value s. [0031] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method, further comprising the steps of one or more of the first, second and third devices checking that the value e D is not zero and/or that the value e B is not zero. [0032] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method, further comprising the steps of one or more of the first, second and third devices checking that the value R B is not equal to the point at infinity and/or that the value R D is not equal to the point at infinity. [0033] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method, further comprising the steps of one or more of the first, second and third devices checking that the value R B is not equal to the value R D . [0034] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method in which the first device is a wireless handheld device, the second device is an enterprise server, and the third device is a router and in which the step of the third device authenticating the first and second devices comprises the step of establishing a communications channel between the first and second devices. [0035] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method in which the communications channel is defined by the assignment of an Internet Protocol address to the first device. [0036] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method in which the communications channel established includes the third device as part of the channel and the third device having retained the values y D , P, e D , and R D , the method further comprising the step of closing the communication channel between the second device and the third device, the step of closing the said channel comprising the steps of: k) the second device obtaining a random value r C such that 1<r C <p−1, and calculating a value R C =r C P, whereby R C is constrained to have a different value than both R B and R D , l) the second device communicating the value R C to the third device, m) the third device obtaining a random value e C such that 1<e C <p−1, the third device communicating the value e C to the second device, n) the second device authenticating the close operation when the condition y C P+e C R C =y D P+e D R D is satisfied. [0041] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method further comprising the steps of the second device checking that the value e C is not zero. [0042] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method, further comprising the steps of the third device checking that the value R C is not equal to the point at infinity. [0043] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method, further comprising the steps of one or both of the second and third devices checking that the value R C is not equal to the value R B and is not equal to the value R D . [0044] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above method, further comprising the steps of one or both of the second and third devices checking that the value e C is not equal to the value e D and is not equal to the value e B . [0045] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the a program product comprising a medium having executable program code embodied in said medium, the executable program code being variously executable on a first device, a second device and a third device, the executable program code being operative to cause the above methods to be carried out. [0046] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a system comprising a first device, a second device, and a third device, the first and the second devices each possessing a shared secret key value h, each of the devices having available to it a public key P, selected such that the operation of deriving the secret key value h from the product hP is a computationally difficult operation, the first device, the second device and the third device each comprising memory units and processors for storing and executing program code, the program code code being operative to cause communication of a set of values between the first device and the second device using the third device, the program code being operative to cause the first device to calculate a first expression with a value equivalent to the product hP and the second device to calculate a second expression with a value equal to the product hP, the program code being operative to cause the third device to retain copies of the values being communicated between the first and the second device, and the program code being operative to cause the third device to calculate and compare the values of the first expression and of the second expression to authenticate the first and the second devices. [0048] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above system in which the first device is a wireless handheld device, the second device is an enterprise server, and the third device is a router and in which the program code operative to cause the third device to authenticate the first and second devices comprises program code operative to establish a communications channel between the first and second devices. [0049] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above system in which the communications channel established includes the third device as part of the channel and the third device comprises memory to retain the values communicated between the first device and the second device, the program code further comprising the program code operative to close the communication channel between the second device and the third device, the said code comprising program code operative to exchange sets of closing authentication values between the second device and the third device to permit the third device to carry out a computation of an expression based on the retained values and the closing authentication values to authenticate the closing the communication channel. [0050] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a system comprising a first device, a second device, and a third device, the first and second devices each possessing a shared secret key value h, each of the devices being operative to carry out mathematical operations on defined groups E(F q ) and Z p , where F q is a finite field of prime order q, including scalar multiplication defined with reference to the group, the first device, the second device and the third device each comprising memory units and processors for storing and executing program code o) the program code being operative to obtain a public key P, such that P generates a prime subgroup of the group E(F q ) of order p, and to make available to each of the devices the public key P, p) the program code being operative to cause the first device to obtain a random value r D such that 1<r D <p−1, and to calculate a value R D =r D P, q) the program code being operative to cause the first device to communicate the value R D to the third device, r) the program code being operative to cause the third device to retain a copy of the value R D and to forward the value R D to the second device, s) the program code being operative to cause the second device to obtain a random value r B such that 1<r B <p−1, and to calculate a value R B =r B P, where R B is determined such that it is not equal to R D , and to cause the second device to obtain a random value e D such that 1<e D <p−1, and to communicate the values e D and R B to the third device, t) the program code being operative to cause the third device to retain copies of the values R B and e D and to forward the said values to the first device, u) the program code being operative to cause the first device to calculate a value y D =h−e D r D mod p, to cause the first device to obtain a random value e B such that 1<e B <p−1, and to cause the first device to communicate values y D and e B to the third device, v) the program code being operative to cause the third device to retain copies of the values y D and e B and to forward the said values to the second device, w) the program code being operative to cause the second device to calculate a value y B =h−e B r B mod p, and to cause the second device to communicate the value y B to the third device, and x) the program code being operative to cause the third device to authenticate the first and second devices when the condition y B P+e B R B =y D P+e D R D is satisfied. [0061] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the above system in which the first device is a wireless handheld device, the second device is an enterprise server, and the third device is a router and in which the program code operative to cause the third device to authenticate the first and second devices comprises program code operative to establish a communications channel between the first and second devices. [0062] Advantages of the invention include authentication of two devices to a third device, without the need for the third device to have communicated to it, or to have direct information about, a shared secret value possessed by the two authenticated devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0063] In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of the invention, [0064] FIG. 1 is block diagram showing two devices and a third device used in the authentication of the first two devices. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0065] There are many different contexts in which communications are sought to be established between two different electronic devices and a third device is used to control whether such communication is to take place or not. FIG. 1 is a block diagram that shows device 10 and device 12 , for which a communications channel is to be established. In the example of FIG. 1 , device 14 determines whether such communications may take place, or not. The determination is made on the basis of authentication of devices 10 , 12 by establishing that each device has the shared secret value. In the example of FIG. 1 , a direct communications channel is shown between devices 10 , 12 . Other arrangements are also possible in which devices 10 , 12 use device 14 to establish communications and in which, for example, all communications are routed through device 14 . [0066] The description of the preferred embodiment refers to communicating devices but it will be understood by those in the art that approach of the preferred embodiment may be implemented for other contexts where authentication of two devices is carried out by a third device. Each of devices 10 , 12 must be able to communicate with device 14 , but the ultimate purpose of the authentication of devices 10 , 12 need not be for their communication with each other. [0067] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that electronic devices, as referred to in this description, include all manner of devices that are able to establish communications with other devices and are able to carry out computations as described below. In particular, the devices include communications servers such as e-mail and other message servers for use in conjunction with networks such as the Internet, wireless handheld communications devices, and other server, desktop, portable or handheld devices, including devices typically used in a computing environment or in telephony. [0068] The preferred embodiment is described as a method that is implemented with respect to such electronic devices. The implementation may be embodied in a computer program product that includes program code on a medium that is deliverable to the devices referred to in this description. Such program code is executable on the devices referred to so as to carry out the method described. [0069] One example of an implementation of the preferred embodiment includes a configuration in which device 14 of FIG. 1 is a router used to assign an IP (Internet Protocol) address to device 10 which is a wireless handheld device. The router of device 14 sets up the connection between the wireless handheld device 10 and an enterprise server, represented in the example of FIG. 1 by device 12 . In this example, the device 14 router forwards traffic to the device 10 handheld from device 12 enterprise server. To ensure that no other device is able to improperly obtain an IP address from the device 14 router, in the preferred embodiment both the device 10 handheld and the device 12 enterprise server have a secret value s. As is set out below, the device 14 router is able to establish that the device 10 (handheld) is a trusted device and a communications channel with the device 12 (enterprise server) should be set up by the device 14 (router). In this example, once the authentication has been done by the device 14 router, it forwards communications to the handheld of device 10 by using an assigned IP address and forwarding communications from the enterprise server of device 12 using the Internet. [0070] The description of the preferred embodiment set out below includes several steps in which values as sent between devices are checked. To ensure that there is only one point of failure in the method, when such a check determines that there is an error condition, the approach of the preferred embodiment is to redefine one of the values in a manner that will cause the method to fail to authenticate the devices in its final steps. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, there may be other approaches used for carrying out such checking that will result in the method being terminated at an earlier point or in an error condition being specified in another manner. [0071] The preferred embodiment is described with reference to devices 10 , 12 , 14 , each of which are capable of carrying out cryptographic functions and which share, in the embodiment, the following cryptosystem parameters. The mathematical operations described are carried out in groups E(F q ) and Z p . The group E(F q ) is defined in the preferred embodiment as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) approved 521-bit random elliptic curve over F q . This curve has a cofactor of one. The field F q is defined as a finite field of prime order q. Z p is the group of integers modulo p. In the description below, the public key P is defined as a point of E(F q ) that generates a prime subgroup of E(F q ) of order p. The notation xR represents elliptic curve scalar multiplication, where x is the scalar and R is a point on E(F q ). This elliptic curve point R sometimes needs to be represented as an integer for some of the calculations. This representation is [0000] R _ = ( x _   mod   2 f 2 ) + 2 f 2 , [0000] where x is the integer representation of the x-coordinate of the elliptic curve point R and f=log 2 p+1 is the bit length of p. [0072] As will be appreciated, for different implementations of the preferred embodiment, the choice for the groups over which the operations of the preferred embodiment are to be carried out may vary. The elliptic curve is a common group for such operations in cryptography. Any mathematically defined group can be used for the implementation of the preferred embodiment. For example, the group defined by integers modulo a prime number can be used for an implementation. [0073] In Table 1, set out as follows, the calculations and communications of the preferred embodiment are set out. In the preferred embodiment, s is the shared value known to both device 10 and device 12 , but not to device 14 . In the preferred embodiment, device 12 may communicate with one or more devices and therefore device 10 is provided with an identifier Key ID that specifies which device or class of devices is seeking to communicate with device 12 . Similarly, device 12 may, in other implementations, be provided with an identifier to allow device 10 to specify which device is seeking to be authenticated. It will be appreciated that the Key ID described is not sufficient, in itself, to authenticate the device. It will also be appreciated that if the identity of device 10 is obvious from the context, the Key ID may not be necessary. For instance, if device 12 communicates with a single device 10 , and no other such devices, then the Key ID may not be necessary. [0000] TABLE 1 DEVICE 10 DEVICE 14 DEVICE 12 Compute: Compute: h = SHA-512(s) h = SHA-512(s) Generate random r D , 1 < r D < p − 1 Calculate R D = r D P Send R D to Device 14; Send Key ID to Device 14. While R D == point of infinity, then R D = rand( ). Send R D to Device 12; Send Key ID to Device 12 While R D == point at infinity, then R D = rand( ). Generate random r B , 1 < r B < p − 1 Calculate R B = r B P While R D == R B , then choose another R B . Generate random e D , 1 < e D < p − 1 Send Key ID, e D and R B to Device 14. While R B == point at infinity or R D == R B , then R B = rand( ). While e D == 0, then e D = rand( ). Send Key ID, e D and R B to Device 10. While R B == point at infinity or R D == R B , then R B = rand( ). While e D == 0, e D = rand( ). Compute y D = h − e D r D mod p Generate random e B , 1 < e B < p − 1 Send y D and e B to Device 14. While e B == 0 or e B == e D , then e B = rand( ). Send y D and e B to Device 12. While e B == 0 or e B == e D , then e B = rand( ). Compute y B = h − e B r B mod p. Send y B to Device 14. Send y B to Device 10. If y B P + e B R B != hP, If y B P + e B R B != y D P + If y D P + e D R D != hP, then then reject e D R D , then reject reject [0074] The above table specifies steps taken in the process of the preferred embodiment for carrying out authentication of the two communicating devices (devices 10 , 12 ) that includes third party authentication (device 14 ). It will be understood by those skilled in the art that certain steps may be taken in different order and that, as indicated below, certain steps may be omitted. [0075] The first step carried out in the preferred embodiment is for each of devices 10 , 12 to compute a hash function based on the shared secret value s. In the preferred embodiment this hash function is the SHA-512 hash function as defined in the Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 180-2. Other similar hash functions may be used. The value h that is arrived at by applying the hash function is used by both devices 10 , 12 . Use of a hash function value h instead of direct use of the value s makes the process more secure as the secret shared value s is not directly used in the different calculations set out below. In the preferred embodiment, to provide the shared value s to both devices at an initialization stage, the value s may be randomly generated by one of devices 10 , 12 and then communicated to the other using a secure communications channel. For example, where device 10 is a wireless handheld device and device 12 is an enterprise server, the value of the shared secret value can be generated by the enterprise server and then communicated to the wireless handheld when that device is in a cradle that is connected to the enterprise server by a secure network connection. [0076] After determining the value h, the next step in the authentication process of the preferred embodiment is for device 10 to generate a random r D value to be combined with a public key value P. This random value is defined to be greater than 1 and less than p−1. In this example, p is defined to be the order of the prime subgroup of E(F q ) generated by the point P in elliptic curve E(F q ). Once the random r D value is obtained, the value R D is calculated by taking the result of the scalar multiplication r D P. This randomized public key value (R D ) is then sent, with the Key ID value, to device 14 . At device 14 , an error check on the R D value is carried out. If R D is equal to the point of infinity then there is an error in the public key value (if P is a valid public key then the scalar product will not equal the point of infinity). According to the preferred embodiment, error handling is carried out by setting the R D value equal to a random value (specified by the pseudo code R D =rand( ) in Table 1). The R D value and the Key ID value are then forwarded by device 14 to device 12 . It will be noted that in the preferred embodiment, device 14 will retain in memory certain of the values that it receives and forwards. These retained values are used in a final authorization step, as is described below. [0077] At device 12 , there is a further error check on the R D value (in comparison with the point of infinity) and a similar error handling step is carried out if necessary. Device 12 also generates its own random value for combination with the public key P. The random value r B is defined in the range of 1 to p−1 and the scalar product r B P defines the value R B . An error check at device 12 is carried out to ensure that R B is not equal to R D . If these values are equivalent then a new random value r B is defined and a new R B value is calculated. This step is taken because where R B is the equivalent of R D , it is possible for an attacker to determine the value of h. [0078] Also in this step at device 12 a randomly defined challenge value e D is obtained. This e D value is generated so as to be greater than 1 and less than p−1. Both the e D and R B values as determined by device 12 are sent by device 12 to device 14 . Device 14 may be carrying out multiple similar transactions simultaneously with a set of devices that includes device 10 . In order to allow device 14 to determine which of the set of devices including device 10 to send the values to, the Key ID value is also returned to device 14 by device 12 , along with the e D and R B values. [0079] At device 14 , there is an error check carried out on the R B value. The R B value is compared to the point of infinity and an error handling step is potentially taken. The comparison and error handling are carried out for the R B value in the same way as R D was compared and an error handling step taken in the earlier steps set out above. Similarly, the values of R D and R B are compared to each other and if they are determined to be equivalent then as an error handling step, R B is defined to be a random value. The equivalence of R D and R B is recognized as an error condition because device 12 generates R B in a manner that ensures that it has a different value than R D . If, on receipt by device 14 , the two values are identical then there must have been an error in transmission or an attacker has redefined the values. [0080] A further check is carried out at device 14 at this time to ensure that e D does not have a value of 0. If the value is 0 then the e D value is set to a random value. If e D has been set to a value of 0 (potentially by an attacker seeking to obtain information to allow a false authentication) then the value of h may become known. To avoid this, e D is given a random value. It will be appreciated that although the check to ensure that R D is not equal to R B and the check to ensure that e D is not equal to 0 may be referred to as error checks, these checks are carried out to ensure that an attacker is not able to obtain information about the value of h. [0081] Once the checking referred to above is complete, device 14 sends Key ID, R B and e D to device 10 . [0082] In the preferred embodiment, on receipt of the Key ID, R B and e D values, device 10 will carry out the same checks that were carried out at device 10 , and take the same error handling steps (setting either R B or e D to 0, as needed). As was the case with the communication of the values between device 12 and device 14 , the communication between device 14 and device 10 is a potential point at which an attacker may seek to alter values to gain access to the communication channel through improper authentication of a device. [0083] As is shown in Table 1, once the checking of values R B and e D has taken place at device 10 , there is a calculation of a y D value. The definition of the value is: [0000] y D =h−e D r D mod p [0000] As is described in more detail below, the y D value is used in comparisons that will authenticate the devices 10 , 12 to each other and to device 14 . [0084] Another step carried out by device 10 is the generation of a challenge value. This challenge value is an e B value that is randomly chosen from the range greater than 1 and less than p−1. Both y D and e B values are then sent to device 14 . [0085] At device 14 , the e B value is compared with 0 and with e D . If e B has a value equal to either of these, then e B is set to a random value. [0086] The e B value is then sent by device 14 to device 12 , along with the y D value. At device 12 the e B value is again checked (against 0 and e D ) and if the check is not successful, e B is set to a random value. A y B value is then calculated: [0000] y B =h−e B r B mod p [0087] As will be seen, the value y B is defined in a manner symmetrical to the definition of y D . The y B value is sent by device 12 where was calculated, to device 14 and from there to device 10 . [0088] At this point in the process, the y D and R D values have been sent by device 10 to device 12 , and the y B and R B values has been sent by device 12 to device 10 . Further, copies of the values that have been forwarded to and sent from device 14 have also be retained at device 14 . Consequently, as will be seen in the last step of Table 1, authentication steps are carried out to authenticate that both device 10 and device 12 have the same shared secret value s. [0089] In particular, at device 14 , there is an authentication of the two devices if and only if [0000] y B P±e B R B =y D P+e D R D . [0090] At device 10 , there is authentication of device 12 if and only if [0000] y B P+e B R B =hP. [0091] At device 12 , there is authentication of device 10 if and only if [0000] y D P+e D R D =hP. [0092] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the process of authentication set out above makes use of certain of the mathematical operations and equivalencies described and used in the Schnorr identification scheme (see for example A. Menezes, P. van Oorschot and S. Vanstone. Handbook of Applied Cryptography , CRC Press, New York, 1997). The preferred embodiment, however, permits two devices to mutually authenticate each other and to permit a third device to authenticate both devices. The authentication is carried out by the third device (device 14 in the example) despite the fact that the third device does not know the secret value s that is shared between the two devices 10 , 12 . It will be noted that the mutual authentication between devices 10 , 12 is carried out at the same time, as a result of a series of overlapping steps having been taken. [0093] The authentication process of the preferred embodiment is suitable for use where a communications channel between two devices is being defined and a third device will provide information to allow the channel to be set up. This may occur where a wireless handheld uses a routing device to gain access to an enterprise server. The routing device acts as the third device that requires authentication of the server and the wireless handheld device. The above process permits such authentication to be carried out and to have the third device (the router, for example) make the authentication without having knowledge of the secret value and with a reduced set of state information. [0094] The above description of the preferred embodiment includes error checking applied to the R value. This is carried out to determine if R is a valid public key value. As will be appreciated, this error checking may be omitted from the method of the preferred embodiment if it can be ensured that R D is not equal to R B , although it is generally preferable to carry out these checks to ensure that the process is being carried out correctly. Further, the preferred embodiment describes the computation of a hash value of the secret value at device 10 and at device 12 . The use of a hash function to encode the secret value s as the value h, is not required although it is a preferred step to minimize the direct use of the secret value. If there is no use of a hash function in this manner, the secret value is used directly to calculate the different authentication values. [0095] As referred to above, the authentication process may be used in establishing a communications channel from one device to a second device through a third device. In this case, it is advantageous to use an authenticated protocol to close the channel as between the third device and one of the other two. In the preferred embodiment such an authenticated close protocol may be put in place on the basis that the third device retains certain values. In particular, after the authentication has taken place prior to establishing the communications channel, the third device (device 14 , in the example of FIG. 1 ) retains values y D P+e D R D , R D , R B , e D , e B . Device 12 retains values R D , R B , e D , e B , h. In Table 2, an authentication process is set out for use where device 14 has authenticated device 12 , as is set out above and device 12 seeks to close the communications channel. [0000] Device 14 Device 12 Device 12 initiates closing the connection with device 14. Pick random r C , 1 < r C < p − 1 Calculate R C = r C P While R C == R B or R C == R B , then choose another R C . Send R C to device 14. While R C == point at infinity or R C == R B or R C == R D , then R C = rand( ). Generate random e C , 1 < e C < p − 1 While or e C == e D or e C == e B , then choose another e C . Send to e C device 12. While e C == 0 or e C == e D or e C == e B , then e C = rand( ). Compute y C = h − e C r C mod p Send y C to device 14. If y C P + e C R C != y D P + e D R D , then reject [0096] As will be seen from the above, the authentication for the close protocol is available, even though device 14 (the third device) does not possess or use directly security value s or the hash value h. In this case, the authentication follows the Schnorr identification scheme, based on the values that are retained by the devices referred to above (devices 12 , 14 in the example given). These values are available to the third device as a result of using the authentication process described above. [0097] Various embodiments of the present invention having been thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The invention includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

A first device in possession of a value is able to determine, without communicating the value and without communicating any information from which the value can be identified, whether a second device is also in possession of the value. The first device accomplishes this with the assistance of a third device that is able to communicate with the first device and with the second device. The second device also does not communicate the value and does not communicate any information from which the value can be identified. The first device may send additional information to the third device which, if passed to the second device, enables the second device to determine that the first device is in possession of the value. The value may be a secret.

TECHNICAL FIELD The application relates to lamps and a method of collecting carbon offsets. BACKGROUND Kerosene lamps are widely used to provide light in homes, especially in poorer areas of third world countries. Kerosene lamps are problematic. They produce harmful fumes. They are also inefficient in terms of light produced relative to the amount of fuel used. They are also higher polluting, in terms of light produced per ton of carbon emission, than an equally illuminating electrical lamp powered by a power station. This is true even when taking into account the carbon emissions at the power station that would be attributable to the electrical lamp. A “carbon offset” is a financial instrument representing a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon offsets are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent. One carbon offset represents a reduction of one ton of carbon dioxide or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases. Companies and governments can buy carbon offsets to comply with caps on total carbon dioxide they are allowed to emit. Also, individuals and companies can purchase carbon offsets to mitigate their own greenhouse gas emissions. Offsets are typically generated from emissions-reducing projects, most commonly renewable energy projects such as with wind and solar energy. Purchase and withdrawal of emissions trading credits also occurs, which creates a connection between the voluntary and regulated carbon markets. Carbon offsetting as part of a “carbon neutral” lifestyle has gained appeal and momentum. The Kyoto Protocol has sanctioned offsets as a way for governments and companies to earn carbon credits which can be traded on a marketplace. The protocol established the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which validates and measures projects to ensure they produce authentic benefits and are genuinely “additional” activities that would not otherwise have been undertaken. Organizations that have difficulty meeting their emissions quota are able to offset by buying CDM-approved Certified Emissions Reductions. The commercial system has contributed to the increasing popularity of voluntary offsets among individuals, companies, and organizations. Offsets may be cheaper or more convenient alternatives to reducing one's own fossil-fuel consumption. The CDM identifies over 200 types of projects suitable for generating carbon offsets, which are grouped into broad categories. The most common are renewable energy, methane abatement, energy efficiency, and fuel switching. Renewable energy offsets commonly include wind, solar and hydroelectric power. Some of these offsets are used to reduce the cost differential between renewable and conventional energy production, increasing the commercial viability of a choice to use renewable energy sources. Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) are also sometimes treated as carbon offsets, although the concepts are distinct. Whereas a carbon offset represents a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a REC represents a quantity of energy produced from renewable sources. To convert RECs into offsets, the clean energy must be translated into carbon reductions, typically by assuming that the clean energy is displacing an equivalent amount of conventionally produced electricity from the local grid. This is known as an indirect offset, because the reduction doesn't take place at the project site itself, but rather at an external site. Once it has been accredited by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), a carbon offset project can be used as carbon credit and linked with official emission trading schemes. Due to their indirect nature, many types of offset are difficult to verify. Some providers obtain independent certification that their offsets are accurately measured, to distance themselves from potentially fraudulent competitors. SUMMARY A lamp includes a generator that generates electricity. A battery stores the generated electricity. A light source produces light from the stored electricity. A metering device tallies an operating parameter indicative of the amount of electrical energy consumed by the lamp. Preferably: The generator produces electricity from solar power or wind power. The light produced by the light source is sufficient to illuminate a room. The metering device is configured to output the parameter in a binary format, using flashes of two different illumination colors as two states of the binary format. The metering device is configured to output the parameter in response to a switch being activated or the lamp being turned on and/or turned off. The metering device tallies the parameter by repeatedly incrementing an accumulator. The metering device tallies accumulcated electrical energy by measuring the actual wattage used. Or tallies the amount of time the light source produced light. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The sole FIGURE is a schematic view of a lamp. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The drawing and following description provide examples of the elements recited in the claims. These examples enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention, including best mode, without implying limitations not recited in the claims. As shown in the FIGURE, a lamp 1 includes an electricity generator 2 , a storage device 4 for storing the generated electricity, and an electrical appliance. In this example, the appliance is a light source 6 for producing light that can be used to illuminate a room and objects in the room. An electrical controller 8 controls operation of the lamp 1 and monitors and records operational parameters of the lamp 1 . The controller 8 receives control input from a user through a user input device 10 . The controller 8 communicates the operational parameters it has recorded through an output device 12 . All of the above components 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 and 12 are supported by a common housing 14 . The storage device 4 and the controller 8 are contained in the housing 14 . The lamp 1 is manually portable in that it can be carried by a user. The lamp 1 can be manually brought outside a home to be exposed to sunlight, and later manually brought inside the home to illuminate a room. In this particular example: The generator 2 is non-combustion-based, such as a solar panel that is powered by sunlight S, or a water or wind turbine generator. The storage device 4 is a rechargeable battery which can include any number of separate cells. The light source 6 is a white-light super-bright LED. The controller 8 is a PIC controller. The user input device 10 is a momentary pushbutton switch. The communication device 12 is a visual display comprising a set of two indicator lights 12 a, 12 b, such as a green LED and a red LED. The controller 8 can adjust the brightness setting of the light source 6 . In this example, there are four brightness settings, designated A-D for very low, low, medium and high, in addition to a “light off” setting. The lamp 1 can change to a different setting each time the button 10 is pressed, in a sequence that could be: off, A, B, C, D, off. In another example, the button 10 is replaced by a rotary switch with five positions designated A, B, C, D and off. The nominal electrical wattage—NW A , NW B , NW C and NW D —consumed by the light source for settings A-D are successively greater from A to D. These values are pre-determined at the factory. In this example, NW A , NW B , NW C and NW D are 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 watts, respectively. The controller 8 tallies the amount of time—T A , T B , T C and T D —the lamp has operated at each setting A-D. The time values could be tallied in units of hours in respective accumulators 16 . Each accumulator 16 is typically a designated memory location that the controller 8 increments each time another time unit (e.g., hour) has passed. The controller 8 can add the individual hour values together (T A +T B +T C +T D ) to determine the total number of hours T TOT the light source 6 has been on. The controller 8 can calculate the energy consumed by the light source 6 , for each setting A-D, by multiplying the amount of time used at that setting by the setting's nominal wattage. For example, the controller 8 can calculate the electrical energy E A (e.g., watt-hours) consumed when operating at setting A by multiplying T A ×NW A . The controller 8 can add the energy values together (E A +E B +E C +E D ) to obtain the total consumed energy E TOT . Therefore, in this example, E TOT equals (T A ×0.2 watts)+(T B ×0.4 watts)+(T C ×0.8 watts)+(T D ×1.6 watts). The controller 8 can thus determine, for each setting individually and all settings in total, the hours operated and the energy consumed. The controller 8 can communicate any of these parameters through the output device 12 as lamp-usage data. An agent can be appointed to visit and enter homes in a designated geographic area that have such lamps 1 , to record the lamp-usage data. The agent can record the data that has been tallied by the controller 8 over the course of a predetermined data-collecting time period. This time period can be, for example, the time between each visit by the agent and can typically extend for six months to a year or more. The agent can record the usage data of all such lamps 1 within a predetermined geographic area, or of only a predetermined subset of the lamps 1 to serve as a representative sample of the set of all the lamps 1 . Or, each lamp 1 can be brought by its user to the agent. The lamp 1 can labeled with a marking that identifies the lamp 1 , such as the lamp's serial number, which can be recorded by the agent. The marking can be printed on the lamp or its circuit board or affixed via a non-removable sticker. This enables the agent to keep track of the lamp 1 and ensure that the data is being tracked accurately. The parameters recorded by the agent, indicating energy usage of the lamps 1 , can be used for calculating carbon offsets. That is because each watt-hr consumed by this lamp 1 to produce light takes the place of a determinable amount of carbon that would have been emitted if a kerosene lamp, instead, had been used to produce the same amount of light. The correlation between watt-hours used by this lamp 1 and carbon offsets can be determined in a variety of ways, and the exact method for calculating offsets will be determined upon accreditation of a methodology by an independent third party. One example of how carbon offsets can be determined using the watt-hr information is the following: First, this lamp's light source 6 is turned on at a given wattage to produce a given illumination for a given number of hours, yielding a watt-hr value. Then, a kerosene lamp is used to produce the same illumination for the same number of hours, and the tons-carbon emitted is measured. Then, tons-carbon/watt-hr is calculated. This equals a conversion factor of #carbon-offsets/watt-hr, since a ton of carbon emissions corresponds to one carbon offset. The values of each parameter can be displayed to the agent in binary format, with a flash of the red LED indicating “0” and a flash of the green LED indicating “1”. The controller 8 could then output an integer number, indicating the tally of hours or the tally of watt-hrs, up to a value of 2 N where N is the number of flashes. For example, eight flashes, corresponding to 8-bit binary, could convey any integer number in the range 0-255. Similarly, 16 flashes, corresponding to 16-bit binary, could convey any integer number in the range 0-65,535. The agent could record the flashes with a pencil on paper, such as by recording “R” for a red flash and “G” for a green flash. For example, the number “28” can be represented in 8-bit binary as 00011100, which would be output as eight flashes of red, red, red, green, green, green, red, red. The agent would see the flashes and record “RRRGGGRR” on paper or on a PDA. The agent would be disinclined to try to fudge the data, since the agent typically would not understand the correlation between the sequence of light flashes and the number they represent. Each parameter is thus output in a binary format using the two illumination colors (green and red) as two states (1 and 0) of the binary format. Alternatively, a single indicator light, capable of illuminating two different colors can be used. The controller 8 and the communication device 12 together function as a metering device that tallies usage parameters of the lamp (hours or watt-hrs) and communicates those parameters to the agent. The lamp 1 thus provides credibility in certifying the number of carbon offsets being claimed. In another example, the agent would have an electronic meter reader that would read the display 12 by sensing each red and green flash and would record the usage data for later upload to a computer for confirming offset credits. The meter reader might also automatically read the lamp's serial number, which could be in the form of a bar code. Alternatively, the value could be conveyed by only one indicator light which would output a sequence of flashes based on some code. The indicator light could be the primary light source 6 itself. If being read by the electronic meter reader, the sequence of flashes could occur faster than a human can perceive. In another example, more than two differently colored indicator lights can be used to output the hours or watt-hrs. If only one indicator light flashes at a time, they would provide a base-L number, where L is the number of indicator lights, to yield any integer up to L N , where N is the number of flashes. If any combination of indicator lights could flash simultaneously, a higher maximum integer could be obtained from fewer flashes. In another example, in place of the colored indicator lights 12 a, 12 b, the controller 8 might output the usage data through a digital display, such as a 7-segment numerical display configured to output any of ten digits. In another example, the controller 8 measures the actual wattage—AW A , AW B , AW C and AW D —as the lamp is being used. The controller 8 can then use these measured wattage values by multiplying by time (T A , etc.) to determine energy used. Or the accumulated watt-hrs could be calculated as a summation or integration of continuously-measured wattage over time. These methods of using measured actual wattage (AW A , etc.) provides a more accurate energy result than using the nominal wattage values (NW A , etc.). The agent could initiate the data output by pressing the button of the lamp for a specified time duration, such as for eight seconds. Or, the data could be output automatically when the lamp is turned on and/or when the lamp is turned off. Or, the lamp could have a separate button designated to be pressed to initiate the data output. The controller 8 can reset the accumulator 16 for each parameter that it keeps track of (such as T A , T B , T TOT , E A , E B , or E TOT ) to zero when it displays the usage data to the agent. Alternatively, the accumulators 16 might never be manually reset by the agent but instead returned to zero automatically only after exceeding the maximum number, such when exceeding 255 if the accumulator 16 is in 8-bit binary format. Accordingly, the accumulator 16 repeatedly cycles through each number in its operational range. This discourages the agent from fudging the data, since he would typically not know what the previously-recorded value was for this parameter, and so could not know the relationship between the currently-recorded value and the electrical energy used. In addition to, or in place of, the solar panel 2 , the lamp 1 could have a power cord 18 that inputs electricity from a wall socket connected to a power grid of a public power station. The station could generate the electricity from fuel, including carbon-based fuel such as coal and oil. In this case, a certain amount of carbon emissions from the power station could be attributed to the power consumed by the lamp 1 . But even taking this power station carbon emission into account, this present lamp 1 is environmentally cleaner than a kerosene lamp. That is because less carbon is emitted by the power station for powering this lamp 1 to produce light than is emitted by a kerosene lamp to produce the same amount of light. When the lamp 1 is powered through the power grid 1 , the conversion factor of #carbon-offsets/watt-hr would be less than if the lamp 1 is powered by the solar panel 2 . Therefore, the controller 8 might have additional accumulators 16 , to tally usage of solar-produced electricity separately from usage of grid-produced electricity. The controller 8 might also monitor and display other parameters. These can include: 1) the number of times the battery 4 was recharged over a given period, such as over the aforementioned data collecting time period. 2) the amount of charge (e.g., watt-hrs) last required to charge the battery 4 from one predetermined level to another predetermined level, which indicates the battery's condition. Each “level” could be voltage level. 3) the amount of charge (e.g., watt-hrs) last required to discharge the battery 4 from one predetermined level to another predetermined level, which indicates the battery's condition. 4) charge time, which can be the number of hours the battery 4 was last charged. 5) charge rate of the battery 4 , in current or wattage. 6) battery condition, such as whether the battery 4 is weak and should be replaced. 7) tamper status, such as whether the lamp's housing 14 has been opened, which might void the lamp's warrantee or void the offset credit for this lamp. For items 1-4 above, the processor 8 would tally the respective parameter in an accumulator 16 . For item 5 above, the processor would output, preferably in real time, an indication of the rate that the solar panels are charging the battery 4 . This would guide the user in orienting the solar panel 2 relative to the sun (or water or wind turbine relative to fluid flow) to optimize the charging rate. The display 12 might flash at a rate that is positively related to the charging rate. In the above example, the generator 2 is a solar panel, which is non-combustion-based. However, in other examples, the generator 2 can be another non-combustion-based generator, such as a water turbine generator or a wind turbine generator or a hand-crank generator. Or, the generator 2 can be combustion-based, such as a gas-powered or diesel-powered generator or a fuel cell. In the above example, the electrical appliance is a light source 6 for producing light. However, other electrical appliances are possible, such as a radio, a mobile phone, a charger for charging a mobile phone, and a fan. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.

A lamp includes a generator that generates electricity. A battery stores the generated electricity. A light source produces light from the stored electricity. A metering device tallies an operating parameter indicative of the amount of electrical energy consumed by the lamp.

[0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/893,430, filed on Jul. 19, 2004 (Status: Pending), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/487,580, filed on Jul. 17, 2003, and which is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/234,859, filed Sep. 5, 2002 (Now U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,897), which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/036,796, filed Jan. 7, 2002 (Now U.S. Pat. No. 6,843,657), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/260,893, filed on Jan. 12, 2001 and U.S. patent application No. 60/328,396, filed on Oct. 12, 2001. Each above identified application is incorporated herein by this reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates generally to electrical interconnection systems, and more specifically, to a high speed, high-density interconnection system for differential and single-ended transmission applications. [0004] 2. Discussion of the Background [0005] Backplane systems are comprised of a complex printed circuit board that is referred to as the backplane or motherboard, and several smaller printed circuit boards that are referred to as daughtercards or daughterboards that plug into the backplane. Each daughtercard may include a chip that is referred to as a driver/receiver. The driver/receiver sends and receives signals from driver/receivers on other daughtercards. A signal path is formed between the driver/receiver on a first daughtercard and a driver/receiver on a second daughtercard. The signal path includes an electrical connector that connects the first daughtercard to the backplane, the backplane, a second electrical connector that connects the second daughtercard to the backplane, and the second daughtercard having the driver/receiver that receives the carried signal. [0006] Various driver/receivers being used today can transmit signals at data rates between 5-10 Gb/sec and greater. The limiting factor (data transfer rate) in the signal path is the electrical connectors that connect each daughtercard to the backplane. Further, the receivers are capable of receiving signals having only 5% of the original signal strength sent by the driver. This reduction in signal strength increases the importance of minimizing cross-talk between signal paths to avoid signal degradation or errors being introduced into digital data streams. With high speed, high-density electrical connectors, it is even more important to eliminate or reduce cross-talk. Thus, a need exists in the art for a high-speed electrical connector capable of handling high-speed signals that reduces cross-talk between signal paths. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention provides a high-speed electrical interconnection system designed to overcome the drawbacks of conventional interconnection systems. That is, the present invention provides an electrical connector capable of handling high-speed signals effectively. [0008] In one aspect the present invention provides an interconnect system having a first circuit board, a second circuit board and a connector for connecting the first circuit board to the second circuit board. [0009] The first circuit board includes (a) a first differential interconnect path, (b) a first signal pad on a surface of the first circuit board and (c) a second signal pad also on the surface of the first circuit board, wherein the first differential interconnect path includes a first signal path electrically connected to the first signal pad and a second signal path electrically connected to the second signal pad. The second circuit board includes a second differential interconnect path. [0010] The connector electrically connects the first differential interconnect path with the second differential interconnect path. The connector may include the following: an interposer having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, the first face facing the surface of the first circuit board; a first conductor having an end adjacent to the second surface of the interposer; a second conductor parallel with and equal in length to the first conductor, the second conductor also having an end adjacent to the second surface of the interposer; a dielectric material disposed between the first conductor and the second conductor; a first elongated contact member having a conductor contact section, a board contact section and an interim section between the conductor contact section and the board contact section, the conductor contact section being in physical contact with the end of the first conductor, the board contact section being in physical contact with and pressing against a surface of the first signal pad, but not being secured to the first signal pad, and the interim section being disposed in a hole extending from the first face of the interposer to the second face of the interposer, wherein the first signal pad exerts a force on the first contact member and the first contact member is free to move in the direction of the force to a limited extent. [0011] In another aspect, the present invention provides a connector for electrically connecting a signal path on a first circuit board with a signal path on a second circuit board. The connector may include: a first, a second and a third spacer; a first circuit board disposed between the first and second spacers; and a second circuit board disposed between the second and third spacers. [0012] The first circuit board has a first face abutting a face of the first spacer and a second face abutting a face of the second spacer. The second face has a set of signal conductors disposed thereon. Each of the signal conductors disposed on the second face has a first end adjacent a first edge of the second face, a second end adjacent a second edge of the second face, and an interim section between the first end and the second end. [0013] The second circuit board has a first face abutting a face of the second spacer and a second face abutting a face of the third spacer. The first face of the second circuit board having a set of signal conductors disposed thereon. Each of the signal conductors disposed on the first face having a first end adjacent a first edge of the first face, a second end adjacent a second edge of the first face, and an interim section between the first end and the second end. [0014] The first edge of the second face of the first circuit board is parallel and spaced apart from the first edge of the first face of the second circuit board. Advantageously, to reduce cross-talk, none of the first ends of the signal conductors on the first circuit board are aligned with any of the first ends of the signal conductors on the second circuit board. [0015] In another aspect, the present invention provides a spacer for a connector. The spacer may include a first face having a set of M grooves disposed thereon, each of the M grooves extending from a first edge of the first face to a second edge of the first face; a second face having a set of N grooves disposed thereon, each of the N grooves extending from a first edge of the second face to a second edge of the second face; and an elongate finger projecting outwardly from a side of the spacer for attaching the spacer to a part of the connector. [0016] The above and other features, embodiments and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of preferred embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, help illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Additionally, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears. [0018] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a connector in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. [0019] FIG. 2 is a view of a printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0020] FIG. 3 is a front side view of the printed circuit board shown in FIG. 2 . [0021] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a spacer in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. [0022] FIG. 5 is a top view of a first face of the spacer shown in FIG. 4 . [0023] FIG. 6 is a top view of a second face of the spacer shown in FIG. 4 . [0024] FIG. 7 is a front side view of the spacer shown in FIG. 4 . [0025] FIG. 8 is a top view of a first face of a second spacer. [0026] FIG. 9 is a top view of a second face of the second spacer. [0027] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an apparatus consisting of a circuit board sandwiched between two spacers. [0028] FIG. 11 is a front side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 10 . [0029] FIG. 12 illustrates an arrangement of multiple circuit boards and multiple spacers according to an example embodiment of the present invention. [0030] FIG. 13 is a top view of a first face of a circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0031] FIG. 14 illustrates how the alignment of the conductors on an A type circuit board differs from alignment of the conductors on a B type circuit board. [0032] FIG. 15 illustrates a contact member according to one embodiment of the invention. [0033] FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate a cell according to one embodiment of the invention. [0034] FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate that cells may be configured to fit into an aperture of an interposer. [0035] FIG. 20 illustrates a finger of a spacer inserted into a corresponding notch of an interposer. [0036] FIG. 21 illustrates the arrangement of the interposers 180 in relation to board 120 and in relation to boards 2190 and 2180 , according to one embodiment [0037] FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the connector 100 . [0038] FIG. 23 illustrates an embodiment of backbone 150 . [0039] FIG. 24 illustrates an embodiment of an end cap 199 . [0040] FIG. 25 is an exploded view of backbone 150 and an end cap 199 . [0041] FIG. 26 is a view of a backbone 150 and an end cap 199 assembled together. [0042] FIG. 27 is a view of a spacer connected to backbone 150 . [0043] FIG. 28 illustrates an embodiment of mounting clip 190 b. [0044] FIG. 29 is an exploded view of clip 190 b and end cap 199 . [0045] FIG. 30 is a view of clip 190 b having an end cap 199 attached thereto. [0046] FIG. 31 illustrates an embodiment of shield 160 . [0047] FIG. 32 is an exploded view of shield 160 and an interposer 180 . [0048] FIG. 33 is a view of shield 160 being connected to an interposer 180 . [0049] FIG. 34 is a view of an assembled connector with an interposer 180 and clip 190 a omitted. [0050] FIGS. 35 and 36 are different views of an almost fully assembled connector 100 according to one embodiment assembled without cells in FIG. 35 and with 2 cells in FIG. 36 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0051] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a connector 100 in accordance with an example preferred embodiment of the present invention. Some elements have been omitted for the sake of clarity. As illustrated in FIG. 1 , connector 100 may include at least one printed circuit board 120 having electrical conductors printed thereon. In the embodiment shown, connector 100 may further include a pair of spacers 110 a and 110 b , a pair of interposers 180 a and 180 b , a pair of end-caps 190 a and 190 b , a backbone 150 , a shield 160 , and a pair of endplates 190 a and 190 b . Although only one circuit board and only two spacers are shown in FIG. 1 , one skilled in the art will appreciate that in typical configurations connector 100 will include a number of circuit boards and spacers, with each circuit board being disposed between two spacers, as will be described herein. [0052] FIG. 2 is a view of printed circuit board 120 . In the embodiment shown, circuit board 120 is generally rectangular in shape. As shown, circuit board 120 may have one or more electrical conductors disposed on a face 220 thereof. In the embodiment shown, board 120 has four conductors 201 , 202 , 203 , and 204 disposed on face 220 . Each conductor 201 - 204 has a first end, a second and an interim section between the first and second ends. The first end of each conductor is located at a point on or adjacent a first edge 210 of face 220 and the second end of each conductor is located at a point on or adjacent a second edge 211 of face 220 . In many embodiments, second edge 211 of face 220 is perpendicular to first edge 210 , as shown in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 . [0053] Although not shown in FIG. 2 , there are corresponding electrical conductors on the opposite face of circuit board 120 . More specifically, for each conductor 201 - 204 , there is a conductor on the opposite face that is a mirror image of the conductor. This feature is illustrated in FIG. 3 , which is a front side view of board 120 . As shown in FIG. 3 , conductors 301 - 304 are disposed on face 320 of board 120 , which face 320 faces in the opposite direction of face 220 . As further illustrated, conductors 301 - 304 correspond to conductors 201 - 204 , respectively. [0054] When the interconnection system 100 of the present invention is used to transmit differential signals, one of the electrical conductors 201 - 204 and its corresponding electrical conductor on the opposite face may be utilized together to form the two wire balanced pair required for transmitting the differential signal. Since the length of the two electrical conductors is identical, there should be no skew between the two electrical conductors (skew being the difference in time that it takes for a signal to propagate the two electrical conductors). [0055] In configurations where connector 100 includes multiple circuit boards 120 , the circuit boards are preferably arranged in a row in parallel relationship. Preferably, in such a configuration, each circuit board 120 of connector 100 is positioned between two spacers 110 . [0056] FIG. 4 is a perspective side view of spacer 110 a according to one embodiment of the invention. As shown, spacer 110 a may have one or more grooves disposed on a face 420 thereof, which face 420 faces away from board 120 . In the embodiment shown, face 420 of spacer 110 a has three grooves 401 , 402 and 403 disposed thereon. Each groove 401 - 403 extends from a point at or near a first edge 410 of face 420 to a point at or near second edge 411 of face 420 . In many embodiments, second edge 411 of face 420 is perpendicular to first edge 410 , as shown in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 . [0057] As further shown, face 420 of spacer 110 a may have one or more recesses disposed at an edge of face 420 . In the embodiment shown, there are two sets of four recesses disposed at an edge on face 420 . The first set of recesses includes recesses 421 a - d , and the second set of recesses includes recesses 431 a - d . Each recess 421 a - d is positioned directly adjacent to the end of at least one groove and extends from a point on edge 410 of face 420 to a second point spaced inwardly from edge 410 a short distance. Similarly, each recess 431 a - d is positioned directly adjacent to the end of at least one groove and extends from a point on edge 411 of face 420 to a second point spaced inwardly from edge 411 a short distance. Accordingly, in the embodiment shown, there is at least one recess between the ends of all the grooves. Each recess 421 , 431 is designed to receive the end of spring element (see FIG. 16 , elements 1520 ). [0058] Although not shown in FIG. 4 , there may be grooves and recesses on the opposite face 491 of spacer 110 a . In a preferred embodiment, the number of grooves on the first face of a spacer 110 is one less (or one more) than the number of grooves on the second face of the spacer 110 , but this is not a requirement. Similarly, in the preferred embodiment, the number of recesses on the first face of a spacer 110 is two less (or two more) than the number of recesses on the second face of the spacer 110 . This feature is illustrated in FIGS. 5-7 , where FIG. 5 is a top view of face 420 , FIG. 6 is a top view of the opposite face (i.e., face 491 ), and FIG. 7 is a front side view of spacer 110 a. [0059] As shown in FIG. 5 , grooves 401 - 403 , recesses 421 a - d , and recesses 431 a - d are disposed on face 420 of spacer 110 a . Similarly, as shown in FIG. 6 , grooves 601 - 604 , recesses 621 a - c, and recesses 631 a - c are disposed on face 491 of spacer 110 a , which face 491 faces in the opposite direction of face 420 . [0060] Grooves 601 - 604 are similar to grooves 401 - 404 in that each groove 601 - 604 extends from a point on a first edge 610 of face 491 to a point on a second edge 611 of face 491 . Likewise, recesses 621 and 631 are similar to recesses 421 and 431 . Like each recess 421 , each recess 621 extends from a point on edge 610 of face 491 to a second point spaced inwardly from edge 610 a short distance. Similarly, each recess 631 extends from a point on edge 611 of face 491 to a second point spaced inwardly from edge 611 a short distance. Each recess 621 , 631 is designed to receive the end of a spring element (see FIG. 16 , elements 1520 ). [0061] The figures illustrate that, in some embodiments, the number of grooves on one face of a spacer 110 is one less (or one more) than the number of grooves on the opposite face of the spacer. And also show that the number of recesses on one face may be two less (or two more) than the number of recesses on the opposite face. [0062] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4-6 , each recess on one face is positioned so that it is generally directly opposite an end of a groove on the other face. For example, recess 421 a is generally directly opposite an end of groove 604 and recess 621 a is generally directly opposite an end of groove 403 . This feature can be more easily seen by examining FIG. 7 , which is a front side view of the spacer. [0063] Referring back to FIG. 4-6 , FIG. 4 shows that spacer 110 a may further include three fingers 435 , 437 , and 440 . It also shows that that spacer 110 a may also include a slot 444 and a first pair of bosses 450 disposed on and projecting outwardly from face 420 and a second pair of bosses 650 disposed on and projecting outwardly from face 491 . Bosses 650 are provided to fit in the apertures 244 of circuit board 120 . This feature enables board 120 to be properly aligned with respect to the adjacent spacers 110 a and 110 b. [0064] Finger 435 is located towards the top of the front side of spacer 110 a and finger 437 is located towards the front of the bottom side of spacer 110 a . Finger 435 projects outwardly from the front side of spacer 110 a in a direction that is perpendicular to the front side of the spacer. Similarly, finger 437 projects outwardly from the bottom side of spacer 110 a in a direction that is perpendicular to the bottom side of the spacer. Fingers 435 , 437 function to attach spacer 110 a to interposers 180 b , 180 a , respectively. More specifically, interposer 180 a includes a recess 1810 (see FIG. 18 ) for receiving and retaining finger 437 . Similarly interposer 180 b includes a recess for receiving and retaining finger 435 . Fingers 435 , 437 each include a protrusion 436 and 438 , respectively. The protrusions are sufficiently resilient to allow them to snap into corresponding recesses in the corresponding interposers. [0065] Slot 444 is located towards but spaced apart from the backside of spacer 110 a . Slot 444 extends downwardly from the top side of spacer 110 to form finger 440 . Finger 440 and slot 444 function together to attach spacer 110 a to backbone 150 . [0066] Referring back to spacer 10 b (see FIG. 1 ), in the embodiment shown, spacer 10 b is similar but not identical to spacer 110 a . Accordingly, in some embodiments connector 100 includes two types of spacers: type A and type B. In other embodiments, more or less than two types of spacers may be used. FIGS. 8 and 9 further illustrate spacer 110 b (the type B spacer) according to one embodiment. FIG. 8 is a top view of a face 820 of spacer 110 b . Face 820 faces circuit board 120 . As shown in FIG. 8 , face 820 is similar to face 491 of spacer 110 a , which also faces board 120 . Like face 491 , face 820 has four grooves 801 - 804 , a first set of three recesses 821 a - c , and a second set of three recesses 831 a - c. [0067] Grooves 801 - 804 are similar to grooves 601 - 604 in that each groove 801 - 804 extends from a point on a first edge 810 of face 820 to a point on a second edge 811 of face 820 . Likewise, recesses 821 and 831 are similar to recesses 621 and 631 . Like each recess 621 , each recess 821 extends from a point on edge 810 of face 820 to a second point spaced inwardly from edge 810 a short distance. Similarly, each recess 831 extends from a point on edge 811 of face 820 to a second point spaced inwardly from edge 811 a short distance. [0068] FIG. 9 is a top view of a face 920 of spacer 110 b . Face 920 faces away from circuit board 120 in the opposite direction of face 820 . As shown in FIG. 9 , face 920 is similar to face 420 of spacer 110 a , which also faces away from board 120 . Like face 420 , face 920 has three grooves 901 - 903 , a first set of four recesses 921 a - d , and a second set of four recesses 931 a - d. [0069] Grooves 901 - 903 are similar to grooves 401 - 403 in that each groove 901 - 903 extends from a point on a first edge 910 of face 920 to a point on a second edge 911 of face 920 . Likewise, recesses 921 and 931 are similar to recesses 421 and 431 . Each recess 421 extends from a point on edge 910 of face 920 to a second point spaced inwardly from edge 910 a short distance, and each recess 931 extends from a point on edge 911 of face 920 to a second point spaced inwardly from edge 911 a short distance. [0070] Spacer 110 b also includes three fingers 835 , 837 , and 840 , a slot 844 , and a pair apertures 850 extending through spacer 110 b . Apertures 850 are provided to receive bosses 650 . This feature enables spacer 110 b to be properly aligned with respect to spacers 110 a. [0071] Unlike finger 435 , which is located towards the top of the front side of spacer 110 a , finger 835 is located towards the bottom of the front side of spacer 110 b . Similarly, unlike finger 437 , which is located towards the front of the bottom side of spacer 110 a , finger 837 is located towards the back of the bottom side of spacer 110 b . Finger 835 projects outwardly from the front side of spacer 110 a in a direction that is perpendicular to the front side of the spacer, and finger 437 projects outwardly from the bottom side of spacer 110 a in a direction that is perpendicular to the bottom side of the spacer. Like fingers 435 , 437 , fingers 835 , 837 function to attach spacer 110 b to interposers 180 b , 180 a , respectively. [0072] As discussed above, board 120 is positioned between spacers 110 a and 10 b . This feature is illustrated in FIG. 10 . Although not shown in FIG. 10 , bosses 650 of spacer 110 a protrude though apertures 244 of board 120 and through apertures 850 of spacer 110 b . This use of bosses 650 facilitates the proper alignment of spacers 110 a,b and board 120 . When board 120 is properly aligned with the spacers, conductors 201 - 204 and 301 - 304 are aligned with grooves 601 - 604 and 801 - 804 , respectively. This feature is illustrated in FIG. 11 . [0073] As shown in FIG. 11 , grooves 601 - 604 , which are disposed on the side of spacer 110 a facing board 120 , are positioned on the spacer to mirror electrical conductors 201 - 204 on printed circuit board 120 . Likewise, grooves 801 - 804 , which are disposed on the side of spacer 110 b facing board 120 , are positioned on the spacer to mirror electrical conductors 301 - 304 . Grooves 601 - 604 and 801 - 804 , among other things, prevent electrical conductors 201 - 204 and 301 - 304 from touching spacer 110 a and 110 b , respectively. In this way, the electrical conductors disposed on board 120 are insulated by the air caught between board 120 and the grooves. [0074] Spacers 110 may be fabricated either from an electrically conductive material or from a dielectric material and coated with an electrically conductive layer to electromagnetically shield the electrical conductors of the printed circuit board 120 . Furthermore, the complex impedances of the electrical conductors and their associated grooves can be adjusted by varying the dimensions thereof. Still furthermore, the grooves can include a layer of a dielectric material, such as Teflon, to further adjust the complex impedances of the electrical conductors and their associated channels as well as adjusting the breakdown voltage thereof. [0075] Referring now to FIG. 12 , FIG. 12 illustrates an example arrangement of spacers 110 and circuit boards 120 when multiple circuit boards are used in connector 100 . As shown, boards 120 and spacers 110 are aligned in a row in parallel relationship and each circuit board 120 is sandwiched between two spacers 110 . In the example shown, there are two types of circuit boards (A) and (B), as well as the two types of spacers (A) and (B) discussed above. The A type circuit boards are identical to each other and the B type circuit boards are identical to each other. Similarly, The A type spacers are identical to each other and the B type spacers are identical to each other. [0076] In the embodiment shown, spacers 110 and boards 120 are arranged in an alternating sequence, which means that between any two given A type spacers there is a B type spacer and vice-versa, and between any two given A type boards there is a B type board and vice-versa. Thus, an A type spacer is not adjacent to another A type spacer and an A type board is not adjacent to another A type board. Accordingly, in this example configuration, each board 120 is disposed between an A type spacer and a B type spacer. [0077] As can be seen from FIG. 12 , each face of each board 120 b (the B type board) has three conductors thereon. FIG. 13 is a top view of one face 1320 of a B type board (the other face not shown is a mirror image of face 1320 ). As shown in FIG. 13 , there are three conductors 1301 , 1302 , and 1303 disposed on face 1320 . By comparing FIG. 13 to FIG. 2 (which is a top view of a face of an A type board), one can see that the A and B type boards are nearly identical. One difference being the number of conductors on each face and the alignment of the conductors on the face. In the embodiment shown, the B type boards have one less electrical conductor than do the A type boards. [0078] Referring to FIG. 14 , FIG. 14 illustrates how the alignment of the conductors 1301 - 1303 on the B type boards differs from alignment of the conductors 201 - 204 on the A type boards. FIG. 14 shows representative boards 120 a and 120 b in a side by side arrangement so that a front edge 1401 on board 120 a is spaced apart from and parallel with a corresponding front edge 1402 on board 120 b . From FIG. 14 , one can clearly see that the ends of the conductors on the B type board located at edge 1402 are not aligned with the ends of the conductors on the A type board located at edge 1401 . For example, in the example shown, the end of any given conductor on the B type board is interstitially aligned with respect to the ends of two adjacent conductors on the A type board. That is, if one were to draw the shortest line from the end of each conductor on the B board to the adjacent face of the A board, each line would terminate at a point that is between the ends of two conductors on the A board. For example, the shortest line from the end of conductor 1301 to the adjacent face of board 120 a ends at a point that is between the ends of conductors 204 and 203 . An advantage of having the conductors be misaligned is that it may reduce cross-talk in the connector. [0079] Referring back to FIG. 12 , one can clearly see that each conductor on each board 120 is aligned with a groove on the spacer directly adjacent the conductor. That is, each groove on each spacer 110 is designed to mirror a corresponding conductor on an adjacent board 120 . Because each conductor is aligned with a corresponding groove, there is a space between the conductor and the spacer. [0080] when connector 100 is fully assembled, each conductor on a board 120 comes into physical and electrical contact with two contact members (see FIG. 15 for a representative contact member 1530 a ), an end of each of which fits into the space between the adjacent spacer and the conductor. More specifically, the first end of each conductor comes into physical and electrical contact with the contact portion of a first contact member and the second end of each conductor comes into physical and electrical contact with the contact portion second contact member, and the contact portions of the first and second contact members are each disposed in the space between the corresponding end of the conductor and the spacer. Each contact member functions to electrically connect the conductor to which it makes contact to a trace on a circuit board-to which the connector 100 is attached. [0081] FIG. 15 illustrates a contact member 1530 a , according to one embodiment of the invention, for electrically connecting a conductor 201 on a board 120 to trace on a circuit board (not shown in FIG. 15 ) to which the connector 100 is attached. Only a portion of contact member 1530 a is visible in FIG. 15 because a portion is disposed within a housing 122 . [0082] As shown in FIG. 15 , contact member 1530 a contacts an end of conductor 201 (the spacers and interposers are not shown to better illustrate this feature). In some embodiments, the ends of the conductor 201 are wider than the interim portions so as to provide more surface area for receiving the contact portion of the contact members. [0083] Partially shown in FIG. 15 is another contact member 1530 b . Contact member 1530 b has a bottom portion that is also housed in housing 122 . Contact member 1530 b contacts an end of conductor 301 , which can't be seen in FIG. 15 . Housing 122 is preferably fabricated of an electrically insulative material, such as a plastic. The electrical contacts 1530 of each housing 122 can either be disposed within the housing during fabrication or subsequently fitted within the housing. [0084] Contact members 1530 may be fabricated by commonly available techniques utilizing any material having suitable electrical and mechanical characteristics. They may be fabricated of laminated materials such as gold plated phosphor bronze. While they are illustrated as being of unitary construction, one skilled in the art will appreciate that they may be made from multiple components. [0085] As further shown in FIG. 15 , housing 122 may be configured to hold two elongate springs 1520 a and 1520 b . Springs 1520 extend in the same direction as contact members 1530 and 1531 . The distal end of a spring 1520 is designed to be inserted into a corresponding spacer recess. For example, distal end of spring 1520 a is designed to be received in recess 621 c . The combination of the housing 122 , contact members 1530 , and springs 1520 is referred to as a cell 1570 . [0086] FIGS. 16 and 17 further illustrate cell 1570 according to one embodiment. FIG. 17 is an exploded view of cell 1570 . As shown, the housing 122 is generally rectangular in shape and includes apertures 1710 for receiving springs 1520 and apertures 1720 for receiving contact members 1530 . Apertures 1720 extend from the top side of housing to bottom side of the housing so that proximal ends 1641 of contact members 1730 can project beyond the bottom side of housing 122 , as shown in FIG. 16 . [0087] Apertures 1710 extend from the top surface of housing 122 towards the bottom surface. But do not reach the bottom surface. Accordingly, when a spring 1520 is inserted into an aperture 1710 the proximal end will not project beyond the bottom surface of housing 122 . While open apertures 1710 are illustrated, it is understood that closed apertures can also be used [0088] As illustrated in FIG. 17 , each contact member 1530 , according to the embodiment shown, has a proximal end 1641 and a distal end 1749 . Between ends 1641 and 1749 there is a base portion 1743 , a transition portion 1744 and a contact portion 1745 . Base portion 1743 is between proximal end 1641 and transition portion 1744 , transition portion is between base portion 1743 and contact portion 1745 , and contact portion 1745 is between transition portion 1744 and distal end 1749 . In the embodiment shown, base portion 1743 is disposed in aperture 1720 so that generally the entire base portion is within housing 122 , transition portion 1744 is angled inwardly with respect to the base portion, and distal end 1749 is angled outwardly with respect to the transition portion and therefore functions as a lead-in portion. [0089] In a preferred embodiment, the contact portion of a contact member is not fixed to the end of the conductor with which it makes physical and electrical contact. For example, the contact portions are not soldered or otherwise fixed to the board 120 conductors, as is typical in the prior art. Instead, in a preferred embodiment, a contact member 1630 is electrically connected to its corresponding conductor with a wiping action similar to that used in card edge connectors. That is, the contact portion of the contact member merely presses against the end of the corresponding conductor. For example, referring back to FIG. 15 , the contact portion of contact member 1530 a merely presses or pushes against the end portion of conductor 201 . Because it is not fixed to the conductor, the contact portion can move along the length of the conductor while still pressing against the conductor, creating a wiping action. This wiping action may ensure a good electrical connection between the contact members and the corresponding electrical conductors of the printed circuit boards 120 . [0090] Referring now to FIGS. 18 and 19 , FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate that each cell 1570 is designed to fit into an aperture 1811 of an interposer 180 . In the embodiment shown, each interposer 180 includes a first set of apertures 1811 a (see FIG. 19 ) arranged in a first set of aligned rows to create a first row and column configuration and a second set of apertures 1811 b arranged in a second set of aligned rows to create second row and column configuration. In the embodiment shown, each row in the second set is disposed between two rows from the first set. For example, row 1931 , which is a row of apertures 1811 b , is disposed between rows 1930 and 1932 , each of which is a row of apertures 1811 a. [0091] As shown in the figures, the second row and column configuration is offset from the first row and column configuration so that the apertures of the second set are aligned with each other but not aligned with the apertures of the first set, and vice-versa [0092] An interposer 180 may electromagnetically shield the electrical conductors of the printed circuit boards 120 by being fabricated either of a conductive material or of a non-conductive material coated with a conductive material. [0093] As also shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 , interposers 180 include notches 1810 along a top and bottom side. Each notch 1810 is designed to receive the end of a finger of a spacer 110 . Preferably, the finger snaps into a corresponding notch to firmly attach the spacer 110 to the interposer 180 . This feature is illustrated in FIG. 20 . [0094] When connector 100 is fully constructed, each aperture in the first and second set receives a cell 1570 . The housing 122 of each cell 1570 has a tab 1633 arranged to fit within a slot 1888 disposed within a corresponding aperture of the interposer 180 , which slot 1888 does not extend the entire length of the aperture. The tab 1633 , therefore, prevents the cell 1570 from falling through the aperture. It is to be understood that the specific shape of the cells and corresponding apertures are merely for exemplary purposes. The present invention is not limited to these shapes. [0095] Additionally, when connector is fully constructed, the interposers are arranged so that the contact portion 1745 of each contact member 1530 contacts a corresponding conductor. FIG. 21 illustrates this concept. [0096] FIG. 21 illustrates the arrangement of the interposers 180 in relation to board 120 and in relation to boards 2190 and 2180 . The spacers 110 are not shown in the figure to illustrate that board 120 and interposers 180 are arranged so that the front side 2102 of board 120 is aligned with the center line of a column of apertures on spacer 180 b and so that the bottom side 2104 of board 120 is aligned with the center line of a column of apertures on spacer 180 a . FIG. 21 also shows two cells 1570 , each disposed in an aperture of an interposer 180 . As shown in FIG. 21 , a contact member 1530 of each cell 1570 makes physical contact with a corresponding conductor. [0097] Although not shown in FIG. 21 , when connector 100 is in use, the proximal end 1641 of each contact member 1530 a,b contacts a conducting element on a circuit board connected to connector 100 . For example, end 1641 of contact member 1530 b contacts a conducting element on circuit board 2190 and end 1641 of contact member 1530 a contacts a conducting element on circuit board 2180 . Accordingly, FIG. 21 illustrates that there is at least one electrical signal path from board 2190 to board 2180 through connector 100 . This electrical signal path includes conductor 214 , contact member 1530 b and contact member 1530 a . As is appreciated by one skilled in the art, connector 100 provides multiple electrical signal paths from board 2190 and 2180 , wherein each signal path includes two contact members 1530 and a conductor on a board 120 . [0098] According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 21 , each interposer is arranged in parallel relationship with one circuit board connected to connector 100 . More specifically, interposer 180 a is in parallel relationship with circuit board 2180 and interposer 180 b is in parallel relationship with circuit board 2190 . Accordingly, one face of interposer 180 a faces board 2180 and one face of interposer 180 b faces board 2190 . [0099] Referring now to FIG. 22 , FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of the connector 100 and shows that when connector 100 is in use, as described above, each proximal end 1641 of each contact member 1530 contacts a conducting element 2194 on circuit board 2190 . In a preferred embodiment, each conducting element 2194 is a signal pad, and not a via. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, connector 100 is a compression mount connector because each proximal end 1641 merely presses against the circuit board and is not inserted into a via in the circuit board. However, in other embodiments, each element 2194 may be a via or other electrically conducting element. [0100] In a preferred embodiment, the board 2190 includes a differential signal path that includes a first signal path 2196 a (e.g., a first trace) and a second signal path 2196 b (e.g., a second trace). As shown, the first pad 2194 is connected to the first signal path 2196 a and the second conducting element 2194 b is is connected to the first signal path 2196 b . It should be noted that the second circuit board 2180 may also have a pair of conducting elements, like elements 2194 , electrically connected to a pair of signal paths, like paths 2196 . [0101] As shown in FIG. 22 , a cell 1570 is inserted into an aperture of interposer 180 . As further shown, the distal end of each contact member 1530 of cell 1570 extends beyond the upper face 2250 of the interposer and the proximal end 1641 of each contact member 1530 extends beyond the bottom face 2251 of the interposer, which faces board 2190 and is generally parallel thereto. Each proximal end 1641 presses against a conducting element 2194 on board 2190 . Likewise, each contact portion 1745 of contact member 1530 presses against a conductor on board 120 . Thus, a contact member 1530 electrically connects a conductor on board 120 with a conducting element 2194 on board 2190 . As illustrated in FIG. 22 , the ends of the conductors on board 120 are near the upper face 2250 of interposer. [0102] When end 1641 of a contact member 1530 presses against a corresponding element 2194 a normal force caused by the element is exerted on the contact member. Because the contact member 1530 is held firmly within housing 1570 , the normal force will cause housing 122 to move in the direction of the normal force (i.e., away from the circuit board 2190 ). However, springs 1520 limit how far housing 122 will move away from board 2190 because when the housing 122 moves away from board 2190 , springs 1520 will compress and exert a force on the housing in a direction that is opposite of the direction of the normal force caused by board 2190 . This is so because the distal ends of the springs abut a surface of a spacer 110 and the spacer is firmly attached to the interposer 180 , which itself does not move relative to the board 2190 . Thus, springs 1502 will compress and exert a force on housing in a direction opposite the normal force. [0103] Referring back to FIG. 1 , each spacer 110 may be configured to attach to an elongate backbone 150 . Additionally, connector 100 may include two end caps 100 a and 100 b , each of which is designed to attach to a respective end of backbone 150 . The backbone 150 and end caps 100 are discussed below. [0104] Referring to FIG. 23 , FIG. 23 illustrates an embodiment of backbone 150 . Backbone 150 , according to the embodiment shown, includes bosses 2300 arranged to mate with the end caps 100 as well as slots 2320 , each arranged to receive finger 440 of a spacer 110 , as shown in FIG. 27 . Backbone 150 may further include tines 2330 arranged to mate with the spacers 110 . [0105] Referring to FIG. 24 , FIG. 24 illustrates an embodiment of an end cap 199 . End cap 199 , according to the embodiment shown, includes apertures 2402 arranged to mate with bosses disposed on adjacent spacers as well as bosses 2300 disposed on the backbone 150 . The end cap 199 further includes both a screw 2420 and a pin 2410 arranged to mechanically interface connector 100 with a circuit board, which may have a large number of layers, for example, more than 30 layers, as well as a tongue 2430 arranged to mate with an end plate 190 b (see FIGS. 1 and 25 ). [0106] While the end cap 199 is illustrated as being symmetrical, that is, can be used on either end of connector 100 , separate left and right-handed end caps may also be used. The screw 2420 and pin 2410 of the end cap 199 may be integrally formed with the end cap 199 or may be attached thereto after fabrication of the end cap 199 . It has been found that it is often necessary to utilize a metal rather than a plastic screw 2420 in view of the mechanical stresses involved. It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the use of a screw 2420 and pin 2410 but rather other fastening means may also be used. [0107] As noted previously, both the end caps 100 and spacers 110 can be fabricated of an insulative material, such as a plastic, covered with a conductive material to provide electromagnetic shielding or can be fabricated entirely of a conductive material, such as a metal. [0108] FIG. 25 is an exploded view of backbone 150 and an end cap 199 and FIG. 26 is a view of a backbone 150 and an end cap 199 assembled together. [0109] Referring to FIGS. 25 and 26 , the bosses 2300 of the backbone 150 are disposed within corresponding apertures 2402 in the end caps 100 forming a rigid structure. The use of bosses 2300 and apertures 2402 is for exemplary purposes and the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, other fastening means can be used to mechanically connect the backbone 150 to the end caps 100 . [0110] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 27 , a combination of fingers 440 and mating slots are used to mechanically connect the spacers 110 to the backbone 150 . The illustrated combination is for exemplary purposes and the present invention is not limited thereto. In a similar fashion, as discussed above, the fingers 435 , 437 , 835 , 837 of the spacers 110 are arranged to mate with corresponding slots in the interposer 180 . The illustrated combination of fingers and slots is for exemplary purposes and the present invention is not limited thereto. [0111] Referring back to FIG. 1 , FIG. 1 shows that connector 100 may also include a two mounting clips 190 a and 190 b and a shield 160 . Mounting clips 190 and shield 160 are combined with the above described parts of the connector 100 to form a composite arrangement. The mounting clip 190 and shield 160 may be electrically conductive so as to electromagnetically shield the signal carrying elements of connector 100 . The mounting clip 190 and shield 160 will be discussed in detail below. [0112] FIG. 28 illustrates an embodiment of mounting clip 190 b . Mounting clip 190 b , according to the embodiment shown, includes: (a) pins 2860 arranged to mate with a hole in a circuit board (e.g., board 2190 or 2180 ) and (b) slots 2870 arranged to receive the tongues and 2430 of the end caps 100 . Pins 2860 function to connect clip 190 b to a circuit board by mating with the circuit board holes mentioned above. Pins 2860 may be electrically conducting and may electrically and physically connect to a ground plane of the circuit board to which it is connected. [0113] FIG. 29 is an exploded view of clip 190 b and end cap 199 and FIG. 30 is a view of clip 190 b having an end cap 199 attached thereto. As shown in FIG. 30 , tongue 2430 of end cap 199 is arranged to mate with a corresponding slot 2870 in clip 190 b . As with the other illustrated fastening means, the present invention is not limited to the use of a tongue and corresponding slot. [0114] Referring now to FIG. 31 , FIG. 31 illustrates an embodiment of shield 160 . Shield 160 , according to the embodiment shown, includes hooks 3100 arranged to fit in slots in an interposer 180 . FIG. 32 is an exploded view of shield 160 and an interposer 180 . FIG. 33 is a view of shield 160 being connected to an interposer 180 . FIG. 33 illustrates how the hooks 3100 of shield 160 snap into slots in interposer 180 , thereby mechanically connecting the two. [0115] FIG. 34 is a view of an assembled connector with an interposer 180 and clip 190 a omitted. FIGS. 35 and 36 are different views of an almost fully assembled connector 100 according to one embodiment. When fully assembled, each aperture in each interposer holds a cell 1570 . Referring to FIG. 35 , FIG. 35 shows end caps 199 a and 199 b , shield 160 , interposer 180 a and clip 190 b. [0116] Referring to FIGS. 36 , FIG. 36 shows end caps 199 a and 199 b , interposers 180 a and 180 b , and clips 190 a and 190 b . The clip 190 a may be attached to the overall assembly by any usual fastening means and can include pins or other fastening means to attach the assembled connector 100 to a daughtercard, for example. [0117] The additional interposer 180 b and additional clip 190 a may be identical to the interposer 180 a and end plate 190 b or can be different (or not present at all), depending upon the application of the interconnection system assembly. [0118] While the two interposers 180 have been illustrated as being perpendicular to each other, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, for some applications, the planes of the two interposers 180 can be at a 45-degree angle or other angle, for example. Thus, connector 100 need not be a “right-angle” connector. [0119] As can be seen from FIGS. 34-36 , the entire interconnection system assembly attaches together to form a rigid structure in which the electrical conductors on the printed circuit boards 120 may be entirely electromagnetically shielded. [0120] While various embodiments/variations of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

The present invention provides a high-speed electrical interconnection system designed to overcome the drawbacks of conventional interconnection systems. That is, the present invention provides an electrical connector capable of handling high-speed signals effectively.

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/635,988, filed Aug. 9, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,266,613 the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to dynamic detection of maximum bandwidth for a connection between entities on a TCP network environment. In particular, it relates to countermeasures to flow-control functions of the network environment that may effectively delay transmission of a set of packets. BACKGROUND As the Internet has matured, the characteristics of the available content on the Internet have changed. Sound and video content is now included with the traditional textual content. However, this new content on the Internet requires a greater connection speed (i.e., bandwidth) than was commonly available a few years ago. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a typical Internet configuration. It includes a server (such as media server 20 ), which is coupled to the Internet 30 . The server typically includes one or more physical server computers 22 with one or more physical storage devices and/or databases 24 . On the other side of an Internet transmission is a client 90 , which is connected via one of many available Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 80 . Herein, a server is a network entity that sends data and a client is a network entity that receives data. Cloud 30 is labeled the Internet, but it is understood that this cloud represents that portion of the Internet that only includes that which is illustrated therein. Inside such cloud are the routers, transmission lines, connections, and other communication devices that more-often-than-not successfully transmit data between clients and servers. Inside exemplary Internet cloud 30 are routers 32 - 44 ; two satellite dishes 46 and 50 ; and a satellite 48 . The links between these devices represent the possible paths that a data packet may take on its way between the server and the client. In general, a communication device on a network (such as the Internet) is any device that facilitates communication over the network between two entities, 11 and includes the two entities. Examples of such entities include the server 20 and the client 90 . The Layers of the OSI Model Open System Interconnection (OSI) model is an ISO standard for worldwide communications that defines a networking framework for implementing protocols in seven layers. Control is passed from one layer to the next, starting at the application layer in one station, proceeding to the bottom layer, over the channel to the next station and back up the hierarchy. A person of ordinary skill in the art is familiar with the OSI model. Most of the functionality in the OSI model exists in all communications systems, although two or three OSI layers may be incorporated into one. These layers are also called “levels.” Generally, the hardware implements the physical layer. Such hardware may include a network card, a modem, or some other communications device. Typically, the kernel of an operating system (OS) implements the transport layer. The top of the stack is the applications in the application layer. This includes any application that communicates with entities outside of the computer, such as a Web browser, a media player, and an email program. The application layer has the least control of details of communication between entities on a network, such as the Internet. Bandwidth Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time. For example, bandwidth between media server 20 in FIG. 1 to media client 90 is calculated by the amount of data (e.g., 1000 bits) that may be transmitted between them in a unit of time (e.g., one second). More specifically, is data may be transmitted between devices at a rate of approximately 56,000 bits per second. That may be called 56 kilo-bits per second (Kbps). As shown in FIG. 1 , a transmission over the Internet travels across multiple links before it reaches its destination. Each link has its own bandwidth. Like a chain being only as strong as its weakest link, the maximum bandwidth between server 20 and client 90 is the link therebetween with the slowest bandwidth. Typically, that is the link between the client 90 and its ISPs 80 . That slowest bandwidth is the maximum de facto bandwidth. Herein, unless otherwise apparent from the context, references to bandwidth between network entities (such as server 20 and client 90 ) is assumed to be the maximum de facto bandwidth therebetween. Bandwidth may also be called “connection speed”, “speed”, or “rate”. In references to bandwidth measured by bits per second, it may also be called “bit rate” or “bitrate.” Streaming Media Streaming is a technique for transferring multimedia data such that it can be processed as a steady and continuous stream. Streaming technologies are becoming increasingly important with the growth of the Internet because most users do not have fast enough access to download large multimedia files quickly. With streaming, the client browser or plug-in can start displaying the data before the entire file has been transmitted. For streaming to work, the client side receiving the data must be able to collect the data and send it as a steady stream to the application that is processing the data and converting it to sound or pictures. This means that if the streaming client receives the data more quickly than required, it needs to save the excess data in a buffer. If the data doesn't come quickly enough, however, the presentation of the data will not be smooth. Within the context of an audio and/or visual presentation, “media” and “multimedia” are used interchangeably herein. Media refers to the presentation of text, graphics, video, animation, and/or sound in an integrated way. “Streaming media” is an audio and/or visual presentation that is transmitted over a network (such as the Internet) to an end-user. Such transmission is performed so that the presentation is relatively smooth and not jerky. Long pauses while additional frames are being downloaded to the user are annoying to the user. These annoyances encourage a user to avoid viewing future streaming media. Smoothly Transmitting Streaming Media Since the bandwidth determines the rate at which the client will receive data, a streaming media presentation may only be presented at a rate no greater than what the bandwidth allows. For example, assume media server 20 needs to send data at 50 Kbps to the client 90 in order to smoothly “play” a streaming media presentation. However, the bandwidth between the client and server is only 30 Kbps. The result is a jerky and jumpy media presentation. In an effort to alleviate this problem, streaming media presentations are often encoded into multiple formats with differing degrees of qualities. The formats with the lowest quality (e.g., small size, low resolution, small color palette) have the least amount of data to push to the client over a given time. Therefore, a client over a slow link can smoothly present the streaming media presentation, but the quality of the presentation suffers. The formats with the highest quality (e.g., full screen size, high resolution, large color palette) have the greatest amount of data to push to the client over a given time. Therefore, the client with a fast link can smoothly present the streaming media presentation and still provide a high quality presentation. Select-a-Bandwidth Approach When a server sends streaming media to a client, it needs to know what format to use. Thus, in order to select the proper format, the server must to know the bandwidth between the server and the client. This easiest way to accomplish this is to ask the user of the client what their bandwidth is. Since a client's link to the Internet is typically the bandwidth bottleneck, knowing the bandwidth of this link typically indicates the actual bandwidth. FIG. 2 shows a cut-away 100 of a Web page displayed on a client's computer. Inside the cut-away 100 , is a typical user-interface 110 that may be used to ask a user what their connection speed is. The user clicks on one of the three buttons 112 , 114 , and 116 provided by the user-interface 110 . If the user clicks on button 112 , the server delivers data from a file containing streaming media in a format designed for transmission at 28.8 Kbps. Likewise, if the user clicks on button 114 , data sends from a file containing streaming media in a format designed for transmission at 56.6 Kbps. If the user clicks on button 114 , the server delivers data from a file containing streaming media in a format designed for transmission at a rate greater than 56.6 Kbps and up-to the typical speed of a T1 connection. However, the primary problem with the “select-a-bandwidth” approach is that it requires a thoughtful selection by a user. This approach invites selection errors. It requires that a user care, understand, and have knowledge of her connection speed. Often, a user does not pay particular attention to which button to press. The user may only know that a media presentation will appear if the user presses one of these buttons. Therefore, they press any one of them. Often, a user does not understand the concept of bandwidth. A user may choose button 116 because she may want to see the presentation at its highest quality. This user does not realize that seeing the presentation at its highest quality may result in a non-smooth presentation because her Internet connection cannot handle the rate that the data is being sent through it. If she does understand the concept of bandwidth, then the user may not know her bandwidth. A user may simply be ignorant of her bandwidth. In addition, varying degrees of noise may cause varying connection speeds each time a user connects to the Internet. Furthermore, some types of connections (such as a cable modem) can have wide degrees of connection speed depending upon numerous factors. Moreover, the user needs to understand the implications of an incorrect choice. A user needs to be educated so that she understands that she needs to select an option that is equal to or less than her bandwidth to get a smooth presentation. But she should not choose one that is significantly less than her bandwidth. If she does, then she will be seeing a smooth presentation at a lower quality that she could otherwise see at a higher available bandwidth. As can be seen by the above discussion, this manual approach is often confusing and intimidating to many user. Therefore, it often results in incorrect selections. What's more, maintaining multiple files (one for each bandwidth) at the media server adds to the overhead of maintaining a Web site. Automatic Bandwidth Detection To overcome these problems, media servers may use a single file containing subfiles for multiple bandwidths. In addition, media servers may automatically detect the bandwidth. This single file is called a MBR (multiple bit rate) file. The MBR files typically include multiple differing “bands” or “streams.” These bands may be called “subfiles.” A user only clicks on one link. Automatically, behind the scenes, the server determines the right speed band to send to the client. This automatic speed detection may take a long time. This means that an additional five seconds to a minute (or more) is added to the user's wait for the presentation to begin. This delay for existing automatic speed detection is because of long “handshaking” times while the speed determination is going on. One existing automatic detection technique involves sending multiple data packets for measuring the speed between the server and client. This technique is described further below in the section titled, “Multiple Measurement Packets Technique.” Bandwidth Measurement Packets Typically, automatic bandwidth detection techniques measure bandwidth between entities on a network by sending one or more packets of a known size. FIG. 3 shows a time graph tracking the transmission of two such packets (P x and P y ) between a sender (e.g., server) and a receiver (e.g., client). The server and client sides are labeled so. On the graph, time advanced downwardly. Time t a indicates the time at the server the transmission of P x begins. Time t b indicates the time at the server the transmission of P x ends. Similarly, Time t 0 indicates the time at the client begins receiving P x . Time t 1 indicates the time at the client completes reception of P x . At t 1 , the network hardware presumably passes the packet up the communication layers to the application layer. Packet P y is similarly labeled on the time graph of FIG. 3 . t c is the server time at the transmission of P y begins. t d is the server time that the transmission of P y ends. Similarly, t 2 is the client time that it begins receiving P y , t 3 is the client time that it completes reception of P y . At t 3 , the network hardware presumably passes the packet up the communication layers to the application layer. Bandwidth measurement using a single packet. In a controlled, laboratory-like environment, measuring bandwidth between two entities on a network is straightforward. To make such a calculation, send a packet of a known size from one entity to the other and measure the transmission latency, which is the amount of time it takes a packet to travel from source to destination. Given this scenario, one must know the time that the packet was sent and the time that the packet arrived. This technique is nearly completely impractical outside of the laboratory setting. It cannot be used in an asynchronous network (like the Internet) because it requires synchronization between the client and server. Both must be using the same clock. Alternatively, the client may track the time it begins receiving a packet (such as t 0 for P x ) and the time the packet is completely received (such as t 1 for P x ). FIG. 3 shows packet P x being sent from a server to a client. P x has a known size in bits of PS. The formula for calculating bandwidth (bw) is bw ⁡ ( P x ) = PS t 1 - t 0 Formula ⁢ ⁢ 1 ⁢ ( Single ⁢ ⁢ Packet ) This technique works in theory, but unfortunately does not work in practice. Only the hardware knows when a packet is initially received. Therefore, only the hardware knows when t 0 is. The other communication layers (such as the transport layer and the application layer) can only discover the time when the packet is completely received by the hardware. That is when the hardware passes it up to them. This completion time for packet P x is t 1 . It is not possible to calculate bandwidth only one knowing one point in time. Packet-pair. A technique called packet-pair is used to overcome these problems in asynchronous networks. With packet-pair, two identical packets are sent back-to-back. The server sends a pair of packets, one immediately after the other. Both packets are identical; thus, they have the same size (PS). The bandwidth is determined by dividing the packet size by the time difference in reception of each packet. Each packet has specific measurable characteristics. In particular, these characteristics include its packet size (PS) and the measured time such a packet arrives (e.g., t 0-3 in FIG. 3 ). Some characteristics (such as packet size) may be specified rather than measured, but they may be measured if so desired. As shown in FIG. 3 , the server sends packet, P x . The client's hardware begins receiving the packet at t 0 . When reception of the packet is complete at t 1 , the hardware passes it up the communication layers. Ultimately, it is received by the destination layer (e.g., application layer) at presumably t 1 . After the server sends P x (which completed at t b ), it immediately sends packet P y at t c . It is important that there be either 1) absolutely no measurable delay between t b and t c or 2) a delay of a known length between t b and t c . Herein, to simplify the description, it will be assumed that there is no measurable delay between t b and t c . The client's hardware begins receiving P y at t 2 . When reception of the packet is complete at t 3 , the hardware passes it up the communication layers. Ultimately, it is received by the destination layer (e.g., application layer) at presumably t 3 . FIG. 3 shows no delay between t 1 (the time of completion of reception of P x ) and t 2 (the time reception of P y begins). Theoretically, this will always be the case if P x and P y are transmitted under identical conditions. In practice, is the often the case because P y is sent immediately after P x . Using packet-pair, the formula for calculating bandwidth (bw) is bw ⁡ ( P x ⁢ P y ) = PS t 3 - t 1 Formula  2(Packet-Pair) This technique works in theory and in practice. However, it only works well over a network that is relatively static. For example, in FIG. 1 , assume the network consists of only the server 20 ; routers 32 , 34 , and 36 ; a specific ISP of ISPs 80 ; and client 90 . Further, assume that the links between each node on this static network is fixed and has a consistent bandwidth. In this situation, the packet-pair techniques provide an accurate and effective measurement of bandwidth. Issues related to using Packet-pair over the Internet. However, the packet-pair technique does not work well over a dynamic network, like the Internet. A dynamic network is one where there is a possibility that a packet may be handled in a manner different from an earlier packet or different from a later packet. In particular, there are problems with a TCP network. FIG. 1 illustrates examples of handling differences found on a dynamic network. Assume that all packets are traveling from the server to the client (from left to right in FIG. 1 ). Assume that packets 60 - 68 were sent back-to-back by the server 20 to the client 90 . Notice, as illustrated in FIG. 1 , that packets may take different routes. In addition, some routes may significantly delay the packet transmission. This is especially true if the packet is transmitted via an apparently unusual (but not necessarily uncommon) route, such as wireless transmission, oversees via an underwater cable, satellite transmission (as shown by dishes 46 and 50 and satellite 48 ), etc. A router (such as router 42 ) may delay one or more packets (such as 63 and 64 ) more than another may by temporarily storing them in a memory (such as buffer 43 ). Multiple Measurement Packets Technique To overcome these problems, conventional automatic bandwidth measurement techniques uses multiple packets. A server sends several (much more than two) packets and calculates the speed of each. Conventional wisdom on bandwidth measurement indicates that in order to get accurate measurements several pairs of packets must be sent repeatedly over several seconds to several minutes. Herein, this technique is called “multiple-packets” to distinguish it from the above-described “packet-pair” technique. Typically, the ultimate bandwidth is determined by finding the average of the many bandwidth measurements. This averaging smoothes out variances in delays for each packet; however, it does not compensate for packet compression during transmission. One of two extremely incorrect measurements will skew the average. Unfortunately, this technique takes a long time relative the existing wait for the user between click and media presentation. A long time may be five seconds to several minutes depending on the data and the situation. Such a delay adds to the annoyance factor for the user who wishes experience the media presentation. This is not an acceptable delay. Since there are no other options available using conventional techniques, the user has be forced to endure these delays. No existing automatic bandwidth measurement can nearly instantaneously measure bandwidth across the Internet using a pair of packets. No existing automatic bandwidth measurement can make such measurements at the application layer. Thus, it avoids modifying the operating system. No existing automatic bandwidth measurement addresses measurement distortion caused by packet compression. Transport Layer Implementation The conventional approaches typically modify the kernel of the operating system (OS) to do perform automatic bandwidth measurements. More specifically, these approaches modify the transport layer of the OSI model and such layer is often located within the kernel of the OS. In general, such modifications are undesirable because it is generally less stable and more expensive than implementations that do not modify the OS. If these approaches could be implemented within an application (thus, at the application layer), such modifications would not be possible. However, no existing packet-pair approach measures bandwidth at the application layer. This is because the application layer has less control over the details of the actual communication over the network. In particular, an application has even less control using TCP, than it would with UDP (User Datagram Protocol). TCP and UDP are discussed below in section titled “TCP and UDP.” The transport and application layers are part of the seven layers of the OSI model discussed below. TCP and UDP Over the Internet (and other networks), packets of data are usually sent via TCP or UDP protocols. TCP is the universally accepted and understood across the Internet. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is one of the main protocols in TCP/IP networks (such as the Internet). Whereas the IP protocol deals only with packets, TCP enables two hosts to establish a connection and exchange streams of data. TCP guarantees delivery of data and guarantees that packets will be delivered in the same order in which they were sent. UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a connectionless protocol that (like TCP) runs on top of IP networks. Unlike TCP/IP, UDP/IP provides very few error recovery services, offering instead a direct way to send and receive packets (i.e., datagram) over an IP network. A packet is a chunk of data provided by the application program. UDP typically sends a single “application-level packet” as a single UDP packet. However, TCP may break a single application-level packet into multiple smaller TCP “segments”, each of which is treated as a separate “packet” at the TCP layer. The Nagle Algorithm (discussed below) does the opposite: It takes multiple small application packets and combines them into a single larger TCP segment. Nagle TCP/IP Algorithm The Nagle Algorithm was designed to avoid problems with small TCP segments (sometimes called “tinygrams”) on slow networks. The algorithm says that a TCP/IP connection can have only one outstanding tinygram that has not yet been acknowledged. The defined size of a tinygram depends upon the implementation. However, it is generally a size smaller than the size of typical TCP segments. The Nagle Algorithm states that under some circumstances, there will be a waiting period of about 200 milliseconds (msec) before data is sent. The Nagle Algorithm uses the following parameters for traffic over a switch: Segment size=MTU or tcp_mssdflt or MTU path discovery value. TCP Window size=smaller of tcp_sendspace and tcp_recvspace values. Data size=application data buffer size. The following are the specific rules used by the Nagle Algorithm in deciding when to send data: If a packet is equal to or larger than the segment size (or MTU), and the TCP window is not full, send an MTU size buffer immediately. If the interface is idle, or the TCP_NODELAY flag is set, and the TCP window is not full, send the buffer immediately. If there is less than half of the TCP window in outstanding data, send the buffer immediately. If sending less than a segment size buffer, and if more than half the window is outstanding, and TCP_NODELAY is not set, wait up to 200 msec for more data before sending the buffer. Setting TCP_NODELAY on the socket of the sending side deactivates the Nagle Algorithm. All data sent will go immediately, no matter what the data size. The Nagle Algorithm may be generically called the “tinygram-buffering” function because it buffers tinygrams. TCP Slow Start Algorithm On TCP networks that don't use “slow start,” devices start a connection with a sender by injecting multiple packets into the network, up to the window size advertised by a receiver. While this is acceptable when the two hosts are on the same LAN (local area network), problems may arise if there are routers and slower links between the sender and the receiver. Since some of the intermediate router is likely to queue the packets, it is possible for that such a router will have insufficient memory to queue them. Therefore, this naive approach is likely to reduce the throughput of a TCP connection drastically. The algorithm to avoid this is called “slow start.” It operates by observing that the rate at which new packets should be injected into the network is the rate at which the acknowledgments are returned by the other end. The Slow Start Algorithm adds another window to the sender's TCP: a congestion window, called “cwnd”. When a new connection is established with a host on another network, the congestion window is initialized to one packet. Each time an acknowledgement (i.e., “ACK”) is received, the congestion window is increased by one packet. The sender can transmit up to the minimum of the “congestion window” and the “advertised window.” The “congestion window” is flow control imposed by the sender. The “advertised window” is flow control imposed by the receiver. The former is based on the sender's assessment of perceived network congestion. The latter is related to the amount of available buffer space at the receiver for this connection. The sender starts by transmitting one packet and waiting for its ACK (acknowledgement). When that ACK is received, the congestion window is incremented from one to two. Now, two packets can be sent. When each of those two packets is acknowledged, the congestion window is increased to four. And so forth. At some point, the capacity of the connection between the sender and receiver may be reached. At that point, some intermediate router will start discarding packets. This tells the sender that its congestion window has reached its limit. Proxy A proxy (i.e., proxy server) is a device that sits between a client application (such as a Web browser) and a real server. Generally, it intercepts all requests to and from the real server to see if it can fulfill the requests itself. If not, it forwards the request to the real server. A proxy is employed for two main purposes: Improve performance and filter requests. Since the proxy server is often a central point of communication for a number of clients, it attempts to make its communications as efficient as possible. Thus, it typically implements a form of the Nagle Algorithm. Every new TCP connection start with Slow Start. When there is a proxy between the client and the server, slow start is run in the two connections: server-proxy and proxy-client. Therefore, the proxy adds new complexity to the packet pair experiment. BACKGROUND SUMMARY An application (at the application layer) has limited control over the handling of TCP packets. Thus, conventional bandwidth measurements avoid application-level TCP bandwidth measurements. The integrity of the packet pair technique requires that at least two packets be sent back-to-back. However, these packets may not arrive in such a manner because of the affects of the Nagle Algorithm and the Slow Start Algorithm. This discourages the use of the packet-pair technique for bandwidth measurement over a TCP network. SUMMARY The fast dynamic measurement of bandwidth in a TCP network environment utilizes a single pair of packets to calculate bandwidth between two entities on a network (such as the Internet). This calculation is based upon the packet-pair technique. This bandwidth measurement is extremely quick. On its journey across a network, communication devices may delay the packet pairs. In particular, TCP networks have two algorithms designed to delay some packets with the goal of increasing the overall throughput of the network. However, these algorithms effectively delay a packet pair designed to measure bandwidth. Therefore, they distort the measurement. These algorithms are “Nagle” and “Slow Start.” The fast dynamic measurement of bandwidth implements countermeasures to overcome the delays imposed by these algorithms. Such countermeasures include disabling the application of the Nagle Algorithm; minimizing the buffering of packets by sending a “push” packet right after the packet pair; and avoiding the Slow Start Algorithm by priming it with a dummy packet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a typical public networking environment (such as the Internet) and the routing of and delay of data packets sent from a server to a client. FIG. 2 is cut-away portion of a Web page. The cut-away shows a user interface providing a user a mechanism for selecting the bandwidth. This shows a conventional technique for determining bandwidth. FIG. 3 shows a packet pair (being sent from a server to a client) graphed in the time domain. This shows a conventional implementation of packet-pair technique to measure bandwidth. FIG. 4 also illustrates a typical public networking environment (such as the Internet). This shows a pair of packets sent back to back. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the methodology of an implementation of the exemplary bandwidth meter. FIGS. 5 a , 5 b , and 5 c are a flowchart illustrating the specific methodology implementation details of different aspects of the exemplary bandwidth meter. FIG. 6 is an example of a computing operating environment capable of implementing the exemplary bandwidth meter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following description sets forth a specific embodiment of the fast dynamic measurement of bandwidth in a TCP network environment that incorporates elements recited in the appended claims. This embodiment is described with specificity in order to meet statutory written description, enablement, and best-mode requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed fast dynamic measurement of bandwidth in a TCP network environment might also be embodied in other ways, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Even when used with a TCP network (such as the Internet), an exemplary fast dynamic measurement of bandwidth in a TCP network environment (i.e., “bandwidth meter” or “bw-meter”) described herein is fast and robust. The exemplary bandwidth meter implements a low-latency technique for automatically measuring the network bandwidth available between two entities on a communications network. It has been found to be particularly useful over the Internet (or other such TCP networks). Unlike the conventional approaches, the exemplary bw-meter obtains a best effort bandwidth measurement with the least possible delay, even under difficult network conditions. The exemplary bw-meter is designed to provide reasonable output in less than one second in most existing TCP networks, including LANs, cable, DSL, and modem connections. Furthermore, the exemplary bw-meter is implemented at the application layer. Although the exemplary bw-meter may be implemented on other layers, the one described herein is implemented on the application layer. In particular, it may be partially implemented by a Web browser or a media player. Other aspects of the packet-pair technique that may be implemented by the exemplary bw-meter are described in more detail in co-pending U.S. patent application entitled “Fast Dynamic Measurement of Connection Bandwidth” with Ser. No. 09/636,004 which was filed Aug. 9, 2000 and is assigned to the Microsoft Corporation. The co-pending application is incorporated herein by reference. Packet-Pair Technique The exemplary bw-meter utilizes the well-established packet-pair technique described above and illustrated in FIG. 3 . The exemplary bw-meter uses the packet-pair formula (Formula 2) described above to calculate the maximum de facto bandwidth between two entities on a communications network (such as the Internet). Unlike existing automatic bandwidth measurement techniques that use multiple packets, the exemplary bw-meter uses a single pair of packets for measuring bandwidth over the Internet. With the exemplary bw-meter, bandwidth measurements and calculations are made “nearly instantaneously” because only a single pair of measurement packets is sent. The term “nearly instantaneously” means that the bandwidth is determined as soon as the pair of packets arrive at the client. The exemplary bw-meter overcomes the drawbacks and limitations of using packet-pairs over a TCP network (such as the Internet) by implementing countermeasures to the Nagle Algorithm and the Slow Start Algorithm. Packet Pair Journey. A packet of the packet-pair technique of the exemplary bw-meter travels from the sending entity (e.g., server) to the receiving entity (e.g., client). FIG. 4 shows an example of such a journey. FIG. 4 illustrates an environment similar to that shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a typical Internet (TCP network) configuration. It includes a server (such as media server 220 ), which is coupled to the Internet 230 . The server typically includes one or more physical server computers 222 with one or more physical storage devices and/or databases 224 . On the other side of an Internet transmission is a client 290 , which is connected via a proxy server 284 , which is Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 280 . Cloud 230 is labeled the Internet, but it is understood that this cloud represents that portion of the Internet that only includes that which is illustrated therein. Inside such cloud are the routers, transmission lines, connections, and other devices that more-often-than-not successfully transmit data between clients and servers. Inside exemplary Internet cloud 230 are routers 232 - 244 ; two satellite dishes 246 and 250 ; and a satellite 248 . These represent the possible paths that a data packet may take on its way between the server and the client. FIG. 4 shows successive packets 260 and 262 of the pair sent in accordance with the exemplary bw-meter. The server 220 sends packet 262 immediately after packet 260 . The proxy server 284 is connected via link 282 to its ISPs 280 . Client 290 and clients 292 use the proxy server to communicate with the Internet. Application-Level Bandwidth Measurement Conventional bandwidth measurement approaches are typically implemented the transport layer or some other layer below the application level. However, the exemplary bw-meter is implemented at the application layer. There are at least two major benefits to such an application-level approach to TCP packet-pair bandwidth measurement. First, a lower level (such as transport level) packet-pair implementation is disfavored. It requires changes to the kernel of the OS and it does not lend itself easily to incremental deployment. As opposed to an application-level implementation, a lower packet-pair implementation involves greater expense in development, initial deployment, future development, and future deployment. Second, according to one study, only a quarter of the TCP connections studied would benefit from a bandwidth measurement. Therefore, it is not cost effective to implement such bandwidth measurement at a lower level if it only used no more than a quarter of the connections. Therefore, such bandwidth measurement is best to be included in the applications that applications that need it. Applications are much easier (and less expensive) to incrementally deploy than a new kernel of the operating system. It is generally safe to assume that the receiver's clock is sufficiently precise and the IP datagrams (i.e., packets) are passed up through the receiver's network stack (OSI layers) to the application unmolested. The second assumption is violated in the case of some applications, such as software from America Online version four (AOLv4) and earlier which behaved as if it only delivered data to the application on a timer. Thus, this imposed an artificial clock granularity on the measurements. Fortunately, it appears that version five (and later) of AOL software do not perform such molestation. Conditions for Effective Measurements Using Packet-Pair When using the packet-pair technique to measure bandwidth, two conditions must be met to achieve a good measurement. The first condition is that the packets must be sent back-to-back. Herein, this is called the “back-to-back” condition. If packets are not back-to-back, then the timing measurements between them will be distorted. Both the Nagle Algorithm and the Slow Start Algorithm threaten this condition. Both potentially delay delivery of the second measurement packet. For bandwidth measurement using a packet-pair, any avoidable delay between packets is intolerable because it distorts the measurement of the actual bandwidth. The second condition is that the size of the packets must be preserved. That is, they must not be combined with other packets. Herein, this is called the “size-preservation” condition. The Nagle Algorithm threatens this condition. The Nagle algorithm may cause multiple application-layer packets to be sent as a single TCP segment. Thus, while the application may think it is sending two or more packets, in fact, the TCP layer is only sending a single packet. Countermeasures to the Nagle Algorithm An interesting behavior of the Nagle Algorithm is that for small packets, only one ACK may be outstanding. Thus, a pair of small packets cannot be sent back-to-back with the Nagle Algorithm. The Nagle Algorithm will combine small packets that are waiting for an ACK. This affects both the “back-to-back” and the “size-preservation” conditions. The exemplary bw-meter puts a countermeasure into action to overcome the Nagle Algorithm's tendency to interfere with the two conditions. An entity (such as the server 220 in FIG. 4 ) sends a command that instructs communication devices (such as routers 230 - 250 ) to disable the Nagle Algorithm. Generally, the server passes a command generically called a “delay-disable” command. Specifically, the server passes TCP_NODELAY to SetSockOpt(). As long as the congestion window is open, turning off the Nagle Algorithm prevents TCP from attempting to combine any of the packet-pair packets and TCP will immediately write the packet to the network. In other words, with the Nagle Algorithm disabled by a “delay-disable” command, both packets of the packet-pair will flow though routers without the delay caused by Nagle's collecting of multiple packets. Countermeasure to the Slow Start Algorithm The exemplary bw-meter puts a countermeasure into action to overcome the Slow Start Algorithm's tendency to interfere with the “back-to-back” condition. This is done by opening the server's congestion window (which is specifically called “cwnd”) to at least three packets. This is done by “priming” the congestion window. To prime the congestion window, a server sends at least one packet and receives an ACK before it sends the pair of packets of the packet-pair. Therefore, the server sends at least one “priming” packet to the client and that packet is not used for calculating bandwidth. After one or more priming packets are sent, the server sends the actual packet-pair used for measuring bandwidth. At this point, the Slow Start Algorithm will let, at least, two packets in a row go through without delaying them. The Slow Start Algorithm can be completely avoided by performing the bandwidth measurement later in the particular TCP connection. However, this is not a desirable option because of two reasons: additional delay and overhead causing a faulty measurement. If the measurement is made later, there is a built-in delay to wait for the Slow Start Algorithm to run its course. It is better to not have any delays that can be avoided. With the exemplary bw-meter, this delay can be avoided. Performing the bandwidth measurement at the beginning of a TCP connection removes many uncertainties that accumulate as the connection progresses. For example, if the TCP connection is shared by both control and data transport, it is impossible to predict later in the session whether the sender's congestion window will allow packets to be sent back-to-back. Countermeasures to Delays at a Proxy The Nagle Algorithm operating at a proxy can similarly distort a packet-pair bandwidth measurement. Generally, proxies do not recognize a “delay-disable” command. Neither the client nor the server application can tell in advance if the connection is made through a circuit-level proxy. In order to address the Nagle Algorithm at a proxy, a large third packet is sent after the pair of measurement packets. If the proxy is holding the second packet of the packet-pair, the third packet pushes it along. Hence, this third packet is called the “push” packet. In addition, the first and second packets could be combined at the proxy. The result would be an artificially high measurement, but the overwhelming majority of proxy users have a high bandwidth connection anyway. Methodological Implementation FIG. 5 shows a methodological implementation of the exemplary bandwidth meter. It is from the server perspective. At 300 , the dynamic bandwidth measurement in accordance with the exemplary bandwidth meter is initiated. Typically, a user of the client selects an option on a Web page to experience a media presentation. Alternatively, an application on the client may initiate such bandwidth measurement. Such an application may be a Web browser, media player, or the like. Generally, at 302 of FIG. 5 , the server sends a pair of packets to the client, with one immediately following the other. The specific implementation details at this block 302 are shown in FIGS. 5 a , 5 b , and 5 c . These figures are discussed below. At 306 , the server waits for a response from the client. If it is not received within time limit, the process returns to send another pair of packets at 302 . Although not shown in the flowchart, the process will repeat this a given number of times before terminating and generating an error. If a response is received within the time limit, the process proceeds to the next block at 308 . The response includes a bandwidth measurement determined by the client using the pair of packets sent by the server at 304 . The server extracts the specified bandwidth from the response at 308 . At 310 of FIG. 6 , the server selects the file (or portion thereof) formatted for a bandwidth equal to or just lesser than the specified bandwidth. At 312 , the server sends the file (or portion thereof) to the client. If it was a media file, the user of the client enjoys a media presentation that begins play quickly. It also plays smoothly and at the highest quality possible at a measured bandwidth. The process ends at 314 . Countermeasure to Nagle Algorithm. FIG. 5 a shows the specific methodological implementation of the exemplary bandwidth meter for the countermeasure to the Nagle Algorithm. At 402 , the server sends a delay-disable command to disable the use of the Nagle Algorithm. At 404 , the server sends a pair of bandwidth-measurement packets to the client. At 406 , the process returns to block 306 of FIG. 5 . Countermeasure to Proxy Delays. FIG. 5 b shows the specific methodological implementation of the exemplary bandwidth meter for the countermeasure to the Proxy delays. At 412 , the server sends a pair of bandwidth-measurement packets to the client. At 414 , the server sends a “push” packet to force the pair out of any buffer in which they may be stored by a communications device. At 416 , the process returns to block 306 of FIG. 5 . Countermeasure to Slow Start Algorithm. FIG. 5 c shows the specific methodological implementation of the exemplary bandwidth meter for the countermeasure to the Slow Start Algorithm. At 422 , the server sends a “priming” packet to overcome the Slow Start Algorithm. This “priming” packet is not used for bandwidth measurement. It allows the network to open up (i.e., the congestion window to open) and allow two packets at a time without delay. At 424 , the server sends a pair of bandwidth-measurement packets to the client. At 426 , the process returns to block 306 of FIG. 5 . Other Implementation Details Implementation Applications. The exemplary bw-meter may be implemented by any entity wishing to quickly measure bandwidth between two entities on a network. In particular, a TCP network, such as the Internet. Such an entity may implement this exemplary bw-meter at the application level. Examples of an application-level program modules that may implement this exemplary bw-meter is streaming media server application on a server using either Microsoft Media Server (MMS) protocol or Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP). Both MMS and RTSP share the very similar fundamental techniques to provide the conditions for a successful measurement using the exemplary bw-meter. However, implementation of the exemplary bw-meter using RTSP is trickier than such an implementation using MMS protocol. RTSP Packet Pair Syntax. One way that RTSP is trickier than MMS is because the three packets must masquerade as a response to an RTSP command so the client's RTSP parser may process them. The RTSP GET_PARAMETER command is used to request the packet pair experiment. The first packet of the reply begins with the typical RTSP response headers. Here are examples of the headers for a packet-pair request from the client: GET_PARAMETER*RTSP/1.0 Content-Type: application/x-rtsp-packetpair Content-Length: 16 Date: Sun, 2 Apr. 2000 22:36:18 GMT CSeq: 2 User-Agent: WMPlayer/5.0.0.0488 guid/A21De80-08E7-11D4-93FE-006097B76A2E Accept-Language: en-us, *;q=0.1 Accept-Charset: UTF-8, *;q=0.1 Timestamp: 1 Here are examples of the headers for the packet pair reply from the server: RTSP/1.0 200 OK Content-Type: application/x-rtsp-packetpair Content-Length: 2048 Date: Sun, 2 Apr. 2000 22:30:48 GMT CSeq: 2 TimeStamp: 1 0.063 Server: WMServer/5.0.0.0518 TCP issues. As noted earlier, the congestion window needs to be open to at least three packets by the time the three packets are sent from the server. Since the initial congestion window is two, the DESCRIBE response is used to open the window to three or greater. If the DESCRIBE response requires three packets, that means that the third packet must wait for an ACK from the client before it can be transmitted. While the server's TCP is waiting for the ACK of either or both of the first two packets, if the GET_PARAMETER arrives and then the application starts writing the reply to the GET_PARAMETER to the socket, the packet pair packets may get combined with the third and last packet of the DESCRIBE reply and with one another. Therefore, the client should not send the GET_PARAMETER until the DESCRIBE reply is fully received. This guarantees that the congestion window will be open at the server when the packet pair packets are sent. Consequently, no packets will be combined. The DESCRIBE response may be one or greater packets and the congestion window will be three or greater when the packet pair is performed. Obviously, no other traffic should occur before the packet pair. Measuring Arrival Times. Part of performing the packet pair measurement of the exemplary bw-meter (at the application level) means that the client application is measuring the arrival times of the two packets. RTSP presents an extra challenge in that the response headers take a relatively long time to process compared to the granularity needed for an accurate measurement. Therefore, the client cannot wait until processing the response header to figure out that it is a response to a packet pair request before it time stamps this first packet of the packet pair. The timestamp must occur before the client even knows what kind of response it is. Therefore, when the client makes a packet pair request, it timestamps every incoming command response packet until it receives the packet pair. Then it quits this pre-timestamp mode. The client must still process the header of the first packet before it can read the second packet. Therefore, there is an upper bound to how high of a bottleneck can be measured and it is determined by how fast the client can process the RTSP response header. For instance, if the time it takes to process the header is 5 ms, the maximum speed that can be measured is around 800 kb/s. Therefore, RTSP measurements at the high end will not be as good as MMS unless the time it takes to parse the RTSP response is low. Exemplary Computing Environment FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a suitable computing environment 920 on which the exemplary bw-meter may be implemented. Exemplary computing environment 920 is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the exemplary bw-meter. Neither should the computing environment 920 be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary computing environment 920 . The exemplary bw-meter is operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the exemplary bw-meter include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, thin clients, thick clients, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, wireless phone, wireless communication devices, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. The exemplary bw-meter may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The exemplary bw-meter may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices. As shown in FIG. 6 , the computing environment 920 includes a general-purpose computing device in the form of a computer 930 . The components of computer 920 may include, by are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units 932 , a system memory 934 , and a bus 936 that couples various system components including the system memory 934 to the processor 932 . Bus 936 represents one or more of any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) buss also known as Mezzanine bus. Computer 930 typically includes a variety of computer readable media. Such media may be any available media that is accessible by computer 930 , and it includes both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. In FIG. 6 , the system memory includes computer readable media in the form of volatile, such as random access memory (RAM) 940 , and/or non-volatile memory, such as read only memory (ROM) 938 . A basic input/output system (BIOS) 942 , containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer 930 , such as during start-up, is stored in ROM 938 . RAM 940 typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently be operated on by processor 932 . Computer 930 may further include other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer storage media. By way of example only, FIG. 6 illustrates a hard disk drive 944 for reading from and writing to a non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media (not shown and typically called a “hard drive”), a magnetic disk drive 946 for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk 948 (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and an optical disk drive 950 for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk 952 such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other optical media. The hard disk drive 944 , magnetic disk drive 946 , and optical disk drive 950 are each connected to bus 936 by one or more interfaces 954 . The drives and their associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for computer 930 . Although the exemplary environment described herein employs a hard disk, a removable magnetic disk 948 and a removable optical disk 952 , it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of computer readable media which can store data that is accessible by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks, random access memories (RAMs), read only memories (ROM), and the like, may also be used in the exemplary operating environment. A number of program modules may be stored on the hard disk, magnetic disk 948 , optical disk 952 , ROM 938 , or RAM 940 , including, by way of example, and not limitation, an operating system 958 , one or more application programs 960 , other program modules 962 , and program data 964 . A user may enter commands and information into computer 930 through input devices such as keyboard 966 and pointing device 968 (such as a “mouse”). Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, serial port, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are connected to the processing unit 932 through an user input interface 970 that is coupled to bus 936 , but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port, or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor 972 or other type of display device is also connected to bus 936 via an interface, such as a video adapter 974 . In addition to the monitor, personal computers typically include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers, which may be connected through output peripheral interface 975 . Computer 930 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer 982 . Remote computer 982 may include many or all of the elements and features described herein relative to computer 930 . Logical connections shown in FIG. 6 are a local area network (LAN) 977 and a general wide area network (WAN) 979 . Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets, and the Internet. When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 930 is connected to LAN 977 network interface or adapter 986 . When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer typically includes a modem 978 or other means for establishing communications over the WAN 979 . The modem 978 , which may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus 936 via the user input interface 970 , or other appropriate mechanism. Depicted in FIG. 6 , is a specific implementation of a WAN via the Internet. Over the Internet, computer 930 typically includes a modem 978 or other means for establishing communications over the Internet 980 . Modem 978 , which may be internal or external, is connected to bus 936 via interface 970 . In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the personal computer 930 , or portions thereof, may be stored in a remote memory storage device. By way of example, and not limitation, FIG. 6 illustrates remote application programs 989 as residing on a memory device of remote computer 982 . It will be appreciated that the network connections shown and described are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used. Exemplary Operating Environment FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a suitable operating environment 920 in which the exemplary bw-meter may be implemented. Specifically, the exemplary bw-meter is implemented by any program 960 - 962 or operating system 958 in FIG. 6 . The operating environment is only an example of a suitable operating environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use of functionality of the bw-meter described herein. Other well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the bw-meter include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. Computer-Executable Instructions An implementation of the exemplary bw-meter may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. Computer Readable Media An implementation of the exemplary bw-meter may be stored on or transmitted across some form of computer readable media. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise computer storage media and communications media. Computer storage media include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by a computer. Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as carrier wave or other transport mechanism and included any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above are also included within the scope of computer readable media. CONCLUSION Although the fast dynamic measurement of bandwidth in a TCP network environment has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological steps, it is to be understood that the fast dynamic measurement of bandwidth in a TCP network environment defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or steps described. Rather, the specific features and steps are disclosed as preferred forms of implementing the claimed fast dynamic measurement of bandwidth in a TCP network environment.

The fast dynamic measurement of bandwidth in a TCP network environment utilizes a single pair of packets to calculate bandwidth between two entities on a network (such as the Internet). This calculation is based upon the packet-pair technique. This bandwidth measurement is extremely quick. On its journey across a network, communication devices may delay the packet pairs. In particular, TCP networks have two algorithms designed to delay some packets with the goal of increasing the overall throughput of the network. However, these algorithms effectively delay a packet pair designed to measure bandwidth. Therefore, they distort the measurement. These algorithms are Nagle and Slow Start. The fast dynamic measurement of bandwidth implements countermeasures to overcome the delays imposed by these algorithms. Such countermeasures include disabling the application of the Nagle Algorithm; minimizing the buffering of packets by sending a “push” packet right after the packet pair; and avoiding the Slow Start Algorithm by priming it with a dummy packet.

STATEMENT OF PRIORITY [0001] This application claims priority under 35 USC Section 119 to Provisional Patent Applications Ser. Nos. 60/947,253 filed Jun. 29,2007 and 61/037,946 filed Mar. 19, 2008, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention provides methods for predicting and diagnosing ovarian cancer, particularly epithelial ovarian cancer, and it further provides associated analytical reagents, diagnostic models, test kits and clinical reports. BACKGROUND [0003] The American Cancer Society estimates that ovarian cancer will strike 22,430 women and take the lives of 15,280 women in 2007 in the United States. Ovarian cancer is not a single disease, however, and there are actually more than 30 types and subtypes of ovarian malignancies, each with its own pathology and clinical behavior. Most experts therefore group ovarian cancers within three major categories, according to the kind of cells from which they were formed: epithelial tumors arise from cells that line or cover the ovaries; germ cell tumors originate from cells that are destined to form eggs within the ovaries; and sex cord-stromal cell tumors begin in the connective cells that hold the ovaries together and produce female hormones. [0004] Common epithelial tumors begin in the surface epithelium of the ovaries and account for about 90 per cent of all ovarian cancers in the U.S. (and the following percentages reflect U.S. prevalence of these cancers). They are further divided into a number of subtypes—including serous, endometrioid, mucinous, and clear cell tumors—that can be further subclassified as benign or malignant tumors. Serous tumors are the most widespread forms of ovarian cancer. They account for 40 per cent of common epithelial tumors. About 50 per cent of these serous tumors are malignant, 33 per cent are benign, and 17 per cent are of borderline malignancy. Serous tumors occur most often in women who are between 40 and 60 years of age. [0005] Endometrioid tumors represent approximately 20 per cent of common epithelial Tumors. In about 20 per cent of individuals, these cancers are associated with endometrial carcinoma (cancer of the womb lining). In 5 per cent of cases, they also are linked with endometriosis, an abnormal occurrence of endometrium (womb lining tissue) within the pelvic cavity. The majority (about 80 per cent) of these tumors are malignant, and the remainder (roughly 20 per cent) usually is borderline malignancies. Endometrioid tumors occur primarily in women who are between 50 and 70 years of age. [0006] Clear cell tumors account for about 6 per cent of common epithelial tumors. Nearly all of these tumors are malignant. Approximately one-half of all clear cell tumors are associated with endometriosis. Most patients with clear cell tumors are between 40 and 80 years of age. [0007] Mucinous tumors make up about 1 per cent of all common epithelial tumors. Most (approximately 80 per cent) of these tumors are benign, 15 per cent are of borderline malignancy, and only 5 per cent are malignant. Mucinous tumors appear most often in women between 30 to 50 years of age. [0008] Ovarian cancer is by far the most deadly of gynecologic cancers, accounting for more than 55 percent of all gynecologic cancer deaths. But ovarian cancer is also among the most treatable—if it is caught early. When ovarian cancer is caught early and appropriately treated, the 5-year survival rate is 93 percent. See, for example, Luce et al, “Early Diagnosis Key to Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Detection,” The Nurse Practitioner, Dec 2003 at p. 41. Extensive background information about ovarian cancer is readily available on the internet, for example, from the “Overview: Ovarian Cancer” of the Cancer Reference Information provided by the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) and the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™ Ovarian Cancer V.I.2007 (www.nccn.org). [0009] The current reality for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer is that most cases—81 percent of all cases of ovarian cancer—are not caught in earliest stage. This is because early stage ovarian cancer is very difficult to diagnose. Its symptoms may not appear or be noticed at this point. Or, symptoms—such as bloating, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation and others—may be vague and associated with many common and less serious conditions. Most importantly, there has been no effective test for early detection. An effective tool for early and accurate detection of ovarian cancer is a critical unmet medical need. Biomarkers for Ovarian Cancer [0010] A variety of biomarkers to diagnose ovarian cancer have been proposed, and elucidated through a variety of technology platforms and data analysis tools. An interesting compilation of 1,261 potential protein biomarkers for various pathologies was presented by N. Leigh Anderson et al., “A Target List of Candidate Biomarkers for Targeted Proteomics,” Biomarker Insights 2:1-48 (2006). A spreadsheet listing the markers discussed in this paper can be found at the website of the Plasma Institute (http://www.plasmaproteome.org). Several published studies are described immediately below and a number of other studies are listed as references at the end of this specification. All of these studies, all other documents cited in this specification, and related provisional patent applications Ser. Nos. 60/947,253 filed Jun. 29, 2007 and 61/037,946 filed Mar. 19, 2008, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. [0011] For example, Cole, “Methods for detecting the onset, progression and regression of gynecologic cancers,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,817 (Oct. 18, 1994) described a method for detecting the presence of a gynecologic cancer in a female, said cancer selected from the group consisting of cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, uterine cancer and vulva cancer, the method comprising the steps of: (a) assaying a plasma or tissue sample from the patient for the presence of CA 125, and at or about the same time; and (b) assaying a bodily non-blood sample from said patient for the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit core fragment, wherein the detection of both CA 125 and human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit core fragment is an indication of the presence of a gynecological cancer in the female. A measurement of the human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit core fragment alone was stated to be useful in monitoring progression and regression of such cancers. [0012] Fung et al, “Biomarker for ovarian and endometrial cancer: hepcidin,” U.S. Pat. Application 20070054329, published Mar. 8, 2007, describes a method for qualifying ovarian and endometrial cancer status based on measuring hepcidin as a single biomarker, and based on panels of markers including hepcidin plus transthyretin, and those two markers plus at least one biomarker selected from the group consisting of: Apo A1, transferrin, CTAP-III and ITIH4 fragment. An additional panel further includes beta-2 microglobulin. These biomarkers were measured by mass spectrometry, particularly SELDI-MS or by immunoassay. And data was analyzed by ROC curve analysis. [0013] Fung et al. also described the use of hepcidin levels used in combination with other biomarkers, and concluded that the predictive power of the test was improved. More specifically, increased levels of hepcidin together with decreased levels transthyretin were correlated with ovarian cancer. Increased levels of hepcidin together with decreased levels of transthyretin, together with levels of one or more of Apo A1 (decreased level), transferrin (decreased level), CTAP-III (elevated level) and an internal fragment of ITIH4 (elevated level) were also correlated with ovarian cancer. The foregoing biomarkers were to further be combined with beta-2 microglobulin (elevated level), CA125 (elevated level) and/or other known ovarian cancer biomarkers for use in the disclosed diagnostic test. And hepcidin was said to be hepcidin-25, transthyretin was said to be cysteinylated transthyretin, and/or ITIH4 fragment perhaps being the ITIH4 fragment 1. [0014] Diamandis, “Multiple marker assay for detection of ovarian cancer,” U.S. Pat. Application 20060134120 published Jun. 22, 2006, described a method for detecting a plurality of kallikrein markers associated with ovarian cancer and optionally CA125, wherein the kallikrein markers comprise or are selected from the group consisting of kallikrein 5, kallikrein 6, kallikrein 7, kallikrein 8, kallikrein 10, and kallikrein 11. His patent application explained that a significant difference in levels of these kallikreins, which are a subgroup of secreted serine proteases markers, and optionally that also of CA125, relative to the corresponding normal levels, was indicative of ovarian cancer. By repeatedly sampling these markers in the same patient over time, Diamandis also found that a significant difference between the levels of the kallikrein markers, and optionally CA125, in a later sample, relative to an earlier sample, is an indication that a patient's therapy is efficacious for inhibiting ovarian cancer. Samples were evaluated by protein binding techniques, for example, immunoassays, and by nucleotide array, PCR and the like techniques. [0015] Gorelik et al, Multiplexed Immunobead-Based Cytokine Profiling for Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer” in Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005:14 (4) 981-7 (April 2005) reported that a panel of multiple cytokines that separately may not show strong correlation with the disease provide diagnostic potential. A related patent application appears to be Lokshin et al., “Multifactorial assay for cancer detection,” U.S. Patent Application 20050069963 published Mar. 31, 2005. According to the journal article, a novel multianalyte LabMAP profiling technology was employed that allowed simultaneous measurement of multiple markers. Various concentrations of 24 cytokines (cytokines/chemokines, growth, and angiogenic factors) in combination with CA-125 were measured in the blood sera of 44 patients with early-stage ovarian cancer, 45 healthy women, and 37 patients with benign pelvic tumors. [0016] Of the cytokines discussed by Gorelik et al., six markers, specifically interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, epidermal growth factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), together with CA-125, showed significant differences in serum concentrations between ovarian cancer and control groups. Out of those markers, IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, EGF, and CA-125, were used in a classification tree analysis that reportedly resulted in 84% sensitivity at 95% specificity. The receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) described using the combination of markers produced sensitivities between 90% and 100% and specificities of 80% to 90%. Interestingly, the receiver operator characteristic curve for CA-125 alone resulted in sensitivities of 70% to 80%. The classification tree analysis described in the paper for discrimination of benign condition from ovarian cancer used CA-125, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), IL-6, EGF, and VEGF which resulted in 86.5% sensitivity and 93.0% specificity. The authors concluded that simultaneous testing of a panel of serum cytokines and CA-125 using LabMAP technology presented a promising approach for ovarian cancer detection. [0017] A related patent application by Lokshin, “Enhanced diagnostic multimarker serological profiling,” U.S. Patent Application 20070042405 published Feb. 22, 2007 describes various biomarker panels and associated methods for diagnosis of ovarian cancer. One method involves determining the levels of at least four markers in the blood of a patient, where at least two different markers are selected from CA-125, prolactin, HE4 (human epididymis protein 4), sV-CAM and TSH; and where a third marker and a fourth marker are selected from CA-125, prolactin, HE4, sV-CAM, TSH, cytokeratin, sI-CAM, IGFBP-1, eotaxin and FSH, where each of the third marker and fourth marker selected from the above listed markers is different from each other and different from either of the first and second markers, and where dysregulation of at least the four markers indicates high specificity and sensitivity for a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Another panel includes at least eight markers in the blood of a patient, wherein at least four different markers are selected from the group consisting of CA-125, prolactin, HE4, sV-CAM, and TSH and wherein a fifth marker, a sixth marker, a seventh marker and an eighth marker are selected from the group consisting of CA-125, prolactin, HE4, sV-CAM, TSH, cytokeratin, sI-CAM, IGFBP-1, eotaxin and FSH, and further wherein each of said fifth marker, said sixth marker, said seventh marker and said eighth marker is different from the other and is different from any of said at least four markers, wherein dysregulation of said at least eight markers indicates high specificity and sensitivity for a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. [0018] The Lokshin (2007) patent application also describes a blood marker panel comprising two or more of EGF (epidermal growth factor), G-CSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor), IL-6, IL-8, CA-125 (Cancer Antigen 125), VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1), anti-IL6, anti-IL8, anti-CA-125, anti-c-myc, anti-p53, anti-CEA, anti-CA 15-3, anti-MUC-1, anti-survivin, anti-bHCG, anti-osteopontin, anti-PDGF, anti-Her2/neu, anti-Akt1, anti-cytokeratin 19, cytokeratin 19, EGFR, CEA, kallikrein-8, M-CSF, FasL, ErbB2 and Her2/neu in a sample of the patient's blood, where the presence of two or more of the following conditions indicated the presence of ovarian cancer in the patient: EGF (low), G-CSF (high), IL-6 (high), IL-8 (high), VEGF (high), MCP-1 (low), anti-IL-6 (high), anti-IL-8 (high), anti-CA-125 (high), anti-c-myc (high), anti-p.sup.53 (high), anti-CEA (high), anti-CA 15-3 (high), anti-MUC-1 (high), anti-survivin (high), anti-bHCG (high), anti-osteopontin (high), anti-Her2/neu (high), anti-Akt1 (high), anti-cytokeratin 19 (high), anti-PDGF (high), CA-125 (high), cytokeratin 19 (high), EGFR (low, Her2/neu (low), CEA (high), FasL (high), kallikrein-8 (low), ErbB2 (low) and M-CSF (low). Exemplary panels include, without limitation: CA-125, cytokeratin-19, FasL, M-CSF; cytokeratin-19, CEA, Fas, EGFR, kallikrein-8; CEA, Fas, M-CSF, EGFR, CA-125; cytokeratin 19, kallikrein 8, CEA, CA 125, M-CSF; kallikrein-8, EGFR, CA-125; cytokeratin-19, CEA, CA-125, M-CSF, EGFR; cytokeratin-19, kallikrein-8, CA-125; M-CSF, FasL; cytokeratin-19, kallikrein-8, CEA, M-CSF; cytokeratin-19, kallikrein-8, CEA, CA-125; CA 125, cytokeratin 19, ErbB2; EGF, G-CSF, IL-6, IL-8, VEGF and MCP-1; anti-CA 15-3, anti-IL-8, anti-survivin, anti-p53 and anti c-myc; anti-CA 15-3, anti-IL-8, anti-survivin, anti-p53, anti c-myc, anti-CEA, anti-IL-6, anti-EGF; and anti-bHCG. [0019] Chan, et al., “Use of bio-markers for detecting ovarian cancer,” U.S. Published Patent Application 20050059013, published Mar. 17, 2005 describes a method of qualifying ovarian cancer status in a subject comprising: (a) measuring at least one biomarker in a sample from the subject, wherein the biomarker is selected from the group consisting of ApoA1, transthyretin .DELTA.N10, IAIH4 fragment, and combinations thereof, and (b) correlating the measurement with ovarian cancer status. [0020] Another embodiment in the Chan application described an additional biomarker selected from CA125, CA125 II, CA15-3, CA19-9, CA72-4, CA 195, tumor associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI), CEA, placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP), Sialyl TN, galactosyltransferase, macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF, CSF-1), lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), 110 kD component of the extracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (p110EGFR), tissue kallikreins, for example, kallikrein 6 and kallikrein 10 (NES-1), prostasin, HE4, creatine kinase B (CKB), LASA, HER-2/neu, urinary gonadotropin peptide, Dianon NB 70/K, Tissue peptide antigen (TPA), osteopontin and haptoglobin, and protein variants (e.g., cleavage forms, isoforms) of the markers. [0021] An ELISA-based blood serum test described the evaluation of four proteins useful in the early diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (leptin, prolactin, osteopontin and insulin-like growth factor). The authors reported that no single protein could completely distinguish the cancer group from the healthy control group. However, the combination of these four proteins provided sensitivity 95%, positive predictive value (PPV) 95%, specificity 95%, and negative predictive value (NPV) 94%, which was said to be a considerable improvement on current methodology. Mor et al., “Serum protein markers for early detection of ovarian cancer,” PNAS (102:21) 7677-7682 (2005). [0022] A related patent application by Mor et al. “Identification of Cancer Protein Biomarkers Using Proteomic Techniques,” U.S. Patent Application 2005/0214826, published Sep. 29, 2005 describes biomarkers identified by using a novel screening method. The biomarkers are stated to discriminate between cancer and healthy subjects as well as being useful in the prognosis and monitoring of cancer. Specifically, the abstract of the patent application relates to the use of leptin, prolactin, OPN and IGF-II for these purposes. The disclosed invention is somewhat more generally characterized as involving the comparison of expression of one or more biomarkers in a sample that are selected from the group consisting of: 6Ckine, ACE, BDNF, CA125, E-Selectin, EGF, Eot2, ErbB1, follistatin, HCC4, HVEM, IGF-II, IGFBP-1, IL-17, IL-1srII, IL-2sRa, leptin, M-CSF R, MIF, MIP-1a, MIP3b, MMP-8, MMP7, MPIF-1, OPN, PARC, PDGF Rb, prolactin, ProteinC, TGF-b RIII, TNF-R1, TNF-a, VAP-1, VEGF R2 and VEGF R3. A significant difference in the expression of these one or more biomarkers in the sample as compared to a predetermined standard of each is said to diagnose or aid in the diagnosis of cancer. [0023] A patent application by Le Page et al. “Methods of Diagnosing Ovarian Cancer and Kits Therefore,” WO2007/030949, published Mar. 22, 2007 describes a method for determining whether a subject is affected by ovarian cancer by detecting the expression levels of FGF-2 and CA125 and, optionally, IL-18. [0024] Other approaches described in the patent and scientific literature include the analysis of expression of particular gene transcripts in blood cells. See, for example, Liew, “Method for the Detection of Cancer Related Gene Transcripts in Blood,” U.S. Published Patent Application 2006/0134637, Jun. 22, 2006. Although gene transcripts specific for ovarian cancer are not identified, transcripts from Tables 3J, 3K and 3X are said to indicate the presence of cancer. See also, Tchagang et al., “Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer Using Group Biomarkers,” Mol. Cancer Ther. (1):7 (2008). [0025] Another diagnostic approach involves detecting circulating antibodies directed against tumor-associated antigens. See, Nelson et al. “Antigen Panels and Methods of Using the Same,” U.S. Patent Application 2005/0221305, published Oct. 6, 2005; and Robertson “Cancer Detection Methods and Regents,” U.S. Patent Application 2003/0232399, published Dec. 18, 2003. [0026] What has been urgently needed in the field of gynecologic oncology is a minimally invasive (preferably serum-based) clinical test for assessing and predicting the presence of ovarian cancer that is based on a robust set of biomarkers and sample features identified from a large and diverse set of samples, together with methods and associated computer systems and software tools to predict, diagnose and monitor ovarian cancer with high accuracy at its various stages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0027] The present invention generally relates to cancer biomarkers and particularly to biomarkers associated with ovarian cancer. It provides methods to predict, evaluate diagnose, and monitor cancer, particularly ovarian cancer, by measuring certain biomarkers, and further provides a set or array of reagents to evaluate the expression levels of biomarkers that are associated with ovarian cancer. A preferred set of biomarkers provides a detectable molecular signature of ovarian cancer in a subject. The invention provides a predictive or diagnostic test for ovarian cancer, particularly for epithelial ovarian cancer and more particularly for early-stage ovarian cancer (that is Stage I, Stage II or Stage I and II together). [0028] More specifically, predictive tests and associated methods and products also provide useful clinical information regarding the stage of ovarian cancer progression, that is: Stage I, Stage II, Stage III and Stage IV and an advanced stage which reflects relatively advanced tumors that cannot readily be classified as either Stage III or Stage IV. Overall, the invention also relates to newly discovered correlations between the relative levels of expression of certain groups of markers in bodily fluids, preferably blood serum and plasma, and a subject's ovarian cancer status. [0029] In one embodiment, the invention provides a set of reagents to measure the expression levels of a panel or set of biomarkers in a fluid sample drawn from a patient, such as blood, serum, plasma, lymph, cerebrospinal fluid, ascites or urine. The reagents in a further embodiment are a multianalyte panel assay comprising reagents to evaluate the expression levels of these biomarker panels. [0030] In embodiments of the invention, a subject's sample is prepared from tissue samples such a tissue biopsy or from primary cell cultures or culture fluid. In a further embodiment, the expression of the biomarkers is determined at the polypeptide level. Related embodiments utilize immunoassays, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and multiplexed immunoassays for this purpose. [0031] Preferred panels of biomarkers are selected from the group consisting of the following sets of molecules and their measurable fragments: (a) myoglobin, CRP (C reactive protein), FGF basic protein and CA 19-9; (b) Hepatitis C NS4, Ribosomal P Antibody and CRP; (c) CA 19-9, TGF alpha, EN-RAGE, EGF and HSP 90 alpha antibody, (d) EN-RAGE, EGF, CA 125, Fibrinogen, Apolipoprotein CIII, EGF, Cholera Toxin and CA 19-9; (e) Proteinase 3 (cANCA) antibody, Fibrinogen, CA 125, EGF, CD40, TSH, Leptin, CA 19-9 and lymphotactin; (f) CA125, EGFR, CRP, IL-18, Apolipoprotein CIII, Tenascin C and Apolipoprotein A1; (g) CA125, Beta-2 Microglobulin, CRP, Ferritin, TIMP-1, Creatine Kinase-MB and IL-8; (h) CA125, EGFR, IL-10, Haptoglobin, CRP, Insulin, TIMP-1, Ferritin, Alpha-2 Macroglobulin, Leptin, IL-8, CTGF, EN-RAGE, Lymphotactin, TNF-alpha, IGF-1, TNF RII, von Willebrand Factor and MDC; (i) CA-125, CRP, EGF-R, CA-19-9, Apo-A1, Apo-CIII, IL-6, IL-18, MIP-1a, Tenascin C and Myoglobin; (j) CA-125, CRP, EGF-R, CA-19-9, Apo-A1, Apo-CIII, IL-6, MIP-1a, Tenascin C and Myoglobin; and (k) any of the biomarker panels presented in Table II and Table III. [0032] In another embodiment, the reagents that measure such biomarkers may measure other molecular species that are found upstream or downstream in a biochemical pathway or measure fragments of such biomarkers and molecular species. In some instances, the same reagent may accurately measure a biomarker and its fragments. [0033] Another embodiment of the present invention relates to binding molecules (or binding reagents) to measure the biomarkers and related molecules and fragments. Contemplated binding molecules includes antibodies, both monoclonal and polyclonal, aptamers and the like. [0034] Other embodiments include such binding reagents provided in the form of a test kit, optionally together with written instructions for performing an evaluation of biomarkers to predict the likelihood of ovarian cancer in a subject. [0035] In other of its embodiments, the present invention provides methods of predicting the likelihood of ovarian cancer in a subject based on detecting or measuring the levels in a specimen or biological sample from the subject of the foregoing biomarkers. As described in this specification, a change in the expression levels of these biomarkers, particularly their relative expression levels, as compared with a control group of patients who do not have ovarian cancer, is predictive of ovarian cancer in that subject. [0036] In other of its aspects, the type of ovarian cancer that is predicted is serous, endometrioid, mucinous, and clear cell tumors. And prediction of ovarian cancer includes the prediction of a specific stage of the disease such as Stage I (IA, IB or IC), II, III and IV tumors. [0037] In yet another embodiment, the invention relates to creating a report for a physician of the relative levels of the biomarkers and to transmitting such a report by mail, fax, email or otherwise. In an embodiment, a data stream is transmitted via the internet that contains the reports of the biomarker evaluations. In a further embodiment, the report includes the prediction as to the presence or absence of ovarian cancer in the subject or the stratified risk of ovarian cancer for the subject, optionally by subtype or stage of cancer. [0038] According to another aspect of the invention, the foregoing evaluation of biomarker expression levels is combined for diagnostic purposes with other diagnostic procedures such as gastrointestinal tract evaluation, chest x-ray, HE4 test, CA-125 test, complete blood count, ultrasound or abdominal/pelvic computerized tomography, blood chemistry profile and liver function tests. [0039] Yet other embodiments of the invention relate to the evaluation of samples drawn from a subject who is symptomatic for ovarian cancer or is at high risk for ovarian cancer. Other embodiments relate to subjects who are asymptomatic of ovarian cancer. Symptomatic subjects have one or more of the following: pelvic mass; ascites; abdominal distention; general abdominal discomfort and/or pain (gas, indigestion, pressure, swelling, bloating, cramps); nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or frequent urination; loss of appetite; feeling of fullness even after a light meal; weight gain or loss with no known reason; and abnormal bleeding from the vagina. The levels of biomarkers may be combined with the findings of such symptoms for a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. [0040] Embodiments of the invention are highly accurate for determining the presence of ovarian cancer. By “highly accurate” is meant a sensitivity and a specificity each at least about 85 per cent or higher, more preferably at least about 90 per cent or 92 per cent and most preferably at least about 95 per cent or 97 per cent accurate. Embodiments of the invention further include methods having a sensitivity of at least about 85 per cent, 90 per cent or 95 per cent and a specificity of at least about 55 per cent, 65 per cent, 75 per cent, 85 per cent or 90 per center or higher. Other embodiments include methods having a specificity of at least about 85 per cent, 90 per cent or 95 per cent, and a sensitivity of at least about 55 per cent, 65 per cent, 75 per cent, 85 per cent or 90 per cent or higher. [0041] Embodiments of the invention relating sensitivity and specificity are determined for a population of subjects who are symptomatic for ovarian cancer and have ovarian cancer as compared with a control group of subjects who are symptomatic for ovarian cancer but who do not have ovarian cancer. In another embodiment, sensitivity and specificity are determined for a population of subjects who are at increased risk for ovarian cancer and have ovarian cancer as compared with a control group of subjects who are at increased risk for ovarian cancer but who do not have ovarian cancer. And in another embodiment, sensitivity and specificity are determined for a population of subjects who are symptomatic for ovarian cancer and have ovarian cancer as compared with a control group of subjects who are not symptomatic for ovarian cancer but who do not have ovarian cancer. [0042] In other aspects, the levels of the biomarkers are evaluated by applying a statistical method such as knowledge discovery engine (KDE™), regression analysis, discriminant analysis, classification tree analysis, random forests, ProteomeQuest®, support vector machine, One R, kNN and heuristic naive Bayes analysis, neural nets and variants thereof. [0043] In another embodiment, a predictive or diagnostic model based on the expression levels of the biomarkers is provided. The model may be in the form of software code, computer readable format or in the form of written instructions for evaluating the relative expression of the biomarkers. [0044] A patient's physician can utilize a report of the biomarker evaluation, in a broader diagnostic context, in order to develop a relatively more complete assessment of the risk that a given patient has ovarian cancer. In making this assessment, a physician will consider the clinical presentation of a patient, which includes symptoms such as a suspicious pelvic mass and/or ascites, abdominal distention and other symptoms without another obvious source of malignancy. The general lab workup for symptomatic patients currently includes a GI evaluation if clinically indicated, chest x-ray, CA-125 test, CBC, ultrasound or abdominal/pelvic CT if clinically indicated, chemistry profile with LFTs and may include a family history evaluation along with genetic marker tests such as BRCA-1 and BRCA-2. (See, generally, the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™ for Ovarian Cancer, V.I.2007.) [0045] The present invention provides a novel and important additional source of information to assist a physician in stratifying a patient's risk of having ovarian cancer and in planning the next diagnostic steps to take. The present invention is also similarly useful in assessing the risk of ovarian cancer in non-symptomatic, high-risk subjects as well as for the general population as a screening tool. It is contemplated that the methods of the present invention may be used by clinicians as part of an overall assessment of other predictive and diagnostic indicators. [0046] The present invention also provides methods to assess the therapeutic efficacy of existing and candidate chemotherapeutic agents and other types of cancer treatments. As will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art, the relative expression levels of the biomarker panels—or biomarker profiles—are determined as described above, in specimens taken from a subject prior to and again after treatment or, optionally, at progressive stages during treatment. A change in the relative expression of these biomarkers to a non-cancer profile of expression levels (or to a more nearly non-cancer expression profile) or to a stable, non-changing profile of relative biomarker expression levels is interpreted as therapeutic efficacy. Persons skilled in the art will readily understand that a profile of such expressions levels may become diagnostic for cancer or a pre-cancer, pre-malignant condition or simply move toward such a diagnostic profile as the relative ratios of the biomarkers become more like a cancer-related profile than previously. [0047] In another embodiment, the invention provides a method for determining whether a subject potentially is developing cancer. The relative levels of expression of the biomarkers are determined in specimens taken from a subject over time, whereby a change in the biomarker expression profile toward a cancer profile is interpreted as a progression toward developing cancer. [0048] The expression levels of the biomarkers of a specimen may be stored electronically once a subject's analysis is completed and recalled for such comparison purposes at a future time. [0049] The present invention further provides methods, software products, computer systems and networks, and associated instruments that provide a highly accurate test for ovarian cancer. [0050] The combinations of markers described in this specification provide sensitive, specific and accurate methods for predicting the presence of or detecting ovarian cancer at various stages of its progression. The evaluation of samples as described may also correlate with the presence of a pre-malignant or a pre-clinical condition in a patient. Thus, it is contemplated that the disclosed methods are useful for predicting or detecting the presence of ovarian cancer in a sample, the absence of ovarian cancer in a sample drawn from a subject, the stage of an ovarian cancer, the grade of an ovarian cancer, the benign or malignant nature of an ovarian cancer, the metastatic potential of an ovarian cancer, the histological type of neoplasm associated with the ovarian cancer, the indolence or aggressiveness of the cancer, and other characteristics of ovarian cancer that are relevant to prevention, diagnosis, characterization, and therapy of ovarian cancer in a patient. [0051] It is further contemplated that the methods disclosed are also useful for assessing the efficacy of one or more test agents for inhibiting ovarian cancer, assessing the efficacy of a therapy for ovarian cancer, monitoring the progression of ovarian cancer, selecting an agent or therapy for inhibiting ovarian cancer, monitoring the treatment of a patient afflicted with ovarian cancer, monitoring the inhibition of ovarian cancer in a patient, and assessing the carcinogenic potential of a test compound by evaluating biomarkers of test animals following exposure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0052] The biomarker panels and associated methods and products were identified through the analysis of analyte levels of various molecular species in human blood serum drawn from subjects having ovarian cancer of various stages and subtypes, subjects having non-cancer gynecological disorders and normal subjects. The immunoassays described below were courteously performed by our colleagues at Rules-Based Medicine of Austin, Tex. using their Multi-Analyte Profile (MAP) Luminex® platform (www.rulesbasedmedicine.com). [0053] While a preferred sample is blood serum, it is contemplated that an appropriate sample can be derived from any biological source or sample, such as tissues, extracts, cell cultures, including cells (for example, tumor cells), cell lysates, and physiological fluids, such as, for example, whole blood, plasma, serum, saliva, ductal lavage, ocular lens fluid, cerebral spinal fluid, sweat, urine, milk, ascites fluid, synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid and the like. The sample can be obtained from animals, preferably mammals, more preferably primates, and most preferably humans using species specific binding agents that are equivalent to those discussed below in the context of human sample analysis. It is further contemplated that these techniques and marker panels may be used to evaluate drug therapy in rodents and other animals, including transgenic animals, relevant to the development of human and veterinary therapeutics. [0054] The sample can be treated prior to use by conventional techniques, such as preparing plasma from blood, diluting viscous fluids, and the like. Methods of sample treatment can involve filtration, distillation, extraction, concentration, inactivation of interfering components, addition of chaotropes, the addition of reagents, and the like. Nucleic acids (including silencer, regulatory and interfering RNA) may be isolated and their levels of expression for the analytes described below also used in the methods of the invention. Samples and Analytical Platform [0055] The set of blood serum samples that was analyzed to generate most of the data discussed below contained 150 ovarian cancer samples and 150 non-ovarian cancer samples. Subsets of these samples were used as described. The ovarian cancer sample samples further comprised the following epithelial ovarian cancer subtypes: serous (64), clear cell (22), endometrioid (35), mucinous (15), mixed, that is, consisting of more than one subtype (14). The stage distribution of the ovarian cancer samples was: Stage I (41), Stage II (23), Stage III (68), Stage IV (12) and unknown stage (6). [0056] The non-ovarian cancer sample set includes the following ovarian conditions: benign (104), normal ovary (29) and “low malignant potential/borderline (3). The sample set also includes serum from patients with other cancers: cervical cancer (7), endometrial cancer (6) and uterine cancer (1). [0057] Analyte levels in the samples discussed in this specification were measured using a high-throughput, multi-analyte immunoassay platform. A preferred platform is the Luminex® MAP system as developed by Rules-Based Medicine, Inc. in Austin, Tex. It is described on the company's website and also, for example, in publications such as Chandler et al., “Methods and kits for the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome, U.S. Patent Application 2007/0003981, published Jan. 4, 2007, and a related application of Spain et al., “Universal Shotgun Assay,” U.S. Patent Application 2005/0221363, published Oct. 6, 2005. This platform has previously been described in Lokshin (2007) and generated data used in other analyses of ovarian cancer biomarkers. However, any immunoassay platform or system may be used. [0058] In brief, to describe a preferred analyte measurement system, the MAP platform incorporates polystyrene microspheres that are dyed internally with two spectrally distinct fluorochromes. By using accurate ratios of the fluorochromes, an array is created consisting of 100 different microsphere sets with specific spectral addresses. Each microsphere set can display a different surface reactant. Because microsphere sets can be distinguished by their spectral addresses, they can be combined, allowing up to 100 different analytes to be measured simultaneously in a single reaction vessel. A third fluorochrome coupled to a reporter molecule quantifies the biomolecular interaction that has occurred at the microsphere surface. Microspheres are interrogated individually in a rapidly flowing fluid stream as they pass by two separate lasers in the Luminex® analyzer. High-speed digital signal processing classifies the microsphere based on its spectral address and quantifies the reaction on the surface in a few seconds per sample. [0059] Skilled artisans will recognize that a wide variety of analytical techniques may be used to determine the levels of biomarkers in a sample as is described and claimed in this specification. Other types of binding reagents available to persons skilled in the art may be utilized to measure the levels of the indicated analytes in a sample. For example, a variety of binding agents or binding reagents appropriate to evaluate the levels of a given analyte may readily be identified in the scientific literature. Generally, an appropriate binding agent will bind specifically to an analyte, in other words, it reacts at a detectable level with the analyte but does not react detectably (or reacts with limited cross-reactivity) with other or unrelated analytes. It is contemplated that appropriate binding agents include polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, aptamers, RNA molecules and the like. Spectrometric methods also may be used to measure the levels of analytes, including immunofluorescence, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance and optical spectrometric methods. Depending on the binding agent to be utilized, the samples may be processed, for example, by dilution, purification, denaturation, digestion, fragmentation and the like before analysis as would be known to persons skilled in the art. Also, gene expression, for example, in a tumor cell or lymphocyte also may be determined. [0060] It is also contemplated that the identified biomarkers may have multiple epitopes for immunoassays and/or binding sites for other types of binding agents. Thus, it is contemplated that peptide fragments or other epitopes of the identified biomarkers, isoforms of specific proteins and even compounds upstream or downstream in a biological pathway or that have been post-translationally modified may be substituted for the identified analytes or biomarkers so long as the relevant and relative stoichiometries are taken into account appropriately. Skilled artisans will recognize that alternative antibodies and binding agents can be used to determine the levels of any particular analyte, so long as their various specificities and binding affinities are factored into the analysis. [0061] A variety of algorithms may be used to measure or determine the levels of expression of the analytes or biomarkers used in the methods and test kits of the present invention. It is generally contemplated that such algorithms will be capable of measuring analyte levels beyond the measurement of simple cut-off values. Thus, it is contemplated that the results of such algorithms will generically be classified as multivariate index analyses by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Specific types of algorithms include: knowledge discovery engine (KDE™), regression analysis, discriminant analysis, classification tree analysis, random forests, ProteomeQuest®, support vector machine, One R, kNN and heuristic naive Bayes analysis, neural nets and variants thereof. ANALYSIS AND EXAMPLES [0062] The following discussion and examples are provided to describe and illustrate the present invention. As such, they should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will well appreciate that many other embodiments also fall within the scope of the invention, as it is described in this specification and the claims. Analysis of Data to Find Informative Biomarker Panels Using the KDE™ [0063] Correlogic has described the use of evolutionary and pattern recognition algorithms in evaluating complex data sets, including the Knowledge Discovery Engine (KDE™) and ProteomeQuest®. See, for example, Hitt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,925,389, “Process for Discriminating Between Biological States Based on Hidden Patterns From Biological Data” (issued Aug. 2, 2005); Hitt, U.S. Pat. No. 7,096,206, “Heuristic Method of Classification,” (issued Aug. 22, 2006) and Hitt, U.S. Pat. No. 7,240,038, “Heuristic Method of Classification,” (to be issued Jul. 3, 2007). The use of this technology to evaluate mass spectral data derived from ovarian cancer samples is further elucidated in Hitt et al., “Multiple high-resolution serum proteomic features for ovarian cancer detection,” U.S. Published Patent Application 2006/0064253, published Mar. 23, 2006. [0064] When analyzing the data set by Correlogic's Knowledge Discovery Engine, the following five-biomarker panels were found to provide sensitivities and specificities for various stages of ovarian cancer as set forth in Table I. Specifically, KDE Model 1 [2 — 0008 — 20] returned a relatively high accuracy for Stage I ovarian cancer and included these markers: Cancer Antigen 19-9 (CA19-9, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Q9BXJ9), C Reactive Protein (CRP, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P02741), Fibroblast Growth Factor-basic Protein (FGF-basic, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P09038) and Myoglobin (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P02144). KDE Model 2 [4 — 0002-10] returned a relatively high accuracy for Stage III, IV and “advanced” ovarian cancer and included these markers: Hepatitis C NS4 Antibody (Hep C NS4 Ab), Ribosomal P Antibody and CRP. KDE Model 3 [4 — 0009 — 140] returned a relatively high accuracy tor Stage I and included these markers: CA 19-9, TGF alpha, EN-RAGE (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P80511), Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P01133) and HSP 90 alpha antibody. KDE Model 4 [4 — 0026 — 100] returned a relatively high accuracy for Stage II and Stages III, IV and “advanced” ovarian cancers and included these markers: EN-RAGE, EGF, Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Q14596), Fibrinogen (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Alpha chain P02671; Beta chain P02675; Gamma chain P02679), Apolipoprotein CIII (ApoCIII, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P02656), Cholera Toxin and CA 19-9. KDE Model 5 [4 — 0027 — 20] also returned a relatively high accuracy for Stage II and Stages III, IV and “advanced” ovarian cancers and included these markers: Proteinase 3 (cANCA) antibody, Fibrinogen, CA 125, EGF, CD40 (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Q6P2H9), Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Alpha P01215; Beta P01222 P02679, Leptin (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P41159), CA 19-9 and Lymphotactin (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P47992). It is contemplated that skilled artisans could use the KDE analytical tools to identify other, potentially useful sets of biomarkers for predictive or diagnostic value based on the levels of selected analytes. Note that the KDE algorithm may select and utilize various markers based on their relative abundances; and that a given marker, for example the level of cholera toxin in Model IV may be zero but is relevant in combination with the other markers selected in a particular grouping. [0065] Skilled artisans will recognize that a limited size data set as was used in this specification may lead to different results, for example, different panels of markers and varying accuracies when comparing the relative performance of KDE with other analytical techniques to identify informative panels of biomarkers. These particular KDE models were built on a relatively small data set using 40 stage I ovarian cancers and 40 normal/benigns and were tested blindly on the balance of the stage II, III/IV described above. Thus, the specificity is of the stage I samples reflects sample set size and potential overfitting. The drop in specificity for the balance of the non-ovarian cancer samples also is expected given the relatively larger size of the testing set relative to the training set. Overall, the biomarker panel developed for the stage I samples also provides potentially useful predictive and diagnostic assays for later stages of ovarian cancer given the high sensitivity values. [0066] However, these examples of biomarker panels illustrate that there are a number of parameters that can be adjusted to impact model performance. For instance in these cases a variety of different numbers of features are combined together, a variety of match values are used, a variety of different lengths of evolution of the genetic algorithm are used and models differing in the number of nodes are generated. By routine experimentation apparent to one skilled in the art, combinations of these parameters can be used to generate other predictive models based on biomarker panels having clinically relevant performance. [0000] TABLE I Results of Analysis Using Knowledge Discovery Engine to develop a stage I specific classification model. Sensitivity Specificity Accuracy Sensitivity Sensitivity Model Name Feature Match Generation Node Stage I Stage I Stage I Stage II Stage III-IV Specificity 2_0008_20 4 0.9 20 12 75 100 87.5 60.9 46.5 82.5 4_0002_10 3 0.7 10 4 75 100 87.5 69.6 82.5 56 4_0009_140 5 0.6 140 5 75 100 87.5 43.5 39.5 71.5 4_0026_100 9 0.7 100 5 87.5 100 93.8 78.3 84.9 67 4_0027_20 9 0.8 20 5 87.5 100 93.8 78.3 84.9 60.6 Methods and Analysis to Find Informative Biomarker Panels Using Random Forests [0067] A preferred analytical technique, known to skilled artisans, is that of Breiman, Random Forests. Machine Learning, 2001, 45:5-32; as further described by Segel, Machine Learning Benchmarks and Random Forest Regression, 2004; and Robnik-Sikonja, Improving Random Forests, in Machine Learning, ECML, 2004 Proceedings, J. F. B. e. al., Editor, 2004, Springer: Berlin. Other variants of Random Forests are also useful and contemplated for the methods of the present invention, for example, Regression Forests, Survival Forests, and weighted population Random Forests. [0068] A modeling set of samples was used as described above for diagnostic models built with the KDE algorithm. Since each of the analyte assays is an independent measurement of a variable, under some circumstances, known to those skilled in the art, it is appropriate to scale the data to adjust for the differing variances of each assay. In such cases, biweight, MAD or equivalent scaling would be appropriate, although in some cases, scaling would not be expected to have a significant impact. A bootstrap layer on top of the Random Forests was used in obtaining the results discussed below. [0069] In preferred embodiments of the present invention, contemplated panels of biomarkers are: a. Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Q14596) and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGF-R, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P00533). b. CA125 and C Reactive Protein (CRP, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P02741). c. CA125, CRP and EGF-R. d. Any one or more of CA125, CRP and EGF-R, plus any one or more of Ferritin (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Heavy chain P02794; Light chain P02792), Interleukin-8 (IL-8, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P10145), and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P01033). e. Any one of the biomarker panels presented in Table II and Table III. f. Any of the foregoing panels of biomarkers (a-e) plus any one or more of the other biomarkers in the following list if not previously included in the foregoing panels (a-e). These additional biomarkers were identified empirically or by a literature review: Alpha-2 Macroglobulin (A2M, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P01023), Apolipoprotein A1-1 (ApoA1, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P02647), Apolipoprotein C-III (ApoCIII, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P02656), Apolipoprotein H (ApoH, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P02749), Beta-2 Microglobulin (B2M, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P23560), Betacellulin (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P35070), C Reactive Protein (CRP, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P02741), Cancer Antigen 19-9 (CA19-9, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Q9BXJ9), Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Q14596), Collagen Type 2 Antibody, Creatine Kinase-MB (CK-MB, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Brain P12277; Muscle P06732), C Reactive Protein (CRP, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P02741), Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P29279), Double Stranded DNA Antibody (dsDNA Ab), EN-RAGE (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P80511), Eotaxin (C-C motif chemokine 11, small-inducible cytokine A11 and Eosinophil chemotactic protein, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P51671), Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGF-R, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P00533), Ferritin (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Heavy chain P02794; Light chain P02792), Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH, Follicle-stimulating hormone beta subunit, FSH-beta, FSH-B, Follitropin beta chain, Follitropin subunit beta, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P01225), Haptoglobin (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P00738), HE4 (Major epididymis-specific protein E4, Epididymal secretory protein E4, Putative protease inhibitor WAP5 and WAP four-disulfide core domain protein 2, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Q14508), Insulin (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P01308), Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1 Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P01343), Insulin like growth factor II (IGF-II, Somatomedin-A, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P01344), Insulin Factor VII (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P08709), Interleukin-6 (IL-6, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P05231), Interleukin-8 (IL-8, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P10145), Interleukin-10 (IL-10, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P22301), Interleukin-18 (IL-18, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Q14116), Leptin (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P41159), Lymphotactin (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P47992), Macrophage-derived Chemokine (MDC, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: O00626), Macrophage Inhibotory Factor (SWISS PROT), Macrophage Inflammatory Protein 1 alpha (MIP-1alpha, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P10147), Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF, Phenylpyruvate tautomerase, Glycosylation-inhibiting factor, GIF, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P14174), Myoglobin (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P02144), Ostopontin (Bone sialoprotein 1, Secreted phosphoprotein 1, SPP-1, Urinary stone protein, Nephropontin, Uropontin, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P10451), Pancreatic Islet Cells (GAD) Antibody, Prolactin (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P01236), Stem Cell Factor (SCF, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P21583), Tenascin C (Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P24821), Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P01033), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P01375), Tumor Necrosis Factor RII (TNF-RII, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: Q92956), von Willebrand Factor (vWF, Swiss-Prot Accession Number: P04275) and the other biomarkers identified as being informative for cancer in the references cited in this specification. [0076] Using the Random Forests analytical approach, a preferred seven biomarker panel was identified that has a high predictive value for Stage I ovarian cancer. It includes: ApoA1, ApoCIII, CA125, CRP, EGF-R, IL-18 and Tenascin. In the course of building and selecting the relatively more accurate models for Stage I cancers generated by Random Forests using these biomarkers, the sensitivity for Stage I ovarian cancers ranged from about 80% to about 85%. Sensitivity was also about 95 for Stage II and about 94% sensitive for Stage III/IV. The overall specificity was about 70%. [0077] Similarly, a preferred seven biomarker panel was identified that has a high predictive value for Stage II. It includes: B2M, CA125, CK-MB, CRP, Ferritin, IL-8 and TIMP1. A preferred model for Stage II had a sensitivity of about 82% and a specificity of about 88%. [0078] For Stage III, Stage IV and advanced ovarian cancer, the following 19 biomarker panel was identified: A2M, CA125, CRP, CTGF, EGF-R, EN-RAGE, Ferritin, Haptoglobin, IGF-1, IL-8, IL-10, Insulin, Leptin, Lymphotactin, MDC, TIMP-1, TNF-alpha, TNF-RII, vWF. A preferred model for Stage III/IV had a sensitivity of about 86% and a specificity of about 89%. [0079] Other preferred biomarker or analyte panels for detecting, diagnosing and monitoring ovarian cancer are shown in Table II and in Table III. These panels include CA-125, CRP and EGF-R and, in most cases, CA19-9. In Table II, 20 such panels of seven analytes each selected from 20 preferred analytes are displayed in columns numbered 1 through 20. In Table III, another 20 such panels of seven analytes each selected from 23 preferred analytes are displayed in columns numbered 1 through 20. [0000] TABLE II Additional Biomarker Panels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 CA125 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x CRP x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x EGF-R x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x CA19-9 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Haptoglobin Serum Amyloid P x x x Apo A1 x x IL-6 x x x x x x Myoglobin x x x x x x x x x x x MIP-1□ x x x x x x x x x x x x EN-RAGE CK-MB vWF x x x Leptin x x Apo CIII x x x Growth Hormone x x x x x x IL-10 IL-18 x x x x x x x x Myeloperoxidase x x VCAM-1 x x x [0000] TABLE III Additional Biomarker Panels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 CA125 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x CRP x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x EGF-R x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x CA19-9 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Haptoglobin Serum Amyloid P x x x Apo A1 x x IL-6 x x x x x x Myoglobin x x x x x x x x x x MIP-1□ x x x x x x x x x x x x x x EN-RAGE CK-MB x vWF x x x x Leptin x x x Apo CIII x x x x x x Growth Hormone IL-10 x x IL-18 Myeloperoxidase x x x VCAM-1 Insulin x Ferritin x x x x x Haptoglobin x [0080] Other preferred biomarker panels (or models) for all stages of ovarian cancer include: (a) CA-125, CRP, EGF-R, CA-19-9, Apo-A1, Apo-CIII, IL-6, IL-18, MIP-1a, Tenascin C and Myoglobin; (b) CA125, CRP, CA 19-9, EGF-R, Myoglobin, IL18, Apo CIII; and (c) CA125, CRP, EGF-R, CA 19-9, Apo CIII, MIP-1a, Myoglobin, IL-18, IL-6, Apo A1, Tenascin C, vWF, Haptoglobin, IL-10. Optionally, any one or more of the following biomarkers may be added to these or to any of the other biomarker panels disclosed above in text or tables (to the extent that any such panels are not already specifically identified therein): vWF, Haptoglobin, IL-10, IGF-I, IGF-II, Prolactin, HE4, ACE, ASP and Resistin. [0081] Any two or more of the preferred biomarkers described above will have predictive value, however, adding one or more of the other preferred markers to any of the analytical panels described herein may increase the panel's predictive value for clinical purposes. For example, adding one or more of the different biomarkers listed above or otherwise identified in the references cited in this specification may also increase the biomarker panel's predictive value and are therefore expressly contemplated. Skilled artisans can readily assess the utility of such additional biomarkers. It is contemplated that additional biomarker appropriate for addition to the sets (or panels) of biomarkers disclosed or claimed in this specification will not result in a decrease in either sensitivity or specificity without a corresponding increase in either sensitivity or specificity or without a corresponding increase in robustness of the biomarker panel overall. A sensitivity and/or specificity of at least about 80% or higher are preferred, more preferably at least about 85% or higher, and most preferably at least about 90% or 95% or higher. [0082] To practice the methods of the present invention, appropriate cut-off levels for each of the biomarker analytes must be determined for cancer samples in comparison with control samples. As discussed above, it is preferred that at least about 40 cancer samples and 40 benign samples (including benign, non-malignant disease and normal subjects) be used for this purpose, preferably case matched by age, sex and gender. Larger sample sets are preferred. A person skilled in the art would measure the level of each biomarker in the selected biomarker panel and then use an algorithm, preferably such as Random Forest, to compare the level of analytes in the cancer samples with the level of analytes in the control samples. In this way, a predictive profile can be prepared based on informative cutoffs for the relevant disease type. The use of a separate validation set of samples is preferred to confirm the cut-off values so determined. Case and control samples can be obtained by obtaining consented (or anonymized) samples in a clinical trial or from repositories like the Screening Study for Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer-PLCO Trial sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/PLCO-1) or The Gynecologic Oncology Group (http://www.gog.org/). Samples obtained in multiple sites are also preferred. [0083] The results of analysis of patients' specimens using the disclosed predictive biomarker panels may be output for the benefit of the user or diagnostician, or may otherwise be displayed on a medium such as, but not limited to, a computer screen, a computer readable medium, a piece of paper, or any other visible medium. [0084] The foregoing embodiments and advantages of this invention are set forth, in part, in the preceding description and examples and, in part, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from this description and examples and may be further realized from practicing the invention as disclosed herein. For example, the techniques of the present invention are readily applicable to monitoring the progression of ovarian cancer in an individual, by evaluating a specimen or biological sample as described above and then repeating the evaluation at one or more later points in time, such that a difference in the expression or disregulation of the relevant biomarkers over time is indicative of the progression of the ovarian cancer in that individual or the responsiveness to therapy. All references, patents, journal articles, web pages and other documents identified in this patent application are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. OVARIAN CANCER BIOMARKERS—REFERENCES [0000] 1. Ahmed, N., et al., Proteomic-based identification of haptoglobin-1 precursor as a novel circulating biomarker of ovarian cancer. Br J Cancer, 2004. 91 (1): p. 129-40. 2. Ahmed, N., et al., Cell-free 59 kDa immunoreactive integrin-linked kinase: a novel marker for ovarian carcinoma. 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Methods are provided for predicting the presence, subtype and stage of ovarian cancer, as well as for assessing the therapeutic efficacy of a cancer treatment and determining whether a subject potentially is developing cancer. Associated test kits, computer and analytical systems as well as software and diagnostic models are also provided.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a speaker assembly, and more particularly it relates to an improved assembly for a tabletop or desk mounted speaker that may be used to reproduce telecommunication sound from teleconferencing systems and the like. Conventional speakers and other sound generating devices used in speaker systems or assemblies normally produce a sound directed principally in a single direction. Typically, economical speakers have a sound drive mechanism or "cone," wherein sound is generated through the open concave or front portion (the "drive" side) of the cone and is restricted in its transmission from the rear of the cone. Sound quality and response is therefore optimum when a listener is positioned at the concave open side of the speaker. Telephone conferencing systems often employ a single speaker to provide sound to all conference participants in a single room. In some circumstances, such as a teleconference occuring with several participants in a board room, the speaker is preferably centered on a table, desk or other horizontal surface between the participants. Such tabletop speakers ideally should be adapted to produce uniform quality response radially about the speaker's position, so that each participant to the conversation who is seated about the table or desk will hear equal high sound quality. Accordingly, when conventional speakers are used on tabletops, they may be positioned with the drive side of the speaker oriented vertically and directed to drive sound either upward from the table or downward to that surface. Upward direction of a sound in a vertically oriented economical speaker can result in principal direction of the sound toward the room's ceiling. Because teleconferencing listeners typically sit at approximately the same height, or a slightly higher height, than that of the speaker assembly, upward direction of the sound can require operation of the speaker at an unnecessarily loud volume to provide adequate dispersion of room filling sound at the listener level. Optimally, the sound generated by a tabletop speaker should have its best response occur radially about the speaker at positions approximately thirty degrees above the table. To efficiently operate the speaker, and to eliminate the need for excess volume, conventional cone speakers may be vertically oriented with the drive side of the speaker directed downward. In this arrangement, sound reflects from the table, desk, or other surface with equal volume and response radially in all directions from the speaker to the listeners. However, while such an orientation eliminates volume adjustment problems, other problems such as destructive and additive interference of the sound waves can result; such interference results because the sound travels to the listeners not only in a direct path from the speaker, but in a reflected path from the horizontal surface toward which the sound is principally directed. Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a speaker assembly for use in a telecommunication or teleconferencing system. Another object of this invention is to provide a speaker assembly that can produce sound that is uniform in volume and response radially about the assembly when the assembly is placed on a flat horizontal surface, such as a table or a desk. A further object of this invention is to provide a speaker assembly for a teleconferencing system that does not require excessive volume for adequate sound dispersion to listeners who are positioned around the assembly and slightly higher than the assembly's location. Another object of this invention is to provide a speaker assembly for use on a horizontal surface such as a table or desk that does not produce destructive or additive interference in the sound waves between the sound following the direct and reflected paths from the speaker to the listener. These and other objects of the invention are accomplished by providing a speaker assembly for use on a desk, table, or other flat surface capable of directing sounds in all directions from a speaker. The assembly comprises a speaker supported above a generally conical circular base having an acoustically reflective surface angled away from the speaker. Sound exits from the assembly at substantially the level of the table or other surface upon which the assembly rests. A cover or cabinet is mounted above and surrounding the rear of the speaker, and the speaker is attached to the assembly by a support plate attached to the cover. The height of the interior of the cover is approximately the same as the height of the speaker. A plurality of bushings connect the support plate to the base. In the preferred embodiment, the conical base has a truncated upper portion, preferably formed as an inverted conical concavity concentric with the base. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a pictorial cut-away view showing the speaker assembly, with the speaker positioned within the cover to principally direct sound toward the conical base. FIG. 2 is a side view of the speaker assembly showing the cover, base, and supports for the base. FIG. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional side view of the speaker assembly illustrating details of the assembly and the internal configuration of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of the invention is a speaker assembly for use in teleconferencing systems, and specifically for use on a desk, table or other flat surface that may be surrounded by listeners. The invention generally comprises of a cover 10, a base or acoustic reflector 12, and a speaker 14. The speaker is attached to a support plate 16, which in turn is mounted within the cover 10. A plurality of bushings 18 position the support plate a measured distance above the base 12. The speaker 14 is positioned upon the support plate 16 to direct sound downwardly toward and in the vicinity of the generally circular base 12. The sides of the base facing the speaker are angled away from the speaker to near the surface upon which the assembly rests, and are composed of an acoustically reflective material such that sound is radially reflected in all horizontal directions off of the base 12. The cover 10 preferably extends below the top of the base 12 so that sound exits from the assembly at or near the level of the table, desk or other surface, thereby helping to minimize interference effects. To support the speaker 14 and support plate 16, the base 12 has a plurality of openings 20 for receiving the bushings 18. In the preferred embodiment, at least one bushing 18 is hollow, allowing a cable 22 to pass into the speaker assembly and provide a current to drive the speaker 14. In the preferred embodiment, the base 12 is mounted on soft pads 24 to minimize marring or scratching of the table or other surface upon which the speaker assembly may be placed. Referring now to FIG. 3, additional details of the preferred embodiment are illustrated. In the preferred embodiment, the base 12 is generally conical and of generally triangular cross-section, with the upper portion 25 of the cone truncated and recessed to form a cavity 26 at the portion of the base 12 nearest the speaker 14. In the preferred embodiment, the angle between the horizontal and the sides of the generally conical base plate 12 is approximately twenty degrees, allowing sound to be directed from the speaker principally to a position removed approximately thirty degrees above the table or horizontal surface on which the speaker assembly is mounted; the thirty degree position corresponds generally to the position of seated listeners arranged around a table. As shown in FIG. 3 the truncated portion of the base is a generally conical cavity or recess 26 positioned in the top portion of the conical base 12. In the preferred embodiment, the depth of the recess 26 is approximately one-third the full heighth of the conical portion of the base 12. FIG. 3 further illustrates the general orientation of the speaker 14, with the drive magnet 28 positioned away from the base 12 and the cone 30 positioned to direct sounds toward the base 12. Although the preferred embodiment incorporates a conventionally driven magnetic speaker, any speaker or sound generating mechanism capable of directing sound downwardly towards the base 12 is appropriate for use with this invention. In the preferred embodiment, resonant vibration of the cover 10 is prevented by use of a dampening putty 31 inserted between the drive magnet 28 and the cover 10. Any tendency of the cover to resonate or "ring" during operation of the assembly is absorbed by the combined dampening effect of the putty 31 and fixed-position drive magnet 28. In the preferred embodiment, the putty 31 is composed of a silicone-rubber gel. To prevent adherance of the drive magnet to the putty, and to thereby allow easy disassembly of the speaker 14 from the cover 10, the drive magnet 28 is separated from the putty 31 by a gasket 33, which in the preferred embodiment is composed of a waxed paper segment. Mounting of the speaker 14 within the cover 10 is accomplished by positioning the speaker 14 in a generally circular hole 32 within the support plate 16 corresponding to the circular cross-section of the cone 30. The speaker is attached to the support plate 16 by means of fasteners, which in the preferred embodiment comprise screws 34. The support plate 16 is fastened to the bottom of cover 10 by placing it within notch 36. In the preferred embodiment, the support plate 16 is fastened within the notch by a permanent adhesive; in alternative embodiments, the support plate may be fastened within notch 36 by screws, bolts, or by any other common means of attachment. Provision of a drive current to speaker 14 is accomplished through use of a cable 22 inserted through passage 38 in one of the bushings 18. Cable 22 leads from a signal source such as a telecommunication system to electrical connector 40 on the speaker 14. In the preferred embodiment, disconnection of cable 22 from electrical connector 40 is prevented by providing a knot 42 in cable 22 of a size larger than passage 38 in bushings 18. Finally, base 12 is secured to support plate 16 by inserting the bushings 18 into the openings 20, and securing a plurality of bolts 44 through openings 20 into bushings 18. The speaker assembly is therefore secured in a generally inflexible arrangement. The preferred embodiment also includes a top label 46 that may be secured flush with the top of the cover within an upper notch 48. Similarly, the preferred embodiment includes a bottom label 50, that may be secured flush with the bottom of the base within the lower notch 52. In operation, the base 12 acts first as a base or support for the speaker assembly; second as an acoustic reflector directing sound radially about the speaker assembly to positions approximately thirty degrees above the height of the surface upon which the assembly rests or is mounted; and third as a phase plug to control and minimize the volume of air between the speaker cone 30 and the base 12. Optimally, the volume of air between the speaker cone and the base 12 should be such as to produce peak frequency response from the assembly in the range of frequencies transmitted by telephone systems. Thus, optimum frequency response should occur in the range of 300 hertz to 3 kilohertz. As is well known in the art, as the volume of air between speaker cone 30 and the base 12 increases, the system's response to sound frequencies generated in the high range (3-5 kilohertz) decreases. Conversely, response of high frequency sounds increases as the volume of air decreases. Hence, for best generation of high frequency sound, the separation between the base 12 and the speaker cone 30 should be reduced to the minimum possible. Since conventional magnetic speakers have a central dome (not shown in the illustrations) within the speaker cone extending in the direction of the principal sound generation, the concave recess 26 in the top of the base 12 allows positioning of the speaker closer to the base. Because at very low frequencies the displacement of the cone and dome can reach nearly 1/32 of an inch, the optimal separation for the preferred embodiment of the assembly should be approximately 1/32 of an inch. However, conventional magnetic speaker cones are manufactured with adhesive connections on the cone where the electrical lead touches the speaker cone 30, creating bumps or knobs extending, in some instances, more than 1/16 of an inch from the cone 30. Because actual contact of the speaker cone 30 with the base 12 would drastically degrade sound quality, the separation of speaker cone 30 from base 12 in the preferred embodiment is approximately 1/8 inch. As is also well known in the art, speakers such as speaker 14 have a resonance frequency, below which sound generation decrease rapidly; the resonance frequency generally determines the lowest frequency reproduced. As is further well known in the art, enclosure of the rear of the speaker in a cover or cabinet adds the pneumatic stiffness of the air cavity to the mechanical stiffness of the cone suspension, and thereby raises the speaker resonance frequency within the enclosure. Accordingly, low frequency output can be controlled by varying the volume of air within the cover 10 to the rear of the speaker 14. In the preferred embodiment, the height of the interior of the cover is approximately the same as the height of the speaker. For conventional speakers such as speaker 14, optimum visual aesthetics are achieved with the drive magnet 28 as close to the inside of the cover 10 as possible (without directly contacting the cover), so that the assembly creates a minimum visual obstruction above the table. Variation of the diameter of the cover 10 then produces a peak in the frequency response where the wave length of the sound is approximately the same as the diameter of the cover 10. In the preferred embodiment, the diameter has been chosen to be approximately six inches, which produces a peak in frequency response at a frequency within the normal range of sounds transmitted by telephone communications, that peak being at approximately 2 kilohertz. Although the preferred embodiment of the invention includes a conical recess in the top of the base 12, a variety of other configurations for the base 12 are possible. Alternative embodiments of the top of the base 12 include a semispherical recess, a flat top, a pointed convex conical top, and a pointed convex conical top with a more acute angle to the upper cone surface than the general conical angle of the base 12. Moreover, the configuration of the base 12 is not limited to strict conical sides, but instead may use any configuration that allows sound to be radially reflected in generally all horizontal directions away from the speaker assembly. Additionally, the assembly may be constructed to direct sound from the speaker in just a few of the circumferential directions. Finally, the terms used in the claims and specification should not be construed in their most limited sense. For instance, the term "speaker" should be construed to include any device capable of generating sound from electrical signals, and the term "cover" should include any arrangement that produces an acoustically sealed environment to the rear of the speaker. The term "horizontal" should be construed to refer to all directions parallel to the surface upon which the assembly rests or is mounted; if the assembly were mounted on a vertical wall, the term would then refer to all vertical directions. Similar variations are allowable in the other terms used in the specification and claims. Moreover, where specific sizes, dimensions or frequencies are mentioned, the invention should not be construed to be thereby limited, unless those sizes, dimensions or frequencies are expressly included in the claims.

A speaker assembly is disclosed for use on a desk or tabletop, in conjunction with a telecommunication or teleconferencing system. The assembly includes a speaker supported above a generally conical and circular base having one or more acoustically reflective surfaces angled away from the speaker. A cover or cabinet is mounted around the rear of the speaker, and the speaker is attached to the assembly by a support plate mounted within the cover. The height of the interior of the cover is approximately the same as the height of the speaker. A plurality of bushings connect the support plate to the base. Sound exits from the assembly at substantially the level of the surface upon which the assembly rests. In the prefered embodiment, the conical base has a truncated upper portion, preferably formed as an inverted conical cavity coencentric with the circular base.

FIELD [0001] The present description relates to a gasoline engine which combusts a compressed premixed air-fuel mixture by auto-ignition. More particularly, the description pertains to a method or system for operating an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber with a piston and a spark plug which can perform homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion. BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY [0002] In recent years, a new type of gasoline combustion has been demonstrated. In particular, a pre-mixed air-fuel mixture is compressed in a combustion chamber such that the mixture combusts without using a spark plug to initiate the combustion. This type of combustion has been developed to improve fuel economy and emissions of gasoline engines. HCCI combustion may result in higher thermal efficiency as compared to common spark ignition (SI) combustion. This is because HCCI combustion is initiated at a plurality of sites in the combustion chamber. Combustion starts by auto-ignition and occurs simultaneously at a number of sites in the cylinder rather than at a single source. This sequence is different from the SI combustion which begins at the spark plug and then propagates to the combustion chamber periphery as the flame front progresses. Further, HCCI combustion may also increase the cylinder mixture temperature when the pre-mixture is lean or when the pre-mixture is diluted by EGR. The cylinder mixture can be heated such that auto-ignition is more likely to occur when the cylinder is compressed. If the cylinder mixture is not pre-heated before compression at lower engine speeds and load, auto-ignition is less likely to occur. HCCI combustion also reduces NOx formation in the cylinder because the peak cylinder pressure is reduced. However, as mentioned above, when the engine is operating at lower speeds and lower loads, the pre-mixed air-fuel temperature may not increase to auto-ignition temperature even when the piston reaches the top-dead-center position. [0003] One example of a method of operating a gasoline engine using HCCI combustion is described by U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,367. The method describes auto-ignition of a mixture that is facilitated by providing a negative overlap period wherein both of an intake and an exhaust valve are closed. This increases the temperature inside of the combustion chamber because a higher quantity of exhaust gases is retained in the combustion chamber. Auto-ignition is further promoted by producing an active air-fuel mixture that has high ignition performance. This is achieved by injecting a part of the fuel directly into the combustion chamber in the negative overlap period. This process causes the injected fuel to evaporate immediately into the higher temperature exhaust gases. As a result, the fuel is broken down into radical molecules having broken molecular chains, or the fuel can be oxidized into an aldehyde, both of which may promote auto-ignition as the piston approaches top-dead-center. [0004] However, the inventors herein have recognized that there is room for further improvement of this example. Specifically, at engine operating conditions where combustion chamber temperature is low, thermal efficiency or engine emissions can degrade since auto-ignition may not occur at the appropriate time, even if injecting a part of fuel is implemented in the negative overlap period. [0005] Another example of a method of operating a gasoline engine using HCCI combustion is described by U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,438. This patent describes spark-assisted HCCI combustion. Specifically, the method comprises bringing the temperature of the combustion chamber close to auto-ignition temperature by adjusting engine operating conditions. In one embodiment, a small cloud of stratified air-fuel mixture is formed near the spark plug. The fuel cloud is ignited by a spark from the spark plug. This action causes cylinder pressure to rise, thereby producing auto-ignition at other sites in the cylinder. This method also describes dividing engine operation into three different combustion modes that are determined with respect to engine speed and load. HCCI mode is operational at lower engine speeds and loads and appears to be surrounded by a spark assisted HCCI mode region. Further, the spark ignition (SI) combustion mode appears to be reserved for areas of higher engine speeds and loads as well as engine speeds and loads that are lower than those reserved for spark assisted HCCI mode region. According to the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,438, spark assisted HCCI combustion is used at both of lower and higher engine speed and load conditions than the engine speed and load conditions where HCCI combustion with no spark-assist is implemented. [0006] However, the inventors herein have recognized that the amount of NOx produced by the engine at lower speeds and loads can be undesirable if spark assisted HCCI is implemented as described in this patent. [0007] One embodiment of the present description includes method to operate an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber with a piston and a spark plug, the method comprising: during a first mode, bringing the temperature of the combustion chamber to auto-ignition temperature by adjusting engine operating conditions and producing auto-ignition in said combustion chamber without requiring spark from said spark plug; and during a second mode, bringing the temperature of the combustion chamber close to auto-ignition temperature by adjusting engine operating conditions, forming a small cloud of stratified air-fuel mixture near said spark plug, igniting said fuel cloud by a spark form said spark plug, and then causing cylinder pressure to rise, thereby producing auto-ignition at other sites in said combustion chamber wherein said first mode is implemented in a first operating range and said second mode is implemented only in a second operating range where engine speed and load are lower than said first operating range. [0008] This method overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art. [0009] Thermal efficiency or engine emissions can be improved by using spark assisted HCCI combustion in low engine speed and load conditions. Further, by implementing spark assisted HCCI only at lower engine speed and load conditions than HCCI combustion, NOx production by igniting stratified air-fuel mixture can be decreased under relative high engine speed and load conditions while keeping HCCI combustion stable. [0010] A second embodiment of the present description includes a method to operate an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber with a piston and a spark plug, the method comprising: during a first mode, bringing the temperature of the combustion chamber to auto-ignition temperature by adjusting engine operating conditions and producing auto-ignition in said combustion chamber without requiring spark from said spark plug; during a second mode, bringing the temperature of the combustion chamber close to auto-ignition temperature by adjusting engine operating conditions, forming a small cloud of stratified air-fuel mixture near said spark plug, igniting said fuel cloud by a spark from said spark plug, and then causing cylinder pressure to rise, thereby producing auto-ignition at other sites in said combustion chamber; and during a third mode, producing substantially homogenous air-fuel mixture having substantially stoichiometric air fuel ratio is produced in said combustion chamber and igniting said substantially homogenous air-fuel mixture by a spark form said spark plug, wherein said first mode is implemented in a first operating range, said second mode is implemented only in a second operating range where engine speed and load are lower than said first operating range and said third mode is implemented in a third operating range where engine speed and load are lower than said second operating range, and wherein, for a predetermined time period in transition between said second mode and said third mode, only stratified air-fuel mixture is produced in said combustion chamber by providing fuel into said combustion chamber directly in compression stroke and said stratified air-fuel mixture is ignited by a spark form said spark plug. [0011] This method also overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art and has further advantage. [0012] Thermal efficiency and engine emissions can be improved by using spark assisted HCCI combustion in low engine speed and load conditions. Further, by implementing spark assisted HCCI only at lower engine speed and load conditions than HCCI combustion, NOx production by igniting stratified air-fuel mixture can be decreased under relative high engine speed and load conditions while keeping HCCI combustion stable. Further, the engine combustion stability during mode transition between spark assisted HCCI combustion mode and SI mode where engine speed and load are too low to bring the temperature of the combustion chamber to auto ignition temperature even if spark assist is used can be improved by producing only stratified air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber by providing fuel into the combustion chamber directly in compression stroke and igniting the stratified air-fuel mixture by a spark form said spark plug. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire configuration of an engine control device according to an embodiment of the invention. [0014] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a particular configuration of the engine control device shown in FIG. 1 . [0015] FIG. 3 is a graph showing a lift characteristic of intake and exhaust valves. [0016] FIG. 4 is a graph showing an example of a control map for switching between combustion modes. [0017] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of HCCI combustion. [0018] FIG. 6A is a graph showing heat generation during HCCI combustion. [0019] FIG. 6B is another graph showing heat generation during HCCI combustion. [0020] FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing a mode of the fuel injection by two injectors. [0021] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure of the control for switching between the combustion modes. [0022] FIG. 9 is a graph showing changes in amount of a first, second, and third fuel injections with respect to a required torque along a constant-engine-speed line. [0023] FIG. 10 is a graph showing another example of a control map for switching between the combustion modes. [0024] FIG. 11 is a timing chart showing another mode of the fuel injection by two injectors. [0025] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a determination procedure for switching between the combustion modes. [0026] FIG. 13 is a subsequent flowchart of FIG. 12 , showing a determination procedure during a transition of switching from SI combustion to HCCI combustion. [0027] FIG. 14 is another subsequent flowchart of FIG. 12 , showing a procedure during the transition of switching from HCCI combustion to SI combustion. [0028] FIG. 15 is a timing chart showing changes in an air-intake and exhaust overlap, air-intake valve lift, EGR rate, air fuel ratio, and amount of fuel injection during the transition of switching from HCCI combustion to SI combustion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0029] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the invention will be explained in detail based on the appended drawings. The following descriptions of embodiments of the invention are illustrations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, applications, and objects to which the invention may be applied. [Entire Configuration] [0030] FIG. 1 shows the entire configuration of an engine control device A according to an embodiment of the invention. A reference numeral “1” indicates a multi-cylinder gasoline-type internal combustion engine equipped on a vehicle. The engine body includes a cylinder block 3 having two or more cylinders 2 (only one is illustrated), and a cylinder head 4 arranged above the cylinder block 3 . A piston 5 is fitted and inserted into each cylinder 2 , and a combustion chamber 6 is formed inside the cylinder 2 between a top surface of the piston 5 and the bottom surface of the cylinder head 4 . The piston 5 is coupled to a crankshaft 7 with a connecting rod, and a crank angle sensor 8 for detecting a rotational angle of the crankshaft 7 (i.e., crank angle) is attached to an end of the crankshaft 7 . [0031] The cylinder head 4 is formed with an air-intake port 9 and an exhaust port 10 such that they open through a ceiling portion of the combustion chamber 6 for each cylinder 2 . The intake port 9 extends obliquely upward from the ceiling portion of the combustion chamber 6 , and opens to one side of the cylinder head 4 , while the exhaust port 10 opens to the other side (i.e., opposite side). The intake port 9 and the exhaust port 10 are opened and closed by an intake valve 11 and an exhaust valve 12 , respectively. The intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 are driven by cam shafts (not shown) of a valve operating mechanism 13 arranged inside the cylinder head 4 so as to synchronize with a rotation of the crankshaft 7 . [0032] The valve operating mechanism 13 incorporates a known variable valve lift mechanism 14 (hereinafter, abbreviated as “VVL”) that can continuously change a valve lift, and a known variable valve timing mechanism 15 (hereinafter, abbreviated as “VVT”) that can continuously change a phase angle with respect to a crank rotation for certain valve lift, on the intake and exhaust side, respectively. The valve operating mechanism 13 can change lift characteristics of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 , and can adjust a filling amount of the intake air into the cylinder 2 or an amount of burned gas kept in the combustion chamber (i.e., internal EGR gas). Here, VVL 14 may be what is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 2006-329022 and No. 2006-329023, for example. [0033] Further, a spark plug 16 is disposed so that an electrode thereof projects into the combustion chamber 6 from the ceiling portion of the combustion chamber 6 of each cylinder 2 , and an ignition circuit 17 supplies power to the spark plug 16 at a predetermined ignition timing. On the other hand, an injector 18 for direct injection into the cylinder 2 is disposed so that its injection end projects into a circumference of the combustion chamber 6 on the intake side. The direct injector 18 is of a small capacity that is capable of controlling a flow rate of fuel with high accuracy when injecting a relatively small amount of the fuel. Thus, when injecting a small amount of the fuel after the middle stage of the compression stroke of the cylinder 2 , a stratified air-fuel mixture in which a small cloud of air-fuel mixture is unevenly distributed in proximity to the electrode of the spark plug 16 is formed. [0034] Further, in this embodiment, a port injector 19 (another fuel injection valve) is disposed so that it injects fuel into the intake port 9 . The port injector 19 is of a large capacity that is capable of injecting a larger amount of fuel corresponding to the maximum torque of the engine 1 . The port injector 19 can achieve a sufficient injection time also in a high engine speed range, by injecting fuel from the compression stroke to the expansion, exhaust, and intake strokes of the cylinder 2 . As such, atomized, injected fuel flows into the cylinder 2 with the intake air, and then is widely distributed inside the cylinder 2 , where it expands its volume as the piston 5 lowers to form a substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture. [0035] Although not illustrated, high-pressure and low-pressure fuel supply lines are connected to the injectors 18 and 19 of each cylinder 2 , respectively. The low-pressure supply line supplies fuel which is sucked from a fuel tank by a low-pressure fuel pump. On the other hand, a high-pressure fuel pump for pressurizing and supplying fuel is provided in the high-pressure supply line branched from the low-pressure supply line. [0036] In FIG. 1 , an intake system is disposed on one side of the cylinder head 4 (that is, located on the right side of the engine 1 ), while an air intake passage 20 communicates with the intake port 9 of each cylinder 2 . The air intake passage 20 supplies air filtered by an air cleaner located outside the figure to the combustion chamber 6 of each cylinder 2 of the engine 1 . An electrically-operated throttle valve 22 is disposed in a common passage upstream of a surge tank 21 . The air intake passage 20 branches for every cylinder 2 downstream of the surge tank 21 , and communicates with each intake port 9 . [0037] On the other hand, an exhaust system is disposed on the other side of the cylinder head 4 , and an exhaust passage 25 (e.g., an exhaust manifold) branched for each cylinder 2 is connected to the exhaust port 10 of each cylinder 2 . A sensor 26 for detecting an oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas is disposed in the gathering portion of the exhaust manifold. Further, a catalyst 27 for purifying harmful components in the exhaust gas is disposed in the exhaust passage 25 downstream of the exhaust manifold. [0038] In order to perform a control of the engine 1 configured as described above, a power train control module 30 (hereinafter, referred to as “PCM”) is provided. PCM 30 includes a CPU, memory, I/O interface circuit, and so forth, as is well-known. As also shown in FIG. 2 , signals from the crank angle sensor 8 for detecting a crank angular speed related to an engine speed, an oxygen concentration sensor 26 , and the like, are inputted to PCM 30 . Further, at least a signal from an airflow sensor 31 for measuring a flow rate of air through the air intake passage 20 , a signal from an accelerator opening sensor 32 for detecting an amount of operation of a gas pedal (not illustrated) related to an engine load (i.e., accelerator opening), and a signal from a traveling speed sensor 33 for detecting a traveling speed of the vehicle, are inputted to PCM 30 . [0039] PCM 30 determines an operating condition of the engine 1 (for example, the engine load and engine speed) based on the signals from the various sensors, and PCM 30 controls VVL 14 , VVT 15 , ignition circuit 17 , direct injector 18 , port injector 19 , and electrically-operated throttle valve 22 based on the operating condition. Specifically, PCM 30 adjusts the lifts of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 mainly by the operation of VVL 14 , and controls a filling amount of the intake air into the cylinder 2 . Further, PCM 30 adjusts the lifts of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 , and controls the amount of internal EGR gas mainly by the operation of VVT 15 . [0040] According to the controls of VVL 14 and VVT 15 , lift curves Lin, Lex of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 continuously change between the minimum lift and the maximum lift, as schematically shown in FIG. 3 . The lifts of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 become larger as the engine load (or required torque) and engine speed of the engine 1 become higher and, thus, an overlapped period (i.e., positive overlapped period) may be produced accordingly. On the other hand, for a lower load and lower engine speed, a negative overlapped period in which the both intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 close may be produced, and the amount of internal EGR gas increases considerably. [0041] Thus, because the filling amount of the intake air into the cylinder 2 can mainly be changed within a wide range by the control of VVL 14 , power can be controlled without depending on the control of the throttle valve 22 for the engine 1 in this embodiment. That is, the throttle valve 22 provided in the air intake passage 20 is mainly for fail-safe operation, and is normally fully opened also in the partial-load range of the engine 1 to reduce pump losses. [0042] Further, PCM 30 switches the air fuel ratio or the formation of the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder 2 by operating each of the two injectors 18 and 19 at predetermined timings, as will be described later. In addition, PCM 30 switches the combustion state of the engine 1 between HCCI combustion and SI combustion, which will be described below, by controlling the amount of internal EGR gas in the cylinder 2 mainly by the operation of VVT 15 as described above, and switching the operating condition of the spark plug 16 . [Outline of Engine Control] [0043] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , an example of a control map is configured such that the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture formed in the cylinder 2 is compressed by rising of the piston 5 within an operating range (I) in which the engine load and engine speed are relatively low, and auto ignition in which the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture is not directly ignited is performed. In this case, fuel is basically injected into the intake port 9 by the port injector 19 during the intake stroke of the cylinder 2 , and is supplied into the cylinder 2 while mixing the fuel with the intake air to form the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture. [0044] Further, a period between the exhaust stroke and the intake stroke of the cylinder 2 after the exhaust valve 11 closes until the intake valve 12 opens (the negative overlapped period in which the both intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 close) is provided. During this period, by increasing a temperature inside the cylinder 2 with a large amount of internal EGR gas, the auto ignition of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture can be stimulated. As the negative overlapped period becomes relatively longer, the amount of internal EGR gas also increases, and the timing of auto ignition advances. [0045] Conventionally, such an auto ignition according to the compression of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture is referred to as “HCCI (Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition).” It is considered that HCCI combustion starts when the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture carries out the auto ignition substantially all at once at a number of locations inside the combustion chamber 6 of the cylinder 2 , as schematically shown in FIG. 5 . Therefore, HCCI combustion has a shorter combustion period and higher thermal efficiency as compared to the conventional common combustion by flame propagation (i.e., Spark Ignition Combustion or SI combustion). [0046] Further, as such, HCCI combustion in which the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture carries out the auto ignition can be realized even with an extremely lean air-fuel mixture by which SI combustion is difficult to realize, or an air-fuel mixture diluted by a large amount of internal EGR gas. Because a burning temperature is low when the combustion period is short as described above, there is very little generation of nitrogen oxide. In other words, not so lean air-fuel mixture or an air-fuel mixture of low dilution rate causes an excessively earlier timing of the auto ignition and, thus, so-called “knock” may occur. [0047] That is, HCCI combustion is realized with a quite lean air-fuel mixture or an air-fuel mixture diluted by a large amount of EGR gas. In addition, because substantially high power can not be obtained from HCCI combustion, the conventional common SI combustion is performed in the operating range (II) of a higher engine load or higher engine speed, and an operating range (III) of an extremely low engine load or extremely low engine speed, as shown in the control map ( FIG. 4 ). Hereinafter, the operating range (I) is referred to as an “HCCI range (I),” and the operating ranges (II and III) are referred to as “SI ranges (II and III).” [0048] As schematically shown in FIG. 6A , the highest thermal efficiency with HCCI combustion can be obtained when the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture carries out the auto ignition immediately after the top dead center (TDC) of the cylinder 2 , and the peak of the heat generation due to the auto ignition then retards slightly more than TDC (e.g., approximately 2-8 degrees of the crank angle). At this time, because the temperature increase inside the cylinder 2 by HCCI combustion and the increase in the internal volume of the cylinder 2 according to the lowering of the piston 5 cancel out for each other, there is also an advantage that the combustion will not be excessively intense even when the amount of fuel injection is relatively large. [0049] However, it is very difficult to always carry out the auto ignition of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture all at once at such a suitable timing. For example, if the load and engine speed of the engine 1 become relatively low, and the compression temperature or compression pressure inside the cylinder 2 becomes low accordingly, variation in the timing of the auto ignition of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture inside the cylinder 2 becomes larger, and the peak of heat generation becomes lower as shown in FIG. 6B , while it shifts to the retard side. In this case, a thermal efficiency is lowered, and an amount of fuel discharged in non-combusted state (including hydrocarbons, etc.) will increase. [0050] To address such a problem, in this embodiment, when the engine 1 is under low engine load or intermediate engine load and low engine speed or intermediate engine speed within the HCCI range (I) (a range (C 1 ) which is shown with slanted hatching in FIG. 4 ), a small cloud of the stratified air-fuel mixture which is unevenly distributed in proximity to the electrode of the spark plug 16 (i.e., stratified air-fuel mixture) is formed by injecting a small amount of fuel from the direct injector 18 at the end of the compression stroke of the cylinder 2 (third fuel injection), as shown in FIG. 7 , and the stratified air-fuel mixture is then ignited at a predetermined timing immediately after the compression top dead center (TDC) to burn. [0051] Thus, when the combustion occurs by igniting the stratified air-fuel mixture around the spark plug 16 , then, the temperature and pressure inside the cylinder 2 further increases, and air-fuel mixture at the other locations inside the combustion chamber is induced to carry out auto ignition. Therefore, it is possible to correctly and stably control the auto-ignition timing of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture. [0052] Further, in the HCCI range (I), especially in a range (C 2 ) which is shown with cross-hatching in FIG. 4 within a range in which the temperature inside the cylinder 2 is low with low engine load and low engine speed, a fuel injection (first injection) by the direct injector 18 is performed also during the negative overlapped period of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 . Thus, because radicals are produced during a period when atomized fuel is exposed to the high-temperature internal EGR gas, and a partial oxidation reaction proceeds, it is considered that the active air-fuel mixture that is easy to auto-ignite can be formed. [0053] As shown in FIG. 4 , the map is divided into the range (C 1 and C 2 ) in which ignition to the stratified air-fuel mixture is performed within the HCCI range (I), and the range (B) of higher engine load in which the ignition is not performed, by a boundary line b that inclines such that the engine load of the engine 1 is higher as the lower engine speed decreases. Thus, ignition to the stratified air-fuel mixture is performed only when needed, according to the original temperature condition of the cylinder 2 . [Specific Control Procedure] [0054] Next, a specific procedure of the engine control will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 8 . First, in Step SI after starting this procedure, signals from the crank angle sensor 8 , airflow sensor 31 , accelerator opening sensor 32 , and speed sensor 33 are inputted to PCM 30 . In Step S 2 , PCM 30 calculates a torque required for the engine 1 (i.e., engine load) and an engine speed. For example, the engine speed may be directly calculated based on the signal from the crank angle sensor 8 . Further, for example, the required torque may be directly calculated based on the traveling speed of the vehicle and the accelerator opening, or based on the signal from the airflow sensor 31 and the engine speed, along with the amount of internal EGR gas. [0055] Based on the calculated required torque and engine speed, in Step S 3 , PCM 30 then determines whether the engine 1 is in the HCCI range (I) referring to the control map shown in FIG. 4 . When the determination is NO, the engine 1 is in the SI ranges (II and III). Then, PCM 30 , although a detailed explanation will be omitted, performs the control for the normal SI combustion. That is, PCM 30 causes the port injector 19 to inject fuel into the intake port 9 between the compression stroke and the intake stroke of the cylinder 2 to form the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture inside the cylinder 2 at approximately a stoichiometric air fuel ratio, and causes the spark plug 16 to ignite the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture. [0056] On the other hand, when the determination in Step S 3 is YES (that is, the engine 1 is in the HCCI range (I)), PCM 30 proceeds to Step S 4 to control the operation timings of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 so that the negative overlapped period is produced by controlling VVL 14 and VVT 15 . In other words, PCM 30 determines the overlapped amount of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 to obtain the required amount of internal EGR gas, with reference to the empirical map based on the required torque and engine speed, and then controls mainly VVT 15 to obtain the overlapped amount, for example. [0057] In that case, based on the required torque and engine speed, the lifts of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 which serve as a necessary air intake filling amount is also determined with reference to the empirical map (not shown), and VVL 14 is mainly controlled to obtain the determined lift. This air intake filling amount may be empirically calculated so that a suitable air fuel ratio can be obtained corresponding to the amount of fuel supplied to the cylinder 2 , and may then be set in the map. [0058] Next, in Step S 5 , PCM 30 reads three fuel injection amounts by the injectors 18 and 19 from the empirical injection amount map. The three fuel injection amounts includes a first injection amount by the direct injector 18 to form an active air-fuel mixture, a second injection amount by the port injector 19 to form substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture, and a third fuel injection amount by the direct injector 18 to form a stratified air-fuel mixture. [0059] This injection amount map also stores the empirical optimum values of the first, second, and third fuel injection amounts that are set corresponding to the required torque and engine speed. For example, when changes in the first, second, and third fuel injection amounts corresponding to the change in the required torque (i.e., engine load) are observed along a constant-engine-speed line a-a shown in the map of FIG. 4 , they appear as in FIG. 9 . [0060] As illustrated, the first injection is performed only in the low engine load range (C 2 ), and the third fuel injection is performed in the low engine load and intermediate load ranges (C 1 and C 2 ). The amount of the third fuel injection is constant, and is the minimum amount required to form the stratified air-fuel mixture to which the spark ignition is possible. In the example of the figure, the amount of the first injection also is, but is not limited to, a substantially constant amount. Further, the second injection is performed throughout (B, C 1 , and C 2 ) in the HCCI range (I), and the amount of the second injection increases according to an increase in the required torque. [0061] Then, in Step S 6 , PCM 30 determines whether to perform the first injection based on the injection amount (i.e., control target value) determined in Step S 5 . If the injection amount is 0 (that is, the determination is NO), PCM 30 proceeds to Step S 9 described below. On the other hand, if the injection amount is not 0 (that is, the determination is YES), PCM 30 proceeds to Step S 7 , and determines whether it reaches the timing of the first injection. While the determination in Step 7 is NO, PCM 30 stands by, and when the determination becomes YES, PCM 30 proceeds to Step S 8 to actuate the direct injector 18 . In this embodiment, the timing of the first injection is set so that the valve opening of the direct injector 18 is contained in the negative overlapped period of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 . [0062] Next, in Step S 9 , PCM 30 determines whether it reaches the timing of the fuel injection by the port injector 19 (i.e., second injection). If NO, PCM 30 stands by, and when it is YES, PCM 30 proceeds to Step S 10 to actuate the port injector 19 . Here, as an example, the timing of the second injection may be set between the mid-period of the intake stroke of the cylinder 2 and opening of the intake valve 11 . Thus, the atomized fuel can be vigorously conveyed into the cylinder 2 by high-speed intake air that passes through a gap between a funnel-shaped portion of the intake valve 11 and the intake port 9 . [0063] Next, in Step S 11 , PCM 30 determines whether to perform the third fuel injection, similar to Step S 6 . If the injection amount is 0 (i.e., the determination is NO), PCM 30 returns to Step 1 . If the injection amount is not 0 (i.e., the determination is YES), PCM 30 proceeds to Step S 12 to determine whether it reaches the timing of the third fuel injection (i.e., the end of the compression stroke of the cylinder 2 ). If NO at step S 12 , PCM 30 stands by, and when the determination becomes YES, PCM 30 proceeds to Step S 13 to actuate the direct injector 18 . [0064] In Steps S 14 and S 15 , the stratified air-fuel mixture formed around the spark plug 16 with the fuel injected into the cylinder 2 by the direct injector 18 as the third fuel injection is ignited. Specifically, first, in Step S 14 , PCM 30 determines whether it reaches the ignition timing in proximity to TDC (preferably, immediately after TDC). If NO, PCM 30 stands by, and when it becomes YES, PCM 30 proceeds to Step S 15 to actuate the ignition circuit 17 , and then, returns to Step 1 . [0065] Steps S 5 -S 8 in FIG. 8 comprise an active air-fuel mixture forming module 30 a that causes the direct injector 18 to directly inject fuel into the cylinder 2 in the negative overlapped period of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 to form the active air-fuel mixture with high ignition performance when the engine 1 is in the range (C 2 ) of lower engine load and lower engine speed within the HCCI range (I). [0066] Further, Steps S 5 , S 9 , and S 10 comprise a mixture forming module 30 b that causes the port injector 19 to inject fuel to supply the fuel into the cylinder 2 at least during the intake stroke, and thereby forming the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture. [0067] Further, Steps S 5 , and S 11 -S 13 comprise a stratified mixture forming module 30 c that causes the direct injector 18 to inject a small amount of fuel into the cylinder 2 during the compression stroke, and thereby forming the stratified air-fuel mixture that is unevenly distributed around the spark plug 16 when the engine 1 in the ranges (C 1 and C 2 ) of lower to intermediate load and lower to intermediate engine speed within the HCCI range (I). [0068] Further, Steps S 14 and S 15 comprise, an ignition control module 30 d that causes the spark plug 16 to ignite the stratified air-fuel mixture at a predetermined timing when the engine 1 is in the ranges (C 1 and C 2 ) of lower to intermediate load and lower to intermediate engine speed within the HCCI range (I). [0069] The control of the flowchart in FIG. 8 is realized by execution of a control program that is electronically stored in the memory of PCM 30 . In this sense, PCM 30 includes the active air-fuel mixture forming module 30 a, the mixture forming module 30 b, the stratified mixture forming module 30 c, and the ignition control module 30 d, each of which is in a form of software program. [0070] Therefore, according to the engine control device A described above, the gasoline engine 1 , which provides so-called negative overlapped period of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 , and increases the temperature inside the cylinder 2 , thereby stimulating the compressed auto ignition of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture, can inject fuel into the EGR gas in the cylinder 2 during the negative overlapped period that is separated from the fuel supplied for the formation of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture to form the active air-fuel mixture with high ignition performance. Further, the engine 1 can inject a small amount of fuel into the cylinder 2 also during the compression stroke, and causes the cloud of the air-fuel mixture stratified around the spark plug 16 to ignite and burn, and thereby certainly causing the auto ignition of the entire substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture. [0071] Thus, the HCCI range (I) may be expandable to the range of lower engine load and lower engine speed in which stable HCCI combustion could not be realized conventionally. Further, it is possible to optimize the auto-ignition timing of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture to fully acquire the improvements in fuel consumption or emission due to HCCI combustion. [0072] In addition, the amount of the fuel injection to form the stratified air-fuel mixture as described above (i.e., third fuel injection) is not based on the size of the required torque of the engine 1 (i.e., engine load), but is the minimum amount required to form the stratified air-fuel mixture to which the spark ignition is possible. Therefore, generation of nitrogen oxide due to the spark-ignited combustion can be suppressed as much as possible. [0073] Further, in this embodiment, formation and combustion by ignition of the stratified air-fuel mixture is performed only when they are needed, and is not performed in a range in which HCCI combustion can be stably performed (i.e., a range (B) of higher load or higher engine speed within the HCCI range (I)). Thus, generation of nitrogen oxide due to the spark-ignited combustion can be avoided. [0074] Further, in this embodiment, the fuel injection to form the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture inside the cylinder 2 is configured to perform by the port injector 19 . Thus, because the injector 19 is of larger capacity than the direct injector 18 , it is easier to secure a large amount of injection required for the maximum torque of the engine 1 for SI combustion. On the other hand, the direct injector 18 may be of smaller capacity to advantageously secure control accuracy for a small amount of fuel injection. Other Embodiments [0075] The embodiments according to the invention may include the other various configurations, without being limited to the embodiment described above. Specifically, in the previous embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9 , the amount of the third fuel injection to form the stratified air-fuel mixture is, but is not limited to, a substantially constant amount, and may be changed according to the operating condition of the engine 1 . Further, the third fuel injection may be performed throughout the HCCI range (I). [0076] Similarly, the first injection to form the active air-fuel mixture may be performed up to higher engine load, however, this may serve as a trade-off with inhibitation of knock. Further, depending on fuel property, the first injection may not be necessary. On the contrary, the first injection may be needed throughout the HCCI range (I). [0077] Further, in the previous embodiment, the second injection to form the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture is performed during the intake stroke of the cylinder 2 . Because the second injection is performed by the port injector 19 , the injection may be performed during the exhaust stroke, or the expansion stroke or the compression stroke before the exhaust stroke. [0078] Alternatively, it is also possible to perform the first, second, and third fuel injections only by the direct injector 18 without providing the port injector 19 to the engine 1 . [0079] Further, in the previous embodiment, the lift characteristics of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 are continuously changed by the operation of VVL 14 and VVT 15 . However, it is not limited to this, and either one of the lift amounts and the phase angles may be changed stepwise. Further, it will be appreciated that a valve operating mechanism for opening and closing the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 individually by an electromagnetic actuator may be utilized. Second Embodiment [0080] Next, the second embodiment of the invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. In this embodiment, the entire configuration and the control block diagram of the power train control module 30 (PCM) for performing the control of the engine 1 , and the lift curves Lin and Lex of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 by the control of VVL 14 and VVT 15 are similar to that of the first embodiment described above and, thus, the explanation thereof will be omitted herein. Outline of Engine Control [0081] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10 , an example of the control map is configured so that the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture formed inside the cylinder 2 is not directly ignited in the operating range (I) of lower engine load and lower engine speed, but, instead, is compressed by rising of the piston 5 , and auto-ignites (i.e., HCCI combustion). In this HCCI combustion, similar to the first embodiment, fuel is injected into the intake port 9 by the port injector 19 during the intake stroke of the cylinder 2 , and the fuel is supplied into the cylinder 2 while mixing with intake air to form the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture. Under this circumstance, the amount of fuel injection is controlled so that the air fuel ratio inside the cylinder 2 becomes lean according to the air intake filling amount into the cylinder 2 requested by the signal of the airflow sensor 31 . [0082] Further, a period after the exhaust valve 11 closes until the intake valve 12 opens during the exhaust stroke or the intake stroke of the cylinder 2 (i.e., the negative overlapped period during which the both intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 closed) is provided. By increasing the temperature inside the cylinder 2 with a large amount of internal EGR gas, auto ignition of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture is stimulated. As the negative overlapped period becomes longer, the amount of internal EGR gas also increases, and the timing of auto ignition advances. [0083] Also in this embodiment, as shown in the control map ( FIG. 10 ), SI combustion is performed in the operating range (II) of higher load or higher engine speed. Specifically, fuel is injected into the intake port 9 by the port injector 19 during the compression stroke or intake stroke of the cylinder 2 , and is supplied into the cylinder 2 while mixing with intake air to form substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture (that is, spark-ignition mode). At this time, an amount of the fuel injection is controlled so that the air fuel ratio inside the cylinder 2 becomes approximately a stoichiometric air fuel ratio. [0084] Further, the operating range (III) of lower engine load and lower engine speed than the HCCI range (I) is a range of idling of the engine 1 and in proximity to the idling in which a frequency of use is very low. However, stable auto ignition is difficult even if the temperature inside the cylinder 2 is increased with a large amount of internal EGR gas as described above. Thus, in this embodiment, also in this operating range (III) similar to the operating range (II), SI combustion is performed by carrying out spark ignition to the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture of a substantially stoichiometric air fuel ratio (that is, spark-ignition mode). Hereinafter, the operating range (I) is referred to as “HCCI range (I),” and operating ranges (II) and (III) referred to as “SI ranges (II) and (III).” [0085] In this embodiment, in a range of lower engine load and lower engine speed (a range (C) shown with slanted hatching in FIG. 10 ), a fuel injection (first injection) by the direct injector 18 during the negative overlapped period of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 within the HCCI range (I) is performed. Thus, it is considered that atomized fuel exposed to the internal EGR gas at a high temperature immediately evaporates, while the chain of molecules is cut off to generate radicals, and partial oxidation reaction progresses, to form the active air-fuel mixture for which it is easy to carry out the auto ignition. [0086] As shown with a white arrow in FIG. 10 , when the operating condition of the engine 1 shifts between the HCCI range (I) and the SI ranges (II) and (III), in order to switch to HCCI combustion (auto-ignition mode) and SI combustion (spark-ignition mode) accordingly, the fuel-injection mode, the air fuel ratio, or the amount of internal EGR gas must be changed. In particular, the amount of internal EGR gas gradually changes with the operations of VVL 14 or VVT 15 , and cannot be instantly switched similar to the fuel-injection mode or the air fuel ratio. [0087] For stable HCCI combustion, a large amount of internal EGR gas with approximately 60% or more EGR rate is desired. In addition, SI combustion of homogeneous air-fuel mixture is carried out at approximately 30% or less EGR rate. Thus, upon switching between them, for 2-5 combustion cycles of the engine 1 , the EGR rate becomes approximately 30-60%, which makes stable HCCI combustion difficult, and further, the amount of internal EGR gas becomes too much for SI combustion. [0088] Accordingly, in this embodiment, upon the switching of the combustion mode as described above, auto ignition of the lean air-fuel mixture is induced during the transition by spark combustion of the stratified air-fuel mixture. Specifically, as an example shown in FIG. 11 , even if the negative overlapped period of air-intake and exhaust changes upon the switching of combustion, the fuel injection (first injection) by the direct injector 18 is performed during the negative overlapped period to form the active air-fuel mixture that is easy to auto-ignite. [0089] Then, fuel is injected by the port injector 19 during the intake stroke (second injection) to form substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture inside the cylinder 2 . Then, a small amount of fuel is injected by the direct injector 18 at the end of the compression stroke (third fuel injection) to form a cloud of the air-fuel mixture unevenly distributed in proximity to the electrode of the spark plug 16 (i.e., stratified air-fuel mixture). The air-fuel mixture is ignited at a predetermined timing immediately after the compression top dead center (TDC), and thereby burns. [0090] Thus, by inducing the auto ignition of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture by the ignition and combustion of the stratified air-fuel mixture, even if it is in a state in which the amount of EGR gas inside the cylinder 2 is insufficient during the transition of the switching, the lean air-fuel mixture can be stably auto-ignited. The amount of the third fuel injection may be the minimum amount required to form the stratified air-fuel mixture that can be ignited by a spark, and the required engine power is obtained mainly by the auto-ignited combustion of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture. Hereinafter, the engine operating mode in which the auto ignition of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture is induced (assisted) referred to as an “auto-ignition assist mode,” and combustion during the mode is referred to as “SCCI (Stratified Charge Compression Ignition) combustion,” in distinction from HCCI combustion. [Specific Control Procedure] [0091] Next, the specific procedure of the engine control will be described with reference to a flowchart in FIGS. 12-14 . First, the flowchart in FIG. 12 shows a determination procedure for switching of HCCI combustion (i.e., auto-ignition mode) and SI combustion (i.e., spark-ignition mode). In Step SA 1 after the start, signals from the crank angle sensor 8 , airflow sensor 31 , accelerator opening sensor 32 , and speed sensor 33 are inputted to PCM 30 . In Step SA 2 , PCM 30 then calculates a required torque (load) for the engine 1 and an engine speed. The engine speed may be directly calculated based on the signal from the crank angle sensor 8 . The required torque may be directly calculated based on a traveling speed of the vehicle and an accelerator opening, for example, or based on the signal from the airflow sensor 31 and the engine speed while considering the amount of internal EGR gas. [0092] In Step SA 3 , based on the calculated required torque and engine speed, PCM 30 determines whether the engine 1 is within the HCCI range (I) with reference to the control map in FIG. 10 . If the determination is NO, PCM 30 proceeds to Step SA 5 described later since it is considered to be within the SI ranges (II) and (III). On the other hand, if the determination is YES, PCM 30 proceeds to Step SA 4 , and PCM 30 then determines whether it is under HCCI combustion. If the determination is NO, PCM 30 proceeds to the flowchart in FIG. 13 since it is switching from SI combustion to HCCI combustion. On the other hand, if the determination is YES, PCM 30 continues the control for HCCI combustion. [0093] Specifically, first, PCM 30 controls operation timings of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 so that the negative overlapped period is produced by controlling VVL 14 and VVT 15 . For example, PCM 30 may determine the overlapped amount of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 to obtain the required amount of internal EGR gas based on the required torque and engine speed with reference to the empirical map, and may mainly control VVT 15 to achieve the overlapped amount. [0094] In addition, VVL 14 may also be controlled so that the amount of lift determined based on the required torque and the engine speed with reference to the empirical map is achieved. The lifts of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 in this map are empirically obtained and set beforehand so that a suitable air fuel ratio can be obtained corresponding to the amount of fuel supplied to the cylinder 2 . [0095] Thus, the negative overlapped period is provided for the operation of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 , and the temperature inside the cylinder 2 is increased by a large amount of internal EGR gas. Further, fuel is injected by the port injector 19 during the intake stroke, thereby forming substantially homogeneous lean air-fuel mixture inside the cylinder 2 . Then, the fuel is caused to carry out auto ignition to burn without igniting the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture after the end of the compression stroke. Further, if it is in a lower engine load and lower engine speed condition, the fuel is injected by the direct injector 18 during the negative overlapped period to increase the ignitability of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture. [0096] On the other hand, in Step SA 5 from the determination of NO in Step SA 3 , PCM 30 determines whether it is under SI combustion similar to Step SA 4 . If the determination is NO, and if it is switching from HCCI combustion to SI combustion, PCM 30 proceeds to the flowchart in FIG. 14 . On the other hand, if the determination is YES, PCM 30 continues the control therefor since it is under SI combustion. That is, fuel is injected into the intake port 9 by port injector 19 from the compression stroke to the intake stroke of the cylinder 2 , homogeneous air-fuel mixture of substantially stoichiometric air fuel ratio is formed inside the cylinder 2 , and the air-fuel mixture is ignited by the spark plug 16 . [Switch to HCCI Combustion] [0097] Next, the switching from SI combustion to HCCI combustion will be described. First, in Step SB 1 of the flowchart in FIG. 13 , PCM 30 controls VVL 14 and VVT 15 to obtain an operation timing of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 suitable for HCCI combustion. That is, the operation timing of the intake valve 11 retards mainly by the operation of VVT 15 , while the operation timing of the exhaust valve 12 advances, and the negative overlapped period becomes gradually larger, and the amount of internal EGR gas also increases. [0098] Then, in Step SB 2 , PCM 30 determines whether to perform the stratified combustion based on the operating condition of the engine 1 . In short, PCM 30 determines whether the transition is from the SI range (II) of higher load and higher engine speed to the HCCI range (I), or the transition is from the SI range (III) of lower engine load and lower engine speed. If it is under switching of combustion of higher load and higher engine speed, PCM 30 proceeds to Step SB 7 as described later since the temperature inside the cylinder 2 is high, and the stratified combustion is not necessary to be performed (i.e., the determination is NO). [0099] On the other hand, when it is under switching of combustion of lower engine load and lower engine speed, the temperature inside the cylinder 2 is also low. Therefore, during a period during which the internal EGR gas that gradually increases by the operation of VVT 15 is below a predetermined amount (for example, approximately 35-40% of the EGR rate), it is difficult to cause the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture to stably carry out the auto ignition. Thus, during this period, stabilized combustion may be attempted by performing the stratified combustion. That is, first, in Step SB 3 , PCM 30 determines an amount and timing of the third fuel injection during the compression stroke of the cylinder 2 , and in Step SB 4 , if it reaches the injection timing, PCM 30 causes to perform the third fuel injection. Then, in Step SB 5 , PCM 30 causes the spark plug 16 to ignite the stratified air-fuel mixture to burn the stratified air-fuel mixture. [0100] In this embodiment, the amount of the third fuel injection may also be determined based on the required torque and the engine speed with reference to the empirical map, for example. Further, the injection timing may also be set to a suitable timing within the second half of the compression stroke corresponding to the injection amount and the ignition timing, and may be determined based on the required torque and engine speed with reference to the empirical map. [0101] Then, in Step SB 6 , PCM 30 determines whether the timing of switch to the SCCI combustion from the stratified combustion as described above is reached. If the determination is NO, PCM 30 returns to Step SB 3 to continue the stratified combustion. On the other hand, if the amount of internal EGR gas gradually increases by the operation of VVT 15 , and the amount of internal EGR gas exceeds the predetermined amount to be able to induce (or assist) the auto ignition of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture by the spark ignition of the stratified air-fuel mixture (i.e., the determination is YES), PCM 30 proceeds to Step SB 7 , and switches to the following auto-ignition assist mode. [0102] In this embodiment, the determination of whether the timing of the switch being reached may be performed based on a time lapsed after starting the control of VVL 14 and VVT 15 in Step SB 1 . Alternatively, the determination may be performed by counting the number of combustion cycles after starting the control of VVL 14 and VVT 15 . [0103] Then, in Step SB 7 after the determination of the timing of the switch is reached (YES), PCM 30 reads three fuel injection amounts by the injectors 18 and 19 from the empirical injection amount map. The three fuel injection amounts includes the first injection amount by the direct injector 18 to form the active air-fuel mixture, the second injection amount by the port injector 19 to form the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture, and the third fuel injection amount by the direct injector 18 to form the stratified air-fuel mixture. [0104] In this embodiment, the injection amount map also stores the optimum values of the first, second, and third fuel injection amounts corresponding to the required torque and the engine speed of the engine 1 , that are empirically obtained, although the detailed explanation will be omitted, for example, it is preferable that the first and second injection amounts are increased according to an increase in the required torque, and the third fuel injection amount is the minimum amount required to form the stratified air-fuel mixture that can be ignited by a spark. [0105] Further, in Step SB 7 , the first, second, and third fuel injection timings (i.e., target injection timings) are also read from the empirical injection timing map. For example, the timing of the first injection may be set so that the valve opening period of the direct injector 18 is within the negative overlapped period of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 , and the timing of the second injection may be set within a period from the middle of the intake stroke until the intake valve 11 opens. Further, the timing of the third fuel injection may be set at the end of the compression stroke. [0106] In Step SB 8 , at the timings of the first, second, and third fuel injections determined in Step SB 7 , the direct injector 18 is operated at the timing of the first injection, the port injector 19 is operated at the timing of the second injection, and the direct injector 18 is operated again at the timing of the third fuel injection, respectively. Next, in Step SB 9 , PCM 30 actuates the ignition circuit 17 at a predetermined ignition timing in proximity to TDC (preferably, immediately after TDC), and supplies power to the spark plug 16 to ignite, and burns the cloud of the air-fuel mixture (i.e., stratified air-fuel mixture) formed in proximity to the spark plug 16 due to the third fuel injection. [0107] Then, in Step SB 10 , PCM 30 determines whether the timing of the switch to HCCI combustion from SCCI combustion is reached. If the determination is NO, PCM 30 returns to Step SB 7 , and continues the operation in the auto-ignition assist mode. When the amount of internal EGR gas sufficiently increases, and the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture comes to stably carry out the auto ignition without the assist (i.e., the determination is YES), PCM 30 proceeds to Step SB 11 to perform the control for HCCI combustion, and, then, returns to Step 1 . [0108] In this embodiment, similar to the determination in Step SB 6 , the determination of the switch timing to HCCI combustion may be performed based on the time lapsed after starting the control of VVL 14 and VVT 15 in Step SB 1 , or the number of combustion cycles. Preferably, the time lapsed or the number of combustion cycles, which serves as a determination criteria, may be set to shorter time or smaller number of combustion cycles for higher load or higher engine speed according to the operating condition of the engine 1 during the switching of combustion. [0109] This setting is based on the idea that if the operating condition of the engine 1 is of higher engine load and higher engine speed, because the temperature inside the cylinder 2 is also high, the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture is easy to auto-ignite. Thus, stable HCCI combustion can be realized even when the amount of internal EGR gas is relatively small. Therefore, as a result, it is possible to shorten the period during which the transitional control for switching of the combustion is performed, and thereby minimizing the generation of nitrogen oxide accompany with the SCCI combustion or the stratified combustion during the transition. [0110] As described above, upon the switching from SI combustion to HCCI combustion, when the amount of internal EGR gas is small during HCCI combustion, and the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture cannot stably auto-ignite, the auto ignition is transiently assisted by providing the spark ignition to the small cloud of the stratified air-fuel mixture. Further, when the auto ignition of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture is difficult even when assisted by spark ignition to the small cloud of the stratified air-fuel mixture as described above, for the switching within the range of lower engine load and lower engine speed (for example, a transition from the operating range (C) to the operating range (III)), the stratified combustion is temporarily performed. That is, the third fuel injection is performed during the compression stroke of the cylinder 2 , the stratified air-fuel mixture is generated in the combustion chamber, and the stratified air-fuel mixture is ignited by the spark plug and burns (In this case, there is substantially no auto ignition in the combustion chamber). [Change to SI Combustion] [0111] Next, the switching from HCCI combustion to SI combustion will be explained based on the flowchart in FIG. 14 with reference to the timing chart in FIG. 15 . Fundamentally, this control procedure is contrary to the switching from SI combustion to HCCI combustion shown in FIG. 13 and, thus, a detailed explanation of the similar procedure will be omitted. [0112] First, in Step SC 1 of the flowchart in FIG. 14 , PCM 30 mainly controls VVT 15 similar to Step SB 1 of the flowchart of FIG. 13 to control the operation timing of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 so as to obtain a suitable amount of internal EGR gas for SI combustion. Thus, as shown in (b) of FIG. 15 , during a time period from the time t 0 to time t 2 the lift curve Lin of the intake valve 11 is shifted to the advance side, while the lift curve Lex of the exhaust valve 12 is shifted to the retard side, thereby the negative overlapped period becomes gradually smaller, and the amount of internal EGR gas gradually decreases as shown in (d) of FIG. 15 (this is represented by an EGR rate in this figure). [0113] Corresponding to the reduction in the amount of internal EGR gas, in Steps SC 2 -SC 4 , PCM 30 operates the engine 1 in the auto-ignition assist mode as similar to the procedure of Steps SB 7 -SB 9 of the flowchart in FIG. 13 . Accordingly, as shown in (a) of FIG. 15 , the combustion state becomes SCCI combustion. Upon this, in order to switch the air fuel ratio to the stoichiometric air fuel ratio (i.e., A/F=14.7) with consideration of exhaust emission (refer to (e) of FIG. 15 ), PCM 30 increases the amount of fuel injection (mainly, second injection amount) (refer to (f) of FIG. 15 ). Further, in order to reduce a variation of the torque accordingly, PCM 30 decreases the amount of lift of the intake valve 11 by the operation of VVL 14 (refer to (c) of FIG. 15 ). [0114] Then, in Step SC 5 , PCM 30 determines whether the stratified combustion should be performed, similar to Step SB 2 of the flowchart in FIG. 13 . Then, if the switching of combustion is occurred in the engine operating range of higher engine load and higher engine speed, and it is not necessary to perform the stratified combustion (i.e., the determination is NO), PCM 30 proceeds to Step SC 12 as described later. On the other hand, for example, if it is under the switching of combustion of lower engine load and lower engine speed such as transition from the operating range (III) to the operating range (C), and it is necessary to perform the stratified combustion (i.e., the determination is YES), PCM 30 proceeds to Step SC 6 . [0115] In this Step SC 6 , PCM 30 determines whether the switch timing to the stratified combustion is reached similar to Step SB 6 of the flowchart in FIG. 13 . That is, as shown in (d) of FIG. 15 , if the amount of internal EGR gas that gradually decreases is greater than a predetermined amount (shown with a black star in this figure), and the stable auto ignition of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture is possible in case of being provided with the ignition spark assist (i.e., the determination is NO), PCM 30 returns to Step SC 2 to continue SCCI combustion. [0116] On the other hand, if the amount of internal EGR gas further decreases to below the predetermined amount (the determination in Step SC 6 at the time t 1 in FIG. 15 is YES), PCM 30 proceeds to Steps SC 7 -SC 9 since the stable auto ignition cannot be expected even if assisted by an ignition spark. Then, PCM 30 operates the engine 1 in the stratified combustion state, similar to Steps SB 3 -SB 5 of the flowchart in FIG. 13 . That is, the third fuel injection is performed during the compression stroke of the cylinder 2 to generate the stratified air-fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber, and the stratified air-fuel mixture is then ignited by the spark plug and burns (there is substantially no auto ignition in the combustion chamber). [0117] Next, in Step SC 10 , PCM 30 determines whether the switch timing to SI combustion is reached similar to Step SB 10 of the flowchart in FIG. 13 . If the determination is NO, PCM 30 returns to Step SC 7 to continue the stratified combustion. On the other hand, if the amount of internal EGR gas which gradually decreases as shown in (d) of FIG. 15 reaches to an appropriate amount (i.e., the determination is YES at the time t 2 ), PCM 30 proceeds to Step SC 11 to switch to the control for SI combustion, and then, returns to Step 1 . [0118] Further, in Step SC 12 after the determination of NO in Step SC 5 in which the stratified combustion is not performed, PCM 30 determines whether the switch timing to SI combustion is reached similar to Step SC 10 . If the determination is NO, PCM 30 returns to Step SC 2 to continue SCCI combustion. On the other hand, if PCM 30 determines YES in Step SC 12 with reduction of the amount of internal EGR gas, PCM 30 proceeds to Step SC 11 to switch to the control for SI combustion, and then returns to Step 1 . [0119] Also upon the switching from SI combustion to HCCI combustion, it is preferable that the period during which the transitional control for the switching is performed is shortened as much as possible, as similar to the switching from HCCI combustion to SI combustion. For this purpose, for example, the amount of internal EGR gas upon the start of the transitional control of switching (that is, switching from HCCI combustion to SCCI combustion) may be set smaller for higher engine load or higher engine speed according to the operating condition of the engine 1 during the switching of combustion. Accordingly, for that case, the time lapsed until the termination of the transition control (that is, when switched to SI combustion) or the number of combustion cycles may be set less. [0120] According to the entire flowchart in FIGS. 12 through 14 , a switching transition control module is configured so that upon switching the auto-ignition mode and the spark-ignition mode, it provides the negative overlapped period of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 , causes the port injector 19 to inject fuel during the intake stroke to form substantially homogeneous lean air-fuel mixture inside the cylinder 2 , then, causes the direct injector 18 to inject fuel during the compression stroke to form the stratified air-fuel mixture around the spark plug 16 , and causes the ignition of the stratified air-fuel mixture by inducing the auto ignition of the stratified air-fuel mixture, and thereby burns the substantially homogeneous lean air-fuel mixture. [0121] The switching transition control module of this embodiment causes the direct injector 18 to inject fuel (first injection) during the negative overlapped period of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 to enhance ignitability of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture. [0122] Further, during the engine 1 shifting between the HCCI range (I) and the SI range (III) of lower engine load and lower engine speed, when in a state in which the amount of internal EGR gas becomes transiently below the predetermined amount, and stable auto ignition cannot be expected even if assisted with spark, the switching transition control module of this embodiment may secure the combustion stability by operating the engine 1 in the stratified combustion state. [0123] The control of the flowchart of FIGS. 12-14 can be realized by execution of the control program electronically stored in the memory of PCM 30 . In this sense, it can be said that PCM 30 itself constitutes the switching transition control module. [0124] Therefore, according to the engine control device A of this embodiment, during switching the operating mode between the auto-ignition mode and the spark-ignition mode in accordance with the change in the operating condition of the engine 1 , even when the amount of internal EGR gas inside the cylinder 2 becomes transiently insufficient for HCCI combustion but too great for SI combustion, the engine control device injects fuel into the high-temperature internal EGR gas to form the active air-fuel mixture, and to form the stratified air-fuel mixture around the spark plug 16 , then the stratified air-fuel mixture is ignited to combust, and thereby achieving the auto-ignition assist mode (i.e., SCCI combustion) in which the auto ignition of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture is induced (assisted), thereby preventing the unstable combustion. [0125] In the auto-ignition assist mode, the torque required for maintaining the operating condition of the engine 1 can be obtained mainly by the auto-ignited combustion of the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture. Further, the amount of fuel injection for the assist of the auto ignition is set to the minimum amount required to form the stratified air-fuel mixture that can be ignited by a spark. Thus, the amount of nitrogen oxide generated by the combustion of fuel can be decreased by a great amount, and aggravation of the exhaust emission during the transition of switching can fully be controlled. [0126] Further, by shortening the period during which the control for the switching transition is performed for higher engine load or higher engine speed according to the operating condition of the engine 1 , generation of nitrogen oxide by the combustion during the transition can also be minimized. [0127] On the other hand, during the operating condition of lower engine load or lower engine speed, upon switching, the combustion stability may not be transiently secured even in the auto-ignition assist mode. However, for this case, the combustion stability may be secured by performing so-called stratified combustion. Other Embodiments [0128] The configuration of the invention includes the other various configurations, without being limited to the embodiment described above. That is, in the previous embodiment, in SCCI combustion upon the switch of HCCI combustion and SI combustion, the direct injector 18 performs the first injection to form the active air-fuel mixture. However, the first injection may not be necessary depending on the fuel property. [0129] Further, in the previous embodiment, the second injection is performed during the intake stroke to form the substantially homogeneous air-fuel mixture. However, the second injection may be performed during the exhaust stroke, or the expansion stroke and the compression stroke before the exhaust stroke, because this is performed by the port injector 19 . [0130] Alternatively, the first, second, and third fuel injections may be performed only by the direct injector 18 , without providing the port injector 19 to the engine 1 . However, it may be difficult to perform both the second and third fuel injections by single injector, because a smaller amount of the third fuel injection is preferable from a viewpoint of controlling generation of nitrogen oxide, and a considerably greater amount of the second injection is required with consideration of the maximum output of the engine 1 . Therefore, it is preferable to use two injectors 18 and 19 of different flow characteristics similar to those in the previous embodiment. [0131] Further, in the previous embodiment, the lift characteristics of the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 are continuously changed by the operation of VVL 14 and VVT 15 . However, without being limited to this, either of the lift amount or the phase angle may be switched stepwise. Further, a valve operating mechanism for causing an electromagnetic actuator to open and close the intake and exhaust valves 11 and 12 individually may also be utilized. [0132] Further, the auto ignition (i.e., SCCI combustion) by the ignition assistance to be performed upon the switching (shifting) of the control mode between HCCI combustion and SI combustion may be performed only in a range of lower engine load or lower engine speed. That is, SCCI combustion may be performed only during the transition between the operating range (III) and the operating range (C). If the formation and combustion by ignition of the stratified air-fuel mixture to be performed in SCCI combustion are not performed in the range of higher engine load or higher engine speed, generation of nitrogen oxide due to the spark-ignited combustion can be avoided. [0133] As described above, the invention is advantageous for a gasoline engine that is configured so that HCCI combustion and SI combustion are switched, is able to secure the combustion stability during the switching transition, and control aggravation of the exhaust emission. [0134] It should be understood that the embodiments herein are illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the description preceding them, and all changes that fall within metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds thereof are therefore intended to be embraced by the claims.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber with a piston and a spark plug, comprising during a first mode, bringing the temperature of the combustion chamber to auto-ignition temperature by adjusting engine operating conditions and producing auto-ignition in said combustion chamber without requiring spark from said spark plug; and during a second mode, bringing the temperature of the combustion chamber close to auto-ignition temperature by adjusting engine operating conditions, forming a small cloud of stratified air-fuel mixture near said spark plug, igniting said fuel cloud by a spark form said spark plug, and then causing cylinder pressure to rise, thereby producing auto-ignition at other sites in said combustion chamber wherein said first mode is implemented in a first operating range and said second mode is implemented only in a second operating range where engine speed and load are lower than said first operating range.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to high definition television. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding video signals for HDTV. This application is related to a number of applications filed on even date herewith, titled: "A High Definition Television Arrangement Employing Motion Compensated Prediction Error Signals", "A High Definition Television Arrangement With Signal Selections Adapted to the Available Transmission Capacity", "PAM Signal Modulation With Mappings to Improve Utilization of Available Transmission Capacity", and "A Television Signal Arrangement Where Selected Signals are Encoded Digitally". Video signals typically originate from video cameras. The bandwidth of video signals is quite substantial and, consequently, practitioners in the art have tried to reduce the bandwidth of these signals without unduly degrading the images. Typically, to reduce bandwidth, the video signals are encoded, and redundancies in the encoded signals are extracted and deleted. Different techniques are used in the art. Some are better suited for still images, while others are better suited for moving images. One of the techniques for reducing the bandwidth of moving images is generally referred to as motion compensated predictive coding. In conventional motion compensated predictive coding, each video frame is first partitioned into square blocks of picture elements (pels); such as blocks of 8 pels by 8 pels. Each block is coded, in turn, and the developed encoded sequence is transmitted over a communications channel to a decoder. The communications channel may be, or may include, a storage element. Following the partitioning step in the encoding process, a determination is made as to whether or not the pels of the block have changed significantly compared with the previous frame. If not, an indicator signal is sent which signifies to the decoder that it needs to merely repeat the pels of that block from the previous frame to obtain the pels for the current block. This step is known as "Conditional Replenishment". If the pels have changed since the previous frame, an attempt is made to determine the best estimate of motion that is occurring in the block. This is frequently done by a "Block Matching Motion Estimation" technique wherein the pels of the current block are successively compared with various small shifts of the corresponding block in the previous frame. The shift that gives the best match is deemed to be the "best estimate" of the displacement in the block's image between frames, and the amount of this shift, called the "Motion Vector", is selected and sent to the decoder. The "best estimate" is, of course, the estimate that yields the smallest difference signal between the image in the current block and the image in the shifted block of the previous frame. This difference signal forms the error signal. When the error signal is sufficiently small, an indicator signal is sent to the decoder, which merely causes the pels of the shifted block from the previous frame to be repeated for the pels for the current shifted block. Such blocks are said to have been successfully "Motion Compensated". However, if there is a significant difference between the two blocks, the difference is encoded and sent to the decoder so that the pels of the current block may be more accurately recovered. Coding of this difference is typically performed by means of the "Discrete Cosine Transform" (DCT). It is a measure of energy. The amount of coded information that is generated by the above procedure is variable. It can be appreciated, for example, that image changes that do not correspond to a uniform translation, or motion, of the image may require substantial encoding to describe the deviation of a block from its best translated replica. On the other hand, when the image does not change between successive frames, then there is a minimal amount of information that needs to be encoded. To accommodate these potentially wide variations in the amount of code that needs to be transmitted, typical encoders include a memory at the output, to serve as a buffer. The buffer is not a panacea, however. For a given transmission rate, when an excessive volume of data is generated, there is always a danger that the FIFO would overflow. When it does, coding must stop until the transmission channel can empty the FIFO sufficiently to permit new data to be inserted. All of the above teachings in the art deal with the coding and decoding aspects of reducing the bandwidth of the TV signal, but none deal explicitly with the formatting of the signal in preparation for transmission. When it comes to high definition television, both the bandwidth and the formatting problems must be solved and the difficulties are even greater than in connection with conventional TV signals because the desired signal compression is even greater, and because the requirement for a more authentic representation of the original image are more stringent. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A high definition television system that is characterized by low transmission bandwidth is achieved by removing much of the redundancies in the signal, efficiently encoding the remaining signals, and transmitting the encoded signal in a manner that is most compatible with the applicable standards. To enhance noise immunity a number of techniques are employed. The first technique is to encode adjacent low amplitude PAM signals into larger PAM samples. This increases the signal strength as it frees up space to send additional signals. Another technique is to introduce controllable gain feature, with and without mapping of large amplitude PAM supplies into smaller ones. The controllable gain factor is selected for chosen signal intervals to increase the signal power and thereby reduce the effect of noise introduced in the course of signal transmission. A third technique is the introduction of both fixed and variable leak. In accordance with this technique, a portion of the original signal is incorporated in the transmitted prediction signals to insure that the receiver's buffer is flushed out regularly. To ameliorate the effects of first noise, the fourth technique is signal scrambling of the PAM pulses, on an individual basis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 depicts the conventional television scan arrangement; FIG. 2 presents a block diagram of the signal encoder portion of a video transmitter; FIG. 3 presents a block diagram of a receiver comporting with the signals developed by the FIG. 2 transmitter; FIG. 4 is a detailed block diagram of the motion compensator circuit in the FIG. 2 transmitter; FIG. 5 illustrates the concept of motion compensation; FIG. 6 develops one structure of the two-dimensional transformation circuit in the FIG. 2 arrangement; FIG. 7 presents a pictorial view of the subbands developed in the transmitter and the vectors that define the subband signals; FIG. 8 depicts a PAM signal and its utilization of the available transmission capacity; FIG. 9 presents a portion of an encoding look-up table that is useful in encoding two samples into one; FIG. 10 presents the block diagram of one arrangement of the encoder within the FIG. 2 transmitter; FIG. 11 presents the block diagram of another arrangement of the encoder within the FIG. 2 transmitter; FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a transmitter which includes leak and a controllable gain feature; FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a receiver that comports with a transmitter of FIG. 12; FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a transmitter which includes leak, a controllable gain feature, and means for selectively encoding prediction error signals in digital form for transmission during retrace intervals; and FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a receiver that comports with a transmitter of FIG. 14. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 depicts a conventional TV raster. The picture is developed by scanning the image one line at a time. Each scan line (21) is followed by a horizontal retrace 22 and the last line of the frame is followed by a vertical retrace 23 which includes a vertical sync pulse embedded in the retrace interval. Conventional TV includes an "interlace" concept, but for the purposes of this description it is of no significance. It may be noted, however, that the aspect ratio of HDTV, which is expected to be 16 to 9, is different from that of conventional TV. This fact also has very little significance to this description. FIG. 2 depicts a general block diagram of a video transmitter. Block 110 is responsive to an incoming frame and to a frame within buffer 160. It develops low frequency coefficients (LL coefficients) which are applied to formatter 170, motion vectors which are applied to formatter 170 and translation circuit 150, and motion-compensated prediction error signals which are applied to transformer block 120. Block 120 performs a transformation on the applied signals (basically a time domain to frequency domain transformation) and applies the results to encoder block 130. Encoder 130 develops a greatly reduced set of signals, in the form of discrete amplitude error signals and vector index signals, which, in combination, represent the signals created in block 120. It forwards the developed signal streams to formatter 170 and combiner 159. The signals developed in encoder 130 are selected and arranged to fill the available transmission capacity with the information that is most important for an authentic recreation of the original image. In the feedback portion of the transmitter, combiner 159 is responsive to the error signals and the vector index signals of encoder 130. Its function is to recover the frequency coefficients that were selected and encoded in block 130. Its output is applied to transform circuit 161, and its function is to reconstitute, as best it can, the input signals of transformation block 120. The output of block 161 is added in element 180 to a motion compensated estimate of the frame and the sum is placed in buffer 160. The motion compensated estimate is developed in translation circuit 150 which is responsive to buffer 160 and to the motion vectors. Formatter 170 combines the information supplied by blocks 130 and 110 with audio information associated with the frame, and creates a signal in a format that is suitable for whatever transmission medium is employed by the user. In accordance with one aspect of this invention, the error signals developed by encoder 130 are organized to fit within, and are formatted to be in, the line scans interval of the frame. All of the other signals applied to formatter 170 are encoded into the retrace interval of the frame. The receiver that corresponds to the transmitter of FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. 3. It includes a separation block 190 which recovers the audio signals, the LL and motion vectors signals of block 110 and the output signals of encoder 130. The signals corresponding to the output signals of encoder 130 are applied to combiner block 163. Like combiner block 159, block 163 recovers the frequency coefficients selected and encoded in block 130. The output is applied to transform circuit 155 which reconstitutes, as best it can, the input signal of transformation of block 120. Concurrently, the motion vectors developed in block 110 are applied to translator circuit 164 which modifies the output of buffer 165 in accordance with those vectors. The result is applied to adder 185 which sums the output signals of blocks 155 and 164 and applies the results to buffer 165. Buffer 165 contains an LL video frame information of the receiver (which is the image, minus the portion represented by the LL coefficients). Simultaneously with the processing in elements 155 and 185, the LL coefficients of block 190 are applied to transform block 188 which develops the LL image of the receiver. The LL image is added to the LL image in element 186, to form the final receiver frame. The receiver frame is processed and displayed, and the associated audio is processed and converted to sound. The details of motion compensation block 110 are shown in FIG. 4. Therein, the incoming frame is connected to buffer 102 and to two-dimensional low pass filter 103 coupled to sub-sampler 115. Filter 103 contains a conventional low pass filter 104, a buffer 105 for rearranging the data, a conventional low pass filter 106 responsive to buffer 105, and a buffer 107 for a second rearranging of the data. Filter 103 thus develops two-dimensional low frequency coefficients (LL coefficients) which are subsampled in 115 and applied to formatter 170. The subsampled output of filter 103 is also applied to transform block 108 which develops an LL image corresponding to the LL coefficients. While the LL coefficients and the LL image are developed, the applied image frame is delayed in buffer 102. The delayed image and the LL image are applied to subtracter 109, which subtracts the LL image from the applied image to yield an image where the low spatial frequencies are missing (i.e., the LL image). The LL frame output of subtracter 109 is applied to frame buffer 111, to motion vectors generator block 112 and to adder 114. As the LL frame is stored in buffer 111, the previously stored LL frame is extracted from buffer 111 and applied to motion vectors generator block 112. Motion vectors generator 112 operates on non-overlapping blocks of the image. These blocks can be of any size, but the size that we employ in connection with the HDTV embodiment described therein is 36 by 32 pixels (36 pixels in a row, 32 rows). For each selected block, a selected neighborhood of the block is searched in the previous frame (found in buffer 111) for a block of pixels that most approximates the block in question. In this manner, a motion vector is obtained that points to an area of the image in buffer 111 that best approximates the block in question. The search process, to a single pixel accuracy, is perfectly conventional. To improve performance, our motion vectors are computed to 1/2 pixel accuracy. This is accomplished by first developing a motion vector to 1 pixel accuracy and then interpolating in the neighborhood pointed to by the motion vector between rows and between pixels in the rows of the previous block to determine whether a subpixel motion vector specification is called for. To illustrate, FIG. 5 depicts a region 31 in frame K and a block of pixels 30 in frame K+1. As can be seen from a review of the two, block 30 of frame K+1 may be described quite accurately by stating that it corresponds to the region in frame K that is shifted with respect to the position of block K by two pixels upwards and three pixels to the right. The motion vectors of generator block 112 are applied in FIG. 4 to translator 113. The other input of translator 113 is the output signal of buffer 160 of FIG. 1. As mentioned above, the output of buffer 160 represents the previous LL frame as it is known to the receiver. The motion vectors are compared in translator 113 with the image of buffer 160 to form a predicted motion-compensated LL frame. Typically, this predicted frame does not faithfully represent the LL frame. Almost always there are errors in the predicted frame because perfect matching can rarely be attained. To ascertain the position and intensity of those errors, the motion-compensated LL frame of translator 113 is applied to subtracter 114, wherein it is compared to the LL frame signal itself. The output of subtracter 114 is a frame of motion-compensated prediction error signals. Those signals are applied to transformer block 120. Transformer block 120 maps the information to the frequency domain. Although there are many approaches for such a mapping, the approach chosen here involves 16 FIR filters, as depicted in FIG. 6. Specifically, the input of block 120 is applied to 8 "horizontal" filters 121. Each filter spans 64 pixels and develops a coefficient that represents the intensity of signals in a chosen frequency band. The filters are termed "horizontal" because the input pixels to a filter are taken from successive pixels on the same line scan of the frame, and because successive coefficients are obtained by sliding the filter horizontally. The horizontal shift is by 8 pixels. Each developed coefficient is associated with the pixel that is at the center of the neighborhood defined by the 64 pixels, and thus, each line scan of M pixels produces M/8 coefficients in each of the 8 FIR filters (assuming that something is done at the edges of the scan lines--such as creating pixels to satisfy for the filter needs). The frequency bands that are evaluated by the 8 filters are chosen, or controlled, by the coefficients that are incorporated within the FIR filters. The outputs of the "horizontal" filters are appropriately rearranged with the aid of buffer 122 and applied to 8 "vertical" filters 123, which may be identical to the "horizontal" filters and which process the signals in the identical fashion. The overall effect that is created is that of two-dimensional filtering. Description of block oriented two-dimensional filtering can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,465 issued May 9, 1989. The output of transformer block 120 can be viewed as a collection of 64 subband frames, as depicted in FIG. 7. Each subband frame defines a subband with N/8 rows of coefficients and M/8 coefficients per row, where N and M are the numbers of rows and pixels per row in the image frame. As can also be observed in FIG. 7, corresponding coefficients in the subbands can be grouped to form vectors, such as vector 35. The elements of such vectors all stem from a common set of motion-compensated prediction error signals (of block 110). Alternatively, groups of coefficients in each subband (such as blocks comprising 2 rows of 4 coefficients) can be combined to form elements of a vector. This is illustrated by vector 36. In accordance with this invention, when vectors such as vector 36 are employed, the 64 subband frames may be represented by MN/512 vectors. It is recognized that there are more efficient and less efficient ways of communicating the information contained in the 64 subband frames. The challenge, of course, is to select a more efficient approach rather than a less efficient one. It is also recognized that some granularity may be introduced, and some information in the frequency domain may be ignored without undully damaging the image quality. Based on these recognitions, the function of encoder block 130 is to identify the most important image information contained in the 64 subband frames and to pack this information in the available transmission capacity. This may be accomplished in three steps. In the first step of such a three step approach, a selection is made to transmit some information and to simply ignore some information. In the second step, the information to be transmitted is approximated by choosing to transmit from a restricted lexicon of signals. The lexicon restriction results in lower demands on the digital transmission capacity. In the third step, the information is packed within the available transmission capacity. Having mentioned "transmission capacity", it makes sense at this point to describe what the available transmission capacity is. Referring to FIG. 1, the line scans, the horizontal retrace and the vertical retrace periods are all directly related to the operation of the TV screen. They need not relate necessarily to the transmission of information to the TV receiver, as long as some means are provided to synchronize the screen to the received frame information. Hence, subject to the synchronization requirement, the time interval corresponding to the sum of those periods can be devoted entirely to the transmission of frame information. In a terrestrial transmission environment, each TV channel is allocated a specific bandwidth. Typically, at the transmitter's end the TV signal is band limited and modulated (AM) onto a carrier. To minimize interference between TV channels, a "taboo" guard band separates adjacent TV channels, where no signals should be present. The "taboo" bands are needed because the band limiting of the baseband signals is not absolute and because there are always nonlinearities in the transmitter. Nonlinearities cause harmonic spillover. Even low levels of interference are often objectionable because they create "ghosts" in the interfered channel. The human eye is quite adept at detecting these patterns. The need for reducing interference is greatest during the line scan. During the retrace periods, in contradistinction, much greater interference can be tolerated. At such intervals whatever interference is introduced needs to be limited only to the point of insuring that the interfering signal does not cause a loss of synchronization. In accordance with one aspect of this invention, interference is maintained at an acceptably low level by limiting the bandwidth of the information sent during the line scan intervals to the assigned channel's frequency band. During retrace, the bandwidth of the transmitted information may be allowed to expand into the "taboo" channel. More specifically, in accordance with the principles of this invention, during the line scan intervals we send motion-compensated prediction error coefficients that are selected to fit within the allocated signal bandwidth. All other information is sent during the retrace intervals. Since the energy in the error signals represents the deviation of the predicted image from the true image, it is desirable to transmit as much of the energy represented by the motion-compensation prediction error coefficients as is possible. The largest amount of energy that the transmitter can impart to a receiver corresponds to the largest swings in the carrier's amplitude. Such "largest" carrier amplitude results in high positive and negative voltage level swings at the receiver. The product represented by the maximum RMS level of the receiver's voltage, times the interval during which that level is maintained, is shown in FIG. 8 by area 99. When signal power is not considered, the objective is to pack as many of the motion-compensated prediction error coefficients in the time interval of area 99. The motion-compensated prediction error coefficients, which are analog in value, can be represented by analog valued samples and the samples can be concatenated to form a step-like analog signal. The number of samples that can be packed within the line scan interval is limited by the permissible bandwidth of the modulating analog signal and by the ability of the receiver to resolve the signals in the time domain. The utilization of area 99, under such circumstances, may be as depicted by curve 98 in FIG. 8. More specifically, the utilization is depicted by the area below area 98, which represents the RMS values of the analog samples. From the above it appears that a more efficient utilization of the transmission medium can be achieved by increasing the area under curve 98 and reducing the area above it. This can be accomplished by encoding the error signals appropriately. The resulting signal may then be like the one depicted by curve 97 in FIG. 8. Each level in the signal of curve 97 represents either one or more signal pulses. The process of combining a number of signals to form one signal is a "many to one" mapping. The combining of digitized signals can be quite straight forward. When a pair of like-signed signals has amplitude values lower than a selected value, such as the square root of the highest permissible amplitude, then the pair of signals may be combined to form a single digitized signal. The value of the resulting single signal may be dictated by a lookup table like the one depicted in FIG. 9. For example, when a first signal has the value 11 and a second signal has the value 3, the combined signal developed in accordance with the FIG. 9 table has the value 41. When converted to PAM format, a pulse of height 41 is sent to the receiver together with an indication that the pulse represents the combination of two signals. Upon receipt of such an indication and the value 41, the receiver accesses a similar look-up table and derives therefrom the two PAM pulses. When a "one to many" mapping results in a signal with a specific analog level, as in the case above, great care must be taken in the encoding algorithm because transmission noise is always a factor. Specifically, the encoding algorithm must be such that a received signal that includes a small deviation from the transmitted level should not decode to signals that are markedly different from the signals that formed the transmitted level. It may be noted that the coding in the FIG. 9 table is so arranged. For example, a reception of level 10 when level 11 was transmitted does not cause an error in the decoded level of the second PAM pulse and changes the level of the first decoded PAM pulse by only one. The reception of level 16 when level 15 was transmitted causes no errors in the decoded level of the first PAM pulse and only an error of one level in the decoded level of the second PAM pulse. The above describes a "many to one" mapping that aims to make the overall PAM signal out of the transmitter as large as possible. Actually, a similar consequence results from a "one to many" mapping where large digitized signals are encoded into two or more smaller signals. The encoding algorithm may be quite simple because the decoding process may simply be a combining of the constituent pulses. The "one to many" mapping improves utilization of area 99 (as does the "many to one" mapping) because it reduces the dynamic range of the signal and permits a more effective gain control mechanism. Whereas the FIG. 9 arrangement depicts an approach for combining two digitized signals, it should be clear that three (or more) digitized signals can be combined in a similar manner with a table (of corresponding dimensionality) that follows the concepts of FIG. 9. When combining and splitting of the prediction error signals is not employed, the maximum number of PAM pulses that can be transmitted in region 99 is fixed (by the transmission bandwidth). When combining and splitting is employed, the maximum number of pulses that can be transmitted is no longer fixed. Rather, it depends on the signal characteristics. Still, experience with the transmission of various images gives some indication as to the percentage of digitized signals that can be combined, and that percentage provides an indication of the maximum number of signals that can be combined and transmitted to the receiver. Returning to the detailed description of the FIG. 2 transmitter, FIG. 10 presents a detailed block diagram of encoder 130 for the aforementioned three step approach. For the selection step, we chose to evaluate the subband frames of FIG. 7 through vectors 36. Specifically, it was chosen to combine the energies in the 8 coefficients of each element of a vector (the 8 coefficients in the 2 by 4 array of coefficients in a subband) and to compare the combined value to a threshold, thereby developing binary values that reflect the comparison results. Stepping through the subband frames in a non-overlapping fashion yields a set of vectors with 1 and 0 element values. In FIG. 10, buffer 131 stores the 64 subband coefficients, outputs groups of 8 coefficients and stores them in register 132. Combiner 133 develops a measure of the energy in the 8 coefficients and applies the results to subtracter 134. Subtracter 134 develops a 1 output when the combiner signal is greater than the threshold, and a 0 output otherwise. This binary output is stored in buffer 135. Buffer 135 stores 64 bit vectors. Each vector relates to a block of 8 coefficients in the 64 subbands. A 1 in buffer 135 of the subbands suggests that the coefficients that produced the 1 should be transmitted, and a 0 suggests that the coefficients that produced the 0 need not be transmitted. The threshold value applied to element 134 can be fixed or variable. It should not be set to a value that is so high that an insufficient number of coefficients are chosen to be transmitted. That would cause some transmission capacity to be unused. It should also not be so low that many more coefficients are selected for transmission than the available transmission capacity could handle. Such a selection would unnecessarily burden the processing equipment. FIG. 8 provides means for allowing the threshold to be set adaptively. Processor 138 has access to the coefficients in buffer 131. Knowing the transmission capacity, it sorts the coefficients (based on the energy of the coefficients) and counts from the sorted list the number of PAM pulses that would be transmitted. When the transmission capacity is exhausted, the energy level of the last-accepted coefficient becomes the applied threshold. The assumption implied in deciding that savings will accrue when selected coefficients are not transmitted is that it takes more transmission capacity to transmit information which can be ignored, than to transmit the additional information necessary for identifying the information that is being transmitted. The assumption holds true only if the number K of such identifying information packets (that number being effectively controlled by the threshold level) and the capacity C required for identifying each such packet is such that the product KC (which is the capacity needed to identify what is transmitted) is less than the capacity saved by not transmitting the ignored information. This suggests that it is important to reduce C as much as possible. The simplest way to identify the coefficients that are being transmitted and the coefficients that are not being transmitted is to transmit the 64 bit vector of 1s and 0s in buffer 135. Keeping the admonition to reduce C in mind, we discovered that image quality may be maintained while reducing the number of possible combinations from 2 64 to 2 8 , or 256. A reduced set of possible combinations permits one to define each possible combination of 64 bits with only 8 bits. This mapping of 64 bits to 8 bits is achieved by creating a codebook table with 256 entries. Each entry maintains one of the 64 bit combinations (one codebook vector) and the codebook vector is identified by the address (index of the codebook vector) of the combination in the table. When such a codebook is employed, it becomes necessary to judiciously replace each of the combinations contained in buffer 135 with a codebook vector that best represents the replaced combination. This is the second step of encoder 130. It is clear that, when considering a particular combination of 1s and 0s in buffer 135, selecting any codebook vector that specifies a different combination of 1s and 0s would result in the transmission of at least some coefficients with lower values than the threshold. That is, some high level coefficients that produced a 1 in buffer 135 may not be sent, and some low level coefficients that produced a 0 might be sent. Still, having decided to replace the full set of possible vectors with vectors from a limited set, it appears beneficial, at this level of optimization, to send the vector from the codebook that is a) most like the vector it replaces and b) transmits the most combined prediction error coefficients energy. In FIG. 10, block 136 contains a codebook of 256 vectors of 64 bits each. Processor 137 is responsive to the codebook, to buffer 135, and to buffer 131. In accordance with one approach of this invention and the above-described beneficial choices, processor 137 identifies the information in buffer 131 that corresponds to a vector of 1s and 0s in buffer 135, determines the number of 1s in that buffer 135 vector, and tentatively selects from codebook 136, one at a time, those vectors with an equal number of 1s. It then evaluates the combined energy of all coefficients that would be transmitted if the tentatively selected vector were finally selected, and does finally select that tentatively selected vector that would transmit the set of coefficients with the largest combined energy. The selected codebook vector and the selected coefficients from buffer 131 are applied to packing block 140. The function of block 140 is to sort the information by the degree of importance that the sorted information has for the development of a high quality reproduction of the video frame, and to transmit as much of the important information as is possible within the constraints of the channel capacity. This packing function is achieved in block 140 by creating a table that contains four columns: a codebook vector identifier column, a number of selected coefficients column, a block number identifier column, and an importance measure column (e.g. total energy in the subbands selected for transmission in accordance with the 1--s in the vector). As an aside, the second column, which indicates a number of selected coefficients, is strictly a function of the codebook. For example, for a codebook of 16 codebook vectors, the vector identifier can be a 4-bit number in the range 0000 to 1111. Vector identifier 0000 may correspond, for example, to vector 0100110001110000. That means that whenever vector identifier 0000 is found in the first column of the table, the second column of the table contains the number 48 (which is the number of 1's in vector 0100110001110000 times 8--8 being the number of pixels in the subband group). The packing process proceeds in block 140 by sorting on the "importance" column. As illustrated in the table below, the first entry belongs to codebook vector 1001, with 56 selected error coefficients. This entry is for block 23, which has an energy level of 731. The second entry belongs to codebook vector 1100, with 24 selected error coefficients. This entry is for block 511, which has an energy level of 623. The third entry belongs to codebook vector 0001, with 3 (different) selected subbands. This entry is for block 127, which has an energy level of 190. Subsequent entries (which are not shown) have lower energy levels. ______________________________________vector ID # of coeff. block ID importance______________________________________1001 56 23 7311100 24 511 5110001 24 127 1900101 8 1023 102______________________________________ In addition to the above sorting and selection from the top of the sorted list, block 140, performs the above described signal combining function signals when the magnitudes of the error signals so suggest (per FIG. 9). By selecting from the sorted table, keeping track of the number of selected coefficients (column 2), performing the "many to one" and "one to many" mappings and augmenting the selections information in accordance with these mappings, block 140 is able to keep track of channel capacity that is taken up by the entries selected from the sorted table. When the allotted capacity (i.e., number of PAM pulses) is exhausted, selections from the table are terminated. The mappings can also be carried out in processor 137. When processor 137 performs the mapping, the codebook vectors themselves may carry the information that identifies which samples are mapped and which are not. That is, codebook 136 may be large enough to accommodate the mapping information, processor 137 may simply append the mapping information to the codebook vector identifiers, or block 140 can do the appending. In all cases, digital information is provided to formatter 170 for transmission. The above-described encoding, selecting, and packing approach of encoder 130 is merely illustrative, of course. FIG. 11 presents another approach. In FIG. 11, the input to encoder 130 is applied (as in FIG. 10) to buffer 131. The groups of 8 pixels from each of the 64 subbands (vector 36) are accessed from buffer 131 and applied to block 141, which develops a measure of the energy in each of the elements of the 64-element vector. This information is applied to 256 codebook vector switching circuits 142. Each circuit 142 merely passes the energies of the elements that correspond to a 1 in the codebook vector. Thus, the output of a circuit 142 that pertains to codebook vector P provides a measure of the energy that would be sent if that codebook vector were used. On first blush, one might believe that sending the most energy is best, and that would suggest selecting a codebook vector with a large number of 1s. However, an unadulterated measure of the energy may be counter indicated. Since the total number of 1s in the selected codebook vectors is fixed, a better approach would be to maximize the benefit that each 1 in the selected vectors provides. Selecting the latter measure, each switch 142 in FIG. 11 is followed by a benefit measuring circuit 143. The benefit measure may be the average energy per 1 in the codebook vector, or some other measure. To optimize the selection, the outputs of the 256 benefit measuring circuits are applied to selector block 144. It selects the codebook that offers the greatest benefit per 1 in the codebook; which is also the greatest benefit per transmitted set of 8 prediction error coefficients. The output of selector 144 is applied to packing block 149, which is very similar to packing block 140. To wit, block 149 sorts the chosen codebook vectors by their benefit measures selects from the top of the sorted list performs the "many to one" and "one to many" mappings as appropriate, and accumulates signals to be transmitted until the transmission capacity is exhausted. The above-described concept of packing more than one PAM pulse in a single slot improves performance via a better utilization of the available capacity as it is reflected by area 99 of FIG. 8. There is another aspect of area 99 that may be addressed, and that is noise immunity. Since noise that is introduced by the transmission medium (between the transmitter and the receiver) is independent of the level of the transmitted signal, it is clearly advisable to transmit as large a signal as possible. This can be achieved in the system of our invention by introducing a controllable gain feature (CGF) into the transmitter and receiver. As suggested above, the "one to many" signal mappings process interacts well with the CGF process because large signals are broken up into intermediate signals, and that reduces the overall "spikiness" of the signal. The lack of very large signals permits a larger CGF signal to be applied to element 154, and that results in a greater portion of area 98 to be encompassed by the signal energy. Still, one must expect that noise will inevitably be introduced in the course of transmitting information to the receiver and that the information within buffer 165 will eventually differ from the information in buffer 160. This problem is overcome by the well known technique of inserting in the transmitted error signal a fraction of the true image, and by discarding in the receiver a corresponding fraction of the image stored in buffer 165. This is known as "signal leak". The leak inserted can be fixed or can be adaptive. There is reason to believe that "adaptive leak" (which is leak of a fraction that is a function of some variable) is preferable to "fixed leak". When the prediction error samples are generally of low amplitude, the conclusion is that the motion compensated signal without any correction is fairly accurate. A first consequence of this fact is that the receiver's predicted image will not be far off from the true image, and, therefore, there is little reason to inject a leak signal. A second consequence of this is that low amplitude prediction error signals permit a high gain factor, and a high gain factor enhances noise immunity which, in turn, causes the resulting image to be accurate and, hence, one does not need to resort to a leak signal. Accordingly, when the prediction error signals are small, a small leak factor is used. As a corollary to this, when the prediction error signals are large, the correlation with the previous frame is small, noise is more likely to be introduced, and it is desirable to decrease the effect of noise from staying in the receiver's buffer. Therefore, a larger leak factor is used. Of course, the movement from a large leak factor to a small leak factor does not have to be made in a single step. In the ultimate, a leak factor of 1 can be provided to erase all history of previously received noise. FIGS. 12 and 13 present block diagrams of a transmitter and a receiver that include signal leak and CGF. The CGF capability is achieved by applying the PAM pulses delivered by block 140 (within block 130) to a buffer 152, which basically is a delay line. Processor 153, which is also responsive to the output of block 140 determines, at fixed intervals, the largest PAM pulse within the delay line buffer. Based on that information, a multiplicative factor is selected and applied to multiplication element 154, which receives its second input from buffer 152. The result is sent to formatter 170. The multiplicative factor, which is the CGF control signal, is also sent to formatter 170, for transmission to the receiver. The CGF action is accounted for in divider 151 which is responsive to the multiplication factors of processor 153 and to the output of element 154. The result is sent to combiner 159 which, with the vector information of encoder 130, recreates the frequency components of transform circuit 120 (as best it can). Those frequency components are transformed in block 161, to reverse the transformation effected in block 120, and the results are applied to adder 180. Concurrently, the motion vectors of block 110 are applied to translator 150. With the aid of these vectors, translator 150 modifies the information of frame buffer 160, and applies the results to adder 180. The sum signals developed in adder 180 are stored in buffer 160. Actually, translator 150 is not connected to buffer 160 directly. Interposed between the two is a divider 189. The function of divider 189 is to account for the signal leak of block 156. Block 156 is responsive to the frame information applied to block 110. It transmits to its output a fraction of the signal applied to its input. That fraction is added by adder 157 to the motion compensated signal that is delivered by block 110 to block 120. Adder 157 is interposed between blocks 110 and 120. When a fixed leak is used, the fraction that we use in block 156 is 1/32. Divider 189, which accounts for the signal leak in the transmitter's feedback path, also transmits to its output a fraction of its input. With fixed leak, when the fraction in block 156 is 1/32, the fraction in block 189 is 31/32. When adaptive leak is used, the measure of the prediction error signal strength needs to be developed. This is accomplished in the transmitter within leak processor 196 which is responsive to the prediction error signals coming from block 110. The function of block 196 is to develop one divisor level that is applied to block 156 and a complementary divisor level that is applied to block 189 and to formatter 170. There are different approaches that may be taken for developing a divisor level, and different artisans may choose from among them. Block 196 may develop, for example, a measure of the energy in the spatial prediction error signals applied to the block, or a measure of the signal's variance. The measure developed can be for an entire frame, or for a subsection (block) within the frame. When the measure that is developed in element 196 is for blocks within a frame, the circuit is adjusted to alter the developed divisor levels gradually in order to prevent block-boundary artifacts. Block 196 may also include a transform circuit, much like circuit 120, which develops frequency spatial prediction error signals. With the inclusion of such a transform circuit, the developed divisor level may be made sensitive to particular frequency bands. The receiver of FIG. 13 comports with the transmitter of FIG. 12. Separator 190 includes means for culling out the LL coefficients, the motion vectors developed in block 110 of the transmitter, the prediction error vectors of codebook 136 (which may include the mappings information), the leak factors and the CGF multiplication factors. The CGF multiplication factors are applied to a divider circuit 158 which complements the actions of circuit 154 in FIG. 12. The output of divider 158 is applied to combiner circuit 163 and the output of circuit 163 is applied to transform circuit 155. The output of circuit is applied to adder 185 which feeds buffer 165. The output of buffer 165 is applied to divider block 166, (which is responsive also to the leak factors found on line 208) and it supplies signals to translator circuit 164. Translator 164 is also responsive to the motion vector of block 190 and its output forms the second input of adder 185. The functions of blocks 158, 163, 155, 185, 165, 166, and 164 are identical to the functions of blocks 151, 159, 161, 180, 160, 189 and 150, respectively. As in the receiver of FIG. 3, output of buffer 165, which is the received LL frame, is applied to adder 186 where it is added to the LL frame developed in transform circuit 188. It may be noted in passing that divider circuit 158 affects only the amplitude of the prediction error signals. Skilled artisans would surely realize that divider 158 could follow combiner 163, rather than precede it, if so desired. Actually, the "many to one" mapping represented by FIG. 9 may work to the detriment of the noise immunity effort of the controllable gain feature because it may create large amplitude samples. For example, and with reference to FIG. 9, the encoding effort may take a sample I of amplitude 3 and a sample II of amplitude 14, and develop therefrom a sample of amplitude (13×15+3), or 198. The very large signals that can possibly be created by the "many to one" mapping presents a dilemma. Low amplitude signals are combined to enhance noise immunity, but when the combined signals are very large, noise immunity suffers because of the lower gain control factor that may be tolerated. When space is available for additional signals to be included in the retrace period of the transmitted signal, this dilemma is resolved by deleting very large prediction error samples, whether naturally occurring or developed through "many to one" mappings, and sending the deleted samples in digital form, perhaps during the retrace period. Of course, one would need to transmit both the amplitude and the "address" of the sample. Still, deleting the high-amplitude error signals from consideration during the line scans interval allows the CGF blocks to develop larger gain factors, which substantially improves noise immunity and results in overall benefit. Actually, the heretofore-described transmitters and receivers already employ the concept of removing frequency components from the line scans interval and placing them in the retrace interval; to wit, the LL coefficients which are placed in the retrace interval. The LL coefficients are taken as a group, which is relatively easy to do, and one can think of the decision to take this approach as a consequence of an implied assumption is that all of the LL coefficients are large and (hence) important. A positive factor in this approach is that all of the LL coefficients are present and, therefore, there is no need to expend capacity to identify the coefficients. The negative factor in this approach is that there is no definite rule for the selection of a cutoff frequency for the LL band. This suggests, in turn, that a cutoff frequency selection may cause a number of the transmitted LL signals to be relatively low, or a number of the low frequency coefficients that are not included in the LL band to be relatively high. In some applications it may turn out that the variability in the transmitted images is such that there are very few LL coefficients that are consistently of high amplitude. In such applications, it makes sense to dispense with the entire concept of an LL band. In other applications the LL components are more prevalent, and in such applications there is room for both approaches. Some capacity during the retrace interval is preserved for the LL band, and some capacity is dedicated for the peaks in the spatial frequency domain prediction error signals. The above approaches of mapping, controllable gain feature, and deletions of high amplitude prediction error signals from the lines scans interval help to impart noise immunity to the prediction error signals. But, additional noise immunity may need to be provided to account for burst errors, fading, and multi-path receptions. In the "digital world," fading and burst error correction approaches typically disperse the signal within some transmission interval and depend on embedded error correction codes to recover the signal. The error correction codes which are embedded, or encoded, into the transmitted signal increase the amount of information that needs to be transmitted; but that "overhead" is typically considered worth while. Multi-path receptions are usually not a concern in digital transmissions and, in any event, they are either accepted (erroneously) as a valid signal or are declared to be errors in reception, with attendant corrections if the error correction methods are robust enough. The more interesting question is what to do with non-digital terrestrial transmission where multi-path receptions are common and where the limited channel capacity does not permit transmitting a large amount of "overhead" information. In accordance with this invention, improved operation results from the use of scrambling. With scrambling, burst errors, fading, and "ghosts" which are due to multi-path receptions are dispersed throughout the scrambling interval. When the received signal is unscrambled in the receiver, the burst errors, fading, and multipath receptions results in dispersed noise. Such noise manifests itself as "snow" throughout the picture and is much less objectionable than "ghosts" or a concentrated area of poor imaging. Different scrambling techniques may be employed, but one of the simplest one is to use a pseudo-random noise generator. FIGS. 14 and 15 present block diagrams of a transmitter and a receiver that include the mappings, the selective deletion of prediction error signals, the scrambling, CGF, and signal leak. In the transmitter, the selective deletions are carried out within block 130. The hardware for doing it is quite straight forward and, in the embodiment of FIG. 10, it can comprises a simple amplitude-sensitive routing circuit interposed between processor 137 and packing block 140 (the dashed block marked K). The routing circuit passes signals to block 140 when the amplitude of those signals is below a set threshold. When the amplitude is above the set threshold, the coded representations of the signals are applied, instead, directly to formatter 170, via line 195. The CGF capability is achieved by applying the PAM pulses delivered by block 140 to a buffer 152, which basically is a delay line. Processor 153, which is also responsive to the output of block 140 determines, at fixed intervals, the largest PAM pulse within the delay line buffer. Based on that information, a multiplicative factor is selected and applied to multiplication element 154, which receives its second input from buffer 152. The result is sent to formatter 170. The multiplicative factor, which is the CGF control signal, is also sent to formatter 170, for transmission to the receiver. Lastly, the scrambling feature is incorporated. Different scrambling techniques may be employed, but one of the simplest ones is to use a pseudo-random number generator. In accordance with this technique, the transmitter includes a shift register 200 and an Exclusive OR gate 201 which is connected to selected stages of shift register 200. The length of register 200 and the stages connected to gate 201 are selected to develop a pseudo-random sequence of length K, where K is the number of transmitted samples in a frame. With each vertical synch, the register is initialized to insure that it remains synchronized. The scrambling is accomplished by inserting the output signals of multiply circuit 154 into a buffer 202 using a sequential address counter 203, and extracting the data out of the buffer using the parallel output of register 200. In the feedback path of the transmitter, block 191 is the descrambler. It is responsive to the output of buffer 202 and its detailed construction is presented below in connection with the receiver design. It should suffice, however, to mention that the operation that descrambler 191 performs is simply the inverse of the operation performed by the scrambler circuit. The output of descrambler 191 is applied to division circuit 151. Circuit 151 is also responsive to the multiplicative factors that are applied to formatter 170 by processor 153. The result is sent to buffer/processor circuit 152 where the samples that were deleted by encoder 130 are reinserted. The output of buffer/processor adder 192 is applied to combiner 159 which, with the vector information of encoder 130 recreates the frequency components of transform circuit 120 (as best it can). Those frequency components are transformed in block 161, to reverse the transformation effected in block 120, and the results are applied to adder 180. Concurrently, the motion vectors of block 110 are applied to translator 150. With the aid of these vectors, translator 150 modifies the information of frame buffer 160, and applies the results to adder 180. The sum signals developed in adder 180 are stored in buffer 160. Actually, translator 150 is not connected to buffer 160 directly. Interposed between the two is a divider 189. The function of divider 189 is to account for the signal leak of block 156. Block 156 is responsive to the frame information applied to block 110. It transmits to its output a fraction of the signal applied to its input. That fraction is added by adder 157 to the motion compensated signal that is delivered by block 110 to block 120. Adder 157 is interposed between blocks 110 and 120. When a fixed leak is used, the fraction that we use in block 156 is 1/32. Line 193 provides the signal information that divides 156 for the adaptive leak feature. Divider 189, which accounts for the signal leak, also transmits to its output a fraction of its input. When the fraction in block 156 is 1/32, the fraction in block 189 is 31/32. The receiver of FIG. 12 comports with the transmitter of FIG. 11. Separator 190 includes means for culling out the LL coefficients, the motion vectors developed in block 110 of the transmitter, the prediction error vectors of codebook 136 (which may include the mappings information), the digitally encoded prediction error signals, the PAM encoded prediction error signals, and the CGF multiplication factors. The PAM encoded signals are applied to a descrambling arrangement comprising a pseudo-random noise generator 205, a buffer 206 responsive to the PAM encoded prediction error signals, and a counter 207. The arrangement is identical to the scrambler arrangement of FIG. 11 except that the information is inserted into buffer 206 under control of the pseudo-random noise generator and is extracted under control of the counter. This reversal in operation performs the unscrambling function. To undo the CGF action, the output of buffer 206 and the detected CGF multiplication factors are applied to a divider circuit 158. Circuit 158 complements the actions of circuit 154 in FIG. 11. The output of divider 158 is applied to buffer/processor block 208. Block 208 is responsive to the digitally encoded prediction error samples that were deleted within block 130, sent separately, and culled out in block 190. The function of block 208 is to inject the missing prediction error signals at the appropriate times to result, in a signal with no missing prediction error samples. The vector indices and the output of block 208 are applied to combiner circuit 163 and the output of circuit 163 is applied to transform circuit 155. Circuit 163, in combination with the codebook vector indices information, recreates the frequency components of the prediction error signals. Circuit 155 transformers that information to the spatial domain. The output of circuit 155 is applied to adder 185 which feeds buffer 165. The output of buffer 165 is applied to divider block 166, and it supplies signals to translator circuit 164. Translator 164 is also responsive to the motion vector of block 190 and its output forms the second input of adder 185. The functions of receiver blocks 158, 163, 155, 185, 165, 166, and 164 are identical to the functions of transmitter blocks 151, 159, 161, 180, 160, 189 and 150, respectively. As in the receiver of FIG. 3, output of buffer 165, which is the received LL frame, is applied to adder 186 where it is added to the LL frame developed in transform circuit 188. It may be noted in passing that divider circuit 158 affects only the amplitude of the prediction error signals. Skilled artisans would surely realize that divider 168 could follow combiner 163, rather than precede it, if so desired. Although the above-described approach sends the motion-compensated prediction error signals in PAM format, the principles of this invention are applicable with equal efficacy to other modes of transmissions. Specifically, experimental results suggest that extremely good results can be obtained by sending only 200,000 error signals. Clearly, these error signals can be coded digitally and transmitted in that fashion over whatever transmission medium can handle the resulting bandwidth. Sending this information digitally over cable, for example, would obviate the need for the entire RF section of the transmitter (which is not shown in FIG. 1 anyway) and for the RF receiver section. Also, organization of the signals which puts the prediction error signals in the line scans period and the vector information in the retrace period need not be adhered to. The above description presents the principles of this invention in the course of describing a transmitter and receiver arrangement that is suitable for HDTV. The details of construction of the illustrative embodiments that were presented are not delved into for the sake of brevity. All of the blocks that make up the designs presented in the figures can be created with conventional designs without undue experimentation. Indeed, many of the blocks in the transmitter and the receiver perform identical functions and can be constructed in an identical manner with conventional components. It should be noted that other embodiments can be created that are encompassed within the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, it has been concluded through experimentation that a better performance is obtained (subjectively) by transforming the error signal developed in block 110 (in block 120) and by discarding some of the resulting frequency coefficients (in block 130). Actually, even in the time domain the error signal is generally small. When the available bandwidth is large and/or when the encoding process is efficient enough, it is possible to consider encoding the error signals themselves. The really small errors would be ignored, the large errors would be encoded, and some averaging can even be included. For example, the pixel that is ignored (because it error level is too low) but which is next to a pixel that is selected and encoded can be assumed to have a value just under the threshold level. Eliminating the need to transform into the frequency domain and back to the time domain clearly has a positive effect on the cost of the transmitter and the receiver.

A high definition television system that is characterized by low transmission bandwidth is achieved by removing much of the redundancies in the signal, efficiently encoding the remaining signals, and transmitting the encoded signal in a manner that is most compatible with the applicable standards. To enhance noise immunity a number of techniques are employed. One is to encode adjacent low-amplitude signals into larger signal samples, another one is the introduction of a controllable gain feature, a third one is the introduction of both fixed and variable leak, and still another one is the incorporation of signal scrambling.

This is application is National Phase entry of PCT Application number PCT/EP2009/050948 filed on Jan. 28, 2009, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 and/or 120 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/064,609, filed on Mar. 14, 2008, the contents of each of which are herein incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. This invention relates to an improved navigation device and method. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Portable navigation devices (PNDs) including GPS (Global Positioning System) signal reception and processing means are well known and are widely employed as in-car navigation systems. In essence, modern PNDs comprise: a processor, memory (at least one of volatile and non-volatile, and commonly both), map data stored within said memory, a software operating system and optionally one or more additional programs executing thereon, to control the functionality of the device and provide various features, a GPS antenna by which satellite-broadcast signals including location data can be received and subsequently processed to determine a current location of the device, optionally, electronic gyroscopes and accelerometers which produce signals capable of being processed to determine the current angular and linear acceleration, and in turn, and in conjunction with location information derived from the GPS signal, velocity and relative displacement of the device and thus the vehicle in which it is mounted, input and output means, examples including a visual display (which may be touch sensitive to allow for user input), one or more physical buttons to control on/off operation or other features of the device, a speaker for audible output, -optionally one or more physical connectors by means of which power and optionally one or more data signals can be transmitted to and received from the device, and optionally one or more wireless transmitters/receivers to allow communication over mobile telecommunications and other signal and data networks, for example Wi-Fi, Wi-Max GSM and the like. The utility of the PND is manifested primarily in its ability to determine a route between a start or current location and a destination, which can be input by a user of the computing device, by any of a wide variety of different methods, for example by postcode, street name and number, and previously stored well known, favourite or recently visited destinations. Typically, the PND is enabled by software for computing a “best” or “optimum” route between the start and destination address locations from the map data. A “best” or “optimum” route is determined on the basis of predetermined criteria and need not necessarily be the fastest or shortest route. The selection of the route along which to guide the driver can be very sophisticated, and the selected route may take into account existing, predicted and dynamically and/or wirelessly received traffic and road information, historical information about road speeds, and the driver's own preferences for the factors determining road choice. In addition, the device may continually monitor road and traffic conditions, and offer to or choose to change the route over which the remainder of the journey is to be made due to changed conditions. Real time traffic monitoring systems, based on various technologies (e.g. mobile phone calls, fixed cameras, GPS fleet tracking) are being used to identify traffic delays and to feed the information into notification systems. The navigation device may typically be mounted on the dashboard of a vehicle, but may also be formed as part of an on-board computer of the vehicle or car radio. The navigation device may also be (part of) a hand-held system, such as a PDA (Personal Navigation Device) a media player, a mobile phone or the like, and in these cases, the normal functionality of the hand-held system is extended by means of the installation of software on the device to perform both route calculation and navigation along a calculated route. In any event, once a route has been calculated, the user interacts with the navigation device to select the desired calculated route, optionally from a list of proposed routes. Optionally, the user may intervene in, or guide the route selection process, for example by specifying that certain routes, roads, locations or criteria are to be avoided or are mandatory for a particular journey. The route calculation aspect of the PND forms one primary function provided, and the navigation along such a route is another primary function. During navigation along a calculated route, the PND provides visual and/or audible instructions to guide the user along a chosen route to the end of that route, that is the desired destination. It is usual for PNDs to display map information on-screen during the navigation, such information regularly being updated on-screen so that the map information displayed is representative of the current location of the device, and thus of the user or user's vehicle if the device is being used for in-car navigation. An icon displayed on-screen typically denotes the current device location, and is centred with the map information of current and surrounding roads and other map features being also displayed. Additionally, navigation information may be displayed, optionally in a status bar above, below or to one side of the displayed map information, examples of navigation information including the distance to the next deviation from the current road required to be taken by the user, the nature of that deviation possibly being represented by a further icon suggestive of the particular type of deviation, for example a left or right turn. The navigation function also determines the content, duration and timing of audible instructions by means of which the user can be guided along the route. As can be appreciated a simple instruction such as “turn left in 100 m” requires significant processing and analysis. As previously mentioned, user interaction with the device may be by a touch screen, or additionally or alternately by steering column mounted remote control, by voice activation or by any other suitable method. A further important function provided by the device is automatic route re-calculation in the event that a user deviates from the previously calculated route during navigation therealong, real-time traffic conditions dictate that an alternative route would be more expedient and the device is suitably enabled to recognize such conditions automatically, or if a user actively causes the device to perform route re-calculation for any reason. It is also known to allow a route to be calculated with user defined criteria; for example, the user may prefer a scenic route to be calculated by the device, or may wish to avoid any roads on which traffic congestion is likely, expected or currently prevailing. The device software would then calculate various routes and weigh more favourably those that include along their route the highest number of points of interest (known as POIs) tagged as being for example of scenic beauty, or, using stored information indicative of prevailing traffic conditions on particular roads, order the calculated routes in terms of a level of likely congestion or delay on account thereof. Other POI-based and traffic information-based route calculation and navigation criteria are also possible. Although the route calculation and navigation functions are fundamental to the overall utility of PNDs, it is possible to use the device purely for information display, or “free-driving”, in which only map information relevant to the current device location is displayed, and in which no route has been calculated and no navigation is currently being performed by the device. Such a mode of operation is often applicable when the user already knows the route along which it is desired to travel and does not require navigation assistance. Current map data providing companies such as TeleAtlas NV and NavTeq® produce digital map data in the form of one or more base data files from which the PND extracts information which is used in the creation of graphical representations of geographical features, such as roads, buildings, railroads, and other landmarks and POIs. This information is displayed on the screen of the device, and is refreshed almost continuously, to provide the user with a continuously changing map of the current location and surrounding area with reference to a generally stationery graphical vehicle indicator also displayed in the middle of the screen. The extent of the detail shown in the map is dependent on many factors including the particular scale of the map chosen by the user, the speed of travel, and of course the level of detail provided by the underlying map data files in use for the particular locality in which the device is currently situated. For example, only relatively little information may be displayed on the screen of the device when the user is traveling on a motorway through countryside, whereas relatively much greater levels of detail may be provided on-screen when the user is traveling through a city on congested roads, and thus quite slowly. In this latter scenario, the navigation functionality provided by the device is enhanced by the display of more detailed information on-screen on account of the greater likelihood that the user can correlate road-side or road-based features displayed on-screen with the corresponding physical features which he can see as he drives along the particular road or roads in question. One disadvantage with current map provider-originated data files is that their level of detail only increases with every successive version release. As such, these occur only relatively infrequently, and therefore it is possible for map information to be outdated by changes in road layouts and the implementation of access limitations often occurring in cities and to a lesser extent, in extra-urban regions. Additionally, map data does not generally include transient road alterations, such as may be caused by road works; carriageway reductions or alterations, or pedestrianization of roads previously mapped as vehicular thoroughfares. Indeed, as a result of the various processes used in the creation of digital map data, it is often the case that map data files installed in new PNDs and navigation systems already tend to be at least a year or so out of date by the time the device or system is delivered to the end user. Accordingly, the present applicant has developed MapShare™ technology in software provided on the device which affords the user the facility to identify a variety of corrections for immediate or subsequent transmission to validation, collation and/or other back-end, server-based processing at a centralized location. Transmissions of such map-specific, corrective information may be delivered by means of establishing a short-range wireless communication with a mobile telephone, usually using a Bluetooth® protocol thus enabling the device to transmit such information ultimately over a mobile telecommunications network. Examples of the corrective information which may be stored and subsequently transmitted from the device (all of which information being geospatially tagged with specific location coordinates or a range of coordinates where a road or road segment is identified and desired to be corrected) are: Street unblocking/blocking (i.e. making a previously un-enterable street enterable and vice versa), one-way direction reversal, street name data and property number/name data, addition or removal of POIs and POI data, the identification in map data of a new street/road or the removal of a map-data identified street which no longer exists, missing, incorrect or alternative city name data, new/redundant motorway entrance/exit data, missing/incorrect postcode information, roundabout addition/deletion, and other correction data for which simple, user-enterable description may be provided and does not fit into any other categories. Additionally, it is possible to download corrections previously validated, to a greater or lesser extent depending on various categorization or user trust level types, from a centralized map data updates location. Such corrections may be downloaded either by means of connection of the device using a physical to a USB cable to an internet connected PC executing appropriate software which communicates both with the centralized server by means over the Internet and with the device over the cable, or wirelessly with a local mobile telephone. Currently however, correction data which is downloaded is immediately stored on the device and applied to the underlying map data without any requirement for user interaction, such correction data being automatically assumed by the device to represent correct information. It is an object of the present invention to provide a PND or navigation system, a method of operating such, and a computer program by means of which such are controlled which allows a PND or navigation system to provide enhanced map data correction. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a PND or navigation system having one or more base map data files to which have been applied one or more map data correction files containing both geospatial information and error identification information, which together form a basis for navigation, route guidance, and map information display on a display screen of the PND or system, characterized in that the method includes the steps of determining a current or home location of the device or system and the distance of such from one or more of the locations geospatially identified in the map data correction files, and effecting some alteration or qualification of the error identification either on or after receiving a user response to a prompt output by the device or system when said distance is less than a predetermined threshold or the current or home location is coincident with or proximate to one or more of the geospatially identified locations, said prompt at least partially being representative of the error identification, or automatically when said distance is less than a predetermined threshold or the current or home location is coincident with one or more of the geospatially identified locations, and the location of the device as compared to the location of the error identification is such that the existence or absence of the error can be automatically determined by the device without user input. Preferably, the prompt is a request of the user to confirm the veracity of the error identified at that geospatial location. Alternatively, the prompt may be in an approve/reject form, but in any event, the prompt allows a user a simple and quick means of creating qualifying information relating to a respective error identified in the map data correction files at that time local to the device or system. Preferably, the qualifying information is stored on the device for subsequent transmission by known means to a centralized map correction data processing, validation, collation, or other back-end facility. Most preferably, the map data correction file or files additionally contain qualifying information relating to each of the errors identified therein, such qualifying information being in the form of a trust or other error categorization level, the method including the step of increasing or reducing the value of the qualifying information when a user approves or rejects a respective error, or automatically in the event that the device travels in a manner, determinable by the device, which is automatically indicative that an error identified in the map data correction files is correct or incorrect. In a preferred aspect of the invention, the method includes the step of effecting an automatic deletion of the error identification and the corresponding geospatial location data in the event that either the user confirms that the error identification is incorrect after being prompted to do so, or automatically in the event that the device determines that the error identification is incorrect automatically. In an alternative aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of operating a PND or navigation system having memory storing map data consisting of one or more base map data files, optionally having one or more supplemental corrective and/or ancillary data files applied or applicable thereto, a display GPS signal reception and processing means by means of which a current location is determinable, such together forming a basis for navigation, route guidance, and map information display on said display, optionally a sensor or an association therewith from which one or more motion-specific parameters can be measured, calculated or otherwise determined by said device or system, and optionally a locally stored vehicle-specific parameter indicative of a characteristic of the vehicle in which the device or system is commonly situated, characterized in that the method includes the steps of correlating the current location with said map data to derive one or more map-specific parameters for that location and comparing said one or more map-specific parameters with one or more of a motion-specific parameter, a vehicle-specific parameter, the current location, to determine whether the current location, motion or vehicle-related characteristic is permissible or appropriate therefor, and in the event that the current location, motion, or vehicle-related characteristic and derived map-specific parameter are seemingly at odds with one another, performing at least one secondary action. Preferably, the secondary action is selected from the following: issuing a prompt to the user to confirm whether the current location, motion or vehicle-related characteristic is appropriate or possible or whether the result of the comparison can be ignored, issuing a warning to the user indicating the impossibility or inappropriateness of said current location, motion, or vehicle related characteristic as regards the map-specific parameter, automatically creating a new, or altering, qualifying, correcting or deleting a previously existing, map data correction including at least some location information and some correction identifying information logging specific device location and map data correction information for later verification, flagging, adding meta-data to, or otherwise identifying at least one recorded entry in GPS trace log data, such data being commonly stored in the device during operation every few seconds or other suitable period, any combination of the above. The usefulness of adding an identifying (bit-wise) flag and/or meta-data to GPS trace log data has the advantage for post-processing of this data, particularly when such data is processed to determine where there might be issues or inconsistencies with map data. For instance, GPS trace log data from devices (usually submitted by means of downloads from devices to a connected PC and thence over the internet to a back end processing facility of device/map data manufacturers) will typically contain only GPS data and a time stamp, or differential values for these characteristics from initial GPS and time readings. As can be imagined, vast amounts of GPS trace log data may be recorded, and require lengthy and resource-hungry analysis using known map-matching techniques to determine map errors. This process can be dramatically accelerated by only processing GPS trace log data which has been flagged in the device during recordation thereof (again using map-matching techniques). This being the case, the post-processing is restricted to only flagged data, map errors can be confirmed, verified or rejected in a much quicker time frame. Such flagging might also usefully occur when any unexpected automatic route-re-planning is conducted by the device. Preferably, the location information provided in a new map data correction is determined at the time of, subsequent to, or within a threshold time of, the comparison, and further preferably the correction identifying information provided in said new map data correction includes, is indicative of, is derived from, or forms the basis for, the map-specific parameter with which the current location, motion or vehicle-specific parameter was seemingly at odds. Preferably, the motion-specific parameter is one or more of a current travel direction, current speed, current linear and/or angular acceleration, such being determinable by the device or system either from received GPS-signals, and/or one or more sensors provided as part of the device or system, for example a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a system clock, or with which said device or system can communicate. In a preferred embodiment, the device or system may obtain information from a variety of sensors commonly provided within vehicles, such as a speed sensor, brake sensor, direction or heading sensor, fuel gauge, and the like. Accordingly, in this aspect, the invention provides a means of automatically creating, modifying or deleting correction data in the event that the device itself determines that its own movement or location is not possible or appropriate when such movement or location is “virtualised” in the map data stored on the device. Additionally, in the event that one or more vehicle-specific parameters is derived from associated sensors, or is entered by the user locally in the device or system, for example on start-up, and stored in the device or system memory, the device can subsequently determine from map data and the current location that the particular vehicle related characteristic represented by the vehicle-specific parameter, for example the vehicle type, width, weight, length, height, is appropriate or possible for the particular road at that time being traveled. For instance, if: the map data and any correction applied thereto indicates that a road is of a particular width, the locally stored vehicle-specific parameter indicates that the current vehicle is of a greater or dangerously similar width to that of the road as it is represented in map data, and the device determines that it travels along that road, then a deduction can automatically be made by the device or system that the map data is in error, as the road is passable to vehicles having a width indicated by the vehicle-specific parameter. Accordingly, a correction may be created automatically by the device or system, possibly upon user approval of an approve/reject prompt issued by the device or system, such correction including some indication of the road traveled, and a revised permissible width. In a further example, in the event that the device travels along a one-way street in a particular direction, both the direction of travel and current location of the device may be calculated by the device and correlated to the map data, from which the device can also determine that the access direction for that street is opposite to that in which the device is currently traveling. In this circumstance, the device may either issue an immediate warning to the user, prompt the user to correct the map data by confirming that the access direction for the current street is incorrectly identified in the map data, or additionally or alternately, the device may automatically create correction data including location information specifying the street and other data identifying the fact that the map data specifies an incorrect access direction. It also possible for the device to determine that the current speed of travel along a particular road or stretch of road is greater than the speed restriction identified in map data for that road or stretch of road, and take appropriate automatic or prompt/response dependent corrective action. Thus, the map-specific parameter may be one of a thoroughfare access restriction, optionally based on a time of day or other criterion, a speed restriction, a turn restriction, a calculated suitable turn rate through a corner, or a height/weight/width restriction. The subsequent correction automatically created, modified or deleted may relate to the opening up of a previously non-existent or temporarily closed thoroughfare, the closure, removal, demolition or abolition of a previously available thoroughfare and the like, an alteration of one type of road junction to another (e.g. a road crossing being altered to a roundabout, or vice versa), the absence, omission or temporary closure of a building, POI or the like, or the addition of a new building, POI, or other premises, optionally forming part of a desired destination or waypoint. In a preferred arrangement, correction data is qualified by a trust level indicative of the nature of the correction, such trust level being ascribed on one or more of the following bases: data originating from a base map data provider, data having been verified by a device provider data originating from a POI to which a subscription has been established data from a limited number of “trusted” sources data having been reported by many people, or data only having been reported by relatively few people, and data originated by the current user. In a yet further preferred embodiment, the correction is further qualified by a particular validity duration or other measure of time. In further aspects of the invention, a computer program, embodied on computer readable media as required, is provided for implementing the methods described above, as is a PND and/or navigation system adapted to perform the methods described. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present application will be described in more detail below by using example embodiments, which will be explained with the aid of the drawings, in which: FIG. 1 illustrates an example view of a Global Positioning System (GPS); FIG. 2 illustrates an example block diagram of electronic components of a navigation device; FIG. 3 illustrates an example block diagram of the manner in which a navigation device may receive information over a wireless communication channel; FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views of an implementation of an embodiment of the navigation device; FIG. 5A shows screen shots illustrating two of many possible options which may be selectable on a device or system to effect operation thereof in accordance with the present invention, FIG. 5B shows screen shots illustrating how the device or system might prompt a user to verify a device- or system-identified correction, FIGS. 6-11 provide further screen shots illustrating examples of the types of prompt which might be issued by a device or system capable of determining map errors in accordance with the invention, DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates an example view of Global Positioning System (GPS), usable by navigation devices. Such systems are known and are used for a variety of purposes. In general, GPS is a satellite-radio based navigation system capable of determining continuous position, velocity, time, and in some instances direction information for an unlimited number of users. Formerly known as NAVSTAR, the GPS incorporates a plurality of satellites which work with the earth in extremely precise orbits. Based on these precise orbits, GPS satellites can relay their location to any number of receiving units. The GPS system is implemented when a device, specially equipped to receive GPS data, begins scanning radio frequencies for GPS satellite signals. Upon receiving a radio signal from a GPS satellite, the device determines the precise location of that satellite via one of a plurality of different conventional methods. The device will continue scanning, in most instances, for signals until it has acquired at least three different satellite signals (noting that position is not normally, but can be determined, with only two signals using other triangulation techniques). Implementing geometric triangulation, the receiver utilizes the three known positions to determine its own two-dimensional position relative to the satellites. This can be done in a known manner. Additionally, acquiring a fourth satellite signal will allow the receiving device to calculate its three dimensional position by the same geometrical calculation in a known manner. The position and velocity data can be updated in real time on a continuous basis by an unlimited number of users. As shown in FIG. 1 , the GPS system is denoted generally by reference numeral 100 . A plurality of satellites 120 are in orbit about the earth 124 . The orbit of each satellite 120 is not necessarily synchronous with the orbits of other satellites 120 and, in fact, is likely asynchronous. A GPS receiver 140 is shown receiving spread spectrum GPS satellite signals 160 from the various satellites 120 . The spread spectrum signals 160 , continuously transmitted from each satellite 120 , utilise a highly accurate frequency standard accomplished with an extremely accurate atomic clock. Each satellite 120 , as part of its data signal transmission 160 , transmits a data stream indicative of that particular satellite 120 . It is appreciated by those skilled in the relevant art that the GPS receiver device 140 generally acquires spread spectrum GPS satellite signals 160 from at least three satellites 120 for the GPS receiver device 140 to calculate its two-dimensional position by triangulation. Acquisition of an additional signal, resulting in signals 160 from a total of four satellites 120 , permits the GPS receiver device 140 to calculate its three-dimensional position in a known manner. FIG. 2 illustrates an example block diagram of electronic components of a navigation device 200 , in block component format. It should be noted that the block diagram of the navigation device 200 is not inclusive of all components of the navigation device, but is only representative of many example components. The navigation device 200 is located within a housing (not shown). The housing includes a processor 210 connected to an input device 220 and a display screen 240 . The input device 220 can include a keyboard device, voice input device, touch panel and/or any other known input device utilized to input information; and the display screen 240 can include any type of display screen such as an LCD display, for example. The input device 220 and display screen 240 are integrated into an integrated input and display device, including a touchpad or touchscreen input wherein a user need only touch a portion of the display screen 240 to select one of a plurality of display choices or to activate one of a plurality of virtual buttons. In addition, other types of output devices can also include, including but not limited to, an audible output device. As output device can produce audible information to a user of the navigation device 200 , it is equally understood that input device 220 can also include a microphone and software for receiving input voice commands as well. In the navigation device 200 , processor 210 is operatively connected to and set to receive input information from input device 220 via a connection, and operatively connected to at least one of display screen 240 and output device, via output connections, to output information thereto. Further, the processor 210 is operatively connected to memory 230 via connection and is further adapted to receive/send information from/to input/output (I/O) ports 270 via connection, wherein the I/O port 270 is connectible to an I/O device 280 external to the navigation device 200 . The external I/O device 270 may include, but is not limited to an external listening device such as an earpiece for example. The connection to I/O device 280 can further be a wired or wireless connection to any other external device such as a car stereo unit for hands-free operation and/or for voice activated operation for example, for connection to an ear piece or head phones, and/or for connection to a mobile phone for example, wherein the mobile phone connection may be used to establish a data connection between the navigation device 200 and the internet or any other network for example, and/or to establish a connection to a server via the internet or some other network for example. The navigation device 200 may establish a “mobile” or telecommunications network connection with the server 302 via a mobile device (such as a mobile phone, PDA, and/or any device with mobile phone technology) establishing a digital connection (such as a digital connection via known Bluetooth technology for example). Thereafter, through its network service provider, the mobile device can establish a network connection (through the internet for example) with a server 302 . As such, a “mobile” network connection is established between the navigation device 200 (which can be, and often times is mobile as it travels alone and/or in a vehicle) and the server 302 to provide a “real-time” or at least very “up to date” gateway for information. The establishing of the network connection between the mobile device (via a service provider) and another device such as the server 302 , using the internet for example, can be done in a known manner. This can include use of TCP/IP layered protocol for example. The mobile device can utilize any number of communication standards such as CDMA, GSM, WAN, etc. As such, an internet connection may be utilized which is achieved via data connection, via a mobile phone or mobile phone technology within the navigation device 200 for example. For this connection, an internet connection between the server 302 and the navigation device 200 is established. This can be done, for example, through a mobile phone or other mobile device and a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)-connection (GPRS connection is a high-speed data connection for mobile devices provided by telecom operators; GPRS is a method to connect to the internet. The navigation device 200 can further complete a data connection with the mobile device, and eventually with the internet and server 302 , via existing Bluetooth technology for example, in a known manner, wherein the data protocol can utilize any number of standards, such as the GSRM, the Data Protocol Standard for the GSM standard, for example. The navigation device 200 may include its own mobile phone technology within the navigation device 200 itself (including an antenna for example, wherein the internal antenna of the navigation device 200 can further alternatively be used). The mobile phone technology within the navigation device 200 can include internal components as specified above, and/or can include an insertable card (e.g. Subscriber Identity Module or SIM card), complete with necessary mobile phone technology and/or an antenna for example. As such, mobile phone technology within the navigation device 200 can similarly establish a network connection between the navigation device 200 and the server 302 , via the internet for example, in a manner similar to that of any mobile device. For GRPS phone settings, the Bluetooth enabled device may be used to correctly work with the ever changing spectrum of mobile phone models, manufacturers, etc., model/manufacturer specific settings may be stored on the navigation device 200 for example. The data stored for this information can be updated. FIG. 2 further illustrates an operative connection between the processor 210 and an antenna/receiver 250 via connection, wherein the antenna/receiver 250 can be a GPS antenna/receiver for example. It will be understood that the antenna and receiver designated by reference numeral 250 are combined schematically for illustration, but that the antenna and receiver may be separately located components, and that the antenna may be a GPS patch antenna or helical antenna for example. Further, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the electronic components shown in FIG. 2 are powered by power sources (not shown) in a conventional manner. As will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, different configurations of the components shown in FIG. 2 are considered within the scope of the present application. For example, the components shown in FIG. 2 may be in communication with one another via wired and/or wireless connections and the like. Thus, the scope of the navigation device 200 of the present application includes a portable or handheld navigation device 200 . In addition, the portable or handheld navigation device 200 of FIG. 2 can be connected or “docked” in a known manner to a motorized vehicle such as a car or boat for example. Such a navigation device 200 is then removable from the docked location for portable or handheld navigation use. FIG. 3 illustrates an example block diagram of a server 302 and a navigation device 200 capable of communicating via a generic communications channel 318 . The server 302 and a navigation device 200 can communicate when a connection via communications channel 318 is established between the server 302 and the navigation device 200 (noting that such a connection can be a data connection via mobile device, a direct connection via personal computer via the internet, etc.). The server 302 includes, in addition to other components which may not be illustrated, a processor 304 operatively connected to a memory 306 and further operatively connected, via a wired or wireless connection 314 , to a mass data storage device 312 . The processor 304 is further operatively connected to transmitter 308 and receiver 310 , to transmit and send information to and from navigation device 200 via communications channel 318 . The signals sent and received may include data, communication, and/or other propagated signals. The transmitter 308 and receiver 310 may be selected or designed according to the communications requirement and communication technology used in the communication design for the navigation system 200 . Further, it should be noted that the functions of transmitter 308 and receiver 310 may be combined into a signal transceiver 309 . Server 302 is further connected to (or includes) a mass storage device 312 , noting that the mass storage device 312 may be coupled to the server 302 via communication link 314 . The mass storage device 312 contains a store of navigation data and map information, and can again be a separate device from the server 302 or can be incorporated into the server 302 . The navigation device 200 is adapted to communicate with the server 302 through communications channel 318 , and includes processor 210 , memory 230 , etc. as previously described with regard to FIG. 2 , as well as transmitter 320 and receiver 322 to send and receive signals and/or data through the communications channel 318 , noting that these devices can further be used to communicate with devices other than server 302 . Further, the transmitter 320 and receiver 322 are selected or designed according to communication requirements and communication technology used in the communication design for the navigation device 200 and the functions of the transmitter 320 and receiver 322 may be combined into a single transceiver 300 . Software stored in server memory 306 provides instructions for the processor 304 and allows the server 302 to provide services to the navigation device 200 . One service provided by the server 302 involves processing requests from the navigation device 200 and transmitting navigation data from the mass data storage 312 to the navigation device 200 . Another service provided by the server 302 includes processing the navigation data using various algorithms for a desired application and sending the results of these calculations to the navigation device 200 . The communication channel 318 generically represents the propagating medium or path that connects the navigation device 200 and the server 302 . Both the server 302 and navigation device 200 include a transmitter for transmitting data through the communication channel 318 and a receiver for receiving data that has been transmitted through the communication channel. The communication channel 318 is not limited to a particular communication technology. Additionally, the communication channel 318 is not limited to a single communication technology; that is, the channel 318 may include several communication links that use a variety of technology. For example, the communication channel 318 can be adapted to provide a path for electrical, optical, and/or electromagnetic communications, etc. As such, the communication channel 318 includes, but is not limited to, one or a combination of the following: electric circuits, electrical conductors such as wires and coaxial cables, fiber optic cables, converters, radio-frequency (rf) waves, the atmosphere, empty space, etc. Furthermore, the communication channel 318 can include intermediate devices such as routers, repeaters, buffers, transmitters, and receivers, for example. For example, the communication channel 318 includes telephone and computer networks. Furthermore, the communication channel 318 may be capable of accommodating wireless communication such as radio frequency, microwave frequency, infrared communication, etc. Additionally, the communication channel 318 can accommodate satellite communication. The communication signals transmitted through the communication channel 318 include, but are not limited to, signals as may be required or desired for given communication technology. For example, the signals may be adapted to be used in cellular communication technology such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), etc. Both digital and analogue signals can be transmitted through the communication channel 318 . These signals may be modulated, encrypted and/or compressed signals as may be desirable for the communication technology. The server 302 includes a remote server accessible by the navigation device 200 via a wireless channel. The server 302 may include a network server located on a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), virtual private network (VPN), etc. The server 302 may include a personal computer such as a desktop or laptop computer, and the communication channel 318 may be a cable connected between the personal computer and the navigation device 200 . Alternatively, a personal computer may be connected between the navigation device 200 and the server 302 to establish an internet connection between the server 302 and the navigation device 200 . Alternatively, a mobile telephone or other handheld device may establish a wireless connection to the internet, for connecting the navigation device 200 to the server 302 via the internet. The navigation device 200 may be provided with information from the server 302 via information downloads which may be periodically updated upon a user connecting navigation device 200 to the server 302 and/or may be more dynamic upon a more constant or frequent connection being made between the server 302 and navigation device 200 via a wireless mobile connection device and TCP/IP connection for example. For many dynamic calculations, the processor 304 in the server 302 may be used to handle the bulk of the processing needs, however, processor 210 of navigation device 200 can also handle much processing and calculation, oftentimes independent of a connection to a server 302 . As indicated above in FIG. 2 , a navigation device 200 includes a processor 210 , an input device 220 , and a display screen 240 . The input device 220 and display screen 240 are integrated into an integrated input and display device to enable both input of information (via direct input, menu selection, etc.) and display of information through a touch panel screen, for example. Such a screen may be a touch input LCD screen, for example, as is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Further, the navigation device 200 can also include any additional input device 220 and/or any additional output device, such as audio input/output devices for example. FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views of a navigation device 200 . As shown in FIG. 4A , the navigation device 200 may be a unit that includes an integrated input and display device 290 (a touch panel screen for example) and the other components of FIG. 2 (including but not limited to internal GPS receiver, microprocessor 210 , a power supply, memory systems 220 , etc.). The navigation device 200 may sit on an arm 292 , which itself may be secured to a vehicle dashboard/window/etc. using a large suction cup 294 . This arm 292 is one example of a docking station to which the navigation device 200 can be docked. As shown in FIG. 4B , the navigation device 200 can be docked or otherwise connected to an arm 292 of the docking station by snap connecting the navigation device 292 to the arm 292 for example (this is only one example, as other known alternatives for connection to a docking station are within the scope of the present application). The navigation device 200 may then be rotatable on the arm 292 , as shown by the arrow of FIG. 4B . To release the connection between the navigation device 200 and the docking station, a button on the navigation device 200 may be pressed, for example (this is only one example, as other known alternatives for disconnection to a docking station are within the scope of the present application). Referring now to FIG. 5A , the software of the device may typically be provided with a plurality of user-settable preferences. Examples include the setting of display colors, voice and spoken instruction preferences, information display preferences such as the manner in which street names and other useful navigation instructions may be displayed, and device start-up preferences. The setting of such options is commonly achieved, after a user touches the screen of the device, by displaying a menu, optionally scrollable, of various user-selectable icons and/or text, subsequent selection of which results in the display of either one or more further menus of selectable icons or text, or a particular option-setting screen, two examples of which are shown at 500 and 502 in FIG. 5A . As can be seen from the figure, these two screen-shots relate to the setting of slightly different options within the machine. The screen shot 500 enables the device to prompt the user for verification of device-determined map data errors in their neighbourhood, such being defined with reference to a previously user-set “home location” stored in the device memory, for example within a pre-determined threshold distance of that home location. The screen shot 502 enables the device to prompt the user for verification of device-determined map data errors along roads which the user often drives, such possibly being determined with reference to a log file of the device movements over a predetermined time period. In further embodiments, options may exist to permit the device to automatically, that is without issuing any prompt or verification, make map data corrections, or to amend such corrections as may already exist and being applied to the base map data files stored in the device memory. In FIG. 5B , the screen shot 504 schematically indicates how the device might issue a prompt for verification to the user, such possibly also optionally being accompanied by an audible output, such as a beep or spoken warning. A number of factors may be involved in the display of a verification prompt such as that illustrated at 504 being “Is ‘Town Street’ a one way street?”, and these are explained below. Furthermore, it is to be mentioned that although the following description relates substantially to real-time prompting of the user as he moves with the device, it is equally possible for the device to log potential correction information together with standard log data, and for the verification of correction data to occur much later in time than the actual determination by the device that potential corrections may be required. For instance, in the case where the persistent logging of device location data occurs, the log data may be transmitted back to a central processing facility with similar data from other device users for collation, analysis and filtering, and for specific correction data to be returned to the user for subsequent verification at a time other than when driving or otherwise traveling with the device. In this instance, the returned data might take the form of a quiz consisting of a number of different verification requests for corrections either within a predetermined distance of a user's home location, or along roads along which the device user often travels. In a real-time prompting mode however, as the device displays map information during a free-driving or navigation mode, the current position of the device is generally known or approximated, as are a number of other parameters concerning the current motion of the device, such as angular and linear speed and acceleration and general direction of travel, such being motion-specific parameters, together (possibly) with a number of pre-set parameters specifying the type of vehicle or mode of transport with which the device is currently associated, such being vehicle-specific parameters. Examples of this latter type of parameter include the vehicle type, size, weight, typical occupancy levels and the like. Accordingly, as these various parameters are known to the device, it is possible for the device to not only to graphically represent relevant map information on its screen (as forms part of the normal operation of the device in its free-driving and navigation modes), but also for the device to determine from the underlying map information (and corrections applicable thereto) certain other parameters specific to the particular road or intersection at that time being traversed by the device. Examples of these so-called map-specific parameters might include actual or calculated restrictions on the manner of travel along a road or through an intersection, or the mode of travel permissible, specifically one-way street travel directions, road speed restrictions, intersection turn restrictions, the severity of bends along a road or through an intersection, weight, width or height restrictions, and time restrictions on particular modes of travel along roads or through intersections as well as time restrictions on when such may be open or closed. Thereafter, a comparison of the vehicle- and/or motion-specific parameters, and/or indeed the current device location, may be made one or more device-determined map-specific parameters, whereupon the device can determine whether any of the former parameters or its current location is in conflict with the relevant map-specific parameter, and if so, the device may take appropriate secondary action, such logging, creating, or modifying specific correction data, or issuing appropriate prompts or warnings to the user before, during or after such logging, creation, or modification has occurred. Although this description relates to the embodiment of the invention wherein the vehicle- and motion-specific parameters are primarily calculated by a stand-alone navigation device, it should be specifically mentioned that such a device may receive vehicle- and motion-specific data from one or more sensors commonly or specifically provided within the vehicle in which the device is situated, or in the fabric of which the navigation system is installed at build time. Notwithstanding such different embodiments, it is envisaged that the signals received by the device or system are merely electronic or electric indications of such vehicle- or motion specific parameters, and the receipt of such by the device or system merely reduces device/system processor overhead in terms of specific calculations required to obtain such parameters from data available to, or at any time extant within said device or system. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5B , map information is being displayed and the device has determined that the current location, indicated at 506 A is along “Flower St”, the name of which is indicated at 508 . The device also determines that its direction of travel is towards an intersection from which one of the radiating streets is “Town St” 510 which is indicated as being a one-way street by means of a suitable directional identifier 512 . Accordingly, if the device approaches and then travels through the intersection, and subsequently along “Town St” in a direction opposite to the direction of permissible vehicular travel indicated in map data, its location being now 506 B, then while the location of the device is still permissible for “Town St.”, its direction of travel is at odds with the map data. Therefore, in accordance with any pre-set option for prompting, the device may take any of a number of different secondary actions. One of such secondary actions is to cause prompt text 514 “Is ‘Town St.’ a one-way street?”, and accompanying selectable option buttons 516 A, 516 B, 516 C, to be displayed to allow the user to quickly verify whether the underlying map data within the device is at fault, whether the user is at fault, or to enter some indeterminate state information as to the veracity of the map data. As will be appreciated, user verification of the veracity of the proposed correction while driving may not be appropriate, and therefore, in one embodiment, the device or system may delay the verification of this and other corrections until the user reaches a destination, or the device determines that it is been stationary for a predetermined time, or by any other suitable time delay. However, regardless of when the verification occurs, the device will have stored some indication that an apparent conflict occurred between a map-specific parameter, in this case the permissible direction of travel along “Town St.”, and a device-determined motion-specific parameter, in this case the fact that, at a certain time or times, the direction of travel along “Town St.” was opposed to that indicated as permissible in map data. Such indication may be considered in essence a correction, and whether such is temporary or permanent may depend on the subsequent verification or rejection performed by the user. Screen shot 518 provides a simple (optional) “thank you” to the user for verifying any map correction data which may be or may have been automatically created or modified, as a result of the user's response to the prompt. The format of the correction or modification may be of any suitable type, but most preferably would include an indication of the relevant location of the device, such as its specific location or the relevant road or intersection, or a range of such locations, and the nature of the determined map-data error resulting from the apparent conflict between any of: the current location, one or more vehicle-specific parameters, one or more motion-specific parameters, and said one or more map-specific parameters. Possible additional information may include some indication of time, for example being that time at which the comparison between the above parameters was made, or that at which the user verified the map data error, or any other suitable or relevant time as might be appropriate. Further optional data stored as part of the correction may include some category information specific to the device or user thereof in terms of a trust level applicable to the stored correction. All the data embodied in a correction may be stored in the same manner in the device memory as other previously stored corrections, and furthermore may be utilized in the same manner as such corrections, inasmuch as such corrections may be utilized in route calculation, guidance and navigation functions of the device. Other examples of the types of verification required by the user may be seen in the screen-shots illustrated in FIGS. 6-12 . Although these screen shots are typical of verification prompts which may be displayed after the device user has completed his journey, it is equally possible that such prompts may be displayed en-route or while driving. For example in screen shot 520 , prompt text 522 requests of the user whether it is possible, when traveling along “Bridge Street” indicated at 524 , it is possible to turn right at intersection 526 into “Flower St”. Such a “turn restriction” may be in force regardless of whether “Flower Street” is one- or two-way, and therefore would typically be identified separately from a travel direction restriction for that road. This type of prompt would generally appear at some time after a user has made such a manouevre, such thus being in contravention of the turn restriction at that time extant within the map data of the device. In screen shot 530 FIG. 7 , it is to be noted that the prompt text 532 is specific to both a type of vehicle, and a type of manouevre, and therefore demonstrates that different types of parameter may be compared by the device simultaneously or consecutively as the device travels in a navigation or free-driving mode. In this case, the map-specific parameters derived by the device from map information would include both any turn restriction in force at the intersection 526 , and also any vehicle restriction prevailing on “Flower Street”. Of course, for the invention to be applicable to the vehicle-specific parameter, the user would need to set an option indicating that the device was being used for motorcycle navigation, or the device would require a pre-set option indicating such vehicle type. In FIG. 8 , screen shot 534 provides a verification prompt relating to the possible existence of road works on “Town Street”, as indicated at prompt text 536 . This Figure illustrates a yet further embodiment of the invention wherein— the device is operating in a navigation mode, the route being navigated includes “Town Street”, and the user deviates from the planned route so as to avoid traveling along “Town Street”. In this embodiment, the device makes a comparison between a current location and a preprogrammed route, and determines that the route was not followed at a particular intersection. Of course, this event may be automatically recorded as described above, but the prompt which is subsequently displayed may relate to any of a number of possible causes for the user not following the calculated route. Various examples might include, of course, the existence of road works, turn restrictions, vehicle and/or other access restrictions, such as for example being based on time of day, and the like. Accordingly, although the prompt text 536 relates only to one possible restriction on “Town Street”, such may require replacement by a number of different selectable options relating to the various possible events or causes for the user not following a route which included this street. Furthermore, an alternative embodiment of the invention and relating to a device operating in a navigation mode, is shown in FIG. 9 . The screen shot 538 includes prompt text 540 requesting the user to confirm whether previously identified road works along town street no longer prevail. Such a prompt might be issued in response to the device previously identifying that the user had travelled along town street in either a free driving or navigation mode, thus raising a conflict between map-specific data (i.e. the road works preventing travel therealong either in one direction or completely), and the device location and/or direction of travel (i.e. Town Street). Finally, FIGS. 10 & 11 provide screen shots 542 , 544 respectively of further user verification prompts relating to vehicle access restrictions in terms of time and type, such prompts again being issued subsequent to a vehicle of a particular type traveling along the relevant street at a time when map data indicates such travel is impermissible.

A method of operating a PND or navigation system is described, together with a PND or navigation system for performing such a method. The PND or navigation system includes memory storing map data consisting of base map data files and supplemental corrective data files. In at least one embodiment, the method includes correlating the current location with the map data, and in the event that the current location and derived map data are seemingly at odds with one another, performing at least one secondary action. In at least one embodiment, the secondary action may be the issuing of an approve/reject prompt to the user, or the automatic creation, modification or deletion of a new or pre-existing correction. In a further aspect, at least one embodiment of the invention also provides for a PND or navigation system storing an indication of a home location, and prompting a user to visit nearby locations for which corrections exist, followed by prompted or automatic confirmation or rejection thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention regards a new composite panel and a method of manufacturing waterproof roofings for buildings. The remaking of an old waterproof roof can be effected either by applying to the existing roofing a non-waterproofing mantle after all proper repairs have been carried out, or by directly applying a new mantle onto the structure of the roof after having entirely eliminated the old covering. Especially when adopting the first solution it is always very difficult to obtain a well levelled new surface, which is thus suitable for receiving a new waterproofing mantle since the old mantle is often badly damaged in that it has cracks and undulations. To obviate this drawback, resort has been made to a method that comprises the following operations. 1. Dry-laying on the old mantle or cover, panels made of a rather rigid material, having a thickness of about 2.5 cm, i.e. panels on which one can walk, and having the function of supporting a new waterproofing membrane and increasing the insulating capacity of the roofing. 2. Securing the panels to the roof structure through mechanical fastening by means of flush-head nails of suitable type and in appropriate number. 3. Dry-laying of a bituminized feltpaper (e.g. of the 500 g/m type) on the panels, which has the function of protecting the panels against the action of the flame that is used for applying a further layer of waterproofing material. This is done when the panel consists of inflammable material. 4. Application and fixing of feltpaper to the panels. 5. Laying a first waterproofing layer or membrane by causing it to fully adhere to the panels covered by the feltpaper by means of a propane torch. 6. Laying of a top waterproofing layer which completely adheres to the first layer. Thus, at least six operations are necessary for remaking the waterproofing of a roof or for the application of a new roofing, which involves excessive labour expenses and time. It should also be stated that panels conventionally used for this purpose are rather brittle, poorly adherent and have a low degree of flexion per unit load. To reduce the risk of breakings, use is made of panels having reduced dimensions. This requires, however, a large number of fixing nails and points or seams in the roofing. Moreover, the weaker the structure of the panels, the poorer the grip of the nails. Thus, it is necessary to increase the quantity of nails to ensure proper fixing, but this is uneconomic besides being inconvenient from the structural point of view. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is to provide a new composite panel structure that, besides having a heat-insulating effect, constitutes a stout structural modular component for obtaining strong, stable and longlasting plane surfaces, for having laid thereon laying and supporting waterproof mantles. Another object of the present invention is to provide a new panel suitable for acting as a valid support for easily and quickly laying waterproof mantle, thereby obtaining a roofing having a good heat resistance. An not least object of the present invention is to provide a panel having good features of mechanical strength, so that it can be used with relatively large dimensions and thus laid with a reduced number of mechanical fasteners. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of obtaining a support surface for a waterproof mantle or roofing, which comprises a plurality of panels and is waterproof already upon laying the panels, i.e. before receiving on it a final waterproof mantle, thereby simplifying the laying work as the roofer has no longer the task of waterproofing for the panels immediately after the same have been laid to prevent them from absorbing humidity. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a composite panel for obtaining waterproof roofings comprising a layer of heat-insulating material and a layer of waterproof material secured to a face of the heat-insulating material. The waterproof layer has a double advantage of giving the panel both higher cohesion while simultaneously flexural strength and forming a first layer of the whole waterproof roofing. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of laying and obtaining a waterproof roofing, which comprises: dry-laying of two-layer panels on a support structure, fastening the panels to the support structure through mechanical fastening means, sealing the seams between the panels, and laying a waterproof roofing mantle or membrane on the panels. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is further described hereinafter with reference to the Examples and the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a panel according to the invention; FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows a roofing obtained by making use of the panels of FIG. 1 fastened to a support frame or plane; and FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows a cross-section view taken along the line III--III of the waterproof roofing of FIG. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the drawings a composite panel 10 according to the present invention comprises a layer 1 of a waterproof bitumen compound secured to a layer 2 of heat-insulating material. The thickness of the layers 1 and 2 is not critical and can vary within a wide range depending upon specific requirements of use. The layer 1 of waterproof bitumen compound can have a thickness in the range of 1 to 6 mm, whereas the layer of heat-insulating material can range from 10 to 60 mm, thicknesses of the order of 20 to 40 mm being advantageous in general. In order to make it possible to lay panels also on inclines and to ensure fixing to a support or laying structure, the panels are mechanically fastened or secured to such a support structure through any suitable fastening means, e.g. nails 3. While being laid the panels 10 are set close to one another and fastened or secured at their center by means of a flush-head nail 3, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. To preserve waterproofing of the laying plane thus obtained, the nails 3 are applied by placing, between the surface of the panel and the flat head of each nail, a foil section or disc 4 of a self-adhesive bitumen compound having a diameter large enough to extend throughout the head of the nail. This is advantageous also because the used self-adhesive compound has the property of self-sealing when punctured. After this operation the gaps or seams between the various panels are sealed by means of a tape 5 having a suitable width, e.g. made of the same self-adhesive compound as that used under the head of the nails. In order to use a minimum number of nails, a preferred system is to fasten each panel besides by means of one nail 3 in its central zone also by other nails 6 (e.g. having a flush head and with interposition of a respective disc of self-adhesive bitumen compound) at each corner where the seams of the various adjacent panels cross. In this way, two nails on average for each panel are used, as shown in FIG. 2. When mounting is completed, the laying plane surface formed by the panels 10 thus assembled is fully waterproofing. This is a considerable advantage of the present invention as with the conventional method referred to above it is always necessary to lay the first waterproofing layer immediately after laying the panels to present the panels from absorbing for any reason humidity that would remain included and trapped within the panels and would cause subsequent decay of the waterproofing. The laying plane surface thus obtained is finally covered with a waterproofing membrane 7 that forms the final mantle or layer of the roofing. It will be noted that with the solution in accordance with the present invention it is possible to use only two mechanical fasteners per panel. This is particularly advantageous as for this kind of use rather cheap panels are often employed, i.e. panels having their heat-insulating layer made of material having poor cohesion and low flexing resistance. The application of the layer 1 of waterproofing material to the panels results in an increase of both their cohesion and flexing resistance. Thus, it is possible to use a smaller number of mechanical fasteners per panel as the risk of failure of the same both during laying and in use is eliminated or drastically reduced. For this reason it is also possible to use panels having larger perimetrical dimensions as the risks of failure during both handling and transport of the same are smaller. The discs 4 under the head of the nails and the tapes 5 used for sealing the seams of the panels are constituted by a self-adhesive and waterproofing bitumen product essentially obtained from a bitumen-rubber mixture in the ratio 65:35 and 95:5 (a particularly advantageous ratio has been found to be 90:10) as described and disclosed in the published Italian patent application No. 20906 A/81 of the same assignee of the present application. While being produced, the mixture is calendered to a desired thickness and then applied or joined to a polyethylene (P.E.) film having a thickness ranging from 50 to 300 microns. It has been found that P.E. films having a thickness of 100 microns are especially advantageous. On its lower face the membrane can be coated with a removable self-adhesive protection film, e.g. a sheet of silicone-coated paper or a silicone-coated polyethylene film. The layers 2 acting as a support for the heat-insulating layer 1 and the waterproofing mantle 7 can be made of various types of material which can comprise both those usually used as heat-insulating materials and those specifically prepared for this kind of application. Advantageously, such materials must have a good handling resistance, compression resistance, heat resistance and dimensional stability. By way of example, among organic materials one can quote panels of expanded and impregnated cork, polyurethane and polyisocyanide foam, extruded polystyrene, foamed polystyrene, cross-linked polyethylene and foamed PVC. Among inorganic materials one can quote, by way of example, cellular glass and glass fiber in panels. Materials mostly used for this type of application are: panels including agglomerated wood fibers, panels of cellulose fibers (cardboard), panels of foamed pearlite or rock wool. After having suitably bound the fibers to one another by means of organic binders, panels are produced in the desired dimensions and thickness by pressing the fiber mass at suitable pressures and temperatures. The bitumen compound layer 1 on the upper part of the panels is constituted by bitumen or bitumen modified with plastomers and/or elastomers. Examples of plastomers suitable for modifying bitumen are: polypropylene, polyethylene, whereas examples of elastomers are: natural rubbers, styrene-butadiene, ethylene-propylene, polychloroprene and the like. Subsequently, a filler, e.g. mica, talc, silicates, carbonates, kaolins and the like, can be added to the bitumen compound mainly to reduce its cost and to prevent it from aging due to heat. Moreover, the bitumen compound can include a filler to render it flame-resistant. In other terms, if such a filler is included, ignition of the bitumen compound and the surface flame propagation are considerably retarded. This also results in greater safety in the subsequent heat application of roofing material and in a positive contribution to the over-all safety of the roofing. The feature of retarding the flame propagation can be attained by including in the bitumen compound suitable additives well known in the industrial practice. Among such additives especially suitable are trihydrated alumina (THA), sodium borates, zinc borates and other metal borates, or combinations of antimony oxide (Sb 2 O 3 ) and halogenated products, e.g. chloroparaffin, in a ratio ranging from 1:2 to 2:1. The amount of additives or fillers can range from 25% to 65% with respect to the bitumen compound. Satisfactory results are obtained with percentages of 40% to 50%. Another type of flame-propagation retarding inclusion is based on the use of a material that expands at a predetermined temperature (>200° C.), thereby providing on insulating layer which reduces heat transmission and increases fire resistance. An inclusion of this type is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,997 granted to Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. on Feb. 8, 1983. A composite panel according to the present invention, i.e. a panel coated with a bitumen compound can be produced by a machine arranged to continuously applying a desired thickness of bitumen compound maintained in a liquid state at a temperature ranging from 150° C. to 190° C. A panel 10 in accordance with the present invention is thus obtained which can be cut out to desired dimensions and installed according to the specifications described above. To make storing and transport easier, the bitumen compound covering the panel is coated with a protection layer that can include talc or fine sand or a film of plastics material, e.g. polyethylene and polypropylene or a sheat of material, such as silicon paper or polyethylene, which is removed upon laying the waterproofing mantle 7. The invention is further illustrated in the following examples. EXAMPLE 1 By means of a suitable coating machine a panel 10 having a layer 2 formed by foamed volcanic rock (pearlite), glass fiber and cellulose bound to bitumen (Fesco Board manufactured by Manville De France S.A.) having a thickness of 20 mm and dimensions 60×120 cm, was coated with a layer 1 of waterproofing bitumen compound having a thickness of 2 mm and applied to it at a temperature of 180° C. The bitumen compound, which was an atactic polypropylene-modified bitumen, had a softening temperature of 150° C. measured according to ASTM D-36 method, a penetration of 25 dmm at 25° C. measured according to ASTM D-5, and a viscosity of 3500 CP at 180° C. when measured by a Brookfield Thermosel viscosimeter. A sample (20×110×200 mm) of the panel 10 thus obtained after a 24-hours conditioning period at a temperature of 25° C. was tested to determine its flexion load. The same test was carried out on a panel of the same type not coated with bitumen compound. The following test results were obtained: ______________________________________ Ultimate tensile stress F(N)______________________________________Fesco Board coated with a bitumen layerapplied to the face thereof under load 70.12applied to its other face >170uncoated board 68.35______________________________________ The above ultimate tensile stress values are each the average of four test results. EXAMPLE 2 The same procedure as that set forth in Example 1 was followed, except that the bitumen compound forming the layer 1 had a softening temperature (ASTM D-36) ranging from 115° C. to 160° C.; penetration at 25° (ASTM D-5) of 15 to 50 dmm. The viscosity of the bitumen compound when measured at 180° C. by means of a Brookfield Thermosel viscosimeter was from 1500 to 10,000 CP, preferably from 3000 to 6000 CP. The panel 10 had a layer 2 made of foamed polyurethane having a thickness of 20 mm and dimensions of 110×200 mm. The results of flexion load tests were the following: ______________________________________ Ultimate tensile stress F(N)______________________________________Foamed polyurethane coatedwith a bitumen layerapplied to the face thereof under load 110.55applied to its other face >170uncoated board 85.87______________________________________ The above ultimate tensile stress values are each the average of four test results. In the above Examples 1 and 2, the value 170N means that the panel does not break under flexion load. EXAMPLE 3 Another sample of panel 10 coated with the bitumen compound 1 having dimensions of 200×200 mm was secured by means of a flush-head nail 3, whose head had a diameter of 50 mm, to a support constituted by two plates of asbestos cement having an over-all thickness of 16 mm and the same dimensions as those of the panel sample. A disc A of self-adhesive bitumen material having a diameter of 60 mm was placed between the head of the nail and the surface of the panel coated with bitumen compound 1. Nordshield adhesive, a product of Nord Bitumi s.a.s. of Sona-Verona-Italy, which is an elastomer-modified bitumen membrane coated with a 100 micron polyethylene film and having an over-all thickness of 1.1 mm, was used as a self-adhesive material. The main features of the used Nordshield material are as follows: ______________________________________bending at -25° C. ASTM D-146 no breakageultimate tensile stress UNI 8202-8 70 N/5 cmwater absorption UNI 8202-22 +0.2waterproofing UNI 8202-21 waterproof______________________________________ The sample obtained by nailing the panel to the asbestos cement support according to the above described modalities was tested to measure its waterproofing in accordance with the method described under paragraph 7.2.7.1 of the Canadian Standard 37-GP-56M "Standard for Membrane Modified Bituminous, Prefabricated and Reinforced for Roofing" issued by CGSB (Canadian General Standards Boards). In this test, a glass cylinder having a diameter large enough to enclose the head of the nail and containing water up to a level 500 mm high was arranged in contact with the sample at its nailing area for a time period of 16 hours. No trace of humidity was found at the lower side of the sample at the end of the test period. The waterproofing membrane 7 is advantageously self-adhesive and can comprise a weave or reinforcement and a bitumen-rubber mixture. By way of example the weave can comprise glass fiber mat (e.g. a glass fiber mat marketed under the trade name Velimat manufactured by Balzaretti & Modigliani S.p.A. of Milan-Italy, TR 50 manufactured by Vitrofil S.P.A. of Milan-Italy) glass fabric, polyester fabric, unwoven polyester fabric (e.g. Trevira manufactured by Hoechst AG of Frankfurt Am Main-West Germany, Colback manufactured by Henca Colbond B.V. of Arnhen-Netherland, Terbondspan manufactured by Enichem S.P.A. of Milan-Italy), unwoven propylene fabric (e.g. Typar manufactured by Du Pont De Nemours of Geneva-Switzerland) a composite material polyester woven-non-woven fabric and glass fiber mat, polyester, or polyester fibers net, net and glass fiber mat composite and the like having the feature of being easily impregnated and coated by the bitumen-rubber mixture. The bitumen-rubber mixture can be in a ratio ranging from 65:35 to 95:5, especially advantageous and preferred being the mixtures in a ratio ranging from 75:25 to 90:10. The bitumen can comprise distilled and/or blown oil bitumen, tar pitch, natural bitumen, suitably modified and including filler or fillers. The used bitumen material has preferably a penetration ranging from 40 to 400 dmm at 25° C. when measured in accordance with ASTM D-5. It was found that bitumen mixtures having penetration values ranging from 70 and 250 dmm at 25° C. are especially advantageous. The rubber used for obtaining the bitumen-rubber mixture can be chosen among any available type of rubber, provided it is compatible with the bitumen, e.g. styrene-butadiene-styrene rubber, styrene-butadiene-acrylonitrile, ethylene-vinylacetate, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, polychloroprene, butyl rubber and the like. In general, the waterproofing membrane 7 has a softening temperature ranging from 60° C. to 130° C. (when measured according to the method ASTM D-5) and a penetration of 60 to 300 dmm at 25° C. (when measured according to the method ASTM D-5). The bitumen-rubber mixture can also include fillers, e.g. calcium carbonate, talc, slate powder and the like or chemical compounds suitable for increasing its adhesive power, e.g. a modified aliphatic resin (such as Escorez 2101 manufactured by Exxon Chemical Co.-USA), or terpenic resins commercially known by the trade name Wingtak manufactured by Goodyear Chemicals Co. -USA (among the series Wingtak, the most useful filler is Wingtak 115 as it has a high melting point), or terpenic resins marketed by Hercules Co.-USA under the trade name Piccolite, among which the most suitable are the types A115 and A125. An important feature of the waterproofing membrane 7 is that of being elastoplastic and of keeping this feature in time even at low temperatures. Thus, the membrane can adjust itself to any setting of the bearing frames without cracking or becoming detached. Tests were made to measure the adhesion between the adhesive membrane 7 and the coated panel 10. A sample of adhesive membrane 7 (30 cm long and 1 m wide) was applied, after its protection coating made of a siliconate polyethylene film, to a coated panel 10 formed by Fesco Board 10 cm long and having a thickness of 25 mm. Before applying the self-adhesive membrane 7 the protection coating, e.g. consisting of siliconated polyethylene, is also removed from the panel. The sample thus obtained was conditioned for 24 hours at a temperature of 23°±2° C. and then subdivided into a plurality of samples 40 cm long and 5 cm wide. Five of such samples were subjected to a peeling test at 90° C. on a Istron dynamometer, type 4301, with a separation speed among its clamps of 100 mm/min. The same test was carried out on further 10 samples after having been subjected to the following artificial aging treatment: 1. Heat aging at 70°±1° C. for 56 days (5 samples). 2. Accelerated aging for 400 hours (5 samples) by means of a Q.U.V. Tester manufactured by the Q-Panel Co. 15610 Ind. Pkwy-Cleveland-Ohio 44135, according to the method ASTM G 53/77. The following continuous test procedure was followed: 4 hours of exposure to U.V. radiation (wave length from 320 to 280 mm) at 60° C.; 4 hours of exposure to condensation water at 40° C. The results of the peeling tests were as follows (average values among 5 samples): ______________________________________1. Samples as such 30.55 N/5 cm2. Samples after heat aging 35.48 N/5 cm3. Samples after artificiaI aging 35.91 N/5 cm______________________________________ In any case, peeling off occured inside the Fesco Board panel, but no peeling was found between panel and self-adhesive panel.

Composite panel for obtaining waterproof roofings comprising two superimposed layers firmily held or bond together: one layer is made of a heat-insulating material having a thickness ranging from 10 mm to 60 mm and the other is made of a waterproofing material from 1 mm to 10 mm. The method of laying composite panels includes arranging panels on a supporting structure, fixing the panels to the supporting structure by means of mechanical anchoring means, sealing the seams between the panels and laying of a waterproofing membrane or mantle on the panels.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/045,272 filed on Mar. 10, 2011, which claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 61/312,538 filed on Mar. 10, 2010 and U.S. application Ser. No. 61/379,193 filed on Sep. 1, 2010. U.S. application Ser. No. 13/045,272 is also a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/684,608 filed on Jan. 8, 2010, which is a non-provisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 61/143,189 filed on Jan. 8, 2009. All aforementioned applications are incorporated by reference as if fully recited herein. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] Exemplary embodiments generally relate to subassemblies for controlling LCD displays. Background of the Art [0003] Electronic displays such as LCDs are being used in a variety of new applications across a number of different platforms. In some applications, base level LCD assemblies may be purchased from a manufacturer and later modified with housings and additional circuitry to perform the user's desired end functions. In most applications, adding new circuitry requires extensive labor and additional connectors and wiring. This labor is not only expensive and time-consuming, but the additional connectors and wiring are prone to failure or malfunction over time. Further, when these components malfunction in the field, removing the display and servicing it can be very expensive and time-consuming. SUMMARY OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS [0004] Exemplary embodiments utilize a similar base LCD device while permitting a plurality of different video modules to be installed which can provide a number of different features. Power can be shared throughout the various boards so that separate power modules and connections are not required. The video modules may be connected using board edge connectors to the timing and control boards so that they can easily be installed initially and removed/serviced once in the field. The embodiments allow for a base unit to be mass-manufactured while providing a number of specific features to customers that can easily be installed or even upgraded when the customer would like to change their display setups. [0005] An alternative embodiment may provide a power module as well as the video module. Each module may connect with a backplane which can distribute the power and signals throughout the components of the display. Output power as well as output video may be used with some modules so that displays can be ‘daisy-chained’ together in order to reduce installation costs and time. Some embodiments may include a speaker on one or both of the modules so that sound reproduction may be included as an option. [0006] The foregoing and other features and advantages will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] A better understanding of an exemplary embodiment will be obtained from a reading of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein identical reference characters refer to identical parts and in which: [0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment using a video player module. [0009] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of another embodiment which uses a video player module as well as a power module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS [0010] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the integrated power supply system, preferably for use with an LED-backlit LCD. For an exemplary embodiment, the LED-backlit LCD along with the LED power and system supply power board (LPB) 50 and the timing and control board (TCON) 60 would be mass-manufactured with similar features. The video module 70 could be designed specifically for each end user and could be easily installed within the mass-manufactured portions of the LCD. [0011] The LPB 50 may provide several power supplies. In some embodiments, the LPB 50 may provide at least two power supplies: a first power supply which takes the inlet AC power from the user's premises and converts this to the low voltage DC required by the electronics (some of this power may be routed to the TCON 60 and video module 70 ) and a second power supply which drives the LEDs used in the backlight assembly. In other embodiments, there may be an auxiliary power supply (in addition to the first and second) which may send the current required by any other miscellaneous electronics. In some embodiments, the first or second power supply may actually contain more than one physical power brick or supply assembly. [0012] The AC power input 90 may establish communication with the AC power at the location and conduction line 92 may deliver the power to the LPB 50 . As taught further below, it may be preferable to also include an AC power outlet such that a second (or third etc.) electronic display can draw power through the first display (so that connecting each display to the local AC power individually is not necessary). Another power conduction line 30 may be used to transfer power from the LPB to the TCON 60 . A signal conduction line 25 may be used to transfer various electronic signals back-and-forth between the LPB 50 and the TCON 60 . [0013] A video input connection 75 may be provided on the LPB 50 for accepting incoming video data. A video output connection 76 may also be provided on the LPB 50 for allowing a video data output from the display. By using the video output connection 76 , several displays may be connected in ‘series’ or ‘daisy-chained’ so that overall cabling from the video source can be reduced. [0014] The TCON 60 may convert the differential video signals from the video module 70 into signals required to drive the rows and column circuits of the LCD cell. The TCON 60 may also provide motion compensation and interpolation to convert incoming signals from 60 Hz to 120 Hz, 240 Hz, or greater. The TCON 60 may also analyze the video data in order to dynamically dim the backlight. A board-edge connector 100 may be used to connect the TCON 60 with the video module 70 . The connector 100 may allow the TCON 60 to pass power to and receive video data from the video module 60 . [0015] A chassis 10 may be used to house the, sometimes mass-manufactured, display components (LCD, TCON, LPB, etc.) and may contain the mechanical features necessary to hold the video module 70 in place. An access opening may be provided in the chassis and sized to allow the video module 70 to pass through the chassis and attach to the TCON 60 . An access panel (preferably lockable) can be provided to cover the access opening so that the video module 70 can easily be accessed, even once the display has been placed in the field. Chassis-mounted guides 80 may allow the video module 70 to accurately and repeatably plug into the TCON 60 . The guides 80 may be card guides if using a printed-circuit board or other thin substrate or may be drawer guides if using a different type of substrate. [0016] The video module 70 could be produced in a variety of formats with a number of different components and functions to meet the end-user's needs. Every video module 70 should pass video data to the TCON 60 . In addition, every video module 70 should have an edge connector 100 (or some form of blind-mate connector) that will connect the locally generated Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) video signal to the TCON 60 as well as pick up DC power from the LPB 50 (available through the TCON 60 ). Additionally, a pair of board extractors may allow the user to overcome any insertion or extraction forces presented by the board edge connector 100 . [0017] The video modules 70 may vary by the source of the video content and how ‘smart’ the onboard processor will be. There are a number of means for generating the LVDS for the TCON. Some video modules 70 may contain DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort inputs with basic processing capabilities. Other video modules 70 may contain wired Ethernet video over IP with a large set of processing features (status and setup information may be accessible via a wired Ethernet connection). Still other video modules 70 may contain wireless Ethernet video over IP with a large set of processing features (status and setup information may be accessible via wired or wireless Ethernet connections). Still other video modules 70 may contain high definition analog video via a coax connection (i.e. cable TV) with basic processing features. Still other video modules 70 may contain an embedded video player where the content to the player can be uploaded with a wired Ethernet connection. [0018] It should be noted that the video module 70 can take on many forms. In some embodiments, the module may be a printed circuit boards with the various components mounted to the board and electrical conduction lines built into one or more layers of the board. Alternatively, the module may simply provide a structure (ex. plate or drawer or substrate) for mounting several components, but this structure may not actually comprise a printed circuit board. Thus, components may be mounted or bolted to the structure and the electrical connections may be provided by wires/harnesses and connectors rather than incorporated into a layer of the board. A similar type of board edge connector (or blind connector) can be used at the back of the plate or drawer to establish communication with the TCON 60 . [0019] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram for another embodiment which uses a video module 286 in addition to a power module 265 , which connect with a backplane 220 in order to communicate with each other as well as with the TCON 200 . The power module 265 may interface with guides 260 so that its connector 262 may line up with that of the backplane 220 when the power module 265 is inserted. Similarly, the video module 286 may interface with guides 285 so that its connector 263 may line up with the backplane 220 when the video module 286 is inserted. The guides 260 and 285 may be fixed to the chassis 205 (or some other portion of the display) which contains the various components and adds structure for securing various assemblies. Access openings may be provided in the chassis 205 and sized to allow the video module 286 or power module 265 to pass through the chassis 205 and attach to the backplane 220 . [0020] The power module 265 preferably includes an offline AC power supply which converts AC power from the location to the low voltage DC power typically required by on-board electronics and a DC power supply which provides power to the backlight. Some embodiments may also include an auxiliary power supply which may provide the current for the video module 286 (which is preferably transferred through the backplane 220 ). An exemplary embodiment contains a power input connection 270 as well as a power output connection 271 on the power module 265 . The power output connection 271 allows for multiple displays to be wired in ‘series’ or ‘daisy-chained’ so as to reduce the amount of cabling needed. An alternative embodiment would place the power input connection ( 270 ) anywhere within the display and simply provide electrical communication with the backplane 220 so that the input power could be routed to the power module 265 . The power output connection could also be placed anywhere within the display and simply provide communication with the backplane 220 . [0021] The backplane 220 may comprise a printed circuit board with interfacing connectors to the connectors for the power module 265 and video module 286 (as well as the various other electrical communications/connections described herein). The backplane 220 preferably includes conduction lines which allow power from the power module 265 to travel to the TCON 200 (ultimately through power conduction line 250 ). The backplane 220 may also contain conduction lines which provide power to the video module 286 . Preferably, the backplane 220 also provides the power to the backlight through the conduction line 290 . [0022] The video module 286 preferably includes a video input connection 280 as well as an optional video output connection 281 . Again, the video output connection 281 allows for several displays to be connected in ‘series’ or ‘daisy-chained.’ Alternatively, the video input connection ( 280 ) could be placed anywhere within the display and simply provide electrical communication with the backplane 220 so that the input video signal could be routed to the video module 286 . The video output connection 281 could also be placed anywhere within the display and simply provide electrical communication with the backplane 220 . [0023] The connector 263 should preferably provide power from the backplane 220 to the various components of the video module 286 . The connector 263 should also allow the video module 286 to output the video signal (preferably Low Voltage Differential Signaling—LVDS) to the backplane 220 and ultimately to the TCON 200 through a video signal conduction line 252 . Once the video data is sent through the conduction line 252 to the TCON 200 , it may be used to drive the row and column circuits on the LCD. As known in the art, the TCON 200 may also provide various motion compensation and interpolation to convert the incoming signal frequency to the desired frequency for the LCD (i.e. converting 60 Hz to 120 or 240 Hz). In an exemplary embodiment, the TCON 200 would analyze the incoming video data to produce the information necessary to control (i.e. dynamically dim) the backlight. Thus, resulting signals for the backlight may travel through the backlight signal conduction line 254 and connect through the backplane 220 to the power module 265 . The signals for the backlight may then be used to direct the DC power supply as to the precise power for the backlight. This precise power information would then preferably be transferred to the backplane 220 where it is sent to the backlight through the conduction line 290 . [0024] The video module 286 may also contain an optional speaker 267 and accompanying audio amplifier. Another corresponding speaker 266 may be placed within the power module 265 and receive its signal from the audio amplifier through the power module's 265 connection 262 with the backplane 220 . Thus, modules can be designed for end users who desire sound reproduction or prefer no sound production. Later users can also upgrade to sound production even if initially there was none. [0025] Similar to the embodiments described above, the video module 286 may vary widely, depending on the source of the video content and how ‘smart’ the onboard processor will be. There are a number of means for generating the LVDS for the TCON. Some video modules 286 may contain DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort inputs with basic processing capabilities. Other video modules 286 may contain wired Ethernet video over IP with a large set of processing features (status and setup information may be accessible via a wired Ethernet connection). Still other video modules 286 may contain wireless Ethernet video over IP with a large set of processing features (status and setup information may be accessible via wired or wireless Ethernet connections). Still other video modules 286 may contain high definition analog video via a coax connection (i.e. cable TV) with basic processing features. Still other video modules 286 may contain an embedded video player where the content to the player can be uploaded with a wired Ethernet connection. [0026] It should be noted that the video module 286 and the power module 265 can take on many forms. In some embodiments, the modules may be printed circuit boards with the various components mounted to the board and electrical conduction lines built into one or more layers of the board. Alternatively, the modules may simply provide a structure (ex. plate or drawer) for mounting several components, but this structure may not actually comprise a printed circuit board. Thus, components may be mounted or bolted to the structure and the electrical connections may be provided by wires/harnesses and connectors rather than incorporated into a layer of the board. A similar type of blind connector can be used at the back of the plate or drawer to establish communication with the backplane 220 . Using a mounting structure rather than a printed circuit board may allow different types of guides 260 and 285 to be used and may provide a more robust design. Thus, larger or more sensitive components could be mounted directly to the mounting structure and remain secure during install/removal and operation. [0027] An exemplary embodiment may provide a board extractor for the video module 286 or power module 265 or both. An extractor may be used to allow the user to overcome any insertion or extraction force presented by the connectors 262 and 263 . [0028] The exemplary embodiments herein permit a unitary design for the LCD/TCON to be mass manufactured while video (and sometimes power) modules can later be designed/installed in a fast and efficient manner depending on the customer's requirements. Once in use, the modules can also be easily replaced/serviced/upgraded while the device remains in the field. [0029] Having shown and described preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will realize that many variations and modifications may be made to affect the described embodiments and still be within the scope of the claimed invention. Additionally, many of the elements indicated above may be altered or replaced by different elements which will provide the same result and fall within the spirit of the claimed invention. It is the intention, therefore, to limit the invention only as indicated by the scope of the claims.

A modular electrical system for controlling a liquid crystal display (LCD) contained within a chassis. The system may include a backplane in communication with a power module and video module through connectors on the back plane and respective connectors on the modules. The system may also include a timing and control board (TCON) that is in communication with the backplane via conduction lines that are provided to carry power, video signals, etc., to the TCON. Guides may be provided to ensure proper alignment of the power module and video module with the backplane. In some embodiments, the power module and video module may include input and output connectors that facilitate connection of multiple displays in a daisy chain fashion.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/478,249, filed: Apr. 22, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD [0002] The present technology relates generally to the field of mounting apparatuses for toilet seats, and in particular, toilet seat mounting devices that include a deformable bushing or grommet and a set screw. BACKGROUND [0003] Toilet seats are typically mounted to a toilet with a bolt and nut. The bolt extends through an opening in the toilet bowl flange and engages a nut on the other side. The opening in the toilet bowl flange is typically larger than the diameter of the bolt and the toilet seat is held in place by the clamping force between the bolt and the nut. Over time, as the bolt loosens, the toilet seat may begin to slide and shift due to the space or “play” between the bolt and the opening. [0004] It would be advantageous to provide an improved apparatus for mounting a toilet seat to a toilet that reduces the likelihood that the toilet seat will loosen over time. SUMMARY [0005] In one aspect, a mounting apparatus is provided for coupling a toilet seat hinge to a toilet flange. The mounting apparatus includes a bolt with a proximal end comprising an upper flange and threaded distal end, a nut with a threaded opening that receives the threaded distal end of the bolt and a plurality of radial openings, and a set screw. The radial openings extend from a first end proximate to the threaded opening to a second end on the outer periphery of the nut. The set screw is received in one of the radial openings. The set screw contacts the threaded distal end of the bolt. [0006] In another aspect, a mounting apparatus is provided for coupling a toilet seat hinge to a toilet flange. The mounting apparatus includes a bolt with a proximal end including an upper flange and a threaded distal end, a nut with a threaded opening, and a bushing disposed in an opening in the toilet flange. The bushing forms an interference fit with the toilet flange. [0007] In another aspect, a method is provided for coupling a toilet seat hinge to a toilet flange with an aperture. The method includes providing a bolt on one side of the toilet flange such that the bolt extends through the aperture and providing a nut on the side of the toilet flange opposite of the bolt. The bolt includes a threaded end. The nut includes at least one opening for a set screw. The method further includes engaging the nut with the bolt such that toilet seat hinge is between the bolt and the toilet flange and providing a set screw in the opening. The set screw provides a pressure on the threaded end of the bolt. The method may further include providing a bushing in an opening in the toilet flange and forming an interference fit between the bushing and the toilet flange by tightening the nut to deform the bushing [0008] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are illustrative and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, appended claims, and the accompanying illustrative embodiments shown in the drawings, which are briefly described below. [0010] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an apparatus for coupling a toilet seat hinge to a toilet, according to an illustrative embodiment. [0011] FIG. 2A is an isometric view of a deformable bushing for the apparatus of FIG. 1 , according to another illustrative embodiment. [0012] FIG. 2B is a side view of the bushing of FIG. 2A . [0013] FIG. 2C is an isometric view of a deformable bushing for the apparatus of FIG. 1 , according to another illustrative embodiment. [0014] FIG. 2D is a side view of the bushing of FIG. 2C . [0015] FIG. 2E is an isometric view of a deformable bushing for the apparatus of FIG. 1 , according to another illustrative embodiment. [0016] FIG. 2F is a cross section of the bushing of FIG. 2E . [0017] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an apparatus for coupling a toilet seat hinge to a toilet, according to another illustrative embodiment. [0018] FIG. 4 is a cross section of the apparatus of FIG. 3 taken along line 4 - 4 . [0019] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an apparatus for coupling a toilet seat hinge to a toilet, according to another illustrative embodiment. [0020] FIG. 6 is a cross section of the apparatus of FIG. 3 taken along line 6 - 6 . [0021] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross section of the apparatus hinge of FIG. 5 showing different profiles, according to various illustrative embodiments. [0022] FIG. 8 is an exploded view of an apparatus for coupling a toilet seat hinge to a toilet, according to another illustrative embodiment. [0023] FIG. 9A-9C are cross sections of the apparatus hinge of FIG. 8 taken along line 9 - 9 , showing different profiles according to several illustrative embodiments. [0024] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of an apparatus for coupling a toilet seat hinge to a toilet including a nut with an integrally formed bushing member, according to another illustrative embodiment. [0025] FIGS. 11A-11D are isometric views of a nut of the apparatus of FIG. 10 , according to several illustrative embodiment. [0026] FIG. 12 is a cross-section of the nut of FIG. 11D shown coupled to a toilet bowl flange, according to an illustrative embodiment. [0027] FIGS. 13A-13E are isometric views of a nut with openings for a set screw, according to several illustrative embodiments. [0028] FIGS. 14A-14C are isometric views of a wrench including frangible portions for installing an apparatus for coupling a toilet seat hinge to a toilet, according to several illustrative embodiments. [0029] FIGS. 15A-15D are isometric views of a wrench head with frangible portions being driven with various devices, according to several illustrative embodiments. [0030] FIG. 16 is an isometric view of a toilet showing a nut of FIGS. 13A-13E being used in several locations, according to an illustrative embodiment. [0031] FIG. 17 is an isometric view of a nut with a set screw for coupling a toilet tank to a toilet bowl, according to an illustrative embodiment. [0032] FIG. 18 is an isometric view of a nut with a set screw for coupling a toilet bowl to a floor, according to an illustrative embodiment. [0033] FIG. 19 is a cross-section of the nut of FIG. 18 , taken along line 19 - 19 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0034] Referring generally to the figures, a mounting apparatus configured to couple a hinge for a toilet seat to a toilet is shown. In one embodiment, the mounting apparatus includes a bolt, a nut, and a bushing member provided in the opening in the toilet bowl flange. As the bolt and the nut are tightened, they compress the bushing member, causing it to increase in diameter and fill the opening in the toilet bowl flange. This increases the stability of the toilet seat and reduces the likelihood that it will loosen over time. In another embodiment, the mounting apparatus includes a bolt, a nut, and a set screw that is received in an opening in the nut. After the bolt has been tightened to secure the toilet seat to the toilet, the set screw is tightened until it contacts the threaded portion of the bolt. This contact restricts the motion of the nut and reduces the likelihood that it will back off of the bolt over time. The toilet seat mounting apparatus may be used in residential or commercial restrooms. [0035] Referring to FIG. 1 , a mounting apparatus 20 is shown, according to an illustrative embodiment. The mounting apparatus 20 couples a hinge 22 for a toilet seat to a toilet bowl flange 26 . The flange 26 extends inwardly around the rim of the bowl of the toilet and includes at least one aperture 28 . [0036] The apparatus 20 includes a bolt 30 , a nut 40 , a bushing 50 , and a set screw 60 . The bolt 30 is received within the aperture 28 . The bolt 30 is a threaded member that engages the threaded nut 40 provided on the opposite side of the flange 26 . The bushing 50 is received in the aperture 28 . Through the interconnection of the bolt 30 , the hinge 22 , and the nut 40 , the toilet seat may be coupled to toilet bowl flange 26 . [0037] The bolt 30 includes an upper portion with an upper flange 32 and a threaded end 34 . The aperture 28 has a diameter that is larger than the threaded end 34 of the bolt 30 , but smaller than the diameter of the upper flange 32 . The upper flange 32 of the bolt 30 may be received in a recess 24 in the hinge 22 . A cover 25 may be provided to conceal the upper flange 32 . [0038] The nut 40 includes an upper flange 41 and a threaded opening 42 that is configured to receive the threaded end 34 of the bolt 30 . Once engaged with the bolt 30 , the nut 40 may be tightened to advance threaded end 34 in threaded opening 42 . The nut may be tightened using a wrench 70 , described below. After being tightened, the set screw 60 may be coupled to the nut 40 . [0039] The bushing 50 is a deformable member with a central opening 52 through which the threaded end 34 of the bolt 30 may pass. According to various embodiments, the bushing 50 may be formed of a resilient material (e.g., rubber, latex, etc.) or may be a rigid material such as a polymer (e.g., nylon, polypropylene, poly ethylene, etc.). [0040] Referring in general to FIGS. 1-7 , according to several illustrative embodiments, the bushing 50 may be a separate element. The bushing 50 is sized such that it may be placed in the aperture 28 and may have a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter if the aperture 28 . The advancement of the bolt 30 compresses the bushing 50 between the hinge 22 and the upper flange 41 of the nut 40 . The compression causes the diameter of the bushing 50 to increase, forcing at least a portion of the outer periphery 54 of the bushing 50 to contact the flange 26 around the aperture 28 and form an interference fit between the bushing 50 and the toilet bowl flange 26 . This eliminates the gap that is exists between the threaded end 34 of the bolt 30 and the outer diameter of the aperture 28 . The compressed bushing 50 therefore eliminates most or all of the “play” for the toilet seat that may otherwise develop as the threaded connection between the bolt 30 and the nut 40 loosens. Axis 4 generally defines the arrangement of the above components. [0041] Referring to FIGS. 3-4 , according to another illustrative embodiment, the nut 40 may include a projection 44 (e.g., ring, ridge, extension, collar, etc.) that extends from the upper flange 41 . The projection 44 surrounds the threaded opening 42 and has a diameter less than the diameter of the aperture 28 . As the threaded connection between the bolt 30 and the nut 40 is tightened, the projection 44 is received in the aperture 28 to compress the bushing 50 . The hinge 22 may include a corresponding projection 23 that extends downward into the aperture 28 to compress the bushing 50 . [0042] Referring now to FIGS. 5-7 , according to another illustrative embodiment, the projection 44 of the nut 40 may nest inside the bushing 50 to compress it outward instead of compressing it in a vertical direction, as shown in FIGS. 3-4 . The projection 44 may have an inclined, cone-shaped outer surface that is received in a similarly shaped central opening 52 of the bushing 50 . As the threaded connection between the bolt 30 and the nut 40 is tightened, the projection 44 is received in the central opening 52 and forces the bushing 50 to expand outward. Axis 6 generally defines the arrangement of the above components. Referring to FIG. 7 , according to various illustrative embodiments, the bushing 50 may include one or more ridges 56 about the outer periphery 54 . [0043] Referring now to FIGS. 8-9C , according to another illustrative embodiment, the bushing 50 may be a resilient member integrally formed with the nut 40 . The nut 40 may include a projection 44 (e.g., ring, ridge, extension, collar, etc.) that extends from the upper flange 41 similar to the projection described above. The projection 44 surrounds the threaded opening 42 and has a diameter less than the diameter of the aperture 28 . The bushing 50 is integrally formed around the projection 44 , such as by a co-molding process. The bushing 50 may have an outer diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the aperture 28 . As the nut 40 is inserted into the aperture 28 , the bushing 50 is compressed to form an interference fit with the toilet bowl flange 26 . Axis 9 generally defines the arrangement of the above components. Referring to FIGS. 9A-9C , the co-molded bushing 50 may include one or more outwardly extending ridges 56 or one or more grooves 58 . [0044] Referring now to FIGS. 10-12 , according to another illustrative embodiment, the bushing 50 may be a rigid member integrally formed with the nut 40 . The bushing 50 extends from the upper flange 41 and surrounds the threaded opening 42 . The bushing 50 may include a main body with an outer diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the aperture 28 and outwardly extending projections 55 (e.g., collapsible elements, etc.) that are larger than the diameter of the aperture 28 . As the nut 40 is inserted into the aperture 28 , the projections 55 are compressed or otherwise distorted to form an interference fit with the toilet bowl flange 26 . Referring to FIG. 10 , in one embodiment the projections 55 may be large, coarse threads that spiral around the bushing 50 . Referring to FIG. 11A , in another embodiment the projections 55 may be a multitude of horizontal tabs. Referring to FIG. 11B , in another embodiment the projections 55 may be a single, continuous flange. Referring to FIG. 11C , in another embodiment the projections 55 may be a multitude of vertical tabs. Referring to FIGS. 11D-12 , in another embodiment, the bushing 50 may lack deformable projections 55 . Instead, the main body of the bushing 50 may be configured to be crushed or deformed as the threaded connection between the bolt 30 and the nut 40 is tightened. As the bushing 50 is crushed, at least a portion of the bushing 50 contact the flange 26 around the aperture 28 and form an interference fit between the bushing 50 and the toilet bowl flange 26 . [0045] Referring now to FIGS. 13A-13E , the nut 40 is shown in more detail according to several illustrative embodiments. The nut 40 includes multiple (e.g. more than one) radial openings 46 (e.g., shafts, bores, holes, etc.). The radial openings 46 extend from the outer surface of the nut 40 to the threaded opening 42 . The radial openings 46 may extend all the way through to the threaded opening 42 or may be separated from the threaded opening 42 by a thin wall 47 (see FIG. 4 ). The radial openings 46 may be threaded or non-threaded openings. A set screw 60 is received in one of the radial openings 46 . After the apparatus 20 is installed (i.e., the nut 40 has engaged the bolt 30 and has been tightened), the set screw 60 is advanced into the radial opening 46 until it contacts the threaded end 34 of the bolt 30 . The set screw 60 may contact the threaded end 34 directly or may compress the wall 47 against the threaded end 34 . The contact between the set screw 60 and the threaded end 34 impedes the rotation of the bolt 30 and/or nut 40 and reduces the likelihood that the threaded connection between the bolt 30 and the nut 40 will loosen. [0046] The radial openings 46 are inclined relative to the horizontal plane (i.e., the plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the threaded opening 42 when the nut 40 is installed). It may be difficult to install a set screw 60 in a horizontal radial opening, as there may be little clearance below the toilet bowl flange 26 , making the use tools such as a screwdriver difficult. Inclined radial openings 46 therefore facilitate the installation of the set screw 60 . Thus, in some embodiments, the radial openings 46 are inclined at an angle of from about 1° to about 60° relative to the longitudinal axis of the threaded opening. [0047] By providing multiple radial openings 46 instead of a single radial opening 46 for the set screw 60 , it is more likely that after the bolt 30 and the nut 40 have been tightened, one of the radial openings 46 will be directed away from the toilet bowl and easily accessible for the installation of the set screw 60 . [0048] The nut 40 is configured to have an increased cross-section around the radial openings 46 . The increased cross-section gives more material for the threaded set screw 60 to engage, allowing a greater torque to be applied to the set screw 60 . Referring to FIG. 13A-13D , in some embodiments the nut 40 may include radial openings 46 in a boss 48 that extends around the entirety of the nut 40 . The nut 40 may have a reduced diameter between the boss 48 and the flange 41 ( FIG. 13A ). Referring to FIG. 13E , in other embodiments, the nut 40 may include separate bosses 48 for each of the radial openings 46 . [0049] According to one illustrative embodiment, the set screw 60 is a self-tapping set screw. In other illustrative embodiments, the set screw 60 may be any other suitable threaded member, such as a non-self-tapping screw, a bolt, a thumb screw. [0050] Referring now to FIGS. 14A-14C , a wrench 70 for tightening the fastening members for a toilet seat is shown according to an illustrative embodiment. The wrench 70 is configured to be a disposable tool with break-away ends 72 . Referring to FIGS. 14A-14B , in some embodiments the ends 72 are coupled to a handle portion 74 by a frangible portion 76 . The ends 72 may be closed ends or open ends. Referring to FIG. 14C , in another embodiment the end 72 may be an open end, with a frangible portion 76 at the base of each arm 73 . [0051] To properly fasten a toilet seat cover to the toilet, the threaded fasteners are generally configured to be tightened to a specified torque. The frangible portions 76 are configured to break once they have been used to apply a specified torque to the fastener. If the wrench has two ends 72 , the wrench 70 may be used to tighten two fasteners to the pre-determined torque. Thus, in operation, the wrench is used to secure the nut, and one the pre-determined torque is attained, the frangible portion fractures and no further torque may be applied to the nut with the wrench. [0052] According to one illustrative embodiment, the frangible portions 76 comprise portions of the handle 74 with a reduced cross-sectional area. In other embodiments, the frangible portions may be achieved through other means, such as scoring, chemical treatment, or the use of different materials. [0053] According to an illustrative embodiment, the wrench 70 is formed from a polymer. [0054] Referring now to FIGS. 15A-15D , a wrench 80 for tightening the fastening members for a toilet seat is shown according to another illustrative embodiment. Like the wrench 70 described above, the wrench 80 is configured to be a disposable tool including a break-away end 82 with frangible portions 86 . The wrench 80 lacks a handle portion. Instead, the end 82 includes a coupling portion 88 that is configured to receive another tool or device (e.g., a conventional wrench, a hex key, a conventional screwdriver, a rod, etc.). By eliminating the handle portion, less disposable material is needed to form the wrench 80 . The lack of a handle portion also reduces the size and weight of a packaged apparatus 20 including the wrench 80 . [0055] Referring now to FIGS. 16-19 , while the features have been described in relation to an apparatus for coupling a toilet seat to a toilet, they may be used for other applications, particularly with regard to the nut having inclined radial openings and/or the wrench with frangible portions. Their use should not be limited to toilet applications. Referring to FIG. 17 , according to one illustrative embodiment, a nut 40 with radial openings 46 for a set screw 60 may be utilized to couple a toilet bowl 90 to a toilet tank 92 . Referring to FIGS. 16 and 18 - 19 , according to another illustrative embodiment, a nut 40 with radial openings 46 for a set screw 60 may be utilized to couple the toilet bowl 90 to a floor 94 . A decorative cap 96 may be provided to conceal the nut 40 . Axis 19 generally defines the arrangement of the above components. A wrench with frangible portions (e.g., wrench 70 or wrench 80 ) may be utilized to tighten the nut 40 coupling the toilet bowl 90 to the toilet tank 92 or coupling the toilet bowl 90 to the floor 94 to a predetermined torque. [0056] While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. For example, although different example embodiments may have been described as including one or more features providing one or more benefits, it is contemplated that the described features may be interchanged with one another or alternatively be combined with one another in the described example embodiments or in other alternative embodiments. Because the technology of the present disclosure is relatively complex, not all changes in the technology are foreseeable. The present disclosure described with reference to the example is manifestly intended to be as broad as possible. For example, unless specifically otherwise noted a single particular element may also encompass a plurality of such particular elements. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention. [0057] It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the system as shown in the illustrative embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a certain number of embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. [0058] Further, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the assemblies may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connectors or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment or attachment positions provided between the elements may be varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the illustrative embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present subject matter.

A mounting apparatus for coupling a toilet seat hinge to a toilet flange includes a bolt with a proximal end including an upper flange and threaded distal end, a nut with a threaded opening that receives the threaded distal end of the bolt and a plurality of radial openings, and a set screw. The radial openings extend from a first end proximate to the threaded opening to a second end on the outer periphery of the nut. The set screw is received in one of the radial openings. The set screw provides a pressure to the threaded distal end of the bolt.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Technical Field [0002] The present invention relates to data caching, and more particularly, to compressed Internet data caching based on data contents. [0003] 2. Related Art [0004] Typically, from time to time, a client machine may request identical data using different URLs (Uniform Resource Locator). For example, a PC (personal computer) may request a first web page from a first website and later request a second web page from a second website, wherein the first and second web pages contain identical pieces of information (e.g., identical pictures). As a result, the same data will be sent to the PC twice, resulting in a waste of network bandwidth. [0005] As a result, there is a need for a method and structure, in which identical pieces of information at different URLs are sent to the client machine in a way that uses less network (internet) bandwidth than in the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] The present invention provides a method, comprising the steps of (a) sending, by a proxy server, a data request to a target server; and (b) in response to the proxy server receiving a first response portion of a data response from the target server, examining, by the proxy server, the first response portion so as to determine whether a data storage device contains a copy of the data response. [0007] The present invention also provides a computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm adapted to implement a method for data transfer, said method comprising the steps of (a) sending, by a proxy server, a data request to a target server; and (b) in response to the proxy server receiving a first response portion of a data response from the target server, examining, by the proxy server, the first response portion so as to determine whether a data storage device contains a copy of the data response. [0008] The present invention also provides a method for deploying computing infrastructure, comprising integrating computer-readable code into a computing system, wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing the steps of (a) sending, by a proxy server, a data request to a target server; and (b) in response to the proxy server receiving a first response portion of a data response from the target server, examining, by the proxy server, the first response portion so as to determine whether a data storage device contains a copy of the data response. [0009] The present invention also provides method, comprising the steps of (a) sending, by a proxy server, a data request to a target server, (b) in response to the target server receiving the data request, sending, by the target server, a data packet of a data response to the proxy server, {circle around (c)} in response to the proxy server receiving the data packet, examining, by the proxy server, a header of the data packet so as to determine whether the data response is of a compressed graphic format; (d) in response to the proxy server determining that the data response is of the compressed graphic format, examining, by the proxy server, the header so as to determine whether the data response comprises more than one packet; and (e) in response to the proxy server determining that the data response comprises more than one packet, examining, by the proxy server, a data portion of the data packet so as to determine whether a data storage device contains a copy of the data response. [0010] The present invention also provides a method and structure, in which identical pieces of information at different URLs are sent to a client machine in a way that uses less network (internet) bandwidth than in the prior art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a system, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0012] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of a method for operating the system of FIG. 1 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0013] FIG. 3A illustrates a packet that can be transmitted in the system of FIG. 1 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0014] FIG. 3B illustrates a look-up table that can be used with the system of FIG. 1 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0015] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a proxy server of the system of FIG. 1 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0016] File (or data) compression is an art of substituting long, repeating sequences of bytes in the file by a short reference to a dictionary. The short reference to the dictionary is referred to as the compressed file. The inventors of the present invention have observed that if two beginning portions of two well-compressed files are identical, the two well-compressed files are also identical. “Well compressed” means data cannot be substantially compressed any further. For instance, a JPEG file is well-compressed (JPEG is a digital image format from Joint Photographic Experts Group). In other words, the inventors of the present invention finds that a beginning portion of a well-compressed file can uniquely and correctly identify the entire well-compressed file. As a result, the present invention can be generally stated in a context of a communication between a proxy server and a target server as follows. When the proxy server receives only a beginning portion of a response from the target server, the proxy server can determine whether the response is a well-compressed file. If so, the proxy server can use the beginning portion to search in a look-up table to determine whether the proxy server contains a cached copy of the response. If so, the proxy server can terminate communication with the target server and therefore save connection bandwidth of the network connection between the target server and the proxy server. Different embodiments of the present invention will be discussed infra. [0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The system 100 can illustratively comprise a target server 110 , an interconnect network (e.g., the internet) 120 , a proxy server 130 , and a client machine 140 . FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of a method 200 for operating the system 100 of FIG. 1 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. [0018] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the method 200 can start with a step 210 in which the client machine 140 sends a data request to the proxy server 130 . The data request specifically indicates the target server 110 as the destination of the data request. [0019] Next, in step 215 , in response to receiving the data request from the client machine 140 , the proxy server 130 forwards the data request to the target server 110 via the interconnect network 120 . [0020] Next, in step 220 , in response to receiving the data request from the proxy server 130 , the target server 110 sends the first packet of the data response to the proxy server 130 via the interconnect network 120 . [0021] Next, in step 225 , in response to receiving the first packet, the proxy server 130 determines whether the data response contains, illustratively, JPEG data. In one embodiment, the interconnect network 120 can comprise the internet, and the first packet conforms to the TCP/IP protocol (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). FIG. 3A illustrates one embodiment of the first packet (hereafter referred to the first packet 310 ). The first packet 310 can comprise a header 320 and a data portion 330 . The proxy server 130 can determine whether the data response contains JPEG data by examining a data type field 320 a of the header 320 of the first packet 310 . [0022] With reference back to FIGS. 1 and 2 , if the proxy server 130 determines that the data response does not contain JPEG data, the method 200 can proceed to step 235 . In step 235 , the data response can be sent from the target server 110 to the client machine 140 using any conventional process. For instance, in step 235 , the target server 110 can send the remainder of the data response to the proxy server 130 via the interconnect network 120 . Then, the proxy server 130 can forward the entire data response (i.e., the first packet and the remainder of the data response) to the client machine 140 . [0023] In step 225 , if the proxy server 130 determines that the data response contains JPEG data, the method 200 can proceed to step 230 . In step 230 , the proxy server 130 further determines whether the data response contains more than one packet. The proxy server 130 can determine whether the data response contains more than one packet by examining the data-length field 320 b ( FIG. 3A ) of the header 320 of the first packet 310 . [0024] If the proxy server 130 determines that the data response contains only one packet (i.e., the first packet), the method 200 can proceed to step 235 . In step 235 , the data response can be sent to the client machine 140 using any conventional process. For instance, the proxy server 130 can simply forward the entire data response (i.e., the first packet) to the client machine 140 . [0025] In step 230 , if the proxy server 130 determines that the data response contains more than one packet, the method 200 proceeds to step 240 . In step 240 , the proxy server 130 determines whether the proxy server 130 contains a cached copy of the data response by examining the first packet. [0026] More specifically, the proxy server 130 can maintain a look-up table 360 ( FIG. 3B ) which contains multiple entries. Each entry of the look-up table 360 ( FIG. 3B ) comprises a signature and an associated data response address of a data response which the proxy server 130 has earlier received and stored. The way in which the proxy server 130 builds and updates the look-up table 360 ( FIG. 3B ) will be described later. For now, in step 240 , the proxy server 130 can apply a Hash function to the first N bytes of the data portion of the first packet so as to generate a signature, wherein N is a pre-specified positive integer. N should not be too small, else there is a high likelihood of the proxy server 130 providing incorrect data response to the client machine 140 . In addition, N should not be larger than the maximum size of a packet less the header size. N can be in a range of 1,000 d-1,300 d (d=decimal). [0027] Next, the proxy server 130 can search the look-up table 360 ( FIG. 3B ) for any currently existing signature which is identical to the just generated signature. If there is a hit (i.e., match), the proxy server 130 can determine that the proxy server 130 already contains a cached copy of the data response. As a result, the proxy server 130 can send a communication termination message to the target server 110 (step 245 ) so as to terminate the communication between the proxy server 130 and the target server 110 , and thus prevent the target server from sending the subsequent packets of the data response, eventually saving the Internet bandwidth. Then, the proxy server 130 can send a cached copy of the data response (which the proxy server 130 has earlier stored) to the client machine 140 (step 255 ). [0028] For example, assume that the proxy server 130 finds that signature 1 in the look-up table 360 ( FIG. 3B ) is identical to the just generated signature (step 240 ). As a result, the proxy server 130 can determine that the proxy server 130 contains a cached copy of the data response. Then, the proxy server 130 can send the communication termination message to the target server 110 (step 245 ) and can send the associated data response 1 (stored at the data response 1 's address) to the client machine 140 (step 255 ). Here, the proxy server 130 provides the client machine 140 with a cached copy of the data response 1 without receiving the entire data response from the target server 110 via the interconnect network 120 . As a result, the bandwidth of the interconnect network 120 (or the internet 120 , in one embodiment) can be used for other communications. [0029] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the proxy server 130 of FIG. 1 . The proxy server 130 comprises a processor 91 , an input device 92 coupled to the processor 91 , an output device 93 coupled to the processor 91 , memory devices 94 and 95 each coupled to the processor 91 , a cache 81 coupled to the processor 91 , and network interfaces 82 a and 82 b each coupled to the processor 91 . [0030] In one embodiment, the cache 81 can be used to store the data responses which the proxy server 130 has received. The look-up table 360 ( FIG. 3B ) can be stored in the memory devices 94 and 95 or in the cache 81 . The input device 92 may be, inter alia, a keyboard, a mouse, etc. The output device 93 may be, inter alia, a printer, a plotter, a computer screen, a magnetic tape, a removable hard disk, a floppy disk, etc. The memory devices 94 and 95 may be, inter alia, a hard disk, a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, an optical storage such as a compact disc (CD) or a digital video disc (DVD), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), etc. The memory device 95 includes a computer code 97 . The computer code 97 includes an algorithm for performing the tasks of the proxy server 130 of FIG. 130 . The processor 91 executes the computer code 97 . The memory device 94 includes input data 96 . The input data 96 includes input required by the computer code 97 . The output device 93 displays output from the computer code 97 . Either or both memory devices 94 and 95 (or one or more additional memory devices not shown in FIG. 4 ) may be used as a computer usable medium (or a computer readable medium or a program storage device) having a computer readable program code embodied therein and/or having other data stored therein, wherein the computer readable program code comprises the computer code 97 . Generally, a computer program product (or, alternatively, an article of manufacture) of the proxy server 130 may comprise said computer usable medium (or said program storage device). [0031] While FIG. 4 shows the proxy server 130 as a particular configuration of hardware and software, any configuration of hardware and software, as would be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art, may be utilized for the purposes stated supra in conjunction with the particular proxy server 130 of FIG. 4 . For example, the memory devices 94 and 95 may be portions of a single memory device rather than separate memory devices. [0032] With reference back to FIGS. 1 and 2 , again in step 240 , if there is no match (i.e., all the currently existing signatures in the look-up table 360 ( FIG. 3B ) are different from the just generated signature), then the proxy server 130 can determine that the proxy server 130 does not contain a cached copy of the data response. Then, the proxy server 130 can receive the remainder of the data response from the target server 110 (step 250 ) and store the entire data response in, illustratively, its cache 430 ( FIG. 4 ). In addition, in step 250 , the proxy server 130 can update the look-up table 360 ( FIG. 3B ) by adding a new entry in the look-up table 360 ( FIG. 3B ). The signature field of the new entry can contain the just generated signature, and the data response address field of the new entry can contain the address of the data response in the cache 430 ( FIG. 4 ). Then, the proxy server 130 can send a copy of the data response to the client machine 140 (step 255 ). [0033] The embodiments above are for illustration only. In general, in response to receiving a data request from the proxy server 130 , the target server 110 can send only a portion of the requested data response to the proxy server 130 . The proxy server 130 then examines the portion of the data response to determine whether the proxy server 130 contains a cached copy of the data response. If the proxy server 130 determines that the proxy server 130 contains a cached copy of the data response, the proxy server 130 terminates communication with the target server 110 and sends a cached copy of the data response to the client machine 140 . If the proxy server 130 determines that the proxy server 130 does not contain a cached copy of the data response, then the proxy server 130 (a) receives the remainder of the data response from the target server 110 , (b) stores the entire data response, {circle around (c)} updates the look-up table 360 ( FIG. 3B ) accordingly, and (d) sends a copy of the data response to the client machine 140 . [0034] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. With reference to FIG. 1 , the proxy server 130 can be included in the client machine 140 . For instance, a PC (personal computer) running a web browser can utilize this embodiment. That is, if after receiving a portion of a web server's data response, the PC finds that the PC has a cached copy of the web server's data response, the PC can use the cached copy of the data response which the PC has earlier stored without downloading the entire data response from the web server via the internet. [0035] In the embodiments described above, the present invention may help save connection bandwidth if the data portions of the data response is in JPEG format (step 225 of FIG. 2 ). The present invention actually helps save connection bandwidth if the method 200 ( FIG. 2 ) proceeds through the steps 225 , 230 , 240 , 245 , and 255 . In general, the present invention may help save connection bandwidth if the data portions of the data response are in any data format in which a portion of the data response uniquely identifies the entire data response. This is the case when the data portion of the data response is of a compressed graphic format such as JPEG. A file is considered to be of a compressed graphic format if a portion of the file uniquely identifies the entire file. [0036] In the embodiments above, signatures are used in the look-up table 360 ( FIG. 3B ). Alternatively, any value that can be uniquely associated with the data response can be used. For instance, the M first bits (M being a positive integer) of the data portion of the first packet received from the target server 110 can be used to identify the associated data response stored by the proxy server 130 ( FIG. 1 ). Accordingly, each entry of the look-up table 360 ( FIG. 3B ) can comprise an M-first-bits field and a data response address field, wherein the M-first-bits field contains the M first bits of the data portion of the first packet of the associated data response. [0037] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, many modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to encompass all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

A novel method and structure in which data caching is based on data contents. The method comprises the steps of (a) sending a data request from a processing circuit to a target server; (b) in response to the target server receiving the data request, sending a first response portion of a data response from the target server to the processing circuit; and {circle around (c)} in response to the processing circuit receiving the first response portion, using the processing circuit to examine the first response portion so as to determine whether the processing circuit contains a copy of the data response; and (d) in response to the processing circuit determining that the processing circuit contains a copy of the data response, sending the copy of the data response from the processing circuit to a client machine.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS [0001] Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of the present disclosure. BACKGROUND [0002] Field [0003] The present disclosure relates to containers and, more particularly, to containers that are rotatable or spinnable without tipping that would cause the container's contents to spill. [0004] Description of Related Art [0005] Beverage containers currently exist that have uneven bases. Such containers can be made to wobble. However, the range of velocity that such containers can experience is quite limited because too much movement, too much speed, or both will cause these beverage containers to spill their contents. Others have attempted to mitigate the spilling problem with caps, braces, and heavier materials. However, these approaches do not provide an easily rotatable, elegant, and versatile container that is resistant to tipping or spilling. [0006] Accordingly, what is needed are containers that can be rotated without concern for tipping or excessive wobbling of the container that may cause the contents of the container to spill or that at least provide the public with a useful choice. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] In some configurations, a glass configured for stable spinning includes a base and a container wall extending upwardly from the base. The base and the container wall cooperate to define a central axis and a receptacle for receiving a liquid. A bottom surface of the base comprises a central axis feature positioned about a central axis of the glass and a lateral feature positioned proximate an outer edge of the bottom surface of the base a radial distance from the central axis. The lateral feature encircles the base. The central axis feature extends below a plane defined by the lateral feature by an offset distance such that the glass rests on the central axis feature when placed on a flat surface and the lateral feature contacts the flat surface when the glass is tilted. The offset distance is between 0.05 mm and 0.15 mm and a ratio of the radial distance to the lateral feature to the offset distance is between 200:1 and 1000:1. [0008] In some configurations, an interior surface of the container wall comprises at least one aeration feature that extends in a circumferential direction of the container wall. [0009] In some configurations, the at least one aeration feature comprises a first aeration feature and a second aeration feature. [0010] In some configurations, a first plane defined by the first aeration feature is angled relative to a second plane defined by the second aeration feature. [0011] In some configurations, both the first plane and the second plane are angled relative to an upper edge of the container wall. [0012] In some configurations, the at least one aeration feature extends uninterrupted around the container wall. [0013] In some configurations, the base is circular or polygonal in shape. [0014] In some configurations, a glass configured for stable spinning includes a base and a container wall extending upwardly from the base. The base and the container wall cooperate to define a central axis and a receptacle for receiving a liquid. A bottom surface of the base comprises a central axis feature positioned about a central axis of the glass and a lateral feature positioned proximate an outer edge of the bottom surface of the base a radial distance from the central axis. The lateral feature encircles the base. The central axis feature extends below a plane defined by the lateral feature by an offset distance such that the glass rests on the central axis feature when placed on a flat surface and the lateral feature contacts the flat surface when the glass is tilted. A portion of the central axis feature that intersects the plane of the lateral feature defines a projection diameter, wherein a ratio of a diameter of the lateral feature to the projection diameter is between 10:1 and 40:1. [0015] In some configurations, an interior surface of the container wall comprises at least one aeration feature that extends in a circumferential direction of the container wall. [0016] In some configurations, the at least one aeration feature comprises a first aeration feature and a second aeration feature. [0017] In some configurations, a first plane defined by the first aeration feature is angled relative to a second plane defined by the second aeration feature. [0018] In some configurations, both the first plane and the second plane are angled relative to an upper edge of the container wall. [0019] In some configurations, the projection diameter is between 3 mm and 5 mm. [0020] In some configurations, the base is circular or polygonal in shape. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0021] References will be made to embodiments of the invention, examples of which may be illustrated in the accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Although the invention is generally described in the context of these embodiments, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these particular embodiments. It shall be noted that the figures may not be depicted to scale. [0022] FIG. 1A depicts a perspective view of a container according to embodiments of the present invention. [0023] FIG. 1B depicts the base view of the container of FIG. 1A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0024] FIG. 2 depicts a section view and a side view of the container of FIG. 1A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0025] FIG. 3A depicts a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a container according to embodiments of the present invention. [0026] FIG. 3B depicts the base view of the container of FIG. 3A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0027] FIG. 4 depicts a section view and a side view of the container of FIG. 3A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0028] FIG. 5 depicts additional section views and side views of embodiments of containers according to embodiments of the present invention. [0029] FIG. 6 depicts additional perspective views of alternative embodiments of containers according to embodiments of the present invention. [0030] FIG. 7A depicts a perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of a container according to embodiments of the present invention. [0031] FIG. 7B depicts the base view of the container of FIG. 7A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0032] FIG. 8 depicts a section view and a side view of the container of FIG. 7A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0033] FIG. 9A depicts a perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of a container according to embodiments of the present invention. [0034] FIG. 9B depicts the base view of the container of FIG. 9A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0035] FIG. 10 depicts a section view and a side view of the container of FIG. 9A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0036] FIG. 11 depicts additional section views and side views of embodiments of containers according to embodiments of the present invention. [0037] FIG. 12 depicts additional perspective views of alternative embodiments of containers according to embodiments of the present invention. [0038] FIG. 13A depicts a perspective view of an octagonal-based container according to embodiments of the present invention. [0039] FIG. 13B depicts the base view of the octagonal-based container of FIG. 13A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0040] FIG. 14 depicts a section view and a side view of the octagonal-based container of FIG. 13A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0041] FIG. 15 depicts the octagonal-based container flared out according to embodiments of the present invention. [0042] FIG. 16 depicts a section view and a side view of a pentagonal-based container according to embodiments of the present invention. [0043] FIG. 17 depicts a side view of a container that includes at least one indicator according to embodiments of the present invention. [0044] FIG. 18 depicts a perspective view of a container having at least one aeration feature. [0045] FIG. 19 depicts a sectional view of the container of FIG. 18 taken along line 19 - 19 of FIG. 18 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0046] In the following description, for purposes of explanation, specific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of embodiments of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced without these details. Furthermore, one skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the present invention, described below, may be implemented in a variety of ways. [0047] Reference in the specification to “one embodiment,” “preferred embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “embodiments” means that a particular feature, structure, characteristic or function described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment and may be in more than one embodiment. Also, the appearances of the above noted phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or embodiments. [0048] The use of certain terms in various places in the specification is for illustration and should not be construed as limiting. The terms “include,” “including,” “comprise,” and “comprising” shall be understood to be open terms, and in any lists, the listed items are examples and are not meant to be limiting to only the listed items. Any headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and shall not be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. A. General Overview [0049] Presented herein are embodiments of a container that does not topple, without excessive force, despite being designed to rotate about a central axis. In embodiments, the container may be made any material, including but not limited to plastic, glass, wood, metal, and the like, and may accommodate variety of payload in the receptacle of the container, including but not limited to liquids and solids. [0050] In embodiments, prevention of tipping may be achieved by the container having a ratio of a base radius to its central axis height being within a range of approximately 1:2 to 1:5. In some embodiments, the value of ratio of distances between centers of the central axis feature and a lateral feature to the difference between their heights being within a range of approximately 50:1 to 1000:1, approximately 200:1 to 1000:1 or approximately 275:1. In some embodiments, the ratio of the base's lower surface area and a projection area of the central axis feature being within a range of approximately 200:1 to 800:1, approximately 400:1 to 750:1, or approximately 395:1. It shall be noted that, while the above-identified ratios work well m producing a container that is stable when rotated, one skilled in the art shall recognize that numerous other ratios may be used to similar effect. It shall also be noted that the central axis feature, lateral feature(s), and the container may be shaped in almost any way and constructed using almost any material. B. Exemplary Embodiments [0051] Presented herein are some embodiments provided by way of example only and not by way of limitation. One skilled in the art shall recognize other embodiments, which fall within the spirit and scope of the present patent document, may also be made. [0052] FIG. 1A (“ FIG. 1A ”) depicts a perspective view of a container according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 1B depicts the base view of the container of FIG. 1A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0053] As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B , the container 100 comprises a receptacle portion 105 for receiving a payload, such a liquid or solid, and a base 110 . In embodiments, the container has a central axis 115 about which it can rotate. [0054] Turning now to FIG. 2 depicts a section view 200 and a side view 250 of the container of FIG. 1A according to embodiments of the present invention. In embodiments, the rotational container comprises a central axis feature on the base (e.g., base rotation area 215 ) upon which the container 200 may easily rotate, and one or more lateral features 240 on the base to provide stability. As shown in the FIG. 2 , the container 200 includes a hollowed portion, otherwise known as the container storage area 245 or receptacle, sits above and is attached to the base, which comprises the rotation feature 215 and the lateral feature 240 . In embodiments, the central axis feature 215 is a center of balance for the container. [0055] In embodiments, the container rotates about its central axis 210 on the base rotation feature 215 and is stabilized by the lateral features 240 , as well as by the proportionality and structural quality of these features. In embodiments, the container's stability when rotating may be achieved by maintaining an appropriate ratio of the base's radius 225 to the central axis fixture's height 220 (e.g., a ratio around 1:2 to 1:5) and with a base possessing at least one lateral feature 240 of lesser height (e.g., height 235 ) than the central base rotation feature 215 . It shall be noted that since the lateral feature extends around the base, in a cross-section of the container, it may be thought of as being two lateral features. However, it shall also be noted that there may be additional or different lateral features present at or near the base to provide stability. In such embodiments, the lateral features may be located at equal distances from the central axis feature 215 or may be at different distances. [0056] In embodiments, the ratio of the surface area between the base rotation area 215 and the overall base (e.g., area calculated using the base radius 225 ) of the container may be around 1:25. [0057] Furthermore, in embodiments, the height 235 of the central axis feature 215 in relation to the lateral feature 240 may be in the range of 0.05-0.15 mm when the base size (e.g., the base diameter) is within 20-100 mm. [0058] In embodiments, good rotation is achieved when the container also has appropriately set base and lateral features for the container and an appropriate center of gravity when loaded. Such a container will rotate about the axis using the base rotational feature (e.g., feature 215 ) and using the lateral feature(s) (e.g., feature 240 ) for stability. [0059] When a container processes these proportions, each of the central axis feature, the lateral feature or features, and the container structure groupings may be different shapes. Furthermore, when these proportions are present, the material or materials of the container may vary; however, the more uniform and solid the material, the more the proportions are likely to be maintained under load. [0060] Turning now to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B , depicted is a perspective view and a base view, respectively, of an alternative embodiment of a container 300 . As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B , the container 300 comprises a central axis 315 about which it may rotate and a hollowed portion/container storage area 305 that sits above and is attached to a base 310 . As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the base 310 comprises the base rotation feature 415 and lateral features 445 . Also illustrated in FIG. 3B is an approximation of the surface area 320 of the base feature 415 upon which the container rotates when on a supporting surface, and the surface area 325 of the lateral feature 445 , part or all of which may, at times, also contact the supporting surface to provide stability. [0061] FIG. 4 depicts a section view 400 and a side view 405 of the container of FIG. 3A according to embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4 , the lateral feature comprises a wave-like feature that extends from the base rotation area 415 , moves upward to a maximum lateral feature depth 440 , and then extends back downward to a height (i.e., the lateral feature height 435 ) that is still slightly above the base rotation area 415 . This height difference (i.e., the lateral feature height 435 ) allows the container to easily rotate about the central rotation point 415 but still provides stability from the lateral feature. In embodiments, the container may possess the same or similar ratios as previously described. [0062] FIG. 5 depicts additional section views and side views of embodiments of containers 500 according to embodiments of the present invention. [0063] FIG. 6 depicts additional perspective views of alternative embodiments of containers 600 according to embodiments of the present invention. [0064] Turning now to FIG. 7A , depicted is a perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of a container according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 7B depicts the base view of the container of FIG. 7A according to embodiments of the present invention. As previously noted, the container may take numerous shapes and sizes provided the base comprises a central rotation point and one or more lateral features for stability. It shall be noted that the shape of a container may be suited for particular purposes. For example, the prior embodiments of FIG. 3A may be well suited for serving whiskey; whereas, the shape of the container in FIG. 7A may be better suited for serving wines. [0065] As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B , the container 700 comprises a central axis 715 about which it may rotate and a hollowed portion/container storage area 705 that sits above and is attached to a base 710 . [0066] FIG. 8 depicts a section view 800 and a side view 805 of the container of FIG. 7A according to embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7 , the lateral feature 840 comprises a slope feature that extends from the base rotation area 815 to the edge of the container and is slightly above the base rotation area 815 . This height difference (i.e., the lateral feature height 835 ) allows the container to easily rotate about the central rotation point 815 but still provide stability from the lateral feature. In embodiments, the container may possess the same or similar ratios as previously described. [0067] FIG. 9A depicts a perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of a container according to embodiments of the present invention, and FIG. 9B depicts the base view of the container of FIG. 9A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0068] FIG. 10 depicts a section view 1000 and a side view 1005 of the container of FIG. 9A according to embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 10 , the lateral feature 1045 comprises a wave-like feature similar to that depicted and described above with respect to FIG. 4 . [0069] FIG. 11 depicts additional section views and side views of embodiments of containers 1100 according to embodiments of the present invention. [0070] FIG. 12 depicts additional perspective views of alternative embodiments of containers 1200 according to embodiments of the present invention. [0071] It shall be reiterated that the containers may take a variety of shapes and sizes, including that the base may vary from the container receptacle portion. Consider, for example, the embodiments shown in FIGS. 13A-16 . [0072] FIG. 13A depicts a perspective view of an octagonal-based container 1300 according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 13B depicts the base view of the octagonal-based container of FIG. 13A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0073] FIG. 14 depicts a section view 1400 and a side view 1450 of the octagonal-based container of FIG. 13A according to embodiments of the present invention. [0074] FIG. 15 depicts the octagonal-based container 1500 flared out according to embodiments of the present invention. [0075] FIG. 16 depicts a section view 1600 and a side view 1650 of a pentagonal-based container according to embodiments of the present invention. [0076] It shall also be noted that rotating the container may be done for a variety of purposes. The container may be spun to help aerate a beverage contained within the container. The container may be spun simply for amusement. And, the container may be incorporated into a game and spun as an indicator or random indicator generator. Consider, for example, the container 1700 depicted in FIG. 17 . [0077] FIG. 17 depicts a side view of a container 1700 that includes at least one indicator according to embodiments of the present invention. In embodiments, the indicator may be one or more words, a logo 1710 , a graphic 1715 , or any combination thereof. Thus, the container may be a basis for a game, whereby having a marker or indicator (e.g., logo 1710 and/or graphic 1715 ) at any of the peripheries of the container may be used as an indicator. For example, after rotating, a person or object in front of the marker may indicate the next step or the next player of a game. [0078] FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate an additional embodiment of a container or glass 1800 that is configured to stably rotate about a central axis 1810 . The container 1800 can be similar to other containers described herein. Accordingly, features not specifically described with respect to the container 1800 can be assumed to be the same as or similar to corresponding features from other containers described herein, or can be of another suitable arrangement. The container 1800 includes a base 1802 and a container wall 1805 that extends upwardly from the base 1802 . The container wall 1805 is a hollow cylinder that defines a receptacle portion 1845 configured to receive a liquid or other contents. Unless otherwise noted, the term cylinder is used in a broad sense, which includes an extruded closed loop of any shape, such as circular or polygonal, for example. The container wall 1805 can taper along its length such that a cross-sectional dimension (e.g., diameter) of the container wall 1805 varies along its height. [0079] The container 1800 preferably includes at least one feature 1850 in the container wall 1805 . In the illustrated configuration, the feature 1850 is an aeration feature that facilitates aeration of the contents within the receptacle portion 1845 as a result of spinning the container 1800 . However, in other embodiments, the feature 1850 can be purely decorative and, thus, may be located only on an outer surface of the container 1800 . The illustrated feature 1850 comprises a band that extends uninterrupted in a circumferential direction of the container 1800 . The illustrated band 1850 is an inward curve in the container wall 1805 that defines a concave curvature on an outer surface of the wall and a convex curvature on the inside/interior surface of the container wall 1805 that protrudes inwardly relative to adjacent portions of the container wall 1805 . However, in other configurations, the band 1850 can be positioned on only one of the inner and outer surfaces of the container wall 1805 . [0080] A plane defined by the band 1850 is angled relative to an upper edge of the container 1800 and/or is non-perpendicular with respect to the central axis 1810 . Thus, the band 1850 provides an appearance of vertical or wave-like movement during spinning of the container 1800 , which can facilitate aeration of the liquid within the receptacle portion 1845 . In the illustrated configuration, the container 1800 includes two aeration features 1850 that define planes that are angled relative to one another. In other configurations, the features 1850 could comprise interrupted bands or more complex shapes that do not define a flat plane. However, in some such configurations, an average plane of such a band can be angled relative to the upper edge of the container 1800 and/or non-perpendicular with respect to the central axis 1810 . Because the illustrated bands 1850 extend in a circumferential direction of the container wall 1805 , aeration can be facilitated while avoiding excess splashing of the liquid, which can occur with features that extend in a vertical direction or in alignment with the central axis 1810 . [0081] FIG. 19 illustrates an enlarged view of the base 1802 , which can generally be similar to other containers described herein. However, the configuration of FIG. 19 is notable for the relatively small central axis feature 1815 . The lateral feature 1840 extends uninterrupted about a circumference or perimeter of the base 1802 and is located at or adjacent an edge of the base 1802 to maintain the look of a conventional glass. The lateral feature 1840 can be configured to contact a flat surface upon which the container 1800 rests along a small surface area. Thus, the lateral feature 1840 can be relatively narrow in comparison to an overall diameter of the base 1802 . [0082] The lateral feature 1840 can define or approximately define an overall diameter 1870 of the base 1802 . A bottom surface of the lateral feature 1840 can also define a plane that extends perpendicular to the central axis 1810 . As described with respect to the other containers herein, the central axis feature 1815 extends below the lateral feature 1840 such that the container 1800 rests on the central axis feature 1815 when placed on a hard, flat surface. As described above, in some configurations, the central axis feature 1815 protrudes beyond the plane of the lateral feature 1840 by a lateral feature height or offset distance 1835 that can be about 0.05 mm to about 0.15 mm for a base diameter 1870 between about 20 mm to about 100 mm. A ratio of the radial distance to the lateral feature to the offset distance can be between about 200:1 and about 1000:1 taking into account manufacturing variations. [0083] A portion of the central axis feature 1815 that intersects the plane of the lateral feature 1840 defines a projection cross-sectional dimension or projection diameter 1872 that can be a small portion of the overall base diameter 1870 . In some configurations, the projection diameter 1872 can be between about 3 mm and about 5 mm and the base diameter 1870 can be between about 60 mm to about 100 mm, or about 70 mm to about 90 mm, or about 80 mm. In some configurations, a ratio of the base diameter 1870 to the projection diameter 1872 can be about 10:1 to about 40:1. Thus, an area defined by the intersection of the central axis feature 1815 and the plane of the lateral feature 1840 can be small relative to the area defined by the lateral feature 1840 or the area of the base 1802 . In some configurations, the ratio between these areas can be about 1:200 to about 1:1000, about 1:400 to about 1:750, or about 1:500. [0084] It shall also be noted that the container may have other functions or purposes as well. For example, the container may be a signification of an award, may be part of an art piece, and/or may be a display or an advertisement. [0085] It will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that the preceding embodiments are exemplary and not limiting to the scope of the present invention. It is intended that all permutations, enhancements, equivalents, combinations, and improvements thereto that are apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings are included within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention comprise a container that is stably rotatable. In embodiments, a container may rotate about a central axis, wherein the container comprises at least one feature at the central axis that facilitate rotation and at least one other lateral feature that provides stability to the container to reduce the occurrence of tipping or spilling while the container is moving.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/516,088 filed Aug. 22, 2012 and entitled “MULTI-ANALYTE DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD”, which is a 35 U.S.C. §371 National Stage of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2010/060321 filed Dec. 14, 2010 and entitled “MULTI-ANALYTE DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD”, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/286,529 filed Dec. 15, 2009 and entitled “MULTI-ANALYTE DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD”, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. STATEMENT AS TO FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH [0002] Not Applicable. BACKGROUND [0003] Currently available gas-based detectors for explosives, hazardous chemicals, dangerous biological substances, or chemical/biological warfare substances have limited ability to detect multiple threats. For example, a single-target detector may be limited to one type of a particular reporter designed to respond to an analyte for a specific substance, such as a particular explosive or chemical. These detectors commonly have a short and limited operational period prior to replacement or servicing. Because a gas, such as an air sample, can carry more than one analyte from an explosive, a hazardous chemical, or a dangerous biological substance, multiple detectors are required for every use. [0004] Government agencies involved in the inspection of transitory goods and/or people are usually responsible for the detection of explosives, hazardous chemicals or dangerous biological substances, or other contraband. These government agencies are looking for potentially masked or hidden dangerous substances that present a danger to the public. Using several different detectors with different reporters imposes a large logistical footprint and considerable consumable expense upon the governmental agencies. In practice, budgetary constraints force the governmental agency to purchase one or two detectors, each having a single reporter. Even if the governmental agency has several different detectors with different reporters, they may use only one detector to speed up the processing time of the transitory goods or people. The deployment of one type of detector over another means the agency is guessing as to which dangerous substance or other contraband they may encounter. [0005] Unfortunately, anyone who observes the governmental agencies, or knows how the government typically operates, is able to ascertain the governmental agencies' practices and actions. This increases the threat from those intentionally creating these dangerous substances for nefarious reasons. The same dangerous situation occurs with those who ignorantly ship dangerous or hazardous substances. in both instances, limited deployment of multiple types of detectors increases the threat to harm to people and property. [0006] Non-governmental agencies (NGA) also require systems capable of detecting and monitoring hazardous chemicals and biological substances quickly enough to prevent an accident, Similar to the government agency approach, the larger number of detectors required by the NGA increases the logistical footprint and associated expenses. When the NGA employs a single detector, they decide the most probable hazardous chemical or biological substance they will encounter. Unfortunately, chemicals and biological substances can change their properties when they are mixed, or when they contact other substances. To protect against the range of different types hazards requires several afferent types of detectors. [0007] Of the known detectors, most use a porous membrane coated with a chemical or reporter. The selected reporters will respond. to analytes carried by a gas. A sample interacts with the reporter, creating a specific response, such as fluorescing or undergoing a color change. The detection occurs as the sample flows through the porous membrane. [0008] A detector and system is needed that can detect more than one explosive, chemical, biological substance and/or a combination thereof. Additionally, such a system needs to be lightweight, easily deployed, and reduce the consumable expenses by reducing the number of consumable elements. The easily portable multi-analyte detection system needs to minimize the impact of untargeted contaminates, as well as, decreasing the complexity for the end user, and decreasing the intervals between trade-outs of the consumable. Rapid detection of these substances saves lives and property. SUMMARY [0009] In one embodiment, the current invention provides an apparatus for detecting an analyte substance in a gas sample. The apparatus comprises a flow system carrying a sensor head and a heating block. The sensor head and the heating block define a module receiver therebetween. The apparatus has a gas inlet positioned on the sensor head and provides gaseous fluid communication to a sample area. The apparatus has a gas outlet positioned on the sensor head, and provides gaseous fluid communication from the sample area. The apparatus has a sealing edge positioned on the bottom of the sensor head and within the module receiver, The apparatus also has a heater positioned within the module receiver and positioned to provide heat to the sensor head, the heating block, and the module receiver. A module carrying a substrate is positioned within the module receiver, wherein the module carries a window. The substrate carries at least one reporter thereon. The reporter is selected for its ability to respond to a particular analyte curried by the gas sample. The substrate is exposed to the gas sample in the window of the module. The bottom of the sensor head, the scaling edge, and the substrate defines the sample area. The sealing edge and the substrate define a leak-free seal therebetween. The sample area is positioned within the window. The apparatus has at least one optical port in optical communication with the sample area. The optical port provides optical communication for at least one optical illuminator suitable for illuminating the sample area, and for at least one optical detector suitable for detecting a change in fluorescence, color, or a chemiluminescent reaction. The apparatus has a control system that is in electronic communication with the optical illuminator, the optical detector, and the module. [0010] In another embodiment, a method for detecting multiple analytes is disclosed. The method comprises: a. capturing a gaseous sample with a detector, said detector carrying a sample port for receiving said gaseous sample and an exhaust port for expelling said gaseous sample; b. communicating said gaseous sample to a plurality of reporters, said reporters positioned upon a substrate carried by a removable module positioned within said detector; c. creating a response between an analyte and at least one said reporter, said analyte carried by said gaseous sample; d. detecting said response with a detector, said detecting step identifying said analyte; e. notifying a control device regarding the identity of said analyte; and f. communicating said reporting step to a display, said communicating being controlled by said control device. [0017] In still another embodiment, the current invention provides an apparatus for detecting mm analyte substance in a gas sample. The apparatus comprises a detector, a module and a control system. The detector has a flow system and the flow system carries a sensor head and a heating block. The sensor head and the heating block define a module, receiver therebetween. The sensor head has a sealing edge positioned thereon. The detector also has a gas inlet positioned on the sensor head, and provides gaseous fluid communication to a sample area. The detector has a gas outlet positioned on the sensor head and provides gaseous fluid communication from the sample area. The detector has a heater positioned within the module receiver and positioned to provide heat thereto. The detector has at least one optical port in optical communication with, the sample area, wherein the optical port provides communication from an optical illuminator and an optical detector. The module houses a substrate, wherein the substrate carries a plurality of reporters thereon. The control system provides control of the detector, optical illuminator, optical detector, and module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] FIG. 1A is a schematic perspective view of prior art reporter vessels. [0019] FIGS. 1B and 1C are end-views of the prior art reporter vessels of FIG. 1A showing the vessel with and without the reporter. [0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a cartridge-based system of the current invention. [0021] FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic plan views of multiple reporter substrates. [0022] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a flow system for the detection apparatus. [0023] FIG. 5 is a schematic bottom view of a flow system. [0024] FIGS. 6-9 are schematic perspective views or different modules containing the substrate. [0025] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a flow system with a cartridge. [0026] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a self-contained detection apparatus. [0027] FIG. 12A is a schematic perspective view of a spring-biased lever arm self-contained detection apparatus. [0028] FIG. 12B is a schematic perspective view of a spring loaded slide self-contained detection apparatus. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0029] Referring to FIGS. 2-12B , the detection apparatus is illustrated and generally designated by the numeral 10 . Detection apparatus 10 includes flow system 12 , module 14 , substrate 16 within module 14 , detection system 18 and detector/processor system 20 , Flow system 12 is capable of receiving module 14 . Module 14 defines a storage and transport system for substrate 16 . Module 14 can be in any shape, as discussed herein, and shown in FIGS. 2 and 6-9 . For illustration purposes, module 14 is shown herein and generally referred to herein as cartridge 22 . Cartridge 22 contains substrate, 16 and exposes a portion of substrate 16 through window 72 to a gas flowing through flow system 12 . FIG. 1 depicts rigid, fragile modules of the prior art. Detection Apparatus [0030] In the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11 , detection apparatus 10 is positioned within housing 24 . Detection apparatus 10 is also referred to as detector 10 . FIGS. 12A and 12B , discussed below, are two alternative configurations of detection apparatus 10 . To provide fluid communication between the external environment and flow system 12 , housing 24 carries sample port 26 and exhaust port 28 . [0031] In a preferred embodiment, detection system 10 includes a plurality of fiber optic cables 30 connected to detection ports 32 of flow system 12 . Fiber optic cables 30 provide optical communication, with detection system 18 . Preferably, housing 24 incorporates detection system 18 therein, as depicted in FIG. 11 . Alternatively (not shown), housing 24 detachably connects to detection system 18 . [0032] Preferably, detection apparatus 10 includes power source 34 , which provides power to all systems. Power source 34 is any convenient source of power, or sources or power, that provides sufficient power to the remainder of detection apparatus. Preferably, power source 34 includes a selectable plurality of sources of power. [0033] Detection apparatus 10 also includes control system 36 , which includes at least one processor, memory device, data entry port and communications port. Control system 36 provides the control of detection apparatus 10 , which includes positioning substrate 16 within flow system 12 , and detecting and processing the response when the analytes respond to reporters 38 as the gas sample passes over reporters 38 . Commonly used reporters 38 are defined below. Preferably, control system 36 provides the processing capability to operate detection system 18 and the associated discrimination of the detected analyte. Control system 36 and detection system 18 are in electronic communication. Control system 36 preferably stores all electronic data and displays the pertinent information for an operator to take any necessary actions. The electronic storage device is preferably co-located with control system 36 . [0034] Regarding FIG. 12A , a different embodiment of detection apparatus 10 is shown where cartridge 22 is retained on housing 24 by spring-biased lever arm 52 . Spring 56 provides the bias to spring-biased lever arm 52 . In this embodiment, sensor head 39 is located within housing 24 . In response to spring 56 , sealing block 62 exerts pressure on cartridge 22 , and provides for the sealing of substrate 16 , cartridge 22 and sensor head 39 . [0035] Regarding FIG. 12B , another embodiment of detection apparatus 10 is shown where cartridge 22 is retained on housing 24 by spring-loaded slide 64 . Similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 12A , sensor head 39 is located in housing 24 . Using a bias spring shown), spring-loaded slide 64 applies pressure to scaling block 62 , which then exerts pressure on cartridge 22 , and provides for the sealing of substrate 16 , cartridge 22 and sensor head 39 . Flow System [0036] Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, 10 and 11 , housing 24 contains flow system 12 therein. Flow system 12 includes sensor head 39 , gas sample inlet 40 , gas sample outlet 42 , heating block 43 , at least one heater 46 , bossed rim 48 , and sample area 50 . Heating block 43 and heater 46 cover an area at least as wide as substrate 16 , and in some eases an area greater than that of substrate 16 . The configuration of sensor head 39 and hooting block 43 defines a module receiver 44 . The defined module receiver 44 is configured to receive a module 14 . Preferably, module 14 is selected prior to the design of flow system 12 . As shown FIGS. 10 and 11 , module receiver 44 has a configuration suitable for permitting the insertion of window 72 of cartridge 22 between sensor head 39 and heating block 43 of flow system 12 . In one embodiment, module receiver 44 operates to close around and seal modulo 14 . FIGS. 12A and 12B depict two examples of this embodiment. However, those skilled in the art know the different types of closing and sealing mechanisms that will function with module receiver 44 as it closes about module 14 , or cartridge 22 . Window 72 provides access for the gas sample to interact with reporters 38 carried by substrate 16 . Window 72 exposes the portion of substrate 16 and reporters 38 to flow system 12 . Window 72 is open both above and below substrate 16 . [0037] Gas sample inlet 40 provides gaseous fluid communication between sample port 26 and sample area 50 . The bottom of sensor head 39 , bossed rim 48 , and substrate 16 define sample area 50 . Bossed rim 48 provides a leak-free seal on substrate 16 for sample area 50 . Sealing edge 49 includes bossed rim 48 , as well as other known surfaces that provide a seal between the bottom of sensor head 39 and substrate 16 . Thus, bossed rim 48 is a subset of sealing edge 49 . Sample area 50 is positioned within window 72 . Sample area 50 exposes reporters 38 on substrate 16 to a sample of gas communicated from sample port 26 across sample area 50 . Gas sample outlet 42 communicates the gas sample from sample area 50 to exhaust port 28 . [0038] Pump 54 , in gaseous fluid communication with exhaust port 28 , creates a pressure drop between sample port 26 and exhaust port 28 , thereby inducing flow across sample area 50 . Although the preferred embodiment positions pump 54 internal to housing 24 , the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 positions pump 54 externally. This demonstrates that pump 54 may be positioned anywhere between sample area 50 and exhaust port 28 . Preferably, pump 54 creates a pressure drop sufficient to create a flow rate of about 1.0 liters/minute or less across sample area 50 . In one embodiment, pump 54 selectively creates either a constant flow rate of at least 1.0 liters/minute or less, or a variable flow rate less than about 1.0 liters/minute. In another embodiment, pump 54 has only a constant flow of at least 1.0 liters/minute or less. [0039] Heater block 43 carries at least one heater 46 . Preferably, heater 46 provides thermal input sufficient to increase the temperature of flow system 12 and substrate 16 . By applying heat to flow system 12 , the gas sample is more likely to convey the analytes from the external environment to sample area 50 and reporter 38 . For example, a gas sample may contain trace amounts of an explosive matter. At room temperature, the trace amounts of explosive matter begin to adhere to the surface of intake 66 . By heating flow system 12 , the gas sample is loss likely to adhere. Thus, the warmer flow system 12 keeps the trace amounts of explosive matter in a gaseous state and suspended within the gas sample. Preferably, heater 46 maintains heating flow system 12 at an operating temperature between about 40° C. and about 200° C. FIG. 4 depicts a non-limiting example of a placement of heater 46 . Heater 46 may be placed anywhere on flow system 12 that provides sufficient heating. When healed, substrate 16 is also heated by heater 46 , or alternatively, substrate 16 is heated by a separate source (not shown). Module/Cartridge [0040] As previously indicated, cartridge 22 is used throughout to represent module 14 . However, cartridge 22 represents only one possible, non-limiting configuration of module 14 . The skilled artisan understands that module 14 may be in any shape capable of holding and conveying substrate 16 to sample area 50 . FIGS. 6-9 depict four examples of module 14 . FIG. 6 depicts cartridge 22 as module 14 . FIG. 7 depicts a variation of a cartridge as module 14 having a single storage reel that feeds substrate 16 through window 72 and sample area 50 into catch bin 68 . FIG. 8 depicts a disk-type version of module 14 for transporting substrate 16 through window 72 and sample area 50 . FIG. 9 depicts a strip-like version of module 14 for providing transport of substrate 16 through window 72 and sample area 50 . Any form of module 14 will work. However, in one embodiment, module 14 has a sealed storage capacity for substrate 16 and it provides for the movement of substrate 16 through window 72 and sample area 50 . In another embodiment, module 14 has an unsealed storage capacity for substrate 16 and it provides for the movement of substrate 16 through window 72 and sample area 50 . [0041] To preclude false positives, contamination, and loss of reporter 38 material, module 14 includes seal 71 or other configuration that precludes premature exposure of substrate 16 to the environment. In one embodiment, unexposed substrate 16 is sealed within module 14 from premature exposure for any of the aforementioned module 14 examples. In one alternative embodiment using cartridge 22 , end 70 of cartridge 22 is isolated by seal 71 at window 72 thereby precluding, exposure of reporters 38 on substrate 16 housed within end 70 . In this embodiment, seal 71 flexes sufficiently to permit advancement of substrate 16 to window 72 for exposure within sample area 50 without loss of reporter from substrate 16 . Preferably, seal 71 , when used, is a material that does not respond to any of the potential reporters 38 or substrate 16 . Seal 71 may he made from a variety of materials such as felt, rubber, paper, silicone, neoprene, other non-responsive materials, and combinations thereof. [0042] Continuing with the illustration of module 14 with cartridge 22 , cartridge 22 has window 72 exposing substrate 16 to sample area 50 . Preferably, the size of window 72 allows bossed rim 48 of module receiver 44 to fully contact substrate 16 , such that the activation of pump 54 creates a vacuum sealing substrate 16 to bossed rim 48 . Thus, bossed rim 48 or sealing edge 49 , in cooperation with the top of substrate 16 and the bottom of sensor head 39 , defines sample area 50 . Thus, activation of pump 54 will pull the sample gas in through gas sample inlet 40 passing the sample over reporters 38 carried by substrate 16 , and subsequently directing the gas sample out through gas sample outlet 42 . [0043] Cartridge 22 automatically advances substrate 16 through sample area 50 ager a pre-determined period, or after a detection event. This automatic advancement optimizes the exposure of reporter 38 . The advancing mechanism for cartridge 22 may be of any type known to those skilled in the relevant art, Some non-limiting examples include manual advance devices, electric or pneumatic motors, solenoids, pistons, or other electro-mechanical or electro-pneumatic devices. Control of the associated advancement of cartridge 22 is accomplished using control system 36 . Substrate 16 is advanced from the edge of the exposed area until an entirely new, unexposed area of substrate 16 is within window 72 . For the non-sealed embodiment of cartridge 22 , substrate 16 advances and reporter 38 remains unaffected. For the sealed embodiment of cartridge 22 , a sealing element (not shown) allows substrate 16 and reporter 38 to advance without damaging reporter 38 . In one embodiment, substrate 16 may carry a removable protective layer (not shown) to protect reporter(s) 38 in cartridge 22 . The removable protective layer is automatically removed as substrate 16 advances into window 72 . [0044] Preferably, identification of cartridge 22 to control system 36 occurs during installation. A barcode, a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, manually entered descriptive identifier, or any other identifier provides the unique identifier for cartridge 22 as it is installed. The unique identifier allows control system 36 to identify cartridge 22 and obtain data concerning reporters 38 supplied with the installed cartridge 22 . The unique identifier associated with cartridge 22 facilitates the control, operation and distribution of cartridge 22 . [0045] Once cartridge 22 has been identified, control system 36 optimizes the exposure of substrate 16 based upon the indicated reporters 38 , and the number of exposures, illuminations, and durations thereof. Automation and control for advancing of cartridges 22 is well known to those skilled in the art of cartridge making, and not detailed herein. Substrate [0046] Substrate 16 is a nonporous medium suitable for carrying a variety of reporters 38 . As a non-limiting example, FIG. 3A shows a preferred substrate 16 having reporter(s) 38 , optional calibration strip 74 , and/or optional preconditioning strips 76 positioned thereon. Preferably, reporter(s) 38 are adhered to substrate 16 and/or disposed on a definable segment of substrate 16 in tracks 78 . FIG. 3A depicts an example of a substrate 16 carrying a plurality of reporters 38 and optional preconditioning strips 76 . FIG. 3A also depicts using segment 58 of substrate 16 as calibration strips 74 . FIG. 3B depicts an alternative embodiment of substrate 16 with reporter(s) 38 in sequential order in block segments 60 . [0047] Unlike the glass-based prior art examples of FIG. 1 , when used in cartridge 22 , substrate 16 is preferably a flexible material which retains its integrity up to a temperature of about 200° C. Alternatively, substrate 16 in module 14 is a rigid plate or disk as shown in FIG. 8 . Substrate 16 may be opaque, translucent or transparent as long as it is consistent with the placement of optical illuminator(s) 84 and detection system I relative to substrate 16 . Substrate 16 preferably is electrically non-conductive, but has sufficient thermal conductivity to allow heating of reporters 38 . [0048] Particularly preferred substrate 16 material will not respond to reporters 38 . For example, substrate 16 may be a plastic selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG), polyethylene naphthalate, cyclo-olefin copolymer, polycarbonate, polyimide, cellulose acetate, cellulose triacetate, acrylics, styrenes, and combinations thereof. Additionally, the aforementioned plastics may be hard coated. As known to those skilled in the art, these compounds may be processed and formulated to provide the flexibility necessary for use in cartridge 22 . [0049] Preferably, substrate 16 must be able to perform the function of a gasket for the bossed rim 48 . To ensure adequate flow through sample area 50 , substrate 16 may not he porous nor allow any how el the gas sample therethrough. Substrate 16 must be able to seal against bossed rim 48 when pump 54 creates a pressure drop across sample area 50 . The seal between substrate 16 and bossed rim 48 prevents unwanted leakage into sample area 50 or contamination of the gas sample, However, substrate 16 must have sufficient roughness to allow reporters 38 to adhere thereto. Optionally, a non-reactive, non-responsive o-ring (not shown) assists in the scaling of bossed rim 48 to substrate 16 . Alternatively, a combination of a rigid surface, a rimmed surface, a compliant surface, or an o-ring assists in the sealing of bossed rim 48 to substrate 16 . [0050] Optional calibration strip 74 provides a known reporter-type response to detection system 18 during initial insertion of cartridge 22 into flow system 12 . For example, if reporter 38 is a fluorescing type of reporter, optional calibration strip 74 will provide a known response for checking, the operation of the components of detection apparatus 10 . Optional calibration strip 74 provides a signal to detection apparatus 10 to verify strength of the signal and quality of the signal. [0051] Optional preconditioning strips 76 positioned. on substrate 16 upstream of the gas sample flow provide a binding agent to capture contaminates. Preferably, optional preconditioning strips 76 capture contaminates. Optional preconditioning strips 76 are preferably positioned on block segment 60 of cartridge 22 near gas sample inlet 40 . Detection System [0052] The response between an analyte in the gas sample and reporter 38 may produce a fluorescent response, may produce a change in the fluorescence, a change in color, or a change in the chemiluminescence. Detection system 18 detects responses to an analyte exposed to the portion of substrate 16 carrying reporter 38 . The response optically transmits from sample area 50 to detector/processor system 20 . Detector/processor system 20 provides analysis and positive identification of an analyte of the gas sample. Detector/processor system 20 communicates the analysis and identification of the analyte to control system 36 . Control system 36 provides the the tracking of gas sample history and visual identification. However, those skilled in the relevant art understand that detector/processor system 20 is capable of providing these same functions. [0053] Preferably, detection system 18 shown in FIG. 4 , detects the response of the analyte in module receiver 44 at optical port 80 and/or optical port 82 . In the preferred embodiment, both optical ports 80 and 82 are utilized. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 10 , optical ports 80 and 82 are below substrate 16 . Optical ports 80 and 82 may be positioned above, below or anywhere in an optical line of sight, or can be optically concluded to substrate 16 , as long as optical illuminator 84 and optical detector 86 are able to optically communicate with substrate 16 and reporter 38 within sample area 50 while a response is occurring between the gas sample and reporter 38 . [0054] Detection system 18 has at least one optical illuminator 84 and, at least one optical detector 86 . Optical illuminator 84 and optical detector 86 are positioned to be in direct or indirect optical communication with either optical port 80 or optical port 82 . Preferably, optical illuminator 84 and optical detector 86 have fiber optic cables 30 providing the optical communication between optical ports 80 and 82 and optical illuminator 84 and optical detector 86 . [0055] As shown in FIG. 11 , optical illuminator 84 is positioned within illuminating system 81 , and optical detector 86 is positioned within detector/processor system 20 where they transmit and receive an optical signal via fiber optical cable 30 . It is understood that optical illuminator 84 and optical detector 86 may be positioned anywhere they are able to transmit and/or receive the optical signal. Other optical relay methods may be used, by way of a non-limiting example: light pipes, imaging and non-imaging relay optics, close proximity coupling of detector 86 with substrate 16 , or combinations thereof. [0056] In the preferred embodiment, fiber optical cable 30 has a first end 90 and a second end 92 to provide illumination. First end 90 is disposed in optical port 80 and/or optical port 82 . Second end 92 is connected to optical illuminator 84 within illumination system 81 . An example of an optical illuminator 84 is a light-emitting diode (LED) having a specific wavelength. As previously stated, optical port 80 and/or optical port 82 may be positioned above or below substrate 16 . Power for illumination system 81 can be the aforementioned sources of electrical identified for power source 34 . [0057] Optical illuminator 84 is preferably capable of generating light in the ultraviolet range to create fluorescing in reporter 38 . Preferably, a plurality of optical illuminators 84 are used to generate a plurality of illuminations. Each of the plurality of illuminations is preferably in a wavelength that is different from each of the other illuminations. In operation, the plurality of illuminators 84 sequentially interrogate reporters 38 to prevent cross-contamination of an optical signal. However, optional programming of optical illuminators 84 provides for the interrogation of reporters 38 in any order, The desired response from reporter 38 determines the order of interrogation. The programmed interrogation of reporters 38 includes the ability to interrogate them simultaneously. [0058] In one embodiment, a plurality of optical illuminators 84 , each having a different wavelength, are used to increase the breadth of coverage by using more reporters 38 , thereby increasing the opportunity fear detection of a plurality of different analytes. In another embodiment, a plurality of optical detectors 86 are used to increase the opportunity to capture a detection signal, thereby providing for a greater opportunity to verify the identity of the sample substance under scrutiny. In yet another embodiment, a plurality of both optical illuminators 84 and optical detectors 86 are used. [0059] In the preferred embodiment, a second fiber optic cable 30 having first and second ends 94 and 96 , provides optical communication between either of optical ports 80 and 82 the optical detector 86 . First end 94 is in optical communication with either of optical ports 80 and 82 . Second end 96 is in optical communication with optical detector 86 . The second fiber optic cable 30 is not used for illumination purposes, but may be co-located with the first fiber optic cable 30 in either of optical ports 80 and 82 while the first fiber optic cable is used for illumination purposes. Optical detector 86 is capable of converting the optical signal to an electrical signal. Optical detector 86 is positioned within the detector/processor system 20 . Power or optical detector 86 is the aforementioned power source 34 . [0060] Preferably, sensor head 39 is positioned to maximize the efficiency of detection system 18 . As shown in FIG. 3A , sensor head 39 of detection system 18 is angled relative to substrate 16 . The angling increases the surface area of reporter 38 during interrogation. However, sensor head 39 can be also be orthogonal or parallel to reporter(s) 38 . Reporters [0061] In a preferred embodiment, detection apparatus 10 simultaneously utilizes numerous reporters 38 on substrate 16 in multiple tracks. Furthermore, each track may include a plurality of reporters 38 . Additionally, detection apparatus 10 may optionally include multiple bright field reporters 38 and multiple dark field reporters 38 . [0062] Bright field reporters 38 require active illumination. The response to an analyte produces a detectable change in fluorescence or color. Dark field reporters 38 are commonly chemiluminescent and do not require active illumination. These reporters produce light in response to a target analyte. Dark field reporters 38 do not have any control mechanism turning them on or off. Preferably, when module 14 includes more than one dark field reporter, the dark field reporters will be separated into zones based on the known wavelength of the resulting light. [0063] Reporters 38 will vary based upon need, but a representative example includes Amplifying Fluorescence Polymers (AFPs), other fluorescent materials, Chemical Warfare Indicating Chromophore (CWIC), other chemiluminescent materials, Phenyl Quinoline (PQ), conducting polymers, colorimetric materials, organic thin film transistors, metal, metal-oxide based sensors, or a combination thereof. As other reporters 38 , or more refined reporters 38 , are developed, they will become candidates for use on substrate 16 . Some reporters 38 are single exposure, but most commonly known reporters 38 are capable of receiving multi-exposures before losing their responsiveness. [0064] As stated before, reporters 38 are preferably adhered to substrate 16 . Some methods for depositing reporters 38 to substrate 16 may include ink-jet application, direct deposit, lithography, screen printing, vacuum sealing, heating, laminating, or some other method that provides for the application of multiple reporters 38 on the same substrate 16 and prevents cross-contamination of reporters 38 . Reporters 38 will usually have a thickness in the range of about 0.5 microns to about 0.5 millimeters. Environmental [0065] In one embodiment, detection apparatus 10 must be able to operate in closed environments around humans who are not wearing any special protective gear. In another embodiment, detection apparatus 10 must withstand combat deployment conditions such as found in desert, tropical, temperate and cold climates. Additionally, detection apparatus 10 is preferably able to withstand shipping and handling by untrained personnel. Thus, detection. apparatus 10 is preferably able to withstand a fall from about a three (3) foot height without adding any additional protection measures. In addition, detection apparatus must withstand repeated bouncing in a closed container. Operational Considerations/Impacts [0066] Preferably, detection apparatus 10 employs different modules 14 for different threats. For example, if a detection apparatus is using cartridges 22 , and if there is a threat of an explosive compound at biological substance, the operator selects the cartridge that can detect either of these threats. Alternatively, if the threats relate to chemical warfare agents and explosive compounds, the operator selects a cartridge 22 that is capable of detecting both these threats. However, it is understood, that cartridge 22 may have a series of reporters 38 for detecting a specific threat within a category such as explosives, chemical warfare agents, biological warfare agents, and/or hazardous chemicals. [0067] Detection apparatus 10 is usable in the field by personnel having minimal training. Thus, replacing module 14 is preferably an easy task. When cartridge 22 reaches the end of the unexposed substrate 16 , the field personnel are able to remove and insert a new cartridge 22 . In one embodiment, the replacement interval of cartridge 22 is in excess of eight hours. In another embodiment, cartridge 22 (module 14 ) will have a replacement interval of about three to four weeks. Alternatively, the number of exposures or gas samples defines the replacement interval of cartridge 22 . [0068] The detectors of detection system 18 determine if contamination of reporter 38 and/or substrate 16 has occurred. For example, photo bleaching or oxidation potentially affects a reporter's effectiveness. The detectors periodically interrogate reporter 38 to identify the state of reporter 38 . The detectors also monitor the degradation of the brightness of a response from reporter 38 . If the detector finds a contaminated or degraded reporter 38 , control system 36 advances substrate 16 within cartridge 22 to a new, unexposed segment. [0069] When a detection event occurs, control system 36 generates a display (not shown) on detection apparatus 10 and/or an electronic signal for transmittal to another device. An audible signal may also he generated. The operator can take appropriate action based upon the type of substance detected in the gas sample. [0070] After a detection event is over, pump 54 purges sample area 50 by passing a sufficient quantity of uncontaminated air across sample area 50 , Control system 36 advances substrate 16 within cartridge 22 , presenting a fresh set of reporters 38 . Method [0071] A method of use of detection apparatus 10 includes placing it where sample port 26 captures and receives a gas sample carrying at least one analyte. Due to the pressure drop created by pump 54 , the gas sample is communicated from sample port 26 to gas sample inlet 40 , across sample area 50 and reporters 38 , through gas sample outlet 42 and is expelled through exhaust port 28 . The analyte responds to at least one reporter 38 positioned on substrate 16 . [0072] In one embodiment, the analyte responds to a bright field reporter 38 . The method includes actively illuminating the bright field reporter 38 with optical illuminator 84 . The active illuminating step occurs within sample area 50 . A non-limiting example uses an ultraviolet LED illuminator 84 that propagates light from illuminating system 81 across the first fiber optic cable 30 to sample area 50 , thereby causing the analyte to fluoresce. Upon response of reporter 38 to the analyte, optical detector 86 , in detector/processor system 20 , detects the change in fluorescence of reporter 38 in response to the analyte. The second fiber optic cable 30 optically communicates the detected change in fluorescence from sample area 50 to optical detector 86 . [0073] In another embodiment, the analyte responds to a dark field reporter 38 . Since the dark field reporter 38 is chemiluminescent, optical detector 86 is continually monitoring reporter 38 for a response between reporter 38 and the analyte. hi the event a response occurs, reporter 38 emits fluorescence within sample area 50 . Fiber optic cable 30 optically communicates the fluorescence from sample area 50 to optical detector 86 in detection/processor system 20 . [0074] For both embodiments, detector/processor system 20 and optical detector 86 process the particular response. And, based upon the prior identification of module 14 and reporters 38 contained therein, notifies control system 36 of the identity of the particular analyte. Display of the resulting identification provides the operator immediate notification notification of the presence of an analyte in the gas sample. Control system 36 communicates the identity of analyte to the display. Control system 36 records all operations for future reference. Once the event is over, control system 36 communicates to the automated advancing system to advance substrate 16 to an unexposed section. [0075] Control system 36 continually monitors module 14 . When all, or substantially all, of substrate 16 is consumed, or mostly consumed, control system 36 notifies the operator of a need to replace module 14 . [0076] Other embodiments of the current invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of this specification or practice of the invention disclosed herein. Thus, the foregoing specification is considered merely exemplary of the current invention with the true scope thereof being defined by the following claims.

The invention provides for a multiple analyte detector that is capable of detecting and identifying explosive, chemical or biological substances having multiple analytes with a single system having multiple reporters. The reporters include fluorescent polymers, conducting polymers, metal oxide elements; electrochemical cells, etc. The reporters may be combinations of other reporters that are optimized for broadband detection.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/202,435, filed Feb. 27, 2009, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates in general to the fields of electronic sensors and in particular to reconfigurable integrated sensors as both sensing and energy harvesting elements, and to an asynchronous readout technique for efficiently harvesting ambient energy using the sensors. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Integrated sensors can convert environmental energy into electrical signals, and some of them, as in the case of integrated image sensors, can be used for both sensing and energy harvesting. In the last decade, CMOS image sensors have gained attention due to their inherent advantages of low power and low cost. This is mainly due to the use of standard Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology which allows for integrating image capture devices as well as complex image processing circuits on a single chip. [0004] CMOS image sensors have a variety of applications in modern portable/mobile electronic systems and sensor networks. These systems are usually powered by batteries or external power supplies. Therefore, power consumption is a major limitation in these portable/mobile systems since the capacity of the batteries often limits their operational time. In the case of sensor network, where the scarcest resource is energy, devices are expected to have a long operational time without human intervention for energy replenishment. Human intervention is undesirable due to the cost of checking a large number of devices. Low power has been typically achieved by using more advanced CMOS technologies featuring low power supply voltage. Low supply voltage, however, is not preferable in CMOS image sensors as it has an enormous impact on imaging performance due to limited signal swing and reduced signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). [0005] Energy harvesting technique can be utilized to exploit energy on-board, thus alleviating the requirement on external battery capacity. For example in CMOS image sensor, a Self-Powered Pixel (SPS) approach that exploits the energy generation capability of integrated photodiodes as shown in FIG. 1 , has been previously studied. A photodiode Pd 1 ( 102 ) is connected between a conventional power supply VDD 103 and a power bus 104 shared by all the pixels in the image sensor. When exposed to incident illumination 106 , photodiode 102 converts photons into electron/hole pairs, forming photocurrents that provide extra power to power bus 104 . Another photodiode Pd 2 ( 108 ) and transistors MN 1 , MN 2 , and MP 1 form a conventional active pixel sensor (APS) structure, in which photodiode 108 operates as the photodetector. MN 3 provides a biasing current for signal readout. With the energy generated by the additional photodiode 102 , the energy drained from the power supply can be reduced. [0006] However, the existing approach suffers several drawbacks: 1) Significant silicon area is dedicated to the photodetector used for power generation. 2) Before each frame capture, the power photodetector is first charged-up. Poor illumination will elongate this period, thus leading to a very slow operation of the sensor. 3) The SPS cannot operate when the power bus drops below the minimum supply voltage, upon which the bus recharging cycle is invoked. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] Described herein are various embodiments of method and apparatus for utilizing integrated sensors to harvest energy from an ambient environment. The harvested energy can be used by the sensors to power components of the sensors or other circuit components, so that the power consumed from a conventional power supply is reduced. The harvested energy can also be stored in an on-chip energy storage device or in an external energy storage device for later use or for powering external circuits. [0008] According to one embodiment, a sensor circuit, including a sensor array, is used to harvest energy from an ambient source. The sensors in the sensor array may be CMOS image sensors, piezoelectric sensors, or other sensors suitable for measuring environmental characteristics. The sensor circuit further includes a timing and control unit, one or more decoder and buffer units, and a signal processor and memory unit for implementing the required functionalities. The sensor circuit further includes a power management and energy storage unit for processing and storing the energy harvested by the sensor array. [0009] According to another embodiment, a sensor element including a sensor, a control circuit, and an encoding circuit. The sensor element has first and second operating modes. In the first operating mode (i.e., the sensing mode), the sensor element is used for measuring the environmental characteristic by generating electrical charge. In the second operating mode (i.e., the energy harvesting mode), the sensor element is used as an energy harvesting device for using the electrical charge as a power supply. The sensor element is switched from the first operating mode to the second operating mode when the electrical charge reaches a predetermined threshold. [0010] Unlike the conventional voltage domain sensing techniques, the sensor element utilizes a time encoding technique to convert the environmental characteristic into an output signal indicative of a charging time. In a further embodiment, when the sensor is a photodetector or a photodiode used for measuring incident light intensity, the charging time is a time interval inversely proportional to the light intensity. When exposed to the incident light, the sensor generates electrical charge in response to the incident light. When the electrical charge reaches a predetermined threshold, the sensor is configured to harvest energy from the incident light to electrical charge to supply power to the circuit components of the sensor element, external circuit components, or energy storage devices. [0011] According to another embodiment, a method is provided for using an image sensor array to harvest energy from the light impinging on the sensor. The method utilizes an asynchronous readout technique, where highly illuminated pixels charge up quickly and the output signals are read out from these pixels first, due to the fact that the electrical charge reaches the predetermined threshold earlier in these pixels than in other pixels receiving lower illumination. Once the output signals are collected, these highly illuminated pixels are configured to harvest energy at earlier times than those pixels exposed to lower illumination. When a group of pixels are switch to the energy harvesting mode, the electrical charge in these pixels is used to contribute to the global power supply, thereby reducing power consumption from the main power supply. As the process continues, more and more pixels are switched to the energy harvesting mode, thereby creating an avalanche effect. [0012] According to some embodiments, a method is provided for operating a sensor element, comprising setting the sensor element in a first operating mode for measuring an environmental characteristic by generating electrical charge in response to the environmental characteristic, generating an output signal in response to the electrical charge, determining that the electrical charge reaches a predetermined threshold, switching in response to the determination result the sensor element to a second operating mode for using the electrical charge as a power supply. [0013] According to some alternative embodiments, an apparatus is provided comprising a sensing circuit having first and second operating modes, wherein the sensing circuit measures an environmental characteristic in the first operating mode by generating electrical charge and operates as a power supply in the second operating mode using the electrical charge, a control circuit connected to the sensing circuit for monitoring the electrical charge and for generating a feedback signal for switching the sensing circuit from the first to the second operating mode when the electrical charge reaches a predetermined threshold, and an encoding circuit connected to the control circuit for generating an output signal in response to the electrical charge. [0014] According to still some alternative embodiments, an imaging sensor is provided, comprising an array of sensor units, each having first and second operating modes, wherein each sensor unit generates an output signal indicative of a light intensity received by the sensing unit in the first operating mode and operates as a power supply in the second operating mode, a timing circuit for providing control signals to switch each sensing unit between the first and second operating modes, and a processing circuit for selectively reading the output signals from the array of sensing units based on the operating modes of the sensing units. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] FIG. 1 depicts an existing technique for harvesting energy using a CMOS image sensor; [0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram of circuit for harvesting energy by using reconfigurable sensing devices having a sensing mode and an energy harvesting mode; [0017] FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of an imaging device for harvesting energy from integrated light sensing devices; [0018] FIG. 4 shows a structure of a sensor element integrated in the imaging device depicted in FIG. 3 ; [0019] FIG. 5 shows a circuit implementation of the sensor element depicted in FIG. 4 ; [0020] FIG. 6 shows the signal waveforms of the sensor element circuit depicted in FIG. 5 during its operation; and [0021] FIG. 7 illustrates an asynchronous read-out technique for harvesting energy from a sensor array. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0022] Now turning to the drawings and referring to FIG. 2 , a block diagram is shown therein for illustrating the general structure of circuit 200 for harvesting energy from one or more sensing device 204 . The circuit 200 , which includes at least one sensing unit 203 , can be switched between a sensing mode and a energy harvesting mode. In the sensing mode, the sensing unit 203 converts certain physical parameters or environmental characteristics such as light intensity, pressure, force, acceleration, into output signal 212 which is then readout and digitized. In the energy harvesting mode, the sensing unit 203 is connected to the energy storage unit or main power source 202 to contribute to the power supply, which is used to power various components of the circuit 200 or other external circuit 216 . [0023] As further depicted in FIG. 2 , the sensing unit 200 further includes switch 206 for selecting the sensing mode and the energy harvesting mode, a readout circuit 208 for reading and encoding the electrical signal 217 generated by the sensing device 204 into the output signal 212 , and control circuit 210 for generating a feedback signal 207 for controlling the switch 206 in response to the electrical signal 217 and external reset signal 214 . [0024] According to some embodiments, the sensing device 204 is a photodiode for measuring incident light intensity and generating electrical charge in response to the incident light. In keeping with this embodiment, the circuit 200 is a light sensing element, commonly called pixel, integrated in an imaging device which is fabricated using the CMOS technique. [0025] FIG. 3 depicts a schematic diagram of a CMOS imaging device 300 according to this embodiment. Imaging device 300 can be used in electronic imaging systems including, but not limited to cell phones, digital cameras, PDAs, remote sensing devices, medical imaging devices, etc., which are suitable for generating digital images. Imaging device 300 can also be integrated in wireless sensor networks including, but not limited to, imaging sensor networks for security and surveillance applications. Unlike conventional imaging device, the imaging device 300 not only captures digital images, but also harvests energy from the incident light and contributes to power supply, thereby reducing power consumption from the main power source used to power the device 300 . [0026] In particular, the image device 300 includes a pixel array 306 , a timing and control unit 310 , one or more decoder and buffer units 304 , a signal processor and memory unit 312 , and a power management and energy storage unit 302 . The pixel array 306 can be one-dimensional or two-dimensional, in which pixels 308 convert the incident light with different illumination levels to electrical signals for further storage or processing. [0027] Each pixel 308 is a sensing unit consisting of at least one photodiode, and a plurality of transistors fabricated using the CMOS technology. Each pixel 308 has a first operating mode (i.e., the sensing mode), where the photodiode or photodiodes sense the illumination level (i.e., intensity) and generate electrical charge in response to the incident light. [0028] The charging process (commonly known as integration) is determined in part by the intensity and exposure time of each pixel 308 . In general, the higher the incident intensity, the faster the electrical charge is generated. On the other hand, the longer the exposure time (integration time), the higher the electrical charge. Consequently, the time interval required for the electrical charge to reach a predetermined charge level is inversely proportional to the incident light intensity. As a result, the charging process of each pixel 308 is time encoded and the integration time required for each pixel 308 to reach a predetermined charge threshold can be decoded to calculate the intensity of the light received by each pixel 308 . [0029] In addition, the pixel 308 can be configured to harvest energy from the incident light. The transistors integrated in the pixel provide reset, control, readout, as well as other necessary functions. The timing and control unit 310 provides global clock signals for the sensor, and controls the operation of the entire sensor. The clock and control signals are distributed to other components by proper routing. The decoder and buffer units 304 are electrically coupled to the pixel array 306 . They are provided to address and access the signals generated by the pixel array 306 , and load them into the signal processor and memory unit 312 , which is electrically connected to the decoder and buffer units 304 . The signal processor includes one or more digital processor, image encoders and decoders, analog-to-digital converters, calibration circuitries, etc. The memory includes both volatile and non-volatile memories. The signals generated by the pixel array 306 can be directly loaded into the processor for image processing such as image compression, and the processed signals are stored in the Memory. [0030] The power management and energy storage unit 302 is electrically connects to the pixel array 306 and other circuit components for supplying them with electrical power. In addition, the power management and energy storage unit 302 also regulates and stores the energy harvested by the pixel array 306 . Specifically, the power management and energy storage unit 302 can include step-up or step-down switching regulators, switch-capacitor power converters, low-dropout regulators, chargers, and other power conversion circuitry. Energy storage is realized by using on-chip capacitors or other CMOS compatible charge storage devices. The harvested energy can be used to complement the main power source (not shown) and used to power the pixel array 306 , other circuit components within the image sensor, or other circuits external to the sensor. Alternatively, the energy hardest by the sensor array 306 can be stored in on-board or external energy storage devices. [0031] FIG. 4 illustrates a structure diagram 400 of the pixel 308 according to some embodiments. The pixel 400 is connected to a voltage source VDD and includes a reset transistor MN 1 , a photodiode Pd, a switch transistor MP 1 connecting the anode of the photodiode Pd to a power bus 402 , which provides power supply Vpower from a main power source (now shown) and is shared by the entire pixel array 306 , a threshold detection and feedback control unit 406 , and a signal encoding unit 408 . [0032] The pixel 400 has two operating modes: a sensing mode (first mode) and an energy harvesting mode (second mode). In the sensing mode, the photodiode Pd is used to measure the incident light intensity using a timing coding technique. In the energy harvesting mode, the photodiode is used to harvest energy from the incident light received by the photodiode and to contribute to the power supply on the main power bus 402 . The operation of the pixel 400 is described below. [0033] Initially, the sensor is in harvesting mode. The reset transistor MN 1 is off and the switch transistor MP 1 is on. The anode of the photodiode Pd is connected to the main power bus 402 through the switch transistor MP 1 . When the pixel 400 is exposed to illumination, the photodiode Pd converts the incident photons into electron/hole pairs, thus forming photocurrents, to charge up the main power bus 402 to VDD′. Note the difference between VDD′ and VDD is the open circuit voltage of the photodiode Pd. [0034] When the integration process (the sensing mode) begins as indicated by the timing and control circuit 310 through the control signals 410 , MP 1 is turned off and MN 1 is turned on by reset signal 404 . The node connecting the anode of Pd and the drain of MN 1 is discharged to ground. During the integration process of the pixel's normal operation mode, transistors MN 1 and MP 1 are turned off. The threshold detection and feedback control unit 410 monitors the voltage at the node connecting the anode of Pd and the drain of MN 1 . [0035] Once the voltage reaches a predetermined threshold, the threshold detection and feedback control unit 406 sends a control signal to turn on MP 1 , thereby connecting the anode of Pd to the main power bus 402 , which is shared by the pixel array 306 . Accordingly, the pixel 400 goes into the energy harvest mode, where the photodiode Pd is used to harvest energy from the incident light. The photodiode Pd continues to convert the incident light into electrical charge, which is used to contribute to the power supply on the main power bus 402 . The harvested energy can be used by the pixel 308 , other pixels, or other circuits within or external to the image sensor 300 , or be stored in energy storage devices such as on-board capacitors or external rechargeable batteries. [0036] Unlike conventional voltage domain readout methods, the incident light intensity received by the pixel 408 is encoded by the interval from the beginning of the integration process (the sensing mode) to the time when the predetermined threshold is reached by the electrical charge generated by the photodiode Pd. As discussed above, this charging time interval is inversely proportional to the light intensity received by the photodiode Pd. The signal encoding unit 408 generates a time-encoded signal 414 and places it on the output line for read-out. After some duration, MP 1 is turned off, and the sensor enters harvesting mode and waits for the next integration cycle. [0037] FIG. 5 shows another implementation 500 of the pixel element 308 depicted in FIG. 3 . In particular, the pixel element 500 shown in FIG. 5 is connected to a voltage source VDD. The pixel 500 includes two photodiodes (Pd 1 and Pd 2 ), 10 PMOS transistors, and 8 NMOS transistors. Pd 1 acts as an energy harvesting device and continuously generates power, whereas Pd 2 is switched between the sensing mode and the energy harvesting mode similar to the pixel 400 depicted in FIG. 4 . [0038] In particular, MN 1 is the reset transistor, and MP 1 and MP 2 connect the anode of Pd 2 to the main power bus 502 shared by the pixel array 306 . Transistors MN 2 - 5 and MP 2 - 4 form the threshold detection and feedback control unit 504 similar to 406 . Transistors MN 6 - 7 and MP 6 - 8 form the signal encoding unit 506 for implementing the signal read-out. Transistors MN 8 , MP 5 , and MP 9 - 10 are switches for controlling the operations of the pixel 500 . V N is the voltage at the sensing node of the photodetector Pd 2 , and V GEN is the output of the threshold detection and feedback control unit 504 . The threshold detection and feedback control unit 504 monitors V N and compares it with a threshold voltage which is set by the inverter formed by MN 2 and MP 4 . [0039] Once the threshold voltage is reached, V GEN is pulled down, thus turning on MP 6 and MP 8 . Output line RowReq is then pulled up and sent to the timing and control unit 310 for processing. After some duration, RowAck signal is sent back to turn on MP 7 , and output line ColReq is pulled up and also sent to the timing and control unit 310 . As discussed above, the incident light intensity information is encoded into the pulses of output signals, RowReq and ColReq. The V ASR signal is asynchronously enabled by EN, which is a control signal from the timing and control unit 310 to refresh the pixel 500 , after the electrical charge at the sensing photodiode Pd 2 reaches the threshold and is used to distinguish between the sensing and energy harvesting modes of the pixel 500 . [0040] The operation principle of the circuit 500 shown in FIG. 5 can be divided into two phases: the energy harvesting mode and the sensing mode. [0041] In the energy harvesting mode, the pixel is used to harvest energy from ambient light. Assuming the voltage Vpower on the main power bus 502 is initially zero, when the pixel is exposed to the incident illumination and the energy generation process begins, Pd 1 converts the incident photons into electron/hole pairs, thus forming photocurrents, to provide extra power onto the main power bus 502 . After some duration, Vpower is fully charged up to VDD′, where the difference between VDD′ and VDD is given by the open circuit voltage of the Pd 2 . Maximum energy is harvested once Vpower reaches VDD′. [0042] During the energy harvesting mode, the Reset signal is kept low and Re set remains high, thereby isolating the timing and control unit 310 from the pixel array 306 and keeping RowAck low. At the same time, the EN signal is kept high in order to pull down the request lines RowReq, ColReq and V ASR . Since at this stage V ASR is low, the photodetector Pd 2 is connected to the main power bus 502 , thus contributing to power supply. [0043] In the sensing mode, for normal operation of the photodetector Pd 2 , signal EN first changes to low, turning off MN 8 and thus isolating V ASR from the ground. An active low pulse Re set is then generated slightly earlier than the active-high pulse Reset. The Re set pulse connects the main power bus 502 and V ASR , thereby pulling up V ASR and switching off transistor MP 1 . At this stage, the photodetector Pd 2 is cut off from the main power bus 502 . The Reset pulse then discharges the voltage V N of the photodetector Pd 2 and initiates the integration process. [0044] In the sensing mode, Pd 2 operates as the photodetector, charging V N by its photocurrent proportionally to the illumination level. When V N is charged up to the threshold voltage set by the threshold detection and feedback control unit 504 , V GEN is switched off quickly. As V GEN changes to low, MP 6 and MP 8 are turned on, thus enabling RowReq (charged up by Vpower). The RowReq signal is sent to the arbitration block in the timing and control circuit 310 for further processing. [0045] The RowAck signal sent back to the pixel 500 will turn on transistor MP 7 . Since MP 8 is already on, ColReq is pulled high and the ColReq signal is sent to the timing and control unit 310 for processing. After a period of processing, the EN signal is pulled up, thus turning on MN 6 - 8 . At this stage, the V ASR signal is pulled down again, turning on MP 1 and MP 9 , thus connecting V GEN to the main power bus 502 and clearing V GEN . The switching of the EN signal from low to high controls the pixel 500 to switch from the sensing mode to the energy harvesting mode. Waveforms of the signals during the operations of pixel 500 are illustrated in FIG. 6 . [0046] FIG. 7 depicts the operations of an exemplary embodiment of the pixel array 700 including a 3 by 3 array. Each pixel in the pixel array 700 is similar to those depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5 . Under the control of circuits similar to the timing and control unit 310 , the pixel array 700 can be used to generate digital images as well as harvest energy from the incident lights by utilizing the asynchronous pixels. [0047] Specifically, each pixel in the array 700 has an active mode (sensing mode) and a stand-by mode (energy harvesting mode), which are triggered asynchronously according to the local incident light intensity. In the sensing mode, the pixel draws power from a main power source through a main power bus, whereas in the stand-by mode the pixel generates energy and contributes to the main power supply for powering the operations of other pixels that are sill in the sensing mode. [0048] After the integration process, the output signals are readout and the pixel enters the standby mode and the corresponding photodetector or photodetectors of the pixel are connected to the main power bus. The pixel continues to generate electrical charge to provide extra power supply onto the main power bus, thereby reducing the power consumption drawn from the main power source. [0049] As discussed above, the integration process of a photodetector is proportional to the incident light intensity. As a result, highly illuminated pixels charge up quickly and the output signals are read out from these pixels first, due to the fact that the electrical charge reaches the predetermined threshold earlier in these pixels than in other pixels receiving lower illumination levels. Once the output signals are collected, these highly illuminated pixels are configured to harvest energy at earlier times that those pixels exposed to lower illumination levels. When a group of pixels are switch to the energy harvesting mode, the electrical charge in these pixels is used to contribute to the main power supply, thereby reducing power consumption from the main power source. As remaining active pixels continue to charge up, more and more active pixels are switched to the energy harvesting mode, thereby creating an avalanche effect. Consequently, the extra power generated by the pixel array continues to increase and the power consumption drawn from the main power source continues to decrease. [0050] As shown in FIG. 7 , the illumination level of the incident light is indicated by the number of arrows, as higher number of allows indicates stronger incident light. When all of the pixels in the array 700 have similar threshold level, a pixel receiving higher illumination reaches the threshold earlier and thus ends the integration stage earlier than one receiving lower illumination. As time goes by (from Time 0 to Time 3), the pixels switch from the sensing mode to the energy harvesting mode in the following sequence: [0051] Time 1: pixels (1, 1), (2, 1), and (3, 2) switch; [0052] Time 2: pixels (1, 3), (2, 2), and (2, 3) switch; and [0053] Time 3: pixels (1, 2), (3, 1), and (3, 3) switch. [0054] As can be seen, highly illuminated pixels (e.g., pixels 1, 1), (2, 1), and (3, 2)) switch first and hence contributing their harvested energy at an earlier stage. The pixels with lower illumination follow as these pixels continue to charge up. As a result, highly illuminated pixels can harvest energy for a longer time, and more energy can be scavenged from these pixels as other pixels continue the integration process. An efficient energy harvesting scheme is therefore obtained. This cannot be achieved by conventional APS, where pixels are operated sequentially using a clock signal, irrespective to their illumination level. [0055] All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. [0056] The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. [0057] Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

An apparatus using reconfigurable integrated sensor elements with an efficient energy harvesting capability is described. Each sensor element has sensing and energy harvesting mode. In the sensing mode, the sensor element measures an environmental characteristic by generating electrical charge and outputs a time-encoded signal indicative of the measurement. In the energy harvesting mode, the sensor element itself is used to harvest energy from ambient energy source and makes it available to other sensor elements or circuit components. The sensing element is switched from the sensing mode to the energy harvesting mode when the electrical charge reaches a predetermined threshold. An image sensor device using asynchronous readout for harvesting energy from incident light while generating images is also described.

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to an electron beam device which is used for inspection and measurement. BACKGROUND ART [0002] A scanning electron microscope (SEM) using an electron beam which is used to observe, inspect and measure a sample accelerates electrons emitted from an electron source and irradiates the electron so as to be converged on a surface of the sample using an electrostatic or electromagnetic lens. The electrons may be called as primary electrons. When the primary electron is incident, secondary electrons or reflection electrons may be generated from the sample. The secondary electrons or the reflection electrons are detected while scanning the electron beam so as to be deflected to obtain a minute pattern on the sample or a scanning image of composition distribution. Further, electrons which are absorbed onto the sample are detected to form an absorbed current image. [0003] As a desirable function of the scanning electron microscope, there is a function of performing scanning with a wide viewing field without causing the significant lowering of a resolution of the electron beam. As the miniaturization of a semiconductor is progressed, a two-dimensional high speed inspection of a resist pattern is required and scanning with a wide viewing field is required in order to expand an inspection area and lower a shrinkage. [0004] In order to achieve the above object, it is required to reduce a deflected chromatic aberration which is generated by the deflection of the electron beam. As an implementing method thereof, Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 suggest to use an electron optical element represented as E×B in which an electromagnetic deflector and an electrostatic deflector are combined. The E×B element is also used as a part of an energy filter of the electron beam or a deflecting element of the secondary electrons, which is disclosed in Patent Literature 3, Patent Literature 4, and Patent Literature 5 and Non-Patent Literature 1. CITATION LIST Patent Literature [0000] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent No. 03932894 Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-15055 Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-23558 Patent Literature 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-35386 Patent Literature 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-277996 Non-Patent Literature [0000] Non-Patent Literature 1: Rev. Sci. Instrum., Vol. 64, No. 3, March 1993 p 659-p 666 SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem [0011] However, in the related art, the following various problems occurring when the E×B element is used to correct the deflected chromatic aberration have not been considered. That is, (1) in correction of the deflected chromatic aberration, the deflection is significant in the electromagnetic deflection and the electrostatic deflection so that a voltage source having a high voltage and a current source having a high current are required, which may cause a response delay in deflection depending dynamic correction. (2) Geometric aberration (hereinafter, referred to as a parasitic aberration) which is caused by the increase of the deflection field is increased. (3) Due to a mechanical manufacturing and assembling error, deflection points of an electromagnetic deflector and an electrostatic deflector do not match to each other and a parasitic aberration similarly to (2) occurs. (4) An adjusting means of the E×B element which satisfies a requirement of high correction precision is not established. [0012] A first object of the present invention is to provide an electron beam device which is capable of suppressing the parasitic aberration caused by the response delay or deflection even when the deflected chromatic aberration is corrected and achieving the deflection with a wide viewing field at a high resolution. [0013] A second object of the present invention is to provide an electron beam device which is capable of suppressing the parasitic aberration caused by the manufacturing process and achieving the deflection with a wide viewing field at a high resolution. [0014] A third object of the present invention is to provide an electron beam device which is capable of easily adjusting an E×B element. [0015] A fourth object of the present invention is to provide an electron beam device which is capable of suppressing the parasitic aberration caused by deflection and the parasitic aberration caused by the manufacturing process. Solution to Problem [0016] In order to achieve the first object, (1) an electromagnetic deflector is provided above a deflector which defines a position of an electron beam on a sample and an electrostatic deflector having a smaller inner diameter than the electromagnetic deflector, which is capable of applying an offset voltage, is provided so as to overlap the electromagnetic deflector. [0017] In order to achieve the second object, (2) any one of the electromagnetic deflector and the electrostatic deflector is configured to have a double stage structure. [0018] In order to achieve the third object, (3) the electromagnetic deflector and the electrostatic deflector are provided above a lens which is provided above an objective deflector which defines a position of the electron beam. [0019] In order to achieve the fourth object, (4) a means of automatically measuring a change in a position of the beam or a change in a deflected amount (scanning magnification) of a deflector which defines the position and the deflecting direction (rotation of the scanning area) when intensities of the deflectors are simultaneously and minutely changed or a voltage of an electron source is minutely changed or (5) the electrostatic deflector functions as both astigmatism corrector and a focal point corrector. Advantageous Effects of Invention [0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to correct the deflected chromatic aberration with a high sensitivity, reduce or correct the parasitic aberration, and achieve deflection with a wide viewing field while maintaining the high resolution. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic overall configuration view of an electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to a second embodiment. [0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of an electrooptical configuration of the electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to the second embodiment. [0023] FIG. 3 is a top view of a deflected chromatic aberration correcting element in the electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to the second embodiment. [0024] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of an adjusting means of the electrooptical configuration in the electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to the second embodiment. [0025] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of an electrooptical configuration of a scanning electron microscope according to a third embodiment. [0026] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of an electrooptical configuration of the electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to a fourth embodiment. [0027] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of an electrooptical configuration of an electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to a fifth embodiment. [0028] FIG. 8 is an electronic trajectory diagram illustrating diffusion of an electron beam in the electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to the first embodiment. [0029] FIG. 9 is an electronic trajectory diagram illustrating diffusion of an electron beam in an electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to the fifth embodiment. [0030] FIG. 10 is a schematic overall configuration view of an electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to the first embodiment. [0031] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of an electrooptical configuration of an electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to the first embodiment. [0032] FIG. 12 is a top view of a deflected chromatic aberration correcting element in the electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to the first embodiment. [0033] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of an adjusting means of the electrooptical configuration in the electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to the first embodiment. [0034] FIG. 14 is a view illustrating a schematic overall configuration and the diffusion of the electron beam of the electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to the first embodiment. [0035] FIG. 15 is a schematic overall configuration view of an electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to a sixth embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS [0036] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described. First Embodiment [0037] A first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 , and 10 to 13 . FIG. 10 is an overall schematic view of an electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to the embodiment. An electron beam 102 emitted from an electron gun 101 is focused on a sample by a first condenser lens 103 , a second condenser lens 130 , and an objective lens 108 . Secondary electrons or reflection electrons 104 emitted from the sample are detected by a detector 105 which is disposed at the center. The electron beam on the sample is two-dimensionally scanned by an objective deflector 106 to obtain a two-dimensional image as a result. The two-dimensional image is displayed on a display device 119 . In a scanning electron microscope according to the embodiment, an electromagnetic deflector 1023 and an electrostatic deflector 122 which suppress a deflected chromatic aberration are disposed above the objective deflector 106 which defines a position on the sample and the second condenser lens 130 so that height positions from the sample overlap in a concentric circle shape. Further, reference numeral 109 denotes a sample, reference numeral 110 denotes a holder (stage), reference numeral 111 denotes an electron gun controller, reference numeral 112 denotes a first condenser lens controller, reference numeral 114 denotes a scanning deflector controller, reference numeral 115 denotes an electromagnetic lens controller, reference numeral 116 denotes a sample voltage controller, reference numeral 117 denotes a storage device, reference numeral 118 denotes a control operating unit of the overall device, reference numeral 120 denotes an electromagnetic deflector controller, reference numeral 121 denotes an offset applied electrostatic deflector controller, and reference numeral 131 denotes a second condenser lens controller. [0038] Further, FIG. 11 illustrates one part of an electrooptic configuration in the scanning electron microscope in detail. As illustrated in FIG. 11 , a deflected chromatic aberration correcting element 207 includes an electromagnetic deflector 1116 and an electrostatic deflector 206 . A magnetic field of the electromagnetic deflector 1116 is orthogonalized to a magnetic field of the electrostatic deflector 206 so that the deflected chromatic aberration is generated while substantially maintaining a position of the electron beam. In the meantime, the objective deflector 210 defines a position of the electron beam on the sample and generates the deflected chromatic aberration along with the deflection. Therefore, each of the deflectors of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element 207 is operated in association with the operation of the objective deflector 210 to compensate the deflected chromatic aberration. The electron beam on the sample is two dimensionally deflected so that each of the deflectors of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element 207 is also two dimensionally deflected. [0039] However, in order to generate the deflected chromatic aberration, the deflection amount of each of the deflectors needs to be large. For this reason, a driving current of the electromagnetic deflector 1116 or a driving voltage of the electrostatic deflector 206 needs to be large. Further, in order to associate with the objective deflector 210 , the driving thereof needs to be performed at a high speed with a high precision. Therefore, it is required to reduce the driving voltage or the driving current, that is, improve a deflection sensitivity. Further, when the deflection amount required for each of the deflectors is reduced, the geometric aberration (parasitic aberration) caused by the deflection is also reduced, so that double advantages may be achieved. In addition, reference numeral 201 denotes an electron source, reference numeral 202 denotes an earth electrode, reference numeral 208 denotes an electron trajectory only for electromagnetic deflection, reference numeral 209 denotes an electron trajectory only for electrostatic deflection, reference numeral 211 denotes a secondary electron or a reflection electron, reference numeral 212 denotes a detector, reference numeral 213 denotes an objective lens, reference numeral 214 denotes a condenser lens, and reference numeral 215 denotes a sample. [0040] FIG. 12 is a top view of a circumference of the deflector. In the configuration of the electrooptical system of the scanning electron microscope according to the embodiment, the electrostatic deflector 206 is disposed in the electromagnetic deflector 1116 and an offset of the voltage is applied to the electrostatic deflector 206 to reduce a speed of the electron beam. Further, the electrostatic deflector 206 is desirably disposed to form a concentric circle with the electromagnetic deflector 1116 . An advantage of the above method is that the electromagnetic deflector 1116 is separated from the electrostatic deflector 206 . By doing this, the electromagnetic deflector 1116 may be disposed outside the vacuum so that the deterioration of a degree of a vacuum due to degasification from an electromagnetic coil 1201 which is used for the electromagnetic deflector 1116 or charging-up due to a non-conductive ferrite 1202 may be avoided. Further, the electromagnetic deflector 1116 may be driven at a ground level potential. In the meantime, even though a mechanical error may occur in a relative deflection direction of both deflectors, the geometric aberration (parasitic aberration) due to the mechanical error may be corrected by octupolarizing the electrostatic deflector 206 . [0041] The electrostatic deflector 206 is an octupolar deflector in which electrodes are disposed on a circumference and an offset voltage of the electrostatic deflector 206 and a potential of the electron beam match each other as much as possible by disposing the electrodes on the circumference. Further, the earth electrode 202 is inserted between the electrostatic deflector 206 and the electromagnetic deflector 1116 . The earth electrode 202 stabilizes potential above and below the electrostatic deflector and serves as a vacuum partition to maintain a vacuum state of an electron beam passage. In addition, the electromagnetic deflector 1116 is configured to be a cosine winding type in order to reduce a multipolar field, which is a known technology. The cosine winding electromagnetic deflector 1116 has a different symmetric property of the geometric structure from the octupolar electrostatic deflector 206 . The electromagnetic deflector 1116 of the embodiment adopts a cosine winding which generates only a dipole component and the electrostatic deflector 206 adopts an octupolar deflector which generates a multipolar component and corrects the geometric aberration (parasitic aberration). This is important to reduce the geometric aberration which is generated in accordance with the compensation of the deflected chromatic aberration. [0042] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 11 , cylindrical electrodes (an upper control electrode 203 and a lower control electrode 204 ) which apply a voltage are disposed above and below the electrostatic deflector 206 and apply the same voltage as the offset voltage of the electrostatic deflector 206 . In addition, needless to say, a deflected voltage and the offset voltage are applied to the electrostatic deflector. An effect of the electrode is to expand an area where the speed of the electron beam is reduced. A deflected electrical field of the electrostatic deflector 206 is leaked above and below the deflector. Therefore, in order to reduce the speed of the electron beam in the upper and lower areas as much as the offset voltage, more control electrodes need to be disposed above and below the deflector. A leak length of the deflected electric field depends on an inner diameter of the electrostatic deflector and a length of the electrode is set to be larger than the inner diameter to reliably achieve the speed reducing effect. This is also important to improve the precision that compensates a change of the trajectory of the electron beam by the electromagnetic deflector and a change of the trajectory of the electron beam by the electrostatic deflector. Accordingly, a voltage which is applied to the upper and lower control electrodes is desirably substantially equal to the offset voltage which is applied to the electrostatic deflector 206 . Further, when the speed of the electron beam is decreased or increased, an electrostatic lens effect may occur. Therefore, in order to separate an electrostatic lens area from an electrostatic deflection area and reduce the geometric aberration (parasitic aberration), it is important to provide long control electrodes up and down. Similarly, a leakage of a magnetic field of the electromagnetic deflector 1116 needs to be considered and a total length of the electrostatic deflector 206 , the upper control electrode 203 , and the lower control electrode 204 needs to be longer than a total length of the electromagnetic deflectors 1116 . [0043] FIG. 8 illustrates distribution of the electron beam in the electron microscope according to the embodiment. A sensitivity for correction of the deflected chromatic aberration largely depends on a distance between the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element (electrostatic deflector 122 and the electromagnetic deflector 1023 ) and a position of a crossover. In order to optimize a property of the objective lens 108 , the location of a second crossover 802 is varied by an energy of the electron beam 102 which is used to observe the sample 109 . Accordingly, in order to prevent a property of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element from being significantly changed, additional deflected chromatic aberration correcting elements (an electrostatic deflector 122 and an electromagnetic deflector 1023 ) are disposed above the first crossover 801 . In other words, the electromagnetic deflector 1023 and the electrostatic deflector 122 are disposed above a lens (the second condenser lens 130 ) which is disposed above the objective deflector 106 which defines a position of the electron beam. By increasing the sensitivity for correction of the deflected chromatic aberration, a voltage source having a high voltage and a current source having a high current are not necessary and a response delay at the time of deflection depending dynamic correction is improved. [0044] Next, an adjusting means of the electrooptic configuration of the scanning electron microscope according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 13 . A beam position measuring mark 410 is disposed as a reference mark in order to measure a position of the electron beam on a sample 215 . A predetermined intensity is applied to each of the deflectors by an electromagnetic deflector power source 1301 and an offset applied electrostatic deflector power source 402 to measure a change in the position of the electron beam when a minute amount of a voltage of an electron source 101 is changed by an electron source power source 407 . By doing this, it is possible to evaluate a correcting capability in the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element (the electrostatic deflector 206 and the electromagnetic deflector 1116 ). Similarly, the correcting capability may be evaluated by measuring the change in the position of the electron beam when intensities of the electromagnetic deflector power source 1301 and the electrostatic deflector power source 402 are changed at a minute ratio. The same type of evaluation may be utilized in the deflected chromatic aberration property in the objective deflector 210 and the evaluation may be performed by measuring the change in the deflected amount (scanning magnification) and a deflection direction (rotation of the scanning area) of a deflector which defines a position. The deflection by the objective deflector 210 and an operation of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element may be associated with each other from the above data. Further, reference numeral 213 denotes an objective lens, reference numeral 404 denotes an objective deflector power source, reference numeral 405 denotes an objective lens power source, and reference numeral 406 denotes a digital control system. [0045] In the embodiment, with respect to the electron source voltage of −3 kV, −2 kV is applied as an offset voltage. By operating the deflected aberration correcting elements (the electrostatic deflector 206 and the electromagnetic deflector 1116 ) in association with the objective deflector, a deterioration of the resolution of the obtained image may be reduced even when an image having a size of 80 μm square is scanned on the sample using the objective deflector. As a result, an image of a large area may be captured without moving the stage so that a throughput in multipoint size measurement is improved 80% or more. [0046] As described above, an electromagnetic deflector is provided above a deflector which defines a position of an electron beam on a sample and an electrostatic deflector having a smaller inner diameter than the electromagnetic deflector, which is capable of applying an offset voltage, is provided so as to overlap the electromagnetic deflector to provide the electron beam device which is capable of suppressing the parasitic aberration caused by the response delay or the deflection and implementing the deflection with a wide viewing field at a high resolution even when the deflected chromatic aberration is corrected. [0047] Further, the electromagnetic deflector and the electrostatic deflector are provided above the lens which is disposed above the objective deflector which defines the position of the electron beam to provide an electron beam device which is capable of easily adjusting the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element (E×B element). [0048] In addition, a means of automatically measuring a change in a position of the beam or a change in a deflected amount (scanning magnification) of a deflector which defines the position and the deflecting direction (rotation of the scanning area) when intensities of the deflectors (the electromagnetic deflector and the electrostatic deflector) are simultaneously and minutely changed or a voltage of an electron source is minutely changed is provided to provide an electron beam device which is capable of suppressing the parasitic aberration caused by deflection and the parasitic aberration caused by the manufacturing process. Second Embodiment [0049] A second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 . Matters which are described in the first embodiment but are not described in this embodiment may be applied to this embodiment unless there are special circumstances. [0050] FIG. 1 is a schematic overall configuration view of an electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to this embodiment. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that an electromagnetic deflector 123 which forms a deflected chromatic aberration correcting element is configured to have a double stage structure. Further, same reference numerals as in FIG. 10 denote the same components. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a main part for explaining an electrooptical configuration in the scanning electron microscope according to this embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 2 , a deflected chromatic aberration correcting element 207 includes two electromagnetic deflectors 216 and 217 and an electrostatic deflector 206 . In addition, same reference numerals as in FIG. 11 denote the same components. [0051] With the double stage structure of the electromagnetic deflector (an upper stage electromagnetic deflector 216 and a lower stage electromagnetic deflector 217 ), a deflecting point may be adjusted. If the deflecting points of the electromagnetic deflector and the electrostatic deflector do not match, the electron trajectory is shifted from an axis inside the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element so that the geometric aberration (parasitic aberration) is increased. Even though the positions of the electromagnetic deflector and the electrostatic deflector match on the design, the processing or assembling error may occur so that the actual deflecting points do not match. Therefore, any one of the electromagnetic deflector and the electrostatic deflector may have a double stage structure. Both deflectors may have the double stage structure, which is not desirable in consideration of the complex structure or the increased cost. The deflector which has the double stage structure may be two dimensionally deflected and the intensity ratio and the deflection angle may be optimized in order to match the deflecting points. The optimization is performed in order to compensate the influence of the processing or assembling error so that the intensities and the deflection directions of the electromagnetic deflectors at upper and lower stages substantially match. FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element. Also in this embodiment, an octopole deflector is used for the electrostatic deflection. [0052] Next, an adjusting means of the electrooptic configuration of the scanning electron microscope according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4 . A beam position measuring mark 410 is disposed as a reference mark in order to measure a position of the electron beam on a sample. A predetermined intensity is applied to each of the deflector by a upper stage electromagnetic deflector power source 401 , a lower stage electromagnetic deflector power source 403 , and the offset applied electrostatic deflector power source 402 to measure a change in the position of the electron beam when a minute amount of a voltage of an electron source is changed by the electron source power source 407 . By doing this, it is possible to evaluate a correction capability in the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element. Similarly, the correcting capability may be evaluated by measuring the change in the position of the electron beam when intensities of the upper stage electromagnetic deflector power source 401 , the lower stage electromagnetic deflector power source 403 , and the electrostatic deflector power source 402 are changed at a minute ratio. The same type of evaluation may be utilized in the deflected chromatic aberration property in the objective deflector 210 and the evaluation may be performed by measuring the change in the deflected amount (scanning magnification) and a deflection direction (rotation of the scanning area) of a deflector which defines a position. The deflection by the objective deflector and an operation of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element may be associated with each other from the above data. [0053] Further, in order to match the deflecting points in the electromagnetic deflection and the electrostatic deflection, in a state where the movement amounts of the deflections on the sample are compensated, the intensities of the electromagnetic deflection at the upper and lower stages and the deflection direction are adjusted so as to pass the center of the objective lens. [0054] In the embodiment, with respect to the electron source voltage of −3 kV, −2 kV is applied as an offset voltage. By operating the deflected aberration correcting elements in association with the objective deflector, a deterioration of the resolution of the obtained image may be reduced even when an image having a size of 80 μm square is scanned on the sample using the objective deflector. As a result, an image of a large area may be captured without moving the stage (holder) so that a throughput in multipoint measurement is improved 100% or more. [0055] As described above, the same effect as the first embodiment may be obtained in this embodiment. [0056] Further, the electromagnetic deflector has a double stage structure to provide an electron beam device which suppresses the parasitic aberration caused during the manufacturing process and achieves the deflection with a wide viewing field at a high resolution. Third Embodiment [0057] A third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 5 . Further, matters which are described in the first or second embodiment but are not described in this embodiment may be applied to this embodiment unless there are special circumstances. [0058] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of an electrooptical configuration of an electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to this embodiment. Further, same reference numerals as FIG. 2 denote the same components. In addition, the entire configuration of the scanning electron microscope is substantially same as the first or second embodiment. The difference from the first and second embodiments is that in this embodiment, the electrostatic deflector is configured to have a double stage structure of an upper stage electrostatic deflector 502 and a lower stage electrostatic deflector 503 and the electromagnetic deflector 501 is configured to have a single stage structure. As an effect, the deflecting points may be matched similar to the second embodiment. [0059] In the embodiment, with respect to the electron source voltage of −3 kV, −2 kV is applied as an offset voltage. By operating the deflected aberration correcting elements in association with the objective deflector, a deterioration of the resolution of the obtained image may be reduced even when an image having a size of 80 μm square is scanned on the sample using the objective deflector. As a result, an image of a large area may be captured without moving the stage (holder) so that a throughput in multipoint measurement is improved 100% or more. [0060] As described above, the same effect as the first embodiment may be obtained in this embodiment. [0061] Further, the electrostatic deflector has a double stage structure to provide an electron beam device which suppresses the parasitic aberration caused during the manufacturing process and achieves the deflection with a wide viewing field at a high resolution. Fourth Embodiment [0062] A fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6 . Further, matters which are described in any one of the first to third embodiments but are not described in this embodiment may be applied to this embodiment unless there are special circumstances. [0063] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of an electrooptical configuration of an electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to this embodiment. Further, same reference numerals as in FIG. 2 denote the same components. In addition, the entire configuration of the scanning electron microscope is substantially same as the first or second embodiment. A characteristic (difference) of this embodiment is that a voltage applying electrode 602 is provided instead of the earth electrode. The object is to accelerate the electron beam in an area other than the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element 207 , which may strengthen the electron beam trajectory from disturbance. The offset voltage which is applied to the electrostatic deflector 206 needs to be determined in consideration of a voltage which is applied to the voltage applying electrode and is also determined in consideration of both the correcting sensitivity and the electrostatic lens effect. [0064] In this embodiment, an electron source voltage is −2 kV and +2 kV is applied to the voltage applying electrode and −1 kV is applied to the electrostatic deflector. As compared with the first embodiment, even though the electrostatic lens effect is increased, the stability of the electron beam trajectory in an area other than the deflected chromatic aberration correcting elements is increased. As a result, in this embodiment, even though a size of 80 μm square is scanned on the sample using the objective deflector, the deflected chromatic aberration may be corrected and an image having a large area may be captured without moving the stage. Therefore, the throughput in the multiple point measurement is improved 80% or more and a reproducibility of length measurement is improved by 0.1 nm. [0065] As described above, the same effect as the second embodiment may be obtained in this embodiment. [0066] Further, the voltage applying electrode is provided between the electromagnetic deflector and the electrostatic deflector so as to accelerate the electron beam in an area other than the deflected chromatic aberration correcting elements and strengthen the electron beam trajectory from the disturbance. Fifth Embodiment [0067] A fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7 . Further, matters which are described in any one of the first to fourth embodiments but are not described in this embodiment may be applied to this embodiment unless there are special circumstances. [0068] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of an electrooptical configuration of an electron beam device (scanning electron microscope) according to this embodiment. Here, same reference numerals as in FIG. 2 denote the same components. Characteristics of this embodiment are in that the electrostatic deflector 701 functions as both a focal point corrector and an astigmatism corrector. Even though a coma aberration among geometric aberrations (parasitic aberrations) generated by the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element 207 is not corrected, an image plane curvature (focal point deviation) and an astigmatism may be corrected using an appropriate optical element. However, if the correction is performed, for example, in the objective lens 213 , it is required to feedback an intensity and the deflection direction of the objective deflector 210 , which causes control to become complicated. Therefore, the correction is desirably performed in the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element 207 . [0069] As described above, a speed reduced electric field causes the electrostatic lens effect. Therefore, the focal point may be corrected by controlling the electrostatic lens effect. For example, the offset voltage is changed from −3 kV into −3.01 kV to change the focal point on the sample by 10 μm. This is because the focal point sensitivity is improved due to the presence of the offset voltage and if there is no offset voltage, an incomparable voltage is required to correct the same focal point. That is, it is understood that the reduction of the speed of the electron beam is effective for both correction of the deflected chromatic aberration and correction of the focal point. In this case, it is effective to perform the correction on a portion where the potential is significantly changed so that it is effective to change the offset voltage of the upper and lower stage control electrodes 703 and 704 , that is, utilize as both the control electrode and the focal point corrector. [0070] Further, the electrostatic deflector is formed of octupolar electrodes, which is similar to the deflector as illustrated in FIG. 12 . The voltages may be superimposed so as to generate an electric field having a quadrupolar symmetric property in these electrodes and the astigmatism caused by the quadrupolar field may be corrected. In addition, if the voltages are superimposed so as to generate an electric field having a hexapolar symmetric property in these electrodes, the coma aberration caused by the hexapolar field may be corrected. For example, examples of the voltage which is applied to eight electrodes are as follows. In the case of the deflection, in the clock wise direction, approximately, the voltages are 1:0.4:−0.4:−1:−1:−0.4:0.4:1, in the case of the correction of the astigmatism, the voltages are 1:0:−1:0:1:0:−1:0, and in the case of the correction of the coma aberration, the voltages are −1:1:−0.4:−0.4:1:−1:0.4:0.4. In the case of the correction of the coma aberration, the angle dependence of a high frequency is required for distribution of the voltages of the electrodes so that the polarities of the voltage of an electrode adjacent to an electrode to which a maximum voltage or a minimum voltage required for the correction is applied are inversed. A fact that the hexapolar field is created using an octupolar deflector is an important result in the view point of simplifying the structure of the deflector. [0071] As described above, an optical element of the embodiment is used to correct not only the deflected chromatic aberration, but also the geometric aberration (parasitic aberration) such as the image plane curvature or the astigmatism. A function of correcting the geometric aberration may correct not only the geometric aberration which is generated by the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element but also the image plane curvature or the astigmatism caused by the deflection which defines the position of the beam on the sample at a subsequent stage. This is very effective to implement the deflection with a wide viewing field at a high resolution, which is an object of the present invention. [0072] Another feature of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9 . The configuration of the entire device of the embodiment is substantially same as that of the first or second embodiment, but one stage of a third condenser lens 901 is added. FIG. 9 is an electron trajectory view for explaining distribution of the electron beam in the scanning electron microscope according to the embodiment. Here, same reference numerals as in FIG. 8 denote the same components. As described above, a sensitivity of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element (the electrostatic deflector 122 and the electromagnetic deflector 123 ) significantly depends on a distance from the first crossover 801 . Therefore, in this embodiment, the condenser lens is configured to have triple stage structure to fix the distance from the first crossover 801 . That is, the position of the crossover which depends on voltage of an electron beam which is applied to the sample or a divergence angle may be changed only by changing a position of a second crossover 802 and a position of a third crossover 902 . [0073] In the embodiment, with respect to the electron source voltage of −3 kV, −2 kV is applied as an offset voltage. In addition to the image plane curvature, the astigmatism, and the coma aberration generated in the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element, three aberrations such as a deflected chromatic aberration, an image plane curvature, and an astigmatism which are generated by the deflection on the sample are corrected. As a result, even when an image having a size of 150 μm square is scanned on the sample using the objective deflector, the high resolution may be maintained in the obtained image and the image having a large area may be captured without moving the stage. By doing this, a throughput at the multipoint measurement is improved 120% or more. [0074] As described above, the same effect as the second embodiment may be obtained in this embodiment. [0075] Further, the electrostatic deflector serves as both a focal point corrector and an astigmatism corrector so that the focal point and the astigmatism are corrected in the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element. In addition, a distance between the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element and the crossover position is fixed to constantly maintain a sensitivity of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element. [0076] Further, the present invention relates to a basic characteristic of the electron beam device. However, the present invention is not limited to the scanning electron microscope but may be widely applicable to the electron beam device such as measurement of a pattern size by the electron beams, detection of the defect or identification of the type of the detect, formation of the pattern, and observation with a wide viewing field. Sixth Embodiment [0077] This embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15 . FIG. 14 adds the distribution of the electron beam to FIG. 10 and FIG. 15 illustrates the electrooptical system of the embodiment. In FIG. 10 , the electron beam 102 emitted from the electron gun is focused by the first condenser lens 103 and the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element. In order to improve the sensitivity of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element, it is required to apply electrons which are more than half of the voltage of the electron beam 102 as offset and the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element serves as an electrostatic lens. Therefore, in FIG. 10 , the electron beam forms an image by the first condenser lens 103 and two lenses of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element. This has an advantage in that the change of the position of an intermediate image formation 1 by the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element is adjusted by the first condenser lens 103 but the configuration of the device becomes complex. This is similar when the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element is disposed below the second condenser lens 130 . [0078] In the meantime, in FIG. 15 , the image is formed only by the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element. By adjusting the offset voltage, a sensitivity of correcting the deflected chromatic aberration is improved and a second intermediate image plane 1402 may be formed, which may simplify the electrooptical system. Further, the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element is combined with the first condenser lens 103 (in this case, a first intermediate image plane 1401 is formed between the first condenser lens and the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element) to independently adjust the sensitivity of correcting the deflected chromatic aberration and the position of the intermediate image plane. [0079] As described above, the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element also functions as an electrostatic lens to form an intermediate image, which simplifies the electrooptical system. [0080] Further, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments but includes various modification embodiments. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail in order to understand the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to an example which includes all described components. In addition, a part of the components of an embodiment may be replaced with a component of other embodiment and the component of an embodiment may be added to the component of the other embodiment. Furthermore, other component may be added to, deleted from, and replaced with a part of the components of each of the embodiments. [0081] As described above, the present invention has been described in detail, but main types of the present invention will be listed as follows. [0082] (1) An electron beam device which includes an electron source and a deflector which defines a position of an electron beam emitted from the electron source on a sample and obtains an image of the sample based on a secondary electronic signal which is generated from the sample by irradiating the electron beam whose position is defined by the deflector, or a signal of a reflection signal electron or an absorbed electron, further includes, a deflected chromatic aberration correcting element including an electromagnetic deflector which is disposed to be closer to the electron source than the deflector with respect to the sample and an electrostatic deflector which is separated from the electromagnetic deflector and has a smaller inner diameter than the electromagnetic deflector, is disposed inside such that a height position from the sample overlaps the electromagnetic deflector and applies an offset voltage. [0083] (2) In the electron beam device disclosed in (1), the electrostatic deflector of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element also functions as a focal point corrector. [0084] (3) The electron beam device disclosed in (1), further includes upper and lower electrodes which are disposed above and below the electrostatic deflector of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element and apply a voltage, and the upper and lower electrodes are used as a focal point corrector. [0085] (4) An electron beam device which includes an electron source and a deflector which defines a position of an electron beam emitted from the electron source on a sample and obtains an image of the sample based on a secondary electronic signal which is generated from the sample by irradiating the electron beam whose position is defined by the deflector, or a signal of a reflection signal electron or an absorbed electron, the electron beam device further includes, a deflected chromatic aberration correcting element including an electrostatic deflector which is disposed to be closer to the electron source than the deflector with respect to the sample and an electromagnetic deflector which has a larger inner diameter than the electrostatic deflector, and is disposed inside such that a height position from the sample overlaps the electrostatic deflector, and any one of the electrostatic deflector and the electromagnetic deflector of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element is configured to have a double stage structure. [0086] (5) In the electron beam device disclosed in (4), the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element adjusts an intensity ratio and a deflection direction of a deflector which has a double stage structure so as to match a deflecting point when a deflector having a double stage structure among the electrostatic deflector and the electromagnetic deflector is interlocked and a deflecting point of the other deflector. [0087] (6) In the electron beam device disclosed in (1) or (4), the electrostatic deflector of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element functions as a quadrupolar aberration corrector or a hexapolar aberration corrector. [0088] (7) The electron beam device disclosed in (1) or (4), further includes upper and lower electrodes which apply a voltage to upper and lower portions of the electrostatic deflector of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element and are longer than the inner diameter of the electrostatic deflector. [0089] (8) The electron beam device disclosed in (1) or (4), further includes a grounded conductor or an electrode which applies a voltage between the electrostatic deflector and the electromagnetic deflector of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element. [0090] (9) In the electron beam device disclosed in (1) or (4), wherein a total length of the electrostatic deflector and the upper and lower electrodes is larger than a total length of the electromagnetic deflector of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element. [0091] (10) The electron beam device disclosed in (1) or (4), further includes a lens disposed between the deflector which defines a position of the electron beam on the sample and the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element. [0092] (11) An electron beam device which includes an electron source and a deflector which defines a position of an electron beam emitted from the electron source on a sample and obtains an image of the sample based on a secondary electronic signal which is generated from the sample by irradiating the electron beam whose position is defined by the deflector, or a signal of a reflection signal electron or an absorbed electron, the electron beam device further includes, a deflected chromatic aberration correcting element including an electromagnetic deflector which is disposed to be closer to the electron source than the deflector with respect to the sample and an electrostatic deflector which is separated from the electromagnetic deflector and has a smaller inner diameter than the electromagnetic deflector, is disposed inside such that a height position from the sample overlaps the electromagnetic deflector and applies an offset voltage, and a unit that automatically measures a change in the position of the electron beam, or changes in a deflected amount and the deflection direction of the deflectors or both of them when a voltage of the electron source or intensities of the electromagnetic deflector and the electrostatic deflector of the deflected chromatic aberration correcting element are simultaneously and minutely changed. REFERENCE SIGNS LIST [0000] 101 Electron gun (electron source) 102 Electron beam 103 First condenser lens 104 Secondary electron or reflection electron 105 Detector 106 Objective deflector 108 Objective lens 109 Sample 110 Holder (stage) 111 Electron gun controller 112 First condenser lens controller 114 Scanning deflector controller 115 Electromagnetic lens controller 116 Sample voltage controller 117 Storage device 118 Control operating unit of the overall device 119 Display device 120 Electromagnetic deflector controller 121 Offset applied electrostatic deflector controller 122 Electrostatic deflector 123 Electromagnetic deflector 130 Second condenser lens 131 Second condenser lens controller 201 Electron source 202 Earth electrode 203 Upper control electrode 204 Lower control electrode 206 Electrostatic deflector 207 Deflected chromatic aberration correcting element 208 Electron trajectory only for electromagnetic deflection 209 Electron trajectory only for electrostatic deflection 210 Objective deflector 211 Secondary electron 212 Detector 213 Objective lens 215 Sample 216 Upper stage electromagnetic deflector 217 Lower stage electromagnetic deflector 401 Upper stage electromagnetic deflector power source 402 Offset applied electrostatic deflector power source 403 Lower stage electromagnetic deflector power source 404 Objective deflector power source 405 Objective lens power source 406 Digital control system 407 Electron source power source 410 Beam position measuring mark 501 Electromagnetic deflector 502 Upper stage electrostatic deflector 503 Lower stage electrostatic deflector 602 Voltage applying electrode 701 Astigmatism corrector serving as electrostatic deflector and focal point corrector 703 Upper stage control electrode serving as focal point corrector 704 Lower stage control electrode serving as focal point corrector 801 First crossover 802 Second crossover 901 Third condenser lens 902 Third crossover 1023 Electromagnetic deflector 1116 Electromagnetic deflector 1201 Electromagnetic coil 1202 Ferrite 1301 Electromagnetic deflector power source 1401 First intermediate image plane 1402 Second intermediate image plane

The electron beam device includes a source of electrons and an objective deflector. The electron beam device obtains an image on the basis of signals of secondary electrons, etc. which are emitted from a material by an electron beam being projected. The electron beam device further includes a bias chromatic aberration correction element, further including an electromagnetic deflector which is positioned closer to the source of the electrons than the objective deflector, and an electrostatic deflector which has a narrower interior diameter than the electromagnetic deflector, is positioned within the electromagnetic deflector such that the height-wise position from the material overlaps with the electromagnetic deflector, and is capable of applying an offset voltage. It is thus possible to provide an electron beam device with which it is possible to alleviate geometric aberration (parasitic aberration) caused by deflection and implement deflection over a wide field of view with high resolution.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is related to concurrently filed copending application Ser. No. 339,604, filed Jan. 15, 1982 entitled "Circuit Interrupter Operating Mechanism Having A Chemical Operator Reloader With Stationary Combustion Chambers" by R. W. Crookston and I. T. Burney. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates in general to a circuit interrupter operating mechanism and in particular to a chemical operator drive means having a stationary piston and a movable drive cylinder. 2. Description of the Prior Art Modern circuit interrupter operating drive mechanisms may employ a chemical operator drive mechanism comprising a chemical gas generator which ignites a propellant charge of expulsive material to propel a high pressure gaseous medium through a conduit into a drive piston and cylinder assembly. When the chemical propellant drive mechanism is used for both the opening and closing of the circuit interrupter contacts an inherent problem plagues the piston cylinder assembly, namely destruction of the shaft seal. In a combustion device such as a chemical propellant mechanism, combustion produces residues which deposit on the piston drive rod and creates the problems of abrasion and "gumming" for the piston rod shaft seal. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a drive mechanism piston cylinder assembly which would not require piston rod shaft seal. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly the present invention is a new and improved electric circuit interrupter comprising a pair of separable contacts, operating means for opening and closing the contacts and a drive means for driving the operating means including a stationary drive piston and a movable drive cylinder operatively connected to the operating means, and a pressure generating means for generating an expulsion of gaseous medium through conduit means into the drive cylinder or drive displacement cavity. One preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a double acting drive piston and cylinder assembly having first and second displacement cavities wherein the conduit means includes valve means for directing the expulsion of gases into either of the first or second displacement cavities to selectively cause the drive cylinder to move in either of two opposite directions. Another preferred embodiment includes first and second gas generators each capable of generating an expulsion of gaseous medium and first and second conduit means for channeling the expulsion of gaseous mediums between the first and second gas generators into the first and second displacement cavities respectively to again provide for selectively moving the drive cylinder in either of two opposite directions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention may be understood, and further advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when considered in view of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view, partly in section, showing a three-phase oil power circuit breaker, operating mechanism and drive means constructed according to the teachings of the invention; FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of one embodiment of the drive means shown generally in FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the drive means shown generally in FIG. 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and to FIG. 1 in particular a drive mechanism is generally indicated at 1 and is operatively connected to a plurality of circuit interrupters 3, 5, 7 of conventional type, such as oil-break, air-break, or gas-blast type. Operating means, generally indicated at 9, extend between the drive mechanism 1 and the circuit breakers 3, 5, 7, each of which is similar to that shown in the sectional view of the breaker 7 and is typical of such breakers, as shown more particularly in U.S. Pat. No. 2,477,788 hereby incorporated by reference herein. It comprises a tank 11 containing a suitable arc-extinguishing fluid 13, a cover 15, and two terminal bushings 17, 19. Spaced stationary contacts means 21, 23 are provied at the lower end of the terminal bushings 17, 19 which operate in conjunction with movable contacts 25, 27 mounted on a bridging contact member 29 at the lower end of an operating rod 31. The upper end of each operating rod 31 is pivotally secured to lever means, such as, for example, a bell crank 33, which is stationarily pivoted at 35. A link 37 is pivoted at 39 to each bell crank 33 and at its other end is pivoted at 41 to a bell crank 43, which in turn is stationarily pivoted at 45. A link 47, pivoted at 49 to the other end of the bell crank 43, is a vertical pull rod and is connected to a drive rod 53 of drive means or drive mechanism 1. The operating mechanism 9 comprises the several parts 31, 33, 37, 43 and 47. Referring now to FIG. 2 there is shown one embodiment of the drive mechanism constructed according to the teachings of the invention referred to generally at 1 in FIG. 1. Drive means 100 includes a stationary drive piston 103 rigidly attached to frame 105, and being enveloped by first and second ends, 107, 109, respectively of movable drive cylinder 111 to define first and second displacement cavities 113, 115, respectively. First and second ends 107 and 109 of movable drive cylinder 111 are connected by drive cylinder connecting link or yoke 117 and first end 107 is connected to drive rod 53. Movable drive cylinder 111 has exhaust ports 112 disposed therein at a location to exhaust gas pressure at a position which is determined by the performance required of drive means 100. First and second generator means 119 and 121, respectively, for generating a sudden expulsion of gaseous medium, are connected to stationary drive piston 103 by means of first and second conduit means 123 and 125, respectively. First and second generator means 119 and 121, which may be of the reloader type, may also be attached to frame 105 as shown in FIG. 3 for greater support. Although the invention is not limited thereto, the construction and operation of a generator means is set forth more particularly in U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,341, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Briefly, the first and second generator means 119, 121 are gas generators of the chemical propellant type comprising a propellant charge of expulsive material which upon ignition by an electric initiator or firing pin arrangement ignite to propel a high pressure gaseous medium through first and second conduit means 123, 125, which may be for example standard gas lines, conduits and/or passages in the piston capable of withstanding the gas pressures generated by gas generators 119, 121 into first and second displacement cavities 113, 115, respectively. An example of the propellant charge is a single or double-base smokeless gun powder which may generate a gas pressure of from about 3,000 to 10,000 psi or higher within the first and second displacement cavities 113, 115, respectively, to selectively cause movable drive cylinder 111 to move in either of two opposite directions thereby moving drive rod 53 in either of two opposite directions for urging the contacts of circuit interrupters 3, 5, 7 to either the open or closed positions. In operation the propellant charge of expulsive material is ignited in first generator means 119 by an electric initiator provided by conductors 127 (or by a mechanical firing pin device, not shown) to propel a high pressure gaseous medium through first conduit means 123 into first displacement cavity 113 which drives movable drive cylinder 111 upward thereby moving drive rod 53 upward, and thereby opening the contacts in circuit interrupters 3, 5, 7. Similarly, when the propellant charge of expulsive material in second generator means 121 is ignited as for example by an electric impulse provided by conductors 129 (or firing pin detonator as hereinabove explained), a high pressure gaseous medium is propelled through second conduit means 125 into second displacement cavity 115 thereby forcing movable drive cylinder 111 and attached drive rod 53 downward, thereby closing circuit interrupters 3, 5, 7. An overtoggle latch 131 including overtoggle spring 133 and mounting means 135 is provided to hold the circuit breaker in the open or closed position. Overtoggle spring 133 exerts a force to maintain the breaker in the position which it is in. Referring now to FIG. 3 there is shown another embodiment of the drive means constructed according to the teachings of the invention in which primed numbers refer to similar parts with modification to those shown in FIG. 3. Drive means 140 is similar in structure and operation to drive means 100 except that the alternate design of drive means 140 utilizes a single gas generator means 142 and a single conduit means 144 having valve means 146 for channeling the expulsive gas pressure of the ignited propellant charge to either the first displacement cavity 113' or the second displacement cavity 115' in order to selectively cause movable drive cylinder 111' to move in either of two opposite directions to provide for selectively opening or closing circuit interrupters 3, 5, 7. Conduit means 123, 124, 144 may for example be standard gas lines, conduits and/or piston passages capable of withstanding the pressures generated by the gas generators. Valve means 146 might for example be solenoid operated spool valves with metallic rings for reliable operation or other suitable valving operated by the gas pressure expulsion itself. In conclusion there has been disclosed drive means which utilizes a unique concept to overcome an inherent problem with piston cylinder drive assemblies, namely, destruction of the shaft seal. The drive means according to the teachings of the invention utilize fixed drive pistons and movable drive cylinders in order to eliminate the problems of abrasion and gumming due to the propellant combustion residues which deposit on the piston drive shafts of standard piston cylinder drive assemblies. Although the preferred embodiments of the invention described herein were developed in order to solve certain problems within circuit interrupter apparatus, the invention is not limited to such circuit interrupter applications but rather is broadly applicable to any single or double acting gas pressure drive cylinder piston arrangement.

An electric circuit interrupter comprising a drive mechanism with a stationary drive piston and a movable drive cylinder for actuating an operating mechanism to selectively open and close a pair of separable contacts.

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/817,556, filed on Nov. 12, 2009, which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. BACKGROUND [0002] The present invention relates to business-to-business marketing organizations who participate in lead-generation activities via their company website. More particularly, the invention provides a target lead-generation system and method that targets the right businesses using real-time predictive and behavioral analytics and website traffic data and connects businesses to potential customers and suppliers to drive business revenue. Even more particularly, the invention provides a system and method for real-time searching and matching of data input into website registration forms by website visitors, provides for real-time cleansing and appending of attribute rich company demographic and firmographic data to the website form and to the marketing database. The resulting information is then available for use by other systems such as marketing automation systems and CRM systems. [0003] Business to business marketing (“B2B”) includes individuals and organizations that facilitate the sale of their products and services to other companies or organizations that often resell the products and services, or use them to support their own operations. Although the difference between consumer and business marketing may appear obvious, there are many distinguishing features between the two that often result in substantial differences in practice. For example, B2B marketing may often involve shorter and more direct channels of distribution. While consumer marketing often involves large demographic groups targeted through mass media and retailers, in B2B marketing the negotiation process between the seller and buyer is more personal in nature. Most B2B marketing includes a much more limited portion of promotional budgets dedicated to advertising than in consumer marketing. B2B marketing and sales is conducted through more direct promotional efforts, trade journals and sales calls. However, many of the principles of consumer marketing also apply to B2B marketing, such as defining target markets and matching product and service strengths to the defined target markets. [0004] One of the more recent promotional endeavors of business marketing is through the Internet, involving offered services and products on organizations' websites. While popular in use, industry research has shown that of all persons who visit a B2B company's website, only 3% of visitors actively identify themselves via forms, thereby leaving 97% of web visitors to remain unknown. In addition, of the 3% that announce themselves, less than 15% fill out a form with complete and accurate information. This lack of information makes it very difficult to follow up a possible sales lead from a B2B website visitor based on insufficient information. [0005] In addition to the need for information on businesses visitors to B2B sales and marketing websites to be provided to the sales and marketing funnel, quality data is needed by the business for use in marketing automation systems and customer relationship management (“CRM”) systems. [0006] CRM systems and methods are used by organizations to provide a predictable and organized way for interacting with customers and potential customers. CRM often includes specially trained personnel and special purpose software. It is a combination of policies, processes and strategies implemented by an organization to unify its customer interactions and provide a method for tracking customer information. It often includes technology for identifying and attracting new and profitable customers as well as creating better relationships with existing customers. CRM involves many organizational aspects that relate to one another, including front and back office operations, business relationships and interactions, analysis involving target marketing and marketing strategies, and means for generating metrics for measuring the relative success of various marketing and sales efforts. It is a key component of modern marketing organizations. CRM systems include firmographic data, which includes characteristics of an organization often used for segment market analysis. [0007] Marketing automation systems and methods are used by organizations to communicate with prospects and customers and automate many marketing communication tasks. Marketing automation often includes specially trained personnel and special purpose software. Whereas a CRM system is often leveraged as a database for the sales organization, a marketing automation solution is mostly leveraged as a database for the marketing organization. Furthermore, there is typically a link that exists between a marketing automation solution and a CRM system. Marketing automation is often leveraged to communicate with customers and prospects via email, track and report on campaign responses, profile the quality and sales-readiness of leads generated by marketing programs, prioritize which leads are passed to members of a sales team, and to automate ongoing communications to prospects not yet ready to purchase. [0008] Therefore, quality data from customers is needed to be able to leverage and exploit marketing automation systems and CRM systems. One of the major drawbacks of many of the B2B sales and marketing products available today is the lack of data quality when generating existing and new customer contact data. A problem for B2B marketers is that a large gap exists between the need to capture rich business demographic and firmographic from new leads that complete online registration forms, and the need to keep registration forms short to reduce form abandonment. B2B marketers need accurate and comprehensive data to route leads to the right sales representative, segment & target their marketing efforts, and perform other lead prioritization and communication activities. At the same time, marketers also need to increase as much as possible the number of website visitors from their marketing programs who fill out their registration forms. Marketers have been forced to choose between shortening their registration forms to drive higher conversions (registrations), or require the registrant to complete too many fields, resulting in increased registration abandon rates and an increased average cost-per-lead. [0009] Other challenges with registration forms are that the data that result after a customer/visitor enters information is often false or inaccurate data. This may be that a visitor makes errors providing its data, or may not know the correct answers required by the registration form. Another key challenge is identifying the true leads from spambots, automated computer programs designed to assist in the sending of spam that crawl Internet websites looking for registration forms and automatically enter fake data. Once a spambot finds a form, it parses and analyzes the form. The spambot then may fill them with unwanted information, hyperlinks and visuals that are intended to attract a target audience. This is often done to increase the number of hyperlinks to a particular web site, to boost its search engine ranking. [0010] Addressing all of these above-mentioned challenges has required manual efforts on the part of marketing organizations to sift through all of the forms submissions and attempt to correct inaccurate firmographic details and eliminate the false records. Manual methods of correcting inputted form data can be time consuming and can result in lost customer leads. If the marketing organization takes too long to qualify the leads, potential new customers may have already identified and elected to purchase the product or service being offered from another vendor which responds more quickly. [0011] B2B marketing is at the beginning of a new era that heavily relies on the tight integration of inbound and outbound marketing initiatives. As this transformation happens, marketers need help increasing their conversions and accelerating their leads through the marketing and sales funnel for faster revenue growth. However, a huge gap exists between the need to capture rich business firmographic information from new leads, and the need to keep registration forms short. Marketers are forced to make a lose, lose decision: shorten their registration forms to drive higher conversions, but go without critical information, or require the registrant to complete too many fields, resulting in increased rates of abandonment of the web form entry by the registrant resulting in a higher cost-per-lead. Rich data attributes are required by their sales and marketing systems, as well as the critical customer and prospect insight needed to better manage opportunities through the sales and marketing funnels. [0012] An ideal solution is one that provides as close to 100% accurate company information for a business visitor to a website. Such a solution is not trivial since less than 3% of website visitors are identified. Drawbacks of previous solutions include outdated and inaccurate information and the lack of a simple and cost-effective way to objectively and analytically identify and connect visitors with their companies so as to be able to target such companies for outbound marketing. [0013] A solution is required that enables companies to accelerate conversions through their sales and marketing funnels by reducing the amount of information that a company requests on the web forms while appending the data needed to run their business behind the scenes and in real time. In doing this, customers see a sharp reduction in web-form abandonment leading to a significant increase in the percentage of visitors who progress through the registration cycle. [0014] The solution presented herein is a multi-pronged approach that can leverage visitor-selected information, and/or IP address identification of the visitor, and/or a process that automatically matches company demographic and firmographic information to the company of a website visitor leveraging complex matching algorithms and a master data management platform. The result is a shortened registration form that delivers, invisibly to the website registrant, all of the information a marketer needs to run their business. Companies that have implemented the solution provided herein can achieve a more than a 50% increase in web-form completion and conversion rates and achieve more than a 30% reduction in their cost per lead. [0015] It is also important to offer such solutions as Software as a service (“SaaS”). SaaS is a model of software deployment where a provider licenses a software application to customers for use as a service on demand. SaaS vendors may host an application on their own web servers or download the application to the customer device, disabling it after use or after an on-demand contract expires. By sharing end user licenses and on-demand use, investment in server hardware may be reduced or shifted to a SaaS provider. SaaS is usually associated with business software and is considered to be a low cost method for businesses to obtain rights to use software as needed rather than licensing all hardware devices with all applications. On-demand licensing provides the benefits of commercially licensed use without the associated complexity and potentially high initial cost of equipping each hardware device with software applications that are only used occasionally. SUMMARY [0016] The present invention is a system and method to selectively identify and target marketing activities to the set of companies from which web visitors are originating but whose visitors do not actively identify themselves to the sponsoring website company. It performs as a Software as a service (SAAS) deployment. [0017] Features of the described application for identifying website visitors includes the means of a small code fragment that can be embedded in a client's website for collecting and sending and tracking non-personally-identifiable information about passive web visitors by the present invention. As this passive web visitor data accumulates, the client can then view this data as well as other publically available company information, set up business rules to view and filter companies based on a number of visits, pages visited and firmographic criteria, such as industry, revenue range and employee population size. [0018] The present invention is also a targeted lead generation system, which uses a combination of analytical applications to assist B2B marketers in identifying ideal markets and companies within those markets to target their lead generation efforts. The B2B marketing economy in 2005 was seventy seven billion dollars with almost two thirds of that amount spent in field marketing and demand generation. The top issue for companies trying to market to other businesses is reaching the correct buyer decision maker, often called a target. Billions of dollars are wasted annually in unsuccessful marketing attempts to reach the right target. Despite annual spending in 2005 of twenty seven billion dollars on demand generation activities such as email marketing, webinars, search marking and online advertisements, B2B marketers still experience zero to three percent conversion rates that is being able to reach the right target. Other related problems involve inability to measure marketing results, improving lead quality and generating more leads. [0019] The present invention addresses the B2B marketing data gap in part by providing high quality data for B2B demand generation. A typical supply chain view of B2B marketing involves lead generation and marketing and sales force automation as part of customer relationship management which also includes customer service and support. It provides intelligence to automate and streamline lead generation and marketing and sales force automation. [0020] The present invention solves the marketing problems of targeting the right companies with marketing and sales campaigns, targeting the right roles of likely decision makers, identifying the right segments of the market where a company is currently winning customers, identifying the deal velocity of opportunities through the sales funnel, identifying patterns in the opportunities in the sales funnel, identifying companies with the same characteristics as other companies that the business is selling to and justifying marketing spending by measuring results. It solves these problems with analytics and algorithms that target the right businesses and the right roles of likely decision makers and buyers within those businesses. Included is a custom developed workflow engine that leverages a company's internal data and third party data. Data services for targeted lead generation include custom data creation services using a role-base model of the decision maker, marketing leads, a discovery data inference engine and workflow to drive advantaged economics of data services and a data refresh and update database service for in-house leads and customer contact data. Software services for marketing decisions include targeting campaigns based on win and sales funnel analysis, leveraging web site visits and converting them into targeted leads and profiling of in-house data to surgically fix data quality issues. In summary, the present invention helps businesses target the right companies to sell to, reach the right person within those companies and connect to those persons in the right way most likely to generate a positive response. [0021] The core of these marketing service applications is a platform for marketing and sales contact management that provides increased data quality. These include a SaaS-based data services technology platform that provides the following features. [0022] Real-Time Predictive Analytics [0023] Automatically recommends new target businesses based on “cluster patterns” identified via real-time analysis of client wins data and sales pipeline data within CRM systems and/or web visitor profiles. [0024] An innovative Role-based data model for contact records, which can pinpoint accuracy of the right contact. This Role-based data model employs cutting-edge Web 3.0 semantic data principles to provide a unique capability for identifying the right person based on the Role of an individual aligned with a company's product/solution value proposition. [0025] An on-demand contact discovery model based on intelligent heuristics in which contact data is generated only upon client request, resulting in fresh, 100% accurate contacts that drive performance increases of 20×-30× for marketing campaigns. [0026] A real-time query engine technology component that will enables queries across social network destinations and augment the traditional contact data attributes, such as name, title, phone, email, with social media presence information. This “query for quorum” approach not only serves as an additional tier of contact validation but will also assist clients in formulating social marketing strategies to reach their prospects by identifying if and where those prospects are participating in social networking. [0027] Providing Real-Time Firmographic Information Based on Minimal Web Form Input Embodiment [0028] An alternate embodiment of the present system and method solves the problem of not having quality data from website visitors/customer may not accurately identify themselves to the sponsoring website company. The present system and method provides sponsoring companies with real-time attribute rich company firmographic data based on minimal web form input data entered by their website visitor and whose visitors may not have accurately identified themselves on the web form. The present invention addresses the B2B marketing data gap by providing high quality data for B2B demand generation. It solves the marketing problems of targeting the right companies with marketing and sales campaigns by allowing its users to selectively identify and target marketing activities to the set of companies associated with the web visitors. The resulting computer system and method may be deployed as a Software as a Service (SAAS). [0029] Features of the described application for providing company firmographic data include a relatively small code fragment or software client that is embedded in a sponsoring company's online web form. This software client utilizes the website visitors' responses to company based input criteria to perform internet protocol (IP) address-to-company searches, fuzzy criteria searches, and/or analytical criteria matches based on statistical scoring algorithms. These real-time searching and matching modules each utilize combinations of multiple input parameters to provide highly accurate results. Standardized company firmographic data, such as physical address, industry, revenue range, and employee size are appended in real-time to the web form as the result of a successful search or match allowing the results to be immediately available to customer marketing automation systems, CRM systems or both upon initial data entry. An available module allows for real-time visitor email address verification. An available module allows for CASS verification of physical address information wherein the geographic attributes of each contact are validated against third party services to ensure accuracy and deliverability for direct mail. [0030] The core of the described application includes a SaaS-based data service technology platform that provides the following modules and associated functionality: [0031] Application Client with Automated Workflow [0032] This application client provides a configurable software application client which effectively eliminates a significant portion of custom coding required by the sponsoring company for a successful deployment. This allows for the non-technical staff to have a working implementation in place extremely fast, decreasing time to market and reducing implementation cost. In addition, the application client coordinates the actions of the modules of the system and method described herein and their interaction with at sponsoring company's existing web form. As web visitor data accumulates, the application client allows for the viewing of this data as well as other publicaliy available and proprietary company information, provides the ability set up business rules to view and filter companies based on a number of visits, pages visited and firmographic criteria, such as industry, revenue range and employee population size. [0033] Real-Time Reverse IP Address Searches [0034] This application provides the functionality for detecting the IP address of a web form visitor, reverse mapping that IP address to a company, and then providing that company's firmographic data in real-time to the form. This allows the sponsoring company to auto-detect the visitors company and auto-populate the form data with or without direct interaction from the visitor. [0035] Real-Time Company Searches [0036] This application provides the functionality for utilizing a web visitor's company data entered in a form to be used in a multi-stage fuzzy search conducted at a SaaS provider's Real-Time Search Database. The attributes of the visitor's company are used to fuzzy search commercial databases of company information. Such commercial databases may be located locally to the firmographic analytical system or may be an external commercial database, or both. Combinations of multiple input variables can be used all of which are assigned unique precedence and weight values to be utilized by the fuzzy-search algorithm. The initial search is highly targeted. If no results are returned after this initial search, subsequent searches use fewer and fewer company attributes for a broader search until a result set is found. When using the Application Client, results of a company are presented to the visitor in an interactive select list allowing the visitor to select the exact company they are employed by. This interactive select list is configurable allowing multiple display options including an inline drop-down mode which displays results with each key-stroke of the visitor and a modal confirmation dialog box mode which displays results once the visitor completes the form. Upon a visitor selecting a company presented in the select list, the selected company's firmographic data is provided to the form where it updates hidden fields created so that the system and method receives this real-time search data. [0037] Real-Time Company Matching [0038] This application provides the functionality for utilizing a web visitor's company data entered in a form to be analyzed remotely at the SaaS providers master data management (MDM) database utilizing a matching engine where matching is conducted via statistical scoring algorithms against a commercial database of company information. Combinations of multiple input variables can be used which are all assigned unique precedence/weight values to be utilized by the MDM matching algorithm. Company firmographic data from the best match(es) is provided to the form in real-time along with a score which indicates the confidence level of the match(es). This operation can be completely hidden from the web visitor. [0039] Real-Time Email Address Validation [0040] This application provides the functionality for utilizing an intelligent scoring-based proprietary set of Internet research techniques to improve upon existing commodity methods, which generates a validation score for each email address. [0041] Real-Time CASS Address Verification [0042] This application provides the functionality for allowing the geographic attributes of each delivered company to be validated against third party services to ensure accuracy and deliverability of direct mail. The CASS software function corrects, matches and standardizes street addresses. [0043] An embodiment of the present invention comprises a real-time software application method hosted on a server for capturing information for conversion into actionable sales leads. It comprises collecting website visitor information in real-time via a communication network when a website visitor accesses a web form on a third-party company website. Visitor information is imported in real-time to a firmographic analytical application running in real-time on the server and comprising the steps of: mapping a visitor's IP address to a name of a visitor company owner of the IP address; matching web form data entered data by the visitor to visitor company owner firmographic attributes and information in a commercial database; validating visitor email address and returning a validation score; validating geographic address attributes of the visitor company owner; aggregating and sending visitor company owner firmographic information to the visitor's browser to be displayed on the visitor's web form; and sending and appending visitor company owner firmographic data to the visitor's web form. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0044] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings wherein: [0045] FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention; [0046] FIG. 2 is an example illustration of a Resource Description Framework model for role-based contacts; [0047] FIG. 3 is a depiction of the confluence of a client request and the validated contacts database; [0048] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a Resource Description Framework model for company attributes; [0049] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of workflow with adaptive steering where “direct hits' or “correlated” contacts are not found; [0050] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for collecting and analyzing visitors of companies' websites; [0051] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for identifying and associating information from web services with information from a client's customer relationship management system; [0052] FIG. 8 depicts a client user interface for analyzing client wins data; [0053] FIG. 9 depicts a client user interface for analyzing client funnel data; [0054] FIG. 10 depicts a client user interface for analyzing client fastest wins data by industry, annual revenue and employee population size; [0055] FIG. 11 depicts a client user interface dashboard view for proactively targeting lead generation; and [0056] FIG. 12 depicts a client user interface detailed view for proactively targeting lead generation. [0057] FIG. 13 depicts a computer system and network suitable for implementing the system and method of providing real time firmographic information based on minimal web form input; [0058] FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the firmographic analytic application and its major interfaces; [0059] FIGS. 15A and 15B are flow charts of the firmographic analytical application processing; [0060] FIG. 18 , a flow chart of the reverse IP address search function; [0061] FIG. 17 shows a flow diagram of the real time company search function processing; [0062] FIG. 18 shows a block diagram of the real-time address validation function; [0063] FIG. 19 shows a real-time Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) application function; [0064] FIG. 20 is an exemplary depiction of a set of firmographic data that is the output of the process described in FIGS. 15A and 15B ; [0065] FIG. 21 is an exemplary depiction of the output of the real-time company matching function described FIGS. 13 , 15 A, 15 B and 17 ; and [0066] FIG. 22 is an exemplary depiction of the output of the real-time company matching function and real-time company search function described in FIGS. 13 , 15 A, 15 B and 17 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION [0067] Turning to FIG. 1 , FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram 100 of an embodiment of the real time analytics application 110 , web visitor application 135 , and the data services platform 115 . It provides a targeted lead-generation system that targets the right businesses using website traffic data for reaching the right business buying person via role-based contact data and connects businesses to potential customers and suppliers to drive business revenue. Real-Time Analytics [0068] In FIG. 1 , a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System 105 is a hosted software application as a service (SaaS) instance of a type of sales force automation software including but not limited to salesforce.com software. This CRM application 105 is used by the client as a system of record for tracking sales and marketing data, such as leads, contacts, accounts, opportunities and client wins. Client CRM data 105 is accessed by the real time analytics application 110 for creating a list of companies within which contacts and sales leads are desired. The real time analytics application 110 includes a set of self-service analytics tools that enable clients to create target company lists based on objective criteria, such as a client's CRM system. A more detailed description of this real time analytics application 110 is discussed below in relation to FIG. 7 . Web Visitor Application [0069] FIG. 1 also includes a web visitor application 135 that receives data from client website visitor information from a code segment embedded in the client website 130 . This web visitor application 135 is provided for clients who wish to focus their contact discovery efforts on companies that are frequenting their corporate website 130 . This application 135 employs reverse-IP address lookup technology to identify, from an IP address of a client website visitor, the name of the company to which the IP address belongs. From there, a multi-stage matching algorithm is used to augment each reverse-mapped company name with firmographic information. A client user can then sort, filter and prune through the full list of visiting companies to identify a target set that matches their needs and provide that list to the data services platform as a target list. A more detailed description of this web visitor application 135 is discussed below in relation to FIG. 6 . [0070] It should be noted that at times clients will have a prepared list of companies 160 or are able to express the firmographic characteristics of the types of companies they are intending to target. In these cases, the companies or parameters are input to a list building tool provided as a part of the data services platform functionality. Role-Based Contact [0071] As shown in FIG. 1 , target company data from the real time analytics application 110 , the web visitor application 135 , and the pre-identified companies 160 may be provided to the role-based contacts component 165 . With a target company list identified, the next step is selecting the right role description by the role-based contacts component 165 , or modifying one from the role catalog 165 . A role description is an English-language definition of job function that makes a target contact ideal for the client's marketing requirements. To illustrate, roles can typically be described by completing the following sentence: [0072] We are targeting the person responsible for ______. [0073] It is often the case that this role description is augmented with supplementary bounding information around suggested titles and departments to specifically seek and/or avoid. An example of this more sophisticated description would be: [0074] We are targeting the person responsible for ______. This person is typically in the ______ or ______ department and may carry the title of ______ or ______. This person must explicitly not reside in the ______ or ______ department and must not bear the title of ______ or ______. [0075] This vernacular is often foreign to marketers whose innate response when questioned about who they are targeting is a title-based response, such as “the VP of Sales” or “Director of IT”. The role catalog 165 assists clients in reshaping their thinking around roles instead of titles, which are poor predictors of the job functions a person actually performs. The role catalog 165 is a unique hybrid-Resource Description Framework (“RDF”) 140 , a semantic data representation of stored information that contains mappings of titles to roles. A more detailed description of this RDF model 140 for role-based contacts 185 , 170 is discussed below in relation to FIG. 2 . Company Targeting [0076] Once the target company list 110 , 135 , 160 and roles 165 have been identified, the contact discovery process is then initiated and several technology components are employed to maximize the leverage of existing information around titles, roles, companies and contacts to drive discovery costs downward. These components are company targeting and steering component 170 and the proximity heuristics engine component 175 . The company targeting and steering component 170 is described in greater detail below in relation to FIG. 3 . This component 170 steers a list of target companies by searching for companies that intersect between the client-defined criteria set and companies previously researched that are contained in the validated contact database 120 . Where contacts match a target company and a role criteria, the result is considered a “direct hit”. Proximity Heuristics [0077] The proximity heuristics engine component 175 relies on an underlying data model of the data services platform 115 that is an intelligent model that draws upon the Classifier and Statistical Learning methods of artificial intelligence. This model increases accuracy and relevance, i.e. “gets smarter”, as more data is created within it. Information about all dimensions of the data produced, such as titles, roles, companies, contacts, are leveraged for present and future contact production, refresh or verification cost advantages. When a target role enters the system at a discovery initiation point, the system employs a heuristic statistical distribution model to match, correlate and provision existing contacts that directly match or are in close proximity to a desired role as determined either by existing role or title. Where existing contacts directly match or are in close proximity to a desired role within a defined threshold, the match is considered to be “correlated”. The proximity heuristics engine component 175 is described in greater detail below in relation to FIG. 4 . Automated Workflow [0078] As noted above, where contacts match a target company and a role criterion, the result is considered a “direct hit”, and where existing contacts directly match or are in close proximity to a desired role within a defined threshold, the match is considered to be “correlated”. For the remainder set of target companies where “direct hit” or “correlated” contacts were not found, the data services platform 115 provides an automated workflow 145 that guides researchers through the explicit set of process steps and transitions required to find or refresh the right role-based contacts. The automated workflow component 145 is described in greater detail below in relation to FIG. 5 . The real-time feedback component 185 is a non-automated function of the data services platform 115 . Validation and Quality Assurance Technologies [0079] As contacts are successfully discovered, the data services platform 115 employs a host of processes and automated quality assurance technologies 190 delivered within the contact manufacturing line to ensure that a contact is, in fact, the right contact and that the information that has been provided about the contact is accurate. Every contact that is released to clients undergoes the following automated verification and validation processes: [0080] Email Address Validation [0081] the system employs an intelligent scoring-based proprietary set of Internet research techniques to improve upon existing commodity methods, which generates a score for each email address in the range of [0 . . . 5]. Only contacts with email addresses scoring a 4 or 5 rating will be released to the client. [0082] CASS Address Verification [0083] the geographic attributes of each contact are validated against third party services to ensure accuracy and deliverability for direct mail performance. [0084] Search engines and other Internet resources, such as LinkedIn, FaceBook and others are used to further verify that the contact exists at the stated company and that they fulfill the target role description. [0085] Event logging produces forensics data enabling QA resources to validate that the appropriate steps were taken to discover and validate contact data and role applicability. [0086] In-stream title analysis ensures contacts with titles that fail out of desired specification do not proceed through the workflow. [0087] Dual-stage quality processes ensure role attribution and physical contact data are correct for each contact through VOIP call recording analysis, optimized web search tools and logging. [0088] Taken together, these processes are effective in ensuring delivery of a high quality contact. The data services platform includes a real-time social network query engine component 180 to further these quality assurance methods by interrogating social network destinations to test for contact presence. The contacts 150 identified as a result of the automated workflow component 145 and the automated quality assurance component 190 are stored in the contacts database 120 of the data services platform 115 and in the clients' CRM systems. Reporting and Instrumentation [0089] The Data Services Platform requires a low skill barrier to usage and productivity. Contact discovery projects are delegated, monitored, tracked and measured throughout the process lifecycle by Project Managers. Researchers are provided with a rigid process flow that navigates them through the various stages of contact discovery and provides various means of assistance throughout the process. [0090] The system is instrumented pervasively for reporting and analysis across several dimensions including quality, milestone achievement, productivity, performance, and capacity and revenue forecasting. Project Managers and Executives have access to real-time business intelligence that provides for facilities such as: [0091] Researcher efficiency grading, enabling managers to monitor, guide and take steps to improve individual researcher performance [0092] Project and Agent level KPIs, enabling managers to guide projects to completion faster with less error. [0093] Stage-level cycle-time analysis, illustrating areas of the ‘manufacturing line’ which need staffing modifications to ensure faster throughput. [0094] Role penetration analysis, enabling determination of Role definition performance [0095] Assignment and reallocation of researchers to activities aligned with their skill levels [0096] Dynamic adjustment of capacity for active researchers within and across research centers [0097] Production capability and planning, enabling managers to scale resource needs to match production needs and capabilities. [0098] Revenue forecasting, enabling managers to make intelligent planning decisions in real-time [0099] Reject analysis to surface error cluster trends, enabling in-process changes to project definitions and attainment of velocity and quality goals while reducing effort and opportunity waste. [0100] Productivity hotspots, enabling managers to scale down research resources during slow periods and anticipate potential performance bottle necks. [0101] Turning to FIG. 2 , FIG. 2 is an example illustration of a Resource Description Framework model and role catalog 200 for role-based contacts. Contact Y is first identified 210 and has an IT role 220 , an IT hardware role 230 and an IT storage management role 240 . The role catalog 165 contains mappings for thousands of unique roles, spanning unique titles across a universe of over 600,000 contacts in the contact database 120 . This catalog is text-indexed for search purposes and is used to illustrate the role paradigm to clients and prompt them to either select an existing role or modify an existing role. [0102] In cases where neither a match nor template can be found that is similar enough to the client's role, the client can create a new role which will be used for their contact discovery purposes, thus extending the role catalog for future use. Once the target company list and roles have been identified, the contact discovery process is then initiated and several technology components are employed to maximize the leverage of existing information around titles, roles, companies and contacts to drive discovery costs downward. These components include the Company List Steering and the Proximity Heuristics Engine. [0103] Turning to FIG. 3 , FIG. 3 is a depiction 300 of the confluence 320 of a client request 310 and a validated contacts database group 330 . In cases where the clients either have firmographic criteria that describes the set of companies they wish to target or are open to supplementing an explicit list of target companies with additional companies matching a set of firmographic criteria, the data services platform 115 is able to “steer” the resulting target list of companies by searching for companies that intersect between the client-defined criteria set and companies previously researched, and therefore contain existing contacts. This advantages the discovery process, at a minimum, by surfacing a set of companies for which has known good contacts that match the client's target role description. In the optimal case, contacts that match both the target company and Role criteria are rendered, resulting in a “direct hit”. In the event of a “direct hit” where the contact validation date is beyond a stated aging threshold of 90 days, the data services platform 115 will not automatically provision that contact directly to the client. Instead, the data services platform will conduct a faster, lower cost refresh process to verify that the contact data and role responsibility is still current before shipping it to the client. [0104] Turning to FIG. 4 , FIG. 4 is an illustration 400 of a Resource Description Framework model for company attributes and company list steering 170 . In the example of FIG. 4 , Company X 410 uses a CRM system 420 , provided by Siebel 430 , a version of Enterprise 440 Services and Support 450 . The underlying data model of the data services platform is an intelligent model that draws upon the Classifier and Statistical Learning methods of artificial intelligence. This model increases accuracy and relevance (i.e. “gets smarter”) as more data is created within it. Information about all dimensions of the data produced by the data services platform, including titles, roles, companies, contacts, which are leveraged for present and future contact production, refresh or verification cost advantages. When a target role enters the system at the discovery initiation point, the system employs a heuristic statistical distribution model to match, correlate and provision existing contacts that directly match or are in close proximity to a desired role as determined either by existing role or title. If the number of times Title Tx occurs for Role Ry >=Threshold on, the engine infers that Title Tx is a likely candidate to match the target Role Ry . Depending on the depth of information around the target titles and roles, the system may derive several such titles for a given request. In circumstances where the specific role for a target company is not found but contacts exist, the correlation engine can determine if any of those contacts perform or are likely to perform the desired role. This engine can correlate role-to-title relationships even when the list of target companies varies significantly in size or revenue. [0105] The hybrid-Resource Description Framework (RDF) data model also supports tagging of company attributes outside of the stock firmographic criteria. Information about technologies deployed within companies and other internal characteristics are persisted and stored in a hybrid-RDF format for advanced company data mining. The heuristics engine can not only predict likely titles for desired roles, but also identify which companies are most likely to employ people with those desired roles. Capturing the knowledge of relationships between roles and companies drives more precise targeting and selection of companies. [0106] Turning to FIG. 5 , FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of workflow 500 with adaptive steering where “direct hits” or “correlated” contacts are not found. Where “direct hit” or “correlated” contacts were not found, the Data Services Platform provides an automated workflow that guides researchers through the explicit set of process steps and transitions required to find or refresh the right role-based contacts. FIG. 5 depicts a receipt of contacts 510 where “direct hits” or “correlated” contacts are not found. It shows the steps of the workflow process 500 that transform the received contacts 510 into a Hard Full Discover 520 , a Full Discover 530 , an Assisted Discover 540 , an Advantaged Discover 550 , a Stale Correlated Hit 560 (over 90 days since refreshed), a Correlated Hit 570 , a Stale Direct Hit 580 (over 90 days since refreshed), and a Direct Hit 590 . To assist researchers in their efforts to locate the target role-based contacts, the system once again leverages the Proximity Heuristics Engine 175 to query third party contact data sources 125 for contacts at the target company, at a minimum, and, where possible, likely to be in proximity to the desired contact based on title. As the discovery process operates, the system provides real-time feedback mechanisms to researchers that indicate which characteristics of their delivered contacts (ex. titles, departments) are resulting in higher approval rates. This enables researchers with in-process discovery items to hone their efforts and adapt their discovery tactics to produce higher yields and higher quality contacts that align to the clients' requirements. [0107] Turning to FIG. 8 , FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method 600 for collecting and analyzing visitors of companies' websites. The web visitor application 600 ( 135 in FIG. 1 ) provides for enabling the selective identification and targeting of marketing activities to the set of companies from which web visitors are originating but whose visitors do not actively identify themselves to the company. The client is provided a small code fragment 610 to be embedded in the client's website that will capture and send non-personal visitor information to a data capture service provided by the web visitor application ( 135 in FIG. 1 ). Once the code fragment is in place, as visitors arrive on the pages of the client's website that have been instrumented with the code fragment, information about the visitor is transmitted to the web visitor application 620 . The information that is transmitted is the entire set of fields and values provided via the HTTP Request Header as specified via the HTTP protocol specification and does not include any personally identifiable information about the visitor, such as the visitor's first and last name, phone number or email address. This information is stored within a database accessible by the web visitor application 830 . On a periodic basis, a scheduled program automatically processes all the web visit data for the current accumulation period and resolves collected IP addresses from the website visit information into the names of the business entities from which the visit originated 640 . If no business entity name can be found for a given IP address or the IP address resolves to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), such as roadrunner.com, aol.com, yahoo.com, the visit record is excluded from rendering by the user interface. After the business entity name has been resolved, an attempt to match each business entity name against a database containing company names and firmographic information, such as industry, revenue and employee population size, is performed 650 . For business entities that are matched successfully, the source record is attributed with the corresponding industry, revenue and employee population size values 660 . If a match cannot be found, the business entity record is excluded from rendering by the user interface. Usenet an IP address, the system can render the name of the company and the company's firmographic attributes which can then be used by the system to identify similar companies with like attributes. The system can then find the right people to target within those companies along with their contact information. This process and functionality continues and repeats for the duration that the code fragment 610 remains on the client website. To retrieve the processed and attributed visitor data, the client is provided with a web-based user interface 670 to access stored visitor data originating from the code fragment as described previously. This user interface enables the user to select a timeframe of visit data to analyze and renders the visit data accordingly. The data is rendered in two views; one graphical depiction showing concentrations of visitor data by company headquarter location and industry, and one non-graphical table view of the visitor data and its associated attributes. Users of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems that automate sales automation such as salesforce.com are also presented with the option to perform a proxy login to their respective sales force automation account (see 105 in FIG. 1 ) to enable the system to perform an analysis of which visiting companies are present within the user's sales force automation CRM database. [0108] Turning to FIG. 7 , FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for identifying and associating information from web services 700 with information from a client's customer relationship management system. The purpose of this contact discovery process is to create a list of companies within which contacts are desired. The data services platform provides a set of self-service analytics tools that enable clients to create target company lists based on objective criteria, such as client's CRM system. This analysis assumes very little data integrity within the user's CRM system and only the names of the companies identified in the user's CRM system as either clients or active prospects are used to initiate the segmentation process. It is through the means of a multi-stage fuzzy matching algorithm that the application matches the user's company names to fully-attributed company records in the master database. The results of this analysis are then aggregated and the user is presented their “cluster patterns”, or firmographic descriptions of companies which the user's customers and/or prospects are found to be in highest concentration. Once these cluster patterns are ascertained, the application then queries the database to surface the number of other companies that match the identified cluster patterns that the user does not currently have resident in their CRM system, thus presenting the remaining total addressable market available for a particular cluster pattern. This list of companies derived from this process then serves as the input list of target companies within which the contact discovery processes is performed. The process comprises importing client contact data from the client's CRM system 710 and matching the imported data with firmographic data 720 . The client is provided with a user interface to view client wins data 730 (see FIG. 8 ), and allows the client the ability to filter information, select records and obtain reports 740 . A multi-stage fuzzy matching algorithm is used to match customer company names to a fully-attributed company records database and find cluster patterns 750 . The user interface provides information for targeting sales and marketing efforts 780 and allows a user to query the application database to identify other unidentified companies that match the found cluster patterns 770 . [0109] Table 1, shown below, depicts the ability of a user to select a set of companies or the entire list of companies for examination. The user can also filter the list of companies by industry, revenue, employee population, location or any combination thereof. The user may also elect to export the active list, which results in the creation of a tab-delimited text file on a server containing all respective information for each selected company. This file can then be harvested by a human employee and either processed in the context of a discover data services project or simply made available to the user via email attachment. [0000] TABLE 1 ompany ndustry evenue mployees ocation isits n CR M 1 1 1 1 QL 1 1 rue/false/— 2 2 2 2 QL 2 2 rue/false/— n n n n QL n n rue/false/— indicates data missing or illegible when filed [0110] Turning to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 , FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 depict a client user interface for analyzing client wins data, where FIG. 8 depicts selection of wins analysis 810 and FIG. 9 depicts selection of funnel analysis 910 . This SAAS application analyzes, augments and reports on “in-funnel” sales data, turning static information into actionable campaigns based on current deal flow. It allows a company to determine if they are marketing to the right companies, identify trends in a sales funnel that a company is not capitalizing on, identify the kinds of leads that move through the sales funnel the fastest and generate the most revenue, all of which are common questions marketers ask themselves as they are developing lead generation programs. The information that results from this application allows marketing and sales teams to agree on winning target markets and focused lead generation efforts at other companies that match this profile. In addition to highlighting winning market segments, the application allows marketing and sales teams to look into their sales funnel and identify current trends. By analyzing opportunities in the sales funnel in real time, marketers can adjust programs on-the-fly to help keep deals moving to close. [0111] The application provides a snapshot of a company's winning market segments and the activities that contributed to these wins. [0112] As shown in FIG. 8 , a client wins analysis allows a client to highlight winning market segments, identify how many more companies have similar profiles to winning segment, highlight new client wins with the shortest sales cycles, pinpoint the kinds of companies that move through the sales funnel the fastest, and allows marketing and sales teams are able to better target outreach efforts. FIG. 9 illustrates how a client may use a funnel sales analysis to understand patterns within opportunities in the active sales funnel, better forecast new client wins, focus efforts on industries that are driving the most revenue for the business, and create or adjust marketing programs to help move opportunities to close. These figures provides identification of the set of companies that match the desired profile, and the system shown in FIG. 1 provides additional data services for role-based contact discovery within these new target companies. The combination of the application shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 with the data services, allows marketing and sales teams to ensure they are reaching out to not only the right businesses but also the right decision making roles within those businesses. [0113] Turning to FIG. 10 , FIG. 10 depicts a client user interface 1000 for analyzing client fastest wins data 1010 by industry, annual revenue and employee population size. This feature enables greater efficiencies is increasing the velocity of wins. [0114] Turning to FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 , FIG. 11 depicts a client user interface 1100 dashboard view 1110 for proactively targeting lead generation and FIG. 12 depicts a client user interface 1200 detailed view 1210 for proactively targeting lead generation. These user interfaces provide for setting up business rules to select, filter, review, prioritize and potentially score visitors based on the companies that are visiting, number of visits, pages visited and time on website and proactively targets unannounced web visitor. They provide reporting on where inbound visitors are coming from, such as search engines, blogs, email campaigns, as well as where the companies are geographically located. They also enable profiles of top visitors by industry and appends these records with industry verticals, SIC codes, revenue and employee population size. With this data, a company can better target unannounced visiting companies but also get contacts from companies with similar profiles. Once the companies that are visiting the website unannounced have been identified, the system shown in FIG. 1 provides data services for role-based contact discovery within these new target companies. [0115] FIG. 13 depicts a computer system and network 1300 suitable for implementing the system and method of providing real time firmographic information. A server computer 1305 includes an operating system 1310 for controlling the overall operation of the server 1305 which may connect through a communications network 1315 to a company's website 1320 , a company's CRM system 1325 and, optionally to local computers 1330 with a user interface device. The company's website 1320 contains a customer or prospect (also known herein as a “visitor”) web form 1340 that contains an embedded software code fragment or client application 1345 embedded within the user's browser 1335 . A visitor visits the company's website 1320 and opens a company web form 1340 that contains the embedded software client application 1345 . The user's browser 1335 will load the JavaScript that runs the embedded application 1345 . The server computer 1305 hosts a software as a service (SaaS) application 1345 comprising the real time firmographic analytic application 1350 . The firmographic analytic application 1350 comprises multiple software applications including an automated workflow and application client 1355 , a real-time reverse IP address search application 1385 , a real-time company search application 1385 , a real-time company matching application 1370 , a real-time email address validation application 1375 , a real-time Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) application 1380 and various other real-time analytics applications 1385 which could include heuristic engines, other known analytics or analytics as described herein. The firmographic analytic application 1350 also may include the embedded application client 1345 that resides within the company's web form 1340 . A real-time search database 1385 allows for real-time searching of a visitor's company data using search algorithms by the firmographic analytic application 1350 . The real-time search database 1385 is comprised of business records retrieved, developed and cleansed using records from within one or more external commercial database sources 1395 . The real-time company matching application 1370 comprises a matching engine with statistical algorithms that matches company web form 1340 data entered by the visitor to the company's website 1320 with a master data management database 190 that contains commercial business company data. [0116] The automated workflow application 1355 provides a configurable workflow that allows a company user to configure the firmographic analytic application 1350 off-line without the need for significant customer coding. The real-time company search function 1385 provides a module for utilizing a web visitor's company data and other data entered in a web form 1340 to be used in a multi-stage fuzzy search conducted using the real-time search database 1385 . The attributes of the visitor's company are used to search the real-time search database 1385 which contains commercial company information that has been retrieved, developed and verified using external commercial databases 1395 . The real-time company search utilizes fuzzy search matching that matches a pattern rather than requiring an exact match, although exact match and other types of search algorithms could also be used. Combinations of multiple input variables can be used which are all assigned unique precedence/weight values as configured by the automated workflow and application client function 1355 can be utilized by the fuzzy-search algorithm. The initial real-time company search 1365 may be highly targeted to one or more multiple input variables/attributes. The search results comprise a number of companies having the highest weighted scores on the closeness of the match to the search criteria. The actual number of company results to be returned is configurable by the automated workflow and application client. If no results are found in this initial search, subsequent searches use fewer and fewer company attributes for a broader search until a result set is found. When using the firmographic analytical application 1350 , company search results may be presented to the visitor in an interactive select list allowing the visitor to select their exact company. This interactive select list is configurable allowing multiple display options including an inline drop-down mode which displays results with each key-stroke of the visitor and a modal confirmation dialog box mode which displays results once the visitor completes the form. Upon a visitor selecting a company presented in the select list, the selected company's firmographic data is provided to the company web form 1340 where it updates hidden fields created so that the real-time company search 1365 data results are available either to the visitor or to the company that owns the company website 1320 . [0117] FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the firmographic analytic application and its major interfaces 1400 . When a visitor accesses a company web form 1405 , the firmographic analytical application 1410 (which may be hosted as a SaaS solution running on a remotely located server) is accessed and data is appended 1415 to a web form 1405 as further disclosed herein. Standardized company firmographic data, such as physical address, industry, revenue range, employee size and the like are appended in real-time to the web form 1405 as the result of a successful search or match with data in a real-time search database FIG. 13 , 1385 and a master data management database FIG. 13 , 1390 , allowing the results upon initial data entry to be immediately available to company customer's marketing automation systems 1420 and CRM systems 1425 . [0118] FIGS. 15A and 15B are flow charts of the firmographic analytical application processing 1500 . When a visitor accesses a company website form 1505 is activated and the real-time reverse IP address search function 1510 is activated. [0119] Turning now to FIG. 16 , a flow chart of the reverse IP address search function 1600 , the reverse IP address search function 1805 provides a module for detecting the IP address of a visitor accessing the company web form 1610 ( FIG. 13 , 1340 ) at a company website FIG. 13 , 1320 , reverse mapping that IP address to the visitor's company by doing an IP check and company match 1815 including searching a real-time search database 1820 having company IP addresses. Processing is controlled by the automated workflow and application control function 1625 . [0120] Turning back to FIG. 15A , the results of the reverse IP address search and the resulting company firmographic information having the particular IP address that corresponds to the web visitor who is entering data on that company web form 1520 is then used in real-time to automatically populate the company web form and append firmographic data to hidden and non-hidden fields 1515 . This allows the company whose website is being visited FIG. 13 , 1320 to auto-detect the visitor's company and auto-populate the company web form 1520 with data with or without direct interaction from the visitor. As part of the real-time reverse IP function 1510 internet searches are performed 1525 may occur. [0121] As the visitor is filling out the web form 1535 , the real-time company search function 1540 is activated to perform real-time search of databases 1530 . Alternatively, the automated workflow (at the company's option) can perform the real-time search company search function 1540 after the user submits the webs form 1545 . [0122] FIG. 17 shows a flow diagram of the real time company search function processing 1700 . The real-time company search function 1705 is activated. Input data 1 through n 1705 , 1710 , 1715 , 1720 that is input to a company web form by a visitor to the company website FIG. 15A , 1535 is each given a respective precedence and weight setting 1725 , 1730 , 1735 , 1740 that is provided by the automated workflow function FIG. 13 , 1355 when a user from the company sets up the firmographic analytic application FIG. 13 , 1350 . Alternatively, if the user has not set up the automated workflow FIG. 13 , 1355 within the firmographic analytic application FIG. 13 , 1350 , then the precedence and weight settings 1725 , 1730 , 1735 , 1740 will be default settings. The input data 1705 , 1710 , 1715 , 1720 is used to perform real-time company searches of the real-time search database and master data management database 508 using search algorithms 1707 , 1708 for real-time database searches. The output data A and B 1709 , 1710 is then returned to the automated workflow and application control function 1745 which activates other modules to continue and complete the appending of firmographic data to the web form. [0123] Turning back to FIG. 15A , when the user activates the web form submit button 1545 the web form validation processes 1550 continue on FIG. 15B . Depending upon the automated workflow settings, when the user activates the web form button 1545 , the real-time company search function 1540 can also be performed. A real-time email address validation module 1555 validates the email address by accessing the real-time search database 1530 and returns a validation score. The real-time email address validation module 1555 provides a module that utilizes an intelligent scoring-based proprietary set of Internet search techniques that provide for improved search results over commonly used Internet search techniques and generates a score for each email address that represents a measure of the validity of the respective email address. [0124] The real-time CASS address verification function 1585 provides functionality that allows the address 1570 geographic attributes of each company to be validated against the real-time search database 1530 or other third party services to ensure accuracy and deliverability for direct mail. [0125] The results of the processing describe in the firmographic analytic application 1500 is presented as an interactive select list 1580 that may be displayed to the user in the web form as an interactive select list of companies 1580 . This interactive select list is configurable allowing multiple display options including an inline drop-down mode which displays results with each key-stroke of the visitor and a modal confirmation dialog box mode which displays results once the visitor completes the form. If the visitor selects one of the companies presented to the user as part of or ancillary to the web form 1585 , the processing continues in step 1590 . If the visitor does not select one of the companies presented to the visitor 1586 then a master data management function algorithm 1587 is activated and a master data management database is searched 1588 for a firmographic data best match. In step 1590 , then the user selected firmographic data 1585 or the master data management function firmographic data is appended 1590 to the web form in hidden and unhidden fields. The form submission and appending process is now complete and the data is available for released to and use by applicable systems such as marketing automation systems, CRM systems or local databases 1595 . [0126] FIG. 18 shows a block diagram of the real-time address validation function 1805 . A proprietary analysis and score of the validity of the email address is provided utilizing an intelligent scoring-based proprietary set of internet research techniques 1815 . The score is returned and used in the company web form 1820 . Processing is controlled by the automated workflow and application control function 1810 . [0127] FIG. 19 shows a real-time Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) application function 1900 . The CASS module 1905 validates and confirms the validity of the physical address 1910 either input on the web form 1920 or obtained from third party databases or services. The geographic attributes of the web form information 1920 are validated against third party services to ensure accuracy and deliverability for direct mail. Processing is controlled by the automated workflow and application control function 1915 . [0128] FIG. 20 is an exemplary depiction of a set of firmographic data 2000 that is the output of the process described in FIGS. 15A and 15B . The depiction in FIG. 20 represents data to be placed into a web form's hidden fields. [0129] FIG. 21 is an exemplary depiction of the output of the real-time company matching function 2100 (described above in FIGS. 13 , 15 A, 15 B and 17 ). It shows exemplary firmographic data that is the output of the processing described in FIGS. 15A , 15 B and 17 and includes data from the visitor's selected company or resulting from an MDM matching algorithm and search. It may also represent data that may have been manually entered by the visitor. The depiction in FIG. 21 represents data that to be placed into a web form's hidden fields in real-time. Such information may be selected from the group consisting of: name, email address, company name, company address, company URL, number of employees, company annual revenue, SIC code data, NAICS data and a data confidence level. The data confidence level will comprise a confidence level that is based on whether the company data was entered by the visitor; if the match algorithms have returned a high score and therefore considered is a good match; if the match algorithms have returned a score that indicates that the match is a good match, but may have had fewer data fields upon which to conduct the match but results in a score that is still high enough to call a match; or a match failure because the match algorithms has returned a low confidence level and is recommended that any match results not be considered accurate. [0130] FIG. 22 is an exemplary depiction of the output of the real-time company matching function and real-time company search function 2200 (described above in FIGS. 13 , 15 A, 15 B and 17 ). It shows exemplary firmographic data that is the output of the processing described in FIGS. 15A , 15 B and 17 . The depiction in FIG. 22 represents data that includes company and company affiliate information and related hierarchical company data to be placed into a web form's hidden fields. [0131] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, it should be apparent that modifications and adaptations to those embodiments might occur to persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The present invention relates to business-to-business marketing organizations who participate in lead-generation activities via their company website. More particularly, the invention provides a target lead-generation system and method that targets the right businesses using real-time predictive and behavioral analytics and website traffic data and connects businesses to potential customers and suppliers to drive business revenue. Even more particularly, the invention provides a system and method for real-time searching and matching of data input into website registration forms by website visitors, provides for real-time cleansing and appending of attribute rich company demographic and firmographic data to the website form and to the marketing database. The resulting information is then available for use by other systems such as marketing automation systems and CRM systems.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a wave antenna coupled to a wireless communication device so that the wireless communication device can wirelessly communicate information. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Wireless communication devices are commonly used today to wirelessly communicate information about goods. For example, transponders may be attached to goods during their manufacture, transport and/or distribution to provide information, such as the good's identification number, expiration date, date of manufacture or “born on” date, lot number, and the like. The transponder allows this information to be obtained unobtrusively using wireless communication without slowing down the manufacturing, transportation, and/or distribution process. [0003] Some goods involve environmental factors that are critical to their manufacture and/or intended operation. An example of such a good is a vehicle tire. It may be desirable to place a wireless communication device in a tire so that information regarding the tire, such as a tire's identification, pressure, temperature, and other environmental information, can be wirelessly communicated to an interrogation reader during the tire's manufacture and/or use. [0004] Tire pressure monitoring may be particularly important since the pressure in a tire governs its proper operation and safety in use. For example, too little pressure in a tire during its use can cause a tire to be damaged by the weight of a vehicle supported by the tire. Too much pressure can cause a tire to rupture. Tire pressure must be tested during the manufacturing process to ensure that the tire meets intended design specifications. The tire pressure should also be within a certain pressure limits during use in order to avoid dangerous conditions. Knowledge of the tire pressure during the operation of a vehicle can be used to inform an operator and/or vehicle system that a tire has a dangerous pressure condition. The vehicle may indicate a pressure condition by generating an alarm or warning signal to the operator of the vehicle. [0005] During the manufacturing process of a tire, the rubber material comprising the vehicle tire is violently stretched during its manufacture before taking final shape. Wireless communication devices placed inside tires during their manufacture must be able to withstand this stretching and compression and still be able to operate properly after the completion of the tire's manufacture. Since wireless communication devices are typically radio-frequency communication devices, an antenna must be coupled to the wireless communication device for communication. This antenna and wireless communication device combination may be placed in the inside of the tire along its inner wall or inside the rubber of tire for example. This results in stretching and compression of the wireless communication device and antenna whenever the tire is stretched and compressed. Often, the antenna is stretched and subsequently damaged or broken thereby either disconnecting the wireless communication device from an antenna or changing the length of the antenna, which changes the operating frequency of the antenna. In either case, the wireless communication device may be unable to communicate properly when the antenna is damaged or broken. [0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an antenna for a wireless communication device that can withstand a force, such as stretching or compression, and not be susceptible to damage or a break. In this manner, a high level of operability can be achieved with wireless communication devices coupled to antennas for applications where a force is placed on the antenna. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention relates to a wave antenna that is coupled to a wireless communication device, such as a transponder, to wirelessly communicate information. The wave antenna is formed through a series of alternating bends in a substantially straight conductor, such as a wire, to form at least two different sections wherein at least one section of the conductor is bent at an angle of less than 180 degrees with respect to the other. A wave antenna is capable of stretching when subjected to a force without being damaged. A wave antenna can also provide improved impedance matching capability between the antenna and a wireless communication device because of the reactive interaction between different sections of the antenna conductor. In general, varying the characteristics of the conductor wire of the wave antenna, such as diameter, the angle of the bends, the lengths of the sections formed by the bends, and the type of conductor wire, will modify the cross coupling and, hence, the impedance of the wave antenna. [0008] In a first wave antenna embodiment, a wireless communication device is coupled to a single conductor wave antenna to form a monopole wave antenna. [0009] In a second wave antenna embodiment, a wireless communication device is coupled to two conductor wave antennas to form a dipole wave antenna. [0010] In a third wave antenna embodiment, a dipole wave antenna is comprised out of conductors having different sections having different lengths. The first section is coupled to the wireless communication device and forms a first antenna having a first operating frequency. The second section is coupled to the first section and forms a second antenna having a second operating frequency. The wireless communication device is capable of communicating at each of these two frequencies formed by the first antenna and the second antenna. [0011] In a fourth wave antenna embodiment, a resonating conductor is additionally coupled to the wireless communication device to provide a second antenna operating at a second operating frequency. The resonating ring may also act as a stress relief for force placed on the wave antenna so that such force is not placed on the wireless communication device. [0012] In another embodiment, the wireless communication device is coupled to a wave antenna and is placed inside a tire so that information can be wirelessly communicated from the tire to an interrogation reader. The wave antenna is capable of stretching and compressing, without being damged, as the tire is stretched and compressed during its manufacture and pressurization during use on a vehicle. [0013] In another embodiment, the interrogation reader determines the pressure inside a tire by the response from a wireless communication device coupled to a wave antenna placed inside the tire. When the tire and, therefore, the wave antenna stretch to a certain length indicative that the tire is at a certain threshold pressure, the length of the antenna will be at the operating frequency of the interrogation reader so that the wireless communication device is capable of responding to the interrogation reader. [0014] In another embodiment, a method of manufacture is disclosed on one method of manufacturing the wave antenna out of a straight conductor and attaching wireless communication devices to the wave antenna. The uncut string of wireless communication devices and wave antennas form one continuous strip that can be wound on a reel and later unwound, cut and applied to a good, object, or article of manufacture. [0015] Those skilled in the art will appreciate the scope of the present invention and realize additional aspects thereof after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments in association with the accompanying drawing figures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. [0017] [0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an interrogation reader and wireless communication device system that may be used with the present invention; [0018] [0018]FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of a monopole wave antenna coupled to a wireless communication device for wireless communications; [0019] [0019]FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram of a dipole wave antenna coupled to a wireless communication device for wireless communications; [0020] [0020]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a dipole wave antenna coupled to a wireless communication device wherein a first portion of the wave antenna operates at a first frequency and a second portion of the wave antenna coupled to the first portion operates at a second frequency; [0021] [0021]FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram of a wave antenna and a ring resonator both coupled to a wireless communication device wherein the wave antenna operates at a first frequency and the ring resonator operates at a second frequency; [0022] [0022]FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram of the wave antenna and a ring resonator as illustrated in FIG. 4A, except that the ring resonator is additionally mechanically coupled to the wave antenna as a mechanical stress relief; [0023] [0023]FIG. 4C is a schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment to FIG. 4B; [0024] [0024]FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a wave antenna and wireless communication device; [0025] [0025]FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram of a compressed version of the wave antenna illustrated in FIG. 5A; [0026] [0026]FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication device and wave antenna attached to the inside of a tire for wireless communication of information about the tire; [0027] [0027]FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram of FIG. 6A, except that the tire is under pressure and is stretching the wave antenna; [0028] [0028]FIG. 7 is a flowchart diagram of a tire pressure detection system executed by an interrogation reader by communicating with a wireless communication device coupled to a wave antenna inside a tire like that illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B. [0029] [0029]FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a reporting system for information wirelessly communicated from a tire to an interrogation reader; [0030] [0030]FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a process of manufacturing a wave antenna and coupling the wave antenna to a wireless communication device; and [0031] [0031]FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an inductance tuning short provided by the manufacturing process illustrated in FIG. 9. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0032] The present invention relates to a wave antenna that is coupled to a wireless communication device, such as a transponder, to wirelessly communicate information. The wave antenna is formed through a series of alternating bends in a substantially straight conductor, such as a wire, to form at least two different sections wherein at least one section of the conductor is bent at an angle of less than 180 degrees with respect to each other. A wave antenna is capable of stretching without being damaged when subjected to a force. A wave antenna can also provide improved impedance matching capability between the antenna and a wireless communication device because of the reactive interaction between different sections of the antenna conductor. In general, varying the characteristics of the conductor wire of the wave antenna, such as diameter, the angle of the bends, the lengths of the sections formed by the bends, and the type of conductor wire, will modify the cross coupling and, hence, the impedance of the wave antenna. [0033] Before discussing the particular aspects and applications of the wave antenna as illustrated in FIGS. 2 - 10 of this application, a wireless communication system that may be used with the present invention is discussed below. [0034] [0034]FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless communication device and communication system that may be used with the present invention. The wireless communication device 10 is capable of communicating information wirelessly and may include a control system 12 , communication electronics 14 , and memory 16 . The wireless communication device 10 may also be known as a radio-frequency identification device (RFID). The communication electronics 14 is coupled to an antenna 17 for wirelessly communicating information in radio-frequency signals. The communication electronics 14 is capable of receiving modulated radio-frequency signals through the antenna 17 and demodulating these signals into information passed to the control system 12 . The antenna 17 may be any type of antenna, including but not limited to a pole or slot antenna. The antenna 17 may be internal or external to the wireless communication device 10 . [0035] The control system 12 may be any type of circuitry or processor that receives and processes information received by the communication electronics 14 , including a micro-controller or microprocessor. The wireless communication device 10 may also contain a memory 16 for storage of information. Such information may be any type of information about goods, objects, or articles of manufacture, including but not limited to identification, tracking, environmental information, such as pressure and temperature, and other pertinent information. The memory 16 may be electronic memory, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, diode, etc., or the memory 16 may be mechanical memory, such as a switch, dipswitch, etc. [0036] The control system 12 may also be coupled to sensors that sense environmental information concerning the wireless communication device 10 . For instance, the control system 12 may be coupled to a pressure sensor 18 to sense the pressure on the wireless communication device 10 and/or its surroundings. The control system 12 may also be coupled to a temperature sensor 19 to sense the temperature of the wireless communication device 10 or the ambient temperature around the wireless communication device 10 . More information on different types of pressure sensors 18 that can be used to couple to the control system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,299,349 and 6,272,936, entitled “Pressure and temperature sensor” and “Pressure sensor,” respectively, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. [0037] The temperature sensor 19 may be contained within the wireless communication device 10 , or external to the wireless communication device 10 . The temperature sensor 19 may be any variety of temperature sensing elements, such as a thermistor or chemical device. One such temperature sensor 19 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,524, entitled “Temperature sensor,” incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The temperature sensor 19 may also be incorporated into the wireless communication device 10 or its control system 12 , like that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,215, entitled “Temperature sensor integral with microprocessor and methods of using same,” incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. However, note that the present invention is not limited to any particular type of temperature sensor 19 . [0038] Some wireless communication devices 10 are termed “active” devices in that they receive and transmit data using their own energy source coupled to the wireless communication device 10 . A wireless communication device 10 may use a battery for power as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,602 entitled “Radio frequency data communications device,” or may use other forms of energy, such as a capacitor as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,603, entitled “Implantable biosensing transponder.” Both of the preceding patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. [0039] Other wireless communication devices 10 are termed “passive” devices meaning that they do not actively transmit and therefore may not include their own energy source for power. One type of passive wireless communication device 10 is known as a “transponder.” A transponder effectively transmits information by reflecting back a received signal from an external communication device, such as an interrogation reader. An example of a transponder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,280, entitled “Frequency diversity transponder arrangement,” incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Another example of a transponder is described in co-pending patent application Ser. No. 09/678,271, entitled “Wireless communication device and method,” incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [0040] [0040]FIG. 1 depicts communication between a wireless communication device 10 and an interrogation reader 20 . The interrogation reader 20 may include a control system 22 , an interrogation communication electronics 24 , memory 26 , and an interrogation antenna 28 . The interrogation antenna 28 may be any type of antenna, including a pole antenna or a slot antenna. The interrogation reader 20 may also contain its own internal energy source 30 , or the interrogation reader 20 may be powered through an external power source. The energy source 30 may include batteries, a capacitor, solar cell or other medium that contains energy. The energy source 30 may also be rechargeable. A timer 23 may also be coupled to the control system 22 for performing tasks that require timing operations. [0041] The interrogation reader 20 communicates with the wireless communication device 10 by emitting an electronic signal 32 modulated by the interrogation communication electronics 24 through the interrogation antenna 28 . The interrogation antenna 28 may be any type of antenna that can radiate a signal 32 through a field 34 so that a reception device, such as a wireless communication device 10 , can receive such signal 32 through its own antenna 17 . The field 34 may be electromagnetic, magnetic, or electric. The signal 32 may be a message containing information and/or a specific request for the wireless communication device 10 to perform a task or communicate back information. When the antenna 17 is in the presence of the field 34 emitted by the interrogation reader 20 , the communication electronics 14 are energized by the energy in the signal 32 , thereby energizing the wireless communication device 10 . The wireless communication device 10 remains energized so long as its antenna 17 is in the field 34 of the interrogation reader 20 . The communication electronics 14 demodulates the signal 32 and sends the message containing information and/or request to the control system 12 for appropriate actions. [0042] It is readily understood to one of ordinary skill in the art that there are many other types of wireless communications devices and communication techniques than those described herein, and the present invention is not limited to a particular type of wireless communication device, technique or method. [0043] [0043]FIG. 2A illustrates a first embodiment of a wave antenna 17 coupled to a wireless communication device 10 for wireless communication. This embodiment illustrates a monopole wave antenna 17 . The wave antenna 17 is formed by a conducting material, such as a wire or foil for example, that is bent in alternating sections to form a series of peaks and valleys. Any type of material can be used to form the wave antenna 17 so long as the material can conduct electrical energy. A wave antenna 17 in its broadest form is a conductor that is bent in at least one position at an angle less than 180 degrees to form at least two different sections 21 . The monopole wave antenna 17 in this embodiment contains seven alternating bends to form a saw-tooth wave shape. The monopole wave antenna 17 is coupled, by either a direct or reactive coupling, to an input port (not shown) on the wireless communication device 10 to provide an antenna 17 for wireless communications. Since the wireless communication device 10 contains another input port that is coupled to the monopole wave antenna 17 , this additional input port is grounded. [0044] A wave antenna 17 may be particularly advantageous to use with a wireless communication device 10 in lieu of a straight antenna. One advantage of a wave antenna 17 is that it is tolerant to stretching without substantial risk of damage or breakage to the conductor. Certain types of goods, objects, or articles of manufacture may encounter a force, such as stretching or compression, during their manufacture and/or normal use. If a wireless communication device 10 uses a straight conductor as antenna 17 and is attached to goods, objects, or articles of manufacture that are subjected to a force during their manufacture or use, the antenna 17 may be damaged or broken when the good, object or article of manufacture is subjected to such force. If the antenna 17 is damaged or broken, this may cause the wireless communication device 10 to be incapable of wireless communication since a change in the length or shape of the conductor in the antenna 17 may change the operating frequency of the antenna 17 . [0045] A wave antenna 17 , because of its bent sections 21 , also causes the field emitted by the conductors in sections 21 to capacitively couple to other sections 21 of the wave antenna 17 . This results in improved impedance matching with the wireless communication device 10 to provide greater and more efficient energy transfer between the wireless communication device 10 and the wave antenna 17 . As is well known to one of ordinary skill in the art, the most efficient energy transfer occurs between a wireless communication device 10 and an antenna 17 when the impedance of the antenna 17 is the complex conjugate of the impedance of the wireless communication device 10 . [0046] The impedance of a straight conductor antenna 17 is dependant on the type, size, and shape of the conductor. The length of the antenna 17 is the primary variable that determines the operating frequency of the antenna 17 . Unlike a straight conductor antenna 17 , a wave antenna 17 can also be varied in other ways not possible in a straight conductor antenna 17 . In a wave antenna 17 , other variables exist in the design of the antenna in addition to the type, size, shape and length of the conductor. The impedance of a wave antenna 17 can also be varied by varying the length of the individual sections 21 of the conductor making up the wave antenna 17 and the angle between these individual sections 21 in addition to the traditional variables available in straight conductor antennas 17 . These additional variables available in wave antennas 17 can be varied while maintaining the overall length of the conductor so that the operating frequency of the wave antenna 17 is maintained. In this embodiment, the lengths of the individual sections 21 and the angles between the individual sections 21 are the same; however, they do not have to be. [0047] In summary, a wave antenna 17 provides the ability to alter and select additional variables not possible in straight conductor antennas 17 that affect the impedance of the antenna 17 , thereby creating a greater likelihood that a wave antenna's 17 impedance can be designed to more closely match the impedance of the wireless communication device 10 . Of course, as is well known by one of ordinary skill in the art, the type of materials attached to the wave antenna 17 and the material's dielectric properties also vary the impedance and operating frequency of the wave antenna 17 . These additional variables should also be taken into account in the final design of the wave antenna 17 . The reactive cross-coupling that occurs between different sections 21 of the wave antenna 17 also contribute to greater impedance matching capability of the wave antenna 17 to a wireless communication device 10 . More information on impedance matching between a wireless communication device 10 and an antenna 17 for efficient transfer of energy is disclosed in United States pending patent application Ser. No. 09/536,33, entitled “Remote communication using slot antenna,” incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [0048] [0048]FIG. 2B illustrates a wave antenna 17 similar to that illustrated in FIG. 2A; however, the wave antenna in FIG. 2B is a dipole wave antenna 17 . Two conductors 17 A, 17 B are coupled to the wireless communication device 10 to provide wireless communications. In this embodiment, the length of the conductors 17 A, 17 B that form the dipole wave antenna 17 are each 84 millimeters in length. The dipole wave antenna 17 operates at a frequency of 915 MHz. In this embodiment, the lengths of the individual sections 21 and the angles between the individual sections 21 that make up the dipole wave antenna 17 are the same; however, they do not have to be. [0049] [0049]FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of a wave antenna 17 where the lengths of the individual sections 21 and the angle between the individual sections 21 are not the same. Two conductors are coupled to the wireless communication device 10 to create a dipole wave antenna 17 . The first conductor is comprised out of two sections 21 A, 21 C, each having a different number of sections 21 and lengths. The two sections 21 A, 21 C are also symmetrically contained in the second conductor 21 B, 21 D. This causes the wave antenna 17 to act as a dipole antenna that resonates and receives signals at two different operating frequencies so that the wireless communication device 10 is capable of communicating at two different frequencies. [0050] The first symmetrical sections 21 A, 21 B are 30.6 millimeters or λ/4 in length and are coupled to the wireless communication device 10 so that the wave antenna 17 is capable of receiving 2.45 GHz signals. The second symmetrical sections 21 C, 21 D are coupled to the first sections 21 A, 21 B, respectively, to form a second dipole antenna for receiving signals at a second frequency. In this embodiment, the second sections 21 C, 21 D are 70 millimeters in length and are coupled to the first sections 21 A, 21 B, respectively, to form lengths that are designed to receive 915 MHz signals. Also note that bends in the conductor in the wave antenna 17 are not constant. The bends in the wave antenna 17 that are made upward are made at an angle of less than 180 degrees. The bends in the wave antenna 17 that are made downward are made at an angle of 180 degrees. [0051] Note that it is permissible for bends in sections 21 of the conductor to be 180 degrees so long as all of the sections 21 in the conductor are not bent at 180 degrees with respect to adjacent sections 21 . If all of the sections 21 in the conductor are bent at 180 degrees, then the conductor will effectively be a straight conductor antenna 17 and not a wave antenna 17 . [0052] [0052]FIG. 4A illustrates another embodiment of the wave antenna 17 coupled to the wireless communication device 10 wherein the wireless communication device 10 is configured to receive signals at two different frequencies. A wave antenna 17 similar the wave antenna 17 illustrated in FIG. 2B is coupled to the wireless communication device 10 to form a dipole wave antenna 17 . A resonating ring 40 is also capacitively coupled to the wireless communication device 10 to provide a second antenna 17 that operates at a second and different frequency from the operating frequency of the dipole wave antenna 17 . The resonating ring 40 may be constructed out of any type of material so long as the material is conductive. [0053] This embodiment may be particularly advantageous if it is necessary for the wireless communication device 10 to be capable of wirelessly communicating regardless of the force, such as stretching or compression, exerted on the wave antenna 17 . The resonating ring 40 is designed to remain in its original shape regardless of the application of any force that may be placed on the wireless communication device 10 or a good, object, or article of manufacture that contains the wireless communication device 10 . Depending on the force exerted on the wave antenna 17 or a good, object or article of manufacture that contains the wave antenna 17 and wireless communication device 10 , the length of the wave antenna 17 may change, thereby changing the operating frequency of the wave antenna 17 . The new operating frequency of the wave antenna 17 may be sufficiently different from the normal operating frequency such that wave antenna 17 and the wireless communication device 10 could not receive and/or demodulate signals sent by the interrogation reader 20 . The resonating ring 40 is capable of receiving signals 32 regardless of the state of the wave antenna 17 . [0054] [0054]FIG. 4B also illustrates an embodiment of the present invention employing a dipole wave antenna 17 that operates at 915 MHz and a resonating ring 40 that operates at 2.45 GHz. The dipole wave antenna 17 and the resonating ring 40 are both coupled to the wireless communication device 10 to allow the wireless communication device 10 to operate at two different frequencies. However, in this embodiment, the conductors of the dipole wave antenna 17 are looped around the resonating ring 40 at a first inductive turn 42 A and a second inductive turn 42 B. In this manner, any force placed on the dipole wave antenna 17 will place such force on the resonating ring 40 instead of the wireless communication device 10 . [0055] This embodiment may be advantageous in cases where a force, placed on the dipole wave antenna 17 without providing a relief mechanism other than the wireless communication device 10 itself would possibly cause the dipole wave antenna 17 to disconnect from the wireless communication device 10 , thus causing the wireless communication device 10 to be unable to wirelessly communicate. The resonating ring 40 may be constructed out of a stronger material than the connecting point between the dipole wave antenna 17 and the wireless communication device 10 , thereby providing the ability to absorb any force placed on the dipole wave antenna 17 without damaging the resonating ring 40 . This embodiment may also be particularly advantageous if the wireless communication device 10 is placed on a good, object or article of manufacture that undergoes force during its manufacture or use, such as a rubber tire, for example. [0056] [0056]FIG. 4C illustrates another embodiment similar to those illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. However, the resonating ring 40 is directly coupled to the wireless communication device 10 , and the dipole wave antenna 17 is directly coupled to the resonating ring 10 . A first and second conducting attachments 44 A, 44 B are used to couple the resonating ring 40 to the wireless communication device 10 . A force exerted on the dipole wave antenna 17 is exerted on and absorbed by the resonating ring 40 rather than wireless communication device 10 so that the wireless communication device 10 is not damaged. [0057] [0057]FIG. 5A illustrates another embodiment of the wave antenna 17 that is stretched wherein the bending are at angles close to 180 degrees, but slightly less, to form sections 21 close to each other. The coupling between the individual elements in the wave antenna 17 will be strong due to the proximity. Therefore, a small change in stretching of the wave antenna 17 will have a large effect on the operating frequency of the wave antenna 17 . Since the change in the operating frequency will be great, it will be easier for a small stretching of the wave antenna 17 to change the operating frequency of the wave antenna 17 . [0058] [0058]FIG. 5B illustrates the same wave antenna 17 and wireless communication device 10 illustrated in FIG. 5A; however, the wave antenna 17 is not being stretched. When this wave antenna 17 is not being stretched, the bent sections in the wave antenna 17 touch each other to effectively act as a regular dipole antenna without angled sections 21 . If this embodiment, each pole 17 A, 17 B of the wave antenna 17 in its normal form is 30.6 millimeters long and has an operating frequency of 2.45 GHz such that the wireless communication device 10 is capable of responding to a frequency of 2.45 GHz. [0059] [0059]FIG. 6A illustrates one type of article of manufacture that undergoes force during its manufacture and use and that may include a wireless communication device 10 and wave antenna 17 like that illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B. This embodiment includes a rubber tire 50 well known in the prior art that is used on transportation vehicles. The tire 50 is designed to be pressurized with air when placed inside a tire 50 mounted on a vehicle wheel forming a seal between the wheel and the tire 50 . The tire 50 is comprised of a tread surface 52 that has a certain defined thickness 53 . The tread surface 52 has a left outer side 54 , a right outer side 56 and an orifice 58 in the center where the tire 50 is designed to fit on a wheel. The left outer side 54 and right outer side 56 are bent downward at angles substantially perpendicular to the plane of the tread surface 52 to form a left outer wall 60 and a right outer wall 62 . When the left outer wall 60 and right outer wall 62 are formed, a left inner wall 64 and a right inner wall 66 are also formed as well. Additionally, depending on the type of tire 50 , a steel belt 68 may also be included inside the rubber of the tire 50 under the surface of the tread surface 52 for increase performance and life. More information on the construction and design of a typical tire 50 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,242, entitled “Method for making a multi-component tire,” incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [0060] In this embodiment, a wireless communication device 10 and dipole wave antenna 17 are attached on the inner surface of the tire 50 on the other side of the tread surface 52 . During the manufacturing of a tire 50 , the rubber in the tire 50 undergoes a lamination process whereby the tire 50 may be stretched up to approximately 1.6 times its normal size and then shrunk back down to the normal dimensions of a wheel. If a wireless communication device 10 is placed inside the tire 50 during the manufacturing process, the wireless communication device 10 and antenna 17 must be able to withstand the stretching and shrinking that a tire 50 undergoes without being damaged. The wave antenna 17 of the present invention is particularly suited for this application since the wave antenna 17 can stretch and compress without damaging the conductor of the wave antenna 17 . [0061] Also, a tire 50 is inflated with gas, such as air, to a pressure during its normal operation. If the wireless communication device 10 and antenna 17 are placed inside the tread surface 52 or inside the tire 50 , the wireless communication device 10 and antenna 17 will stretch and compress depending on the pressure level in the tire 50 . The more pressure contained in the tire 50 , the more the tire 50 will stretch. Therefore, any wireless communication device 10 and antenna 17 that is contained inside the tire 50 or inside the rubber of the tire 50 must be able to withstand this stretching without being damaged and/or affecting the proper operation of the wireless communication device 10 . [0062] [0062]FIG. 6B illustrates the same tire illustrated in FIG. 6A. However, in this embodiment, the tire 50 is under a pressure and has stretched the dipole wave antenna 17 . Because the dipole wave antenna 17 is capable of stretching without being damaged or broken, the dipole wave antenna 17 is not damaged and does not break when the tire 50 is stretched when subjected to a pressure. Note that the wave antenna 17 placed inside the tire 50 could also be a monopole wave antenna 17 , as illustrated in FIG. 2A, or any other variation of the wave antenna 17 , including the wave antennas 17 illustrated in FIGS. 2B, 3, 4 A- 4 C, 5 A, and 5 B. Also, note that the wireless communication device 10 and wave antenna 17 could be provided anywhere on the inside of the tire 50 , including inside the thickness 53 of the tread surface 52 , the left inner wall 64 or the right inner wall 66 . [0063] [0063]FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart process wherein the interrogation reader 20 is designed to communicate with the wireless communication device 10 and wave antenna 17 to determine when the pressure of the tire 50 has reached a certain designed threshold pressure. Because a wave antenna 17 changes length based on the force exerted on its conductors, a wave antenna 17 will stretch if placed inside a tire 50 as the pressure inside the tire 50 rises. The wave antenna 17 can be designed so that the length of the wave antenna 17 only reaches a certain designed length to be capable of receiving signals at the operating frequency of the interrogation reader 20 when the tire 50 reaches a certain threshold pressure. [0064] The process starts (block 70 ), and the interrogation reader 20 emits a signal 32 through the field 34 as discussed previously for operation of the interrogation reader 20 and wireless communication device 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. The interrogation reader 20 checks to see if a response signal has been received from the wireless communication device 10 (decision 74 ). If no response signal is received by the interrogation reader 20 from the wireless communication device 10 , the interrogation reader 20 continues to emit the signal 34 in a looping fashion (block 72 ) until a response is received. Once a response is received by the interrogation reader 20 from the wireless communication device 10 (decision 74 ), this is indicative of the fact that the wave antenna 17 coupled to the wireless communication device 10 has stretched to a certain length so that the wave antenna's 17 operating frequency is compatible with the operating frequency of the interrogation reader 20 (block 76 ). The interrogation reader 20 can report that the tire 50 containing the wireless communication device 10 and wave antenna 17 has reached a certain threshold pressure. Note that the wave antennas 17 may be any of the wave antennas 17 illustrated in FIGS. 2B, 3, 4 A- 4 C, 5 A, and 5 B. [0065] [0065]FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of a reporting system that may be provided for the interrogation reader 20 . The interrogation reader 20 may be coupled to a reporting system 77 . This reporting system 77 may be located in close proximity to the interrogation reader 20 , and may be coupled to the interrogation reader 20 by either a wired or wireless connection. The reporting system 77 may be a user interface or other computer system that is capable of receiving and/or storing data communications received from an interrogation reader 20 . This information may be any type of information received from a wireless communication device 10 , including but not limited to identification information, tracking information, and/or environmental information concerning the wireless communication device 10 and/or its surroundings, such as pressure and temperature. The information may be used for any purpose. For example, identification, tracking, force and/or pressure information concerning a tire 50 during its manufacture may be communicated to the reporting system 77 which may then be used for tracking, quality control, and supply-chain management. If the information received by the reporting system is not normal or proper, the reporting system 77 may control the manufacturing operations to stop and/or change processes during manufacture and/or alert personnel in charge of the manufacturing process. [0066] The reporting system 77 may also communicate information received from the wireless communication device 10 , via the interrogation reader 20 , to a remote system 78 located remotely from the reporting system 77 and/or the interrogation reader 20 . The communication between the reporting system 77 and the remote system 78 may be through wired communication, wireless communication, modem communication or other networking communication, such as the Internet. Alternatively, the interrogation reader 20 may communicate the information received from the wireless communication device 10 directly to the remote system 78 rather than first reporting the information through the reporting system 77 using the same or similar communication mediums as may be used between the reporting system 77 and the remote system 78 . [0067] [0067]FIG. 9 illustrates a method of manufacturing a wave antenna 17 and assembly of the wave antenna 17 to wireless communication devices 10 . The process involves eight total steps. Each of the steps is labeled in circled numbers illustrated in FIG. 9. The first step of the process involves passing an antenna 17 conductor wire or foil through cogs 120 to create the alternating bends in the antenna conductor 17 to form the wave antenna 17 . The cogs 120 are comprised of a top cog 120 A and a bottom cog 120 B. The top cog 120 A rotates clockwise, and the bottom cog 120 B rotates counterclockwise. Each cog 120 A, 120 B includes teeth that interlock with each other as the cogs 120 A, 120 B rotate. As the antenna conductor 17 passes through the cogs 120 A, 120 B, alternating bends are placed in the antenna conductor 17 to form peaks 121 and valleys 122 in the antenna conductor 17 to form the wave antenna 17 . [0068] The second step of the process involves placing tin solder on portions of the wave antenna 17 so that a wireless communication device 10 can be soldered and attached to the wave antenna 17 in a later step. A soldering station 123 is provided and is comprised of a first tinning position 123 A and a second tinning position 123 B. For every predefined portion of the wave antenna 17 that passes by the soldering station 123 , the first tinning position 123 A and second tinning position 123 B raise upward to place tin solder on the left side of the peak 124 A and an adjacent right side of the peak 124 A so that the wireless communication device 10 can be soldered to the wave antenna 17 in the third step of the process. Please note that the process may also use glue instead of solder to attach the wireless communication device 10 to the wave antenna 17 . [0069] The third step of the process involves attaching a wireless communication device 10 to the wave antenna 17 . A wireless communication device is attached to the left side of the peak 124 A and the right side of the peak 124 B at the points of the tin solder. An adhesive 126 is used to attach the leads or pins (not shown) of the wireless communication device 10 to the tin solder, and solder paste is added to the points where the wireless communication device 10 attach to the tin solder on the wave antenna 17 to conductively attach the wireless communication device 10 to the wave antenna 17 . Note that when the wireless communication device 10 is attached to the wave antenna 17 , the peak remains on the wireless communication device 10 that causes a short 128 between the two input ports (not shown) of the wireless communication device 10 and the two wave antennas 17 coupled to the wireless communication device 10 . [0070] The fourth step in the process involves passing the wireless communication device 10 as connected to the wave antenna 17 through a hot gas re-flow soldering process well known to one of ordinary skill in the art to securely attach the solder between the leads of the wireless communication device 10 and the wave antenna 17 . [0071] The fifth step in the process involves the well-known process of cleaning away any excess solder that is unused and left over during the previous soldering. [0072] The sixth step in the process involves removing the short 128 between the two wave antennas 17 left by the peak 124 of the wave antenna 17 from the third step in the process. Depending on the type of wireless communication device 10 and its design, the short 128 may or may not cause the wireless communication device 10 to not properly operate to receive signals and remodulate response signals. If the wireless communication device 10 operation is not affected by this short 128 , this step can be skipped in the process. [0073] The seventh step in the process involves encapsulating the wireless communication device 10 . The wireless communication device 10 is typically in the form of a RF integrated circuit chip that is encapsulated with a hardened, non-conductive material 130 , such as a plastic or epoxy, to protect the inside components of the chip from the environment. [0074] The eighth and last step involves winding wireless communication devices 10 as attached on the wave antenna 17 onto a reel 130 . The wireless communication devices 10 and wave antenna 17 are contained on a strip since the wave antenna 17 conductor has not been yet cut. When it is desired to apply the wireless communication device 10 and attached wave antenna 17 to a good, object, or article of manufacture, such as a tire 50 , the wireless communication device 10 and attached wave antenna 17 can be unwound from the reel 130 and the wave antenna 17 conductor cut in the middle between two consecutive wireless communication devices 10 to form separate wireless communication device 10 and dipole wave antenna 17 devices. [0075] [0075]FIG. 10 illustrates the short 128 left on the wireless communication device 10 and wave antenna 17 as a tuning inductance. Some UHF wireless communication devices 10 operate best when a direct current (DC) short, in the form of a tuning inductance, is present across the wireless communication device 10 and therefore the process of removing the short 128 can be omitted. FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the wave antenna 17 and wireless communication device 10 where an uneven cog 120 has been used in step 1 of the process to produce an extended loop short 128 across the wireless communication device 10 . This gives the required amount of inductance for best operation of the wireless communication device 10 as the wave antenna 17 and the short 128 are in parallel. [0076] The embodiments set forth above represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention and illustrate the best mode of practicing the invention. Upon reading the preceding description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the invention and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims. [0077] It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to applications involving a vehicle tire. It should also be understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular type of component, including but not limited to the wireless communication device 10 and its components, the interrogation reader 20 and its components, the pressure sensor 18 , the temperature sensor 19 , the resonating ring 40 , the tire 50 and its components, the reporting system 77 , the remote system 78 , the wheel 100 and its components, the cogs 120 , the soldering station 123 , the adhesive 124 , and the encapsulation material 130 . For the purposes of this application, couple, coupled, or coupling is defined as either a direct connection or a reactive coupling. Reactive coupling is defined as either capacitive or inductive coupling. [0078] Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the preferred embodiments of the present invention. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein and the claims that follow.

A wireless communication device coupled to a wave antenna that provides greater increased durability and impedance matching. The wave antenna is a conductor that is bent in alternating sections to form peaks and valleys. The wireless communication device is coupled to the wave antenna to provide wireless communication with other communication devices, such as an interrogation reader. The wireless communication device and wave antenna may be placed on objects, goods, or other articles of manufacture that are subject to forces such that the wave antenna may be stretched or compressed during the manufacture and/or use of such object, good or article of manufacture. The wave antenna, because of its bent structure, is capable of stretching and compressing more easily than other structures, reducing the wireless communication device's susceptibility to damage or breaks that might render the wireless communication device coupled to the wave antenna unable to properly communicate information wirelessly.

RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/748,468, filed Dec. 8, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirely. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] According to the World Health Organization, respiratory diseases are the number one cause of world-wide morality, with at least 20% of the worlds population afflicted. Over 25 million Americans have chrome lung disease, making it the number one disabler of American workers (<$50 B/yr), and the number three cause of mortality. [0003] Currently, most infections are treated with oral or injectable antiinfectives, even when the pathogen enters through the respiratory tract. Often the antiinfective has poor penetration into the lung, and may be dose-limited due to systemic side-effects. Many of these issues can be overcame by local delivery of the antiinfective to the lungs of patients via inhalation. For example, inhaled tobramycin (TOBI®, Chiron Corp, Emeryville, Calif.) is a nebulized form of tobramycin, that has been shown to have improved efficacy and reduced nephro- and oto-toxicity relative to injectable aminoglycosides. Unfortunately, rapid absorption of the drug necessitates that the drug product be administered twice daily over a period of ca., 20 min per administration. For pediatrics and young adults with cystic fibrosis this treatment regimen can be taxing, especially when one takes into account the fact that these patients are on multiple time-consuming therapies. Any savings in terms of treatment times would be welcomed, and would likely lead to improvements in patient compliance. Achieving improved compliance with other patient populations (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute bronchial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis) will be critically dependent on the convenience and efficacy of the treatment. Hence, it is an object of the present invention to improve patient compliance by providing formulations with sustained activity in the lungs. Sustained release formulations of antiinfectives are achieved by encapsulating the antiinfective in a liposome. Improving pulmonary targeting with sustained release formulations would further improve the therapeutic index by increasing local concentrations of drug and reducing systemic exposure. Improvements in targeting are also expected in reduce dose requirements. [0004] Achieving sustained release of drugs in the lung is a difficult task, given the multiple clearance mechanisms that act in concert to rapidly remove inhaled drugs from the lung. These clearance methods include: (a) rapid clearance from the conducting airways over a period of hours by the mucociliary escalator; (b) clearance of particulates from the deep lung by alveolar macrophages; (c) degradation of the therapeutic by pulmonary enzymes, and; (d) rapid absorption of small molecule drugs into the systemic circulation. Absorption of small molecule drugs has been shown to be nearly quantitative, with an absorption time for hydrophilic small molecules of about 1 hr, and an absorption lime for lipophilic dregs of about 1 min. [0005] For TOBI® the absorption half-life from the lung is on the order of 1.5 hr. High initial peak concentrations of drug can lead to adaptive resistance, while a substantial time with levels below or near the effective minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), may lead to selection of resistant phenotypes. It is hypothesized that keeping the level of antiinfective above the MIC for an extended period of time (i.e., eliminating sub-therapeutic trough levels) with a pulmonary sustained release formulation may reduce the potential for development of resistant phenotypes. Hence, it is a further object of the present invention to maintain the ratio of the area under the lung concentration/time curve to the MIC at 24 hr (i.e., the AUIC), not only at an adequate sustained therapeutic level, hot above a critical level, so as to reduce the potential for selection of resistant strains. [0006] It is assumed that only the “free” (un-encapsulated) drug has bactericidal activity. One potential disadvantage of liposomal sustained release formulations is that the encapsulation of drug in the liposomal formulation decreases the concentration of free drug reaching the rung pathogens, drug which is needed to achieve efficient killing of bacteria immediately following administration. Hence, it is further an object of the present invention to provide a formulation that contains sufficient free drug, to be bactericidal immediately following administration. [0007] The disclosures of the foregoing are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] It is an object of the present invention to use lipid-based composition encapsulation to improve the therapeutic effects of antiinfectives administered to an individual via the pulmonary route. [0009] The subject invention results from the realization that administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising both free and liposome encapsulated antiinfective results in unproved treatment of pulmonary infections. [0010] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a system for treating or providing prophylaxis against a pulmonary infection, wherein the system comprises a pharmaceutical formulation comprising mixtures of free and lipid-based composition encapsulated antiinfective, wherein the amount of free antiinfective is sufficient to provide for immediate bactericidal activity, and the amount of encapsulated antiinfective is sufficient to provide sustained bactericidal activity, and reduce the development of resistant strains of the infectious agent, and an inhalation delivery device. [0011] The free form of the antiinfective is available to provide a bolus of immediate antimicrobial activity. The slow release of antiinfective from the lipid-based composition following pulmonary administration is analogous to continuous administration of the antiinfective, thereby providing for sustained levels of antiinfective in the lungs. The sustained AUC levels provides prolonged bactericidal activity between administrations. Further, the sustained levels provided by the release of antiinfective from the lipid-based composition is expected to provide improved protection against the development of resistant microbial strains. [0012] Combinations of free and encapsulated drug can he achieved by: (a) formulation of mixtures of free and encapsulated drug that are stable to the nebulization; (b) formulation of encapsulated drug which leads to burst on nebulization. [0013] The ratio of free to encapsulated drug is contemplated to he between about 1:100 w:w and about 100:1 w:w, and may be determined by the minimum inhibitory concentration of the infectious agent and the sustained release properties of the formulation. The ratio of free to encapsulated drug can be optimized for a given infectious agent and drug formulation based on known pharmacodynamic targets for bacterial killing and prevention of resistance. Schentag, J. J. J. Chemother. 1999, 11, 426-439. [0014] In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to life aforementioned system wherein the antiinfective is selected from the group, consisting of antibiotic agents, antiviral agents, and antifungal agents. In a further embodiment, the antiinfective is an antibiotic selected from the group consisting of cephalosporins, quinolones, fluoroquinolones, penicillins, beta lactamase inhibitors, carbepenems, monobactams, macrolides, lincosamines, glycepeptides, rifampin, oxaxolidonones, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, streptogramins, and sulfonamides. In a further embodiment, the antiinfective is an aminoglycoside. In a farther embodiment the antiinfective is amikacin, gentatnicip, or tobramycin. [0015] In a further embodiment, the lipid-based composition is a liposome. In a farther embodiment, the liposome, comprises a mixture of unilamellar vesicles and multilamellar vesicles. In a further embodiment, the liposome comprises a phospholipid and a sterol. In a further embodiment, the liposome comprises a phosphatidylcholine and a sterol. In a further embodiment, the liposome comprises dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and a sterol. In a further embodiment, the liposome comprises dipahrutoylphosphatidylohoime (DPPC) and cholesterol. [0016] In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to the aforementioned system wherein the antiinfective is an aminogylcoside and the liposome comprises DPPC and cholesterol. In a further embodiment the antiinfective is amikacin, the liposome comprises DPPC and cholesterol, and the liposome comprises a mixture of unilamellar vesicles and multilamellar vesicles. [0017] In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to the aforementioned system, wherein the ratio by weight of free antiinfective to antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition is between about 1:100 and about 100:1. In a further embodiment, the ratio by weight is between about 1:10 and about 10:1. In a farther embodiment, the ratio by weight is between about 1:2 and about 2:1. [0018] In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for treating or providing prophylaxis against a pulmonary infection in a patient, the method comprising: administering an aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation comprising the antiinfective to the lungs of the patient, wherein the pharmaceutical formulation comprises mixtures of free and lipid-based composition encapsulated antiinfectives, and the amount of free antiinfective is sufficient to provide for bactericidal activity, and the amount of encapsulated antiinfective is sufficient to reduce the development of resistant strains of the infectious agent. [0019] In a further embodiment, the aforementioned method comprises first determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of an antiinfective for inhibiting pulmonary infections, and wherein the amount of free antiinfective is at least 2 times the MIC, preferably greater than 4 times the MIC, and preferably greater than 10 times the MIC of the anti infective agent, where the MIC is defined as either the minimum inhibitory concentration in the epithelial lining of the lung, or alternatively the minimum inhibitory concentration in the solid tissue of the lung (depending on the nature of the infection). [0020] In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to the aforementioned method, wherein the aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation is administered at least once per week. [0000] In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to the aforementioned method, wherein the antiinfective is selected from the group consisting of antibiotic agents, antiviral agents, and antifungal agents. In a further embodiment, the antiinfective is an antibiotic selected from the group consisting of cephalosporins, quinoiones, fluoroquinolones, penicillins, beta lactamase inhibitors, carbepenems, monobactams, macrolides, lineosamines, glycopeptides, rifampin, oxazolidonones, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, streptogramins, and sulfonamides. In a further embodiment, the antiinfective is an aminoglycoside. In a further embodiment, the antiinfective is amikacin, gentamsem, or tobramycin. [0021] In a further embodiment, the lipid-based composition is a liposome, in a further embodiment, the liposome encapsulated antiinfective comprises a phosphatidylcholine in admixture with a sterol. In a further aspect, the sterol is cholesterol. In a further aspect, the liposome encapsulated antiinfective comprises a mixture of unilamellar vesicles and multilamellar vesicles. In a further aspect, the liposome encapsulated antiinfective comprises a phosphatidylcholine in admixture with cholesterol, and wherein the liposome encapsulated antiinfective comprises a mixture of unilamellar vesicles and multilamellar vesicles. [0022] The ratio of the area under the lung concentration/time curve to the MIC at 24 hr (i.e., the AUIC) is greater than 25, preferably greater than 100, and preferably greater than 250. [0023] The therapeutic ratio of free/encapsulated drug and the required nominal dose can be determined with standard pharmacokinetic models, once the efficiency of pulmonary delivery and clearance of the drug product are established with the aerosol delivery devise of choice. [0024] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a method of treating a patient for a pulmonary infection comprising a cycle of treatment with lipid-based composition encapsulated antiinfective to enhance bacterial killing and reduce development of phenotyple resistance, followed by a cycle of no treatment to reduce the development of adaptive resistance. The treatment regimen may be determined by clinical research. In one embodiment, the treatment regime may be an on-cycle treatment for about 7, 14, 21, or 30 days, followed by an off-cycle absence of treatment for about 7, 14, 21, or 30 days. [0025] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for reducing the loss of antiinfective encapsulated in lipid-based compositions upon nebulization comprising administering the antiinfective encapsulated in lipid-based compositons with free antiinfective. [0026] The systems and methods of the present, invention are useful for treating, for example, lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis, acterial pneumonia, and in acute bronchial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (ABECB). In addition, the technology is useful in the treatment of intracellular infections including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and inhaled agents of bioterror (e.g., anthrax and tularernia). The technology may also he used as a phophylaetic agent to treat opportunistic fungal infections (e.g., aspergillosis) in immunocompromised patients (e.g., organ transplant or AIDS patients). [0027] With bacteria and other infective agents becoming increasingly resistant to traditional treatments, new and more effective treatments for infective agent related illnesses are needed. The present invention addresses these issues by providing a system comprising a pharmaceutical composition comprising both free and lipid-based composition encapsulated antiinfective and an inhalation device. Formulating the antiinfective as a mixture of free and lipid-based composition encapsulated antiinfective provides several advantages, some of which include: (a) provides for a bolus of free antiinfective for immediate bactericidal activity and a sustained level of antiinfective tor prevention of resistance; (b) simplifies the manufacturing process, as less free antiinfective need be removed via diafiltration; and (c) allows for greater antiinfective contents to be achieved in the drug product. [0028] These embodiments of the present invention, other embodiments, and their features and characteristics, will be apparent from the description, drawings and claims that follow. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0029] Figure 1 depicts the plot of lung concentration (μg/ml) as a function of time following nebulization of unencapsulated tobramycin at a nominal dose of 300 mg (TOBI®, Chiron Corp., Emeryville, Calif.), and liposomal amikacin at a nominal dose of 100 mg. Lung concentrations for both drug products are calculated assuming a volume of distribution for aminoglycosides in the lung of 200 ml. The tobramycin curve was determined by pharmacokinetic modeling of the temporal tobramycin plasma concentration curve (Le Brun thesis, 2001). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0030] For convenience, before further description of the present invention, certain terms employed in the specification, examples and appended claims are collected here. These definitions should be read in light of the remainder of the disclosure and understood as by a person of skill in the art. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. [0031] The articles “a” and “an” are used herein to refer to one or to more than one (i.e. to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. By way of example, “an element” means one element or more than one element. [0032] The term “antibacterial” is art-recognized and refers to the ability of the compounds of the present invention so prevent, inhibit or destroy the growth of microbes of bacteria. [0033] The terms “antiinfective” and “anti-infective agent” are used interchangeably throughout the specification to describe a biologically active agent which can kill or inhibit the growth of certain other harmful pathogenic organisms, including but not limited to bacteria, yeasts and fungi, viruses, protozoa or parasites, and which can be administered to living organisms, especially animals such as mammals, particularly humans. [0034] The term “antimicrobial” is art-recognized and refers to the ability of the compounds of the present invention to prevent, inhibit or destroy the growth of microbes such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. [0035] The term “bioavailable” is art-recognized and refers to a form of the subject invention that allows for it, or a portion of the amount administered, to be absorbed by, incorporated to, or otherwise physiologically available to a subject or patient to whom it is administered. [0036] The terms “comprise” and “comprising” are used in the inclusive, open sense, meaning that additional elements may be included. [0037] The term “illness” as used herein refers to any illness caused by or related to infection by an organism. [0038] The term “including” is used herein to mean “including but not limited to”. “Including” and “including but not limited to” are used interchangeably. [0039] The term “lipid-based composition” as used herein refers to compositions that primarily comprise lipids. Non-limiting examples of lipid-based compositions may take the form of coated lipid particles, liposomes, emulsions, micelles, and the like. [0040] The term “mammal” is known in the art, and exemplary mammals include humans, primates, bovines, porcines, canines, felines, and rodents (e.g., mice and rats). [0041] The term “microbe” is art-recognized and refers to a microscopic organism. In certain embodiments the term microbe is applied to bacteria. In other embodiments the term refers to pathogenic forms of a microscopic organism. [0042] A “patient,” “subject” or “host” to be treated by the subject method may mean either a human or non-human animal. [0043] The term “pharmaceutically-acceptable salts” is art-recognized and refers to the relatively non-toxic, inorganic and organic acid addition salts of compounds, including, for example, those contained in compositions of the present invention. [0044] The term “prodrug” is art-recognized and is intended to encompass compounds which, under physiological conditions, are converted into the antibacterial agents of the present invention. A common method for making a prodrug is to select moieties which are hydrolyzed under physiological conditions to provide the desired compound. In other embodiments, the prodrug is converted by an enzymatic activity of the host animal or the target bacteria. [0045] The term “treating” is art-recognized and refers to curing as well as ameliorating at least one symptom of any condition or disease. Lipids [0046] The lipids used in the pharmaceutical formulations of the present invention can be synthetic, semi-synthetic or naturally-occurring lipids, including phospholipids, tocopherols, sterols, fatty acids, glycoproteins such as albumin, negatively-charged lipids and cationic lipids, in terms of phosholipids, they could include such lipids as egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC), egg phosphatidylglycerol (EPG), egg phosphatidylinositol (EPI), egg phosphatidylserine (ISPS), phosphatidylethanolamine (EPE), and phosphatide acid (HPA); the soya counterparts, soy phosphatidylcholine (SPC); SPG, SPS, SPi, SPE, and SPA; the hydrogenaied egg and soya counterparts (e.g., HEPC, HSPC), other phospholipids made up of ester linkages of fatty acids in the 2 and 3 of glycerol positions containing chains of 12 to 26 carbon atoms and different head groups in the I position of glycerol that include choline, glycerol, inositol, serine, ethanolarninc, as well as the corresponding phosphatide acids. The chains on these fatty acids can be saturated or unsaturated, and the phospholipid may foe made up of fatty acids of different chain lengths and different degrees of unsaturation. In particular, the compositions of the formulations can include dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), a major constituent of naturally-occurring lung surfactant. Other examples include dimyristoylphosphatidycholine (DMPC) and dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) dipaimitoylphosphatidcholine (DPPQ and dipalmitoyiphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) dissearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPQ and distearoylphosphatidylglycerol (DSPG), dioleylphosphatidyl-ethanolamine (DOPE) and mixed phospholipids like palmitoylstearoylphosphatidyl-choline (FSPC) and palmitoylstearolphosphatidylglycerol (PSPG), and single acylated phospholipids like mono-oleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (MOPE). [0047] The sterols can include, cholesterol, esters of cholesterol including cholesterol hemi-succinate, salts of cholesterol including cholesterol hydrogen sulfate and cholesterol sulfate, ergosterol, esters of ergosterol including ergosterol hemi-succinate, salts of ergosterol including ergosterol hydrogen sulfate and ergosterol sulfate, lanostsrol, esters of lanosterol including lanosterol hemi-succinate, salts of lanosterol including lanosterol hydrogen sulfate and lanosterol sulfate. The tocopherols can include tocopherols, esters of tocopherols including tocopherol hemi-succinates, salts of tocopherols including tocopherol hydrogen sulfates and tocopherol sulfates. The term “sterol compound” includes sterols, tocopherols and the like. [0048] The cationic lipids used can include ammonium salts of fatty acids, phospholids and glycerides. The fatty acids include fatty acids of carbon chain lengths of 12 to 26 carbon atoms that are either saturated or unsaturated. Some specific examples include: myristylamine, palmitylamine, laurylamine and stearylamine, dilauroyl ethylphosphocholine (DLEP), dimyristoyl ethylphosphocholine (DMEP), dipalmitoyl ethylphosphocholine (DPEP) and distearoyl ethylphosphocholine (DSEP), N-(2,3- di-(9-(Z)-octadecenyloxy)-prop-1 -yl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride (DOTMA) and 1,2-bis(oleoyloxy)-3-(trimethylammonio)propane (DOTAP). [0049] The negatively-charged lipids which can be used include phosphatidyl-glycerols (PGs), phbsphatidic acids (PAs), phosphatidylinositols (Pls) and the phosphatidyl serines (PSs). Examples include DMPG, DPPG, DSPG, DMPA, DPPA, DSPA, DMPI, DPPI, DSPI, DMPS, DPPS and DSPS. [0050] Phosphatidylcholines, such as DPPC, aid in the uptake by the cells in the lung (e.g., the alveolar macrophages) and helps to sustain release of the bioactive agent in the lung. The negatively charged lipids such as the PGs, PAs, PSs and Pls, in addition to reducing particle aggregation, are believed to play a role in the sustained release characteristics of the inhalation formulation as well as in the transport of the formulation across the long (transcytosis) for systemic uptake. The sterol compounds are believed to affect the release characteristics of the formulation. Liposomes [0051] Liposomes are completely closed lipid bilayer membranes containing an entrapped aqueous volume. Liposomes may be unilamellar vesicles (possessing a single membrane bilayer) or multilamellar vesicles (onion-like structures characterized by multiple membrane bilayers, each separated from the next by an aqueous layer). The bilayer is composed of two lipid monolayers having a hydrophobic “tail” region and a hydrophilic “head” region. The structure of the membrane bilayer is such that the hydrophobic (nonpolar) “tails” of the lipid monolayers orient toward the center of the bilayer while the hydrophihc “heads” orient towards the aqueous phase. [0052] Liposomes can be produced by a variety of methods (for a review, see, e.g., Cullis et al. (1987)). Bangham's procedure (J. Mol. Biol. (1965)) produces ordinary multilamellar vesicles (MLVs), Lenk et at (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,522,803, 5,030,453 and 5,169,637), Fountain et al, (U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,578) and Cullis et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,282) disclose methods for producing multilamellar liposomes having substantially equal interlamellar solute distribution in each of their aqueous compartments. Paphadjopoulos et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,871, discloses preparation of oligolamellar liposomes by reverse chase evaporation. [0053] Unilamellar vesicles can be produced from MLVs by a number of techniques, for example, the extrusion of Cullis et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,050) and Loughrey et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,421)). Sonication and homogenination can be so used to produce smaller unilamellar liposomes from larger liposomes (see, for example, Paphadjopoulos et al. (1968); Deamer and Uster (1983); and Chapman et al. (1968)). [0054] The original liposome preparation of Bangham et al, (J. Mol. Biol., 1965, 13:238-252) involves suspending phospholipids in an organic solvent which is then evaporated to dryness leaving a phospholipid film on the reaction vessel. Next, an appropriate amount of aqueous phase is added, the 60 mixture is allowed to “swell”, and the resulting liposomes which consist of multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) are dispersed by mechanical means. This preparation provides the basis for the development of the small sonicated unilamellar vesicles described by Papahadjopoulos et al. (Biochim. Biophysl Acta., 1967, 135:624-638), and large unilamellar vesicles. [0055] Techniques for producing large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), such as, reverse phase evaporation, infusion procedures, and detergent dilution, can be used to produce liposomes. A review of these and other methods for producing liposomes may be found in the text Liposomes, Marc Ostro, ed. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1983, Chapter 1, the pertinent portions of which are incorporated herein by reference. See also Szoka, Jr. et al., (1980, Ann. Rev. Biophys. Bioeng., 9:467), the pertinent portions of which are also incorporated herein by reference. [0056] Other techniques that are used to prepare vesicles include those that form reverse-phase evaporation vesicles (REV), Papahadjopoulos el al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,871 Another class of liposomes that may be used are those characterized as having substantially equal lamellar solute distribution. This class of liposomes is denominated as stable plurilamellar vesicles (SPLV) as defined in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,803 to Lenk, et al, and includes monophasic vesicles as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,578 to Fountain, et al. and frozen and thawed multilamellar vesicles (FATMLV) as described above. [0057] A variety of sterols and their water soluble derivatives such as cholesterol hemisuccinate have been used to form liposomes; see specifically Janoff et al., U.S. Pat. No, 4,721,612, issued Jan. 26, 1988, entitled “Steroidal Liposomes.” Mayhew et al, PCT Publication No. WO 85/00968, published Mar. 14, 1985, described a method for reducing the toxicity of drugs by encapsulating them in liposomes comprising alpha-tocopherol and certain derivatives thereof. Also, a variety of tocopherols and their water soluble derivatives have been used to form liposomes, see Janoff et al,, PCT Publication No. 87/02219, published Apr. 23, 1987, entitled “Alpha Tocopherol-Based Vesicles”. [0058] The liposomes are comprised of particles with a mean diameter of approximately 0.01 microns to approximately 3.0 microns, preferably in the range about 0,2 to 1.0 microns. The sustained release property of the liposomal product can be regulated by the nature of the lipid membrane and by inclusion of other excipients (e.g., sterols) in the composition. Infective Agent [0059] The infective agent included in the scope of the present invention may be a bacteria. The bacteria can be selected from: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus anthracis, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmenellosis, Yersina pestis, Mycobacterium leprae, M. africanum, M, asiaticum, M. avium-intracellulaire, M. chelonei abscessus, M. fallax, M. fortuitum, M. kansasii, M. leprae, M. malmoense, M. shimoidei, M simiae, M, szulgai, M, xenopi, M, tuberculosis. Brucella melitensis, Brucella suis, Brucella abortus, Brucella canis, Legionella pneumonophilia, Francisella tularensis, Pneumocystis carinii, mycoplasma , and Burkholderia cepacia. [0060] The infective agent included in the scope of the present invention can be a virus. The virus can be selected from hantavirus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, and viral pneumonia. [0061] The infective agent included in the scope of the present invention can be a fungus. Fungal diseases of note include; aspergillosis, disseminated candidiasis, blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis, cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, mucormycosis, and sporotrichosis. [0062] The term antiinfective agent is used throughout the specification to describe a biologically active agent which can kill or inhibit the growth of certain other harmful pathogenic organisms, including but not limited to bacteria, yeasts and fungi, viruses, protozoa or parasites, and which can be administered to living organisms, especially animals such as mammals, particularly humans. [0063] Non-limiting examples of antibiotic agents that may be used in the antiinfective compositions of the present invention include cephalosporins, quinolones and fluoroquinolones, penicillins, and beta lactamase inhibitors, carbepenems, monobactams, macrolides and licosamines, glycopeptides, rifampin, oxazolidonones, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, streptogramins, sulfonamides, and others. Each family comprises many members. Cephahsporins [0064] Cephalosporins are further categorized by generation. Non-limiting examples of cephalosporins by generation include the following. Examples of cephalosporins I generation include Cefadroxil, Cefazolin, Cephalexin, Cephalothm, Cephapirin, and Cephradine. Examples of cephalosporins II generation include Cefaclor, Cefamandol, Cefonicid, Cefotetan, Cefoxitin, Cefproxil, Ceftmetazole, Cefuroxime, Cefuroxime axetil, and Loracarbef. Examples of cephalosporins III generation include Cefdinir, Ceftibuten, Cefditoren, Cefetarnet, Cefpodoxime, Cefprozil, Cefuroxime (axetil), Cefuroxime (sodium), Cefoperazooe, Cefixime, Cefotaxime, Cefpodoxime proxetil, Ceftazidime, Ceftizoxime, and Ceftriaxone. Examples of cephalosporins IV generation include Cefepime. Quinolones and Fluoroquinolones [0065] Non-limiting examples of quinolones and fluoroquinolones include Cinoxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Enoxaein, Gatifloxacin, Grepafloxacin, Levofloxacin, Lomefloxacin, Moxlfloxacin, Nalidixic acid, Norfloxacin, Ofloxacin, Sparfloxacin, Trovafloxacin, Oxolfoic acid, Gemifloxacin, and Perfloxacin. Penicillins [0066] Non-limiting examples of penicillins include Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Bacampicillin, Carbenicillin Indanyl, Mezlocillin, Piperacillin, sod Ticarcillin. Penicillins and Beta Lactamase Inhibitors [0067] Non-limiting examples of penicillins and beta lactamase inhibitors include Amoxicillin-Clavuianic Acid, Ampicillin-Sulbactam, Sulfactam, Tazobactam, Benzylpenicillin, Cloxacillin Dicloxacillin, Methicillin, Oxacillin, Penicillin G (Benzathine, Potassium, Procaine), Penicillin V, Penicillinase-resistant penicillins, Isoxazoylpenicillins, Aminopenicillins, Ureidopenicillins, Piperacillin+Tazobactam, Ticarcillin+Clavulanic Acid, and Nafcillin. Carbepenems [0068] Non-limiting examples of carbepenems include Imipenem-Cilastatin and Meropenem. Monobactams [0069] A non-limiting example of a monbactam includes Aztreonam. Macrolides and Lincosamines [0070] Non-limiting examples of macrolides and lincosamines include Azithromycin, Clarithromycin, Clindamycin, Dirithromycin, Erythromycin, Lineomycin, and Troleandomycin. Glycopeptides [0071] Non-limiting examples of glycopeptides include Teicoplanin and Vancomycin. Rifampin [0072] Non-limiting examples of rifampins include Rifabutin, Rifampin, and Rifapentine. Oxazolidonones [0073] A non-limiting example of oxazolidonones includes Linestolid. Tetracyclines [0074] Non-limiting examples of tetracyclines include Demeclocycline, Doxycycilne, Methaeycline, Minocycline, Oxytetracycline, Tetracycline, and Chlortetracycline. Aminoglycosides [0075] Non-limiting examples of aminoglycosides include Amikacin, Gentamicin, Kanamycin, Neomycin, Netilmicin, Streptomycin, Tobramycin, and Paromomycin. Streptogramins [0076] A non-limiting example of streptogramins includes Quirtopristin+Dalfopristin. Sulfonamides [0077] Non-limiting examples of sulfonamides include Mafenide, Silver Sulfadiazine, Sulfacetamide, Sulfadiazine, Sulfamethoxazole, Sulfasalazine, Sulfisoxazole, Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole, and Sulfamethizole. [0078] Others [0000] Non-limiting examples of other antibiotic agents include Bacitracin, Chloramphenicol, Colistemetate, Fosfomycin, Isoniazid, Methenamine, Metrenidazol, Mupirocin, Nitrofurantoin, Nitroturasone, Novobiocin, Polymyxin B, Spectinomycin, Trimethoprine, Trimethoprine/Sulfamethoxazole, Cationic peptides, Colistin, Iseganan, Cycloserine, Capreomycin, Pyrazinamide, Para-aminosalicyclic acid, and Erythromycin ethylsuccinate+sulfisoxazole. [0079] Antiviral agents include, but are not limited to: zidovudine, acyclovir, ganciclovir, vidarabine, idoxuridine, trifioridine, ribavirin, interferon aipha-2a, interferon alpha-2b, interferon beta, interferon gamma). [0080] Anifungal agents include, but are not limited to: amphotericin B, nystatin, hamycin, natamycin, pimaricin, ambruticin, itraconazole, terconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole, miconazole, nikkomycin Z, griseofulvin, candicidin, cilofungin, chlotrimazole, clioquinol, caspufungin, tolnaflate. Dosages [0081] The dosage of any compositions of the present invention will vary depending on the symptoms, age and body weight of the patient, the nature and severity of the disorder to be treated or prevented, the route of administration, and the form of the subject composition. Any of the subject formulations may be administered in a single dose or in divided doses. Dosages for the compositions of the present invention may be readily determined by techniques known to those of skill in the art or as taught herein. [0082] In certain embodiments, the dosage of the subject compounds will generally be in the range of about 0.01 ng to about 10 g per kg body weight, specifically in the range of about 1 ng to about 0.1 g per kg, and more specifically in the range of about 100 ng to about 10 mg per kg. [0083] An effective dose or amount, and any possible affects on the timing of administration of the formulation, may need to be identified for any particular composition of the present invention. This may be accomplished by routine experiment as described herein, using one or more groups of animals (preferably at least 5 animals per group), or in human trials if appropriate. The effectiveness of any subject composition and method of treatment or prevention may be assessed by administering the composition and assessing the effect of the administration by measuring one or more applicable indices, and comparing the post-treatment values of these indices to the values of the same indices prior to treatment. [0084] The precise time of administration and amount of any particular subject composition that will yield the most effective treatment in a given patient will depend upon the activity, pharmacokinetics, and bioavailability of a subject composition, physiological condition of the patient (including age, sex, disease type and stage, general physical condition, responsiveness to a given dosage and type of medication), route of administration, and the like. The guidelines presented herein may be used to optimize the treatment, e.g., determining the optimum time and/or amount of administration, which will require no more than routine experimentation consisting of monitoring the subject and adjusting the dosage and/or timing. [0085] While the subject is being treated, the health of the patient may be monitored by measuring one or more of the relevant indices at predetermined times during the treatment period. Treatment, including composition, amounts, times of administration and formulation, may be optimized according to the results of such monitoring. The patient may be periodically reevaluated to determine the extent of improvement by measuring the same parameters. Adjustments to the amount(s) of subject composition administered and possibly to the time of administration may be made based on these revaluations. [0086] Treatment may be initiated with smaller dosages which are less than the optimum dose of the compound. Thereafter, the dosage may be increased by small increments until the optimum therapeutic effect is attained. [0087] The use of the subject compositions may reduce the required dosage for any individual agent contained in the compositions (e.g., the Fabi inhibitor) because the onset and duration of effect of the different agents may be complimentary. [0088] Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of subject compositions may be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or experimental animals, e.g., tor determining the LD 50 and the ED 50 . [0089] The data obtained from the cell culture assays and animal studies may be used in formulating a range of dosage for use in humans. The dosage of any subject composition lies preferably within a range of circulating concentrations that include the ED 50 with little or no toxicity. The dosage may vary within this range depending upon the dosage form employed and the route of administration utilized. For compositions of the present invention, the therapeutically effective dose may be estimated initially from ceil culture assays. Pharmaceutical Formulation [0090] The pharmaceutical formulation of the antiinfective may be comprised of either an aqueous dispersion of liposomes and free antiinfective, or a dehydrated powder containing liposomes and free antiinfective. The formulation may contain lipid excipients to form the liposomes, and salts/buffers to provide the appropriate osmolarity and pH. The dry powder formulations may contain additional excipients to prevent the leakage of encapsulated antiinfective during the drying and potential milling steps needed to create a suitable particle size for inhalation (i.e., 1-5 μm). Such excipients are designed to increase the glass transition temperature of the antiinfective formulation. The pharmaceutical excipient may be a liquid or solid filler, diluent, solvent or encapsulating material, involved in carrying or transporting any subject composition or component thereof from one organ, or portion of the body, to another organ, or portion of the body. Each excipient must be “acceptable” in the sense of being compatible with the subject composition and its components and not injurious to the patient. Suitable excipients include trehalose, raffinose, mannitol, sucrose, leucine, trileucine, and calcium chloride, Examples of other suitable excipients include (1) sugars, such as lactose, and glucose; (2) starches, such as corn starch and potato starch; (3) cellulose, and its derivatives, such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose and cellulose acetate; (4) powdered tragacanth; (5) malt; (6) gelatin; (7) talc; (8) excipients, such as cocoa butter and suppository waxes; (9) oils, such as peanut oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, olive oil, corn oil and soybean oil; (10) glycols, such as propylene glycol; (11) polyols, such as glycerin, sorbitol, and polyethylene glycol; (12) esters, such as ethyl oleate and ethyl laurate; (13) agar; (14) buffering agents, such as magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide: (15) alginic acid; (16) pyrogen-free water; (17) isotonic saline; (18) Ringer's solution; (19) ethyl alcohol; (20) phosphate buffer solutions; and (21) other non-toxic compatible substances employed in pharmaceutical formulations. [0091] The pharmaceutical formulations of the present invention may fee used in any dosage dispensing device adapted for intranasal administration. The device should be constructed with a view to ascertaining optimum metering accuracy and compatibility of its constructive elements, such as container, valve and actuator with the nasal formulation and could be based on a mechanical pump system, e.g., that of a metered-dose nebulizer, dry powder inhaler, soft mist inhaler, or a nebulizer. Due to the large administered dose, preferred devices include jet nebulizers (e.g., PARI LC Star, AKITA), soft mist inhalers (e.g., PARI e-Flow), and capsule-based dry powder inhalers (e.g., PH&T Turbospin). Suitable propellasts may be selected among such gases as fluorocarbons, hydrocarbons, nitrogen and dinitrogen oxide or mixtures thereof. [0092] The inhalation delivery device can be a nebulizer or a metered dose inhaler (MDI), or any other suitable inhalation delivery device known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The device can contain and be used to deliver a single dose of the antiinfective compositions or the device can contain and be used to deliver multi-doses of the compositions of the present invention. [0093] A nebulizer type inhalation delivery device can contain the compositions of the present invention as a solution, usually aqueous, or a suspension. In generating the nebulized spray of the compositions for inhalation, the nebulizer type delivery device may be driven ultrasonically, by compressed air, by other gases, electronically or mechanically. The ultrasonic nebulizer device usually works by imposing a rapidly oscillating waveform onto the liquid film of the formulation via an electrochemical vibrating surface. At a given amplitude the waveform becomes unstable, whereby it disintegrates the liquids film, and it produces small droplets of the formulation. The nebulizer device driven by air or other gases operates on the basis that a high pressure gas stream produces a local pressure drop that draws the liquid formulation into the stream of gases via capillary action. This fine liquid stream is then disintegrated by shear forces. The nebulizer may be portable and hand held in design, and may be equipped with a self contained electrical unit. The nebulizer device may comprise a nozzle that has two coincident outlet channels of defined aperture size through which the liquid formulation can be accelerated. This results in impaction of the two streams and atomization of the formulation. The nebulizer may use a mechanical actuator to force the liquid formulation through a multiorifice nozzle of defined aperture size(s) to produce an aerosol of the formulation for inhalation. In the design of single dose nebulizers, blister packs containing single doses of the formulation may be employed. [0094] In the present invention, the nebulizer may be employed to ensure the sizing of particles is optimal for positioning of the particle within, for example, the pulmonary membrane. [0095] A metered dose inhaiator (MDI) may be employed as the inhalation delivery device for the compositions of the present invention. This device is pressurized (pMDI) and its basic structure comprises a metering valve, an actuator and a container. A propellant is used to discharge the formulation from the device. The composition may consist of particles of a defined size suspended in the pressurized propellant(s) liquid, or the composition can be in a solution or suspension of pressurized liquid propellant(s). The propellants used are primarily atmospheric friendly hydroflourocarbons (HFCs) such as 134a and 227. Traditional chlorofluorocarbons like CFC-11, 12 and 114 are used only when essential. The device of the inhalation system may deliver a single dose via, e.g., a blister pack, or it may be multi dose in design. The pressurized metered dose inhaiator of the inhalation system can be breath actuated to deliver an accurate dose of the lipid-containitng formulation. To insure accuracy of dosing, the delivery of the formulation may be programmed via a microprocessor to occur at a certain point in the inhalation cycle. The MDI may be portable and hand held. EXEMPLIFICATION Example 1 [0096] Pharmacokinetics of amikacin delivered as both free and encapsulated amikacin in healthy volunteers. The nebulized liposomal amikacin contains a mixture of encapsulated (ca., 60%) and free amikacin (ca., 40%). Following inhalation in healthy volunteers the corrected nominal dose was 100 mg as determined by gamma scintigraphy. FIG. 1 depicts the lung concentration of amikacin and TOBI® (administered 100% free), based on pharmacokinetic modeling of serum concentrations over time. Both curves assume a volume of distribution for aminoglycosides in the lung of 200 ml. Interestingly, the peak levels of antiinfective in the lung are approximately equivalent for the 100 mg dose of liposomal amikacin, and the 300 mg dose of TOBI®. This is a consequence of the rapid clearance of the free tobramycin from the lung by absorption into the systemic circulation with a half-life of about 1.5 hr. These results serve as a demonstration of the improved lung targeting afforded by liposomal encapsulation. The presence of free and encapsulated antiinfective in the amikacin formulation is demonstrated by the two component pharmacokinetic profile observed. Free amikacin is rapidly absorbed into the systemic circulation (with a half-life similar to TOBI), while the encapsulated drug has a lung half-life of approximately 45 hr. The free amikacin is available to provide bactericidal activity, while the encapsulated drug provides sustained levels of drug in the lung, enabling improved killing of resistant bacterial strains. The measured lung concentrations for the liposomal compartment are significantly above the MIC 50 of 1240 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa , potentially reducing the development of resistance. Example 2 [0097] Impact of free amikacin on the percentage of amikacin encapsulated in liposomes following nebulization. Liposomal preparations of amikacin may exhibit significant leakage of encapsulated drug during nebuimation. As detailed in Table 1 below, the presence of free amikacin in solution was shown to surprisingly decrease the leakage of antiinfective by about four-fold from the liposome. While not wishing to be limited to any particular theory, it is hypothesized that liposomes break-up and re-form during nebulization, losing encapsulated antiinfective in the process. Alternatively, encapsulated antiinfective is lost during nebulization because the liposome membrane becomes leaky. When an excess of free antiinfective is present in solution, the free antiinfective is readily available in close proximity to the liposome, and is available to be taken back up into the liposome on re-formation. [0000] TABLE 1 Effect of free amikacin on the leakage of amikacin from liposome-encapsulated amikacin. % Free Amikacin % Free Amikacin % Free Amikacin (Post- (Due to Formulation (Pre-nebulization) nebulization) nebulization) A 3.3 (n = 1) 42.4 ± 3.2 (n = 3) 39.1 ± 3.2 (n = 3) B 53.6 ± 5.4 (n = 9) 63.3 ± 4.7 (n = 9)  9.8 ± 5.8 (n = 9) Where n is the number of measurements. Incorporation By Reference [0098] All of the patents and publications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference. Equivalents [0099] Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

A system for treating or providing prophylaxus against a pulmonary infection is disclosed comprising: a) a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a mixture of free antiinfective and antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition, and b) an inhalation delivery device. A method for providing prophylaxis against a pulmonary infection in a patient and a method of reducing the loss of antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition upon nebulization comprising administering an aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation comprising a mixture of free antiinfective and antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition is also disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/752,917 filed Nov. 20, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,889, the entire content of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference thereto. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a confectionery product comprising chocolate together with a chewy sweet component having a base of a continuous syrup comprising a solution of sugars, sugar substitutes and/or glucose syrups in water. In U.S. Reissue Pat. RE-36,937, the content of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference thereto, a method is described for the cold extrusion of chocolate or a fat containing confectionery material in a solid or semi-solid non-pourable form whereby the extruded product has a temporary flexibility or plasticity enabling it to be physically manipulated or plastically deformed, e.g., it can be cut, bent, twisted or injected into a mould. As is well known, chewy sweets have a base of a continuous syrup comprising a solution of sugars, sugar substitutes and/or glucose syrups in water together with other ingredients dissolved or dispersed within to modify the texture, flavor and appearance, e.g., milk, fats such as milk fats, flavors, coloring agents, proteins, hydrocolloids such as starch or gelatin, gums such as gum arabic, emulsifiers, sugar crystals, etc., and which may be caramelized in the case of toffee and caramel. Toffees and caramels normally contain as basic ingredients, sugar, glucose syrup, milk protein, fat, salt and water. Formulations of toffees and caramels are described in the book “ Sugar Confectionery Manufacture ” edited by E. G. Jackson, Chapter 9—“Caramel Toffee and Fudge” by D. Stansell, published by Blackie, 1990. Mention here is made that the name caramel is also used for products made by the breakdown of carbohydrates by heat or by heat and alkali treatment, which products are predominantly used as coloring materials, and it should be understood that caramel in this sense is not used in the present invention. Chewy sweets such as toffees and caramels have a characteristic flavor, texture and mouthfeel which is distinct from chocolate. Products containing both chocolate and either toffee or caramel are known but in such products, the toffee and caramel are distributed separately within the chocolate. For example, one product comprising a bar of chocolate having dispersed therein pieces of caramel is prepared by mixing liquid chocolate with pieces of caramel. Another product comprising toffee surrounded by a chocolate coating is prepared by incorporating liquid toffee into a shell moulded chocolate. It is possible to produce a product comprising a more intimate mixture of toffee and chocolate by mixing liquid toffee and liquid chocolate. The temperature of the ingredients is typically 30° C. or higher provided that both ingredients are in liquid state. The liquid state leads to intimate mixing and the production of a homogeneous product. Thus, improvements in these processes and products are desired. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It surprisingly now has been found that use of a cold extrusion process similar to that described in U.S. Reissue Pat. RE-36,937 enables a production of product which is an intimate mixture of chocolate together with a chewy sweet component but which is not homogeneous. This product comprises a chocolate matrix having veins or strands of chewy sweet dispersed therein and has a unique texture which combines the smooth mouthfeel and bite of the chocolate with the flavor and chewy texture of the chewy sweet. Accordingly, the present invention provides a candy product (referred to in the remainder of this specification as a “confectionery product”) comprising chocolate or a fat-containing confectionery material together with a chewy sweet component (referred to in the claims below as a “confectionery composition”) having a base of a continuous syrup comprising a solution of sugars, sugar substitutes and/or glucose syrups in water characterized in that the confectionery product comprises a chocolate matrix having veins or strands of chewy sweet dispersed throughout, and a method for preparing the product comprises extruding a mixture of the chocolate or fat-containing confectionery material together with the chewy sweet component at a temperature at which both ingredients, throughout the extrusion process, are in a solid or semi-solid non-pourable or non-flowable form from a point of being fed into the extruder until emerging from a die. Typically, the veins or strands of chewy sweet are dispersed throughout the chocolate matrix in a roughly longitudinal direction, as a result of the extrusion process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In accordance with the present invention, the confectionery product may contain for example from 5% to 75%, preferably from 10 to 50% and especially from 15 to 40% by weight of the chewy sweet based on the total weight of the confectionery product. The chewy sweet may be, for instance, a toffee or a caramel and the formulations can be varied according to requirements, e.g., to give different hardness and flow properties. The sugar component of toffee and caramel is preferably sucrose; the usual glucose syrup is 42-DE acid converted glucose; the milk protein is usually introduced as sweetened condensed milk; and the fats are usually butter and/or vegetable fats such as hardened palm kernel oil (HPKO), or fat blends containing partially hydrogenated palm, soya, groundnut, rapeseed and other oils. If desired, emulsifiers such as soya lecithin or glyceryl monostearate may be present. The chocolate material may be dark, milk or white chocolate. Fat-containing confectionery materials may include sugar, milk-derived components, and fat and solids from vegetable or cocoa sources in differing proportions and have a moisture content less than 10%, more usually less than 5% by weight. They may be chocolate substitutes containing direct cocoa butter replacements, stearines, coconut oil, palm oil, butter or any mixture thereof; nut pastes such as peanut butter and fat; praline; confectioner's coatings used for covering cakes usually comprising chocolate analogues with cocoa butter replaced by a cheaper non-tempering fat; or CARAMAC sold by Nestle comprising non-cocoa butter fats, sugar and milk. Since the fat-containing confectionery material contains less than 10% water, flour confectionery products such as cakes and pastries are excluded. The confectionery products of the present invention have a unique chewy texture with a smooth mouthfeel. The usual tendency of chewy sweets to stick to the teeth is less apparent in this product. As referred to above, U.S. Reissue Pat. RE-36,937 relates to a process for plastically extruding a fat-containing confectionery material which comprises feeding the fat-containing confectionery material into an extruder and applying pressure to the fat-containing confectionery material in a substantially solid or semi-solid non-pourable form upstream of a flow constriction at a temperature at which the fat-containing confectionery material is extruded substantially isothermally and remains in a solid or semi-solid non-pourable form to produce an axially homogeneous extruded product having a cross-section which is of substantially a same profile as the die exit of the extruder. As set forth in that application, “substantially isothermally” means that the temperature of the fat-containing confectionery material remains substantially unchanged under the conditions of the extrusion from the input to the outlet of the flow constriction if there is no external heating or cooling means. The use of external heating or cooling means, however, is not excluded as long as the material being extruded remains in a substantially solid or semi-solid non-pourable state throughout the extrusion from the input to the outlet of the flow constriction. In other words, the temperature of the fat-containing confectionery material is not caused to increase substantially by the extrusion process itself. The physical state of the fat-containing confectionery material is such that its general deformation behavior during extrusion is of a plastic nature rather than that of a viscous fluid. Additionally, an important feature of the extrusion process is that for a given die configuration and material composition, the extrusion rate is weakly dependent upon the extrusion pressure. The flow constriction may be any narrowing of the cross-sectional area of a conduit but it is usually a die, and extrusion can be generated by a differential pressure across the flow constriction. This may be established, for example, by a ram extruder conveniently operating at a controlled rate or pressure. The extruder may be, for example, a DAVENPORT extruder, a constant pressure extruder, a single-screw extruder, a twin-screw extruder or CONFORM machine. The extrusion process necessarily includes a form of deformation between the input and outlet of the extrusion system. The convergence or contraction ratio into any extrusion orifice is preferably greater than 1.5 where the convergence or contraction ratio is defined as the ratio of the inlet area to the minimum cross-sectional area of the die for a simple cylindrical extrusion geometry. During extrusion, it is important that the fat-containing confectionery material does not become pourable and the extrusion temperature and pressure should be maintained below a level where this may happen. Thus, although, the fat-containing confectionery material may be fed into the barrel of the extruder in the liquid or paste form, it preferably is fed into the barrel in the solid or semi-solid form, and the material is, however, extruded in a solid or semi-solid non-pourable form. The fat-containing confectionery material may be in a granular or continuous form. When in granular form, the granular nature of the fat-containing confectionery material appears to be lost during extrusion to give an essentially uniform material. In carrying out the extrusion method to produce the product, the chewy sweet component may be fed into the extruder either together with the chocolate or fat-containing confectionery material or it may be introduced into the extruder downstream of the point where the chocolate or fat-containing confectionery material is introduced, but upstream of the die. The temperature of both ingredients during the extrusion may conveniently be from −5° C. to 34° C., preferably from 10° to 30° C., more preferably from 15° C. to 25° C. and especially from 18° C. to 22° C. Lower temperatures are preferred for lower melting materials, such as a high butterfat milk chocolate. The extruder may be a ram extruder, a single-screw extruder or a twin-screw extruder. The twin-screw extruder may be either one using counter-rotating screws or one using co-rotating screws. The pressure of the extrusion may be from 1 to 1000 bars, preferably from 5 to 500 bars and especially from 10 to 250 bars. During the extrusion, the chewy sweet ingredient is extruded and flows with the chocolate or fat-containing material to give a product having the unique texture hereinbefore described. The extrusion process imparts a plastic deformation, and the viscosity difference between the two ingredients (chocolate is more viscous than chewy sweets) enables some mixing to obtain an extruded product having a matrix of chocolate with veins or strands of chewy sweet dispersed through the matrix usually in a roughly longitudinal direction in that the chewy sweet ingredient elongates, or extends, in a direction to form a vein or strand. The surface finish of the product may have a marbled appearance. The degree of mixing may be varied by adjusting the extruding conditions and the extruder type. For example, it is possible to produce a few large strands of chewy sweet within the chocolate matrix or, if desired, it is possible to produce a very fine dispersion of veins or strands of chewy sweet within the chocolate matrix to give the appearance of a homogeneous product. The extruded confectionery product has a temporary flexibility which may last up to 4 hours, e.g., from 30 seconds to 2 hours, more usually from 1 minute to 1 hour and preferably from 5 minutes to 45 minutes. During this period of temporary flexibility, the extruded confectionery product may be injection moulded as described in U.S. Reissue Pat. RE-36,937 or GB-A-9504686.8, cut, formed into a bag or pouch, for instance, by a method as described in GB-A-5471, or manipulated as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,731 or 5,902,621. If desired, other food ingredients may be incorporated into the extruded confectionery product, e.g. nuts, dried fruit pieces, biscuits, potato crisps, sugar pieces or other particulate food ingredients, or any mixture of two or more thereof. The size of the pieces and proportion of these other ingredients may vary according to the requirements such as the organoleptic characteristics required. For instance, these other ingredients may be incorporated in amounts of 1 to 75%, preferably from 2 to 50% and more usually from 5 to 30% by weight based on the total weight of the confectionery product. These other ingredients may be added, for example, to one or both of the chocolate or fat-containing confectionery material and the chewy sweet component during their manufacture while still in the liquid state prior to cooling before extrusion or, more conveniently, they may be added into the extruder together with the pieces of the solid or semi-solid chocolate or fat-containing confectionery material. These other ingredients may then be extruded together with the mixture of the chocolate or fat-containing confectionery material and the chewy sweet component through the extruder. EXAMPLE The following Example further illustrates the present invention. 25 parts of toffee in particulate form having an average diameter of 3-5 mm and 75 parts of chocolate buttons are fed from a hopper at 23° C. into a FLORIN hydraulically driven ram extruder having a die opening of 5 mm cross-section. The ram is advanced at a pressure of 80 bars and non-pourable rods of a product comprising a mixture of chocolate and toffee having 5 mm diameter are extruded. The product comprises a chocolate matrix with strands of toffee running through in a roughly longitudinal direction, the surface of which has a marbled appearance. It has a temporary flexibility which lasts for about 45 minutes. It has a smooth mouthfeel and bite like chocolate with a toffee flavor and chewiness and does not readily stick to the teeth.

A candy product of chocolate and of a syrup confectionery composition which are interspersed so that the syrup confectionery composition defines a plurality of veins dispersed in the product. Production of the product is effected by cold extrusion by applying pressure to a particulate mixture of the chocolate and syrup confectionery composition in an extruder, in that the mixture passed through the extruder and the extrudate from an extruder die are at a temperature so that the mixture and extrudate are in a non-pourable state, and the pressure is applied so that the chocolate and confectionery composition plastically deform so that the confectionery composition defines veins interspersed within the chocolate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to wireless communication, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization for a subscriber station of the Long Term Evolution (LTE) system. In the LTE system, a base station will transmit a specific primary synchronization signal in each frame to allow a subscriber station to detect the cell arrangement in the LTE system, thereby establishing system synchronization. The method proposed by the present invention can accurately and effectively detect various primary synchronization signals used by different base stations and simultaneously complete system synchronization and the detection of the integer carrier frequency offset (ICFO). 2. Description of the Prior Art Currently, various communication standards, such as E-UTRA (the abbreviation for evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access), also referred to as Long Term Evolution (LTE), have been developed to provide relatively high data rate so as to support high quality services. LTE is a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard that provides for an uplink speed of up to 50 Mbps and a downlink speed of up to 100 Mbps. The LTE/E-UTRA standard represents a major advance in cellular technology. The LTE/E-UTRA standard is designed to meet current and future carrier needs for high-speed data and media transport as well as high-definition video support. The LTE/E-UTRA standard brings many technical benefits to cellular networks, some of which include the benefits provided by Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) data transmission. An OFDM system is characterized by high spectrum efficiency, frequency selective fading resistance, multipath fading resistance, inter-symbol interference (ISI) resistance and adaptive transmission mechanism, and is capable of using a simple frequency domain equalizer (FDE) as data recovery of a receiver. In addition, in the LTE system, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and Single Carrier-Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) are used on the downlink (DL) and on the uplink (UL), respectively. Mobility management represents an important aspect of the LTE/E-UTRA standard. As a mobile device, also called user equipment (UE) in the LTE/E-UTRA standard, moves within an LTE/E-UTRA coverage area, the transmission of synchronization signals and cell search procedures provide a basis for the mobile device or UE to detect and synchronize with individual cells. To communicate with a particular cell, mobile devices in associated LTE/E-UTRA coverage area need to determine one or more cell specific transmission parameters such as symbol timing, radio frame timing, and/or a cell identification (ID). In the LTE/E-UTRA standard, the cell-specific information is carried by reference and synchronization signals. The latter forms the basis for DL synchronization and cell specific information identification at the mobile devices within the associated LTE/E-UTRA coverage area. Two DL synchronization signals, namely Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) and Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS), are used to allow the mobile devices to synchronize with the transmission of the particular cell, thereby obtaining cell specific information. The traditional synchronization technique for the LTE system detects the primary synchronization signal based on a joint detection of the unique identification to which the primary synchronization signal corresponds and the ICFO. Traditional methods are complicated and require a huge amount of hardware resource. Moreover, the robustness of traditional detection techniques in resisting frequency selective fading caused by the wireless channel is poor, thus the accuracy of the detection and the communication quality are compromised. Therefore, the above-mentioned traditional methods still have many defects and need to be improved. In view of the above-mentioned defects in traditional methods, the inventor endeavors to develop a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization for a subscriber station of the LTE system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization for a subscriber station of the LTE system, in which the subscriber station detects the specific primary synchronization signal transmitted by the base station within each fame to obtain correct clock pulses of the LTE system when intending to access the LTE system, thereby the sequential transmission of control signals and data between the base station and the subscriber station can be performed smoothly. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for detecting the ICFO even under the circumstance that the unique identification used by the primary synchronization signal is undetermined. The method and apparatus employs the central symmetry property of all primary synchronization signals to estimate the ICFO without the exact ID of the current primary synchronization signal. Then, the method and apparatus determines the unique ID of the primary synchronization signal based on the estimated ICFO, thereby forming a sequential detection. The sequential detection can overcome the defect of high complexity of traditional methods that employ a joint detection to simultaneously detect the unique cell ID and the ICFO, effectively reduce the hardware resource consumption, and improve the communication quality of the LTE system. Another object of the present invention is to provide a normalization procedure that enables the detection method of the present invention to effectively eliminate the negative impact of frequency selective fading, improve the detection accuracy and enhance the communication quality of the LTE system. The method and apparatus for cell search and synchronization for a subscriber station of the LTE system aim to detect a primary synchronization signal transmitted by a base station. According to the LTE standard, there are three different primary synchronization signals defined in the LTE system. Therefore, the subscriber station needs to detect the primary synchronization signal used in the cell and the sector region where it is currently located to carry out subsequent data communications. According to the present invention, the symbol boundary detection is performed when the subscriber station first receives the base station signals. After the symbol boundary is determined, the location of each symbol can be obtained with the guard intervals (GI) between symbols in the OFDM system removed. After the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is performed, the detection of the ICFO and the identification of the primary synchronization signals can be made. According to the present invention, the ID of the primary synchronization signal is determined based on the correlation between the received signal and different primary synchronization signals. The signal with the greatest correlation will be elected as the primary synchronization signal used in the region where the subscriber station is located. The method and apparatus for cell search and synchronization for a subscriber station of the LTE system of the present invention comprises six units, including: (1) an analog to digital conversion (ADC) unit, (2) an energy detector, (3) a symbol boundary detector, (4) an FFT unit, (5) an ICFO detector and (6) a primary synchronization signal detector. The ADC unit is utilized to convert analog signals to digital signals to realize signal processing in digital format. Next, the energy detector detects the energy of the received signals accumulated for a period of time, and such information will serve as normalization reference value for the subsequent unit. In the symbol boundary detector, the Cyclic Prefix (CP) of an OFDM symbol is utilized to detect the symbol boundary. Next, the FFT unit is utilized to transform the synchronization signal from time domain to frequency domain. The frequency domain signal is sent to the ICFO detector. According to the present invention, this unit employs the central symmetry property of the primary synchronization signal sequence to obtain the estimated ICFO and then compensate the ICFO effect. After the frequency domain signal is compensated, the primary synchronization signal detector detects which region the subscriber station locates to facilitate the subsequent transmission of data with the base station. Meanwhile, a normalization procedure is applied to the ICFO detector and the primary synchronization signal detector to effectively improve the accuracy of the detection and the robustness against channel fading. The aforementioned aspects and other aspects of the present invention will be better understood with reference to the following exemplary embodiments and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system framework of a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the Long Term Evolution (LTE) system in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an energy detector of a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a symbol boundary detector of a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the placement of the primary synchronization signal sequence on the resource units of the frequency domain of the corresponding symbol timing. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an ICFO detector of a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a primary synchronization signal detector of a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 7 is a graph showing an ICFO detection result of the simulation comparison between a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention and a traditional method. FIG. 8 is a graph showing a detection result of the unique ID to which the primary synchronization signal corresponds of the simulation comparison between a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention and a traditional method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. Numerals mentioned in the following description refer to those shown in the drawings. It should be noted that the words “comprising” or “including” used in the description shall be interpreted as open-ended terms with the meaning of “including but not limited to.” Moreover, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that, there may be different designations for the same component/product; for example, a “delay device” or a “delay counter (DC)” may refer to the same component/product. Therefore, components/products that are of the same technical field and similar to those mentioned in the following description should also be included in the scope of the present application. The present invention is a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system, in which the primary synchronization signal sequence transmitted by the base station is detected at the subscriber station so that the subsequent transmission of control signals and data between the base station and the subscriber station can be performed at correct clock pulses. Meanwhile, the subscriber station can use the primary synchronization signal sequence to estimate the ICFO inflicted on the received signal, thereby providing reference for the subsequent signal processing. The present invention provides a reliable and less complicated method for cell search and synchronization, which is capable of detecting various primary synchronization signal sequences used by different base stations. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system framework of a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention. According to the present invention, there is a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system comprising: an ADC unit 1 receiving an analog signal 7 transmitted by a base station and performing an ADC processing thereon to output a digital signal 10 , wherein the sampling frequency used during the conversion depends on the frequency bandwidth used by the system; an energy detector 2 receiving the digital signal 10 and detecting the energy of the received signals accumulated for a period of time to obtain a detection result and output a normalization reference value 20 ; a symbol boundary detector 3 receiving the digital signal 10 and the normalization reference value 20 and utilizing the property of the cyclic prefix type guard interval (GI) to detect the location of the symbol boundary of the system transmission, wherein the symbol boundary detector 3 receives the normalization reference value 20 based on which correlation values are normalized to determine the location of the final GI and output a detection result 30 ; a FFT unit 4 receiving the detection result 30 , removing samples which belongs to the GI and transforming the digital signal from time domain to frequency domain, wherein FFT units of various lengths are selected according to different frequency bandwidths in the system specification and the FFT units specified in the system specification can have the lengths of 128, 256, 512, 1024, 1536 and 2048 and output a primary synchronization signal 40 ; an ICFO detector 5 receiving the primary synchronization signal 40 and employing the central symmetry property of the primary synchronization signal 40 to obtain the estimated ICFO value and output an ICFO signal 50 ; and a primary synchronization signal detector 6 receiving the primary synchronization signal 40 and ICFO signal 50 and calculating the correlation between the primary synchronization signal 40 and different primary synchronization signals to determine the unique ID to which the primary synchronization signal finally received by the subscriber station corresponds and output an unique ID 60 . FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an energy detector of a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention. The energy detector 2 comprises a first complex multiplier 21 , a first conjugate complex processor 22 , a first register 23 , a first complex adder 24 , a first delay device 25 , a second complex adder 26 and a first cross-symbol accumulator 27 . The first conjugate complex processor 22 receives the digital signal 10 and performs a conjugate complex processing thereon to output a first conjugate complex signal 221 . The first complex multiplier 21 receives the digital signal 10 and the first conjugate complex signal 221 and performs a multiplication processing thereon to output a first product signal 211 , as expressed in equation (1): Y 1 ( n )= r ( n )* r* ( n )  (1) The first register 23 receives and stores the first product signal 211 . The first register 23 has a length G, which is equivalent to the length of the GI, and is a First-In First-Out (FIFO) register that outputs a first temporary signal 231 at the time of (n-G) when the time is n. When the time is n, the output of the first delay device 25 is the result of the accumulation of the output of the first complex multiplier 21 by the time of previous G, as expressed in equation (2): P ⁡ ( n - 1 ) = ∑ i = n - G - 1 n - 1 ⁢ ⁢ Y 1 ⁡ ( i ) ( 2 ) wherein i denotes the sampling time. P(n−1) denotes a first delay signal 251 outputted by the first delay device 25 when the time is n. The first complex adder 24 receives the first product signal 211 and the first delay signal 251 and performs an adding processing thereon to output a first summation signal 241 , as expressed in equation (3): Q ( n )= Y 1 ( n )+ P ( n− 1)  (3) The second complex adder 26 receives the first summation signal 241 and the first temporary signal 231 and performs a subtraction processing thereon to output a second summation signal 261 , which is the result of the energy of the digital signal accumulated from n−G+1 to n when the time is n, as expressed in equation (4): P ( n )= Q ( n )− r ( n−G )* r* ( n−G )  (4) The first cross-symbol accumulator 27 receives the second summation signal 261 and performs a cross-symbol energy accumulation processing on the second summation signal 261 , i.e. the result of equation (4) calculated by previous I OFDM symbols (inclusive of the current moment), to output the normalization reference value 20 . The first cross-symbol accumulator 27 is configured to mitigate the impact of noise on the signal transmitted by the base station and passing the channel and to reduce the interference of the noise. The I value can be adjusted according to the environment where the user is located. If the user is in a location where the signal quality is relatively poor, the I value can be increased to reduce the interference of the noise. When the user is in a location where the signal quality is relatively good, the I value can be decreased to reduce the complexity in calculation. The I value can be set to be a minimum of 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a symbol boundary detector of a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention. The symbol boundary detector 3 comprises a second delay device 31 , a second conjugate complex processor 32 , a second complex multiplier 33 , a second register 34 , a third complex adder 35 , a fourth complex adder 36 , a third delay device 37 , a second cross-symbol accumulator 38 , an absolute value processor 39 , a divider 310 and a magnitude comparator 311 . The second conjugate complex processor 32 receives the digital signal 10 and performs the conjugate complex processing thereon to output a second conjugate complex signal 322 . The second delay device 31 receives the digital signal 10 and performs the delay processing with a delay of N sampling time thereon to output a second delay signal 312 , wherein N is the length of a FFT unit specified in the system specification at a specific frequency bandwidth. The second complex multiplier 33 receives the second conjugate complex signal 322 and the second delay signal 312 and performs the multiplying processing thereon to output a second product signal 332 , which represents the correlation between the second conjugate complex signal 322 and the second delay signal 312 . When the signal received by the second complex multiplier 33 is in the corresponding location in the Cyclic Prefix, there is a highly positive correlation between the second conjugate complex signal 322 and the second delay signal 312 . When the time is n, the correlation between the two signals is expressed as equation (5): X 1 ( n )= r ( n−N )* r* ( n )  (5) wherein X 1 (n) is the second product signal 332 when the time is n. The second register 34 receives and stores the second product signal 332 to output a second temporary signal 342 . The second register 34 has a length G, which is equivalent to the length of the GI, and is a FIFO register that outputs the calculation result of the second complex multiplier 33 at the time of (n−G) when the time is n. The third complex adder 35 receives the second product signal 332 and a third delay signal 372 and performs the adding processing thereon to output a third summation signal 352 . When the time is n, the third delay device 37 outputs the third delay signal 372 , which is the result of the accumulation of the output of the second complex multiplier 33 by the time of previous G, and G is the number of samples in the GI, as expressed in equation (6): Φ ⁡ ( n - 1 ) = ∑ i = n - G - 1 n - 1 ⁢ ⁢ X 1 ⁡ ( i ) ( 6 ) wherein i denotes the sampling time. Φ(n−1) is the output of the third delay device 37 with a delay of one sampling time unit when the time is n. The third complex adder 35 receives the second product signal 332 and the third delay signal 372 and performs the adding processing thereon to output the third summation signal 352 , as expressed in equation (7): K ( n )= X 1 ( n )+Φ( n− 1)  (7) wherein K(n) is the third summation signal 352 . The fourth complex adder 36 receives the third summation signal 352 and the second temporary signal 342 and performs the subtraction processing thereon to output a fourth summation signal 362 , which is the result of the accumulation of correlation values from time n−G+1 to n when the time is n, as expressed in equation (8): Φ( n )= K ( n )− r ( n−G−N )* r* ( n−G )  (8) wherein φ(n) is the fourth summation signal 362 calculated by previous I OFDM symbols (inclusive of the current moment). The second cross-symbol accumulator 38 receives the fourth summation signal 362 and performs the accumulation processing on correlation values across symbols for the fourth summation signal 362 to output a cross-symbol accumulation signal 382 . The absolute value processor 39 receives the cross-symbol accumulation signal 382 and performs the absolute value processing thereon to output an absolute value signal 392 . The divider 310 receives the absolute value signal 392 and the normalization reference value 20 and performs the dividing processing thereon to output a first normalization signal 313 . In the symbol boundary detector 3 , the symbol energy is normalized because the energy of each sample is different and the determination made based directly on the accumulated correlation values will be influenced by the magnitude of samples easily. The first normalization signal 313 is expressed as equation (9): Γ ⁡ ( n ) = Φ ⁡ ( n ) P ⁡ ( n ) ( 9 ) The magnitude comparator 311 receives the first normalization signal 313 , searches the maximum value of the first normalization signal 313 among the N+G samples and outputs the detection result 30 . N is the length of the FFT unit specified in the system specification at a specific frequency bandwidth, and G is the number of samples in the GI. The number of samples for an OFDM symbol is the length of the FFT unit specified in the system specification at a specific frequency bandwidth added with the number of samples in the GI. In the magnitude comparator 311 , the critical reference value of Γ(n) is set to be 0.05 to prevent the interference of noise which occurs when there is no data point transmission. When the magnitude comparator 311 determines that the maximum value among the N+G samples is greater than the critical reference value, the time n to which the maximum value corresponds is determined to be the location to which the symbol boundary corresponds, and the detection result 30 is outputted to the FFT unit 4 to be processed. If the maximum value is not greater than the critical reference value, the above step is repeated to calculate the location of the sample to which the symbol boundary corresponds. After the symbol boundary is successfully detected, the symbol to which the primary synchronization signal corresponds can be obtained, and the signal is sent to the FFT unit 4 to be transformed from time domain to frequency domain. Next, the ICFO detector 5 and the primary synchronization signal detector 6 are utilized to detect the estimated ICFO value and the unique ID to which the primary synchronization signal received by the subscriber station corresponds. In the LTE system, the primary synchronization signal transmitted by the base station is a Zadoff-Chu sequence having a length of 62. The base station has various unique IDs for different areas where different users are located. Different unique IDs correspond to different root indices of the Zadoff-Chu sequence and thus different primary synchronization signal sequences are generated. In the LTE system specification, there are three different unique IDs, 0, 1 and 2, corresponding respectively to three different root indices, 25, 29 and 34. The primary synchronization signal sequence is expressed as equation (10): d u ⁡ ( n ) = { ⅇ - j ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ un ⁡ ( n + 1 ) 63 n = 0 , 1 , … ⁢ , 30 ⅇ - j ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ u ⁡ ( n + 1 ) ⁢ ( n + 2 ) 63 n = 31 , 32 , … ⁢ , 61 ( 10 ) As shown in equation (10), u is the root index and d u (n) is the generated primary synchronization signal sequence. The primary synchronization signal sequence has the following characteristics. 1. The absolute value of each element in the primary synchronization signal sequence is a constant 1. 2. The primary synchronization signal sequence is characterized by the central symmetry property, that is, the value of the element whose location is 0 is equivalent to the value of the element whose location is 61, and other locations can be derived in the same way. 3. The sequence with a root index of 29 and the sequence with a root index of 34 are conjugate sequences, that is, elements at the same locations in the two sequences are conjugate complex numbers with respect to each other. When the base station transmits the primary synchronization signal sequence, the primary synchronization signal sequence is placed on the resource element (RE) of the frequency domain of certain symbol. Referring to FIG. 4 , the primary synchronization signal sequence is placed on 31 sub-carriers at each of the left side and the right side of the sub-carrier of the central frequency, wherein the sub-carriers of the central frequency carry no data. D u (n) denotes the last transmitted primary synchronization signal sequence. The primary synchronization signal sequence received by the receiving end will be affected by the channel and noise, and the finally received primary synchronization signal sequence is Z(n). As the oscillation frequency used in the base station may be inconsistent with that of the subscriber station, such inconsistency will damage the orthogonality between the sub-carriers of the signal received by the subscriber station and cause Inter-Carrier Interference (ICI), thus the location of the sub-carrier in the frequency domain where the data received by the subscriber station is located may be offset to the location of another sub-carrier. The frequency band used in the LTE system is 2 GHz, the tolerance range within which the oscillator used by the base station does not match that of the subscriber station is ±20 ppm, and the system sub-carrier spacing is 15 kHz. Therefore, the maximum offset range of the sub-carrier frequency is the spacing of ±3 sub-carriers. Regarding the signal processing performed at the subscriber station, the sub-carrier frequency offset needs to be estimated first so as to obtain the required data at the correct RE location in the frequency domain. For the above-mentioned reason, it requires the detection of the ICFO to obtain the correct location of the primary synchronization signal sequence after the FFT unit 4 is utilized to transform the primary synchronization signal from time domain to frequency domain. Therefore, the result outputted from the FFT unit 4 is sent to the ICFO detector 5 . FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an ICFO detector of a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention. The ICFO detector 5 comprises a first coordinate arithmetic unit 51 , a first sine/cosine generator 52 , a fourth delay device 53 , a third conjugate complex processor 54 , a third complex multiplier 55 , a channel subdivider 56 , a third register 57 , a fourth register 58 , a first control unit 59 , a fourth complex multiplier 510 , a first accumulator 511 and an ICFO decision unit 512 . As the range of the ICFO is the spacing of ±3 sub-carriers, the data which are sequentially inputted to the overall 69 REs at both sides of the central frequency are Z(−34)˜Z(34). The first coordinate arithmetic unit 51 receives the primary synchronization signal 40 and performs an angle calculation thereon to output a first digital signal angle 513 . The first sine/cosine generator 52 receives the first digital signal angle 513 and performs a normalization processing thereon to output a second normalization signal 523 , as expressed in equation (11): Z n ⁡ ( i ) = Z ⁡ ( i )  Z ⁡ ( i )  ( 11 ) The third conjugate complex processor 54 receives the second normalization signal 523 and performs the conjugate complex processing thereon to output a third conjugate complex signal 543 . The fourth delay device 53 receives the second normalization signal 523 and performs the delay processing thereon with a delay of one sampling time to output a fourth delay signal 533 . The third complex multiplier receives the fourth delay signal 533 and the third conjugate complex signal 543 and performs the multiplying processing thereon to output a third product signal 553 , as expressed in equation (12): J ( i )= Z n*( i )* Z n ( i− 1)  (12) wherein J(i) is the third product signal 553 after the input of the i th RE. In order to eliminate the channel effect imposed on the primary synchronization signal sequence after it passes the channel, the conjugate complex number of the data on the i th RE is multiplied by the data on the adjacent RE. The channel subdivider 56 receives the third product signal 553 and performs a distribution processing thereon to output a first distribution signal 563 and a second distribution signal 564 . As the block diagram of the ICFO detector shows that the data on 69 REs are inputted, there will be 68 sets of third product signals 553 in total. 1 st through 36 th entries of data of the third product signal 553 are sequentially stored in the third register 57 via the channel subdivider 56 while 33 rd through 68 th entries of data of the third product signal 553 are sequentially stored in the fourth register 58 . The third register 57 and the fourth register 58 both have a length of 36. The data stored in the third register 57 is expressed as equation (13): S 1 ( i+ 34)= J ( i ), i=− 33˜2  (13) wherein S 1 denotes the data sequence stored in the third register 57 . The data stored in the fourth register 58 is expressed as equation (14): S 2 ( i+ 34)= J ( i ), i=− 1˜34  (14) wherein S 2 denotes the data sequence stored in the fourth register 58 . As the primary synchronization signal sequence is characterized by the central symmetry property, the estimation of different ICFOs is performed by using the symmetry to calculate and accumulate their correlation. The first control unit 59 outputs a first control signal 593 and a second control signal 594 according to the correlation of different ICFOs to be estimated at the moment. The third register 57 and the fourth register 58 respectively receive the first control signal 593 and the second control signal 594 and output the corresponding data locations, a third temporary signal 573 and a fourth temporary signal 583 , respectively. Suppose the correlation of the first set of symmetric data under the condition that the ICFO is 0 is to be calculated, the first control unit 59 will retrieve the fourth entry of data from the third register 57 and the fourth entry of data from the fourth register 58 and output the two sets of data as the third temporary signal 573 and the fourth temporary signal 583 , respectively. The fourth complex multiplier 510 receives the third temporary signal 573 and the fourth temporary signal 583 and performs the multiplying processing thereon to output a fourth product signal 514 , as expressed in equation (15): M 1 (1)= S 1 (4)* S 2 (4)  (15) wherein M 1 (1) is the fourth product signal 514 . Next, the first control unit 59 retrieves the data about the corresponding locations of the second set of symmetric data in the third register 57 and the fourth register 58 , and outputs such data as the third temporary signal 573 and the fourth temporary signal 583 , respectively. The fourth complex multiplier 510 receives the third temporary signal 573 and the fourth temporary signal 583 and performs the multiplying processing thereon to output a fourth product signal 514 . The first control unit 59 will repeat the above step to retrieve 30 sets of symmetric data. The first accumulator 511 receives the fourth product signal 514 and performs the accumulation processing on the 30 sets of fourth product signals 514 to output a first accumulation signal 515 . The ICFO decision unit 512 receives the first accumulation signal 515 , and there are seven possible ICFOs because the range of the ICFO is the spacing of ±3 sub-carriers. The first control unit 59 will retrieve the symmetric data to which the seven ICFOs correspond, and there are 30 sets of symmetric data for each ICFO. The first accumulator 511 will respectively accumulate the result of the correlation values of the seven ICFOs. The first accumulator 511 has seven outputs in total. The outputs of the first accumulator 511 correspond to different estimated ICFO values and are calculated as the first accumulation signal 515 , as expressed in equation (16): Ω ⁡ ( v ) = ∑ i = - 30 - 1 ⁢ ⁢ S 1 ⁡ ( i + v ) * S 2 ⁡ ( - i + 1 + v ) ( 16 ) wherein ν denotes different estimated ICFO values and has a range of ±3. Ω(ν) denotes the first accumulation signal 515 to which different estimated ICFO values correspond. The seven outputs of the first accumulator 511 are sent to the ICFO decision unit 512 . The ICFO decision unit 512 receives the first accumulation signal 515 and outputs the ICFO signal 50 , which is used to calculate the distances between the seven complex values of the first accumulator 511 and the point (30+0i), and the ICFO value to which the minimum distance corresponds serves as the final estimated value for the ICFO in the system. The calculation is made with equation (17): ({circumflex over (ν)})=arg min|(ν)−(30+0 i )|  (17) wherein {circumflex over (ν)} is the ICFO signal 50 , i.e. the result of the ICFO that affects the system as finally estimated by the ICFO detector 5 . When the ICFO detector 5 is utilized to obtain the ICFO value, the location of the primary synchronization signal sequence data in the RE of the frequency domain can be obtained. The primary synchronization signal data outputted by the FFT unit 4 is sent to the primary synchronization signal detector 6 to determine the unique ID issued by the base station for the area where the user is located, and the best matching result will be selected. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a primary synchronization signal detector of a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention. The primary synchronization signal detector 6 comprises a second coordinate arithmetic unit 61 , a second sine/cosine generator 62 , a fifth delay device 63 , a fourth conjugate complex processor 64 , a fifth complex multiplier 65 , a fifth register 66 , a second control unit 67 , a primary synchronization signal storing unit 68 , a sixth complex multiplier 69 , a second accumulator 610 and an unique ID decision unit 611 . As the range of the ICFO is the spacing of ±3 sub-carriers, the data which are sequentially inputted to the overall 69 REs at both sides of the central frequency are Z(−34)˜Z(34), as shown in the block diagram of the primary synchronization signal detector. The second coordinate arithmetic unit 61 receives the primary synchronization signal 40 and performs the angle calculation thereon to output a second digital signal angle 612 . The second sine/cosine generator 62 receives the second digital signal angle 612 and performs the normalization processing thereon to output a third normalization signal 622 . The value of the third normalization signal 622 is expressed as equation (18): Z n ⁡ ( i ) = Z ⁡ ( i )  Z ⁡ ( i )  ( 18 ) The fourth conjugate complex processor 64 receives the third normalization signal 622 and performs the conjugate complex processing thereon to output a fourth conjugate complex signal 642 . The fifth delay device 63 receives the third normalization signal 622 and performs the delay processing thereon with a delay of one sampling time to output a fifth delay signal 632 . The fifth complex multiplier 65 receives the fifth delay signal 632 and the fourth conjugate complex signal 642 and performs the multiplying processing thereon to output a fifth product signal 652 , as expressed in equation (19): H ( i )= Z n*( i )* Z n ( i− 1)  (19) wherein H(i) is the fifth product signal 652 outputted after the input of the i th RE. In order to eliminate the channel effect imposed on the primary synchronization signal sequence after it passes the channel, the conjugate complex number of the data on the i th RE is multiplied by the data on the adjacent RE. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 , the functions of the first coordinate arithmetic unit 51 , the first sine/cosine generator 52 , the fourth delay device 53 , the third conjugate complex processor 54 and the third complex multiplier 55 are the same as those of the second coordinate arithmetic unit 61 , the second sine/cosine generator 62 , the fifth delay device 63 , the fourth conjugate complex processor 64 , and the fifth complex multiplier 65 , thus the hardware resource of this part is shared in one embodiment. The fifth register 66 sequentially receives the fifth product signal 652 and performs the storing processing thereon sequentially. The data stored in the fifth register 66 is expressed as equation (20): S 3 ( i+ 34)= H ( i ), i=− 33˜34  (20) wherein S 3 denotes the data sequence stored in the fifth register 66 . The fifth register 66 has a length of 68. In the block diagram of the primary synchronization signal detector, the primary synchronization signal detector 6 receives the output of the ICFO detector 5 . Under the circumstance that the ICFO is known, a third control signal 672 and a fourth control signal 673 outputted by the second control unit 67 are respectively sent to the fifth register 66 and the primary synchronization signal storing unit 68 , the correct data location corresponding to the received data affected by the ICFO is retrieved from the fifth register 66 via the third control signal 672 outputted by the second control unit 67 . For example, when the ICFO is 0, the correct location of the primary synchronization signal 40 stored in the fifth register 66 after being processed is S 3 (4)˜S 3 (65) The primary synchronization signal storing unit 68 stores the possible results obtained by performing the conjugate complex multiplication on the elements and the adjacent elements in all potential primary synchronization signal sequences transmitted by the base station. As the primary synchronization signal sequence is characterized by the central symmetry property and two sequences with a root index of 29 and a root index of 34 are conjugate sequences, the primary synchronization signal storing unit 68 causes the storing of the result obtained by performing the conjugate complex multiplication on the elements at the left side of each of the two sequences with a root index of 25 and a root index of 29 and the adjacent elements. The unique ID transmitted by the base station can be estimated by calculating and accumulating the correlation between the primary synchronization signals with three different known root indices and the received primary synchronization signal. Next, the best matching result will be selected to be the detected unique ID. As there are three different unique IDs corresponding to three root indices, the fifth register 66 and the primary synchronization signal storing unit 68 respectively receive the third control signal 672 and the fourth control signal 673 and respectively output a fifth temporary signal 662 and a primary synchronization signal storage signal 682 when the correlation value is calculated at the root index of 25. The sixth complex multiplier 69 receives the fifth temporary signal 662 and the primary synchronization signal storage signal 682 at the first corresponding data. Suppose the detection result of the ICFO is 0, a sixth product signal 692 is outputted, as expressed in equation (21): M 2 (1)= S i (4)* D 25*(− 31)* D 25 (−30)  (21) Wherein M 2 (1) is the sixth product signal 692 . The second control unit 67 retrieves the data to which the second symmetric data correspond in the fifth register 66 and the primary synchronization signal storing unit 68 and outputs such data to the sixth complex multiplier 69 . The second control unit 67 repeats this step to retrieve 60 sets of symmetric data. The second accumulator 610 receives the sixth product signal 692 and performs the accumulation processing thereon (i.e. the correlation value obtained after the sixth complex multiplier 69 calculates the accumulated data of the 60 sets of symmetric data) to output a second accumulation signal 613 . The unique ID decision unit 611 receives the second accumulation signal 613 under the circumstance that there are three different root indices and seven different ICFO results detected by the ICFO detector 5 . The calculation of the second accumulation signal 613 corresponding to different root indices is made with equation (22): Λ ⁡ ( u ) = ∑ k = - 31 - 2 ⁢ ⁢ S 3 ⁡ ( k + v + 35 ) * D u * ⁡ ( k ) * D u ⁡ ( k + 1 ) + ∑ k = 1 30 ⁢ ⁢ S 3 ⁡ ( k + v + 35 ) * D u * ⁡ ( k + 1 ) * D u ⁡ ( k ) ( 22 ) Λ(u) denotes the corresponding second accumulation signal 613 at different root indices. The unique ID decision unit 611 receives three sets of second accumulation signals 613 . The unique ID decision unit 611 calculates the magnitude of the three sets of second accumulation signals 613 , retrieves the corresponding unique ID of the root index to which the set of second accumulation signal 613 with the greatest magnitude corresponds as the final estimated value of the unique ID for the system, and outputs the unique ID 60 . The calculation is made with equation (23): û =arg max Λ( u )  (23) In equation (23), û is the result of the unique ID for the system finally estimated by the primary synchronization signal detector 6 . The method for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system ends with the primary synchronization signal detector 6 outputting the unique ID 60 . All the above-mentioned functions can be performed by a processor, such as a microprocessor, a controller, a micro-controller or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), in accordance with the software or program code for executing such functions. The mobile subscriber station generally employs an ASIC. In real practice, it requires three real complex multipliers and five real adders to realize the complex multiplier. It requires two real adders to realize the complex adder. Table 1 below lists the respective computation loads required for the present invention and the traditional technique and the ratio of the computation load of the present invention and that of the previous invention. TABLE 1 Real Complex Real Adder Multiplier Traditional 9072 3906. Technique The Present 2811 1341. Invention Percentage 30.9% 34.3% FIG. 7 is a graph showing an ICFO detection result of the simulation comparison between a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention and a traditional method. FIG. 7 shows two simulation results, the simulation result 71 of the traditional method and the simulation result 72 of the present invention. The simulation is carried out for 500 thousand times, and the ICFO that affects the receiving e is randomly generated. As can be seen from FIG. 7 , the ICFO detection result obtained using the present invention is better than that of the traditional method and the computation load of the present invention is reduced to 31% of that of the traditional method. FIG. 8 is a graph showing a detection result of the unique ID to which the primary synchronization signal corresponds of the simulation comparison between a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system in accordance with the present invention and a traditional method. FIG. 8 shows two simulation results, the simulation result 81 of the traditional method and the simulation result 82 of the present invention. The simulation is carried out for 500 thousand times, and the primary synchronization signal sequence transmitted by the transmitting station is randomly generated. As can be seen from FIG. 8 , the detection result of the unique ID of the present invention shows better accuracy compared with that of the traditional method, and the computation load of the present invention is reduced to 31% of that of the traditional method. To sum up, the method and apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system of the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art technique: 1. When performing cell search and synchronization, the present invention utilizes simple signal detection techniques to detect the location of the OFDM symbol first so that the complexity of the subsequent calculation can be reduced and the accuracy can be improved; 2. The present invention utilizes the energy of the digital signal as the basis for normalization in tracing the boundary of the OFDM symbol. The result of tracing the boundary of the OFDM symbol will not be easily affected by the gain of the channel through which the signal passes and the number of samples so that the location of the boundary of the OFDM symbol can be detected accurately; 3. When detecting the ICFO and the unique ID to which the primary synchronization signal corresponds, the present invention employs the central symmetry property of the primary synchronization signal first so that the extent to which the system is affected by the ICFO can be accurately and effectively detected; 4. The present invention can detect different primary synchronization signal sequences used by the base station, and can obtain the received primary synchronization signal sequence at a correct location of the RE when the ICFO value is acquired. The unique ID to which the primary synchronization signal used by the base station in the region where the subscriber station is located corresponds is obtained by comparing different primary synchronization signal sequences; and 5. Compared with the traditional method, the computation load of the method and apparatus for cell search and synchronization designed for the LTE system of the present invention is reduced by 69%. Compared with the traditional method, the present invention's efficiency in detecting the ICFO and the unique ID to which the primary synchronization signal corresponds is better or almost unaffected. The present invention has been described with exemplary embodiments and drawings, thus those skilled in the art understand that various modifications can be made to the forms and details, and that the embodiments are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any implementation or alteration having equivalent effect without departing from the spirit of the present invention falls within the patent scope of the present invention. The preferred embodiments of the method and apparatus for cell search and synchronization for the LTE system of the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. All the features disclosed in this specification may be combined with other methods. Each feature disclosed in this specification may be replaced by an alternative feature serving the same, equivalent, or similar purpose. Thus, except for those particularly distinctive features, each feature disclosed herein is only an example of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. Given the above description of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art would understand that the present invention possesses novelty and inventive step over the prior art and is industrially applicable. Various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for cell search and synchronization for subscriber stations of the Long Term Evolution (LTE) system. The invention uses primary synchronizing signal of primary synchronization code in each frame structure to establish synchronization with the base station when a subscriber station accesses the LTE network. With such synchronization between the subscriber station and the base station, control signals and transmission data may be correctly exchanged between them.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/522,252 filed Jul. 6, 2009 which claims priority to international application no. PCT/US2008/050445 filed Jan. 7, 2008, which claims priority to provisional application No. 60/883,965 filed Jan. 8, 2007. BACKGROUND [0002] Annually in the United States, over 70 million corn acres are planted by approximately 40,000 growers, resulting in over 12 billion bushels of corn harvested annually, which, in-turn, translates into annual revenues in excess of $20 billion. Many growers recognize that one of the most influential and controllable factors affecting the productivity of each acre planted is the quality of seed placement. If a grower can be provided with more information earlier about seed placement quality while planting, the grower will be able to make earlier corrections or adjustments to the planter or its operation which could increase production by three to nine bushels per acre, which at today's prices translates into an additional $9.00 to $27.00 of additional income per acre at no cost. The net gain to growers and the US economy from such production increases would amount to hundreds of millions of dollars annually. [0003] Although existing monitors may warn the planter operator about certain “yield-robbing events,” many operators simply ignore the warnings or delay making any corrections or adjustments until it is convenient for the operator to do so (such as at the end of the field or when refilling the hoppers, etc.). The lack of motivation to take immediate corrective action may be due to the operator not knowing or not fully appreciating the extent of economic loss caused by the yield robbing event. Another possibility may be that because most existing planter monitors provide only broad averages across the entire planter in terms of seeds per acre or singulation percentage, the operator may not know that a particular row is suffering from a yield robbing event if the overall average population or singulation appears to be inline with the target or desired values. [0004] “Yield-robbing events” are generally caused by one of two types of errors, namely, metering errors and placement errors. Metering errors occur when, instead of seeds being discharged one at a time, either multiple seeds are discharged from the meter simultaneously (typically referred to as “multiplies” or “doubles”), or when no seed is discharged from the meter when one should have been (typically referred to as a “skip”). It should be appreciated that seed multiples and seed skips will result in a net loss in yield when compared to seeds planted with proper spacing because closely spaced plants will produce smaller ears due to competition for water and nutrients. Similarly, seed skips will result in a net loss in yield even though adjacent plants will typically produce larger ears as a result of less competition for water and nutrients due to the missing plant. [0005] Placement errors occur when the travel time between sequentially released seeds is irregular or inconsistent as compared to the time interval when the seeds were discharged from the seed meter, thereby resulting in irregular spacing between adjacent seeds in the furrow. Placement errors typically result from seed ricochet within the seed tube caused by the seed not entering the seed tube at the proper location, or by irregularities or obstructions along the path of the seed within the seed tube, or due to excessive vertical accelerations of the row unit as the planter traverses the field. [0006] Beyond metering errors and placement errors, another yield robbing event is attributable to inappropriate soil compaction adjacent to the seed, either due to inadequate down pressure exerted by the gauge wheels on the surrounding soil or excessive down pressure exerted by the gauge wheels. As discussed more thoroughly in commonly owned, co-pending PCT Application No. PCT/US08/50427, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, if too little downforce is exerted by the gauge wheels or other depth regulating member, the disk blades may not penetrate into the soil to the full desired depth and/or the soil may collapse into the furrow as the seeds are being deposited resulting in irregular seed depth. However, if excessive down force is applied, poor root penetration may result in weaker stands and which may place the crops under unnecessary stress during dry conditions. Excessive downforce may also result in the re-opening of the furrow affecting germination or causing seedling death. [0007] While some experienced operators may be able to identify certain types of corrective actions needed to minimize or reduce particular types of yield robbing events once properly advised of their occurrence and their economic impact, other operators may not be able to so readily identify the type of corrective actions required, particularly those with less planting experience generally, or when the operator has switched to a new make or model planter. [0008] Accordingly, there is a need for a monitor system and method that is capable of providing the operator with near real-time data concerning yield robbing events and the economic cost associated with such yield robbing events so as to motivate the operator to take prompt corrective action. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment of a planter monitor system of the present invention for monitoring the operation and performance of a planter. [0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of convention row crop planter. [0011] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of a row unit of the conventional row crop planter of FIG. 2 . [0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the gauge wheel height adjustment mechanism of the conventional row crop planter of FIG. 2 . [0013] FIG. 5 is an example of the preferred Level 1 Screen display for a monitor system in accordance with the present invention showing a preferred format for reporting overall planter performance details. [0014] FIG. 6 is an example of the preferred embodiment of a Level 2 Population Details screen display for the monitor system of FIG. 5 showing a preferred format for reporting population performance by row. [0015] FIG. 7 is an example of the preferred embodiment of a Level 2 Singulation Details screen display for the monitor system of FIG. 5 showing a preferred format for reporting singulation performance by row. [0016] FIG. 8 is an example of the preferred embodiment of a Level 2 Placement Details screen display for the monitor system of FIG. 5 showing a preferred format for reporting placement performance by row. [0017] FIG. 9 is an example of the preferred embodiment of a Level 3 Row Detail screen display for the monitor system of FIG. 5 showing a preferred format for reporting specific row performance details. [0018] FIG. 10 is an example of a Row Selection screen display for the monitor system of FIG. 5 showing a preferred format for selecting a row of the planter to view additional details of that row such as identified in FIG. 6 . [0019] FIG. 11 is an example of a screen display for the monitor system of FIG. 5 showing a preferred format for setup and configuration. [0020] FIG. 12 is an example of a screen display for selecting or inputting crop type during setup. [0021] FIG. 13 is an example of a screen display for inputting population settings during setup. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0022] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment of a planter monitor system 1000 of the present invention for monitoring the operation and performance of a planter 10 . As is conventional, the preferred planter monitor system 1000 includes a visual display 1002 and user interface 1004 , preferably a touch screen graphic user interface (GUI). The preferred touch screen GUI 1004 is preferably supported within a housing 1006 which also houses a microprocessor, memory and other applicable hardware and software for receiving, storing, processing, communicating, displaying and performing the various preferred features and functions as hereinafter described (hereinafter, collectively, the “processing circuitry”) as readily understood by those skilled in the art. [0023] As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the preferred planter monitor system 1000 preferably cooperates and/or interfaces with various external devices and sensors as hereinafter described, including, for example, a GPS unit 100 , a plurality of seed sensors 200 , one or more load sensors 300 , one or more inclinometers 400 , vertical accelerometers 500 , horizontal accelerometers 600 , vacuum sensors 700 (for planters with pneumatic metering systems), or any other sensor for monitoring the planter or the environment that may affect planting operations. [0024] FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional row-crop planter 10 such as a John Deere MaxEmerge or MaxEmerge Plus planter in connection with which the planter monitor system and method of the present invention may be used. It should be appreciated that although reference is made throughout this specification to row-crop planters and, in particular, certain models of John Deere planters, such references are simply examples to provide context and a frame of reference for the subject matter discussed. As such, the present planter monitor system and method should not be construed as being limited for use with any particular make or model of planter. Likewise, the present planter monitor system should not be construed as being limited to row-crop planters, since the features and functionalities of the monitor system may have application to grain drills or other planter types as well. [0025] The planter 10 includes a plurality of spaced row-units 12 supported along a toolbar 14 of the planter main frame 13 . The planter main frame 13 attaches to a tractor 15 in a conventional manner, such as by a drawbar 17 or three-point hitch arrangement as is well known in the art. Ground wheel assemblies (not shown) support the main frame 13 above the ground surface and are moveable relative to the main frame 13 through actuation of the planter's hydraulic system (not shown) coupled to the tractor's hydraulics to raise and lower the planter main frame 13 between a transport position and a planting position, respectively. [0026] As best illustrated in FIG. 3 , each row unit 12 is supported from the toolbar by a parallel linkage 16 which permits each row unit 12 to move vertically independently of the toolbar 14 and the other spaced row units in order to accommodate changes in terrain or upon the row unit encountering a rock or other obstruction as the planter is drawn through the field. Biasing means 18 , such as springs, air bags, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or the like, act on the parallel linkage 16 to exert a downforce on the row unit for purposes discussed in detail later. Each row unit 12 further includes a front mounting bracket 20 to which is mounted a hopper support beam 22 and a subframe 24 . The hopper support beam 22 supports a seed hopper 26 and a fertilizer hopper 28 as well as operably supporting a seed meter 30 and seed tube 32 . The subframe 24 operably supports a furrow opening assembly 34 and a furrow closing assembly 36 . [0027] In operation, the furrow opening assembly cuts a furrow 38 ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) into the soil surface 40 as the planter is drawn through the field. The seed hopper 26 , which holds the seeds to be planted, communicates a constant supply of seeds 42 to the seed meter 30 . The seed meter 30 of each row unit 12 is typically coupled to the ground wheels through use of shafts, chains, sprockets, transfer cases, etc., as is well known in the art, such that individual seeds 42 are metered and discharged into the seed tube 32 at regularly spaced intervals based on the seed population desired and the speed at which the planter is drawn through the field. The seed 42 drops from the end of the seed tube 32 into the furrow 38 and the seeds 42 are covered with soil by the closing wheel assembly 36 . [0028] The furrow opening assembly 34 typically includes a pair of flat furrow opening disk blades 44 , 46 and a depth regulation assembly 47 . In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 , the depth regulation assembly 47 comprises a pair of gauge wheels 48 , 50 selectively vertically adjustable relative to the disk blades 44 , 46 by a height adjusting mechanism 49 . It should be appreciated, however, that instead of dual opening disks and dual gauge wheels as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 , the planter 10 may utilize any other suitable furrow opener and depth regulation assembly suitable for cutting a furrow in the soil and regulating or controlling the depth of that furrow. [0029] In the planter embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 , the disk blades 44 , 46 are rotatably supported on a shaft 52 mounted to a shank 54 depending from the subframe 24 . The disk blades 44 , 46 are canted such that the outer peripheries of the disks come in close contact at the point of entry 56 into the soil and diverge outwardly and upwardly away from the direction of travel of the planter as indicated by the arrow 58 . Thus, as the planter 10 is drawn through the field, the furrow opening disks 44 , 46 cut a V-shaped furrow 38 through the soil surface 40 as previously described. [0030] As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 , gauge wheel arms 60 , 62 pivotally support the gauge wheels 48 , 50 from the subframe 24 about a first axis 61 . The gauge wheels 48 , 50 are rotatably mounted to the forwardly extending gauge wheel arms 60 , 62 at a second axis 63 . The gauge wheels 48 , 50 are slightly larger in diameter than the disk blades 44 , 46 such that the outer peripheries of the disk blades rotate at a slightly greater velocity than the gauge wheel peripheries. Each of the gauge wheels 48 , 50 includes a flexible lip 64 ( FIG. 4 ) at its interior face which contacts the outer face of the respective disk blade 44 , 46 at the area 66 ( FIG. 3 ) where the disk blades exit the soil. It should be appreciated that as the opening disks 44 , 46 exit the soil after slicing the V-shaped furrow 38 , the soil, particularly in wet conditions, will tend to adhere to the disk, which, if not prevented, would cause the furrow walls to be torn away as the disk rotates out of the soil causing poor furrow formation and/or collapse of the furrow walls, resulting in irregular seed planting depth. Thus, as best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 , to prevent the furrow walls from tearing away as the disk blades exit the soil, the gauge wheels 48 , 50 are positioned to compact the strip of soil adjacent to the furrow while at the same time serving to scrape against the outer face of the disks 44 , 46 to shear off any soil buildup as the disks exit the soil. Accordingly, the opening disks 44 , 46 and the gauge wheels 48 , 50 cooperate to firm and form uniform furrow walls at the desired depth. [0031] In the planter embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 , the depth adjustment mechanism 67 which is used to vary the depth of the seed furrow 38 is accomplished through the vertical adjustment of the gauge wheels 48 , 50 relative to the furrow opening disk blades 44 , 46 by selective positioning of a height adjustment arm 68 . In this embodiment, a height adjusting arm 68 is pivotally supported from the subframe 24 by a pin 70 ( FIGS. 3 and 5 ). An upper end 72 of the height adjusting arm 68 is selectively positionable along the subframe 24 . As best illustrated in FIG. 5 , a rocker 76 is loosely pinned to the lower end 74 of the height adjusting arm 68 by a pin or bolt 78 . The rocker 76 bears against the upper surfaces of the pivotable gauge wheel arms 60 , 62 , thereby serving as a stop to prevent the gauge wheel arms 60 , 62 from pivoting counterclockwise about the first pivot axis 61 as indicated by arrow 82 . Thus, it should be appreciated that as the upper end 72 of the height adjusting arm 68 is selectively positioned, the position of the rocker/stop 76 will move accordingly relative to the gauge wheel arms 60 , 62 . For example, referring to FIG. 5 , as the upper end 72 of the height adjusting arm 68 is moved in the direction indicated by arrow 84 , the position of the rocker/stop 76 will move upwardly away from the gauge wheel arms 60 , 62 , allowing the gauge wheels 48 , 50 to move vertically upwardly relative to the furrow opening disk blades 44 , 46 such that more of the disk blade will extend below the bottom of the gauge wheels 48 , 50 , thereby permitting the furrow opening disk blades 44 , 46 to penetrate further into the soil. Likewise, if the upper end 72 of the height adjusting arm 68 is moved in the direction indicated by arrow 86 , the rocker/stop 76 will move downwardly toward the gauge wheel arms 60 , 62 , causing the gauge wheels 48 , 50 to move vertically downwardly relative to the furrow opening disk blades 44 , 46 , thereby shortening the penetration depth of the disk blades into the soil. When planting row crops such as corn and soybeans, the position of the rocker/stop 76 is usually set such that the furrow opening disk blades 44 , 46 extend below the bottom of the gauge wheels 48 , 50 to create a furrow depth between one to three inches. [0032] In addition to serving as a stop as previously described, the loosely pinned rocker 76 serves the dual function of “equalizing” or distributing the load carried by the two gauge wheels 48 , 50 , thereby resulting in more uniform furrow depth. It should be appreciated that during planting operations, substantially the entire live and dead load of the row unit 12 along with the supplemental downforce exerted by the biasing means 18 will be carried by the gauge wheels 48 , 50 after the opening disks 44 , 46 penetrate the soil to the depth where the gauge wheel arms 60 , 62 encounter the pre-selected stop position of the rocker 76 . This load is transferred by the pin 78 through the rocker 76 to the gauge wheel arms 60 , 62 . Because the rocker 76 is loosely pinned to the height adjusting arm 68 , the row unit load is distributed substantially equally between the two gauge wheel arms 60 , 62 such that one-half of the load is carried by each arm 60 , 62 . Thus, for example, if gauge wheel 48 encounters an obstruction such as a rock or hard soil clod, the gauge wheel arm 60 will be forced upwardly as the gauge wheel 48 rides up and over the obstruction. Since the rocker 76 is connected to the height adjusting arm 68 by the pin 78 , the rocker 76 will pivot about pin 78 causing an equal but opposite downward force on the other arm 62 . As such, the rocker 76 equalizes or distributes the load between the two gauge wheels. If there was no rocker such that lower end 74 of the height adjusting arm 68 was simply a bearing surface, upon one of the gauge wheels encountering an obstruction or uneven terrain, the entire load of the row unit 12 would be carried by that single gauge wheel as it rides up and over the obstruction or until the terrain was again level. Again, as previously stated, the specific reference to the foregoing components describing the type of furrow opening assembly, depth regulation member, seed meter, etc., may vary depending on the type of planter. [0033] There are various types of commercially available seed meters 30 which can generally be divided into two categories on the basis of the seed selection mechanism employed, namely, mechanical or pneumatic. The most common commercially available mechanical meters include finger-pickup meters such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,601 to Hansen (“Hansen '601”), cavity-disc meters such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,233 to Lodico et al. (“Lodico '233”), and belt meters such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,338 to Romans (“Romans '338”), each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. The most common commercially available pneumatic meters include vacuum-disc meters such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,606 to Gugenhan (“Gugenhan '606”) and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,909 to Lundie et al. (“Lundie '909”) and positive-air meters such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,979 to Deckler (“Deckler '979”), each of which is also incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. The planter monitor system and method of the present invention should not be construed as being limited for use in connection with any particular type of seed meter. [0034] The GPS unit 100 , such as a Deluo PMB-288 available from Deluo, LLC, 10084 NW 53rd Street, Sunrise, Fla. 33351, or other suitable device, is used to monitor the speed and the distances traveled by the planter 10 . As will be discussed in more detail later, preferably the output of the GPS unit 100 , including the planter speed and distances traveled by the planter, is communicated to the monitor 1000 for display to the planter operator and/or for use in various algorithms for deriving relevant data used in connection with the preferred system and method of the present invention. [0035] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 , the preferred planter monitor system 1000 preferably utilizes the existing seed sensors 200 and associated wiring harness 202 typically found on virtually all conventional planters 10 . The most common or prevalent type of seed sensors are photoelectric sensors, such as manufactured by Dickey-John Corporation, 5200 Dickey-John Road, Auburn, Ill. 62615. A typical photoelectric sensor generally includes a light source element and a light receiving element disposed over apertures in the forward and rearward walls of the seed tube. In operation, whenever a seed passes between the light source and the light receiver, the passing seed interrupts the light beam causing the sensor 200 to generate an electrical signal indicating the detection of the passing seed. The generated electrical signals are communicated to the monitor 1000 via the wiring harness 202 or by a suitable wireless communication means. It should be appreciated that any other type of seed sensors capable of producing an electrical signal to designate the passing of a seed may be equally or better suited for use in connection with the system and method of the present invention. Therefore the present invention should not be construed as being limited to any particular type of seed sensor. [0036] As previously identified, the preferred planter monitor system 1000 also utilizes load sensor 300 disposed to generate load signals corresponding to the loading experienced by or exerted on the depth regulation member 47 . The load sensor 300 and associated processing circuitry may comprise any suitable components for detecting such loading conditions, including for example, the sensors and circuitry as disclosed in PCT/US08/50427, previously incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. As discussed in more detail later, the loading experienced by or exerted on the gauge wheels 48 , 50 or whatever other depth regulating member is being used, is preferably one of the values displayed to the operator on the screen of the visual display 1002 and may also be used in connection with the preferred system and method to report the occurrence of yield robbing events (i.e., loss of furrow depth or excess soil compaction) and/or for automated adjustment of the supplemental downforce, if supported by the planter. [0037] An inclinometer 400 is preferably mounted to the front mounting bracket 20 of at least one row unit 12 of the planter 10 in order to detect the angle of the row unit 12 with respect to vertical. Because the row unit 12 is connected by a parallel linkage 16 to the transverse toolbar 14 comprising a part of the planter frame 13 , the angle of the front bracket 20 with respect to vertical will substantially correspond to the angle of the frame and toolbar 13 , 14 . It should be appreciated that if the planter drawbar is substantially horizontal, the front bracket 20 will be substantially vertical. Thus, if the drawbar is not level, the front bracket will not be substantially vertical, thereby causing the row units to be inclined. If the row unit is inclined, the furrow opening assembly 36 will cut either a deeper or more shallow furrow then as set by the depth adjustment mechanism 67 thereby resulting in poor germination and seedling growth. As such, data from the inclinometer 400 may be used in connection with the preferred system and method to detect and/or report potential yield robbing events and/or for automatic adjustment of the planter, if so equipped, to produce the necessary correction to level the row unit. For example, if the inclinometer 400 detects that the front bracket is not substantially vertical, it may initiate an alarm condition to advise the operator that the tongue is not level, the potential affects on seed placement, and will preferably display on the monitor screen 1002 the appropriate corrective action to take. [0038] As previously identified, the preferred planter monitor system 1000 also preferably includes a vertical accelerometer 500 and a horizontal accelerometer 600 . Preferably the vertical accelerometer 500 and horizontal accelerometer 600 are part of a single device along with the inclinometer 400 . [0039] The vertical accelerometer 500 measures the vertical velocity of the row unit 12 as the planter traverses the field, thereby providing data as to how smoothly the row unit is riding over the soil, which is important because the smoothness of the ride of the row unit can affect seed spacing. For example, if a seed is discharged from the seed meter just as the row unit encounters an obstruction, such as a rock, the row unit will be forced upwardly, causing the seed to have a slight upward vertical velocity. As the row unit passes over the obstruction, and is forced back downwardly by the biasing means 18 , or if the row unit enters a depression, a subsequent seed being discharged by the seed meter 30 will have a slight downward vertical velocity. Thus, all other factors being equal, the second seed with the initial downwardly imparted velocity will reach the ground surface in less time than the first seed have the initial upwardly imparted velocity, thereby affecting seed spacing. As such, data from the vertical accelerometer 500 may also be used in connection with the preferred system and method to identify and/or report seed placement yield robbing events resulting from rough field conditions, excessive planter speed and/or inadequate downforce exerted by the biasing means 18 . This information may be used to diagnose planter performance for automatic adjustment and/or providing recommendations to the operator pursuant to the preferred system and method of the present invention for taking corrective action, including, for example, increasing down force to reduce vertical velocities or reducing tractor/planter speed. [0040] The horizontal accelerometer 600 , like the inclinometer 400 provides data that may be used in connection with the preferred method to diagnose planter performance and/or for providing recommendations to the operator pursuant to the preferred system and method of the present invention for taking corrective action. For example, horizontal accelerations are known to increase as the bushings of the parallel linkage 16 wear. Thus, if the ratio of the standard deviation of the horizontal acceleration over the standard deviation of the vertical acceleration increases, it is likely that the bushings or other load transferring members of the parallel linkage are worn and need to be replaced. [0041] Turning now to FIGS. 5-13 , FIG. 5 is an example the preferred Level 1 Screen for the planter monitor system 1000 ; FIGS. 6-8 are examples of preferred Level 2 Screens; FIGS. 9-10 are examples of preferred Level 3 Screens; FIG. 11 is an example of a preferred Setup screen; and FIGS. 12-13 are examples of preferred Level 4 screens. Each of the screens is discussed below. Level 1 Screen (FIG. 5) [0042] The Level 1 Screen 1010 is so named because it is preferably the default screen that will be displayed on the monitor display 1012 unless the operator selects a different screen level to view as discussed later. The preferred Level 1 Screen 1010 includes a plurality of windows corresponding to different planter performance details, including a Seed Population Window 1012 , a Singulation Window 1014 , a Skips/Multiples Window 1016 , a Good Spacing Window 1018 , a Smooth Ride Window 1020 , a Speed Window 1022 , a Vacuum Window 1024 (when applicable), a Downforce Window 1028 and an Economic Loss Window 1028 . Each of these windows and the method of deriving the values displayed therein are discussed below. In addition the Level 1 Screen 1010 preferably includes various function buttons, including a Setup button 1030 , a Row Details button 1032 , a SnapShot button 1034 and a Back button 1036 , each of which is discussed later. [0043] Population Window 1012 : The Population Window 1012 preferably includes a numeric seed population value 1100 , preferably updated every second (i.e., 1 Hz cycles), representing the running average of the number of seeds (in thousands) being planted per acre over a predefined sampling frequency, preferably 1 Hz. This seed population value 1100 is based on the following formula: [0000] Seed   population   1030 = 0.001 × SeedCount Rows × Spacing  ( ft ) × Dist  ( ft ) × 43500   ft 2  /  acre [0044] Where: SeedCount=Total number of seeds detected by Sensors 200 in all rows during sample frequency. Rows=Number of planter rows designated during Setup (discussed later) Spacing=Planter row spacing designated during Setup Dist=Distance (ft) traveled by planter based on input from GPS unit 100 during the sample frequency [0049] Thus, for example, assuming the seed sensors 200 detect a total of 240 seeds over the preferred 1 Hz cycle, and assuming the planter is a sixteen row planter with thirty inch rows (i.e., 2.5 ft) and the average speed of the planter is six miles per hour (i.e. 8.8 ft/sec) during the 1 Hz cycle, the seed population would be: [0000] Seed   population = 0.001 × 240 ( 16 × 2.5  ft × 8.8  ft ) × 43500   ft 2  /  acre = 29.6 [0050] In the preferred embodiment, however, although the seed population value 1100 is updated or re-published every second, the actual seed population is not based on a single one-second seed count. Instead, in the preferred embodiment, the seeds detected over the previous one second are added to a larger pool of accumulated one-second seed counts from the preceding ten seconds. Each time a new one-second seed count is added, the oldest one-second seed count is dropped from the pool and the average seed population is recalculated based on the newest data, this recalculated average is then published every second in the Seed Population Window 1012 . [0051] In addition to identifying the seed population value 1100 as just identified, the preferred Seed Population Window 1012 also preferably displays a graph 1102 for graphical representation of the calculated average seed population 1100 relative to the target population 1338 ( FIG. 11 ) (specified during Setup as discussed later) designated by a hash mark 1104 . Corresponding hash marks 1106 , 1108 represent the population deviation limits 1342 ( FIG. 11 ) (also specified during Setup as discussed later). An indicator 1110 , such as a large diamond, for example, is used to represent the calculated average population. Other distinguishable indicators 1112 , such as smaller diamonds, represent the corresponding population rate of the individual rows relative to the target hash mark 1104 . Additionally, the Seed Population window 1012 also preferably identifies, by row number, the lowest population row 1114 (i.e., the planter row that is planting at the lowest population rate, which, in the example in FIG. 5 is row 23 ) and the highest population row 1116 (i.e., the planter row that is planting at the highest population rate, which, in the example in FIG. 5 is row 19 ) along with their respective population rates 1118 , 1120 . [0052] In the preferred system and method, the monitor preferably provides some sort of visual or audible alarm to alert the operator of the occurrence of any yield robbing events related to population. Preferably, if the yield robbing event concerns population, only the Population Window 1012 will indicate an alarm condition. An alarm condition related to population may include, for example, the occurrence of the calculated seed population value 1100 falling outside of the population deviation limits 1342 specified during setup. Another alarm condition may occur when the population of any row is less than 80% of the target population 1338 . Another alarm condition related to population may include the occurrence of one or more rows falling outside the population deviation limits for a predefined time period or sampling frequency, for example five consecutive 1 Hz cycles, even though an average population of those rows is in excess 80% of the target population 1338 . Yet another alarm condition may occur when there is a “row failure” which may be deemed to occur if the sensor 200 fails to detect the passing of any seeds for a specified time period, such as four times T presumed (discussed below). [0053] As previously identified, upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing alarm conditions, or any other alarm condition as may be defined and programmed into the monitor system 1000 , the Population window 1012 preferably provides a visual or audible alarm to alert the operator of the occurrence of the alarm condition. For example, in the preferred embodiment, if the calculated seed population value 1100 is within the specified population deviation 1342 (e.g., 1000 seeds) of the target population 1338 (e.g., 31200 seeds), the background of the Population Window 1012 is preferably green. If, however, the calculated seed population value 1100 falls below the target population 1338 by more than the specified population deviation, the Population Window 1012 preferably turns yellow. Alternatively, the Population Window 1012 may flash or provide some other visual or audible alarm under other alarm conditions. Obviously, many different alarm conditions can be defined and many different visual and/or audible indications of an alarm condition may be programmed into the monitor system 1000 as recognized by those of skill in the art. [0054] Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment, the touch screen GUI 1004 of the monitor system 1000 allows the operator to select different areas of the Population Window 1012 which will cause the monitor to display additional relevant detail related to the feature selected. For example, if the operator touches the calculated seed population value 1100 , the screen changes to display the Level 2 Population Details screen ( FIG. 6 ). If the operator touches the area of the screen in the Population Window 1012 in which the low population row 1114 is displayed, the screen changes to the Row Details screen ( FIG. 9 ) which displays the details of that specific row. Similarly, if the operator touches the area of the screen in the Population Window 1012 in which the high population row 1116 is displayed, the screen changes to the Row Details screen ( FIG. 9 ) which displays the details of that specific row. [0055] Singulation Window 1014 : The Singulation Window 1014 preferably includes a numeric percent singulation value 1122 , preferably published at 1 Hz cycles, representing the running average of the percentage singulation over the predefined sampling frequency, preferably 2 kHz (0.5 msec). In order to determine the percent singulation value 1122 it is first necessary to identify the skips and multiples occurring during the sampling period. Once the number of skips and multiples within the sampling period is known in relation to the number of “good” seeds (i.e., properly singulated seeds), then the percent singulation value 1100 can be calculated as identified later. [0056] The preferred system and method includes a criteria for distinguishing when a skip or a multiple occurs. In the preferred system and method, every signal generated by the sensor 200 is classified into one of six classifications, i.e., “good”, “skip”, “multiple”, “misplaced2”, “misplaced4”, and “non-seed”. A “good” seed is recorded when a signal is generated within a predefined time window when the signal was expected to have occurred based on planter speed and set target population which together define the presumed time interval (T presumed ). A “skip” is recorded when the time between the preceding signal and the next signal is greater than or equal to 1.65 T presumed . A “multiple” is recorded when the time between the preceding signal and the next signal is less than or equal to 0.35 T presumed . In order to accurately distinguish between metering errors resulting in true skips and true multiples as opposed to the seeds simply being misplaced due to placement errors resulting after discharge by the seed meter (i.e, ricochet, differences in vertical acceleration, etc.), the initial classifications are preferably validated before being recorded as skips or multiples. To validate the initial classifications, the monitor is programmed to compare changes in the average value for the last five time intervals relative to the average for the last twenty time intervals (T20 Avg ). In the preferred system, if the 5-seed interval average (T5 Avg ) is more than 1.15 T20 Avg for more than three consecutive calculations, then the original classification of a skip is validated and recorded as a true skip. If T5 Avg is less than 0.85 T20 Avg for more than three consecutive calculations, then the original classification of a multiple is validated and recorded as a true multiple. If the foregoing limits are not exceeded, then the originally classified skip is reclassified as “good,” and the originally classified multiple is reclassified as a “misplaced” seed. Thus, by validating the original classifications, metering errors are distinguished from placement errors, thereby providing the operator with more accurate information as to the planter operation and the occurrence of yield robbing events. [0057] The “misplaced2” classification refers to a seed that is within two inches of an adjacent seed. Before a seed is recorded as a “misplaced2” the average spacing is calculated based on population and row spacing. A time threshold (T2 threshold ) is calculated to classify “misplaced2” seeds by the equation: [0000] T 2 threshold =T presumed ×(2÷average spacing (inches)). [0058] The “misplaced 4” classification refers to a seed that is within four inches of an adjacent seed. A time threshold (T4 threshold ) is calculated to classify “misplaced4” seeds by the equation: [0000] T 4 threshold =T presumed ×(4÷average spacing (inches)). [0059] Thus, a seed is classified as a misplaced4 seed when the time interval between the preceding signal and the next signal is greater than the T2 threshold but less than T4 threshold . [0060] In order to account for occasional instances when a train of dust or other debris cascades through the seed tube resulting in a rapid generation of signal pulses, the monitor system preferably classifies the entire series of rapid signal pulses as “non-seed” occurrences (even though seeds were still passing through the tube along with the train of dust or debris) rather then recording the rapid signal pulses as a string of multiples or misplaced seeds. However, in order to maintain a relatively accurate seed count and relatively accurate singulation percentage, the monitor system is preferably programmed to fill in the number of seeds that passed through (or should have passed through) the seed tube along with the cascade of dust and debris. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, when there are more than two pulses in series with an interval of less than 0.85 T presumed , all the signal pulses detected after that occurrence are classified as non-seeds until there is an interval detected that is greater than 0.85 T presumed . Any signal pulse classifying as a non-seed is not taken into account in any calculations for determining percent singulation values 1122 . In the preferred embodiment, in order to maintain correct population values 1100 when the interval is less than 0.85 T presumed , the interval is measured from the last “good” seed occurrence prior to the rapid signal event that produced the “non-seed” classification until the first “good” seed classification. The accumulated seed value is corrected or adjusted by adding to the count of “good” seeds the number of occurrences corresponding to the number of times T presumed can be divided into non-seed classification time period leaving no remainder greater than 1.85 T Presumed . [0061] It should be appreciated, that because T presumed will vary with planter speed, which continually changes during the planting operation as the planter slows down or speeds up based on field conditions (i.e., hilly terrain, when turning or when approaching the end of the field, etc.), T presumed is a dynamic or continuously changing number. One method of deriving T presumed is as follows: [0062] a) Determine average across all rows of previous 1 seed (T1 Avg ) as follows: 1) For each row, store the time interval from the last seed. Sort from minimum to maximum 2) Calculate the average time interval across all rows 3) If the ratio of the smallest interval divided by the average interval from step 2 is ≦0.75, then remove lowest number and repeat step 2. 4) If the ratio of the maximum interval divided by the average interval is ≧1.25, then remove maximum interval and repeat step 2. 5) T1 Avg is the average time interval across all rows where the ratio of smallest time interval divided by the average time interval is ≧0.75 and ratio of the maximum interval divided by the average interval is ≦1.25. [0068] b) Determine average time interval across all rows of previous 5 seeds (T5 Avg ) as follows: 1) For each row, store the time intervals of last five seeds in circular buffer; exclude intervals where the time interval to the next seed is less than 0.5 T1 Avg or greater than 1.5 T1 Avg . 2) Calculate the row average (i.e., the average time interval for each row) by dividing the sum of the stored time intervals from step 1 by the seed count from step 1. 3) Determine the row ratio. if the time interval since the last seed is ≦1.5×row average, then row ratio=1 if the time interval since the last seed is >1.5×row average, then row ratio=(1−(last time interval÷(row average×5))) 4) For each row, multiply the row ratio by the row average and sum the products. [0075] 5) Calculate T5 Avg by dividing the value from step 4 by the sum of the row ratios. [0076] c) Determine average time interval across all rows of previous 20 seeds (T20 Avg ) 1) For each row, store the time intervals of last 20 seeds in circular buffer; exclude intervals where the time interval to the next seed is less than 0.5 T1 Avg or greater than 1.5 T1 Avg . 2) Calculate the row average (i.e., the average time interval for each row) by dividing the sum of the stored time intervals from step 1 by the seed count from step 1. 4) Determine the row ratio. if the time interval since the last seed is ≦1.5×row average, then row ratio=1 if the time interval since the last seed is >1.5×row average, then row ratio=(1−(last time interval÷(row average×20))) 5) Calculate T20 Avg by dividing the value from step 4 by the sum of the row ratios. [0083] d) Determine T presumed : 1) If all values have been filtered out, then T presumed =T1 Avg . 2) Else, if T20 Avg ≧1.1×T5 Avg and T20 Avg ≧T1 Avg , then T presumed =T5 Avg . 3) Else, if T20 Avg ≦0.9×T5 Avg and T20 Avg ≦T1 Avg , then T presumed =T5 Avg . 4) Else, T presumed =T20 Avg . [0088] Obviously other methods of deriving T presumed may be equally suitable and therefore the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the foregoing method for deriving T presumed . [0089] The percentage of skips (% Skips) 1124 can be determined by adding the total number of skips detected across all rows over a predefined seed count (preferably the Averaged Seed value 1302 specified during Setup (default is 300 seeds)) and then dividing the total number of skips by that seed count. Similarly, the percentage of multiples (% Mults) 1126 can be determined by adding the total number of multiples detected across all rows over the same predefined seed count and then dividing the total number of multiples by the predefined seed count. The percent singulation value 1122 may then be calculated by adding the % Skips 1124 and % Mults 1126 and subtracting that sum from 100%. [0090] In addition to displaying the percent singulation value 1122 , the Singulation Window 1014 also preferably displays a graph 1128 for graphically representing the numeric percentage singulation 1122 relative to the 100% singulation target. The graph 1128 also preferably displays hash marks 1130 incrementally spaced across the graph 1128 corresponding to the Singulation Deviation limits 1350 ( FIG. 11 ) specified during setup. An indicator 1132 , such as a large diamond, preferably identifies the percent singulation value 1122 relative to the 100% singulation target. Other distinguishable indicators 1134 , such as smaller diamonds, preferably indicated the corresponding singulation percentages of the individual rows relative to the 100% singulation target. Additionally, the Singulation Window 1014 also preferably identifies numerically the planter row that is planting at the lowest singulation percentage 1136 (which in the example in FIG. 5 is row 23 ) along with the percent singulation value 1138 for that row. [0091] Similar to the Population Window 1012 previously discussed, the Singulation Window 1014 preferably provides some sort of visual or audible alarm to alert the operator of the occurrence of any yield robbing events related to singulation. An alarm condition related to singulation may include, for example, the occurrence of the percent singulation value 1122 falling outside of the singulation deviation limits 1350 specified during setup. Another alarm condition may include, for example, when an average percent singulation of two or more rows exceeds the singulation deviation limits 1350 for five consecutive 1 Hz calculations, for example. Another alarm condition may include, when one row exceeds the singulation deviation limits 1350 by more than two times for five consecutive 1 Hz calculations, for example. As before, many different alarm conditions can be defined and many different visual and/or audible indications of an alarm condition may be programmed into the monitor system 1000 to cause the Singulation Window 1014 to provide the operator with visual or audible alarms to indicate the occurrence of a yield robbing event related to singulation. All such variations in alarm conditions and alarm indications are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. [0092] Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment, the preferred touch screen GUI 1004 of the monitor system 1000 allows the operator to select different areas of the Singulation Window 1014 which will cause the monitor to display additional relevant detail related to the feature selected. For example, if the operator touches the calculated percent singulation value 1122 , the screen changes to display the Level 2 Singulation Details screen ( FIG. 7 ). If the operator touches the area of the screen in the Singulation Window 1014 in which the low singulation row 1136 is displayed, the screen changes to the Row Details screen ( FIG. 9 ) which displays the details of that specific row. [0093] Skips/Mults Window 1016 : The Skips/Mults Window 1016 preferably displays the value of the calculated % Skips 1124 and % Mults 1126 as previously identified. As with the other Windows previously described, the Skips/Mults Window 1016 may provide some sort of visual or audible alarm to alert the operator if the % Skips or % Mults exceed predefined limits. [0094] Good Spacing Window 1018 : The Good Spacing Window 1018 preferably includes a numeric percent good spacing value 1140 representing the running average percentage of “good” seed spacing versus “misplaced” seeds, i.e., the number of seeds categorized as “misplaced2” or “misplaced4” (as previously defined) over the predefined sampling frequency (preferably 0.1 Hz). Once the number of misplaced2 and misplaced4 seeds are known in relation to the number of seeds during the sample period, then the percentage of misplaced2 seeds (% MP2) and the percent misplaced4 seeds (% MP4) relative to good spaced seeds is readily ascertained. Likewise, the percent good spacing value 1140 is readily ascertained by subtracting the sum of % MP2 and % MP4 from 100%. [0095] In addition to displaying the calculated percent good spacing value 1140 , the Good Spacing Window 1018 also preferably includes a graph 1142 for graphically representing the percent good spacing value 1140 relative to the 100% good spacing target. Hash marks 1144 are preferably provided to identify a scale from 80% to 100% at 5% increments. An indicator 1146 , such as a large diamond, preferably identifies the calculated good spacing value 1140 relative to the 100% good spacing target. Other distinguishable indicators 1148 , such as smaller diamonds, preferably identify the corresponding good spacing percentages of the individual rows relative to the 100% goods spacing target. Additionally, the Good Spacing Window 1018 also preferably identifies numerically the planter row that is planting at the lowest good spacing percentage 1150 (which in the example in FIG. 5 is row 9 ) along with the numerical percent good spacing value 1152 for that row. [0096] Similar to the other Windows 1012 , 1014 the Good Spacing Window 1018 preferably provides some sort of visual or audible alarm to alert the operator of the occurrence of any yield robbing events related to spacing. An alarm condition related to spacing may include, for example, if the overall percent good spacing value 1140 or row specific spacing value falls below a predetermined deviation limit, such as 90%. Many different alarm conditions can be defined and many different visual and/or audible indications of an alarm condition may be programmed into the monitor system 1000 to cause the Good Spacing Window 1018 to provide the operator with visual or audible alarms similar to those described with the other Windows 1012 , 1014 to indicate the occurrence of a yield robbing event related to spacing. All such variations in alarm conditions and alarm indications are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. [0097] In the preferred embodiment, the touch screen GUI 1004 of the monitor system 1000 allows the operator to select different areas of the Good Spacing Window 1018 which will cause the monitor to display additional relevant detail related to the feature selected. For example, if the operator touches the calculated percent good spacing value 1140 , the screen changes to display the Level 2 Placement Details screen ( FIG. 8 ). If the operator touches the area of the screen in the Good Spacing Window 1018 in which the low row 1150 is displayed, the screen changes to the Row Details screen ( FIG. 9 ) which displays the details of that specific row. [0098] Smooth Ride Window 1020 : The Smooth Ride Window 1020 preferably displays the smooth ride percentage value 1154 . The smoothness of the ride is estimated based on the percentage of time the vertical velocity of the row unit is less than a predefined vertical velocity limit (VVL). In the preferred embodiment, the VVL is four inches per second (4 in/sec). This VVL was selected based on empirical data which established that seed spacing was measurably affected when the row unit was subjected to vertical velocities above 4 in/sec. [0099] The number of times the vertical velocity of the row unit 12 on which the sensor 500 is mounted exceeds the VVL is counted over a predefined time period (preferably 30 seconds). The percentage of time during the predefined time period that the VVL was exceeded is then calculated for each sensor 500 and then an average is calculated (Ave % T>VVL). The smooth ride percentage value 1154 is then calculated by subtracting the value of Ave % T>VVL from 100%. [0100] In addition to displaying the calculated smooth ride percentage value 1154 , the Smooth Ride Window 1020 also preferably displays a graph 1156 to graphically represent the smooth ride percentage value 1154 relative to the 100% smooth ride target. Incremental hash marks 1158 preferably identify a scale, such as at 85%, 90% and 95%, across a predefined range, preferably from a low of 80% smooth ride to 100% smooth ride. An indicator 1160 , such as a large diamond, preferably identifies the calculated smooth ride percentage value 1154 relative to the 100% smooth ride target. Other distinguishable indicators 1162 , such as smaller diamonds, preferably identify the corresponding smooth ride percentages of the individual rows relative to the 100% smooth ride target. Additionally, the Smooth Ride Window 1020 also preferably identifies numerically the planter row that is planting at the lowest smooth ride percentage 1164 (which, in the example in FIG. 5 is row 14 ) along with the numerical smooth ride percentage value 1166 for that row. [0101] As with the other Windows 1012 , 1014 , 1018 the Smooth Ride Window 1020 preferably provides some sort of visual or audible alarm to alert the operator of the occurrence of any yield robbing events related to the smoothness of the ride. An alarm condition related to ride smoothness may include, for example, if the overall smooth ride percentage 1154 or any row specific smooth ride percentage falls below a predetermined deviation limit, such as 90%. Also as with the other Windows, many different alarm conditions can be defined and many different visual and/or audible indications of an alarm condition may be programmed into the monitor system 1000 to cause the Smooth Ride window 1020 to provide the operator with visual or audible alarms to indicate the occurrence of a yield robbing event related to ride smoothness. All such variations in alarm conditions and alarm indications are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. [0102] Speed Window 1022 : The Speed Window 1022 preferably displays the velocity 1168 of the planter in miles per hour (mph). In the preferred embodiment, the velocity 1168 is preferably averaged over the last five seconds of data collected by the GPS unit 100 unless the planter acceleration (ΔV/Δt) is greater than 1 mph/sec, in which event, the velocity 1168 is preferably displayed as the actual velocity collected by the GPS unit 100 . [0103] As with the other Windows previously described, the Speed Window 1022 may provide some sort of visual or audible alarm to alert the operator if the speed falls below or exceeds predefined limits. Additionally, if the processing circuitry is programmed to diagnose planter performance and to logically identify if speed is a contributing factor to a low smooth ride percentage 1154 or low good spacing value 1140 , for example, an alarm condition may be triggered producing a visual or audible indication as previously described in connection with the other Windows. [0104] Vacuum Window 1024 : The Vacuum Window 1024 preferably displays the vacuum value 1170 in inches of water (in H 2 O). If the type of meter selected during setup was other than “vacuum” the Vacuum Window 1024 is preferably blank or not displayed. If “vacuum” was selected during setup, but no vacuum sensor 700 is connected to the monitor 1000 or data from the vacuum sensor 700 is otherwise not being communicated to the monitor 1000 , the Vacuum Window 1024 may show a zero vacuum value, or the window may be blank or not displayed. [0105] As with the other Windows previously described, the Vacuum Window 1024 may provide some sort of visual or audible alarm to alert the operator if the vacuum falls below or exceeds predefined limits. Additionally, if the processing circuitry is programmed to diagnose planter performance and to logically identify if the vacuum is a contributing factor to a low singulation percentage 1122 or poor spacing percentage 1140 , or excessive % Skips 1126 or % Mults 1124 , for example, an alarm condition may be triggered producing a visual or audible indication as previously described in connection with the other Windows. [0106] Downforce Window 1026 : The Downforce Window 1026 preferably displays a ground contact parameter 1172 (preferably as a percentage of ground contact over a predefined sampling period). The Downforce Window 1026 may also include an area for displaying the average downforce value 1174 and/or alternatively, or in addition, the Downforce window 1026 may display the “load margin” 1175 (not shown). The percent ground contact parameter 1172 is preferably derived as more fully explained in PCT/US08/50427, previously incorporated herein by reference. The average downforce value 1174 may be derived by averaging the detected load values over a predefined time period across all load sensors 300 on the planter. The load margin 1175 is preferably calculated and/or derived by any of the methods disclosed in PCT/US08/50427. The downforce value 1174 and/or load margin 1175 may also be displayed graphically as disclosed in PCT/US08/50427. [0107] As with the other Windows previously described, the Downforce Window 1026 may provide some sort of visual or audible alarm to alert the operator if the downforce, load margin, or the ground contact parameter exceeds or falls below predefined limits. Additionally, if the processing circuitry is programmed to diagnose planter performance and to logically identify if a low ground contact parameter and/or low or excessive downforce or load margin is a contributing factor to a low smooth ride percentage 1154 , for example, an alarm condition may be triggered producing a visual or audible indication as previously described in connection with the other Windows. [0108] Economic Loss Window 1028 : The Economic Loss Window 1028 preferably displays the economic loss value 1176 in dollars lost per acre ($Loss/acre) attributable to the various yield robbing events. The calculated economic loss value 1176 may be continually displayed or the value may only be displayed only upon an alarm condition, such as when the value exceeds a predefined value, such as, for example, $3.00/acre. If an alarm condition is not present, the Economic Loss Window 1028 may simply display the word “Good” or some other desired designation. [0109] In the preferred embodiment each occurrence of a yield robbing event is associated with an economic loss factor. In the preferred embodiment, the economic loss factor is an Ear Loss (EL) factor 1310 . For example, empirical data has shown that, when compared to a plant maturing from a seed properly spaced from adjacent seeds (typically six to seven inches for thirty inch rows at plant populations around 32000 seeds/acre), if a seed is misplaced such that it is only two inches from an adjacent seed (i.e., misplaced2), the net loss will be about 0.2 ears (i.e., EL=0.2). A misplaced seed that is only four inches from an adjacent seed (i.e., misplaced4) will have a net loss of about 0.1 ears (i.e., EL=0.1). A skip has been found to result in a net loss of 0.8 ears (EL=0.8). A double has been found to result in a net loss of 0.4 ears (EL=0.4). [0110] The foregoing EL factors assume that the grower is planting “flex” hybrids as opposed to “determinate” hybrids. Simply described, a flex hybrid is one where a plant will produce larger ears depending upon seed spacing due to less competition for sunlight and nutrients. Thus, for example, if there is a space larger than four inches between an adjacent plant in a row, a flex hybrid plant will presumably receive additional sunlight and more nutrients than seeds spaced at four inches or less, enabling it to produce a larger ear with more kernels. By contrast, a determinate hybrid will have the same ear size regardless of increased seed spacing. [0111] With the foregoing understanding, based on empirical data, the skip EL factor was derived by taking into account that although one ear has been lost due to the skip, the two adjacent plants on either side of the skip each increase their respective ear size by 10%. Thus, the net ear loss for a skip is only 0.8 ears instead of a whole ear (i.e., −1+0.1+0.1=−0.8). For a further example, if future hybrids have the ability to increase ear size by 50% on either side of a skip, then the net ear loss would approach zero as each adjacent plant has added 50%, thereby making up for the entire lost ear (i.e., −1+0.5+0.5=0.0). Thus, it should be understood that these EL factors may change over time as the characteristics of corn hybrids continue to evolve and improve. As such, in the preferred embodiment, the default EL factors may be varied by the operator. By associating an EL factor to each occurrence of a skip, multiple, misplaced2 and misplaced4 seed, an economic loss attributable to each of these yield robbing events over a sampling period can be determined. [0112] In addition to skips, multiples and misplaced seeds, the loss of ground contact and excessive downforce are also yield robbing events. Accordingly, in the preferred monitor system EL factors are also associated with each of these yield robbing events. [0113] The economic loss attributed to excessive downforce is preferably based on load margin 1175 as previously discussed in connection with the Downforce Window 1026 and as disclosed in PCT/US08/50427. In the preferred system, the following EL factors are applied based on the magnitude of the load margin: 1) If load margin<50 lbs, EL=0 2) If 50 lbs≦load margin≦100 lbs, EL=0.05 3) If 100 lbs≦load margin≦200 lbs, EL=0.1 4) If load margin>200 lbs=0.15 [0118] As disclosed in the PCT/US08/50427, the sampling period or frequency of detecting the load margin may vary. However, in the preferred monitor system of the present invention, the sampling period is preferably the same as the seed planting rate such that a load margin is calculated with respect to each seed. Accordingly, an EL factor based on load margin can be applied to each seed planted. With an EL factor assigned to the load margin for each seed planted, an average EL (i.e., EL Avg-Excess Load ) factor for a given sampling period may then be calculated. The EL Avg-Excess Load factor multiplied by the number of seeds in the sampling period may be used for determining the percentage of yield loss attributable to load margin during the sampling period as discussed below. [0119] As for the economic loss attributable to loss of ground contact, it should be appreciated that the longer the duration that the depth regulating member of the row unit is not in contact with the soil, the greater will be the loss in depth of the furrow. In the preferred system an EL factor of 0.5 is multiplied by the percentage of time during a sampling period that there has been loss of ground contact (% Contact Lost) to determine the percentage of yield loss attributable to loss of ground contact during the sampling period. The sampling period may be any desired time period, but in the preferred embodiment, the sampling period for this EL factor is preferably the time required to plant 300 seeds at the seed population specified during Setup. [0120] In order to provide an economic loss information in a format useful to the operator, the preferred embodiment displays the economic loss in dollars lost per acre (i.e., $Loss/Acre). However, it should be appreciated that the economic loss may be presented in any desired units. Under the preferred $Loss/Acre units, the economic loss may be calculated by multiplying the percentage of yield lost due to the yield robbing event by the projected yield and multiplying that product by the price of the grain. Accordingly, in the preferred embodiment, the $Loss/Acre may be calculated by the following formula: [0000] $Loss/Acre=% Yield Lost×Population×(Bushels/Ear)×(Price/Bushel) Where: % Yield Lost=Sum of all calculated yield losses attributable to all occurrences during the sampling period (e.g., 300 seeds) of skips, multiples, misplaced2, misplaced4, ground contact loss and load margin; i.e., 0.8(% Skips)+0.4(% Mults)+0.2(% MP2)+0.1(% MP4)+0.5(% Contact Loss)+EL Avg-Excess Load (300 seeds). Note, the foregoing EL factors may vary as set by the operator during Setup as previously described. Population=The target seed population specified during setup Bushels/Ear=Estimated number of ears required to produce one bushel of shelled corn (default=1 bu/140 ears); preferably configurable through Setup Price/Bushel=Estimated price of corn per bushel (default=$2.50/bu); preferably configurable through Setup [0126] As with the other Windows previously described, the Economic Loss Window 1028 may provide some sort of visual or audible alarm to alert the operator if the economic loss exceeds a predefined limit. Additionally, the Economic Loss Window 1028 may be associated or tied to the other Windows 1012 , 1014 , 1016 , 1018 , 1020 , 1022 , 1024 , 1026 such that if an alarm condition is met in any of these other Windows, and such alarm condition is found to be the contributing factor to the alarm condition in the Economic Loss Window, then both Windows produce a visual or audible indication of the alarm condition as previously described in connection with the other Windows. [0127] Setup button 1030 : Upon pressing the Setup button 1030 , the monitor 1000 is preferably programmed to display the Setup screen 1300 ( FIG. 11 ) through which the operator can make selections and/or input data via the preferred touch screen GUI 1004 . [0128] Row Details button 1032 : Upon pressing the Row Details button 1032 , the monitor is preferably programmed to display the Row Selection screen 1220 ( FIG. 10 ) through which the operator can select a Level 3 Screen (discussed later) for that particular row. [0129] SnapShot button 1034 : Upon pressing the Snapshot button 1034 , the monitor 1000 is preferably programmed to store all data inputs from the various sensors on a read/writable storage medium for a predefined time period, preferably ninety seconds, across all row units. The read/writable storage medium may be a magnetic data storage tape or disk, or a solid state semi-conductor memory storage device such as flash memory or a memory card, or the read/writable storage medium may be any type of remote computer or storage device to which data can be communicated by via a wired or wireless connection. The purpose of the SnapShot button 1034 will be described in detail later. [0130] Back button 1036 : The Back button 1036 changes the screen to the previously displayed screen. Level 2 Screens (FIGS. 6-8) [0131] Population Details Screen ( FIG. 6 ): FIG. 6 is an example of a preferred embodiment for displaying population details in a bar graph format for all rows of a planter. In the example of FIG. 6 , a bar graph 1200 of the population details for a 32 row planter is shown. The number of rows displayed for the bar graph 1200 may be dynamic based on the number of rows entered during Setup. Alternatively, the number of rows may remain fixed on the screen with data only being displayed for the number of rows entered during Setup. [0132] The horizontal line 1202 on the bar graph 1200 corresponds to the population target 1338 ( FIG. 11 ) entered during Setup and the vertical scale of the bar graph 1200 preferably corresponds to the deviation limit 1342 (e.g., ± 1000 seeds) specified during Setup. The numeric population value 1112 for each row is graphically displayed as a data bar 1204 above or below the horizontal line 1202 depending on whether the numeric population value is greater then or less then the target population value 1338 , respectively. In the preferred embodiment, if a particular row approaches or exceeds the deviation limit 1342 , an alarm condition is triggered and the data bar 1204 for that row preferably includes a visual indication that it is in alarm condition. For example, in the preferred embodiment, the data bar 1204 for a row in an alarm condition is colored yellow (solid bars) whereas the data bars 1204 of the rows that are not in an alarm condition are green (clear bars). Alternatively, the data bars 1204 may flash under an alarm condition or change to a different color, such as red, under specific alarm conditions or depending on the severity of the yield robbing event. As with the different Level 1 Screens, there are various ways to represent an alarm condition, by different colors, audible alarms, etc. Accordingly, any and all means of visually or audibly indicating an alarm condition should be considered within the scope of this invention. [0133] In the preferred embodiment, the touch screen GUI 1004 preferably enables the operator to touch a bar 1204 for a particular row to change the screen to the Level 3 Screen display for that selected row. The up arrow button 1206 and down arrow button 1206 preferably enables the operator to scroll between the various Level 2 Screens ( FIGS. 6-8 ) as hereinafter described. The Back button 1036 changes to the previously displayed screen. The Home button 1209 returns to the Level 1 Screen ( FIG. 5 ). The Row Details button 1032 preferably displays the Row Selection screen ( FIG. 10 ). [0134] Singulation Details Screen ( FIG. 7 ): FIG. 7 is an example of a preferred embodiment for displaying singulation details in a bar graph format for all rows of a planter. In the example of FIG. 7 , a bar graph 1210 of the singulation details for a 32 row planter is shown. The number of rows displayed for the bar graph 1210 may be dynamic based on the number of rows entered during Setup. Alternatively, the number of rows may remain fixed on the screen with data only being displayed for the number of rows entered during Setup. [0135] The horizontal line 1212 on the bar graph 1210 corresponds to 100% singulation (i.e., zero multiples and zero skips) and the vertical scale of the bar graph 1210 preferably corresponds to the singulation deviation limit 1350 (e.g., 1% in FIG. 11 ) specified during Setup. The % Mults 1126 for a particular row are displayed as a data bar 1184 above the horizontal reference line 1212 . The % Skips 1124 for a particular row are displayed as a data bar 1214 below the horizontal reference line 1212 . In the preferred embodiment, if a particular row approaches or exceeds the singulation deviation limit 1350 , an alarm condition is triggered and the data bar 1214 for that row preferably includes a visual indication that it is in alarm condition. For example, in the preferred embodiment, the data bar 1214 for a row in an alarm condition is colored yellow (solid bars) whereas the data bars 1214 of the rows that are not in an alarm condition are green (clear bars). Alternatively, the data bars 1214 may flash under an alarm condition or change to a different color, such as red, under specific alarm conditions or depending on the severity of the yield robbing event. As with the different Level 1 Screens, there are various ways to represent an alarm condition, by different colors, audible alarms, etc. Accordingly, any and all means of visually or audibly indicating an alarm condition should be considered within the scope of this invention. [0136] In the preferred embodiment, the touch screen GUI 1004 preferably enables the operator to touch a bar 1214 for a particular row to change the screen to the Level 3 Screen display for that selected row. All other buttons identified on FIG. 7 perform the same functions as described for FIG. 6 [0137] Placement Details Screen ( FIG. 8 ): FIG. 8 is an example of a preferred embodiment for displaying placement details in a bar graph format for all rows of a planter. In the example of FIG. 8 , a bar graph 1216 of the singulation details for a 32 row planter is shown. The number of rows displayed for the bar graph 1216 may be dynamic based on the number of rows entered during Setup. Alternatively, the number of rows may remain fixed on the screen with data only being displayed for the number of rows entered during Setup. [0138] The horizontal line 1220 on the bar graph 1216 corresponds to 100% good spacing (i.e., zero misplaced seeds) and the vertical scale of the bar graph 1216 preferably corresponds to a placement deviation limit (e.g., 10%) that may be specified during Setup. The numeric percent good spacing value 1144 for each row is graphically displayed as a data bar 1218 above a horizontal line 1220 . In the preferred embodiment, if a particular row approaches or exceeds the placement deviation limit, an alarm condition is triggered and the data bar 1218 for that row preferably includes a visual indication that it is in alarm condition. For example, in the preferred embodiment, the data bar 1218 for a row in an alarm condition is colored yellow (solid bars) whereas the data bars 1218 of the rows that are not in an alarm condition are green (clear bars). Alternatively, the data bars 1218 may flash under an alarm condition or change to a different color, such as red, under specific alarm conditions or depending on the severity of the yield robbing event. As with the Level 1 Screens, there are various ways to represent an alarm condition, by different colors, audible alarms, etc. Accordingly, any and all means of visually or audibly indicating an alarm condition should be considered within the scope of this invention. [0139] In the preferred embodiment, the touch screen GUI 1004 preferably enables the operator to touch a data bar 1218 for a particular row to change the screen to the Level 3 Screen display for that selected row. All other buttons identified on FIG. 8 perform the same functions as described for FIG. 6 . Level 3 Screens (FIGS. 9-12): [0140] Row Details ( FIG. 9 ): FIG. 9 is an example of a preferred embodiment for displaying Row Details. In the example of FIG. 9 , the row details for row “16” of the planter are illustrated. Preferably, the information displayed in this Level 3 Screen is similar to that displayed in the Level 1 Screen, except that in the Level 3 Screen, the information is row specific as opposed to averaged across all rows in the Level 1 Screens. Thus, the Level 3 Row Detail Screen preferably includes a Row Population window 1220 , a Row Singulation window 1222 , a Row Skips/Multiples window 1224 , a Row Down Force Window 1226 , a Row Vacuum Window 1228 (when applicable) and a Row Economic Loss window 1230 . The Level 3 Row Detail Screen also preferably includes a Row Good Spacing window 1232 and, preferably, a graphical Row Seed Placement window 1234 . The Home button 1209 , Row Details button 1032 , Up Arrow button 1206 , Down Arrow button 1208 , and Back button 1036 perform the same functions as described for FIG. 6 . [0141] Population window 1220 : The Population window 1220 preferably displays the row population value 1240 calculated as identified under the Level 1 Screen except that the row population value 1240 is specific to the selected row and is not averaged as in the Level 1 Screen. [0142] Singulation window 1302 : The Singulation window 1302 preferably displays the row percent singulation value 1242 calculated as identified under the Level 1 Screen except the row percent singulation value 1242 is specific to the selected row and is not averaged as in the Level 1 Screen. [0143] Row Skips/Multiples window 1224 : The Row Skips/Multiples window 1224 preferably displays the row % Skips value 1244 and the row % Mults value 1246 calculated as identified under the Level 1 Screen except these values are specific to the selected row and are not averaged as in the Level 1 Screen. [0144] Row Down Force window 1226 : The Row Downforce window 1226 is preferably only displayed on rows equipped with the load sensor 300 . When the row of interest is not equipped with a load sensor, the Row Downforce window is preferably blank. When the row of interest is equipped with a load sensor 300 , the Row Downforce window 1226 preferably cycles between the display of the downforce value 1248 (lbs), and/or the load margin, and/or the ground contact parameter 1250 . As disclosed in PCT/US08/50427 the downforce may be the load value (i.e., total load) detected during a predefined sampling period (e.g., 1 second time periods). The load margin is preferably the value calculated and/or derived as disclosed in PCT/US08/50427. Likewise, the ground contact parameter 1250 is preferably determined by the methods disclosed in PCT/US08/50427. [0145] Row Vacuum Window 1228 : The Row Vacuum Window 1228 is preferably only displayed on rows equipped with a vacuum sensor 700 . When the row of interest is not equipped with a vacuum sensor, the Row Vacuum window is preferably blank. When the row of interest is equipped with a vacuum sensor, the Row Vacuum window 1228 preferably displays the vacuum 1252 (in inches H 2 O) for that row. [0146] Row Economic Loss window 1230 : The Row Economic Loss window 1230 preferably displays the row economic loss value 1232 calculated as identified under the Level 1 Screen except the row percent singulation value 1254 is specific to the selected row and is not totaled across all rows as in the Level 1 Screen. [0147] Row Good Spacing window 1230 : The Row Good Spacing window 1230 preferably displays the row good spacing percentage value 1256 calculated as identified under the Level 1 Screen except the row good spacing percentage value 1256 is specific to the selected row and is not averaged as in the Level 1 Screen. [0148] Row Seed Placement window 1234 : The Row Seed Placement window 1234 preferably graphically displays a representation of each classified seed detected in that row (i.e., good, skip, multiple, misplaced2, misplaced4) over a distance behind the planter scrolling from the right hand side of the window to the left hand side of the window. In the preferred embodiment, good seeds are represented as green plants 1258 , skips are represented by a red circle-X 1260 , doubles and misplaced2 seeds are represented as red plants 1262 and misplaced4 seeds are represented as yellow plants 1264 . Of course, it should be appreciated that any other graphical representation of the seeds may be equally suitable and therefore any and all graphical representation of seed placement should be considered within the scope of the present invention. The Row Placement window 1234 preferably includes a distance scale 1266 representative of the distance behind the planter that the seeds/plants are displayed. Preferably the Row Placement window 1234 includes a “reverse” or rewind button 1268 , a “fast forward” button 1270 , and a play/pause button 1272 . The reverse button 1268 preferably causes the distance scale 1266 to incrementally increase in distance behind the planter (such as 25 feet) and scrolls the plants to the right (as opposed to the left) to permit the operator to review the seed placement further behind the planter. Alternatively, rather than scrolling the graphical representation of the seeds/plants, the reverse button may cause the scale to “zoom out,” for example the scale may increase at five foot increments to a scale of 0 to 25 feet instead of 0 to 10 feet. Similarly, the fast forward button 1270 permits the user to either scroll to the right up to zero feet behind the planter or to “zoom in” the distance scale. The play/pause button 1272 preferably permits the operator to pause or freeze the screen to stop the plants/seeds from scrolling and, upon pushing the button 1272 again, to resume the scrolling of the seeds. [0149] Row Selection ( FIG. 10 ): A preferred embodiment of the Row Selection Screen 1274 is illustrated in FIG. 10 in which a plurality of buttons 1276 are displayed corresponding to the row number of the planter. By touching a button 1276 corresponding to the row of interest, the preferred touch screen GUI 1004 displays the Level 3 Row Details Screen ( FIG. 9 ) for the selected planter row. The number of buttons 1276 displayed may vary depending on the size of the planter entered during Setup. Alternatively, the Row Selection Screen 1274 may have a fixed number of buttons 1276 corresponding to the largest planter available, but if the operator specifies a smaller number of rows during Setup, only the rows corresponding to the planter size entered would provide the foregoing functionality. All other buttons identified on FIG. 10 perform the same functions as described for FIG. 6 . The Row Details button 1032 is preferably not displayed in this screen. [0150] Setup Screen ( FIG. 11 ): The preferred embodiment of a Setup Screen 1300 is illustrated in FIG. 11 . The Setup Screen 1300 preferably includes a plurality of predefined windows, each of which preferably displays relevant configuration information and opens a Level 4 Screen for entering that configuring information. The preferred windows include a Field window 1302 , a Crop window 1304 , a Population window 1306 , a Population Limits window 1308 , a Meter window 1310 , a Planter window 1312 , a Singulation Limits window 1314 , an Averaged Seeds window 1316 , an Ear Loss window 1318 and a File & Data Transfer window 1320 . The other buttons identified on FIG. 11 perform the same functions as described for FIG. 6 . The Row Details button 1032 is preferably not displayed in this screen. [0151] Field window 1302 : The Field window 1302 preferably opens a Level 4 Alpha-Numeric Keyboard Screen similar to the alpha-numeric keypad 1322 illustrated in FIG. 12 by which the operator can type alpha-numeric characters for entering a field identifier 1324 . Preferably, upon pressing the “Enter” button 1326 , the operator is returned to the Setup Screen 1300 and the field identifier 1324 is caused to be displayed in the Field window 1302 . [0152] Crop window 1304 : The Crop window 1304 preferably opens a Level 4 Crop Selection Screen 1328 , a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in FIG. 12 . The Crop Selection Screen 1328 preferably includes a plurality of predefined crop-type buttons 1330 each having a crop type designator 1332 corresponding to the name of the most typical crops planted by row crop planters, namely, corn, beans, and cotton. Upon selecting one of these buttons, the operator is preferably returned to the Setup Screen 1300 and the corresponding crop-type designator 1332 is displayed in the Crop window 1304 . The Crop Selection Screen 1328 also preferably includes a button labeled “Other” 1334 , which upon selection, permits the operator to manually type in the name of the crop-type designator 1332 (e.g., sorghum or some other type of crop) into the window 1336 through the alpha-numeric keypad 1322 . Upon pressing the “Enter” button 1326 , the operator is returned to the Setup Screen 1300 and the crop designator 1322 manually typed in is displayed in the Crop window 1304 . The other buttons identified on FIG. 11 perform the same functions as described for FIG. 6 . [0153] Population window 1306 : The Population window 1306 preferably displays the target seed population 1338 . The target seed population 1338 may be a uniform target population, a variable population, or an exception population, and is preferably set through a Level 4 Population Settings Screen 1340 , a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in FIG. 13 (discussed later). The Population Settings Screen 1340 preferably opens upon selection of the Population window 1306 through the preferred touch screen GUI 1004 . [0154] Population Limits window 1308 : The Population Limits window 1308 preferably opens the Level 4 Alpha-Numeric Keyboard Screen ( FIG. 12 ) as previously discussed by which the operator can type in the desired the population deviation limit 1342 if the operator does not wish to use the default limit of 1000 seeds. Preferably, upon pressing the “Enter” button 1326 , the operator is returned to the Setup Screen 1300 and the population deviation limit 1342 is caused to be displayed in the Population Limits window 1308 . The population deviation limit 1342 is the number of seeds by which the actual seed count may vary before setting off an alarm condition, and it is the value used in the scale of the bar graph 1200 in the Level 2 Population Details Screen of FIG. 6 . [0155] Meter window 1310 : The Meter window 1310 preferably opens a Level 4 Meter Selection Screen (not shown) through which the operator can select from among a plurality of predefined keys corresponding to the meter type 1344 of the metering device 30 used by the planter. The meter types preferably include finger meters and vacuum meters. Upon selection of the meter type 1344 , the operator is preferably returned to the Setup Screen 1300 and the meter type 1344 is preferably displayed in the Meter Window 1310 . [0156] Planter window 1312 : The Planter window 1312 preferably opens the Level 4 Alpha-Numeric Keyboard Screen ( FIG. 12 ) as previously discussed through which the operator can type in the number of rows 1346 on the planter and the row spacing 1348 of the planter. Preferably, upon pressing the “Enter” button 1326 , the operator is returned to the Setup Screen 1300 and the planter rows 1346 and row spacing 1348 are caused to be displayed in the Planter window 1312 . [0157] Singulation Limits window 1314 : The Singulation Limits window 1314 preferably opens the Level 4 Alpha-Numeric Keyboard Screen ( FIG. 12 ) as previously discussed through which the operator can type in the desired singulation deviation limit 1350 if the operator does not wish to use the default 1% singulation deviation limit. Preferably, upon pressing the “Enter” button 1326 , the operator is returned to the Setup Screen 1300 and the singulation deviation limits 1350 is caused to be displayed in the Singulation Limits window 1314 . The singulation deviation limit 1342 is the percentage by which the singulation may vary before setting off an alarm condition, and it is the percentage used in the scale of the bar graph 1210 in the Level 2 Singulation Details Screen of FIG. 7 . [0158] Averaged Seeds window 1316 : The Averaged Seeds window 1316 preferably opens the Level 4 Alpha-Numeric Keyboard Screen ( FIG. 12 ) as previously discussed through which the operator can type in the desired averaged seeds value 1352 if the operator does not wish to use the default averaged seeds value of 300. Preferably, upon pressing the “Enter” button 1326 , the operator is returned to the Setup Screen 1300 and the averaged seeds value 1352 is caused to be displayed in the Singulation Limits window 1314 . [0159] Ear Loss window 1318 : The Ear Loss window 1318 preferably opens the Level 4 Screen ( FIG. 12 ) as previously discussed through which the operator can type in the desired loss values 1354 if the operator does not wish to use the default values previously discussed. Preferably, upon pressing the “Enter” button 1326 , the operator is returned to the Setup Screen 1300 and the ear loss values 1354 entered by the operator are caused to be displayed in the Ear Loss window 1318 . As previously discussed, the ear loss values 1354 are used in calculating the row economic loss value 1254 displayed in the Row Economic Loss window 1230 ( FIG. 9 ) and the overall economic loss value 1176 displayed in the Economic Loss window 1028 ( FIG. 5 ). Level 4 Screen (FIG. 13): [0160] Population Settings Screen ( FIG. 13 ): The Population Settings Screen 1340 preferably includes a simple population window 1370 , preferably at least two variable population windows 1372 , 1374 and an Exception Population window 1376 . Each of the various population windows preferably includes a data window 1378 into which the population value 1338 may be entered for the particular population type selected. For example, if the operator intends to plant a field with a uniform population, the operator would select the simple population window 1370 and type in the desired population using the numeric keys in 1380 in the keypad window 1382 . Alternatively, if the operator wishes to vary the population over the field based on field mapping data, for example, the operator can select the first variable population window 1372 and enter the first variable population 1338 using the keys 1380 as before. The operator can then select the second variable population window 1374 and enter the second variable population value 1338 using the keys 1380 . If the operator wishes to plant different rows at different populations, for example when planting seed corn, the operator can select the exception population window 1376 and enter the seed population value 1338 for the exception rows using the keys 1380 . In the preferred embodiment, the operator can then preferably select the exception rows by touching the corresponding planter row indicator 1384 in the exception row window 1386 to which the exception population will apply. In the example of FIG. 13 , the operator has selected every fifth row of the planter to plant the exception population of 21000 seeds, whereas the non-highlighted rows will plant at the designated simple population of 31200 seeds. [0161] In the preferred embodiment, if the first variable population window 1372 is selected, the simple population window 1370 and the exception population window 1376 preferably change to variable population windows, thus allowing the operator to set four variable populations. [0162] The foregoing description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, and the general principles and features of the system and methods described herein will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Thus, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments of the apparatus, system and methods described above and illustrated in the drawing figures, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

A planter monitor system and method that provides an operator with near real-time data concerning yield robbing events and the economic cost associated with such yield robbing events so as to motivate the operator to take prompt corrective action.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to a method for improving the operation safety of the smelt spout area of a recovery boiler and the smelt spout area of a recovery boiler. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The spent lye, i.e. the so-called black liquor created in pulp manufacture is burnt in a recovery boiler, on one hand, in order to recover the energy it includes, and on the other hand, in order to recover the chemicals in it and to recycle them back to circulation. A char bed is created on the bottom of the recovery boiler when burning black liquor, which in a high temperature forms into smelt, which is removed from the boiler as a continuous flow via smelt spouts to a dissolving tank. [0003] Below the furnace is located the cover area of the dissolving tank of the recovery boiler, i.e. the smelt spout area, where the smelt from the lower part of the furnace is directed along the so-called smelt spout to the dissolving tank. FIG. 1 shows a typical smelt spout area of a recovery boiler, which comprises smelt spouts 2 , along which the smelt is directed from the furnace 3 to the dissolving tank 4 . [0004] It is necessary to work in the vicinity of the smelt spouts relatively often, because the operation of the smelt spouts must be monitored at regular intervals. When necessary, pluggings must be removed from the smelt spouts in order for the smelt to be able to travel to the dissolving tank. In addition, the primary air nozzles 5 are often located in the vicinity of the smelt spout area (on the so-called primary register level), in which case checking and adjusting the nozzles requires working in the smelt spout area. [0005] Typically, the smelt is very hot (for example 750 to 820° C.). The possible splashes of smelt cause danger to the personnel working and moving in the vicinity. Because of this, there is typically a protection area near the smelt spouts, moving on which area should be avoided and working on which area requires using special protection equipment. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] The main purpose of the present invention is to disclose a new solution for increasing work safety. [0007] To attain this purpose, the method according to the invention is primarily characterized in that in the method the smelt spouts are separated from the working area by a shielding wall arranged movable in relation to the smelt spouts. The smelt spout area of a recovery boiler according to the invention, in turn, is primarily characterized in that the smelt spout area comprises one or more shielding walls arranged movable in relation to the smelt spout in order to separate the smelt spouts from the working area. The dependent claims will present some preferred embodiments of the invention. [0008] The basic idea of the invention is to arrange a shielding wall in front of the smelt spouts, which can be moved, for example closed and opened. According to the basic idea the closed shielding wall settles between the person working in the working area and the smelt spout. The shielding wall prevents the possible smelt splashes from falling on the person. In an advantageous embodiment the shielding wall also muffles the noise from the smelt spouts towards the working area. In an embodiment the heat radiation radiated from the smelt spouts to the working area is dampened by the shielding wall. [0009] The method according to the invention discloses a solution for improving the operation safety of the smelt spout area of a recovery boiler, which smelt spout area comprises a working area, as well as smelt spouts connected to the lower part of the boiler to direct the smelt from the boiler to a dissolving tank. In the method, the smelt spouts are separated from the working area by a shielding wall that is arranged movable in relation to the smelt spouts. Correspondingly, in a power plant according to the invention, the smelt spout area comprises one or more shielding walls arranged movable in relation to the smelt spout in order to separate the smelt spouts from the working area. [0010] In an embodiment the shielding wall is formed of one or more shielding units arranged movable. The shielding units can move in different directions application-specifically, such as, for example horizontally or vertically. [0011] The movable shielding wall enables different usage, service and maintenance operations requiring a great deal of moving space. In an advantageous embodiment the shielding wall can be opened for a large uniform length. [0012] The shielding wall can be implemented in a variety of ways. Advantageously the wall is formed of several units, in which case handling it is easier than handling large units. For example, the wall may be composed of sliding doors, lattice doors, shutters and/or folding doors. The direction of motion of individual units of the wall depends on the application. For example, the direction of motion can be horizontal or vertical. The wall can also move parallel or perpendicularly in relation to the bank of smelt spouts of the boiler. [0013] In an embodiment the smelt spout area also comprises a service platform arranged movable in relation to the smelt spouts, which platform comprises a shielding wall. The service platform is meant for the usage, service and maintenance operations of targets located higher, such as the primary register level. [0014] The shielding wall advantageously comprises inspection openings, such as, for example, windows and/or hatches that can be opened, through which it is possible to perform, inter alia, visual monitoring, rodding the spouts, as well as other usage, service and maintenance operation. There can be different kinds and shapes of hatches and windows, which provide as optimal as possible user interfaces for different tasks. [0015] By the solution according to the invention, many significant advantages are achieved when compared with the solutions of prior art. The safety of the smelt spout area of a recovery boiler is improved, when the shielding structure separates the smelt spouts from the personnel. The shielding structure can application-specifically prevent different splashes, steams and/or pressure shocks from reaching the working area. [0016] In an application the noise level of the smelt spout area is decreased. Muffling the noise is affected by the design and materials of the shielding structure. Decreased noise level improves work conditions and increases work safety for its part. [0017] In one case the invention, in turn, enables the efficient utilization of the smelt spout area, because the shielding area can be decreased due to the shielding solution and the area that is thus freed can be used efficiently. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the appended principle drawings, in which [0019] FIG. 1 shows a smelt spout area according to prior art, [0020] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a smelt spout area according to the invention, [0021] FIG. 3 shows a front view of a shielding wall unit according to the invention, [0022] FIG. 4 shows a front view of a shielding wall according to the invention, [0023] FIG. 5 shows the shielding wall of FIG. 4 along line A-A. [0024] For the sake of clarity, the figures only show the details necessary for understanding the invention. The structures and details that are not necessary for understanding the invention, but are obvious for anyone skilled in the art, have been omitted from the figures in order to emphasize the characteristics of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0025] FIG. 1 shows a present smelt spout area of a recovery boiler. The area comprises smelt spouts 2 , along which the smelt is directed from the furnace 3 to the dissolving tank 4 . Generally in boilers the air nozzles 5 of the primary air level are placed above the smelt spouts 2 in such a manner that they can be accessed from the smelt spout area, for example, by means of some platform. [0026] FIG. 2 shows the shielding wall 8 according to the invention in a side view. This direction is the same as the direction of the bank of smelt spouts 2 , i.e. the direction of the wall of the boiler. The shielding wall 8 is arranged between the working area 6 and the smelt spouts 2 . The working area 6 refers to that area of the smelt spout area, where the personnel works when performing usage, service and maintenance operation. In the case according to FIG. 2 , the working area 6 is the area to the left of the shielding wall 8 . In FIG. 2 , inter alia, a service platform 7 is located in the working area 6 , which platform forms its own, smaller working area. As can be seen in FIG. 2 , the shielding wall 8 protects the person 1 on the working area 6 by separating the person from a direct contact with the smelt spout 2 . [0027] FIG. 3 shows a shielding unit 9 (shielding module, shielding element) forming the shielding wall 8 in a front view, i.e. when the viewing direction is from the working area 6 towards the smelt spouts 2 . In the example, the shielding unit 9 of the shielding wall 8 comprises two windows 11 , 12 . In the example, the upper one 11 of these windows is fixed and it is intended for performing visual monitoring. The lower window 12 can be opened and closed, and it enables performing the often repeated usage, service and maintenance operation, such as rodding, without having to move the shielding wall 8 to the side. Thanks to the windows 11 , 12 the shielding wall 8 does not need to be opened for visual inspection. Thus, the inspection can be performed from a protected space. There may be several hatches and/or windows 11 , 12 in the shielding wall 8 , or not necessarily any windows and/or hatches at all. The hatches can comprise windows or be solid, depending on the target of use. For example, the shielding wall 8 may comprise a hatch for working and a window for camera monitoring. [0028] FIG. 4 shows an application, where the shielding wall 8 comprises several adjacent shielding units 9 shown in FIG. 3 . The shielding wall 8 can comprise one or more shielding units 9 . In the example, the shielding units 9 of the shielding wall 8 are certain kind of sliding doors, which can be slid in the direction of the boiler wall. For this purpose there are slide rails 13 at the bottom and top, which enable the sliding. Advantageously there are several adjacent rails 13 , such as, for example, three or four rails, in which case when opening the wall it is possible to slide several doors adjacently into a bundle and thus form a larger opening. This has been aimed to be illustrated in FIG. 5 , which shows the application of FIG. 4 in a top view along line A-A. [0029] By opening the shielding wall 8 partly or entirely is created a large and as clear as possible passage to the area behind the line formed by the shielding wall 8 , such as, for example, to the smelt spouts 2 . Thus, it is easier to perform more extensive usage, service and maintenance operation. As can be seen in FIG. 5 , the opening of the shielding wall 8 can be performed by moving the shielding units 9 along the rails 13 . The shielding units 9 on different rails 13 can be mutually placed in such a manner that the second shielding unit is located behind the first shielding unit. The details connected to opening and closing the shielding wall 8 naturally depend on the structure of the shielding wall. The opening and closing may, for example, be based on overlapping, folding and/or removing. [0030] In an application the attachment of the shielding unit 9 of the shielding wall 8 is arranged with a quick clamping, which enables the easy and fast detachment, and if necessary, the removal and/or changing of the shielding unit. [0031] The shielding wall 8 may application-specifically be located on different sides of the boiler (on one or more sides). In a power plant application the shielding wall 8 is on those sides of the boiler where the smelt spouts 2 are located. In another power plant application the shielding wall 8 is placed around the boiler. [0032] The structure of the shielding wall 8 and the individual shielding units 9 may vary application-specifically. Some possible solutions include different kinds of sliding doors, lattice doors, folding doors, roller shutters, etc. In addition, the direction of motion of the shielding units 9 may vary application-specifically. In the previous example the direction of motion of the shielding units 9 is horizontal and in the direction of the boiler wall. In another application the direction of motion of the shielding unit 9 is substantially perpendicular to the boiler wall. In an application the direction of motion of the shielding unit 9 is substantially vertical. In an application the direction of motion of the movement taking place vertically is, in turn, slanted. Especially different curtain-type shielding walls 8 are advantageous to be arranged to move upwards, preferably vertically if possible, in which case the structure does not necessarily have to be rigid in order to control the movement of the shielding wall 8 . The movement of the shielding wall 8 can also be controlled by different solutions, such as, for example, rolls, glides, guide bars, hinges and junction structures. [0033] In selecting the material for the shielding wall 8 it is advantageous to pay attention to, inter alia, thermal resistance and the resistance of the occurring chemicals. The shielding wall 8 should be incombustible and preferably sound-insulating. Because of ease of processing the shielding units 9 of the shielding wall 8 should be light, which, in addition to the materials, is affected by the size and shape of the shielding unit. In some tests a shielding wall 8 manufactured of stainless steel has been detected to be useful. Its sound-insulation can be improved with different sound-insulating materials. There are also other alternatives, such as, for example structures manufacture entirely or partly of metal, composite or ceramic. [0034] The shielding wall 8 must also endure great temperature fluctuations, which occur, inter alia, in connection with the start-up and shutdown of the boiler. Thermal radiation of the boiler causes the dimensions of the shielding wall 8 to change. In addition, a change in the temperature of the shielding wall 8 causes the dimensions to change in its structure. For easy handling the shielding wall 8 must enable the thermal expansion of both the shielding wall and other structures. The changes caused by thermal expansion affecting the shielding wall 8 may be several tens of centimeters in size. The shielding wall 8 can, for example, be implemented in such a manner that its structure is flexible or its structure increases and decreases according to need. It is also possible that the attachment solution enables thermal radiation. [0035] The space around the boiler defined by the shielding wall can be substantially solid or breathing. A breathing structure can be implemented in a variety of ways. The shielding wall 8 can, for example, be formed in such a manner that air can flow between the shielding units 9 of the shielding wall. It is also possible to use different breather and valve structures for pressure balancing. The flow of air and other gases can also be controlled with various types of channel structures. For example, a pipe can be lead to the outside from the space defined around the boiler by the shielding wall 8 . Different pressure shocks may occur in the space in question, for example, when a malfunction is created in the smelt spout 2 , such as, for example, a smelt flush. [0036] FIGS. 2 and 4 show a service platform 7 as well. In the example, the service platform 7 is intended for the usage, service and maintenance operation of the so-called primary register level. In the example according to the figure, the primary register level is above the smelt spouts 2 and it comprises, inter alia, primary air nozzles 5 . The service platform 7 is arranged to be movable. In the example, the service platform 7 comprises wheels, which are located in the rails 14 in the floor. The path of the service platform 7 is controlled by means of the rails 14 . It is also possible to arrange the service platform 7 to be movable in another manner. Moving the service platform 7 and/or the shielding wall 8 may application-specifically take place either manually and/or with engine power, such as, for example, by electric motor usage. [0037] The shielding wall 8 described above protects the person 1 on the service platform 7 . It is also possible to arrange a shielding wall 10 in connection with the service platform 7 . Thus, the shielding wall 10 moves along with the service platform 7 always being between the working area of the service platform and the smelt spouts 2 , thus protecting the working area. The shielding wall 10 of this service platform 7 can also be equipped with different hatches and windows, for example, as has been described above. The size and appearance of the shielding wall 10 of the service platform may vary depending on the target of use. [0038] The shielding effect of the shielding wall 8 , as well as work safety can be improved by arranging the devices in the smelt spout area in advantageous positions. By designing the primary air nozzles 5 for example smaller, the working position is made safer and more ergonomic. As can be seen in FIG. 2 , by arranging the first side of the air nozzle 5 (the side opposite to the side connected to the furnace) close to the vertical line formed by the shielding wall 8 , the person 1 does not have to reach as much as in solutions of prior art. [0039] By combining, in various ways, the modes and structures disclosed in connection with the different embodiments of the invention presented above, it is possible to produce various embodiments of the invention in accordance with the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the above-presented examples must not be interpreted as restrictive to the invention, but the embodiments of the invention may be freely varied within the scope of the inventive features presented in the claims hereinbelow.

A method for improving the operation safety of the smelt spout area of a recovery boiler, which smelt spout area comprises a working area ( 6 ), as well as smelt spouts ( 2 ) connected to the lower part of the boiler for directing the smelt from the boiler to a dissolving tank ( 4 ). In the method the smelt spouts ( 2 ) are separated from the working area ( 6 ) by a shielding wall ( 8, 10 ) arranged movable in relation to the smelt spouts. The invention also relates to a smelt spout area of a recovery boiler.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/ES2010/070294, filed 4 May 2010, the disclosure of which Application is incorporated by reference herein. FIELD AND OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is a CO 2 capturing binder, with an amortized environmental cost, the method of manufacture thereof by means of purifying and optimizing carbide lime paste selected for use as a cementing material, and aggregates for the manufacture of lime paints and slurries, stuccos, mortars and concretes having multiple applications in the construction industry, in architectural restoration, in public works and land conditioning. The binder object of the present invention is basically characterized in that the raw material is a selected residue in the form of sludge generated in the industrial manufacture of acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) from calcium carbide (CaC 2 ) the fundamental component of which is calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH) 2 ) in highly reactive nanometric formations treated in a specific manner according to the invention for: (1) neutralizing the penalizing effect of impurities due to the presence of sulfides, sulfites and sulfates, as well as heavy metals (contaminants) by means of oxidation and treatment with Ba(OH) 2 and anhydrous barium sulfate (highly insoluble) co-precipitation; (2) eliminating the presence of organic carbon residues penalizing the reactivity of carbide lime in contact with silica and alumino-silicates by means of the aforementioned oxidation process; (3) enhancing pozzolanic hydraulic reactions; (4) maintaining the ambient CO 2 capturing capacity and air-setting capacity (carbonation); and (5) preserving the ease of the particles to produce agglomerations with a very consistent three-dimensional microstructure for the purpose of obtaining a material with cementing functions for the formation of aggregates with the capacity for capturing unhealthy gases that are harmful for the environment, produced virtually without energy or environmental cost. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The study and application of materials containing residues derived from different types of industries in public works and construction is one of the technological and research fields which have advanced the most in recent years. In fact there is an entire new generation of cementing materials for use in construction and public works based on recycling silica/alumina-rich residues such as silica fume and fly ash, among others. On the other hand, in recent years a clear tendency towards the development and application of construction materials involving a minimum energy cost and a minimum contaminant emission in their manufacture while at the same time being, as an added value, materials compatibles with the environment, or at best, materials which contribute to overcoming pressing problems such as the emission of greenhouse or toxic gases, has been observed. In this sense, lime (Ca(OH) 2 ) is a very powerful cementing material since in addition to being compatible with the great majority of factory items (stone, brick, etc.), its hardening entails capturing atmospheric CO 2 . Residues generated in the manufacture of acetylene from calcium carbide have been used from the beginning of the existence of these residues in the treatment of agriculture and gardening lands, in the bacterial inerting of sewage water and wastes and in the preparation of concretes and mortars for direct use in construction works or for the manufacture of pre-manufactured elements. Some known inventions use these residues for the manufacture of different products applicable in the construction industry but none has the object of applying the residues in capturing gases or optimizing carbide lime characteristics to prevent the problems which the impurities of the latter cause, which has prevented the widespread use of this residue. Said optimization of carbide limes allows producing a cementing material specialized in the reduction and storage of greenhouse gases, an aspect not claimed in any known invention. Nor do inventions relating to carbide limes determine, like in this invention, the physical characterization of the residues, the form of preservation and transport and the manufacturing conditions and they therefore also do not even mention, claim or establish the means to achieve that objective. There are also many studies and ample knowledge on the properties of the calcium hydroxide as a chemical compound, on slaked limes, hydraulic limes, and commercial air limes, but there are no in-depth studies of the residual sludges from the manufacture of acetylene from calcium carbide in terms of the characterization of its hydraulic and air reactivity and its carbonation kinetics aimed at using this residue as a construction material characterized by its CO 2 absorbing environmental activity. Although there are some partial studies on physicochemical characteristics of carbide limes and on their pozzolanic activity or application as a cementing material, they always relate to non-optimized limes (without removing impurities). As indicated in this specification, there is no study on the effects of the process for optimizing lime proposed herein. The documents found which could be pointed out as the relevant background for the discussion of the novelty of the invention are the following: FR561352 (THOMMELIN, M.A-II), Aug. 3, 1923, which claims the use of residual limes from acetylene production in the manufacture of blocks for construction. They in no case propose the purification and optimization of carbide lime properties or its applications as a CO 2 capturing material. In the same manner, but by using carbide lime and other residual limes (for example, from the sugar-making industry) FR714380 (VERNEY, H-J-M.), Jul. 24, 1930, proposes the mixture with pozzolans to obtain a construction material with hydraulic properties. Similarly to the case discussed above, it does not propose, in any case, the purification and optimization of carbide lime paste or its exploitation as a cementing material for capturing greenhouse gases. U.S. Pat. No. 1,635,212 (PREST-O-LITE Company, New Cork; Herrly, C. J.) Jul. 12, 1927, which claims the use of mixtures of carbide lime with cellulose and silicates for the manufacture of blocks which can be used in construction once calcined at temperatures of up to 700° C. It does not claim, in any case, the prior treatment and purification of carbide lime. The heating of the blocks to obtain the final product is not compatible with that described herein since in addition to the costs which it involves, it generates a significant volume of CO 2 emission. CH 237 590 A (DICKMANN MAX [CH]) 15 May 1945 (1945-05-15). It claims the use of residual sludges formed mainly by the calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH) 2 ) which is generated in the chemical industries using calcium carbide (CaC 2 )+water (H 2 O) to manufacture acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) gas in construction. It does not however propose any type of purification or optimization of the product prior to its use as a cementing material, nor does it describe any type of specific process for processing the carbide lime, storage, prevention of carbonation, or applications as a CO 2 capturing element, use in preserving the artistic historical heritage, and it omits or ignores the irreversible aggregation properties of the residues used by the invention and does not assess the optimization of its hydraulic reactivity with respect to pozzolans. In summary, the use of residual limes is proposed simply for lowering costs and, as it does not attribute high cementing capacity to it, the use of other related materials from hydraulic cementing, such as hydraulic limes, cements and slag, is proposed to obtain quick setting and to increase the mechanical properties. WO 99/18151 A (REBASE PRODUCTS INC [CA]; LILLEY MARTIN J [CA]; MEADE D MARK [CA]; MOR) 15 Apr. 1999 (1999-04-15), which claims the use of residues from calcium carbide as part of a compound based on any thermoplastic polymer which can further include any additive of those commonly used in the thermoplastic polymer transformation industry. It does not mention, in any case, the purification of these residues or their cementing function or the manufacture of mortars and concretes characterized by the mixture of cementing minerals, aggregates and water, and it also does not mention the use thereof in the construction industry. Al-Khaja, W. A. (Engineering Journal of Qatar University, vol. 5, 1992, p. 57-67) and Al-Khaja, W. A. et al. (Resources Conservation and Recycling, 6, 1992, p. 179-190) studied the effects of the addition of carbide lime in the preparation of mortars (with and without Portland cement), observing that the mechanical performances thereof is slightly reduced when compared to mortars prepared with calcitic limes resulting from the calcination and hydration of limestones. However, the authors did not select or optimize or purify the carbide limes, as proposed in this invention, which, as has been discussed, could explain why the mortars with impure carbide limes have a worse mechanical behavior than those prepared with traditional calcitic limes. On the other hand, the capacity of carbide limes (with impurities) for producing hydraulic cements once mixed with metakaolin and silica fume as described by Morsy, M. S (Ceramics-Silikáty, 49, 2005, p. 225-229) has been studied. However, the transformation rate of non-purified carbide lime is rather low, even after 28 days of reaction. The process of selecting, purifying and optimizing the carbide lime object of the present invention significantly improves the hydraulic reactivity of carbide lime as described in detail below. Different methods of purifying carbide lime to thus enable appointing it for different industrial uses of high added value have also been proposed. These treatments described in EP1150919B1 (Of Pauw Gerlings, J & Hendrikus, M; CalciTech, 7 Nov. 2001), include: a) heating at 800° C., a high energy consumption and high economical cost method; b) filtration, a rather ineffective process in removing impurities which tends to present problems due to the small particle size of the carbide lime calcium hydroxide which blocks the filters; c) dissolving the carbide lime calcium hydroxide in water and separating the insoluble impurities. Such dissolution is performed in the absence (WO97/13723, Bunger et al., BUNGER AND ASSOCIATES, INC., 17 Apr. 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,500, Bunger et al., BUNGER AND ASSOCIATES, INC., 8 Dec. 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,833, Bunger et al., BUNGER AND ASSOCIATES, INC., 7 Dec. 1999) or in the presence of complexing agents and/or organic additives (EP1150919B1). In the first case, the volume of water needed is large given the low solubility of calcium hydroxide (its solubility product is 10 −5.19 ; therefore its solubility at room temperature and pressure is about 2 g/l), which makes the use of this process in an economical manner difficult except in the cases in which the final product is of high added value (for example, in the manufacture of precipitated calcium carbonate for use in the paper industry). The addition of different types of complexing agents (for example, sorbitol or sucrose) increases the amount of Ca(OH) 2 dissolved in water (up to 70 g/l), therefore the process is more efficient (EP1150919B1), but its drawbacks include, first, the costs of the additives used, and second, the presence of the latter which can interfere in the subsequent use of the purified carbide lime solution. On the other hand, dissolving calcium hydroxide crystals entails the loss of all the physical and microstructural characteristics of carbide lime, characteristics which are, as described below, essential for the different applications of said lime as a binding material with hydraulic capacity in the presence of alumino-silicates and highly reactive in capturing CO 2 and other contaminating gases, this process producing an effect contrary to that sought in the present invention. It therefore seems that the existing patents as well as the research work published up until now do not disclose or claim any of the aspects of the present invention. Although the limes obtained both by traditional routes (limestone calcination and lime slaking) and by the latter route (carbide lime) are chemically formed by Ca(OH) 2 virtually at >80%, their properties (reactivity with respect to CO 2 or other gases such as SO 2 and NOx, binding and hardening capacity, rheology, reactivity with respect to pozzolans or other compounds with silica and alumina, among others) are largely conditioned by a series of parameters such as: a) Crystal size and its distribution b) Crystalline morphology (habit) c) Degree of agglomeration, as well as aggregate morphology and size d) Specific surface area e) Concentration of water in a paste f) Content and type of impurities considering all these aspects, dry limes and lime pastes (with an excess of water) from the acetylene industry where the different parameters characterizing them are quantified have been studied. Emphasis has been placed on comparing the characteristics of the selected carbide limes with those calcitic limes manufactured by means of calcination and slaking (hydration) of limestone has been emphasized since these are more common in industrial applications and in construction. In this sense, the carbide lime generally has significantly better physical and microstructural properties than those of conventional calcitic limes, especially due to their reduced particle size, planar morphology, low aggregation tendency and large surface area. These characteristics make carbide limes very reactive with respect to gas (CO 2 and/or SO 2 ) fixation and with respect to hydraulic processes (great capacity for solubilizing silica and alumina and precipitating calcium silicate and aluminate hydrates). The study conducted for the development of this invention has revealed that the selected residue which is generated in the manufacture of acetylene from calcium carbide, commonly referred to as lime, in spite of having a chemical composition very similar to traditional calcitic hydrated limes, has however, in addition to relevant impurities, unique physical properties distinguishing them from all other limes, giving it a different physicochemical characterization. Said physicochemical characteristics are summarized in Table 1 where they are compared with the characteristics of a calcitic hydrated lime, representative of those produced by calcination and hydration of limestones. TABLE 1 Physicochemical characteristics of the selected carbide lime and calcitic limes. Lime Carbide lime Calcitic lime Percentage of solids 0.25  0.39 (in the paste) Surface area 37 m2/g 11.1 m2/g Primary particle size 5 to 100 nm 100 to 200 nm Mean aggregate size 7 μm 9-15 μm Phases Portlandite 80% 94% Calcite  6%  5% Others (calcium sulfite hydrate; 14% 1% (alumino- alumino-silicate hydrates; silicates) inorganic and organic carbon) Composition (% by weight, except indication in ppm) SiO 2 2.502  0.035 A1 2 O 3 1.264  0.019 Fe 2 O 3 0.093  0.02 MgO 0.105  0.28 CaO 69.614 76.006 Na 2 O 0.018  0 K 2 O 0.007  0 TiO 2 0.025  0 S (ppm) 6238 36 Cl (ppm) 223  0 Ni (ppm) 27  0 Cu (ppm) 37 33 Sr (ppm) 158 59 Zr (ppm) 17  0 Loss on calcination 24.7 23.6 The results of the different analyses and tests carried out allow indicating the following conclusions with respect to the characteristics of the selected carbide lime, the use of some additives and the cementing material obtained from the optimized carbide lime, also an object of the invention: The selected carbide lime has morphology, habit, particle size and degree of aggregation characteristics giving it a very large surface area. Said physico-structural characteristics suggest that it is a material with a high gas (CO 2 and SO 2 ) capturing capacity and favors pozzolanic reactions. The selected carbide lime has a portlandite (Ca(OH) 2 ) crystal size typically less than 100 nm and generally in the range of 5-100 nm as the analyses by transmission electron microscopy demonstrate ( FIG. 1 a ). The carbide lime is therefore a nanomaterial. The primary particle size is less than that of the calcitic air limes produced by calcination and hydration of limestone characterized between 100 and 200 nm. The selected carbide limes have a low degree of aggregation, the aggregates formed being less than 10 μm in size, and generally between 2 and 8 μm ( FIG. 1 b ). Furthermore, said aggregates are normally non-oriented particle aggregates and are therefore easily redispersible. In contrast, commercial calcitic air limes and particularly the more common lime powder typically include large aggregates (up to 20 μm) which tend to have oriented, therefore, irreversible aggregation. This gives them a relatively small surface area and, therefore, limited reactivity. The small particle size and the low degree of aggregation thereof, as well as an eminently planar morphology of the hexagonal portlandite crystals in the selected carbide limes means that they have surface area values>30 m 2 /g, occasionally close to 40 m 2 /g, a value which doubles or even triples the surface area value of calcitic limes. Such a large surface area value indicates that the carbide lime will be extremely reactive. The high reactivity thereof has, as an unwanted effect, an early carbonation during storage and transport if precautions are not taken (storage in perfectly hermetic containers). The phases forming the selected carbide lime paste are: portlandite (≧80% by weight), with traces of calcite, carbonaceous particles (inorganic carbon, essentially graphite, and organic carbon ( FIG. 1 c ), calcium sulfite hydrate ( FIG. 1 d ) and calcium alumino-silicate hydrate. Furthermore, metals such as Ni, Cu, Sr and Zr are detected at concentrations which jointly exceed 200 ppm. The concentration of calcite increases during the drying of the lime paste (early carbonation) from values of 5 to 10% by weight to values of 20 to 25% by weight. Furthermore, said drying causes the oriented aggregation (irreversible) of the portlandite particles (which reduces their surface area). Therefore, in this invention, the use of dry carbide limes (powder) is rejected because the calcite in carbide limes would act as an inert material and because the oriented aggregation of portlandite crystals, result of said drying, reduces the reactivity. Since carbide limes contain silica and alumina at concentrations ranging between 1 and 3% by weight, the presence of calcium alumino-silicate hydrate formed after solubilization of these compounds present in the selected carbide lime at high pH is detected. The existence of Ca in solution, result of dissolving the portlandite, finally brings about the precipitation of the calcium alumino-silicate hydrate. The presence of this alumino-silicate demonstrates that the selected carbide lime is slightly hydraulic, although it is not strictly a hydraulic lime. The presence of impurities, especially organic carbon (in solution, in porous aggregates ( FIG. 1 c ), and absorbed in the portlandite crystals), sulfides and heavy metals is a problem which has not been solved up until now and limits the industrial and technological use of such carbide limes which, on the other hand, have much better size, morphology and surface area characteristics than those of hydrated limes obtained by calcination and hydration of limestones. These characteristics can vary according to the purity and quality of the original residues and the processing used during the manufacture of the calcium carbide. Low quality raw materials and processing translate into a low performance carbide lime. Thus for example, Cardoso et al. (Powder Technology, 2009, vol. 195, p. 143-148) describe low surface area (11.3 m 2 /g) carbide limes having very reduced quality with an excess of graphite (5% by weight). The use of these low quality residues, although ruled out in this invention, is not recommended for the applications indicated herein. For this reason a study of the aforementioned parameters is essential to use and obtain a product having optimum performance by means of treatment according to the inventive method. In the drawings attached: The patent file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. FIG. 1 a depicts the transmission electronic microscopy analysis of the selected carbide lime with portlandite (Ca(OH) 2 crystal size typically less than 100 nm and generally in the range of 5-100 nm. FIG. 1 b depicts the microphotography showing the low degree of aggregation of the selected carbide limes, the size of aggregates formed being less than 10 μm and generally between 2 and 8 μm. FIGS. 1 c and 1 d depict the microphotography showing the phases forming the selected carbide lime paste which are: portlandite (≧80% by weight) with traces of calcite, carbonaceous particles (inorganic carbon, essentially graphite, and organic carbon ( 1 c ), calcium sulfite hydrate ( 1 d ) and calcium alumino-silicate hydrate. FIG. 2 depicts the X-ray diffraction analysis of mixtures with class A carbide limes non-optimized according to the inventive method proposed herein as comparison FIG. 3 depicts the pozzolanic reactivity of the class A carbide limes untreated, class A carbide lime treated according to the invention and conventional hydrated calcitic lime expressed as conductivity variation over time. FIG. 4 depicts the SEM microphotography of class A carbide lime slurry optimized according to the inventive method mixed with METAPOR and with TiO 2 nanoparticles (anatase) and EDX microanalysis. The invention relates to a method for treating carbide lime residues, ideally applicable to residues which preferably have the suitable initial properties in terms of relevant physicochemicals characteristics, such as the case of those selected in the preliminary work of this invention, so that the products manufactured therewith have optimum performance, such that after the treatment they are not potentially toxic or they are not able to release contaminating elements (heavy metals) and gases (hydrogen sulfide), they do not release soluble sulfates which can cause the destruction of construction materials by crystallizing in the porous interior thereof, and at the same time, such carbide limes optimized and purified by the method of this invention have a high cementing capacity by air-setting primarily, although the setting can be hydraulic in the presence of pozzolanic materials, and so that they can meet the function of capturing ambient CO 2 and SO 2 (which is described in the earlier patent E 09380047.2 by TRENZAMETAL, S.L.). Firstly, the method consists of the fact that from the moment the selected residues are removed from the acetylene generator to the moment of their incorporation in the mixtures for manufacturing the final products, they permanently maintain the calcium hydroxide contained therein, decanted in the original aqueous solution without contact with the air or vacuum-packaged in hermetically closed containers if the original water content is less than 25% of the total weight and preferably if it is less than 35% of the final weight. Thus the negative effects due, on one hand, to the early carbonation, and on the other, to the reduction of the lime reactivity due to drying and the subsequent oriented aggregation of the calcium hydroxide particles, are prevented. Furthermore the oxidation treatment of the residues with hydrogen peroxide or another oxidizing reagent (for example, oxygen or mixtures of oxygen and nitrogen gases, among others), or bubbling with air in which the CO 2 has been previously removed, is incorporated. The process for producing air without CO 2 according to this invention consists of isolating the calcium hydroxide saturated solution, making up the supernatant liquid in the previously decanted carbide lime residues, in containers and subsequently using one of the following processes: 1) passing the air taken from the environment, bubbling it through the saturated solution contained in the containers; 2) passing the ambient air through a series of vertical curtains of the saturated solution; and 3) passing the air inside a tunnel through a cloud of the micronized solution. Said process allows oxidizing the sulfides from the impurities of the carbon used in the manufacture of calcium carbide, susceptible of generating hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) and sulfites until forming sulfates. The sulfur in a reducing medium (due to the presence of carbon residues giving the carbide lime a grayish hue) is hydrolyzed forming hydrogen sulfide and is subsequently oxidized forming sulfites (in an alkaline medium). The oxidation of sulfides and sulfites generates calcium sulfate which is subsequently treated according to the invention to form insoluble barium sulfate. The oxidation treatment has significant effects on the cementing properties of the product since it also causes the oxidation of the organic carbon present in the carbide lime paste. Said organic matter inhibits the pozzolanic reactions which can take place upon mixing the carbide lime with different type of pozzolanic materials (metakaolin, slag, silica fume, fly ash, expanded glass, etc.) and other natural alumino-silicate materials such as clays. Such effect is achieved both by means of treatment with hydrogen peroxide or another oxidizing reagent (for example, oxygen or mixtures of oxygen and nitrogen gases, among others), and in a more economic and efficient manner by using air without CO 2 obtained by means of the method described in this invention. The method for optimizing and purifying carbide limes also contemplates the addition of barium hydroxide for the fixation of heavy metals (fundamentally Sr, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn) and transformation of calcium sulfates (result of the oxidation of the sulfur compounds according to the method described above) into insoluble barite which, upon precipitating, incorporates said contaminating metals. In the case of adding barium hydroxide in excess, the latter would reinforce the air-setting capacity of the carbide lime by transforming into very insoluble barium carbonate with high cementing power. The material obtained after the treatment and optimization of the carbide lime as described in the inventive step which is object of the invention, acquires its full cementing capacity mixed with common soil minerals, especially the more reactive and abundant ones such as kaolinite and smectites, obtaining compact aggregates having sufficient strength not only for compacting soils but also for forming pavements, floors and surface courses in streets, roads and highways. The high reactivity of the material obtained after the treatment and optimization of the carbide lime makes it especially ideal as a material of high hydraulic cementing potential once mixed with pozzolans. The tests performed demonstrate that the hydraulic reactivity of the carbide lime optimized according to the inventive method is greater than that of non-optimized carbide lime and much greater than that of traditional calcitic limes prepared by means of calcination and slaking of limestone. Construction elements, whether pre-manufactured or made in situ, and generally products manufactured with the material object of this invention, during their service life, once their hydraulic setting reaction has ended in the event that pozzolans are added or it is applied to alumino-silicate materials (soils), while the air-setting process continues, are a very powerful CO 2 absorbent due to the continuous process for returning the calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH) 2 ) to its original natural mineral composition of calcite (CaCO 3 ) by means of the carbonation process according to the following reaction: Ca(OH) 2 +CO 2 →CaCO 3 +H2O The carbide lime optimized according to the inventive method do not present the drawbacks observed in the past in relation to the low strength of the non-optimized carbide lime-based constructive elements (mortars), such as described in the literature (Al-Khaja et al. 1992, Resources Conservation and Recycling 6, 179-190). Likewise, the carbide limes optimized according to the method proposed in the inventive step show a greater pozzolanic reactivity than the mixtures of pozzolan (for example, metakaolin and silica fume) and carbide lime with impurities (untreated) used in the past (Morsy, 2005, Ceramics-Silikáty, 49, 225-229). After 10 days of setting, a mixture of optimized carbide lime and metakaolin/expanded silica in a proportion by weight of 0.75 (with a solids/water ratio of 0.66) cured at room temperature in an atmosphere of 93% relative humidity caused the complete consumption of the lime calcium hydroxide and the mass precipitation of calcium silicate and aluminate hydrates. Similar mixtures with carbide limes not optimized according to the inventive method proposed herein did not allow obtaining the complete consumption of the portlandite even after 28 days of setting (Morsy, 2005, op. cit.). DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The studies conducted for this invention have discovered that despite the fact that certain residues from the manufacture of acetylene from calcium carbide do not strictly make up a hydraulic lime, they do have crystallization habits and morphology making them extraordinarily reactive both in solubilizing and capturing gases and with respect to alumino-silicates and pozzolans in the presence of water, resulting in very hard irreversible cementing aggregations of calcium carbonate and calcium aluminate and silicate hydrates (in the case of reaction with natural alumino-silicates and natural and artificial pozzolans) having high resistance to alteration processes. The lime of the invention according to the inventive method described herein is a new purified and optimized cementing material giving it a high CO 2 capturing capacity and high hydraulic reactivity obtained from the selected residual sludges generated in the manufacture of acetylene from calcium carbide, which are optimized and purified according to the steps described below: 1.—Selecting the Residues The residues have been selected according to the physical characteristics to classify them according to their reactivity potential with respect to capturing gases and hydraulic reactivity. Class B residues, the primary calcium hydroxide particles of which have sizes greater than 100 nm, are of interest for use as an air-setting binder with CO 2 capturing capacity. Class A residues with primary calcium hydroxide particles of sizes less than 100 nm further have a very high reactivity capable of carrying out the pozzolanic hydraulic reactions in the period of 28 days. The two classes of limes have air-setting, hydraulic-setting and CO 2 capturing capacity, but class A residues can also behave as a high performance hydraulic cementing binder, therefore, class A residues can be recommended as hydraulic binders and class B residues are not recommended as hydraulic binders. 2.—Collecting and Preserving the Residues Since calcium hydroxide, and particularly class A and B residues from the manufacture of acetylene from calcium carbide are characterized by their instability, their properties can be modified or can even be taken away easily due to treatments and unsuitable handling. Solid residues must be permanently kept in anaerobic conditions, completely isolated from contact with the ambient air, preserved from environmental reducing environments and in suspension in the original water in a quantity sufficient for preventing the oriented aggregation of the calcium hydroxide particles, such that a uniform layer of floating liquid is formed. In the event that the water contained in the residues is less than 35% by weight, they must be stored in airless vacuum-closed hermetic containers. 3.—Decanting and Collecting the Calcium Hydroxide Saturated Supernatant Solution The carbide lime generated in the industrial manufacture of acetylene, a process which typically implies the hydration of calcium carbide in an excess of water, forms a paste with a proportion of water ranging between 55 and 80% by weight, in which different solids are dispersed. Most of the compounds present in the solution are decanted by gravity, producing a calcium hydroxide saturated supernatant liquid layer capable of contributing to the process for optimizing and purifying the lime. To that end, this supernatant solution must be collected, transferred and stored in specific containers by means of leak-tight ducts for the purpose of preventing aeration of the solution. 4.—Eliminating Impurities. Oxidizing Sulfides, Sulfites and Organic Carbon The fraction of solids present in class A and B residues is essentially formed by Ca(OH) 2 particles (at concentrations ranging between 75 and 90% by weight), variables proportions of CaCO 3 (1 to 20% by weight; depending on the exposure to air thereof) and between 5 and 15% by weight of impurities (sulfides, sulfites and sulfates, inorganic carbon residues (graphite) and organic carbon residues, alumino-silicates and other inorganic impurities—heavy metals—), by-product of the calcined limestone and the carbon used in the manufacture of calcium carbide. The impurities existing in carbide lime, in addition to being an impediment to its use in industry and in construction, can affect the reactivity of the limes. Thus, for example, the presence of organic carbon molecules which tend to be absorbed on the portlandite crystals, directly affects the hydraulic activity of said limes with respect to pozzolans. It has been necessary to that end to perform detailed microstructural studies to evaluate the modifications affecting the pozzolanic, carbonation, mechanical and durability properties of the cementing material object of the invention. The sulfides and sulfites present in the carbide lime paste are removed according to the invention by means of oxidizing and transforming into sulfate (from calcium: gypsum) while the organic carbon of the carbide lime paste is oxidized. To that end different oxidizing products such as hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), pure gases (oxygen) or mixtures of gases (oxygen and nitrogen), or other oxidizing products (non-contaminating and which do no negatively interfere with the carbide lime composition and properties) can be used. According to the invention, air can be used as a more economical and highly efficient alternative once bubbled through a calcium hydroxide saturated solution, or forced through a series of curtains of this solution, or also channeled through a tunnel of micronized saturated solution. Said solution is obtained according to step 3 after decanting the supernatant from the lime paste and/or from the filtering water of the carbide lime paste and is transferred to a deposit prepared for such purpose. By means of this process, when the air CO 2 dissolves in the lime water, it is transformed into high pH (12.4) carbonates of said solution and when it reacts with the Ca present in the solution, it precipitates as calcium carbonate. The precipitated calcium carbonate (typically calcite scalenohedrons of micrometric size) can be used as an inert filler in the carbide lime aggregates themselves, in the paper industry, or in other high added value uses. To assure the complete air CO 2 removal, bubbling the same in several calcium hydroxide saturated solution tanks (supernatant of the carbide lime paste) arranged in a sequential manner is proposed such that upon observing that the air coming from a bubbling tank no longer reacts with the lime water of the next tank (therefore not forming a calcium carbonate precipitate), said air from which all the CO 2 has been removed can be bubbled in the lime paste until completely oxidizing the sulfides and sulfites into sulfates, as well as oxidizing the organic carbon, without causing the carbonation of the carbide lime paste. During the bubbling it is convenient to remove the lime paste by mechanical means, thus facilitating the homogenous development of the oxidation reaction in the entire volume of carbide lime paste. In the work performed for the development of the invention, a fraction of the carbide lime paste was treated with oxygenated water (H 2 O 2 ), adding 10 ml of oxygenated water at 33% vol. for every 100 ml of lime paste, a constant bubbling being immediately observed. Such bubbling proves the presence of organic matter which, when oxidized, is transformed into CO 2 , the gas responsible for the bubbling, together with the O 2 in excess. After 48 hours, the bubbling ceased and the unpleasant “rotten egg” odor typical of hydrogen sulfide, disappeared. The oxygenated water oxidized the organic carbon residues present in the paste, preventing the generation of the hydrogen sulfide by increasing the redox potential of the solution. This increase of the oxidation potential in the paste caused the oxidation of the sulfur residues, transforming them into sulfates. The X-ray diffraction analyses of the carbide limes treated according to the oxidation method described prove the disappearance of the sulfites and their transformation into sulfates while the amount of CO 2 released after oxidizing the organic matter absorbed in the portlandite crystals, and also present as porous organic carbon structures, does not generate a detectable early carbonation (±5% by weight of CaCO 3 ) are clearly shown. The N 2 absorption analyses at 77 K demonstrate that the carbide lime treated according to the oxidation method described does not experience a significant change in the particle size and the surface area thereof since this is only reduced from the values of 37 m 2 /g (before the treatment) to the values of 31 m 2 /g; these values are much greater than those of conventional hydrated calcitic limes. Said reduction of the surface area value is precisely due to the oxidation and removal of organic carbon which, as clearly shown by the transmission electron microscopy studies, tends to form very porous structures ( FIG. 1 c ). As has been indicated, the hydrogen peroxide, (or another oxidizing component, gas or solid), or the air from which CO 2 has been removed, react by attacking the organic carbon residues present in the residues from carbon (coke) provided in calcium carbide production. This is a very positive action because it deactivates unwanted interactions in future reactions with other inorganic materials, essentially alumino-silicates, such as clays or other pozzolanic materials, which reactions are necessary for the hydraulic-setting of the material. It is known that the adsorption of different types of organic compounds on the surface of alumino-silicates, both pozzolanic materials (metakaolin) and clay minerals, deactivates them, making them resistant to treatments with a strong base (Ca(OH) 2 , KOH or NaOH) (Claret et al., 2002 Clays and Clay Minerals 50, 633-646), therefore the development of hydraulic type reactions, which are important in the applications which are detailed below, is prevented. Such effect occurs even with concentrations of organic carbon much less than 1% by weight. On the other hand, the small amount of CO 2 generated after the oxidation of said traces of organic carbon do not produce a detectable early carbonation. 5.—Neutralizing the Negative Effects of Sulfates and Precipitating Toxic Elements Together with the previous treatment, it is necessary to eliminate the negative effects which the sulfates, essentially calcium sulfate hydrate (gypsum: CaSO 4 .2H 2 O), may have which, since it is a soluble salt (solubility product about 10 −5 ), would generally penalize the use of carbide lime as a construction material and especially in architectural restoration interventions due to the fact that soluble sulfates can crystallize in the porous interior of construction or ornamental materials causing irreversible damages (alteration by salt crystallization). To that end, the lime paste is treated with barium hydroxide, which brings about the dissolution of the calcium sulfate and the subsequent precipitation of barium sulfate (barite, BaSO 4 ). Barium oxide is extremely insoluble (its solubility product is about 10 −10 , therefore it is 5 orders of magnitude more insoluble than gypsum), barium sulfate ultimately being an inert material. What is most interesting of this new method for fixing the sulfates of carbide lime is that barium oxide has a great capacity for co-precipitating heavy toxic elements (Zhu, C. 2004. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 68, 3327-3337) present in carbide lime. Their immobilization by incorporation in the structure of insoluble barium sulfate assures that these elements will not be leached in the future after applying the lime pastes in the different uses described herein. This means that carbide lime residues meet the existing restrictive environmental standards in terms of the presence of heavy metals in the environment. The amount of barium hydroxide to be added is equivalent in moles to that of sulfates present in the lime paste. Thus, for example, in the case of the carbide lime analyzed in FIG. 1 (see Table 1), having an amount of S of 0.6% by weight, it will be necessary to add an amount of 0.018 moles of Ba(OH) 2 for every 100 g of solids in the lime paste. If required, it is easy to remove the barium sulfate from the lime paste either by gravimetric separation methods or by simple decantation given the large density difference between portlandite (2.23 g/cm 3 ) and barium oxide (4.48 g/cm 3 ), or according to flotation methods (the surface charge of portlandite at pH 12.4 is +, whereas that of barium oxide is −). Said barium oxide can be used in different already known uses, including the uses thereof as pigment in paints or in ceramic enamels, or as filler in drilling muds. If Ba hydroxide is added in excess, the effect can also be beneficial since, in addition to removing calcium sulfates, it precipitates barium carbonate together with the calcium carbonate formed during the carbonation and hardening of the optimized carbide lime-based construction materials. Barium carbonate has a lower solubility and a lower dissolving speed than calcite (the solubility product of BaCO 3 —witherite—is 10 −8.56 ; whereas that of calcite is 10 −8.48 ) therefore it is more resistant to alteration phenomena and has a high cementing power (Lewin and Baer, 1974, Studies in Conservation, 19, 24-35). 6.—Filtering and Rheological Adaptation After the accelerated oxidation of the residues with hydrogen peroxide (typically after 48 hours) or with air without CO 2 , and exposed to the action of Ba hydroxide once the bubbling of CO 2 and of the excess O 2 ceases, the lime paste is transferred in leak-tight conditions to the filter press. Once the cakes are extracted in a continuous operating condition, they are rehydrated and kneaded until the paste is rheologically adapted to the applications. The paste obtained must maintain a moisture level above the saturation level because the particles keep absorbing water in the interstitial spaces for time periods exceeding six months. The plasticity of the material will depend on the degree of water absorption of the solution. Kneading with the suitable amount of water is performed continuously and it is dried in hermetic big bags. The hydration process continues in these containers. During their service life, the products manufactured with the lime object of this invention as a cementing component treated by means of the technique of the invention are a very powerful CO 2 absorbent due to the continuous process for returning calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH) 2 ) to its original natural stony calcium carbonate composition by means of the carbonation process whereby the following reaction takes place: (Ca(OH) 2 )+CO 2 →(CO 3 Ca)+H 2 O. This reaction occurs very effectively due to the high reactivity values of the final lime of the invention characterized by the specific porosity and surface area. 7.—Reactivity with Pozzolanic Elements The elements of the class A carbide lime-based product optimized according to the method of the present invention has a greater hydraulic reactivity with respect to alumino-silicates (clays) and pozzolans (for example, metakaolin and mixtures of metakaolin and expanded silica microspheres) than non-optimized carbide limes. Said hydraulic reactivity is also greater than that of conventional calcitic limes produced by calcination and hydration of limestone. This allows the optimal application thereof with pozzolans and in the consolidation and stabilization of natural soils. Thus, class A carbide limes optimized according to the method proposed in the inventive step show greater pozzolanic reactivity than the mixtures of pozzolan (metakaolin and silice fume) and carbide lime with impurities (untreated) used in the past (Morsy, 2005, Ceramics-Silikáty, 49, 225-229). After 10 days of setting, a mixture of carbide lime treated and optimized according to the inventive method and metakaolin/expanded silica (commercial material called METAPOR: see composition in Table 2) in a lime/METAPOR proportion of 0.75 by weight and with a solids/water ratio of 0.66 by weight, cured at room temperature in an atmosphere of 93% relative humidity caused the complete consumption of the lime calcium hydroxide and the mass precipitation of calcium silicate and aluminate hydrates, as demonstrated by the X-ray diffraction analyses shown in FIG. 2 . TABLE 2 METAPOR composition (% by weight) SiO2 51.55 Al2O3 31.21 Fe2O3 0.3374 Cr2O3 0.0341 TiO2 0.22 MgO 0.301 CaO 2.466 MnO 0.01 BaO 0.101 PbO 0.0617 Na2O 9.483 K2O 1.727 P2O5 0.178 SO3 0.037 Cl 0.014 Loss on calcination 2.18 Similar mixtures with class A carbide limes not optimized according to the inventive method proposed herein did not consume such an amount of portlandite after the same period of curing, the amount of calcium aluminate and silicate hydrates formed ( FIG. 2 ) being less. The results of other investigators indicate that impure carbide limes do not consume all the calcium hydroxide, mixed with metakaolin and silica fume in proportions similar to those used herein, not even after 28 days of setting (Morsy, 2005, op. cit.). The same must be mentioned for the case of a mixture similar to the one described above in which commercial hydrated lime (the composition and physicochemical characteristics of which are shown in Table 1) is used. After 10 days of setting, a significant fraction of unreacted Ca(OH) 2 was detected by X-ray diffraction ( FIG. 2 ) whereas the amount of calcium aluminate hydrates and calcium silicate hydrates was much less than in the case of the paste prepared with the carbide lime paste purified and optimized according to the present invention. These results are consistent with pozzolanic reactivity measurements. The pozzolanic reactivity of a class A carbide lime suspension optimized according to the present invention in comparison with METAPOR was greater than that of non-optimized carbide lime and much greater than that of hydrated lime, as reflected by the larger conductivity variation (faster reduction) of said suspension (prepared by mixing 0.4 g of METAPOR and 0.4 g of Ca(OH) 2 , of each type of lime in 100 ml of water, and maintaining it in hermetic containers in a water bath at 28° C.) over time ( FIG. 3 ). These results explain why non-optimized class A carbide limes used both in pozzolanic cements and in the case of Portland cement-based constructive elements (mortars) have, among other drawbacks, a lower strength than the same elements prepared with conventional hydrated limes (Al-Khaja et al. 1992, Resources Conservation and Recycling 6, 179-190). In the event of wanting to prepare a cementing material with hydraulic setting capacity, the optimized class A carbide lime paste will be mixed with pozzolans. Ideally pozzolans formed by silicates and alumino-silicates of thermally treated or untreated residues will be used: metakaolin, silica fume, rice husk, fly ash, expanded glass, silica microspheres, etc. According to the tests conducted, optimal results are obtained using mixtures of metakaolin and expanded glass (expanded silica microspheres) as the pozzolanic material in expanded glass/metakaolin proportions of 0.18. The amount of carbide lime treated according to the invention to be added to the mixture of lime and pozzolan will be up to 80% by weight (dry residue), the minimum amount of lime added being 55% by weight of the mixture to thus assure the complete reaction with the pozzolan described above. 8.—Alcoholic Dispersion On the other hand it was observed that since class A carbide lime has an extremely small particle size, dispersions which are stable in alcohols such as propanol can be obtained. It is known that alcoholic dispersions of nanolimes (calcium hydroxide) synthesized homogenously (Baglioni, P., Dei, L., Ferroni, E. and Giorgi, R. Calcium hydroxide stable suspensions. Patent application IT/FI/96/A/000255, 1996; Baglioni, P., Dei, L., Giorgi, R. and Schettino, C.V. Basic Suspensions: Their Preparation and Use in Processes for Paper Deacidification. International patent PCT/EP02/00319, Jan. 15, 2002.) are effective in the preservation of historical heritage elements. However the synthesis thereof is complex and expensive. Class A carbide lime optimized according to the methods described herein and applied in alcoholic dispersions would be an economical and efficient alternative to said nanolimes in restoration and preservation treatments. 9.—Rheological Additives Some organic additives can modify the morphology and other textural aspects (habit and particle size, as well as the degree of aggregation) of calcium hydroxide crystals in a lime paste as well as those of calcium carbonate formed after carbonation. Since the effectiveness of lignosulfonate as a fluidizer in conventional mortars is known, in studies prior to this invention tests were conducted which determined that due to its high molecular weight, this additive at concentrations greater than 1.5% isolates calcium hydroxide particles, preventing them from capturing CO 2 and therefore the setting thereof by carbonation. However, dosing in concentrations less than 1.5% by weight causes a significant reduction of the paste viscosity, which has beneficial effects in some applications (for example, extrusion of carbide lime-based elements). However, the presence of this additive (or another type of organic additive with fluidizing or dispersing properties) makes the hydraulic reactions between portlandite and alumino-silicates and other pozzolanic materials difficult. To that end and according to this invention, such additives are not used in applications in which optimized class A carbide limes are applied together with pozzolans or as a cementing material of alumino-silicate materials (soil clays). 10.—Interaction of Additives with NOx and Contaminating Hydrocarbon Residues Mixtures incorporating optimized limes object of the invention, water, siliceous aggregates and pozzolans (metakaolin and silica microspheres) to which between 0.3% and 15% by weight of photocatalytic titanium dioxide (anatase) has been added as nanometric particles having sizes similar to those of the calcium hydroxide of the modified carbide lime have been tested and a good attachment of the particles of the latter material inside the hydraulic precipitates (calcium aluminate and silicate hydrates) produced has been confirmed, the titanium particles being exposed upon contact with the air due to the permeability given by the pores found in the aggregations. In fact, as seen in FIG. 4 , in which an SEM microphotography of the class A carbide lime slurry optimized according to the inventive method mixed with METAPOR and with TiO 2 nanoparticles (anatase) is shown, the EDX microanalyses (spectrum inserted in FIG. 4 ) demonstrate that the TiO 2 particles are exposed on the surface of the pores while at the same time they are attached between the cementing microparticle mass of calcium silicate and aluminate hydrates and calcium hydroxides and calcite, forming a very porous matrix. With respect to the efficacy of this photocatalytic system applicable to capturing by means of oxidizing contaminating gases such as NOx, it should be pointed out that the optimization of lime by removing organic carbon prevents interferences with the oxidation potential of titanium oxide. 11.—Capturing CO 2 Optimized carbide lime elements mixed with aggregates in fresh state (non-carbonated) show high porosity and low density. Furthermore, they are materials with a high water absorption coefficient. Its high porosity and the suitable existence of macropores and mesopores assured that the carbonation process can be relatively fast and homogenous, reaching the entire volume of the material. Partially carbonated optimized carbide lime elements mixed with aggregates experience a reduction of the porosity and of the volume of pores having sizes less than 100 nm. This enhances the durability of such materials against alteration processes since in pores smaller than 100 nm dissolution phenomena and the damaging effects of salt crystallization or of ice formation would be favored. Optimized limes have a greater CO 2 capturing capacity which is clearly shown in a fast reduction of the surface area thereof upon transforming Ca(OH) 2 nanoparticles into micrometric-sized CaCO 3 crystals (with a lower surface/volume ratio), which confirms the capturing of said gas. The amount of CO 2 captured per Tm of dry treated carbide lime residue is 0.594 Tm, 1.35 Tm of calcium carbonate (calcite) being produced, which proves the enormous CO 2 capturing power of said residue. Limes optimized according to the invention are in optimal conditions for capturing CO 2 , producing at the same time a coherent carbonated cement with high crystallinity. The synergy between the carbide lime selected, optimized and purified according to this invention and photocatalytic titanium dioxide characterizes these two materials as being ideal for construction and public work elements with positive environmental activity. Having sufficiently described the nature of the invention it must hereby be stated that it is not limited to the exact details of this specification, but in contrast, modifications which are considered appropriate will be introduced therein provided that the essential features thereof which are claimed below are not altered.

The invention relates to CO 2 capturing binder with an amortized environmental cost, the method of manufacture thereof by means of selecting, purifying and optimizing the carbide lime paste for use as a cementing material, and aggregates for the manufacture of lime paints and slurries, stuccos, mortars and concretes having multiple applications in the construction industry, in architectural restoration, in public works and land conditioning, object of the present invention. It is basically characterized in that the raw material is the residue in the form of sludge generated in the industrial manufacture of acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) from calcium carbide (CaC 2 ) the fundamental component of which is calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH) 2 ) in highly reactive nanometric formations treated in a specific manner according to the invention.

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/036,620 filed on Sep. 25, 2013 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,579,620 issued Nov. 12, 2013), which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/039,048 filed on Mar. 2, 2011, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY [0002] The present invention is in the technical field of three-dimensional (“3D”) printing and rapid prototyping. In particular, the present invention is in the technical field of 3D printing and rapid prototyping using three or n-dimensional image data sets, such as CT (computerized tomography) or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) images. BACKGROUND [0003] Three-dimensional (“3D”) printing of physical models is useful in a wide variety of settings. Some potential uses include production of anatomical bodies like bones for research and clinical applications, medical product development, machine design, and equipment design, to name just a few. 3D printing or rapid prototyping refers to a collection of technologies for producing physical parts directly from digital descriptions. Digital descriptions include output of any software that produces a 3D digital model. One example of such software is Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software. Creating a 3D digital model from a 3D image data set requires specialized imaging or CAD software. Rapid prototyping machines have been commercially available since the early 1990's, the most popular versions of which build a desired structure by adding building material layer-by-layer based on a digital three-dimensional model of the structure. [0004] However, because of the amount of user interaction time involved and the complexity of data conversion process between image data formats and data formats supported by 3D printers or rapid prototyping machines, applications of the present technology of producing 3D physical models from three or n-dimensional images are rather limited. [0005] FIG. 1 illustrates the current method of creating a physical model from an input image data set. The input image data set comes in the form of 3D voxel data or serial, sequenced two-dimensional (“2D”) images. A voxel (volumetric pixel or, more correctly, Volumetric Picture Element) is a volume element on a regular grid in a three dimensional space, having one or more numerical values as attributes such as intensity or color. This is analogous to a pixel (Picture Element), which has one or more numerical values as attributes on a regular grid in a 2D image data set. A 3D image data set may be organized as a series of 2D images and a voxel in a two-dimensional image plane may be referred to as a pixel. [0006] In FIG. 1 , when a user 11 needs to create a physical model 35 from an image data set 10 , the user 11 looks up the image on his/her computer 15 and transfers the image data 10 to an image processing operator 21 . The image processing operator 21 loads the image data 10 set on his computer 20 where special image modeling software is available. The image processing operator 21 reads the instructions sent by the user 11 to understand what type of model is required. If the image processing operator 21 still has questions or needs additional information, he will communicate with the user 11 to get the information. The image processing operator 21 then starts the process to create a 3D digital model 22 from the image data sets 10 on his computer 20 using specialized modeling software. The creation of the 3D digital model 22 requires a trained operator 21 , specialized imaging software, and a significant amount of user interaction. The image processing operator 21 needs to communicate frequently with the user 11 who has ordered the physical model to understand the requirements and applications of the model. The image processing operator is also required to spend a significant amount of time to perform image segmentation and to trace manually certain image areas. After the 3D digital model 22 has been created, it is then saved to a file format supported by a 3D printer or rapid prototyping machine 30 , for example, the STL (stereolithography) file format. The digital model file is then sent to the 3D printer or rapid prototyping machine 30 to generate a 3D physical model 35 . The three-dimensional (“3D”) printer 30 is likely located at a different location and operated by a 3D printing operator 31 . When the physical model 35 is printed or fabricated, the 3D printing operator 31 sends it to the imaging processing operator 21 who then sends the finished physical model 35 back to the original user 11 . The present 3D printing techniques are complex and cost ineffective. The physical models may take too long to create to be useful, for example, to an emergency-care doctor. [0007] As a particular example of the need for an efficient 3D physical model printing process, we consider 3D printing applications in the medical field. In a typical application of 3D printing techniques in the medical field, medical images are first ordered and acquired on a hospital computer by a doctor. The doctor then sends the images to a trained image processing operator to create a digital model. The image processing operator communicates with the doctor to understand the requirements for the model. The image processing operator loads the image data set into a 3D image processing software to identify features such as bones, tissues, etc. by using image segmentation software tools. Because image processing of medical data is complex and time-consuming, it remains a challenging task even to a professional image processing operator. [0008] After loading the image data, the image processing operator 21 then creates a digital 3D model, for example, a 3D polygonal surface model by using software-based modeling tools. As an example, one commercially available software solution, “3D-DOCTOR”, can be used to produce 3D digital models of anatomical structures, as described in Yecheng Wu, From CT Image to 3 D Model , Advanced Imaging, Aug. 2001, 20-23. After creating the digital 3D model, the image processing operator 21 sends the digital model to a 3D printing service provider. The 3D printing operator 30 at the 3D printing service provider loads the digital model data on his computer, controls the 3D printer to produce a physical model, and then delivers the finished physical model to the doctor who ordered the model. The above-described process is user intensitive and requires operators to possess advanced software training, knowledge of the intended applications, and a good understanding of the difference between image data formats and the various data formats supported by 3D printer and rapid prototyping machines. [0009] In the above described process, one procedure employed in image processing is image segmentation. Image segmentation refers to the delineation and labeling of specific image regions in an image data set that defines distinct structures. Image segmentation may include steps such as differentiating a particular structure from adjacent material having different composition and identifying distinct objects having the same or similar composition. For example, when constructing bone models from Computerized Tomography (“CT”) and/or Magnetic Resonance (“MR”) images, bony structures need to be delineated from other structures (soft tissues, blood vessels, etc.) in the images. Also, each bone must typically be separated from adjacent bones when modeling anatomical structures such as cervical spine or foot. [0010] In 3D printing applications in the medical field, a useful feature is the capability of building a prototype of a patient-specific anatomical region quickly. For example, if a patient comes in with a broken ankle, the surgeon may use a physical model of the bone fragments of the patient to aid surgical planning, if the physical model can be generated rapidly. For orthopedic surgeons, the ability to visualize and manipulate a physical model of a bone or joint in need of repair prior to surgery can aid in the selection and design of surgical implants for fracture fixation or joint replacement. Rapid prototyping of patient specific models increases efficiency and reduces costs by cutting operating room time. Rapid prototyping of patient specific models offers tremendous promise for improved pre-operative planning and preparation. While the technique of sizing surgical implants using newer imaging modalities such as Computerized Tomography (“CT”) and/or Magnetic Resonance (“MR”) imaging is an improvement over standard X-ray films, the ability to work with an accurate physical model of the region of interest would produce further benefits, such as providing tactile 3D feedback of the relevant patient anatomy. Rapid prototyping or 3D printing refers to a collection of technologies for producing physical parts directly from digital descriptions, which frequently are the output from Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software. Rapid prototyping machines have been commercially available since the early 1990's, and the most popular versions involve adding material to build the desired structure layer-by-layer based on a digital three dimensional model of the structure. For example, a physical model may be fabricated using a rapid prototyping system using stereolithography, fused deposition modeling, or three dimensional printing. In stereolithography, a laser is used to selectively cure successive surface layers in a vat of photopolymer. In fused deposition modeling, a thermal extrusion head is used to print molten material (typically a thermoplastic) that fuses onto the preceding layer. A typical three-dimensional printer uses a printer head to selectively deposit binder onto the top layer of a powder bed. SUMMARY [0011] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. [0012] The present application discloses systems and methods for single-action printing of 3D physical models from a three or n-dimensional image data set. The methods may be applied to image data set obtained from any of a wide variety of imaging modalities, including Computerized Tomography (“CT”), Magnetic Resonance (“MR”), positron emission tomography (“PET”), optical coherence tomography (“OCT”), ultrasonic imaging, X-ray imaging, sonar, radar including ground penetrating radar, acoustic imaging, microscopy imaging, simulated image data and the like, or combinations of one or more imaging modalities. The systems and methods are applicable to a wide range of applications from creating physical models of anatomical structures such as bones and organs to creating physical models of mechanical components, archaeological sites, and natural geological formations. [0013] The systems and methods described herein generally contemplate combining printing template methods with a 3D printer or rapid prototyping machine. The printing template methods usually include predefined data processing steps comprising identifying voxels in an image data set, generating a geometric representation, and sending the geometric representation to the 3D printer to produce a 3D physical model. A 3D printer or rapid prototyping machine refers to a collection of devices capable of producing three-dimensional physical parts directly from digital models using stereolithography, fused deposition modeling, three dimensional printing, sheet laminating or other technologies. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a current method of printing a 3D model from an image data set. [0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a proposed method for printing a 3D model from an image data set. [0016] FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary single-action 3D model printing method. [0017] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of image data conversion steps included in a printing template. [0018] FIG. 5 illustrates a list of 3D printing templates accompanied and described with text. [0019] FIG. 6 illustrates a list of 3D printing templates accompanied and described with text and graphics. [0020] FIG. 7 illustrates 3D points as an exemplary geometric representation generated by a printing template from image data. [0021] FIG. 8 illustrates a 3D contour as an exemplary geometric representation generated by a printing template from image data. [0022] FIG. 9 illustrates a 3D triangle-based surface model as an exemplary geometric representation generated by a printing template from image data. [0023] FIG. 10 provides a table of sample CT numbers for various human tissues. [0024] FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary printing template of printing a bone structure from a CT image data set. [0025] FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary printing template of printing a solid body structure from an image data set. [0026] FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary printing template of printing a physical model using predefined value ranges from an image data set. [0027] FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary process of printing a physical model of selected organs or parts from an image data set. [0028] FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary image with seed voxels marked before image segmentation. [0029] FIG. 16 illustrates a segmentation result of a first round region growing. [0030] FIG. 17 illustrates a segmentation result of a second round region growing. [0031] FIG. 18 illustrates a segmentation result of a last round region growing. [0032] FIG. 19 illustrates a segmented image using a region growing technique. [0033] FIG. 20 illustrates an example of user adjustable physical model printing method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0034] Certain specific details are set forth in the following description and figures to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the invention. Certain well-known details often associated with computing and software technology are not set forth in the following disclosure, however, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the various embodiments of the invention. Further, those of ordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that they can practice the invention without one or more of the details described below. Finally, while various methods are described with reference to steps and sequences in the following disclosure, the description as such is for providing an implementation of embodiments of the invention, and the steps and sequences of steps should not be taken as required to practice this invention. [0035] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary system using a single-action 3D printing method to print a 3D physical model from an input image data set 10 . The 3D model can be, for example, a patient-specific anatomical model. First, the image data set 10 such as CT data, MR data etc, is loaded on a computer 15 . The image data set 10 is typically a voxel-based image data set depicting a 3D region with each voxel of the image data set 10 encoding at least one image attribute, such as image intensity, color or the like. A user 11 at the computer 15 selects one printing template 18 from a list of printing templates ( 300 in FIG. 5 ) for printing a 3D physical model. The computer 15 applies the selected printing template 18 to identify voxels in the image data, generate a geometric representation in a data format supported by a 3D printer, and send the data to a connected or networked 3D printer 30 for producing a physical model 35 . For example, the 3D printer 30 may comprise a rapid prototyping device as discussed above. The 3D printer 30 may be connected to the computer directly through a local computer port, local area network, or the Internet. [0036] When a 3D printer 30 is not directly connected to the computer where a printing template is used, the data generated from the printing template may be saved to a storage media (for example, a CD or DVD) or storage device (for example, a external hard drive). The saved data can then be ported to the 3D printer 30 to generate the physical model 35 . [0037] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a single-action 3D printing method. In FIG. 3 , an image data set 10 is first received in step 210 . In step 218 , a selected printing template 18 is executed to identify the voxel categories and generate a geometric representation for printing a 3D model. In step 230 , the generated geometric representation is sent to a 3D printer 30 and in step 235 , a 3D physical model 35 is produced. [0038] In FIG. 3 , step 218 represents a single user action involved in the printing process of a 3D model. In step 218 , selecting a printing template includes a selection action by using a pointing device to position on a specific printing template from a list of predefined printing templates and select the printing template for execution. The single-action may be a clicking of a mouse button when a cursor is positioned over a predefined area of a displayed list of printing templates or a depressing of a key on a key pad to select a specific printing template. [0039] A printing template as defined herein is a software program for identifying voxels in an image data set, generating a geometric representation of a 3D physical model in a data format supported by a 3D printer, and sending the geometric representation to a 3D printer to create a 3D physical model. [0040] In general, 3D printers require a geometric representation of an object in order to fabricate the geometric shapes required in making a 3D physical model. The geometric representation of an object may include one or a combination of the following forms: a list of 3D points 501 - 506 for the entire body of the object with locational and material information defined at each 3D point ( FIG. 7 ), a group of 3D contours 552 - 561 to define the shape of the object on each image plane ( FIG. 8 ), or surface models 580 ( FIG. 9 ) consisting of triangles or polygons or surface patches delineating the body of the object. [0041] In the present application, a 3D physical model 35 may have one or more pieces and one or multiple colors, and may be made of one or multiple materials. The conversion process from input image date set to a geometric representation understood by a 3D printer may be either dependent on or independent of imaging modality or any other image information. A printing template may be implemented as a software program on a computer, a computer processing board, or the controller board of a 3D printer. It may be implemented as but not limited to: a program script file with processing instructions and parameters, a binary executable program with processing instructions and parameters, a dynamically linked library (DLL), an application plug-in, or a printer device driver. A printing template may be implemented as a stand-alone solution or a component of a system used for printing 3D physical model from image data sets. A printing template program may be loaded locally on a user's computer or reside on a remote server connected through computer network. [0042] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of the image data conversion step in a printing template. An input image data set 10 is received by a printing template 15 . The printing template starts its predefined voxel identifying function 310 to identify voxel categories in the image data. After identifying the voxel categories, the printing template generates one of three geometric representations (3D points 315 , 3D contours 320 or surface models 325 ) supported by a 3D printer and sends the generated geometric representation to the 3D printer 30 to produce a 3D physical model 35 . [0043] The image data conversion process generates a geometric representation and any additional data needed for a 3D printer to print out the physical model. The voxel identifying process is generally done using image processing techniques such as image segmentation and classification. One purpose of image segmentation and classification is to identify the voxel categories at each voxel location for the entire image data set. Commonly used image classification techniques include trained classifiers (such as artificial neural networks), image clustering using voxel similarity measures, etc. Commonly used image segmentation techniques include image thresholding, histogram thresholding, region growing, region splitting, watershed method, graph partitioning, clustering, artificial neural network, and other methods. [0044] The geometric representation generated from the input image data set for 3D printing may be a list of 3D points 501 - 506 in the body of an object with locational and material information ( FIG. 7 ) specified at each point, or a set of 3D contours 551 - 561 to define the shape of an object in the image planes ( FIG. 8 ), or surface models of an object 580 ( FIG. 9 ), or a combination of them. The data generated for 3D printing is not limited to geometrical representations such as points, contours or surfaces as described. The data may also be organized as a list of printing instructions, such as “move to a location”, “deposit a specified amount of building material”, “move to a new location”, etc., that can be used to complete the physical model printing process. [0045] The list of printing templates may be displayed as either text 300 ( FIG. 5 ) or graphics 301 ( FIG. 6 ) on the computer 15 . For example, the text may use a description such as “bone structure” or “brain.” The graphic display may use pre-drawn graphic icons to indicate “bone”, “skull”, or “brain.” The graphic display of a printing template may also use a 3D graphic rendering of the geometric representation generated from the image data by the printing template. The number of printing templates is not limited. Additional printing templates may be added for specific physical model printing needs. New printing templates may be created with different processing steps and parameters. A printing template may also be implemented as a part of the input image; in which case user interaction is not required. For example, when the the input image is received with a specific printing template attached, the printing process starts automatically by executing the attached printing template. The execution of the attached printing template may include steps of first generating a geometric representation from the image and then producing a physical model without any user interaction. [0046] As described above, rapid prototyping systems build a physical model by adding consecutive layers, as opposed to subtractive rapid prototyping or conventional machining that uses a tool to remove material from blank stock. However, generation of a physical model may just as well use other processes and equipment. For example, rapid prototyping processes may be adapted to produce functional objects (“parts”) rather than just geometric models. In such case, rapid prototyping may be referred to by the alternative names such as additive fabrication, layered manufacturing, and solid free form fabrication. [0047] Many commercial rapid prototyping machines currently employ standard input formats comprising of a polygonal representation of the boundary of the object. For example, a CAD model or other three-dimensional (“3D”) digital model is converted to a list of triangles defining the surface of the object. The machine slices through the collection of triangles to generate a geometric representation that comprises the boundary of each layer to be printed or deposited. In the following sections, different embodiments of 3D printing templates are discussed. [0000] (1) Printing Bone Structure from CT Image Date Set [0048] This embodiment is implemented as a printing template for printing a physical model of a bone structure from a CT image data set. [0049] In a CT image, the intensity value at each voxel may be converted to a value in Hounsfield units (HU). The Hounsfield unit system measures the attenuation coefficient of tissues in computerized tomography. Hounsfield units are also termed CT numbers. FIG. 10 provides a table of sample CT numbers for various human tissues. The table lists some of the voxel values of different tissues or materials in Hounsfield units for a typical CT scanner. The values may differ on a different CT image scanner due to specific settings on that particular imaging device and custom calibrations of image data. The formula to calculate the CT number in Hounsfield units from the voxel intensity is normally provided as part of the image data. For example, the formula used by many CT scanner vendors is: [0000] HU=Voxel Intensity*Scale+Intercept; [0000] where HU is the voxel value in Hounsfield units, Voxel Intensity is the attribute value of each voxel provided in an image data set, and Scale and Intercept are parameters provided with the formula. For example, for many CT images, Scale=1 and Intercept=−1000. Other values for Scale and Intercept may also be used. [0050] As indicated in the table of FIG. 10 , bone tissues may be identified using a range of CT numbers (>1000). The value of every voxel in the image data set can be checked to identify bone tissues. For example, if a voxel has a value above 1000 HU, it is marked as bone tissue. Often an upper limit is used to prevent other hard materials such as metal implants from being marked as bone tissue. A similar technique may be applied to other tissues, such as soft tissue (fat, muscle, etc), blood, liver tissue, and white and grey matter in the brain. [0051] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an exemplary printing template for printing bone structures from a CT image set. The printing template identifies voxels that are part of the bone structure in the CT image 600 , generates a geometric representation (in the format of 3D points 605 , Contours 606 , 606 , or Surfaces 607 ) in a 3D printer supported data format and sends the geometric representation to the 3D printer 608 to generate a physical model 610 . The printing template includes the following processing steps: [0000] a) Go through the entire image data set 600 to check the HU value of each voxel (Step 601 ). b) For each voxel with a HU value larger than 1000 HU but less than an upper bound, mark the voxel with value 1 to indicate the voxel as representing bone tissue (Step 602 ). Otherwise, mark it with value 0 to indicate non-bone tissue (Step 603 ). Repeat Step “a” and “b” until all voxels are checked, in which case a geometric representation is generated (Step 604 ). The value 1000 HU is used here as an example. Different values or ranges may be used for different images. c) If the 3D printer ( 608 ) supports input data in the format of 3D points, a geometric representation comprising a list of 3D points for all voxels marked with value 1 may be generated (Step 605 ) and sent to the printer (Step 608 ) to generate a physical model 610 . If other information such as material or color is supported, we may include the other information in the geometric representation. FIG. 7 shows an example of the 3D points generated from an image data set. In this example, every 3D point has an identification value which is either 0 or 1. In this case, 0 indicates non-bone tissue and the voxels with value 0 are represented here by a white color. 1 indicates bone tissue and the voxels with value 1 are represented here by a dark color. In other embodiments, every voxel may have one or multiple identification values which may be any value, not limited to 0 or 1. In FIG. 7 , the list of 3D points are represented as: Point 501 : (5, 0, 0, 1) Point 502 : (5, 1, 1, 1) Point 503 : (4, 1, 1, 1) Point 504 : (4, 2, 2, 1) Point 505 : (5, 2, 2, 1) Point 506 : (4, 3, 2, 1) [0052] where each point has a data format of (X, Y, Z, Value). X, Y, Z are the three-dimensional coordinates of a voxel and Value is the attribute with a value of, in this case, 1 for all the voxels identified as bone tissue and 0 otherwise. Other values may be used for identification purposes. Additional values may be also used to indicate attributes such as color or material. d) If the 3D printer supports input data in the format of 3D contours, a geometric representation comprising the contours are generated by tracing along the outer edge of all voxels marked with the value of 1 (Step 606 ). The contour tracing method is straight forward, and is normally done by walking along the edge voxels in a fixed order within each 2D image plane. For example, we may start the walk on an edge voxel and follow the next edge voxel in a clockwise fashion until the starting position is encountered. The walking process is then repeated for all image planes. FIG. 8 shows an example of tracing a contour in a 2D image plane. In this example, the tracing process starts at one edge voxel 551 and the contour starts with no point data. Voxel 551 is added to the contour as the starting point. In a clockwise order, the next voxel on the edge to be traced is voxel 552 . Voxel 552 is added to the contour. Repeat the process to add voxels 553 , 554 , 555 , 556 , 557 , 558 , 559 , 560 and 561 to the contour. When the next edge voxel is the starting point (Voxel 551 ), the tracing process for this contour is complete. The contour may be represented as: 551 : (4, 5, N, 1)—Start Point 552 : (5, 5, N, 1) 553 : (6, 5, N, 1) 554 : (7, 5, N, 1) 555 : (8, 4, N, 1) 556 : (7, 3, N, 1) 557 : (6, 3, N, 1) 558 : (5, 3, N, 1) 559 : (4, 3, N, 1) 560 : (3, 3, N, 1) 561 : (3, 4, N, 1)—End Point [0053] where each point has a data format of (X, Y, Z, Value). X, Y, Z are the three-dimensional coordinates of a voxel and Value is the attribute with a value of, in this case, 1 for all the voxels identified as bone tissue and 0 otherwise. Other values may be used for the attribute and additional attributes such as color or material may be included as well. In this example, the particular tracing technique is described as an example. Other tracing methods and variations may be used to generate similar results. e) If the 3D printer supports input data in the format of a surface model, then a geometric representation in the format of a surface model is generated using the “Marching Cubes” (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,710,876, 4,751,643, 4,868,748) method or other surface modeling methods (Step 607 ). The generated geometric representation is sent to the 3D printer to produce a physical model 610 (Step 608 ). Most commercially available 3D printers and rapid prototyping machines support the “STL” format, which stores surface geometry data as a set of raw unstructured triangles. For this example, the surface model 607 is sent to the three-dimensional (“3D”) printer in the “STL” format. [0054] “Marching cubes” is a computer graphics algorithm for extracting a polygonal mesh of an isosurface from three-dimensional voxels. The algorithm proceeds through the voxels marked with 1, taking eight neighbor locations at a time (thus forming an imaginary cube) and then determining the polygon(s) needed to represent the part of the isosurface that passes through this cube. The individual polygons are then fused into the desired surface. The “Marching Cubes” algorithm generates triangle-based surface models. Additional post processing steps such as surface smoothing and surface decimation may be applied to improve the surface quality but are not required. [0055] FIG. 9 shows an example of a three dimensional triangle-based surface model 580 . In this example, the triangle-based surface model has 8 vertexes: P0, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7 and 12 surface triangles with T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 displayed at the front of the model and T7, T8, T9, T10, T11, T12 displayed at the back of the model. Each vertex is a 3D point: (X, Y, Z). Each triangle has 3 vertexes, for example (P0, P2, P1). This surface model may be represented as: Triangle 1—T1, Front: (P0, P2, P1) Triangle 2—T2, Front: (P1, P2, P3) Triangle 3—T3, Front: (P2, P4, P3) Triangle 4—T4, Front: (P4, P2, P0) Triangle 5—T5, Front: (P4, P0, P5) Triangle 6—T6, Front: (P5, P0, P7) Triangle 7—T7, Back: (P6, P0, P7) Triangle 8—T8, Back: (P6, P1, P0) Triangle 9—T9, Back: (P6, P3, P1) Triangle 10—T10, Back: (P6, P4, P3) Triangle 11—T11, Back: (P6, P5, P4) Triangle 12—T12, Back: (P6, P7, P5) [0056] In this example, the surface model representation is similar to the commonly used “STL” format and may be sent to the the 3D printer in the “STL” format for printing a physical model. Other representations and variations, such as surface patches or polygon-based surfaces, may also be used. [0057] The above example describes one embodiment of the single-action 3D image printing methods. The steps in the printing template may be combined or varied. For example, the voxel checking and marking Steps “a” and “b” can be combined into Step “e” that checks the voxel values and generates the surface triangles without marking the voxels. [0000] (2) Printing Solid Body Structure from an Image Data Set [0058] This embodiment is implemented as a printing template for printing a physical model of a solid body from an image data set. [0059] For a known imaging modality, such as Computerized Tomography (“CT”) or Magnetic Resonance (“MR”) imaging, the voxels in an empty or no-tissue region in an image typically have a known value range. For example, air would be considered a no-tissue region. A voxel representing air has a value range around −1000 HU as shown in the CT values table ( FIG. 10 ). In other words, we can check the value of each voxel in the image data set to identify whether the voxel represents an empty region or not. For example, if a voxel in a CT image has a value between −1000 HU and −200 HU (the value below the lowest tissue value in Hounsfield unit), the voxel may be identified as air. Otherwise the voxel may be identified as body tissue. The same method may be applied to other imaging modalities to identify empty regions that are defined with known voxel value ranges. [0060] FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary printing template for printing a solid body structure from an image data set. The printing template identifies voxels (Step 621 ) in empty regions and body regions in the image, generates a geometric representation (Steps 625 , 626 , or 627 ), and sends the geometric representation to the 3D printer to create a physical model 629 (Step 628 ). The printing template includes the following processing steps: [0000] a) Go through the entire image data set 620 to check the value of each voxel in Hounsfield units (Step 621 ). b) For each voxel, if its value is within the value range of no-tissue (empty region, for example, air), mark the voxel with value 0 to indicate it is empty (Step 623 ). Otherwise, mark it with value 1 to indicate it has tissue (Step 622 ). Repeat Step “a” and “b” until all voxels are checked, in which case, a geometric representation is generated (Step 624 ). c) If the output printing device supports input data in the format of 3D points, we then generate a list of 3D points for all voxels marked with value 1 (Step 625 ) and send the list to the printer to generate a physical model 629 (Step 628 ). If other information such as material or color is supported, we can extract such information from the input image data and send it together with the geometric representation in the format of 3D points. See FIG. 7 for an example of the 3D points generated from an image data set. d) If the 3D printer supports input data in the format of contours, then a geometric representation may be generated by tracing the contours along the outer edge of all voxels marked with value 1 (Step 626 ). See FIG. 8 for an example of tracing a contour in a 2D image plane. e) If the 3D printer supports input data in the format of a surface model, then a geometric representation in the format of a surface model is generated (Step 627 ) using the “Marching Cubes” (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,710,876, 4,751,643, 4,868,748) method or other surface modeling methods. The geometric representation is then sent to the 3D printer to produce a physical model 629 (Step 628 ). [0061] The above example describes one embodiment of the single-action 3D image printing methods. The steps in the printing template may be combined or varied, for example, the voxel checking and marking Steps “a” and “b” can be combined into Step “e” that checks the voxel values and generates the surface triangles without marking the voxels. (3) Printing Physical Model Using Predefined Voxel Value Ranges [0062] This embodiment is implemented as a printing template for printing a physical model from an image data set using predefined voxel value ranges. [0063] FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary printing template for printing a physical model from an image data set 630 using one or more predefined voxel value ranges. A predefined value range may be in voxel intensity, color, texture, location, region, or any derived value from them. A typical range has a low value and a high value to define the bounds of the range. A list of ranges may be used to define multiple value ranges that are not adjacent to each other. [0064] In this embodiment, the method identifies voxels using the predefined voxel value range (Step 631 ), generates a geometric representation (Steps 635 , 636 , or 637 ), and sends the data to the 3D printer to generate a physical model 639 (Step 638 ). It includes the following steps: [0000] a) Go through the entire image data set to check the value of each voxel against the value ranges defined in the printing template (Step 631 ). b) For each voxel with a value within the bound of one of the defined ranges, mark the voxel with value 1 to indicate it is within the specified range (Step 632 ). Otherwise, mark with value 0 to indicate it is outside (Step 633 ). Repeat Step “a” and “b” until all voxels are checked and identified. A geometric representation is generated in Step 634 . c) If the 3D printer supports input data in the format of three-dimensional points, we generate a geometric representation comprising a list of 3D points for all voxels marked with value 1 (Step 635 ) and send the geometric representation to the 3D printer (Step 638 ) to create a physical model 639 . If other information such as material or color are supported in the input image data 630 , we may include the information and send it together with the geometric representation to the printer. FIG. 7 shows an example of the 3D points generated from an image data set. d) If the 3D printer supports input data in the format of contours, a geometric representation can be generated by tracing the contours along the outer edge of all voxels marked with value 1 (Step 636 ). See FIG. 8 for an example of tracing a contour in a 2D image plane. e) If the 3D printer supports input data in the format of a surface model, a geometric representation may be generated using the “Marching Cubes” (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,710,876, 4,751,643, 4,868,748) method or other surface modeling methods (Step 637 ). The geometric representation is then sent to the 3D printer (Step 638 ) to produce a physical model 639 . Most commercially available 3D printers and rapid prototyping machines support the “STL” format, which stores surface geometry data as a set of raw unstructured triangles. In a particular example, the surface model 637 is sent to the 3D printer in the “STL” format. [0065] The above example describes one embodiment of the single-action 3D image printing methods. The steps in the printing template may be combined or varied. For example, the voxel checking and marking Steps “a” and “b” can be combined into Step “e” that checks the voxel values and generates the surface triangles without marking the voxels. (4) Printing Physical Model of Selected Organs or Parts [0066] This embodiment is implemented as a printing template for printing a physical model of selected organs or parts from an image data set. [0067] FIG. 14 illustrates an example of printing a physical model 649 of selected organs or parts from an image set 640 . To generated a physical model of selected organs or parts, the image regions of the selected organs need to be identified using image segmentation techniques (Step 644 ). A typical segmentation technique used for identifying specific image regions starts with either a set of automatically generated (Step 642 ) or user selected seed locations or regions (Step 641 ), grows each region by merging neighboring voxels that are within a certain similarity criterion, and repeats the process until no more neighboring voxels are available for merging. For example, the criterion could be a difference of voxel intensity, gray level, texture, or color between the voxels already identified and the ones being checked. After the identification process is complete, the identified regions are then used to generated a geometric representation for the 3D printer. Other image segmentation methods, such as region growing, active contours, graph partitioning, watershed, and clustering, may be used in the image region identifying step of this embodiment. [0068] In this example, the method identifies voxels using a region growing technique (Step 644 ), generates a geometric representation of the identified voxels in a format supported by a 3D printer 648 (Steps 645 , 646 , or 647 ) and sends the geometric representation to the 3D printer to generate a physical model of selected organs or parts 649 (Step 658 ). [0069] In this embodiment, a user 11 (referenced in FIG. 2 ) selects some voxels or regions on the input image as seed voxels or regions. FIG. 15 illustrates an example where two selected seed voxels 701 at location (4, 4, Z) and (5, 4, Z) are marked with dark color. The location is represented by the X, Y, Z coordinates of a voxel. FIG. 15 shows the original image as a grayscale image. The grayscale value of this image is from 0 to 255. Seed voxels are checked (Step 641 ) to see whether they are available and whether they are within the bound of the image set. If seed voxels are available, continue to Step “b” to start the image segmentation process (Step 644 ) through region growing. If seed voxels are not available, Step 642 is carried out to generate seed voxels automatically. For example, a predefined value range may be used to select seed voxels within a value range. [0000] b) The image segmentation process through region growing starts at the seed voxel locations. The process grows each region by merging neighboring voxels that are within a certain similarity criterion and repeats the process until no more neighboring voxels are available for merging. In this example, we choose a simple criterion for measuring voxel similarity, that is, for a neighboring voxel to qualify as similar to a reference voxel, the grayscale value difference between the neighboring voxel and the reference voxel must be less than 20. In other words, if the grayscale value difference is less than 20, the neighboring voxel is added to the region and the region grows by one voxel. If the grayscale value difference is equal to or greater than 20, the voxel is not added to the region. For example, voxel 702 (4, 3, Z) in FIG. 15 has a grayscale value of 103. The difference between this value and the grayscale value ( 102 ) of the voxel located at (4, 4, Z) 701 is 1. The difference is within the similarity criterion, so the neighboring voxel 702 is added to the region. FIG. 16 illustrates the first round of region growing for the image example shown in FIG. 15 . All neighboring voxels with grayscale difference less than 20 are marked with a dark color. 8 voxels 702 (marked with horizontal hatch lines) at locations (4, 3, Z), (5, 3, Z), (3, 4, Z), (6, 4, Z), (3, 5, Z), (4, 5, Z), (5, 5, Z), (6, 5, Z) are added to the region. Here the image plane is assumed to be parallel to the XY plane therefore all voxels have the same Z value. [0070] FIG. 17 illustrates the result of the second round region growing. 3 voxels 703 (marked with vertical hatch lines) at locations (4, 6, Z), (5, 6, Z), (6, 6, Z) are added to the region. [0071] FIG. 18 illustrates the result of the last round region growing. 1 voxel 704 (marked with diagonal hatch lines) at locations (5, 7, Z) is added to the region. After this round, no more voxels meet the similarity criteria. The region growing process stops. All voxels added to the region are marked with value 1 and the rest of the voxels are marked with value 0 as shown in FIG. 19 . [0072] In FIG. 14 , after the image region of the selected organ has been idenfitied (Step 644 ), a geometric representation is generated in the format of either 3D points, or contours, or surfaces (Step 645 , 646 , or 647 ). The geometric representation is then sent to a 3D printer to create a physical model 649 (Step 648 ). [0073] The above example describes one embodiment of the single-action 3D image printing methods in which the image segmentation technique uses a region growing method. Other image segmentation methods may be used to generate similar results. (5) User Adjustable Physical Model Printing Method [0074] This embodiment is implemented as a printing template for printing a physical model from an image data set using user adjustable image processing parameters and steps. [0075] FIG. 20 illustrates an exemplary printing template that adopts a user adjustable physical model printing method. This printing template provides a user with a list of selectable processing options and adjustable parameters for image segmentation and data conversion. The user 11 makes the initial selection of parameters and segmentation methods (Step 651 ). The segmentation methods may include the ones described in the above examples, such as region growing, image thresholding, graph partitioning, and others. The parameters may include value ranges that are adjustable, user defined seed regions, and others. The image segmentation process (Step 654 ) segments the input image using the selected methods and parameters. The geometric representation generated from the image segmentation process is used to create a 3D rendering (Step 660 ) to show how a final physical model may look on a computer. The computer 15 ( FIG. 2 ) can be used to display a three-dimensional rendering 660 of the model generated by the image segmentation process. The three-dimensional rendering may be implemented using volume rendering of the segmented image or surface rendering from the surface model 657 . If the rendering meets the user's requirements, the segmented image is converted to a format supported by the 3D printer 658 for printing (Steps 655 , 656 , or 657 ). Otherwise, the user can make additional adjustments. The user can decide to print the 3D model on a 3D printer using the current settings or continue the adjustment (Step 651 ) until the user is satisfied with the settings for printing. [0076] Similar to other embodiments as described above, this embodiment further includes the processing steps of converting an image data set 650 to a geometric representation in a data format supported by the 3D printer and sending the geometric representation to the 3D printer to generate a physical model of selected organs or parts 659 (Step 658 ). [0000] (6) Extension to n-Dimension [0077] Although the present method has been described with reference to 3D image data sets, it will be immediately apparent to persons of skill in the art that the methods described above are readily applicable to any number of dimensions. It is contemplated that the methods may be applied to n-dimensional data, where n may be 2, 3, 4 or any number larger than 4. In particular, it is contemplated that the invention may be applied to n-dimensional data in which one of the dimensions is time and there are two or three spatial dimensions. For example, we can use the above described methods to produce multi-dimensional physical models that evolve over time. [0078] It should be appreciated that the present method greatly reduces the time required for printing physical models from an n-dimensional data set, including a 3D data set. Therefore practical applications capable of producing a series of physical models from time-sequence image data sets to show changes of shape or motions can be implemented. For example, time-sequence 3D image data of a chest containing a beating heart may be used to generate a series of chest models to show the shape and motion of the beating heart at different time points. [0079] Although the present invention has been described in terms of various embodiments, the invention is not limited to these embodiments. Modification within the spirit of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, various different single-actions can be used to effect the printing of a physical model from an image data set. For example, a voice command may be spoken by the user. A key may be depressed by the user. A button on a 3D printing device may be pressed by the user. Selection using any pointing device may be effected by a user to start the execution of a printing template. Although a single-action may be preceded by multiple physical movements of the user (e.g., moving a mouse so that a mouse pointer is over a button), the single-action generally refers to a single event received by a system that commands the system to print a physical model from an image data set or a derived representation of the image. Finally, various techniques for identifying voxel categories and generating a geometric representation can be used to print a physical model from an image data set.

Methods and techniques of using 3D printers to create physical models from image data are discussed. Geometric representations of different physical models are described and complex data conversion processes that convert input image data into geometric representations compatible with third party 3D printers are disclosed. Printing templates are used to encapsulate complex geometric representations and complicated data conversion processes from users for fast and simple 3D physical model printing applications.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] During the early to mid-1980s, car manufacturers, under pressure to increase fuel economy and simultaneously reduce emissions, switched to electronic fuel injection to obtain more precise control of engine fuel under all operating conditions. When the automotive aftermarket saw the trend, it entered the field, first with PROM chips that allowed the buyer to modify the constants programmed into the electronic controller unit at the factory by simply switching chips. This allowed one to increase performance somewhat, generally at the expense of gas mileage, and to make engine modifications for which changes in program parameters were needed. Gradually, conversion kits were developed to allow hobbyists and racers to upgrade carbureted engines to Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) or to replace OEM Electronic Control Units (ECUs) to obtain much more control over the system than the re-programmed PROM chips allowed. One of the first of these was U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,509 (1985) to Long. Although now plentiful, these kits are quite costly and difficult to install and configure. Numerous drivability problems whose solutions are beyond the capabilities of the users are also often reported after the installation. Furthermore, the price of these systems places them well beyond the reach of most hobbyists and enthusiasts. [0002] The present invention provides an engine controller that is: more cost effective because of its low parts count due to integrated technology; simpler to install because of its generic design and flexible software, allowing it to be used with all models and makes of engines from motorcycles to trucks, even or odd number of cylinders, and regardless of the experience of the end user. The design is also more reliable because of several software algorithms that will be described. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0003] A general object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a simple, reliable, user configurable system (electronic circuit and software) for electronic fuel injection control. [0004] An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide an aftermarket EFI system that can be manufactured at low cost. [0005] Another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a generic EFI system that can be used with a large variety of engines of different sizes, numbers of cylinders, types and sizes of fuel injectors, and types of ignition systems. [0006] A further object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide an EFI system that can be easily installed by hobbyists and non-professional users with only a limited knowledge of electronics, computers, and the principles of electronic fuel control. [0007] Another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide an EFI system with reduced susceptibility to electronic noise. [0008] Briefly, and in accordance with at least one of the foregoing objects, an embodiment of the invention provides an integrated microprocessor based electronic circuit and software that uses an external tachometer signal and various sensor inputs to calculate combustion engine fuel requirements, and provides corresponding electronic control signals to open and close the engine mounted fuel injectors. Parameters for the calculation of these signals are user configurable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] The present invention may best be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [0010] [0010]FIG. 1 is a block diagram providing an overview of the system. [0011] [0011]FIG. 2 shows specifics of the integrated microprocessor and its regulated power supply. [0012] [0012]FIG. 3 provides circuit diagrams of the conditioning and filtering of the sensor inputs. [0013] [0013]FIG. 4 provides circuit diagrams for the fuel injector drivers, auxiliary outputs, and status LED lights. [0014] [0014]FIG. 5 provides a block diagram of the software logic. [0015] [0015]FIGS. 6A to 6 G provide a software assembler listing for the ECU in the form of s-records that can be downloaded to a suitable micro controller. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0016] While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, a specific embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as described herein. [0017] 1. Circuit Description [0018] The overall hardware system is shown in FIG. 1 and is detailed in the following figures. We start the circuit description with the power supply (U 5 in FIG. 2). This is an automotive grade linear 5-volt regulator that can, by itself, handle reverse and over-voltages. To this has been added the combination of diodes D 14 and D 16 , which clamp reverse voltage spikes to −12 volts. D 13 only permits positive polarity voltage to pass to DIS, which clamps this voltage to 22 volts eliminating the over-voltage effects of switched loads. The total combination provides an extremely robust power supply. Also, there are two power supply filter circuits—one consists of capacitor C 18 and inductor L 1 , providing power to the internal Phase Lock Loop (PLL) clock, and L 2 , C 21 , and C 22 , which filter the analog power supply for the analog-to-digital converter. [0019] The CPU of choice for this application is the Motorola MC68HC908GP32 (U 1 ). This CPU is a member of Motorola's HC08 family of micro controllers, providing a rich integration of features, and hence allows a low system parts count. The CPU core runs at an internal bus speed of 8 MHz, which is derived from an internal phase-locked loop clocked from a 32.768 KHz crystal (Y 1 ). The GP32 version has 32 Kbytes of on-chip flash ROM memory with direct in-circuit programming, which allows for the storage and runtime re-programming of constants that is extremely desirable in this application. There are 512 bytes of on-chip RAM memory—more than adequate for this application. Other features include two 16-bit, 2-channel timers, serial communication channels, and an 8-channel, 8-bit Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) for measuring sensor inputs. [0020] The CPU oscillator circuit is comprised of a 32.768 watch crystal (Y 1 ), two capacitors (C 23 and C 24 ), and two resistors (R 21 and R 22 ). The on-chip PLL clock circuit requires the external loop filter network C 19 , C 20 , and R 20 . The microprocessor has an internal power-on reset circuit, so no external circuitry is required. [0021] Tuning of system configuration parameters while the engine is running is key to a successful injector control unit. This system uses a standard RS-232 communication interface chip (U 6 ) to talk to a host PC, which is running a custom application that allows the download and tuning of the relevant parameters. [0022] The sensor inputs to the system are shown in FIG. 3. The driving input for the system is the tachometer or timing signal, which is generally taken from the ignition circuit (ignition coil primary circuit or tachometer drive). This signal is clipped to +5V by Zener diode D 8 , and applied to a 4N25 opto isolator (U 4 ) providing immunity to damage from over-voltage. The phototransistor in the opto isolator is biased by R 11 and fed into the interrupt pin IRQ 1 of the micro controller. By timing the interrupts and knowing that each one represents a cylinder firing, the RPM can be calculated by the micro controller. Furthermore, to significantly reduce the probability of a false tach trigger, a software time-adaptive filter is used on the interrupt such that it is only re-enabled for future triggers after some point in the RPM period is reached, for example the ½ way point. [0023] The other critical input to the system comes from the manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor (U 3 ) that monitors intake manifold vacuum. The sensor used here is the Motorola MPX4250 which is an integrated pressure sensor containing the sensing element, coupled to the engine manifold by a flexible tube, and an amplifier and temperature compensation circuitry all in one package, yielding an analog output which is proportional to applied pressure (absolute, not gauge). The output of the MAP sensor is filtered by R 2 and C 4 , clamped by diode D 1 , and is supplied to channel 0 of the ADC in the micro controller. Using this sensor allows the system to handle normally aspirated and turbo engines to 2.5 Bar. Also, the MAP sensor ADC is sampled in the CPU at a fixed time after receipt of the tach signal; doing this eliminates fluctuation of the pressure due to piston motion during the engine cycle, and hence provides a consistent fuel mixture and a smoother running engine. [0024] This fuel injection system is of the “speed-density” variety, meaning that the amount of air consumed (and required fuel) is deduced from the manifold absolute pressure and the RPM at which the engine is operating. Hence, with just these inputs, the engine can be run; the other inputs that follow provide more optimal control under different load and environmental conditions. [0025] Engine temperature measurements are sensed by negative-coefficient thermistors mounted in the intake air stream (MAT) and engine coolant liquid (CLT). In order to sense the resistance of the sensors, they are configured as part of a voltage divider circuit—R 4 for the MAT sensor and R 7 for the CLT sensor. One side of each sensor is tied to ground. The resultant divider voltage is filtered by R 5 and C 5 , C 6 for the MAT sensor and R 8 and C 8 , C 7 for the CLT sensor, and protected from over-voltage by D 2 and D 3 . [0026] Real-time sensing of throttle position is required by the CPU in order to provide more fuel during periods of rapid throttle opening. The standard throttle position sensor (TPS) is a simple 10K potentiometer attached to the engine throttle shaft with a constant voltage (5 volts in this case) across the potentiometer. The wiper terminal of the pot will therefore provide a variable voltage between 0 to 5 volts. This voltage is filtered by C 10 and R 9 and clamped by diode D 4 , and then applied to ADC channel 3 . [0027] Other input sensors include battery voltage (needed to adjust the injector opening time), derived by the resistor divider consisting of R 3 and R 6 , and the exhaust gas oxygen content sensor (O 2 ). The O 2 sensor is a special device that generates a small voltage (approx. 0.6 volts) when the ratio of gas to air is less than 14.7. Once again, the common theme of filtering (R 1 and C 2 ) and limiting (D 11 ) is utilized. [0028] The boot loader header (H 1 ) allows a user to pull the battery voltage terminal (AD 4 ) on the CPU down to ground. This is sensed in the CPU software and is recognized as the signal to cease normal operation and load new software in the CPU ROM memory using the RS232 port. [0029] [0029]FIG. 4 is the schematic for the various output drivers for fuel injectors and relays. Starting with the fuel injectors, there are two separate but identical fuel injector drivers (only the first of them will be described). A timer output compare/PWM channel in the CPU is fed into one of the two input channels of the transistor driver chip (U 7 ), which provides fast gate drive (via R 12 ) to the Field Effect Transistor (FET) Q 2 . This is important because the injector needs to be opened as rapidly as possible if fuel metering is to be precise. The fuel injectors are pulled low by Q 2 , and over-voltage and inductive kickback from them are handled by the combination of Zener diode D 21 and the Darlington transistor (Q 1 ). The two FET injector drivers may be connected to two banks of as many injectors as the drivers can handle. This must be determined by the injector current requirements, but 4 injectors per bank is easily achievable. The user can specify through the configuration software how often to fire each bank of injectors relative to the tach input, and whether to fire them sequentially, so that each injector fires once every engine cylinder cycle of two crank revolutions, or simultaneously, such that each injector fires every crank revolution. This allows the system to be used with throttle body injectors (one or two central injectors) or multiport (one injector per cylinder). [0030] To be truly generic it is required that the system handle the two common electrical impedances for fuel injectors: high impedance (roughly 12-16 ohms) and low impedance (1.2 to 2.5 ohms). The high impedance type (also known as saturated) provides its own current limiting, due to its comparably high resistance, and can be driven directly by Q 2 . The low-impedance types, known as peak-and-hold injectors, require a different drive strategy. These injectors like to have higher “peak” current applied, say 4 amps, while they are opening, and a lower “hold” current (like 1 amp or so) to keep them open. To provide this relative current control, Q 2 is driven fully on during the time the injector is opening. When a predetermined time has elapsed which is sufficient to ensure that the injector is open (based on injector impedance and supply voltage), the drive to Q 2 is switched to a pulse-width modulation mode (using the PWM mode of the timer channel), with a frequency of 15 KHz and a duty cycle which keeps the average current through the injector at the desired “hold” value. Both the duration of the “peak” current and the amount of reduction in amplitude during the “hold” portion are configurable by the user in the software. [0031] Direct control of a fast-idle solenoid is provided by Q 5 (spikes limited by D 9 ), which is opened when the engine is first started and not at a fully warmed temperature. The fast idle solenoid provides an air bypass around the throttle plates to provide additional air in the intake manifold. The operation of the electric fuel pump is also controlled in the micro controller (via a relay) using Q 3 . [0032] Finally, three LED lights are switched by transistors Q 9 -Q 11 . The first tells the user that the injectors are being driven, the other two tell the user when extra fuel enrichment is being supplied to compensate for cold engine warm up, and for acceleration, as indicated by a large throttle opening rate. [0033] 2. Software Description [0034] A summary of the software flow is provided in FIG. 5, and a complete listing of the embedded code is provided in FIG. 6 in the form of s-records which can be downloaded into Motorola HC08 series micro controllers through a serial port with commercially available software for this purpose installed on a host computer. As can be seen from the flowchart, the main loop of the program performs calculations on a continuing basis, as long as there are no interrupts. The latter, shown in the right column of FIG. 5, are used for time critical operations and for a 100 microsecond clock. [0035] The primary control algorithm, performed in the main loop of the embedded program, is the calculation of injector on time or pulse width. For this simple fuel injection system, the equations used for this have been optimized as follows: [0036] air_density=0.3916*MAP/(MAT+459.7) [0037] mass_air=air_density*cylinder_volume [0038] mass_fuel=mass_air/AFR [0039] Inj_PW=mass_fuel/Inj_Flow_Rate [0040] The injector flow rate is a constant measured at the factory by flowing the injector at the line pressure specified for the car. The fuel required in the above equation depends on the amount (in mass) of air entering the engine and the desired air/fuel ratio (AFR). In the above, air density is in pounds per cubic foot, MAP in kilopascals, MAT is the intake manifold air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, and the 459.7 converts to degrees Kelvin. The volume of the cylinder is in cubic feet. [0041] To simplify the calculations required by the microprocessor, one can define a quantity at a specific set of input values. In this system, we define the variable Req_fuel which is the amount of injector open time required for a MAP value of 100 Kpa (essentially wide-open throttle), MAT value of 70 degrees F., and assign values for AFR and cylinder volume which relate to the application. Req_fuel is a constant inside of the program. With this definition, the code is simplified by the use of direct units for the calculations, for example, MAP readings in Kpa/100 can be directly multiplied by Req_fuel to yield the change in pulse width time. Also, quantities, like volumetric efficiency (VE), which is the efficiency of the engine in pumping air at a specific RPM and load, can also be directly multiplied to the Req_fuel value. Likewise, acceleration and warm up enrichment values are directly multiplied in normalized percentages, as well as feedback settings for closed loop operation (O 2 ). Lookup tables for percent changes from the defined baseline value for Req_fuel is also used for temperature correction and barometric pressure correction, and are multiplied in a similar manner. This approach is very intuitive for users and yields: [0042] Inj_PW=Req_fuel*(MAP/100)*(VE/100)*(O 2 /100)*(Warm/100)*(Accel/100)*(Baro/100)*(Air/100). [0043] The preceding description covers the basic requirements, but there are several other corrections that need to be made. The first of these is enrichment for a cold start. During the cranking period and for at least a minute or more thereafter, an extremely rich fuel mixture is required for the engine to fire and run properly. How rich depends on the coolant temperature as measured by the coolant sensor. Hence, a user-configurable table is provided in flash memory for fuel enrichment vs temperature, and this is factored into the injector pulse width equation. As the engine warms up, the enrichment tapers off. [0044] During the cranking phase, more sophisticated strategies employ asynchronous injection, in which the injector is made to pulse several short bursts of fuel rather than a single long shot. This produces better mixing of the fuel and air. This is needed during cranking, because there is very little engine vacuum generated at the slow cranking speeds. Hence, the air moves very slowly through the intake tract and does not mix well with the fuel, thereby producing a weaker and rougher combustion event. [0045] A second area requiring special enrichment is acceleration. When the throttle is depressed rapidly for acceleration, a very rich mixture is required for a short period to keep the engine, from stumbling. To do this the ECU must first sense that acceleration is occurring. It does this by polling for a TPS and/or MAP sensor rate of change that is above a fixed threshold. When this occurs, the mixture is enriched by an amount, and for a time period, which is a function of the rate of change. [0046] Another fuel correction commonly used is for barometric pressure. This affects the airflow and air density, and hence the fuel must be corrected to maintain a desired AFR. In the present system the intake MAP reading just before starting the engine is used as the barometric pressure, and a correction table is applied. [0047] A stoichiometric air/fuel ratio of 14.7 is generally considered optimal for all around driving, economy and emissions, and this is what is strived for in closed loop mode using oxygen sensor feedback. This sensor, as the name implies, sends back to the ECU a voltage proportional to the amount of free oxygen in the exhaust. Too much means a lean mixture requiring more fuel be added; too little, just the opposite. Thus, in closed loop mode a PID loop is used to modify the basic fuel equation so as to maintain a just right fuel mix regardless of the type of gas used or the amount of wear in the engine. This mode is used off idle during cruise conditions when such a stoichiometric mixture is desired. [0048] The fuel injector is a solenoid tied to battery voltage on one end, and is grounded by the ECU at the other end when it is desired to turn on the injector. Now the specification injector flow rate is for steady state conditions, but the injector in the engine is not run at steady state, it is constantly pulsed on and off, and requires about 1-2 ms to fully open, and 1 ms to fully close. (During opening it is fighting spring pressure, while the spring assists in closing.) This fact requires two more corrections for fuel regulation. One is for the fact that the flow rate is not constant during the open/close ramps, and the other is a compensation for battery voltage, which has an effect on the open time. If the battery is weak, the injector will take longer to open. Hence, battery voltage is measured as shown in FIG. 3, and the injector open time is modified either linearly or from a table according to the deviation of battery voltage from 12 volts. [0049] A practical feature of the software not directly related to engine control is the provision for a bootloader program. This feature allows corrections and upgrades to the software to be easily downloaded by the users when they are developed. [0050] While a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

An electronic engine fuel controller that is simple, low cost, easily installed, and configurable for any internal combustion engine. The system is intended for upgrading older carbureted vehicles or vehicles that have been modified beyond the limits of the OEM controller. It takes advantage of modem micro controller technology with integrated memory, digital input/output, sensor and timer channels to produce a low parts count, as well as reliable operation in a large variety of vehicles, even when installed by people with little experience or knowledge in this area. Operation is by sensing a tachometer signal from the existing distributor, ignition coil, toothed wheel or similar device that produces one electronic pulse for each cylinder cycle. When a pulse is received, software in the micro measures engine operating parameters, calculates fuel parameters, and fires one or more injectors depending on how the system is configured. Configuration software operating on an external computer or laptop and communicating with the micro allows the user to modify any of the controller parameters or tables used for the fuel calculations.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the fabrication of NMOS transistors, and, more particularly, relates to the use of buried doped implants to enhance the properties of and simplify the fabrication of NMOS transistors particularly when used in complementary MOS (CMOS) integrated circuits. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the ever-continuing effort to improve the performance of metal-oxide-silicon (MOS) devices it has been discovered that the current leakage properties of a short p-channel MOS (PMOS) transistor may be improved by introducing a deep arsenic implant underneath the shallow boron channel implant. See, for example, S. Chiang, et al. "Optimization of Sub-micron p-Channel FET Structure," IEEE International Electronic Devices Meeting Papers, Vol. 24.6 1983, pp. 534-537. The use of a deep, n - channel implant under p-channel devices does not cause a process sequence problem if all of the devices on the integrated circuit under construction are PMOS, however, if this technique were used to enhance the characteristics of p-channel devices in CMOS, one skilled in the art would expect that a mask step would be necessary to prevent the deep, buried n - channel implant from appearing under the n-channel devices present. The expectation is that an n - channel implant under an NMOS device would create punchthrough problems. It would be desirable to discover a process by which the deep, buried n - channel implant of PMOS devices could be applied to CMOS integrated circuits without the addition of an extra mask step. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a technique by which deep, n - channel implant may be used to enhance NMOS devices whether used in an NMOS integrated circuit or a CMOS integrated circuit. Another object of the invention is to provide a means by which a deep, n - channel buried implant may be employed on CMOS transistors without the need for an extra mask step. In carrying out these and other objects of the present invention, there is provided, in one form an n-channel MOS device made by performing a deep, lightly-doped n - donor implant in a p acceptor doped region, then forming a thin gate oxide layer, performing boron channel implants, subsequently forming a heavily-doped n + donor gate, and finally implanting heavily doped n + donor source/drain regions. Optionally, the gate may be formed in two steps, one before and one after the boron channel implants. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-section of an n-channel MOS transistor under construction showing the blanket implantation of the deep, buried n - implant through a sacrificial oxide layer; and FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the n-channel MOS transistor of FIG. 1 in completed form. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It has been surprisingly discovered that a deep, buried n - channel implant beneath an NMOS device does not degrade transistor performance, particularly with regard to punch-through, and in fact benefits the NMOS device characteristics. It is expected that the principal application of this technique is in a CMOS process flow, where both NMOS and PMOS transistors are present. By virtue of this discovery, a mask need not be used in the formation of the deep n - implant as it may be laid beneath both n-channel and p-channel devices in a CMOS integrated circuit. Shown in FIG. 1 is an NMOS transistor 10 under construction. Fabrication taken place in a p-doped region 12, which can either be a p substrate or a p-well in an n-doped substrate; the present invention would work well in either situation. The deep n - implant 14 is introduced into the channel region of both n- and p-channel transistors. This implant 14 is formed by the blanket or unmasked ion implantation of arsenic or phosphorus. The implant conducted as shown in FIG. 1 compensates back the p-type region 12 and p-channel region 17 with n-type dopant but does not bring them to a fully compensated or n - state. The exact depth of the n - implant is not critical; for example, it may be positioned at approximately 2000 angstroms below the surface as in the example described below. Preferably, the peak of the deep n - channel implant 14 is at or below the n + /p junction of the eventual source 20 and drain 22 regions, as seen in FIG. 2. This implant 14 is dependent upon the other device parameters for its exact depth placement. The downward pointing arrows in FIG. 1 indicate the ion implantation step. Since the implant must be done at fairly high energies, it may be preferred to implant through a thin implant screen, which in many cases will be silicon dioxide as represented at 16 in FIG. 1. Typically, this implant screen will be a sacrificial oxide layer 16. In the example, a 400 angstrom layer was used. Its exact thickness is, of course, dependent on the nature of the devices being built. As noted above, it is well known that buried implant 14 improves the punchthrough properties of p-channel devices. But it is surprising to find that implant 14 also improves the performance of the final n-channel transistor 18 shown in FIG. 2. Finished NMOS transistor 18 has an n - channel implant 14 buried in p-doped region 12, and also possesses p - channel region 17, source region 20, drain region 22 and gate region 24 on thin dielectric layer 26. For an NMOS transistor 18, source 20, drain 22 and gate 24 are heavily n + doped regions of silicon. Typically, gate region 24 is polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) and the thin gate dielectric layer 26 is silicon dioxide, although the invention is not limited by these suggestions of possible materials. As will be shown, both the variations of threshold voltage with substrate bias, called the "body effect", and n + /p source/drain junction capacitance are reduced by a factor of 1.5 to 2. The punchthrough properties of the n-channel device exhibit no degradation due to the n - implant 14. The invention will be further illustrated with reference to the following example. EXAMPLE 1 This experiment focused on improving the short channel leakage properties of PMOS devices by introducing a deep arsenic implant below the boron channel implant normally employed. The effects of the blanket arsenic implant on NMOS devices were also studied which led to the discovery of this invention. In an earlier experiment it was found that light doses of arsenic (less than or equal to 1×10 11 atoms/cm 2 ) were insufficient to have much effect. Therefore, relatively heavier doses (3, 5 and 7×10 11 , commonly expressed as 7E11, for example) were used in the present experiment. The arsenic ion implantation was performed through 400 angstroms of sacrificial gate oxide. The boron ion implanation was performed through 500 angstroms of polysilicon and 250 angstroms of gate oxide. The results are summarized in the tables below. TABLE I______________________________________p-Channel ResultsBlanket Blanket V.sub.T atB.sup.+ dose As.sup.+ dose V.sub.TLCH L.sub.eff = I.sub.L at L.sub.eff =(30 keV) (360 keV) (V).sup.a 0.7 um.sup.b 0.7 um.sup.c______________________________________6.5 E11 3 E11 -1.05 V -0.53 V >1 E-8 A/um 8 E11 5 E11 -1.04 V -0.57 V 2.5 E-11 A/um 9 E11 7 E11 -1.05 V -0.65 V 5 E-12 A/um4.5 E11 None -1.00 V -0.32 V >1 E-8 A/um (control)______________________________________ .sup.a V.sub.BB = 0 V, V.sub.TLCH = Long channel (L = 50 um) threshold voltage. .sup.b V.sub.DS = -5 V, V.sub.BB = 0 V. .sup.c Leakage current at V.sub.DS = -5 V, V.sub.GS = -0.3 V, V.sub.BB = V. The results show an improvement in short channel behavior as the arsenic dose is increased. The reduction in threshold voltage V T with shorter L eff is minimized and the leakage current is reduced, for devices with L eff greater than or equal to 0.7 μm. TABLE II__________________________________________________________________________n-Channel ResultsNet Enh.As.sup.+ V.sub.T at ΔV.sub.TB.sup.+ DoseDose V.sub.TLCH L.sub.eff = 0-5 V n.sup.+ /p Cj.sup.c30 keV360 keV (V).sup.a 0.8 um.sup.b V.sub.BB 0 V 5 V I.sub.L at L.sub.eff = 0.8__________________________________________________________________________ um.sup.d 2.9 E127 E11 1.07 V 0.87 V 0.63 V 0.2 .073 3 E-12 A/um2.45 E12None 0.94 V 0.90 V 1.15 V 0.3 .10 3 E-12 A/um(control)__________________________________________________________________________ .sup.a Long channel (L = 50 um) threshold voltage, V.sub.BB = 0 V. .sup.b V.sub.DS = 5 V, V.sub.BB = 0 V. .sup.c Junction capacitance in fF/um.sup.2 .sup.d Leakage current at V.sub.DS = 5 V, V.sub.GS = 0.3 V, V.sub.BB = 0 V The results for the n-channel devices show that a substantial reduction in body effect (the change in V TH as V BB varies from 0 to -5 V) and junction capacitance (C J ) as compared with the control, may be obtained using a deep n - implant. Punchthrough effects, indicated by I L , show no degradation.

A deep, buried n - channel blanket implant beneath both n - channel and p-channel devices in MOS integrated circuits, whether complementary MOS (CMOS) or not. It is known to use deep, lightly-doped n - channel implant to improve the characteristics of p-channel (PMOS) devices, although one skilled in the art would expect such an n - implant to be detrimental to n-channel (NMOS) devices. It has been discovered that such implants not only do not degrade the NMOS devices, but in fact improve their performance, with respect to body effect and junction capacitance.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The disclosure relates to filters, and more particularly, to a microstrip filter. 2. Description of Related Art Vast information interchange occurs via wireless communications systems. During transmission, information may be carried by microwave signals. To achieve successful long distance transmission, high-powered transmitters are used which can result in electromagnetic interference (EMI) in devices such as cellular phones or radio receivers. EMI may interrupt, obstruct, or otherwise degrade or limit the effective performance of the devices. As a result, various microstrip filters have been developed and adopted in the devices as EMI shields. However, a typical microstrip filter consists of discrete elements such as, resistors, capacitors, and inductors, which makes the filter bulky, costly, and environmentally hazardous. What is needed is a microstrip filter addressing the aforedescribed problems. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a microstrip filter according to a first exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is top view of a pattern of the microstrip filter of FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is a graph of a computer simulated frequency response of the microstrip filter of FIG. 2 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , a microstrip filter 100 of an exemplary embodiment is shown. The microstrip filter 100 includes a circuit board 110 , a low-pass filter circuit 120 , and a high-pass filter circuit 130 . The low-pass filter circuit 120 and the high-pass filter circuit 130 are formed in the circuit board 110 in series interconnection with each other. The circuit board 110 includes two metal layers 112 , and a dielectric layer 114 below one of the metal layers 112 and above the other one. In one exemplary embodiment, two metal layers 112 are isolated from each other by the dielectric layer 114 . The low-pass filter circuit 120 and the high-pass filter circuit 130 are formed on the metal layers 112 by means of chemical etching, physical etching, or copperplating methods. The low-pass filter circuit 120 and the circuit board 110 cooperatively construct a low-pass filter (not shown). The high-pass filter circuit 130 and the circuit board 110 cooperatively construct a high-pass filter. Either one or both of the filters may be employed in a same device. Referring to FIG. 2 , the low-pass filter circuit 120 and the high-pass filter circuit 130 both include a main line respectively indicated as 120 a , 130 a . The linked main lines 120 a and 130 a , each has two approximately parallel portions to reduce the length of the corresponding lines 120 a and 130 a . The low-pass filter circuit 120 further includes a modulating circuit 120 b composed of wide and short low impedance portions connected respectively with the main line 120 a in parallel or series, which serve as capacitors. The high-pass filter circuit 130 further includes a modulating circuit 130 b composed of a number of perpendicularly bent branches that extend from the main line 130 a , and that are simultaneously parallel to the longer portion of the main lines 130 a . The branches of the modulating circuit 130 b serve as conductors. The main line 120 a of the low-pass filter circuit 120 includes an input portion 122 , a transmission portion 126 , and an output portion 128 . The modulating circuit 120 b includes a first low impedance portion 123 , a second low impedance portion 124 , a third low impedance portion 125 , and an extending portion 127 . The input portion 122 is connected to the transmission portion 126 via the first low impedance portion 123 . The transmission portion 126 is successively connected to the extending portion 127 . The output portion 128 is successively connected to the transmission portion 126 and the extending portion 127 . The second low impedance portion 124 and the third low impedance portion 125 are correspondingly connected to the extending portion 127 and the output portion 128 through two branching portions that correspondingly perpendicularly extend from the extending portion 127 and the output portion 128 . The input portion 122 includes a first vertical segment 122 a and a first horizontal segment 122 b . The first horizontal segment 122 b perpendicularly extends from a terminal end of the vertical segment 122 a to the first low impedance portion 123 . The first horizontal segment 122 b is shorter than the first vertical segment 122 a in length. The transmission portion 126 includes a second horizontal segment 126 a , a second vertical segment 126 b , a third horizontal segment 126 c , and a third vertical segment 126 d . The second horizontal segment 126 a is connected between the first low impedance portion 123 and the second vertical segment 126 b . The second vertical segment 126 b perpendicularly extends from an end of the second horizontal segment 126 a . The second vertical segment 126 b of the transmission portion 126 is parallel to the first vertical segment 122 a of the input portion 122 but extends along the vertical direction away from the first vertical segment 122 a . In one exemplary embodiment, a total length of the first vertical segment 122 a and the second vertical segment 126 b is about 18 mm. The third horizontal segment 126 c perpendicularly extends from the terminal end of the second vertical segment 126 b . The third horizontal segment 126 c is parallel to the second horizontal segment 126 a and extends horizontally towards the first low impedance portions 123 . The third vertical segment 126 d perpendicularly extends from the terminal end of the third horizontal segment 126 c towards the first low impedance portion 123 . Exemplarily, the third horizontal segment 126 c is longer than the second horizontal segment 126 a. The extending portion 127 includes an extending segment 127 a and a bent segment 127 b . The extending segment 127 a perpendicularly extends from the terminal end of the third vertical segment 126 d of the transmission portion 126 , and horizontally extends away from the second vertical segment 126 c of the transmission portion 126 . The bent segment 127 b perpendicularly extends from the terminal end of the extending segment 127 a , along a direction away from the third horizontal segment 126 c . The length of the extending segment 127 a is longer than that of the bent segment 127 b. The output portion 128 includes a fourth horizontal segment 128 a , a fourth vertical segment 128 b and a fifth horizontal segment 128 c . The fourth horizontal segment 128 a perpendicularly extends from the terminal end of the third vertical segment 126 d of the transmission portion 126 towards the second vertical segment 126 b of the transmission portion 126 . The length of the fourth horizontal segment 128 a is shorter than that of the third horizontal segment 126 c of the transmission portion 126 . The fourth vertical segment 128 b perpendicularly extends from the terminal end of the fourth horizontal segment 128 a towards the second horizontal segment 126 a of the transmission portion 126 . The fourth vertical segment 128 b is longer than the bent segment 127 b of the extending portion 127 . The fifth horizontal segment 128 c perpendicularly extends from the terminal end of the fourth vertical segment 128 b along a direction away from the second vertical segment 126 b of the transmission portion 126 . The terminal end of the fifth horizontal segment 128 c extends beyond the terminal end of the bent segment 127 b of the extending portion 127 . The second low impedance portion 124 is positioned between the extending segment 127 a of the extending portion 127 and the fifth horizontal segment 128 c of the output portion 128 , and connected to the fifth horizontal segment 128 c via a branch perpendicularly extended from the middle of the fifth horizontal segment 128 c . The third low impedance portion 125 is connected to the terminal end of the bent segment 127 b of the extending portion 127 . In the low-pass filter circuit 120 , sections of the main line 120 a may be bent to reduce the size of the low-pass filter circuit 120 . The modulating circuit 120 b serves as capacitors for filtering high frequency signals. The main line 130 a of the high-pass filter circuit 130 includes a main portion 132 and a terminal portion 136 . The modulating circuit 130 b of the high-pass filter circuit 130 includes a pair of first coupled lines 133 , a pair of second coupled lines 134 , and a pair of third coupled lines 135 . The main portion 132 is connected to the terminal end of the fifth horizontal segment 128 c of the output portion 128 , and portion of the main portion 132 is collinear (not shown) to the fifth horizontal segment 128 c . The parallel branches of the main portion 132 comprise a “U” shaped microstrip facing the low-pass filter circuit 130 which significantly saves space. The terminal portion 136 is perpendicularly connected to the terminal end of the main portion 132 and parallel to the first vertical segment 122 a of the input portion 122 . The first coupled lines 133 symmetrically extend from the two parallel segments of the main portion 132 . Each of the first coupled line 133 includes a first connecting segment 133 a and a first bent segment 133 b . The first connecting segment 133 a of each first coupled line 133 perpendicularly extends from the main portion 132 adjacent to the opening of the U-shaped main portion 132 . The first bent segment 133 b of each first coupled line 133 extends from the terminal end of the first connecting segment 133 a towards the closed end of the U-shaped main portion 132 . The first bent segments 133 b of the first coupled line 133 are parallel to the parallel portions of the main portion 132 . The second coupled line 134 symmetrically extend from the two parallel portions of the main portion 132 , adjacent and parallel to the corresponding first coupled line 133 . Each of the second coupled line 134 includes a second connecting segment 134 a and a second bent segment 134 b . The second connecting segment 134 a of each second coupled line 134 perpendicularly extends from the main portion 132 , adjacent to the first connecting segment 133 a of the first coupled line 133 . The length of the second connecting segment 134 a of the second coupled line 134 is shorter than that of the first connecting segment 133 a of the first coupled line 133 . The second bent segment 134 b of each second coupled line 134 perpendicularly extends from the terminal end of the connecting segment 134 a of the second coupled line 134 towards the closed end of the U-shaped microstrip 132 . The second bent segments 134 b of the second coupled line 134 are parallel to the parallel portions of the main portion 132 . The length of the second bent segment 134 b of the second coupled line 134 is shorter than that of the first bent segment 133 b of the first coupled line 133 . The third coupled line 135 symmetrically extend from the two parallel portions of the main portion 132 , adjacent to the closed end of the U-shaped main portion 132 . Each of the third coupled line 135 includes a third connecting segment 135 a and third bent segment 135 b . The third connecting segment 135 a of each third coupled line 135 perpendicularly extends from the main portion 132 . The length of the third connecting segment 135 a of the third coupled line 135 is shorter than that of the second connecting segment 134 a of the second coupled line 134 . The third bent segment 135 b of each third coupled line 135 perpendicularly extends from the terminal end of the third connecting segment 135 a , towards the opening of the main portion 132 . The third bent segments 135 b of the third coupled line 135 are parallel to the parallel portions of the main portion 132 . The distance between the second connecting segment 134 a of the second coupled line 134 and the third bent segment 135 b of the third coupled line 135 , is about two times the length of the third bent segment 135 b of the third coupled line 135 . The first, second and third coupled lines 133 , 134 , 135 serve as conductors to filter low frequency signals. Referring to FIG. 3 , a computer simulated frequency response of the microstrip filter 100 is shown. Waves whose frequencies fall within 0.8 GHZ˜1.55 GHG pass the microstrip filter 100 low insertion loss. However, waves whose frequencies fall beyond 0.8 GHZ˜1.55 GHG are well filtered. The microstrip filter 100 is composed of interconnecting the low-pass filter circuit 120 and the high-pass filter circuit 130 , in series. The low-pass filter circuit 120 and the high-pass filter circuit 130 are designed small in size by parallely configuring the main lines thereof. The modulating circuit 120 a , 130 a are connected respectively to the main line 120 a / 130 a in series or parallel, thereby forming capacitors and conductors to reduce, or even, eliminate EMI. The microstrip filter 100 is compact, cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly. Accordingly, the low-pass filter circuit 120 and high-pass filter circuit 130 can each be used independently, without prejudice to the present embodiment. It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.

A filter includes a circuit board, a low-pass filter circuit, and a high-pass filter circuit. The circuit board includes at least one metal layer, and a dielectric layer attached on the at least one metal layer. The low-pass filter circuit is defined in the metal layer, and includes a main line that has two parallel portions, and a modulating circuit serving as a capacitor connected to the main line of the low-pass filter circuit. The high-pass filter circuit defined in the metal layer includes a main line that has two parallel portions and is connected to the low-pass filter circuit, and a modulating circuit serving as a conductor connected to the main line of the high-pass filter circuit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates generally to a phase-lock loop (PLL) circuit, and more particularly to reducing jitter in a PLL operating at high frequencies. 2. Description of the Related Art A phase-lock loop (PLL) is typically used to synchronize (‘lock’) an internal voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to an external reference signal. A PLL thus keeps a circuit operating at a specific frequency, and is used in a wide variety of electronic circuits for this purpose. One of the key components of a PLL is a phase-frequency detector (PFD) circuit, which compares the VCO signal to the reference signal and generates a phase error signal that is a measure of their phase difference. The VCO generates a periodic signal with a frequency that is controlled by the phase error signal. The VCO output is coupled to the feedback input of the PFD, thereby forming a feedback loop. If the frequency of the feedback signal is not equal to the frequency of the reference signal, the phase error signal causes the VCO frequency to shift toward the frequency of the reference signal, until the VCO finally locks onto the frequency of the reference. For very small phase differences, for example when the PLL is in a steady-state condition, the dead zone is the region in which the phase error signal is insensitive to phase-difference changes. Thus one problem with a PFD is that jitter is introduced into the loop due to the dead zone. Most approaches to minimizing the dead zone are particularly complicated, and do not allow the PFD to operate at high frequencies with zero dead zone. Therefore, there is a need for a phase/frequency detector that operates in high frequency circuits with zero dead zone. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for generating a phase error signal from a reference signal and a feedback signal using a modified reset generation mechanism. An input circuit receives a reference signal and a feedback signal. A phase error detector circuit generates a phase error signal based on the reference signal and feedback signal. The input circuit is reset and, after a delay, the phase error detector circuit is reset. The delay is selected so that there is no jitter associated with the dead zone. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a high frequency phase/frequency detector; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a dynamic AND circuit; FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a latch circuit; FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a pulse shaping circuit; FIGS. 5A and 5B are timing diagrams showing the status of various inputs and outputs when signal A arrives before signal B; and FIGS. 6A and 6B are timing diagrams showing the status of various inputs and outputs when signal B arrives before signal A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known elements have been illustrated in schematic or block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. Additionally, for the most part, details concerning network communications, electromagnetic signaling techniques, and the like, have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered to be within the understanding of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art. In the remainder of this description, a processing unit (PU) may be a sole processor of computations in a device. In such a situation, the PU is typically referred to as am MPU (main processing unit). The processing unit may also be one of many processing units that share the computational load according to some methodology or algorithm developed for a given computational device. For the remainder of this description, all references to processors shall use the term MPU whether the MPU is the sole computational element in the device or whether the MPU is sharing the computational element with other MPUs. It is further noted that, unless indicated otherwise, all functions described herein may be performed in either hardware or software, or some combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, however, the functions are performed by a processor such as a computer or an electronic data processor in accordance with code such as computer program code, software, and/or integrated circuits that are coded to perform such functions, unless indicated otherwise. Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral 100 generally designates a phase/frequency detector (PFD). The circuit 100 comprises two inputs 102 and 104 for receiving a reference signal and a feedback signal, respectively, two latches 106 and 108 , two NOR gates 110 and 112 , two dynamic AND circuits 114 and 116 , a reset circuit 118 and a pulse shaping circuit 120 with two outputs. Latch circuit 106 is shown to receive a reference signal from input 102 and a first reset signal (bothb) and to generate a latched reference signal (disa). Latch circuit 108 is shown to receive a feedback signal from input 104 and the first reset signal (bothb) and to generate a latched feedback signal (disb). When there is no input present, the output (disa) for latch circuit 106 is low. When the reference signal input to latch circuit 106 goes high, the latched reference signal output goes high and remains high until latch circuit 106 receives a first reset signal. Latch circuit 108 behaves similarly. NOR circuit 110 is coupled to the first latch circuit 106 for receiving the latched reference signal (disa) and a derived reference signal (qouta) and for generating a first NOR signal. NOR circuit 112 is coupled to the second latch circuit 108 for receiving the latched feedback signal (disb) and a derived feedback signal (qoutb) and for generating a second NOR signal. When both inputs to NOR circuit 110 are low, the output of NOR circuit 110 is high. As is well known in the art, if either or both inputs of a NOR circuit are high, the output for the NOR circuit is low, and only when both inputs are low is the NOR circuit output high. Both NOR circuits 110 and 112 behave this way. Dynamic AND circuit 114 receives the reference signal from input 102 and is coupled to the first NOR circuit 110 for receiving the first NOR signal. Dynamic AND circuit 114 is also configured to receive a second reset signal and to generate the derived reference signal. The second reset signal is a delayed signal of the first reset signal. Dynamic AND circuit 116 is shown to receive the feedback signal from input 104 and is coupled to NOR circuit 112 for receiving the second NOR signal. Dynamic AND circuit 116 is also configured to receive the second reset signal and to generate the derived feedback signal. As is well known in the art, the output of an AND circuit is high only when all inputs to the AND circuit are high, and the output is low when one or more of the inputs is low. Both dynamic AND circuits 114 and 116 behave this way. Reset circuit 118 is coupled to first and second dynamic AND circuits 114 and 116 for receiving the derived reference signal and derived feedback signal, respectively, and coupled to the first and second latch circuits 106 and 108 for generating the first reset signal. The reset circuit 118 is also coupled to first and second dynamic AND circuits 114 and 116 for providing the second reset signal. When the derived reference signal and the derived feedback signal both go high, the first reset signal is output, and after a delay tau, the second reset signal is output. The delay tau is proportional to the period of the reference signal and may be varied between 5% to 25% of the period of the reference signal. For simplicity, the delay tau may be fixed at 10% of the period of the reference signal, for example 25 picoseconds for a 4 GHz clock. Pulse shaping circuit 120 is coupled to dynamic AND circuits 114 and 116 for receiving the derived reference signal and derived feedback signal, respectively, and configured for generating first and second output pulses, wherein, if the reference signal arrives before the feedback signal, the first output pulse UP has a duration which is proportional to a time delay between the reference signal and the feedback signal, and if the feedback signal arrives before the reference signal, the second output pulse DN has a duration which is proportional to a time delay between the reference signal and the feedback signal. Pulse shaping circuit 120 has a dead zone associated with very small phase differences between the reference signal and the feedback signal and a means for reducing the dead zone by changing the durations of the first and second output pulses. The pulse shaping circuit used in the present invention is well known in the art. Initially, the PFD is waiting for input. If the reference signal arrives first, the PFD circuit sets itself, using the derived reference signal (qouta), NOR circuit 110 , and the first NOR signal (ena), to ignore input 102 , and waits for the feedback signal to arrive. Similarly, if the feedback signal arrives first, the PFD circuit sets itself, using the derived feedback signal (qoutb), NOR circuit 112 and the second NOR signal (enb), to ignore input 104 , and waits for the reference signal to arrive. Once both the reference signal and the feedback signal have arrived, the phase error between the two signals is detected. Once the phase error is detected, two events occur at substantially the same time. First, the phase error is sent to pulse shaping circuit 120 . Second, reset circuit 118 issues a first reset signal to latches 106 and 108 and, after a delay, a second reset signal to dynamic ANDs 114 and 116 . The two reset signals cause the PFD to reset to its initial stage so that the cycle can begin again. Now referring to FIG. 2, the reference numeral 200 generally designates a dynamic AND circuit comprising inputs 202 , 204 , 206 and 208 , combinatorial logic 210 , memory 212 , error output 214 and output 216 . The combinatorial logic circuit 210 is shown to receive the second reset signal at input 202 , the reference signal at input 204 , the first NOR signal at input 206 , and the derived reference signal 208 , and is configured for generating a clogic signal if successful in logically combining inputs 202 , 204 , 206 , and 208 , and a clogic error signal if unsuccessful. The memory circuit 212 is coupled to the first combinatorial logic circuit for receiving the clogic signal and generating the derived reference signal. Error output 214 is coupled to combinatorial logic circuit 210 for receiving a clogic error signal. Now referring to FIG. 3, the reference numeral 300 generally designates a latch circuit comprising NAND circuits 302 and 304 , inputs 306 and 308 and outputs 310 and 312 . NAND circuit 302 is configured to receive the first reset signal at input 308 and a first latch enable signal, and to generate a first latch disable signal, which is coupled to output 312 . NAND circuit 304 is coupled to the first NAND circuit for receiving the first latch disable signal and coupled to input 306 for receiving an input signal and generating a first latch enable signal, which is coupled to output 310 and coupled to the input of NAND 302 . Input 306 is typically coupled to either a reference signal or a feedback signal. Now referring to FIG. 4, the reference numeral 400 generally designates a pulse shaping circuit comprising two inputs for receiving a derived reference signal and a derived feedback signal, NOT circuits 402 , 404 , 406 , and 408 , null delay circuits 410 and 412 , NAND circuits 414 and 416 , and two outputs UP and DN. If the reference signal arrives before the feedback signal, the pulse shaping circuit generates a pulse at output UP with pulse width proportional to the delay between the reference signal and feedback signal. If the feedback signal arrives before the reference signal, the pulse shaping circuit generates a pulse at output DN with pulse width proportional to the delay between the reference signal and feedback signal. In the pulse shaping circuit, NOT circuit 402 is coupled to dynamic AND circuit 116 for receiving the derived feedback signal and generating a first NOT feedback signal. Null delay circuit 410 is coupled to dynamic AND 114 for receiving the derived reference signal and generating a delayed reference signal. NAND circuit 414 is coupled to NOT circuit 402 and null delay circuit 410 for receiving the first NOT feedback signal and the delayed reference signal, respectively, and generating a UPB signal. NOT circuit 404 is coupled to NAND circuit 414 for receiving the UPB signal and generating an UP signal. NOT circuit 406 is coupled to dynamic AND circuit 114 for receiving the derived reference signal and generating a first NOT reference signal. Null delay circuit 412 is coupled to dynamic AND circuit 116 for receiving the derived feedback signal and generating a delayed feedback signal. NAND circuit 416 is coupled to NOT circuit 406 and null delay circuit 412 for receiving the first NOT reference signal and the delayed feedback signal, respectively, and generating a DNB signal. NOT circuit 408 is coupled to NAND circuit 416 for receiving the DNB signal and generating a DN signal. Now referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, a timing diagram is shown, illustrating arrival of the reference signal before the feedback signal. When the reference signal arrives at input 102 , the output of dynamic AND circuit 114 , the derived reference signal, goes high and disables dynamic AND circuit 114 . Dynamic AND circuit 114 is disabled as a result of the output of NOR circuit 110 , the first NOR signal, going low in response to the derived reference signal going high. When a feedback signal arrives at input 104 , the output of dynamic AND circuit 116 , the derived feedback signal, goes high and disables dynamic AND circuit 116 . Dynamic AND circuit 116 is disabled as a result of the output of NOR circuit 112 , the second NOR signal, going low in response to the derived feedback signal going low. Once the derived reference signal and the derived feedback signal are both high, pulse shaping circuit 120 generates a pulse at output UP, with width proportional to the delay between the reference signal and feedback signal. At the same time, when the derived reference signal and derived feedback signal are both high, the output of NAND circuit 122 goes low generating the first reset signal, causing the latched reference signal and latched feedback signal to go high, holding the first and second NOR signals low. After the first reset signal is generated, transport delay 124 generates the second reset signal, causing dynamic AND circuits 114 and 116 to reset and the derived reference signal and derived feedback signal to go low. Once input 102 goes low, the latched reference signal goes low, causing the first NOR signal to go high, enabling dynamic AND 114 for the next time input 102 goes high. Similarly, once input 104 goes low, the latched feedback signal goes low, causing the second NOR signal to go high, enabling dynamic AND 116 for the next time input 104 goes high. The cycle is complete and the process repeats for subsequent cycles. Now referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, a timing diagram is shown, illustrating arrival of the feedback signal before the reference signal. When the feedback signal arrives at input 104 , it causes the derived feedback signal to go high, disabling dynamic AND circuit 116 because of the second NOR signal going low. Once the reference signal arrives at input 102 , it similarly disables dynamic AND 114 . When both the derived feedback signal and the derived reference signal are high, pulse shaping circuit 120 generates a pulse at output DN, with width proportional to the delay between the feedback signal and reference signal. At the same time, when both the derived feedback signal and the derived reference signal are high, the first reset signal is generated, resetting latches 106 and 108 , and then the second reset signal is generated, resetting dynamic AND 114 and 116 . The present invention, allows a PFD to achieve zero dead zone in high speed circuits by using a modified, dual-stage reset mechanism. The dual-stage nature of the reset allows for a highly responsive reset. One application of this feature is constructing a PLL for use in a high-speed clock circuit with little or no dead zone. Achievable is a dead zone of less than one picosecond at cycle times of less than 5 FO4 delays. It will be understood from the foregoing description that various modifications and changes may be made in the preferred embodiment of the present invention without departing from its true spirit. This description is intended for purposes of illustration only and should not be construed in a limiting sense. The scope of this invention should be limited only by the language of the following claims.

The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for generating a phase error signal from a reference signal and a feedback signal using a modified reset generation mechanism. An input circuit receives a reference signal and a feedback signal. A phase error detector circuit generates a phase error signal based on the reference signal and feedback signal. The input circuit is reset and, after a delay, the phase error detector circuit is reset. The delay is selected so that there is no jitter associated with the dead zone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Multiwell analysis plates used in automated analytical equipment, including automated biological assay, are widely used. These plates are standardized for use in various instruments, such as epifluorescence multiwell imaging analysis, protein crystal detection and ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay). Typically, plastic 96-well plates, having an 8×12 array of wells, are used; however, 6-, 384- and 1536-well plates, and other array arrangements are also used. [0002] US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0256963 filed by Afflick et al. published Dec. 23, 2004, is directed to an automated sample analysis system capable of handling a large number of multiwell plates. As shown in FIGS. 6-8 and discussed at paragraphs 51 and 89-99, this system uses a robotically operated plate handler. In particular, as stated at paragraph 93, the plate handler in this system does not grasp and lift the plates. [0003] U.S. Pat. No. 6,496,309 issued to Bliton et al. on Dec. 17, 2002 discloses an automated CCD-based micro-array imaging system, but appears to be silent regarding any sample plate handler, e.g., handlers for the gene chip arrays. [0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,381 issued to Thom et al. on Mar. 11, 1997, U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,898 issued to Pearson on Feb. 28, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,414 issued to Jones on Oct. 13, 1987, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,380 issued to Zaremsky et al. on Apr. 1, 1986, all exemplify parallel grippers that can be used with transporting robots. However, none of these teach or disclose the parallel gripper structure of the present invention using the stepper motor. [0005] During gripping, the plastic plates can be unnecessarily squeezed by the prior gripping devices, causing the plates to buckle and adversely affecting the contents of the well. This can result in inaccurate analyses. Also, the prior gripping devices can grip the sides of the plates at uneven positions, which can adversely affect the analysis. [0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a parallel gripper usable with a multi-well plate handling robot to grip a multi-well plate that maintains the plate in a horizontal orientation, avoids disruptive squeezing of the plates during gripping, and minimizes or eliminates sudden movements that can disturb the contents of the plate wells. LIST OF DRAWINGS [0007] FIGS. 1A , 1 B, and 1 C show perspective, elevation and plan views of a system using the inventive gripper. [0008] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the inventive gripper holding a multi-well plate. [0009] FIGS. 3A , 3 B and 3 C show perspective, plan and exploded views of the inventive gripper. [0010] FIGS. 4A , 4 B and 4 C show a perspective, front and plan view of an individual plate housing. PARTS/FEATURES LIST [0000] 10 Multi-well plate 100 Overall automatic analysis system 110 Plate hotel 120 Individual plate housing (in hotel) 150 Plate housing shelf (detached) 152 Notch 156 Raised portion of plate housing shelf 158 Back stop of plate housing 160 Housing shelf 162 Housing shelf hole 164 Connecting rod 166 Housing shelf spacer 200 Gripper 202 Stepper motor 204 Motor mount 206 Coupling 208 Movable arm mount guide rail 210 Back support 212 Movable mount support 214 Bearing holder 215 Threaded shaft 220 Movable arm mount 222 Threaded lead nut 230 Fixed end mount 240 Fixed intermediate mount 250 Gripper arm 252 Arm shelf 260 Arm cushion 300 Analysis station 310 Safety platform 320 Microscope/imager 330 Illumination source 410 X-axis guide rails 412 X-axis adjustment motor 420 X-axis adjustment shaft 422 X-axis movable mount 430 Y-axis adjustment shaft 432 Y-axis movable mount 434 Y-axis adjustment motor 440 Vertical support for robot 450 Movable plate stage DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0052] The inventive gripper and its use in an automated analysis system is shown in the drawings. [0053] FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of an automated sample analysis system 100 with an X-Y-Z transporting robot. The X-Y-Z robot is computer controlled to move the gripper 200 along three orthogonal directions. A multiwell plate 10 held by the gripper 200 is movable by the robot along a vertical (i.e., Z-axis) support 440 . The vertical support 440 is attached to a movable plate stage 450 , which is moved along an X-axis on rails 410 by a mount 422 that moves in response to rotation by an X-axis adjustment shaft 420 that, in turn, is controlled by a computer. The plate stage 450 is movable in a Y-axis by movable mount 432 by rotation of Y-axis adjustment shaft 430 . [0054] The analysis station 300 includes a safety platform 310 (to prevent a plate from falling below), an imager 320 (such as a microscope and/or CCD camera) and an optional illuminator 330 . During analysis, movement of the multiwell plate 10 over the analysis platform 310 is performed by the computer controlled robot, while holding the plate 10 with the gripper 200 . The plate is moved incrementally to align successive individual wells in the imaging region, e.g., in the light path between the illuminator 330 and imager 320 , thereby imaging each well individually. Upon completion of imaging, the plate 10 is returned by the gripper to its housing shelf in the plate hotel 110 . [0055] Alternatively, the plate 10 can be placed by the gripper 200 onto a computer controlled X-Y movable platform instead of the safety platform 310 . The X-Y movable platform can perform the necessary incremental movements to align each successive well in the imaging area, such as the light path between the illuminator 330 and the imager 320 . In this case, after all wells have been imaged, the plate can be removed with the gripper and returned to the plate hotel 110 . Each multiwell plate in the plate hotel that requires analysis is transported to and from the analysis station by the gripper in the same manner. [0056] It is noted that any analytical devices can be used in the analysis stage that permits multiwell plate analysis. In some analytical techniques, the illuminator is not necessary, such as those in which the samples in the wells emit light. [0057] FIG. 1B shows an elevation view of the automated analysis system 100 . An individual plate housing 120 is shown assembled with neighboring housings in the plate hotel. The analysis/imaging station 300 is shown behind the plate hotel 110 . The Y- and Z-directions are clearly visible in this view. [0058] FIG. 1C shows a plan view of the system, including X- and Y-directions and the relative arrangement of the plate hotel 110 , the movable plate stage 450 and the analysis stage 300 . [0059] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the gripper 200 holding a multiwell plate 10 . Also, as shown in FIGS. 3A-C , the pair of gripper arms 250 are movable by rotation of the stepper motor 202 through its respective threaded adjustment shaft 215 . When the stepper motor is actuated, it rotates two shafts ( 215 ), each shaft having oppositely oriented threads, that cause the mounts 220 to move in simultaneous but opposite linear directions. This causes the pair of arms 250 to move either towards or away from each other, thereby gripping or releasing a multiwell plate, respectively. During rotation of the stepper motor 202 , the arm mounts 220 are moved on bracket 212 linearly along a guide rail 208 . Intermediate mounts 240 and end mounts 230 acts as holders for bushings or bearings, e.g., 214 , for shaft 215 . It is noted that stepper motors, per se, are well known in the art. [0060] More particularly, as shown in FIG. 3C , threaded lead nuts 222 , having internal threads that correspond to the threads of the respective shaft 215 on each side of the stepper motor, moves along a linear path by rotation of the shaft 215 by the stepper motor 202 . The threaded lead nuts 222 do not rotate during the linear movements. The lead nuts are attached to the respective movable arm mounts 220 , that, in turn, move the arms 250 . [0061] The arm drive mechanism includes all structural elements that enable the arms to grip and release multiwell plates in a controlled manner. The computer, control system and electrical wires that provide communication and power for the various motors in the system are considered known in the art and are not shown. [0062] A cushion 260 , such as an adhesively applied resilient foam pad, attached to each of the arms 250 above the respective shelves 252 , provides resiliency and a lateral force to hold the multiwell plate securely when the gripper grasps the sides of the multiwell plate 10 . The arm shelves 252 ensure that the individual plates are held in a level orientation during transport to the analysis station, and during imaging, thereby ensuring accurate analysis. [0063] A single housing unit 150 is shown in FIGS. 4A-C in perspective, front elevation and plan views, respectively. FIGS. 4A and 4B show a multiwell plate 10 resting on a raised portion 156 of a housing shelf 160 . Rods 164 pass through holes 162 to connect a stack of housing shelves 160 together, and spacers 166 separate the shelves along the vertical direction. [0064] As shown more particularly in FIG. 4C , the front of the housing shelf 160 has a notch 152 to allow a user to manually insert or remove a plate without tilting the plate. When a plate is contained in the housing 150 , it rests on the raised portion 156 of the housing shelf, so that the side edges of the plate extend over the sides of the raised portion 156 . When the gripper is extended into the housing to grip a plate ( FIG. 4B ), the cushions 260 of the gripper arms 250 contact the sides of the plate and the shelves 252 lift the side edges of the plate in a level manner, thereby avoiding unwanted tilting that can adversely affect the contents of the wells. [0065] It is noted that the plate hotel and any or all of its parts can be formed as a molded plastic structure. [0066] The gripper arm components, such as the mounts, supports, arms, bushings, etc. can be machined from aluminum stock, and can be given a protective coating. The attached components can be held together by mechanical means, e.g., screws, and by soldering, welding, and other types of bonding, such as adhesive.

A parallel gripper for handling multiwell plates in an automated analysis system, moves individual multiwell plates between a plate storage array unit (i.e., plate hotel) and an imaging station. More particularly, the gripper has two parallel plate-gripping arms that move in equal, but opposite linear directions and are controlled using a stepper motor. Each of the arms has a shelf that provides support for the corresponding side edge of a multiwell plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus for testing the wall thickness of a tube of electrically non-conducting material produced by an extruder. The apparatus according to the invention comprises an electrically conductive measurement body held within the moving tube and a measuring sensor situated outside the tube within effective range of the measurement body, and arrangements of this general type are described in, for example, Swiss Pat. No. 563,567. In most cases, the measurement body is located within the tube by attachment through some kind of rod to the mandrel of the extrusion nozzle, and thereby held in a predetermined axial position. This construction has the disadvantage that the measurement body must be fixed to the nozzle of the extruder before the latter is brought into operation, which complicates the operation because the measurement body is then immediately in the path of movement of the leading end of the tube issuing from the nozzle. It is also known to introduce the measurement body freely into the tube to be measured and, by means of a magnet, to hold the measurement body in the desired axial position and against the wall of the tube. However, in this case the measurement body consists of a single rigid component which introduces the risk that, under the magnetic attraction which influences the measurement body from the side where the measuring sensor is situated, the measurement body will, on encountering irregularities or curvatures in the tube, bear tightly against the tube wall in the region of the holding magnet but have a certain amount of clearance from the tube wall in the region of the measuring sensor. It is an object of the present invention to allow the measurement body to be held within the tube so that it will always be reliably seated against the inside of the tube, and to allow the introduction of the measurement body into the tube simply and without disturbing the production process. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for testing the wall thickness of a moving tube of electrically non-conducting material produced by an extruder, said apparatus comprising a measurement body arranged in the moving tube, a ferromagnetic holding member which is arranged in the tube within effective range of a holding magnet located outside the tube and which has a tie connection to the measurement body to locate the measurement body axially within the effective range of a measuring sensor located outside the tube. In the apparatus according to the present invention, the forces which determine the axial positioning of the measurement body in the tube are separated from the measurement body itself and cannot in any case act upon the latter, so that a constant close fit of the measurement body against the inside of the tube is ensured. The connection between the holding member and the measurement body may be effected by means of a flexible member such as a wire or cord. In such a case the measurement body can be held against the tube wall either by gravitational force or else, in a known manner, under the action of a second holding magnet. The division of the arrangement into a measurement body and a holding member, which can be flexibly connected together, means that these are comparatively small individual parts which can be correspondingly more easily handled. In particular, they can be introduced in a simple manner either from the rear side of the extruder in the direction of the delivery of the tube, or else, and usually preferably, they can be introduced from a forward position entering through the leading end of the tube. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation showing tube producing plant incorporating apparatus according to the invention; FIGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged detail views of parts of the plant shown in FIG. 1; FIGS. 4 to 6 are diagrammatic views illustrating one method of introducing a measurement body and holding member into the tube; FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views illustrating another method of introducing the measurement body and holding member into the tube; and, FIGS. 9 and 10 show, diagrammatically, a device for the automatic introduction of the measurement body and the holding member. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an extruder 1, a cooling device 2, a switching device 3 and a reeling station 4 in a plant for producing synthetic plastics tube 5. The switching device 3 cuts off the tube automatically when a reel is full, and feeds the leading end of the tube onto an empty adjacent reel so as to ensure continuous production. Between the cooling device 2 and the switching device 3, there is situated the testing apparatus according to the invention, which is also shown diagrammatically and which includes a measuring device 6 standing upon the floor and having a support 7 for a measuring head 8. At a predetermined distance before the measuring head, measured in the direction of travel of the tube being produced, there is provided a holding magnet 9a, the pole shoes of which are diagrammatically represented as rectangles. FIG. 3 shows the construction of the measuring head 8 which comprises a permanent magnet 9 of the U or pot type, and an electromagnetic measuring sensor system 10, of a known type, located within said magnet. In the operating condition, the permanent magnet 9 holds a measurement body 11 of ferromagnetic conducting material in the region of the measuring system 10 in close contact with the inner wall of the tube 5; in this arrangement, a particularly snug seating of the measurement body is achieved in the region of the measuring system 10 by virtue of the magnetic attraction operating at both sides of the measuring system. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the extruder 1 is provided with an extruder head 12 to which the plastics material is fed through a side conduit 13 in such a manner that an open-ended channel 14 is formed in the extruder head 12 and leads into the centre of the extruder nozzle. As indicated in FIG. 2, the measurement body 11 can be introduced through the channel 14 into the tube 5. FIG. 3 shows the operating condition, in which the measurement body 11 is situated in the region of the measuring head 8. The measurement body 11 has a flexible connection, by means of a cord 16, to a holding member 17 of ferromagnetic material. The holding member 17 is secured in its axial position by the holding magnet 9a which is preferred to be an electromagnet fed with alternating current so that the consequent vibration will minimise friction of contact between the holding member 17 and the inner face of the tube. The electromagnet 9a is controlled by means of a switch 18. As already indicated, the measurement body 11 and the holding member 17 are introduced through the channel 14 of the extruder head 12 into the tube at a suitable instant during operation or while setting the plant in operation, and the measurement body and the holding member are then carried along by the tube 5 moving in the direction from the right to the left as depicted in FIG. 1. When the body 11 and the member 17 reach the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the magnet 18 should be energised to retain the holding member in the position shown in FIG. 3. The correct positioning of the parts 11 and 17 can be ensured by means of appropriate measuring sensors. It is however also possible, by means of the measuring system 10, to detect a change in the measuring conditions caused by the first effective entrance of the measurement body 11, and at that instant to switch the electromagnet 9a into circuit. At that time, the holding member 17 will in fact be situated within the effective range of influence of the magnet 9a, and will then be drawn into and retained in the desired position. As a result, the measurement body 11 will be attracted against the inner wall of the tube by the permanent magnet 9 situated in the region of the measuring system 10, the measurement body thus allowing a correct measurement of the wall thickness in a manner known per se. In many cases, the extruder is not provided, as it is in FIG. 2, with a channel 14 in the head 12, in which case the measurement body and the holding member cannot be introduced from a forward position through the leading end of the tube 5. Such a possibility is illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6 where an impelling device 20, shown diagrammatically, is provided to project the holding member 17 and the measurement body 11 from a forward position into the tube 5 by releasing a compressed spring. The launching velocity of both the parts must be so chosen that the holding member 17 will reach at least the area of influence of the holding magnet 9a, and the measurement body 11 comes within the area of influence of the magnet 9 and the measuring system 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the measuring head 8, together with the magnet 9, is lifted away from the tube when shooting in the parts 11 and 17, so that the magnet 9 exerts practically no retarding influence upon the parts 11 and 17 entering the tube. Between the measuring head 8 and the holding magnet 9a there is positioned a detecting sensor 21, for example an inductive sensor, which releases a pulse through a suitable measuring circuit whenever one of the parts 11 or 17 passes its position. As FIG. 4 illustrates, the launching velocity of the measurement body 11 and the holding member 17 is so selected that both of these members shoot past the sensor 21. As a result, two pulses are released. The parts 11 and 17 then stop and rest on the tube so that they are carried along as indicated in FIG. 5, whilst the magnet 9a still remains switched out of circuit. The measurement body 11 soon reaches the area of influence of the sensor 21, which releases a further pulse. At the end of this pulse, when the body 11 has reached the position shown in FIG. 6 which is in the effective region of the measuring head 8, the switch 18 is closed and thereby the electromagnet 9a is energised. Thus, the holding member 17 is held in the desired position, and the measuring head 8 can then be moved towards the tube, whereby the magnet 9 of the measuring head attracts the measurement body 11 in the described manner against the inner wall of the tube. Instead of using an electromagnet for this holding purpose it is also possible to employ a permanent magnet which would be moved towards the tube at the appropriate time. FIGS. 7 and 8 show, diagrammatically, a further possible means of introducing the holding member 17 and the measurement body 11 into the tube 5 from a forward position. In this case, an accessory device includes a horseshoe magnet 22 which retains the holding member 17 in the tube. It is therefore only necessary to introduce the holding member 17 into the tube from a forward position, and to retain the member in a suitable position by the external application of the magnet 22. The measurement body 11 is then also introduced into the tube, and the magnet 22 is moved along the tube 5 from a forward position until the holding member 17 comes into the range of the electromagnet 9a. The electromagnet is then switched into circuit, and the measuring head 8 is brought close to the tube as shown in FIG. 8, whereupon the horseshoe magnet 22 can be withdrawn. The holding member 17 is now secured in the area of the magnet 9a, and ensures that the measurement body 11 is secured in the desired position in the effective region of the measuring system 10 and the measuring head 8. Previously, it has been assumed that the measuring head 8 must be provided with a magnet 9 in order to attract the measurement body against the tube wall. This may be necessary if the wall thickness of the tube is to be measured all the way round, in which case the measuring head 8 is rotated about the tube to carry the measurement body with it. It may, however, be sufficient if the wall thickness is determined along one axial section of the tube, in which case a measuring head 8, without a magnet 9, can be applied to the tube from below, whilst the measurement body 11 lies upon the tube wall under gravitational force. The flexible connection between the holding member 17 and the measurement body 11 may be effected in an alternative manner. In particular, if these two parts are to be introduced into the tube from a forward position by means of an impelling device or an auxiliary magnet, it may be of advantage to provide between them a somewhat rigid, but still movable connection. Such a connection may comprise, for example, a helical spring or a leaf spring, or an elastic tie, and may facilitate the introduction of these parts as described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. The auxiliary device including the magnet 22 according to FIGS. 7 and 8 may be provided with guide means to facilitate its manipulation. It is possible, for example, to provide a fork engaging around the tube to prevent the magnet from deflecting sideways when being pressed against the tube. A fully automatic auxiliary device for introducing the measurement body and the holding member into the tube is shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 9 and 10. This device is shown in two working positions, and comprises a frame 30 having a guide ring 31 through which the tube 5 travels to the right as shown in the drawings, in the direction of the arrow. At the one end face of the ring 31, there is mounted a knife 32 which can be driven downwardly by a piston and cylinder device 33. On a support 34, which can be lifted upwardly by means of a piston and cylinder device 35, there are secured two permanent magnets 36 and 37 upon which are secured brushes 38 and 39. The measurement body 11 and the holding member 17 can be placed on these brushes where they are held by the fields of the magnets 36 and 37. Above the brush 39, in front of and behind the tube as seen in plan view, there are arranged holding electromagnets 9a which can be energised in the described manner. Upon a support 40, which is arranged to swing downwardly to the right, there is mounted a support roller 41 for the tube 5. The frame structure 30 carrying the parts mounted upon it is movable in the direction of travel of the tube 5. The mode of operation of the auxiliary device is as follows: At the start of an operation, the newly-formed tube 5 travels out of the extruder 1 and the cooling device, and passes through the rings 31 and over the support roller 41 as shown in FIG. 9. The first operation leading to the introduction of the measurement body 11 and the holding member 17, is to sever the tube in front of the ring 31 by rapid downward operation of the knife 32, whilst the device together with the tube proceeds towards the right. The knife is immediately retracted and, at the same time, the support 34 is raised by means of the piston and cylinder 35; as shown in FIG. 10, this causes the support roller 41 to raise the severed forward end of the tube which is removed from the normal path of movement of the tube. At the same time, the brushes 38 and 39 are raised to such an extent that the measurement body 11 and the holding member 17 are positioned in front of the new leading end of the tube, which then passes through the ring 31 as soon as the frame 30 no longer moves together with the tube to the right. The leading end of the travelling tube now passes over the brushes 38 and 39, whereby the holding member 17 and the measurement body 11 successively enter the tube, because they are prevented by the magnets 36 and 37 from moving along with the tube. The leading end of the moving tube then impinges against the support roller 41 and swings the latter downwardly so that the tube can continue to travel. The support 34 is now lowered to return to the rest position shown in FIG. 9, whereby the retaining influence of the magnets 36 and 37 upon the parts 17 and 11 is removed and these parts then travel along with the tube 5 to the right. At a suitable instant, the holding magnets 9a are switched into circuit in order to retain the holding member 17 in position within the tube. The rest position of the auxiliary device is so selected that now the measurement body 11 is situated at the correct position within range of the measuring device, which is not shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The auxiliary device illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 permits an automatic introduction of the measurement body and holding member into the tube, virtually irrespective of the condition and shape of the leading end of the tube, which often is not so open and clean as to allow the measurement body and the holding member to be introduced through that end. Due to the support afforded to the tube in the guide ring 31, the cross-section of the tube remains substantially unchanged when cutting, so that the measurement body and the holding member can be received therein without particular difficulty. If an extruder according to FIG. 2 is provided, there exists the possibility of providing only a measurement body 11 and of anchoring this to the extruder by means of a cord. Such an anchoring cord F is indicated in FIG. 1. In this case, the holding member (17) and the holding magnet (9a) can be omitted. By suitable choice of the length of the cord, the position of the measurement body in the tube can be determined sufficiently accurately, especially if the measuring point is not too far removed from the extruder. In certain cases a measurement body (11) could be provided, which, by means of a holding magnet associated with it, is attracted to make intimate contact with the inside of the tube and is ensured against axial displacement out of the range of the measurement device. A further possible method for introducing the measurement body and/or the holding member, which is particularly applicable in the case of large and relatively slowly travelling tubes, consists in cutting along the travelling tube from above with a knife or a milling tool, and allowing the measurement body and/or the holding member to fall into the slot which is made behind the knife or milling tool. The holding magnet, or the holding magnets, for the measurement body and/or the holding member may be directly situated at the place or places, at which said members descend, or else these parts may be carried along by the tube to be then be held in the region of the holding magnets in a manner already described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. In this case also, it is possible to provide an automatic device for introducing the measurement body and/or the holding member, said device having, for example, a milling tool automatically adjustable from above with reference to the tube, behind which milling tool there is provided a mechanical or magnetic holding device for the measurement body and/or the holding member, which allows these parts to fall as soon as a sufficiently long slot is formed in the upper wall of the tube. When, for measuring the wall thickness at various peripheral points of the tube, the holding magnet for the measurement body is moved around the tube, it may also be necessary, particularly when measuring large tubes, to rotate the holding magnet for the holding member likewise around the tube, in order that the measurement body and the holding member shall always be situated in approximate axial alignment. Between the measurement body and the holding member there may be provided a common guide tube, for example surrounding the wire connection between them. By arranging that this common guide tube is of smaller external diameter than the measurement body and the holding member, the desired relative positioning upon introducing the parts into the tube can be ensured. As a propellant for shooting the measurement body 11 and the holding member 17 into the tube from a forward position it is also possible to employ a compressed gas, for example nitrous oxide.

An apparatus for testing the wall thickness of a moving tube of plastics or other electrically non-conducting material being produced by an extruder, comprises an electrically conductive measurement body arranged in the moving tube, a ferromagnetic holding member which is arranged in the tube within effective range of a holding magnet located outside the tube and which has a tie connection to the measurement body to locate the measurement body axially within the effective range of a measuring sensor located outside the tube. The holding member and the measurement body may be introduced into the tube through a channel in the extruder head, shot into the tube from a forward position, or inserted through an aperture cut in the tube wall.

This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/732,610, filed Jul. 19, 1991, now abandoned. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device, particularly a portable device, for the non destructive testing of a surface along a line. Although this device may be used in numerous applications such as the non destructive testing of tube, duct, etc. welds . . . , the present invention will be more specially described hereafter in relation to the non destructive testing of the junctions of the panels forming the skin of the fuselage of an aircraft. The skin of the fuselage of an aircraft is formed of individual riveted panels and the edges of two adjacent panels overlap sealingly and are assembled together by means of rivets or similar. Such riveted junctions are greatly overstrained during use of the aircraft, particularly because of the compression and decompression cycles to which the fuselage thereof is subjected. The result may be cracks which develop from the holes in the panels through which the rivets pass and the separation of the edges of the junction. Consequently, the junctions are weakened and may be attacked by corrosion. It is therefore indispensable to periodically examine said junctions so as to know their state in so far as the development of the cracks, the separation of the edges and the progression of corrosion are concerned. 2. Description of the Prior Art From the French patent FR-A-2 541 773, a device is already known for the non destructive testing of a plurality of riveted junction sections or similar, each of said sections being individually identifiable by identification means, said device comprising: an electric type detection probe movable along said junction sections, means for controlling said probe, means for recording the results of the tests on said sections by said probe, and microprocessor means for managing the examinations of said sections by said probe. In the use of such a device, said control means are set so that testing of the probe is optimum. However, particularly in so far as aircraft are concerned, the examined junction sections may have different structures and it is necessary, so that the results of the test are satisfactory, to adjust the setting of the probe to each junction section examined as a function of its structure. Now, it may be difficult if not impossible for an operator outside the aircraft to determine the type of junction which is to be examined and so set said probe for the best operation. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The purpose of the present invention is to overcome this drawback. For this, according to the invention, the device of the type recalled above is remarkable in that it comprises, in addition: first memory means containing its specific structure for each junction section; second memory means containing, for each specific junction section structure, the operational setting to be applied to said probe; said microprocessor means using the contents of said first and second memory means for controlling said control means so that they apply to said probe the setting corresponding to the specific structure of the junction section being examined. Thus, from the identification of a junction section to be examined, the probe may be set automatically, optimally, without the intervention of the operator. Said first and second memory means may be independent. However, they may also be combined in a single memory thus containing, for each junction section, the operational setting to be applied to said probe. Preferably, the contents of said second memory means result from a plurality of previous tests made with different settings of said probe on known samples having structures similar to those of said junction sections. In one embodiment of the device according to the present invention, for extending the use of said device to junctions of very different structures, several interchangeable probes may be provided and display means associated with said microprocessor means, and said second memory means further contain, for each specific junction section structure, the information indicating that one of said probes which is the most appropriate for testing this specific structure and said microprocessor means display this information on said display means. Thus, the operator may choose the probe the most suitable for testing the junction section to be examined, setting of this probe then being ensured automatically by said control means, in the way described above. Preferably, the device of the invention comprises, on the one hand, a box close to said probe incorporating said control means, as well as the means for reading said probe and said microprocessor means and, on the other hand, a plurality of peripheral appliances, comprising said first and second memory means and at least one storage unit and intended to be placed fixedly at some distance from the junction sections tested. As has already been described in the French patent FR-A-2 541 772, said probe may be of the eddy current type. In this case, to adjust the operation of the probe or probes, said setting means comprise an adjustable carrier frequency generator for supplying it or them with power. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The figures of the accompanying drawings will better show how the invention may be put into practice. In these figures, identical references designate similar elements. FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a part of the device of the invention, testing a riveted junction section, FIG. 2 is a front view, on a larger scale, illustrating connections between the individual panels of the skin of an aircraft fuselage, FIGS. 3a to 3e are cross sections through line III--III of FIG. 2, illustrating several possible structures of the junctions between said panels, FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view showing the probe carrier and how it is mounted on the guide rod of the device, FIG. 5 is a side view corresponding to FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is the block diagram of the device of the present invention, FIG. 7 illustrates, schematically, in perspective, the structure of one embodiment of a probe for the device of the invention, and FIG. 8 shows the block diagram of the means for setting and reading the probe of FIG. 7. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The fuselage skin portion 1 of an aircraft, shown schematically in FIG. 1, is formed as is usual of individual rectangular aluminium panels 2 assembled together and defining transverse junction lines 3 and longitudinal junction lines 4. The transverse junction lines 3 correspond to the position of the frames of the fuselage (not shown) and the transverse lines 5 are provided with rivets 6 (made for example from titanium) for assembling the transverse edges of panels 2 to said frames. As is clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3a to 3e, the longitudinal junction lines 4 are of the overlapping type and the edges 2e and 2i of two adjacent panels 2 overlap and are assembled together by means of two parallel lines 7 and 8 of rivets 9 (made from titanium). In the embodiment of FIG. 3a, these overlapping edges 2e and 2i press therebetween a reinforcement strip 10 and a seal 11 is disposed between the end (forming the visible junction line 4) of the external edge 2e and the external wall of the inner edge 2i. Reinforcement strips and bars 12 and 13 are provided on the inside of skin 1 of the fuselage and are fixed thereto by lines 7 and 8 of rivets 9. FIGS. 3b to 3e show, in cross section, structural variants of the junctions between two adjacent panels. In the embodiment of FIG. 3b, the reinforcement strip 10 has been omitted, whereas in FIG. 3c, it is the reinforcement bar 12 which has been eliminated. The embodiment of FIG. 3d comprises neither reinforcement strip 10 nor reinforcement bar 12. Finally, in FIG. 3e, the structure between the junction is similar to that of FIG. 3d, but the reinforcement bar 13 is associated with an additional reinforcement angle iron 13a, one flange of which is fixed to the panels by means of rivets 9 of line 7 and the other to reinforcement 13 by means of rivets 13b. In FIG. 1, the device of the invention has been shown schematically and partially during checking of the longitudinal line 7 of rivets 9 of a skin panel 2. This device comprises a guide rod 14, whose length corresponds to that of at least one panel or that of a few panels 2, for example to the length of two or three panels 2, and on which a slider 15 may slide. It further comprises, at one of its ends, a measuring box 16 capable of indicating at all times the position of slider 15 along rod 14. For example, the assembly 14-15-16 is of the type described in the patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,555. With this assembly 14-15-16 are associated two suction cups 17 and 18, of known type, which can be actuated by a manual lever 20. The suction cup 17 is connected rigidly to the measuring box 16, whereas suction cup 18 is fast with a slider 19 which can slide along the guide rod 14. The device of the invention further comprises a control box 21, fast with suction cup 17, and receives the measurements from box 16, through the connection 22 and the indications of probe 23 through the connection 24. Box 21 is connected by a connection 25 to a plurality of peripheral appliances, as is shown in FIG. 6, in which a more complete variant of construction 21' of box 21 is shown separate from suction cup 17. It goes without saying moreover that a part of the elements of box 21' could be fixed to the assembly 14-15-16 (like box 21), the rest being separated therefrom and being connected thereto by connection 25 (like box 21'). Fingers 26 and 27, fast respectively with box 16 and slider 19, may cooperate with the end of the outer edge 2e and/or with the seal 11 for disposing the guide rod 14 parallel to the junction line 4 and so to the line 7 of rivets 9 to be examined. The probe 23 is carried by a probe-carrier 28. The latter is advantageously formed by a thick transparent plate (for example made from a methacrylic compound) in which said probe is incorporated. In one of its edges 29, the probe-carrier 28 has an indentation 30 whose length L is such that it may be fitted with an easy fit on slider 15 and whose depth 1 is such that, when it is fitted on slider 15, the edge 29 bears on the guide rod 14, probe 23 then being centered on the line 7 of rivets 9. The probe-carrier 28 further has a reticle 31 centered on rivet 9i of line 7 when probe 23 is centered on rivet 9j of line 7. In the direction of the skin 1 of the fuselage, probe 23 is provided with a supporting and sliding shoe 32, whereas on the opposite side it comprises a socket 33 for coupling to connection 24. Thus, it can be seen that, with the probe-carrier 28 fitted on slider 15 and with the connection socket 33, the probe 23--probe-carrier 28 assembly may be readily fitted or removed. In addition, with the device according to the invention there are associated a plurality of geometrically identical probe 23--probe-carrier 28 assemblies but in which the probes 23 have different electric performances. Thus, depending on the characteristics required of the probe for the examination to be carried out, one or other of said interchangeable assemblies 23-28 is chosen. As shown in FIG. 6, the control box 21' comprises control and reading means 34, for the probe 23, connected thereto by connection 24. These control and reading means are provided with a control input 35. Moreover, the control box 21' comprises a microprocessor 36 connected to the outputs of said control and reading means 34, via an analog-digital (A-D) converter 37. This latter may also convert the information from the measuring box 16, for addressing it in suitable form to the microprocessor 36. The microprocessor 36 is further connected to a keyboard 38, a printer 39, a display device 40, a storage unit 41, of hard disk type, a programming disk 42 and another display device 46 close to the operator who is moving the probe. Furthermore, the device comprises, in accordance with the present invention, a memory 43 containing the settings which the control and reading means 34 must apply to probe 23 as a function of the particular structure (see FIGS. 3a to 3e) of the junction to be examined. The information stored in memory 43 is obtained by apprenticeship, i.e. by testing, in a preparatory phase, known samples of each of the different junction structures with different settings of several of said probes 23, then storing in said memory 43 the identification of probe 23 and the parameters of the setting thereof which are best suited to each type of structure. Thus, the output 44 of memory 43 is connected to the input 35 of said control and reading means 34 by a connection 45. Of course, memory 43 is connected to the microprocessor 36. As mentioned above, even when the control box 21 is fixed to the assembly comprising elements 14 to 20 and 22 to 28, because of the low weight of said box, the assembly of elements 14 to 28 is portable and may be used by a first operator moving, in one way or another, with respect to the skin 1 of the fuselage, in the vicinity thereof. The display device 46, which may also be portable and of small size, is also available to this first operator. On the other hand, all the other peripheral appliances 38 to 43 may be disposed far from the place where the riveted connections are examined and they are for example placed on the ground, available to a second operator. The different connections between the control box 21' and the peripheral appliances 38 to 43 are combined in the connection 25 shown in FIG. 1. For systematically checking all the longitudinal connections 4 (for example) of an aircraft, a number is first of all attributed to each section of the aircraft, to each frame of the fuselage (corresponding to junctions 3) and to each junction 4. The first operator, who is close to a junction section 4 to be checked, disposed between frames C n and C n+1 and which carries the assembly of elements 14 to 28 and the display device 46, fixes the suction cups 17 and 18 on the skin 1 so that they are situated on each side of said frames and so that the fingers 26 and 27 bear against seal 11. He is then sure that rod 14 is parallel to this junction portion 4 and that probe 23 is opposite line 7. Meanwhile, the second operator, using the keyboard 38, enters different data such as the number of the aircraft, the number of the fuselage section, the numbers of the frames defining the junction portion 4, the number of junction 4, the side (left or right of the fuselage), etc. . . so as to be able to identify each junction section. From this identification data, the microprocessor 36 then knows, through memory 43, the exact particular structure of a junction section 4 to be examined. It may then display, on the display devices 40 and 46, the probe 23 which is the most suited for the test. The operator may then choose the assembly 23-28 from the plurality of interchangeable assemblies 23-28 and position it on slider 15 by connecting it to connection 24 through the connector 23. Then, the microprocessor 36 may consequently control memory 43 so that it addresses to the chosen probe 23, via means 34, the settings specific to the junction section 4 which said probe is going to examine. The first operator begins by moving the slider 15 --probe carrier 28 assembly towards one of the ends of the junction section 4 to be tested and, by means of the reticle 31, he aims at the center of an end rivet 9 so that probe 23 is superimposed on the first one of the rivets 9 of line 7 of said section. Then, he carries out the same operation at the other end thereof. Consequently, the microprocessor 36 receives from the measuring box 16 the respective abscissa of these two observations and, by subtracting, it derives therefrom the distance separating frames C n and C n+1 and serving as measuring window for said probe 23. Then, the first operator manually slides the probe-carrier 28 and slider 15 along the guide rod 14, from one of the frames C n or C n+1 to the other, while maintaining the sliding shoes 32 bearing on skin 1. The probe 23 then explores successively the line of rivets 7. Because of the difference in the material forming panels 2 (aluminium) and rivets 9 (titanium), whenever probe 23 passes in front of a rivet, it delivers a pulse. From the number of pulses obtained the rivets of the line section 7 examined can, if required, be counted. It will be noted that, by comparing the distance separating the frames C n and C n+1 and the number of rivets 9, measured in the way described above, with corresponding magnitudes stored previously in the memory, the microprocessor 36 is capable of detecting any error of identification of the section 4 examined. Furthermore, the first operator does not have to center the probe 23 with respect to rivets 9. He may then check the images appearing on the screen of device 46. He sees on the screen the image of the different rivets of the section and the image of possible cracks. Similarly, the second operator sees the same images appear on the screen of device 40. In the case of anomalies or ambiguities, the first operator may bring slider 15 and probe carrier 28 backwards while maintaining shoes 32 pressed on skin 1 so as to examine the corresponding zone at leisure. Of course, the information giving rise to the images on the screens of devices 40 and 46 is stored in the storage unit 41 and printed on a medium by printer 39. When the examination of a junction section 4 is finished, the first operator inhibits the action of suction cup 17 (by actuating lever 20) and he may then slide the assembly 14 to 17 towards suction cup 18, which remains fast with the skin, since then rod 14 may slide along its axis in the fixed slide 19. He may bring the released suction cup 17 into position 17 1 (see FIG. 1), then fix it on the skin 1 at this position by actuating lever 20. Then, he actuates lever 20 of suction cup 18 in the release direction and he may slide the assembly 18-19 in the same direction as before for suction cup 17 so as to bring suction cup 18 into the position 18 1 . The device according to the invention is then ready for examining panel 2 adjacent the one which has just been examined. Thus, by successively moving suction cups 17 and 18 towards and away from each other, it is possible to move the device along the axis of the guide rod 14 so as to examine the whole of junction 4. Of course, during each movement of the device, fingers 26 and 27 must remain bearing against seal 11. It will be noted that the first operator may observe the examination on his control screen 46 and, because of the possibility of moving the probe carrier 28 in both directions, this operator may come back so as to examine a suspect zone or dissipate an ambiguity. So as not to record several data for the same abscissa along the guide rod, the microprocessor 36 only records data in its memory 41 for one direction of movement of slide 15 on rod 14 and clears from this memory the data already contained, when slider 15 moves in the opposite direction, corresponding to the amplitude of said reverse movement. As was mentioned above, probes 23 may be of the eddy current type. The eddy current probe 23, the diagram of which is shown schematically in perspective in FIG. 7 above the panels to be examined, comprises a primary injection winding P and four secondary detection windings S 1 to S 4 , each of the primary and secondary windings comprising a ferrite or similar core and these five windings and their cores being embedded in a body of magnetically and electrically insulating material (not shown). In this body, the relative positions of the five windings are frozen, the injection winding P being disposed centrally, whereas the detection windings S 1 to S 4 are diametrically opposite in twos, windings S 1 and S 3 defining a first axis orthogonal to a second axis defined by windings S 2 and S 4 . The axis of the injection winding P junction portion passes through the point of intersection of these first and second axes and windings S 1 to S 4 are equidistant from this point of intersection. As shown in FIG. 8, the injection winding P has two terminals 50 and 51 between which an electric excitation signal is injected, whereas windings S 1 to S 4 are connected in series so that the detection windings S 1 and S 3 are of the same direction and so that windings S 2 and S 4 are of a direction opposite to windings S 1 and S 3 . The series connection of the detection windings S 1 to S 4 comprises two terminals 51 and 52 between which the detection signal is collected, i.e. an imbalance signal from the probe. Windings S 1 to S 4 are identical and balanced so that, when the injection winding P receives the injection signal between its terminals 50 and 51, it generates, in an homogeneous surface 2, currents induced along circular current lines and giving rise in the detection windings S 1 to S 4 to equal signals opposite in twos, so that the signal at terminals 51 and 52 is zero. In the arrangement of FIGS. 7 and 8, windings S 1 and S 3 are considered as measuring windings, whereas windings S 2 and S 4 are considered as compensation windings. When the surface above which probe 23 is located is not homogeneous, the current lines induced by the injection winding P are no longer circular and undergo deformation in the vicinity of the heterogeneities. In FIG. 7, the heterogeneous surface of the skin of an aircraft fuselage has been shown (aluminium panel 2, titanium rivets 9). Thus a probe 23, balanced to give a zero signal between its output terminals 51 and 52 when surface 2 is homogeneous or when it is opposite an homogeneous part of a heterogeneous surface, will deliver an imbalance signal when the induced current lines undergo deformation because of heterogeneities, due for example to rivets 9 or to cracks starting from the holes of panels 2 through which said rivets pass. As shown in FIG. 8, probe 23 is connected to the setting and reading device 34 via a connection 24. Device 34 comprises an electric generator 53 generating a carrier frequency signal, preferably sinusoidal, and a signal of the same frequency but shifted backwards in phase by 90°. Thus a 90° reference signal is obtained to serve as injection signal and a 0° phase reference signal. The injection signal (90° phase) is applied both to a current matching amplifier 54 and to a double synchronous demodulator 55 and to a phase-shifter 56. The 0° phase reference signal is applied to the double synchronous demodulator 55 and to phase-shifter 56. At the output of amplifier 54, the injection signal is transmitted to the primary winding P via an adapter 57. Furthermore, the secondary windings S 1 to S 4 are connected to an impedance matching system 58 followed by a detection amplifier 59, device 60 for balancing probe 23, possibly a filter 61 for eliminating the parasite frequencies from the carrier frequency and an amplifier 62. Thus, the injection signal applied by generator 53 the primary winding P via amplifier 54 and adapter 57 is detected by windings S 1 to S 4 , then impedance matched in the adapter 58, after which, after amplification (at 59), balancing (at 60), filtering (at 61) and amplification 62), it is applied to the double demodulator 55. The latter demodulates the carrier by extracting the two components x' and y' in quadrature from the possible imbalance signal which is due to a heterogeneity (rivet or crack). Finally, the two orthogonal components x' and y' of the imbalance signal, which have undergone a phase shift in the portion of circuit S 1 to S 4 , 59 to 62, are addressed to the phase shifter 56 which delivers at its output two components x and y in phase with the first and second axes respectively. It is known that the depth of measurement of an eddy current probe is all the greater the lower the operating carrier frequency. It is then indispensable for the generator 53 to have an adjustable frequency and for memory 43 to address to the generator, over connection 45, specific setting orders depending on the structure of the junction sections. In addition, through connection 45, memory 43 may appropriately adjust the gains of amplifiers 54 and 53, and of the phase shifter 56. In FIG. 8, the different commands transmitted are shown by chain-dotted lines.

A device for the nondestructive testing of riveted junction sections or the like contains at least one electric type detection probe movable along the junction sections and a memory containing, for each junction section, its specific structure and, for each specific junction section structure, the operational setting to be applied to the probe. A microprocessor uses the contents of the memory for controlling the probe as a function of the specific structure of the junction section being examined.

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Serial No. 60/299,827, filed Jun. 21, 2001, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND [0002] The present invention relates to aromatic ethers containing a pendant amino acid side chain and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them and to their use in the treatment of central nervous system disorders, cognitive disorders, schizophrenia, dementia and other disorders in mammals, including humans. These compounds exhibit activity as inhibitors of the glycine type-1 transporter [0003] Schizophrenia, a progressive neurological disease, is manifested in its early stages as thought disorders such as hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and bizarre thought patterns, collectively known as positive symptoms. These easily recognizable symptoms gave the disease the historical name “madness”. As the disease progresses, negative symptoms, such as social withdrawal and anhedonia, and cognitive symptoms such as dementia become more apparent. Only about one-third of schizophrenic patients can be treated successfully and returned to society, while the remainder are generally institutionalized. The burden on society of this devastating illness and the toll it takes on family members of affected patients make it one of the most costly of all CNS diseases. [0004] Pharmacological treatment for schizophrenia has traditionally involved blockade of the dopamine system, which is thought to be responsible for its positive symptoms. Such treatment, however, ignores the negative and cognitive aspects of the disease. Another neurotransmitter system believed to play a role in schizophrenia is the glutamate system, the major excitatory transmitter system in the brain. This hypothesis is based on the observation that blockade of the glutamate system by compounds such as PCP (“angel dust”) can replicate many of the symptoms of schizophrenia, including its positive, negative, and cognitive aspects. If schizophrenia involves a deficit of glutamatergic transmission, augmentation of the glutamate system, and specifically the NMDA receptor, may be beneficial. While glutamate is the principle agonist at NMDA receptors, glycine is required as a co-agonist to set the “tone” of the receptor for its response to glutamate. Enhancing this “tone” by increasing the effect of glycine would augment NMDA neurotransmission, and provide potential benefit in the treatment of schizophrenia. [0005] A specific mechanism for augmenting the glycinergic “tone” of the NMDA receptor was disclosed recently by Bergeron, et al. ( Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 95, 15730, (1998)). This group showed that a specific and potent inhibitor of the glycine type-1 transporter (GlyT1) responsible for removing glycine from the synapse at the NMDA receptor, termed NFPS (WO 97/45115), can enhance NMDA receptor function. For example, NFPS increased the post synaptic current driven by the NMDA receptor, an effect blocked by both a specific NMDA-site antagonist and a glycine-site antagonist. Even though glycine levels in the brain are high relative to the amount required to act as an NMDA receptor co-agonist, this work shows that GlyT1 removes glycine efficiently at the synapse, and that inhibition of GlyT1 can augment NMDA receptor function. The authors establish the feasibility of using a GlyT1 inhibitor as a treatment for schizophrenia through its augmentation of glutamatergic neurotransmission. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] The present invention relates to a series of substituted aromatic ethers of the formula [0007] wherein ring A is phenyl, naphthyl, benzothienyl, benzofuranyl, or pyridyl; or ring A is a monocyclic aryl or heteroaryl ring containing from zero to four heteroatoms and not containing any adjacent ring oxygen atoms; or ring A is a bicyclic aryl or heteroaryl ring containing from zero to five heteroatoms and not containing any adjacent ring oxygen atoms; and [0008] X and Y are each, independently, (C 1 -C 6 ) alkyl optionally substituted with from one to seven fluorine atoms; (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy optionally substituted with from one to seven fluorine atoms, wherein the number of fluorine substituents on the foregoing (C 1 -C 6 ) alkyl and (C 1 -C 6 ) alkoxy groups can not exceed the number of positions in such groups that are available for substitution; carboxy; carbo-(C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy; carboxamido; (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl-thio; sulfoxyl; sulfonyl; halo; nitro; cyano; amino; (C 1 -C 6 ) alkylamino and di[(C 1 -C 6 ) alkyl]amino; [0009] B is (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy optionally substituted with 1 to 7 fluorine atoms, or halogen; [0010] and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts of such compounds. [0011] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, ring A is selected from phenyl, naphthyl benzofuranyl, benzothienyl, indanyl, tetrahydronaphthyl, dihydrobenzofuranyl, and dihydrobenzothiophenyl. In another preferred embodiment of this invention, X is para-trifluoromethyl, para-methyl or para-chloro. [0012] The present invention also relates to a compound having the formula: [0013] wherein Y is (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl optionally substituted with from one to seven fluorine atoms; (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy optionally substituted with from one to seven fluorine atoms, wherein the number of fluorine substituents on the foregoing (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl and (C 1 -C 6 ) alkoxy groups can not exceed the number of positions in such groups that are available for substitution; carboxy; carbo-(C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy; carboxamido; (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl-thio; sulfoxyl; sulfonyl; halo; nitro; cyano; amino; (C 1 -C 6 ) alkylamino and di{(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl}amino; [0014] wherein Z 1 and Z 2 are independently selected from O, NH, N-(C 1 -C 5 alkyl), and S; and n is an integer from 1 to about 3; [0015] or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. [0016] The present invention also relates to a compound having the formula: [0017] wherein Y is (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl optionally substituted with from one to seven fluorine atoms; (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy optionally substituted with from one to seven fluorine atoms, wherein the number of fluorine substituents on the foregoing (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl and (C 1 -C 6 ) alkoxy groups can not exceed the number of positions in such groups that are available for substitution; carboxy; carbo-(C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy; carboxamido; (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl-thio; sulfoxyl; sulfonyl; halo; nitro; cyano; amino; (C 1 -C 6 ) alkylamino and di{(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl}amino; [0018] wherein Z 1 and Z 2 are independently selected from O, NH, N—(C 1 -C 5 alkyl), and S; and n is an integer from 1 to about 3; [0019] or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. [0020] Specific preferred embodiments of the invention include: [0021] {Methyl-[3-(4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-3-phenyl-propyl]-amino}-acetic acid [0022] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic acid [0023] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(3-trifluoromethyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic acid [0024] {Methyl-[3-phenyl-3-(4-p-tolyloxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-amino}-acetic acid [0025] ({3-[4-(4-Methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0026] ({3-[4-(4-Chloro-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0027] (Methyl-{3-[4-(naphthalen-2-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-amino)-acetic acid [0028] ({3-[4-(4-Isopropyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0029] ({3-[4-(4-tert-Butyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0030] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-naphthalen-2-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic acid [0031] ({3-[4-(3,4-Dimethyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-am in o)-acetic acid [0032] ({3-[4-(Indan-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0033] ({3-[4-(2,4-Difluoro-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0034] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-naphthalen-1-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0035] {[3-[4-(2,4-Dimethyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0036] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(2,4,6-trimethyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0037] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-naphthalen-1-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic acid [0038] ({3-[4-(2,4-Dimethyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0039] {[3-[4-(4-Cyclohexyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0040] {[3-[4-(4-Cyclopentyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0041] ({3-[4-(4-Cyclohexyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0042] ({3-[4-(4-Cyclopentyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0043] {[3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo[1,4]dioxin-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0044] ({3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo[1,4]dioxin-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0045] {[3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzofuran-7-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0046] ({3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzofuran-7-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0047] {[3-[4-(Benzofuran-4-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0048] ({3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzofuran-4-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0049] {[3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzofuran-4-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0050] {[3-[4-(3,5-Bis-trifluoromethyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0051] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(4-trifluoromethoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0052] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(4-trifluoromethoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic acid [0053] {[3-[4-(Benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0054] ({3-[4-(Benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0055] ({3-[4-(3-Methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0056] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0057] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(3-trifluoromethoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic acid [0058] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(3-trifluoromethoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0059] ({3-[4-(2-Methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0060] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(2-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0061] ({3-[4-(3,4-Dimethoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0062] {[3-[4-(3,4-Dimethoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0063] ({3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo[1,4]dioxin-6-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0064] {[3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo[1,4]dioxin-6-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0065] {Methyl-[3-(3-methyl-4-p-tolyloxy-phenoxy)-3-phenyl-propyl]-amino}-acetic acid [0066] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-3-methyl-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0067] {[3-[4-(Benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-chloro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0068] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0069] {[3-[4-(3-Methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0070] ({3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[4-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0071] {[3-[4-(4-Methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0072] ({3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0073] {[3-[2-Chloro-4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0074] {[3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-(3-methyl-4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0075] {[3-[4-(Benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0076] {[3-[2-Chloro-4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0077] {[3-[3-Methoxy-4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0078] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[3-methoxy-4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0079] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[3-methoxy-4-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0080] ({3-[3-Methoxy-4-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0081] ({3-[3-Methoxy-4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0082] ({3-[4-(3-Methoxy-phenoxy)-2-methyl-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0083] {[3-[3-Methoxy-4-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0084] {[3-(3-Methoxy-4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-3-phenyl-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0085] {[3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-(3-methoxy-4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0086] {[3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-(2-methyl-4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0087] {Methyl-[3-(2-methyl-4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-3-phenyl-propyl]-amino}-acetic acid [0088] ({3-[4-(4-Methoxy-phenoxy)-2-methyl-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0089] ({3-[4-(4-Chloro-phenoxy)-2-methyl-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0090] {Methyl-[3-(2-methyl-4-p-tolyloxy-phenoxy)-3-phenyl-propyl]-amino}-acetic acid [0091] {[3-(2-Chloro-4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0092] {[3-(2-Chloro-4-p-tolyloxy-phenoxy)-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0093] {[3-[2-Chloro-4-(4-chloro-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0094] {Methyl-[3-(3-phenoxy-phenoxy)-3-phenyl-propyl]-amino}-acetic acid [0095] {[3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-(3-phenoxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0096] {[3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-(3-p-tolyloxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0097] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[3-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl)-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0098] ({3-[3-(4-Chloro-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0099] {[3-[3-(4-Chloro-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0100] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[3-(2-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0101] {[3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-(4-methyl-3-phenoxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0102] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[3-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-4-methyl-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0103] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[3-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-4-methyl-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0104] {[3-[3-(Benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yloxy)-4-methyl-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0105] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(pyridin-4-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic acid [0106] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(pyridin-4-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0107] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(pyridin-3-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic acid [0108] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(pyridin-3-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0109] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(pyridin-2-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic acid [0110] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(pyridin-2-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic acid [0111] This invention also relates to a method of treating a disorder or condition selected from psychosis, schizophrenia, conduct disorder, disruptive behavior disorder, bipolar disorder, psychotic episodes of anxiety, anxiety associated with psychosis, psychotic mood disorders such as severe major depressive disorder; mood disorders associated with psychotic disorders such as acute mania or depression associated with bipolar disorder and mood disorders associated with schizophrenia, behavioral manifestations of mental retardation, conduct disorder and autistic disorder; movement disorders such as Tourette's syndrome, akinetic-rigid syndrome, movement disorders associated with Parkinson's disease, tardive dyskinesia and other drug induced and neurodegeneration based dyskinesias; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; cognitive disorders such as dementias (including age related dementia, and senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type) and memory disorders in a mammal, including a human, comprising administering to a mammal in need of such treatment an amount of a compound of the formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, that is effective in treating such condition or disorder. [0112] This invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition for treating a disorder or condition selected from psychosis, schizophrenia, conduct disorder, disruptive behavior disorder, bipolar disorder, psychotic episodes of anxiety, anxiety associated with psychosis, psychotic mood disorders such as severe major depressive disorder; mood disorders associated with psychotic disorders such as acute mania or depression associated with bipolar disorder and mood disorders associated with schizophrenia, behavioral manifestations of mental retardation, conduct disorder and autistic disorder; movement disorders such as Tourette's syndrome, akinetic-rigid syndrome, movement disorders associated with Parkinson's disease, tardive dyskinesia and other drug induced and neurodegeneration based dyskinesias; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; cognitive disorders such as dementias (including age related dementia and senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type) and memory disorders in a mammal, including a human, comprising a compound of the formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in an amount that is effective for treating such disorder or condition. [0113] This invention also relates to a method of treating a disorder or condition selected from psychosis, schizophrenia, conduct disorder, disruptive behavior disorder, bipolar disorder, psychotic episodes of anxiety, anxiety associated with psychosis, psychotic mood disorders such as severe major depressive disorder; mood disorders associated with psychotic disorders such as acute mania or depression associated with bipolar disorder and mood disorders associated with schizophrenia, behavioral manifestations of mental retardation, conduct disorder and autistic disorder; movement disorders such as Tourette's syndrome, akinetic-rigid syndrome, movement disorders associated with Parkinson's disease, tardive dyskinesia and other drug induced and neurodegeneration based dyskinesias; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; cognitive disorders such as dementias (including age related dementia and senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type) and memory disorders in a mammal, including a human, comprising administering to a mammal in need of such treatment a glycine transport-inhibiting amount of a compound of the formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. [0114] This invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition for treating a disorder or condition selected from psychosis, schizophrenia, conduct disorder, disruptive behavior disorder, bipolar disorder, psychotic episodes of anxiety, anxiety associated with psychosis, psychotic mood disorders such as severe major depressive disorder; mood disorders associated with psychotic disorders such as acute mania or depression associated with bipolar disorder and mood disorders associated with schizophrenia, behavioral manifestations of mental retardation, conduct disorder and autistic disorder; movement disorders such as Tourette's syndrome, akinetic-rigid syndrome, movement disorders associated with Parkinson's disease, tardive dyskinesia and other drug induced and neurodegeneration based dyskinesias; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; cognitive disorders such as dementias (including age related dementia and senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type) and memory disorders in a mammal, including a human, comprising a compound of the formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in a glycine transport-inhibiting amount. [0115] The term “alkyl”, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes saturated monovalent hydrocarbon radicals having straight, branched or cyclic moieties or combinations thereof. Examples of “alkyl” groups include, but are not limited to, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, 3-ethylbutyl, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, norbornyl, and the like. [0116] The term “halo”, as used herein, means chloro, fluoro, iodo or bromo. [0117] The term “alkoxy”, as used herein, means “alkyl-O-”, wherein “alkyl” is defined as above. [0118] The term “treating”, as used herein, refers to reversing, alleviating, inhibiting the progress of, or preventing the disorder or condition to which such term applies, or one or more symptoms of such condition or disorder. The term “treatment”, as used herein, refers to the act of treating, as “treating” is defined immediately above. [0119] The compounds of formula I may have optical centers and therefore may occur in different enantiomeric configurations. Formula I, as depicted above, includes all enantiomers, diastereomers, and other stereoisomers of the compounds depicted in structural formula I, as well as racemic and other mixtures thereof. Individual isomers can be obtained by known methods, such as optical resolution, optically selective reaction, or chromatographic separation in the preparation of the final product or its intermediate. [0120] The present invention also includes isotopically labelled compounds, which are identical to those recited in formula I, but for the fact that one or more atoms are replaced by an atom having an atomic mass or mass number different from the atomic mass or mass number usually found in nature. Examples of isotopes that can be incorporated into compounds of the present invention include isotopes of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous, sulfur, fluorine and chlorine, such as 2 H, 3 H, 13 C, 11 C, 14 C, 15 N, 18 O, 17 O, 31 P, 32 P, 35 S, 18 F, and 36 Cl, respectively. Compounds of the present invention, prodrugs thereof, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of said compounds or of said prodrugs which contain the aforementioned isotopes and/or other isotopes of other atoms are within the scope of this invention. Certain isotopically labelled compounds of the present invention, for example those into which radioactive isotopes such as 3 H and 14 C are incorporated, are useful in drug and/or substrate tissue distribution assays. Tritium and 14 C isotopes are particularly preferred for their ease of preparation and detectability. Further, substitution with heavier isotopes such as deuterium can afford certain therapeutic advantages resulting from greater metabolic stability, for example increased in vivo half-life or reduced dosage requirements and, hence, may be preferred in some circumstances. Isotopically labelled compounds of formula I of this invention and prodrugs thereof can generally be prepared by carrying out the procedures disclosed in the Scheme and/or in the Examples and Preparations below, by substituting a readily available isotopically labelled reagent for a non-isotopically labelled reagent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0121] The compounds of the formula (I) of this invention may be prepared as described in the following reaction schemes. [0122] Unless otherwise indicated, in the reaction schemes and discussion that follow, X and Y are defined as above. [0123] Scheme I illustrates methods of preparing compounds of the formula I wherein ring A is phenyl. Methods analogous to these can be used to prepare compounds of the formula I wherein ring A is other than phenyl. Such methods will be understood by those of skill in the art. [0124] Referring to Scheme I, a compound of formula V is reacted with 4-fluorobenzaldehyde (VI) in the presence of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonate or bicarbonate to form the corresponding ether of formula IV. This reaction is typically conducted in a reaction-inert solvent such as dimethyl formamide (DMF), methylpyrrolidone or dimethylacetamide, at a temperature from about 100° C. to about 170° C., preferably at about 150° C. The resulting compound of formula IV is then oxidized to the corresponding phenolic alcohol compound of formula III using a peracid, such as peracetic, trifluoroacetic, perbenzoic or m-chloroperbenzoic acid, in an inert organic solvent, such as dichloromethane. As an alternative, and especially when the X-bearing phenyl ring is a pyridyl ring, this oxidation may be carried out using hydrogen peroxide, preferably 30% strength, and boric acid, with a small amount of sulfuric acid, in an inert solvent such as tetrahydrofuran or dioxane, at a temperature from room temperature to the reflux temperature of the solvent, for 1 to 24 hours. [0125] The phenolic alcohol compound of formula III is then treated with a haloalkyl-substituted benzylic alcohol of formula VI under conditions suited to form a haloalkylphenoxy aryl compound of formula II. This reaction is preferably carried out using a dialkyl azodicarboxylate in the presence of a trialkyl or triaryl phosphine. More preferably, the dialkyl azodicarboxylate is a diethyl azodicarboxylate, duisopropyl azodicarboxylate, or duisobutyl azodicarboxylate, and the phosphine is tri-n-butylphospine, triphenylphospine, or tri-p-tolylphospine. The reaction is typically performed in a dipolar ether such as THF, at a temperature from about 50° C. to about 120° C., preferably at about the reflux temperature of THF. [0126] The compound of formula II is treated with an aminoacetic ester such as N-methyl glycine ethyl ester (sarcosine ethyl ester) in the presence of an organic base such as diisopropylethylamine or diethylamine. This reaction is typically conducted in a reaction-inert solvent such as N-methylpyrrolidinone or dimethyl formamide, at a temperature from about room temperature to about 150° C., preferably at about 90° C. Then, the resulting ester is hydrolyzed using an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate or an alkali metal hydroxide, preferably an alkali metal hydroxide, such as lithium hydroxide, in water, a mixture of water, an alcohol containing one to four carbons and/or an ethereal solvent such as tetrahydrofuran to form the corresponding carboxylic acid of formula 1. The hydrolysis reaction can be carried out in situ or after isolating the ester from the alkylation reaction. In either case, the hydrolysis is carried out using the same or similar solvent as that used in the alkylation reaction and is carried out under the same or similar conditions. [0127] Scheme II illustrates methods of preparing compounds of the formula I wherein ring A is in the 3-(or meta) position. Methods analogous to these can be used to prepare compounds of the formula I wherein ring A is other than phenyl. Such methods will be understood by those of skill in the art. [0128] Referring to Scheme II, 3-benzyloxyphenol is reacted with an aryl boronic acid using cupric acetate, cupric trifluoroacetate, or a related copper salt, a base such as pyridine, triethylamine, or an organic amine base, and dimethylsulfoxide or methylene chloride as solvent under an oxygen atmosphere at room temperature to 100° C. for 12 to 100 hours to afford intermediate VII. Compound VII is then reacted to intermediate VIII by treating it with ammonium formate and palladium in ethanol or a higher alcohol. The reaction may also be carried out using palladium under a hydrogen atmosphere, or using boron tribromide in methylene chloride at 31 78° C. to room temperature for 1 to 24 hours. Intermediate VIII is then processed to compound IX as detailed above in Scheme 1 for compound II. Compound IX is then reacted as detailed in Scheme 1 to produce the compound of formula I. [0129] The compounds of formula I and the intermediates shown in the above reaction schemes can be isolated and purified by conventional procedures, such as recrystallization or chromatographic separation. [0130] In so far as the compounds of formula (I) of this invention can contain basic substituents, they are capable of forming a wide variety of different salts with various inorganic and organic acids. Although such salts must be pharmaceutically acceptable for administration to animals, it is often desirable in practice to initially isolate the base compound from the reaction mixture as a pharmaceutically unacceptable salt and then simply convert to the free base compound by treatment with an alkaline reagent and thereafter convert the free base to a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt. The acid addition salts of the base compounds of this invention are readily prepared by treating the base compound with a substantially equivalent amount of the chosen mineral or organic acid in an aqueous solvent or in a suitable organic solvent, such as methanol or ethanol. Upon careful evaporation of the solvent, the desired solid salt is readily obtained. [0131] The acids which are used to prepare the pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts of the aforementioned base compounds of this invention are those which form non-toxic acid addition salts, i.e., salts containing pharmaceutically acceptable anions, such as the hydrochloride, hydrobromide, hydroiodide, nitrate, sulfate or bisulfate, phosphate or acid phosphate, acetate, lactate, citrate or acid citrate, tartrate or bi-tartrate, succinate, maleate, fumarate, gluconate, saccharate, benzoate, methanesulfonate, ethanesulfonate, benzenesulfonate, ptoluenesulfonate and pamoate (i.e., 1,1′-methylene-bis-(2-hydroxy-3-naphthoate))salts. [0132] All compounds of the invention have an acidic group and are capable of forming base salts with various pharmaceutically acceptable cations. Examples of such salts include the alkali metal or alkaline-earth metal salts and, particularly, the sodium and potassium salts. These salts are all prepared by conventional techniques. [0133] The chemical bases which are used as reagents to prepare the pharmaceutically acceptable base salts of this invention are those which form non-toxic base salts with the herein described acidic derivatives. These particular non-toxic base salts include those derived form such pharmaceutically acceptable cations as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium, etc. These salts can easily be prepared by treating the aforementioned acidic compounds with an aqueous solution containing the desired pharmaceutically acceptable cation, and then evaporating the resulting solution to dryness, preferably under reduced pressure. Alternatively, they may also be prepared by mixing lower alkanoic solutions of the acidic compounds and the desired alkali metal alkoxide together, and then evaporating the resulting solution to dryness in the same manner as before. In either case, stoichiometric quantities of reagents are preferably employed in order to ensure completeness of reaction and maximum production of yields of the desired final product. [0134] The compounds of the present invention exhibit significant glycine transport inhibiting activity and therefore are of value in the treatment of a wide variety of clinical conditions that are characterized by the deficit of glutamateric neurotransmission in mammalian subjects, especially humans. Such conditions include the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia and other psychoses, and cognitive deficits. [0135] The compounds of the formula (I) of this invention can be administered via either the oral, parenteral (such as subcutaneous, intraveneous, intramuscular, intrasternal and infusion techniques), rectal, intranasal or topical routes to mammals. In general, these compounds are most desirably administered to humans in doses ranging from about 1 mg to about 2000 mg per day, although variations will necessarily occur depending upon the weight and condition of the subject being treated and the particular route of administration chosen. However, a dosage level that is in the range of from about 0.1 mg to about 20 mg per kg of body weight per day is most desirably employed. Nevertheless, variations may still occur depending upon the species of animal being treated and its individual response to said medicament, as well as on the type of pharmaceutical formulation chosen and the time period and interval at which such administration is carried out. In some instances, dosage levels below the lower limit of the aforesaid range may be more than adequate, while in other cases still larger doses may be employed without causing any harmful side effects provided that such higher dose levels are first divided into several small doses for administration throughout the day. [0136] The compounds of the present invention may be administered alone or in combination with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or diluents by either of the above routes previously indicated, and such administration can be carried out in single or multiple doses. More particularly, the novel therapeutic agents of the invention can be administered in a wide variety of different dosage forms, i.e., they may be combined with various pharmaceutically acceptable inert carriers in the form of tablets, capsules, lozenges, troches, hard candies, powders, sprays, creams, salves, suppositories, jellies, gels, pastes, lotions, ointments, aqueous suspensions, injectable solutions, elixirs, syrups, and the like. Such carriers include solid diluents or fillers, sterile aqueous media and various nontoxic organic solvents, etc. Moreover, oral pharmaceutical compositions can be suitably sweetened and/or flavored. In general, the therapeutically effective compounds of this invention are present in such dosage forms at concentration levels ranging about 5.0% to about 70% by weight. [0137] For oral administration, tablets containing various excipients such as microcrystalline cellulose, sodium citrate, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate and glycine may be employed along with various disintegrants such as starch and preferably corn, potato or tapioca starch, alginic acid and certain complex silicates, together with granulation binders like polyvinylpyrrolidone, sucrose, gelatin and acacia. Additionally, lubricating agents such as magnesium stearate, sodium lauryl sulfate and talc are often very useful for tabletting purposes. Solid compositions of a similar type may also be employed as fillers in gelatine capsules; preferred materials in this connection also include lactose or milk sugar as well as high molecular weight polyethylene glycols. When aqueous suspensions and/or elixirs are desired for oral administration, the active ingredient may be combined with various sweetening or flavoring agents, coloring matter or dyes, and, if so desired, emulsifying and/or suspending agents as well, together with such diluents as water, ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerin and various like combinations thereof. [0138] For parenteral administration, solutions of a compound of the present invention in either sesame or peanut oil or in aqueous propylene glycol may be employed. The aqueous solutions should be suitably buffered (preferably pH>8) if necessary and the liquid diluent first rendered isotonic. These aqueous solutions are suitable for intravenous injection purposes. The oily solutions are suitable for intra-articular, intra-muscular and subcutaneous injection purposes. The preparation of all these solutions under sterile conditions is readily accomplished by standard pharmaceutical techniques well-known to those skilled in the art. Additionally, it is also possible to administer the compounds of the present invention topically when treating inflammatory conditions of the skin and this may preferably be done by way of creams, jellies, gels, pastes, ointments and the like, in accordance with standard pharmaceutical practice. [0139] The compounds of the present invention were assayed for their activity in inhibiting glycine reuptake in synaptosomes by first preparing synaptosomes and then measuring neurotransmitter reuptake activity as follows: [0140] Male Sprague Dawley rats were decapitated and the brains removed. The whole brains were dissected out and placed in ice cold sucrose buffer; 1 gram in 20 mis (320 mM sucrose containing 1 mg/ml glucose, 0.1 mM EDTA and brought up to pH 7.4 with Tris base). The tissue was homogenized in a glass homogenizing tube with a teflon pestle at 350 RPMS using a Potters homogenizer. The homogenate was centrifuged at 1000×g for 10 min at 4° C. The resulting supernatant was recentrifuged at 17,000×g for 20 min at 4° C. The final pellet was resuspended in an appropriate volume of sucrose buffer containing 5 mM alanine, to yield less than 10% uptake. [0141] The uptake assays were conducted in 96 well matrix plates. Each well contained 25 μL of solvent, inhibitor or 10 mM glycine for nonspecific uptake, 200 PL of [ 3 H]-glycine (40 nM final), made up in modified Krebs containing 5 mM alanine and glucose (1 mg/ml) and 25 PL of synaptosomes. The plates were then incubated at room temperature for the 15 min. The incubation was terminated by filtration through GF/B filters, using a 96 well Brandel Cell Harvester. The filters were washed with modified Krebs buffer and either counted in a liquid scintillation counter or in a LKB Beta Plate counter. Compounds of the invention analyzed by this assay have been found to have significant activity in inhibiting glycine reuptake in synaptosomes, having IC 50 values more potent than 10 μM. [0142] The present invention is illustrated by the following examples. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details of these examples. Melting points were taken with a Buchi micro melting point apparatus and uncorrected. Infrared Ray absorption spectra (IR) were measured by a Shimazu infrared spectrometer (IR-470). 1 H and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra (NMR) were measured in CDCl 3 by a Varian NMR spectrometer (Unity, 400 MHz for 1 H, 100 MHz for 13 C) unless otherwise indicated and peak positions are expressed in parts per million (ppm) downfield from tetramethylsilane (δ). The peak shapes are denoted as follows: s, singlet; d, doublet; t, triplet; m, multiplet; br, broad. EXAMPLE 1 [0143] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(3-trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenoxy]propyl}amino)acetic Acid [0144] A. [4-(3-Trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]benzaldehyde: As described in Synthesis, 63, (1991): To a 125 ml round-bottomed flask equipped with condenser and nitrogen gas inlet were added 1.07 ml (10 mmol) 4-fluorobenzaldehye, 1.22 ml (10 mmol) 3-trifluoromethylphenol, 1.66 g (12 mmol) potassium carbonate, and 10 ml dry N-methylpyrrolidin-2-one. The reaction was heated at 150° C. for 14 hours (h), and the black mixture cooled to room temperature, poured into water, and extracted into ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with several portions of water, brine, then dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated. The residue was filtered through silica gel with hexane/ethyl acetate to afford a yellow oil, 2.46 g (92.5%). [0145] [0145] 1 H-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 7.05 (m, 2H), 7.23 (m, 1H), 7.305 (m, 1H), 7.4-7.6 (m, 2H), 7.84 (m, 2H), 9.92 (s, 1H). [0146] [0146] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 117.24, 118.36, 121.54, 121.62, 123.52, 130.97, 132.28, 155.89, 162.26, 190.85 (signals for the CF 3 and adjacent carbon not visible in this scan). [0147] B. [4-(3-Trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]phenol: As described in Synthesis , page 63, 1991: To a 125 mL round-bottomed flask equipped with condenser and a nitrogen inlet were added 2.46 g (9.25 mmol) [4-(3-trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]benzaldehyde, 2.39 g (11.1 mmol) m-chloroperbenzoic acid (80%), and 25 ml dry methylene chloride. The reaction was stirred at room temperature for 8 hr, filtered, and the filtrate washed with aqueous sodium bisulfite solution, aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution, dried over sodium sulfate, and evaporated. The residue was taken up in 50 ml methanol, treated with 3 drops concentrated hydrochloric acid, and stirred at room temperature for 14 h. The residue after evaporation was filtered through silica gel using ethyl acetate and hexane to afford 2.48 g (100%) of an oil. [0148] [0148] 1 H-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 6.84 (m, 2H), 6.90 (m, 2H), 7.05 (m, 1H), 7.13 (m, 1H), 7.24 (m, 1H), 7.35 (m, 1H). [0149] [0149] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 114.17, 116.80, 119.03, 120.56, 121.61, 130.33, 148.96, 153.12, 159.23 (signals for the CF 3 and adjacent carbon not visible in this scan). [0150] C. 3-Phenyl-3-[4-(3-trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenoxy]-1-chloropropane: To a 125 mL round-bottomed flask equipped with a nitrogen inlet were added 0.50 g (2.93 mmol) 3-chloro-1-phenylpropanol, 745 mg (2.93 mmol) [4-(3-trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]phenol, 0.64 ml (3.22 mmol) diisopropylazodicarboxylate, 0.85 g (3.22 mmol) triphenylphosphine, and 15 ml dry tetrahydrofuran. The reaction was refluxed for 14 h, cooled, and evaporated. The residue was chromatographed on silica gel using ethyl acetate in hexane as eluant to afford 486 mg (41%) of an oil. [0151] [0151] 1 H-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 2.21 and 2.47 (multiplets, 2H), 3.61 and 3.82 (multiplets, 2H), 5.33 (m, 1H), 6.85 (m, 4H), 7.04 (m, 1H), 7.26 (m, 1H), 7.2-7.4 (m, 7H). [0152] [0152] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 41.53, 41.58, 77.70, 117.55, 119.19, 119.22, 119.26, 120.78, 121.12, 126.17, 128.24, 129.05, 130.35, 140.89, 149.63, 158.90 (signals for the CF 3 and adjacent carbon not visible in this scan). [0153] D. (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(3-trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenoxy]propyl}amino)acet-ic acid ethyl ester: To a 125 mL round-bottomed flask equipped with condenser and nitrogen inlet were added 486 mg (1.20 mmol) 3-phenyl-3-[4-(3-trifluoromethyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-1-chloropropane, 184 mg (1.20 mmol) sarcosine ethyl ester hydrochloride, 0.416 mL (2.40 mmol) diisopropylethylamine, and 6 mL dry N-methylpyrrolidinone. The reaction was heated at 90-95° C. for 60 h, cooled, and poured into water. After extracting with ethyl acetate, the organic layer was washed with water (3 times) and brine, dried over sodium sulfate, and evaporated. The residue was chromatographed on silica gel using methylene chloride/methanol as eluant to afford 250 mg (43%) of an oil. [0154] [0154] 1 H-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 1.22 (t, J=7, 3H), 1.99 and 2.18 (multiplets, 2H), 2.38 (s, 3H), 2.68 (m, 2H), 3.24 (s, 2H), 4.12 (q, J=7, 2H), 5.18 (m, 1H), 6.83 (s, 4H), 7.02 (m, 1H), 7.10 (m, 1H), 7.2-7.4 (m, 7H). [0155] [0155] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 14.46, 36.88, 42.51, 53.46, 58.82, 60.69, 78.99, 11444, 117.48, 119.11, 120.69, 121.09, 126.20, 127.87, 128.86, 130.30, 141.91, 149.28, 155.25, 155.27, 158.99 (signals for the CF 3 and adjacent carbon not visible in this scan). [0156] MS (%): 488 (parent+1, 100). [0157] E. (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(3-trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenoxy]propyl}amino)acet-ic acid: To a 125 mL round-bottomed flask equipped with condenser and nitrogen inlet were added 250 mg (0.514 mmol) {[3-(4-(3-trifluoromethyl)phenoxy)phenoxy)-3-phenylprop-yl]methylamino}-acetic acid ethyl ester, 6 ml tetrahydrofuran, a solution of 100 mg lithium hydroxide hydrate in 10 ml water, and enough methanol to afford a solution. The reaction was stirred at room temperature for 1 h, evaporated, and taken up in water to pH 1 with 6 N hydrochloric acid. The aqueous layer was extracted with several portions of methylene chloride, and the organic layer washed with brine, dried over sodium sulfate, and evaporated to a foam, 225 mg (38%). [0158] [0158] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.32, 41.76, 54.53, 56.62, 78.02, 114.45, 117.61, 119.28, 120.77, 121.11, 123.92 (q, J=269, CF 3 ), 126.14, 128.46, 129.16, 130.40, 132.17 (q, J=29), 140.10, 149.76, 154.26, 158.71, 167.44. [0159] MS (%): 460 (parent+1, 100). [0160] Anal. Calc'd. for C 25 H 24 NO 4 F 3 .HCl: C, 60.55; H, 5.08; N, 2.82. Found: C 60.65, H 5.64, N 2.60. EXAMPLE 2 [0161] {Methyl-[3-phenyl-3-(4-p-tolyloxyphenoxy)propyl]amino}acetic acid: Prepared as in Example 1, in 9.5% yield, as a foam. [0162] [0162] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.36, 41.73, 54.45, 56.67, 78.02, 117.32, 117.98, 118.29, 120.10, 126.17, 128.36, 129.01, 129.11, 130.33, 132.45, 132.64, 140.34, 151.52, 153.38, 155.75, 167.66. [0163] MS (%): 406 (parent+1, 100). [0164] Anal. Calc'd. for C 25 H 27 NO 4 HCl.¼H 2 O: C, 67.26; H, 6.43; N, 3.14. Found: C 67.04, H 7.00, N 2.96. EXAMPLE 3 [0165] ({3-[4-(4-Methoxyphenoxy)phenoxy]-3-phenylpropyl}methylamino)-acetic Acid: [0166] Prepared as in Example 1, in 43% yield, as a foam. [0167] [0167] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.38, 41.54, 41.93, 54.55, 56.39, 77.96, 114.96, 117.33, 119.30, 120.02, 126.18, 128.35, 129.10, 140.32, 151.19, 152.34, 153.05, 155.65, 167.18. [0168] MS (%): 422 (parent+1, 100). [0169] Anal. Calc'd. for C 25 H 27 NO 5 .HCl.H 2 O: C, 63.09; H, 6.35; N, 2.94. Found: C, 62.84; H, 6.43; N, 3.34. EXAMPLE 4 [0170] ({3-[4-(4-Chlorophenoxy)phenoxy]-3-phenylpropyl}methylamino)acetic Acid: [0171] Prepared as in Example 1, in 37% yield, as a foam. [0172] [0172] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.35, 41.86, 53.69, 54.46, 56.60, 78.00, 117.45, 119.20, 120.69, 126.13, 127.73, 128.45, 129.15, 129.76, 140.17, 150.51, 153.89, 156.88, 167.56. [0173] MS (%): 426 (parent+1, 100). [0174] Anal. Calc'd. for C 24 H 24 NO 4 Cl.HCl.H 2 O: C, 60.01; H, 5.67; N, 2.92. Found: C 60.16, H 5.36, N 2.69. EXAMPLE 5 [0175] (Methyl-{3-[4-(naphthalen-2-yloxy)phenoxy]-3-phenylpronyl}amino)acetic Acid: [0176] Prepared as in Example 1, in 23% yield, as a foam. [0177] [0177] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.39, 41.60, 42.01, 54.66, 56.47, 78.03, 112.87, 117.50, 119.59, 120.86, 124.68, 126.20, 126.71, 127.23, 127.88, 128.43, 129.16, 129.99, 130.02, 134.45, 140.23, 150.80, 153.82, 156.09, 167.06. [0178] MS (%): 442 (parent+1, 100). [0179] Anal. Calc'd. for C 28 H 27 NO 4 .HCl.{fraction (3/2)}H 2 O: C, 66.59; H, 6.19; N, 2.77. Found: C 66.37, H 6.01, N 2.82. EXAMPLE 6 [0180] ({3-[4-(4-Isopropylphenoxy)phenoxy]-3-phenylpropyl}methylamino)acetic Acid: [0181] Prepared as in Example 1, in 24% yield, as a foam. [0182] [0182] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 24.35, 33.04, 33.59, 41.63, 42.05, 54.70, 55.75, 56.36, 78.02, 117.33, 118.13, 120.25, 126.18, 127.66, 128.37, 129.12, 140.26, 143.51, 151.45, 153.38, 155.95, 166.82. [0183] MS (%): 434 (parent+1, 100). [0184] Anal. Calc'd. for C 27 H 31 NO 4 .HCl.¾H 2 O: C, 67.07; H, 6.98; N, 2.90. Found: C 67.32, H 7.22, N 2.73. EXAMPLE 7 [0185] ({3-[4-(4-t-Butylphenoxy)phenoxy]-3-phenylpropyl}methylamino)acetic Acid: [0186] Prepared as in Example 1, in 39% yield, as a foam. [0187] [0187] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 31.73, 33.34, 34.46, 41.81, 54.57, 56.56, 78.06, 117.44, 117.74, 120.37, 125.77, 126.27, 126.67, 128.38, 129.15, 140.40, 145.76, 151.35, 153.49, 155.73, 167.50. [0188] MS (%): 448 (parent+1, 100). [0189] Anal. Calc'd. for C 28 H 33 NO 4 .HCl.2H 2 O: C, 64.67; H, 7.36; N, 2.69. Found: C 64.89, H 7.18, N 2.70. EXAMPLE 8 [0190] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-yloxy)phenoxy]propyl}-amino)acetic acid: Prepared as in Example 1, in 29% yield, as a foam. [0191] [0191] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 23.21, 23.48, 28.90, 29.71, 33.04, 33.39, 41.68, 42.10, 53.71, 54.65, 55.81, 56.44, 78.03, 115.85, 117.33, 118.56, 120.12, 126.22, 128.35, 129.11, 130.31, 131.80, 138.75, 140.29, 151.53, 153.27, 155.56, 167.10. [0192] MS (%): 446 (parent+1, 100). [0193] Anal. Calc'd. for C 28 H 31 NO 4 .HCl.{fraction (3/2)}H 2 O: C, 66.07; H, 6.93; N, 2.75. Found: C 66.36, H 7.10, N 2.80. EXAMPLE 9 [0194] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(4-trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenoxy]propyl}amino)acetic Acid: [0195] Prepared as in Example 1, in 41.5% yield, as a foam. [0196] [0196] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.39, 41.67, 53.71, 54.32, 56.62, 78.10, 117.18, 117.54, 121.49, 123.06, 124.47 (q, J=33), 124.59 (q, J=270, CF 3 ), 127.17, 127.21, 128.46, 129.15, 140.13, 149.36, 154.44, 161.25, 167.86. [0197] MS (%): 460 (parent+1, 100). [0198] Anal. Calc'd. for C 25 H 24 NO 4 F 3 .HCl.H 2 O: C, 58.43; H, 5.30; N, 2.73. Found: C 58.80, H 5.22, N 2.85. EXAMPLE 10 [0199] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-naphthalen-1-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0200] Prepared as in Example 1, in 93% yield, as a solid, mp 60-61° C. [0201] [0201] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 22.84, 22.99, 23.47, 25.82, 29.73, 33.89, 41.58, 53.74, 58.74, 68.16, 77.65, 115.28, 115.99 (d, J=22), 117.19, 119.25, 124.34, 126.05, 127.85 (d, J=8), 128.73, 136.45, 136.48, 139.52, 151.86, 152.94, 155.27, 162.50 (d, J=246), 168.80. [0202] MS (%): 464 (parent+1, 100). [0203] HRMS Calc'd. for C 28 H 31 NO 4 F: 464.2238. Found: 464.2218. EXAMPLE 11 [0204] {[3-[4-(2,4-Dimethyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0205] Prepared as in Example 1, in 98% yield, as a foam. [0206] [0206] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 16.29, 20.87, 33.51, 41.57, 53.99, 58.39, 77.6, 116.00 (d, J=22), 117.24, 118.43, 119.16, 127.69, 127.91 (d, J=7), 129.41, 132.20, 133.31, 133.33, 136.25, 136.28, 152.51, 152.54, 152.85, 162.50 (d, J=246), 168.65. [0207] MS (%): 438 (parent+1, 100). [0208] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 29 NO 4 F: 438.2081. Found: 438.2111. EXAMPLE 12 [0209] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(2,4,6-trimethyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0210] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0211] [0211] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 14.38, 16.43, 20.93, 21.07, 21.24, 33.38, 41.72, 54.36, 57.76, 60.63, 115.35, 115.97 (d, J=21), 117.25, 127.89 (d, J=8), 129.73, 131.12, 134.51, 136.23, 136.26, 149.22, 151.59, 152.83, 162.50 (d, J=246), 168.53, 171.46, 175.44. [0212] MS (%): 452 (parent+1, 100). [0213] HRMS Calc'd. for C 29 H 30 NO 4 F: 452.2238. Found: 452.2255. EXAMPLE 13 [0214] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-naphthalen-1-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic Acid [0215] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0216] [0216] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 22.87, 23.00, 23.49, 29.75, 33.36, 41.69, 54.36, 56.96, 60.66, 78.12, 115.16, 117.34, 119.36, 124.26, 126.07, 126.21, 128.30, 128.60, 129.08, 139.45, 140.45, 151.71, 153.08, 155.37, 168.25. [0217] MS (%): 446 (parent+1, 100). [0218] Anal. Calc'd. for C 28 H 31 NO 4 .HCl.H 2 O: C, 67.26; H, 6.85; N, 2.80. Found: C, 67.45; H, 6.89; N, 2.69. EXAMPLE 14 [0219] ({3-[4-(2,4-Dimethyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0220] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a solid, mp 53-55° C. [0221] [0221] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 16.32, 20.87, 33.77, 41.49, 53.71, 58.62, 60.59, 78.26, 117.13, 118.46, 119.11, 126.07, 127.67, 128.22, 129.04, 129.37, 132.17, 133.15, 140.73, 152.30, 152.92, 153.00, 168.82. [0222] MS (%): 420 (parent+1, 100). [0223] Anal. Calc'd. for C 26 H 29 NO 4 .HCl.H 2 O: C, 65.88; H, 6.80; N, 2.96. Found: C, 66.08; H, 6.96; N, 2.93. EXAMPLE 15 [0224] {[3-[4-(4-Cyclohexyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0225] Prepared as in Example 1, in 85% yield, as a foam. [0226] [0226] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 21.70, 26.33, 27.10, 33.34, 34.85, 41.87, 44.02, 54.31, 59.00, 77.66, 116.06 (d, J=21), 117.27, 118.13, 119.54, 120.27, 127.92 (d, J=8), 128.06, 136.27, 136.30, 142.90, 151.61, 153.25, 155.94, 155.97, 162.58 (d, J=246), 169.80, 176.69. [0227] MS (%): 492 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 16 [0228] {[3-[4-(4-Cyclopentyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0229] Prepared as in Example 1, in 88% yield, as a foam. [0230] [0230] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 25.62, 34.90, 41.62, 45.45, 53.75, 58.93, 60.60, 116.01 (d, J=21), 117.25, 118.15, 120.22, 127.89 (d, J=9), 128.36, 136.49, 141.17, 151.58, 153.34, 155.92, 162.52, (d, J=245), 168.96, 171.36. [0231] MS (%): 478 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 17 [0232] ({3-[4-(4-Cyclohexyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0233] Prepared as in Example 1, in 98.5% yield, as a foam. [0234] [0234] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 26.32, 27.09, 29.65, 33.66, 34.82, 41.71, 43.99, 53.99, 59.10, 78.18, 117.14, 118.05, 120.29, 126.04, 128.00, 128.30, 129.09, 140.53, 142.77, 151.37, 153.50, 156.02, 168.57. [0235] MS (%): 474 (parent+1, 100). [0236] HRMS Calc'd. for C 30 H 36 NO 4 : 474.2645. Found: 474.2642. EXAMPLE 18 [0237] ({3-[4-(4-Cyclopentyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0238] Prepared as in Example 1, in 93% yield, as a yellowish solid. [0239] [0239] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 14.40, 25.60, 33.71, 34.88, 41.69, 45.44, 53.89, 60.59, 78.22, 117.14, 118.08, 120.22, 126.04, 128.30, 129.07, 140.60, 141.05, 151.38, 153.53, 155.99, 168.66. [0240] MS (%): 460 (parent+1, 100). [0241] HRMS Calc'd. for C 29 H 34 NO 4 : 460.2488. Found: 460.2513. EXAMPLE 19 [0242] {[3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo[1,4]dioxin-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0243] Prepared as in Example 1, in 91% yield, as a foam. [0244] [0244] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 14.38, 21.39, 33.41, 41.60, 54.01, 58.53, 60.60, 64.41, 64.60, 77.63, 111.94, 112.64, 115.98 (d, J=21), 117.21, 119.11, 120.45, 127.93 (d, J=8), 135.62, 136.21, 136.24, 145.06, 146.00, 151.62, 153.07, 162.49 (d, J=246), 168.79, 171.41, 174.46. [0245] MS (%): 468 (parent+1, 100). [0246] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 27 FNO 6 : C 468.1822. Found: 468.1795. EXAMPLE 20 [0247] ({3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo[1,4]dioxin-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0248] Prepared as in Example 1, in 61% yield, as a foam. [0249] [0249] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 14.40, 29.63, 33.73, 41.79, 54.00, 59.06, 64.44, 64.64, 72.80, 78.21, 111.86, 112.51, 117.05, 119.20, 120.42, 126.03, 128.29, 129.07, 135.56, 140.50, 145.03, 146.19, 151.40, 153.39, 168.40, 171.37. [0250] MS (%): 450 (parent+1, 100). [0251] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 27 NO 6 : C 450.1916. Found: 450.1911. EXAMPLE 21 [0252] {[3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzofuran-7-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0253] Prepared as in Example 1, in 26% yield, as a foam. [0254] [0254] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 30.31, 33.91, 41.77, 53.92, 72.10, 112.50, 115.99 (d, J=22), 117.09, 118.70, 118.89, 120.27, 121.23, 127.83 (d, J=8), 129.71, 136.41, 140.86, 150.51, 151.59, 153.00, 162.55 (d, J=245). [0255] MS (%): 452 (parent+1, 100). [0256] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 27 FNO 5 : C 452.1874. Found: 452.1879. EXAMPLE 22 [0257] ({3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzofuran-7-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0258] Prepared as in Example 1, in 21% yield, as a foam. [0259] [0259] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 30.32, 33.72, 41.80, 54.02, 59.25, 72.08, 78.15, 117.02, 118.73, 118.82, 120.17, 121.19, 126.03, 128.24, 129.05, 129.66, 140.57, 140.98, 150.47, 150.48, 151.43, 153.22, 168.36, 171.36. [0260] MS (%): 434 (parent+1, 100). [0261] Anal. Calc'd. for C 26 H 28 NO 5 : C 434.1968. Found: 434.1950. EXAMPLE 23 [0262] {[3-[4-(Benzofuran-4-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0263] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0264] [0264] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.62, 41.58, 53.87, 58.96, 104.22, 104.26, 106.71, 110.57, 116.03 (d, J=22), 117.36, 119.30, 120.36, 124.98, 127.93 (d, J=24), 136.24, 136.27, 144.34, 151.11, 151.34, 153.56, 156.84, 162.52 (d, J=245), 168.87. [0265] MS (%): 450 (parent+1, 100). [0266] Anal. Calc'd. for C 26 H 24 FNO 5 .{fraction (5/4)}H 2 O: C 66.11, H 5.66, N 2.97. Found: C, 66.26; H, 5.45; N, 2.64. EXAMPLE 24 [0267] ({3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzofuran-4-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0268] Prepared as in Example 1, in 91% yield, as an amorphous solid. [0269] [0269] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 27.62, 33.77, 41.49, 53.69, 58.59, 71.74, 78.30, 104.55, 104.58, 109.91, 109.94, 116.71, 117.18, 120.03, 126.07, 128.28, 129.06, 129.17, 140.56, 150.69, 153.66, 154.60, 162.21, 168.80, 171.32. [0270] MS (%): 434 (parent+1, 100). [0271] Anal. Calc'd. for C 26 H 27 NO 5 .{fraction (5/4)}H 2 O: C, 68.48; H, 6.52; N, 3.07. Found: C, 68.18; H, 6.50; N, 2.86. EXAMPLE 25 [0272] {[3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzofuran-4-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0273] Prepared as in Example 1, in 96% yield, as a foam. [0274] [0274] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 27.60, 29.65, 33.87, 41.49, 53.61, 58.68, 71.72, 104.61, 109.91, 115.97 (d, J=21), 116.76, 117.26, 120.02, 120.34, 127.90 (d, J=25), 129.19, 136.41, 150.83, 153.44, 154.51, 161.25, 162.47 (d, J=245), 169.04, 171.31. [0275] MS (%): 452 (parent+1, 100). [0276] Anal. Calc'd. for C 26 H 26 FNO 5 .{fraction (3/2)}H 2 O: C, 65.26; H, 6.11; N, 2.93. Found: C, 65.07; H, 6.21; N, 2.75. EXAMPLE 26 [0277] {[3-[4-(3,5-Bis-trifluoromethyl-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0278] Prepared as in Example 1, in 68% yield, as a foam. [0279] [0279] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.91, 41.81, 53.96, 58.96, 116.16 (d, J=22), 117.28, 117.77, 121.50, 121.76, 124.47, 127.85, 133.24 (q, J=34), 135.96, 148.75, 154.79, 159.51, 162.63 (d, J=246), 168.64. [0280] MS (%): 546 (parent+1, 100). [0281] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 22 F 7 NO 4 : 546.1516. Found: C 546.1525. EXAMPLE 27 [0282] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(4-trifluoromethoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0283] Prepared as in Example 1, in 95% yield, as a foam. [0284] [0284] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.71, 41.63, 53.92, 59.01, 116.08 (d, J=22), 117.38, 118.72, 120.67 (q, J=256), 120.83, 122.70, 127.84 (d, J=8), 136.14, 144.21, 150.55, 153.84, 156.76, 162.55 (d, J=246), 168.75. [0285] MS (%): 494 (parent+1, 100). [0286] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 23 F 4 NO 5 : 494.1591. Found: 494.1591. EXAMPLE 28 [0287] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(4-trifuoromethoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic Acid [0288] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0289] [0289] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.70, 41.63, 53.88, 58.77, 60.59, 78.16, 78.22, 117.31, 118.64, 120.68 (q, J=256), 120.84, 122.67, 126.01, 128.37, 129.12, 140.38, 144.14, 150.34, 154.13, 156.89, 168.66, 174.31. [0290] MS (%): 476 (parent+1, 100). [0291] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 24 F 3 NO 5 : 476.1685. Found: 476.1683. EXAMPLE 29 [0292] {[3-[4-(Benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0293] Prepared as in Example 1, in 90% yield, as a foam. [0294] [0294] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.63, 41.51, 53.82, 58.90, 77.63, 101.47, 101.53, 101.62, 108.35, 111.03, 111.07, 112.50, 116.00 (d, J=22), 117.24, 119.54, 127.87 (d, J=8), 136.29, 143.52, 148.46, 152.09, 152.48, 153.11, 162.48 (d, J=246), 168.75, 171.41. [0295] MS (%): 454 (parent+1, 100). [0296] Anal. Calc'd. for C 25 H 24 FNO 6 .¾H 2 O: C, 64.30; H, 5.50; N, 3.00. Found: C, 64.27; H, 5.40; N, 2.83. EXAMPLE 30 [0297] ({3-[4-(Benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0298] Prepared as in Example 1, in 66% yield, as a foam. [0299] [0299] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.73, 41.66, 53.87, 58.96, 78.19, 101.45, 101.52, 101.60, 108.34, 111.01, 117.11, 119.57, 126.02, 128.29, 129.08, 140.51, 143.46, 148.41, 148.45, 151.92, 152.62, 153.38, 168.43, 171.36. [0300] MS (%): 436 (parent+1, 100). [0301] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 26 NO 6 : 436.1760. Found: 436.1730. EXAMPLE 31 [0302] ({3-[4-(3-Methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0303] Prepared as in Example 1, in 84% yield, as a foam. [0304] [0304] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.77, 41.53, 53.71, 55.48, 58.73, 78.20, 104.08, 108.32, 110.10, 117.19, 120.83, 126.05, 128.28, 129.08, 130.21, 140.60, 150.50, 153.93, 159.56, 161.04, 168.87. [0305] MS (%): 422 (parent+1, 100). [0306] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 28 NO 5 : 422.1968. Found: 422.1961. EXAMPLE 32 [0307] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0308] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0309] [0309] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.80, 41.58, 53.73, 55.47, 58.81, 77.65, 104.17, 108.32, 110.15, 116.00 (d, J=22), 117.25, 120.83, 127.85 (d, J=8), 130.23, 136.34, 150.69, 153.67, 159.47, 161.04, 162.55 (d, J=245), 168.85. [0310] MS (%): 440 (parent+1, 100). [0311] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 27 FNO 5 : 440.1874. Found: 440.1883. EXAMPLE 33 [0312] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(3-trifluoromethoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic Acid [0313] Prepared as in Example 1, in 84% yield, as a foam. [0314] [0314] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.69, 41.49, 53.72, 58.61, 60.52, 78.26, 110.51, 114.60, 115.65, 117.39, 119.26, 120.53 (q, 257), 121.14, 121.81, 126.04, 128.31, 129.07, 130.52, 140.47, 149.62, 150.20, 154.43, 159.61, 168.99, 171.28, 174.21. [0315] MS (%): 476 (parent+1, 100). [0316] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 25 F 3 NO 5 : 476.1685. Found: 476.1682. EXAMPLE 34 [0317] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(3-trifluoromethoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0318] Prepared as in Example 1, in 83% yield, as a foam. [0319] [0319] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.77, 41.68, 53.92, 58.93, (1 signal missing in this region), 110.61, 114.76, 115.76, 116.11 (d, J=21), 117.43, 120.5 (q, J=257), 121.19, 123.29, 127.84 (d, J=8), 130.57, 136.13, 149.89, 150.26, 154.11, 159.52, 162.58 (d, J=245), 168.68. [0320] MS (%): 494 (parent+1, 100). [0321] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 24 F 4 NO 5 : 496.1591. Found: 496.1600. EXAMPLE 35 [0322] ({3-[4-(2-Methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0323] Prepared as in Example 1, in 95.5% yield, as a foam. [0324] [0324] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.41, 41.79, 54.29, 56.11, 58.77, 78.13, 112.86, 117.13, 118.95, 120.04, 121.21, 124.39, 126.08, 128.34, 129.09, 140.41, 146.20, 151.13, 151.85, 153.12, 168.78, 175.05. [0325] MS (%): 422 (parent+1, 100). [0326] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 28 NO 5 : 422.1968. Found: 422.1961. EXAMPLE 36 [0327] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(2-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0328] Prepared as in Example 1, in 90% yield, as a foam. [0329] [0329] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.83, 41.70, 53.87, 56.13, 58.95, 112.84, 115.99 (d, J=22), 117.14, 118.98, 120.05, 121.21, 124.42, 127.88 (d, J=8), 136.40, 146.16, 151.14, 151.94, 153.01, 162.53 (d, J=245), 168.64. [0330] MS (%): 440 (parent+1, 100). [0331] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 27 FNO 5 : 440.1874. Found: 440.1863. EXAMPLE 37 [0332] ({3-[4-(3,4-Dimethoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0333] Prepared as in Example 1, in 83% yield, as a foam. [0334] [0334] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.74, 41.45, 53.63, 56.06, 56.09, 56.45, 56.48, 58.49, 78.23, 103.84, 109.80, 111.88, 117.16, 119.41, 126.07, 128.24, 129.04, 140.65, 145.18, 150.00, 151.63, 151.97, 153.33, 168.82. [0335] MS (%): 452 (parent+1, 100). [0336] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 30 NO 6 : 452.2073. Found: 452.2083. EXAMPLE 38 [0337] {[3-[4-(3,4-Dimethoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0338] Prepared as in Example 1, in 85% yield, as a foam. [0339] [0339] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.85, 41.54, 53.69, 56.08, 56.11, 56.45, 56.48, 58.71, 103.92, 109.86, 111.87, 115.99 (d, J=22), 117.21, 119.38, 127.88 (d, J=8), 136.44, 145.26, 150.03, 151.52, 152.19, 153.07, 162.49 (d, J=246), 168.84. [0340] MS (%): 470 (parent+1, 100). [0341] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 29 FNO 6 : 470.1979. Found: 470.1965. EXAMPLE 39 [0342] ({3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo[1,4]dioxin-6-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0343] Prepared as in Example 1, in 70% yield, as a foam. [0344] [0344] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 29.66, 33.56, 41.64, 53.90, 59.02, 64.32, 64.65, 78.15, 107.84, 111.76, 117.15, 117.75, 119.78, 126.08, 128.27, 129.08, 139.55, 140.64, 144.06, 151.73, 151.97, 153.42, 168.88, 171.39. [0345] MS (%): 450 (parent+1, 100). [0346] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 28 NO 6 : 450.1917. Found: 450.1905. EXAMPLE 40 [0347] {[3-[4-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo[1,4]dioxin-6-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0348] Prepared as in Example 1, in 79% yield, as a foam. [0349] [0349] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 29.65, 33.88, 41.54, 53.66, 58.67, 64.30, 64.64, 77.70, 107.88, 111.78, 116.01 (d, J=22), 117.19, 117.77, 119.75, 127.86 (d, J=8), 136.42, 136.45, 139.60, 144.07, 151.86, 151.89, 153.20, 161.49 (d, J=246),168.85. [0350] MS (%): 468 (parent+1, 100). [0351] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 27 FNO 6 : 468.1822. Found: 468.1829. EXAMPLE 41 [0352] {Methyl-[3-(3-methyl-4-p-tolyloxy-phenoxy)-3-phenyl-propyl]-amino}-acetic Acid [0353] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0354] MS (%): 420 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 42 [0355] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-3-methyl-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0356] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0357] [0357] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 16.60, 33.72, 41.71, 54.02, 55.85, 58.89, 77.58, 114.02, 114.88, 116.02 (d, J=22), 118.34, 119.00, 120.09, 127.78 (d, J=8), 131.07, 136.34, 149.65, 152.00, 153.29, 155.07, 162.52 (d, J=245), 168.50. [0358] MS (%): 454 (parent+1, 100). [0359] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 29 FNO 5 : 454.2030. Found: 454.2018. EXAMPLE 43 [0360] {[3-[4-(Benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-chloro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0361] Prepared as in Example 1, in 70.5% yield, as a foam. [0362] [0362] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.75, 41.58, 53.63, 58.77, 60.57, 77.63, 101.53, 101.62, 108.35, 111.08, 117.12, 119.55, 127.53, 129.25, 133.95, 139.19, 143.53, 148.46, 152.13, 152.49, 153.09, 168.83. [0363] MS (%): 470 (parent+1, 100). [0364] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 25 ClNO 6 : 470.1370. Found: 470.1370. EXAMPLE 44 [0365] {[3-[4-(3-Methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0366] Prepared as in Example 1, in 80% yield, as a foam. [0367] [0367] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.58, 41.70, 54.03, 55.44, 55.51, 58.95, 77.83, 104.09, 108.30, 110.12, 114.47, 117.31, 120.82, 127.35, 130.21, 132.26, 150.50, 153.83, 159.53, 159.57, 161.02, 168.45. [0368] MS (%): 452 (parent+1, 100). [0369] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 30 NO 6 : 452.2073. Found: 452.2061. EXAMPLE 45 [0370] ({3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[4-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0371] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0372] [0372] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.77, 41.62, 53.70, 55.50, 58.81, 77.62, 104.20, 108.35, 110.18, 117.18, 120.85, 127.55, 129.29, 130.24, 134.00, 139.13, 150.74, 153.60, 159.45, 161.05, 168.78. [0373] MS (%): 456 (parent+1, 100). [0374] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 27 ClNO 5 : 456.1578. Found: 456.1578. EXAMPLE 46 [0375] {[3-[4-(4-Methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0376] Prepared as in Example 1, in 89% yield, as a foam. [0377] [0377] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.59, 41.68, 53.99, 55.43, 55.84, 59.02, 77.86, 114.44, 114.93, 117.25, 119.28, 120.01, 127.34, 132.37, 151.27, 152.26, 153.14, 155.62, 159.49, 168.43. [0378] MS (%): 452 (parent+1, 100). [0379] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 30 NO 6 : 452.2073. Found: 452.2075. EXAMPLE 47 [0380] ({3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0381] Prepared as in Example 1, in 92% yield, as a foam. [0382] [0382] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.73, 41.70, 53.80, 55.84, 58.92, 77.58, 114.96, 117.11, 119.27, 120.11, 127.53, 129.28, 133.99, 139.14, 151.13, 152.55, 152.84, 155.71, 168.57. [0383] MS (%): 456 (parent+1, 100). [0384] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 27 ClNO 5 : 456.1578. Found: 456.1580. EXAMPLE 48 [0385] {[3-[2-Chloro-4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0386] Prepared as in Example 1, in 89% yield, as a foam. [0387] [0387] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.65, 41.54, 53.70, 55.71, 58.83, 60.52, 69.70, 78.85, 115.03, 115.93 (d, J=22), 116.82, 117.00, 119.77, 120.55, 124.16, 128.01 (d, J=8), 135.87, 135.89, 148.37, 150.16, 152.84, 156.10, 162.57 (d, J=245), 168.92, 171.29. [0388] MS (%): 474 (parent+1, 100). [0389] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 26 ClFNO 5 : 474.1485. Found: 474.1500. EXAMPLE 49 [0390] {[3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-(3-methyl-4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0391] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0392] [0392] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 29.64, 33.91, 41.63, 53.84, 58.75, 77.59, 114.19, 116.04 (d, J=22), 116.56, 118.99, 121.53, 122.11, 127.78 (d, J=8), 129.76, 131.83, 136.40, 148.28, 153.94, 158.58, 162.52 (d, J=246), 168.64. [0393] MS (%): 424 (parent+1, 100). [0394] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 27 FNO 4 : 424.1924. Found: 424.1910. EXAMPLE 50 [0395] {[3-[4-(Benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yloxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0396] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0397] [0397] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 29.62, 29.89, 33.53, 41.67, 54.01, 55.42, 58.95, 77.84, 101.48, 101.60, 108.33, 110.99, 114.45, 117.29, 119.57, 127.36, 132.31, 143.45, 148.44, 151.89, 152.64, 153.34, 159.50, 168.53. [0398] MS (%): 466 (parent+1, 100). [0399] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 28 NO 7 : 466.1866. Found: 466.1854. EXAMPLE 51 [0400] {[3-[2-Chloro-4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0401] Prepared as in Example 1, in 90% yield, as a foam. [0402] [0402] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.50, 41.62, 53.97, 55.39, 55.42, 55.81, 58.99, 79.20, 114.43, 115.05, 116.93, 117.19, 119.82, 120.54, 124.19, 127.52, 131.81, 148.58, 150.33, 152.70, 156.07, 159.66, 168.62. [0403] MS (%): 486 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 52 [0404] {[3-[3-Methoxy-4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0405] Prepared as in Example 1, in 93% yield, as a foam. [0406] [0406] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 29.65, 33.66, 41.92, 54.18, 55.49, 55.86, 56.20, 77.79, 102.52, 106.93, 114.54, 114.76, 118.34, 120.70, 127.31, 132.28, 140.29, 143.47, 151.98, 152.08, 154.45, 155.16, 159.61, 168.20. [0407] MS (%): 482 (parent+1, 100). [0408] HRMS Calc'd. for C 27 H 32 NO 7 : 482.2179. Found: 482.2188. EXAMPLE 53 [0409] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[3-methoxy-4-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0410] Prepared as in Example 1, in 93% yield, as a foam. [0411] [0411] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.50, 41.54, 53.94, 55.47, 56.17, 58.98, 60.65, 77.67, 102.62, 102.77, 107.11, 107.62, 108.62, 116.09 (d, J=22), 122.43, 127.94 (d, J=8), 130.08, 136.30, 136.33, 138.57, 152.61, 155.04, 159.96, 160.96, 162.55 (d, J=246), 168.93. [0412] MS (%): 470 (parent+1, 100). [0413] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 29 FNO 6 : 470.1979. Found: 470.1987. EXAMPLE 54 [0414] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[3-methoxy-4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0415] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0416] [0416] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.73, 41.61, 53.78, 55.79, 56.14, 58.82, 60.57, 77.62, 102.43, 106.75, 114.73, 116.04 (d, J=21), 118.31, 120.65, 127.79 (d, J=8), 136.36, 140.39, 151.96, 154.26, 155.16, 162.57 (d, J=246), 168.70. [0417] MS (%): 470 (parent+1, 100). [0418] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 29 FNO 6 : 470.1979. Found: 470.2000. EXAMPLE 55 [0419] ({3-[3-Methoxy-4-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0420] Prepared as in Example 1, in 99% yield, as a foam. [0421] [0421] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.44, 41.56, 53.99, 55.45, 56.13, 58.95, 60.63, 78.07, 102.51, 102.69, 107.08, 107.64, 108.58, 122.39, 126.07, 128.38, 129.14, 130.02, 138.39, 140.50, 152.52, 155.24, 160.01, 160.92, 168.87. [0422] MS (%): 452 (parent+1, 100). [0423] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 30 NO 6 : 452.2073. Found: 452.2073. EXAMPLE 56 [0424] ({3-[3-Methoxy-4-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0425] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a solid, mp 60.1° C. [0426] [0426] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.47, 41.56, 53.97, 55.84, 56.16, 58.97, 60.64, 78.08, 102.49, 106.90, 114.76, 118.28, 120.76, 126.07, 128.37, 129.13, 140.22, 140.56, 151.99, 152.06, 154.50, 155.12, 168.76. [0427] MS (%): 452 (parent+1, 100). [0428] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 30 NO 6 : 452.2073. Found: 452.2081. EXAMPLE 57 [0429] ({3-[4-(3-Methoxy-phenoxy)-2-methyl-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0430] Prepared as in Example 1, in 92% yield, as a foam. [0431] [0431] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 16.92, 29.65, 33.53, 41.57, 54.01, 55.53, 58.71, 104.07, 108.16, 110.11, 113.93, 117.71, 122.54, 125.98, 128.36, 128.64, 129.12, 130.18, 140.49, 149.93, 151.82, 159.73, 161.02, 168.59. [0432] MS (%): 436 (parent+1, 100). [0433] HRMS Calc'd. for C 26 H 30 NO 5 : 436.2124. Found: 436.2103. EXAMPLE 58 [0434] {[3-[3-Methoxy-4-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl amino}-acetic Acid [0435] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0436] [0436] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 29.65, 33.51, 41.69, 54.08, 55.49, 56.16, 58.91, 77.77, 102.55, 102.72, 107.14, 107.64, 108.63, 114.54, 122.38, 127.35, 130.03, 132.29, 138.39, 152.51, 155.23, 159.60, 160.04, 160.93, 168.51. [0437] MS (%): 482 (parent+1, 100). [0438] HRMS Calc'd. for C 27 H 32 NO 7 : 482.2179. Found: 482.2187. EXAMPLE 59 [0439] {[3-(3-Methoxy-4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-3-phenyl-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0440] Prepared as in Example 1, in 98% yield, as a solid, mp 77.5° C. [0441] [0441] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 29.64, 33.48, 41.57, 53.95, 56.10, 58.95, 78.07, 102.46, 107.02, 116.42, 122.16, 126.03, 128.38, 129.13, 129.59, 138.67, 140.51, 152.49, 155.12, 158.68, 168.75. [0442] MS (%): 422 (parent+1, 100). [0443] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 28 NO 5 : 422.1968. Found: 422.1972. EXAMPLE 60 [0444] {[3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-(3-methoxy-4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0445] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a solid, mp 139.5° C. [0446] [0446] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.79, 41.65, 53.80, 56.11, 58.83, 60.59, 77.61, 102.46, 106.90, 116.08 (d, J=22), 116.44, 122.15, 122.22, 127.79 (d, J=8), 129.60, 136.31, 136.34, 138.85, 152.53, 154.89, 158.63, 162.55 (d, J=246), 168.67, 171.37. [0447] MS (%): 440 (parent+1, 100). [0448] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 27 FNO 5 : 440.1874. Found: 440.1876. EXAMPLE 61 [0449] {[3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-(2-methyl-4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-methyl-amino-}acetic Acid [0450] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0451] [0451] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 16.90, 33.55, 41.48, 42.16, 53.93, 58.69, 65.37, 77.00, 114.06, 116.10 (d, J=22), 117.50, 118.02, 122.37, 122.78, 127.84 (d, J=7), 128.72, 129.81, 136.35, 150.38, 151.49, 158.33, 162.55 (d, J=246), 168.76. [0452] MS (%): 424 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 62 [0453] {Methyl-[3-(2-methyl-4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-3-phenyl-propyl]-amino}-acetic Acid [0454] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0455] [0455] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 16.94, 33.65, 41.46, 53.83, 58.79, 113.95, 117.54, 117.98, 122.38, 122.67, 126.00, 128.33, 128.68, 129.11, 129.79, 140.66, 150.19, 151.81, 158.46, 168.78. [0456] MS (%): 406 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 63 [0457] ({3-[4-(4-Methoxy-phenoxy)-2-methyl-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0458] Prepared as in Example 1, in 98% yield, as a foam. [0459] [0459] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 16.96, 29.65, 33.63, 41.76, 54.14, 55.86, 59.03, 112.50, 113.89, 114.91, 116.12, 119.99, 121.12, 125.97, 128.34, 128.51, 129.12, 139.92, 140.54, 151.12, 151.42, 151.72, 155.57. [0460] MS (%): 436 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 64 [0461] ({3-[4-(4-Chloro-phenoxy)-2-methyl-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0462] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0463] [0463] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 16.94, 33.54, 41.47, 53.90, 58.90, 114.01, 117.58, 119.12, 122.36, 126.00, 127.53, 128.36, 128.82, 129.12, 129.70, 140.54, 149.82, 152.01, 157.14, 168.88. [0464] MS (%): 440 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 65 [0465] {Methyl-[3-(2-methyl-4-p-tolyloxy-phenoxy)-3-phenyl-propyl]-amino}-acetic Acid [0466] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0467] [0467] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 16.94, 20.85, 33.55, 41.43, 53.87, 58.85, 113.97, 116.99, 118.24, 121.85, 126.05, 128.29, 128.57, 129.09, 130.28, 132.27, 140.71, 150.83, 151.51, 155.98, 168.90. [0468] MS (%): 420 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 66 [0469] {[3-(2-Chloro-4-phenoxy-phenoxy)-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0470] Prepared as in Example 1, in 88.5% yield, as a foam. [0471] [0471] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.74, 41.50, 53.62, 58.83, 78.85, 116.01 (d, J=21), 116.91, 118.20, 118.56, 121.19, 123.55, 124.21, 127.99 (d, J=8), 129.96, 135.82, 135.85, 149.02, 151.38, 157.29, 162.55 (d, J=246), 169.03, 171.28, [0472] MS (%): 444 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 67 [0473] {[3-(2-Chloro-4-p-tolyloxy-phenoxy)-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0474] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a solid, mp 129.3° C. [0475] [0475] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 14.39, 33.58, 41.53, 53.70, 58.56, 78.85, 116.02 (d, J=21), 117.01, 117.65, 118.86, 120.58, 124.17, 128.04 (d, J=8), 130.48, 133.29, 135.78, 135.81, 148.64, 152.13, 154.78, 162.62 (d, J=246), 168.84. [0476] MS (%): 458 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 68 [0477] {[3-[2-Chloro-4-(4-chloro-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0478] Prepared as in Example 1, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0479] [0479] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.75, 41.60, 53.75, 58.70, 78.86, 116.11 (d, J=21), 116.92, 118.31, 119.77, 121.33, 124.36, 127.98 (d, J=9), 128.56, 129.96, 135.66, 149.32, 151.00, 156.05, 162.68 (d, J=246), 168.81. [0480] MS (%): 479 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 69 [0481] {Methyl-[3-(3-phenoxy-phenoxy)-3-phenyl-propyl]-amino}-acetic Acid [0482] Prepared as in Example 1, in 95% yield, as a foam. [0483] [0483] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.56, 41.45, 53.63, 58.52, 77.03, 77.36, 77.67, 106.79, 110.83, 111.38, 119.34, 123.65, 126.01, 128.25, 129.08, 129.95, 130.29, 140.26, 156.74, 158.49, 158.84, 168.75. [0484] MS (%): 392 (parent+1, 100). [0485] HRMS Calc'd. for C 24 H 26 NO 4 : 392.1862. Found: 392.1866. EXAMPLE 70 [0486] {[3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-(3-phenoxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0487] Prepared as in Example 1, in 75% yield, as a foam. [0488] [0488] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.70, 41.59, 53.69, 58.84, 60.61, 76.95, 77.05, 77.27, 77.59, 106.75, 110.81, 111.51, 116.02 (d, J=22), 119.39, 123.74, 127.79 (d, J=8), 129.95, 130.33, 136.08, 156.69, 158.61, 162.49 (d, J=246), 168.70, 171.37. [0489] MS (%): 410 (parent+1, 100). [0490] HRMS Calc'd. for C 24 H 25 FNO 4 : 410.1768. Found: 410.1788. EXAMPLE 71 [0491] {[3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-(3-p-tolyloxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic acid [0492] A. 3-(4-Tolyl)oxy-phenol O-benzyl ether: Following Scheme II: To a 50 mL round-bottomed flask equipped with gas inlet and reflux condenser were added 800 mg (4.0 mmol) 3-benzyloxyphenol, 1.1 g (8.0 mmol) 4-tolyl boronic acid, 726 mg (4.0 mmol) cupric acetate, 1.6 mL (20 mmol) dry pyridine, 900 mg molecular sieves, and 10 mL dry dimethylsulfoxide. The reaction was stirred under an atmosphere of dry oxygen at room temperature for 24 hr. The reaction was then taken up in ethyl acetate, washed with several portions of water, washed with brine, dried over sodium sulfate, and evaporated. The residue was chromatographed on silica gel using hexane/ethyl acetate as eluant to afford 602 mg (52%) of the product as an oil. [0493] [0493] 1 H-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 2.3 (s, 3H), 5.00 (m, 2H), 6.4-6.7 (m, 3H), (6.8-7.4 (m, 10H). [0494] MS (%): 291 (parent+1, 100). [0495] B. 3-(4-Tolyloxy)-phenol: Following Scheme II: To a 50 mL round-bottomed flask equipped with reflux condenser and N 2 inlet were added 602 mg (2.07 mmol) 3-(4-tolyloxy)-phenol-O-benzyl ether, 600 mg (15 mmol) ammonium formate, 200 mg 20% palladium hydroxide on carbon, and 20 mL ethanol. The reaction was refluxed for 1 hr, cooled, and filtered through Celite with ethanol. The filtrate was concentrated and the residue chromatographed on silica gel using hexane/ethyl acetate as eluant to afford 185 mg (45%) of the product as an oil. [0496] [0496] 1 H-NMR (3, CDCl 3 ): 2.33 (s, 3H), 6.45 (t, J=2, 1H), 6.53 (m, 2H), 6.94 (m, 2H), 7.13 (m, 3H). [0497] [0497] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 20.96, 105.70, 110.04, 110.69, 119.765, 130.52, 130.60, 133.56, 154.37, 156.94, 159.47. [0498] GC MS (%): 200 (parent, 100). [0499] The remaining steps were carried out as in Example 1 to afford the final product, with in 100% yield in the final step, as a foam. [0500] [0500] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 20.94, 33.67, 41.54, 42.17, 53.71, 58.46, 65.38, 106.29, 110.42, 111.02, 116.01 (d, J=21), 119.64, 127.81 (d, J=8), 130.26, 130.48, 133.47, 136.06, 136.09, 154.18, 158.59, 159.23, 162.49 (d, J=246), 168.62. [0501] MS (%): 424 (parent+1, 100). [0502] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 27 FNO 4 : 424.1924. Found: 424.1917. EXAMPLE 72 [0503] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[3-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0504] Prepared as in Example 71, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0505] [0505] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 29.65, 33.52, 41.56, 53.83, 55.82, 58.49, 65.41, 105.61, 110.07, 110.36, 115.05, 116.01 (d, J=21), 121.29, 127.81 (d, J=8), 130.24, 136.03, 149.58, 156.26, 158.55, 159.88, 162.48 (d, J=246), 168.6. [0506] MS (%): 440 (parent+1, 100). [0507] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 27 FNO 5 : 440.1873. Found: 440.1856. EXAMPLE 73 [0508] ({3-[3-(4-Chloro-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-phenyl-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0509] Prepared as in Example 71, in 90% yield, as a foam. [0510] [0510] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.68, 41.45, 53.59, 58.57, 60.59, 77.74, 106.78, 111.24, 111.38, 117.46, 120.56, 125.97, 128.29, 128.58, 129.09, 129.43, 129.90, 130.40, 140.22, 155.45, 158.14, 158.88, 168.75. [0511] MS (%): 426 (parent+1, 100). [0512] HRMS Calc'd. for C 24 H 25 ClNO 4 : 426.1472. Found: 426.1476. EXAMPLE 74 [0513] {[3-[3-(4-Chloro-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0514] Prepared as in Example 71, in 77% yield, as a foam. [0515] [0515] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.80, 41.61, 53.70, 58.78, 60.59, 77.57, 106.73, 111.14, 111.50, 116.06 (d, J=22), 117.48, 120.65, 127.75 (d, J=8), 128.76, 129.50, 129.92, 130.45, 135.96, 155.37, 158.28, 158.65, 162.52 (d, J=245), 168.62, 171.36. [0516] MS (%): 444 (parent+1, 100). [0517] HRMS Calc'd. for C 24 H 24 ClFNO 4 : 444.1370. Found: 444.1355. EXAMPLE 75 [0518] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[3-(2-methoxy-phenoxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0519] Prepared as in Example 71, in 53% yield, as a foam. [0520] [0520] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.79, 41.02, 53.94, 56.04, 58.86, 60.60, 105.03, 109.98, 110.14, 112.99, 116.00 (d, J=21), 121.30, 121.71, 127.74 (d, J=8), 130.12, 136.05, 143.48, 144.47, 11.65, 158.50, 159.33, 162.47 (d, J=245), 168.35. [0521] MS (%): 440 (parent+1, 100). [0522] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 27 FNO 5 : 440.1873. Found: 440.1852. EXAMPLE 76 [0523] {[3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-(4-methyl-3-phenoxy-phenoxy)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0524] Prepared as in Example 71, in 100% yield, as a foam. [0525] [0525] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.32, 41.62, 53.95, 58.53, 60.64, 77.69, 107.92, 111.70, 116.01 (J=21), 117.79, 122.57, 122.87, 127.92 (d, J=8), 129.91, 131.84, 135.99, 136.02, 155.18, 156.34, 157.46, 162.49 (d, J=246), 168.72, 171.44, 174.59. [0526] MS (%): 424 (parent+1, 100). [0527] HRMS Calc'd. for C 25 H 27 FNO 4 : 424.1924. Found: 424.1941. EXAMPLE 77 [0528] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[3-(3-methoxy-phenoxy)-4-methyl-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0529] Prepared as in Example 71, in 100% yield, as a solid, mp 55-57° C. [0530] [0530] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 15.49, 33.40, 41.47, 53.77, 55.45, 58.90, 77.61, 103.92, 108.09, 108.33, 109.88, 111.87, 115.93 (d, J=22), 122.58, 127.89 (d, J=8), 130.28, 131.81, 136.06, 154.95, 156.37, 158.68, 161.09, 162.43 (d, J=246), 168.72. [0531] MS (%): 454 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 78 [0532] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[3-(4-methoxy-phenoxy)-4-methyl-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0533] Prepared as in Example 71, in 100% yield, as a solid, mp 63-65° C. [0534] [0534] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 15.55, 33.35, 41.38, 53.73, 55.78, 58.85, 77.01, 106.18, 110.46, 114.96, 115.87 (d, J=22), 119.91, 121.44, 127.87 (d, J=8), 131.60, 136.17, 136.20, 150.44, 155.66, 156.31, 156.62, 162.36 (d, J=245), 168.76. [0535] MS (%): 454 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 79 [0536] {[3-[3-(Benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yloxy)-4-methyl-phenoxy]-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propyl]-methyl-amino}-acetic Acid [0537] Prepared as in Example 71, in 100% yield, as a solid, mp 185-188° C. [0538] [0538] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 15.49, 33.59, 41.48, 53.67, 58.73, 60.59, 76.98, 101.38, 101.66, 106.41, 108.35, 110.75, 110.93, 115.90 (d, J=21), 121.54, 127.80 (d, J=8), 131.61, 136.13, 136.16, 143.55, 148.49, 151.75, 156.32, 162.43 (d, J=246), 168.63. [0539] MS (%): 468 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 80 [0540] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(pyridin-2-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0541] A. 4-(Pyridin-2-yloxy)-benzaldehyde: Following Scheme I: Prepared as in Example 1 in 11.5% yield as an oil. [0542] [0542] 1 H-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 6.99 (dd, J=1,8, 1H), 7.06 (m, 1H), 7.25 (m, 2H), 7.75 (m, 1H), 7.89 (m, 2H), 8.21 (m, 1H), 9.95 (s, 1H). [0543] MS (%): 200 (parent+1, 100). [0544] B. 4-(Pyridin-2-yloxy)-phenol: Following Scheme I: To a 100 mL round-bottomed flask equipped with condenser and N 2 inlet were added 3.1 g (50.2 mmol) boric acid, 10 mL tetrahydrofuran, 2.3 mL (20 mmol) 30% hydrogen peroxide, and 1 mL concentrated sulfuric acid. To the reaction was added a solution of 2.0 g (10 mmol) 4-(pyridin-2-yloxy)-benzaldehyde in 10 mL tetrahydrofuran dropwise over 5 minutes. The reaction was stirred 3 hr at 60° C., cooled, filtered, and the filtrate neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The mixture was extracted into 2× ethyl acetate, and the organic layer washed with brine, dried over sodium sulfate, and evaporated. The residue was chromatographed on silica gel using hexane/ethyl acetate as eluant to afford 180 mg (9.6%) of the product as a solid. [0545] [0545] 1 H-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 6.72 (d, J=9, 2H), 6.87 (d, J=9, 2H), 6.9 (m, 1H), 6.97 (m, 1H), 7.65 (m, 1H), 8.15 (m, 1H). [0546] [0546] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 111.55, 117.17, 118.46, 122.38, 140, 285, 146.78, 147.21, 153.96, 164.55. [0547] MS (%): 188 (parent+1, 100). [0548] The remaining steps were carried out as in Example 1 with an 81% yield in the final step, as a foam. [0549] [0549] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.60, 41.57, 53.85, 58.02, 111.42, 116.00 (d, J=22), 117.02, 118.48, 122.38, 127.89, (d, J=9), 136.26, 136.23, 139.60, 147.67, 148.06, 154.27, 162.49 (d, J=245), 164.04, 168.61. [0550] MS (%): 411 (parent+1, 100). [0551] HRMS Calc'd. for C 23 H 24 FN 2 O 4 : 411.1720. Found: 411.1747. EXAMPLE 81 [0552] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(pyridin-3-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic Acid [0553] Prepared as in Example 80, in 39% yield, as a foam. [0554] [0554] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.75, 41.69, 53.88, 58.49, 78.18, 117.45, 120.78, 124.24, 124.64, 126.03, 128.43, 129.16, 140.28, 140.57, 143.81, 149.83, 154.32, 154.92, 168.58. [0555] MS (%): 393 (parent+1, 100). [0556] HRMS Calc'd. for C 23 H 25 N 2 O 4 : 393.1814. Found: 393.1804. EXAMPLE 82 [0557] (Methyl-{3-phenyl-3-[4-(pyridin-4-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-amino)-acetic Acid [0558] Prepared as in Example 80, in 34% yield, as a foam. [0559] [0559] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.82, 41.77, 53.93, 59.03, 78.22, 111.93, 117.45, 122.10, 126.00, 128.42, 129.15, 140.31, 147.63, 151.14, 155.17, 165.54, 169.02. [0560] MS (%): 393 (parent+1, 100). EXAMPLE 83 [0561] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(pyridin-3-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0562] Prepared as in Example 80, in 65% yield, as a foam. [0563] [0563] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 33.70, 41.79, 53.99, 59.06, 60.59, 116.08 (d, J=21), 117.46, 120.76, 124.27, 124.77, 127.83 (d, J=8), 136.07, 140.44, 143.76, 149.95, 154.08, 154.85, 162.54 (d, J=246), 168.88. [0564] MS (%): 411 (parent+1, 100). [0565] HRMS Calc'd. for C 23 H 24 FN 2 O 4 : 411.1720. Found: 411.1747. EXAMPLE 84 [0566] ({3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[4-(pyridin-4-yloxy)-phenoxy]-propyl}-methyl-amino)-acetic Acid [0567] Prepared as in Example 80, in 25% yield, as a foam. [0568] [0568] 13 C-NMR (δ, CDCl 3 ): 34.05, 41.79, 53.82, 59.01, 111.93, 116.11 (d, J=22), 117.48, 122.14, 127.84 (d, J=9), 136.13, 147.79, 151.23, 154.97, 162.56 (d, J=246), 165.46, 169.14. [0569] MS (%): 411 (parent+1, 100).

This invention relates to a series of substituted aromatic ethers of the formula I wherein ring A and X and Y are defined as in the specification, that exhibit activity as glycine transport inhibitors, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and their use for the enhancement of cognition and the treatment of the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia and other psychoses in mammals, including humans.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for preparing a membrane lined with a layer of a gel and a frame for supporting such a membrane, which frame is designed for the implementation of this method. More particularly, the invention relates to the making up of a gel/membrane assembly which can be used in a technique for separating macromolecules by electrophoresis. In such a technique a layer of a gel such as agarose or a polyacrylamide and an electric field established between two opposite edges of the layer are used. Samples of macromolecules, for example macromolecules of nucleic acid, to be separated are deposited in wells formed in the gel along one of these two edges of the layer. The assembly is next immersed in a suitable electrophoresis liquid. Under the effect of the electric field, the macromolecules of the samples housed in the wells move towards the opposite edge of the layer, through the gel, at rates which depend notably on their molecular mass, so that at the end of a given time, macromolecules of different molecular masses have traveled different distances into the gel. The macromolecules thus separated are next transferred, either by fluid entrainment or by means of an electric field applied perpendicular to the gel layer, onto a membrane placed against one face of this layer, with a view to their subsequent hybridization and to their subsequent detection. A method and an electrophoresis device, which are designed for achieving such a controlled migration of macromolecules in a stack of rectangular plates of gel, is described in European Patent Application Publication No. 358,556. When a membrane is used f or supporting the gel layer, the making-up of the gel/membrane assembly is particularly tricky on account of the fineness and of the lack of stiffness of the membrane used, commonly a thin sheet of nitrocellulose, optionally filled with nylon in order to increase its mechanical strength. Known frames for supporting such a membrane have the drawback of not enabling this membrane to be held in a plane under uniform tension. Pleats resulting f rom tension defects then form in the membrane. The gel layer which is cast onto a membrane thus pleated has deformations which oppose a steady progression of the macromolecules in the layer and render the result of the migration useless. The elimination of these pleats requires lengthy and fastidious manipulations which are incompatible with the requirements of an automated, or indeed industrial, manufacture. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method for preparing such a membrane lined with gel and a frame for the implementation of this method, which enable the formation of pleats in the membrane to be prevented. The object of the present invention is also to provide such a method and such a frame which are compatible with industrial means for making up membranes lined with gel and f or manipulating the frames supporting these membranes. These objects of the invention are achieved, as well as others which will emerge on reading the present description, with a method f or preparing a membrane lined with a layer of a gel, according to which the membrane is firstly laid flat in a horizontal plane and a gel is then cast onto this membrane, this method being noteworthy in that the membrane is put under tension by a traction exerted between at least two substantially parallel opposite edges of this membrane. By virtue of this tensioning of the membrane, pleats are eliminated and the gel spreads out as a layer of uniform thickness over the membrane. For the implementation of this method, the invention provides a frame for supporting the membrane, which comprises at least two bars and means of attaching a membrane to these bars, along two parallel edges of this membrane. The frame is noteworthy in that it comprises means of causing the relative position of the two bars to be varied progressively between a position where the membrane is unstretched and a position where this membrane is stretched between its two bars. The means of causing the relative position of the bars to vary comprise at least two identical elastic strips, each secured by its ends in two corresponding ends of the bars which are attached to the membrane, it being possible for these strips to be flexed in order to move the bars closer to each other with a view to attaching the membrane to the bars. The strips are provided to interact with means of controlling their flexure. According to a preferred embodiment of the frame according to the invention, the frame comprises two pairs of parallel elastic strips, each secured between two corresponding ends of the bars, and means of controlling the flexure of the strips of each pair in order to move them closer or move them apart symmetrically. These means can advantageously be constituted by a rotary cam inserted between the two strips of one pair. Other characteristics and advantages of the method and of the frame according to the present invention will emerge on reading the description which follows and by examining the attached drawing in which: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the support frame according to the invention, in the configuration which is given to it in order to prepare it for the casting of a gel layer onto a membrane attached to this frame, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same frame, in the configuration which it has after the tensioning of the membrane which it carries, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the frame of FIGS. 1 and 2 taken along the line of section III--III of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3 of another embodiment of the frame according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As FIGS. 1 and 2 of the attached drawing show, the support frame according to the invention comprises two symmetrical bars 1 and 2 which are braced by pairs of elastic strips 3, 4 and 5, 6. These strips have the same length and are secured perpendicularly at 7, 8, 9, 10, in corresponding ends of the two bars 1 and 2, so as to define with these bars a rectangular frame on two opposite edges of which frame these bars are fitted with a pair of parallel strips which are moved away from each other slightly. These strips are made from a non-metallic non-conducting material which is flexible but not extensible, such as a composite material, for example a pultruded epoxy glass. Thus, if these strips are deformed, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the length of the projection of the strip on an axis perpendicular to the two bars 1, 2 diminishes, which has the effect of moving the bars closer to each other. If the deformations applied to the four bars are identical, the bars furthermore remain parallel to each other. According to the invention, this mechanical structure is used in order to stretch a membrane which is to receive a layer of a gel. In order to do this, a rectangular portion of this membrane is attached beneath the frame of FIGS. 1 and 2, whereas means 11, 12 for controlling the flexure of the strips are inserted between the strips 3, 4 and 5, 6 respectively. These means 11, 12 can, for example, take the form of wedges or, as shown in FIG. 1, oblong cams integral with knurled cylindrical parts 13, 14 respectively, enabling them to be rotated conveniently between a position where the cam does not load the strips (FIG. 2) and a position where it does load these strips by deforming them (FIG. 1) so as to move the bars 1, 2 closer to each other, in parallel. According to the invention, a membrane 15 is attached by two opposite edges to the bars 1 and 2 while the frame is in the position shown in FIG. 1. The attachment means used can be an adhesive product, such as a double-sided adhesive tape 16 (see the partial cross section of FIG. 3) which is fixed to the membrane beforehand with a temporary protection. As a variant, the two edges of the membrane 15 can be clamped between a bar 1, 2 and a counter-bar 1', 2' (see the partial cross section of FIG. 4), a U-shaped clipping profile 17 being passed over the assembly in order to press these two elements towards each other. After the attachment of a membrane 15 to the frame (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), the method for preparing a membrane lined with a gel layer according to the invention is carried out in the following manner. The frame carrying the unstretched membrane is laid down on a perfectly flat and horizontal support against which the membrane is applied. The horizontality is checked with a water level. Additional bars 18, 19 are mounted on the frame in the vicinity of the elastic strips, so as to delimit on the subjacent membrane, with the bars 1, 2, a surface which is to receive a gel layer. It will be noted that one 18 of the bars 18, 19 has, facing the delimited surface, a surface carrying many aligned indentations 20 forming a comb. A predetermined quantity of a gel which is liquid but which is setting progressively at the ambient temperature, for example, is then cast onto the membrane 15 within the frame according to the invention. This gel then spreads out by gravity over the membrane as a layer 23 of perfectly uniform thickness (see FIGS. 3 and 4). In order to avoid, in accordance with an essential objective of the invention, the presence of pleats on the membrane, the latter can be stretched just before the casting of the gel, by a rotation of the cams 11, 12 suitable for unstretching the elastic strips 3, 4, 5, 6 (see FIG. 2) and therefore to move the bars 1, 2 away from each other against the resistance of the membrane 15 thus put under tension. It will be noted that, during the casting of the gel, the latter insinuates between the indentations 20 of the bar 18 which has the effect of forming a row of wells 21 on one edge of the layer, wells which are intended to receive samples of macromolecules to be studied, as indicated in the preamble of the present description, when the intended application is the controlled migration of these macromolecules by electrophoresis. The bars 18, 19 are detachable and are removed from the frame after the setting of the gel (see FIG. 2). The frame thus barped carries a gel layer whose wells 21 are then clear and ready to receive the macromolecules to be studied. It will be noted that the bars 1, 2 carry, on their lateral surface on the inside of the frame, rows of rounded teeth 22. This is an arrangement which contributes to the fastening of the gel layer to the bars during the setting of the gel. It will be furthermore noticed, in FIGS. 3 and 4, that the edges of the layer or plate of gel remain in contact with the inner faces of the bars 1 and 2. The frame thus lined with a membrane carrying a layer of@a suitable gel of calibrated thickness can then be inserted, after filling the wells 21, into a device such as that described in and designed for receiving a plurality of such frames and for ensuring simultaneously in the latter the necessary electrophoretic migrations. It is now apparent that the method according to the invention does provide the essential advantage indicated, namely the possibility of preparing a gel layer, of a few millimeters thickness for example, on a pleat-free, perfectly stretched membrane. It is also immediately apparent to the person skilled in the art that the various operations for attaching the membrane to the support frame, for casting the gel and for putting the membrane under tension can be automated without particular difficulties and therefore lend themselves to industrialization of the manufacture of such gel/membrane assemblies. This is one significant advantage of the invention over the current techniques for preparing such assemblies which require both time and skill without always being able to avoid the pitfall of pleat formation. Furthermore, within the framework of an industrial manufacture, it becomes possible to control the tension of the membrane which contributes to the reproducibility of the macromolecule migration spectra transferred to the membrane. It will furthermore be seen that the membrane can be detached from the frame according to the invention, whether this membrane is attached to this frame by the means illustrated in FIG. 3 or in FIG. 4. The frame can then be used again, which further lowers the cost of the preparation method according to the invention, especially within the framework of industrialization of this method. Of course the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown, which has been given by way of example only. Thus, the frame described is braced by two pairs of elastic strips 3, 4 and 5, 6. It would be possible to design a frame comprising a single elastic strip there where there are two of them in the embodiment described. However, the use of pairs of parallel and embedded strips which are moved apart is advantageous in that each pair itself constitutes a rectangle which deforms symmetrically easily but which can be deformed asymmetrically with difficulty, which opposes any deformation of the frame in its plane and which furthermore opposes any buckling of this frame by virtue of the fact that the strips are arranged in planes perpendicular to the plane of the frame. It will also be seen that the means used according to the invention f or stretching a membrane between two of its edges could be duplicated between the two other edges in order to put the membrane into bi-directional tension, which is even more suitable, in principle, for promoting the perfect planarity of the membrane. The membrane could also be stretched in a direction parallel to the direction of migration of the macromolecules rather than in a direction perpendicular to the latter direction.

A frame for use in making a membrane lined with a gel layer includes two spaced apart bars to which opposite edges of a membrane can be connected and which are connected by two pairs of elastic strips. Cam elements are positioned between the strips of each pair of elastic strips to move the strips apart or allow them to come together, thereby causing the bars to move together for attachment of the membrane, or apart to stretch and tension the membrane after a gel has been cast thereon.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a threaded ring having a one-piece body provided with internal threading and at least two body components. The first body component is in the form of a set collar with an end plane surface in a radial plane. The second body component forms a retaining ring connected to the first body component to form a gap positioned between the two body components by an elastically flexible wall component of the body. An actuating mechanism adjusts the geometry of the gap due to the elastic flexibility of the wall component along the longitudinal axis of the body. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Threaded rings of this type are disclosed in DE Patent Application 1 675 685, for example, are commercially available and are applied in various areas of mechanical engineering. The body component forming the plane surface serves as a high-precision nut seated on the external threading of a shaft or spindle. The nut axial position along the longitudinal axis of the threaded ring can be determined with high accuracy by the second body component used as the retaining ring. The threaded flank clearance present between external threading and internal threading is eliminated in that the width of the gap between the two body components is modified by the actuating mechanism. Such modification is made possible by the elastic flexibility of the wall component forming the body components. The actuating mechanism can be set screws permitting reciprocal tightening of the set collar and the retaining ring. The set collar may function as an adjusting nut with a plane surface forming a contact surface for positioning of roller bearings on shafts, or can be used as a precisely positioned shaft collar or the like. In the described threaded ring, the gap between the body components is formed by two gap segments offset from each other in the axial direction. One segment extends from the threaded bore to the vicinity of the circumference of the threaded ring. The other segment extends radially inward from the circumferential surface to the vicinity of the threaded bore. Between the two gap segments, an elastically flexible wall component connects the two body components and has a wall thickness selected such that this wall component is elastically flexible. The geometry of the gap may then be adjusted by the set screws serving as an actuating mechanism. The threaded flank clearance is eliminated. The locking effect desired is achieved by tensioning the two body components. The relatively high production cost is a disadvantage of this threaded ring. EP 0 956 768 A1 discloses another generic threaded ring made as a precision tensioning nut. This precision tensioning nut has a solid nut block having an internal threading, an end face machined flat and aligned at a right angle to the axis of the thread, and a circumferential surface. Individual clamping elements each form a radially extending segmented sector from a part of the nut block. The clamping elements, for the purpose of axial locking by a clamping screw operable parallel with the axis, may be elastically inclined. The clamping elements moreover form at most 50% of the component such that in axial locking on the tensioning side at most 50% of the circumference of the thread in the form originally produced is changed. Distortion of the plane surface and loosening by insufficient locking are thus avoided. This solution compared to the initially mentioned solution in the prior art has only one open gap segment and not two. The gap segment is also closed to the outside so that no foreign substances are able to penetrate from the outside into the gap area. The production effort and the costs are thus reduced accordingly. Only the production of the segmented clamping element is in turn associated with increased production effort. Achieving a uniform application of the clamping force is likewise made difficult as a result of the segmented configuration of the clamping elements. DE-A-102 52 780 A1 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 7,182,564) discloses another threaded ring. A second body component used as the retaining ring forms an elastically flexible wall component having a circumferential area which, compared to the first body component, is reduced to an outside diameter situated over a smaller radius than the end of the gap situated radially to the outside. The circumferential area of the second body component which has been reduced in diameter ends at an axial distance from the gap defining the extension of the flexible wall component in the axial direction. Instead of the complex production of two gap sections, in this disclosed solution with the formation of the flexible wall component, only the configuration of an integral gap as an internal recess and the external machining of the second body component are necessary to reduce its outside diameter in areas. This reduction can be effected by simple machining. Furthermore, in the disclosed solutions, after fixing the set collar on the assignable threaded piece and after subsequent tightening of the retaining ring, plastic deformations may unintentionally occur along the threadings. This deformation leads to the threaded ring becoming unusable. The threaded ring then possibly can no longer be removed from the clamping thread. Basically, this problem can be prevented by torque wrenches with a definable locking torque. In practical applications for the threaded ring, however, often in the absence of a suitable torque wrench, this measure is ignored and the threaded ring is fixed with conventional tools. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an improved threaded ring while maintaining the advantages of the conventional threaded rings, that is simple and economical to produce, so that at a reduced size high efficiency can still be achieved. By tensioning the two body components, the threaded flank clearance is effectively eliminated to achieve the desired locking action. This object is basically achieved by a threaded ring having a preinstallation state where a contact surface is between the components of the actuating mechanism and the components of the body. The contact surface is provided with a definable inclination. The angle of inclination relative to the longitudinal axis of the body is selected such that in the installed state the occurrence of threaded flank clearance is eliminated. In the installed state, the clamping force of the actuating mechanism then takes effect on the inside circumference near the threaded flanks which are to be clamped. As a result of the favorable distances between the external radial end of the gap, of the application of force of the actuating mechanism by the inclined contact surface and of the threaded flanks to be clamped, high efficiency is achieved. That is, the threaded flank clearance is effectively eliminated to obtain an adequate locking effect. The threaded ring of the present invention can be easily and economically produced, and requires only little installation space since there need not be two gap segments, but only one, and since making the two body components different with respect to their circumferential area can also be omitted. An additional advantage is that there is no gap segment open to the outside on the threaded ring. The threaded ring of the present invention has a closed circumferential contour to avoid the danger during operation of foreign substances settling in the gap area. Such would occur if the circumference is open. For example, contaminants, wear particles, shavings or the like, contained in the lubricants, could lead to the formation of an unbalancing mass on the circumference of the threaded ring. Based on the sleeve-like configuration, uniform application of force with the threaded ring is achieved, as is a high level of locking of the threaded ring at the installation site. The inclined positioning of the retaining ring before the defined fixing position of the threaded ring on the respective thread ensures that the set collar can be fixed in a defined manner. When the retaining ring is subsequently tightened, only the threaded flank clearance is overcome before the application of the locking force by the retaining ring to the set collar takes place. As a result of this measure, plastic deformations in the clamping process between the threads can for the most part be prevented. Even in an improper clamping process, the threaded ring then maintains its function and can also be easily removed again from the respective thread. In one preferred embodiment of the threaded ring of the present invention, the actuating mechanism has tensioning means which, to the extent they are countersunk into respective recesses of the retaining ring in the installed state, form with their tightening contact surfaces to the front face of the retaining ring a clamping angle corresponding to the angle of inclination in the preinstallation state. This arrangement yields the possibility of visual checking for a successfully completed clamping process using the clamping angle. Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings which form a part of this disclosure and which are schematic and not to scale: FIG. 1 is a partial, side elevational view in section of one-half side of a threaded ring according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, on a threaded spindle, with the illustration being simplified for the sake of greater clarity of presentation of the principle of operation and in particular the threaded flank clearance being shown enlarged and the threaded ring being shown in the unlocked state, as it corresponds to the preinstallation or preinstalled state; FIG. 2 is a partial, side elevational view in section of the threaded ring of FIG. 1 , with the screw-on threaded ring being shown in the locked state, that is in the installation or installed state; FIG. 3 is a partial, side elevational view in section of one side of a thread ring according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, on a threaded spindle, with the illustration being simplified for the sake of greater clarity of presentation of the principle of operation and in particular the threaded flank clearance being shown enlarged and the threaded ring being shown in the unlocked state, as it corresponds to the preinstallation state; FIG. 4 is a partial, side elevational view in section of the threaded ring of FIG. 3 , with the screw-on threaded ring being shown in the locked state, that is the installed state; and FIG. 5 is a partial, end elevational view of the thread ring of FIG. 1 showing plural screws. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The threaded ring shown in the figures has two primary components, specifically a first body component 10 functioning as a set collar or adjusting nut and a second body component 12 forming a retaining ring. The two body components 10 and 12 are provided with continuous internal threading or threads 14 , 16 respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the internal threading 14 of the first body component 10 has more threads than the internal threading 16 of the second body component 12 . With these internal threadings 14 , 16 , the threaded ring can be screwed onto a section of a spindle 20 provided with an external threading or thread 18 . The body component 10 has an end plane surface 22 used for fixing in position a ring body 24 seated on the spindle 20 as a shaft collar. Between the two body components 10 and 12 , a gap 26 extends. In the installed state of the threaded ring, the gap extends in the radial direction from the external threading 18 . The radially external end 28 of the gap 26 is spaced at a radial distance from the common circumference of the two body components 10 , 12 . The radially external end 28 of the gap 26 with the common circumference 30 borders a wall component 32 by which the first body component 10 and the second body component 12 are integrally joined to one another. The wall thickness of this wall component 32 is selected such that the wall component 32 forms a weak point or a flexible wall component. For a threaded ring produced from a steel material, wall component 32 permits flexible adjustment of the position of the second body component 12 relative to the first body component 10 . The corresponding adjustment of the geometry of the gap 26 is then effected, the gap width being modified locally, for example. As the actuating mechanism for adjusting the geometry of the gap 26 , individual set screws 34 are used as tensioning means, penetrate the gap 26 parallel with the axis, fit into the threaded bores 36 of the first body component 10 , and are supported with their screw heads 38 at the end on the second body component 12 in the installed state (compare FIG. 2 ). The set screws 34 are uniformly distributed over a graduated circle concentric with the longitudinal axis of the threaded ring. Six set screws (not shown) are provided, for example. In this exemplary embodiment, the set screws 34 are configured as socket head cap screws with screw heads 38 which act on the free end face 40 of the threaded ring. Instead of the socket head cap screws illustrated, conventional hexagonal head screws can also be used cost-effectively, since in the illustrated embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the radially tightening the set screws 34 is permitted from the outside, not coming from the front face. In the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , conversely the screw heads 38 are held countersunk in the axially widening end segment of the pertinent through bore 42 . In the preinstallation state, the screw heads 38 are essentially flush with the external end face 44 of the second body component 12 . This widening end segment in the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 is also accompanied by a lengthened internal threading segment relative to the internal threading 16 of the second body component 12 . Otherwise, the two embodiments correspond to one another in terms of their function and action. The details stated in the foregoing with respect to the first embodiment also apply accordingly to the subject matter of the second exemplary embodiment, and for the second embodiment the same reference numbers are used for individual components corresponding to those in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . FIG. 1 shows the unlocked state, that is, the preinstallation state of the threaded ring. The existing threaded flank clearance of the thread engagement between the internal threadings 14 and 16 , and external threadings 18 is shown enlarged for the sake of clarity. As shown, the flank surfaces of the internal threading 14 , 16 are situated on the right side in the drawing are situated at a distance from the flank surfaces of the external threading 18 which are situated on the left side in the drawing. FIG. 2 shows the locked state or the installation state, in which by actuating the actuating mechanism with the individual set screws 34 the second body component 12 is tensioned toward the first body component 10 . For the second body component 12 , the flank surfaces of the internal threading 16 are situated on the right side are then supported on the flank surfaces of the external threading 18 . Conversely, for the first body component 10 the flank surfaces of the internal threading 14 situated on the left side are supported on the external threading 18 . The threaded ring unit formed from the body components 10 and 12 tightened against each other, is then secured in its entirety. The threaded ring of the present invention is designed to be rotationally symmetrical and has no grooves, slots, etc. generating unbalance. The set screws 34 distributed uniformly over a concentric graduated circle in conjunction with the flexible configuration of the wall component 32 yield uniform clamping forces on the threading. These clamping forces ensure intensive contact of the threaded flanks of the internal and external threadings 14 , 16 and 18 and accordingly high axial stiffness of the threaded ring over the entire circumference. Any form defect adjustments and surface compressions which may be present may be evened out during installation by increased tensioning of the body components 10 and 12 . The plane surface 22 of the first body component 10 used as a set collar or adjusting nut may be aligned by deliberate uniform tensioning of the set screws 34 until complete balance is achieved. If necessary, individual set screws 34 may be additionally tightened to compensate for tension on one side caused by the smallest errors of plane extension of the adjacent components. In addition to the mutual positioning of gap 26 and the two body components 10 , 12 , the wall thickness of the elastically flexible wall component 32 is of importance to the configuration of the threaded ring of the present invention. Specifically, in the preinstallation state between the components of the actuating mechanism in the form of set screws 34 and components of the body of the threaded ring, a contact surface 46 is provided with a definable inclination a. The angle of inclination a is selected relative to the longitudinal axis of the body such that in the installation state the threaded flank clearance occurring is completely eliminated, as shown. This angle of inclination a for reliable use may assume values between one-half to five degrees, preferably between one to three degrees, depending on the equalization to be achieved for the threaded flank clearance and the accompanying thread pitch. The contact surface 46 extending at an incline in the preinstallation state and forming the head support surface for the screw heads 38 of the set screws 34 is always dimensioned such that the contact surface 46 for the respective screw head 38 , after locking the screw connection is set at a right angle, at the earliest at the maximum possible threaded flank clearance of the screw connection (compare installation state shown in FIG. 2 ). For the embodiments shown, most of the tensioning force generated by the set screws 34 acts near the external spindle thread 18 to be clamped so that the efficiency, compared to the conventional threaded ring designs, is therefore significantly improved. Based on the improved efficiency during clamping and securing of the threaded ring on the spindle 20 , the threaded ring of the present invention can be deployed both in the axial and in the radial direction with very small dimensions. Furthermore, the improved efficiency also allows the new threaded ring to be designed with fewer set screws 34 . In the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , as an additional distinctive feature, when the screw heads 38 are integrated into the through bores 42 in the installed state, they form a clamping angle b relative to the external end face 44 of the retaining ring 12 . Clamping angle b corresponds to the angle of inclination a in the preinstallation state, and allows visual monitoring of the locking. If the respective hexagonal head screw with its screw head 38 is axially integrated in the respective recess in the retaining ring 12 , the use of socket head cap screws shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is recommended, with the possibility of effecting clamping or loosening of the threaded ring by suitable tools from the axial longitudinal front side. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 conversely, the hexagonal head screw one is preferably used with a screw head 38 having the hexagon on the outer circumferential side. In this way, it is possible to effect the described clamping and loosening processes from the circumferential side of the threaded ring, that is, radially. While various embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

A threaded ring has a single-component body provided with an internal screw thread ( 14, 16 ) and two body parts ( 10, 12 ). The first part ( 10 ) forms an adjusting ring having an end face ( 22 ) located on a radial plane. The second body part ( 12 ) forms a security ring connected to the first body part ( 10 ) by an elastically flexible wall part ( 32 ) of the body, forming a gap ( 26 ) between the two body parts. An actuating device can adjust the geometry of the gap ( 26 ) due to the elastic flexibility of the wall element ( 29 ) along the longitudinal axis of the body. A bearing surface ( 46 ) having a predefinable inclination is arranged in the premounting state between parts of the actuating device and parts of the body.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a 111A application of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/425,898, filed Nov. 13, 2002. FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to methods for manufacturing resin films and, more particularly, to an improved method for the manufacture of electromechanical switching films used in optical devices such as flat panel displays and other electronic displays. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,360 to Bauer, a display device is described comprising a first plate acting as a light guide or fluorescent material, a second plate positioned some distance apart from the first plate, and a thin movable microfilm situated between the two plates. As used herein microfilm means a thin flexible film less than 500 microns thick. The movable microfilm is flexible and can be made to locally contact the first plate and allow light to be transmitted from the first plate into the microfilm. If the microfilm is constructed to scatter the light, then movable microfilm acts as an optical switch to create bright and dark regions on the plates as the microfilm contacts or separates from the first plate, respectively. Rapid contact and separation between the microfilm and the first plate can be used to create gray regions. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,360 to Bauer, the motion of the microfilm can be controlled by electrical means. For example, the microfilm may contain a very thin layer of indium tin oxide that permits an electrical charge to be applied to the microfilm. Similar conductive layers may be placed on the plates. An electrical bias between the plates and the microfilm may be used to move the microfilm toward or away from the light guide. Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,321 to Stern, describes an electromechanical means of controlling the movement of the microfilm. Typically, the plates are rigid with a thickness on the order of millimeters and are comprised of clear materials such as glass or plastic (e.g. Plexiglas or polycarbonate). The microfilm, on the other hand, must be flexible and has thickness on the order of a micron. The microfilm may be comprised of resin material such as polycarbonate or polystyrene as suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,321 to Stern. One drawback to preparing an information display panel using the optical switching device described above, is the need for an economical and simple method to manufacture the flexible microfilm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,321 to Stern describes a means of creating a rough surfaced microfilm by dipping a sheet of the microfilm into a solution of spheres. When the sheet is removed from the solution, the spheres are adhered to the sheet by surface tension. The microfilm is then heated to permanently fix the spheres to the sheet. The resulting irregular surface is said to be a light scattering surface. However, U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,321 to Stern does not describe how to prepare the thin precursor sheets. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,321 to Stern does not provide a method of controlling the roughness of each side of the microfilm independently. In addition, it may desirable to prepare a microfilm with an internal light scattering means as well as a surface scattering means. It is also desirable to have microfilms prepared with low birefringence. The preparation of such a microfilm for optical switch applications has not been described. Resin microfilms used to prepare the various types of optical components described above are generally desired to have good light scattering abiltiy, transparency, high uniformity, and low birefringence. Moreover, these microfilms may be needed in a range of thickness depending on the final application. In general, resin microfilms are prepared either by melt extrusion methods or by casting methods. Melt extrusion methods involve heating the resin until molten (approximate viscosity on the order of 100,000 cp), and then applying the hot molten polymer to a highly polished metal band or drum with an extrusion die, cooling the film, and finally peeling the film from the metal support. For many reasons, however, films prepared by melt extrusion are generally not suitable for optical applications. Principal among these is the fact that melt extruded films exhibit a high degree of optical birefringence. In the case of highly substituted cellulose acetate, there is the additional problem of melting the polymer. Cellulose triacetate has a very high melting temperature of 270–300° C., and this is above the temperature where decomposition begins. Films have been formed by melt extrusion at lower temperatures by compounding cellulose acetate with various plasticizers as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,510 to Machell. However, the polymers described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,510 to Machell are not the fully substituted cellulose triacetate, but rather have a lesser degree of alkyl substitution or have proprionate groups in place of acetate groups. Even so, melt extruded films of cellulose acetate are known to exhibit poor flatness as noted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,753,140 to Shigenmura. For these reasons, melt extrusion methods are generally not practical for fabricating many resin films including cellulose triacetate films. Rather, casting methods are generally used to manufacture these films. In general, resin films are prepared either by melt extrusion methods or by casting methods. Melt extrusion methods involve heating the resin until molten (approximate viscosity on the order of 100,000 cp), and then applying the hot molten polymer to a highly polished metal band or drum with an extrusion die, cooling the film, and finally peeling the film from the metal support. For many reasons, however, films prepared by melt extrusion are generally not suitable for optical applications. Principal among these is the fact that melt extruded films exhibit a high degree of optical birefringence. In the case of highly substituted cellulose acetate, there is the additional problem of melting the polymer. Cellulose triacetate has a very high melting temperature of 270–300° C., and this is above the temperature where decomposition begins. Films have been formed by melt extrusion at lower temperatures by compounding cellulose acetate with various plasticizers as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,510 to Machell. However, the polymers described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,510 to Machell are not the fully substituted cellulose triacetate, but rather have a lesser degree of alkyl substitution or have proprionate groups in place of acetate groups. Even so, melt extruded films of cellulose acetate are known to exhibit poor flatness as noted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,753,140 to Shigenmura. For these reasons, melt extrusion methods are generally not practical for fabricating many resin films including cellulose triacetate films used to prepare protective covers and substrates in electronic displays. Rather, casting methods are generally used to manufacture these films. A prior art method of casting resin microfilms is illustrated in FIG. 8 . As shown in FIG. 8 , a viscous polymeric dope is delivered through a feed line 200 to an extrusion hopper 202 from a pressurized tank 204 by a pump 206 . The dope is cast onto a highly polished metal drum 208 located within a first drying section 210 of the drying oven 212 . The cast microfilm 214 is allowed to partially dry on the moving drum 208 and is then peeled from the drum 208 . The cast microfilm 214 is then conveyed to a final drying section 216 to remove the remaining solvent. The final dried microfilm 218 is then wound into rolls at a wind-up station 220 . The prior art cast microfilm typically has a thickness in the range of from 40 to 200 μm. In general, thin microfilms of less than 40 μm are very difficult to produce by casting methods due to the fragility of wet microfilm during the peeling and drying processes. Cast microfilms may exhibit undesirable cockle or wrinkles. Thinner microfilms are especially vulnerable to dimensional artifacts either during the peeling and drying steps of the casting process or during subsequent handling of the microfilm. In addition, many cast microfilms may naturally become distorted over time due to the effects of moisture. For optical microfilms, good dimensional stability is necessary during storage as well as during subsequent assembly. Melt extruded microfilms have many of the same problems as cast microfilms. In addition only certain polymeric materials may be used to produce melt-extruded microfilms because the heat used to liquify the polymer may degrade the polymer. There is a need, therefore, for an improved method of making resin microfilms for use as optical switch components. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The need is met according to one aspect of the present invention by providing a method of making a light diffusing microfilm, that includes providing a carrier substrate; coating a coating fluid onto the carrier substrate; drying the coating fluid on the carrier substrate to form a releasable light diffusing microfilm on the carrier substrate; and separating the light diffusing microfilm from the carrier substrate. According to another aspect of the invention, an optical film product includes a carrier substrate; and a light diffusing microfilm releasably formed on the carrier substrate. According to another aspect of the invention, a method of making a microfilm having a textured surface, includes providing a carrier substrate; coating a subbing layer on the carrier substrate using a bubble forming coating fluid; drying the subbing layer to create microvoids in the subbing layer; coating a film forming coating fluid onto the subbing layer; drying the film forming coating fluid on the subbing layer to form a releasable microfilm having a textured surface defined by the microvoids on the subbing layer; and separating the microfilm from the subbing layer and the carrier substrate. According to another aspect of the invention, a method of making a microfilm having a textured surface, includes providing a carrier substrate; coating a subbing layer on the carrier substrate using a phase separation coating fluid; drying the subbing layer to create a textured surface in the subbing layer; coating a film forming coating fluid onto the subbing layer; drying the film forming coating fluid on the subbing layer to form a releasable microfilm having a textured surface defined by the textured surface on the subbing layer; and separating the microfilm from the subbing layer and the carrier substrate. According to another aspect of the invention, a microfilm product, includes a carrier substrate; a subbing layer having textured surface; and a microfilm releasably formed on the subbing layer having a textured surface defined by the textured surface of the subbing layer. According to another aspect of the invention, a method of making a microfilm having a textured surface, includes providing a carrier substrate; coating a film forming coating fluid onto the subbing layer, the film forming coating liquid containing solid particles; drying the film forming coating fluid on the subbing layer to form a releasable microfilm having a textured surface defined by the solid particles; and separating the microfilm from the the carrier substrate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic of an exemplary coating and drying apparatus that can be used in the practice of the method of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic of an exemplary coating and drying apparatus of FIG. 1 including a station where the light diffusing microfilm separated from the substrate is separately wound. FIG. 3 is a schematic of an exemplary multi-slot coating apparatus that can be used in the practice of the method of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional representation of a single-layer light diffusing microfilm partially peeled from a carrier substrate and formed by the method of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional representation of a single-layer light diffusing microfilm partially peeled from a carrier substrate and formed by the method of the present invention wherein the carrier substrate has a subbing layer formed thereon. FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional representation of a multi-layer light diffusing microfilm partially peeled from a carrier substrate and formed by the method of the present invention. FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional representation of a multi-layer light diffusing microfilm partially peeled from a carrier substrate and formed by the method of the present invention wherein the carrier substrate has a subbing layer formed thereon. FIG. 8 is a schematic of a casting apparatus as used in prior art to cast resin microfilms. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A microfilm is produced according to the present invention by applying a low viscosity fluid containing polymeric resins onto a moving carrier substrate by a coating method. The resin solutions may also contain dispersed light scattering particles such as metal oxides. In a preferred embodiment, the light scattering particles are titanium dioxide with an average particle size of about 0.3 microns. The resin microfilm may be coated onto a carrier substrate that has a textured surface. The texture of the surface of the carrier substrate may be controlled by applying a subbing layer to the carrier substrate. The texture of the subbing layer is controlled by deliberately creating microvoids in the subbing layer. These microvoids are formed by rapidly heating the wet subbing layer to induced bubble nucleation in the subbing layer. When dried and cooled, the bubbles collapse and form a uniform series of microvoids with a depth of 0–100 nm and a width of 50–2000 nm. The depth and diameter of the microvoids may be controlled by modifying drying temperatures, the use of co-solvents, surfactant concentrations, and the overall thickness of the subbing layer. For example, a microvoided subbing layer having a dry thickness of two microns is formed when fully hydrolyzed polyvinylalcohol containing 0.04% surfactant (for example, a polyoxyethylated octyl phenol available as Triton X-100™) is coated from solvent system of 92:8 water:ethanol where ratios are weight percent. Drying temperatures of 25 and 100 degrees Celsius are used in drying zones 66 and 68 – 82 , respectively. The microvoids are approximately 20 nm deep and 300 nm wide. A subbing layer prepared without ethanol or surfactant did not produce microvoids. Alternatively, a textured substrate may be created by coating a subbing layer containing particulates that protrude from the dried subbing layer. Alternatively, the textured surface may be created by applying a subbing fluid that contains incompatible resins. During the drying of the wet subbing layer, the incompatible polymers phase separate and create small microvoids and bumps on the surface of the subbing layer. For example, polymethylmethacryate and polystyrene in equal proportions may be dissolved in methylethyl ketone and coated onto a polyester support to form a layer that is two microns thick. When dried, the subbing layer is micro-textured with bumps and voids on the order of 50 nm deep and 1000 nm wide. Alternatively, unsubbed substrates may provide a very smooth surface with an average roughness of less than 1 nm. In some cases, the optical switch microfilm may be difficult to peel from the textured subbing layer. In these cases, a textured optical switch microfilm may be formed by peeling together the subbing layer and the optical switch microfilm. After peeling, the subbing layer may be washed away from the optical switch microfilm. For example, an optical switch microfilm of cellulose acetate may be formed on top of a textured polyvinylalcohol subbing layer applied to a PET support. Subsequently, the cellulose acetate microfilm and polyvinylalcohol subbing layer are peeled away from the PET substrate and soaked in water to wash away the polyvinylalcohol subbing layer. Because cellulose acetate does not dissolve in water, only the resulting optical switch microfilm remains behind with a mirror image of the textured subbing surface. The above discussion relates a method to control the texture of an optical switch microfilm on the surface of the microfilm that is contacting the carrier substrate or the subbing layer of the carrier substrate. To control the texture on the opposite side or the air-exposed side of the microfilm, an optical switch microfilm is prepared using a multi-layer composite structure. Normally, a single layer microfilm containing dispersed titanium dioxide forms a bumpy optical switch microfilm. Bumps are typically 200 nm in height. To prepare a microfilm with smaller protrusions or bumps, a multi-layer composite with the uppermost layer having no titanium dioxide may be applied to a carrier substrate simultaneously. In this case, the uppermost layer contains only solvent and resin. By varying the wet thickness of the uppermost layer the texture of the surface of the dried microfilm may be controlled. Alternatively, the texture may be controlled by coating the optical switch microfilm and carrier substrate composite with a second coating that contains only solvent and resin to produce a smoother final microfilm. The smoothness of the microfilm may be controlled by attenuating the thickness of the second coated layer. The optical switch microfilm is not separated from the carrier substrate until the coated microfilm is substantially dry (<10% residual solvent by weight). In fact, the composite structure of resin microfilm and carrier substrate may be wound into rolls and stored until needed. Thus, the carrier substrate cradles the optical switch microfilm and protects against shearing forces during conveyance through the drying process. Moreover, because the resin microfilm is dry and solid when it is finally peeled from the carrier substrate, there is no shear or orientation of polymer within the microfilm due to the peeling process. As a result, microfilms prepared by the current invention are remarkably amorphous and exhibit very low in-plane birefringence. Polymeric microfilms can be made with the method of the present invention having a thickness of about 1 to 500 μm. Very thin resin microfilms of less than 40 microns can be easily manufactured at line speeds not possible with prior art methods. The fabrication of very thin microfilms is facilitated by a carrier substrate that supports the wet microfilm through the drying process and eliminates the need to peel the microfilm from a metal band or drum prior to a final drying step as required in the casting methods described in prior art. Rather, the microfilm is substantially, if not completely, dried before separation from the carrier substrate. In all cases, dried resin microfilms have a residual solvent content of less than 10% by weight. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the residual solvent content is less than 5%, and most preferably less than 1%. Thus, the present invention readily allows for preparation of very delicate thin microfilms not possible with the prior art casting method. In addition, thick microfilms of greater than 40 μm may also be prepared by the method of the present invention. To fabricate thicker microfilms, additional coatings may be applied over a microfilm-substrate composite either in a tandem operation or in an offline process without comprising optical quality. In this way, the method of the present invention overcomes the limitation of solvent removal during the preparation of thicker microfilms since the first applied microfilm is dry before application of a subsequent wet microfilm. Thus, the present invention allows for a broader range of final microfilm thickness than is possible with casting methods. Resin microfilms are created by forming a single layer or a multi-layer composite on a slide surface of a coating hopper, the multi-layer composite including a bottom layer of low viscosity, one or more intermediate layers, and an optional top layer containing a surfactant, flowing the multi-layer composite down the slide surface and over a coating lip of the coating hopper, and applying the multi-layer composite to a moving substrate. In particular, the use of multi-layer coating allows for application of several liquid layers having unique composition. Coating aids and additives may be placed in specific layers to improve microfilm performance or improve manufacturing robustness. For example, multi-layer application allows a surfactant to be placed in the top spreading layer where needed rather than through out the entire wet microfilm. In another example, the concentration of polymer in the lowermost layer may be adjusted to achieve low viscosity and facilitate high-speed application of the multi-layer composite onto the carrier substrate. Therefore, the present invention provides an advantageous method for the fabrication of multiple layer composite microfilms such as required for certain optical elements or other similar elements. Wrinkling and cockle artifacts are minimized with the method of the present invention through the use of the carrier substrate. By providing a stiff backing for the resin microfilm, the carrier substrate minimizes dimensional distortion of the optical microfilm. This is particularly advantageous for handling and processing very thin microfilms of less than about 40 microns. Moreover, scratches and abrasion artifacts that are known to be created by the casting method are avoided with the method of the present invention since the carrier substrate lies between the resin microfilm and potentially abrasive conveyance rollers during all drying operations. Thus, the method of the present invention does not require the use of co-solvents, lubricants or protective laminates as converting aids as are needed in casting operations to minimize abrasion artifacts. In addition, the restraining nature of the carrier substrate also eliminates the tendency of resin microfilms to distort or cockle over time as a result of changes in moisture levels. Thus, the method of the current invention insures that polymeric optical microfilms are dimensionally stable during preparation and storage as well as during final handling steps necessary for fabrication of optical elements. In the practice of the method of the present invention, it is preferred that the carrier substrate be a web such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The PET carrier substrate may be pretreated with a roughened subbing layer that acts as a physical template for the coated optical switch microfilm. The texture of the roughened subbing may be achieved by nucleation of small bubbles in the subbing layer. For example, an electrical discharge device may be employed to modify adhesion between the resin microfilm and the PET substrate. In particular, a subbing layer or electrical discharge treatment may enhance the adhesion between the microfilm and the substrate, but still allow the microfilm to be subsequently peeled away from the substrate. Although the present invention is discussed herein with particular reference to a slide bead coating operation, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be advantageously practiced with other coating operations. For example, freestanding microfilms having low in-plane retardation should be achievable with single or multiple layer slot die coating operations and single or multiple layer curtain coating operations. Moreover, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention can be advantageously practiced with alternative carrier substrates. For example, peeling microfilms having low in-plane birefringence should be achievable with other resin supports [e.g. polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), cellulose acetate, PET], paper supports, resin laminated paper supports, and metal supports (e.g. aluminum). Practical applications of the present invention include the preparation of polymeric microfilms used as optical microfilms. In particular, resin microfilms prepared by the method of the present invention may be utilized as optical elements in the manufacture of electronic displays utilizing otpical switch microfilms. Examplary optical resins include those described here, i.e. cellulose triaceate, polyvinyl alcohol, polycarbonate, polyethersulfone, polymethylmethacrylate, and polyvinylbutyral. Other potential optical resins might include fluoropolymers (polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl fluoride, and polycholorotrifluorethene), other cellulosics (cellulose diacetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, ethylcellulose), polyoefins (cyclic olefin polymers), polystyrene, aromatic polyesters (polyarylates and polyethylene terephthalate), sulfones (polysulfones, polyethersulfones, polyarylsulfone), and polycarbonate co-polymers, among others. Turning now to FIG. 1 there is shown a schematic of an exemplary and well-known coating and drying system 10 suitable for practicing the method of the present invention. The coating and drying system 10 is typically used to apply very thin microfilms to a moving substrate 12 and to subsequently remove solvent in a dryer 14 . A single coating apparatus 16 is shown such that system 10 has only one coating application point and only one dryer 14 , but two or three (even as many as six) additional coating application points with corresponding drying sections are known in the fabrication of composite thin microfilms. The process of sequential application and drying is known in the art as a tandem coating operation. Coating and drying apparatus 10 includes an unwinding station 18 to feed the moving substrate 12 around a back-up roller 20 where the coating is applied by coating apparatus 16 . The coated web 22 then proceeds through the dryer 14 . In the practice of the method of the present invention the final dry microfilm 24 comprising a resin microfilm on substrate 12 is wound into rolls at a wind-up station 26 . As depicted, an exemplary four-layer coating is applied to moving web 12 . Coating liquid for each layer is held in respective coating supply vessel 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 . The coating liquid is delivered by pumps 36 , 38 , 40 , 42 from the coating supply vessels to the coating apparatus 16 conduits 44 , 46 , 48 , 50 , respectively. In addition, coating and drying system 10 may also include electrical discharge devices, such as corona or glow discharge device 52 , or polar charge assist device 54 , to modify the substrate 12 prior to application of the coating. Coating methods are distinguished from casting methods by the process steps necessary for each technology. These process steps in turn affect a number of tangibles such as fluid viscosity, converting aids, substrates, and hardware that are unique to each method. In general, coating methods involve application of dilute low viscosity liquids to thin flexible substrates, evaporating the solvent in a drying oven, and winding the dried microfilm/substrate composite into rolls. In contrast, casting methods involve applying a concentrated viscous dope to a highly polished metal drum or band, partially drying the wet microfilm on the metal substrate, stripping the partially dried microfilm from the substrate, removing additional solvent from the partially dried microfilm in a drying oven, and winding the dried microfilm into rolls. In terms of viscosity, coating methods require very low viscosity liquids of less than 5,000 cp. In the practice of the method of the present invention the viscosity of the coated liquids will generally be less than 2000 cp and most often less than 1500 cp. Moreover, in the method of the present invention the viscosity of the lowermost layer is preferred to be less than 200 cp. and most preferably less than 100 cp. for high speed coating application. In contrast, casting methods require highly concentrated dopes with viscosity on the order of 10,000–100,000 cp for practical operating speeds. In terms of converting aids, coating methods generally involve the use of surfactants as converting aids to control flow after coating artifacts such as mottle, repellencies, orange peel, and edge withdraw. In contrast, casting methods do not require surfactants. Instead, converting aids are only used to assist in the stripping and conveyance operations in casting methods. For example, lower alcohols are sometimes used as converting aids in cast optical microfilms to minimize abrasion artifacts during conveyance through drying ovens. In terms of substrates, coating methods generally utilize thin (10–250 micron) flexible supports. In contrast, casting methods employ thick (1–100 mm), continuous, highly polished metal drums or rigid bands. As a result of these differences in process steps, the hardware used in coating is conspicuously different from those used in casting as can be seen by a comparison of the schematics shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 , respectively. Turning next to FIG. 2 there is shown a schematic of the same exemplary coating and drying system 10 depicted in FIG. 1 with an alternative winding operation. Accordingly, the drawings are numbered identically up to the winding operation. In the practice of the method of the present invention, the dry microfilm 24 comprising a substrate (which may be a resin microfilm, paper, resin coated paper or metal) with a resin coating applied thereto is taken between opposing rollers 56 , 58 . The resin microfilm 60 is peeled from substrate 12 with the optical microfilm going to winding station 62 and the substrate 12 going to winding station 64 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used as the substrate 12 . The substrate 12 may be pretreated with a subbing layer to enhance adhesion of the coated microfilm 60 to the substrate 12 . The coating apparatus 16 used to deliver coating fluids to the moving substrate 12 may be a multi-layer applicator such as a slide bead hopper, as taught for example in U.S. Pat. No. 2,761,791 to Russell, or a slide curtain hopper, as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,947 to Hughes. Alternatively, the coating apparatus 16 may be a single layer applicator, such as a slot die hopper or a jet hopper. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the application device 16 is a multi-layer slide bead hopper. As mentioned above, coating and drying system 10 includes a dryer 14 that will typically be a drying oven to remove solvent from the coated microfilm. An exemplary dryer 14 used in the practice of the method of the present invention includes a first drying section 66 followed by eight additional drying sections 68 – 82 capable of independent control of temperature and air flow. Although dryer 14 is shown as having nine independent drying sections, drying ovens with fewer compartments are well known and may be used to practice the method of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the dryer 14 has at least two independent drying zones or sections. Preferably, each of drying sections 68 – 82 have independent temperature and airflow controls. In each section, temperature may be adjusted between 5° C. and 150° C. To minimize drying defects from case hardening or skinning-over of the wet microfilm, optimum drying rates are needed in the early sections of dryer 14 . There are a number of artifacts created when temperatures in the early drying zones are inappropriate. For example, fogging or blush of polycarbonate microfilms is observed when the temperature in zones 66 , 68 and 70 are set at 25° C. This blush defect is particularly problematic when high vapor pressures solvents (methylene chloride and acetone) are used in the coating fluids. Aggressively high temperatures are also associated with other artifacts such as case hardening, reticulation patterns and microvoids in the resin microfilm. In one embodiment of the present invention, the first drying section 66 is operated at a temperature of at least about 25° C. but less than 95° C. with no direct air impingement on the wet coating of the coated web 22 . In another embodiment of the method of the present invention, drying sections 68 and 70 are also operated at a temperature of at least about 25° C. but less than 95° C. The actual drying temperature in drying sections 66 , 68 may be optimized empirically within this range by those skilled in the art. Referring now to FIG. 3 , a schematic of an exemplary coating apparatus 16 is shown in detail. Coating apparatus 16 , schematically shown in side elevational cross-section, includes a front section 92 , a second section 94 , a third section 96 , a fourth section 98 , and a back plate 100 . There is an inlet 102 into second section 94 for supplying coating liquid to first metering slot 104 via pump 106 to thereby form a lowermost layer 108 . There is an inlet 110 into third section 96 for supplying coating liquid to second metering slot 112 via pump 114 to form layer 116 . There is an inlet 118 into fourth section 98 for supplying coating liquid to metering slot 120 via pump 122 to form layer 124 . There is an inlet 126 into back plate 100 for supplying coating liquid to metering slot 128 via pump 130 to form layer 132 . Each slot 104 , 112 , 120 , 128 includes a transverse distribution cavity. Front section 92 includes an inclined slide surface 134 , and a coating lip 136 . There is a second inclined slide surface 138 at the top of second section 94 . There is a third inclined slide surface 140 at the top of third section 96 . There is a fourth inclined slide surface 142 at the top of fourth section 98 . Back plate 100 extends above inclined slide surface 142 to form a back land surface 144 . Residing adjacent the coating apparatus or hopper 16 is a coating backing roller 20 about which a web 12 is conveyed. Coating layers 108 , 116 , 124 , 132 form a multi-layer composite which forms a coating bead 146 between lip 136 and substrate 12 . Typically, the coating hopper 16 is movable from a non-coating position toward the coating backing roller 20 and into a coating position. Although coating apparatus 16 is shown as having four metering slots, coating dies having a larger number of metering slots (as many as nine or more) are well known and may be used to practice the method of the present invention. Coating fluids are comprised principally of polymeric resins dissolved in a suitable solvent. Light scattering particulates may also be dispersed in the coating fluids. Suitable resins include any polymeric material that may be used to form a transparent microfilm. Practical examples of resins currently used to form optical microfilms include polyvinyl alcohols, polyvinylbutyrals, acrylics, and polystyrene, cellulosics, polycarbonates, and polyarylates, polyolefins, fluoroplastics (e.g. polyvinylfluoride and polyvinylidene fluoride), sulfones. In the method of the present invention, there are no particular limitations as to the type of polymers or blends of polymers that may be used to form optical switch microfilms. In terms of solvents for aforementioned resin materials, suitable solvents include, for example, chlorinated solvents (methylene chloride and 1,2 dichloroethane), alcohols (methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, isobutanol, diacetone alcohol, phenol, and cyclohexanol), ketones (acetone, methylethyl ketone, methylisobutyl ketone, and cyclohexanone), esters (methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, n-propyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, and nbutyl acetate), aromatics (toluene and xylenes) and ethers (tetrahydrofuran, 1,3-dioxolane, 1,2-dioxolane, 1,3-dioxane, 1,4-dioxane, and 1,5-dioxane). Water may also be used as a solvent. Coating solutions may also be prepared with a blend of the aforementioned solvents. Coating fluids may also contain additives to act as converting aids. Converting aids include plasticizers and surfactants, and these additives are generally specific to the type of polymer microfilm. For example, plasticizers suitable for polycarbonate, polyethersulfone, and cellulose triacetate microfilms include phthalate esters (diethylphthalate, dibutylphthalate, dicyclohexylphthalate, dioctylphthalate, and butyl octylphthalate), adipate esters (dioctyl adipate), and phosphate esters (tricresyl phosphate and triphenyl phosphate). For the water-soluble polyvinyl alcohols, on the other hand, suitable plasticizers include polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin and ethylene glycol as well as amine alcohols such as ethanolamine. Plasticizers may be used here as coating aids in the converting operation to minimize premature microfilm solidification at the coating hopper and to improve drying characteristics of the wet microfilm. In the method of the present invention, plasticizers may be used to minimize blistering, curl and delamination of resin microfilms during the drying operation. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, plasticizers may be added to the coating fluid at a total concentration of up to 50% by weight relative to the concentration of polymer in order to mitigate defects in the final resin microfilm. Coating fluids may also contain surfactants as coating aids to control artifacts related to flow after coating. Artifacts created by flow after coating phenomena include mottle, repellencies, orange-peel (Bernard cells), and edge-withdraw. For polymeric resins dissolved in organic solvents, surfactants used control flow after coating artifacts include siloxane and fluorochemical compounds. Examples of commercially available surfactants of the siloxane type include: 1.) Polydimethylsiloxanes such as DC200 Fluid from Dow Corning, 2.) Poly(dimethyl, methylphenyl)siloxanes such as DC510 Fluid from Dow Corning, and 3.) Polyalkyl substituted polydimethysiloxanes such as DC190 and DC1248 from Dow Corning as well as the L7000 Silwet series (L7000, L7001, L7004 and L7230) from Union Carbide, and 4.) Polyalkyl substituted poly(dimethyl, methylphenyl)siloxanes such as SF1023 from General Electric. Examples of commercially available fluorochemical surfactants include: 1.) Fluorinated alkyl esters such as the Fluorad series (FC430 and FC431) from the 3M Corporation, 2.) Fluorinated polyoxyethylene ethers such as the Zonyl series (FSN, FSN100, FSO, FS0100) from Du Pont, 3.) Acrylate polyperfluoroalkyl ethylacrylates such as the F series (F270 and F600) from NOF Corporation, and 4.) Perfluoroalkyl derivatives such as the Surflon series (S383, S393, and S8405) from the Asahi Glass Company. For polymeric resins dissolved in aqueous solvents, appropriate surfactants include those suitable for aqueous coating as described in numerous publications (see for example Surfactants: Static and dynamic surface tension by YM Tricot in Liquid Film Coating, pp 99–136, S E Kistler and P M Schweitzer editors, Chapman and Hall [1997]). Surfactants may include nonionic, anionic, cationic and amphoteric types. Examples of practical surfactants include polyoxyethylene ethers, such as polyoxyethylene (8) isooctylphenyl ether, polyoxyethylene (10) isooctylphenyl ether, and polyoxyethylene (40) isooctylphenyl ether, and fluorinated polyoxyethylene ethers such as the Zonyl series commercially available from Du Pont. There are no particular limits as to the type of surfactant used. Useful surfactants are generally of the non-ionic type. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, non-ionic compounds of either the siloxane or fluorinated type are added to the uppermost layers when microfilms are prepared with organic solvents. In terms of surfactant distribution, surfactants are most effective when present in the uppermost layers of the multi-layer coating. In the uppermost layer, the concentration of surfactant is preferably 0.001–1.000% by weight and most preferably 0.010–0.500%. In addition, lesser amounts of surfactant may be used in the second uppermost layer to minimize diffusion of surfactant away from the uppermost layer. The concentration of surfactant in the second uppermost layer is preferably 0.000–0.200% by weight and most preferably between 0.000–0.100% by weight. Because surfactants are only necessary in the uppermost layers, the overall amount of surfactant remaining in the final dried microfilm is small. Turning next to FIGS. 4 through 7 , there are presented cross-sectional illustrations showing various film configurations prepared by the method of the present invention. In FIG. 4 , a single-layer optical switch microfilm 150 is shown partially peeled from a carrier substrate 152 . Optical microfilm 150 may be formed either by applying a single liquid layer to the carrier substrate 152 or by applying a multiple layer composite having a composition that is substantially the same among the layers. Alternatively in FIG. 5 , the carrier substrate 154 may have been pretreated with a subbing layer 156 that modifies the adhesive force between the single layer optical microfilm 158 and the substrate 154 . FIG. 6 illustrates a multiple layer microfilm 160 that is comprised of four compositionally discrete layers including a lowermost layer 162 nearest to the carrier support 170 , two intermediate layers 164 , 166 , and an uppermost layer 168 . FIG. 6 also shows that the entire multiple layer composite 160 may be peeled from the carrier substrate 170 . FIG. 7 shows a multiple layer composite microfilm 172 comprising a lowermost layer 174 nearest to the carrier substrate 182 , two intermediate layers 176 , 178 , and an uppermost layer 180 being peeled from the carrier substrate 182 . The carrier substrate 182 has been treated with a subbing layer 184 to modify the adhesion between the composite microfilm 172 and substrate 182 . Subbing layers 156 and 184 may be comprised of a number of polymeric materials such as polyvinyacetals, polycarbonates, polyurethanes, cellulosics, acrylics, gelatin and poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinylidene chloride-co-acrylic acid). The choice of materials used in the subbing layer may be optimized empirically by those skilled in the art. The method of the present invention may also include the step of coating over a previously prepared composite of resin microfilm and carrier substrate. For example, the coating and drying system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be used to apply a second multi-layer microfilm to an existing optical microfilm/substrate composite. If the film/substrate composite is wound into rolls before applying the subsequent coating, the process is called a multi-pass coating operation. If coating and drying operations are carried out sequentially on a machine with multiple coating stations and drying ovens, then the process is called a tandem coating operation. In this way, thick microfilms may be prepared at high line speeds without the problems associated with the removal of large amounts of solvent from a very thick wet microfilm. Moreover, the practice of multi-pass or tandem coating also has the advantage of minimizing other artifacts such as streak severity, mottle severity, and overall microfilm nonuniformity. The practice of tandem coating or multi-pass coating requires some minimal level of adhesion between the first-pass film and the carrier substrate. In some cases, film/substrate composites having poor adhesion are observed to blister after application of a second or third wet coating in a multi-pass operation. To avoid blister defects, adhesion must be greater than 0.3 N/m between the first-pass resin microfilm and the carrier substrate. This level of adhesion may be attained by a variety of web treatments including various subbing layers and various electronic discharge treatments. However, excessive adhesion between the applied microfilm and substrate is undesirable since the microfilm may be damaged during subsequent peeling operations. In particular, microfilm/substrate composites having an adhesive force of greater than 250 N/m have been found to peel poorly. Microfilms peeled from such excessively, well-adhered composites exhibit defects due to tearing of the microfilm and/or due to cohesive failure within the microfilm. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the adhesion between the resin microfilm and the carrier substrate is less than 250 N/m. Most preferably, the adhesion between resin microfilm and the carrier substrate is between 0.5 and 25 N/m. The method of the present invention is suitable for application of resin coatings to a variety of substrates such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polystyrene, cellulose triaceate and other polymeric microfilms. Polymeric substrates may be unstretched, unixially stretched or biaxially stretched microfilms or sheets. Additional substrates may include paper, laminates of paper and polymeric microfilms, glass, cloth, aluminum and other metal supports. In some cases, substrates may be pretreated with subbing layers or electrical discharge devices. Substrates may also be pretreated with functional layers containing various binders and addenda. There are no particular requirements regarding the thickness of the substrate. For the optical resin microfilms prepared here, the substrate is PET with a thickness of either 100 or 175 μm. The method of the present invention may be practiced using substrates having a thickness of 5 to 500 μm. The following tests were used to determine the microfilm properties. Thickness. Thickness of the final peeled microfilm was measured in microns using a Model EG-225 gauge from the Ono Sokki Company. Retardation. In-plane retardation (R e ) of peeled microfilms were determined in nanometers (nm) using a Woollam M-2000V Spectroscopic Ellipsometer at wavelengths from 370 to 1000 nm. In-plane retardation values in Table I are computed for measurements taken at 590 nm. In-plane retardation is defined by the formula: R e =|n x −n y |xd where R e is the in-plane retardation at 590 nm, n x is the index of refraction of the peeled microfilm in the slow axis direction, n y is the is the index of refraction of the peeled microfilm in the fast axis direction, and d is the thickness of the peeled microfilm in nanometers (nm). Thus, R e is the absolute value of the difference in birefringence between the slow axis direction and the fast axis direction in the plane of the peeled microfilm multiplied by the thickness of the microfilm. Transmittance and Haze. Total transmittance (Trans) and haze are measured using the Haze-Gard Plus (Model HB-4725) from BYK-Gardner. Total transmittance is all the light energy transmitted through the microfilm as absorbed on an integrating sphere. Transmitted haze is all light energy scattered beyond 2.5° as absorbed on an integrating sphere. Surface Roughness. Average surface roughness (Ra) was determined in nanometers (nm) by scanning probe microscopy using TappingMode™ Atomic Force Microscopy, Model D300 from Digital Instruments. Adhesion. The adhesive strength of the coated samples was measured in Newtons per meter (N/m) using a modified 180° peel test with an Instron 1122 Tensile Tester with a 500 gram load cell. First, 0.0254 m (one inch) wide strips of the coated sample were prepared. Delamination of the coating at one end was initiated using a piece of 3M Magic Tape. An additional piece of tape was then attached to the delaminated part of the coating and served as the gripping point for testing. The extending tape was long enough to extend beyond the support such that the Instron grips did not interfere with the testing. The sample was then mounted into the Instron 1122 Tensile Tester with the substrate clamped tin the upper grip and the coating/tape assembly clamped in the bottom grip. The average force (in units of Newtons) required to peel the coating off the substrate at a 180° angle at speed of 2 inches/min (50.8 mm/min) was recorded. Using this force value the adhesive strength in units of N/m was calculated using the equation: S A =F p (1−cos θ)/ w wherein S A is the adhesive strength, F p is the peel force, θ is the angle of peel (180°), and w is the width of the sample (0.0254 m). Residual Solvent. A qualitative assessment of residual solvents remaining in a dried microfilm is done by first peeling the microfilm from the carrier substrate, weighing the peeled microfilm, incubating the microfilm in an oven at 150° C. for 16 hours, and finally weighing the incubated microfilm. Residual solvent is expressed as percentage of the weight difference divided by the post-incubation weight. From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to obtain all of the ends and objects herein above set forth together with other advantages which are apparent and which are inherent to the apparatus. It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed with reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth and shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. PARTS LIST 10 drying system 12 moving substrate/web 14 dryer 16 coating apparatus 18 unwinding station 20 back-up roller 22 coated web 24 dry microfilm 26 wind up station 28 coating supply vessel 30 coating supply vessel 32 coating supply vessel 34 coating supply vessel 36 pumps 38 pumps 40 pumps 42 pumps 44 conduits 46 conduits 48 conduits 49 conduits 50 discharge device 52 polar charge assist device 54 opposing rollers 56 opposing rollers 58 resin microfilm 60 winding station 66 drying section 68 drying section 70 drying section 72 drying section 74 drying section 76 drying section 78 drying section 80 drying section 82 drying section 92 front section 94 second section 96 third section 98 fourth section 100 back plate 102 inlet 104 metering slot 106 pump 108 lower most layer 110 inlet 112 2 nd metering slot 114 pump 116 layer 118 inlet 120 metering slot 122 pump 124 form layer 126 inlet 128 metering slot 130 pump 132 layer 134 incline slide surface 136 coating lip 138 2 nd incline slide surface 140 3 rd incline slide surface 142 4 th incline slide surface 144 back land surface 146 coating bead 150 optical switch microfilm 152 carrier substrate 154 carrier substrate 156 subbing layer 158 optical microfilm 160 multiple layer microfilm 162 lowermost layer 164 intermediate layers 166 intermediate layers 168 uppermost layer 170 carrier support 172 composite microfilm 174 lower most layer 176 intermediate layers 178 intermediate layers 180 upper most layers 182 carrier substrate 184 subbing layer 200 feed line 202 extrusion hopper 204 pressurized tank 206 pump 208 metal drum 210 drying section 212 drying oven 214 cast microfilm 216 final drying section 218 final dried microfilm 220 wind-up station

A method of making a light diffusing microfilm, includes providing a carrier substrate; coating a coating fluid onto the carrier substrate; drying the coating fluid on the carrier substrate to form a releasable light diffusing microfilm on the carrier substrate; and separating the light diffusing microfilm from the carrier substrate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/433,734, entitled “MUSIC NET,” filed Dec. 13, 2002. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the transfer, distribution, and play of streamed information or content in a network environment. More particularly, the invention relates to the creation of streamed and loopable content in a network environment. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The Internet comprises a web of computers and networks, which are widely spread throughout the world. The Internet currently comprises millions of network connections, and is used by millions of people, such as for business, education, entertainment, and/or basic communication. Digital content, such as sound recordings, e.g. songs, are often transferred across the Internet. In addition to the basic transfer of song files, numerous network enabled radio stations have been introduced, which provide content to listeners at computers across the Internet. Network enabled radio has significantly increased the magnitude and variety of content to recipients, as compared to conventional over-the-air radio broadcasts While there are numerous Internet radio stations currently in operation, there are many technological shortcomings in the delivery of digital content to listeners. For example, buffering between songs, i.e. tracks, and even during tracks, is a common occurrence, which commonly diminishes the quality of a broadcast for listeners. As well, a short or long duration failure across the network, e.g. a blackout, results in the cessation of a music presentation, further diminishing the user experience. As well, current content delivery systems do not offer sufficient flexibility and/or scalability for future network architectures and increased market demands. As the number of Internet radio stations increases to meet consumer demand, and as the number and variety of content recipients, i.e. listeners, increases, it will be necessary to provide substantial improvements in content delivery architectures. Pull vs. Push Mod Is for Content Delivery. In content delivery systems which operate on a push distribution model, a source complex makes an outbound connection to a distribution point, and pushes data to the distribution point at a rate determined by the source complex. However, in a content delivery system which operates on a push distribution model, broadcasters are required to be aware of the network architecture. Therefore, every time a distribution point is added, the broadcast configuration is required to change, to make an outbound connection to the new distribution point. As well, the implementation of fail over and/or load balancing logic typically requires that a push system frequently reconfigure both the distribution points and the broadcaster hosts. A pull model typically requires less buffering logic than a push model for the broadcaster, because the broadcaster just sends data obliviously, i.e. the distribution point is required to receive the data and feed a local buffer appropriately. In a content delivery system which operates on a pull distribution model, a distribution point initiates the connection with a broadcaster, and requests a desired stream identifier. Several structures and methods have been described for the distribution of content in a network environment. N. Dwek, Multimedia Content Delivery System and Method, U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,946, describes “A system and method for delivering multimedia content to computers over a computer network, such as the Internet, includes a novel media player which may be downloaded onto a user's personal computer. The media player includes a user interface which allows a listener to search an online database of media selections and build a custom playlist of exactly the music selections desired by the listener. The multimedia content delivery system delivers advertisements which remain visible on a user's computer display screen at all times when the application is open, for example, while music selections are being delivered to the user. The advertisements are displayed in a window which always remains on a topmost level of windows on the user's computer display screen, even if the user is executing one or more other programs with the computer.” M. DeLorenzo, Multi-Room Entertainment System with In-Room Media Player, U.S. Pat. No.6,438,450, describes “A plurality of media data, including audio data or audio/video data, are stored in a central database. A plurality of in-room, user interface systems access the media data through a central server. The central server presents to the in-room system a selection menu through which at least one of the media data may be selected. Upon selection of a media data by the user interface, the central server accesses the selected media data from the central database and transmits it to the in-room system. The media data may be transmitted by downloading the data to an intermediate system, playing the media data at the intermediate system and outputting the played media data to the in-room system through a communications line. The media data may also be transmitted by streaming the media data to the in-room system through a communications line. The central server may present to the in-room system any of a number of additional menus including a purchase menu through which the selected media data may be purchased, an activation menu through which communication between the in-room system and the central server may be established for a period of time, a radio menu through which any of a plurality of programmed media-data channels may be accessed and a mood menu through which the brightness of the image displayed on the in-room system video monitor may be affected.” Other structures and methods have been described for the distribution of content in a network environment, such as: Streaming Information Providing Method, European STREAM SOURCING CONTENT DELIVERY SYSTEM patent application Ser. No. 1187 423; O. Hodson, C. Perkins, and V. Hardman, Skew Detection and Compensation for Internet Audio Applications; 2000 IEEE International Conference on Multimedia and Expo; 2000; C. Aurrecoechea, A. Campbell, and Linda Hauw, A Survey of Qos Architectures, Center for Telecommunication Research, Columbia University; S. Cen, C. Pu, R. Staehli, and J. Walpole, A Distributed Real-Time MPEG Video Audio Player, Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology; N. Manouselis, P. Karampiperis, I. Vardiambasis, and A. Maras, Digital Audio Broadcasting Systems under a Qos Perspective, Telecommunications Laboratory, Technical University of Crete; Helix Universal Gateway Configuration Guide, RealNetworks Technical Blueprint Series; Jul. 21, 2002; Helix Universal Server from RealNetworks Helix Universal Gateway Helix Universal Server, www.realnetworks.com; Media Delivery and Windows Media Services 9 Series. Other systems describe various details of audio distribution, streaming, and/or the transfer of content in a network environment, such as G. France and S. Lee, Method for Streaming Transmission of Compressed Music, U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,119; D. Marks, Group Communications Multiplexing System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,491; M. Abecassis, Integration of Music From a Personal Library with Real-Time Information, U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,340; J. Logan, D. Goessling, and C. Call, Audio Program Player Including a Dynamic Program Selection Controller, U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,076; E. Sitnik, Multichannel Audio Distribution System Having Portable Receivers, U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,880; M. Bowman-Amuah, Method For Providing Communication Services Over a Computer Network System, U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,163; H. Ando, S. Ito, H. Takahashi, H. Unno, and H. Sogabe, Information Recording Device and A Method of Recording Information by Setting the Recording Area Based on Contiguous Data Area, U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,037; P. Hunt and M. Bright, Method and Apparatus for Intelligent and Automatic Preference Detection of Media Content, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 2002 0078056; G. Beyda and K. Balasubramanian, Hybrid Network Based Advertising System and Method, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 2002 0082914; System and Method for Delivering Plural Advertisement Information on a Data Network, International Publication No. WO 02/063414; Method for Recording and/or Reproducing Data on/from Recording/Recorded Medium, Reproducing Apparatus, Recording Medium, Method for Recognizing Recording/Recorded Medium, and Method for Recording and/or Reproducing Data for Apparatus Using Recording/Recorded Medium, European Patent Application No. EP 1 178 487; Method and System for Securely Distributing Computer Software Products, European Patent Application No. EP 1 229 476; Information Transmission System, Information Transmission Method, Computer Program Storage Medium Where Information Transmission Program is Stored, European Patent Application No. EP 1 244 021; Digital Content Publication, European Patent Application No. EP 1 267 247; File and Content Management, European Patent Application No. EP 1 286 351; S. Takao; Y. Kiyoshi; W. Kazuhiro; E. Kohei. Packet Synchronization Recovery Circuit; Section: E, Section No. 1225, Vol. 16, No. 294, Pg. 120; Jun. 29, 1992; R. Sion, A. Elmagarmid, S. Prabhakar, and A. Rezgui, Challenges in Designing a Qos Aware Media Repository, Purdue University; Z. Chen, S. Tan, R. Campbell, and Y. Li, Real Time Video and Audio in the World Wide Web, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Content Networking with the Helix Platform, RealNetworks White Paper Series; Jul. 21, 2002; C. Hess, Media Streaming Protocol: An Adaptive Protocol for the Delivery of Audio and Video over the Internet, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1998; R. Koster, Design of a Multimedia Player with Advanced Qos Control, Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology, Jan. 1997; C. Poellabauer and K. Schwan, Coordinated CPU and Event Scheduling for Distributed Multimedia Applications, College of Computing Georgia Institute of Technology, R. West, Computing Science Department Boston University; and Windows Media. While some content delivery technologies describe the delivery of streamed content across a network, existing systems do not adequately provide a seamless delivery to a large number of recipients, nor do such technologies provide a “fail safe” seamless playback of content upon failure across the network. It would be advantageous to provide a system and an associated method which provides a seamless delivery of songs to a large number of recipients, which provides a “fail safe” seamless playback of content upon failure across the network. The development of such a content delivery system would constitute a major technological advance. It would also be advantageous to provide a system and an associated method which provides delivery of content as well as metadata to multiple distribution points, and has the capability of broadcasting content indefinitely, even if a database or content store fails. The development of such a content delivery system would constitute a major technological advance. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The stream sourcing content delivery system goes to a database and builds a physical stream, based on a schedule. The stream source content delivery system works at a station ID (SID), finds the order of the delivery of content for the station based upon the schedule, and downloads a plurality of music files, e.g. 6 hours of music, to its hard drive to enable play back. The system then concatenates the files, to create a stream, and awaits the request of one or more stream recipients. Some preferred system embodiments further comprise a fail-safe mode, whereby a loop of music is generated from the downloaded stream, and is delivered to one or more users when further access to content is interrupted, such that recipients experience an uninterrupted delivery of a plurality of files, e.g. songs. A stream source content delivery system provides flexibility and scalability for large number of stations, e.g. up to 100 stations, and/or listeners. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a stream source content delivery system between a scheduling system, a content storage system, and a distribution point; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of stream source content delivery systems implemented within a pull model load balancing distribution environment; FIG. 3 is a flowchart of periodic playlist retrieval within the stream source content delivery system; FIG. 4 is a flowchart of periodic playlist management within the stream source content delivery system; FIG. 5 is a flowchart of content cache marking within the stream source content delivery system; FIG. 6 is a flowchart of content cache in memory within the stream source content delivery system; FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of content stream management within the stream source content delivery system; FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of looped content; FIG. 9 is a first chart of system logging for a stream source content delivery system; FIG. 10 is a second chart of system logging for a stream source content delivery system; FIG. 11 is a third chart of system logging for a stream source content delivery system; and FIG. 12 shows database schema for a stream source content delivery system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a schematic view 10 of a stream source content delivery (SSCD) system 12 , which acts as a bridge 11 between a scheduling system or database 14 , a content storage system 20 , and a distribution point 26 . A stream source content delivery system 12 fetches 22 songs 21 , e.g. 21 a - 21 n , from a content store 20 and stores them on a local disk 25 to be played by the user U. The system 12 loads these songs 21 into a memory 27 , and streams the songs 21 . It is sometimes the case that access to the content store 20 is lost. If a connection is lost between the stream sourcing content delivery server 12 and the content store 20 or local disk 25 , the system 12 preferably goes into a looping behavior 200 ( FIG. 8 ), whereby the user's experience is uninterrupted. The looping behavior 200 avoids blackouts for the user, i.e. the loop 200 is of sufficient length 206 ( FIG. 8 ) that the loop 200 is typically not noticeable, and is preferably DMCA compliant. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 fetches songs 21 , e.g. 21 a - 21 n , from a content store 20 and stores them on a local disk 25 , to be played for a user U at a client terminal or computer 32 , e.g. 32 a in FIG. 1 . Client terminals or computers 32 typically comprise personal computers, mobile devices, and other microprocessor-based devices, such as portable digital assistants or network enabled cell phones. However, the apparatus and techniques can be implemented for a wide variety of electronic devices and systems, or any combination thereof, as desired. It is sometimes the case that access to the content store 20 is lost. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 loads these songs 21 into memory 27 and streams them to listeners 32 . If a connection is lost between the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 and the content store 20 or local disk 25 , the system 12 goes into a looping behavior 200 ( FIG. 8 ), and the users experience is uninterrupted. The preferred looping behavior 200 avoids a blackout of content delivery to the user, and is typically compliant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) standards. By contrast, in the prior art, no such avoidance of blackout is provided, and in the case of a lost connection, a user experiences a lockup. Some preferred embodiments of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 provide, on a per file basis, an adjustable bit rate at which a stream 28 is sent 190 , 192 ( FIG. 7 ), to avoid over running or under running at the receiving end of the stream 28 . This avoids a situation where timing errors can accumulate and result in interruptions or glitches in the delivery of music 21 . Some preferred embodiments of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 also preferably provide the insertion of metadata 210 ( FIG. 8 ) into a stream 28 , to create song boundaries and to associate information with songs 21 . Some system embodiments 12 act as a component of a streaming architecture, such as for a Radio@ streaming architecture, available through Radio@AOL. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 delivers a formatted stream 28 , to a distribution point 26 , based on a content store 26 and a scheduling database 14 . From the high level view, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 fetches playlists 18 from a database 15 for each station 30 , e.g. 30 a , that the system 12 serves. The system 12 analyzes the playlists 18 , locally caches 24 the content 21 a - 21 n for each station 30 , and sets up a listen thread, i.e. stream 28 . A distribution point 26 can then connect to the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 , and relay the data stream 28 , typically corresponding to a relay protocol. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 shown in FIG. 1 manages the retrieval 16 and caching of the playlists 18 from the scheduling database 14 , manages content 21 on the local disk 25 and in memory 27 , and relays content 21 to distribution points 26 , during normal operation and various failure conditions. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 typically logs the status of the system operation and hardware, such that operations personnel can properly manage the stream sourcing system hardware 12 . Some preferred embodiments of stream sourcing content delivery system 12 comprehensively control the content 20 , the source complex, the distribution point 26 , the transport, and the clients 32 a - 32 j , to provide integrated flexibility and control over how content 21 a - 21 n is delivered to users U, to ensure both that the user experience is maximized, and that system improvements and upgrades are readily implemented. In addition to improving the backend architecture of content delivery, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 improves user experience. For example, some preferred embodiments of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 do not require buffering between tracks. Users do not have to wait to buffer between songs 21 on the same stations 30 . Instead, there is typically a short buffering period when a user tunes into a station 30 . While the user listens to a station 30 , the user does not experience any buffering, unless the user has an abnormally bad network condition. As well, some embodiments of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 provide reduced network congestion, through the use of matched data transmission, e.g. 14 kbps codec, and through the minimization of data overhead, which improves the delivery to data to a client 32 , i.e. it is less likely that a client 32 is not able to receive the necessary data for a given time slice. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 reduces a need to rebuffer in the middle of a song 21 due to network congestion, which further provides an improved user experience. The distribution point 26 shown in FIG. 1 , which receives content streams 28 , e.g. 28 a - 28 k , from the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 , may additionally receive content 38 , e.g. live content 38 , from a broadcaster 34 , such as through a broadcast feed 36 , e.g. SID=30. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of stream sourcing content delivery systems 12 a - 12 m implemented within a load balanced pull model distribution environment 40 . Content delivery systems are typically configured to operate within either a push model architecture or a pull model architecture. In a push model system architecture, the system 12 makes an outbound connection to a distribution point 26 , and “pushes” data, e.g. songs 21 , to the distribution point 26 , at any rate that is acceptable the system 12 . A push model architecture requires less logic in the broadcaster 34 to deal with buffering, since the rate of the transmission of data 21 is not limited to external conditions, i.e. it is up to the distribution point 26 to receive the data 21 a - 21 n , and feed its own buffer appropriately. However, the downside of a push model architecture is that broadcasters 34 must be aware of the network architecture, such as the number and locations of distribution points 26 . Therefore, each time a distribution point 26 is added, the broadcast configuration is required to change, to make outbound connections to the new distribution point 26 . Furthermore, a push model architecture which includes fail over and/or load balancing becomes even more complex, and requires frequent reconfiguration of both the distribution points 28 and the broadcaster hosts 12 . The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 a shown in FIG. 2 comprises a load-balanced “pull” model architecture 40 , in which a distribution point 26 , e.g. 26 a , initiates a connection with stream sourcing content delivery system 12 , e.g. 12 a , and requests the stream ID 30 that the distribution point 26 is interested in relaying to one or more clients 32 . Each stream sourcing content delivery system 12 in FIG. 2 , e.g. 12 a , can accept multiple connections 30 ( FIG. 1 ), and begins feeding data for any stream 28 that it is configured for. Therefore, the source complex 12 in the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 a does not have to be aware of the network architecture. Instead, the source complex 12 only needs to be aware of the streams 30 that it is configured to serve. In the “pull” model architecture 40 , it is the responsibility of operations personnel to craft the network architecture as needed, whereby the majority of the network architecture is controlled by the distribution points 26 . As seen in FIG. 2 , a load-balancing switch 42 in preferably located front of the stream sourcing content delivery hosts 12 , such that inbound connections from the distribution points 26 are automatically dispersed among the stream sourcing content delivery hosts 12 . The addition of distribution points 26 and load balancing 42 is readily achieved in the load-balanced “pull” model architecture 40 shown in FIG. 2 . The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 a shown in FIG. 2 comprises a pull model, to simplify the responsibilities of system operations. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 a has been tested using a SHOUTCAST™ complex, available through NullSoft, Inc., to readily provide controlled broadcast and distribution functions. Song Selection Models—“Plan Ahead” vs. “Just In Time” Song Selection. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 can be configured for a wide variety of song selection models, such as “Just in Time” song selection, or “Plan Ahead” song selection. A “Just-in-Time” song selection model requires that the song selection process verify the existence of the file 21 on disk just before it is ready to be played. In some “Just-in-Time” song selection model embodiments, tracks are typically scheduled three tracks in advance. Some embodiments of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 comprise Just-in-Time song selection, such as to decrease the chance of violating DMCA rules, and/or to maximize the chance that content 21 is available on the system disk 25 . Since song verification and access can be an intensive and time-sensitive process, which can be disrupted with the failure of multiple parts of the system, some system embodiments 12 preferably comprise a “Plan Ahead” song selection model, in which song tracks 21 for each station 30 are scheduled far in advance, and in which the local content cache 24 is populated with an extended playlist 18 of songs 21 . A “Plan Ahead” song selection model gives the broadcaster 34 an opportunity to plan ahead and pre-fetch the tracks 21 that the system 12 needs for the foreseeable future. A “Plan Ahead” song selection model also allows the caching of content 21 on the system 12 , so that in the event of a failure of the database 14 and content store 20 , the system 12 has sufficient content 21 to loop 200 ( FIG. 8 ) on a DMCA compliant playlist 18 . System Performance and Scalability. The operating system of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 manages the retrieval of schedules playlists 18 and content 21 , the production of content streams 28 , and the loop 200 of content as needed. Therefore, the system input and output (IO) hardware, comprising the network 11 and disk 25 , is not the limiting factor in the performance of the system 12 , since the performance of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 is not limited by the overhead of the process. Therefore, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 is readily scaled to meet the needs of a large number of streams per host, e.g. as much as 150 or more streams per host system 12 , and/or as many as or more than 500 listeners or relays per host system 12 . While the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 , is readily adapted for a wide variety of operating environments, current system embodiments typically comprise the following features: The system 12 schedules songs several tracks into the future, i.e. plan-ahead. The system 12 assumes that track time in the database 14 is correct. The system 12 assumes that the bit rate of each clip in the database 14 is correct and precise. Content 21 is either available via http, or is pre-loaded onto the local disk The schema of the system 12 preferably matches the database schema The metadata in database is currently less than or equal to 4000 bytes Database Management. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of periodic playlist retrieval 50 within the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 . The system 12 typically communicates with the database 14 , e.g. such as an Oracle database 14 , through a database thread. The system 12 periodically wakes up 52 , e.g. such as every five minutes. Upon waking 52 , the system 12 logs 54 into the database 14 , such as within a user/password/database format, e.g. via a PRO*C daemon. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 then performs a query 56 of how many total streams 28 that the system 12 is required to source, in order to allocate memory for the stream structures 28 . The system 12 queries 56 the database 14 for the current number of station identities (SIDs) 30 , and determines 58 if there are more results. Once the number of streams 28 has been determined, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 allocates the appropriate space, and continues. If there are no more results 60 , the process 50 is finished for that period, and begins 62 another sleep period, and then returns 64 to wake up 52 . If there are 66 more results, a determination 68 is made whether the result is a new SID 30 , at step 68 . If the SID determination 68 is negative 70 , i.e. the results are not a new SID 30 , the new playlist items are fetched 72 , not including what has been previously fetched. If the SID determination 68 is positive 76 , i.e. the results correspond a new SID 30 , the SID configuration for the new SID 30 is retrieved 78 , and the playlist 18 is fetched 80 , typically starting at the current time and extending for a time period, e.g. 5 minutes. The system 12 advances 74 to the next result in the result set, and returns to the result step 58 , to repeatedly process any other results, before sleeping 62 . As seen in FIG. 3 , the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 performs the periodic playlist retrieval process 50 after each sleep period, e.g. every 5 minutes. Retrieval of Stream Configurations. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 then retrieves the details for each stream 28 it will source. The system 12 compares the result set to the list of streams 28 it currently has, and adds any new streams 28 to the list. Retrieval of Playlists. For each stream configuration received in the previous step, the database thread queries the database 14 , and retrieves the corresponding playlist 18 for the stream 28 . The system 12 marks each playlist item 21 as “Not Cached”. Playlist Management. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of periodic playlist management 90 within the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 , which illustrates normal operation for fetching new tracks. Under normal operation, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 queries 94 the database 14 and see if there are new tracks for the playlist for the given SID. The system 12 asks the database 14 if there are new tracks scheduled since the last time the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 retrieved this information (using a time and ID). If the determination is positive 96 , i.e. there are new items, the stream sourcing content delivery system adds 98 the information for each item to the playlist 18 , and returns 100 to the determination step 94 . If the determination is negative 102 , i.e. there are no new items, the periodic playlist management process 90 proceeds 104 to the next station ID 30 , queries the database 14 for the playlist 18 of the next station ID 30 , and then determines 94 if there are new tracks for the playlist 18 for the next SID 30 . The periodic playlist management process 90 is therefore repeated for each station ID 30 . The periodic playlist management process 90 guarantees that the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 has the maximum schedule for each station 30 , such that the system has the greatest chance to fetch the content 21 and to prepare the content stream 28 . Content Management. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 preferably caches content as far in the future as possible. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 uses two types of cache management, disk cache management, and memory cache management. As well, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 typically manages the removal of the content. Caching On Disk. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an exemplary content cache marking process 110 within a stream sourcing content delivery system 12 . The system 12 looks 112 at a playlist item 21 , and determines 114 if the playlist item 21 is cached on the disk 25 . If the determination is positive 128 , e.g. the content is already cached on disk 25 from another station 30 , the system 12 touches 130 the file on the disk 25 , i.e. the system finds the content on disk 25 , and marks the playlist item as cached. The system 12 then advances 132 to the next playlist item 21 , and returns 134 to repeat the process, at step 112 . If the cache determination is negative 116 , e.g. the content is not already cached on disk 25 from another station 30 , the system fetches 118 the content 21 from the content store 20 , touches 120 the file on the disk 25 , and marks 122 the playlist item as cached on the disk 25 . The system 12 then advances 124 to the next playlist item 21 , and returns 126 to repeat the process, at step 112 . The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 periodically analyzes the items 21 in the playlist 18 for each stream 18 . If the system 12 sees an item in the playlist 18 that hasn't been marked as cached, the system 12 attempts to cache the content 21 . Before the system 12 caches the content 21 , the system 12 checks to see if the content 21 is already on disk 25 , i.e. the content 21 may already be cached on disk from another station 30 . If the system 12 finds the content 21 on disk 25 , the system 12 marks the playlist entry as cached. Otherwise, the system 12 fetches the content 21 , such as by using a corresponding URL from the database 14 to fetch the content 21 via HTTP. The system 12 then marks the content 21 cached on disk 25 . Caching in Memory. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of content caching in memory within a stream sourcing content delivery system 12 . The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 not only caches content 21 on disk 25 , but also caches content 21 in memory 27 , shortly before the content 21 plays. Each time a track 21 finishes streaming, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 typically looks ahead at the next two tracks 21 that it will stream. The system 12 then checks to see if these tracks 21 are in memory 27 . If such a track 21 is not in memory 27 , the system 12 reads the track 21 off of disk 25 into memory 27 . Therefore, at any given time, there are typically two tracks 21 per station 30 cached in memory 27 waiting to be streamed, which reduces the load on the system 12 when the data is sent. As seen in FIG. 6 , when the system finishes 142 streaming a track 21 , a determination 144 is made whether the next track is cached in memory 27 . If the determination 152 is positive 152 , the system 12 proceeds to analyze 154 the next track 21 , while incrementing a counter. If the determination 152 is negative 146 , the system 12 reads 148 the file off the disk 25 and caches to memory 27 , while incrementing a counter. At step 154 , a determination is made whether the second track to be played 21 is cached in memory 27 . If the determination 154 is positive 162 , the system 12 proceeds to analyze 154 the third track 21 . If the determination 154 is negative 156 , the system 12 reads 158 the file off the disk 25 and caches to memory 27 , while incrementing the counter. At step 164 , a determination is made whether the third track to be played 21 is cached in memory 27 . If the determination 164 is positive 162 , the system 12 sleeps 174 until the next track 21 finishes streaming. If the determination 154 is negative 166 , the system 12 reads 168 the file off the disk 25 and caches to memory 27 , while incrementing the counter. Removing Content from Disk. The removal of content 21 from disk 25 is left to operations to manage. Since the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 does a system “touch” 120 , 130 ( FIG. 5 ) on a file 21 when the system 12 anticipates using the file 21 , the identification of stale content 21 is readily performed. In some embodiments of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 , a chronological content removal process, i.e. a “cron” job, is performed periodically, e.g. once every hour, in which any content 21 that is older than a specified time, e.g. 6-12 hours old, is removed. Removing Content from Memory. When the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 finishes streaming a file, the system 12 frees the memory 27 for the track 21 . Content 21 is typically cached in memory 27 uniquely for each stream 28 . Therefore, there can be an overlap of content 21 between streams 28 in the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 . Stream Management. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of content stream management within a stream sourcing content delivery system 12 . The stream sourcing content delivery stream management functions similarly to “producer consumer” model. As seen in FIG. 7 , there is a buffer 186 , e.g. 186 a for each stream 28 , e.g. 28 a , that is required to receive new content 21 , to remain as full 188 as possible. The input thread 181 attempts 182 a - 182 p to fill 188 each of the buffers 186 a - 186 p , such as through a loop process 184 . At the same time, there is a thread 190 , e.g. 190 a that is sending data from the buffer 186 to connected listeners/relays 192 a - 192 p , such as through loop 194 , preferably at the bit rate for each stream 28 . . There is typically a single thread 181 which feeds all of the buffers 186 from the files 21 cached in memory 27 , and one thread 190 per system 12 CPU which sends data from the buffer 186 to receivers 192 , e.g. 192 a. Starting the Stream. When a stream 28 first starts, unless the system 12 is in a failure condition, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 attempts to start playing the next track 21 at the scheduled start time for the track 21 . This ensures that multiple stream sourcing content delivery instances 12 are synchronized, both with other stream sourcing content delivery instances 12 , and with and database 14 . Stream Format. Data is read from the cached files in memory 27 , and is preferably encapsulated. The data is then fed into the circular buffer 186 for each stream 18 . Metadata Insertion. Metadata 210 for each track 21 is inserted just before the track data 21 is fed into the buffer 186 . Metadata 210 is stored along with scheduled tracks 21 in the database 21 . The metadata 210 is preferably formatted within the database 14 . The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 retrieves metadata 210 , along with the playlist item information 21 . At the time that the track 21 will play, the metadata 210 is encapsulated, using the metaclass and metatype from the stream configuration, and the metadata message 210 is added the buffer 186 . In some system embodiments 12 , “0x901” is used for cached metadata 210 . Relay Functionality. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 exposes a listen thread, which is responsible for listening for inbound connections. When a connection is established, a relay negotiation occurs, such as in compliance with a relay protocol. Upon a successful negotiation, the file descriptor for the non-blocking socket is added to the listener send list. Time Management. Some embodiments of the stream sourcing content system 12 require that a client 32 be able to display a time elapsed per song 21 . While song-lengths 204 , e.g. 204 a ( FIG. 8 ), are normally passed down along with song changes, a listener is not guaranteed to tune in during a song-change, i.e. just as a new song 21 begins. Therefore, some preferred embodiments of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 are adapted to display time-remaining information 214 ( FIG. 8 ), such as within metadata 210 , which is inserted into the datastream 28 . In an exemplary embodiment of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 which displays time-remaining information 214 , the system 12 reads the length 204 of a track 21 as one of the data fields in the playlist fetch. As a song 21 is ready to be streamed, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 looks at the corresponding time, and creates the following cached metadata message: Class = 0x5 Type = 0x000 MID = incremental from startup MTOT = 0x00000001 MCURR = 0x00000001 Payload = [size of track in bytes][bytes sent] (these are both integers) After every N seconds, e.g. N=2 seconds, until the end of the track 21 , the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 sends the 0x5000 message. However, instead of t=0 in the payload, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 estimates the amount of time that has elapsed 212 ( FIG. 8 ) in the track 21 , and inserts that value: Payload=len=<track length in seconds>;t=<time elapsed>.  (1) The frequency of the repeated pass-thru metadata 210 is preferably configurable. In some preferred system embodiments, the display of elapsed time 212 comprises the following features: The system 12 looks for the first occurrence of a 0x5000 message, calculates the time remaining 214 for the given clipid, and initializes the display and timer to decrement the value. The system 12 disregards subsequent 0x5000 messages until the clipid changes. If the timer hits 0 before the system 12 sees a 0x5000 with a new clipid, the system 12 typically grays out the time remaining, i.e. this could occur if there is any drift, or if the time in the database is not exact. On a song-change, the system 12 uses the song-length information 204 in the 0x3000 message, to initialize the timer. Failover & Recovery Conditions. Database is Down on Startup. Most embodiments of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 keep a time snapshot, e.g. 5 minutes, of station information 30 , playlists 18 , and metadata 210 . After each time period database sequence, e.g. after every 5 minutes, some embodiments of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 writes a file to disk called FAIL 0 .bin. FAIL 0 .bin which contains station information 30 , playlists 18 , and metadata 210 for all streams 18 . Database and Content Store are Down at Startup. If FAIL 0 .bin doesn't exist and the database 14 is unavailable, the stream sourcing content delivery system exits. Database and Content Store Fail for a Short Time. On a database sequence failure, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 increases the frequency of polling the database 14 to every 30 seconds. For HTTP content grabs, the following applies: HTTP 500 —retry in 10 seconds; log the error HTTP 404 —ignored; after X 404 's in a row, log the error HTTP unavailable—retry in 30 seconds; log the error Database & Content Store Fail for an Extended Time. If the database 14 and content store 20 fail for an extended period, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 typically continues to advance through the playlist 18 . If the system 12 reaches the second-to-last playlist item 21 , the system 12 goes into a “looping mode” 200 , and a log entry is preferably made, to note the required looping operation 200 . The first track 21 in the playlist 18 is then cached into memory 27 . After each track 21 finishes streaming, the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 checks for new items in the playlist 18 , to stop the looping operation 200 if possible, i.e. to resume normal streaming of content 21 . Periodic Synchronization. Some embodiments of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 comprise a periodic synchronization, such as to compensate for any time drift between playlists 18 . For example, in some system embodiments 12 , whereby multiple stream sourcing content delivery processes may drift in their playlists 18 by small amounts over time, e.g. the course of a day, a synchronization may preferably be periodically performed, e.g. daily, to minimize the overall drift. For example, in a system embodiment 12 which comprises a daily synchronization, the synchronization process is preferably performed at a time which minimizes the disruption of content playback for users, such as at late night or early morning. For example, in an exemplary daily synchronization methodology, on embodiment of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 stops and then begins streaming the next track that is scheduled for 5:00AM for a station 30 . While such a synchronization could cause a cut in the song 21 that is being listening to, the process ensures that the system servers are synchronization, and would affect only a small group of users. System Configuration. Some embodiments of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 allow for the configuration of the following parameters: PortBase: The port that listeners(blades) can connect to MaxUser: The maximum number of listeners that the server will accept. Password: Password for logging into the administrative interface. LogFile: Path to the logfile DBName: DatabaseID for Stream sourcing content delivery to use to log into the DB. DBUser: UserID for Stream sourcing content delivery to use to log into the DB. DBPassword: Password for the DB. BroadcasterID: Maps to a table in the database to retrieve information about which streams this instance of stream sourcing content delivery is responsible for. FlavorID: Streaming service MaxPlaylist: The maximum number of playlist items in memory for an individual; its what it will loop on, in the event of db failure RealTime ScreenLog CpuCount: number of CPU's in the machine, if Stream sourcing content delivery cant detect it, which it does for solaris, but for Linux, it cannot. GMTOffset: the “sysops” have to set this so that the DB, which is GMT based, returns the correct time to the stream sourcing content delivery for track play Logging. FIG. 9 is a first chart 220 a of system logging for a stream sourcing content 10 delivery system 12 . FIG. 10 is a second chart 220 b of system logging for a stream sourcing content delivery system 12 . FIG. 11 is a third chart of system logging 220 c for a stream sourcing content delivery system 12 . FIG. 12 shows database schema 250 for a stream sourcing content delivery system 12 . System Advantages. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 and associated methods provide significant advantages over existing content delivery and broadcast systems, and provides improvements to the scheduling, caching, and/or playing of content, e.g. songs. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 delivers content 21 and metadata 210 to multiple distribution points 26 , and is able to broadcast content indefinitely if the database 12 or content store 20 fails. If a connection is lost between the stream sourcing content delivery server 12 and the content store 20 , the system 12 goes into a looping behavior 200 , whereby the user's experience is uninterrupted. The looping behavior is avoids content blackouts for the user, i.e. the loop 200 is of sufficient length that it is typically not noticeable, and is preferably DMCA compliant. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 is also readily scaled to the number of broadcast streams 28 a - 28 k , and allows operations to easily manage the source complex. The stream sourcing content delivery system 12 is readily expanded and scaled for a large number of stations 32 , distribution points 26 , clients, relays, and/or listeners. A plurality of systems 12 can readily be operated together, and may further comprise load balancing between systems 12 . As well, datastreams within the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 preferably comprise metadata associated with the steam and/or songs, e.g. to create song boundaries, as well as controlled buffering and synchronization. Preferred embodiments of the stream sourcing content delivery system 12 sends content, on a per file basis, at a bit rate which matches the actual bit rate of reception and use, which avoids either over run or under run of data transfer. Although the stream sourcing content delivery system and methods of use are described herein in connection with the delivery of music, i.e. songs, the apparatus and techniques can be implemented for a wide variety of electronic content, such as a wide variety of audio content, e.g. songs, dialog, discussion, video content, multimedia content, or any combination thereof, as desired. Although the stream sourcing content delivery system and methods of use are described herein in connection with personal computers, mobile devices, and other microprocessor-based devices, such as portable digital assistants or network enabled cell phones, the apparatus and techniques can be implemented for a wide variety of electronic devices and systems, or any combination thereof, as desired. As well, while the stream sourcing content delivery system and methods of use are described herein in connection with interaction between a user terminals and one or more radio station sites across a network such as the Internet, the stream sourcing content delivery system and methods of use can be implemented for a wide variety of electronic devices and networks or any combination thereof, as desired. Accordingly, although the invention has been described in detail with reference to a particular preferred embodiment, persons possessing ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains will appreciate that various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims that follow.

The stream sourcing content delivery system goes to a database and builds a physical stream, based on a schedule. The stream source content delivery system works at a station ID (SID), finds the order of the delivery of content for the station based upon the schedule, and downloads a plurality of music files to its hard drive to enable play back. The stream source content delivery system then concatenates the files, to create stream, and awaits the request of one or more stream recipients. Some preferred system embodiments further comprise a fail-safe mode, whereby a loop of music is generated from the downloaded stream, and is delivered to one or more users when further access to content is interrupted, such that recipients experience an uninterrupted delivery of a plurality of files, e.g. songs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention falls into the general category of being a tool for archery and into the specific category of being a tool for the precision mechanical release of archery bowstrings. [0002] In traditional archery, an archer will grip his bow by a handle midway along the spine of a bow and hold the bow at full arm's length with one arm. With an arrow in position and notched on the bowstring, the archer will pull the bowstring back with the other arm as far as he is able to pull it while holding on to the taught bowstring with three fingers while aiming the bow and then releasing the bowstring with the said three fingers. This is ancient art in the field of archery. [0003] However, in the field of modern archery, there have been developed several devices to improve various aspects of this field's practice. Perhaps the largest development has been the invention of the compound bow. However, another significant development has been the invention of the mechanical bowstring release. The mechanical bowstring release assures a smooth and precision release of the bowstring that is impossible to match with the use of human fingers. [0004] The typical bowstring release in the prior art is comprised of a single column of cylindrical or rectangular cross section that contains one or two jaws for holding a bowstring taught when the jaw or jaws are closed and also a trigger for opening the jaws to release the bowstring. The release will sometimes also possess a solid attached handle to be grasped by the archer's palm and fingers, the said handle being attached collinearly or perpendicularly to the column. More often, however, the single column bowstring release will have an attached flexible wrist strap that that the archer has around his wrist as he grips the single column body of the release. A typical archery bowstring release and attached wrist strap are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,167 to Scott. [0005] The problem with all prior art bowstring releases is that the release trigger is always situated behind the release jaw or jaws. This fact means that the final position of the bowstring right before release will always be a bit less than the position of the archer's fingers in terms of the draw length of the drawn bow. [0006] It would be advantageous to possess a bowstring release in which the release jaws are behind the release trigger because that much distance would be added to the bowstring draw for the same position of the archer's hand instead of subtracted from the bowstring draw that occurs when the release jaws are in front of the release trigger. This is so for two reasons. The longer the draw is, the more force there will be behind the shot of the arrow. Also, the arm drawing the bowstring has more muscle power in the middle part of the draw when the drawing hand is in front of the archer's chest than when the drawing hand is at the end of the draw when the drawing hand is at the side of the archer's chest. [0007] The problem in designing a bowstring release in which the jaws are behind the release trigger is how to place the jaws in relation to the trigger so that the released bowstring will not hit the trigger or the archer's fingers. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The archery bowstring release presented here is essentially comprised of a long trigger column rigidly fixed to a short pincer column at an acute angle (that is, an angle less than 90 degrees). This configuration of the release results in the pincer jaws being a few inches behind the trigger in relation to the bowstring. Normally, the jaws of the pincer are closed. However, when the trigger is pressed, a rod in the trigger column is depressed which rod then depresses a plate-rod in the pincer column, such second rod moving away from the pincer feet so as to allow a spring to open the jaws of the pincer. This archery bowstring release is used with a wrist strap to help the archer's hand to grip the trigger column of the release. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] The archery bowstring release of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings. [0010] FIG. 1 shows a top view of the release along with a standard type wrist band attached to it. This view is looking down from the top of the bowstring toward the bottom of the bowstring as if the bowstring is running into the page of the figure. [0011] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the release/wrist band assembly, as if the bowstring is running from the top of the page to the bottom of the page. FIG. 2 is the view that is obtained if FIG. 1 is rotated ninety degrees into its page. [0012] FIG. 3 is a cross section view of FIG. 1 , that is, a top view of the release and wrist band. [0013] FIG. 4 is a cross section view of FIG. 2 , that is, a side view of the release and wrist band. [0014] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are views of the disassembled parts of the bowstring release and how they are assembled to make the release. FIG. 5 shows the long rod that goes inside the trigger column and also shows a side view and a top view of the trigger column, along with the trigger. FIG. 6 shows a top view and a side view of one pincer, along with the spring, ball bearing, and roller wheel that go inside it. FIG. 6 also shows a side view and a top view of the short pincer column, along with the rod-in-plate and the spring that go inside it. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0015] Looking at FIGS. 1-6 simultaneously, it is seen that this archery bowstring release 9 is comprised of a long trigger column 11 rigidly fixed to a short pincer column 23 at an acute angle, that is, an angle less than ninety degrees. The column 11 and the column 23 are rigidly fixed together by welding at the seam 13 between the two columns. The inventor has found that in the best mode of this invention, the angle between the two columns is 20 degrees. The two columns 11 and 23 can be columns of rectangular cross section or columns of oval or round cross section. The inventor has found that columns of round cross section, that is, cylindrical columns are the preferred mode of construction of this invention although the inventor has also constructed this invention using square cross section columns. The bowstring release 9 is preferably made of all metal parts. [0016] Running through the axis of the long column 11 is a hole 46 . Inside this hole 46 fits a movable rod 43 . Also in the column 11 is a slot 45 in which the trigger 31 is held by pinion 29 fitting tightly into a thin hole 70 in the column 11 . The pivot angle of the trigger 31 within the slot 45 of the column is lessoned by an adjustable threaded bolt 30 which screws into a threaded hole 62 of the column 11 . [0017] The short pincer column 23 holds two pincers 28 and 26 . These two pincers are held in a slot 86 in the column 23 by two rods 12 and 24 that extend through two holes 87 and 88 in the slot 86 in the column 23 . The two pincers 26 and 28 can pivot about the two rods 24 and 12 . In addition the two pincers 28 and 26 also pivot about a ball bearing 51 which sits within two hemispheric holes 80 and 90 , one each in each pincer. Each pincer foot 47 and 50 has slot (see slot 89 ) that holds a roller wheel 48 and 35 that is held in the pincer foot 47 and 50 by an axle 82 and 90 , respectively. Each pincer 28 and 26 also has a hole 54 and 52 into both of which fits a small spring 53 , that normally pushes against the jaws of the pincers so as to open them if the pincers are not otherwise restrained. [0018] However, the pincers 28 and 26 are so restrained from opening by a rod 36 which is pressed up between the feet 47 and 50 of the pincers. This rod 36 passes between the two roller balls 48 and 35 and on through a rectangular plate 42 to which such rod 36 is rigidly attached and which can be referred to as a rod-in-plate 91 . The rod-in-plate 91 is normally kept pressed against the feet 47 and 50 of the pincers by a large spring 41 through which extends the rod 36 and which spring sits in a slot 85 in the short column 23 and a short well 92 . Running along the axis of column 23 is a hole 49 in which the rod 36 movers back and forth when the trigger 31 in the long column is pressed. This trigger 31 presses down the rod 43 which presses backward the plate 42 which moves back the rod 36 from the feet 47 and 50 of the pincers 28 and 26 which pincers then pivot so as to open their jaws which then release the bowstring from the space 25 between the jaws of the pincers. Thus, when no pressure is exerted on the trigger 31 the pincers 28 and 26 stay closed, but when the trigger 31 is pressed back, the pincers 28 and 26 stay open. [0019] The present inventor always uses this release 9 is with a wrist strap 10 . For the purpose of attaching the wrist strap 10 to the release 9 , the short column 23 has a slot 83 in which a squared off U shaped beam 20 is placed and secured to the column 23 with a hex bolt 21 which has a hex well 37 . The wrist strap 10 has two loops 7 and 8 made by the sewing seams 19 and 38 respectively. The two arms 22 and 40 of the U beam 20 are placed respectively into the loops 7 and 8 to attach the wrist strap 10 to the release 9 . The strap 18 of the wrist strap 10 has loop 6 made by the sewing seam 17 through which is attached a loop ring 16 . Through the other side of the loop ring 16 is placed a Velcro “hook” strap 15 which adheres to a “loop” strap on the other side of the wrist strap 10 . The wrist strap can be tightened or loosened by adjusting the length of “hook” strap 15 that is pulled through loop ring 16 . The wrist strap also has an extra inner layer of strap 14 for cushioning on the wrist during operation of the combination release 9 and wrist strap 10 . There are a number of ways of attaching a wrist strap to an archery bowstring release which are well known in the art. The method of attachment explained above is simply one example preferred by the inventor. [0020] The combination release 9 and wrist strap 10 are operated by the archer placing his hand through the wrist strap 10 , placing the release 9 on the back of his hand between his thumb and index finger, or on the palm side of his hand, and adjusting it for preferred tightness The archer then places his index finger of that hand on the trigger 31 and presses the trigger backward toward his wrist. The pincer jaws open. The bowstring or its release loop is then placed in the space 25 between the jaws. The trigger 31 is then releases closing the pincer jaws around the bowstring or its notch loop. The bowstring is then drawn back by the archer. The archer aims his bow at the target. Then the archer presses the trigger backward. The pincer jaws open up, and the released bowstring quickly propels the arrow to its target.

Disclosed is an archery bowstring release that increases the power and length of the draw by having the pincer of the release being recessed a few inches behind the trigger of the release in relation to the bowstring. The present release achieves this result by having a long trigger column rigidly joined to a short pincer column at an acute angle of 20 degrees. A standard type wrist strap is preferably always used in the operation of this release.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 09/903,336, filed Jul. 11, 2001 by DeLine et al. for MIRROR-BASED AUDIO SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,466,136, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 09/396,179, filed Sep. 14, 1999 by DeLine et al. for INDICATOR FOR VEHICLE ACCESSORY, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,377, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 09/382,720, filed Aug. 25, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,003, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to an indicator for a vehicle accessory and, more particularly, to an indicator for a microphone for use in receiving an audio signal within a vehicle. Many vehicles today use hands-free cellular telephones or other communication devices to avoid problems which may arise when a driver of a vehicle has to hold a telephone while driving the vehicle. These hand-free devices include a microphone to receive an audio signal from within the vehicle. It is known to include directional or polar microphones in these devices, which constrain the area covered by the microphone to an area where voices would typically originate, such as a driver's head area. In certain applications, these microphones are implemented in an interior rearview mirror, such that the microphone is positioned in front of the driver and at approximately the same level as the head of the driver. However, the location of the mirror may be at a distance which is beyond the optimal operative range of the microphone, due to the forward slant of the windshield away from the driver and the location at which the mirror is mounted thereto. Furthermore, rearview mirrors are adjustable to account for different sized drivers, which may result in the microphone being directed away from the head of the driver or other occupants, and thus receiving other noises from within the cabin of the vehicle. An additional issue with known mirror-mounted microphones (such as interior rearview, mirror assemblies with a microphone located within the movable mirror housing and/or the mirror mounting bracket, such as a header mounting bracket) is that typically, audio or communication devices in vehicles are optional. Accordingly, separate mirror housings and wiring bundles or harnesses are required to accommodate the standard mirror and the optional mirror which includes the microphone or other accessories such as a vehicle alarm status indicator. This leads to a proliferation of parts within the vehicle assembly plants, which further results in increased costs to the vehicle. Many vehicles which offer hands-free communication devices mount the microphones in a headliner console rearward of the windshield and along the ceiling of the interior cabin of the vehicle. By mounting the microphones in the headliner console, the microphones may be in a substantially fixed position and directed toward the driver head area within the vehicle. However, this positions the microphone substantially above the driver where it may not optimally pick up the voice signal of the driver, since the driver's voice is directed generally forwardly while the driver continues to view the roadway, while the microphone is directed generally downwardly from the ceiling. Furthermore, locating the microphones in a headliner console adds to the vehicle costs, due to additional installation processes and more costly parts, such as additional ceiling trim, console components and the like. Also, locating the microphone in a headliner console fails to avoid the requirement of at least two separate headliner consoles to accommodate the optional microphone verses a console without the microphone. An additional issue with communication devices in vehicles is that when the device is in use, the user may not be certain that the message conveyed is properly received by the other party. This may be especially troublesome when the other party is an automated voice system which responds to a particular voice communication. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a microphone which may be mounted generally forwardly of the driver of the vehicle, and fixedly mounted to maintain proper orientation with respect to the driver of the vehicle. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to provide an indicator for a microphone or accessory module, and preferably for an indicator for a microphone mounted in, at or on an interior rearview mirror assembly to comprise part of an interior rearview mirror system. The microphone or accessory module preferably mounts along an upper, inner edge of the windshield of a vehicle to direct the microphone, which is preferably a polar or directional microphone, generally downwardly and rearwardly toward the driver of the vehicle, and most preferably, towards the head of the driver, in order to best pick up vocal communication from the driver's mouth. The indicator provides an indication signal, preferably a visual indication signal, to the user of the microphone which indicates whether the voice communication from the user is adequately being received and preferably whether the communication is adequately being discriminated from other audible inputs received by the microphone that are non-vocal. Thus, the indicator provides an indication signal that an adequately high vocal signal to audible non-vocal noise discrimination ratio is occurring. The accessory module is adaptable for use on a vehicle with a rearview mirror which is separately mounted on the interior surface of the windshield such as a button mounted rearview mirror, and may further include a wire cover extending downwardly from the module to the mounting button of the rearview mirror. The wire cover functions to cover any mirror wiring harness which may connect the rearview mirror assembly to a vehicle wiring harness, typically within the headliner of the vehicle. According to an aspect of the present invention, an audio system for a vehicle comprises a microphone and an indicator. The vehicle has a cabin and a windshield. The microphone is operable to receive audio signals from within the cabin. The audio signals include vocal signals generated by the human voices of vehicle occupants. The indicator is operable to communicate a receiving status of the audio signals to a user of the audio system and is adapted to indicate to the driver and/or other occupants of the vehicle that a voice generated vocal signal is being appropriately received by the audio system that the microphone feeds, and that the vocal signal is being appropriately and substantially discriminated compared to other audible non-vocal signals picked up by the microphone, such as HVAC noise, wind noise, music and the like. The indicator may communicate a receiving status of the microphone and/or a receiving status of another party remote from the vehicle. Thus, the indicator operates to confirm to the driver that verbal inputs/commands/messages/sentences, as spoken by the driver have been received at the microphone and processed by the audio system with sufficient clarity and volume, such that the verbal inputs/commands/messages/sentences have been adequately correctly received. This is of particular importance when the driver and/or occupants of the vehicle are communicating via the microphone/audio system in the vehicle via radio transmission to a receiver remote from the vehicle. Such remote receivers can provide a variety of services that are selected by and/or are dependent on clear and audible voice input received from the vehicular audio system. For example, a concierge-type service can be provided, whereby a restaurant, address, etc., listing can be provided. Also, the vehicle occupant may be voice communicating with an automatic computer based service, such as airline reservation services and the like, where the driver must select menu items through verbal input of an alphanumeric (typically a number) input. Lack of clarity and/or volume and/or the presence of noise may lead to an incorrect selection at the remote receiving party, unbeknownst to the vehicle based driver and/or occupant. The indicator of the present invention thus provides to the driver and/or occupants of the vehicle an indication that verbal input to the audio system in the vehicle is being adequately correctly received by the audio system in the vehicle and/or, more preferably, is being adequately received after transmission to the remote receiver. Thus, by having an adequately clear reception by the remote receiver external to the vehicle confirmed back to the vehicular audio system, and by having this indicated to the driver and/or other occupants by the indicator of the present invention, protection is provided against inadequate communication, even caused by interference during the transmission from the vehicle to the remote receiver or receiving party. According to another aspect of the present invention, an accessory module comprises at least one microphone for receiving audio signals from within a cabin of a vehicle, at least one indicator, and a housing for mounting the microphone. The vehicle includes a windshield, an interior rearview mirror mounted to an interior surface of the windshield, and a headliner extending along an upper edge of the windshield. The indicator is operable to communicate a receiving status of the audio signals to a user of the audio system. The housing for the microphone is preferably mountable between the headliner and the rearview mirror. The microphone and indicator of the accessory module (and any other accessory housed within the accessory module) are electronically connectable to a vehicle wiring within the headliner. Preferably, accessories, such as the microphone and the indicator, are detachably connectable to the vehicle wiring, such as by a plug and socket connector (for example, a multi-pin electrical plug and socket connector system), so that the module can be optionally installed to the vehicle with ease. This is particularly advantageous in circumstances when the interior mirror is a non-electrical mirror, such as a base prismatic mirror. In one form, the rearview mirror is electronically connected to the vehicle wiring harness. Preferably, the accessory module further includes a wire cover to encase a wire harness between the rearview mirror and the accessory module. More preferably, the microphone, indicator and mirror are connectable with the vehicle wiring in the headliner. According to another aspect of the present invention, an accessory module for a vehicle comprises at least one microphone for receiving audio signals from within a cabin of the vehicle, a microphone housing for mounting the microphone, and an interior rearview mirror assembly. The vehicle includes a windshield and a headliner extending along an upper, inner edge of the windshield. The microphone is electronically connectable to a vehicle wiring harness within the headliner. The microphone housing is mountable to the windshield adjacent to the headliner. The mirror assembly includes a mirror wire harness and a mirror housing. The mirror wire harness is electronically connectable to the vehicle wiring harness in the headliner. An indicator may be provided for the audio system to communicate an audio signal receiving status to a user of the audio system. In one form, the mirror assembly further includes a mounting button for mounting the mirror assembly to an interior surface of the windshield. The mounting button may be interconnected to the microphone housing via a wire cover extending between the microphone housing and the mounting button and at least partially encasing the mirror wire harness and/or the mounting button itself. The indicator may be mounted on at least one of the accessory module, the mirror housing, a module/pod attached to the mounting button, and the mounting button. In another form, the microphone housing includes a mirror mounting arm which extends generally downwardly therefrom. The mirror housing is pivotally interconnected to a lower end of the mounting arm. The mirror wire harness is at least partially encased within the mounting arm. Accordingly, the present invention provides an indicator for a microphone or accessory module for use with an audio system, such as a hands-free cellular telephone, audio recording device, emergency communication device or the like. The indicator provides a signal to a user of the audio system which communicates whether a human vocal audio signal being received by the audio system is above a threshold level and/or is at least substantially discriminated from other audible noise, so that the vocal signal to non-vocal audible signals received by the audio system from the microphone exceeds a predetermined threshold ratio. Preferably, this ratio is at least 2:1. Most preferably, this ratio is at least 10:1. The microphone and indicator may be mounted in the vehicle cabin, and preferably is mounted as part of the interior rearview mirror system. The accessory module may contain the microphone and/or the indicator and is preferably mounted above the mirror between the mirror and the headliner of the vehicle, which provides a fixed location of the microphone for maintaining proper orientation of the microphone with respect to the vehicle interior. The indicator may be mounted at the accessory module, a rearview mirror housing, behind the mirror reflector in the housing so as to illuminate through the reflector, a rearview mirror mounting portion or a headliner of the vehicle. Because the accessory module is a separate component from the mirror and headliner, additional mirror or headliner console components for mounting the microphone are not required. The present invention facilitates fewer parts in the assembly plant since the headliner and mirror assembly may be the same part regardless of whether the audio or communication device associated with the invention is to be installed within the vehicle. Furthermore, because the accessory module does not require special headliners or mirrors, the accessory module may be easily installed as an aftermarket device. These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of this invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the microphone module of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a side elevation shown partially in section of the microphone module in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a similar side elevation as that in FIG. 2, showing an alternate electrical connection and mounting bracket for the microphone module; FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view of the microphone module taken along the line IV—IV in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a similar side elevation as that in FIG. 2, showing a microphone module without a wire cover but including a self-coiling wire harness; FIG. 6 is an elevation looking forwardly in a vehicle cabin of a microphone module and mirror housing having controls mounted thereon; FIG. 7 is a side elevation shown partially in section of a microphone module and mirror housing having various electrical and/or electronic components therein; FIG. 8 is a similar side elevation as that in FIG. 2 of an alternate embodiment of the present invention, having a rearview mirror mounted to an arm extending downwardly from the microphone module; and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an interior rearview mirror incorporating the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now specifically to the drawings, and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, an accessory or microphone module 10 is mounted adjacent to a vehicle windshield 12 , as shown in FIG. 1 . Microphone module 10 may be implemented in the vehicle in association with an audio system, such as a cellular telephone, a recording device, such as a dictation system, an emergency communication device, such as the ONSTAR system commercially available in certain General Motors vehicles, or any other audio device which may include a microphone or audio receiving device. Preferably, the manually actuated buttons to operate the ONSTAR system are mounted at a movable housing 16 b of an interior rear view mirror assembly 16 , such as is shown generally at 13 in FIG. 1 . The vehicle includes a headliner 14 , which at least partially covers the ceiling of an interior passenger compartment of the vehicle and has a forward edge 14 a which interfaces with an upper edge 12 a of windshield 12 . An interior rearview mirror assembly 16 may be mounted to an interior surface 12 b of windshield 12 , typically at a position spaced downwardly from upper edge 12 a and the position of module 10 . Microphone module 10 includes at least one microphone 18 which is fixedly secured within a microphone housing 20 and is directed toward an area generally defined by the location of a head of a typical driver of the vehicle. An indicator 72 is included for providing an audio signal receiving status message to a user of the audio system. The message conveys to the user whether the audio signal was adequately received by the microphone 18 and/or a receiving party of the audio system which is remote from the vehicle. The audio system of the vehicle, such as the ONSTAR vehicle system, communicates with the receiving party, typically via a satellite transmission of radio frequencies or via a terrestrial radio frequency transmission system involving multiple receivers, transmitters, and/or repeaters. Microphone module 10 may further include a wire cover 22 which extends downwardly between housing 20 and mirror assembly 16 to encase or cover a mirror wire harness 24 , which may be included in mirror assembly 16 to provide power or control signals to components or accessories which may be mounted within or associated with mirror assembly 16 . As shown in FIG. 2, mirror assembly 16 may include a conventional mounting button 16 a and a mirror housing 16 b supporting a prismatic, electro-optic or electrochromic reflective element 16 d . Mounting button 16 a may be adhesively secured to interior surface 12 b of windshield 12 at a location substantially below forward edge 14 a of headliner 14 and upper edge 12 a of windshield 12 , as is known in the art. Mirror housing 16 b is pivotally mounted to mounting button 16 a via an arm 16 c , which is pivotally interconnected to button 16 a or housing 16 b , or both, such that housing 16 b is pivotally adjustable about mounting arm 16 c . Alternately, mounting arm 16 c terminates at the vehicle headliner to pivotally mount the mirror assembly to the headliner of the vehicle. Mirror housing 16 b encases a reflector 16 d (FIG. 7) for reflecting an image of a scene generally rearwardly of the vehicle to the driver (and with the mirror housing being adjustable by the driver), and a bezel 16 e which retains reflector 16 d in housing 16 b , as is well known in the art. Mirror wire harness 24 extends generally upwardly from mirror housing 16 b to headliner 14 for electrical connection with a vehicle wiring harness 28 (FIG. 3 ). Mirror wire harness 24 provides electrical power and/or control signals to the mirror assembly 16 or various mirror mounted accessories within assembly 16 , such as power for electro-optic/electrochromic mirrors, interior lights (such as map lights in the mirror housing), and displays such as for compass headings, temperatures, passenger airbag status, or the like. Headliner 14 extends along upper edge 12 a of windshield 12 and may be a plastic trim panel to secure a fabric ceiling cover and provide an aesthetically pleasing finish between the windshield and the fabric ceiling cover of the vehicle. Alternately, headliner 14 may be a forward portion of the fabric cover or a ceiling console. Headliner 14 may further include other trim or headliner console components (not shown), for storing various articles, such as sunglasses, garage door openers or the like or for housing other components or accessories associated with the vehicle. Indicator 72 is operable with microphone 18 and the audio system to provide a signal to a user of the audio system, typically the driver of the vehicle, which conveys a level of reception of the user's vocal signal by the audio system. Indicator 72 may be used with microphone 18 as part of an interior rearview mirror system. The interior rearview mirror system may comprise a reflective element positioned in a mirror housing 16 b. The housing 16 b may be pivotally mounted to a mounting arm 16 c which terminates at a mirror mount, such as at a mounting button or the like secured to the windshield and/or a mount at a header of the vehicle. The mirror system may include pods, gondolas, modules, or the like, attached to one or more of the housing, arm and mount. The mirror system may further include a wire cover and/or any microphone and/or accessory module. The mirror system may further include indicator 72 , microphone 18 and/or other vehicle accessories mounted at, on or in the mirror assembly 16 , such as at housing 16 b, mounting arm 16 c, mounting button 16 a, or a pod or module attached thereto. Indicator 72 and microphone 18 and/or other accessories may otherwise be mounted at accessory module 10 , without affecting the scope of the present invention. Preferably, indicator 72 provides a receiving status signal in response to a reception of the audio signal by the audio system reaching a threshold level of clarity and/or volume. The signal may communicate the reception status of the microphone, so as to alert the driver to speak up or speak more clearly. Preferably, the indicator signal indicates when a human voice signal is being adequately received by the microphone. Alternately, or in addition to the reception status of the microphone, the indicator signal may communicate the reception status of a receiving party of the communication which is remote from the vehicle, such as another party's cellular phone or the ONSTAR receiving station. For example, the indicator may be connected to a control (not shown) of the audio system and may receive a signal from the receiving party external to the vehicle, such as from the receiving station of the ONSTAR system, which indicates whether the message sent by the user in the vehicle was adequately received by the ONSTAR system. Preferably, indicator 72 is operable with a control (not shown) which discriminates between vocal signals and other audible inputs received by microphone 18 which are non-vocal. The indicator 72 thus provides a signal that an adequately high voice signal to audible noise discrimination ratio is occurring. The indicator may indicate when an audible signal received by the audio system is above a threshold level. Preferably, the indicator indicates when the audible signal is a vocal signal which is discriminated from other audible noise, such as HVAC noise, wind noise, music and the like, so the vocal signal to non-vocal signal received by the audio system is at or above a predetermined threshold ratio. Preferably, this ratio is at least approximately 2:1. Most preferably, this ratio is at least approximately 10:1. Preferably, indicator 72 provides a visual indication of the quality of the reception of the audio signals. Preferably, indicator 72 is a solid state light emitter such as a light emitting diode (LED), is a phosphorescent element or display or is a tell-tale, such as an LED backlit icon. However, indicator 72 may be an incandescent bulb, an incandescent backlit tell-tale, or any other illumination source, without affecting the scope of the present invention. The indicator may then display when the microphone and/or audio system is receiving and distinguishing or discriminating a good signal. For example, if the signal is adequately received, indicator 72 may be activated to provide an illumination signal to the driver, and if the signal is poor or is breaking up between the vehicle and the receiving end of the communication, the indicator may be deactivated or flashed to alert the user. Indicator 72 may also be operable as another signaling device when the audio system is not in use or is over ridden when it is desired to display the status of another vehicle function. For example, indicator 72 may provide a security system status indication (discussed below) or a status of other operable systems or controls within the vehicle. Preferably, indicator 72 would provide a status indication of a system or control which is not typically activated when the audio system would be in use, such as the security system, which is typically activated when a driver leaves the vehicle. Preferably, the intensity of indicator 72 is modulated dependent upon the vehicle cabin ambient light level. Thus, for example, the indicator intensity is decreased during night time driving conditions to better suit the then darkened cabin lighting environment. This can be achieved such as by use of a photo-detector (such as the ambient and/or glare photodetector commonly used in electrochromic (EC) automatic dimming interior rearview mirror assemblies) or may be tied to the vehicle lighting instrument panel system so that the intensity of indicator 72 dims in tandem with the dimming of, for example, the instrument panel displays. It is further envisioned that the indicator 72 may include multiple light emitters 72 a , 72 b , 72 c , 72 d , and 72 e , as shown in FIG. 9 . The number of indicators illuminated would then provide an estimate to the user of the strength and/or quality of the audio signal being communicated. For example, if the signal is very strong or clear, all of the multiple light emitters may be illuminated, while if the signal is weak, some number of emitters less than all will be activated, depending on the strength or quality of the signal. Each emitter would be activated in response to a different threshold level of signal quality being received by the audio system. Although indicator 72 is preferably one or more illumination sources, indicator 72 may alternately be an audible source, such as a loudspeaker or the like, which may provide an audio signal to the user of the audio system to alert the user when the signal quality drops below a threshold level of acceptability. The audible source may provide an audible tone when the signal quality deteriorates, or may include a voice chip, such as a digital recording of a human voice message contained on a semi-conductor chip, to tell the user of the system to speak up, repeat the message or speak more clearly. It is further envisioned that the indicator 72 may provide an alphanumeric display, which may provide a printed message or digital rating of signal quality to the user of the audio system. Each message displayed or number in a rating scale would correspond to a different threshold level of signal quality, such as clarity and/or volume. Indicator 72 and microphone 18 may be connected to a control (not shown) which monitors the audio signals received by microphone 18 . The control may be operable to discriminate between different audio signals, such as between voice signals and non-voice signals, such as music, fan noise, and wind noise. The control may be further operable to provide a message via indicator 72 to alert the user of the audio system to turn down a radio in the vehicle, turn down or off a blower for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, roll up the windows of the vehicle, and/or adjust other sources of non-voice signals within the vehicle, such as turn signals or the like, in response to a detection of one or more of these non-voice signals. Alternately, or in addition thereto, the control may further be operable to automatically adjust the volume of the radio, the fan speed of the blower, the window setting and the like in response to such a detection. The control and indicator may also alert the user of the system if multiple voices are being received simultaneously, such as via conversations between passengers in the vehicle or conversations on the radio, which may detract from the clarity of the signal being received by the microphone. The audio system and microphone may further include a learning mode, whereby the audio system/microphone combination learns the vocal characteristics of a particular driver or occupant, so that the ratio of vocal signals to non-vocal noise signals received by the system can be enhanced. The learning mode may be operable in a memory system, such as is known in the automotive art, whereby a group of drivers and/or occupants, typically one, two or three individuals, may be recognizable by the audio system. The learning mode may be operable to recognize a particular individual's voice via the operator selecting the learning mode and speaking a brief message to the microphone. The audio system then receives the individual's voice message and repeats the message back to the individual via a speaker or alphanumeric display. This process is continued until the message is accurately recognized and repeated by the audio system. The recognized vocal characteristics may then be stored to memory for future use by the individual. A security feature for the audio system and/or any vehicle accessory and/or the vehicle itself can be provided via voice recognition. Preferably, indicator 72 is mounted at, in or on the mirror housing 16 b, either at, within or on or adjacent the bezel 16 e . This is preferred because the driver of the vehicle is typically the person using the audio system, and this location provides optimal visibility of the indicator to the driver, since the mirror housing is adjusted to be directed toward the driver. Indicator 72 may otherwise be mounted in the housing 16 b and behind the mirror reflector 16 d, so as to illuminate through the reflector. However, as shown in the Figures, indicator 72 may alternately be positioned at accessory module 10 , mirror mounting portion 16 a, or headliner 14 , and may be positioned at any other location where the indicator is visible to the user of the audio system, without affecting the scope of the present invention. It is further envisioned that indicator 72 may be implemented with a microphone 18 which is mounted at mirror housing 16 b or mirror mounting portion 16 a, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 , 7 and 9 , in applications without an accessory module. As shown in FIG. 2, microphone 18 and indicator 72 may alternately be positioned at a pod 17 , which may be attached to mounting portion 16 a, arm 16 c, or housing 16 b of mirror assembly 16 . A speaker 42 may also be included with microphone 18 and indicator 72 , in applications either with or without accessory module. By providing an indication of the receiving status of vocal signals received by the audio system, the present invention significantly reduces the possibility that a message will not be received clearly, correctly, and/or accurately by the receiving party. The vehicle based user of the audio system is alerted immediately if the microphone is not adequately receiving and/or is not adequately/correctly/accurately interpreting the message and/or if the other party to the communication is not adequately receiving the message. Accordingly, the user may speak up or speak more clearly, or adjust the volume of other noises or conversations within the vehicle to correct the reception concerns. The user may also re-send the message if it was not properly being received by the other party. The present invention is especially useful when the other party is an automatic or computer based voice recognition system. The user in the vehicle will be alerted by indicator 72 that the message sent may not have been properly received by the voice system and may then re-send the message or try again later in order to ensure that the message is properly received. The audio system is connected to indicator 72 and microphone 18 . Microphone 18 may share its audio receiving function with a plurality of audio systems, such as a cellular phone, the ONSTAR system, a recording device, such as a digital recording device, and/or other systems which receive audio signals. Preferably, a digital recording device is incorporated in the interior rearview mirror system, such as within the interior rearview mirror housing. One or more functions may be selected at one time. For example, if the microphone is being used with a cellular phone function, it may also be used to provide an input to the recording device. The function of microphone may be manually selected by controls, such as switches or buttons, within the cabin of the vehicle or may be voice selected and controlled. Microphone 18 and the audio system may also be voice activated to further ease the operation of the audio system. This is preferred because it may be difficult to manually activate and control the audio system while driving the vehicle. Also, voice activation of the system substantially precludes the likelihood of leaving the system on when it is not in use, which would drain the vehicle's battery over time, since the audio system would be automatically deactivated when voices are not received by the microphone. Microphone 18 may also function as a receiver for one or more other vehicular functions and controls, such as voice activated headlamps, alarm systems, radios, cruise control, windows, cellular phones, message recorders, pagers, back up aids, windshield wipers, rain sensors and the like. Optionally, the interior rearview mirror system can include a display of the status of the vehicle tire inflation (such status can be provided by monitoring the ABS braking system and/or by individual tire pressure sensors in the individual vehicle tires). The interior rearview mirror system may also include a PSIR (passenger side inflatable restraint) display for indicating the status of a PSIR. The tire inflation display, the PSIR display or other displays indicating the status of vehicular accessories or functions may be provided at the interior rearview mirror assembly, such as at, on or in the mirror housing, mounting arm, mounting button, or pod/module attached to the housing, arm or mounting button. The interior rearview mirror system may further include a camera and/or display, for providing an image of an area not viewable by the rearview mirror when it is adjusted for driving conditions. Preferably, the camera may be directed toward the rear seats of the vehicle so as to function as a child minder. The portion of the vehicle being viewed by the camera (preferably a CCD and, most preferably, a solid state CMOS camera) is preferably illuminated. Preferably, the video camera selected, such as a CMOS camera, is sensitive in the near-infrared region and so has night vision capability. Most preferably, the illumination is provided (preferably, mounted at and illuminating from the mounting site of the camera itself) by one or more near-infrared illumination sources, such as light emitting diodes which emit efficiently in the near-infrared portion (wavelengths from approximately 0.75 microns to about 1.5 microns), but which do not emit efficiently in the visible portion (wavelengths below approximately 0.75 microns) of the electromagnetic spectrum. Therefore, the interior cabin of the vehicle may be illuminated with radiation in a range which the camera is sensitive to, such that the system can form a clear image of the area on the display, while the cabin is not illuminated with visible light which, at night, may be sufficient to cause glare or discomfort to the driver and/or passengers in the illuminated area. Although the mirror system and/or vehicle is described above as including one or more of a camera, pager system, cellular phone and the like, it is further envisioned that these accessories and others may be portable or dockable with a connecting port of the vehicle or mirror system. An individual or driver of the vehicle may use the personal pager, cellular phone, video camera, electronic personal organizers, such as a PILOT unit or the like, remote from the vehicle, such as at home, in a business office, or the like, and may then dock, plug in or otherwise connect the device to the connecting port for use within the vehicle. The devices may be dockable at the interior rearview mirror assembly, or may be dockable elsewhere in the vehicle, without affecting the scope of the present invention. The dockable device may, when docked into the vehicle, may personalize the controls and functions of the vehicle to suit that individual driver. Thus, features such as seat position, radio station selection, mirror field of view orientation, climate control, and other similar vehicle functions may be set to suit the individual preferences, or restrictions (such as a restriction from use of a cellular phone, or the like) for that particular driver. Such dockable portable devices may be especially useful to provide a security function and/or for tracking, logging, accounting for individual users, such as would be desirable for fleet operators, car rental operators, school bus fleet operators, and the like. Microphone 18 may be mounted to accessory module 10 , which includes wire cover 22 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which extends between a lower edge 20 c of housing 20 and mounting button 16 a of mirror 16 . Mirror harness 24 is encased within wire cover 22 to retain harness 24 and provide a finished appearance to the electrical connection of mirror 16 to vehicle wiring harness 28 . Preferably, wire cover 22 is telescopingly extendable and retractable to adapt the length to different mounting locations of mounting button 16 a relative to headliner 14 on various vehicles. As best shown in FIG. 2, wire cover 22 may extend or retract by sliding upwardly or downwardly within housing 20 . This facilitates implementation of microphone module 10 in various vehicles and further facilitates the aftermarket installation of module 10 in vehicles having a button-mounted interior rearview mirror. Microphone module 10 is preferably secured to interior surface 12 b of windshield 12 at an interface junction 26 between forward edge 14 a of headliner 14 and interior surface 12 a of windshield 12 . However, it is envisioned that microphone module 10 may be mounted in other locations. Housing 20 of microphone module 10 is preferably formed with a substantially flat windshield mounting surface 20 a and a curved, concave headliner surface 20 b, such that housing mounts to windshield 12 along mounting surface 20 a, while headliner surface 20 b substantially uniformly engages headliner 14 to provide a flush, finished transition between microphone module 10 and headliner 14 . Preferably, housing 20 is adhesively secured to interior surface 12 b of windshield 12 , such as by bonding, pressuring sensitive adhesives, anaerobic adhesives, double faced tape, or the like. However, microphone module 10 may optionally be mechanically secured to an intermediate mounting bracket adhered to the windshield, or may be connected to the headliner itself, as discussed below, without affecting the scope of the present invention. Microphone module 10 is preferably a plastic molded part, which facilitates forming the part in various shapes to match the headliner/windshield interface and to further facilitate providing the part in different colors to match optional interior colors of the vehicles. Mirror harness 24 may connect directly to vehicle wiring 28 while an accessory wiring harness 30 may separately connect to the vehicle wiring to provide power and/or control signals to the accessories within accessory module 10 . Alternately, mirror harness 24 may connect to module 10 , which may then be connectable to vehicle wiring 28 , as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7. Because microphone module 10 may be a separate module from the headliner and the mirror assembly, and because module 10 is preferably connected to the vehicle wiring independent of wires from the interior rear view mirror assembly to the vehicle wiring, microphone module 10 may be easily removed or accessed for serviceability or replacement without having to remove or replace the mirror assembly. This is a significant advantage over the prior art because if the microphone is damaged, the more expensive components, such as the mirror or headliner console, do not have to be replaced in order to repair or replace the microphone. Microphone module 10 may be mounted to windshield 12 such that microphone 18 is directed downwardly and rearwardly toward the driver's seat of the vehicle to optimally receive audio signals therefrom. Preferably, microphone 18 is a directional or polar microphone, which limits the audio signal received to signals within the area toward which the microphone is directed. Such microphones are known in the art and are commercially available as an AKG 400 Series or a 501T Series microphone from A.K.G. Acoustics/GMBH in Vienna, Austria. These microphones are operable to receive audio signals from within the targeted area, while substantially reducing or limiting the signals received from outside that area. By mounting microphone 18 within housing 20 and directing microphone 18 downward and rearward toward a typical location of a driver's head, the audio signal detected by microphone 18 will be dominated by a voice signal from the driver of the vehicle and will substantially limit noise signals originating from other sources, such as the engine, road, wind, HVAC, radio, turn signals and the like. Because microphone 18 may be fixedly mounted within housing 20 , microphone 18 may be optimally directed toward the area of interest, and will not be adjusted or misdirected when the mirror is adjusted for a different driver of the vehicle. Alternately, multiple microphones may be implemented within microphone module 10 to receive various signals from different directions. As is known in the audio art, RMF techniques may be implemented to digitize individual outputs from the multiple microphones and integrate the outputs to establish which outputs are the loudest and which have the presence of human audible signals verses noise. The signals which have the greatest presence of human audible signals may then be selected over the signals of the other microphones, thereby providing a voice signal to the communication device. Microphone module 10 further includes a microphone wire harness 30 (FIG. 3 ), which extends from microphone 18 through headliner surface 20 b of housing 20 and into headliner 14 . Microphone 18 is preferably interconnectable to the vehicle harness by microphone harness 30 in a conventional manner. Preferably, microphone harness 30 comprises a pair of wires for microphone 18 . Clearly, however, if multiple microphones are implemented in microphone module 10 , multiple wires (not shown) will correspondingly be required. Furthermore, if indicator 72 is included in module 10 , additional wiring 30 a (FIG. 4) will also be required. As shown in FIG. 2, the audio system may further include a loud speaker 42 for providing an audible signal to the driver and passengers of the vehicle. Speaker 42 may be mounted to housing 20 and includes a wiring harness 43 for electrical connection to the vehicle wiring 28 , similar to microphone 18 . Speaker 42 may be a conventional diaphragm speaker, piezo-electric speaker, such as a piezo-electric ceramic speaker, or the like. Most preferably, speaker 42 is a piezo-electric ceramic moldable speaker. Additional speakers may be mounted within the accessory module 10 or in a pod 17 attached to the mirror mounting bracket 16 a of the interior rear view mirror assembly. It is further envisioned that the audio system may include multiple microphones and/or speakers positioned at different locations within the vehicle to supplement one another in order to optimally receive and project the audio signals from and to the desired areas within the vehicle. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, one or more microphones 18 and/or speakers 42 may be positioned in module 10 , as well as in mirror housing 16 b , in mounting button 16 a, and/or within a pod 17 , which may be mounted to mirror assembly 16 and extends downwardly beneath mirror housing 16 b. Clearly, pod 17 may alternately be positioned above or to either side of mirror housing 16 b , without affecting the scope of the present invention. The microphone 18 and speaker 42 may access and/or share the electronic circuitry of an electro-optic or electrochromic mirror. By providing one or more microphones and speakers within the vehicle, the overall effectiveness of the audio system may be improved, since signals not optimally directed toward the microphone within the module, may be better received by the microphone in the pod, mirror housing, or button. It is further envisioned that one or more indicators 72 may be positioned at one or more locations within the vehicle, such as at the module 10 , mirror housing 16 b , mounting button 16 a, and/or pod 17 , as shown in FIG. 2 . Microphone 18 and/or speaker 42 may also be positioned at the mirror or pod assemblies in conjunction with microphones or speakers in a module 10 or in applications where the vehicle does not include a microphone module. Although shown as having a microphone 18 within a module 10 , the present invention includes implementation of a microphone 18 and indicator 72 in various locations within the cabin of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 9, microphone 18 and indicator 72 may be mounted to mirror housing 16 b. Alternately, microphone 18 and/or indicator 72 may be mounted to the mirror mounting button 16 a or at a pod or other mounting device positioned in the vicinity of the mirror assembly 16 . If the audio system includes a speaker and/or a recording device, the speaker and/or recording device may be mounted to the mirror assembly or pod, or may be positioned elsewhere within the cabin of the vehicle, either in the vicinity of the microphone and/or the indicator or remote therefrom. Referring again to FIG. 3, microphone module 10 may alternately connect to the vehicle wiring harness 28 via electrical connectors 32 and 33 . For example, a socket 33 may be provided in housing 20 of microphone module 10 , such that vehicle wiring harness 28 may include a corresponding male connector, such as a conventional twelve pin connector, which mates with socket 33 . Microphone harness 30 may then extend from socket 33 to microphone 18 , while remaining within housing 20 . Similarly, mirror harness 24 may extend from socket 33 downwardly through housing 20 and wire cover 22 to mirror assembly 16 . By connecting both the mirror harness 24 and microphone harness 30 to the vehicle harness 28 with connectors 32 and 33 , microphone module 10 further facilitates simplified installation of mirror assembly 16 within the vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, microphone module 10 may be mechanically secured to window 12 and/or headliner 14 . For example, a bracket 34 may be bonded or otherwise adhesively secured to interior surface 12 d of windshield 12 . Window surface 20 a of housing 20 may then be correspondingly formed with bracket 34 to engage the bracket for removable mounting of microphone module 10 to windshield 12 . As best shown in FIG. 4, bracket 34 may include a windshield mounting surface 34 a and a pair of mounting flanges 34 b which are offset from the position of mounting surface 34 a and extend laterally outwardly from a pair of sidewalls 34 c, which extend downwardly and rearwardly from mounting portion 34 a. Windshield surface 20 a of housing 20 may then be correspondingly formed to slidably engage mounting flanges 34 b of bracket 34 , such that housing 20 is slidable upwardly along bracket 34 until headliner surface 20 b interfaces with headliner 14 . At that point, one or more mounting pins or fasteners 36 may be inserted through housing 20 and mounting flanges 34 b to substantially secure the components together. Alternatively, or in addition to fasteners 36 , a headliner fastener 38 (FIG. 3) may extend through headliner surface 20 b of housing 20 and engage a bracket 40 within headliner 14 , thereby substantially securing housing 20 to both windshield 12 and headliner 14 . Mounting fasteners 36 and 38 may be threaded fasteners or push-pin or snap fit type fasteners, to substantially secure housing 20 to the respective brackets 34 and 40 . It is further envisioned that the mounting bracket and microphone housing may be correspondingly formed to press-fit together or snap or otherwise lock together as the microphone housing is moved to the appropriate mounting location relative to the bracket. Clearly, other mounting brackets and/or fasteners may be implemented to substantially secure microphone module 10 relative to windshield 12 or headliner 14 , without affecting the scope of the present invention. Referring now to FIG. 5, microphone module 10 may be implemented without a wire cover. The mirror wiring harness may extend freely downwardly from microphone housing 20 to mirror housing 16 b or may be adhered or otherwise secured or guided along interior surface 12 b of windshield 12 and further along arm 16 c to mirror housing 16 b. Alternately, as shown in FIG. 5, a mirror harness 24 ′ may be implemented to provide an aesthetically pleasing spirally-coiled cord, similar to a conventional telephone cord, which extends downwardly from lower end 20 c of housing 20 and curves rearwardly toward housing 16 b of mirror assembly 16 . Mirror harness 24 ′ may be electronically connectable with vehicle wiring harness 28 via conventional electrical connectors 32 ′ and 33 ′, while microphone harness 30 is electronically connected with the vehicle wiring harness separately, as discussed above with reference to FIG. 2 . Clearly, however, mirror harness 24 ′ and microphone harness 30 may be connectable to vehicle wiring harness 28 by any other conventional means, without affecting the scope of the present invention. As discussed above with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, housing 20 may be bonded to, adhesively secured or mechanically fastened to interior surface 12 b of windshield 12 and/or to headliner 14 . Although specific embodiments of the microphone module of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 2 through 5 and discussed above, clearly the scope of the present invention includes other means of mounting the microphone module and of covering or guiding the mirror harness between the microphone module and the mirror. For example, the microphone module may be mounted to the windshield between mounting button 16 a and headliner 14 and have wire covers or the like extending from both upper and lower ends of the module to cover wires between the headliner and the module and further between the module and the mirror assembly. Alternatively, the microphone module may be mounted above and adjacent to the mirror mounting button 16 a and include a wire cover which extends upwardly therefrom to substantially encase the wires extending from the module to the headliner for connection with the vehicle wiring harness. It is further envisioned that the microphone module may be part of a plastic wire cover extending upwardly from the interior rear view mirror assembly toward the headliner. The wiring harnesses associated with the mirror assembly, the microphone and the indicator may be routed and connected with the vehicle wiring harness by any known means without effecting the scope of the present invention. The microphone, indicator and mirror assembly may be implemented as a single component, which requires fewer assembly plant installation processes, thereby reducing the costs associated with the vehicle manufacture. It is further envisioned that microphone 18 and indicator 72 may be mounted anywhere within the cabin of the vehicle without an accessory module. Preferably, both are positioned forwardly of the driver of the vehicle to optimally receive a voice signal from the driver and to be easily viewed by the driver while looking forwardly. Preferably, the microphone and indicator are mounted at the rearview mirror housing 16 b, the mirror button 16 a, the headliner 14 , and/or a pod attached to the mirror assembly (such as a pod attached to the mirror button mount of the interior rearview mirror assembly), windshield or headliner. Although shown and described above as being implemented with a button mounted interior rearview mirror assembly, an alternate embodiment of the present invention may incorporate a mirror assembly 116 with a microphone module 110 , as shown in FIG. 8 . Microphone module 110 preferably includes a microphone 118 and a microphone housing 120 , which are substantially similar to microphone 18 and housing 20 , discussed above with respect to microphone module 10 . However, microphone module 110 further includes a mirror mounting arm 122 , which extends generally downwardly from a lower portion 120 c of housing 120 . Mirror assembly 116 is pivotally mounted to a lower end 122 a of arm 122 via a conventional ball and socket connection 116 a. A mirror wiring harness 124 extends from mirror assembly 116 upwardly through arm 122 and further through housing 120 and into header 14 of the vehicle for electrical connection with the vehicle wiring harness. A microphone harness 130 may also electronically connect microphone 118 with the vehicle wiring harness, as discussed above with respect to microphone harness 30 . Microphone module 110 and mirror assembly 116 may be electronically connected to the vehicle wiring harness by any known means, without affecting the scope of the present invention. An indicator 172 may be included at module 110 and/or at mirror housing 116 to provide an audio signal receiving status to the driver of the vehicle or user of the audio system, similar to indicator 72 , discussed above. Similar to microphone module 10 , a windshield surface 120 a of housing 120 may be adhesively or mechanically secured along an interior surface 12 b of windshield 12 . As shown in FIG. 6, microphone module 10 may further include manual controls for the audio or communication device associated with microphone 18 , such as buttons 44 for activating and/or adjusting the communication device. Microphone module 10 may further include other manual controls 46 for activating or adjusting other accessories or devices within the vehicle, such as interior or exterior lights, or for selecting a function for microphone 18 , such as a cellular phone versus an emergency communication device or recording device. Mirror housing 16 b may also include controls, buttons or switches, shown generally at 48 , for selectively activating, deactivating or adjusting one or more accessories associated with the vehicle. For example, controls 48 may activate map reading lights on mirror housing 16 b , temperature displays, compass heading displays or the like, which may be displayed on a portion of mirror housing 16 b and are thus easily visible to the driver of the vehicle. Alternatively, however, controls 46 and 48 on microphone module 10 and mirror housing 16 b , respectively, may control accessories or lights which are located on or within the vehicle and yet are remote from microphone module 10 and mirror 16 . Referring now to FIG. 7, an accessory module 10 ′ may further include multiple accessories, components or devices associated with various control systems of the vehicle and connected with a vehicle control or the vehicle wiring harness. For example, accessory module 10 ′ may include a microphone 18 , an indicator 72 , a loudspeaker 42 , a Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna 50 , a motion sensor 52 , a rain sensor 54 , a video device or camera 56 , an interior light 58 , an automatic toll booth transducer 59 , a security system status indicator 70 , a compass and/or compass sensor 51 , a temperature display and/or temperature sensor 53 , a tire pressure indicator display 55 , a seat occupancy detection antenna and/or transducer 57 , and/or any other devices, components or circuitry which may be useful to mount in accessory module 10 ′. Preferably, camera 56 is a pixelated imaging array sensor, such as a CMOS imaging array or the like, a description of which is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,935, issued to Schofield et al., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The module 10 ′ may provide a location for these devices which is highly visible and eases user interface by the driver or passengers of the vehicle. Furthermore, mirror housing 16 b may also include electrical devices and electronic components, such as other microphones 18 , indicators 72 and loudspeakers 42 , map reading lights 60 , compass 62 , display 64 , trip computer 66 , or other components or devices associated with the vehicle. Mirror harness 24 may provide power and/or control signals to these components or devices and may interconnect with the control circuitry of the devices and of an electrochromic mirror function control circuitry 68 for electronically adjusting the reflectivity of reflector 16 d within mirror housing 16 b. Display 64 may display vehicle status or information displays, such as compass headings, interior or exterior temperatures, clock display, fuel level display, air bag status display, telephone dial information display, or other status displays of various components or devices associated with the vehicle. Information displayed in display 64 may be selectively displayed by an operator via controls 48 (FIG. 6 ), or may be cyclically displayed or may be displayed when there is a change in status of one of the devices. It is envisioned that accessory module 10 ′ may further include multiple electrical and/or electronic components, such as those described in commonly assigned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/918,772, filed Aug. 25, 1997 by Deline et al., now U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,886, and Ser. No. 09/244,726, filed Feb. 5, 1999 by Deline et al., now U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,613, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. The mirror and/or the microphone module may communicate with these or other devices or components within the vehicle as part of a Car Area Network (CAN) or multiplex system, such as is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,575, issued to O'Farrell et al., PCT International Application published Sep. 25, 1997 under International Publication No. WO 97/34780, by Fletcher et al., PCT International Application No. PCT/IE98/00001, filed Jan. 9, 1998 by John P. Drummond et al. and published Jul. 16, 1998 under International Publication Number WO 98/30415, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, a Local Interconnect Network (LIN), or similar communications protocols, which may support the control of mechatronic nodes in automotive distributor applications. Accessory module 10 ′ may also include an illumination source 70 for a vehicle security system, such as an intrusion detection system, vehicle alarm system, vehicle antitheft system, or the like. The illumination source may be an incandescent source or a nonincandescent source. Preferably, illumination source 70 is a nonincandescent, solid state source such as a light emitting diode (LED), an electro-luminescent device or the like. The illumination source 70 is operable to blink or flash intermittently when the system is armed. Typically, such systems flash the illumination source rapidly at first for up to approximately 30 seconds (or longer) after arming of the system, and then intermittently flash the illumination source for a continuous period while the system is activated (for example, once every one to two seconds), thereby alerting people within the vehicle that the security system is activated. Optionally, the security system indicator may be provided by indicator 72 . Indicator 72 may provide an audio signal receiving status when the audio system is in use, and then provide a security system status signal when the audio system is deactivated and/or the security system is armed. It is further envisioned that the illumination source for the vehicle security system may be included in a separate module or pod which may be mounted to the microphone or accessory module the mirror assembly, or the vehicle headliner. The illumination source module may be substantially similar to the microphone or accessory module discussed above and may clip or otherwise be mounted to the microphone module. For example, the illumination source module may snap into a mounting aperture in the microphone module or may be adhesively mounted to a side wall of the microphone housing. Alternately, the security system activation status source module may be mounted to the mirror assembly, such as to the mounting button, arm or mirror housing. The illumination source module may then be positioned below, above, or to either side of the mirror housing to facilitate viewing of the illumination source by passengers within the vehicle. The illumination source module may otherwise be mounted to the wire cover of the microphone module such that it is visible above the mirror housing. If the vehicle includes a header mounted mirror assembly, it is further envisioned that the illumination source module may be mounted to, or included as part of, the header mirror mounting bracketry or other mounting device. By providing a vehicle security system illumination source module as a separate component, greater flexibility is achieved by the vehicle manufacturers. The separate security system module avoids the additional expenses required to tool two different mirror cases for vehicles with or without a security system. The optional pod or module with the illumination source may be simply installed as a vehicle option, or as an aftermarket device. Similar to the microphone and accessory modules discussed above, the illumination source module for the security system may further include other components, devices, controls or displays associated with the security system or other systems within the vehicle. It is further envisioned that other pods or modules which include one or more various components or devices associated with other systems or devices of the vehicle may be implemented to facilitate easy installation of the components of the systems either in the assembly plant or as aftermarket devices. Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law.

A voice acquisition system for a vehicle includes a rearview mirror assembly, at least one microphone and a control. The at least one microphone receives audio signals within a cabin of the vehicle and generates an output signal indicative of the audio signals. The at least one microphone provides sound capture for at least one of a hands free cell phone system, an audio recording system and an emergency communication system. The control is operable to receive the output signal from the at least one microphone, and is operable to distinguish the presence of vocal signals from non-vocal signals. The control distinguishes the vocal signals from the non-vocal signals by a ratio of at least 2:1.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to apparatus for use in connection with assembling top stops to slide fastener stringers (proposed classification 29-32.2). 2. Prior Art In a top end-stop applying machine shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,504,418, issued on Apr. 7, 1970, a pair of upper and lower tongue-like thin spreaders works together in maintaining the opposite tape edges in proper spaced lateral alignment throughout the top end-stop application. Both spreaders, however, are disposed on a common side of a punch-and-die unit with respect to the direction of movement of the stringer tapes. With this arrangement, the opposed tape edges extend at slight angles with each other and rows of coupling elements mounted on such tape edges are likely to become out of register with the punch-and-die unit, with the result that a neat and accurate application of top end stops is difficult to achieve. Furthermore, the spreaders have no means for preventing a fluttering movement of the stringer tapes during assembly of the top end-stops, such fluttering movement resulting in faulty tape placement causing a misapplication of the top end-stops. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A holder comprises a fixed support member having a pair of recesses extending along the opposite edges of a horizontal groove for receiving therein a pair of rows of coupling elements mounted on the opposite edges of a pair of stringer tapes, and a reciprocable guide member having an aperture through which the punch of a top end-stop applying punch-and-die unit is movable, and a pair of projections disposed for engaging a pair of slide fastener stringers at opposite sides of the aperture. The guide member is movable toward the support member to such an extent that their confronting surfaces jointly define therebetween a space slightly larger than the thickness of the stringer tapes. The width of one projection is such that it engages and laterally spaces the confronting coupling elements of a separated slide fastener, and the width of the other projection is such that it engages and laterally spaces the confronting edges of an element-free portion of the stringer tapes thereof. By this arrangement the edges between the projections are held parallel to each other. It is an object of the present invention to provide a holder for laterally spacing the opposite inner edges of a pair of slide fastener stringer tapes in properly spaced parallel alignment at a work station, in order to enable a punch-and-die unit to neatly and accurately apply a pair of top end-stops to the ends of the opposite rows of coupling elements mounted on the opposed tape edges. It is a further object of the invention to enable the holder to guide the slide fastener movement to the work station while preventing flutter during top end-stop assembly. Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic perspective view of a slide fastener holder according to the present invention, the view showing the holder and its related parts in position ready for a top end-stop application to a pair of slide fastener stringer tapes; FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken on a plane extending parallel to the general plane of the stringer tapes of FIG. 1, with parts being shown by phantom lines for clarity; FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal fragmentary cross-sectional view taken in a vertical plane indicated by line III--III of FIG. 1; and FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged transvere cross-sectional views taken along line IV--IV of FIG. 2, showing the stringer tapes in aligned and mis-aligned conditions, respectively. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The principles of the present invention are particularly useful when embodied in a slide fastener holder such as shown in FIG. 1, generally indicated by the numeral 10. The holder 10 comprises a lower fixed support member 11 and an upper guide member 12 reciprocably movable toward and away from the support member 11. A pair of continuous slide fastener stringer tapes 13, 13 is movable between the support and guide members 11, 12 in the direction of the arrow 14. As shown in FIG. 2, a series of pairs or rows of coupling elements 15, 15 is mounted on and along the opposite longitudinal edges 16, 16 of the stringer tapes 13, 13 at longitudinally spaced intervals, each coupling element 15 partially projecting transversely beyond the corresponding one of the longitudinal tape edges 16, 16. Each row of coupling elements 15, 15 is fastened together at their leading ends by a bottom end stop 17. The rows of coupling elements 15, 15 are also intermeshed by a slider 18 located intermediate their opposite ends. The portions of the rows of coupling elements 15, 15 between each slider 18 and the corresponding bottom end stop 17 are intermeshed, while the remaining portions (only one being illustrated) are disengaged, there being an element-free space 19, 19 between the trailing end of each pair of rows of coupling elements 15, 15 and the bottom end stop 17 on the following pair of rows of coupling elements 15, 15. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the support member 11 has a top surface 20 over which the stringer tapes 13, 13 are movable, a groove 21 extending horizontally through the support member 11 and opening to the top surface 20. The groove 21 has a predetermined width corresponding to the distance between the opposite edges 16, 16 when the stringer tapes 13, 13 are spread apart for the application of a pair of top end stops (not shown). The support member 11 further has a pair of elongated recesses 22, 22 (FIG. 4) extending in the top surface 20 along the opposite edges of the horizontal groove 21 for receiving therein the respective rows of coupling elements 15, 15. A pair of slots 23, 23 extends vertically in the support member 11 and opens perpendicularly to the horizontal groove 21 in confronting relation to one another. As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of die blocks 24, 24 is received in the respective vertical slots 23, 23, each die block 24 having a horizontal groove 25 of arcuate cross-section registering with one of the horizontal recesses 22 (FIG. 4) for receiving therein the corresponding trailing coupling elements 15. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the guide member 12 includes an upstanding block 26 (FIG. 1) connectable for reciprocable movement to an actuator (not shown). Upon movement of the actuator, the guide member 12 moves downwardly toward the support member 11 to such an extent that its bottom surface 27 and the top surface 20 on the support member 11 jointly define therebetween a space or clearance W (FIG. 4) for substantially limiting any tape flutter, which space is slightly greater than the thickness of the stringer tapes 13, 13. The guide member 12 also has a pair of spaced tapered projections 28, 29 extending from the bottom surface 27 and insertible into the horizontal groove 21 in the support member 11. A rectangular aperture 30 extends in the guide member 12 between the projections 28, 29. Each of the projections 28, 29 includes a base portion 31a, 31b having a uniform width, and a depending finger portion 32a, 32b contiguous to the base portion 31a, 31b and having a width gradually reduced in a downward direction, namely toward the distal end of the projection 28, 29. The width of the base portion 31a of one projection 28 (righthand in FIG. 3) is engageable with and laterally spaces the opposite rows of coupling elements 15, 15 as received in the recesses 22, 22 in the support member 11. On the other hand, the width of the base portion 31b of the other projection 29 (lefthand in FIG. 3) is engageable with and laterally spaces the element-free opposite tape edges 16, 16 when the opposite rows of coupling elements 15, 15 are received in the support member's recesses 22, 22. In other words, the maximum width of the projection 28 is smaller than the maximum width of the projection 29 by an amount which is twice the length that the portion of each coupling element 15 projects beyond the tape edges 16, 16. The projection 29 has an end wall 33 facing away from the projection 29 and tapering in a direction away from the same. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of integral punches 34, 34 (FIG. 1) is disposed above the guide member 12 in registration with means for supplying non-clinched top end-stops or top end-stop material (not shown), and has a pair of downwardly facing arcuate grooves 35, 35 at their ends, complemental to and coactive with the die grooves 25, 25. The punches 34, 34 are reciprocably movable through the aperture 30 in the guide member 12 toward and away from the mating die blocks 24, 24 (FIG. 2) for clinching or curling the top end stops tightly around the trailing ends of the opposite rows of coupling elements 15, 15 by means of the coactive arcuate grooves 25, 35. A chain stopper 36 is disposed upstream of the holder 10 and is reciprocably movable for being inserted into the element-free space 19 (FIG. 2). The chain stopper 36 serves to stop the movement of the stringer tapes 13, 13 when it has been moved by the succeeding bottom end stop in the direction of the arrow 14 for a predetermined distance, so as to position the trailing-ends of the opposite rows of coupling elements 15, 15 into the grooves 25, 25 in the die blocks 24, 24. In operation, the stringer tapes 13, 13 are fed longitudinally over the top surface 20 on the support member 11 in the direction of the arrow 14. Then, the chain stopper 36 is actuated to project into the element-free space 19. At the same time, the guide member 12 is actuated to descend toward the support member 11. The descending movement of the guide member 12 causes the projections 29, 28 to engage with the opposite spaced tape edges 16, 16 and rows of coupling elements 15, 15, at which time the taper of the end wall 32 and the taper of the finger portions 32a, 32b enable the projections 28, 29 to enter smoothly respectively between the element-free spaces 19 and the rows of coupling elements 15, 15. As the guide member 12 further descends, the stringer tapes 13, 13 slide laterally on the top surface 20 away from each other due to continual engagement of opposite tape edges 16, 16 and of the opposite rows of coupling elements 15, 15 with the tapered finger portions 32a, 32b of the projections 28, 29. The descending movement of the guide member 12 is stopped when the guide member 12 reaches the predetermined lowermost position shown in FIG. 4. In this position the stringer tapes 13, 13 are guided stably in position in the clearance W between the top and bottom surfaces 20, 27 against any significant fluttering movement, and the opposite rows of coupling elements 15, 15 are received in the recesses 22, 22. The chain stopper 36 is forced by the succeeding bottom end-stop 17 to move therewith in the direction of the arrow 14 until the top or trailing ends of the rows of coupling elements 15, 15 are positioned in the grooves 25, 25 in the die blocks 24, 24, whereupon the movement of the stringer tapes 13, 13 is stopped. As shown in FIG. 2, the opposite tape edges 16, 16 are maintained in parallel spaced lateral alignment with each other by means of the respective base portions 31a, 31b of the projections 28, 29 which engage with the opposite rows of coupling elements 15, 15 and the opposite tape edges 16, 16, respectively. The punches 34, 34 are actuated to descend through the aperture 30 in the guide member 12 toward the die blocks 24, 24 for crimping the top end-stops neatly and accurately onto the trailing ends of the opposite rows of coupling elements 15, 15. If the opposite rows of coupling elements 15, 15 were accidentally misaligned or displaced into the groove 21 as shown in FIG. 5, the misaligned coupling elements 15, 15 and the tape edges 16, 16 would hinder the descending movement of the projections 28, 29 and hence the guide member 12. Such obstruction to movement can be detected, for example, by an interlock switch (not shown) connected in circuit with a punch actuator (not shown) and normally actuatable by the guide member 12 as it reaches the unhindered lowermost position shown in FIG. 4. Although various minor modifications may be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon, all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

A holder for use with a punch-type of top end-stop applying apparatus includes a fixed support member and a reciprocably movable guide member coactive therewith for laterally spacing the opposite inner edges of a pair of slide fastener stringers. The support member is recessed to receive therein a pair of rows of coupling elements mounted on the opposite stringer tape edges. The guide member has a pair of spaced projections receivable between the stringers, one projection having a width for laterally spacing confronting coupling elements, and the other having a greater width for laterally spacing confronting element-free stringer tape edges, the guide member having a clearance for the punch between the projections.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for magnetically determining or defining the recording layer of a magnetic information carrier, and to apparatus performing the method. The invention is more particularly applicable to determining or defining the magnetic drums of magnetographic printers or the magnetic disks of disk memories. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Magnetographic printers are well known, and are preferred in information processing systems that require printing machines capable of printing highly legible characters at extremely high speeds (several thousand or even ten thousand lines per minute). Such a printer is described in French Patent No. 2,522,857, filed on Mar. 3, 1982. This type of magnetographic printing machine (also known as a non-impact magnetic printer) includes a magnetic recording carrier comprising a magnetic drum, in turn formed by a magnetic shunt comprising its central portion, on which a magnetic recording layer is deposited. The machine also includes a set of magnetic recording heads, placed one beside the other parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum. These magnetic heads make it possible to create magnetized domains or points on the surface of the recording layer of the drum, which is driven by a roller bearing with uniform rotation. Magnetized zones comprising a set of magnetized domains are thus formed; the shape of the zones correspond to that of the characters to be printed. These magnetized domains are then coated with particles of a powdered magnetic pigment by means of a developer device. This pigment for instance comprises magnetic particles coated with a resin. The resin tends to melt when heated and is affixed to the printing paper to which it is applied. The magnetic pigment adheres to the sets of magnetic domains as defined above, forming a deposit of particles on the drum surface. These particles are then transferred to a sheet of paper pressed against the drum by a transfer roller. The particles that remain on the drum are then lifted off by an erasing device. In view of the above explanation, it can be appreciated that in a magnetographic printer, the magnetic drum is an essential device. In fact, the printing quality of the characters and the homogeneity of printing over the entire surface of the printing paper depends on the magnetic properties of this drum and on their homogeneity over its entire surface. Hence it is particularly important to be able to assure that in the course of the various successive manufacturing operations for producing the drum, the drum will have magnetic properties over its entire surface that conform to reference norms arrived at in advance, for example by experimentation. These norms define the standard magnetic characteristics that the drum must have in order for the printing quality to be correct (that is, the curve of primary magnetization track by track, the resulting permeability, and the coercive field, all of them being over the entire surface of the drum). The terms "determining", "defining", and "characterizing" may be used interchangeably when referring to ascertaining the magnetic characteristics of a drum, layer or film. It is important to be able to monitor the magnetic characteristics of a drum as soon as the operations of manufacturing the drum are completed, and to do so before the drum is coated with a layer for mechanical protection against shock and corrosion (this layer is for instance of chromium). Under current circumstances, the procedure is as follows: At the same time as the magnetic recording layer is deposited on the magnetic shunt comprising the central portion of the drum, a representative sample of the drum is made up. This sample comprises a specimen made of brass, on which a magnetic material is deposited that is strictly identical (in terms of both the constituent material and the thickness) to that comprising the recording layer of the drum. The various magnetic characteristics of this sample are measured, for instance, with a commercially available magnetometer or a conventional flux meter. Verification is done as to whether these properties do conform to the above-defined reference norms. If so, then the drum is sent to a chromium-plating station, where it is coated with its protective chromium layer. It will be understood that the characterization of this sample cannot precisely reflect the magnetic properties of the drum in its entirely. It often happens, moreover, that on returning from the chromium-plating station the magnetic drum is found not to have the required magnetic properties over its entire surface for assuring correct printing quality. It is then rejected, which is very expensive. OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention makes it possible to overcome these disadvantages by providing an apparatus with which the magnetic recording layer of a magnetic printing drum can be determined as soon as the manufacturing operations for it are completed (prior to chromium-plating). This takes place over the entire surface of the recording layer of the drum and is very rapid. It makes it possible to learn the characteristics of the recording layer over the entire surface of the drum, and to verify whether these characteristics are homogeneous, not only on a predetermined track of the drum but over all the recording tracks of the drum. If a drum lacks the required magnetic characteristics with respect to the reference norms, this invention makes it possible to return the drum to the manufacturing operation, and consequently to avoid rejecting a certain number of magnetic drums as was the case in the prior art. This makes for substantial economies, which makes it possible to reduce the average cost price of the drums appreciably. Hence this invention relates to the process of improving the quality of drum manufacture. It will be understood that the apparatus according to the invention is equally useful to industrial manufacturing services producing the magnetic drum and to services providing maintenance for it. According to the invention, the method for magnetically determining the recording layer of a magnetic information carrier, where the information is recorded on a plurality of tracks each having an index of synchronization, is characterized in that for each support track P: (1) the synchronization index is located, which makes it possible to initialize the sequence S of the successive operations 2-5 that follow, which are repeatable p times, where p is an integer; (2) the recording layer is first erased in such a manner as to neutralize its magnetic state, over the entire surface of the track P, (3) on this same surface, a succession of magnetic domains is then written by means of a magnetic field produced by a periodic writing current SC, of a predetermined amplitude I and a predetermined frequency f E ; (4) at predetermined sampling times, separated by a predetermined sampling period P E greater than the period T of the writing current SC, a signal S is read, which is a function of the magnetization inside the domains in the series; (5) the values of the current I and the signal S are memorized. The invention also relates to the apparatus for performing the method defined above; the apparatus includes: means for locating the synchronization index emitting an initialization signal of the sequence S when this index is located; a transducer for erasing the magnetic layer; a transducer for writing domains on the track connected to generating means of said periodic current; a transducer for reading the domains recorded on the track, the analog signal of which is transmitted to reading means which furnish the signal S at said sampling times; means for memorizing the values S and I connected to said current generating means and reading means. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing detailed description given by way of example, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1, in a simplified diagram, shows the various essential constituent elements of the apparatus for performing the method according to the invention, more commonly known as a dynamic magnetometer; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing how the writing transducer of the apparatus according to the invention is embodied; FIG. 3, including FIGS. 3a and 3b, is a more detailed view of FIG. 1, showing in particular how the means for generating the writing current with which the writing transducer is applied and the reading means furnishing the signal S are constituted; FIG. 4 is a time diagram showing the writing current furnished by the writing current generating means; FIG. 5 shows a recording track of the drum on which a plurality of magnetic domains of successive positive and negative magnetization are recorded; FIG. 6 is a time diagram of signals illustrating the functioning of the apparatus for performing the method of the invention shown in FIG. 1 and 3; FIGS. 7 and 8, which are views from above and in section, respectively, show a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention with which the entire recording surface of a magnetic drum for a magnetographic printer can be magnetically characterized; and FIG. 9 shows the various characterization curves obtained. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the various essential constituent elements of a dynamic magnetometer according to the invention, intended for magnetically characterizing the magnetic drum TAMB. The dynamic magnetometer includes: means MIND for locating the synchronization index IND placed on each recording track of the drum; a transducer TEC for writing information (magnetic domains) one each track P of the drum TAMB, connected to means MGCE for generating a writing current SC; an erasure and reading transducer TEFL assuring on the one hand the function of a transducer for erasing the information recorded on each track of the magnetic recording layer of the drum, and on the other hand the function of a transducer for reading the information recorded on each track P by the writing transducer TEC; reading means ML connected to the reading transducer TEFL, which furnish a signal S, this signal being transmitted to a memory MEMO, which also contains the value of the intensity of the writing current SC. The memory MEMO is contained in a programmable control device MICROP, which is preferably a microprocessor and which moreover controls the operations of erasure, writing and reading of the information, which are respectively performed by the transducers TEFL, TEC, and TEFL. The drum TAMB is a cylindrical drum of circular cross section, the magnetic recording layer of which is embodied by an alloy of cobalt, nickel and phosphorus (Co-Ni-P) approximately 25 μm in thickness deposited on a substrate of copper 0.8 μm in thickness, which in turn is deposited onto a magnetic shunt of an iron and silicon alloy Fe-Si 100 mm in diameter. Each recording track P of the drum TAMB contains a synchronization index IND making it possible to arbitrarily locate the beginning of each track P. It will be understood that all the indexes IND of the tracks of the drum TAMB are aligned on the same generatrix of the drum. They are for instance made up of optical reference marks inscribed on the surface of the drum. The locating means MIND are for example constituted of photoelectronic transducers furnishing an electric pulse I N (see FIG. 6) as soon as the index IND of a given track P moves past them. The erasing and reading transducer TEFL preferably comprises an inductive head of the type of that currently used in magnetic tape drives, and manufactured for example by the company known as Etablissements Vedette in Savern, 6700 France, and sold by the Bull Corporation, item No. 993 609 000-01. This inductive head TEFL accordingly includes a winding BOBL. When the transducer TEFL functions as an erasing transducer, this winding BOBL is supplied by a generator GEF of an erasing current I ER , which in turn is controlled by the programmable control device MICROP. When it functions as a reading transducer, its winding BOBL furnishes an analog signal V A to the reading means ML, which is converted into a digital signal S that is transmitted to the memory MEMO of the microprocessor MICROP. The reading means ML are controlled by a reading control signal CL transmitted by the programmable control device MICROP by modalities to be described hereinafter. The writing transducer TEC is a transducer of the inductive type including a winding BOBEC. A preferred embodiment of this transducer is shown in FIG. 2. This transducer TEC is of the type described in the aforementioned French Patent No. 2.522.857. It is of the shoe type with perpendicular recording, and accordingly includes a writing pole and a flux return pole PRF. The thickness e of the writing pole POLE measured parallel to the direction of travel of the drum tracks past the transducer is very substantially less than the thickness E of the flux return pole PRF, such that once the information has been written by the writing pole POLE, the information is not perturbed by the flux return pole PRF. The cross section of the writing pole POLE is substantially rectangular and has a width L. The order of magnitude of the dimensions e and L is as follows: 0.1 mm for e and 4.8 mm for L. In a known manner, the magnetic circuit of the writing transducer TEC comprises a material of high magnetic permeability. The winding BOBEC is disposed in the central portion PC of the magnetic circuit that connects the writing pole POLE to the flux return pole PRF. The writing transducer TEC is preferably embedded in a duplicate molding SURM having a width greater than the width of the transducer TEC, and is made of a nonmagnetic material such as a thermosettable resin. The lower face of the duplicate molding SURM, intended to face the drum TAMB, comprises three adjacent plane faces: F 1 , F 2 , F 3 ; the face F 2 is between the faces F 1 and F 3 , and the intersecting lines formed by the junction of planes F 1 and F 2 , on the one hand and the junction of planes F 2 and F 3 , on the other are parallel. The face Fl forms a dihedral angle D 2 with the face F 3 , the latter forming a dihedral angle D 2 with the face F 3 . The dihedral angle D 1 is larger than the dihedral angle D 2 . This duplicate molding structure makes it possible for the assembly formed by the duplicate molding and the transducer TEC to be tangent to the drum TAMB vertically of the writing pole POLE. Hence this writing pole is in permanent contact with the surface of the drum TAMB. During the writing operations, the microprocessor MICROP transmits a writing control current CE in digital form to the writing current generating means MGCE, which converts this digital control current to an analog writing current SC, for instance of square form as shown in FIG. 4. The period of this writing current SC equals T, and its amplitude equals I. The current SC is alternatively positive and negative in succession, and its intensity accordingly varies between -I and +I. The writing current SC is fed to the winding BOBEC of the writing transducer TEC. The function of the dynamic magnetometer MD according to the invention is governed by the method described below in conjunction with Figs. 1, 4, 5 and 6. It is assumed that a given track P of the drum, which rotates at a uniform rotational speed V in the direction of the arrow F, for example on the order of 30 revolutions per minute, is to be magnetically characterized. Upon each revolution, when the index IND travels past the locating means MIND, these means furnish a pulse I N of rectangular form. Thus as FIG. 6 shows, the means MIND furnish a pulse train I N-2 , I N-1 , I N , I N+1 , . . . ; the duration between each of these pulses equals the duration of rotation for one drum revolution. Pulse I N-2 will be taken as an example. As soon as it returns to 0, the sequence SEQ 1 of the three following operations begins: (1) ERASING OPERATION: As soon as this pulse I N-2 arrives at the microprocessor MICROP, the microprocessor sends an erasure control signal CEF to the erasing generator GEF. This generator, then, in response to the current CEF, transmits an erasing current I ER to the winding BOBL of the erasing transducer TEFL. The erasing current may be either a direct current, of intensity for instance equal to 150 mA, or an alternating current, for example with a frequency of 7 kHz and an amplitude of 150 mA. The erasure of the track P of the drum takes place for one complete revolution of the drum, that is, until the means for locating the index MIND furnished the pulse that follows the pulse I N-2 , or in other words the pulse I N-1 . The essential result of this erasure is that the magnetic recording layer of the drum is made magnetically neutral (with 0 magnetization inside the layer). As soon as the microprocessor MICROP receives the pulse I N-1 , the operation of writing the information on the track P of the drum then begins. (2) WRITING OPERATION: The microprocessor MICROP transmits a writing control signal CE to the means MGCE. The latter means convert the writing control current CE, which is written in digital form, into a square current SC (see FIG. 4 and the above description). The writing transducer TEC then writes a succession of rectangular magnetic domains on the track P that substantially has the dimension of the cross section of the writing pole POLE. A succession of magnetic domains is thus attained, in which the magnetization is successively positive and negative; that is, the domains A i , A i+1 , A i+2 , A i+3 , A i+4 , . . . , are produced, with the magnetic domains A i , A i+2 , A i+4 , having positive magnetization, for example, while the domains A i+1 , A i+3 , . . . have negative magnetization (see FIG. 5). The magnetization in these domains is perpendicular to the surface of the drum. It can be seen that the track P is written over a width L, since each of the written domains has a length equal to e, measured parallel to the direction of travel F of the drum. The first writing operation that is performed over the course of time is effected for a current SC the amplitude I of which equals I 1 , where I 1 is not 0 but is close to 0 (see FIG. 6). I 1 can for instance be selected to be equal to 1 mA. When the locating means MIND furnish the pulse I N , the writing operation is completed. It should be noted that during this writing operation, the reading means ML are disabled. As soon as the microprocessor MICROP receives the pulse I N , the reading operation begins. (3) READING OPERATION: The microprocessor MICROP then transmits a reading control signal CL to the reading means ML, which can now function. The winding BOBL of the reading transducer TEFL then furnishes the signal v A to the reading means ML. This signal v A is a periodic signal, the period of which equals T. It has a substantially sine-wave form, having a succession of positive and negative alternations, and the amplitude of the positive alternations is successively V 1 , V 2 , . . . , V n . As soon as the microprocessor has received the pulse I N , it furnishes a sampling pulse train SA n , SA n+1 , . . . to the means ML, the sampling period T E of which is equal to several times the period T, for example seven times, in a preferred embodiment of the invention. (It will be understood that as for FIG. 6, the time scale is different for the signals I N , on the one hand, and I Dn , SA n and V A , on the other.) As soon as the reading means ML receive one of the sampling pulses SA n , SA n+1 , . . . , they sample the value of the positive amplitude of the signal v A at time t n when the pulse SA n is emitted, and converts this into a digital signal S 1 , which is transmitted to the memory MEMO. The digital signal S 1 is formed for example by a set of 10 logic bits equal to 0 or 1. In an example of digital application of the invention, with the drum having a circumference of 314 mm (diameter =100 mm), the length e of a magnetic domain being 0.1 mm, it can be seen that per revolution there are 1570 pairs of positive and negative magnetic domains such as A i -A i+1 , and that consequently the signal V A includes 1570 periods. Since TE is substantially equal to 7 T, it can be seen that per sampling, more than 200 values for S 1 can be sampled, which will be transmitted to the memory MEMO, for the same revolution of the drum and for the same value of I 1 . The microprocessor MICROP includes a calculating program which enables it to extract, from among the 200 points measured, the maximum value SM 1 , the minimum value S ml and the mean value of the set of values Sl picked up in a single revolution of the drum. As soon as the reading operation is completed, or in other words as soon as the means MIND furnish the index pulse I N+1 , then a second sequence SEQ 2 of three operations begins, but with a writing current I 2 , such that: I.sub.2 -I.sub.1 =ΔI. The sequence of operations SEQ 2 elapses in the same order as before; that is, erasure, writing, and reading, in succession. Thus three signal values are obtained, S M2 , S a2 , and S m2 , which correspond to the value of the current I 2 . As soon as the sequence SEQ2 ends, the sequence SEQ 3 begins, which is identical to the two sequences preceding it but for a current I 3 , where I 3 -I 2 =ΔI, with signal values S M3 , S a3 , S m3 . Next, in the same manner, a succession of operating sequences SEQ 4 , SEQ 5 , . . . is performed, until the operating sequence SEQ p , in which p depends on the desired precision for defining the curve S=f(I). I p is the value for I at which the saturation magnetization of the magnetic layer is obtained. It is clear that the value of ΔI depends on the values of I p and p. In practice, ΔI is on the order of 1 at about 10 mA. Corresponding to the set of values I 1 , I 2 , I 3 , I 4 . . . , I p are three sets of values: a first set S M1 , S M2 , . . . , S Mp ; a second set S a1 , S a2 , . . . , S ap ; and a third set S m1 , S m2 , . . . , S mp . Corresponding to these three sets are three curves of primary magnetization S M =f 1 (I) , S a =f 2 (I), S m =f 3 (I), these curves being identified as C 1 , C 2 and C 3 and shown in FIG. 9. The curves S=f(I) are representative, to a near constant, of the curve of primary magnetization M=f(H), where M is the magnetization inside the recording material and H is the magnetic field applied at the time of the writing operation. In effect, H is proportional to I, and M is proportional to S. These curves can be displayed directly on a computer terminal screen, this computer including the microprocessor MICROP. It will be understood that for the same current I, the variations of S for the same revolution can be picked up, which is also known as modulation of reading over one revolution, which makes it possible to verify the homogeneity of the magnetic characteristics of the recording layer over one revolution. Turning now to a reference magnetic drum, the magnetic characteristics of which are considered optimal, and considering the three curves C 1 , C 2 , C 3 relating to this reference drum and known as CR 1 , CR 2 , CR 3 , the curves at the extremes, C R1 C R3 , comprise an envelope, and all the curves C 1 , C 2 , C 3 of all the drums the magnetic characteristics of which are to be measured by an apparatus according to the invention must be located inside this envelope. Hence the comparison between the various curves can be done directly at the computer screen. The characterization of a magnetic drum by means of the apparatus according to the invention takes place, as noted above, as soon as the various steps in the manufacture of the drum have been completed, and this can be done before and/or after the chromium-plating of the drum. Turning now to FIGS. 3a and 3b, FIG. 3a shows that the writing current generating means MGCE comprise a digital/analog converter CDAE and a current generator CGE connected in series. The digital/analog converter CDAE receives the digital writing control signal CE, which is a set of eight logic bits equal to 0 or 1, indicating both the amplitude and the frequency of the square signal SC. Corresponding to this set of binary values transmitted by the microprocessor MICROP, at the output of the digital/analog converter CDAE, is a voltage pulse train VCE converted into a current pulse train by the current generator GCE. The current generator accordingly furnishes the square signal SC shown in FIG. 4, which has the desired amplitude I and the frequency. The frequency of this current is selected such that the length e of a written datum will be equal to or greater than 0.1 mm. The reading means ML include the following, connected in series: the preamplifier AMP, the bandpass filter FILT, the data acquisition voltmeter VAD, the analog/digital reading converter CADL. The signal v A emitted by the winding BOBL of the reading transducer TEML is transmitted to the input of the preamplifier AMP and amplified by it, becoming the signal V A , which is transmitted to the input of the filter FILT of the capacitance switching type, for example an NS (National Semiconductors) MF10 filter, and which leaves this filter in the form of a substantially sine-wave reading signal the frequency of which is strictly equal to the frequency of the writing current. It can be seen that the role of the filter, which is calibrated to the frequency of the writing current, is to eliminate all the harmonics and all the parasitic signals from the signal V A . The signal V A thus gaving passed through the filter is transmitted to the input of the data acquisition voltmeter VAD, the essential constituent functional elements of which are shown in FIG. 3b. The data acquisition voltmeter VAD is in fact an analog peak voltmeter. It includes: a comparator COMP having a positive input E p and a negative input E N , a diode DI, a capacitor CAP to the terminals of which are connected in parallel a resistor R on the one hand and a switch INT, for example a transistor switch, on the other. The common terminal (not connected to ground) of the capacitor CAP, the resistor R and the switch INT is also connected to the negative input E N of the comparator COMP and to the cathode of the diode DI. Their other common terminal is connected to ground. The volta V A is applied to the positive input E p of the comparator COMP, the output of which is connected to the anode of the diode DI. The function of the peak voltmeter VAD will be understood from FIG. 6. The voltage V C at the terminals of the capacitor CAP develops in the manner indicated in FIG. 6, as will be described in detail below. As soon as the index pulse I N is transmitted to the microprocessor MICROP, the microprocessor transmits a discharge signal I Dn to the switch INT, which closes. The capacitor CAP discharges rapidly (with a duration on the order of that of the pulse I Dn , which in turn is less than that of one-half an alternation of the signal V A ). In FIG. 6, it has been assumed for simplification of both the drawing and the discussion that this discharge takes place during a negative alternation of the signal V A . Hence the voltage V C is 0 at the end of the discharge. Once the pulse I Dn returns to 0, the switch INT opens. As soon as the first positive alternation of the signal V A then appears, the diode DI is conducting (since V A >V C ) and the capacitor charges until its voltage at the terminals V C is equal to the peak voltage V 1 of this alternation. Next, when V A becomes less than V C , the diode DI is no longer conducting, and the capacitor CAP then discharges across the resistor R, quite slowly; the discharge period T D , which is equal to the product of R and the capacitance of the capacitor CAP, is on the order of 100 times the period T. As soon as the voltage V A is again greater than V C , the diode DI conducts and the capacitor CAP charges again, until as shown in FIG. 6 its voltage V C at the terminals is equal, for instance, to the peak voltage V 2 of the second positive alternation. As soon as V A again becomes less than V 2 , the capacitor CAP discharges again across the resistor R (the diode DI no longer conducts), until V A again becomes greater than V C , which is the case for the seventh alternation shown in FIG. 6, where V C again becomes equal to the peak voltage V 7 of that alternation. At time t n , the sampling pulse SA n is transmitted to the converter CADL, which then picks up the analog voltage V C (which is practically equal to V 7 in FIG. 6), and converts it into a digital signal, for instance having 10 bits D 0 -D 9 , which comprise the signal S transmitted to the memory MEMO. When the discharge pulse I D (n+1) is applied to the switch INT, the capacitor CAP discharges across this switch, and its voltage at the terminals V C drops back to 0. The cycle then begins again, analogously to what has just been described above, for the period of time between the appearance of the I Dn and the appearance of the pulse SA n . Turning now to FIGS. 7 and 8, a preferred exemplary embodiment is shown of the dynamic magnetometer according to the invention. In this embodiment, the writing transducer TEC and its duplicate molding SURM (see FIG. 2), and the erasing and reading transducer TEFL are mounted on the same transducer support arm, that is, EQM, which is movable in a direction parallel to the generatrices of the drum TAMB. The arm EQM is displaced in the directions F 1 or F 2 , as shown in FIG. 7. It is for instance made of the same material as that comprising the duplicate molding SURM. It is provided with two holes TR 1 and TR 2 , inside which two cylindrical rods TIG 1 and TIG 2 move, the axis of the rods being parallel to the generatrices of the drum, and on which rods the movable carriage slide so as to be displaced from one track P to neighboring tracks. The arm EQM is also provided with a threaded hole TR 2 , inside which an endless screw VIS passes that is integrally connected to the driveshaft of a motor M, for example a stepping motor, the step of which equals the width L of the tracks P of the drum. Thus by means of the motor M and the threaded screw VIS engaging the inside of the threaded hole TR 2 , the head-carrying arm EQM is capable of being displaced along the drum TAMB in a direction parallel to the generatrices of the drum, and accordingly it is possible to magnetically characterize each track P of the drum TAMB.

A method and an apparatus are disclosed for determining or defining a magnetic information carrier (TAMB) which includes a plurality of tracks P each having a synchronization index (IND). In the method, (1) the synchronization index (IND) is located, which makes it possible to initialize (pulse I N ) the sequence (SEQ 1 , SEQ 2 , . . . ) of the following successive operations, which are repeatable p times; (2) the entire surface of the track is first erased; (3) next, on this same surface, a succession of magnetic domains (A i , A i+1 , A i+2 , . . . ) is written; (4) at predetermined sampling times (t n , t n+1 . . . ), with a predetermined sampling period T E , a signal S is read, which is a function of the magnetization inside each of the domains read at these times; and (5) the values of the current I and signal S are memorized.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a division of application Ser. No. 430,414 filed Jan. 3, 1974 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,276. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to yellow to blue bisanil disperse dyes prepared from diaminomaleonitrile. 2. Description of the Prior Art Monocondensation products of diaminomaleonitrile with various aldehydes are known in the art. Onoda in Nippon Nogeikagaku Kaishi, 36 (2), 167-72 (1962) discloses yellow monocondensation products of diaminomaleonitrile with aldehydes; the products are of the formula Ar--CH=N--C(CN)=C(CN)--NH.sub.2 wherein Ar is either phenyl, p-dimethylaminophenyl or furfuryl. Robertson and Vaughan in J. Am. Chem. Soc., 80, 2691 (1958) disclose yellow monocondensation products of such formula wherein Ar is either p-hydroxyphenyl, p-nitrophenyl or cinnamyl. Reported attempts to introduce a second mole of the same aldehyde appear to have been unsuccessful and attempts to introduce a second mole of a different aldehyde with the monoanil (Schiff base) resulted in displacement of the aldehyde residue of the original derivative. Such displacement facilely occurred when the second aldehyde possessed a carbonyl carbon atom of greater electron deficiency than the original aldehyde; for example, p-nitrobenzaldehyde > benzaldehyde > p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (decreasing order of facility of displacement). Hinkel et al. in J. Chem. Soc., 1432 (1937) disclose yellow monocondensation products of such formula wherein Ar is either phenyl, p-anisyl, salicyl or m-bromosalicyl. None of the aforementioned references discloses that the monoadducts of diaminomaleonitrile and aldehydes are useful as dyestuffs for synthetic fibers, especially polyester fibers. U.S. Pat. No. 2,200,689 discloses heterocyclic pyrazinocyanine pigment dyestuffs which are obtainable by condensing diaminomaleonitrile with 1,2-dicarbonyl compounds, such as diacetyl, glyoxal, benzil, ortho-benzoquinone, acenaphthenequinones, thionaphthenequinones, phenanthrenequinones and aceanthrenequinones, at about 100°-300°C. in the presence of a solvent, pyridine and a metal salt. They are described as having good fastness properties. Linstead et al. in J. Chem. Soc., 911 (1937) describe a variety of phthalocyanine-type pigments which vary in color from blue to green with increasing molecular weight; they are prepared by treatment of 2,3-dicyanopyrazines of the formula ##SPC1## Wherein R is H, CH 3 or phenyl with copper salts. The 2,3-dicyanopyrazines can be prepared by condensation of diaminomaleonitrile with, respectively, glyoxal, diacetyl and benzil. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The dye trade is continuously seeking new and better dyes for use in existing and newly developed dyeing and printing systems and for use with fibers, blended fibers and fabrics, which fabrics may, for example, be subjected to an after-treatment (after-dyeing) step, such as the application of a permanent press resin composition, to impart a particularly desirable property to the dyed fabric. Dyes which combine brightness of shade and high tinctorial strength with good application and fastness properties are particularly useful in such systems. Bright dyes are more attractive than dull dyes and offer greater versatility in formulating mixed shades. Commercial disperse dyes for use on polyester and other synthetic and semi-synthetic fibers tend as a class to have rather dull shades. Bright disperse dyes often suffer from poor lightfastness or high cost, or both. It is an object of this invention to provide yellow to blue disperse dyes. It is a further object to provide dyes which exhibit outstanding brightness of shade and high tinctorial strength and which are generally fluorescent and significantly brighter than known existing disperse dyes. It is a still further object to provide disperse dyes with acceptable fastness to light and sublimation on polyester and polyester-cellulosic blend fibers. Yet another object is to provide economically attractive dyes derived from inexpensive starting materials. A further object is to provide a variety of processes for preparing such dyes. In summary, this invention relates to bisanil disperse dyes (and their preparation) of the formula Ar 1 --CH=N--C(CN)=C(CN)--N=CH-Ar 2 wherein each of Ar 1 and Ar 2 is independently selected from 1. benzo(5- and 6-membered)heterocyclic groups containing 0-4 methyl substituents and 2. phenyl, naphthyl, 5-membered heterocyclic and 6-membered heterocyclic groups containing 0-3 substituents selected from NO 2 , halogen, CN, C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, OCH 2 -phenyl, phenyl, CF 3 , OH, OC 1-4 alkylene-N(C 1-4 alkyl) 2 , C 2-4 alkylene-Cl, NHCONH 2 , NHCOA, NHSO 2 A, SR 8 , SO 2 R 8 , NHR 1 , NHCOC 1-4 alkylene-B and -NR 1 R 2 wherein: a. R 1 is C 1-4 alkyl or C 2-4 alkylene-R 3 ; b. R 2 is C 1-4 alkyl, C 2-4 alkylene R 4 or, if Ar 1 or Ar 2 is phenyl, C 3 alkylene attached to a phenyl position which is ortho to the position to which the nitrogen is attached; c. R 3 is CN, halogen, OH, phenyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, OC 1-4 alkylene-CN, CO 2 A, OCOA, OCONHA or CO 2 C 1-4 alkylene-OCOA; d. R 4 is CN, halogen, OH, phenyl, OC 1-4 alkylene-CN, CO 2 A, OCOA, CO 2 C 1-4 alkylene-OCOA, SO 2 A, phthalimido, succinimido, glutarimido, OCOCH=CH 2 , CH 2 --CH(OCOA)CH 2 OA or CH 2 CH(OCONHA)CH 2 OA; e. A is C 1-4 alkyl or R 5 ; f. B is halogen, C 1-4 alkoxy or R 5 ; g. R 5 is phenyl containing 0-2 substituents selected from C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, halogen, NO 2 , CN, C 1-4 alkylCONH and NR 6 R 7 wherein each of R 6 and R 7 is independently selected from H and C 1-4 alkyl, with at least one of R 6 and R 7 being C 1-4 alkyl; and h. R 8 is C 1-4 alkyl, C 2 H 4 OH, C 5-6 cycloalkyl or R 5 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The bisanil dyes of the above formula can exist in two isomeric forms, the cis arrangement ##EQU1## and the trans arrangement ##EQU2## Furthermore, the dyes can be symmetrical (if Ar 1 and Ar 2 are identical) or unsymmetrical (if Ar 1 and Ar 2 are different). The dyes can be prepared by condensing diaminomaleonitrile with the aldehydes Ar 1 CHO and Ar 2 CHO as hereinafter described, Ar 1 CHO and Ar 2 CHO being the same or different. The present invention also relates to additional processes for preparing the heretofore defined symmetrical and unsymmetrical, cis- and trans-bisanil dyes. Diaminomaleonitrile is generally referred to as HCN tetramer since it is available in low yields from the base catalyzed tetramerization of HCN as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,441. Tetramerization of HCN to diaminomaleonitrile also occurs in the presence of a catalytic amount of a basic catalyst and at least one of the cocatalysts diiminosuccinonitrile or cyanogen as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,318. Tetramerization of HCN in an aprotic solvent, such as dimethylsulfoxide, in the presence of a catalyst, such as sodium cyanide, at 60°-70°C. at atmospheric pressure, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,797, provides yet another route to diaminomaleonitrile; such a procedure also is described in Chemical Week, July 12, 1972, page 36 and in European Chemical News, March 2, 1973, page 20. Diaminomaleonitrile also can be prepared from diiminosuccinonitrile which itself is preparable, according to J. Org. Chem., 37, 4133 (1972), in high yield by the base catalyzed addition of HCN to cyanogen. Diiminosuccinonitrile can be converted by chemical reagents to diaminomaleonitrile, for example, by reaction thereof with HCN as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,039. Diaminomaleonitrile also can be prepared by reaction of diiminosuccinonitrile with hydrogen in the presence of a Group VIII transition metal hydrogenation catalyst as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,551,473. The yellow to blue unsymmetrical bisanil disperse dyes can be prepared by condensing 1 mole of diaminomaleonitrile with 1 mole each of different aryl aldehydes Ar 1 CHO and Ar 2 CHO. Symmetrical bisanil dyes can be prepared by condensing 1 mole of diaminomaleonitrile with 2 moles of a single aryl aldehyde. Examples of aryl aldehydes, Ar 1 CHO and/or Ar 2 CHO, which are useful in the preparation of the bisanil dyes are given in Table I. TABLE I 4-[n,n-bis(methyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4-bromo-2,5-diisopropylbenzaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis(n-propyl)amino]-2-methylbenzaldehyde 6-formyl-N-(methyl)-2,2,4,7-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline 5-bromothiophene-2-carboxaldehyde 4'-[N-ethyl-N-(2-methoxycarbonylethyl)amino]-2-methylbenzaldehyde 4'-[N-(2-butoxycarbonylethyl)-N-ethylamino]-2'-methylbenzaldehyde 4-ethylcarbonylamidobenzaldehyde N-methylindole-3-carboxaldehyde 4-thiomethoxybenzaldehyde 4-thio-n-butoxybenzaldehyde 4-thiomethoxynaphthaldehyde 4-phenylsulfonylbenzaldehyde 4-methylsulfonylbenzaldehyde 4-thio-(2'-hydroxyethoxy)benzaldehyde benzaldehyde 4-(N-cyanoethyl-N-methylamino)benzaldehyde 4-chlorobenzaldehyde 2,6-dichlorobenzaldehyde 2-nitrobenzaldehyde 3-nitrobenzaldehyde 4-nitrobenzaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde 4-[N-cyanoethyl-N-ethylamino]-2-methylbenzaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis(hydroxyethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis(cyanoethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis(n-propyl)amino]benzaldehyde 3-chloro-4-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzaldehyde 4-chloro-3-nitrobenzaldehyde 5-chloro-2-nitrobenzaldehyde 3,4-dibenzyloxybenzaldehyde 3,5-dibromosalicylaldehyde 3,5-di-tert.-butyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde 4'-[2-(diethylamino)-ethoxy]benzaldehyde 2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde 2,3-dimethyl-4-methoxybenzaldehyde 2,5-dimethyl-4-methoxybenzaldehyde 2,4-dimethylbenzaldehyde 2,5-dimethylbenzaldehyde 2-ethoxybenzaldehyde 4-ethoxybenzaldehyde 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde 4-cyanobenzaldehyde 4-acetamidobenzaldehyde 2-methoxybenzaldehyde 3-methoxybenzaldehyde 3-benzyloxybenzaldehyde 4-benzyloxybenzaldehyde 4-biphenylcarboxaldehyde 5-bromo-2-methoxybenzaldehyde 2-bromobenzaldehyde 3-bromobenzaldehyde 5-bromosalicylaldehyde 5-bromovanillin[5-bromo-4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde] 5-bromo-3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde 6-bromo-3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde 2'-(2-chloroethyl)benzaldehyde 2-chloro-6-fluorobenzaldehyde 4-ethoxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde 3-ethoxysalicylaldehyde 3-fluoro-4-methoxybenzaldehyde 3-fluorobenzaldehyde 4-fluorobenzaldehyde 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde 2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzaldehyde 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (vanillin) 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde 3-hydroxy-4-nitrobenzaldehyde 4-hydroxy-3-nitrobenzaldehyde 5-hydroxy-2-nitrobenzaldehyde 2,4,6-trimethylbenzaldehyde (mesitaldehyde) 2-methoxy-1-naphthaldehyde 4-methoxy-1-naphthaldehyde 3-methyl-4-methoxybenzaldehyde 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde (5-nitrovanillin) 3,4-dimethoxy-6-nitrobenzaldehyde 2-methylbenzaldehyde 3-methylbenzaldehyde 4-methylbenzaldehyde 2,4,6-triethoxybenzaldehyde 2,3,4-trimethoxybenzaldehyde 2,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde 2,4,6-trimethoxybenzaldehyde 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde 5-bromothiophene-2-carboxaldehyde 2-furaldehyde 5-methoxyindole-3-carboxaldehyde 5-methyl-2-furaldehyde 5-methylindole-3-carboxaldehyde 6-methyl-2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde N-methylpyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde 3-methyl-2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde 5-methyl-2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde 3-pyridinecarboxaldehyde 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde 3,5-dichlorobenzaldehyde 2,4-dichlorobenzaldehyde 3,4-dichlorobenzaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]-2-methylbenzaldehyde 2-chloro-5-nitrobenzaldehyde 2-chloro-6-nitrobenzaldehyde 2,4-dinitrobenzaldehyde 2,6-dinitrobenzaldehyde 2-acetamido-4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 2-acetamido-4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]-5-methoxybenzaldehyde 2-benzamido-4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 3-cyanobenzaldehyde indole-3-carboxaldehyde thiophene-2-carboxaldehyde quinoline-2-carboxaldehyde 4'-[N-(2-acetoxy-3-phenoxypropyl)-N-ethylamino]-2'-methylbenzaldehyde 4'-[N-(2-benzoyloxy-3-phenoxypropyl)-N-ethylamino]-2'-methylbenzaldehyde 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde 2,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde 2-fluorobenzaldehyde 3,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde 2-trifluoromethylbenzaldehyde 4-[N-cyanoethyl-N-n-propylamino]benzaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis(isopropyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis(n-butyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis(n-butyl)amino]-2-methylbenzaldehyde 1-naphthaldehyde 2-naphthaldehyde 4-bromobenzaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis(methyl)amino]naphthaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis-(ethyl)amino]naphthaldehyde 4-[N-cyanoethyl-N-ethylamino]naphthaldehyde 4-[N-ethylamino]naphthaldehyde 4'-[N-ethyl-N-(2-phenylcarbamoyloxy-3-phenoxypropyl)amino]-2'-methylbenzaldehyde 4-[N-benzoyloxyethyl-N-ethylamino]benzaldehyde 4-[N-benzoyloxyethyl-N-cyanoethylamino]benzaldehyde 4-[N-cyanoethyl-N-propionyloxyethylamino]benzaldehyde 4-methoxybenzaldehyde 3-chlorobenzaldehyde 2-chlorobenzaldehyde 4-[N-cyanoethyl-N-ethylamino]benzaldehyde 2-chloro-4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 2-chloro-4-[N,N-bis(methyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4'-[N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4'-[N,N-bis(2-acetoxyethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4'-[N,N-bis(2-acetoxyethyl)amino]-2'-benzamidobenzaldehyde 4'-[N,N-bis(2-butyroxyethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4'-[N,N-bis(2-acetoxyethyl)amino]-2'-acetamidobenzaldehyde 4-[N-cyanoethyl-N-hydroxyethylamino]benzaldehyde 4-[N-cyanoethyl-N-phenethylamino]benzaldehyde 4'-[N,N-bis(2-valerylethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4'-[N-cyanoethyl-N-(2-phenoxycarbonylethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4'-[N-(2-acrylyloxyethyl)-N-cyanoethylamino]benzaldehyde 4'-[N-(2-butoxycarbonylethylamino]-2'-chlorobenzaldehyde 4'-[N-(2-methoxycarbonylethyl)amino]naphthaldehyde 4'-[N-(2-butoxycarbonylethyl)amino]naphthaldehyde 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]-2-ureidobenzaldehyde 4'-[N-benzyl-N-(3-cyanopropyl)amino]-2'-ureidobenzaldehyde 4'-{N-[2-(3-dimethylaminophenoxycarbonyl)ethyl]-N-ethylamino}benzaldehyde 4'-}N-[2-(3,5-dichlorophenoxycarbonyl)ethyl]amino}-benzaldehyde 2'-acetamido-4'-{N-[2-(4-methoxyphenoxycarbonyl)ethyl]amino}benzaldehyde 4'-{N-[2-methyl-4-methoxyphenoxycarbonyl)ethyl]N-methylamino}benzaldehyde 4'-{N-[2-(2-chlorobenzoyloxy)ethyl]-N-methylamino}benzaldehyde 4'-{N-ethyl-N-[2-(4- nitrobenzoyloxy)ethyl]amino}benzaldehyde 4'-{N-[2-(4-acetamidobenzoyloxy)ethyl]amino}benzaldehyde 2'-acetamido-4'-{N-[2-(2-chloro-4-nitrobenzoyloxy)ethyl]-N-ethylamino}benzaldehyde 4'-{N-[3-(4-bromobenzoyloxy)propyl]amino}benzaldehyde 4'-{N-[2-(2-methyl-3-nitrobenzoyloxyethoxycarbonyl)ethyl]amino}benzaldehyde 4'-{N-[2-(4-methoxybenzoyloxyethoxycarbonyl)propyl]amino}benzaldehyde 4'-{N-[2-(3-cyanobenzoyloxyethoxycarbonyl)ethyl]amino}benzaldehyde 4'-{N-[2-(2-methylbenzoyloxyethoxycarbonyl)ethyl]amino}benzaldehyde 2'-chloro-4'-{N-[2-(propionyloxyethoxycarbonyl)ethyl]amino}benzaldehyde 4'-{N,N-bis[2-(butyryloxyethoxycarbonyl)ethyl]amino}benzaldehyde 4'-{N[2-(benzoyloxyethoxycarbonyl)ethyl]-N-methylamino}benzaldehyde 4-(N-cyanoethylamino)-3-n-butylbenzaldehyde 4'-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]-2'-(3-methoxypropionamido)benzaldehyde 2-acetamido-4-(N-cyanoethyl-N-ethylamino)benzaldehyde 2'-butyramido-4'-[N-cyanoethyl-N-(2-methyloxycarbonylethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 2'-(3-chloropropionamido)-4'-[N-phenethyl-N-n-propylamino]benzaldehyde 2'-acetamido-4'-[N-(2-methoxycarbonylethyl)amino]-5'-methoxybenzaldehyde 4'-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]-5'-methoxy-2'-(3-methylbenzamido)benzaldehyde 2'-chloroacetamido-4'-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]-5'-methoxybenzaldehyde 2'-(3-chlorobutyramido)-4'-[N,N-bis(cyanoethyl)amino]-5'-methoxybenzaldehyde 2'-acetamido-4'-[N,N-bis(2-acetoxyethoxycarbonylethyl)amino]-5'-methoxybenzaldehyde 4'-[N,N-bis(2-acetoxyethyl)amino]-2'-(2-chlorobenzamido)-5'-methoxybenzaldehyde 2'-acetamido-4'-[N-(2-acetoxyethyl)-N-cyanoethylamino]-5'-methoxybenzaldehyde 4'-[N-cyanoethyl-N-ethylamino]-5'-methoxy-2'-(4-nitrobenzamido)benzaldehyde 4'-[N-(2-methoxycarbonylethyl)-N-methylamino]benzaldehyde 4'-[N,N-bis(2-acetoxyethyl)amino]-2'-methylsulfonamidobenzaldehyde 4'-[N-(2-acetoxyethyl)-N-cyanoethylamino]-2'-phenylsulfonamidobenzaldehyde 4'-[N,N-bis(2-acetoxyethyl)amino]-5'-methoxy-2'-methylsulfonamidobenzaldehyde 4'-[N-ethyl-N-(2-succinimidoethyl)amino]-2'-methylbenzaldehyde 4'-[N-ethyl-N-(2-phthalimidoethyl)amino]-2'-methylbenazldehyde 4'-[N-cyanoethyl-N-(2-succinimidoethyl)amino]-2'-methylbenzaldehyde 4'-[N-ethyl-N-(2-glutarimidoethyl)amino]-2'-methylbenzaldehyde 6-formyl-N-(β-phenylcarbamoyloxyethyl)-2,2,4,7-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline 6-formyl-N-cyanoethyl-2,2,4,7-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline 6-formyl-N-(β-acetoxyethyl)-2,2,4,7-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline 6-formyl-N-(β-benzoyloxyethyl)-2,2,4,7-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline 4'-[N,N-bis(2-cyanoethylethoxyethyl)amino]-2'-methylbenzaldehyde 2'-acetamido-4'-[N-(2-cyanoethylethoxyethyl)-N-ethylamino]benzaldehyde 4'-[N-ethyl-N-(2-methylsulfonylethyl)amino]-2'-methylbenzaldehyde 4'-[N-cyanoethyl-N-(2-phenylsulfonylethyl)amino]benzaldehyde 4'-[N-cyanoethyl-N-(2-methoxyethylamino]benzaldehyde 4'-[N-ethyl-N-(2-propionoxyethyl)amino]-2'-methylbenzaldehyde indole-2-carboxaldehyde N-ethylindole-3-carboxaldehyde N-(2-acetoxyethyl)indole-3-carboxaldehyde thianaphthene-2-carboxaldehyde thianaphthene-3-carboxaldehyde 4,5-dibromothiophene-2-carboxaldehyde 4-bromothiophene-2-carboxaldehyde thiophene-3-carboxaldehyde 5-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]indole-3-carboxaldehyde 5-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]thiophene-2-carboxaldehyde 5-[N,N-bis(methyl)amino]-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-carboxaldehyde 5-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]-1,4-thiazole-2-carboxaldehyde 4-bromofuran-2-carboxaldehyde pyridine-N-oxide-3-carboxaldehyde The aldehydes listed above are either commercially available or can be prepared by well known prior art procedures, such as the Vilsmeier reaction using dimethylformamide, phosphorus oxychloride and the appropriate substitued aryl compound. Further to the above, the aryl aldehydes can be modified by the incorporation of sulfonic acid groups (SO 3 H) to provide, when condensed with diaminomaleonitrile as described herein, acid dyes for potential use on nylon. Similarly, incorporation of basic groups (-N + (alkyl) 3 )can provide cationic dyes having potential utility on polyacrylonitrile and acid-modified polyester and polyamide fibers. The symmetrical dyes, that is, bisanil dyes of the above formula wherein Ar 1 and Ar 2 are the same, can be prepared in one step by condensing 1 mole of diaminomaleonitrile with 2 moles of an aryl aldehyde, in the presence of an acidic catalyst, in an organic solvent, at 50°-150°C., while continuously removing the water formed during the reaction either by azeotropic distillation or by the action of a dehydrating agent, such as phosphorus pentoxide or dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Preferred catalysts in the condensation includes sulfuric acid, polyphosphoric acid and p-toluenesulfonic acid. Organic solvents, such as acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, hexamethylphosphoramide, dimethylacetamide, toluene, xylene, benzene and monochlorobenzene are equally useful. After cooling the reaction mixture to room temperature, the precipitated bisanil dyestuff can be isolated by filtration It has been discovered that condensation of 2 moles of 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde and 1 mole of diaminomaleonitrile at 50°-55°C. in hexamethylphosphoramide containing sulfuric acid as catalyst, in the presence of phosphorus pentoxide to remove the water or reaction, over a 6 hour period, provides the bright, fluorescent, red cis-bisanil dye N,N'-{4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzylidene}diaminomaleonitrile having the structure ##SPC2## The cis geometry about the central carbon-carbon double bond is evidenced by the large observed dipole moment (14.6 D) of this dye. This result correlates well with the large dipole moment (7.8 D) of diaminomaleonitrile as reported by Webb et al. in J. Am. Chem. Soc., 77, 3491-3 (1955). Depending on the rotation of the amino groups, a much lower dipole moment is predicted for the trans configuration. In general, the cis-symmetrical bisanil dyes prepared by the aforementioned process undergo isomerization and/or partial hydrolysis upon attempted recrystallization from dimethylformamide, acetonitrile or nitromethane, yielding mixtures of the cis- and trans-symmetrical bisanils and the yellow monoanil species. A useful one-step process for the preparation of symmetrical bisanil dyes involves the condensation of at least about 2 moles of aryl aldehyde with 1 mole of diaminomaleonitrile in glacial acetic acid, at about the boiling temperature of the acid, for extended periods of time. This process provides the thermodynamically more stable trans isomer having the structure ##SPC3## The low dipole moment of 3.2D on this product supports the structure assignment. Reaction times of up to about 4 hours at 115°-120°C. generally are adequate for obtaining substantially trans isomer. Upon cooling to room temperature, the trans-bisanil crystallizes and can be isolated from the acid medium. Yields of 60-75% of high purity symmetrical trans-bisanils can be obtained by this procedure. A similar result can be obtained by condensing 1 mole of the monoanil of diaminomaleonitrile with 1 mole of an aryl aldehyde under similar conditions to those described above. The unsymmetrical bisanil dyes, that is, bisanil dyes prepared from diaminomaleonitrile and two different aldehydes, can be prepared in stepwise fashion by monocondensation of 1 mole of a first aryl aldehyde with 1 mole of diaminomaleonitrile to provide the yellow monoanil derivative. The monocondensation is preferably run in an organic solvent, such as tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile or benzene, for up to about 4 hours, at the boiling point of the solvent, in the presence of an acid catalyst, such as sulfuric acid. The resultant yellow monoanil (1 mole) is then treated with 2 moles of a different aryl aldehyde in an organic solvent in the presence of a secondary or tertiary amine catalyst, while azeotropically removing the water formed in the condensation. Preferred amine catalysts are piperidine and triethylenediamine. No condensation occurs in the absence of catalyst. Useful organic solvents include monochlorobenzene, acetonitrile, dimethylformamide, isopropanol, dichloroethane, toluene and benzene, the latter being most useful. By way of example of the stepwise condensation diaminomaleonitrile (1 mole) is condensed with 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde (1 mole) in tetrahydrofuran, in the presence of sulfuric acid, at 60°-65°C., for 3 hours; a high yield, for example, 80-90%, of the yellow monoanil N-{4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzylidine}diaminomaleonitrile is obtained. This intermediate monoanil possesses inherent deficiencies in application properties on polyester when compared to the bisanil. The monoanils, in general, also do not exhibit the fluorescence and brightness which are characteristic of the bisanil derivatives of diaminomaleonitrile. Subsequent condensation of the aforesaid monoanil (1 mole) with 2 moles of 4-chlorobenzaldehyde in benzene, in the presence of a catalytic amount of piperidine, at 75°-80°C., while continuously azeotroping water over a 6-hour period, provides, after removal of solvent, a 40-50% yield of the trans-unsymmetrical bisanil N-{4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzylidene}-N'-(4-chlorobenzylidene)diaminomaleonitrile having the structure ##SPC4## When the amount of basic catalyst is less than 0.50 mole per mole of monoanil, the trans-unsymmetrical dye is contaminated with the cis-unsymmetrical dye and both the cis and trans forms of the symmetrical adduct N,N'-{4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzylidene}diaminomaleonitrile. The latter derivative is believed to be formed by initial hydrolysis of N-{4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzylidene}-N'-(4-chlorobenzylidene)diaminomaleonitrile to N-(4-chlorobenzylidene)diaminomaleonitrile and 4-diethylaminobenzaldehyde, followed by subsequent reaction of the latter aldehyde with the starting monoanil N-{4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzylidene}diaminomaleonitrile. The ratio of cis and trans products obtained does not change with longer reaction times, for example, up to about 18 hours. However, when the condensation is carried out with an increased amount of basic catalyst, for example, 0.50 mole of catalyst to one mole of monoanil, only the trans-symmetrical and trans-unsymmetrical bisanils are formed. Using larger amounts of aryl aldehyde, for example, greater than 2 moles per mole of monoanil, or using other solvents does not substantially alter the product. The major drawback of the above-described two-step process for preparing unsymmetrical bisanils of diaminomaleonitrile is that, under the reaction conditions, the product mixtures contain both symmetrical and unsymmetrical dyes. Due to the plurality of products capable of being formed by this process, the trans-unsymmetrical dyes are generally obtained only in moderate yields and complex separation methods usually are necessary to effect satisfactory resolution of the product mixtures. An improved process (a preferred process herein) for the preparation of trans-unsymmetrical bisanil adducts of diaminomaleonitrile (the preferred adducts herein) is illustrated by the following general scheme: ##EQU3## This four-step synthesis involves an initial condensation of 1 mole of diaminomaleonitrile with a first aryl aldehyde to give the monoanil adduct. In practice, any organic solvent can be used in this initial step, ketones and aldehydes which can react with diaminomaleonitrile being an exception. It is not necessary to have the diaminomaleonitrile in solution. Solvents which can be used in this condensation include tetrahydrofuran, ethyl "Cellosolve", dimethylformamide, methanol, ethanol and mixtures thereof. A useful temperature range is 20°-80°C.; however, a temperature of 25°-30°C. is preferred and provides the best yield and quality of product. Reaction times of about 4-17 hours can be employed. Acid catalysts, such as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid and trifluoroacetic acid, can be used. The monoanil can either be isolated or the reaction mixture containing same can be used in the next step. Reduction of the monoanil, for example, with sodium borohydride, gives the N-benzyldiaminomaleonitrile derivative in high yield. Reduction of the monoanil adduct is a critical feature of the improved process in that it precludes the formation of undesirable mixtures during the subsequent condensation with Ar 2 CHO (as was the case with the abovedescribed two-step process). Preferably, an organic solvent is present during the reduction step; included among the preferred solvents are tetrahydrofuran, methanol, ethanol and ethyl "Cellosolve", the latter being especially preferred. The addition of sodium borohydride provides an exothermic reaction and external cooling is necessary to keep the reaction temperature within the preferred 10°-35°C. range. Above 35°C. the product obtained is of poor quality. The sodium borohydride normally can be added over a 20-40 minute period while still maintaining the temperature below 35°C. Other reducing agents, such as lithium aluminum hydride and lithium borohydride, can also be used. The amount of reducing agent should be at least 0.50 mole per mole of monoanil to obtain complete reduction. The reduced monoadduct can be used without further purification in the next step of the reaction sequence. The reduction works best when at least some alcoholic solvent is present in the reaction mixture. Thus, the initial condensation of diaminomaleonitrile with Ar 1 CHO in tetrahydrofuran (THF) to give the monoanil, as previously described, followed by addition of methanol to the THF reaction mass and reduction of the monoanil with sodium borohydride, provides high yields of reduced monoadduct. In addition, by carrying out the initial condensation reaction at 25°-30°C. rather than at or above the boiling point of tetrahydrofuran (65°-66°C.), for example, at 80°C., and by keeping the subsequent reduction temperature below 25°C., excellent yields, for example, greater than 90% of theory, of the reduced monoadduct can be obtained. Condensation of 1 mole of the reduced monoadduct with 1 mole of a second aryl aldehyde Ar 2 CHO provides the monoreduced bisadduct. This step can be carried out with the same solvents and acidic catalysts used in the initial monocondensation step. However, best results are obtained when a solvent such as methanol or ethanol is used. In such a solvent the monoreduced bisadduct is very insoluble and precipitates as formed. Room (ambient) temperature (25°-30°C.) is preferred in this step for maximizing purity of product; higher temperatures cause the product to darken considerably. In order to obtain bisanil dyes having a red shade it is necessary, in many cases, to have a dialkylamino group on at least one of the aromatic rings. It is preferred to add the appropriate dialkylaminobenzaldehyde as the second aryl aldehyde rather than as the first aryl aldehyde since the monoanil formed from such an aldehyde is, in some cases, not reduced cleanly by sodium borohydride. Oxidation of the monoreduced bisadduct in the final step of the four-step process with an oxidizing agent in an organic solvent provides the desired unsymmetrical bisanil dye accompanied, in some cases, by the colorless isomeric 2,3-dicyanoimidazole as shown in the aforesaid equations. The oxidation proceeds readily in tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile, benzene, ethyl "Cellosolve" and acetone. However, in these solvents a large amount of imidazole is usually formed. Preferred solvents which give the bisanil dye and little or none of the isomeric imidazole are dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, dimethylsulfoxide, hexamethylphosphoramide and N-methylpyrrolidone. Oxidation at room (ambient) temperature (25°-30°C.) is preferred over elevated temperatures. Oxidizing agents that can be used include the nickel oxides, MnO 2 , PbO 2 , I 2 , NO 2 , dichlorodicyanoquinone and chloranil. Manganese dioxide gives the best yield and purity of dye and is preferred. In particular, carrying out the reaction with manganese dioxide in dimethylformamide at 25°-30°C. for about 4 hours provides an 80% yield of bisanil dye and the dye is completely free of the isomeric imidazole. The bisanil dyestuff can be conveniently isolated by adding tetrahydrofuran to the reaction mixture and filtering to remove insoluble manganese oxides, after which isopropanol is added to the filtrate and the precipitated solids are filtered off and washed with isopropanol; the precipitate is the desired bisanil dye. Alternatively, in order to eliminate tetrahydrofuran from the above procedure, the reaction mass (after oxidation) is poured into water and, after acidification, hydrogen peroxide or sulfur dioxide is added thereto to dissolve the manganese oxides. The resultant mixture is then filtered and the crude dye thus obtained is washed thoroughly with isopropanol. The latter modification eliminates both the expensive tetrahydrofuran solvent and the tedious removal of the insoluble manganese salts, thus providing for a more economical process. The geometry about the central carbon-carbon double bond of the bisanil prepared by the four-step process is exclusively trans as evidenced by measurement of the dipole moment. Thus, the preferred four-step process affords a high yield, for example, 70-80% overall from diaminomaleonitrile, of unsymmetrical trans-bisanil dyes uncontaminated with the cis isomer or the isomeric imidazole. The symmetrical bisanil dyes previously discussed can also be prepared by the aforesaid four-step process but they are more advantageously prepared in good yield by the one-step process previously described. As still another example of a process which can be employed herein is a two-step process by which can be prepared symmetrical or unsymmetrical bisanil dyes, and particularly such dyes which have a predominantly trans configuration. This process comprises heating diaminomaleonitrile in dimethylformamide under acidic conditions, preferably provided by sulfuric acid, with a molar equivalent of a first aryl aldehyde Ar 1 CHO to produce a monanil and then, employing the monoanil thus produced in place of diaminomaleonitrile, repeating the procedure with a molar equivalent of either the first aryl aldehyde Ar 1 CHO or a second aryl aldehyde Ar 2 CHO that is different from the first aryl aldehyde to produce either the symmetrical or unsymmetrical bisanil dye. The reaction times are very short, usually 10-30 minutes, and water produced during the condensations need not be removed to facilitate formation of the desired product. Although dimethylformamide is the preferred aprotic solvent, other solvents are useful, for example, dimethylacetamide, hexamethylphosphoramide, dimethylsulfoxide and N-methylpryrrolidone. The condensations are carried out in a temperature range of 140°C. to the boiling point of the solvent. The preferred range is 140°-150°C. Acidic catalysts, other than sulfuric acid, which are useful in providing acidic conditions include hydrochloric acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid and trifluoroacetic acid. Preferred symmetrical bisanil dyes herein include: ##SPC5## Preferred unsymmetrical bisanil dyes herein include: ##SPC6## The crude wet dye from any of the above processes is conveniently converted into a commercially usable form by mixing the crude dye, for example, ten parts on a 100% basis, with about 2.5 parts of a lignin sulfonate dispersant and water in a colloid or sand mill. Milling is continued until a fine, stable aqueous dispersion or paste is obtained, that is, until dye particle size is reduced to approximately one micron (average size). Both the symmetrical and unsymmetrical bisanil dyes possess high tinctorial strengths and provide, on polyester, extremely bright, fluorescent yellow to blue dyeings having generally good fastness to sublimation and moderate fastness to light. These dyes are especially useful for dyeing and printing polyester where bright shades are desired. Because of the chemical versatility inherent in the perparative methods disclosed herein and because of the very high tinctorial strengths and breadth of shades obtainable, the bisanil dyes can be used in such a way as to suppress very undesirable coloration features without paying a color value penalty. The bisanil dye can be applied to polyester fibers, either alone or in cellulosic blends, by an aqueous procedure, preferably under pressure, or by padding the fibers with an aqueous dispersion of the dye followed by dry heat (for example, Thermosol) fixation. Such dyeing procedures are widely used in the trade. The bisanil dyes are also useful for dyeing and printing polyester fibers, and their cellulosic blends, preferably employing a fabric which subsequently receives a durable press treatment. The following experiments typify the aforementioned aqueous and Thermosol dyeing procedures. Experiment 1 -- Aqueous (Pressure) Dyeing Procedure Five grams of commercially available polyester fabric were placed in an autoclave containing: an aqueous dye paste (15% active ingredient)containing the dye of Example 4 0.1 graman anionic long chain sodium hydrocarbonsulfonate (10% solution) 1.0 ml.a nonionic long chain alcohol-ethylene oxideadduct (10% solution) 0.5 ml.ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, sodium salt(1% solution) 1.25 ml.butyl benzoate carrier (10% solution) 1.5 ml.water to 75 ml.acetic acid to adjust the pH to 5.5. The contents of the autoclave were heated for 1 hour at 265°C. The dyed fabric was then rinsed in water and dried. The polyester fabric was dyed an extremely bright, fluorescent red shade. Experiment 2 -- Thermosol Procedure A pad bath was prepared containing: an aqueous dye paste (15% active ingredient)containing the dye of Example 5 50 gramspurified natural gum thickener 20 gramswater to 1 liter. The pad bath was padded on commercially available 65/35 polyester/cotton fabric with a pickup of 50-65%, based on dry fabric weight (owf), followed by drying (infrared predrying followed by hot air or hot can drying is preferable) to remove the water. Thermosoling, by which the polyester component was dyed with the disperse dye, was accomplished by heating the dried pigment-padded fabric for 90 seconds at 213°C. Unfixed surface dye, on either the polyester or the cotton or both, was removed by padding the fabric from an aqueous bath containing 50 g./l. of sodium hydroxide and 40 g./l. of sodium hydrosulfite at 27°-39°C., followed by steaming for 30 seconds. The fabric was then rinsed in water at 27°C., scoured for 5 minutes at 93°C. in water containing 1% ether alcohol sulfate detergent, rinsed in water at 27°C. and then dried. After dyeing and cleaning, the material was then padded (for permanent press treatment) with a pickup of 50-65% (owf) with a bath containing: g./l.a dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea cross-linkingagent 200.0a p-octylphenoxy(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.9-10 H wetting agent 2.5a dispersed acrylic thermoplastic binding agent 22.5a nonionic, paraffin-free, polyethylene emulsionwhich serves as a fabric softener 22.5a nonionic polymer emulsion which imparts luster,a silky hand and antistatic properties to thefiber 30.0a 20% aqueous zinc nitrate curing catalyst 36.0. The resin-impregnated material was air dried to remove the water and then cured at 163°C. for 15 minutes. The durable-press treated polyester/cotton fabric was dyed an attractive, bright, fluorescent scarlet shade. The following examples are given to illustrate the preparation of the bisanil dyes described above. All parts are given by weight unless otherwise noted. EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of Symmetrical Bisanil A mixture of 2.16 parts of diaminomaleonitrile, 9.16 parts of 4-[N,N-bis(cyanoethyl)amino]benzaldehyde, 0.2 part of p-toluenesulfonic acid, 30 parts of dimethylacetamide (DMAC) and 150 parts of benzene was heated at 80°-90°C. while benzene plus water was removed by distillation. After distillation for 17 hours, the remaining benzene was removed by distillation under nitrogen. After cooling the DMAC solution to -5°C. 4.2 parts of red bisanil were collected by filtration; its m.p. was 218°-220°C. Thin layer chromatography on silica gel-coated glass plates using benzene-acetonitrile (4:1) as eluent showed one scarlet spot at an R f of < 0.1. Calc'd. for C 30 H 26 N 10 : C, 68.6; H, 5.0; N, 26.5%. Found: C, 68.2; H, 5.4; N, 26.5%. An infrared spectrum of a Nujol mull of the product showed no N-H absorption at 2.8-3.1 μ. Based on the above, the product was of the structure p--(NCH 4 C 2 ) 2 N--C 6 H 4 --CH=N--C(CN)=C(CN)--N=CH--C 6 H 4 --p--N(C 2 H 4 CN) 2 . the mother liquor from the aforesaid filtration was poured into a large volume of ice-cooled water and the precipitated solids were isolated by filtration, washed with water and dried to give 3.9 parts of a red solid, m.p. 185°-186°C. Thin layer chromatography showed the presence of a minor scarlet spot at an R f of < 0.1 and a major yellow spot at an R f of 0.6. The product showed absorption bands at 515 mμ (a max . of 10 liters g. - 1 cm. - 1 ) for the bisanil and at 410 mμ (a max . of 87 liters g. - 1 cm. - 1 ) for the monoanil formed by hydrolysis of the bisanil during the DMF treatment. Calc'd. for C 30 H 26 N 10 : C, 68.6; H, 5.0; N, 26.5%. Found: C, 67.0; H, 5.7; N, 29.5%. Thus, hydrolysis of the bisanil occurred to provide a mixture comprising a preponderance of the monoanil and a minor amount of the bisanil. EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of Symmetrical Bisanil A mixture of 3.24 parts of diaminomaleonitrile, 10.6 parts of 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde and 50 parts of glacial acetic acid was stirred at 115°-120°C. for 4 hours. After standing at 25°-30°C. for 18 hours, the solids were collected, washed with 25 parts of cold acetic acid, then with two 25-part portions of isopropanol and dried to give 5.3 parts (60.8% yield) of the symmetrical bisanil dye as dark blue metallic flakes, m.p. 268°-270°C. The dye had an absorptivity (a max .) of 265 liters g..sup. -1 cm..sup. -1 at a wavelength (λ max .) of 561 mμ. Based on the above, the dye was of the structure p--(H.sub.5 C.sub.2).sub.2 N--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --CH=N--C(CN)=C(CN)--N=CH--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --p--N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2. a similar result was obtained by starting with the appropriate monoanil derivative instead of diaminomaleonitrile. EXAMPLE 3 Preparation of Unsymmetrical Bisanil by a Two-Step Process a. A mixture of 132 parts of diaminomaleonitrile, 210 parts of 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde, 30 drops of concentrated sulfuric acid and 2,000 parts of tetrahydrofuran (THF) was heated at 65°C. for 3 hours. The tetrahydrofuran was partially evaporated and 1,000 parts of ethanol were added. The precipitated solids were isolated by filtration and air dried to give 227 parts of yellow monoanil (76% yield). A mixture of 14.1 parts of 4-chlorobenzaldehyde, 20 drops of piperidine and 500 parts of benzene was heated at 80°-90°C. while continuously azeotroping the water formed during the reaction. The monoanil (13.4 parts) was then added in portions over a 6-hour period and heating at 80°-90°C. was continued for an additional 2 hours. The solvent was removed by distillation and the resultant solid residue was boiled with 200 parts of isopropanol. After filtration and drying, 9.2 parts (47% yield) of red product were obtained, m.p. 207°-208°C. Thin layer chromatography showed the major component to be the unsymmetrical dye along with small amounts of purple impurities. The dye had an absorptivity (a max .) of 177 liters g..sup. -1 cm..sup. -1 at a wavelength (λ max .) of 528 mμ. Cal'd. for C 22 H 20 N 5 Cl: C, 67.8; H, 5.2; N, 18.0%. Found: C, 68.6; H, 5.6; N, 17.9%. Based on the above, the dye was of the structure p--Cl--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --CH=N--C(CN)=C(CN)--N=CH--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --p--N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2. b. A mixture of 6.7 parts of the monoanil of part (a), 7.05 parts of 4-chlorobenzaldehyde, 0.85 part of piperidine and 250 parts of benzene was heated at 80°-90°C. for 1 hour continuously azeotroping the water formed during the reaction. Thin layer chromatography of the reaction mixture showed the presence of approximately equal amounts of the trans-symmetrical and -unsymmetrical bisanil dyes; only traces of cis-bisanil dyes could be detected. c. When the condensation was run on the same scale but in the presence of only 1 drop of piperidine, the major products after 1 hour at 80°-90°C. were the cis-symmetrical and -unsymmetrical bisanil dyes. Only traces of trans-bisanil dyes were present. EXAMPLE 4 Preparation of Unsymmetrical Bisanil by a Four-Step Process A mixture of 21.6 parts of diaminomaleonitrile, 38.3 parts of 4-bromobenzaldehyde, 5 drops of concentrated sulfuric acid and 250 parts of tetrahydrofuran was stirred at 25°-30°C. for 4 hours. Methanol (100 parts) was added and 7.95 parts of sodium borohydride were added in portions over a 20-minute period while maintaining the temperature at 20°-25°C. by external cooling in ice water. After stirring for 15 minutes at 20°-25°C. most of the solvent was removed by distillation. The remaining solution was poured into 1,500 parts of ice-cooled water and stirred for 1 hour; the resultant solids were collected and air dried to give 53.5 parts (97% yield) of the reduced monoadduct. This material was used in the next step of the reaction sequence without purification. A slurry of 53 parts of the reduced monoadduct, 38.8 parts of 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde, 1.2 parts of concentrated sulfuric acid and 1,000 parts of ethanol was stirred for 4 hours at 25°-30°C. The reaction mixture was filtered and collected solids were air dried, yielding 83 parts (99% yield) of orange reduced bisadduct. This product was of sufficient purity to use in the next reaction without purification. A mixture of 82 parts of the reduced bisadduct, 75 parts of manganese dioxide and 500 parts of dimethylformamide was stirred for 4 hours at 25°-30°C. Tetrahydrofuran (500 parts) was added and the resulting mixture was filtered through a medium porosity, sintered glass funnel. The solids thus obtained were washed with four 400-part portions of tetrahydrofuran to dissolve and separate the precipitated bisanil dye from the insoluble manganese oxides. The combined tetrahydrofuran filtrates were concentrated under reduced pressure to a thick slush; 600 parts of isopropanol were added and the resultant slurry was filtered; the collected solids were washed with three 100-part portions of isopropanol to give 61.5 parts (75.6% yield) of bisanil dye, as metallic green flakes, exhibiting an absorptivity (a max .) of 153 liters g..sup. -1 cm..sup. -1 at a wavelength (λ max .) of 531 mμ. Recrystallization of the product from benzene gave very dark needles, m.p. 205°-206°C.; it exhibited an a max . of 166 liters g..sup. -1 cm..sup. -1 at a λ max . of 531 mμ. Calc'd. for C 22 H 20 N 5 Br: C, 60.8; H, 4.7; N, 16.1%. Found: C, 59.5; H, 4.8; N, 15.6%. Thin layer chromatographic analysis of the product showed only a single purple spot. Based on the above, the dye was of the structure p--Br--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --CH=N--C(CN)=C(CN)--N=CH--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --p--N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2. example 5 preparation of Unsymmetrical Bisanil by a Four-Step Process A mixture of 10.8 parts of diaminomaleonitrile, 15.6 parts of 1-naphthaldehyde, 5 drops of concentrated sulfuric acid and 125 parts of tetrahydrofuran was stirred at 25°-30°C. for 17 hours. Methanol (35 parts) was added and the solution was cooled to 15°C. Sodium borohydride (3.8 parts) was added in portions while maintaining the temperature between 15°-20°C. by external water-ice cooling. After stirring for 15 minutes, the solution was poured into 1,500 parts of ice-cooled water and stirred for 3 hours; the solids (the reduced monoadduct as a light tan powder) were removed by filtration. A slurry of the reduced monoadduct, 18 parts of 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde, 15 drops of concentrated sulfuric acid and 200 parts of ethanol was stirred for 17 hours at 25°-30°C. The solids were isolated by filtration, yielding 35.4 parts of the reduced bisadduct as an orange powder. A mixture of the reduced bisadduct, 35 parts of manganese dioxide and 150 parts of dimethylformamide was stirred for 5 hours at 25°-30°C. The solids were isolated by filtration and washed with four 400-part portions of tetrahydrofuran to give a solution of the desired bisanil dye. The tetrahydrofuran and dimethylformamide were distilled off under reduced pressure and the solids thus obtained were washed with isopropanol and dried, yielding 32.5 parts (80% yield) of bisanil dye as a dark red powder, m.p. 211°-213°C.; it exhibited an absorptivity (a max .) of 183 liters g..sup. -1 cm..sup. -1 at a wavelength (λ max .) of 540 mμ. Calc'd. for C 26 H 23 N 5 : C, 77.0; H, 5.7; N, 17.3%. Found: C, 76.3; H, 5.6; N, 17.4%. Thin layer chromatography showed only a single purple spot. Based on the above, the dye was of the structure ##SPC7## EXAMPLE 6 Preparation of Unsymmetrical Bisanil by a Four-Step Process Example 5 was substantially repeated except that another solvent was used in place of tetrahydrofuran in both the reduction and oxidation steps. To a slurry of 12.7 parts of the monoanil of Example 5 in 50 parts of ethyl "Cellosolve" was added in portions, 0.95 part of sodium borohydride while maintaining the temperature at 25°-35°C. by external cooling in ice-cooled water. The resulting solution was stirred for 30 minutes, poured into 500 parts of ice water and stirred for 1 additional hour. The light tan precipitate was collected by filtration and air dried to give 12.4 parts (100% yield) of reduced monoadduct. The reduced monoadduct was condensed with 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde in ethanol as described in Example 5 to yield the reduced bisadduct. A mixture of 5.0 parts of the reduced bisadduct, 5.0 parts of manganese dioxide and 35 parts of dimethylformamide was stirred for 2 hours at 25°-30°C. The solution was poured into 350 parts of ice-cooled water and 9 parts of concentrated sulfuric acid were added. Hydrogen peroxide (6 parts of a 30% aqueous solution) was added in portions to dissolve the manganese oxides. The resulting mixture was filtered and the crude dye thus obtained was washed with two 50-part portions of isopropanol and dried to give 4.5 parts (89.4% yield) of the bisanil dye, as a red solid, exhibiting an absorptivity (a max .) of 169 liters g..sup. -1 cm..sup. -1 at a wavelength (λ max .) of 540 mμ. Thin layer chromatography showed only a single purple spot; the R f was identical to that of the dye of Example 5. EXAMPLE 7 Preparation of Unsymmetrical Bisanil by a Four-Step Process The dye of Example 5 was also prepared by reaction of the reduced bisadduct (9.6 parts) with 10.6 parts of lead dioxide (0.04 mole) in 200 parts of acetonitrile at 50°-55°C. for 9 hours. The suspended lead sludge was filtered off and the solvent was evaporated. Thin layer chromatography showed the residue to consist of approximately equal amounts of the unsymmetrical bisanil dye of Example 4 and the colorless isomeric imidazole. The imidazole was removed by prolonged extraction of the solid with hot (80°-90°C.) ethanol; the extracted product was shown by thin layer chromatography to consist of a single purple spot. The analytical data obtained on the product was substantially the same as that reported in Example 4. EXAMPLE 8 Preparation of Symmetrical Bisanil A mixture of 9.4 parts of 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde, 2.16 parts of diaminomaleonitrile, 4.0 parts of phosphorus pentoxide, 6 drops of concentrated sulfuric acid and 70 parts of hexamethylphosphoramide was stirred at 50°-55°C. for 6 hours. After each 2-hour period, an additional 1.0 part of phosphorus pentoxide was added. The reaction mixture was then poured into 800 parts of water containing 20 parts of aqueous ammonium hydroxide. After stirring for 1 hour, the precipitated solids were collected by filtration, washed with water and dried to yield 5.5 parts (65% yield) of symmetrical bluish-red bisanil, m.p. 140°-142°C. The product was recrystallized three times from isopropanol, providing an analytically pure sample, m.p. 162°-165°C. The product exhibited a high intensity absorption band (105 liters g..sup. -1 cm..sup. -1 ) at a wavelength of 558 mμ and, in addition, two lower intensity bands at 400 mμ (61.5 liters g..sup. -1 cm..sup. -1 ) and 382 mμ (56 liters g..sup. -1 cm..sup. -1 ). Based on the presence of the lower wavelength absorption bands and the large observed dipole moment of 14.6 Debye, the product was confirmed as having cis geometry about the central carbon-carbon double bond. Based on the above, the structure is p--(H.sub.5 C.sub.2).sub.2 N--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --CH=N--C(CN)=C(CN)--N=CH--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --p--N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2. example 9 preparation of Symmetrical Bisanil A mixture of 10.8 parts of diaminomaleonitrile, 29.0 parts of indole-3-carboxaldehyde, 400 parts of tetrahydrofuran and 10 drops of concentrated sulfuric acid was stirred at 65°C. for 16 hours. The tetrahydrofuran was partially evaporated and 10 parts of 10% aqueous sodium carbonate were added. The precipitated solids were isolated by filtration, washed with water, then with isopropanol and dried to give 20.3 parts of yellow monoanil (86% yield), m.p. 227.5°-229°C. A mixture of 14.1 parts of the monoanil, 12.0 parts of concentrated sulfuric acid, 11.6 parts of indole-3-carboxaldehyde and 150 parts of dimethylformamide was heated in about 10 minutes to 145°-150°C.; it was maintained at this temperature for 20 minutes. The reaction mixture was then poured into 1,000 parts of water. The precipitated solids were collected by filtration, washed with water, then with isopropanol and dried. The product was recrystallized three times from acetonitrile-chloroform to give 6.85 parts (31.7% yield) of the symmetrical yellow bisanil, m.p. 331°-333°C. The dye had an absorptivity (a max .) of 220 liters g..sup. -1 cm..sup. -1 at a wavelength (λ max .) of 480 mμ. Calc'd. for C 22 H 14 N 6 : C, 72.9; H, 3.9; N, 23.2%. Found: C, 71.4; H, 4.3; N, 22.3%. Based on the above, the structure of the dye is ##SPC8## EXAMPLE 10 Preparation of Unsymmetrical Bisanil A mixture of 4.7 parts of indole-3-carboxaldehydediaminomaleonitrile monoanil, 3.54 parts of 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde, 4.0 parts of concentrated sulfuric acid and 50 parts of dimethylformamide was heated at 145°-150°C. for 20 minutes. The reaction mixture was then poured into 1,000 parts of water. The precipitated solids were filtered off, washed with water and dried. Thin layer chromatographic analysis showed the presence of the two possible symmetrical bisanil condensates, together with a third bright reddish-orange component. The latter material was isolated from the product mixture by column chromatography on "Florisil" using chlororform as eluent. After two recrystallizations from acetonitrile, a small amount (0.10 part) of the pure unsymmetrical bisanil condensate was obtained, m.p. 265°-268°C. Infrared analysis showed an NH band at 3395 cm..sup. -1 and CN absorption at 2200 cm..sup. -1 and 660 cm..sup. -1 . The visible absorption spectrum exhibited a λ max . of 522 mμ and an a max . of 239 liters g..sup. -1 cm..sup. -1 . Based on the above, the structure of the dye is ##SPC9## EXAMPLE 11 Preparation of Symmetrical Bisanil A mixture of 2.16 parts of diaminomaleonitrile, 3.5 parts of 4-[N,N-bis(ethyl)amino]benzaldehyde, 8.0 parts of concentrated sulfuric acid and 50 parts of dimethylformamide was stirred at 145°-150°C. for 20 minutes. The reaction mixture was then poured into 1,000 parts of water; the precipitated solids were collected by filtration, washed with water and dried. The product was purified by column chromatography on "Florisil" using chloroform as eluent, yielding 0.47 part of bluish-red bisanil, m.p. 265°-268°C. It exhibited an absorptivity (a max .) of 265 liters g..sup. -1 cm.sup. -1 at a wavelength of 561 mμ. A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum of the product was found to be identical to that of the dye of Example 8. However, the absence of any lower wavelength absorption, together with the much higher melting point and a low observed dipole moment of 3.2 Debye indicates that the product is actually the trans form of the dye of Example 8. The isomerization of the cis dye of Example 8 to the trans form of this example was readily effected by heating the former dye in benzene containing a small amount of iodine. The resultant product was identical in m.p. and spectral properties to the trans isomer. EXAMPLES 12-118 Symmetrical bisanil dyes were prepared (Examples 12-19) by procedures similar to that described in Example 2. Unsymmetrical bisanil dyes were prepared (Examples 20-118) by preferred four-step process similar to those described in Examples 4 and 5. Data for the dyes produced are shown in Table II. Except as noted below the substituents A, B, C, X, Y and Z appearing as column headings in the table correspond to the substituents shown in the formula ##SPC10## The groups shown in column Y for Examples 34, 39, 82, 87, 88 and 95 correspond to the entire group ##SPC11## Similarly, the groups shown in column B for Examples 27, 31, 49, 50, 52, 53, 55, 61, 62, 64, 65, 66, 70, 78-83, 89-99 and 118 correspond to the entire group ##SPC12## TABLE II__________________________________________________________________________ExampleNo. A B C X Y Z__________________________________________________________________________12 H H H H H H13 H (4')-N(n- H H (4)-N(n-C.sub.3 H.sub.7).sub.2 H C.sub.3 H.sub.7).sub.214 H (4')-OCH.sub.3 H H (4)-OCH.sub.3 H15 (2')-OCH.sub.3 (4')-OCH.sub.3 H (2)-OCH.sub.3 (4)-OCH.sub.3 H16 H (4')-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)- H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN H C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN17 (2')-CH.sub.3 (4')-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)- H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN H C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN18 (2')-Cl (4')-N(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H (2)-Cl (4)-N(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H19 H (4')-N(CH.sub.3)- H H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 -- H C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 CH.sub.320 H H H H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 HN21 H (4')-Cl H H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 HN__________________________________________________________________________ Elemental AnalysisExample λ max. a max. Shade on Calculated FoundNo. (mμ) (1.g..sup.-.sup.1 cm..sup.-.sup.1) Polyester C H N C H N__________________________________________________________________________12 432 -- Yellow 58.4 7.4 34.2 57.9 6.8 34.513 561 205 Bluish 74.5 7.9 17.6 73.6 7.2 17.7 Red14 427 159 Greenish 69.8 4.7 16.3 69.3 4.8 15.1 Yellow15 460 170 Yellow -- -- -- -- -- --16 540 215 Red 70.6 5.9 23.5 70.2 6.0 22.617 550 171 Bluish 71.4 6.4 22.5 71.7 6.7 21.9 Red18 555 223 Bluish 60.2 4.6 19.1 60.3 4.7 19.5 Red19 543 194 Red 65.4 5.9 16.3 64.2 5.4 16.020 500 141 Bright 72.1 4.9 22.9 72.0 4.9 22.9 Orange21 510 168 Orange 65.9 4.2 21.0 64.7 4.1 21.2__________________________________________________________________________ExampleNo. A B C X Y Z__________________________________________________________________________22 (2')-Cl H (6')-Cl H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub. 2 H.sub.4 CN H23 (2')-NO.sub.2 H H H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 HN24 H (4')-NO.sub.2 H H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 HN25 H H H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H26 H H H (2)-OH (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H27 -- 2-furyl -- H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H28 (2')-OH H H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H29 H H H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN H30 H H H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN).sub.2 H31 -- 2-furyl -- H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 -- H OCOC.sub.6 H.sub.5__________________________________________________________________________ Elemental AnalysisExample λ max. .sup.a max. Shade on Calculated FoundNo. (mμ) (1.g..sup.-.sup.1 cm..sup.-.sup.1 Polyester C H N C H N__________________________________________________________________________22 514 135 Orange 60.6 3.7 19.3 61.0 3.6 18.923 512 115 Orange 64.1 4.1 23.8 63.5 4.0 22.724 530 135 Bright 64.2 4.2 23.8 63.4 4.4 22.3 Red25 525 195 Red 74.3 6.0 19.7 74.5 6.2 19.526 527 176 Bright 71.2 5.7 18.8 66.8 5.2 17.1 Red27 530 208 Red 69.6 5.5 20.3 68.5 5.1 19.628 531 186 Bright 71.1 5.7 19.0 67.8 6.2 17.6 Red29 510 138 Bright 73.1 5.6 21.3 69.9 5.0 19.9 Orange30 488 152 Yellow 71.0 4.7 24.3 72.5 4.7 24.231 500 118 Orange 68.5 4.5 17.1 67.8 4.1 16.9__________________________________________________________________________ExampleNo. A B C X Y Z__________________________________________________________________________32 (2')-NO.sub.2 H H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H33 (2')-Cl H (6')-Cl H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H34 H H H -- 4-N,N-dimethyl- -- amino-1-naphthyl35 H (4')-NO.sub.2 H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H36 H H H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)CH.sub.2 CH-- H CH.sub.2 OC.sub.6 H.sub.5 | OCONHC.sub.6 H.sub. 537 H (4')-Cl H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 -- H OCOC.sub.6 H.sub.538 (2')-Cl H H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H39 (2')-Cl H (6')-Cl -- 3-indolyl --40 H (3')-Cl H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN H41 H (4')-Cl H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN H__________________________________________________________________________ Elemental AnalysisExample λ max. .sup.a max. Shade on Calculated FoundNo. (mμ) (1.g..sup.-.sup.1 cm..sup.-.sup.1 Polyester C H N C H N__________________________________________________________________________32 542 150 Violet 66.0 5.1 21.0 64.4 5.2 20.533 540 145 Bright 62.3 4.5 16.5 61.5 4.7 15.7 Bluish Red34 560 133 Bluish 76.4 5.1 18.6 74.6 5.8 19.3 Red35 560 118 Violet 66.0 5.0 21.0 66.9 5.7 17.836 520 92 Bright 72.8 5.6 13.8 69.0 5.9 11.7 Orange37 520 107 Bright 68.1 4.7 13.7 67.9 4.6 12.9 Orange38 540 124 Bright 67.8 5.2 18.0 67.2 5.0 17.3 Bluish Red39 460 121 Reddish 61.3 2.8 17.8 59.8 2.7 18.5 Yellow40 523 154 Bright 67.2 6.0 19.6 67.3 5.2 19.2 Orange41 520 153 Bright 67.2 6.0 19.6 67.2 5.1 19.4 Orange__________________________________________________________________________ExampleNo. A B C X Y Z__________________________________________________________________________42 H (3')-Cl H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H43 (2')-Cl H H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H44 H H H (2)-Cl (4)-N(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H45 H (4')-Cl H (2)-Cl (4)-N(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H46 (3')-Cl (4')-Cl H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H47 (3')-Cl (4')-Cl H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN H48 (2')-Cl (6')-NO.sub.2 H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H49 -- 1-naphthyl -- (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN H50 -- 1-naphthyl -- H (4)-N(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 ).sub.2 H__________________________________________________________________________ Elemental AnalysisExample λ max. .sup.a max. Shade on Calculated FoundNo. (mμ) (1.g..sup.-.sup.1 cm..sup.-.sup.1) Polyester C H N C H N__________________________________________________________________________42 533 152 Bright 67.8 5.2 18.0 68.0 5.3 17.4 Red43 540 118 Bright 67.8 5.2 18.0 68.0 5.5 17.4 Red44 510 145 Orange 66.4 4.5 19.3 64.7 5.1 17.145 519 148 Orange 61.1 3.8 17.6 61.2 5.4 12.146 540 157 Bright 62.2 4.5 16.5 60.7 4.6 15.6 Bluish Red47 518 162 Scarlet -- -- -- -- -- --48 550 139 Violet 60.8 4.4 19.3 60.9 4.4 19.149 527 158 Scarlet 75.4 5.4 18.9 76.2 5.8 17.850 540 146 Red 78.1 6.8 15.2 77.7 6.7 14.8__________________________________________________________________________ExampleNo. A B C X Y Z__________________________________________________________________________51 (2')-Cl H (6')-Cl (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H52 -- 1-naphthyl -- (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H53 -- 1-naphthyl -- H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 -- H OCOC.sub.6 H.sub.554 (2')-Cl H (6')-Cl H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 -- H OCOC.sub.6 H.sub.555 -- 2-quinolinyl -- H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H56 H (3')-CN H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H__________________________________________________________________________ Elemental AnalysisExample λ max. .sup.a max. Shade on Calculated FoundNo. (mμ) (1.g..sup.-.sup.1 cm..sup.-.sup.1) Polyester C H N C H N__________________________________________________________________________51 545 138 Violet 63.0 4.8 15.9 58.5 4.9 15.852 545 170 Bright 77.3 6.0 16.7 77.3 6.1 16.6 Bluish Red53 527 138 Scarlet 75.5 5.2 13.3 75.0 5.3 13.154 527 115 Scarlet 64.0 4.3 12.9 63.8 4.4 12.855 551 198 Bright 74.9 5.5 20.7 74.4 5.5 20.8 Bluish Red56 535 167 Bright 72.6 5.3 22.1 73.0 5.6 22.3 Bluish Red__________________________________________________________________________ExampleNo. A B C X Y Z__________________________________________________________________________57 (2')-NO.sub.2 (4')-NO.sub.2 H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H58 (3')-Br (4')-OCH.sub.3 (5')-OCH.sub.3 H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H59 (2')-OH (3')-Br (5')-Br H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H60 (3')-Cl (4')-Cl H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H61 -- 2-thienyl -- H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H62 -- 2-hydroxy-1- -- H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H naphthyl63 (2')-F H H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H__________________________________________________________________________ Elemental AnalysisExample λ max. .sup.a max. Shade on Calculated FoundNo. (mμ) (1.g..sup.-.sup.1 cm..sup.-.sup.1) Polyester C H N C H N__________________________________________________________________________57 590 110 Blue 60.1 4.6 21.3 60.5 4.7 20.358 532 145 Bright 58.3 4.9 14.2 59.3 5.0 14.3 Scarlet59 560 107 Bright 50.0 3.6 13.2 49.9 3.7 12.9 Violet60 545 171 Bright 63.0 4.8 16.0 63.1 4.8 16.1 Bluish Red61 532 192 Bright -- -- -- -- -- -- Red62 550 196 Violet 73.8 6.0 16.5 75.1 5.4 17.163 532 186 Bright 70.8 5.4 18.7 71.0 5.1 18.8 Red__________________________________________________________________________ExampleNo. A B C X Y Z__________________________________________________________________________64 -- 1-naphthyl -- (2)-Cl (4)-N(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H65 -- 2-hydroxy-1- -- (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H naphthyl66 -- 1-naphthyl -- (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3).sub.2 H67 (3')-Cl (4')-Cl H H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H68 (3')-Cl (4')-Cl H (2)-Cl (4)-N(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H69 H (4')-OCH.sub.3 H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H70 -- 1-naphthyl -- (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(CH.sub.3).sub.2 (6)-CH.sub.3__________________________________________________________________________ Elemental AnalysisExample λ max. .sup.a max. Shade on Calculated FoundNo. (mμ) (1.g.sup.-.sup.1 cm..sup.-.sup.1) Polyester C H N C H N__________________________________________________________________________64 520 163 Orange 70.0 4.4 17.0 68.4 4.3 16.865 559 178 Violet 74.5 5.8 16.1 73.9 5.5 16.366 547 158 Bluish 78.3 7.0 14.7 77.8 6.7 14.9 Red67 521 152 Bright 61.0 3.9 14.2 58.7 4.2 14.9 Red68 520 150 Bright 55.8 3.3 16.3 55.4 3.5 16.1 Coral69 523 208 Bright -- -- -- -- -- -- Scarlet70 540 175 Bluish -- -- -- -- -- -- Red__________________________________________________________________________ExampleNo. A B C X Y Z__________________________________________________________________________71 (2')-CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2 (4')-Br (5')-CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2 (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN H72 H (4')-Br H (2)-CH.sub. 3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H73 H (4')-Br H H (4)-N(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3).sub.2 H74 (2')-CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2 (4')-Br (5')-CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2 (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H75 (2')-CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2 (4')-Br (5')-CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H76 -- 2-thienyl -- (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H77 H (4')-OCH.sub.3 H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H78 -- 4,5-dibromo-2-thienyl -- (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H79 -- 4,5-dibromo-2-thienyl -- H (4)-N(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3). sub.2 H80 -- 4,5-dibromo-2-thienyl -- H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H81 -- 4,5-dibromo-2-thienyl -- H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H82 -- 4,5-dibromo-2-thienyl -- -- 5-diethylamino-2-thiazolyl --83 -- 4,5-dibromo-2-thienyl -- (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3). sub.2 H__________________________________________________________________________Example λ max. .sup.a max. Shade on Calculated FoundNo. (mμ) (1.g..sup.-.sup.1 cm..sup.-.sup.1) Polyester C H N C H N__________________________________________________________________________71 521 123 Scarlet 64.6 5.9 15.1 63.1 5.4 15.872 540 158 Bluish-red 61.6 4.9 15.6 61.0 4.2 15.773 532 161 Red 63.4 6.1 14.2 61.9 5.9 14.874 542 140 Bluish-red 65.4 6.4 13.1 64.9 5.9 13.275 535 145 Red 64.9 6.2 13.5 64.4 6.1 13.976 535 194 Red 67.2 5.6 18.6 69.5 5.3 18.177 525 192 Scarlet 72.1 6.3 17.5 73.0 6.0 17.978 560 187 Bluish-red 47.3 3.6 13.1 47.4 3.8 13.779 553 127 Bluish-red 48.2 3.8 12.8 48.5 3.3 12.580 534 114 Red 44.8 3.0 12.4 44.1 2.8 12.781 550 150 Bluish-red 46.2 3.3 13.5 46.5 2.9 13.482 522 135 Scarlet 49.9 2.5 15.0 50.3 2.7 14.483 558 130 Violet 49.2 4.1 12.5 49.0 3.8 12.1__________________________________________________________________________ExampleNo. A B C X Y Z__________________________________________________________________________84 H (4')-OCH.sub.3 H H (4)-NHCOCH.sub.3 H85 H (4')-OCH.sub.3 H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3). sub.2 H86 H (4')-OCH.sub.3 H (2)-Cl (4)-N(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H87 H (4')-OCH.sub.3 H -- 6-N-(methyl)-2,2,4,7-tetra- -- methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro- quinolyl88 H (4')-NHCOCH.sub.3 H -- 6-N-(methyl)-2,2,4,7-tetra- -- methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro- quinolyl89 -- 5-bromo-2-thienyl -- (2)-Cl (4)-N(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H90 -- 5-bromo-2-thienyl -- (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H91 -- 5-bromo-2-thienyl -- H (4)-NHCOCH.sub.3 H92 -- 5-bromo-2-thienyl -- H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H93 -- 5-bromo-2-thienyl -- H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H94 -- 5-bromo-2-thienyl -- (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3). sub.2 H95 -- 5-bromo-2-thienyl -- -- 4-diethylamino-1-naphthyl --96 -- 5-bromo-2-thienyl -- (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H__________________________________________________________________________ Elemental AnalysisExample λ max. .sup.a max. Shade on Calculated Found No. (mμ) (1.g..sup.-.sup.1 cm..sup.-.sup.1) Polyester C H N C H N__________________________________________________________________________84 432 174 Yellow 67.5 5.15 18.8 63.3 4.2 17.985 532 157 Scarlet 69.7 9.4 16.9 69.4 8.7 16.586 508 169 Orange 78.5 4.9 19.1 77.2 4.7 19.387 535 154 Bluish-red 72.5 6.8 16.9 71.8 6.2 17.488 543 167 Bluish-red 71.9 6.6 18.0 73.7 6.1 18.789 531 114 Red 48.4 2.9 15.7 49.3 2.4 16.190 553 155 Bluish-red 55.5 4.4 15.4 55.4 4.4 16.191 444 145 Yellow 50.4 3.3 16.7 50.3 2.8 16.492 537 159 Bluish-red 54.6 4.2 15.9 53.8 4.1 13.593 524 139 Red 52.1 3.7 14.5 51.9 3.5 14.394 555 145 Bluish-red 57.3 5.0 14.5 57.4 4.2 13.995 515 94 Scarlet 58.8 4.1 14.3 59.4 4.6 14.696 535 138 Bluish-red 53.9 4.3 13.7 53.7 4.1 13.3__________________________________________________________________________ExampleNo. A B C X Y Z__________________________________________________________________________97 -- 5-bromo-2-thienyl -- (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub. 2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H98 -- 5-bromo-2-thienyl -- (2)-CHhd 3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)CH.sub.2 CHCH.sub.2 OC.sub.6 H.sub.5 H | OCONHC.sub.6 H.sub.599 -- 1-naphthyl -- H (4)-NHCOCH.sub.3 H100 (3')-Cl (4')-Cl H H (4)-N(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3). sub.2 H101 H (3')-NO.sub.2 H H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H102 H (3')-NO.sub.2 H H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H103 H (3')-NO.sub.2 H (2)-Cl (4)-N(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H104 H (3')-NO.sub.2 H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3). sub.2 H105 H (3')-NO.sub.2 H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H106 H (3')-NO.sub.2 H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H107 H (3')-NO.sub.2 H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)CH.sub.2 CHCH.sub.2 OC.sub.6 H.sub.5 H | OCONHC.sub.6 H.sub.5108 H H H H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H__________________________________________________________________________ Elemental AnalysisExample λ max. .sup.a max. Shade on Calculated FoundNo. (mμ) (1.g..sup.-.sup.1 cm..sup.-.sup.1) Polyester C H N C H N__________________________________________________________________________97 535 110 Bluish-red 56.3 5.1 12.6 55.1 4.8 13.798 534 105 Bluish-red -- -- -- -- -- --99 440 116 Yellow 73.7 4.3 17.9 74.1 4.2 18.5100 544 138 Bluish-red 64.4 5.4 15.0 62.8 5.1 16.3101 534 164 Bluish-red 66.0 5.0 21.0 64.6 4.5 20.7102 519 128 Red 62.1 4.5 18.9 63.0 4.2 19.7103 518 141 Orange 59.1 3.7 20.7 58.7 4.2 23.0104 543 154 Bluish-red 66.4 8.0 18.6 61.2 7.1 19.7105 531 141 Red 63.5 5.1 17.8 63.9 5.0 17.9106 531 117 Red 65.4 5.8 16.3 64.1 4.9 15.8107 530 100 Red 75.1 5.6 16.6 77.2 4.9 15.9108 507 144 Orange 69.2 5.3 17.5 68.4 5.9 17.7__________________________________________________________________________ExampleNo. A B C X Y Z__________________________________________________________________________109 H (4')-NHCOCH.sub.3 H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H110 H (4')-NHCOCH.sub.3 H H (4)-N(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3). sub.2 H111 H (4')-NHCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5 H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H112 H (4')-NHCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5 H H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H113 H (4')-OCH.sub.3 H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H114 H (2')-Cl H H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H115 H (2')-Cl H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H116 H (2')-Cl H (2)-CH.sub.3 (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)CH.sub.2 CHCH.sub.2 OC.sub.6 H.sub.5 H | OCONHC.sub.6 H.sub.5117 (3')-Cl (4')-Cl H H (4)-N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 H118 -- 3-(N-methyl)indolyl -- H (4)-N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 H__________________________________________________________________________ Elemental AnalysisExample λ max. .sup.a max. Shade on Calculated FoundNo. (mμ) (1.g..sup.-.sup.1 cm..sup.-.sup.1) Polyester C H N C H N__________________________________________________________________________109 532 171 70.4 6.1 19.7 71.3 6.8 21.0110 527 174 Red 70.9 6.4 19.1 70.5 6.2 19.4111 532 139 Red 70.4 6.1 19.7 70.5 6.7 19.4112 510 122 Orange 66.4 5.5 17.9 66.0 5.2 17.7113 518 150 Scarlet 68.3 5.9 15.3 67.9 6.4 16.2114 520 131 Scarlet 63.9 4.4 16.2 65.2 4.5 15.8115 532 129 Red 65.1 5.2 15.2 64.4 4.9 16.3116 530 78 Red -- -- -- -- -- --117 519 152 Scarlet 59.0 4.1 15.0 57.3 3.7 17.1118 525 215 Scarlet 73.5 5.9 20.6 70.4 5.2 19.1__________________________________________________________________________

Extremely bright, tinctorially strong disperse dyes derived from diaminomaleonitrile and selected aromatic and heterocyclic aldehydes, and their preparation, useful for dyeing and printing polyester and polyester-cotton blend fibers in yellow to blue shades of generally good fastness properties, which dyes are of the general formula Ar.sub.1 --CH=N--C(CN)=C(CN)--N=CH--Ar.sub.2 wherein Ar 1 and Ar 2 are aromatic or aromatic-like groups, for example, phenyl or pyridyl.

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 08/812,301 filed Mar. 5, 1997 and now U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,708. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an aqueous dispersion of a particulate solid having a hydrophobic outer surface which is suitable for applying to a substrate to form a continuous hydrophobic film thereon. The film applications of the present invention include coating surfaces to make them water resistant. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The prior art has recognized the utility of inert particulate solids as insecticides, see for example; Driggers, B. F., "Experiments with Talc and Other Dusts Used Against Recently Hatched Larvae of the Oriental and Codling Moths", J. Econ. Ent. 22 327-334 (1929); Hunt, C. R., "Toxicity of Insecticide Dust Diluents and Carriers to Larvae of the Mexican Bean Beetle", J. Econ. Ent. 40 215-219 (1947); and U.S. Pat. No. 3,159,536 (1964), each of which is incorporated herein by reference. These references all describe applying particulate solids to foliage or insects by dry dusting. Although dry dusting is useful for laboratory experimentation it is not applicable for large scale agricultural use. The use of dry dusting has declined because the extremely fine particles, usually on the order of less than 30 um, with a median particle size typically between 0.5 to 3.0 um, are prone to drift and therefore have high negative environmental impact. Dry particles also do not adhere well to the target substrate (e.g. plants). Typically only 10% to 20% of the dry dust is deposited onto the target. (Pesticide Application Methods by G. A. Mathews Longman Scientific & Technical, Second Ed. (1992).) It has also been determined that hydrophobic particulate solids can be applied to substrates as a liquid composition to form a hydrophilic coating. To this end, the particulate substances have been combined with a dispersant having a hydrophilic end and a lipophilic end and the same added to water to form an aqueous dispersion. The dispersant concentrates at an interphase between the hydrophobic substance and water with the lipophilic end of the dispersant positioned toward the hydrophobic substance and the hydrophilic end toward the water. General classes of dispersants are divided into different groups by chemical functionality, e.g., cationic, anionic, amphoteric, nonionic. Typical examples of surfactants include soaps (carboxylate salts), sulfonates, sulfated alcohol ethoxylates, alkylphenol ethoxylates, carboxylic and polyoxyethylene esters, amines, imidazolines, and quaternary ammonium salts. Extensive lists containing hundreds of commercial dispersants are readily available (see McCutcheon's Emulsifiers & Detergents N. Amer Ed. (1995)). The use of dispersants, however, causes the particulate hydrophobic substance to become hydrophilic and to retain this hydrophilic character after drying. Therefore, when such dispersions are placed on a substrate they will retain water. Water results in surface damage to many substrates including agricultural crops and other plants (disease), lumber (rot), concrete (freeze cracking), soil (erosion), textiles, solid chemicals such as fertilizers (leach), and the like. Accordingly, the use of dispersants for employing a dispersion of hydrophobic particulate solids for protecting surfaces has been problematical. It would therefore be a significant advance in the art of applying hydrophobic particulate solids to a substrate to provide the substrate with a continuous film of the particulate solid while retaining a hydrophobic character. The resulting film would provide a substantial deterrent to damage due to water. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is generally directed to an aqueous dispersion and to continuous films formed from the same in which a particulate solid having at least a hydrophobic outer surface is formed as an aqueous dispersion, thereafter coated onto a substrate and formed into a continuous film while retaining its hydrophobic character. In particular, the present invention is directed to an aqueous dispersion comprising: a) a particulate solid having a hydrophobic outer surface; b) an amount of a low boiling organic liquid sufficient to enable the particulate solid to form a dispersion in water and to retain the hydrophobic outer surface upon drying; and c) water. In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of forming a hydrophobic continuous film on a substrate comprising: a) adding a particulate solid having a hydrophobic outer surface to an amount of a low boiling organic liquid sufficient to form a slurry; b) adding said slurry to water to form an aqueous dispersion of said particulate solid; c) applying said aqueous dispersion to the substrate; d) enabling the aqueous dispersion to dry whereby a hydrophobic continuous film of said particulate solid is formed on the substrate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The finely divided hydrophobic particulate solids of the invention may be hydrophobic in and of themselves, e.g., mineral talc, graphite, or may be solids that are rendered hydrophobic by application of an outer coating of a suitable hydrophobic wetting agent (e.g. the particulate solid has a non-hydrophobic core and a hydrophobic outer surface). Such agents are well known in the art and common examples include: chrome complexes such as Volvan® and Quilon® obtained from DuPont; organic titanates such as Tilcom® obtained from Tioxide Chemicals; organic zirconate or aluminate coupling agents obtained from Kenrich Petrochemical, Inc.; organofunctional silanes such as Silquest® products obtained from Witco or Prosil® products obtained from PCR; modified silicone fluids such as the DM-Fluids obtained from Shin Etsu; and fatty acids such as Hystrene® or Industrene® products obtained from Witco Corporation or Emersol® products obtained from Henkel Corporation (stearic acid and stearate salts are particularly effective fatty acids for rendering a particle surface hydrophobic). Many types of finely divided particulate solids are pretreated with hydrophobic wetting agents to render their surfaces hydrophobic, so that the particles will wet out and disperse better in non-aqueous matrixes such as used in plastics, rubber, and organic coatings. Typical particulate solid materials that are commercially treated with hydrophobic agents include: minerals, such as calcium carbonate, mica, talc, kaolin, bentonites, clays, attapulgite, pyrophyllite, wollastonite, silica, feldspar, sand, quartz, chalk, limestone, precipitated calcium carbonate, diatomaceous earth and barytes; functional fillers such as microspheres (ceramic, glass and organic), aluminum trihydrate, pyrogenic silica, ceramic fibers and glass fibers; and pigments such as colorants or titanium dioxide. Examples of preferred commercial solid hydrophobic particulates that are available as an article of commerce from Engelhard Corporation, Iselin, N.J. are sold under the trademark Translink®. The term "finely divided" when utilized herein means that the individual particles have a median particle size below about 10 microns and preferably below 3 microns as measured by standard sedigraphic or laser light scattering methods. Preferably, the particulate solid material has a particle size distribution wherein up to 90% of the particles have a particle size of under about 10 microns. The low boiling organic liquids useful in the present invention preferably contain from 1 to 6 carbon atoms. The term "low boiling" as used herein shall mean organic liquids which have a boiling point generally no more than 100° C. These liquids enable the particulate solids to remain in finely divided form without significant agglomeration. Such low boiling organic liquids are exemplified by: alcohols such as methanol, ethanol. propanol, i-propanol, i-butanol, and the like, ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone and the like, and cyclic ethers such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and tetrahydrofuran. Combinations of the above-mentioned liquids can also be employed. Methanol is the preferred liquid. The low boiling organic liquid is employed in an amount sufficient to form a dispersion of the solid particulate material. The amount of the low boiling organic liquid is typically up to about 30 volume percent of the aqueous dispersion, preferably from about 3 to 5 volume percent and most preferably from about 3.5 to 4.5 volume percent. The hydrophobic particulate solid is preferable added to the low boiling organic liquid to form a slurry and then the slurry is diluted with water to form the aqueous dispersion. The resulting slurry retains the particles in finely divided form wherein most of the particles are dispersed to a particle size of less than 10 microns. The following examples are illustrative of embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention as encompassed by the claims forming part of the application. EXAMPLE 1 Three gram quantities of a hydrophobic clay (Translink® 77 manufactured by Engelhard Corporation), were separately dispersed in 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 milliliters of methanol, respectively. The samples were then diluted with deionized water to a total volume of 100 millimeters to yield a series of slurries containing 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10% by volume of methanol, respectively. The methanol/water slurries were allowed to set for 24 hours before glass slides, surrounded with two sided adhesive tape, were dipped into the slurries. Hydrophobicity was determined by measuring the contact angle of the resulting dried particulate films prepared from the aqueous dispersions of hydrophobic particles. As used herein the static contact angle is the equilibrium angle measured between a liquid and a solid by drawing a tangent at the point of contact. A dynamic contact angle analyzer records both advancing and receding contact angles by the Wilhelmy technique as a glass slide or another surface is moved up and down through a liquid. The relationship between wetting force and contact angle is given by the modified Youngs equation shown below: F=γpcosθ where F=wetting force; γ=liquid surface tension; and p=wetting perimeter All measurements herein were made in water using either glass slides surrounded by adhesive tape or dual sided adhesive tape coated with particulate solids. Calibration of the water surface tension was made using a platinum plate. An angle below 90 degrees is considered hydrophilic while an angle above 90 degrees is considered hydrophobic. The contact angles of the respective dried particle films were recorded with a Cahn DCA (Dynamic Contact Angle) instrument. The results are shown in the Table 1. All of the films formed in accordance with the present invention were hydrophobic and gave contact angles well above 90 degrees. A control sample was prepared in the same manner as described above except that the methanol was omitted. Without the methanol, the hydrophobic clay floated on the water and would not wet out even with vigorous agitation. EXAMPLE 2 Three gram quantities of Translink® 77, manufactured by Engelhard Corporation, was separately dispersed into 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 milliliters of ethanol, respectively. The samples were then diluted with deionized water to a total volume of 100 milliliters to yield a series of slurries containing 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10% by volume of ethanol, respectively. Contact angle measurements were performed as described in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 1. The contact angle for each of the ethanol containing slurries was well above 90°. Thus each of the samples produced in accordance with the present invention retained its hydrophobic character. TABLE 1______________________________________ EXAMPLE 1 EXAMPLE 2 % CONTACT ANGLE CONTACT ANGLE ALCOHOL METHANOL ETHANOL______________________________________2 164° 148° 4 151° 153° 6 147° 140° 8 130° 167° 10 155° 157°______________________________________ EXAMPLE 3 Translink® 77 was dispersed in ethanol and/or methanol-containing solutions as shown in Table 2 and then the samples were diluted with water to yield slurries containing 4% by volume of the ethanol/methanol mixture dispersion. Dried particle films were made from the dispersions at 1, 8, 24 hours and greater than 24 hours after the dispersions were prepared. The contact angle measurements were made as described in Example 1 and the results are shown in Table 2. As shown in Table 2 the contact angle for each of the slurries of the present invention was well above 90 degrees indicating that the dried particulate films were hydrophobic. The dispersions were also stable for over 24 hours. TABLE 2______________________________________ CON- CON- CON- CON- TACT TACT TACT TACT % % ANGLE ANGLE ANGLE ANGLE METHANOL ETHANOL 1 HR. 8 HRS. 24 HRS. >24 HRS.______________________________________4 0 158° 156° 142° 152° 3 1 138° 153° 139° 143° 2 2 132° 136° 154° 141° 1 3 149° 155° 157° 153° 0 4 158° 133° 150° 147°______________________________________ EXAMPLE 4 Four dispersions of each containing 4 grams of Translink® 77 were prepared in water under low shear mixing conditions. The first dispersion employed a 4% concentration of methanol as the dispersant. The second dispersion was prepared in the same manner except that methanol was replaced by four drops of an alkoxylated fatty amine (Ethomeen 0/12 sold by Akzo Nobel Chemicals, Inc.) The third dispersion was prepared in the same manner except that four drops of a tall oil hydroxy ethyl imidazoline (Monazoline T sold by MONA Industries, Inc.) was used as the dispersant. The fourth dispersion was prepared in the same manner except that four drops of a propylene oxide ethylene oxide block copolymer (Pluronic L-62 sold by BASF Corporation) was used. The particle size distribution of the resulting slurries was measured and the results are shown in Table 3. TABLE 3______________________________________ PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTIONDISPERSANT <10% <50% <90%______________________________________Methanol 0.92 3.0 9.1 Ethomeen 0/12 2.0 7.3 114.0 Monazoline T 2.3 7.4 87.3 Pluronic L-62 2.3 7.8 90.1______________________________________ As shown in Table 3, the aqueous dispersion formed in accordance with the present invention exhibited much finer particles than the dispersions formed by typical dispersants used in the industry. For example up to 90% of the particles in the dispersion of the present invention had a particle size of 9.1 or less while the closest comparative samples showed a particle size of 87.3 for up to 90% of the particles. Each of the dispersions described above was sprayed onto a coated glass slide and allowed to dry. Thereafter, a drop of water was placed onto the coated glass slides. The droplet on the coated glass slide in accordance with the present invention remained beaded and did not spread out indicating that the coating was hydrophobic. Each of the water droplets on the other glass slides spread out indicating that the particle films were hydrophilic. EXAMPLE 5 Four slurries were prepared as in Example 4 except that the slurries were made under high shear conditions. In particular, the slurries were milled for 30 minutes using a Cowles high-shear blade on a Premier Mill Corporation high speed dispersator. Particle size measurements were made of the slurries and the remainder of the slurries were filtered. Contact angle measurements of the dry particles were made. The results are shown in Table 4. TABLE 4______________________________________ MEDIAN PARTICLE SIZE DISPERSANT (MICRONS) CONTACT ANGLE______________________________________Methanol 2.1 160.0 Ethomeen 0/12 37.0 76.0 Monazoine T 62.2 53.5 Pluronic L-62 3.3 48.3______________________________________ As shown from the results in Table 4, many of the agglomerates were broken down under high shear conditions. However, the particles were no longer hydrophobic except for the sample employing methanol. EXAMPLE 6 The following example demonstrates the invention in an agricultural field application. In a plastic pail 100 pounds of Translink® 77 was slowly added to 16 gallons of commercial methanol under gentle agitation with a paddle. The mixture was then transferred to a recirculating spray tank and diluted to 400 gallons with water to make a slurry of 3% Translink®77 and 4% methanol in water. After five (5) minutes of mixing, the dispersion was ready to spray. A peach and apple orchard was sprayed using a Friendly® hydraulic sprayer fitted with standard fan nozzles. After spraying, the sprayed tree leaves were determined upon drying to be hydrophobic, since added water droplets were observed to bead up on the surfaces of the leaves. EXAMPLE 7 Example 6 was repeated except that methanol was replaced with a 1% Safer® Soap (sold by Safer, Incorporated) which is a potassium fatty acid commonly used as an agricultural surfactant and insecticide. The orchards were sprayed as described in Example 6. Upon drying, the tree leaves were observed to be hydrophilic since added drops of water spread out upon the surfaces of the leaves.

Aqueous dispersion of a particulate solid containing a low boiling organic liquid in which the particulate solid has a hydrophobic outer surface which is suitable for applying to a substrate to form a continuous hydrophobic film thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a medical fluid circuit unit. [0002] Specifically, though not exclusively, the invention can be usefully applied for providing a replacement fluid to an apparatus for hemo(dia)filtration. [0003] U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,598 describes an extracorporeal blood circuit provided with: a cartridge including an arterial blood chamber and a venous blood chamber; a first arterial branch having a flexible tube with a first end designed for connection with a vascular access of a patient and with a second end connected to an inlet of the arterial chamber; a pump tract formed by a flexible ring-shaped tube which extends from one side of the cartridge and has a first end connected to an outlet of the arterial chamber and a second end connected to a blood passage conduit internal of the cartridge; a second arterial branch having a flexible tube with a first end connected to the blood passage conduit and a second end designed for connection to an inlet of a membrane blood treatment device (dialyser); a first venous branch having a flexible tube with a first end designed for connection with the membrane blood treatment device and with a second end connected to an inlet of the venous chamber; a second venous branch having a flexible tube with a first end connected to an outlet of the venous chamber and a second end designed for connection to the vascular access of the patient. The cartridge exhibits three projections for mounting to the front panel of a dialysis machine, in which two projections are formed by two tubular extensions with parallel axes, arranged one above the other on a side of the cartridge adjacent to the arterial chamber, and a third projection arranged on the opposite side of the cartridge, adjacent to the venous chamber. The cartridge is placed in a work configuration by coupling each projection with a respective clip, arranged on the panel of the dialysis machine. [0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,713 describes an extracorporeal circuit like the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,598, in which the three projections are engaged in sockets by frontal insertion. The peristaltic pump is provided with a cover situated in front of the rotor and slidable on linear guides in a parallel direction to the axis of the rotor, between a loading position, in which it is distanced from the rotor, and a work position, in which it is close to the rotor. The cover comprises a U-shaped tube guide slidably coupled to the linear guides, and a blocking hatch mounted rotatably on the tube guide. The pump tract is engaged to the rotor of the peristaltic pump in the following steps. First, the cover is in the loading position with the hatch open. The cartridge is positioned so that the projections are ready for coupling to the sockets, and so that the pump tract is in the spatial region comprised between the rotor and the cover. Then the cover is translated towards the work position while the rotor is started up. The action of the rollers of the rotor pushes the pump tract into the desired engaged position between the rotor and the stator. This action is favoured by the conformation of the rollers, which each have a lateral conical portion with a growing radius which automatically displaces the pump tract into a larger-radius central portion. In the meantime, while the cover continues to translate into the work position, a lip of the tube guide prevents the pump tract from returning into a disengaged position from the rotor. To disengage the pump tract, the cover is translated towards the outside, and a raising arm solidly constrained to the tube guide draws the pump tract, extracting it from the rotor. [0005] WO 2005/033513 describes a peristaltic pump comprising a rotor which can translate in such a way as to assume a loading position in which it is distant from a semi-circular stator, thus enabling introduction and extraction of a pump length between the rotor and the stator, and an operative position in which it is close to the stator, thus enabling the squeezing action of the pump tract by the rollers of the rotor. The pump length of tube is borne by a cartridge which is mountable on a trolley which can be moved in a parallel direction to the axis of the rotor in order to assume a loading position, in which the cartridge can be mounted on the trolley having the pump length situated in front and at an axial distance from the rotor, and a working position, in which the cartridge mounted on the trolley exhibits the pump length arranged between the rotor and the stator. [0006] Italian patent IT 1222122 illustrates, in FIG. 3 , an integrated module for hemodiafiltration constituted: by a chamber 1 for pre-pump arterial pressure monitoring in which the blood coming from the patient enters, provided with an attachment 2 for monitoring the pressure, an attachment 3 for a service line, an attachment point 4 for connecting to the patient, and an attachment point 5 to the arterial pump tube tract; by an arterial post-pump expansion chamber 6 , connected to the pre-pump chamber by the pump tube, external of the module and subjected to the action of the arterial blood pump, and from which the blood is sent to the hemodiafilter, provided with an attachment point 7 for the arterial pump tube tract, an attachment 3 for a service line, an anticoagulant infusion point 8 and an attachment point 9 for connection with the dialyser; by a monitoring chamber 10 of the venous pressure, to which the purified blood from the hemodiafilter and a replacement fluid flow, the monitoring chamber 10 being provided with a filter 11 , an attachment for a service line, an attachment point 12 of the connection in exit from the dialyser, a point of attachment 13 for connection with the replacement fluid infusion, and a point of attachment 20 for the infusion pump tube; by a control chamber 17 of the replacement fluid coming from one or more bags and connected to the venous chamber 10 by a pump tube subjected to the action of a peristaltic pump, provided with an attachment 3 for a service line, an attachment point 18 of the connection with the replacement bag solution, and an attachment point 19 for the infusion pump tube tract. The integrated module can be made of any thermoplastic material suitable for use in the biomedical field for contact with blood, either rigid or semi-rigid, for example polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonates etc. [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,636 describes an integrated blood treatment module comprising a support element in the form of a quadrilateral plate bearing on each side thereof four open-ring shaped pump tracts, projecting towards the outside of the periphery of the support element and designed for coupling with respective peristaltic pumps, and a device for membrane blood treatment (dialyser) fixed to the centre of the support element and having a blood chamber, fluidly connected to a pump tract for blood circulation, a fluid chamber fluidly connected to a pump tract for circulation of fresh dialysis liquid and a pump tract for circulation of exhausted dialysis liquid, and a semipermeable membrane which separates the blood chamber from the fluid chamber. The support element is mounted on a blood treatment apparatus by means of four elastic engagement fingers which extend from the front panel of the apparatus and which snap into openings afforded in the support element at opposite sides of the membrane blood treatment device. [0008] WO 2004/004807 describes a circuit for infusion of a medical fluid in an extracorporeal blood circuit, comprising: a fluid transport line connected with a bag of medical fluid to be infused into the extracorporeal blood circuit; a flat support element having two tubular extensions to which the two ends of an open-ring pump tract are connected, the pump tract being predisposed for coupling with a peristaltic pump for circulation of the medical fluid; and a double-membrane air separator arranged fluidly downstream of the pump tract and integrated with the support element. The air separator comprises a hydrophilic membrane which holds back the gaseous component of the medical fluid and a hydrophobic membrane arranged in a breather for evacuation of the gaseous component. The support element exhibits at the centre thereof a through-opening which is used for mounting the element on a panel of a medical apparatus provided with the peristaltic pump. [0009] Italian patent IT 1276447 describes a blood line which forms an integrated unit comprising an arterial line and a venous line connected to one another at a drip chamber belonging to the venous line. The drip chamber is formed by a container that is superiorly closed by a cap. A through-hole is afforded internally of the cap, which through-hole belongs to the arterial line and exhibits at the ends thereof connections for tracts of tube of the arterial line. One of these connections is fixed at an end of an arterial pump tract, the other end of which is fixed to a connection and support element which is fixed to the outside of the container and which is further connected fluidly to a patient tract of the arterial line. [0010] U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,620 describes an integral hydraulic circuit for a hemodialysis apparatus which comprises a rigid and flat cartridge which defines three blood chambers constituted by a pre-pump arterial blood chamber, a post-pump arterial blood chamber, and a venous chamber. The cartridge further defines two tubular extensions for coupling the arterial pump tract which fluidly connects the pre-pump chamber with the post-pump chamber, and gripping organs for engaging a dialyser connected fluidly to the blood flow line. [0011] US 2005/0131331 describes a medical fluid circuit unit for a hemodiafiltration treatment comprising: a fluid transport line having an inlet end predisposed for removable connection with an on-line preparation circuit of a dialysis fluid; a pump tract predisposed for coupling with a peristaltic pump for dialysis fluid circulation; an ultrafilter fluidly inserted in the transport line for the dialysis fluid ultrafiltration with the aim of making it suitable for infusion in an extracorporeal blood circuit as a replacement fluid; and a bifurcation in which the transport line divides downstream of the ultrafilter in a pre-dilution line, connected to the blood circuit upstream of a hemodiafilter, and a post-dilution line, connected to the blood circuit downstream of the hemodiafilter. [0012] WO 2005/044341 describes an integrated blood treatment module comprising a blood treatment device in the form of a hollow fibre filter provided with a tubular housing rigidly connected with two tubular extensions to which the ends of a pump tract for a peristaltic pump are coupled. The module further comprises a venous chamber for air/blood separation. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] An aim of the present invention is to provide a fluid circuit unit which is easily mountable to and removable from an apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment. [0014] A further aim of the invention is to realise a fluid circuit unit which is constructionally simple and economical. [0015] An advantage of the invention is to provide a fluid circuit unit having a compact size, being wieldy and easy to manipulate. [0016] The aims and more besides are all attained by the invention, as it is characterised in one or more of the appended claims. [0017] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better emerge from the detailed description that follows, of at least an embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the figures of the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] The description will be made herein below with reference to the appended figures of the drawings, provided by way of non-limiting example, in which: [0019] FIG. 1 is a diagram of the hemo(dia)filtration apparatus of the invention; [0020] FIG. 2 is a front view of an apparatus made according to the diagram of FIG. 1 , and applied operatively to the front panel of a machine for dialysis; [0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view from behind of the apparatus of FIG. 2 , with some parts removed better to evidence others; [0022] FIG. 4 is a perspective view from the front of FIG. 3 ; [0023] FIG. 5 is a perspective view from behind of the infusion module of the apparatus of FIG. 3 , with some parts removed and other parts added with respect to FIG. 3 ; [0024] FIG. 6 is a view from the front of FIG. 5 ; [0025] FIG. 7 is a front view of a component of the infusion module of FIG. 3 which includes the blood chamber 12 in which the mixing between the blood and the infused liquid takes place; [0026] FIG. 8 is a view from behind of FIG. 7 ; [0027] FIG. 9 is a view from above of FIG. 7 ; [0028] FIG. 10 is a view from below of FIG. 7 ; [0029] FIG. 11 is a view from the left of FIG. 7 ; [0030] FIGS. 12 , 13 , 14 and 15 are sections according respectively to lines XII, XIII, XIV and XV of FIGS. 7 , 8 and 11 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0031] With reference to FIG. 1 , 1 denotes in its entirety an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus destined for coupling to a machine for extracorporeal blood treatment able to provide a treatment fluid. In the following description the extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus, will be called a hemo(dia)filtration apparatus 1 , the extracorporeal blood treatment machine will be called a dialysis machine and the treatment fluid will be called dialysis fluid, without any more generalised references being lost by use of this terminology. In particular the dialysis machine produces on-line a dialysis fluid of predetermined chemical composition (for example by mixing water and solid and/or liquid concentrates). The dialysis machine is able to reduce the concentration of endotoxins in the dialysis fluid (for example by passage of dialysis fluid through one or more stages of ultrafiltration). The dialysis machine is able to provide a control system of patient weight loss during the treatment (for example by a control of the difference between the dialysis fluid delivery at the inlet and outlet of the blood treatment device thanks to the use of two pumps arranged before and after the blood treatment device—hereinafter hemo(dia)filter—and of two flow-meters arranged before and after the hemo(dia)filter). The hemo(dia)filtration apparatus 1 can be composed, all or in part, by disposable elements. The dialysis machine (of which the front panel is partially illustrated in FIG. 2 ) is of known type, is provided with a fresh dialyser fluid port 2 (see the diagram of FIG. 1 ), from which the dialysis fluid to be introduced in the hemo(dia) filter is taken, an exhausted fluid port 3 , in which the fluid exiting the hemo(dia)filter is discharged (made up of used dialysis fluid and/or of ultrafiltrate), and an on-line port 4 from which the dialysis fluid, to be processed for use as replacement fluid in hemo(dia)filtration treatment, is taken. The dialysis machine is further provided with a system of known type and not illustrated, for preparation of the dialysis fluid; this system is connected to a main dialysis fluid supply line, which terminates in the fresh dialysate port 2 . A secondary dialysis fluid supply line, which branches from the main supply line, terminates in the on-line port 4 . The dialysis machine is further provided with an exhausted liquid discharge line which originates at one end at the exhausted liquid port 3 and which terminates at the other end thereof in a drainage (of known type and not illustrated). When the hemo(dia)filtration apparatus 1 is used as a hemofiltration apparatus 1 , the fresh dialysate port 2 is closed, or non-operative, or, in a further embodiment, absent. [0032] The hemo(dia)filtration apparatus 1 comprises the hemo(dia)filter 5 having a blood chamber and a fluid chamber (not illustrated) which are separated from one another by a semipermeable membrane (not illustrated) which, in this case, comprises a bundle of hollow fibres. In this embodiment the blood chamber comprises the space internally of the hollow fibres, while the fluid chamber comprises the space externally of the hollow fibres. The fluid chamber is further at least partially defined by the tubular body containing the bundle of hollow fibres. The hemo(dia)filtration apparatus 1 comprises an extracorporeal blood circuit having an arterial line 6 , or a blood removal line from the patient for the blood to be treated in the hemo(dia)filter 5 , and a venous line 7 , or patient return line for the blood treated in the hemo(dia)filter 5 . The hemo(dia)filtration apparatus 1 further comprises a blood pump 8 for circulation of blood in the extracorporeal circuit. The blood pump 8 is of a tube-deforming rotary type (peristaltic). The extracorporeal blood circuit further comprises the blood chamber of the hemo(dia)filter 5 . The arterial line 6 comprises an arterial patient end 9 , a pre-pump arterial expansion chamber 10 , a blood pump tube tract 11 , a post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 , an arterial device end 13 . The venous line 7 comprises a venous device end 14 , a venous expansion chamber 15 , a venous patient end 16 . The dialysis machine is provided with an arterial clamp 17 operating on the arterial line 6 , in particular between the patient arterial end 9 and the pre-pump arterial expansion chamber 10 . The dialysis machine is provided with a venous clamp 18 operating on the venous line 7 , in particular between the patient venous end 16 and the venous expansion chamber 15 . The patient arterial end 9 , like the patient venous end 16 , is designed for connection (directly or via a vascular access device of known type) with a vascular access of a patient. The arterial clamp 17 , respectively the venous clamp 18 , serves for closing a squeezable tract of the arterial line 6 , respectively of the venous line 7 , on command of a control unit of the dialysis machine. The pre-pump arterial expansion chamber 10 , which is arranged downstream of the arterial clamp 17 (where “downstream” means with reference to the blood circulation direction during the treatment), serves for separating the air contained in the blood and for monitoring the arterial blood pressure (before the blood pump 8 ). The venous expansion chamber 15 , which is arranged upstream of the venous clamp 18 (where “upstream” means with reference to the blood circulation direction during the treatment), is for separating the air contained in the blood and for monitoring the venous blood pressure. The pre-pump arterial expansion chamber 10 , like the venous expansion chamber 15 , is designed to give rise to a liquid level separating a lower part full of liquid (blood) from an upper part full of gas (air). Each of the expansion chambers 10 and 15 is provided, for example superiorly, with a zone predisposed for pressure reading; this zone comprises, in the specific case, a membrane device, of known type, having a deformable elastic membrane with an internal surface in contact with the fluid (blood and/or air) contained in the chamber and an external surface operatively associable to a pressure sensor of the dialysis machine. The blood pump tube tract 11 , which is designed for removably coupling with the blood pump 8 , is open-ring conformed (in the specific embodiment it is U-shaped with a horizontal lie and with the convexity facing right, with reference to the viewpoint of a user situated in front of the front panel of the dialysis machine) with two ends, one for blood inlet and the other for blood outlet, fluidly and mechanically connected to two tubular extensions 19 ( FIG. 2 ) solidly connected to the pre-pump arterial expansion chamber 10 . The arterial device end 13 and the venous device end 14 are designed for removably coupling with an inlet port (in the specific embodiment, upper) and, respectively, an outlet port (in the specific embodiment, lower) of the blood chamber of the hemo(dia)filter 5 . The pre-pump arterial expansion chamber 10 and the venous expansion chamber 15 are integrated in a cartridge structure of known type. [0033] The post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 is inserted in the arterial line 6 between the blood pump 8 and the hemo(dia)filter 5 . The post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 comprises a blood inlet port 20 , an infusion fluid inlet port 21 (in the present example of hemo(dia)filtration with pre-dilution, the infusion fluid, or infusate, can be replacement fluid, or substituate; in the following description the specific term “replacement fluid” and “substituate” will be used instead of more general terms like “infusion fluid” and “infusate”, without the generalised meaning being compromised), a mixing zone where the blood and replacement fluid are mixed, and an outlet port for the blood-fluid mixture 22 (where the replacement fluid is present in the mixture in case of pre-dilution and absent in case of no pre-dilution). [0034] The post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 serves to separate the air contained in the replacement fluid. The post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 monitors the pressure in the replacement fluid supply line. The post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 also serves to further separate the air contained in the blood along the arterial line 6 downstream of the blood pump 8 and for monitoring the blood pressure in the arterial line 6 between the blood pump and the hemo(dia)filter 5 . The post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 is designed to produce a liquid level that separates a lower part which is full of liquid (blood or blood/replacement fluid mixture) and an upper part which is full of gas (air). The post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 is provided, for example superiorly, with a zone predisposed for pressure detection; this zone comprises, in the present embodiment, a membrane device 58 , of known type, having a deformable membrane with an internal surface in contact with the fluid contained in the chamber and an external surface which is operatively associable to a pressure sensor of the dialysis machine. The post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 will be described in greater detail herein below. [0035] The hemo(dia)filtration apparatus 1 comprises a replacement fluid supply line 23 which provides, in this embodiment, the replacement fluid (substituate) to the extracorporeal blood circuit. The supply line 23 takes the dialysis fluid from the on-line port 4 and, after an ultrafiltration treatment to make it suitable as a replacement fluid, conveys it to the extracorporeal blood circuit. [0036] The supply line 23 branches out from a main branch 24 into a pre-dilution branch 25 fluidly connected to the arterial line 6 and a post-dilution branch 26 fluidly connected to the venous line 7 . The replacement fluid supply line 23 comprises an inlet end 27 having a connector for removable connection with the on-line port 4 for sourcing the dialysis fluid supplied by the dialysis machine. Alternatively to an on-line port of a machine for dialysis fluid preparation, other fluid sources can be used, for example a ready-prepared dialysis fluid or replacement fluid recipient, or a centralised dialysis fluid supply system, supplying to various units. [0037] The replacement fluid supply line 23 comprises an ultrafilter 28 predisposed fluidly in the main branch 24 upstream of the branch-out for ultrafiltering the dialysis fluid taken from the dialysis machine to render the fluid suitable for use as a replacement fluid. The ultrafilter 28 reduces the endotoxin percentage in the fluid. The ultrafilter 28 comprises a semipermeable membrane that separates a first chamber containing the fluid to be ultrafiltered (dialysis fluid) from a second chamber containing the ultrafiltered fluid (replacement fluid). The semipermeable membrane comprises, in the present embodiment, a bundle of hollow fibres. The first chamber of the fluid to be ultrafiltered comprises the inside of the hollow fibres, while the second chamber of the ultrafiltered fluid is defined between the outside of the hollow fibres and the tubular body enclosing the bundle of hollow fibres. [0038] The ultrafilter 28 is further provided, for example superiorly, with a vent line of the air communicating with the first chamber of the fluid to be ultrafiltered and having a clamp (for example manually activated) for intercepting and a vent into the atmosphere protected by a protection device (for example a hydrophobic membrane). [0039] The replacement fluid supply line 23 can further comprise a check valve predisposed fluidly in the main branch 24 upstream of the branch-out. The check valve, which in the present embodiment is not present, might be located after the ultrafilter 28 . [0040] A tract of the replacement fluid pump tube 29 is predisposed in the supply line 23 for coupling with a replacement fluid circulation pump 30 . In the present embodiment the replacement fluid pump 30 is a tube-deforming rotary pump (peristaltic). The replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 is open-ring shaped with an aspiration end and a delivery end. In particular the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 is U-shaped, and, in the use configuration with the pump 30 , lies on a vertical plane, with the two end branches arranged horizontally (the convexity of the U is directed oppositely to the blood pump tube tract 11 , i.e. in the present embodiment to the left with reference to the viewpoint of a user situated in front of the front panel of the machine). The rotation axes of the two rotary pumps 8 and 30 are parallel to one another. The pump tube tract 29 , in the engaged configuration with the pump 30 , is arranged symmetrically to the blood pump tube tract 11 , with respect to a plane of symmetry (in the present embodiment, vertical) which is parallel to the rotation axes of the two rotary pumps 8 and 30 . The replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 is fluidly arranged in the main branch 24 upstream of the branch-out (where “upstream” means in reference to the circulation direction of the replacement fluid). The replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 is arranged fluidly upstream of the ultrafilter 28 . [0041] The replacement fluid supply line 23 comprises an auxiliary connection 31 fluidly arranged after the ultrafilter 28 . This auxiliary connection 31 is branched out from the replacement fluid line 23 . The auxiliary line is further provided with a clamp 32 (for example a manually operated clamp) for closing the auxiliary line, and a protection hood for removable closure of the auxiliary line 31 . The auxiliary line branches off from the main branch 24 before the branch-out. [0042] The auxiliary connection 31 is designed for removable fluid connection with the extracorporeal blood circuit, in particular with the arterial line 6 or the venous line 7 . The auxiliary connection 31 serves to fill the extracorporeal circuit with the replacement fluid, in particular during the circuit priming stage, i.e. during the stage preliminary to the treatment during which the air and any other undesirable particles contained in the blood circuit are evacuated and the circuit is filled with an isotonic liquid, for example a saline solution coming from a bag or, as in the present embodiment, with an isotonic fluid (dialysis fluid or saline) which is prepared by the dialysis machine, supplied to the on-line port 4 of the machine and ultrafiltered by crossing the replacement fluid supply line 23 . In the present embodiment the auxiliary connection 31 is removably couplable to the patient end of the arterial line 9 or to the patient end of the venous line 16 . The auxiliary connection 31 comprises, for example, a female luer connector couplable to a male luer connector at the patient arterial 9 or venous 16 end. [0043] At least one from among the three above-mentioned expansion chambers (arterial pre-pump 10 , arterial post-pump 12 and venous 15 ) is fluidly connected, in particular directly, to the pre-dilution branch 25 or the post-dilution branch 26 . In the present embodiment the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 is fluidly connected directly to the pre-dilution branch 25 . [0044] The post-dilution branch 26 opens (directly) into a point of venous line 7 comprised between the hemo(dia)filter 5 and the venous chamber 15 . The venous chamber 15 therefore indirectly communicates, via a tract of venous line 7 , with the post-dilution branch 26 . [0045] The aspiration and delivery ends of the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 are rigidly connected to at least one from among the above-mentioned expansion chambers (arterial pre-pump 10 , arterial post-pump 12 and venous 15 ). In the present embodiment the aspiration and delivery ends of the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 are connected rigidly to the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 . As mentioned, the expansion chamber bearing the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 , i.e. the chamber 12 , is provided with a zone for monitoring the pressure which is predisposed for connection with a pressure sensor provided on the dialysis machine. This monitoring zone is provided with the pressure detecting device 58 . [0046] Two tubular extensions for fluid and mechanical connection of the two ends of the pump tube tract 29 are solidly connected (for example are made in a single piece with the chamber itself) to the chamber 12 . The two tubular extensions are not fluidly connected to the chamber 12 , if not indirectly through other parts (for example the ultrafilter 28 ) of the fluid circuit transporting the replacement fluid. [0047] The replacement fluid supply line 23 comprises a fluid communication system which is interpositioned fluidly between the delivery end of the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 and the expansion chamber bearing the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 (as mentioned in this case the expansion chamber bearing the pump tube tract 29 is the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 ). This fluid communication system comprises one or more from the following elements: the ultrafilter 28 , the check valve (if present), the branch-out, and at least a tube tract which is flexible and closable by elastic deformation, in particular squeezing. [0048] In the present embodiment, the fluid communication system, which places the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 in communication with the extracorporeal blood circuit, comprises a first flexible tube 41 having a first end connected with a first tubular connection 42 which is rigidly connected to (but not fluidly communicating with) the post-pump arterial chamber 12 (the first tubular connection 42 is arranged inferiorly of the chamber 12 itself), and a second end which is opposite the first end and connected to a second tubular connection 43 for inlet of the ultrafilter 28 (the second tubular connection 43 for inlet is located inferiorly of the ultrafilter 28 and communicates with the chamber of the fluid to be ultrafiltered). Each of these tubular connections 42 and 43 faces downwards, with reference to an operative configuration of the apparatus 1 . Each of these tubular connections 42 and 43 has a longitudinal axis which extends, at least prevalently, in a vertical direction. [0049] The above-described fluid communication system comprises the ultrafilter 28 and a second three-way flexible tube 44 having a first end which is connected to a tubular connection for outlet of the ultrafilter 28 (the tubular outlet connection is located on a side of the ultrafilter 28 itself, in particular superiorly, and communicates with the ultrafiltrate fluid chamber, i.e. with the outside of the hollow fibres), a second end (arranged superiorly and facing upwards) to which the auxiliary connection 31 is connected by means of the auxiliary line, and a third end (arranged inferiorly and facing downwards). [0050] The above-mentioned three ends of the second flexible tube 44 are in reciprocal fluid communication (for example with reciprocal T or Y arrangement). The second three-way flexible tube 44 , which in the present embodiment is T-shaped with the first end arranged at 90° to the other two, is press-formed by injection of a soft plastic material. [0051] The fluid communication system comprises a third three-way flexible tube 45 having a first end which is connected to the third end of the second flexible tube 44 , a second end connected to the inlet port 21 of the replacement fluid to the chamber 12 , and a third end connected to a zone of the venous line 7 arranged upstream of the venous expansion chamber 15 . In the present embodiment the first end is arranged superiorly (facing upwards), the third end is arranged inferiorly (facing downwards), while the second end is arranged obliquely (facing upwards) with respect to the other two, forming an angle which is less than a right-angle with the first upper end. The third three-way flexible tube 45 is made by press-forming by injection of a soft plastic material. The third three-way flexible tube 45 exhibits the branch-out in the pre-dilution branches 25 and the post-dilution branches 26 , which comprise two of the three ways of the third flexible tube 45 (in particular the ways that exhibit the second and third ends). [0052] The hemodiafiltration apparatus 1 is made in two distinct modules which are fluidly connected one to the other. A first module A (on the right in FIG. 2 ) comprises an initial tract of arterial line 6 which goes from the patient arterial end 9 to the pre-pump expansion chamber 10 . The first module A further comprises the pre-pump expansion chamber 10 , the blood pump tube tract 11 and the venous expansion chamber 15 (integrated with the chamber 10 in the cartridge structure of known type). The first module A further comprises a final tract of venous line 7 which goes from the venous expansion chamber 15 to the patient venous end 16 . The first module A also comprises a tract of arterial line 6 which is arranged downstream of the blood pump 8 and which is integrated into the cartridge body structure. As mentioned, the cartridge structure, which incorporates the chambers 10 and 15 , supports the two ends, aspiration and delivery, of the blood pump tube tract 11 . [0053] A second module B (on the left in FIG. 2 ) comprises the replacement fluid supply line 23 (starting from the inlet end 27 , and including the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 , the ultrafilter 28 and the pre-dilution and post-dilution branches 25 and 26 ). The second module B further comprises the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 . Also included are an intermediate tract of arterial line 33 which fluidly connects an arterial outlet of the first module A (connected to an outlet of the blood pump tube tract) with an arterial inlet of the second module B (connected to the blood inlet of the post-pump arterial expansion chamber), and an intermediate tract of venous line 34 which fluidly connects a venous outlet of the second module B (connected with the post-dilution branch 26 ) with a venous inlet of the first module A (connected with an inlet of the venous expansion chamber). [0054] The second module B comprises a support element to which the supply line of the replacement fluid 23 is constrained in order that the pre-dilution 25 and post-dilution branches 25 and 26 are positioned in a prefixed position with respect to the post-pump arterial expansion chamber. The correct and stable positioning of the pre-dilution and post-dilution branches 25 and 26 with respect to the front panel of the dialysis machine enables operatively efficient use of the above-said branches with two control valves, a pre-dilution control valve 52 and a post-dilution control valve 53 arranged on the front panel. [0055] The support element comprises, in the present embodiment, one or more extensions 35 which emerge from the expansion chamber which bears the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 (i.e. the post-pump arterial chamber 12 ). The extensions 35 emerge from a side of the chamber 12 located on the opposite side with respect to the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 and extend in an opposite direction with respect to the extension of the pump tract 29 itself. The extensions 35 , in the present embodiment, are rigidly connected to the chamber 12 that bears the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 . The extensions 35 , in the present embodiment, are made (for example by press-forming of plastic material) in a single piece with the chamber 12 itself. The support element further comprises a casing 36 engaged to one or more of the extensions 35 . The casing 36 in the present embodiment is joint-coupled to one or more of the extensions 35 . In particular the casing 36 is coupled to one or more of the extensions 35 in at least two joint zones. The casing 36 , made of plastic material, is provided with a front part which at least partially contains the tubular body of the ultrafilter 28 . [0056] One of the extensions 35 exhibits a mounting extension 37 which, in collaboration with the two tubular extensions 38 for engagement of the ends of the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 , serve for removably mounting the second module B on the front panel of the dialysis machine. [0057] The pre-dilution 25 and post-dilution 26 branches each comprise at least a tract of flexible tube which can be obstructed by squeezing. These tracts of flexible tube are positioned in a prefixed position with respect to the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 . The correct positioning of the prefixed position is easily reached when mounting the module B on the front panel of the machine, by virtue of the fact that the fluid connection system formed by the second flexible tube 44 and the third flexible tube 45 are positioned stably with respect to the support element of module B, so that the pre-dilution 25 and post-dilution 26 branches (made from the third flexible tube 45 ) are immobile with respect to the support element of module B, although each of them is elastically deformable and therefore closable by squeezing of the valves 52 and 53 . [0058] The branch from the pre-dilution 25 and post-dilution 26 branches which is not fluidly connected to the expansion chamber bearing the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 can be constrained, directly or via a tract of the extracorporeal blood circuit, to the support element. In the present embodiment, in which the expansion chamber bearing the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 is the post-pump expansion chamber 12 (which chamber 12 is connected to the pre-dilution branch 25 ), the post-dilution branch 26 can be constrained to the support element via a tract of venous line 7 of the extracorporeal blood circuit. In particular, a tract of venous line 7 is engaged in two recesses afforded in the casing 36 , and the post-dilution branch 26 is fluidly connected to this tract of venous line 7 . [0059] The main branch 24 of the supply line 23 is constrained (for example directly, as in the present embodiment) to the support element. In particular the main branch 24 exhibits at least a support zone that interacts (in a gripping and/or direct contact coupling) with the support element in a tract that is downstream of the ultrafilter 28 . In more detail, a tract of the main branch 24 arranged downstream of the ultrafilter 28 is engaged (by, for example, a removable joint) in a seating afforded on one of the extensions 35 . This tract of the main branch 24 (which in the present embodiment is part of the second flexible tube 44 ) exhibits, at the ends thereof, two annular projections which are axially distanced from one another and which are arranged externally of the opposite ends of the seating 46 , functioning as stable centring and positioning tabs of the tract of main branch 24 in the seating 46 . [0060] The ultrafilter 28 is supportedly constrained to the support element of module B, in particular to the casing 36 . [0061] The support element can realise at least a mechanical and not fluid interconnection between the expansion chamber bearing the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 (i.e. the chamber 12 ) and the replacement fluid supply line 23 and/or between the expansion chamber bearing the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 (chamber 12 ) and the extracorporeal blood circuit. A mechanical and not fluid interconnection can also be operating between the expansion chamber 12 and the venous line 7 (or the post-dilution branch 26 or, respectively, the arterial line 6 (or the pre-dilution branch 25 ). [0062] One of these mechanical and not fluid interconnections comprises, in the present embodiment, one of the extensions 35 in the form of an arm that emerges (on the opposite side with respect to the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 ) from the expansion chamber 12 which bears the replacement fluid pump tube tract. As already mentioned, this arm exhibits at an end thereof an attachment point (seating 46 ) for the main branch 24 of the supply line 23 . As already mentioned, the support element realises both the mechanical and not fluid interconnection between the chamber 12 and the line 23 , and the mechanical and not fluid interconnection between the chamber 12 and the blood circuit. [0063] The support element of the second module B comprises, in the present embodiment, two elements which are assembled one to the other, i.e. the extensions 35 (integrated with the chamber 12 ) and the protection casing 36 . However it would be possible, in further embodiments of the invention, to have the support element made in an integrated single piece or an assembly of three or more distinct elements. [0064] The second module B comprises an integrated element which defines the expansion chamber supporting the replacement fluid pump tube tract 29 , i.e. the chamber 12 . This integrated element also defines a part of the support element of the second module B, in particular the extensions 35 . [0065] The integrated element further defines a first conduit 39 for blood inlet into the expansion chamber 12 , a second conduit 50 for replacement fluid inlet, and a third conduit 40 for blood outlet (or blood mixed with replacement fluid) from the expansion chamber 12 . [0066] The first and third blood conduit 39 and 40 belong to the extracorporeal blood circuit and are located on two opposite sides of the above-described expansion chamber 12 and extend in length in a vertical direction, with reference to an operative configuration in which the pump tube tract 29 is coupled to the replacement fluid circulation pump 30 . [0067] The first and third blood conduits 39 , 40 also each have a bottom end which is fluidly connected to an expansion reservoir 47 of the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 , and an upper end which is fluidly connected (via the ports 20 and 22 ) to the rest of the arterial line 6 , respectively before and after the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 . In particular the first inlet conduit 39 is connected to an initial part of the arterial blood line 6 having the patient end 9 destined for connection with the arterial vascular access; the third outlet conduit 40 is connected to a final part of the arterial blood line 6 having the device end 13 destined for connection to the hemo(dia)filter 5 . [0068] With reference to figures from 7 to 14 , the integrated element defining the chamber 12 is described in greater detail. The chamber 12 comprises the expansion reservoir 47 which is provided with a bottom, a top, at least a first side extending between the bottom and the top, a first access 48 arranged on the first side at a distance from the bottom and top, and a second access 49 . [0069] The first conduit 39 terminates in the first access 48 . A second conduit 50 terminates in the first conduit 39 or, as in the present embodiment, in the expansion reservoir 47 . The first conduit 39 and the second conduit 50 terminate in the first access 48 with, respectively, a first flow direction and a second flow direction which are incident to one another. [0070] The first conduit 39 terminates in the first access 48 with a first flow direction having at least a motion component directed towards the bottom. The first flow direction has at least a motion component directed towards a second side of the expansion reservoir 47 ; the second side extends between the bottom and top and is opposite the first side. [0071] The second conduit 50 terminates in the expansion reservoir 47 with a second flow direction having at least a motion component directed towards the second side of the expansion reservoir 47 . The second flow direction has at least a motion component directed towards the top. The second flow direction has at least a first motion component that is horizontal and directed towards the inside of the expansion reservoir 47 . [0072] The second conduit 50 comprises an intermediate tract 59 having a flow direction provided with at least a second horizontal motion component going in an opposite direction to the first horizontal motion component. The flow direction of the intermediate tract 59 is provided with at least a vertical motion component. [0073] The first conduit 39 has a diverging tract 51 with a fluid passage that broadens in the direction of the first access 48 . The diverging tract 51 broadens towards the bottom of the reservoir 47 . The expansion reservoir 47 extends prevalently on a lie plane; the diverging tract 51 enlarges prevalently in a perpendicular direction to the lie plane. The diverging tract 51 terminates at the first access 48 . [0074] The first access 48 is elongate and extends in a perpendicular direction to the first side of the reservoir 47 . [0075] The second access 49 is arranged on the bottom of the reservoir 47 . The third conduit 40 terminates in the second access 49 . The third conduit 40 extends in length by the side of the second side of the expansion reservoir 47 . [0076] The first conduit 39 terminates in the first access 48 with a first flow direction directed towards the second access 49 . The first flow direction has at least a motion component which is direction towards the bottom. [0077] The second conduit 50 terminates on the first side of the expansion reservoir 47 below the end of the first conduit 39 . The second conduit 50 terminates either in the first access 48 contiguously below the end of the first conduit 39 (as in the present embodiment), or, in a further embodiment, not illustrated, it terminates in an intermediate access arranged between the first access 48 and the bottom of the reservoir 47 . [0078] The expansion reservoir 47 has an upper part, comprised between the first access 48 and the top, having a greater width than a lower part comprised between the bottom and the first access 48 . [0079] The first conduit 39 meets the second conduit 50 in a connecting zone, and joins the connecting zone in a position above the second conduit 50 . [0080] The first conduit 39 extends lengthwise by the side of the first side of the reservoir 47 . The first conduit 39 is designed to introduce the transported flow (in the present embodiment the arterial blood) into the connecting zone with at least one motion component directed in a downwards direction. The second conduit 50 is designed to introduce the transported flow (in this case the replacement fluid) into the connecting zone with at least a motion component directed upwards. The first conduit 39 and the second conduit 50 are designed so that each of the respective transported flows is introduced into the connecting zone with at least a horizontal motion component directed internally of the expansion reservoir 47 . [0081] The first conduit 39 and the second conduit 50 are arranged on a same side (the first side) of the expansion reservoir 47 . The first conduit 39 is situated above the second conduit 50 . [0082] The first side of the expansion reservoir 47 has an upper zone with a vertical inclination, and a lower zone with an oblique inclination. The oblique lower zone of the first side is inclined in a direction nearing the second side. This oblique inclination determines a narrowing of the expansion reservoir 47 . The zone of the second side that is facing the oblique zone of the first side is substantially vertically oriented. The first conduit 39 has an upper tract having a substantially vertical longitudinal axis, and a lower tract having an oblique longitudinal axis. The oblique axis is inclined in a direction nearing the second side of the expansion reservoir 47 . The first conduit 39 terminates in the expansion reservoir 47 with an oblique inclination. [0083] The first conduit 39 is made in a single piece with the expansion reservoir 47 . The second conduit 50 is made in a single piece with the expansion reservoir 47 . The third conduit 40 is made in a single piece with the expansion reservoir 47 . The chamber 12 is realised by assembly of two half-shells. The two half-shells are obtained by press-forming of a plastic material. [0084] The extracorporeal blood line which includes the chamber 12 is, in the present embodiment, the arterial line 6 . The chamber 12 can, however, be associated (alternatively or in addition to the arterial line 6 ) to the venous line 7 . The chamber 12 in this case would be a mixing chamber for replacement fluid (in post-dilution) for degassing and for monitoring pressure, arranged downstream of the hemo(dia)filter; the inlet port 20 would be connected to the hemo(dia) filter 5 , while the outlet port 22 would be connected to the vascular access. [0085] During treatment, in which the arterial line 6 and the venous line 7 are connected to the patient, the blood pump 8 is activated, so that the blood is removed from the patient via the arterial line 6 , is sent to the hemo(dia)filter 5 , and is returned to the patient via the venous line 7 . The replacement fluid pump 30 is also activated, so that the dialysis fluid is removed from the on-line port 4 of the machine, is made to pass first through the pump tube tract 29 and then the ultrafilter 28 , and is then sent selectively to the chamber 12 on the arterial line 6 (opening the pre-dilution valve 52 operating on the branch 25 and closing the post-dilution valve 53 operating on the branch 26 ) or to the venous line 7 (valve 52 closed and valve 53 open), or to both (valves 52 and 53 both open). [0086] In a case of pre-dilution, the replacement fluid flow enters the expansion reservoir 47 from below, transversally encountering the blood flow that enters the reservoir from above. Both flows are obliquely directed, each with an inlet component into the expansion reservoir 47 which is horizontally directed (with reference to the work position of the chamber 12 ) towards the second side of the expansion reservoir 47 , and a vertical component having an opposite direction to the direction of the flow. The meeting of the two flows causes an effective remixing between the blood and the replacement fluid, so that the mixed liquid (blood and replacement fluid) that exits through the third conduit 40 is homogeneously mixed. [0087] The special conformation and arrangement of the chamber 12 enables both an effective remixing of the blood and replacement fluid and an effective degassing of the liquids entering the expansion reservoir 47 , especially the replacement fluid, thus preventing any air bubbles exiting through the third conduit 40 . [0088] In the absence of pre-dilution (valve 52 closed), the replacement fluid does not reach the chamber 12 , while the blood enters through the first conduit 39 and exits through the third conduit 40 ; since the first conduit 39 terminates directly facing the inlet of the third conduit 40 , the turbulence created is relatively low, reducing to a minimum the formation of foam and flow resistors, while at the same time enabling separation of the air which may still be present in the blood. [0089] Before the treatment is performed the circuit is primed by connecting the patient venous end 16 to the connector 31 and the patient arterial end 9 to a discharge (for example a collection bag or a discharge connected to the exhausted fluid circuit of the dialysis machine). Then the clamp 32 is opened, the valves 52 and 53 are closed, the pump 8 is activated (with the tract 29 not coupled to the pump 30 ) in order to aspirate fluid from the port 4 and to circulate the fluid along the venous line 7 , the blood filter of the hemodiafilter 5 , and the arterial line 6 up to the end 9 . The priming of the post-dilution branch 26 is performed by activating the pump 8 , closing the venous clamp 18 and opening the valve 53 (with the valve 52 closed), while the priming of the pre-dilution branch 25 is done by opening the valve 52 (with the venous clamp 18 and the valve 53 closed). [0090] In a further embodiment (not shown) the support element comprises a selector configured to selectively squeeze the flexible tube tracts of the pre-dilution and post-dilution branches. The selector comprises a movable (e.g. rotatable) member mounted on (e.g. rotatably coupled to) the support element. The movable member includes a first end and a second end and can assume at least two configurations. In a first configuration the first end squeezes one of the flexible tube tracts and in a second configuration the second end squeezes the other of the flexible tube tracts. LEGEND [0000] 1 . Hemo(dia)filtration apparatus 2 . Fresh dialyser fluid port 3 . Exhausted fluid port 4 . On-line port 5 . Hemo(dia)filter 6 . Arterial line 7 . Venous line 8 . Blood pump 9 . Patient arterial end 10 . Pre-pump arterial expansion chamber 11 . Blood pump tube tract 12 . Post-pump arterial expansion chamber 13 . Arterial device end 14 . Venous device end 15 . Venous expansion chamber 16 . Venous patient end 17 . Arterial clamp 18 . Venous clamp 19 . Tubular extensions connected to the chamber 10 for attachment of the blood pump tube tract 11 20 . Blood inlet port of the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 21 . Replacement fluid inlet port of the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 22 . Outlet port for blood (—replacement fluid) from post-pump arterial expansion chamber 12 23 . Replacement fluid supply line 24 . Main branch of line 23 25 . Pre-dilution branch of line 23 26 . Post-dilution branch of line 23 27 . Inlet end of line 23 28 . Ultrafilter of replacement fluid 29 . Replacement fluid pump tube tract 30 . Replacement fluid pump 31 . Auxiliary connection of line 23 (for priming) 32 . Auxiliary connection 31 intercept clamp 33 . Intermediate tract of arterial line between the two modules of the hemodiafiltration apparatus 34 . Intermediate tract of venous line between the two modules of the hemodiafiltration apparatus 35 . Support extensions emerging from the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 36 . Casing 37 . Mounting extension 38 . Tubular extensions for supporting the replacement fluid tube tract 39 . First conduit for blood inlet into the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 40 . Third blood outlet conduit of the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 41 . First flexible tube 42 . First tubular connection 43 . Second tubular connection 44 . Second flexible tube 45 . Third flexible tube 46 . Seating predisposed on the support element for fixing the main branch 24 47 . Expansion reservoir 48 . First access of reservoir 47 49 . Second access of reservoir 47 50 . Second inlet conduit of replacement fluid into the post-pump arterial expansion chamber 51 . Diverging tract of the first conduit 39 52 . Pre-dilution control valve 53 . Post-dilution control valve 54 . Connection for service line located at top of expansion reservoir 47 55 . Connection for an ultrafilter vent line 56 . Connection for the auxiliary line provided with the auxiliary connector 31 57 . Connection for an end of the initial tract of replacement fluid line 23 having the inlet 27 at the opposite end 58 . Device for detecting pressure in the blood chamber 12 59 . Intermediate tract of second conduit 50

A medical fluid circuit comprises a fluid transport unit connected to a source of a medical fluid for infusion into an extracorporeal blood circuit. A support element for the transport line exhibits three engaging projections predisposed for mounting the unit to an external apparatus. A first and a second projection each comprise a first and a second tubular extension ( 38 ), while a third projection ( 37 ) is distant from an imaginary straight zone which unites the tubular extensions. An ultrafilter ( 28 ) for ultrafiltration of the medical fluid is situated in a space comprised between the third projection and the imaginary straight zone. The unit, which is for providing a replacement fluid to a hemo(dia)filtration apparatus, can be easily mounted on the apparatus.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/782,928 filed Mar. 16, 2006, which application is hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as though fully disclosed herein. FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] This application relates to the field of photomasks, referred to in the trade as reticles, used in the production of semiconductor devices, and more particularly to such reticles that are sensitive to electrical fields. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Transmission photomasks (reticles) used in the production of semiconductor devices are often constructed using conductive metallic films (for example, chromium), or other films, such as MoSiON, deposited onto a transparent substrate, such as quartz. A pattern is etched into this film and then is projected by photo-reduction onto a semiconductor wafer coated with a photosensitive layer. By this means, a replica of the pattern on the reticle is produced in the film on the semiconductor wafer, which replica is greatly reduced in size. Through further and repeated processing of the wafer, a three-dimensional microcircuit is built up. [0004] Such reticles may contain a multitude of isolated conductive features supported on an electrically insulating substrate. These conductive features, which together make up the pattern that is to be projected onto the wafer, can have differing electrical potentials induced on them if the reticle is placed into an electric field. The presence of differing electric potentials on neighboring conductive features can cause electrical discharge between the features in a process that is referred to as field-induced electrostatic discharge (ESD). Furthermore, the features may also be damaged by such induced potentials even when an electrostatic discharge does not take place in a process referred to as electric field-induced material migration (EFM). [0005] The degree of damage that a reticle will suffer as a result of such exposure to an electric field is difficult to predict, since the induction process is dependent upon the detailed structure of the pattern on the reticle, its orientation with respect to the electric field, and its proximity to surrounding objects which might perturb the electric field and concentrate such field through certain areas of the pattern. This makes it difficult to define how frequently a reticle should be inspected for damage in normal use to prevent production of defective wafers. Furthermore, any electric field-induced damage that is sustained by a reticle maybe subtle, highly localized, and difficult to detect during routine reticle inspections. Even though the damage may not be detected in the reticle inspection tool, it may affect the lithographic process. [0006] The damage to the reticle may cause the image projected on the wafer to deviate from that which is expected and which is required for correct functioning of the finished semiconductor device. This is referred to as Critical Dimension (CD) deviation. When a reticle becomes damaged in such a way, defective devices can be produced; and this may not be discovered until the complete device has been built and is tested. Discovery of defects at this late stage in the production process results in significant financial losses to the semiconductor industry. [0007] Electrostatic damage to reticles has been such a prevalent factor in semiconductor production for many years that various novel approaches have been suggested for countering it. In 1984, U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,841 described one of the first methods for making a reticle with an integral conductive layer capable of dissipating electrostatic charge. In 1985, JP Patent No. 60,222,856 described a means of connecting the various mask elements with filamentary conductive lines to avoid potential differences between them. Since those first two approaches, many variants involving conductive coatings, featuring interconnects, and charge dissipating structures have been proposed (e.g., JP Patent No. 62,293,244 (1987); U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,192 (1998); U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,754 (1999); KR Patent No. 196,585Y (2000); U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,291 (2001); TW Patent No. 441,071 (2001); KR Patent Publication No. 2001/057347 (2001); U.S. Pat. No. 6,291,114 (2001); U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,781 (2001); JP Patent Publication No. 2002/055438 (2002); US Patent Publication No. 2002/0115001(2002); U.S. Pat. No. 6,440,617 (2002); U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,576 B1 (2003); TW Patent No. 543,178 (2003); KR Patent Publication No. 2003/085946 (2003); JP Patent Publication No. 2004/061884 (2004); US Patent Publication No. 2004/076834 (2004); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,803,156 (2004)). These solutions increase the complexity and cost of reticle manufacture, plus they add process steps which can introduce defects or inhomogeneity to the reticle. Coatings may delaminate, or they may be easily damaged during handling and reticle cleaning. Furthermore, some of the coatings that have been suggested may degrade due to exposure to energetic UV light that is used in today's leading edge lithography systems; hence, their transparency may alter with time. All of these potential problems probably explain why such solutions are not in widespread use today and why reticle ESD damage continues to be a problem in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. [0008] If the reticle itself cannot be made inherently ESD protected, an alternative solution is to enclose the reticle inside a conductive container, which will provide ESD protection by shielding the reticle from electric fields. Such a solution is described in PCT Publication No. WO 2004/032208. This will protect the reticle while it is inside the container; but semiconductor manufacturing requires the reticle to be moved outside the container on many occasions, during which time the reticle might be exposed to electric fields. Since electric field exposure during normal use of the reticle may gradually change the image on the reticle in a way that is detrimental to the final device that is being manufactured, it is important to be able to monitor a reticle's exposure to electric fields. [0009] US Patent Publication No. 2003/0052691 describes a portable, compact sensor device that is capable of detecting the ESD events in a semiconductor manufacturing facility through their radio emissions. This has been suggested as a means of detecting ESD events in reticles by placing a sensor in the reticle handling environment or in/on the reticle carrier. However, such RF pulse sensing devices can only report the ESD event after the reticle is damaged, and EFM cannot be detected since there is no electrical discharge event. They also are likely to be sensitive to false alarms, owing to the highly charged nature of a semiconductor manufacturing facility. [0010] A more effective and reliable means is required for routinely sensing whether a reticle has been exposed to an electric field. Such a sensor that could warn of a hazardous exposure before the reticle itself becomes damaged would be very desirable. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] The present invention advances the reticle art by solving one or more of the above problems. [0012] The coupling of an electric field through a reticle is strongly affected by the presence of a continuous conductive border on the substrate. Such a border normally is present to prevent unwanted light from passing into the optical system of the lithography tool that is being used to print the reticle image onto the semiconductor wafer. This border sometimes is referred to as a “guard ring”; and it may also contain other structures such as alignment marks, bar codes, and human readable codes for identification of the reticle. It is separated from the image area by a clear space, and this electrically isolates the features in the image area from the guard ring. [0013] Owing to the nature of the interaction of the guard ring with any electric field that impinges on the reticle, the electric field is perturbed such that its direction and strength are altered. A feature of the invention is that this interaction preferably is such that the field strength within the plane of the reticle is greatest in the region of the image closest to the guard ring. Thus, any electric-field-induced damage that the reticle suffers should be most severe in these areas. Thus, the guard ring may concentrate any electric field that is present in the environment surrounding the reticle and “focus” it onto this region. [0014] The invention involves placing special structures that will be visibly damaged by electric fields at suitable locations within the gap between the guard ring and the image area of the reticle. These structures are likely to become damaged more readily than the features in the image area of the reticle, owing to their position in the most field-sensitive area of the reticle. [0015] Regular reticle inspections for the effects of electric field exposure can be carried out by looking at these sensor structures rather than by inspecting the entire image area. Any deviation of these sensor patterns from normal will indicate that the reticle has been exposed to a hazardous electric field and should be inspected thoroughly to determine that all the functional reticle features are still within specification. [0016] The invention provides a reticle comprising: an image area having one or more electrically conductive portions susceptible to damage by an electric field; and an electrical field sensor feature, the sensor feature adapted to be at least as susceptible to being altered by the electric field as the electrically conductive portions of the image area, the sensor feature being located in a position which is more readily viewable to show alteration than the electrically conductive portions of the image area. Preferably, the reticle further comprises a guard ring comprising an electrically conductive element located around the periphery of the image area and separated from the image area by an insulating gully, and wherein the damage sensor feature is located in the gully between the image area and the guard ring. Preferably, the guard ring substantially encloses the image area in a two-dimensional plane. Preferably, the guard ring comprises chrome. Preferably, the sensor feature comprises one or more electrically isolated structures oriented to provide sensitivity to the direction of the electric field. Preferably, the sensor feature comprises a target structure of standardized shape and size that may be used for automated inspection in a reticle inspection tool. Preferably, a plurality of the sensor features are disposed around the periphery of the image area to provide the ability to detect and differentiate electric fields impinging on the reticle from a plurality of directions. Preferably, the sensor features are placed in sufficient quantity to adequately sense electric fields impinging on the reticle from various directions, while also being of a minimum quantity to maximize the effect of the electric field on each sensor feature. Preferably, the one or more sensor features are designed to amplify the potential gradient or electric field in the region of the sensor feature. [0017] The invention also provides a method for monitoring the condition of a reticle having an image area, the method comprising: providing one or more sensor features that are capable of being altered by the presence of an electric field, the sensor features being separate from the image area; and detecting whether any of the one or more of the sensor features have been altered. Preferably, the method further comprises, upon detecting the alteration, inspecting the image area for electric-field-induced damage. Preferably, the method further includes recording the inspection result in an inspection log. Preferably, the method further includes amplifying the potential gradient or electric field at the position of the one or more sensor features. Preferably, the method further includes recording the result of the detecting in an inspection log. Preferably, the method further comprises repeating the detecting after a prescribed period of use of the reticle. Preferably, the method further comprises inspecting the sensor features to determine their condition before use. [0018] In another aspect, the invention provides a computer readable medium including a software or firmware program having instructions for inspecting a reticle, the reticle including an image, the program including instructions for: detecting the alteration of one or more electrical field sensor features on the reticle, the electrical field sensor features being separate from the image; and upon detecting the alteration of the one or more sensor features, providing instructions for inspecting the image area for electric-field-induced damage. Preferably, the instructions further include instructions for inspecting the reticle to establish the condition of the one or more sensor features before use. Preferably, the instructions further include instructions for repeating the detecting after a prescribed period of use of the reticle. [0019] In yet another aspect, the invention provides a computer readable medium including a software or firmware program having instructions for inspecting a reticle, the reticle including an image, the program including instructions for detecting whether one or more of electrical field sensor features have been altered, the electric field sensor features being separate from the image; and recording the result of the detecting in an inspection log. [0020] Remarkably, the invention provides inspection apparatus and processes in which ESD and EFM damage can be detected more effectively and at the same time is faster and more economical than the prior art. Numerous other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art reticle; [0022] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a reticle according to the invention; [0023] FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the reticle of FIG. 2 taken through the line 3 A- 3 A of FIG. 2 ; [0024] FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the reticle of FIG. 2 taken through the line 3 B- 3 B of FIG. 2 ; [0025] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a detail of an alternative preferred embodiment according to the invention; and [0026] FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a preferred embodiment of an inspection process according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0027] A standard reticle structure characteristic of the prior art is shown in perspective view in FIG. 1 . The insulating substrate 101 is coated on one of its major surfaces with a conductive light-absorbing film 102 into which is etched a pattern, herein referred to as the image area 103 . The image area 103 is surrounded by a clear space 104 , herein referred to as the gully, which separates the image area 103 from the continuous border, herein referred to as the guard ring 105 . Film 102 preferably is made by a deposition process, which is known in the art. All the features 103 , 104 , and 105 are made by etching the film 102 during manufacture of the reticle. Sometimes, the conductive light-absorbing film is coated with an anti-reflection layer to improve optical performance in the lithography tool. This does not affect the interaction of the reticle with electric fields. [0028] An embodiment of the invention is shown in plan view in FIG. 2 . One or more electric field sensing features 201 are placed in gully 104 between the image area 103 and the guard ring 105 . These features preferably are defined on the surface of the reticle when the mask pattern is written and are created when the film 102 is etched to form features 103 , 104 , and 105 . Since an electric field that penetrates the reticle may come from any direction, preferably, multiple sensor structures are positioned around the periphery of the image area 103 . Preferably, the number of structures so placed is sufficient to adequately sense all incident electric field directions relative to the reticle, but is kept to a minimum so that induced current passing through and between the sensing features 201 is not averaged over a large number of the sites, which would reduce the magnitude of the effect on each individual feature. That is, the effect of an electric field is maximized on as few as possible of the sensing features 201 , thereby maximizing the visibility of changes to the features with the lowest possible strength of electric field interacting with the reticle. [0029] The operation of the sensing features is explained in reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B . FIG. 3A represents a cross-section through the reticle at the place indicated by the dotted line 3 A- 3 A in FIG. 2 . Dashed line 301 represents the potential gradient or the electric field that would be present across the gully 104 when the reticle is placed into an environment containing an electric field. The direction of the field is arbitrary. With no features in the gully 104 , the potential gradient and the electric field across the gully is represented by the gradient of the graph 301 in the lower section of the figure. Features 103 and 105 are at different induced potentials due to the presence of the external electric field. When the sensing feature 201 is placed into the gully in such a situation, as shown in FIG. 3B , it will adopt a potential which is intermediate between the potentials of 103 and 105 . Thus, the potential gradient or electric field strength 304 at the gully region 104 , which is already the most sensitive area of the reticle, is amplified by the presence of the sensing features. If the field strength and induced potential differences within the image area 103 are below the level where significant changes are caused to the reticle image features, this amplification of the same electric field by the sensing features in the gully may render them liable to change. Hence, they may indicate the existence of a hazard in the reticle handling environment before significant damage is caused to the reticle image area 103 . [0030] The sensing feature 201 in FIGS. 2 and 3 contains at least one conductive body 201 which partially spans the gully 104 between the image area 103 and the guard ring 105 . However, other variants of the sensing feature are possible. Such an alternative preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 4 . In this embodiment, the sensing feature 400 comprises four parts, 401 , 402 , 403 , and 404 , spatially oriented so that they will respond differently to environmental electric fields passing at different angles across the gully 104 . The central intersection 401 of these four structures forms a convenient target for use in an automated inspection microscope. Such an image can be automatically inspected and compared against the previous inspection image stored in a database. Any variation in the appearance of this feature will indicate that the reticle has been exposed to an electric field, and the image area 103 should be inspected carefully for possible damage. [0031] A flow chart illustrating an example of the method 500 that would apply to this form of inspection regime is given in FIG. 5 . At 502 , the reticle is inspected to establish its condition, and particularly the condition of the sensing features, before use. A determination of whether the sensing features are damaged is made at 504 and, if there is no damage, the result is recorded in a reticle log and the reticle is used for a prescribed period and the process returns to 504 where it is redetermined if the features are damaged. If damage is found in the sensing features at any point, the process proceeds to 510 . The inspection images are recorded and at 516 an investigation is initiated to identify and correct the source of risk The pattern area is also inspected for damage at 510 . If damage to the image features is detected at 520 , the reticle is directed to 530 for repair or scrap. If the image features are not damaged, the inspection result is recorded in the reticle log at 522 , the reticle is then used for a prescribed period, and then reinspected. The prescribed period of use may be set for a shorter period when, for example, there have been recent changes to a manufacturing process, and then for a longer period once the problem areas have been worked out in a manufacturing process. If a change in the image features is found at 526 , the program returns to 510 and the cycle is repeated. If there is no change in the sensing features, the program returns to 522 where it is again used and reinspected. In this way, a rapid assessment may be conducted of the condition of a reticle with regard to any electrostatic hazard it may have experienced since its last inspection. Minimal data processing is required, with reduction of the need to regularly inspect the entire image area of the reticle. Hence, the process will occupy a minimum amount of inspection tool time and operator workload. At the same time, it is more sensitive to damage, since damage to the sensing areas is easier to detect. Since the same sensing features may be printed on all reticles, the process can be automated and the above processes can be incorporated into software instructions in a computer program on a computer readable medium. [0032] There has been described apparatus and methods for quickly and effectively determining if a reticle has suffered ESD or EFM damage. It should be understood that the particular embodiments shown in the drawings and described within this specification are for purposes of example and should not be construed to limit the invention which will be described in the claims below. Further, it is evident that those skilled in the art may now make numerous uses and modifications of the specific embodiment described, without departing from the inventive concepts. For example, it is also evident that the steps recited may, in some instances, be performed in a different order; or equivalent structures and processes may be substituted for the various structures and processes described; or a variety of different precursors may be used. Consequently, the invention is to be construed as embracing each and every novel feature and novel combination of features present in and/or possessed by the reticle protection and damage determination processes, the devices to perform such functions, and electronic device manufacturing methods described.

A reticle includes an image area having one or more electrically conductive portions susceptible to damage by an electric field and an electric field sensor feature, the sensor feature adapted to be at least as susceptible to being altered by the electric field as the electrically conductive portions of the image area, the sensor feature being located in a position which is more readily viewable to show alteration than the electrically conductive portions of the image area.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to a wireless communication system, and more particularly relates to a remote keyless entry system providing user identification. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Many modern vehicles include remote keyless entry systems which allow users to employ various vehicle commands or functions while spaced some distance away from the vehicle. These functions typically include locking and unlocking of vehicle doors, opening of trunks, or even starting the engine. [0003] Unfortunately, these aforementioned systems do not include any screening or authorization features for utilization of the remote keyless entry system. Accordingly, some keyless entry systems have been proposed which provide a level of authorization to the system. For example, some systems require an input of a key code on a touchpad positioned on a vehicle door, while other systems have suggested the use of biometric sensors which are positioned within the vehicle and required for starting of the vehicle. One drawback of these systems is the fact that the input devices or sensors are intimately tied with the vehicle. In vehicles, sensors can quickly become very hot or colt to the touch. Such in-vehicle sensors are costly to repair or replace if damaged. At the least, some form of two-way communication with the primary system (i.e., vehicle) is required for authorization and utilization of the system. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] The present invention provides a wireless remote keyless entry device and a method for providing entry to a system via the wireless device. The system provides a level of authorization and eliminates a complex integration with the primary system to which entry is sought. The remote keyless entry device preferably includes a portable power supply and a biometric sensor for receiving a biometric input value. The device further includes memory and a processor. The memory has a database including a list of authorized users. Each authorized user has a biometric value and a set of command options associate therewith, and each command option has a command code associated therewith. A biometric input value is received via the biometric sensor and identifying the authorized user corresponding to the biometric input value. The processor compares the biometric input value to the biometric values of authorized users and loads the associated command options and command codes. An input device receives a command request from the user and a transmitter sends the command code corresponding to the receiving system. [0005] According to more detailed aspects of the present invention, the wireless entry device and method may include the provision of preset commands corresponding to an authorized user, and most preferably corresponding to a particular combination of authorized user and command option or code. For example, when a particular authorized user requests a command for unlocking a vehicle, additional preset commands may also be transmitted such as adjusting the seat position, temperature controls, or radio commands. The remote keyless entry device and method may also be employed with numerous systems, including cell phone systems, internet systems, finance systems or any electronic system to which a restricted and authorized access is desired. Preferably, the biometric sensor and the input values it receives are fingerprint images, although numerous other biometric values may be employed, such as voice recognition, face recognition, eye recognition, or any combination thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0006] The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: [0007] [0007]FIG. 1 is a flow chart depicting a method for providing entry to a system via a wireless device constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; and [0008] [0008]FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of a wireless device for providing entry to a system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0009] Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 depicts a schematic of a method 8 for providing entry to a system 70 (FIG. 2) via a wireless device 50 (FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 2, the system 70 has a receiver 72 for receiving a wireless signal such as a radio frequency (RF) signal or other well-known signals, including infrared, bluetooth, etc. As used herein, the system 70 generally refers to any electronic system to which access is desired. In a preferred embodiment, the system 70 represents the electronic system of a motor vehicle. [0010] The wireless device 50 shown in FIG. 2 includes a transmitter 62 for sending signals 64 to the receiver 72 . These signals 64 correspond to a command request inputted by a user via an input device 60 . As shown, the input device 60 is a touch-screen device, although any other human machine interfaces (HMIs) can be used, including push-buttons or switches. The input device 60 could, also be a microphone for receiving a voice command utilizing voice recognition technology. [0011] The wireless device (preferably a key fob for carrying on one's person) 50 also includes a biometric sensor 54 providing an additional input to the device 50 . The biometric sensor 54 is preferably a fingerprint sensor which inputs a fingerprint scan as is known in the art. Alternatively, the biometric sensor 54 may also comprise a light print device, a microphone for voice recognition identification, a camera for face recognition, or a camera for eye or iris scan. Hence, the biometric sensor 54 receives data such as a fingerprint image, voice image, or eye image. Still further, a combination of these and other biometric sensing apparatus may also be imbedded into the device 50 . The biometric sensor may also be incorporated into the input device, i.e., the touch screen of the input device 60 may also be employed as the biometric sensor 54 . The biometric sensor 54 is positioned such that a user would naturally provide the necessary input to the sensor when holding or operating the device. [0012] The wireless device 50 further includes a portable power supply 52 , as well as a memory 56 and processor 58 . The power supply 52 is operatively connected to all the electronic components within the device 50 , namely the biometric sensor 54 , memory 56 , processor 58 , input device 60 and transmitter 62 . Preferably, the memory 56 is a non-volatile type memory which will retain the data stored thereon even if the power supply 52 should be unable to supply power to the memory 56 . The memory 56 includes a database having a list of authorized users. Each authorized user can be identified by a user ID, and each authorized user has a biometric value associated therewith. Accordingly, the wireless device 50 can be programmed to store the unique identifier, i.e., the biometric value, of a number of authorized users on the memory 56 . Each authorized user also has a set of command options associated with their user ID i.e., commands for vehicles or other systems. Other systems include communication systems such as cell phone or other wireless communication systems, internet or world wide web systems, or finance systems such as credit card or debit card charge authorizations, money transfers, or the like. [0013] Each authorized user may also have a number of pre-set commands stored on the database in memory 56 . The preset commands can be linked directly to a specific authorized user, or may be linked to a specific combination of authorized user and command request. For example, upon a specific user initiating an unlock door request to a vehicle, additional preset commands may also be employed such as adjusting seat position to a predetermined position, adjusting climate control to a predetermined setting, adjusting the audio system to a certain level or specific radio station or specific compact disc. Safety systems may also be adjusted to accommodate specific users (i.e., 5th or 95th percentile persons) as well as other vehicle or ride characteristics that can be automatically set to comply with specific user preferences or requirements. [0014] A unique process 8 for providing entry to the system 70 via the wireless device 50 is described in FIG. 2. The method 8 starts at block 10 receives a biometric input value via the biometric sensor 54 , as indicated at block 12 . A decision is then made as to whether the biometric input value matches the biometric value of an authorized user, as indicated at block 14 . As previously noted, the biometric values are pre-programmed into memory 56 . [0015] If there is no match of the biometric values, the method 8 flows to its end as indicated at block 16 . However, if there is an appropriate match, the authorized user is identified within the database stored on memory 56 , as indicated at block 18 . [0016] Upon identifying the authorized user, the processor 58 loads the command options associated with the authorized user. The processor 58 also associates those command options with the input device 60 , as indicated at block 20 . For example, if the input device 60 comprises a series of buttons, each button can be linked to specific command options. When the input device 60 is a touch screen, the command options may simply be displayed on the screen. Finally, if the input device 60 comprises voice recognition technology employed through a microphone, the command options can be associated with certain voice image values. [0017] The method 8 then initiates the timer 22 and waits for a command request as indicated by blocks 22 and 24 . If a command has not been received, the method checks to see whether the timer has expired as indicated at block 26 . If the timer has expired the wireless device 50 shuts down and the method flows to its end as indicated at block 16 . Once at the end, the method 8 must reinitialize and a biometric input value must be entered which matches the value of an authorized user. [0018] Upon receiving a command request via the input device 60 , the method then performs several tasks as indicated at block 28 . Specifically, the processor 58 loads the command codes associated with the command request, and also loads preset command codes associated with the authorized user and the command request. As previously discussed, certain preset commands may be employed when a specific user has inputted a specific command request. The various command options, as well as the preset commands, are associated with a command code that is recognizable by the system 70 . That is, the command codes are typically encoded or encrypted signals such that the security of the system 70 is maintained. [0019] With the command codes and the preset command codes loaded, the codes are transmitted via the transmitter 62 and received by the receiver 72 on the system 70 . At this point in the process 8 , the event data (i.e., the user ID, the command codes and/or preset command codes transmitted, the time, the date, and any other desired information) are stored on the memory 56 . In the event the memory 56 fills up with data, the oldest events will be automatically removed. As also indicated at block 32 , the timer has been reset and the method flows back through block 26 to block 24 where the system 8 is ready to receive a command request. In the event no further commands are desired, the method will flow to its end at block 16 upon expiration of the timer. [0020] By allowing the memory 56 to have a database storing different command codes, the wireless device 50 may be employed with multiple systems, as well as multiple vehicles. The present invention thus eliminates dedicated keyless entry systems. The system 8 also facilitates automatic enabling of user preferences and requirements such as driver's seat position, driver's safety system performance as well as climate control and audio control options. Further, system access or specific access can be limited for each desired user. Similarly, the monitoring of events also allows individual users to be watched and recorded. Thus, access to vehicles, digital assistants, or cell phones can be restricted and tracked by user. [0021] The present invention also provides a wireless device 50 that includes all the necessary authorization and encoding features allowing for simple one-way communication within the desired system 70 . Unlike in-vehicle ID systems, remote ID allows the driver's seat position to be adjusted before the user enters the vehicle. Safety system performance can also be adjusted or tuned to meet the needs of a particular user. Uniquely, multiple users can use each wireless device 50 , and each wireless device can be used with multiple systems or multiple vehicles. [0022] The foregoing description of various embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise embodiments disclosed. Numerous modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.

A system and method employ a wireless remote keyless entry device to provide entry to a remote system via the wireless device. The system provides a level of authorization and eliminates a complex integration with the remote system to which entry is sought. The remote keyless entry device preferably includes a biometric sensor for receiving a biometric input value and a database including a list of authorized users. Each authorized user has a biometric value and a set of command options associate therewith, and each command option has a command code associated therewith. The device and method allow for one-way secure communication with the remote system, and also provide added functionality and tracking features.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/719,095, filed Oct. 26, 2012, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e). BACKGROUND A fifth-wheel hitch is a common apparatus for coupling a trailer to a truck for towing. The fifth-wheel hitch is preferably positioned over or spaced forward of the rear axle of the truck. In trucks with short-beds, due to the shorter distance between the rear axle and the back of the cab, positioning the fifth-wheel hitch over or in front of the rear axle significantly limits the turning radius of the trailer without damaging the cab. To provide additional clearance between the cab and the trailer, a variety of moveable fifth-wheel hitch assemblies have been developed which permit sliding of the hitch rearward behind the rear axle in situations in which tight turns between the truck and the trailer are likely to be required. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,871,096 to Colibert-Clarke et al. describes a displaceable fifth-wheel hitch assembly that includes a platform mounted in the bed of a truck with a pair of tracks mounted along each side thereof. A hitch assembly is slideably mounted between the tracks and includes a spring-biased locking pin that extends from the hitch assembly into holes aligned along the center of the platform. The locking pin is biased toward engagement with the platform by a spring disposed between a clip attached to the pin and a support member of the hitch assembly. A rod extends through a slotted flange extending from the platform and is coupled to the locking pin. The slotted flange acts as a fulcrum about which the rod can be pivoted to raise the locking pin and to allow the hitch assembly to move along the platform track. The rod can be engaged with a hook to maintain the locking pin in the raised position. Movement of the hitch assembly on the platform track can disengage the rod from the hook to allow the locking pin to engage the holes in the platform track and lock the hitch assembly in place. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0109061 to Peterson et al. describes a sliding hitch assembly mounted on a pair of elevated rails. A locking mechanism is provided that employs a cable actuated cam member and a pair of locking pins. One of the locking pins is associated with a forward position of the hitch assembly and the other is associated with a rearward position. A handle coupled to the cable is pivoted between a forward engagement position and a rearward engagement position to slide the cam member between a sidewall of the rails and a portion of the locking pins. The cam member thereby draws one locking pin out of engagement with the hitch assembly and allows the second locking pin to extend from the rail for engagement with the hitch assembly in the second position. There remains a need in the art for a self-arming latching mechanism for a sliding-hitch assembly that is easily operable by a user. There is also a need for an automatic-arming latching mechanism with a locking feature that prevents disengagement of the latching mechanism. Some solutions employ spring biased members, but no mechanical engagement is provided to further prevent such disengagement. Additionally, a self-arming latching mechanism that is simple and compact for incorporation substantially within a base or hitch carriage would improve on prior designs. SUMMARY Embodiments of the invention are defined by the claims below, not this summary. A high-level overview of various aspects of the invention are provided here for that reason, to provide an overview of the disclosure, and to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described in the Detailed-Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. In brief this disclosure describes, among other things, a sliding fifth-wheel hitch with a self-arming latching assembly. The fifth-wheel hitch includes a base assembly that is coupleable to a vehicle. The base assembly includes a pair of longitudinally extending legs disposed along opposite edges thereof and a cross-member disposed therebetween. The legs each include a rod or a sliding surface on which a hitch carriage is slideably mounted. A latching assembly is disposed within the base assembly substantially within the cross-member. The latching assembly includes a shaft extending along the length of the cross-member and rotatable about its length. A handle is fixedly coupled to an end of the shaft to enable a user to rotate the shaft. A flange or lever arm extends radially outward from the shaft and is coupled at a distal end thereof to a spring. The spring is further affixed to the base assembly such that an over center condition is created in which the shaft is rotated by the spring in either a first direction toward a locked orientation or in a second direction toward an unlocked orientation. A latch release and arming member extends from the shaft in a plane perpendicular to the length of the shaft. The latch release and arming member comprises a cam presenting a cam surface that contacts a plate to pivot the plate about a coupling with the base assembly and between the locked and unlocked orientations. A latching pin is coupled to the plate and is extended into engagement with the hitch carriage when the shaft is rotated to the locked orientation in which the cam is oriented to allow the pivot plate to pivot upward. The latch pin is withdrawn from such engagement when the shaft is rotated to the unlocked orientation in which the cam is rotated to pivot the pivot plate downward. A trigger arm projects radially outward from the cam on the latch release and arming member. When the shaft is rotated to the unlocked orientation, the trigger arm extends upward through the base assembly and into the path of a portion of the hitch carriage such as a protuberance or boss. Subsequent engagement of the distal end of the trigger arm by the boss, pivots the trigger arm downward, rotating the latch release and arming member into an armed orientation with the lever arm on the shaft pivoted below the center position and biasingly urged toward a locked orientation. A locking member comprising a finger is also formed on the latch release and arming member or is separately mounted on the shaft. The finger engages the plate to prevent pivoting of the plate when the shaft is rotated to the locked orientation. The hitch carriage can thus be moved from a forward position to a rearward position, and vice-versa, along the base assembly by actuating the handle to rotate the shaft from the locked orientation to the unlocked orientation. The locking member is disengaged from the plate and the latching pin is withdrawn from engagement with the hitch carriage. During movement of the hitch carriage along the base assembly, the arming member is contacted by the protuberance to automatically rotate the shaft toward the locked orientation. Upon alignment of the latching pin with a receiver in the hitch carriage, the latching pin engages the receiver and the finger of the locking member engages the plate to lock the latching pin in place. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sliding fifth-wheel hitch assembly depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the sliding fifth-wheel hitch assembly; FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the sliding fifth-wheel hitch assembly; FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the sliding fifth-wheel hitch assembly; FIG. 5 is front elevational view of a base of the sliding fifth-wheel hitch assembly depicted with a hitch carriage removed; FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the base of the sliding fifth-wheel hitch assembly; FIG. 7 is perspective bottom view of a central portion of the base of the sliding fifth-wheel hitch assembly depicted with pivot arms and a central brace removed; FIG. 8A is a bottom perspective view of the sliding fifth-wheel hitch assembly depicting a latching assembly in a locked orientation in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional elevational view taken along the line 8 B- 8 B shown in FIG. 6 depicting the latching assembly in the locked orientation; FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional elevational view taken along the line 8 C- 8 C shown in FIG. 6 depicting the latching assembly in the locked orientation; FIG. 9A is a bottom perspective view of the sliding fifth-wheel hitch assembly depicting the latching assembly in an unlocked orientation in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional elevational view taken along the line 9 B- 9 B shown in FIG. 6 depicting the latching assembly in the unlocked orientation; FIG. 9C is a cross-sectional elevational view taken along the line 9 C- 9 C shown in FIG. 6 depicting the latching assembly in the unlocked orientation; FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional elevational view similar to FIGS. 8B and 9B depicting the latching assembly in an armed orientation; FIG. 10C is a cross-sectional elevational view similar to FIGS. 8C and 9C depicting the latching assembly in the armed orientation; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional side elevation along the line 8 C- 8 C shown in FIG. 6 depicting the hitch carriage in a forward position in solid lines and a rearward position in phantom lines; FIG. 12A is a partial cross-sectional view of the sliding fifth-wheel hitch assembly taken along the line 12 A- 12 A shown in FIG. 2 depicting guide rollers on the hitch carriage for coupling to the base assembly; and FIG. 12B is a partial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the sliding fifth-wheel hitch assembly shown in FIG. 12A depicting glide blocks on the hitch carriage for slideably coupling to the base assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The subject matter of select embodiments of the invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. But the description itself is not intended to necessarily limit the scope of claims. Rather, the claimed subject matter might be embodied in other ways to include different components, steps, or combinations thereof similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly described. With reference to FIGS. 1-12 , a sliding-hitch assembly 10 is described in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The description herein is provided with respect to a standard orientation of the sliding-hitch assembly 10 disposed in a vehicle. As such, terms such as forward, rearward, front, rear, variations thereof, and terms of similar import are used with respect to common understandings of forward and rearward travel of a vehicle. The terms longitudinal and transverse indicate orientation along the length of the vehicle and along the width of the vehicle, respectively. The sliding-hitch assembly 10 is configured for installation in the bed of a vehicle, such as a pick-up truck, but the assembly 10 can be configured for installation on tractors or in other heavy-duty or light-duty applications without departing from the scope of embodiments described herein. The sliding-hitch assembly 10 comprises a hitch assembly 12 that is slideably coupled to a base assembly 14 . The hitch assembly 12 includes a hitch carriage 16 on which a hitch support 18 and a fifth-wheel hitch 20 are mounted. The fifth-wheel hitch 20 is of a type useable to receive and maintain a pivotal coupling with a kingpin of a trailer. A wide variety of such hitches are known in the art including for purposes of illustration only the hitch shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,850 to Joseph Works. The fifth-wheel hitch 20 can also be configured to provide a ball-hitch, draw bar, or other trailer-coupling apparatus without departing from the scope described herein. The hitch support 18 supports the fifth-wheel hitch 20 above and couples it to the hitch carriage 16 . The hitch support 18 includes a pair of legs 22 extending upwardly from opposite sides of the hitch carriage 16 . A generally rectangular plate with a center section removed is formed or folded about its transverse dimension to form a cross-member or saddle 24 with a U-shaped profile. The saddle 24 is disposed on and between distal ends of the legs 22 and is pivotally coupled thereto. The saddle 24 is thus pivotable about an axis extending between the legs and transverse to the sliding-hitch assembly 10 . A base 26 of the fifth-wheel hitch 20 is coupled centrally along the width of the saddle 24 . The coupling enables the base 26 and fifth-wheel hitch 20 to pivot side-to-side about a longitudinal axis extending through the coupling. As such, the fifth-wheel hitch 20 can pivot transversely and longitudinally during coupling of the hitch 20 with a trailer and/or during towing of the trailer. The hitch carriage 16 includes a pair of longitudinally extending support arms or side support assemblies 28 that slideably couple the hitch assembly 12 to the base assembly 14 . As best seen in FIG. 12A , the side support assemblies 28 comprise a main support member 30 , an upper roller support member 32 , and a pair of lower roller support members 34 . The main support member 30 comprises an elongate tubular member with a generally inverted L-shaped, cross-sectional profile. As depicted in FIG. 12A , the main support member 30 is manufactured from a plurality of formed plate sections that are welded or otherwise coupled together, but the main support member 30 might be otherwise formed from one or more component pieces such as by extrusion or molding without departing from the scope of embodiments of the invention. The leg 22 of the hitch support 18 is coupled along a vertical portion of the main support by one or more fasteners, welding, or the like. The main support member 30 may also include one or more reinforcing members 36 disposed therein to provide additional support for coupling with the legs 22 and/or the upper and lower roller support members 32 , 34 as described below. The upper roller support member 32 comprises an elongate channel that is oriented with an open face thereof directed downward. The upper roller support member 32 is disposed beneath a horizontal portion of the main support member 30 and against a side of the vertical portion opposite that of the leg 22 . The upper roller support member 32 extends a distance longitudinally and parallel to the main support member 30 . A roller 38 , wheel, glide, bearing, or similar component is disposed within the open channel of the upper roller support member 32 adjacent each end thereof. A rod or axle 40 is disposed through sidewalls of the upper roller support member 32 and through the center of the roller 38 to rotatably couple the roller 38 within the channel of the upper roller support member 32 . The axle 40 may extend into the main support member 30 to couple the upper roller support member to the main support member 30 . The roller 38 is configured to roll along a guide bar 42 of the base assembly 14 (or slide or glide in the case of a bearing or glide) as discussed more fully below, and may include a profile that compliments the shape of the guide bar 42 . The pair of lower roller support members 34 , only one of which is shown, comprise sections of channel with dimensions similar to that of the upper roller support member 32 but of shorter longitudinal length. The lower roller support members 34 are oriented with an open face thereof directed upward toward the open face of the upper roller support member 32 such that opposing edges of the upper and lower roller support members 32 , 34 are abutted and may be coupled together, such as by welding or with mechanical fasteners. The lower roller support members 34 are placed at opposite ends of the upper roller support member 32 such that the pair of lower roller support members 34 are longitudinally spaced apart. Like the upper roller support member 32 , a roller 44 is disposed within the lower roller support member 34 and is rotatably coupled thereto by a rod or axle 46 extending through the sidewalls thereof. The axle 46 may couple the lower roller support member 34 to the main support member 30 . The rollers 38 and 44 may be the same or different, e.g. having the same or different profiles, materials, or the like. As depicted in FIG. 12B , the hitch carriage 16 can also be configured with glide blocks 48 that slide along a guide bar 50 instead of or in addition to the rollers 38 , 44 . A glide block 48 can be disposed within one or both of the upper and lower roller support members 32 , 34 and fastened to the upper and lower roller support members 32 , 34 by one or more fasteners 52 . The glide blocks 48 comprise one or more pads or bearing blocks comprised of a low-friction material, such as nylon, Teflon®, polyethylene, or the like, that enable sliding of the hitch carriage 16 along the guide bars 50 . In an embodiment, a combination of rollers 38 , 44 and glide blocks 48 might be employed, e.g. a roller 38 might be disposed within the upper roller support member 32 while a glide block 48 is disposed in the lower roller support member 34 , without departing from the scope of embodiments of the invention described herein. In addition, although the glide blocks 48 are shown as rectangular and sliding along a rectangular guide bar 50 it is understood that the glide blocks could be configured with a geometry that mates with the guide bar or rails 42 . The hitch carriage 16 may include one or more enclosure plates 54 that extend between the support arms 28 . The enclosure plates 54 act as cross-member supports for the support arms 28 and at least partially enclose the hitch carriage for aesthetic reasons and/or to provide some protection from environmental elements, such as precipitation, dirt and debris. With continued reference to FIGS. 1-6 , the base assembly 14 comprises a pair of longitudinally extending elongate base members 56 and a cross-member 58 extending therebetween. The longitudinal base members 56 each include a foot 60 adjustably mounted on an underside thereof and extending along the length thereof. The foot 60 may be configured for receipt in recess or corrugation found on the floor of a bed of a vehicle and is adjustable side-to-side or transversely for adaptation to variations in spacing between such recesses in a variety of vehicles. The foot 60 is formed of a rubber, plastic, or similar material to aid in reducing damage or wear between the longitudinal base members 56 and the bed of the vehicle. Mounting brackets 62 are coupled to ends of the base members 56 for supporting the guide rails 42 . The guide rails 42 are disposed parallel to the longitudinal base members 56 and spaced inwardly from the respective base member 56 . As discussed previously, the guide rails 42 are configured to support the rollers 38 or can be configured as guide bars 50 for supporting glide blocks 48 . The cross-member 58 extends between the longitudinal base members 56 and generally medially therewith. The cross-member 58 comprises a channel or C-shaped member oriented with an open face of the channel directed downwardly. As depicted in FIG. 5 , a pair of guide rail support plates 64 are disposed on a top portion 65 and at opposite ends of the cross-member 58 for receiving and supporting the guide rails 42 generally medially relative to the ends which are supported by mounting brackets 62 . A coupling member or coupler 66 is affixed to the center of the cross-member 58 and extends vertically downward from the bottom thereof. The coupling member 66 is configured for receipt within a mating receiver mounted in the bed of a vehicle. A preferred coupler 66 has a square or non-circular cross-section for mating with a receiver having a complimentary cross-section. The mating geometry between the coupler 66 and receiver preventing rotation of the hitch assembly 10 relative to the truck bed. The coupling member 66 and the receiver include one or more transversely oriented through holes 68 that are aligned to receive a pin and thereby fixedly couple the member 66 to the receiver. The mating receiver is typically mounted beneath and/or extending through a floor of the bed and is attached to the frame of the vehicle. As such, the sliding-hitch assembly 10 can be installed in the bed of the vehicle via a single connection point. The assembly 10 is further supported by the feet 60 contacting the floor of the bed. The sliding-hitch assembly 10 is also configurable for coupling to a vehicle in a variety of other ways, e.g. the assembly 10 might be configured for bolting or welding directly to the frame of a vehicle with or without a bed, among other methods, without departing from the scope of embodiments of the invention described herein. With additional reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 , a latching assembly 70 is disposed on an underside of the cross-member 58 . The latching assembly 70 comprises a shaft 72 extending along the length of the cross-member 58 with a first end 74 of the shaft 72 extending from an end of the cross-member 58 and into a respective one of the longitudinal base members 56 . A pair of support brackets or tabs 76 extends from the underside of the cross-member 58 near opposite ends thereof to rotatably support the shaft 72 . A handle 78 is fixedly coupled to the first end 74 of the shaft 72 and extends upwardly out of the base 56 through an elongate slot 80 in a top surface thereof as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 . A flange or lever arm 82 extends radially outward from a second end 84 of the shaft 72 . A tension spring 86 is coupled between a distal end of the lever arm 82 and a sidewall of the cross-member 58 . As best seen in FIGS. 8B and 9B , the coupling of the spring 86 and the lever arm 82 is configured to provide an over-center condition in which the spring 86 biases rotation of the shaft 72 , via the lever arm 82 , in a first direction or in a second direction depending on which side of a center position the lever arm 82 lies; the center position comprising the position in which the spring 86 extends across second end 84 of the shaft 72 and is aligned with an imaginary line representing the lever arm formed between the axis of rotation of the shaft 72 and the distal end of the lever arm 82 . A pair of latch release and arming members 88 is disposed about the shaft 72 near each end of the cross-member 58 . The latch release and arming members 88 are each longitudinally aligned with a latch pin support plate 90 and a hinge 92 , as depicted in FIG. 7 , which are positioned generally vertically below each of the side support assemblies 28 of the hitch carriage 16 . A pivoting plate 94 is pivotally coupled to the hinge 92 at a first end and retains a latch pin 96 in a second end thereof, as shown in FIGS. 6 , and 8 - 11 . The latch pin 96 extends upward from the second end of the pivoting plate 94 and slideably passes through a hole in the latch pin support plate 90 and a hole in the top portion 65 of the cross-member 58 . The latch pin 96 comprises a generally cylindrical pin that includes an upper section 98 having a first diameter and an intermediate section 100 having a second diameter smaller than the first. The larger first diameter of the upper section 98 forms a shoulder 102 or annular flange. A coil spring 104 is disposed around the intermediate section of the latch pin 96 between the shoulder 102 and the latch pin support plate 90 and biases the latch pin 96 to extend through the top portion 65 of the cross-member 58 . A washer 106 or similar component having an central aperture larger than the second diameter of the latch pin 96 but smaller than the first diameter can be disposed between the shoulder 102 and the spring 104 to provide a larger contact surface for the spring 104 . Or the shoulder 102 might include a flange or tabs extending radially outward beyond the first diameter to provide the larger contact surface for the spring 104 . The latch pin 96 shown includes an annular recess 108 adjacent a lower end and configured for receipt in a slot 110 (See FIG. 9A ) in the pivoting plate 94 for coupling thereto. The coupling between the latch pin 96 and the pivoting plate 94 restricts vertical movement between the latch pin 96 and the pivot plate 94 such that their upward and downward movements are maintained in unison. The coupling also allows the latch pin 96 to slide and/or pivot with respect to the coupling so that the latch pin 96 can move linearly while second end of the pivoting plate 94 to which the latch pin 96 is coupled is pivoted along an arc. The sliding and/or pivoting of the latch pin 96 about the coupling with the pivoting plate 94 avoids binding between the components as the latching assembly 70 is actuated. Each of the latch release and arming members 88 is formed as a cam 117 with a cam surface 118 extending radially outward from the shaft 72 with an increasing radius along an arc of approximately sixty degrees. The cam surface 118 contacts the respective pivoting plate 94 to pivot the plate 94 downward about the hinge 92 when the shaft 72 and the latch release and arming members 88 are rotated using handle 78 from a locked or latched position as depicted in FIG. 8C to an unlocked or unlatched position as depicted in FIG. 9C . In the latched position, the narrowest portion of each cam 117 extends between the latching assembly shaft 72 and the respective pivoting plates 94 which allows latch pins 96 to be biased upward through the openings in the top portion 65 of the cross member 58 and into one of at least two aligned receivers 124 and 126 formed in a bottom surface 114 of a respective side support assembly 28 , including for example, in the bottom surface 114 of a respective main support member 30 . The receivers 124 and 126 on the respective side support assemblies 28 comprises first and second aligned pairs of receivers 124 and 126 for retaining the carriage in a forward position (in solid lines in FIG. 11 ) and a rearward position (in phantom lines in FIG. 11 ) respectively. As best seen in FIGS. 8B and 8C , when the latch release and arming members are in the latched position, the lever arm 82 extends below the center position and the tension spring 86 draws the lever arm 82 downward and toward the rear of the cross member 58 (clockwise in FIG. 8B ) thereby biasingly resisting rotation of the latch release and arming members 88 out of the latched alignment. In an unlatched position, the widest portion of each cam 117 is rotated to extend between the shaft 72 and the respective pivoting plates 94 , pivoting the plates 94 downward such that the latch pins 96 are withdrawn from receivers 124 or 126 against the biasing force of springs 104 . As best seen in FIGS. 9B and 9C , when the latch release and arming members 88 are in the unlatched position, the lever arms 82 extend above the center position and the tension spring 86 draws lever arm 82 upward and toward the rear of the cross member 58 (counter-clockwise in FIG. 9B ) thereby biasingly resisting rotation of the latch release and arming members 88 out of the unlatched alignment. Each of the latch release and arming members 88 includes an arm 112 that extends generally radially outwardly from the cam 117 . The arm 112 is of sufficient length to at least partially extend through an aperture 113 in the top portion 65 of the cross-member 58 when latch release and arming member 88 is rotated to the unlocked orientation depicted in FIG. 9C . In the unlocked orientation, a distal end of the arm 112 is spaced apart from and below a bottom surface 114 of the main support member 30 of the hitch carriage 16 or may contact and/or slide along the bottom surface 114 . The distal end of the arm 112 is configured to be contacted and displaced downward by a boss 116 , protuberance, flange, nub, rib, or other portion or feature of the carriage 16 extending downwardly from the bottom surface 114 of the main support member 30 , as described more fully below. Arm 112 is displaced downward by boss 116 far enough to rotate the lever arm 82 below the center position such that tension spring 86 now pulls or urges the latch release and arming member 88 toward the latched position. Until the carriage 16 is slid far enough to bring one of the pairs of receivers 124 or 126 back into alignment with the latch pins 96 , abutment of the latch pins 96 against the bottom surface 114 of the main support member prevents the latching assembly 70 from advancing from the unlatched orientation to the latched orientation and this orientation of the latching assembly 70 may be referred to as an armed orientation. A locking member 120 extends from each of the arming members 88 between the arm 112 and the cam surface 118 . The locking member 120 comprises a generally L-shaped finger that extends radially outward from the shaft a first distance before turning to extend a second distance in a direction away from the arm 112 and spaced radially outward from the cam surface 118 . The locking member 120 is configured to protrude through an aperture 122 in the pivoting plate 94 to capture a portion of the pivoting plate 94 between the locking member 120 and the cam surface 118 when in the locked orientation and to be substantially withdrawn from the aperture 122 when in the unlocked orientation. It is foreseen that the locking member 120 may be formed as a separate component mounted on the shaft 72 adjacent to the latch release and arming member 88 . With reference now to FIGS. 8-11 , operation of the sliding-hitch assembly 10 is described in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As depicted in FIG. 11 , the sliding-hitch assembly 10 is slideably and/or rollably moveable along the guide rails 42 from a forward position (depicted by solid lines) to a rearward position (depicted in phantom) to enable additional clearance between a trailer and a cab of a tow vehicle, among other advantages. As depicted in FIGS. 8A-C and 11 , in the forward position, the latching assembly 70 is initially in the locked orientation. In the locked orientation, the shaft 72 and the latch release and arming members 88 are rotated to position the arm 112 within the cross-member 58 . The cam 117 is rotationally oriented to enable the pivoting plate 94 to pivot about the hinge 92 upward toward the cross-member 58 . The coil spring 104 on the latch pin 96 biases the latch pin 96 upward through the top portion 65 of the cross-member 58 and thus draws the pivoting plate 94 upward toward the cross-member 58 . The locking member 120 is extended through the aperture 122 in the pivoting plate 94 and to a position that is below a portion of the pivoting plate 94 to prevent downward movement of the pivoting plate 94 and thus the latch pin 96 . In the locked orientation, the latch pin 96 extends from the top portion 65 of the cross-member 58 and into the aperture or receiver 124 in the bottom surface 114 of the main support member 30 of the hitch carriage 16 . As such, the latch pin 96 prevents rolling or sliding movement of the hitch carriage 16 along the guide rails 42 . Also, in the locked orientation, as depicted in FIG. 8B , the lever arm 82 on the second end 84 of the shaft 72 is positioned above the center position and biased by the spring 86 to rotate the shaft 72 toward the locked orientation and thereby to maintain the locked orientation. To move the latching assembly 70 to the unlocked orientation, the handle 78 is operated by a user to rotate the shaft 72 and the latch release and arming members 88 toward the unlocked orientation. As the shaft 72 is rotated, the lever arm 82 moves past the center position and is then biased by the spring 86 in an opposite direction toward the unlocked orientation. The user may continue to move the handle 78 to rotate the latch release and arming members 88 toward the unlocked orientation or the spring 86 may complete the rotation. As depicted in FIGS. 9A-C , rotation of the shaft 72 rotates the cam surface 118 on the arming member 88 against the pivoting plate 94 to pivot the pivoting plate 94 downwardly about the hinge 92 . Downward movement of the pivoting plate 94 withdraws the latch pin 96 from the receiver 124 in the bottom surface 114 of the main support member 30 and compresses the coil spring 104 between the washer 106 and the latch pin support plate 90 . The distal end of the arm 112 of the arming member 88 is rotated upwardly to protrude from the top portion 65 of the cross-member 58 and into the path of the boss 116 on the bottom surface 114 of the main support member 30 . The hitch carriage 16 is thus free to slide or roll along the guide rails 42 from the forward position to the rearward position or vice-versa. The hitch carriage 16 might also be moved to one or more intermediate positions between the forward and rearward positions. As the hitch carriage 16 moves along the guide rails 42 , the boss 116 contacts the distal end of the arm 112 protruding from the top portion 65 of the cross-member 58 . The contact is sufficient to depress the arm 112 downwardly and to rotate the lever arm 82 past the center position, e.g. automatically arming the latching assembly to latch the hitch carriage 16 in position. As such, the spring 86 again biases the lever arm 82 toward the locked orientation thereby, rotating the cam surface 118 against the pivoting plate 94 . The pivoting plate 94 is thus enabled to pivot upwardly to extend the latch pin 96 from the top portion 65 of the cross-member 58 via the bias provided by the coil spring 104 . However, the latch pin 96 may not yet be aligned with a second receiver 126 associated with the rearward position, because, for example, the hitch carriage 16 may have not yet moved completely to the rearward position. As such, the latch pin 96 is biased into contact with the bottom surface 114 of the main support member 30 and slides therealong until achieving alignment with the second receiver 126 (or with the first receiver 124 again). The pivoting plate 94 and the shaft 72 generally will not achieve full rotation toward the locked orientation until the latch pin 96 aligns with the first or second receiver 124 , 126 . The bias provided by the spring 86 on the lever arm 82 and by the coil spring 104 on the latch pin 96 maintains the latching assembly 70 in an intermediate state or armed orientation, biased toward the locked position. Upon alignment of the latch pin 96 with the first or second receiver 124 , 126 , the latch pin 96 moves further upward and out of the cross-member 58 to engage the receiver 124 , 126 and thereby prevent further sliding or rolling movement of the hitch carriage 16 . And the spring bias continues upward pivoting of the pivoting plate 94 and continues the rotation of the shaft 72 to engage the locking member 120 with the pivoting plate 94 . The handle 78 is also reset to an original position via its coupling to the shaft 72 . As shown, a single boss or protuberance 116 projects downward from the bottom surface 114 of each of the side support assemblies 28 . Each of the bosses 116 is positioned in closely space relation in front of the second receiver 126 a distance less than the spacing between the latch pin 96 and the aperture 113 in the top of cross member 58 . When the carriage 16 is slid rearward after advancing the latch release and arming members 88 to the unlatched position, withdrawing latch pins 96 from first receivers 124 , the bosses 116 engage the arms 112 of the arming members 88 just before the second receivers 126 are brought into alignment with the latch pins 96 such that the arming members 88 are rotated to the armed orientation just prior to alignment of receivers 126 with latch pins 96 . When the carriage 16 is latched in the rearward position (as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 11 ), the bosses 116 are positioned in closely spaced relation behind apertures 113 in the top of cross member 58 . Upon advancing the latch release and arming members 88 to the unlatched position, the end of each arm 112 extends through respective aperture 113 and just in front of the associated boss 116 . When the carriage 16 is then slid forward, the bosses 116 almost immediately engage arms 112 of the arming members 88 such that the arming members 88 are rotated to the armed orientation prior to subsequent alignment of receivers 124 with latch pins 96 . It is foreseen that multiple bosses 116 could be included on and project downward from each of the side support assemblies 28 . Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the scope of the claims below. Embodiments of the technology have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this disclosure after and because of reading it. Alternative means of implementing the aforementioned can be completed without departing from the scope of the claims below. Certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims.

A sliding hitch with a self-arming latch is described. The hitch includes a carriage slideably mounted on a base. The base includes a latching pin on a pivot arm that is biased to extend toward engagement with the carriage and a rotatable shaft with an arming member and a locking member. Rotation of the shaft to an unlocked orientation, cams the pivot plate away from the carriage to withdraw the pin and enable sliding of the carriage on the base. An arm of the arming member is also rotated into the path of a protuberance associated with the carriage. Contact between the protuberance and the arm during sliding of the carriage along the base causes rotation of the shaft to a locked orientation enabling extension of the pin toward engagement with the carriage and engaging the locking member with the pivot plate to restrict withdrawal of the pin.

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the representation of curves in graphics systems and, in particular, describes a methods by which objects described by cubic polynomials can be converted into corresponding quadratic polynomial descriptions. 2. Description of the Related Art Computerised graphics systems generally form an image based upon one or more graphic objects, each defining a particular shape, component or line in the image. Typically, each object is defined by an outline curve which defines the interior of the object which can be displayed, by varying the colour between the interior and the exterior of the outline curve the outline curve can itself define a portion of an objects structure. One popular form of defining the outline of each object is a spline format and the most popular spline formats are various forms for parametric cubic polynomials, such as Bezier curves. Other types of cubic polynomials that can be used are Hermite and B-splines. Although cubic polynomials have been used for a number of years to produce high quality graphic images, such images take a substantial time to calculate and display in view of the need to calculate the roots of a cubic polynomial in order to obtain the various pixel locations of the curve outline on each scan-line of the display, such as a video display unit or a printer. Although current levels of technology are sufficient to produce hardware able to perform the necessary calculations required to display cubic polynomials in real-time for full video animation, such hardware is highly complex, expensive and therefore not readily accessible to consumer markets. Reference is hereby made to the following patent specifications lodged concurrently herewith and the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by cross-reference: (i) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/053,373, filed Apr. 28, 1993, claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL2147, filed Apr. 29, 1992, entitled "A Real-Time Object Based Graphics System"; (iv) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/053,363, filed Apr. 28, 1993, claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL 2156, filed Apr. 29, 1992, entitled "Edge Calculation for Graphics Systems"; (v) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/053,378, filed Apr. 28, 1993, claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL 2142, filed Apr. 29, 1992, entitled: "A Preprocessing Pipeline for RTO Graphics System"; (vi) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/053,231 claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL 2145 Apr. 29, 1992, entitled "Object Sorting for Graphics Systems"; and (vii) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/053,219, filed Apr. 28, 1993, claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. PL 2150, filed Apr. 29, 1992, entitled "Object Based Graphics Using Quadratic Polynomial Fragments". In the above specifications it is proposed to use an alternative format for the representation of curve outline. Instead of using cubic polynomials, and cubic splines in particular, it is proposed to use quadratic polynomial fragments (QPF's). QPF's, in view of their representation being based upon quadratic polynomials as opposed to cubic polynomials, can be more easily calculated, preferably by two separate additions, and thereby permit the real-time calculation and rendering of object based images. In this manner, a graphic object can be divided into a plurality of QPF's which define various portions of the object outline and from which the object edges can be calculated prior to display of the image. As specifically described in Australian Patent Application No. PL 2150, filed Apr. 29, 1992, entitled "Object Based Graphics Using Quadratic Polynomial Fragments", a QPF can be described by the following QPF data components: START -- PIXEL, ΔPIXEL, ΔΔPIXEL, START -- LINE, and END -- LINE. In this manner, such QPF data can be used to generate pixel location values (PIXEL) along the QPF between the START -- LINE and END -- LINE in the following manner: PIXEL (line n+1 )=PIXEL (line n )+ΔPIXEL (line n ) ΔPIXEL (line n+1 )=ΔPIXEL (line n )+ΔΔPIXEL where PIXEL (line n =START -- LINE)=START -- PIXEL; and ΔPIXEL (line n =START -- LINE)=ΔPIXEL. Because there currently exists large numbers of graphic objects described by cubic polynomials such as Bezier splines, it is desirable that a means be provided by which objects described in known spline formats can be converted into QPF's. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or ameliorate at least one of the aforementioned difficulties with the prior art. In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method for converting an object of a computerized graphics system described by a plurality of spline formats into a corresponding object described by a plurality of quadratic polynomial fragments (QPF), said method comprising, for each spline of said object, the steps of: (a). selecting start and end points on said spline and designating same as corresponding start and end points on the corresponding QPF; (b). determining from the control points of the spline, coefficients of the quadratic polynomial describing said QPF; (c). using the coefficients to determine if an error between the spline and the quadratic polynomial is below a predetermined level; and (d). if so, determining from said coefficients, QPF data describing said quadratic polynomial. If the error is not below the predetermined amount, then (e). the spline is divided into two or more sub-splines for which a corresponding quadratic polynomial is determined. This step is repeated if necessary until the error between each quadratic polynomial and the corresponding sub-spline is below the predetermined amount. The error can be an area error and/or an angle error. In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method for converting an object of a computerized graphic system described by a plurality of spline formats into a corresponding object described by a plurality of quadratic polynomial fragments (QPF), said method comprising, for each spline of said object, the steps of: (a). selecting start and end points on said spline and designating same as corresponding start and end points for a plurality of QPF's on the corresponding QPF; (b). determining from the control points of the spline, coefficients of the quadratic polynomial describing each said QPF; (c). using the coefficients to determine if an error between the spline and the quadratic polynomials is below a predetermined level; and (d) if so, determining from said coefficients, QPF data describing said quadratic polynomials. If the error is not below the predetermined amount, then (e). the spline is divided into two or more sub-splines for which a corresponding quadratic polynomial(s) is determined using steps (a) to (d) from either the first or second aspect. This step is repeated if necessary until the area error between each quadratic polynomial and the corresponding sub-spline is below the predetermined amount. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a computer system adapted for the conversion of spline-based graphic objects into quadratic polynomial fragments by means of the steps (a)-(d) above. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a memory device configured for the storage of graphic object data characterised in that said data comprises a plurality of quadratic polynomial fragments. Preferably the error is an area error or an angle error, and most preferably both. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method for convening an object of a computerized graphics system described by a plurality of spline formats into a corresponding object described by a plurality of quadratic polynomial fragments (QPF), said method comprising, for each spline of said object, the steps of: determining a set of equations with corresponding variable values describing an error associated with the said splines and their corresponding QPFs, and optimizing said set of equations to determine a best set of variable values. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method for converting a portion of an object of a computerized graphics system, said portion being described by a plurality of splines forming a closed loop, into a corresponding object described by a plurality of quadratic polynomial fragments (QPF), said method comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a first spline of said closed loop and with said first spline: (i) selecting a QPF starting point corresponding to the starting point of a first spline, (ii) calculating a corresponding starting QPF having the same starting slope and same end slope as said spline, (iii) measuring the difference between the endpoint of said QPF and the end point of said first spline, (iv) if said difference is less than a predetermined tolerance, then accepting said starting QPF as a sufficiently accurate approximation to the first spline and proceeding with steps (b) and (c) for the other splines in the closed loop, (v) if said difference is not less than a predetermined tolerance, then splitting said first spline into at least two spline portions and applying step (a) to a first portion of said first spline, and steps (b) and (c) to the other portions, (b) with all the intermediate splines in said closed loop: (i) selecting an endpoint of a previously calculated QPF as the starting point of a current QPF, (ii) calculating a current QPF having the same starting slope and same end slope as the corresponding said intermediate spline, (iii) measuring the difference between the endpoint of said current QPF and the end point of said corresponding intermediate spline, (iv) if said difference is less than a predetermined tolerance, then accepting said current QPF as a sufficiently accurate approximation of the corresponding intermediate spline and proceeding with steps (b) and (c) for the other splines in the closed loop, (v) if said difference is not less than a predetermined tolerance, then splitting said current spline into at least two spline portions and performing steps (b) and (c) on said splines portions, and (c) with a final spline in said closed loop (i) selecting an endpoint of a previously calculated QPF as the starting point of a last QPF, (ii) calculating a last QPF having the same starting slope and same end point as said final spline, (iii) determining if a predetermined criteria is satisfied between said last QPF and said final spline, (iv) if said criteria is satisfied, then accepting said final QPF as a sufficiently accurate approximation to the final spline, (v) if said difference is not less than a predetermined tolerance, then splitting said final spline into at least two spline portions and performing steps (b) and (c) on said splines portions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Although the present invention is applicable to splines other than Bezier splines, a preferred embodiment of the present invention which relates to the conversion of Bezier splines to QPF's will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: FIG. 1 is an illustration of a single QPF and the appropriate QPF data components used to describe the curve; FIG. 2 illustrates the area difference between a spline and its corresponding QPF; FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 but shows the matching of two parabolas to a single spline; FIG. 4 illustrates the process of fitting N QPF's to a portion of a spline; FIG. 5 illustrates the process of FIG. 4 whereby continuity between QPF's is maintained; FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the simulated annealing process; FIG. 7 is an illustration of the start of a third method of converting splines to QPFs; FIG. 8 is an illustration of a continuation of the method of FIG. 7; and FIG. 8 is an illustration of the continuation of the third method of converting splines to QPFs. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, a single QPF is shown illustrated which commences at a START -- LINE at a START -- PIXEL and extends to an END -- LINE. The horizontal lines seen in FIG. 1, represent the scan lines of a display such as the raster lines of a video display unit or the scan lines of a printer. The QPF data is configured so that the value of each pixel on each line for a particular QPF can be calculated in the manner described earlier. CURVE DEFINITION Bezier splines, in general, are usually described by a parametric equation of the form: r=r(u)=a.sub.0 +ua.sub.1 +u.sup.2 a.sub.2 +u.sup.3 a.sub.3 (EQ 1) This form can be used to independently determine x and y, via the parameter u, where u varies between 0 and 1. ##EQU1## For a cubic spline, the formulae are as given in Equation (3). ##EQU2## A Quadratic Polynomial Fragment (QPF) represents a section of a parabola. As such, its formula can be expressed as y=f(x)=ax.sup.2 +bx+cx.sub.start ≦x≦x.sub.end (EQ 4) QPF's have been developed specifically, but not exclusively, for graphic object image rendering, using apparatus such as that disclosed in the herebefore cross-referenced Australian Patent Application No. PL2147, filed Apr. 29, 1992. Accordingly, as the scan line progresses, the curve's new pixel value is calculated from the ΔPIXEL and ΔΔPIXEL values of the QPF. As such, for graphics systems, the more correct representation of Equation (4) is: pixel=f(line)=a line.sup.2 +b line+c (EQ 5) That is, x is taken to be the line direction, and y to be the pixel direction. Note that if a is equal to zero, the QPF represents a straight line. Furthermore, the Bezier Splines of the preferred embodiment are described using the standard 4 point format. That is P 0 (x 0 ,y 0 ) is the starting end-point, P 1 (x 1 ,y 1 ) and P 2 (x 2 ,y 2 ) are subsequent control points, and P 3 (x 3 ,y 3 ) is the finishing end-point. Also the preferred embodiment seeks to match QPF's to the spline that have both first and second order continuity. First order continuity is where two curves have coincident end points. Second order continuity is achieved where the end points are coincident and the curves have the same slope at the joining point. A RECURSIVE CONVERSION METHOD A preferred method for converting a spline to a QPF called a recursive conversion method will now be described. CONVERSION REQUIREMENTS In converting a spline to a QPF, the following attributes are desirable: Identical End-Points It is important that the start and end points of the spline and QPF be identical (to maintain first order continuity). This is shown by the relationship of Equation (6). Substituting Equation (4) into Equation (6) and solving simultaneously shows that b and c are linear in terms of a. This relationship is shown in Equation (7). ##EQU3## Area Tolerance The curves should follow similar paths. A tolerance measure must therefore be determined to measure the allowable deviation from the original path. Preferably, this tolerance should be defined in terms of errors that the eye can detect. Such a definition is extremely complex, however, because in some circumstances large deviations will be acceptable (e.g. if the deviation is smooth and doesn't flatten an edge which should be curved,) whereas in others even small deviations are unacceptable (e.g. if the small deviation is sharp, or flattens a slight curve.). One method for controlling this error is to define the tolerance in terms of the allowable area between the original spline and the QPF. Because a small distance deviation from the original path will increase the accumulated area as the spline's length increases, this area tolerance must be taken on an area-per-unit-length basis. Angle Tolerance Second order continuity must be maintained in visual applications, as the eye is particularly sensitive to changes in gradient between lines. As a parabola does not have the same number of degrees of freedom as a spline, it is not guaranteed that a perfect match can be found for the gradients of the spline's endpoints in any single QPF. Consequently a tolerance for angle deviation is necessary in the conversion. Note that this must be angle deviation, not gradient deviation, as some slopes have zero or infinite gradients. Flatness Tolerance The conversion algorithm should attempt to minimise the number of QPFs required to represent a spline. This requirement can be facilitated by the introduction of a flatness tolerance. That is, a measure of the spline's deviation from a straight line can be made. If this deviation is smaller than the specified tolerance, the spline is considered to be a straight line, and is therefore converted to a single, linear, QPF. Coefficient Limits QPFs are designed to be rendered in real time by the calculation of ΔPixel and ΔΔPixel values. Any hardware doing these calculations will have limits on the values that these variables can take; these limits will be defined by the size of internal registers. For example, in the apparatus of Australian Patent Application No. PL2147, filed of Apr. 29, 1992, ΔPixel must be in the range -128 to +127.996093750, while ΔΔPixel must be in the range -0.5 to +0.499984741. The ΔPixel limit imposes the maximum slope that can be matched. Beyond this limit, the line must be considered vertical, and therefore discarded. The ΔPixel limit imposes a limit on the value of the matching parabola's a coefficient. Given a QPF defined as in Equation (5), ΔΔPixel is given by: ##EQU4## For the apparatus Australian Patent Application No. PL2147 of 29th Apr., 1992, therefore, a is limited to the range -0.25 to +0.249992371. THE GENERAL CONVERSION PROCESS From the requirements as previously outlined, a general conversion process can be created. This process is as follows: ______________________________________IF The spline is flat (within the specified tolerance)THEN Convert it to a linear QPFELSE Match one or more parabola(s) to the spline, maintaining first-order continuity, and the limits of a. IF The area error and angle errors are within tolerance THEN Convert the parabola(s) to QPF(s). ELSE Split the spline, and repeat the above for each end individually. ENDIFENDIF______________________________________ MATCHING PARABOLAS TO THE SPLINE When matching parabolas to a spline, there is no reason why it must be matched with only one parabola; in fact, this gives unsatisfactory results most of the time. In general, better results can be obtained by matching more than one parabola, but the mathematics makes the procedure very computer-intensive if more than two parabolas are used. Therefore, if a one-parabola or two-parabola match cannot be found, the spline is preferably split into subsplines, and the sub-splines converted. MATCHING A SINGLE PARABOLA MINIMIZING THE VISUAL AREA ERROR Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown one way of describing how well a QPF 22 fits a spline 21, is to find the area under the spline and subtract the area under the QPF. This area difference 23 between the curves is preferably squared to keep the resulting area measure at all times positive, resulting in a mean squared error term in Equation (9). ##EQU5## Equation (9) can be represented in terms of a, b, and c by substituting Equation (4) as follows: ##EQU6## Expanding Equation (10) and representing in terms of a, b, and c gives: ##EQU7## Collecting the integral values then, the error term becomes: ##EQU8## Equation (7) can be applied to Equation (12) to show that the error term is a quadratic in a which can then be minimised to find the value of a that will produce the smallest area error. ##EQU9## Equation (13) is a general area error term for any spline and parabola whose start and end points match. However the computation is very intensive for each of the integral terms. A way of avoiding some of this processing to calculate the error term is to translate the spline so that its start point is at the origin. Once the matching parabola is found, it can be translated back to the original spline position. With the starting point of the spline at the origin, the following relations then become true: ##EQU10## Symbolic evaluation of the integrals, and simplifying the expressions results in Equation (15), Equation (16) and Equation (17), which define α, β and γ in terms of the control points of the spline. ##EQU11## Once α, β and γ are known, Equation (13) can be used to calculate a for the minimum-area parabola. If a is outside the allowed limits (see the previous discussion entitled Coefficient Limits) it should be set to the nearest limit. Once a is known, the area error can be calculated. The error term is absolute, and should be divided by the length of the spline to yield a relative error. If the error is acceptable (within a predetermined tolerance), then the parabola (Equation (14) gives b and c in terms of a) is a good fit, and can be used to generate the QPF (remembering to translate the parabola back to the original starting position). If the area is not acceptable, the original spline (untranslated) can be split into sub-splines, and the conversion procedure can be carried out recursively on each sub-spline. An example procedure for splitting splines is to take the position parametrically halfway down the spline (u=1/2), although an alternative approach can be to split at the points of inflection or some other heuristic. The pseudocode for this process is as follows: ______________________________________parabola = Calc.sub.-- MinError.sub.-- Parabola(spline)IF a is outside the limitsTHEN Move a to the nearest limit.ENDIFarea.sub.-- err = Calc.sub.-- Min.sub.-- Area.sub.-- Error(spline,parabola) / Length(spline)IF area.sub.-- err < area.sub.-- tolerance Found.sub.-- QPF(parabola)ELSE Split.sub.-- And.sub.-- Convert(spline)FI______________________________________ AN ALTERNATIVE AREA MINIMIZATION METHOD While the minimisation of the visual area, as described above, is the most correct approach to area minimisation, the mathematics behind it are complex, and the conversion process is therefore computationally expensive. An alternative method exists which simplifies the mathematics by providing a simplified error measure. This method involves converting the parabola to a spline, and minimising the area between the "y" curve of the original spline, and the "y" curve of the new, parabolic spline. Errors between the "x" curves are ignored, so this approach is not as correct as the visual area approach. It does, however, produce acceptable results with a reduced computation time. It can be shown that, given a section of a parabola thus: y=ax.sup.2 +bx+c where x.sub.a ≦x≦x.sub.b (EQ 18) an equivalent spline can be identified with four points thus: x.sub.q0 =x.sub.a (EQ 19) y.sub.q0 =y.sub.a ax.sup.2.sub.a +bx.sub.a +c (EQ 20) ##EQU12## Given the spline equivalent of a parabola, an error term can be calculated in an equivalent manner to the error given in Equation (9), i.e.: ##EQU13## where, q(u) is the spline's y equation as given in Equation (3), and q.sub.q (u)=y.sub.qo +(-3y.sub.qo +3y.sub.q1)u+(3y.sub.q0 -6y.sub.q1 +3y.sub.q1)u.sup.2 +(-y.sub.qo +3y.sub.q1 -3y.sub.q2 +y.sub.q3)u.sup.3 (EQ 28) Evaluation of this integral results in an error value equal to: ##EQU14## This error term can be simplified by translating the spline and the parabola to the origin, thereby setting x 0 and y 0 to zero. The result is: ##EQU15## If the derivative of the area error with respect to a is equated to zero, the value of a which minimises the area difference results. This value is given by: ##EQU16## If the parabola is translated to the origin, this becomes: ##EQU17## Once the value of a is found, the area error can be calculated by the use of Equation (29) or Equation (30). If the area error is within tolerance, it is a straight-forward exercise to evaluate the values of b and c, given the fact that the parabola has the given a, and passes through the points (x a ,y a ) and (x b ,y b ). MAINTAINING SECOND-ORDER CONTINUITY When matching a single parabola to a spline, three degrees of freedom are available. These are the parabola's a, b and c coefficients. By imposing the two constraints "both endpoints must match", the degrees of freedom are reduced to 1. It is possible, therefore to impose one extra constraint. As described above, this is taken to be "minimise the area error." Further constraints cannot be imposed, therefore. In particular, constraints on the slope of the parabola at the spline's end-points cannot be imposed. As a result, the "minimum area" parabola obtained by either of the above methods may not be the best visual match because it may not have a tolerable second order continuity. The conversion algorithm can also account for angle differences by the use of an angle tolerance. The difference is preferably measured in degrees, not in terms of the slope. This is because small slope differences translate into large angle differences at low angles (near 0 degrees,) while large slope differences translate into small angle differences as the angle approaches 90 degrees. To maintain second order continuity, therefore, the angles at the start and end points of the spline and parabola must match within a specified tolerance. The pseudocode for determining if the start angle is within a tolerance can be described as: ______________________________________spline.sub.-- angle = Calculate angle the spline's tangent at P0 makes with the horizontalparabola.sub.-- angle = Calculate the angle the parabola's tangent at point P0 makes with the horizontal.IF The absolute value of (spline.sub.-- angle - parabola.sub.-- angle)isbelow the angle toleranceTHEN return TRUEELSE return FALSEENDIF______________________________________ A similar check should be made at the spline's finishing point. If the spline has matched the area tolerance, but fails the angle tolerance at either end, it may be possible to adjust the angles to be within tolerance while the (albeit increased) area error remains within the area tolerance. This is achieved by choosing the end point which exhibits the larger angle error, and moving the parabola's angle towards the spline until it comes within tolerance. At this point, a new parabola is calculated in the following manner: Given that the parabola must pass through two points x a ,y a ) and (x b Y b ), and the slope of the parabola at (x a ,y a ) is m a , then this results in: ##EQU18## Solving these simultaneously gives: ##EQU19## The new parabola can then be checked for its angle and area errors. If it is within tolerance, it is accepted. If not, the spline is split as described previously in the section entitled Minimising the Visual Area Error. MATCHING TWO PARABOLAS Referring now to FIG. 2, them is shown shows a single parabola QPF 22 matched to a single spline 21. Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown two parabolas QPF1 25, QPF2 26 which can be similarly matched to the spline 24. When matching two parabolas, seven degrees of freedom are gained: the a, b and c coefficients of each parabola, and the x-coordinate of the point where they join 30. The following constraints can therefore be applied while leaving one degree of freedom: first end-point 27 must match, the slope at first end-point 27 must match, second end-point 28 must match, the slope at the second end-point 28 must match, both parabolas must meet at the designated joining x-coordinate 30, and the slopes of the parabolas must match at the joining point. In other words, constraints can be imposed which guarantee second-order continuity for the matching parabolas. At the same, time, one degree of freedom remains to allow area error 29 to be minimised. If the degree of freedom is exercised by choosing the x-coordinate (x join ) of the point at which the parabolas meet 30, then the above constraints can be expressed mathematically as set out below: If the two end-points are (x a ,y a ) and (x b ,y b ), and each has a slope of m a and m b respectively, then: ##EQU20## By solving the above simultaneous equations, it can be shown that: ##EQU21## Note that the above solutions are valid for every value of x join between (but not including) x a and x b . In other words, any x-coordinate between the two end-points can be chosen as a joining point. This is equivalent to saying that the join can be made at the spline's x-coordinate given by any value of u between 0 and 1 (not inclusive.) MINIMIZING THE AREA Once the two parabolas are found, the area error between them and the original spline can be calculated. This can be done by either the methods described previously entitled Minimising the Visual Area Error or the method entitled an Alternative Area Minimization Note that the mathematics of the area error calculations is made easier if the spline 24 is also split in two at a value of u corresponding to x join . In this way, the single-parabola formulae can be used to calculate the area error for each split; the results can then be added. The formulae for splitting the spline will be outlined below. The optimal value chosen for x join is the one which minimises the area error. The complexity of the mathematics behind such a solution means that simplified numerical methods for the discovery of an approximate minimum are best used. For example of a simplified numerical method, the area error can be calculated for x join corresponding to values of u of 0.1, 0.2, . . . 0.8, 0.9 and the minimum of these values can then be chosen. MATCHING MORE THAN TWO PARABOLAS In a manner similar to that used to match two parabolas to the spline, more than two parabolas can be matched by: guaranteeing that the slopes at the spline's end-points match, and adjusting the joining points of the parabolas between the spline's end-points. While this is possible, the mathematics involved is quite complex due to the number of degrees of freedom available (i.e. the position of all of the joining points.) The search for an optimal solution requires the use of a long, computationally-intensive numerical optimization method. Although one such method will be discussed hereinafter, in the present method, if the two-parabola approach does not yield a suitable result, the spline is split, and the subsequent splines are matched. THE RECURSIVE CONVERSION METHOD Given the above, the recursive conversion algorithm can be developed as follows: ______________________________________IF The spline is within the flatness tolerance.THEN Convert it to a straight line joining the end points. ReturnENDIFCalculate minimum-area single parabola for spline (i.e. α, β,γ, aand b)IF a is outside its allowable limitsTHEN set a to the nearest limitENDIFCalculate the area error term between the resultant parabola andthe splineIF the area is not within the area toleranceTHEN A two-parabola match is requiredELSECalculate the start and end angles for spline andparabolaIF start and end angles are within toleranceTHEN Convert parabola to QPF A two-parabola match is not required.ELSE IF the angle at p3 deviates by more than the angle at P0 THEN Calculate a new parabola based on p0 and p3, with the angle at p3 being the spline's p3- angle, offset by the angle tolerance IF the new parabola has a within limits, has a good angle at p0, and has a good area error THEN Convert the new parabola to a QPF. A two-parabola match is not required. ELSE A two-parabola match is required. ENDIF ELSE Calculate a new parabola based on p0 and p3, with the angle at p0 being the spline's p0- angle, offset by the angle tolerance IF the new parabola has a within limits, has a good angle at p3, and has a good area error THEN Convert the new parabola to a QPF. A two-parabola match is not required. ELSE A two-parabola match is required. ENDIF ENDIF ENDIFENDIFIF a two-parabola match is requiredTHEN FOR u = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9 (forexample) DO Calculate the spline's x-coordinate (x.sub.s) for the current value of u. Calculate the two parabolas which match the spline and join at x.sub.s Calculate the area error between the splines and the parabolas. IF The value of a for each parabola is within limits AND The area error is within the allowed tolerance THENRecord that a suitable two-parabola match hasbeen found.IF The area error is better than any match foundthus farTHEN Install the current match as the optimum matchENDIF ELSEIF No suitable two-parabola match has been foundyet AND The area error is better than any errorfound thus farTHENInstall the current parabolas as the closestcontender.ENDIF ENDIF DONEENDIFIF A suitable two-parabola match was foundTHEN Convert the parabolas to QPFs.ELSE Split the spline at the value of u which resulted in the closest contender. Reiterate the whole process to convert each sub-spline separately.ENDIF______________________________________ SPLITTING A SPLINE In order to implement the spline to QPF conversion, it is necessary in many places to split a spline. For example: if no suitable match can be made, the spline is to be split, and the sub-splines matched. when evaluating the area error of a two-parabola match, the calculation is simplified if the original spline is split at the parabolas' joining point. To do this, a formula is needed for splitting a spline into two sub-splines. It can be shown that if a given spline defined by points (x 0 ,y 0 ), (x 1 ,y 1 ), (x 2 ,y 2 ) and (x 3 ,y 3 ) is split at a given value of u, then the two sub-splines are in themselves Bezier Splines. The first sub-spline is defined by points (x a0 ,y a0 ), (x a1 ,y a1 ), (x a2 ,y a2 ) and x a3 ,y a3 ), and the second by points (x b0 ,y b0 ), (x b1 ,y b1 ), (x b2 ,y b2 ) and (x b3 ,y b3 ), where: x.sub.a0 =x.sub.0 (EQ 53) x.sub.a1 =(1-u)x.sub.0 +ux.sub.1 (EQ 54) x.sub.a2 =(1-u).sup.2 x.sub.0 +2u(1-u)x.sub.1 +u.sup.2 x.sub.2 (EQ 55) x.sub.a3 (1-u).sup.3 x.sub.0 =+3u(1-u).sup.2 x.sub.1 +3u.sup.2 (1-u)x.sub.2 +u.sup.3 x.sub.3 =x.sub.b0 (EQ 56) x.sub.b0 =(1-u).sup.3 x.sub.0 +3u(1-u).sup.2 x.sub.1 +3u.sup.2 (1-u)x.sub.2 +u.sup.3 x.sub.3 =x.sub.a3 (EQ 57) x.sub.b1 =(1-u).sup.2 x.sub.1 +2u(1-u)x.sub.2 +u.sup.2 x.sub.3 (EQ 58) x.sub.b2 =(1-u)x.sub.2 +u.sup.2 x.sub.3 (EQ 59) x.sub.b3 =x.sub.3 (EQ 60) with a similar calculation being carried out for y. OBJECT CONVERSION USING OPTIMIZATION METHOD As mentioned previously, in computer based graphics system each object is normally made up of a collection of splines that form the outline of a particular object. By way of example, a character in a series of characters is normally stored as a series of splines laid out so that the overall form of that character conforms to a particular font, with slight variations in the splines resulting in changes in the font. Although the present embodiment is particularly useful in dealing with splines making up character fonts, it is not limited thereto. A system using QPF's to render a particular image is likely to have limited storage capabilities and a limited capacity to deal with a finite number of QPF's at any particular time. It is therefore important when converting splines to QPF's to ensure that the number of QPF's created for each graphics object is kept at a minimum. The present method is best used when storage space is to be minimized and computational time is available to compute a satisfactory solution. As can be seen from Equation (3) the x and y values for a generic spline can be expressed in the form: x=p(u)=lu.sup.3 +mu.sup.2 +nu+p (EQ 61) y=q(u)=eu.sup.3 +fu.sup.2 +gu+h (EQ 62) and a QPF takes the form as expressed in Equation (4) Assuming that the overall object is to be rendered on a x-y plane the spline format is particularly advantageous as multiple values of y can exist for a given value of x and vica-versa so curves such as circles and ellipses can be easily rendered. In using QPF's to approximate splines, it is not possible with a QPF to get multiple values of y for a single value of x and so curves such as circles and ellipses must be represented by multiple QPF segments. One method for solving this problem when converting a spline to corresponding QPF's is to consider the turning points of the spline function with x with respect to u. These turning points occurs at the solution to the equation: ##EQU22## The solutions to this equation are the values of the parameter u where the spline undergoes a turning point with respect to u. Equation (63) has up to two distinct solutions, which means that a spline can not contain more than two turning points with respect to x. Thus a given spline can be built with a maximum of three one valued functions of x. It is therefore possible to split a the given spline into branches that are, by themselves, one value functions of x by splitting the spline at its turning points. For the purposes of the present method, it is assumed that this process is carried out so that Equation (61) and Equation (62) correspond to a spline that forms a one value function of x. A good criteria to approximate a spline with a QPF is actually trying to minimize the distance between the ordinates of the points with the same abscissa. However, in most of the cases, only one QPF is not adequate to get a good result. It is therefore appropriate to formulate the solution of the problem in a more general way considering the approximation of a spline with N QPFs. Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown the general case of spline 31 which is to be approximated by N QPF's 32, 33, 34 etc. Each QPF is of the form: f.sub.i (x)=m.sub.i x.sup.2 +n.sub.i x+o.sub.i (EQ 64) with i ε{0, . . . , N-1}, x ε[x i , x i+1 ] and p(u.sub.a)≡x.sub.0 <x.sub.1 < . . . <x.sub.i < . . . <x.sub.N-1 <x.sub.N ≡p(u.sub.b) (EQ 65) Now we can define a difference measure 35 between the spline and one of the N QPFs, by determining for a particular value of x, the y value of the spline 31, by first taking the inverse being: u=p.sup.-1 (x) (EQ 66) and the using Equation (62) to determine y. Difference measure 35 can then be defined as (f.sub.i (x)-q(p.sup.-1 (x))).sup.2 (EQ 67) A measure of the area error between the spline and the QPF's can then be defined in similar terms to Equation (9): ##EQU23## Where p -1 (x is the inverse of the cubic function p(u) defined in Equation (61). As a result of the restriction that the spline must be a one value function of x, such an inverse exists and is uniquely determined. The integral in Equation (68) represents an absolute value measure of the area between the QPF and spline and is greater than or equal to zero and is equal to 0 only if the spline and the QPF are coincident in the interval [x i , x i+1 ]. Thus, by minimizing this integral, we decrease the area error between the QPF and the spline. Initially the inverse p -1 (x) in Equation (68) would appear to be difficult to evaluate in practice. Although methods exist for the finding of an inverse of a cubic function, a better method of evaluating this integral is to rearrange the integral in Equation (68) with a sensible change of variable. By making the change of variable of x=p(u) and noting that dx=p'(u)du and that p -1 (p(u))=u, Equation (68) becomes: ##EQU24## with u i such that x i =p(u i ). The integral in Equation (69) is much simpler to evaluate as it is in a polynomial form and can be evaluated exactly without numerical techniques. Hence Equation (68) can be seen as a possible measure of the error produced in approximating a particular stretch of spline with a QPF. Given Equation (31), this error is a function of the parameters of the QPF i , n i o and the splitting points i , x i+ . If we now sum the contribution to the error for each of the N QPF's, we get a global measure of the total error: ##EQU25## Given p(u and q(u , Err will be a function of 4N-1 variables as each of the N QPF's gives 3 degrees of freedom being i , n i o. Additionally, the joining points of the QPF's also provide additional variables, apart from x 0 and x N , which by virtue of Equation (65) are fixed to coincide with the endpoint of the spline, resulting in N-1 variables in total. Thus, in a first instance, approximating a spline with N QPFs can be formulated as a minimization problem in a 4N-1 dimensional space with Err as objective function and minimizing Err by varying the 4N-1 parameters, decreases the `distance` between the spline and the N QPFs. Unfortunately, minimizing Equation (70) by itself may not give very high quality results as reducing the difference measure 35 between the spline and the QPFs does not guarantee the continuity of adjoining QPF's 36, 37, which will result in a severe degradation of the image. Hence, the continuity of endpoints should preferably be also enforced. Referring now to FIG. 5, it is necessary to further restrict Equation (70) so as to guarantee the continuity of the QPF's. For example, QPFs 39, 40 are continuous at their endpoint 41. In order to fulfil this additional constraint, the following restrictions must be placed on the QPF's. The start point of our approximating curve must be coincident with one end of the spline: q(u.sub.a)=f.sub.0 (x.sub.0) q(u.sub.a)=m.sub.0 x.sub.0.sup.2 +n.sub.0 x.sub.0 +o.sub.0 (EQ 71) Each QPF must be coincident with the next one. Hence, f 0 (x 1 must be equal to f 1 (x 1 , f 1 (x 2 to 2 (x 2 and so on. In the general case: f.sub.i-1 (x.sub.i)=f.sub.i (x.sub.i) m.sub.i-1 x.sub.i.sup.2 +n.sub.i-1 x.sub.i +o.sub.i-1 =m.sub.i x.sub.i.sup.2 +n.sub.i x.sub.i +o.sub.i (EQ 72) with i εe {1, . . . , N-1}. Finally the end of our approximating QPF's must be coincident with the end of the spline: q(u.sub.b)=f.sub.N-1 (x.sub.N) q(u.sub.b)=m.sub.N-1 x.sub.N.sup.2 +n.sub.N-1 x.sub.N +o.sub.N-1 (EQ 73) This requires an additional N+1 constraints on the QPF's guarantee a continuous approximating curve. Therefore, by adding N+1 constraints, we no longer have a minimization problem with 4N-1 degrees of freedom, but with only 3N-2 degrees. In addition to guaranteeing the continuity of the approximating function, the approximation curve can be further improved by taking into account that the human eye is very sensitive to sharp changes of the derivative of a curve which may occur at the endpoints 41. Therefore, preferably the search space is restricted even further so that the continuity of the derivatives at each endpoint is also achieved. Initially, the derivative of the QPF and the derivative of the spline at the starting point must be coincident: ##EQU26## with ##EQU27## being the derivative of the spline at the point x 0 =p(u a ) by the chain rule. The derivative of the QPFs must also be the same at each join, hence: iε{1, . . . , N-1}f'.sub.i-1 (x.sub.i)=f'.sub.i (x.sub.i) 2m.sub.i-1 x.sub.i +n.sub.i-1 =2m.sub.i x.sub.i +n.sub.i (EQ 75) Finally, the derivative of the last QPF must be equal to the one of the spline at the end point: ##EQU28## The assurance of continuity of derivatives will therefore add another N+1 constraints to the minimization problem which results in a total of 2N-3 degrees of freedom remaining. In summary, the key issues in the formulation of the minimization problem are as follows: creating a function whose minimum gives the best match between the spline and the QPFs; adding constraints to the search space in order to get the continuity of the approximating function; and adding further constraints in order to get the continuity of the first derivative of the approximating function. The resulting approximating function can therefore be expressed as a function with 2N-3 independent variables, as putting constraints on the problem is equivalent to establishing relations among different variables of the problem and therefore reducing the number of independent variables. It is therefore possible to express some variables as function of others and substitute them in an objective function, which in this case is Equation (68), thereby reducing the number of independent variables. One additional problem which may occur with the present embodiment is that the derivative of the spline may approach infinity, for example, where the spline forms a fragment of a circle. This problem is especially likely to occur at the endpoints of the spline. One method of dealing with this problem is to have a separate test for dealing with excessive gradients whereby the excessive gradient is considered to be a straight line and dealt with as outlined previously under the section entitled `Coefficient Limits`. OPTIMIZATION Although, ideally, every possible value of the remaining variables could be evaluated to determine which particular set of values will produce the lowest objective function, this is most often, in practice, impracticable due to the excessive numbers of variations of variables available. Many different methods are known in the art for optimizing problems with excessive numbers of possible variable variations. In a first simple method, known as the steepest descent algorithm the variables are changed so that the variation in search space is in the opposite direction of the gradient of the objective function, therefore tending to minimize it. Unfortunately, this method of optimization may often become stuck in a local minimum state, failing to find the optimal solution. SIMULATED ANNEALING In the present embodiment the preferable method of optimization of the objective function is by means of simulated annealing. For a detailed explanation of the process of simulated annealing reference is made to "Optimization by Simulated Annealing" by S. Kirkpatrick, C. D. Gelatt, Jr., and M. P. Vecchi, (1983) Science, 220: 671-680. A brief outline of the process of simulated annealing is presented as follows: The first step in a simulated annealing process is to state the problem at hand as an objective function, with a set of variables x 1 to x m : value=obj.sub.-- fn(x.sub.1,x.sub.2,x.sub.3,x.sub.4, . . . , x.sub.m) (EQ 77) The objective function is be able to be evaluated to a given value dependant on the current values of its variables x 1 to x m . The values of the variables x 1 to x m are given a small random change and the objective function is re-evaluated and compared to the old value of the objective function. The change in the objective function will be referred to as Δobj. If the change in the variables has resulted in a lower objective function then the new set of variables is always accepted. If the change in the variables resulted in a higher value for the objective function then the new set of variables may or may not be accepted. The decision to accept the variables is determined with a given probability, the preferred probability of acceptance is: ##EQU29## where T is the simulated `temperature` of the system. Hence for a given Δobj, a high temperature T will result in a high probability of acceptance of the change in the values of x 1 to x m , where as at a low temperature T, there will only be a small probability of acceptance. The temperature T is initially set to be quite high and is reduced slightly in each iteration of the annealing loop. The overall structure of a program implementing the simulating annealing process is as follows: ______________________________________T = start.sub.-- temperature;variables = start.sub.-- variablesloop.sub.-- until (convergence or temperature.sub.-- to.sub.-- cold) { /* generate random change of variables*/ new.sub.-- variables = random.sub.-- small.sub.-- change(variables); /* evaluate random change */ Δobj = objective.sub.-- function(new.sub.-- variables) -objective.sub.-- function(variables);if( Δobj <= 0){ /* always accept improvements */ variables = new.sub.-- variables; }else if (random.sub.-- float.sub.-- between.sub.-- 0.sub.-- and.sub.-- 1() < exp(-Δobj/T)) { /* sometimes accept degradation */ variables = new.sub.-- variables; }ELSE { /* reject new.sub.-- variables*/ }decrease T slightly, according to annealing schedule;}______________________________________ A flow chart for use in implementing the above algorithm is shown in FIG. 6. In the present method, the objective function to be used can preferably be defined as shown in Equation (68), although modifications of this equation may still produce suitable results. ENDPOINT DEVIATION METHOD A third method of converting splines to QPFs will now be described. This method is particularly designed for use with spline structures that form closed loops which are presented contiguously in a nose to tail order. In this method it is desired to provide a robust method which does not introduce artifacts into the resulting QPFs that adversely affect the quality of the graphical output, while providing a method that converts splines to QPF's in a minimum amount of time. Other objectives are to minimize the number of QPFs created while maintaining positional continuity between parabolic sections thereby ensuring that the QPF equivalent of the spline profile remains closed. Additionally, the slope continuity between the parabolic sections is maintained to within a predetermined tolerance, thereby ensuring a reasonable probability of a visually smooth approximation to the source spline. The present method provides a means for converting splines to parabolas on demand and hence the arbitrary scaling and rotation of spline formatted images can be achieved while satisfying the requirement for a parabolic definition of a curves geometry. As noted in the previous method, the spline description given in Equation (1) is easily capable of defining a spline that is multi-valued. That is, for each (X) pixel value, there can exist two or more (Y) line values. To overcome this the method first examines the algebraic components of each spline and splits the spline where necessary. The parametric equation for the spline given in Equation (1) has eight degrees of freedom in two dimensions (x,y) and these degrees of freedom can often be determined by specifying the start and end points with their respective tangent directions. The parabolic format of the QPF, given in Equation (4) has three degrees of freedom and these are usually specified in one of two possible ways. Either: specify the start point, the end point and a slope at one end, or specify the start point and the slope at both ends. The latter description is used as a basis for this method of converting splines to a collection of QPFs. Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown the start of a profile calculation from the start point 43 of the spline 42. From this starting point a parabola 46 is calculated so that it passes through the start point 43 and has the same start and end slopes as the given spline. The X value of the endpoint of the parabola 44 of the parabola 46 is then measured and compared with the endpoint of the spline 45. If the deviation in the line direction 47 is less than a predetermined tolerance then the parabola 46 is accepted as a sufficiently accurate approximation of the spline 42 and the method is then applied to the next spline, otherwise the spline 42 is split into two splines using methods outlined previously and the method is recursively applied to each half of the spline 42. Referring now to FIG. 8, once a previous parabola 48 has been calculated, then the end point of previous parabola 49 is used as the starting point for the current parabola 51 rather than the start point of the current spline 50, while also ensuring that the parabola maintains positional continuity as well as slope continuity where required. The parabolic curve representation as described previously cannot cope with vertical or near-vertical slopes as the gradient can be forced to exceed the maximum possible gradient. To overcome this the method separately detects this condition and sets the slope of the corresponding QPF to a maximum positive or maximum negative slope appropriately. As the process progresses around the spline profile, both positional and slope continuity are adhered to between QPF segments. In order to close the profile however the alternative solution of calculating a parabola to pass through a start point, end point and start slope must be used. This will affect the slope constraint between the last and first parabolic segment. The visual significance of this event can be substantially overcome in the majority of circumstances by preprocessing the given spline profile so that the start point 43 if the first QPF approximation starts at a slope discontinuity. Thus when the algorithm terminates there is no requirement to match slope continuity. If no slope discontinuity exists on the spline profile, the method can further reduce the effect of the terminating discontinuity by altering the start slope of the last parabola in favour of the end slope so that the visual impact of the resulting termination discontinuity is minimised. As a criterion for determining whether it is necessary to split the last parabola into sub-parabolas, a point somewhere along the parabola can be used and the distance between the parabola and its corresponding spline measured. The preferred point is one which is approximately two-thirds of the length of the parabola. If this distance is greater than a predetermined amount, the spline and corresponding parabola may be split and the process continued. The foregoing describes only a few embodiments of the conversion of a spline based graphical object representation to a quadratic polynomial based representation and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Method and apparatus for converting an object of a computerized graphics system defined by a plurality of spline formats into a corresponding object defined by a plurality of quadratic polynomial fragments (QPF). The method and apparatus include, for each spline of the object, selecting start and end points on the spline and designating the selected start and end points as control start and end points on the corresponding QPF, determining from the control points of the spline coefficients of a quadratic polynomial defining the QPF. The coefficients of the quadratic polynomial are used to determine if an error between the spline and the quadratic polynomial is below a predetermined level. In the case the error is below a predetermined level, QPF data describing the quadratic polynomial is determined from the coefficients of the quadratic polynomial.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to medical treatment devices. In particular, the present invention relates to an introducer sheath and hub for use with medical treatment devices that emit energy in connection with the performance of medical procedures. The present invention also relates to an introducer sheath and hub that may be used with other devices, such as those used in medical procedures. One such medical device using energy is for vein ablation. Vein ablation is a procedure that may be used to treat varicose veins. Varicose veins exist because valves in the blood veins fail, allowing blood to stagnate. This stagnation causes pain and noticeable purple or red traces of the vein visible from the outside of the skin. During a normal vein ablation procedure for varicose veins, a practitioner first identifies a vein or veins for the procedure. The veins are then mapped as a guide for the practitioner in order for him to perform the procedure. Once the veins are mapped, the practitioner prepares the vein for ablation by introducing a sheath into a far end of the vein, in preparation for introduction of a treatment device, such as a laser or radio frequency device. The treatment device is introduced into the vein at the distal end and extended in the vein to a junction with a healthy branch of a larger vein to ensure that the entire damaged vein is treated. In a laser treatment procedure, a fiber-optic member is covered by a sheath for introduction and for the treatment procedure. As fiber-optic members are usually very slender fibers of glass, it is not desirable to introduce the fiber-optic member without a covering because the fiber can break off in the patient, or can puncture the vein walls, damaging surrounding tissues. Thus, the fiber-optic member is introduced in a sheath or catheter and advanced to the beginning of the treatment area. The practitioner can determine the location of the tip of the fiber-optic member in the patient by ultrasound imaging, transillumination of the anatomy using an aiming or targeting beam, by feel, and/or by estimating the location based on a calculated position inside of the vein targeted for treatment. Once the fiber-optic member reaches the beginning of the treatment area, the practitioner exposes a terminal portion of the fiber-optic member by extending the fiber-optic member out of the end of the sheath, exposing about 2 cm of fiber. To expose the end of the fiber, a practitioner looks at marks positioned on the fiber near a hub, indicating to the practitioner a position where the end of the fiber is inside of the sheath, and where the fiber is extended out of the sheath about 2 cm. The laser is then activated and transmits energy through the fiber, thereby heating the tissue and fluid around the end of the treatment fiber, effectively destroying the vein and preventing further filling of the vein with stagnant blood. The ablation procedure removes the appearance of the varicose vein, alleviates the pain caused by the varicose vein, and prevents further complications. Additionally, in a traditional ablation procedure, a practitioner needs to monitor the energy expended by the laser to ensure sufficient treatment of the target veins. One way to see where the end of the treatment catheter is located inside of the patient is by seeing light through the patient's skin before or during the laser treatment of the target area. Light in the visible spectrum, which may be a targeting light, may be used. Thus, practitioners often dim the lights, allowing better viewing of the monitors and of the treatment location in the patient. However, the low-light conditions make seeing the marks on the fiber difficult, creating the possibility of errors because of misreading the marks. Thus, in placing a fiber for treatment into a patient in a traditional ablation procedure, a practitioner needs to identify markings on the fiber in very low light, simultaneously monitoring treatment, location of treatment, and patient comfort. Some previous efforts to solve some of the problems associated with vein ablation procedures include, for example, a device and method disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2006/0142747. In the disclosed device, a split straw is used to maintain a fiber inside of a sheath during insertion and prior to using the laser. The split straw includes a portion over the fiber, preventing the fiber from advancing in the sheath past a point where the terminal end of the fiber would be exposed outside of the sheath. The split straw also includes a second handle portion to aid in removing the split straw from the fiber, allowing a terminal end of the fiber to be advanced outside of the sheath. However, the split straw can easily disconnect from the fiber during manipulation, such as during insertion of the sheath into the patient. For example, the handle portion can easily catch on other objects, removing the split sheath, or by pushing the fiber and sheath together, the angle of the split straw can cause the split straw to pop off of the fiber. If the split straw comes off prematurely, the split straw may become unusable by touching a non-sterile surface. Additionally, having the small split straw become disengaged from the fiber would cause problems for the practitioner in positioning the fiber correctly and completing the procedure. Thus what is needed is a device that aids the practitioner by providing a fiber positioning system that is easy to use in low-light conditions and that can be employed without requiring the used of a removable piece that is easily lost or tends to premature deployment. BRIEF SUMMARY OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to medical treatment devices. In particular, according to one embodiment, the present invention a medical treatment device that includes, for example, a tube member, a treatment member by way of which energy can be transmitted in connection with performance of a medical procedure, a sleeve, and a hub member. In this example, the treatment member is positioned within the tube member and the tube member thus affords a degree of protection to the treatment member. The combination of the treatment member and the tube member is configured to be partially received within, and secured by, the hub member. In particular, the hub member includes a securement portion, which may be used to secure the treatment member to the hub member, and a delivery portion, for use in delivering treatment to an individual. The securement portion and the delivery portion may be releasably attached to each other. The securement portion may include a compression fitting that selectively secures and releases the treatment member. The securement portion may also be permanently affixed to the treatment member. Similarly, the sleeve member may be releasably coupled or permanently affixed to the treatment member, such that the sleeve member covers a portion of the treatment member. The tube member may be permanently coupled to the delivery portion. In some embodiments, the tube member may be placed inside of an individual during a medical procedure, such as during a laser vein ablation procedure, with a fiber-optic member as the treatment member. The delivery portion may also include a side port configured to allow passage of fluids between the side port and a distal end of the tube member. The delivery portion may also include a seal configured to reduce passage of fluids from the delivery portion to the securement portion. The delivery portion and the securement portion may be removably coupled with a snap or pressure fit such that the securement portion and delivery portion each include complementary features, such that a complementary feature of one of the securement or delivery portion deforms to fit into the complementary feature of the other portion. In some embodiments, the sleeve member may have a length of between 1 and 3 cm, and may cover a portion of the treatment member. The treatment member may be configured to slide into the tube member through the delivery portion. The sleeve member may also be configured to slide into the delivery portion along with the treatment member. With the treatment member partially inserted into the delivery portion and the tube member, the sleeve member may releasably hold the securement portion apart from the delivery portion by resisting entry of the sleeve member into the delivery portion by requiring deformation by the seal for entry of the sleeve member into the delivery portion. The sleeve member may be permanently affixed to the securement portion. The delivery portion and the securement portion may be removably coupled together with a snap or pressure fit, such that the securement portion and delivery portion each include complementary features, wherein one of the complementary features deforms to fit into the other complementary feature. Some embodiments may include a kit containing a dilator, a guide wire, a treatment member, a hub, a tube member coupled to a portion of the hub, and a sleeve member permanently coupled to a different portion of the hub. These and other aspects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example embodiment of an introducer sheath and hub assembly; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the assembly of FIG. 1 ; and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the assembly of FIG. 1 ; FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the assembly of FIG. 1 ; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 1 ; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 1 in a configuration ready for placement; and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the assembly in a placed configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS In the illustrated embodiments, aspects of an introducer sheath assembly are disclosed and described below. FIGS. 1-7 illustrate device 100 , including hub 150 , introducer sheath 350 , and treatment member 400 . Hub 150 includes securement portion 200 and delivery portion 300 . FIG. 1 illustrates hub 150 in an assembled state, with securement portion 200 coupled with delivery portion 300 . Treatment member 400 traverses hub 150 , passing through securement portion 200 and delivery portion 300 , and extending from a distal end of introducer sheath 350 . Delivery portion 300 is coupled to tube 338 . Tube 338 is coupled to stopcock 339 which may be used to evacuate or provide fluids or materials through introducer sheath 350 . Treatment member 400 may be a fiber-optic member, an electrical conductor, or other suitable material configured to convey energy to a treatment site. Some energy sources that may be used with treatment member 400 may include RF, microwave, ultrasound, heated fluid, radiant light, lasers, electrical conduction, or other energy sources used in medical procedures. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate cross-sectional views of securement portion 200 and delivery portion 300 , respectively. Securement portion 200 may be configured to hold treatment member 400 in a fixed position, allowing manipulation of treatment member 400 . For example, in a vein ablation procedure, securement portion 200 may be used to manipulate treatment member 400 through delivery portion 300 and into introducer sheath 350 in preparation for a vein ablation procedure. Similarly, securement portion 200 may be coupled to sleeve member 250 , which may be configured to provide a guide to how far treatment member 400 is inserted into introducer sheath, as described below with particularity in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6 . In FIG. 2 , securement portion 200 includes collar 210 and barrel 240 . Collar 210 includes tabs 212 , flange 214 , collar passageway 220 , collar threads 226 , and engagement surface 228 . Barrel 240 includes barrel passageway 242 , barrel threads 246 , and compression tabs 248 . Barrel 240 may be releasably coupled to collar 210 by engaging barrel and collar threads 246 , 226 , respectively, which cooperate to hold collar 210 and barrel 240 together. Treatment member 400 is shown in FIG. 2 as passing through collar passageway 220 and barrel passageway 242 . When treatment member 400 is located in barrel passageway 242 , securement portion 200 may hold treatment member 400 by way of tightening of the threaded connection of collar 210 and barrel 240 . The threaded connection may be a conventional threaded interface such that by turning barrel 240 with respect to collar 210 , barrel 240 and collar 210 are coupled together or uncoupled, depending on the turning direction. In some embodiments, when coupling collar 210 and barrel 240 , engagement surface 228 presses against compression tabs 248 , causing compression tabs 248 to move inwardly, toward the center of barrel 240 , constricting barrel passageway 242 . In such embodiments, when treatment member is 400 is located in barrel passageway 242 , this constriction causes compression tabs 248 to press against and frictionally hold treatment member 400 axially with respect to securement portion 200 . Selective loosening and tightening of securement portion 200 can enable adjustment of a length of treatment member 400 extending from securement member 200 . For example, in a vein ablation procedure, the length of treatment member extending from securement member 400 will correlate to the length of introducer sheath 350 ( FIGS. 3-6 ) and sleeve member 250 , as described in more detail below. In other embodiments, other ways of holding treatment member 400 with securement portion 200 may be employed. For example, securement portion 200 may include a lever that causes a compression hold with treatment member 400 , or treatment member 400 may be permanently affixed to securement portion 200 by adhesives, welding, monolithic construction, or any other way of securing treatment member 400 with securement portion 200 . As shown in FIG. 2 , securement portion 200 also includes tabs 212 . Tabs 212 may function with corresponding features of delivery portion 300 to removably couple securement portion 200 and delivery portion 300 together, as described in more detail below with regard to FIG. 4 . Tabs 212 may also hold sleeve member 250 . Sleeve member 250 may be permanently affixed, by adhesives, welding, or other suitable attachment, or may be selectively removable from securement member 200 . As shown in FIG. 2 , sleeve member 250 may be of tubular construction and sized such that treatment member 400 passes through sleeve member 250 . The diameter of sleeve member 250 may be such that the inner diameter of sleeve member 250 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of treatment member 400 , such that a close fit between sleeve member 250 and treatment member 400 is achieved. The length of sleeve member 250 may correlate with a desired exposed at treatment length of distal end 410 of treatment member 400 . In a vein ablation procedure, treatment lengths may range from about 1-4 cm. Thus, sleeve member 250 may be from about 1-4 cm long, or any other length as desired by the practitioner. One particular use of device 100 with sleeve member 250 is described in further detail below. As shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 , delivery portion 300 of device 100 includes cap 310 , body 330 , and cover 320 . As illustrated, cap 310 includes top opening 314 which may be located in the center of cap 310 and positioned such that opening 314 is part of channel 370 when cap 310 is located over body 330 . Cap 310 may also function to hold seal 312 in place between body 330 and cap 310 . Cap 310 may be permanently affixed or removably coupled to body 330 . In some embodiments, cap 310 may be integrally formed with body 330 . Seal 312 may be arranged to prevent materials, such as blood and fluids, from exiting channel 370 through opening 314 while allowing introduction of tools, instruments, and other devices, such as treatment member 400 and sleeve member 250 , through opening 314 . Seal 312 may be made from a pliable material such as rubber, plastic, or other suitable material. Seal 312 may have a slit or a plurality of slits such that seal 312 may be penetrated by an introduced object, such as treatment member 400 or sleeve member 250 , but retain a substantially closed configuration when not being penetrated. Seal 312 may also continue to form a seal around an introduced object, allowing the introduced object to slidably move along channel 370 while maintaining a seal preventing materials from exiting channel 370 around an introduced object. Body 330 includes port 334 and side-channel 336 passing through port 334 to allow introduction or removal of materials from a distal end of introducer sheath 350 through channel 370 . For example, a vacuum may be applied to side-channel 336 through tube 338 and stopcock 339 (shown in FIGS. 1 , 7 ) to evacuate blood or other fluids during a medical procedure. Tube 338 may be attached to port 334 , and may be held to port 334 by features configured to aid in the retention of tube 338 to port 334 . Similarly, body 330 may be permanently affixed or removably coupled to introducer sheath 350 such that movement of delivery portion 300 may also move introducer sheath 350 . For example, during a vein ablation procedure, introducer sheath 350 , treatment member 400 , and hub 350 may be simultaneously withdrawn. Cover 320 may be rotatably coupled to body 330 . Cover 320 may include portion 322 , which may be used to secure device 100 in a particular location, for example by tape or suture, while allowing rotational movement of body 330 and, by extension, all other portions of device 100 , within cover 320 , allowing a practitioner to rotate introducer sheath, treatment member 400 , or other portion as required by a particular procedure. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of securement portion 200 and delivery portion 300 in a coupled configuration. FIGS. 5 and 6 show sequential steps that may be used to couple securement portion 200 and delivery portion 300 for use in a medical procedure such as vein ablation. In a vein ablation procedure, a practitioner may want to insert distal end 410 of treatment member 400 into a patient to access a treatment area. A practitioner may create an initial opening into the patient and the desired vein by using conventional procedures such as by using a trocar. Once an opening is created, a dilator and/or guide wire may be used to create the desired pathway into the vein targeted for treatment. Prior to use in a vein ablation procedure, device 100 may be prepared for use in the procedure. To prepare device 100 for use in the procedure, treatment member 400 may be secured to securement portion 200 . The location of securement portion 200 on treatment member 400 may be predetermined such that the length of treatment member extending between distal end 410 of treatment member 400 and securement portion 200 is about the same length as introducer sheath 350 plus about 1-4 cm, which corresponds to the length of sheath member 250 . Distal end 410 of treatment member 400 may then be inserted into channel 370 of delivery portion 300 through seal 312 , (shown in FIGS. 4-5 ), and advanced until distal end 252 of sleeve member 250 contacts seal 312 , as shown in FIG. 6 . Because the diameter of sleeve member 250 is larger than the diameter of treatment member 400 , a practitioner may feel resistance as distal end 252 of sleeve member 250 contacts seal 312 . In this configuration, distal end 410 of treatment member 400 may be located at distal end 352 of introducer sheath 350 , such that distal end 410 of treatment member 400 may be somewhat inside, even with, or somewhat extending from distal end 352 of introducer sheath 350 , as desired by the practitioner. With distal end 410 of treatment member 400 positioned about at distal end 352 of introducer sheath 350 , distal end 410 of treatment member 400 may be protected by introducer sheath 350 from being damaged and from damaging tissues when being placed in a desired location in a patient. In a vein ablation procedure, for example, once the pathway into the targeted vein is established, and device 100 prepared for use in the procedure, introducer sheath 350 and treatment member 400 may be introduced into the patient. Introducer sheath 350 may be used to assist in placing treatment member 400 in the desired location in a patient, as shown in FIG. 7 . Once the desired location is reached, a practitioner may then push sleeve member 250 through seal 312 until tabs 212 push through opening 314 of cap 310 , thereby coupling securement portion 200 to delivery portion 300 , as shown in FIG. 4 . In the coupled position, as shown in FIG. 4 , distal end 410 of treatment member 400 may extend from distal end 352 of introducer sheath 350 a distance that is about the same as the length of the sleeve member 250 , assuring the practitioner that the device 100 is properly positioned and ready for use. If the practitioner determines that more or less of distal end 410 of treatment member 400 should be exposed, securement portion 200 may be loosened and repositioned on treatment member 400 , as described above, for adjustmenting the positioning of distal end 410 with respect to distal end 352 of introducer sheath 350 . Such adjustments may be made at any time before or during a procedure, as desired by a practitioner. In some embodiments, sleeve member 250 may be color coded such that a particular color corresponds to a particular length. In other embodiments, sleeve member 250 may be cut to a desired length by a practitioner, or several different sleeve members 250 having distinct lengths may be provided. In some embodiments, device 100 may be packaged in a kit, which may include items that may be used in conjunction with device 100 . For example, a kit may include a trocar, a dilator, a guide wire, at least one introducer sheath 350 coupled to delivery portion 300 , and treatment member 400 , having a length corresponding to the length of introducer sheath 350 , coupled to securement portion 300 . Thus, a practitioner may then prepare the patient using the supplementary items in the kit for use with device 100 , and use device 100 as described above. In some embodiments, the kit may include a plurality of sleeve members 250 having different lengths. Each portion of device 100 may be manufactured of materials suitable for use in medical procedures, and may be sterilized with an appropriate sterilization method. Although device 100 has been described above in conjunction with a vein ablation procedure, device 100 may also be used in other medical procedures and practices when such an assembly might be useful or desirable. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

The present invention relates to medical treatment devices. In particular, according to one embodiment, the present invention a medical treatment device that includes, for example, a tube member, a treatment member by way of which energy can be transmitted in connection with performance of a medical procedure, a sleeve, and a hub member. In this example, the treatment member is positioned within the tube member and the tube member thus affords a degree or protection to the treatment member. The combination of the treatment member and the tube member is configured to be partially received within, and secured by, the hub member. In particular, the hub member includes a securement portion and a delivery portion which are releasably attached to each other.

TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments described herein relate generally to wireless communication systems, and more particularly, to automatic detection of erroneous connections between antenna ports and radio frequency (RF) paths. BACKGROUND Smart antennas (also known as adaptive array antennas, a multi-antenna system, multiple antennas, and multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) antennas) may be used with wireless communication devices, such as base stations (also referred to as “Node Bs”). Smart antennas are antenna arrays with smart signal processing algorithms that are used to identify spatial signal information (e.g., a direction of arrival (DOA) of the signal) and to calculate beamforming vectors. The beamforming vectors are used to track and locate an antenna beam associated with a target user equipment (e.g., a mobile telephone). Smart antennas have two main functions—DOA estimation and beamforming. During generation of a beam, each smart antenna uses weights for beamforming. Different antennas may have different weights and may transmit different data. Current time division-synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA) based devices (e.g., base stations) may include four to eight antennas. Each antenna is connected, via a cable, to the base station (e.g., a radio base station (RBS) or a remote radio unit (RRU)). In such an arrangement, if a cable is connected to an incorrect antenna, an incorrect beam is generated and performance is decreased. However, manually checking incorrect or erroneous connections is time consuming and tedious. One proposed solution to this problem is to automatically detect an incorrect connection between an antenna port and a RF path. In the proposed solution, an uplink-received signal is collected and a channel is detected. The channel can be detected with the uplink-received signal. The uplink-received signal is used to detect a maximum energy by traveling in all possible orders of an antenna array vector and in all possible spatial directions. Specifically, the uplink-received signal is used to calculate a correlation matrix, and all possible arrangements of an antenna weighting factor sequence are traversed to obtain a weighting factor matrix. After searching through all directions of space, a maximum value of different weighting factor arrangements is determined, and an arrangement corresponding to the maximum received power is chosen to be a current connection order. However, the proposed solution requires an uplink signal, which means that the proposed solution can only be used with an operational wireless communication network or with extra equipment that generates the uplink signal. SUMMARY It is an object of the invention to overcome at least some of the above disadvantages and to automatically detect a connection error with a base station (or a RRU) without the need for an operational wireless communication network or extra equipment that generates an uplink signal. Embodiments described herein may automatically detect a connection error in a smart antenna (e.g., of a base station or a RRU) by measuring an amplitude and/or a phase between antenna ports of the smart antenna. In one embodiment, for example, in order to transmit and receive signals accurately, every antenna element, RF cable, and transceiver making up the smart antenna may need to operate identically. This means that every transmitting and receiving link may need to have the same amplitude and phase response. The base station may automatically implement a smart antenna calibration procedure that includes compensating the amplitude and phase of each transmitting and receiving link. During antenna calibration, the base station (or the RRU) may measure amplitude and phase of an impulse response of a circuit between an antenna port and a calibration port. The base station (or the RRU) may also measure the amplitude and phase between any two antenna ports. A smart antenna vendor may provide a table that includes amplitude and phase information between any two antenna ports of the smart antenna. The base station (or the RRU) may compare the values provided in the antenna vendor's table with the measured amplitude and phase between two antenna ports. If there is a large difference between the table values and the measured values, the base station (or the RRU) may determine that there is an antenna connection error. In an exemplary embodiment, a base station may determine an amplitude and/or phase between antenna elements of the base station, and may measure, based on the determined amplitude/phase, an amplitude/phase between corresponding antenna ports of the base station. The base station may compare the measured amplitude/phase with an expected amplitude/phase of the antenna ports to determine an error, and may compare the determined error to a threshold. The base station may determine an erroneous antenna port connection when the error exceeds the threshold, and may determine a correct antenna port connection when the error is less than or equal to the threshold. In another exemplary embodiment, the base station may determine a squared error between the measured amplitude/phase and the expected amplitude/phase, and may compare the squared error to the threshold to determine whether the squared error is greater than the threshold and zero or whether the squared error is less than or equal to the threshold. In another exemplary embodiment, the base station may receive antenna port permutations for multiple antenna ports of the base station, and may receive expected value information associated with the multiple antenna ports. The base station may calculate expected values for different antenna port permutations based on the received information, and may acquire measured values associated with the different antenna port permutations. The base station may compare the expected values for the different antenna port permutations with the measured values for the different antenna port permutations to determine errors for the different antenna port permutations, and may determine an optimal antenna port permutation to be one of the different antenna port permutations with the smallest determined error. Such an arrangement may ensure that connection errors are automatically and easily detected, and that performance issues, due to connection errors, are minimized. The arrangement may not require an uplink signal, and thus may not require an operational wireless communication network or extra equipment to generate an uplink signal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 depicts a diagram of an exemplary network in which systems and/or methods described herein may be implemented; FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram of exemplary components of a base station depicted FIG. 1 ; FIGS. 3A and 3B depict diagrams of further exemplary components of the base station illustrated in FIG. 1 ; FIG. 4 depicts a diagram of exemplary components of an antenna bank illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B ; FIG. 5 illustrates a diagram of exemplary interactions among exemplary components of a portion of the antenna bank depicted in FIG. 4 ; FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram of additional exemplary components of the base station depicted FIG. 1 ; FIGS. 7 and 8 depict diagrams of exemplary functional components of the base station illustrated in FIG. 1 ; FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate flow charts of an exemplary process for automatically detecting a connection error in a smart antenna according to embodiments described herein; and FIG. 11 depicts a flow chart of an exemplary process for determining an optimal antenna port permutation in a smart antenna according to embodiments described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements. Also, the following detailed description does not limit the invention. Embodiments described herein may automatically detect a connection error in a smart antenna (e.g., of a base station or a RRU) by measuring an amplitude and/or a phase between antenna ports of the smart antenna and by comparing the measured amplitude/phase to an expected amplitude/phase. The automatic detection techniques described herein may be used to quickly and easily detect connection errors in a smart antenna, and may prevent performance problems due to connection errors. FIG. 1 depicts a diagram of an exemplary network 100 in which systems and/or methods described herein may be implemented. As shown, network 100 may include two user equipment (UEs) 110 - 1 and 110 - 2 (referred to collectively, and in some instances individually, as “user equipment 110 ”) and a base station 120 . Two pieces of user equipment 110 and a single base station 120 have been illustrated in FIG. 1 for simplicity. In practice, there may be more UEs 110 and/or base stations 120 . Also, in some instances, a component in network 100 (e.g., one or more of user equipment 110 and/or base station 120 ) may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another component or group of components in network 100 . User equipment 110 may include one or more devices capable of sending/receiving voice and/or data to/from base station 120 . In one embodiment, user equipment 110 may include, for example, a wireless telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop computer, etc. User equipment 110 may receive information from base station 120 , and may generate and provide information to base station 120 . In one embodiment, base station 120 (also referred to as a “Node B”) may be associated with a radio access network (RAN) (not shown). The RAN may include one or more devices for transmitting voice and/or data to user equipment 110 and a core network (not shown). The RAN may include a group of base stations 120 and a group of radio network controllers (RNCs). The RNCs may include one or more devices that control and manage base station 120 . The RNCs may also include devices that perform data processing to manage utilization of radio network services. The RNCs may transmit/receive voice and data to/from base station 120 , other RNCs, and/or the core network. A RNC may act as a controlling radio network controller (CRNC), a drift radio network controller (DRNC), or a serving radio network controller (SRNC). A CRNC may be responsible for controlling the resources of base station 120 . On the other hand, an SRNC may serve particular user equipment 110 and may manage connections towards that user equipment 110 . Likewise, a DRNC may fulfill a similar role to the SRNC (e.g., may route traffic between a SRNC and particular user equipment 110 ). Base station 120 may include one or more devices that receive voice and/or data from the RNCs (not shown) and transmit that voice and/or data to user equipment 110 via an air interface. Base station 120 may also include one or more devices that receive voice and/or data from user equipment 110 over an air interface and transmit that voice and/or data to the RNCs or other user equipment 110 . In one embodiment, base station 120 may determine an amplitude and/or phase between antenna elements of base station 120 , and may measure, based on the determined amplitude/phase, an amplitude/phase between corresponding antenna ports of base station 120 . Base station 120 may compare the measured amplitude/phase with an expected amplitude/phase of the antenna ports to determine an error, and may compare the deter mined error to a threshold. Base station 120 may determine an erroneous antenna port connection when the error exceeds the threshold, and may determine a correct antenna port connection when the error is less than or equal to the threshold. In another embodiment, base station 120 may receive antenna port permutations for multiple antenna ports of base station 120 , and may receive expected information associated with the multiple antenna ports. Base station 120 may calculate expected values for different antenna port permutations based on the received information, and may acquire measured values associated with the different antenna port permutations. Base station 120 may compare the expected values for the different antenna port permutations with the measured values for the different antenna port permutations to determine errors for the different antenna port permutations, and may determine an optimal antenna port permutation to be one of the different antenna port permutations with the smallest determined error. FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram of exemplary components of base station 120 . As shown in FIG. 2 , base station 120 may include a group of antennas 210 - 1 through 210 - 8 (referred to collectively as “antennas 210 ” and in some instances, individually as “antenna 210 ”), a group of transceivers (TX/RX) 220 - 1 through 220 - 8 (referred to collectively as “transceivers 220 ” and in some instances, individually as “transceiver 220 ”), a processing system/RRU 230 , and an Iub interface (I/F) 240 . Antennas 210 may include one or more directional and/or omni-directional antennas. In one embodiment, antennas 210 may be associated with a smart antenna of base station 120 . Although eight antennas 210 are shown in FIG. 2 , in other embodiments, base station 120 may include more or less than eight antennas 210 . Transceivers 220 may be associated with corresponding antennas 210 and may include transceiver circuitry for transmitting and/or receiving symbol sequences in a network, such as network 100 , via antennas 210 . Processing system/RRU 230 may control the operation of base station 120 . Processing system/RRU 230 may also process information received via transceivers 220 and Iub interface 240 . Processing system/RRU 230 may further measure quality and strength of connection, may determine the frame error rate (FER), and may transmit this information to a RNC (not shown). In one embodiment, processing system 230 may be part of a RRU that is associated with base station 120 . As illustrated, processing system/RRU 230 may include a processing unit 232 and a memory 234 (e.g., that includes an expected value table 236 ). Processing unit 232 may include one or more processors, microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or the like. Processing unit 232 may process information received via transceivers 220 and Iub interface 240 . The processing may include, for example, data conversion, forward error correction (FEC), rate adaptation, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) spreading/dispreading, quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation, etc. In addition, processing unit 232 may generate control messages and/or data messages, and may cause those control messages and/or data messages to be transmitted via transceivers 220 and/or Iub interface 240 . Processing unit 232 may also process control messages and/or data messages received from transceivers 220 and/or Iub interface 240 . Memory 234 may include a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), and/or another type of memory to store data and instructions that may be used by processing unit 232 . As further shown in FIG. 2 , memory 234 may include an expected value table 236 . Expected value table 236 may be a table (e.g., provided by a vendor or a manufacturer of base station 120 ) that includes amplitude and/or phase information between any two antenna ports of base station 120 . As shown in an exemplary embodiment of expected value table 236 (provided below), the amplitude between two antennas (e.g., two of antennas 210 ) may be different. Amplitude may be provided in decibels (dB) and phase may be provided in degrees (deg). Parameter “S12” may represent antenna port “ 1 ” as an input port and antenna port “ 2 ” as an output port. Base station 120 may measure amplitude/phase between two particular antennas and may compare the measured values with corresponding values provided in expected value table 236 (e.g., for the two particular antennas). If there is a large difference (e.g., greater than a particular threshold) between the measured values and the values provided in expected value table 236 , base station 120 may determine that there is an antenna connection error. Expected Value Table Frequency Parameter 1880 1900 1920 2010 2018 2025 S11 Amplitude[dB] 32.42 27.73 21.2 20.49 19.89 19.95 Phase[deg] 60.44 17.67 −148.27 6.51 −19.83 −53.81 S12 Amplitude[dB] 20.73 20.99 21.26 21.62 21.66 21.64 Phase[deg] −90.77 151.7 34.94 −126.48 −174.91 143.09 S13 Amplitude[dB] 27.8 29.71 30.43 29.75 29.91 30.25 Phase[deg] 73.64 −43.67 −166.86 22.2 −27.41 −69.84 S14 Amplitude[dB] 35.38 33.61 34.32 35.9 38.18 40.83 Phase[deg] −127.64 106.61 7.69 177.5 132.83 88.39 S15 Amplitude[dB] 32.97 34.53 36.41 36.92 38.17 39.6 Phase[deg] −81.33 174.69 53.5 −83.76 −123.12 −160.59 S16 Amplitude[dB] 34.1 32.46 31.41 29.63 30.33 31.21 Phase[deg] 68.84 −50.64 −145.01 40.11 −4.94 −46.26 S17 Amplitude[dB] 34.1 35.06 39.57 39.79 39.8 38.83 Phase[deg] 110.02 5.61 −135.61 75.77 15.1 −34.45 S18 Amplitude[dB] 32.75 32.57 32.82 34.31 34.59 34.94 Phase[deg] −107.36 126.67 9.76 −175.88 136.23 93.41 S1cal Amplitude[dB] 26.03 25.99 25.95 25.58 25.51 25.41 Phase[deg] 134.94 115.65 96.72 12.53 5.2 −1.44 S22 Amplitude[dB] 28.94 26.21 17.56 17.06 18.78 21.24 Phase[deg] 83.67 −62.23 −147.6 105.45 64.93 18.2 S23 Amplitude[dB] 21.49 21.56 21.74 22.64 22.75 22.87 Phase[deg] −73.63 165.77 49.22 −118.43 −165.95 152.11 S24 Amplitude[dB] 27.89 29.38 30.06 30.3 30.29 30.48 Phase[deg] 60.22 −62.74 166.26 −7.96 −56.5 −99.25 S25 Amplitude[dB] 31.61 31.68 31.76 33.08 33.33 33.59 Phase[deg] 115.27 −66.65 −115.9 62.5 15.88 −25.2 S26 Amplitude[dB] 26.71 28.25 28.63 26.6 26.82 26.89 Phase[deg] −59.76 170.94 40.38 −124.01 −174.69 141.46 S27 Amplitude[dB] 28.33 29.73 31.28 28.78 29.27 29.9 Phase[deg] 88.08 −37.85 −152.45 42.32 −7.34 −47.57 S28 Amplitude[dB] 35.99 36.3 36.51 36.9 36.59 36.16 Phase[deg] 93.27 −20.23 −146.15 60.79 15.59 −24.07 S2cal Amplitude[dB] 26.3 26.26 26.14 25.32 25.26 25.3 Phase[deg] 137.11 116.41 98.33 12.91 4.61 −2.33 S33 Amplitude[dB] 16.47 20 28.62 24.77 27.31 33.8 Phase[deg] −129.33 161.77 −171.52 113.47 80.98 26.54 S34 Amplitude[dB] 21.09 21.14 21.37 21.89 21.89 21.84 Phase[deg] −97.45 144.5 24.71 −141.86 168.66 125.85 S35 Amplitude[dB] 36.5 36.56 36.92 38.47 38.2 38.14 Phase[deg] 64.79 −53.85 −174.55 34.34 −9.47 −47.73 S36 Amplitude[dB] 29.97 30.37 32.47 32.05 31.94 32 Phase[deg] 129.78 18.06 −108.25 82.51 33.59 −8.47 S37 Amplitude[dB] 25.66 26.42 27.65 29.64 30.88 32 Phase[deg] −78.74 169.76 50.16 −98.08 −146.41 169.01 S38 Amplitude[dB] 31.71 31.44 31.51 29.22 29.36 29.67 Phase[deg] 78.9 −36.28 −150.27 42 −4.52 −45.92 Iub interface 240 may include one or more line cards that allow base station 120 to transmit data to and receive data from a RNC. As described herein, base station 120 may perform certain operations in response to processing unit 232 executing software instructions of an application contained in a computer-readable medium, such as memory 234 . In one example, a computer-readable medium may be defined as a physical or logical memory device. A logical memory device may include memory space within a single physical memory device or spread across multiple physical memory devices. The software instructions may be read into memory 234 from another computer-readable medium or from another device via antennas 210 and transceivers 220 . The software instructions contained in memory 234 may cause processing unit 232 to perform processes described herein. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement processes described herein. Thus, embodiments described herein are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software. Although FIG. 2 shows exemplary components of base station 120 , in other embodiments, base station 120 may contain fewer, different, differently arranged, or additional components than depicted in FIG. 2 . In still other embodiments, one or more components of base station 120 may perform one or more other tasks described as being performed by one or more other components of base station 120 . FIGS. 3A and 3B depict diagrams of further exemplary components of base station 120 . As shown in FIG. 3A , base station 120 may include an antenna bank 300 that includes eight ports 310 - 1 through 310 - 8 (referred to collectively as “ports 310 ” and in some instances, individually as “port 310 ”) connected to corresponding antennas 210 - 1 through 210 - 8 , and a calibration port 310 -CAL. Antennas 210 may include the features described above in connection with, for example, FIG. 2 . Antenna bank 300 may include a device that enables antennas 210 to connect to transceivers 220 ( FIG. 2 ) of base station 120 , via cables. In one embodiment, antenna bank 300 may include an antenna bank for a dual-polarized eight antenna system, as shown in FIG. 3A . In another embodiment, antenna bank 300 may include an antenna bank for a normal eight antenna system. Each of ports 310 - 1 through 310 - 8 may include a port capable of connecting one of antennas 210 to one of transceivers 220 ( FIG. 2 ), via a cable. Each of ports 310 - 1 through 310 - 8 may be capable of connecting to a variety of cable connector types, including male connectors, female connectors, optical connectors, electrical connectors, SubMiniature version A (SMA) connectors, threaded Neill-Concelman (TNC) connectors, Bayonet Neill-Concelman (BNC) connectors, etc. Calibration port 310 -CAL may include a port capable of connecting antenna port 300 to one of transceivers 220 ( FIG. 2 ), via a cable. Calibration port 310 -CAL may be capable of connecting to a variety of cable connector types, including male connectors, female connectors, optical connectors, electrical connectors, SMA connectors, TNC connectors, BNC connectors, etc. As shown in FIG. 3B , antenna bank 300 may connect antennas 210 (omitted from FIG. 3B for clarity) to corresponding transceivers 220 , via ports 310 and RF cables 320 . Transceivers 220 may communicate with processing system/RRU 230 . Transceivers 220 and processing system/RRU 230 may include the features described above in connection with, for example, FIG. 2 . Antenna bank 300 and ports 310 may include the features described above in connection with, for example, FIG. 3A . Each of RF cables 320 may include a cable that transmits high frequency signals. RF cables 320 may include cables capable of connecting ports 310 to corresponding transceivers 220 . RF cables 320 may include a variety of cable connector types, including male connectors, female connectors, optical connectors, electrical connectors, SMA connectors, TNC connectors, BNC connectors, etc. As further shown in FIG. 3B , port 310 - 1 (and antenna 210 - 1 ) may connect to transceiver 220 - 1 via one of RF cables 320 , port 310 - 2 (and antenna 210 - 2 ) may connect to transceiver 220 - 2 via one of RF cables 320 , port 310 - 3 (and antenna 210 - 3 ) may connect to transceiver 220 - 3 via one of RF cables 320 , port 310 - 4 (and antenna 210 - 4 ) may connect to transceiver 220 - 4 via one of RF cables 320 , port 310 - 5 (and antenna 210 - 5 ) may connect to transceiver 220 - 5 via one of RF cables 320 , port 310 - 6 (and antenna 210 - 6 ) may connect to transceiver 220 - 6 via one of RF cables 320 , port 310 - 7 (and antenna 210 - 7 ) may connect to transceiver 220 - 7 via one of RF cables 320 , port 310 - 8 (and antenna 210 - 8 ) may connect to transceiver 220 - 8 via one of RF cables 320 , and port 310 -CAL may connect to transceiver 220 -CAL via one of RF cables 320 . In such an arrangement there is a possibility that one of RF cables 320 may be incorrectly connected to one of ports 310 (e.g., one of antennas 210 ), which may generate an incorrect beam and may decrease performance of base station 120 . Embodiments described automatically detect and enable correction of such connection errors. Although FIGS. 3A and 3B show exemplary components of base station 120 , in other embodiments, base station 120 may contain fewer, different, differently arranged, or additional components than depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B . In still other embodiments, one or more components of base station 120 may perform one or more other tasks described as being performed by one or more other components of base station 120 . FIG. 4 depicts a diagram of exemplary components of antenna bank 300 . As shown, antenna bank 300 may include antennas 210 , ports 310 , calibration port 310 -CAL, loads 400 , directional couplers 410 , and power splitters 420 . Antennas 210 may include the features described above in connection with, for example, FIG. 2 . Ports 310 and calibration port 310 -CAL may include the features described above in connection with, for example, FIGS. 3A and 3B . FIG. 4 shows multiple loads 400 , directional couplers 410 , and power splitters 420 , although only a few of them are labeled (for clarity). Each of loads 400 may include a device connected to an output (e.g., one of ports 310 ) of a circuit. In one embodiment, each of loads 400 may include a device where power is consumed. Each of directional couplers 410 may include a passive device that couples a portion of transmission power in a transmission line (e.g., a line connected to antenna 210 - 1 ) by a particular amount out through another port. In one embodiment, each of directional couplers 410 may use two transmission lines set close enough together such that energy passing through one transmission line (e.g., a line connected to antenna 210 - 1 ) is coupled to the other transmission line (e.g., a line connecting two loads 400 ). Each of power splitters 420 may include a passive device that receives an input signal and generates multiple output signals with specific phase and amplitude characteristics. In one embodiment, each of power splitters 420 may include a “T” connection, which has one input and two outputs. If the “T” connection is mechanically symmetrical, a signal applied to the input may be divided into two output signals, equal in amplitude and phase. Although FIG. 4 shows exemplary components of antenna bank 300 , in other embodiments, antenna bank 300 may contain fewer, different, differently arranged, or additional components than depicted in FIG. 4 . In still other embodiments, one or more components of antenna bank 300 may perform one or more other tasks described as being performed by one or more other components of antenna bank 300 . FIG. 5 illustrates a diagram of exemplary interactions among exemplary components of a portion 500 of antenna port 300 . As shown, portion 500 of antenna bank 300 may include antennas 210 - 1 and 210 - 2 , ports 310 - 1 and 310 - 2 , loads 400 , and directional couplers 410 . Antennas 210 - 1 and 210 - 2 may include the features described above in connection with, for example, FIG. 2 . Ports 310 - 1 and 310 - 2 may include the features described above in connection with, for example, FIGS. 3A and 4B . Loads 400 and directional couplers 410 may include the features described above in connection with, for example, FIG. 4 . As further shown in FIG. 5 , antennas 210 - 1 and 210 - 2 may be internally coupled together via a circuit that includes loads 400 and directional couplers 410 . For example, an input signal 510 may be input at port 310 - 1 , may travel through the circuit, and may be received as an output signal 520 at port 310 - 2 . Antennas 210 - 1 and 210 - 2 may be externally coupled together via wireless wave propagation between antennas 210 - 1 and 210 - 2 . For example, input signal 510 may cause antenna 210 - 1 to transmit a wireless signal 530 that may be received by antenna 210 - 2 and provided to port 310 - 2 . The external coupling of antennas 210 - 1 and 210 - 2 may depend on a physical environment (e.g., a very site specific environment) of base station 120 and antennas 210 - 1 and 210 - 2 . In one embodiment, a filter may be provided (e.g., with antennas 210 - 1 and 210 - 2 ) that filters out surrounding objects of the physical environment. Base station 120 may use signals 510 - 530 to measure an amplitude and/or a phase between antennas 210 - 1 and 210 - 2 (and ports 310 - 1 and 310 - 2 ). Base station 120 may compare the values provided in expected value table 236 ( FIG. 2 ) with the measured amplitude and/or measured phase between antennas 210 - 1 and 210 - 2 (and ports 310 - 1 and 310 - 2 ). If there is a large difference (e.g., greater than a particular threshold (e.g., +/−ten percent)) between the table values and the measured amplitude and/or phase, base station 120 may determine that there is an antenna connection error. Although FIG. 5 shows exemplary interactions among components of antenna bank 300 , in other embodiments, components of antenna bank 300 may perform fewer, different, or additional interactions than depicted in FIG. 5 . FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram of additional exemplary components of base station 120 . As shown base station 120 may include a first transceiver 220 - 1 that includes digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry 600 , a power amplifier 605 , and a filter unit (FU) 610 ; a second transceiver 220 - 2 that includes a filter unit 615 and analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuitry 620 ; and processing unit 232 . Transceivers 220 - 1 and 220 - 2 and processing unit 232 may include the features described above in connection with, for example, FIG. 2 . DAC circuitry 600 may include a device or circuitry that converts a digital signal (e.g., binary code or numbers) to an analog signal (e.g., current, voltage, or electric charge). In one embodiment, DAC circuitry 600 may include one or more of a pulse width modulator DAC, an oversampling DAC, an interpolating DAC, a binary weighted DAC, etc. Power amplifier 605 may include a device that changes (e.g., increases) an amplitude of a signal (e.g., a voltage, a current, etc.). In one embodiment, power amplifier 605 may include one or more of a transistor amplifier, an operational amplifier, a fully differential amplifier, etc. Each of filter units 610 and 615 may include an electronic circuit that performs signal processing functions to remove unwanted frequency components from a signal, to enhance desired frequency components in the signal, or both. In one embodiment, each of filter units 610 and 615 may include one or more of a passive filter unit, an active filter unit, an analog filter unit, a digital filter unit, a high-pass filter unit, a low-pass filter unit, a bandpass filter unit, band-reject filter unit, an all-pass filter unit, a discrete-time filter unit, a continuous-time filter unit, a linear filter unit, a non-linear filter unit, an infinite impulse response filter unit, a finite impulse response filter unit, etc. ADC circuitry 620 may include a device or circuitry that converts an analog signal (e.g., current, voltage, or electric charge) to a digital signal (e.g., binary code or numbers). In one embodiment, ADC circuitry 620 may include one or more of a linear ADC, a non-linear ADC, a direct conversion ADC, a successive-approximation ADC, a ramp-compare ADC, etc. As further shown in FIG. 6 , in order to calibrate antennas 210 associated with transceivers 220 - 1 and 220 - 2 , processing unit 232 may provide a digital transmission (TX) signal 625 to transceiver 220 - 1 , and DAC circuitry 600 may receive digital TX signal 625 . DAC circuitry 600 may convert digital TX signal 625 to an analog TX signal 630 , and may provide analog TX signal 630 to power amplifier 605 . Power amplifier 605 may amplify analog TX signal 630 to produce an amplified, analog TX signal 635 , and may provide amplified, analog TX signal 635 to filter unit 610 . Filter unit 610 may filter amplified, analog TX signal 635 to produce a signal 640 (e.g., which is a filtered, amplified, and analog TX signal), and may provide signal 640 to a coupling network. The coupling network may include, for example, the internally and externally coupled antennas 210 - 1 and 210 - 2 and ports 310 - 1 and 310 - 2 shown in FIG. 5 . Signal 640 may be input to port 310 - 1 as input signal 510 ( FIG. 5 ), and may travel through the coupling network until it reaches port 310 - 2 as output signal 520 ( FIG. 5 ). Output signal 520 may be provided to transceiver 220 - 2 as an analog reception (RX) signal 645 , and filter unit 615 may receive analog RX signal 645 . Filter unit 615 may filter analog RX signal 645 to produce a filtered, analog RX signal 650 , and may provide filtered, analog RX signal 650 to ADC circuitry 620 . ADC circuitry 620 may convert filtered, analog RX signal 650 to a digital RX signal 655 , and may provide digital RX signal 655 to processing unit 232 . Processing unit 232 may compare digital TX signal 625 and digital RX signal 655 to determine a measured value (e.g., a difference between digital TX signal 625 and digital RX signal 655 ) of amplitude and/or phase. Since the amplitude and phase provided by transceivers 220 - 1 and 220 - 2 may be known, processing unit 232 may calculate an amplitude and/or phase between antenna ports (e.g., ports 310 - 1 and 310 - 2 , which are associated with antennas 210 - 1 and 210 - 2 ) based on the measured value and the known amplitude and phase provided by transceivers 220 - 1 and 220 - 2 . Processing unit 232 may compare the values provided in expected value table 236 ( FIG. 2 ) with the measured amplitude and/or phase between the antenna ports (e.g., ports 310 - 1 and 310 - 2 ). If there is a large difference (e.g., greater than a particular threshold (e.g., +/−ten percent)) between the table values and the measured amplitude and/or phase, processing unit 232 may determine that there is an antenna connection error. Although FIG. 6 shows exemplary components of base station 120 , in other embodiments, base station 120 may contain fewer, different, differently arranged, or additional components than depicted in FIG. 6 . In still other embodiments, one or more components of base station 120 may perform one or more other tasks described as being performed by one or more other components of base station 120 . FIG. 7 depicts a diagram of exemplary functional components of base station 120 . As shown, base station 120 may include a measured value determiner 700 , a measured/expected value comparer 710 , and an error/threshold comparer 720 . In one embodiment, the functions described in connection with FIG. 7 may be performed by processing unit 232 ( FIG. 2 ). Measured value determiner 700 may include any hardware, software, or combination of hardware and software that may receive digital TX signal 625 and digital RX signal 655 . Measured value determiner 700 may compare digital TX signal 625 and digital RX signal 655 to determine a difference between the amplitude and/or the phase of digital TX signal 625 and digital RX signal 655 . Since the amplitude and phase provided by transceivers 220 may be known, measured value determiner 700 may calculate a measured value (S measured ) 730 (e.g., an amplitude and/or phase between two antenna ports 310 ) based on the determined difference and the known amplitude and phase provided by transceivers 220 . Measured value determiner 700 may provide measured value 730 to measure/expected value comparer 710 . Measured/expected value comparer 710 may include any hardware, software, or combination of hardware and software that may receive measured value 730 from measured value determiner 700 , and may receive an expected value (S expected ) 740 from expected value table 236 . Measured/expected value comparer 710 may compare measured value (S measured ) 730 and expected value (S expected ) 740 . In one embodiment, measured/expected value comparer 710 may determine a difference between measured value (S measured ) 730 and expected value (S expected ) 740 (i.e., S measured −S expected ) to be an error (ε) 750 , and may square error (ε) 750 according to the following squared matrix norm (e.g., the squared Frobenius norm): ε 2 =∥S measured −S expected ∥ F 2 , where S measured and S expected may denote measured and expected complex value S-matrices. A complex S-matrix may contain all the S-parameters (e.g., an (i, j) element of the S-matrix may contain a parameter (Sij), which may represent an amplitude and phase between ports i and j in complex form). Error/threshold comparer 720 may include any hardware, software, or combination of hardware and software that may receive error (ε) 750 from measured/expected value comparer 710 , and may compare the squared error 750 to a threshold (δ THRESH ). Since a measurement error may always be present, a few decibels (e.g., one to five decibels) or few degree (e.g., one to five degrees) margin may be added as the threshold. Error/threshold comparer 720 may determine that a port connection (e.g., in base station 120 ) is erroneous (as indicated by reference number 760 ) if the squared error 750 is greater than the threshold (e.g., ε 2 >δ THRESH >0). Error/threshold comparer 720 may determine that a port connection (e.g., in base station 120 ) is correct (as indicated by reference number 770 ) if the squared error 750 is less than or equal to the threshold (e.g., ε 2 ≦δ THRESH ). Although FIG. 7 shows exemplary functional components of base station 120 , in other embodiments, base station 120 may contain fewer, different, differently arranged, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 7 . In still other embodiments, one or more functional components of base station 120 may perform one or more other tasks described as being performed by one or more other functional components of base station 120 . FIG. 8 illustrates a diagram of exemplary functional components of base station 120 . As shown, base station 120 may include an expected values calculator 800 and a measured/expected values comparer 810 . In one embodiment, the functions described in connection with FIG. 8 may be performed by processing unit 232 ( FIG. 2 ). Expected values calculator 800 may include any hardware, software, or combination of hardware and software that may receive port permutations 820 (e.g., different combinations of antennas 210 , ports 310 , and RF cables 320 ) for multiple antenna ports 310 of base station 120 , and may receive table information 830 (e.g., expected values from expected value table 236 ( FIG. 2 )) associated with the multiple antenna ports 310 . Expected values calculator 800 may calculate expected values 840 (e.g., S-matrices) for different antenna port permutations based on port permutations 820 and table information 830 . Expected values calculator 800 may provide expected values 840 to measured/expected values comparer 810 . Measured/expected values comparer 810 may include any hardware, software, or combination of hardware and software that may receive expected values 840 from expected values calculator 800 , and may acquire measured values 850 associated with the different antenna port permutations. Measured/expected values comparer 810 may compare expected values 840 with measured values 850 to determine errors for the different antenna port permutations. Measured/expected values comparer 810 may determine an optimal antenna port permutation (i.e., a correct port order 860 ) to be one of the different antenna port permutations with a smallest determined error 870 (e.g., as determined by: ε 2 =∥S measured −S expected ∥ F 2 ). Although FIG. 8 shows exemplary functional components of base station 120 , in other embodiments, base station 120 may contain fewer, different, differently arranged, or additional functional components than depicted in FIG. 8 . In still other embodiments, one or more functional components of base station 120 may perform one or more other tasks described as being performed by one or more other functional components of base station 120 . FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate flow charts of an exemplary process 900 for automatically detecting a connection error in a smart antenna according to embodiments described herein. In one embodiment, process 900 may be performed by base station 120 . In other embodiments, some or all of process 900 may be performed by base station 120 in combination with another device (e.g., a RRU) or group of devices (e.g., communicating with base station 120 ). As illustrated in FIG. 9 , process 900 may include determining an amplitude/phase between antenna elements of a base station (block 910 ), and measuring, based on the determined amplitude/phase, an amplitude/phase (S measured ) between corresponding antenna ports of the base station (block 920 ). For example, in embodiments described above in connection with FIG. 7 , measured value determiner 700 of base station 120 may receive digital TX signal 625 and digital RX signal 655 . Measured value determiner 700 may compare digital TX signal 625 and digital RX signal 655 to determine a difference between the amplitude and/or the phase of digital TX signal 625 and digital RX signal 655 . Since the amplitude and the phase provided by transceivers 220 may be known, measured value determiner 700 may calculate measured value (S measured ) 730 (e.g., an amplitude and/or phase between two antenna ports 310 ) based on the determined difference and the known amplitude and phase provided by transceivers 220 . Returning to FIG. 9 , the measured amplitude/phase (S measured ) may be compared with an expected amplitude/phase (S expected ) of the antenna ports to determine an error (block 930 ), and the determined error may be compared to a threshold (block 940 ). For example, in embodiments described above in connection with FIG. 7 , measured/expected value comparer 710 of base station 120 may receive measured value 730 from measured value determiner 700 , and may receive expected value (S expected ) 740 from expected value table 236 . Measured/expected value comparer 710 may compare measured value (S measured ) 730 and expected value (S expected ) 740 . In one example, measured/expected value comparer 710 may determine a difference between measured value (S measured ) 730 and expected value (S expected ) 740 (i.e., S measured −S expected ) to be an error (ε) 750 . Error/threshold comparer 720 of base station 120 may receive error (ε) 750 from measured/expected value comparer 710 , and may compare the squared error 750 to a threshold (δ THRESH ). In one example, the threshold (e.g., for the amplitude and phase values) may be set equal to a product of a particular percentage (e.g., ten percent) and the amplitude and phase values provided in expected value table 236 . As further shown in FIG. 9 , an erroneous antenna port connection may be determined when the error exceeds the threshold (block 950 ), and a correct antenna port connection may be determined when the error is less than or equal to the threshold (block 960 ). For example, in embodiments described above in connection with FIG. 7 , error/threshold comparer 720 of base station 120 may determine that a port connection (e.g., in base station 120 ) is erroneous (as indicated by reference number 760 ) if the squared error 750 exceeds the threshold (δ THRESH ). Error/threshold comparer 720 may determine that a port connection (e.g., in base station 120 ) is correct (as indicated by reference number 770 ) if the squared error 750 is less than or equal to the threshold (δ THRESH ). Process blocks 930 and 940 may include the process blocks depicted in FIG. 10 . As shown in FIG. 10 , process blocks 930 and 940 may include determining a squared error (ε 2 ) between the measured amplitude/phase (S measured ) and the expected amplitude/phase (S expected ) according to ε 2 =∥S measured −S expected ∥ F 2 (block 1000 ), and comparing the squared error (ε 2 ) to the threshold (δ THRESH ) to determine whether ε 2 >δ THRESH >0 or ε 2 ≦δ THRESH (block 1010 ). For example, in embodiments described above in connection with FIG. 7 , measured/expected value comparer 710 of base station 120 may determine a difference between measured value (S measured ) 730 and expected value (S expected ) 740 (i.e., S measured −S expected ) to be error (ε) 750 , and may square error (ε) 750 according to the following squared matrix norm (e.g., the squared Frobenius norm): ε 2 =∥S measured −S expected ∥ F 2 . Error/threshold comparer 720 of base station may compare the squared error 750 to a threshold (δ THRESH ). Error/threshold comparer 720 may determine that a port connection (e.g., in base station 120 ) is erroneous (as indicated by reference number 760 ) if the squared error 750 greater than the threshold (e.g., ε 2 >δ THRESH >0). Error/threshold comparer 720 may determine that a port connection (e.g., in base station 120 ) is correct (as indicated by reference number 770 ) if the squared error 750 is less than or equal to the threshold (e.g., ε 2 ≦δ THRESH ). FIG. 11 illustrates a flow chart of another exemplary process 1100 for determining an optimal antenna port permutation in a smart antenna according to embodiments described herein. In one embodiment, process 1100 may be performed by base station 120 . In other embodiments, some or all of process 1100 may be performed by base station 120 in combination with another device (e.g., a RRU) or group of devices (e.g., communicating with base station 120 ). As illustrated in FIG. 11 , process 1100 may include receiving antenna port permutations and amplitudes/phases for antenna ports of a base station (block 1110 ), and calculating expected amplitudes/phases for different antenna port permutations based on the received information (block 1120 ). For example, in embodiments described above in connection with FIG. 8 , expected values calculator 800 of base station 120 may receive port permutations 820 (e.g., different combinations of antennas 210 , ports 310 , and RF cables 320 ) for multiple antenna ports 310 of base station 120 , and may receive table information 830 (e.g., expected values from expected value table 236 ( FIG. 2 )) associated with the multiple antenna ports 310 . Expected values calculator 800 may calculate expected values 840 (e.g., S-matrices) for different antenna port permutations based on port permutations 820 and table information 830 . As further shown in FIG. 11 , measured amplitudes/phases associated with the antenna port permutations may be acquired (block 1130 ), the expected amplitudes/phases may be compared with the measured amplitudes/phases to determine errors (block 1140 ), and an optimal antenna port permutation may be determined to be a permutation with the smallest error (block 1150 ). For example, in embodiments described above in connection with FIG. 8 , measured/expected values comparer 810 of base station 120 may acquire measured values 850 associated with the different antenna port permutations, and may compare expected values 840 with measured values 850 to determine errors for the different antenna port permutations. Measured/expected values comparer 810 may determine an optimal antenna port permutation (i.e., a correct port order 860 ) to be one of the different antenna port permutations with a smallest determined error 870 (e.g., as determined by: ε 2 =∥S measured −S expected ∥ F 2 ). Embodiments described herein may automatically detect a connection error in a smart antenna (e.g., of a base station or RRU) by measuring an amplitude and/or a phase between antenna ports of the smart antenna. In one embodiment, for example, in order to transmit and receive signals accurately, every antenna element, RF cable, and transceiver making up the smart antenna may need to operate identically. This means that every transmitting and receiving link may need to have the same amplitude and phase response. The base station may automatically implement a smart antenna calibration procedure that includes compensating the amplitude and phase of each transmitting and receiving link. Such an arrangement may ensure that connection errors are automatically and easily detected, and that performance issues due to connection errors are minimized. The arrangement may not require an uplink signal, and thus may not require an operational wireless communication network or extra equipment to generate an uplink signal. Embodiments described herein provide illustration and description, but are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings, or may be acquired from practice of the implementations. For example, while series of blocks have been described with regard to FIGS. 9-11 , the order of the blocks may be modified in other embodiments. Further, non-dependent blocks may be performed in parallel. In another example, although the systems and/or methods described herein have been implemented in base station 120 , in other embodiments, the systems and/or methods may be implemented in any device that uses antenna bank 300 . The exemplary embodiments, as described above, may be implemented in many different forms of software, firmware, and hardware in the implementations illustrated in the figures. The actual software code or specialized control hardware used to implement the exemplary embodiments described herein is not limiting of the invention. Thus, the operation and behavior of the exemplary embodiments were described without reference to the specific software code—it being understood that one would be able to design software and control hardware to implement the exemplary embodiments based on the description herein. Further, certain portions of the invention may be implemented as “logic” that performs one or more functions. This logic may include hardware, such as an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, a processor, or a microprocessor, or a combination of hardware and software. Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the invention. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. It should be emphasized that the terms “comprises/comprising” when used in the this specification are taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components, or groups thereof. No element, act, or instruction used in the description of the present application should be construed as critical or essential to the invention unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items. Where only one item is intended, the terns “one” or similar language is used. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.

A device ( 110 ) receives consecutive negative acknowledgments (NACKs) ( 540 ), measures a downlink channel quality ( 530 ) associated with the device ( 110 ), and triggers autonomous retransmission ( 430 ) when power is limited in the device ( 110 ), when the device ( 110 ) is using a minimum usable enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) transport format combination (ETFC), and when one of a number of consecutive NACKs ( 540 ) is greater than a predefined number, or the measured downlink channel quality ( 530 ) is less than a predefined threshold.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-124827 filed on Jun. 3, 2011, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-096977 filed on Apr. 20, 2012, the disclosure of which including the specification, the drawings, and the claims is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND [0002] The disclosed technology relates to an imaging apparatus capable of sending a captured image to a terminal device, and an imaging system including the imaging apparatus. [0003] Imaging apparatuses using an image sensor, such as a CCD and a CMOS, have been known. As communication technologies (wireless LAN etc.) have recently been popularized, imaging apparatuses capable of communicating with other terminal devices have been proposed. [0004] For example, an imaging system disclosed by Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-023015 includes a single imaging apparatus and a plurality of remote control devices wirelessly connected to the imaging apparatus. The imaging apparatus shoots an image based on control signals from the remote control devices. [0005] In the imaging system of Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-023015, a plurality of users use the single imaging apparatus. Thus, different from the case where a single user uses a single imaging apparatus, various problems derived from this configuration may occur. [0006] In view of the foregoing, the disclosed technology has been achieved. The disclosed technology is concerned with improving convenience in use of the single imaging apparatus by the plurality of users. SUMMARY [0007] The disclosed technology is directed to an imaging apparatus which is remote-controllable by a terminal device, and is capable of sending an image to the terminal device, the imaging apparatus including: an imaging unit configured to capture an image of a subject; a storage unit configured to store one or multiple particular subjects, and one or multiple terminal devices corresponding to the one or multiple particular subjects; a detection unit configured to detect the particular subject stored in the storage unit in the image captured by the imaging unit; and a control unit configured to notify, when the detection unit detects the particular subject, the terminal device which is stored in the storage unit and corresponds to the detected particular subject that the particular subject is detected. [0008] The disclosed technology is also directed to an imaging system including a terminal device; and an imaging apparatus which is remote-controllable by the terminal device, and is capable of sending an image to the terminal device, wherein the imaging apparatus includes: an imaging unit configured to capture an image of a subject; a storage unit configured to store one or multiple particular subjects, and one or multiple terminal devices corresponding to the one or multiple particular subjects; a detection unit configured to detect the particular subject stored in the storage unit in the image captured by the imaging unit; and a control unit configured to notify, when the detection unit detects the particular subject, the terminal device which is stored in the storage unit and corresponds to the detected particular subject that the particular subject is detected. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an imaging system of a first embodiment. [0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an imaging apparatus. [0011] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus. [0012] FIG. 4 shows an example of a distance measurement frame F set on a subject. [0013] FIG. 5 shows an identification information table. [0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a terminal device. [0015] FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the terminal device. [0016] FIG. 8 shows a display of the terminal device. [0017] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of mode selection of the imaging apparatus. [0018] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of processing in an automatic shooting mode. [0019] FIG. 11 shows a display of the terminal device displaying a through image. [0020] FIG. 12 shows a display of another terminal device displaying a through image. [0021] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of processing in a manual shooting mode. [0022] FIG. 14 shows a display of the terminal device in the manual shooting mode. [0023] FIG. 15 is a flowchart of processing in a playback mode. [0024] FIG. 16 shows a display of the terminal device in the playback mode. [0025] FIG. 17 is a flowchart of processing in an automatic shooting mode according to an alternative. [0026] FIG. 18 is a flowchart of processing in a manual shooting mode according to the alternative. [0027] FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing appearance of an imaging apparatus and a terminal device joined in use. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0028] An example embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First Embodiment (1. General Configuration of Imaging System) [0029] FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an imaging system of a first embodiment. [0030] An imaging system S includes an imaging apparatus 1 and three terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C. The imaging apparatus 1 is mounted on a tripod 50 having an electric pan head 51 in which a motor is mounted. The terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C are operated by users a, b, and c, respectively. The imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C are wirelessly connected so that signals can be transmitted between them. For example, each of the terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C can send a control signal to the imaging apparatus 1 to allow the imaging apparatus 1 to perform shooting. The imaging apparatus 1 can send an image and additional information to the terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C. The tripod 50 is wirelessly connected to the terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C or the imaging apparatus 1 so that signals can be transmitted between them. For example, the terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C can send a control signal directly or indirectly through the imaging apparatus 1 to the tripod 50 to pan or tilt the electric pan head 51 . The terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C may be referred to as terminal device(s) 100 when distinction among them is not necessary. (2. Configuration of Imaging Apparatus) [0031] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the imaging apparatus 1 , and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus 1 . For easy description, three-dimensional rectangular coordinates are defined in which an optical axis AZ of the imaging apparatus 1 is referred to as a Z axis (a direction toward a subject is a positive direction, and a direction toward an imaging surface is a negative direction), a horizontal direction of the imaging apparatus 1 is referred to as an X axis, and a vertical direction of the imaging apparatus 1 is referred to as an Y axis as shown in FIG. 2 . [0032] The imaging apparatus 1 may be a digital camera. The imaging apparatus 1 includes a camera body 40 and a lens barrel 41 as shown in FIG. 2 . The imaging apparatus 1 further includes an optical system L, a microcomputer 3 , an image sensor 4 , a CCD drive unit 5 , an analog signal processing unit 6 , an A/D converter 7 , a digital signal processing unit 8 , a buffer memory 9 , an image compression unit 10 , an image recording control unit 11 , an image recording unit 12 , a communication unit 15 , a power switch 20 , a proximity sensor 17 , a GPS sensor 18 , a geomagnetic sensor 19 , a face registration database 23 , a memory 28 , a shutter 33 , a shutter control unit 31 , a shutter drive motor 32 , a zoom control unit 34 , a zoom drive motor 35 , a focus control unit 36 , and a focus drive motor 37 as shown in FIG. 3 . [0033] The optical system L forms an optical image of a subject, and includes a zoom lens group L 1 , a focus lens group L 2 , etc. The optical system L is supported by the lens barrel 41 . [0034] The microcomputer 3 generally controls the imaging apparatus 1 . The microcomputer 3 is connected to the various units. [0035] The shutter 33 is arranged on the optical axis AZ and between the zoom lens group L 1 and the focus lens group L 2 . The shutter drive motor 32 drives the shutter 33 . The shutter control unit 31 controls the shutter drive motor 32 based on a control signal from the microcomputer 3 to operate the shutter 33 . For example, the microcomputer 3 generates a control signal to be sent to the shutter control unit 31 when the microcomputer 3 receives a control signal derived from operation of a shutter button 134 of the terminal device 100 described later. [0036] The zoom drive motor 35 moves the zoom lens group L 1 along the optical axis AZ. The zoom control unit 34 controls the zoom drive motor 35 based on a control signal from the microcomputer 3 . Specifically, the microcomputer 3 outputs the control signal to the zoom control unit 34 so that the zoom lens group L 1 performs zooming. For example, the microcomputer 3 generates the control signal to be sent to the zoom control unit 34 when the microcomputer 3 receives a control signal derived from operation of a zoom button 137 of the terminal device 100 described later. [0037] The focus drive motor 37 moves the focus lens group L 2 along the optical axis AZ. The focus control unit 36 controls the focus drive motor 37 based on a control signal from the microcomputer 3 . Specifically, the microcomputer 3 outputs the control signal to the focus control unit 36 to perform focusing. For example, the microcomputer 3 generates the control signal to be sent to the focus control unit 36 when the microcomputer 3 receives a control signal derived from operation of the shutter button 134 of the terminal device 100 described later. [0038] The image sensor 4 may be a CCD, for example. The image sensor 4 converts the optical image formed by the optical system L into an electric image signal. The image sensor 4 is controlled by the CCD drive unit 5 . The CCD drive unit 5 is controlled by a control signal from the microcomputer 3 . The image sensor 4 may be an electronic component which performs photoelectric conversion, such as a CMOS sensor. The image sensor 4 is an example of an imaging unit. [0039] The image signal output from the image sensor 4 is sequentially processed by the analog signal processing unit 6 , the A/D converter 7 , the digital signal processing unit 8 , the buffer memory 9 , and the image compression unit 10 . The analog signal processing unit 6 performs analog signal processing, such as gamma processing, on the image signal output from the image sensor 4 . The A/D converter 7 converts the analog signal output from the analog signal processing unit 6 to a digital signal. The digital signal processing unit 8 performs digital signal processing, such as noise reduction, edge enhancement, etc., on the image signal converted to the digital signal by the A/D converter 7 . The buffer memory 9 is a random access memory (RAM), and temporarily stores the image signal processed by the digital signal processing unit 8 . The image compression unit 10 compresses data of the image signal stored in the buffer memory 9 . Thus, a data size of the image signal is reduced to be smaller than the original data. For example, a still image may be compressed by Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), and a moving image may be compressed by Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). [0040] Based on a command from the image recording control unit 11 , the image recording unit 12 stores the image signal (a moving image and a still image) in association with a signal of a reduced image corresponding to the image signal and predetermined information. The predetermined information associated with the image signal may include, for example, date information when the image is shot, focal length information, shutter speed information, f/number information, shooting mode information, etc. The predetermined information may be a format similar to Exif®, for example. The predetermined information may include face recognition information described later. [0041] The communication unit 15 establishes wireless communication with the terminal device 100 through, for example, wireless LAN. For example, the communication unit 15 is Wi-Fi®-certified, and is Wi-Fi®-connected to the terminal devices 100 . The imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 may be connected via an external communication device, such as an access point, or may directly be connected via P2P (a wireless ad hoc network) without using any external communication device. Alternatively, a telecommunication standard for cellular phones, such as 3G, or Long Term Evolution (LTE), may be used. For example, the communication unit 15 can receive a control signal etc. from the terminal device 100 , and can send an image signal etc. to the terminal device 100 through wireless communication. [0042] The proximity sensor 17 detects that the imaging apparatus 1 is in proximity to the terminal device 100 . For example, the proximity sensor 17 may be a magnetic sensor, such as a Hall device. The GPS sensor 18 determines a location of the imaging apparatus 1 . The GPS sensor 18 determines a latitude/longitude, or a location where a representative landmark exists. The geomagnetic sensor 19 determines a direction pointed by the lens barrel 41 (the optical axis AZ) of the imaging apparatus 1 . [0043] The power switch 20 is a switch operated to turn on/off the imaging apparatus 1 . [0044] The face registration database 23 has a face recognition table. The face recognition table stores a plurality of face recognition records which are data related to faces of particular persons. Each of the face recognition records contains data related to facial features. [0045] The microcomputer 3 includes a face detection unit 21 , a face recognition unit 22 , and an identification information storage unit 24 . [0046] The face detection unit 21 performs face detection. Specifically, the face detection unit 21 detects a face of a subject from a single frame of an image obtained from the digital signal processing unit 8 . The face detection can be performed by extracting an outline from the image, and detecting whether features (eyes, nose, mouth, etc.) are found in the extracted outline. When the features are found in the detected outline, the face detection unit 21 determines the outline as a face. The microcomputer 3 sets a distance measurement frame F (an AF frame) surrounding the detected face of the subject. The distance measurement frame F may be set on the eyes, nose, or mouth of the subject instead of the face of the subject. Further, the face detection unit 21 extracts facial feature data, and determines sex and age of the subject, or determines whether the subject is a person or an animal based on the features. The face detection unit 21 detects a plurality of faces, if they are in the single frame, and extracts the facial feature data of each face. [0047] FIG. 4 shows an example of the distance measurement frame F set on the subject. In FIG. 4 , the distance measurement frame FA is set on a region where the face detection is performed on a subject A. A distance measurement frame FB is set on a region where the face detection is performed on a subject B. [0048] The face recognition unit 22 compares the facial feature data extracted by the face detection unit 21 with the feature data stored in the face registration database 23 to determine similarity. The face recognition unit 22 determines which person's face is the detected face based on the similarity, thereby determining the subject. The face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 are examples of a detection unit. [0049] The identification information storage unit 24 stores an identification information table 25 shown in FIG. 5 . The identification information table 25 stores particular subjects associated with the terminal devices. Specifically, in the identification information table 25 , the particular subjects and the corresponding terminal devices 100 are associated, respectively. Pieces of identification information unique to the terminal devices are stored in the columns of the terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C in FIG. 5 . In this example, the identification information is a Wi-Fi® address of each of the terminal devices 100 . Image data of each of the subjects are stored in the columns of the subjects A, B, and C in FIG. 5 . Specifically, the subject A is associated with the terminal device 100 A, the subject B is associated with the terminal device 100 B, and the subject C is associated with the terminal device 100 C. The identification information storage unit 24 is an example of a storage unit. [0050] The identification information table 25 can be set by a user. Specifically, the user registers the identification information unique to each of the terminal devices 100 in the imaging apparatus 1 . For example, the imaging apparatus 1 displays all the terminal devices 100 which can be Wi-Fi®-connected so that the user can select one of the terminal devices 100 to be registered. An address of wireless LAN, a mail address, or a phone number of each terminal device 100 can be registered as the unique identification information. Then, the user selects a face of a person in an image shot by the imaging apparatus 1 . The imaging apparatus 1 displays the shot image on a liquid crystal display (not shown) to encourage the user to select the person to be registered. Then, the user allocates the registered identification information of the terminal device 100 to the selected face. Thus, the user can set the identification information table 25 . The registered face may be a face of the user who possesses the terminal device 100 , or a face of a person except for the user, such as a user's family member. [0051] The microcomputer 3 generally controls the imaging apparatus 1 , e.g., performs the shooting, or transmits and receives signals to and from external devices. One of the controls performed by the microcomputer 3 is focusing. The microcomputer 3 performs the focusing based on a contrast value of the distance measurement frame. The microcomputer 3 outputs a control signal to the focus control unit 36 to move the focus lens group L 2 along the optical axis AZ, while calculating a contrast value. The contrast value is calculated by arithmetic processing of the image signal corresponding to the distance measurement frame FA or the distance measurement frame FB. The microcomputer 3 obtains a position of the focus lens group L 2 at which the highest contrast value of the distance measurement frame FA, FB is obtained. Then, the microcomputer 3 calculates an optimum focus position relative to the subject (the position of the focus lens group L 2 ) based on the magnitude of the contrast value of the distance measurement frame FA, FB, weighting based on the position of the distance measurement frame FA, FB on the screen, etc. [0052] The imaging apparatus 1 configured as described above displays a through image captured by the image sensor 4 on the liquid crystal display (live view display). The imaging apparatus 1 performs the shooting when the user operates a release button (not shown). The imaging apparatus 1 displays the shot image on the liquid crystal display, or stores the shot image in the image recording unit 12 . The “through image” designates an image captured by the image sensor 4 , i.e., a through-the-lens image, and is used for the shooting. The “shot image” designates an image shot by the imaging apparatus 1 . Specifically, the “shot image” is an image which is captured by the image sensor 4 , and processed as a single file. Both of the “through image” and the “shot image” are images captured by the image sensor 4 , i.e., they are “captured images.” (3. Configuration of Terminal Device) [0053] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the terminal device 100 . FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the terminal device 100 . FIG. 8 shows a display 118 of the terminal device 100 . [0054] The terminal device 100 may be a smartphone. The terminal device 100 includes a casing 101 , a display 118 , and a touch panel 119 as shown in FIGS. 6-8 . The terminal device 100 is in the shape of a plate which is rectangular when viewed in plan. The terminal device 100 sends a control signal for operating the imaging apparatus 1 , and receives a through image or a shot image from the imaging apparatus 1 to display the through image or the shot image on the display 118 . For easy description, three-dimensional rectangular coordinates are defined in which a direction of a long side of the terminal device 100 is referred to an X axis, a direction of a short side of the terminal device 100 is referred to a Y axis, and a direction of a thickness of the terminal device 100 is referred to as a Z axis. [0055] The casing 101 includes a front casing 101 a and a back casing 101 b. The front casing 101 a and the back casing 101 b are integrally coupled with screws etc. A display window 104 is formed in the front casing 101 a. The display 118 is arranged in the display window 104 . The display 118 may be a liquid crystal display. The touch panel 119 is arranged to cover the display 118 . The touch panel 119 may be an electrostatic touch panel, a resistive film touch panel, an optical touch panel, an ultrasonic touch panel, or an electromagnetic touch panel. The user touches an object displayed on the display 118 with a finger or a pen to operate the terminal device 100 through the touch panel 119 . The front casing 101 a includes a power switch 120 . The power switch 120 is a switch operated to turn on/off the terminal device 100 . [0056] The terminal device 100 further includes, as shown in FIG. 7 , a microcomputer 103 , an image recording control unit 111 , an image recording unit 112 , a communication unit 115 , a display control unit 117 , a memory 128 , an operation I/F unit 130 , a GPS sensor 145 , a geomagnetic sensor 146 , a triaxial gyro sensor 147 , and a triaxial acceleration sensor 148 . [0057] The image recording unit 112 includes a card I/F unit 114 to which a removable memory 113 is attachable. The image recording unit 112 stores an image signal (a moving image and a still image) in association with a signal of a reduced image corresponding to the image signal and predetermined information based on a command from the image recording control unit 111 . The predetermined information associated with the image signal may include, for example, date information when the image is shot, focal length information, shutter speed information, f/number information, shooting mode information, etc. The predetermined information may be a format similar to Exif®, for example. [0058] The communication unit 115 conducts wireless communication with the imaging apparatus 1 through, for example, wireless LAN. For example, the communication unit 115 is Wi-Fi®-certified, and is Wi-Fi®-connected to the imaging apparatus 1 . The terminal device 100 transmits and receives signals to and from the imaging apparatus 1 through the communication unit 115 . [0059] The display control unit 117 controls the display 118 based on a control signal from the microcomputer 103 . The display 118 displays an image signal read from the image recording unit 112 or an image signal sent from the imaging apparatus 1 through the wireless LAN as a visible image based on a command from the display control unit 117 . [0060] The memory 128 stores identification information unique to the terminal device 100 . The identification information may be a Wi-Fi® address of the terminal device 100 . [0061] The GPS sensor 145 determines a position of the terminal device 100 . The GPS sensor 145 determines a latitude/longitude, or a location where a representative landmark exists. The geomagnetic sensor 146 determines a direction which the terminal device 100 faces (e.g., a direction which a normal line to the display 118 points). The triaxial gyro sensor 147 detects an attitude of the terminal device 100 , and detects rotation of the terminal device 100 in a pitching direction (X axis), a yawing direction (Y axis), and a rolling direction (Z axis). The triaxial acceleration sensor 148 detects acceleration of the terminal device 100 in the X, Y, and Z axis directions. [0062] The display 118 displays an operation unit 131 which can be operated through the touch panel 119 . Output from the touch panel 119 is input to the microcomputer 103 etc. through the operation I/F unit 130 . [0063] Specifically, the operation unit 131 includes a MENU button 132 , a SET button 133 , a shutter button 134 , a shooting mode button 135 , a playback mode button 136 , a zoom button 137 , and an automatic/manual selector button 138 . [0064] The MENU button 132 is operated to display various menus on the display 118 . The SET button 133 is operated to confirm the execution of the menu. The shooting mode button 135 is operated to select a shooting mode. The playback mode button 136 is operated to select a playback mode. The shooting mode button 135 and the playback mode button 136 are alternatively operable. The automatic/manual selector button 138 is operated to select an automatic shooting mode or a manual shooting mode. The automatic shooting mode and the manual shooting mode will be described later. [0065] The shutter button 134 is operated to output a command to the imaging apparatus 1 to perform focusing and driving of the shutter. The shutter button 134 is displayed as the distance measurement frame F. Specifically, in the shooting mode, a rectangular distance measurement frame F is displayed on a subject on the display 118 . The distance measurement frame F also functions as the shutter button 134 . When the user lightly touches the distance measurement frame F, a control signal instructing the focusing is sent from the terminal device 100 to the imaging apparatus 1 . When the user presses the distance measurement frame F for a long time, a control signal instructing the driving of the shutter is sent from the terminal device 100 to the imaging apparatus 1 . [0066] The zoom button 137 is operated to output a command to perform zooming to the imaging apparatus 1 . The zoom button 137 is a vertically extending bar-shaped button. When the user touches a lower part of the zoom button 137 (a part closer to a letter W), a control signal instructing the zoom lens group L 1 to move toward a wide angle position is sent from the terminal device 100 to the imaging apparatus 1 . When the user touches an upper part of the zoom button 137 (a part closer to a letter T), a control signal instructing the zoom lens group L 1 to move toward a telephoto position is sent from the terminal device 100 to the imaging apparatus 1 . [0067] The display 118 displays various types of information. For example, the display 118 displays a terminal name display part 139 and a shooting condition display part 140 . [0068] The terminal name display part 139 is an icon indicating which terminal device 100 is used at present. The terminal name display part 139 includes terminal name display icons 139 a, 139 b, and 139 c. The terminal names are A, B, and C in this example. The terminal device 100 displays the terminal name display icon of its own on an upper right part of the display 118 , and displays the terminal name display icons of the other terminal devices 100 on the left of the former terminal name display icon. The other terminal name display icons are displayed with a solid line when they are in use, or with a broken line when they are not in use. Thus, the user can see whether the other terminal devices are in use or not. [0069] The shooting condition display part 140 displays shooting conditions set by the imaging apparatus 1 , i.e., a shutter speed and an f/number. [0070] Although not shown, the display 118 can display the determination results of the GPS sensor 145 and the geomagnetic sensor 146 . In addition, the display 118 can display the determination results of the GPS sensors 145 and the geomagnetic sensors 146 of the other terminal devices 100 , and the determination results of the GPS sensor 18 and the geomagnetic sensor 19 of the imaging apparatus 1 . [0071] In the following description, the components of the terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C will be indicated by their original reference characters added with “A”, “B”, or “C,” if necessary. For example, a “display 118 A” is a display of the terminal device 100 A, and an “automatic/manual selector button 138 B” is an automatic/manual selector button of the terminal device 100 B. (4. Remote Operation) [0072] In the imaging system S configured as described above, the imaging apparatus 1 can be remote-controlled by the terminal device 100 . [0073] For example, the through image and the shot image of the imaging apparatus 1 can be checked using the terminal device 100 . Specifically, the imaging apparatus 1 sends the through image and the shot image to the terminal device 100 , and the terminal device 100 displays the through image and the shot image on the display 118 . The distance measurement frame F is shown on the through image. [0074] The terminal device 100 can allow the imaging apparatus 1 to perform the focusing, the zooming, and the shooting. Specifically, the terminal device 100 can adjust the focus and the magnification of the imaging apparatus 1 , or can allow the imaging apparatus 1 to perform the shooting by sending a control signal from the terminal device 100 to the imaging apparatus 1 . [0075] The terminal device 100 can also operate the electric pan head 51 of the tripod 50 . For example, when the user rotates the terminal device 100 in the pitching direction or the yawing direction, the microcomputer 103 of the terminal device 100 detects the movement of the terminal device 100 using one or both of the triaxial gyro sensor 147 and the triaxial acceleration sensor 148 , and generates a control signal to be sent to the electric pan head 51 based on the movement. The terminal device 100 sends the control signal to the tripod 50 . Upon receiving the control signal, the tripod 50 tilts or pans based on the control signal. Thus, when the user imitates the tilting or the panning with the terminal device 100 , the tripod 50 can tilt or pan based on the movement of the terminal device 100 . Thus, even through the remote control, the imaging apparatus 1 can be turned to the direction intended by the user. For example, even when the subject moves, the user can easily follow the subject by tilting or panning the terminal device 100 while looking at the through image on the display 118 of the terminal device 100 . When the tripod 50 and the terminal device 100 are wirelessly connected through the imaging apparatus 1 , the control signal from the terminal device 100 is sent to the tripod 50 through the imaging apparatus 1 . (5. Mode Selection of Imaging Apparatus) [0076] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of mode selection of the imaging apparatus 1 . Referring to FIG. 9 , the mode selection of the imaging apparatus 1 will be described below. In this example, the imaging apparatus 1 can be wirelessly connected to the three terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C. In the following description, S designates step. [0077] First, the imaging apparatus 1 is turned on to activate the imaging apparatus 1 . Thus, the imaging apparatus 1 is ready for the shooting (S 11 ). [0078] Then, the imaging apparatus 1 determines whether the imaging apparatus 1 is in wireless connection with the terminal device 100 in S 12 . Specifically, when the terminal device 100 is turned on, and is located in a range where the terminal device 100 can be wirelessly connected to the imaging apparatus 1 , the wireless connection between the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 is established. The imaging apparatus 1 checks current connection to the terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C, and determines which terminal device 100 is in wireless connection. The imaging device 1 can determine that the terminal device 100 is in wireless connection when the imaging apparatus 1 sends a request signal for confirming the connection to the terminal device 100 , and a response signal is sent back from the terminal device 100 . The following flow will be described on condition that the three terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C are in wireless connection. [0079] Then, in S 13 , the imaging apparatus 1 determines whether each of the wirelessly connected terminal devices 100 is in an automatic mode or a manual mode. When the automatic mode is selected, the flow proceeds to S 14 . When the manual mode is selected, the flow proceeds to S 17 . In S 14 , the imaging apparatus 1 determines whether the terminal device 100 in the automatic mode is in a shooting mode or a playback mode. When the shooting mode is selected, the flow proceeds to S 15 . When the playback mode is selected, the flow proceeds to S 16 . In S 15 , processing in an automatic shooting mode is performed. In S 16 , processing in a playback mode is performed. In S 17 , processing in a manual shooting mode is performed. The determinations in S 13 and S 14 are performed on every terminal device 100 . (6. Automatic Shooting Mode) [0080] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the processing in the automatic shooting mode. In this example, all the terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C are in the automatic shooting mode. In the automatic shooting mode, the imaging apparatus 1 sends the through image captured by the image sensor 4 to the terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C through the communication unit 15 in S 21 . Each of the terminal devices 100 receives the through image via the communication unit 115 , and displays the through image on the display 118 . The terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C receive the same through image. Thus, the through image captured by the image sensor 4 is displayed on the terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C in real time. [0081] The imaging apparatus 1 performs face detection on the subject in the through image in S 22 . When a face is detected in the through image, the flow proceeds to S 23 . When the face is not detected, the flow repeats S 22 . [0082] In S 23 , the imaging apparatus 1 identifies the subject based on the detected face. Specifically, the imaging apparatus 1 extracts feature data from the detected face, and checks the extracted data against the face registration database 23 . When the extracted feature data coincides with feature data registered in the face registration database 23 , the imaging apparatus 1 determines that the subject is a person registered in the face registration database 23 . Thus, a particular subject is detected. In this example, faces of persons A, B, and C are registered in the face registration database 23 . Thus, when an image of the subjects shown in FIG. 1 is captured, the persons A and B are identified. Then, information that the persons A and B are contained in the image is stored in the memory 28 . When the detected face does not coincide with the faces registered in the face registration database 23 , the flow returns to S 13 . [0083] When the face of the particular subject is detected, the imaging apparatus 1 identifies the terminal device 100 corresponding to the particular subject by referring to the identification information table 25 of the identification information storage unit 24 . Specifically, the imaging apparatus 1 identifies the terminal device 100 A as the terminal device corresponding to the person A, and the terminal device 100 B as the terminal device corresponding to the person B. [0084] When the particular subject registered in the database is detected, the imaging apparatus 1 adds a distance measurement frame surrounding the face of the subject to the through image sent to the terminal device 100 corresponding to the particular subject. FIG. 11 shows the display 118 of the terminal device 100 A displaying the through image, and FIG. 12 shows the display 118 of the terminal device 100 B displaying the through image. Specifically, the imaging apparatus 1 adds a distance measurement frame FA to the face of the subject A in the through image sent to the terminal device 100 A, and adds a distance measurement frame FB to the face of the subject B in the through image sent to the terminal device 100 B. The distance measurement frame is not added to the faces of subjects A and B in the through image sent to the terminal device 100 C. [0085] In S 24 , the imaging apparatus 1 automatically performs the shooting when the imaging apparatus 1 determines that the subject is the registered particular subject. When two or more registered particular subjects are contained in the image, the imaging apparatus 1 selects the shooting conditions relative to one of the subjects to which higher priority is given in advance. The order of priority can be stored in the identification information table 25 , for example. The higher priority is given to the subject registered in the higher column in the identification information table 25 . In the example shown in FIG. 5 , the subject A is registered in the higher column in the identification information table 25 than the subject B. Thus, the higher priority is given to the subject A. Therefore, when the image shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 is shot, the shooting conditions are set relative to the subject A. The priority can be set by storing the priority in association with the particular subject and the corresponding terminal device 100 in the identification information table 25 . The shooting conditions include various conditions associated with the shooting. For example, the imaging apparatus 1 can perform photometry and distance measurement relative to the subject A. In the photometry, the digital signal processing unit 8 calculates an exposure value based on an image signal from the face of the subject A and its vicinity output by the image sensor 4 . The microcomputer 3 determines a suitable shutter speed based on the calculated exposure value. The focus control unit 36 performs the focusing by moving the focus lens group L 2 so that the image signal in the distance measurement frame FA shows a peak contrast value. The shooting conditions may contain white balance, photographic sensitivity, zoom magnification, etc. [0086] When the imaging apparatus 1 automatically shoots the particular subject, the imaging apparatus 1 identifies the terminal device 100 associated with the particular subject based on the identification information table 25 in S 25 . In this example, the subjects A and B are shot. Thus, the terminal device 100 A associated with the subject A and the terminal device 100 B associated with the subject B are identified in the identification information table 25 . Then, the imaging apparatus 1 automatically sends the shot image to the terminal devices 100 A and 100 B in S 26 , and notifies the terminal devices 100 A and 100 B that the image is sent. The image sent to the terminal devices 100 A and 100 B is shot under the shooting conditions selected relative to the subject A. Then, the flow returns to S 21 . [0087] Upon receiving the shot image and the notice, each of the terminal devices 100 A and 100 B displays the shot image on the display 118 , and records the image in the image recording unit 112 . The shot image is not sent to the terminal device 100 C. [0088] In sending the shot image and the notice, the imaging apparatus 1 checks whether the terminal devices 100 are still in wireless connection. If the wireless connection has been shut down because the terminal devices 100 are turned off, or the communication environment is deteriorated, the imaging apparatus 1 temporarily records the shot image in the image recording unit 12 . When it is detected that the wireless connection with the terminal devices 100 becomes active again, the shot image is read out of the image recording unit 12 , and is sent to the terminal devices 100 . [0089] As described above, the imaging apparatus 1 includes the image sensor 4 configured to capture an image of the subject, the identification information storage unit 24 configured to store one or multiple particular subjects and one or multiple terminal devices 100 corresponding to the subjects, the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 configured to detect the particular subject stored in the identification information storage unit 24 in the image captured by the image sensor 4 , and the microcomputer 3 configured to send the image to the terminal device 100 . The imaging apparatus 1 is configured to send the image to the terminal device 100 . When the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 detect the particular subject, the microcomputer 3 sends the image to the terminal device 100 which is stored in the identification information storage unit 24 and corresponds to the particular subject. The imaging system S includes the terminal device 100 , and the imaging apparatus 1 which is configured to be remote-controlled by the terminal device 100 , and to send the image to the terminal device 100 . The imaging apparatus 1 includes the image sensor 4 configured to capture an image of the subject, the identification information storage unit 24 configured to store one or multiple particular subjects and one or multiple terminal devices 100 corresponding to the subjects, the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 configured to detect the particular subject stored in the identification information storage unit 24 in the image captured by the image sensor 4 , and the microcomputer 3 configured to send the image to the terminal device 100 . When the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 detect the particular subject, the microcomputer 3 sends the image to the terminal device 100 which is stored in the identification information storage unit 24 and corresponds to the particular subject. Specifically, the imaging system S includes the single imaging apparatus 1 to which the multiple terminal devices 100 are wirelessly connected. When the subject is identified by the imaging apparatus 1 in the automatic shooting mode, the captured image can automatically be sent to the terminal device 100 associated with the identified subject. Thus, the user no longer needs to classify the shot images according to the subject. This can improve usability of the imaging system. [0090] When the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 detect the multiple particular subjects, the microcomputer 3 performs the shooting under a shooting condition set relative to one of the detected particular subjects, and sends a shot image to the multiple terminal devices 100 which are stored in the identification information storage unit 24 and correspond to the detected multiple particular subjects. Specifically, when the multiple particular subjects are present in the image, the shooting is performed under the shooting conditions set relative to one of the particular subjects. The same shot image is sent to the multiple terminal devices corresponding to the multiple particular subjects present in the image. Thus, even when the multiple particular subjects are present in the image, the image is shot only once, thereby simplifying the shooting. For example, relative to which one of the multiple particular subjects present in the image the shooting conditions are set may be determined based on the predetermined priority of the particular subjects. Alternatively, the shooting conditions may be selected relative to the particular subject selected through the terminal device 100 . In this case, the shooting conditions are automatically set by the imaging apparatus 1 based on the through image etc. [0091] In the above-described example, the shot image is sent to the terminal device 100 . However, only the notice may be sent to the terminal device 100 , and the shot image may be sent to a server specified in advance. In this case, an URL of the stored image may be sent from the server to the terminal device 100 via an e-mail etc. [0092] The imaging apparatus 1 is configured to send the through image to all the terminal devices 100 . However, the sending of the through image is not limited to this example. When the imaging apparatus 1 detects the particular subject in the through image, the through image may be sent only to the terminal device 100 corresponding to the detected particular subject. [0093] When the particular subject corresponding to the terminal device 100 C is not present in the shot image, the shooting conditions used for the shooting may be sent to the terminal device 100 C. Specifically, the microcomputer 3 performs the shooting when the particular subject is detected in the image captured by the image sensor 4 , and may send the used shooting conditions to the terminal device 100 which is stored in the identification information storage unit 24 and does not correspond to the detected particular subject. Thus, the terminal device 100 C can obtain the shooting conditions for the current situation. Since brightness of background may probably not change immediately, the terminal device 100 C can set the shooting conditions suitable for the current situation in advance. This is advantageous when the terminal device 100 C performs the manual shooting. [0094] When one or more terminal devices 100 wirelessly connected to the imaging apparatus 1 are not in the automatic shooting mode, the above-described processing is performed only for the terminal device 100 in the automatic shooting mode. [0095] The subject A and the user a may be the same person, e.g., in shooting the user himself in memory of a special occasion. (7. Manual Shooting Mode) [0096] A manual shooting mode will be described below. FIG. 13 is a flowchart of processing in the manual shooting mode. FIG. 14 shows the display 118 of the terminal device 100 A in the manual shooting mode. In this example, only the terminal device 100 A is in the manual shooting mode. In the manual shooting mode, an automatic/manual selector button 138 A of the terminal device 100 A displays “manual.” [0097] In the manual shooting mode, the imaging apparatus 1 sends the through image captured by the image sensor 4 to the terminal device 100 A in the manual shooting mode via the communication unit 15 in S 31 . [0098] In S 32 , the imaging apparatus 1 sets various shooting conditions upon receiving the shooting conditions from the terminal device 100 A. Specifically, the user touches a MENU button 132 A of the terminal device 100 A to manually select the shooting conditions of the imaging apparatus 1 . For example, the shutter speed is set to 1/100, and the f/number is set to F2.8. When the shooting conditions are set, the selected shooting conditions are displayed on a shooting condition display part 140 A on an upper left part of the display 118 A. When the setting of the shooting conditions on the terminal device 100 A is finished, the set shooting conditions are sent from the terminal device 100 A to the imaging apparatus 1 . At this time, the terminal device 100 A also sends identification information thereof. Upon receiving the shooting conditions from the terminal device 100 A, the imaging apparatus 1 determines whether the shooting conditions are sent from the terminal device 100 in the manual shooting mode based on the identification information. When it is determined that the shooting conditions are those from the terminal device 100 in the manual shooting mode, the imaging apparatus 1 sets the sent shooting conditions as the shooting conditions of the imaging apparatus 1 . [0099] In S 33 , the shooting is performed. The shooting is executed when the user operates the terminal device 100 A. Specifically, when the user lightly touches the shutter button 134 A displayed on the display 118 A, a signal indicating this event is sent from the terminal device 100 A to the imaging apparatus 1 . When the imaging apparatus 1 receives the signal, the microcomputer 3 performs the focusing by controlling the focus control unit 36 to move the focus lens group L 2 so that a peak contrast value of the image signal is obtained. Then, when the user presses the shutter button 134 A displayed on the display 118 A for a long time, a signal indicating this event is sent from the terminal device 100 A to the imaging apparatus 1 . When the imaging apparatus 1 receives the signal, the microcomputer 3 controls the CCD drive control unit 5 and the shutter control unit 31 to perform the shooting. Thus, the manual shooting is performed under the exposure and distance conditions set through the terminal device 100 A. [0100] Then, in S 34 , the imaging apparatus 1 automatically sends the shot image to the terminal device 100 A which output the shooting command, and notifies the terminal device 100 A of this event. Upon receiving the shot image and the notice, the terminal device 100 A displays the shot image on the display 118 A. [0101] In S 35 , the imaging apparatus 1 automatically sends the shot image and the used shooting conditions to the terminal devices except for the terminal device 100 A which output the shooting command, i.e., to the terminal devices 100 B and 100 C. Upon receiving the shot image and the shooting conditions, the terminal devices 100 B and 100 C display the shot image and the shooting conditions on the displays 118 B and 118 C, and store the image in the image recording unit 112 B and 112 C. At this time, the terminal devices 100 B and 100 C may automatically set the received shooting conditions as their shooting conditions. [0102] As described above, the imaging apparatus 1 includes the image sensor 4 configured to capture an image of the subject, the identification information storage unit 24 configured to store the particular terminal devices 100 , and the microcomputer 3 configured to perform the shooting using the image sensor 4 . The imaging apparatus 1 is configured to be remote-controlled by the terminal device 100 , and to send the image to the terminal device 100 . When the shooting is performed in response to the remote control by the particular terminal device 100 , the microcomputer 3 sends a shooting condition used for the shooting to the terminal device 100 which is stored in the storage unit 24 and does not correspond to the shot particular subject. The imaging system S includes the terminal device 100 , and the imaging apparatus 1 which is configured to be remote-controlled by the terminal device 100 , and to send the image to the terminal device 100 . The imaging apparatus 1 includes the image sensor 4 configured to capture an image of the subject, the identification information storage unit 24 configured to store the particular terminal devices 100 , and the microcomputer 3 configured to perform the shooting using the image sensor 4 . When the shooting is performed in response to the remote control by the particular terminal device 100 , the microcomputer 3 sends the shooting condition used for the shooting to the terminal device 100 which is stored in the storage unit 24 and does not correspond to the shot particular subject. Specifically, in the imaging system S including the single imaging apparatus 1 to which multiple terminal devices 100 are wirelessly connected, the shooting conditions set for the shooting by a certain user can automatically be sent to the terminal devices 100 of the other users in the manual shooting mode. Thus, when the other user performs the shooting successively, the user can employ the received shooting conditions. Therefore, time for setting the shooting conditions can be saved, and the suitable shooting conditions can be set. This can improve usability in setting the shooting conditions. [0103] When the shooting is performed in response to the remote control by the terminal device 100 , the microcomputer 3 can set the shooting conditions based on the remote control by the terminal device 100 . Specifically, the shooting conditions can be set by the remote control. [0104] In addition to the shooting conditions, the microcomputer 3 also sends the shot image to the terminal devices 100 except for the terminal device 100 which performed the remote control. Thus, the shooting conditions can suitably be set by referring to the shot image and the used shooting conditions. Specifically, when the shooting is performed in the similar environment, time for setting the shooting conditions can be saved. When the shot image does not match the user's taste, the shooting conditions different from the used shooting conditions may be set to perform the shooting based on the user's taste. This can reduce a probability of taking failed pictures. [0105] When the imaging apparatus 1 is configured to be operated only in the manual shooting mode, the identification information storage unit 24 does not need to store the identification information table 25 , and may store particular terminal devices 100 . The face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 can be omitted. [0106] In the above example, the shot image and the used shooting conditions are sent to the other terminal devices 100 B and 100 C. However, only the shooting conditions may be sent to the other terminal devices 100 B and 100 C, and the terminal devices 100 B and 100 C may automatically set the received shooting conditions. Specifically, the other users b and c do not set their own shooting conditions, i.e., the shooting conditions for the terminal devices 100 B and 100 C of the other users b and c are automatically set based on the taste of the user a. In this way, the other users can save time for setting the shooting conditions when a particular user has set the shooting conditions. [0107] When the terminal devices 100 B and 100 C are in the manual shooting mode, the same processing described above is performed. (8. Playback Mode) [0108] A playback mode will be described below. FIG. 15 is a flowchart of processing in the playback mode, and FIG. 16 shows the display 118 of the terminal device 100 A in the playback mode. In this example, the terminal devices 100 A, 100 B, and 100 C are in the playback mode. In the playback mode, a playback mode button 136 A is displayed on an upper left part of the display 118 . [0109] In the playback mode, the terminal device 100 A displays the shot image read from the image recording unit 112 A on the display 118 A. The imaging apparatus 1 keeps capturing the through image. [0110] In S 41 , the imaging apparatus 1 performs face detection on the subject in the through image. When a face is detected in the through image, the flow proceeds to S 42 . When the face is not detected, the flow repeats S 41 . In S 42 , the imaging apparatus 1 identifies the subject based on the detected face. When it is determined that the subject is a registered particular person, the imaging apparatus 1 automatically performs the shooting in S 43 . When the particular subject is automatically shot, the imaging apparatus 1 identifies the terminal device 100 associated with the subject based on the identification information table 25 in S 44 . In this example, the subjects A and B are shot, and the terminal device 100 A associated with the subject A and the terminal device 100 B associated with the subject B in the identification information table 25 are identified. Then, the imaging apparatus 1 automatically sends the shot image to the terminal devices 100 A and 100 B in S 45 , and notifies the terminal devices 100 A and 100 B of the event. The processing of S 41 -S 45 is the same as the processing in S 22 -S 26 in the automatic shooting mode. [0111] Upon receiving the shot image and the notice, the terminal devices 100 A and 100 B change the playback mode to the automatic shooting mode. Specifically, each of the terminal devices 100 A and 100 B cancels the playback of the shot image etc., and displays the shot image sent from the imaging apparatus 1 on the display 118 , and then records the sent image in the image recording unit 112 . [0112] The shot image and the notice are not sent to the terminal device 100 C. Thus, the terminal device 100 C remains in the playback mode. [0113] As described above, the imaging apparatus 1 is configured to be remote-controlled by the terminal device 100 , and to send the image to the terminal device 100 . The imaging apparatus 1 includes the image sensor 4 configured to capture an image of the subject, the identification information storage unit 24 configured to store one or multiple particular subjects and one or multiple terminal devices 100 corresponding to the subjects, the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 configured to detect the particular subject stored in the identification information storage unit 24 in the image captured by the image sensor 4 , and the microcomputer 3 configured to notify the terminal device 100 which is stored in the identification information storage unit 24 and corresponds to the particular subject that the particular subject is detected by the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 . The imaging system S includes the terminal device 100 , and the imaging apparatus 1 which is configured to be remote-controlled by the terminal device 100 , and to send the image to the terminal device 100 . The imaging apparatus 1 includes the image sensor 4 configured to capture an image of the subject, the identification information storage unit 24 configured to store one or multiple particular subjects and one or multiple terminal devices 100 corresponding to the subjects, the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 configured to detect the particular subject stored in the identification information storage unit 24 in the image captured by the image sensor 4 , and the microcomputer 3 configured to notify the terminal device 100 which is stored in the identification information storage unit 24 and corresponds to the particular subject that the particular subject is detected by the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 . Specifically, the imaging system S includes the single imaging apparatus 1 to which multiple terminal devices 100 are wirelessly connected. When the particular subject is detected by the imaging apparatus 1 in the playback mode, the imaging apparatus 1 notifies the terminal device 100 previously associated with the particular subject of the event even when the through image is not displayed on the terminal device 100 . The notified user can allow the terminal device 100 to display the through image to perform the shooting. This can prevent missing of the right moment to take a picture. Thus, the convenience in use of the single imaging apparatus by the plurality of users can be improved. [0114] In notifying the terminal device 100 corresponding to the particular subject that the particular subject is detected, the microcomputer 3 sends the image to the terminal device 100 . Upon receiving the notice and the image from the imaging apparatus 1 , the terminal device 100 including the display 118 configured to display the image displays the image on the display 118 . Thus, when the particular subject is detected, the terminal device 100 corresponding to the particular subject is automatically changed from the playback mode to the shooting mode. This can quickly bring the terminal device 100 into a state ready for shooting the subject. [0115] In the above example, the playback mode is changed to the automatic shooting mode. However, the playback mode may be changed to the manual shooting mode. In this case, S 44 is performed without performing the shooting in S 43 , and then the through image is sent only to the particular terminal devices 100 A and 100 B. Then, the processing of S 31 -S 35 in the manual shooting mode is performed. [0116] When the particular subject is detected, the terminal device 100 corresponding to the detected particular subject is changed from the playback mode to the shooting mode. However, the terminal device 100 may remain in the playback mode. Specifically, when the terminal device 100 is notified that the particular subject is detected, the terminal device 100 may notify the user of the event. For example, the event may be displayed on the display 118 , or the event may be notified by making a sound. Then, the user may select the playback mode or the shooting mode, or the user may select the automatic shooting mode or the manual shooting mode in selecting the shooting mode. [0117] In the playback mode, a subscreen for displaying the through image captured by the imaging apparatus 1 may simultaneously be displayed on part of the display 118 of the terminal device 100 . [0118] When one or more terminal devices 100 wirelessly connected to the imaging apparatus 1 are not in the playback mode, the above-described processing is performed only for the terminal device 100 in the playback mode. [0000] (9. Automatic Shooting Mode according to Alternative) [0119] An automatic shooting mode according to an alternative will be described below. FIG. 17 is a flowchart of processing in the automatic shooting mode. This mode may be referred to as an automatic continuous shooting mode. [0120] Processing in S 51 -S 53 and S 55 in the automatic continuous shooting mode is the same as that in S 21 -S 23 and S 25 in the automatic shooting mode shown in FIG. 10 . Specifically, S 54 related to the shooting and S 56 related to the sending of the shot image are different from S 24 and S 26 in the automatic shooting mode shown in FIG. 10 . [0121] Specifically, in the shooting in S 54 , the shooting conditions are set relative to each of the detected particular subjects. First, an exposure value is calculated on the subject A, and a shutter speed for the subject A is determined based on the exposure value. The focusing is performed based on a distance measurement frame FA. Then, the shooting is performed under the exposure and distance conditions optimum to the subject A. The same processing is performed on the subject B, and the shooting is performed under the exposure and distance conditions optimum to the subject B. In this way, the shooting is continuously performed under the shooting conditions suitable for each of the identified subjects. As a result, images of the same number as the identified subjects are shot. The shooting conditions changed in accordance with the subject may include white balance, photographic sensitivity, zoom magnification, etc., as described above. [0122] Then, in S 55 , the terminal devices 100 associated with the particular subjects are identified. [0123] Then, in S 56 , the imaging apparatus 1 automatically sends the shot images to the terminal devices 100 A and 100 B, respectively, and notifies the terminal devices 100 A and 100 B of the event. At this time, the imaging apparatus 1 sends the image shot under the shooting conditions set relative to the subject A to the terminal device 100 A, and sends the image shot under the shooting conditions set relative to the subject B to the terminal device 100 B. [0124] As described above, the imaging apparatus 1 includes the image sensor 4 configured to capture an image of the subject, the identification information storage unit 24 configured to store one or multiple particular subjects and one or multiple terminal devices 100 corresponding to the subjects, the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 configured to detect the particular subject stored in the identification information storage unit 24 in the image captured by the image sensor 4 , and the microcomputer 3 configured to send the image to the terminal device 100 . The imaging apparatus 1 is configured to send the image to the terminal device 100 . When the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 detect the multiple particular subjects, the microcomputer 3 performs the shooting multiple times under different shooting conditions set relative to the detected particular subjects, respectively, and sends the images shot under the different shooting conditions to the terminal devices 100 which are stored in the identification information storage unit 24 and correspond to the particular subjects, respectively. Specifically, in the imaging system S including the single imaging apparatus 1 to which multiple terminal devices 100 are wirelessly connected, the shooting conditions are adjusted relative to each of the subjects identified by the imaging apparatus 1 to perform the shooting, and the shot images are automatically sent to the terminal devices 100 associated with the particular subjects, respectively, in the automatic continuous shooting mode. Thus, all the particular subjects can be shot under the suitable shooting conditions. (10. Manual Shooting Mode of Alternative) [0125] A manual shooting mode according to an alternative will be described below. FIG. 18 is a flowchart of processing in the manual shooting mode according to the alternative. This mode may be referred to as a preferential manual shooting mode. [0126] Processing in S 61 -S 63 in the preferential manual shooting mode is the same as the processing in S 21 -S 23 in the automatic shooting mode shown in FIG. 10 . Specifically, the processing of sending the through image from the imaging apparatus 1 to each of the terminal devices 100 , and performing the face detection on the through image to identify the subject is the same as that in the automatic shooting mode. [0127] In S 64 , the imaging apparatus 1 determines to which terminal device 100 priority in performing the various operations is given. The preferentially performed various operations may be zooming, shutter operation, panning and tilting of the tripod 50 , etc. The terminal device 100 to which the priority is given is determined based on the detected particular subject. Specifically, the imaging apparatus 1 gives the priority to the terminal device 100 corresponding to the detected particular subject. The terminal device 100 corresponding to the particular subject is identified by referring to the identification information table 25 . When two or more particular subjects are detected, the imaging apparatus 1 determines one terminal device 100 to which the priority is given based on the order of priority of the particular subjects. For example, when an image shown in FIG. 11 is shot, the subjects A and B are detected as the particular subjects. Suppose that the subject A has a higher priority than the subject B, the priority is given to the terminal device 100 A corresponding to the subject A. The order of priority of the subjects may be determined in advance using the identification information table 25 as described above. [0128] When two or more particular subjects are detected, the terminal device 100 to which the priority is given may not be limited to a single terminal device. The priority may be given to two or more terminal devices 100 corresponding to the two or more particular subjects. [0129] In S 65 , the imaging apparatus 1 notifies the terminal device 100 A that the subject A is detected and the priority in performing the various operations is given. Then, the terminal device 100 A is operable for performing the various operations. The imaging apparatus 1 does not notify the terminal devices 100 B and 100 C that the priority is given. Thus, the terminal devices 100 B and 100 C are prohibited to perform the various operations. Note that the terminal devices 100 may not be permitted or prohibited to perform the operations. For example, each of the terminal devices 100 may be allowed to output a command to perform the various operations, and the imaging apparatus 1 may handle only the command from the terminal device 100 to which the priority is given as a valid command, and may handle the commands from the other terminal devices as invalid commands. [0130] In S 66 , the imaging apparatus 1 receives the shooting conditions from the terminal device 100 A, and sets various shooting conditions. Specifically, the user sets the shooting conditions using the terminal device 100 A. The setting of the shooting conditions can be done in the same manner as in S 32 . When the setting of the shooting conditions of the terminal device 100 A is finished, the shooting conditions are sent from the terminal device 100 A to the imaging apparatus 1 . At this time, the terminal device 100 A also sends the identification information thereof. Upon receiving the shooting conditions from the terminal device 100 A, the imaging apparatus 1 determines whether the shooting conditions are sent from the terminal device 100 to which the priority is given based on the identification information. When it is determined that the shooting conditions are sent from the terminal device 100 to which the priority is given, the imaging apparatus 1 sets the sent shooting conditions as the shooting conditions thereof. [0131] In S 67 , the shooting is performed. The shooting is executed when the user operates the terminal device 100 A. The shooting operations are the same as in S 33 . Upon receiving a control signal, the imaging apparatus 1 determines whether the control signal is sent from the terminal device 100 to which the priority is given based on the identification information. When it is determined that the control signal is sent from the terminal device 100 to which the priority is given, the imaging apparatus 1 performs the focusing and the shooting based on the control signal. Thus, the manual shooting is performed under the exposure and distance conditions set by the terminal device 100 A. [0132] In S 68 , the imaging apparatus 1 automatically sends the shot image to the terminal device 100 A to which the priority is given, and notifies the terminal device 100 A of this event. Upon receiving the shot image and the notice, the terminal device 100 A displays the shot image on the display 118 A. [0133] The shot image and/or the shooting conditions may be sent to the terminal devices 100 B and 100 C to which the priority is not given. [0134] When the terminal device 100 A relinquishes the priority, the priority of the terminal device 100 A is canceled. The priority can be relinquished by operating the terminal device 100 A. When the priority of the terminal device 100 A is canceled, and the particular subject except for the subject A is shot, the priority may be determined again from the shot image of the particular subject. [0135] Thus, the imaging system S includes the terminal device 100 , and the imaging apparatus 1 which is configured to be remote-controlled by the terminal device 100 , and to send the image to the terminal device 100 . The imaging apparatus 1 includes the image sensor 4 configured to capture an image of the subject, the identification information storage unit 24 configured to store one or multiple particular subjects and one or multiple terminal devices 100 corresponding to the subjects, the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 configured to detect the particular subject stored in the identification information storage unit 24 from the image captured by the image sensor 4 , and the microcomputer 3 configured to notify the terminal device 100 which is stored in the identification information storage unit 24 and corresponds to the particular subject that the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 detected the particular subject. When the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 detect the particular subject, the microcomputer 3 accepts only the remote control by the terminal device 100 which is stored in the identification information storage unit 24 and corresponds to the particular subject. Specifically, in the remote imaging system S including the imaging apparatus 1 to which multiple terminal devices 100 are wirelessly connected, the priority for operating the imaging apparatus 1 is given to the terminal device 100 associated with the subject identified by the imaging apparatus 1 in the preferential manual shooting mode. Thus, the terminal device 100 which can perform the various operations of the imaging apparatus 1 is limited. This can avoid the imaging apparatus 1 from being out of control due to operation by the multiple terminal devices. [0136] When the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 detect two or more particular subjects, the microcomputer 3 accepts the remote control only by the terminal device 100 which is stored in the identification information storage unit 24 and corresponds to the particular subject having the highest priority among the detected particular subjects. Thus, the terminal device 100 which can perform the various operations of the imaging apparatus 1 can be limited to the single terminal device, and the imaging apparatus 1 can properly be remote-controlled. (11. Imaging Apparatus and Terminal Device Joined Together) [0137] The imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 joined in use will be described below. FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing appearance of the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 joined in use. [0138] The general configurations of the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 have already been described with reference to FIGS. 2 , 3 , 6 , and 7 . Thus, the same components will be indicated by the same reference characters, and they are not described in detail again. [0139] For example, a magnet is attached to a rear surface of the terminal device 100 (a surface opposite the display 118 ). Then, a rear surface of the imaging apparatus 1 (a surface opposite the lens barrel 41 ) is joined to the rear surface of the terminal device 100 through the magnet. The terminal device 100 includes the proximity sensor 17 . Thus, the proximity sensor 17 detects a magnetic field of the magnet to detect that the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 are joined. When the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 are in proximity to each other, they are automatically P2P-connected. Thus, the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 can easily constitute a display-equipped imaging apparatus 200 . In the display-equipped imaging apparatus 200 , the imaging apparatus 1 can be operated by operating the operation unit 131 of the terminal device 100 . The through image and the shot image of the imaging apparatus 1 are sent to the terminal device 100 through the communication unit 15 , 115 , and displayed on the display 118 , or recorded in the image recording unit 112 . [0140] As described above, the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 can be used as a single imaging device 200 equipped with the display. Thus, the operation unit and the display required in general digital cameras can be removed from the imaging apparatus 1 , or can be simplified. Accordingly, the imaging apparatus 1 can be downsized, and costs of the imaging apparatus 1 can be reduced. Since the smartphones and cellular phones are more useful in uploading or modifying an image processing software than the imaging apparatus 1 , the usability can be improved. [0141] The imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 are joined using the magnet attached to the terminal device 100 . However, the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 may be joined in different ways. For example, the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 may be joined with a hook or a band. The proximity sensor of the imaging apparatus 1 detects that the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 are joined. However, the detection is not limited thereto. For example, the terminal device 100 may have the proximity sensor, or the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 may have the proximity sensors, respectively. Further, the joining of the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 may not automatically be detected, but the user may input information that the imaging apparatus 1 and the terminal device 100 are joined. Other Embodiments [0142] The embodiment may be modified in the following manner. [0143] The number of the terminal devices 100 included in the imaging system S is not limited to three. Any number of the terminal devices 100 may be included in the imaging system S. [0144] The smartphone has been described as an example of the terminal device 100 . However, the terminal device is not limited thereto. The terminal device may be an information terminal, such as a cellular phone, a tablet PC, etc. The type of the terminal device is not limited as long as the terminal device has particular identification information, and can be recognized by the imaging apparatus 1 . Thus, the terminal device may be a television set or a personal computer for home use which is connected to the imaging apparatus 1 through an external communication device, such as an access point. Specifically, the imaging apparatus 1 can be remote-controlled by operating the television set or the personal computer for home use, and the shot image can be viewed in a large screen of the television set or the personal computer. When an application software for processing the shot image is installed in the terminal device, the application software can easily be upgraded, thereby improving convenience of the system. A camera may additionally be provided in the terminal device. [0145] The particular identification information of the terminal device 100 is not limited to the Wi-Fi® address. Any information can be used as the identification information as long as the terminal device can be identified by the information. For example, the identification information may be a mail address or a phone number of the terminal device, or a character string selected by the user. [0146] The digital camera has been described as an example of the imaging apparatus 1 . However, the imaging apparatus 1 is not limited thereto. The type of the imaging apparatus is not limited as long as the apparatus can communicate with the terminal device, can identify the terminal device, and can associate the particular subject with the terminal device. Thus, any imaging apparatus can be used as long as it includes an optical system, an image sensor, a communication unit, and a storage unit. For example, the imaging apparatus may be a robot, a Web camera, or a surveillance camera. When the imaging apparatus is the robot, the robot can be remote-controlled by the triaxial gyro sensor and the triaxial acceleration sensor of the terminal device. [0147] The image data is compressed and sent to the terminal device. However, the image data may be sent without compression. The shot image may be a still image (including continuously shot images), or a moving image. [0148] The imaging apparatus 1 performs the face detection and identification of the subject. However, in place of the imaging apparatus 1 , the terminal device 100 may perform the face detection and the identification of the subject. In this case, the terminal device 100 is provided with a face registration database similar to the face registration database 23 . In this configuration, the through image is temporarily sent to the terminal device 100 , and the terminal device 100 performs the detection and identification of the subject based on the through image. The terminal device 100 sends the results of the identification of the subject and the identification information to the imaging apparatus 1 . Based on the results of the identification, the imaging apparatus 1 performs the exposure and the distance measurement described above. The shot image is also temporarily sent to the terminal device 100 , and the terminal device 100 performs the detection and identification of the subject. The terminal device 100 sends the results of the identification of the subject and the identification information to the imaging apparatus 1 . Based on the results of the identification, the imaging apparatus 1 sends the shot image and the shooting conditions described above. The image compression unit 10 may be provided not in the imaging apparatus 1 , but in the terminal device 100 . [0149] The shot image is directly sent from the imaging apparatus 1 to the terminal devices 100 . However, the sending is not limited thereto. For example, the shot image may be sent from the imaging apparatus 1 to a particular terminal device, and the shot image may be transferred to the other terminals from the particular terminal device. [0150] The multiple terminal devices 100 are wirelessly connected to the single imaging apparatus 1 . However, for example, the multiple terminal devices 100 may wirelessly be connected to multiple imaging apparatuses 1 . When the terminal devices are connected to the multiple imaging apparatuses 1 , the two or more imaging apparatuses 1 may simultaneously be controlled, a single subject may be shot from different locations, or the single subject may chronologically be shot. The number of the terminal devices 100 is not limited to three. For example, two terminal devices, or four or more terminal devices may be used. [0151] A single subject is associated with a single terminal device 100 . However, two or more subjects may be associated with the single terminal device 100 . The subject to be registered is not limited to a person, and may be an animal such as a pet, a vehicle, etc. [0152] The optical system L of the lens barrel 41 may be a single focus system or a pan-focus system. The imaging apparatus 1 may include an image stabilization device. The lens barrel 41 may be detachable from the camera body 40 . [0153] The electric pan head 51 including a motor may be installed not in the tripod 50 , but in the imaging apparatus 1 . The electric pan head 51 may be configured to automatically follow the subject in combination with the face detection unit 21 and the face recognition unit 22 of the imaging apparatus 1 . [0154] The operation unit 131 , such as the shutter button 134 , is provided on the display 118 . However, the operation unit may be a mechanically operated button provided on the terminal device 100 . [0155] In the automatic shooting mode, the shooting is automatically performed when the particular subject is detected in the through image. However, a trigger for the automatic shooting is not limited to this event. For example, the automatic shooting may be performed at predetermined time intervals, or may be performed when a predetermined event has occurred, e.g., when the subject moves in a particular way. In this case, the imaging apparatus 1 detects the particular subject in the shot image. When the particular subject is detected, the shot image is sent to the corresponding terminal device 100 by referring to the identification information table 25 . [0156] In the manual shooting mode, when the particular subjects are detected, the terminal device 100 to which the priority is given is determined from the terminal devices 100 corresponding to the particular subjects. However, the giving of the priority is not limited thereto. The priority may be determined in advance irrespective of whether the particular subject is detected or not. Specifically, the imaging apparatus 1 can register multiple terminal devices 100 , and the priority can be set together. Among the terminal devices 100 which are turned on, and in wireless connection with the imaging apparatus 1 , the priority is given to the terminal device 100 having the highest priority. The terminal device 100 to which the priority is given can preferentially operate the imaging apparatus 1 irrespective of whether the corresponding particular subject is detected in the image or not. [0157] In the manual shooting mode, the shot image and the shooting conditions are sent to the other terminal devices 100 than the terminal device 100 which performed the remote control. However, only the shooting conditions may be sent to the other terminal devices 100 without sending the shot image. In this configuration, the terminal devices 100 which received the shooting conditions set the received shooting conditions as their shooting conditions. Thus, the shooting conditions in the current situation can automatically be set. [0158] The disclosed technology is useful for imaging apparatuses and imaging systems. [0159] The above-described embodiment has been set forth merely for the purposes of preferred examples in nature, and is not intended to limit the scope, applications, and use of the invention. The specific configurations described above can be modified and corrected in various ways within the scope of the invention.

An imaging system includes: an imaging device; and a terminal device configured to remotely operate the imaging device in response to an input received from a user of the terminal device. The imaging device includes an imager configured to capture an image; and a transmitter configured to transmit the image to the terminal device. The terminal device includes a receiver configured to receive the image transmitted from the transmitter. The imaging device is removably attachable to the terminal device. The transmitter of the imaging device is configured to start communication with the receiver of the terminal device when the imaging device and the terminal device are in proximity to each other.

This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 043,177 filed Apr. 2, 1993, abandoned, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/945,594 filed Sep. 16, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,763, which is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 07/607,791 filed Oct. 31, 1990, abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/189,100 filed May 2, 1988, abandoned. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to novel prostaglandins of the F series and vasopressors containing the same. Prostaglandins of the F series (hereinafter referred to as PGFs) which contain a partial structure as a five-membered ring shown in the following formula: ##STR1## may be roughly divided into PGF 1 α: ##STR2## in which the carbon atom at 5-position (referred to as C-5 hereinafter, such nominating is applied to other carbon) and C-6 are singly bonded, and PGF 2 α: ##STR3## in which C-5 and C-6 are doubly bounded, and PGF 3 α: ##STR4## in which C-5 and C-6 are, and C-17 and C-18 are are double bonded. For example, PGF 2 α which exhibits marked oxytoci effect is clinically used to induce or promote pain at the last stage of pregnancy. Moreover, it is known to have vasopressor effect, however, the effect of PGF 2 α is accompanied with preceding ephemeral vasorelaxation. Further, the typical PG effects on trachea, bronchus and intestine such as increase of airway resistance due to tracheal contraction and abdominal pain due to intestines contraction, are simultaneously accompanied with vasopressor effect, therefore, there are problems to use the PGFs as vasopressors. On the other hand, prostaglandin F metaboletes in which the bond between C-13 and C-14 is saturated, and C is a carbonyl group, are found to exist in human and ani metabolites. These 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin are shown in the formulae following: ##STR5## and are known as the metabolites of the corresponding PGF 1 α, PGF 2 α, and PGF 3 α in vivo. These 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGFs scarcely exhibit any physiological activities that PGFs inherently possess, and have been reported as the physiologically-, and the pharmacologically-inactive metabolites (see, Acta Physiologica Scandinabia, 66, P 506-(1988)). SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION While evaluating pharmacological activities of the derivatives of the above metabolites, however, the present inventors have found that carboxylic-acid esters of the above metabolites themselves, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF analogues, which are carboxylic acids, corresponding salts, and corresponding esters, bearing substituents on C-3, -16, -17, -19, and/or -20 and 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF analogues which bear a methyl group or a hydroxymethyl group instead of a hydroxy group on C-9 or C-11, show vasopressor activity, which is one of the phermaceutical activities of the PGFs. The vasopressor effect of these 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGFs may raise blood pressure without ephemeral vasorelexation which is inherent to the PGFs. Further, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGFs, which show no or extremely reduced tracheal and intestineal contraction effects those the PGFs inherently possess are found to have no typical PG effects on trachea, bronchus and intestine. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGS. 1-27 are n.m.r. charts of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGFs of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGFs and the corresponding salts shown in the general formula and vasopressors containing the compounds; ##STR6## in the formula C-2, -3 double bond may or may not be located; X is ##STR7## one of four possibilities shown above R 1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl, phenyl, benzoyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, trialkylsilyl and tetrapyranyl group; R 2 is a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group; R 3 and R 3 ' are a hydroxyl, methyl or hydroxymethyl; R 4 and R 5 are the same or different, and signify a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl or a halogen atom; and R 6 is either an alkyl group consisted of 4 to 9 carbons which may or may not be branched one, contain double bonds or may bear alkoky substituents or the group shown in the formula following: ##STR8## (wherein Y indicates a single bond with C-16, or an oxygen atom; R 7 indicates a hydrogen or halogen atom or a halgenated alkyl); excepting the compound wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 4 and R 5 are simultaneously hydrogen atoms, R 6 is a n-Bu, R 3 and R 3 ' are both hydroxyls and C-2 and C-3 are singlly bonded. X in the general fromula represents the four types of the partial structure illustrated above. A compound in which --(X)-- signifies ##STR9## is 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 1 s and a compound wherein --(X)-- signifies ##STR10## is 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 s. Accordingly, the compounds wherein --(X)-- signifies ##STR11## are 13,14-dihydro-6,15-diketo-PGF 1 s, and 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-5,6-dehydro-PGF 2 s, respectively. In the present invention, R 1 indicates a hydrogen atom, alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, trialkylsilyl, and tetrahydropyranyl. A preferable R 1 in the present invention is an alkyl group, more preferably, a saturated or an unsaturated alkyl group which may or may not have a side chain and particularly an alkyl group which may contain 1 to 4 carbon atoms, for example, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, t-butyl and the like. 13,14-Dihydro-15-keto PGFs in this invention may be in a salt form. The salts are physiologically acceptable ones, for example, salts with alkali metals such as sodium, potassium and salts with alkaline earth metals such as calcium, magnesium or physiologically acceptable ammonium salts, for example, ammonium salts derived from ammonia, methylamine, dimetylamine, cyclopentylamine, benzylamine, piperidine, monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, monomethylmonoethanolamine, tromethamin, lysine, and tetraalkylammonium salt and the like. R 2 is a hydrogen or a lower alkyl group, especially methyl. R 3 and R 3 ' are a hydroxyl, methyl or hydroxymethyl. When they are both hydroxyls, the compound belongs to the general 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGFs. In the present invention, the compounds wherein R 3 and/or R 3 ' are/is methyl or hydroxymethyl are also considered as PGFs. R 3 may be α-oriented or β-oriented and R' 3 may be α-oriented or β-oriented with respect to C-9 or C-11 respectively. R 4 and/or R 5 independently indicate a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a halogen atom. In case of a lower alkyl group, methyl group is especially preferred, and in case of halogen a fluorine atom is especially preferred. The compound in which at least one of R 4 and R 5 is a metyl or a fluorine atom is important. Both R 4 and R 5 may indicate the same substituents. R 6 is an alkyl consisted of 4 to 9 carbons, which may contain side chains, a double bonds or alkoxy substituents. The alkoxy substituents include such as methoxy, ethoxy and the like. Especially, n-alkyl groups consisted of 5 to 8 carbons preferred, and a n-alkyl group of 6 carbons is particularly important. Alternatively, R 6 is the group shown in the formula following: ##STR12## wherein Y indicates a bond with C-16 or an oxygen atom, R 7 is a hydrogen atom, halogen atom or halogenated alkyl group. Preferably, Y, and R 7 are an oxygen atom, and a halogenated alkyl group, respectively. The typical compounds of the present invention are, for example; carbonylic acid esters of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16,16-difluoro-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-methyl-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16,16-dimethyl-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-17S-methyl-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-9β-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-11β-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-11-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-11-dehydroxy-11R-hydroxymethyl-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-11R-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-methoxy-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-methyl-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-n-propyl-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-n-butyl-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-16R,S-fluoro-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-11-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-16R,S-fluoro-11-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGFs; 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16-desbutyl-16-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGFs. Though PGFs are usually named according to the skeleton of prostanoic acid as named hereinbefore, these may be named based on IUPAC nomenclature. According to it, for example, PGF 1 α is nominated as 7-[(1R,2R,3R,5S)-3,5-dihydroxy-2{(E)-(3S)-3-hydroxy-1-octenyl}-cyclopentyl]heptanoic acid; PGF 2 α is (Z)-7-[(1R,2R,3R,5S)-3,5-dihydroxy-2-{(E)-(3S)-3-hydroxy-1-octenyl}-cyclopentyl]-5-heptenoic acid; 3,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α isopropyl ester is isopropyl(Z)-7-[(1R,2R,3R,5S)-3,5-dihydroxy-2-{3-oxo-1-decyl}cyclopentyl]-hept-5-enoate; and 13,14-diydro-15-keto-20-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester is methyl (Z)-7-{(1R,2R,3R,5S)-3,5-dihydroxy-2-(3-oxo-1-nonyl)cyclopentyl}-kept-5-enoate. 13,14-Dihydro-15-keto-PGFs of the present invention rapidly shows great vasopressor activity without ephemeral vasorelaxation which is inherent to PGFs. Further, they are found to show no effect on trachea, bronchus and intestine such as increase of airway resistance due to contraction of trachea, and abdominal pain or diarrhea due to contraction of intestine, which are inherent to PGs, and found to have low toxicity. Therefore, they are extremely useful as a vasopressor. In addition, according to such vasopressor activity, they can be used as a remedy for essential hypotension, symptomatic hypotension, orthostatic hypotension, acute hypotension accompanied with various diseases and conditions, and can be used as a adjunctive remedy for shock and the like. In order to prepare 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGFs of the present invention, as shown in the attached sythetic charts, the commercially available (-)-Corey lactone (1) is used as the starting material and subjected to Collines oxidation to give aldehyde (2), which is allowed to react with dimethyl (2-oxoalkyl)phosphonate to give α,β-unsaturated ketone (3). After reduction, a carbonyl group of the resulting saturated ketone (4) is protected. An alcohol obtained after the removal of p-phenyl benzoyl from ketone (4) is reprotected by THP, and lactone (7) is redeuced to lactol, and then an α-chain is introduced by Wittig reaction. 13,14-Dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 s in wchich --(X)-- is ##STR13## can be obtained after reduction of lactone (7) to lactol (8), which is subsequently reacted with (4-carboxybutyl)triphenylphosphorane, and 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 1 s, in which --(X)-- is ##STR14## can be obtained after hydrogenation of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 s. 13,14'-Dihydro-6,15-diketo-PGF 1 s in which --(X)-- is ##STR15## can be obtained by treating bromo- or iodo-ether obtained after cyclization between C-5, -6-double bond shown below ##STR16## and the hydroxyl group on C-9 using N-bromosuccinimide or iodine, that is to say, addition of a bromine atom or an iodine atom on C-5 and simultaneous cyclization between C-6 and the hydroxyl group on C-9, with DBU, and hydrolysis of the resulting enol ether with acid to produce 6-keto group. The synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-5,6-dehydro-PGF 2 s in which (X) is ##STR17## involves 1,4-addition of monoalkylcopper complex or dialkylcopper complex of the following formulae; ##STR18## to 4R-t-butyldimethylsilyloxy-2-cyclopenten-1-one, alkylation of the resulting copper enolate after 1,4-addition with 6-alkoxycarbonyl-1-iodo-2-hexyne or its derivatives, and reduction of the resulting 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGE 2 types, for example, with sodium borohydride. 13,14-Dihydro-15-keto-PGF in which R 3 is a methyl group can be obtained after reacting PGA types, which can be prepared by Jones oxidation of the hydroxyl group or C-9 of 11-tosylate derivatives of PGF types, with dimethylcopper complex, and by reducing the resulting 11α-methyl-PGE 2 with sodium borohydride. Alternatively, it can be obtained by protecting the carbonyl group of the saturated ketone (4) prepared after reduction of the unsaturated ketone (3), converting the alcohol obtained after removal of p-phenylbenzoyl group from the saturated ketone (4) to the corresponding tosylate, treating the tosylate with DBU, converting the resulting unsaturated lactone to the corresponding lactol, introducing an α-chain by Wittig reaction, oxidizing the resulting alcohol (9-position) to the corresponding PGA, reaction of the product (PGA) with dimethylcopper complex to introduce a methyl group at the 11-position, and reducing the resulting 11-methyl PGE with, for example, sodium borohydride. 13,14-Dihydro-15-keto-PGFs in which R 3 ' is a hydroxymethyl group can be synthesized by adding methanol to thus obtained corresponding PGA types using benzophenone as a photosensitizer and reducing the resulting 11-hydroxymethyl PGE type, for example, with sodium borohydride. 13,14-Dihydro-15-keto-PGFs in which either R 4 or R 5 is other than a hydrogen atom and R 6 is other than n-butyl may be obtained by using the corresponding dimethyl (2-oxoalkyl)phospnonate to obtain α,β-unsaturated ketone (3). For example, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGFs in which R 4 is a fluorine atom, R 6 is n-butyl, and R 5 is a hydrogen atom, can be obtained by using dimethyl (3-fluoro-2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate, and those wherein R 4 and R 5 are both hydorogen atoms and R 6 is hexyl, may be obtained by using dimethyl (2-oxononyl)phosphonate. The synthetic methods of the compounds in the present invention may not be limited to ones described above, and the suitable means for protection of the respective functional groups, oxidation, reduction and the like may be optionally employed. Prostaglandins F of the present invention can be used as medicaments for animal and human, and, in general, used for systemic or local application by oral administration, intravenous injection, subcutaneous injection and the like. The dosage varies depending on animal, human, age, weight, conditions, therapeutic effect, administration route, treatment time and the like. The solid composition for oral administration of the present invention includes tablets, powder, granules and the like. In such solid composition, one or more active ingredient may be mixed with at least one inactive diluent, for example, lactose, mannitol, glucose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, starch, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, magnesium aluminate metasilicate and the like. According to the conventional manner, the composition may contain additives other than inactive diluent, for example, lubricant such as magnesiun stearate, disintegrant such as fibrous calcium gluconate, stabilizer such as etherfied cyclodextrin such as α, β- or γ-cyclodextrin, dimethyl-α-, dimethyl-β-, trimethyl-β- or hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, branched cyclodextrin such as glucosyl-, maltosyl-cyclodextrin, formulated cyclodextrin, cyclodextrin containing sulfur, mitthoprotol, phospholipid and the like. When the above cyclodextrins are used, clathrate compound with cyclodextrin may be often formed to enhance stability. Alternatively, phospholipid may be used to form liposome, often resulting in enhanced stability. Tablets or pills may be coated with film soluble in the stomach or intestine such as suger, gelatin, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose phthalate and the like, or with more than two layers. Further, they may be formed as capsules with absorbable substances such as gelatin. Liquid composition for oral administration may contain pharmaceutically acceptable emulsion, solution, suspension, syrup, elixyr as well as generally used inactive diluent, for example, purified water, ethanol, vegetable oil such as coconut oil. Such composition may contain adjuvants such as wetting agent and suspension, sweetening agent, flavoring agent, preservatives and the like other than inactive diluent. Such liquid composition may be used by directly enclosing in soft capsules. Other compositions for oral administration, which may contain one or more active ingredient, include spray formulated by known method. Injection for parenteral administration according to the present invention includes steril, aqueous or non-aqueous solution, suspension, emulsion and detergent. Such aqueous solution and suspension include, for example, injectable distilled water, physiological saline and Ringer. Non-aqueous solution and suspension include, for example, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, vegetabel oil such as olive oil, alcohols such as ethanol, polysorbate and the like. Such composition may contain adjuvants such as preservatives, wetting agent, emulsifier, dispersant and the like. These are sterlized, for example, by filtration through bacteria-holding filter, compounding with germicides or irradiation of UV rays. These may be used by producing sterile solid composition and dissolving in sterile water or sterile solvent for injection before use. The present invention will be illustrated in the following example. EXAMPLE 1 (1) Synthesis of dimethyl(7-methoxy-2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate ##STR19## (1-1) Methyl 6-methoxy-caproate: Sodium hydride (NaH) (50%, 6.12 g) suspended in tetrahydrofuran (THF) (60 ml) was added to a solution of 1,6-hexanediol (15.0 g) in THF (200 ml), and kept at 60° C. until gas evolution stopped. After cooling, a solution of methyl iodide (12 ml) in THF (35 ml) was added and kept overnight at room temperature. The crude product obtaind after the usual work-up was chromatographed to give 6-methoxy-1-hexanol. Yield; 8.16 g 6-Methoxy-hexanol (8.16 g) was oxidized with Jones reagent (2.67-M, 53 ml) in acetone (100 ml) at -10 ° C. to give 6.17 g of 6-methoxy-caproic acid. 6-Methoxy-caproic acid (6.17 g) was dissolved in dry methanol (90 ml) containing hydrogen chloride (catalytic amount) and held overnight at room temperature. The solvent was distilled off from the reaction solution under reduced pressure to give methyl 6-methoxy-caproate. Yield; 5.68 g (1-2) Dimethyl (7-methoxy-2-oxoheptyl)phsophonate: A solution of dimethyl methylphosphonate (8.88 g) in THF (60 ml) was cooled to -60° C., to which n-butylithium (1.55-M, 46.2 ml) was added dropwise. After addition, the solution was stirred at -60° C. for 30 minutes. A solution of methyl 6-methoxy-caproate (5.65 g) in THF (50 ml) was added dropwise to the resulting solution and held at -60° C. overnight, and at room temperature for 2 hours. After the reaction solution was cooled to 0° C., the reaction was neutralized by addition of acetic acid (4 ml). The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (dichloromethane/methanol (5%)). (2) Synthesis of dimethyl (2-oxononyl)phosphonate ##STR20## A solution of dimethyl methylphosphoanate (24.3 ml) in THF (500 ml) was cooled to -78° C., to which n-butyllithium (1.6-M, 136 ml) was added dropwise. After addition, the solution was stirred for one hour, and then ethyl octanoate (28.5 ml) was added dropwise. The reaction was stirred at -78 ° C. for 10 hours. Acetic acid (12.5 ml) was added to the reaction cooled at 0° C., and the solution was brought to room temperature and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was diluted with ethyl acetate, and the solution was washed with brine and dried. The crude product obtained after concentration under reduced pressure was chromatographed (hexane/ethyl acetate=1/1) to give dimethyl (2-oxononyl)phosphonate. Yield; 30.2 g (83%) (3) Synthesis of dimethyl (3,3-dimethyl-2oxoheptyl)phosphonate ##STR21## (3-1) Ethyl 2,2-dimethyl-caproate: A solution of isobutyric acid (45 g) in THF was added to LDA prepared at -78° C. according to the conventional manner and stirred for one hour. A solution of butyl iodine (107 g) in dry HMPA was added, and stirred at -78 ° C. for one hour, and at room temperature for additional one hour. The crude product obtained after the conventional work-up was distilled. Yield; 50 g (75%), b.p.; 68°/25 mmHg (3-2) Dimethyl (3,3-dimethyl-2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate: A solution of dimethyl methylphosphonate (35.0 ml) in THF (300 ml) was cooled to -78° C., to which n-butyllithium (1.6-M, 196 ml) was added dropwise. After stirring at -78° C. for one hour, a solution of ethyl 2,2-dimethylcaproate (27 g) in dry THF was added. The reaction solution was stirred at -78° C. for one hour, and then at room temperature for additional 2 hours. The reaction solution was cooled to 0° C. and acetic acid (18 ml) was added thereto. The crude product obtained after the conventional work-up was distilled under reduced pressure and the resulting fraction (>130° C.) was chromatographed to give dimethyl (3,3-dimethyl-2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate. Yield, 9.72 g (26%) (4) Synthesis of dimethyl (3-fluoro-2-oxoheptyl)phosphnate (4-1) Methyl 2-fluorocaproate: ##STR22## Methyl 2-bromocaproate (40 g) was added to anhydrous potassium fluoride (23 g) in acetamide (23 g) kept at 105° C. The mixture was vigorously stirred at 105° C. for 6 hours. The crude product obtained after the conventional work-up was distilled. Yeiled; 20 g (71%), b.p.; 66° C./20 mmHg (4-2) Dimethyl (3-fluoro-2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate: Dimethyl methylphosphonate (8.38 g) was dissolved in dry THF (250 ml) and cooled to -78° C. n-Butyllithium (1.6-M, 42 ml) was added dropwise, and the reaction was stirred for 10 minutes. The above methyl fluorocaproate (200 g) in THF (10 ml) was added dropwise. After addition, the mixture was stirred at -78° C. for 45 minutes, and then at room temperature for additional 45 minutes. The crude product obtained after the conventional work-up was chromatographed (hexane/ethyl acetate=1/1). Yield; 5.04 g (62 g) (5) Synthesis of dimethyl (4S)-methyl-2-oxoheptylphosphonate ##STR23## (5-1) Ethyl 3S-methyl-caproate: Sodium ethoxide was prepared from sodium metal (7.61 g) in absolute methanol (200 ml). Diethyl malonate (50.3 ml) was added dropwise, and the solution was heated to 80° C. 2-Bromopentane (50 g) was added and the resultant was refluxed for 24 hours. According to the conventional work-up, diethyl (2-pentyl)-malonate (62.7 g) was obtained. Diethyl (2-pentyl)malonate was added to 50% aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide, and heated for 3 hours while water/ethanol was distilled off. After cooling, the resultant was acidified with concentrated hydrochloric acid, and subsequently extracted with ethyl acetate. The product obtained after concentration under reduced pressure was heated at 180° C. until gas evolution stopped. After distillation, colorless 3R,S-methyl-caproic acid was obtained. Yield; 27.7 g (35%), b.p. >200° C./760 mmHg 3R,S-Methyl-caproic acid (27.7 g) was dissolved in ethanol (160 ml), and cinchonidine (64 g) was dissolved thereto with heating. The salt obtained after concentration under reduced pressure was recrystallized six times from 60% methanol to give colorless needlelike crystals. Yield; 14 4 g, [α] D 31 ° =-3.3° (c=13.6 in benzene, lit. -3.1°) The above 3S-methyl-caproic acid (3.94 g) was converted into ethyl ester using ethanol and catalytic amount of sulfuric acid. Yield; 4.04 g (84%) (5-2) Dimethyl (4S-methyl-2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate: The title compound was synthesized according to the conventional method with using ethyl 3S-methyl-caproate and dimethyl methylphosphonate. EXAMPLE 2 (cf. Synthetic Scheme I) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 α ehtyl ester (11); R=Et (2-1) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(3-oxo-1-transoctenyl)-7R-(4-phenylbenzoyl)oxy-cis-bicyclo(3,3,0)-octane (3): Dimethyl (2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate (8.9 ml) was added dropwise to a suspension of NaH (60%, 1.76 g) in THF (200 ml) and stirred for 30 minutes. To the generated phosphonate anion was added aldehyde (2) in THF (400 ml), which was obtained by Collins oxidation of (-)-Corey lactone (1) (15 g). The reaction solution was kept overnight at room temperature and acetic acid was added thereto. After the usual work-up, α,β-unsaturated ketone (3) was obtained. Yield; 11.8 g (62%) (2-2) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(3,3-ethylenedioxyoctyl)-7R-(4-phenylbenzoyl)oxy-cis-bicyclo-(3,3,0)-octane (5): The unsaturated ketone (3) (11.8 g) was hydrogenated with using 5% palladium/carbon (0.300 g) in ethyl acetate (100 ml) to give ketone (4). The ketone (4) (11.8 g) was dissolved in toluene (200 ml), to which were added ethylene glycol and p-toluenesulfonic acid (catalytic amount). The solution was refluxed overnight while water produced was azeotropically distilled off. After the usual work-up, ketal (5) was obtained. Yield; 11.8 g (91%) (2-3) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(3,3-ethylenedioxy-1-octyl)-7R-hydroxy-cis-bicyclo-(3,3,0)octane (6): The compound (5) (11.8 g) was dissolved in methanol (100 ml) and THF (20 ml), and potassium carbonate (3.32 g) was added thereto. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 7 hours. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/3-1/1) to give alcohol (6). Yield; 6.78 g (90%) (2-4) Synthesis of tetrahydropyranyl ether (7): To the dichloromethane solution (100 ml) of the compound (6) (6.78 g) was added dihydropyran (4 ml) and p-toluenesulfonic acid (catalytic amount). The reaction was stirred for 20 minutes. After the usual work-up, the resulting crude product was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=2/1) to yield the tetrahydropyranyl ether (7). Yield; 8.60 g (100%) This operation was repeated and 14.67 g of the product in total was obtained. (2-5) Synthesis of lactol (8): Diisobutylaluminium hydride (DIBAL-H) (1.5-M, 50 ml) was added dropwise to the tetrahydropyranyl ether (7) (14.67 g) in dry toluene (100 ml) at -78° C. and stirred for 60 minutes. After the usual work-up, lactol (8) was obtained. (2-6) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-11-(2-tetrahydropylanyl)oxy-15,15-ethylenedioxy-PGF 2 α(9): Sodium hydride (60%, 11.1 g) washed with pentane was suspended in DMSO (150 ml), and stirred at 60°-70° C. for 3 hours. The generated sodium methylsulfinyl carbanion was cooled, and (4-carboxybutyl)tripheylphosphonium bromide (65.6 g) in DMSO was added to the carbanion solution. The reaction mixture was stirred for 30 minutes. The lactol (8) in DMSO (80 ml) was added to the generated ylide. After stirring overnight, the reaction solution was poured onto ice/water, and the pH value was adjusted to 12 with 5% sodium hydroxide solution and extracted with ether. The aqueous layer was adjusted to pH 4-5 with 4N hydrochloric acid and extracted with ethyl acetate. The commbined ethyl acetate layers were washed with brine, and dried over magnesium sulfate. The solvent from the ethyl acetate extracts was distilled off under reduced pressure to leave a crude product. The crude product was dissolved into ether, and the insoluble matters were filtered off, and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to give the compound (9). Yield; 15.17 g (85%) (2-7) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-11-(2-tetrahydropylanyl)oxy-15,15-ethylenedioxy-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (10): Carboxylic acid (9) (12.1 g) was treated by DBU (4.9 ml) and ethyl iodide (2.4 ml) in anhydrous acetonitrile (100 ml) at 60° C. for 2 hours. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/3) to give ethyl ester (10). Yield, 8.52 g (63%) (2-8) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (11): The compound (10) (0.200 g) in a mixed solvent (acetic acid/THF/water=3/1/1) (5 ml) was kept at 50° C. for 4 hours. The solvent was distilled off under reduced pressure, and the resulting crude product was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=2/1) to give 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (11). Yield, 0.054 g (41%) NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (11) is shown in FIG. 1. Mass (SIMS) m/z 383 (M+1), 365 (M+1-18) EXAMPLE 3 (cf. Synthetic Scheme I) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 α methyl ester (11); R=Me In the same manner as described in Example 2, except that carboxylic acid (9) was converted into the corresponding methyl ester (10) with diazomethane, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 α methyl ester (11) was synthesized. NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 α methyl ester (11) is shown in FIG. 2. Mass (SIMS) NaCl added, m/z 391 (m + +Na), 351 (m+1-18) EXAMPLE 4 (cf. Synthetic Scheme I) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 1 α ethyl ester (13); R=Et (4-1) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15,15-ethylenedioxy-11-(2-tetrahydropylanyl)oxy-PGF 1 α ethyl ester (12): 13,14-dihydro-15,15-ethylenedioxy-11-(2-tetrahydropylanyl)oxy-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (10) (3.50 g) was hydrogenated with using platinum oxide in ethanol (150 ml) and hydrogen. After the usual work-up, 13,14-dihydro-15,15-ethylenedioxy-11-(2-tetrahydropyranyl)oxy-PGF 1 α ethyl ester (12) (3.50 g) was obtained. (4-2) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 1 α ethyl ester (13): Dihydro-PGF 1 α derivative (12) (0.10 g) in a mixed solvent (acetic acid/water/THF=3/1/1) (10 ml) was kept at 50° C. for 6 hours. The solvent was distilled off under reduced pressure, and the resulting crude product was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=2/1) to give 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 1 α ethyl ester (13). Yield; 0.0455 g (61%) NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 1 α ethyl ester (13) is shown in FIG. 3. EXAMPLE 5 (cf. Synthetic Scheme II) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α methyl ester (26) (5-1) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(4R,S-fluoro-3-oxo-1-trans-octenyl)-7R-(4-phenylbenzoyl)oxy-cis-bicyclo-(3,3,0)octane (14): Dimethyl (3R,S-fluoro-2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate (10.23 g) in THF was added to sodium hydride suspension in THF, and the mixture was stirred for 20 minutes at room temperature. To the above mixture was added the THF solution of aldehyde (2) obtained after Collins oxidation of (-)-Corey lactone (1) (15.00 g). After stirring at room temperature for 2 hours, the reaction solution was neutralized with acetic acid (15 ml). Subsequently, the residue obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/2) to give enone (14). Yield; 10.45 g (53%) (5-2) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(4R,S-fluoro-3R,S-hydroxy-1-octyl)-7R-(4-phenylbenzoyl)oxy-cis-bicyclo-(3,3,0)octane (16): Enone (14) (10.45 g) was hydrogenated in ehtyl acetate (50 ml) using 5% palladium/carbon (1.0 g) and hydrogen to give ketone (15). Yield; 9.35 g (89%) Ketone (15) (9.35 g) was reduced in absolute methanol (200 ml) with using sodium borohydride (1.15 g) to give colorless oil (16). Yield, 6.50 g (69%) (5-3) 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(4R,S-fluoro-3R,S-t-butyl-dimethylsilyloxy-1-octyl)-7R-hydroxy-cis-bicyclo-(3,3,0)octane (18). Alcohol (16) (6.50 g) was converted to the corresponding t-butyldimethylsilyl ether (17) in anhydrous DMF (30 ml) with t-butyldimethylsilyl chloride (6.27 g) and imidazole (5.67 g). Yield; 8.80 g (100%) t-Buthyldimethylsilyl ether (17) (8.80 g) was dissolved in methanol (80 ml). Anhydrous potassium carbonate (2.09 g) was added to the solution. After the reaction solution was stirred at room temperature for 4 hours, alcohol (18) as colorless oil was obtained after the conventional treatment. Yield; 4.11 g (67%) (5-4) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-16R,S-fluoro-15R,S-t-butyldimethylsilyloxy-11R-(2-tetrahydropyranyl)oxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (22). Alcohol (18) (4.11 g) was treated with dihydropyran (4.10 ml) and p-toluenesulfonic acid (catalitic amount) in dichloromethane (50 ml) at room temperature for 10 minutes. After the usual work-up, the obtained residue was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/4-1/3) to give tetrahydropyranyl ether (19) as a colorless oil. Yield; 5.08 g (100%) Tetrahydropyranyl ether (19) (5.08 g) was reduced with DIBAL-H (1.5-M, 20 ml) in anhydrous toluene (60 ml) at -78° C. to give lactol (20) as a colorless oil. According to the conventional method, ylide was prepared from (4-carboxybutyl)triphenylphosphonium bromide (18.51 g), and previously prepared lactol (20) in DMSO was added thereto. The resultant was stirred at room temperature for 2.5 hours. After the usual work-up, the obtained crude product was dissolved in ether, the insoluble matters were filtered off, and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to give a crude carboxylic acid (21). Yield; 8.0 g The crude carboxylic acid (21) (2.00 g) was converted to the corresponding methyl ester (22) in ether with diazomethane. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/4-1/3) to give 13,14-dihydro-16R,S-fluoro-15R,S-t-butyldimethylsilyloxy-11R-(2-tetrahydropyranyl)oxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (22) (0.550 g). (5-5) Tetrahydropyranyl ether formation of the compound (22): Synthesis of bis-tetrahydropyranyl ether (23): Alcohol (22) (0.550 g) was treated in anhydrous dichloromethane (30 ml) with dihydropyran (0.5 ml) and several pieces of p-toluenesulfonic acid at room temperature for 30 minutes. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/6-1/3) to give bis-tetrahydropyranyl ether (23) as a colorless oil. Yield; 0.580 g (92%) (5-6) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α methyl ester (26): Bis-tetrahydropyranyl ether (23) (0.580 g) was treated overnight in anhydrous THF (20 ml) with tetrabutyl ammonuin fluoride (1.0-M, 10 ml) at room temperature. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1.3-1/2) to give alcohol (24) as a colorless oil. Yield; 0.300 g (62%) Alcohol (24) (0.300 g) was oxidized with Jones reagent (2.67-M, 1.04 ml) in acetone (20 ml) at -10° C. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=2/7) to give ketone (25) as a colorless oil. Yield; 0.280 g (94%) Ketone (25) (0.280 g) in a mixed solvent (acetic acid/water/THF=10/3.3/1) (25 ml) was kept at 55° C. for 2 hours. The solvent was distilled off under reduced pressure and the resulting crude product was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=2/3-1/1) to give 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α methyl ester (26). Yield; 0.123 g (63%) NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α methyl ester (26) is shown in FIG. 4. Mass (SIMS) m/z 387 (M + +1), 349 (M + +1-18) EXAMPLE 6 (cf. Synthetic Scheme III) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-11R-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (37) (6-1) 15R,S-t-Butyldimethylsilyloxy-13,14-dihydro-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α methyl ester (29): Lactone (18) (2.313 g) obtained according to Example 5 was reduced in toluene (25 ml) with using DIBAL-H (1.5-M, 15 ml) at -78° C. to give lactol (27) as a colorless oil. Sodium hydride (60%, 1.84 g) washed with dry ether was suspended in anhydrous DMSO (20 ml), and kept at 70° C. for one hour to generate sodium methylsufinyl carbanion. A solution of (4-carboxybutyl)triphenylphosphonium bromide (10.19 g) in DMSO (30 ml) was added to the generated carbanion cooled at room temperature and stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes to yield ylide. To the ylide was added above lactol (27) in DNSO (50 ml) and stirred for 2.5 hours. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was converted to the corresponding methyl ester with diazomethane, subsequenthly chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=2/3-3/2) to give ester (29) as a colorless oil. Yield; 1.00 g (34%) (6-2) Synthesis of 15R,S-t-butyldimethylsilyloxy-13,14-dihydro-16R,S-fluoro-11R-p-toluenesulfonyloxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (30): 15R,S-t-Butyldimethylsilyloxy-13,14-dihydro-16R,S-fluoro-PG 2 α methyl ester (29) (0.430 g) was treated in anyhydrous pyridine (20 ml) with p-tlouenesulfonyl chloride (3.01 g) at room temperature for 2.5 hours. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/3) to give the rosylate (30) as a colorless oil. Yield; 0.417 g (74%) (6-3) 15R,S-t-Butyldimethylsilyloxy-13,14-dihydro-16R,S-fluoro-PGA methyl ester (31): The tosylate (30) (0.417 g) was oxidized with Jones reagent (2.67-M, 0.9 ml) in acetone (25 ml) at -20° C. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/5) to give a PGA derivative (31) as a colorless oil. Yield; 0.234 g (75%) (6-4) Synthesis of 15R,S-t-butyldimethylsilyloxy-13,14-dihydro-16R,S-fluoro-11R-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGE 2 methyl ester (32): Copper iodide (0.233 g) was suspended in anhydrous ether (30 ml), to which was added dropwise methyllithium (1.5-M, 1.56 ml) at -10° C. A solution of the enone (31) (0.281 g) in anyhydrous ether (20 ml) was added to the above mixture. After stirring at -10° C. for 40 minutes, acetic acid (0.6 ml) was added to stop the reaction. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/7) to give a 11R-methyl compound (32) as a colorless oil. Yield; 0.192 g (66%) (6-5) Synthesis of 15R,S-t-butyldimethylsilyloxy-13,14-dihydro-16R,S-fluoro-11R-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (33): 11R-Methyl-PGE 2 derivative (32) (0.234 g) was reduced in dry methanol (15 ml) with using sodium borohydride (0.178 g) at 0° C. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/4) to give 9α-hydroxy derivative (33) as a colorless oil. Yield; 0.133 g (57%) (6-6) 13,14-Dihydro-16R,S-fluoro-15-keto-11R-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (37): 9α-Hydroxy derivative (33) (0.302 g) was converted to the corresponding tetrahydropyranyl ether (34) according to the conventional manner. Yield; 0.352 g (100%) 11R-Methyl-PGF 2 α derivative (34) (0.353 g) was converted to alcohol (35) with using tetrabutylammonium fluoride (1-M, 4 ml) in anhydrous THF (15 ml). Yield; 0.261 g (92%) Alcohol (35) (0.261 g) was oxidized with Jones reagent (2.67-M, 0.5 ml) in acetone (15 ml) at -15° C. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/7) to give ketone (36). Yield; 0.262 g (87%) Ketone (36) (0.226 g) in a mixed solvent (acetic acid/water/THF=10/3.3/1) (20 ml) was kept at 45°-50° C. for 3 hours. The solvent was concentrated under reduced pressure and the resulting crude product was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/3) to give 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-110-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (37). Yield; 0.171 g (92%) NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-11R-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (37) is shown in FIG. 5. Mass (SIMS) m/z 385 (m + +1), 367 (M + +1-18) EXAMPLE 7 (cf. Synthetic Scheme IV) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (45); R=Me (7-1) 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(3-oxo-1-trans-decenyl)-7R-(4-phenylbenzoyloxy)-cis-bicyclo(3,3,0)octane (38): The solution of dimethyl (2-oxononyl)phosphonate (3.50 g) in dry THF (50 ml) was added dropwise to NaH (60%, 0.570 g) in THF (100 ml) and the reaction mixture was stirred for 40 minutes. A THF solution (60 ml) of aldehyde (2) obtained from (-)-Corey lactone (1) was added dropwise to the phosphonate anion in THF. After stirring overnight, acetic acid (5 ml) was added under ice-cooling and the compound (38) was obtained according to the conventional manner. (7-2) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(3-oxo-1-decyl)-7R-(4-phenylbenzoyl)oxy-cis-bicyclo(3,3,0)octane (39): Unsaturated ketone (38) was hydrogenated in ethyl acetate (150 ml) with using 5% palladium/carbon (0.120 g) to give the compound (39). (7-3) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(3,3-ethylenedioxy-1-decyl)-7R-(4-phenylbenzoyl)oxy-cis-bicyclo(3,3,0)octane (40): Saturated ketone (39), ethylene glycol (10 ml) and p-toluenesulfonic acid (catalytic amount) were dissolved in benzene (200 ml), and the solution was heated at reflux for 24 hours using a Dean-Stark Trap. After the usual work-up, the compound (40) was obtained. Yield; 3.90 g (53% basd on the compound (1)) (7-4) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(3,3-ethylenedioxy-1-decyl)-7R-hydroxy-cis-bicyclo(3,3,0)octane (41): Ketal (40) (3.90 g) was dissolved in dry methanol (150 ml) and stirred with potassium carbonate (1.30 g) for 6 hours. Acetic acid (0.9 g) was added while cooling with ice. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed to give the compound (41). Yield; 2.18 g (85%) (7-5) Synthesis of 20-ethyl-15,15-ethylenedioxy-13,14-dihydro-PGF 2 α methyl ester (44): Lactone (41) (1.22 g) was reduced in dry toluene (30 ml) with using DIBAL-H (7.6 ml) at -78° C. After stirring for 45 minutes, methanol (10 ml) was added and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes. The reaction solution was diluted with ether and filtered. The filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to give lactol (42). Sodium hydride (60%, 1.15 g) washed with dry ether was suspended in DMSO (30 ml) and kept at 65°-70° C. for one hour to generate methylsulfinyl carbanion. A solution of (4-carboxybutyl)triphenylphosphonium bromide (6.4 g) in DMSO was added to the carbanion at room temperature to generate ylide, and the solution was stirred for 40 minutes. Lactol (42) in DMSO was added dropwise and the resultant was stirred overnight. The solution was poured into ice/water, the pH value was adjusted to 12 with aqueous potassium carbonate and the resultant was extracted with ethyl acetate. The aqueous layer was adjusted to pH 4 with diluted hydrochloric acid while cooling with ice and extracted with ether. The combined ether layers were dried and concentrated under reduced pressure to give the compound (43). The crude product (43) was converted into the corresponding methyl ester (44) with diazomethane, which was chromatographed. Yield; 1.29 g (82%) (7-6) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (45): Ketal (44) (1.06 g) was dissolved in a mixed solvent (acetic acid/water/THF=3/1/1) (18 ml) and kept at 50° C. for 3 hours. The solvent was distilled off and the resulting crude product was chromatographed to give 20-ethyl-13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (45). Yield; 0.868 g (74%) NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (45) is shown in FIG. 6. EXAMPLE 8 Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-16,16-dimethyl-15-keto-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (46) ##STR24## In the same manner as described in Examples 1 to 7 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16,16-dimethyl-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (46) was obtained with using (-)-Corey lactone (1) and dimethyl (3,3-dimethyl-2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate. NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16,16-dimethyl-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (46) is shown in FIG. 7. Mass (DI) m/z 410, 392 (M + -18), 374 EXAMPLE 9 Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-methoxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (47) ##STR25## In the same manner as described in Example 1 to 8, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-methoxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (47) was prepared with using (-)-Corey lactone (1) and dimethyl (7-methoxy-3-oxoheptyl)phosphonate. NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-methoxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (47) is shown in FIG. 8. EXAMPLE 10 Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-17S-methyl-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (101) ##STR26## In the same manner as described in Example 1 to 9, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-17S-methyl-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (101) was prepared with using (-)-Corey lactone (1) and dimethyl (4S-methyl-2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate. NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-17S-methyl-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (101) is shown in FIG. 9. Mass (DI) m/z (M + ), 378 (M + -18), 360 EXAMPLE 11 (cf. Synthetic Scheme IV) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (45); R=Et Procedure described in Example 7 was repeated to prepare 20-ethyl-13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (45), except that carboxylic acid (43) was converted into the corresponding ethyl ester (44) with using ethyl iodide and DBU in acetonitrile at 50° C. NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α ethyl ester (45) is shown in FIG. 10. Mass (DI) m/z 410 (M + ), 392 (M + -18), 374 EXAMPLE 12 (cf. Synthetic Scheme IV) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α isopropyl ester (45); R=iso-Pro Procedure described in Example 7 was repeated, exept that carboxylic acid (43) was converted into the corresponding isopropyl ester (44) with using isopropyl iodide and DBU in acetonitlile at 50° C. and 20-ethyl-13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 α isopropyl ester (45) was obtained. NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α isopropyl ester (45) is shown in FIG. 11. Mass (DI) m/z 424 (M + ), 406 (M + -18), 388, 347 EXAMPLE 13 (cf. Synthetic Scheme IV) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α n-butyl ester (45); R=n-Bu Procedure described in Example 7 was repeated to prepare 20-ethyl-13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 2 α n-butyl ester (45), excpt that carboxylic acid (43) was converted into the corresponding n-butyl ester (44) with using n-butyl iodide and DBU in acetonitrile at 50° C. NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α n-butyl ester (45) is shown in FIG. 12. Mass (DI) 420 (M + ), 402 (M + -18), 376, 347 EXAMPLE 14 (cf. Synthetic Scheme IV) Synthesis of 13,14,dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 1 α methyl ester (48) ##STR27## 13,14-Dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (45); R=Me, (0.0505 g) was hydrogenated in ethanol with using PtO 2 to give 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 1 α methyl ester (48) (0.0166 g). NMR spectrum of 20-ethyl-13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF 1 α methyl ester (48) is shown in FIG. 13. Mass (DI) m/z 398 (M + ), 380 (M + -18), 362, 349 EXAMPLE 15 (cf. Synthetic Scheme V) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-11R-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (57) (15-1) Tosylation of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R- (3,3-ethylenedioxy-1-decyl)-7R-hydroxy-cis-bicyclo(3,3,0)octane (41); synthesis of tosylate (49): Alcohol (41) (1.723 g) was treated with p-toluenesulfonyl chloride (2.893 g) in pyridine (5 ml) at 0° C. to give tosylate (49). Yield; 1.812 g (74%) (15-2) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(3,3-ethylenedioxy-1-decyl)-cis-bicyclo(3,3,0)-7-octene (50): Tosylate (49) (1.812 g) was dissolved into toluene (1.9 ml) and DBU (5.6 ml), and the solution was kept at 60° C. for 7 hours. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (hexane/ethyl acetate=3/1) to give olefin (50). Yield, 0.7594 g (63%) (15-3) Reduction of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R- (3,3-ethylenedioxy-1-decyl)-cis-bicyclo(3,3,0)-7-octene (50) with DIBAL-H; synthesis of lactol (51): Olefin (50) (0.7594 g) was reduced with DIBAL-H (1.5-M, 6.2 ml) to give lactol (51). (15-4) Synthesis of methyl 20-ethyl-15,15-ethylenedioxy-9S-hydroxy-cisΔ 5 -Δ 10 -prostanoate (53): Lactol (51) was allowed to react with ylide obtained from (4-carboxybutyl)triphenylphosphonium bromide and sodium methylsulfinyl carbanion in DMSO to give prostanoic acid (52). The resultant was esterified with diazomethane to give the corresponding methyl prostanoate (53). Yield, 0.6600 g (67%) (15-5) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-20-ethyl-15,15-ethylenedioxy-PGA 2 methyl ester (54): Methyl prostanoate (53) (0.6600 g) was oxidized with Jones reagent in acetone (40 ml) at -20° C. After chromatography (hexane/ethyl acetate=3/1), 13,14-dihydro-20-ethyl-15,15-ethylenedioxy-PGA 2 methyl ester (54) was obtained. Yield, 0.6182 g (99%) (15-6) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-20-ethyl-15,15-ethylenedioxy-11R-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGE.sub.2 methyl ester (55): Enone (54) (0.6100 g) was allowed to react with dimethylcopper complex obtained from copper iodide (0.8380 g) and methyllithium (1.5-M, 5.8 ml) in ether (15 ml) to give 13,14-dihydro-20-ethyl-15,15-ethylenedioxy-11R-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGE.sub.2 methyl ester (55). Yield, 0,5720 g (94%) (15-7) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-11R-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (57): Ketone (55) (0.4023 g) was reduced with diisobutylaluminium (2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methyl)-phenoxide in toluene to give alcohol (56). Alcohol (56) (0.2016 g) was kept in a mixed solvent (acetic acid/water/THF=3/1/1) (20 ml) at 50° C. for one hour. After the usual procedure, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-11R-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (57) was obtained. Yield; 0.0960 g NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-11R-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (57) is shown in FIG. 14. Mass 394 (DI) m/z 394 (M + ), 375 (M + -18), 358, 344 EXAMPLE 16 Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-n-butyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (58) ##STR28## In the same manner as described in Examples 7 to 14, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-n-butyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (58) was obtained with using dimethyl (2-oxoundecyl)phosphonate prepared in the same manner as preparation of dimethyl (2-oxononyl)phosphonate in Example 1 and (-)-Corey lactone. NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-n-butyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (58) is shown in FIG. 15. Mass (DI) m/z 424, (M + ), 406 (M + -18), 388, 375 EXAMPLE 17 Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (59): ##STR29## In the same manner as described in Examples 7 to 14 and 16, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (59) was obtained with using dimethyl (2-oxooctyl)phosphonate prepared in the same manner as preparation of dimethyl (2-oxononyl)phosphonate in Example 1, and (-)-Corey lactone (1). NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (59) is shown in FIG. 16. Mass (SIMS) m/z 383 (M + +1), 365 (M + -18), 347 EXAMPLE 18 Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-16R,S-fluoro-11R-dehydro-11R-methyl-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester (60) ##STR30## In the same manner as described in Example 6, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-16R,S-fluoro-11R-dehydroxy-11R-methyl-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester (60) was obtained with using dimethyl (3R,S-fluoro-2-oxononyl)phosphonate prepared in the same manner as synthesis of dimethyl (3R,S-fluoro-2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate in Example 1, and (-)-Corey lactone. NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-16R,S-fluoro-11R-dehydro-11R-methyl-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester (60) is shown in FIG. 17. Mass (DI) m/z 412 (M + ), 394 (M + -18) EXAMPLE 19 Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α methyl ester (61) ##STR31## In the same manner as described in Example 5, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α methyl ester (61) was obtained with using dimethyl (3R,S-fluoro-2-oxononyl)phosphonate and (-)-Corey lactone. NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α methyl ester is shown in FIG. 18. Mass (DI) m/z 414 (M + ), 396(M + -18), 378, 358 EXAMPLE 20 (cf. Synthetic Scheme VI) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-9β,11α-PGF 2 methyl ester (64); R=CH 3 Alcohol (10) (0.2423 g) was converted into the corresponding benzoate (62) in dichloromethane (20 ml) with using diethyl azodicarboxylate (0.1026 g), benzoic acid (0.0720 g) and triphenylphosphine (0.1545 g). Yield; 0.1223 g The above benzoate (62) was treated with potassium carbonate in methanol to give 9β,11α-PGF derivative (63). The obtained 9β,11α-hydroxy-PGF derivative is deketalized to 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-9β,11α-PGF 2 methyl ester (64) Yield; 0.0236 g NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-9β-11α-hydroxy-PGF 2 methyl ester (64); R=CH 3 , is shown in FIG. 19. Mass (DI) m/z 368 (M + ), 350 (M + -18), 332, 319, 301 EXAMPLE 21 Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-n-propyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (65) ##STR32## In the same manner as described in Examples 7 to 14, 16 and 17, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-n-propyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (65) was prepared with using dimethyl (2-oxodecyl)phosphonate obtained in analogous to the synthesis of dimethyl (2-oxononyl)phosphonate in Example 1, and (-)-Corey lactone (1). NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-n-propyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (65) is shown in FIG. 20. EXAMPLE 22 (cf. Synthetic Schemes II and VII) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α (68) 22-1) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-9,11-bis(2-tetrapyranyloxy)-PGF 2 α (67): Ester (24) (0.796 g) was stirred overnight with lithium hydroxide (0.5 mol/100 ml) in THF (50 ml) at room temperature. After acidified with hydrochloric acid in an ice bath, the solution was extracted with ethyl acetate. The crude product (66) obtained after concentration under reduced pressure was oxidized with Jones reagent in acetone at -15° C. to give ketone (67). Yield; 0.330 g (22-2) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α (68) Ketone (67) (0.330 g) was kept in a mixed solvent (acetic acid/water/THF=4/2/1) (25 ml) at 45° C. for 3 hours. After the usual work-up, the product was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/3-2/3) to give 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α (68) as a pale yellow oil. Yield; 0.112 g NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α (68) is shown in FIG. 21. Mass (DI) m/z 372 (M + ), 354 (M + -18), 336, 284, 256 EXAMPLE 23 (cf. Synthetic Scheme VII) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α (69) ##STR33## In the same manner as described in Example 22, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α (69) was prepared with using (-)-Corey lactone (1) and dimethyl (3R,S-fluoro-2-oxononyl)phosphonate obtained according to the conventional method. NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-16R,S-fluoro-PGF 2 α (69) is shown in FIG. 22. Mass (DI) m/z 400 (M + ), 382 (M + -18), 362, 344 EXAMPLE 24 (cf. Synthetic Scheme IV) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α (70) ##STR34## 13,14-Dihydro-20-ethyl-15,15-ethylenedioxy PGF 2 α (43) (0.518 g) was dissolved in a mixed solvent (acetic acid/THF/water=3/1/1) (10 ml) and held at 60° C. for 2 hours. After the usual work-up, the resulting crude product was chromatographed to give 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α (70). Yield; 0.202 g NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF 2 α (70) is shown in FIG. 23. Mass (DI) m/z 364 (M + -18), 346 EXAMPLE 25 (cf. Synthetic Scheme VIII) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16-desbutyl-16-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (82) (25-1) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(4-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-3-t-butyldimethylsilyloxy-1-butyl)-7R-hydroxy-cis-bicyclo(3,3,0)octane (75) In the same manner as described in Example 5, alcohol (75) was obtained using unsaturated ketone (71) which was prepared with using (-)-Corey lactone (1) and dimethyl (3-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-2-oxopropyl)phosphonate obtained according to the usual method. (25-2) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15R,S-t-butyl-dimethylsilyloxy-9,11-bis(2-tetrapyranyl)oxy-16-desbutyl-16-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (79): 13,14-Dihydro-15R,S-t-butyldimethylsilyloxy-16-desbutyl-16-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (78) (0.50 g) obtained from alcohol (75) according to the usual method was converted into the compound (79) in dichloromethane (50 ml) using dihydropyran (1.5 ml) and catalytic amount of p-toluenesulfonic acid. (25-3) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15R,S-hydroxy-9,11-bis(2-tetrapyranyl)oxy-16-desbutyl-16-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (80): The above compound (79) was converted into the compound (80) using tetrabutylammonium fluoride in THF (10 ml). Yield; 0.42 g (77%) (25-4) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-9,11-bis(2-tetrapyranyl)oxy-16-desbutyl-16-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (81): The compound (80) (0.42 g) was oxidized with Jones reagent in acetone (15 ml) at -35° C. to give ketone (81). Yield; 0.18 g (43%) (25-5) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16-desbutyl-16-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (82): The compound (81) (0.18 g) was dissolved in a mixed solvent (acetic acid/THF/water=3/1/1) (15 ml) and kept at 50° C. for 2 hours. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed to give 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16-desbutyl-16-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester (82). Yield; 0.123 g (93%) NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16-desbutyl-16-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGF 2 α methyl ester is shown in FIG. 24. Mass (DI) m/z 472, 454, 436, 423 EXAMPLE 26 Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-20-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (83) ##STR35## In the same manner as described in Example 5, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-20-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (83) was obtained with using (-)-Corey lactone (1) and dimethyl (3R,S-fluoro-2-oxooctyl)phosphonate. NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-20-methyl-PGF 2 α methyl ester (83) is shown in FIG. 25. Mass (DI) m/z 400, 382, 364, 362 EXAMPLE 27 (cf. Synthetic Scheme IX) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16,16-difuloro-PGF 2 α methyl ester (96) (27-1) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(4,4-difluoro-3-oxo-1-trans-octenyl)-7R-(p-phenylbenzoyl)oxy-cis-bicyclo-(3,3,0)octane (84): (-)-Corey lactone (1) (6.33 g) was oxidized wtih Collins reagent to give aldehyde (2). Separately, thallium ethoxide (4.26 g) was dissolved in benzene, to which was added a solution of dimethyl (3,3-difluoro-2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate (4.64 g) in benzene, and the solution was stirred for 30 minutes. The crude product obtained after the usual work-up was chromatographed (ethyl acetate/hexane=1/2) to give the compound (84). Yield; 3.88 g (45%) (27-2) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(4,4-difluoro-3R,S-hydroxy-1-octyl)-7R-(p-phenylbenzoyl)oxy-cis-bicyclo-(3,3,0)octane (86): Enone (84) (3.88 g) was hydrogenated in ethyl acetate (40 ml) with using 5% palladium/carbon (0.39 g) to give the compound (85). The above compound was reduced in a mixed-solvent (THF:methanol=30/70 ml) with using NaBH 4 to give alcohol (86). Yield; 4.02 g (27-3) Synthesis of 1S-2-oxa-3-oxo-6R-(4,4-difluoro-3R,S-t-butyldimethylsilyloxy-1-octyl)-7R-hydroxy-cis-bicyclo-(3,3,0)octane (88): Alcohol (86) (4.02 g) was converted into the corresponding silylether (87) in DMF with using t-butyldimethylsilyl chloride and imidazole. The product was converted to the compound (88) with potassium carbonate (1.14 g) in methanol (80 ml). Yield; 2.89 g (83%) (27-4) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16,16-difluoro-PGF 2 α methyl ester (96): In the same manner as described in Example 5, using the compound (88) (2.89 g), the synthetic intermediate (92) was obtained. Yield; 3.02 g In the same manner as described in Example 5, using the compound (92) (0.44 g), 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16,16-difluoro-PGF 2 α methyl ester (96) was obtained. Yield; 0.168 g NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16,16-difluoro-PGF 2 α methyl ester (96) is shown in FIG. 26. Mass (DI) m/z 404, 386, 368, 355 EXAMPLE 28 (cf. Synthetic Scheme X) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16-desbutyl-16-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGF 2 α (100) (28-1) Synthesis of tetrapyranyl ether (97): The crude carboxylic acid (77) was converted to the corresponding tetrapyranyl ether (97) in dichloromethane with using excessive amount of dihydropyran and p-toluenesulfonic acid as a catalyst. Yield; 0.63 g (28-2) Synthesis of alcohol (98): The above tetrapyranyl ether (97) (0.63 g) was converted to the corresponding alcohol (98) in THF with using tetrabutylammonium fluoride. Yield; 0.38 g (28-3) Synthesis of ketone (99): The above alcohol (98) (0.38 g) was oxidized with Collins reagent to give ketone (99). Yield; 0.34 g (28-4) Synthesis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16-desbutyl-16-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGF 2 α (100): The above ketone (99) (0.34 g) was kept in a mixed solvent (acetic acid/THF/water=3/1/1) at 45°-50° C. for 4.5 hours. After completion of the reaction, the reaction solution was concentrated. The resulting residue was chromatographed to give 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16-desbutyl-16-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGF 2 α (100). Yield; 0.1 g NMR spectrum of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16-desbutyl-16-m-trifluoromethylphenoxy-PGF 2 α (100) is shown in FIG. 27. Mass (DI) m/z 458, 441, 423 NMR data of the intermediates obtained in the above Examples 6-27 is shown below: (30) δ: 0.05 (6H, s), 0.88 (9H, s), 0.75-1.05 (3H), 1.05-2.5 (23H, m), 2,42 (3H, s), 3.63 (3H, s) , 3.4-4.7 (4H, m), 5.37 (2H, m), 7.28 (2H, d, J=9 Hz), 7.75 (2H, d, J=9 Hz). (31) 0.05 (6H, s), 0.88 (9H, 0.75-1.05 (3H), 1.05-2.7 (20H, m), 3.63 (3H, s), 3.5-3.85 (1H), 3.85-4.1 (0.5H, m), 4.4-4.65 (0.5H, m), 5.35 (2H, m), 6.09 (1H, dd, J=6 Hz, J=3 Hz), 7.53 (1H, dd, J=6 Hz, 3 Hz). (39) 0.87 (3H, t, J=6 Hz), 1.05-3.0 (22H, m), 4.93-5.25 (2H, m), 2.2-8.1 (9H, m). (41) 0.87 (3H, t, J=6 Hz), 1.0-3.0 (23H, m), 3.88 (4H, s), 3.6-4.2 (1H), 4.91 (1H, dt, J=6 Hz, J=3 Hz) (62) 0.88 (3H, s), 1.05-2.4 (30H, m), 3.60 (3H, s), 3.88 (4H, s), 3.2-4.3 (3H, m), 4.6 (1H, bS), 5.11 (1H, m), 5.40 (2H, m), 7.3-8.1 (5H, m). (63) 0.89 (3H, s), 1.0-2.4 (31H, m), 3.62 (3H, s), 3.87 (4H, s), 3.3-4.2 (4H, m), 4.55 (1H, bs), 5.42 (2H, m). (88) 0.05 (6H, s), 0.87 (9H, s), 0.75-1.0 (3H), 1.05-3.0 (17, m), 3.35-3.80 (1H, m), 3.97 (1H, m), 4.88 (1H, dt, J=6 Hz, H=3 Hz). (92) 0.08 (6H, s), 0.88 (9H, s), 0.77-1.5 (3H) 1.5-2.5 (29H, m), 3.63 (3H, s), 3.3-4.2 (5H, m), 4.62 (1H, m), 5.40 (2H, m). EXPERIMENT 1 Male Wister rat (8-week old) was anesthetized by intraperitoneally administering urethane (1.25 g/kg). Polyethylene tube was inserted into femoral artery and connected with a pressure transducer to measure blood pressure. The test drugs were dissolved in ethanol, diluted with Ringer's solution before use and a dose of 1 mg/kg was administered into tale vein. The maximum concentration of ethanol was 2%. As reference, ethanol-Ringer's solution without containing test drugs was used and the effect was checked in each experiment without failing. The rate of change in blood pressure (%) was determined by average of 5 data per group. The results are shown in Table 1. TABLE 1______________________________________Test Drug Change in Blood Pressure (%)______________________________________ 1 +12 2 +17 3 +14 4 +27 5 +18 6 +44 7 +26 8 +7 9 +4110 +1811 +2012 +1613 +814 +3215 +716 +1417 +1018 +1319 +820 +521 +1622 +723 +3524 +2425 +526 0______________________________________Test Drugs(1) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester(2) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF.sub.2 α ethyl ester(3) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-9β-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester(4) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16,16-dimethyl-PGF.sub.2 α ethyl ester(5) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-PGF.sub.2 α(6) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester(7) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16,16-difluoro-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester(8) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-11R-methyl-PGF.sub.2 αmethyl ester(9) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-20-methyl-PGF.sub.2 αmethyl ester(10) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-20-ethyl-PGF.sub.2 α(11) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-20-ethyl-PGF.sub.2 αmethyl ester(12) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16R,S-fluoro-20-ethyl-11R-methyl-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester(13) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-17S-methyl-PGF.sub.2 α ethyl ester(14) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-methyl-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester(15) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF.sub.2 α(16) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester(17) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF.sub.2 α ethyl ester(18) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF.sub.2 α isopropyl ester(19) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF.sub.2 α n-butyl ester(20) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester(21) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-n-propyl-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester(22) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-n-butyl-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester(23) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-16-desbutyl-16-(m-trifluoromethyl-phenoxy)-PGF.sub.2 α methyl ester(24) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF.sub.1 α ethyl ester(25) 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-ethyl-PGF.sub.1 α methyl ester(26) Ringer's solution As is obvious from the above results, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandins of the F series of the present invention distinctly show vasopressor effect. Further, it has been found that those containing halogen such as fluorine or lower alkyl group such as methyl or phenoxy especially show surprisingly great vasopressor effect. EXPERIMENT 2 Measurement of pulse: Male Wister rat (8-week old) was anesthetized by intraperitoneally administering urethane (1.25 g/kg). A tachometer was operated by R wave of electrocardiogram of exterminal derivation. The effect of the tested 15-keto-PGEs on pulse is evaluated by the value calucurated from the following formula: ##EQU1## The results are shown in Table 2. EXPERIMENT 3 Trachea contraction: Trachea was enucleated from Std: Hartley guinea pig, longitudinally incised heterolateral side to trachea unstriated muscle, then transversely truncated. The resulting ring-shaped trachea tissue (7 pieces) were connected like chain with string and suspended in a magnus tube into which Krebs buffer containing enzyme was filled. The each test drug was dissolved in ethanol and then diluted with distilled water, which was applied to Krebs buffer in the magnus tube. The concentration of ethanol was controlled at less than 0.2%. The contraction by the test drug was indicated by EC 50 , which is a concentration of the drug showing 50% contraction when the contraction by 30 mM KCl is assumed 100%. The results are shown in Table 2. EXPERIMENT 4 Airway resistance: Male Std: Hartley guinea pig was anesthetized by intraperitoneally administering urethane (1.5 g/kg). After cannulation in trachea, 0.3 mg/kg of parachronium was intravenously administered to immobilize, and artificial respiration was conducted using a respirator. The change in the inner pressure of the airway was recorded using bronchospasm transducer. The test drug was intravenously administered through the polyethylene tube inserted in the external jugular vein. The drug which raised the inner resistance of the airway when administered at the dose of 1 mg/kg was evaluated as positive for airway resistance raising activity. The results are shown in Table 2. EXPERIMENT 5 Enteron contraction: Ileum was removed from male Wister rat and suspended in a magnus tube. Contraction was induced several times with acetylcholine at the concentration of 1×10 -6 g/ml. After more than two contractions with same intensity were obtained, the test drug was administered in the same manner as in Experiment 3. Contraction by the test drug was indicated by EC 50 , which is a concentration of the test drug showing 50% contraction, when the contruction induced by 1×10 -6 g/ml of acetylcholine is assumed 100%. The results are shown in Table 2. EXPERIMENT 6 Acute toxicity: Using Male Slc-ddY mouse (5 weeks old), acute toxicity upon oral administration (LD 50 ) was examined. The results are shown in Table 2. TABLE 2______________________________________ Drug 18 Drug 16 Drug 1 PGF.sub.2 α______________________________________Blood ↑ ↑ ↑ ↓ → ↑Pressure*Pulse* → → ↑ ↓ → ↑Trachea** - - - +ContractionAirway*** - +ResistanceEnteron** - - - ++ContractionLD.sub.50 (oral) >2000 mg/kg >2000 mg/kg______________________________________ *↑: increase more than 10% ↓: decrease more than 10% →: no change observed **++: EC.sub.50 < 10.sup.-7 +: 10.sup.-7 ≦ EC.sub.50 ≦ 10.sup.-6 -: 10.sup.-6 < EC.sub.50 ***-: no effect +: increase airway resistance As is obvious from the above resluts, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGFs did not show ephemeral decresase in pulse as well as blood pressure which PGF 2 α usually shows, Further, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-alkyl PGFs are found to show no effect on pulse. 13,14-Dihydro-15-keto-PGFs shown no or extremely reduced effect on trachea or enteron contraction without showing side-effect such as increase in airway resistance. Therefore, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGFs are useful as vasopressor with no or little side-effects. Particularly, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-20-alkyl-PGFs are free from side effect, i.e., slight increase in pulse and specifically show vasopressor activity. Moreover, their toxicity are extremely weak, that is, no death was caused by oral administration of 2,000 mg/kg of the compound. ##STR36##

The present invention provides new compounds, 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGFs, and vassopressors containing them, which raise blood pressure without substantial ephemeral depression of blood pressure, trachea or enteron contraction effect inherent in usual PGFs.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/224,034 filed Aug. 20, 2002, and claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent applications Ser. No. 60/313,978 filed Aug. 21, 2001 and Ser. No. 60/358,861 filed Feb. 22, 2002. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] This invention relates to hypodermic injection systems, and in particular to those residing in a kit format. It more particularly relates to hypodermic injection systems in kit form for mass inoculations, using electrical or manual power. The invention additionally relates to hypodermic injection systems having ampules that are processed to avoid cross contamination. [0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0005] Many forms of hypodermic injection systems are available. These systems include rapid delivery of vaccines/medications with jet injectors that utilize the same orifice for every injection, and in some cases, use individual, single use ampules that must be handled by the vaccinator when filling them with vaccine and/or when inserted or removed from the injector. Some are manually armed, these to include all personal use injectors now available, and some have other means of power such as compressed gas. None of the injection systems are available in kit form that will provide healthcare workers with everything needed to deliver thousands of shots in remote or urban locations before returning to a central location for an equipment re-supply or re-energizing the power sources, and none supply single use, self-destruct ampules in a magazine format that can also be used as a shipping container, or if needed, as a mixing structure for the simultaneous preparation of numerous lyophilized filled ampules. [0006] Elements of this disclosure that were considered in earlier patents by at least one of the present inventors are: (1) one ampule per injection found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,648, (2) the magazine concept for holding ampules while connected to the injector, and a guard ring around the ampule to discourage splashing are found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,522, (3) inserting new ampules and/or discarding used ampules without the need of any physical contact by the user, and also the arming station for compressing an energy storage spring in the hand piece are found in PCT application Serial No. PCT/US00/07470, and (4) perforator (or mini-needle) delivery for reduced pressure and pain to the patient is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,716. One of the present inventors has a pending patent application directed to a structural containment of low cost syringes used at high pressure. Elements from each of the four patents are discussed in the present disclosure for mass immunization systems, clinical injectors, and personal use injectors, and the invention herein will represent improvements or new ways for performing these vital functions for all types of injection systems. The latter patents are all incorporated herein by reference. [0007] The invention in its preferred form provides the equipment needed for an electrically powered injection kit, including enough battery power for thousands of injections without means of support required from a central location or conventional sources of power. The basic means of energizing the injector is electrical power; however, as a user option, the kit and injection devices preferably also include a means for manual operation to assure continuation of the injection procedure if the transportable power sources are depleted and/or a source of renewable power is not available. The risk of cross-infection is avoided with disposable, single use, self-destruct ampules (also referred to as cartridges, capsules, vials, etc.) that are designed to interface with the injector in such a way that user contact with the ampules both before and after the injection is unnecessary. In addition, with respect to the preferred embodiment, the trigger is disabled until the ampule is securely held in place with the combination of a grasping jaw assembly and a locking sleeve to prevent the possibility of an ampule becoming a projectile when the injection ram is released. The ampules can be pre-filled by the manufacturer with liquid or lyophilized medication, or can be filled on site if necessary. Also included in the kit are magazines that hold numerous ampules before re-supply is needed. These magazines are designed for rapid, sterile delivery when used with the injector. In some cases, the magazine also serves as the shipping container for the ampules, and has the capability of simultaneous, on site mixing of the lyophilized filled ampules when needed. Alternatively, a filling station provides an efficient and sterile means for filling the ampules with liquid or lyophilized medication just prior to delivery. [0008] The method for non-contact changing of ampules has utility for clinical situations and personal use injections as well, where avoiding the risk of cross infection to healthcare workers is critically important when dealing with patients harboring dangerous pathogens. By the same token, where the risk of cross infection is not a factor, such as patients receiving insulin, or perhaps the daily delivery of growth or other hormone injections, the patient or healthcare worker assisting them can easily handle the ampule for both insertion and removal with the novel grasping system disclosed. The availability of this system has special utility for people who find the prior art techniques for filling the ampule and manually arming personal-use injectors to be physically challenging, if not impossible, in some cases. [0009] For all of the injection scenarios discussed, very short perforators (1 to 2 mm) as the exit nozzle, and used for piercing the injection site prior to jet delivery, are included in the preferred embodiment because they allow for low pressure injections (200 to 1,000 psi) as opposed to typical jet injection pressures on the order of 2,000 to 3,500 psi or more. Properly contained ampules, as discussed in the pending U.S. patent application referred to above, open the door for manufacturer-modified insulin and other syringes having 27 or 28 gauge needles that are already produced by the hundreds of millions, which when supplied at perforator length will provide an injection orifice on the order of 0.008 or 0.007 inches, which are typical diameters for jet injection systems. The economy of this approach is quite substantial SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The object of this invention is to provide a new, high-speed injection system that is economical, technically suited to campaigns for mass immunization and meets the needs of reliability, ergonomics, power availability, cost, safety and effective injections. The system is designed with several options for both powered and manual operation so that the needs of a wide variety of users can be met, these to include clinical and personal use injection systems. One option for powering the injector is an embodiment wherein a motor is remote from the handpiece discussed below, and referred to as a “Motor-Off Tool” (MOT) “Handpiece” with three methods including both electrical and manual means for compressing the injection spring. Also available is another embodiment wherein a motor is included in the handpiece, and referred to as a “Motor-In-Tool” (MIT) “Handpiece” similar to that reported in earlier disclosures by at least one of the inventors; however, according to a preferred embodiment in this disclosure, rather than a rotating cam mechanism for compressing the energy storage spring, a gear reduction and ball screw are used to do the same thing which provides novel methods and advantages for operating the motor in both the forward and reverse directions. For example, motor reversal allows for increasing the speed of rapid, repetitive injections by compressing the injection spring in one direction and then reversing direction for an immediate return to the starting point in preparation for the next arming cycle regardless of whether or not the present injection is delivered. An internal switching arrangement determines when the motor drive reaches the intended location, then provides an appropriate signal to first stop, latch the spring, and then reverse motor direction at the appropriate time. This sequence of repeated motor reversal takes place for every injection cycle, the distance of travel in each direction being determined by the volume of injectate to be delivered. In every case described, the mass immunization kit will also include a means for manual delivery if necessary; and this system has utility as a manual device for clinical situations. [0011] In an alternate embodiment, the forward direction of the motor allows for the ball screw drive to completely eliminate the energy storage injection spring by using a direct drive delivery from the motor to the ampule piston. One of the advantages of direct drive is the ability to provide an ever-increasing drive voltage to the motor that, in turn, will yield a profile of increasing pressure over the course of an injection. This increasing pressure will drive the injectate ever deeper, rather than ever more shallow, which will discourage the inclination of medication being left on the surface as is sometime seen with the usual spring driven, orifice oriented systems. This feature is especially useful for personal use injectors used by diabetics who are often very sensitive to the correct amount of insulin entering the body. Availability of reversing motor direction can also be used for filling an empty ampule, and has particular utility with personal use injectors as an improvement to the tedious manual methods now in use. To do this, the injector ram will first grab the plunger of an empty in-dwelling ampule, and then, with a push button command by the user, the injector will pull the plunger back to draw vaccine from a supply connected to the front end of the ampule. Mechanical or magnetic means can be used to make this connection to the ampule piston. Once the ampule is full by virtue of the reverse direction, a low speed button controlled motor drive will allow the vaccinator to slowly “jog” the piston forward, and visually determine when all air is expelled from the ampule. For direct drive delivery, the motor is then transferred to its high-speed mode to drive the injectate into the injection site. [0012] The ampules are designed for interfacing with a circular set of grasping jaws on the front of the injector. In one embodiment, the system comprises the following: (1) the ampules are packaged on a tear-away paper strip, (2) a filling station fills the ampules with pre-mixed, liquid vaccine while attached to the strip, (3) two different magazine options are available that house the ampules for rapid, easy insertion into the magazine, and then, one by one into the injector, (4) the injection is followed by self-destruction of used ampules, (5) two different handpiece options (the choice depending on user circumstances), and (6) several options for compressing the spring. The high-speed manual option mentioned earlier is an especially important feature for financially strapped countries that are unable to afford higher-level injection systems. The primary means for arming the automatic injector is electrical power for energizing a motor that serves to compress an injection spring. It should be noted that the spring-energized injector options are virtually always adaptable to manual operation as either a primary or emergency back-up system. This option is not available with conventional compressed gas, CO 2 or ignitable gas drive systems. [0013] Also disclosed are means for an on site mixing of pre-filled individual ampules having lyophilized medication in one compartment, and its mixing diluent in a companion compartment, the two being separated by an appropriate barrier. Several means are shown for utilizing a barrier between the medication and its diluent. The barrier can be frangible or a one-way valve. In one embodiment, a filling station will provide sufficient force for filling the individual ampules with pre-mixed liquid vaccine through the exit nozzle, an option that is also useful for the personal use injectors described above. This approach for front end filling will virtually eliminate the problem of having air enter the chamber that usually occurs when filling ampules by creating a vacuum when drawing back on the plunger. Alternatively, the filling station can provide sufficient force to insert the diluent through the exit nozzle and then mix it with lyophilized medication located in the ampule. [0014] A new concept of a mixing magazine allows for simultaneous, on-site mixing of an entire magazine full of the pre-filled, lyophilized/diluent cartridges. In this case, the magazine can also be used as the shipping container from the manufacturer to anywhere in the world thus, of course, lowering cost and further reducing the risk of contamination due to intermediate handling. [0015] In summary, the system includes a transportable injection station or kit that is easily moved from place to place by foot, bicycle, motor scooter, motorcycle, water, air transport or whatever means is available for moving people and equipment to an immunization site. If no other working surface is conveniently available at the site, legs provided as part of the station are opened and extended to the proper height for the user, and optional flat panels from one to all of the four sides of the housing are extended to form a working surface if needed. When the kit is opened, the healthcare worker will have everything needed for thousands of injections without any other means of support for the amount of time expected at the location. As mentioned above, the kit will include magazines of the selected type, filling station if needed, enough battery power to provide the number of shots expected, and a module for manually arming the injector in the event that all battery power is unexpectedly depleted, and/or the power needed for recharging the batteries is not available. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a portable injection system or kit according to the invention; [0017] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded, pictorial view of one embodiment of the invention having a motor off the tool; [0018] FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of a mechanical arming system for use with the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 ; [0019] FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of an electrical or optionally manual arming station for compressing an injection spring in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 ; [0020] FIG. 5 a is a pictorial view of a Motor-In-Tool injector having a removable motor and battery module for arming the Motor-In-Tool embodiment of the invention; [0021] FIG. 5 b is a pictorial view of a motor-In-Tool injector having a removable motor module for the Motor-In-Tool embodiment of the invention; [0022] FIG. 5 c is a pictorial view of a removable, back-up manual-arming module for the Motor-In-Tool embodiment of the invention; [0023] FIG. 6 a shows a permanent Motor-In-Tool injector according to the invention, in pictorial form; [0024] FIG. 6 b is a cut-away view of the Motor-In-Tool injector illustrated in FIG. 6 a, showing its internal mechanism; [0025] FIG. 7 a is a cut-away view of a second injector for the embodiment of the Motor-In-Tool invention depicted in FIG. 6 a , showing its internal mechanism in its armed condition; [0026] FIG. 7 b is a partly cut-away front view of the injector shown in FIG. 7 a also showing the internal mechanism in its armed condition; [0027] FIG. 7 c is a cut-away side view of the injector shown in FIG. 7 a showing its internal mechanism in its fired or unarmed condition. [0028] FIG. 7 d is a cut-away front view of the injector shown in FIG. 7 c showing its internal mechanism in its fired or unarmed condition. [0029] FIG. 8 a is a cut-away view of a version of an injector for the first embodiment of the invention for the Motor-Off-Tool injector shown in FIG. 2 with an ampule illustrated with a perforator at the exit port; [0030] FIG. 8 b is an enlargement of the ball transfer subsystem shown in FIG. 8 a [0031] FIG. 8 c is an enlargement of the jaw structure for grasping ampules as shown in FIG. 8 a; [0032] FIG. 8 d is an illustration of one embodiment for self-destruction of a perforator after use in FIG. 8 a; [0033] FIG. 9 is a pictorial view of a used ampule being ejected from the jaw structure shown in FIG. 8 c; [0034] FIG. 10 a is a pictorial view of an unused, empty ampule according to an embodiment of the invention; [0035] FIG. 10 b is a pictorial view of the ampule shown in FIG. 10 a filled and ready to deliver an injection; [0036] FIG. 10 c is a pictorial view of the ampule shown in FIG. 10 a in the disabled state after an injection has been given; [0037] FIG. 11 a is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a frangible piston for use in the ampule shown in FIGS. 10 a - 10 c; [0038] FIG. 11 b is an end view of the piston shown in FIG. 11 a; [0039] FIG. 11 c is a view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 11 b; [0040] FIG. 12 a is a pictorial view of a portion of the invention showing ampules attached to a cardboard/paper strip; [0041] FIG. 12 b is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 12 a; [0042] FIG. 13 a is a pictorial view of the ampule strip shown in FIG. 12 a when inserted in an unfolded magazine; [0043] FIG. 13 b is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 13 a showing a close-up view of posts for securing ampule strips to a folding magazine; [0044] FIG. 13 c is a pictorial view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 13 a with a set of magazine wings being folded over the center segment; [0045] FIG. 13 d is a pictorial view of the apparatus of FIG. 13 a in a fully-folded magazine ready for injection; [0046] FIG. 14 a is a pictorial view of another embodiment of an aspect of the invention showing an ampule strip coiled up and placed in a rotating auto-feed magazine; [0047] FIG. 14 b is a pictorial view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 14 a with a cover placed on the rotating auto-feed magazine shown in FIG. 14 a and ready for use; [0048] FIG. 14 c is a pictorial view of a negator spring used in the magazine shown in FIGS. 14 a - 14 b , 16 , 17 and 18 a - 18 c. [0049] FIGS. 14 d and 14 e are schematic drawings of a pawl and ratchet device used in the magazine shown in FIGS. 14 a , 14 b , 16 , 17 and 18 a - 18 c. [0050] FIG. 15 is a pictorial view of ampules according to the invention located in a tray or crate assembly; [0051] FIG. 16 is a pictorial view of the second embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 retrieving a filled ampule from a rotating auto-feed magazine as shown in FIGS. 14 a and 14 b; [0052] FIG. 17 is a pictorial view of another embodiment of the magazine portion of the invention showing a linear auto-feed magazine with an open cover; [0053] FIG. 18 a is a pictorial view of another embodiment of the magazine aspect of the invention showing a rotatable auto-feed magazine with an improved structure for ampule retrieval; [0054] FIGS. 18 b and 18 c are views of the magazine shown in FIG. 18 a in two mounting modes. [0055] FIG. 19 is a pictorial view of a filling station according to the invention in partially exploded form; [0056] FIG. 20 a is a schematic view of an ampule according to the invention with a lyophilized/diluent vaccine separated by a mixing piston with a one-way valve; [0057] FIG. 20 b is a schematic view of the ampule shown in FIG. 20 a with internal lyophilized vaccine and external mixing diluent being forced into the exit nozzle; [0058] FIG. 20 c is a schematic view of an ampule according to the invention with lyophilized vaccine, having an external appendage containing the mixing diluent; [0059] FIG. 20 d is a schematic view of the ampule shown in FIG. 20 c having an external appendage containing both lyophilized vaccine and diluent separated by a barrier; [0060] FIG. 20 e is a schematic view of another aspect of the invention showing a magazine full of ampules, each with a collapsible storage unit; and [0061] FIG. 20 f is a schematic view of another variation of an ampule according to the invention showing it with lyophilized vaccine and diluent separated by a slidable frangible barrier. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0062] FIG. 1 illustrates a customized, all-inclusive, carrying case 12 for the portable injection system, station or kit 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. Each carrying case 12 of the portable system 10 contains all components necessary for a healthcare team to efficiently administer thousands of injections at the rate of up to 600 people per hour, this equipment to include several magazines, at least one handpiece, enough battery power for the number of injections expected, manual arming means if needed, at least one filling system, several battery charging options and simple tools to effect repairs to the system components. [0063] The case has retractable legs (not shown) for standing the unit in an upright position and flat panels from the four sides that can be pulled out to form a working surface (not shown) for the healthcare team if no other surfaces are available or convenient. Sterile components such as gauze, cotton balls, band-aids, etc., will also be housed in the case. Several ampule strips should be included in the case as a fill-in or backup in case a delay occurs in the normal procedure for delivery; however, for the enormous number of inoculations needed for a mass immunization campaign, it is anticipated that the required number of ampules will be transported to the site in separate cartons and/or shipping magazines, and might even contain pre-filled liquid or lyophilized ampules. [0064] One of the main embodiments of the invention is referred to as a “Motor-Off-Tool” or “MOT,” where the electrically operated motor (discussed below) is separable from the injection device that it is driving. The injection device preferably includes a handpiece for effecting injections. [0065] FIGS. 2 through 4 are illustrations of the various ways to deal with arming a Motor-Off-Tool (MOT) device, i.e., it includes a handpiece 14 containing an injection spring (discussed below) and a trigger 16 , but a motor 15 and a battery 17 are on motor-battery belt assembly 18 are located off of handpiece 14 . Because of this, MOT handpiece 14 is less expensive and extremely light at an estimated weight of approximately 8.5 ounces (240 g), where the handpiece is made from an appropriate plastic, and the plastic and injection spring comprising nearly all of the weight of the handpiece. The reduced weight has the added advantage of less fatigue to the healthcare worker when thousands of injections are given. [0066] FIG. 2 shows a Motor-Off-Tool apparatus 100 having a belt-motor assembly located on a belt pack 22 , arm pack or the like, and is attachable to a convenient location on the healthcare worker giving the injections. A moveable center (not visible but similar to a speedometer cable) located inside tether or cable 26 is fastened on one end to a draw rod (discussed below) on handpiece 14 , and is used for applying the pulling force needed to compress an injection spring in handpiece 14 , also discussed below. The outside shell of tether 26 is connected to handpiece 14 with a coupler mechanism 24 . The other end of the movable center of cable 26 is attached to a motor drive 19 located on belt back 22 , and this end of tether or cable 26 is attached to the housing of motor drive 19 with a coupler or connection mechanism 28 . After an injection is given, a signal goes back from the handpiece to the motor control which will instruct the motor to pull on the movable center of cable 26 to again compress the spring in preparation for the next injection as explained later. The injection fluid or injectate is held in disposable ampules 21 . This option allows the vaccinator to move around freely and provides for very high-speed operation, all the while requiring very little outside assistance. Mechanical tether 26 should be of adequate strength, and could be fairly stiff which, for some situations will also possibly add unwieldy weight to handpiece 14 . [0067] FIG. 3 illustrates a manually operated foot pedal assembly 30 for activating the movable center of mechanical tether 32 which functions exactly as described for tether 26 in FIG. 2 for compressing the spring in handpiece 14 . The outer shell of tether 32 is connectable to handpiece 14 with coupler mechanism 34 . No additional energy is needed and no motor is involved for using this foot-operated device. [0068] FIG. 4 shows a pair of Motor-Off-Tool (MOT) injectors residing in rearming station 40 ; however, in this case an electrically operated arming station 42 is used. While not mandatory, the primary objective of arming station 42 is for the vaccinator and an assistant to work together, wherein the vaccinator will give the shots and the assistant will move the handpieces around as described below. Arming station 42 has a pick-up cradle 44 for holding a fully armed Motor-Off-Tool injector, and a rearming dock or port location 50 to accept an unarmed injector. Arming station 42 can be adapted to hold more than one MOT handpiece, wherein two are shown in FIG. 4 as configured for use with an assistant. Cradle 44 on arming station 42 is for holding an injector 14 that has already been armed and ready for use. A pick-up cradle adjustment knob 46 on arming station 42 is adjustable in order to place the handpiece at an angle that is most convenient and comfortable to provide access to a fully armed injector 14 for the vaccinator. Arming station 42 also has an arming station base 48 on which the aforementioned pick-up cradle 44 and a rearming dock or cradle 50 is located. In addition, base 48 also has an optional or back-up manual arming lever 52 to rearm the handpiece resting in dock or cradle 50 in the event electrical power is not available, all of which are discussed below. At the beginning of an immunization sequence, both injectors are typically unarmed. When arming cradle 50 senses the presence of handpiece 14 , it pulls the injector draw rod to compress the injection spring to the latched position, as discussed hereinafter. After arming is completed, the armed handpiece is moved to pick-up cradle 44 , and the second injector is placed in arming cradle 50 and armed. At this point, the vaccinator takes an armed injector from cradle 44 to give an injection and the assistant will move the second injector to pick-up cradle 44 while at the same time the vaccinator will squeeze trigger 16 of handpiece 14 to then release the injection spring, therein driving a ram in handpiece 14 to expel the jet velocity fluid from the ampule. After giving an injection, the vaccinator ejects used ampule 21 and deposits handpiece 14 into the now empty rearming cradle or dock 50 , and picks up the armed handpiece 14 from cradle 44 wherein handpiece 14 is ready to retrieve a new ampule 21 for the next injection. Benefits with arming station 40 include the elimination of any kind of tether, so that the vaccinator's arm has complete freedom of movement. Also, in a campaign with an adequate supply of assisting personnel, which is often the case in mass campaigns, arming station 40 will relieve the vaccinator from all duties except for delivering injections, thus insuring an efficient, high-speed operation. If, however, a vaccinator is working with very little assistance, the arming station 40 option would require more motion and effort on the part of the vaccinator than the mechanical tether option. Also, unlike the mechanical tether option, in which the vaccinator can move around freely, this option requires the vaccinator to remain close to the arming station in order to swap handpieces 14 after each injection. The arming station concept is also conveniently applied to the personal use injector, wherein the motor and battery can be housed in a unit that also serves as a compact storage and carrying case that is easily concealed by the user, and which also makes the handpiece very compact, lightweight and easily maneuvered for a personal injection. [0069] A second main embodiment of the invention is referred to as a “Motor-In-Tool” or “MIT,” where an electric motor is plugged into or otherwise is a part of the injection device which it is driving, in this case a handpiece as described below. Referring to FIGS. 5 a - 5 c , they show together a Motor-In-Tool device or apparatus 200 having a handpiece 114 , and in the embodiment of FIG. 5 b , a battery-belt assembly 118 having a battery 120 , and a motor module with a motor 119 . [0070] FIGS. 5 a - 5 c illustrate various options for arming the Motor-In-Tool (MIT) injector or handpiece 114 . Depending on the required shot capacity, battery 120 can be housed on handpiece 114 or in a separate off-tool compartment as shown in FIG. 5 b . Just like the Motor-Off-Tool (MOT) handpiece 14 , the MIT handpiece 114 houses an injection spring, the force transfer system that includes a plunger rod such as ampule plunger rod 403 as illustrated in FIGS. 8 a - 8 c , trigger, and the ampule grip/release system as discussed in greater detail below. Thus, with reference to FIGS. 10 a - 10 c, ampule 21 includes an injecting piston 718 . Piston 718 is driven forward by plunger rod 403 to force injectable material into the intended target. [0071] FIG. 5 a illustrates a removable module 130 containing a geared down motor 132 . Depending on the desired injection pressure and stroke length for a particular injector design, any number of conversion values could be used, one value implemented for this system has an armature speed as high as 13,900 revolutions per minute (RPM), but with very low torque. This high armature speed is reduced by 29:1 with an appropriate gear reduction to yield an output speed of 480 RPM to shaft 136 (8 revolutions per second), and except for an inevitable loss due to conversion efficiency, the torque output is therefore increased by the same ratio, thus providing the power needed to compress the injection spring (not shown in this figure). In this embodiment, a battery 134 is connected to the motor inside of module 130 , wherein both the motor and battery are connected to the handpiece 114 during its operation by insertion of an output shaft 136 into a mating receptacle 138 on handpiece 114 . [0072] FIG. 5 b illustrates a removable module that contains only the geared down motor 119 when the motor is connected to handpiece 114 , but battery 118 is off the tool during operation and is connected to motor 119 with an electrical tether 140 . Motor 119 has the same type motor shaft 136 as shown in FIG. 5 a for insertion into receptacle 138 . This is a more likely situation for providing power to handpiece 114 when thousands of injections are expected, i.e., a larger remote battery pack can be clipped onto a belt or vest, carried in a pocket, or placed on a stationary surface next to the vaccinator without the risk of excessive fatigue from constantly moving the greater weight. The MIT handpiece 114 (that is, when motor 119 is connected thereto) is estimated to weigh about 14 ounces and is somewhat larger than an MOT handpiece 114 (when motor 119 is not connected); however, it is still much lighter than any other mass campaign injector known to the inventors. The MIT handpiece 114 weighs about 14.5 to 16.5 ounces, wherein added to the 8.5-ounce MOT handpiece 114 are motor 119 at about 4 ounces and the linkage from the motor to the gears weighing from 2 to 4 ounces. The option shown in FIG. 5 b provides the vaccinator full range of arm motion and complete freedom to walk around; that is, handpiece 114 does not have to be put down between injections and one-handed operation to load, inject, and eject ampules 21 is possible. While not shown, it is clear than other sources of power, such as solar or main power, when converted to the voltage needed can also be used to drive the motors in FIG. 5 b. [0073] FIG. 5 c shows a module 142 for the manual arming of handpiece 114 , and which is connected to the injector in the same manner as that described for the modules of FIGS. 5 a and 5 b . This format takes the place of the motor and the battery pack needed to energize it. Module 142 has a housing 144 , and a manually driven handle 148 coupled to geared down interface prior to moving output shaft 146 which is connected to receptacle 138 on handpiece 114 during its operation. Manual arming of handpiece 114 is facilitated by rotating handle 148 several times to provoke the amount of rotation needed on output shaft 146 to compress the injection spring. While not shown in any of the figures, the MIT injector 200 can also be manually rearmed by compressing the spring from the front end when the injector nose is inserted into a corresponding manual rearming station. [0074] FIGS. 6 a and 6 b show one version of a complete MIT injector 114 ′, and FIG. 6 b is a cut-away view of the motor location and the other significant components. In this case, motor 119 ′ receives power from electrical tether 140 as illustrated in FIG. 5 b , but in this case, motor 119 ′ is a permanent fixture on injector 114 ′. This figure also includes an ampule grip/release system, force transfer system, trigger, and the injection spring, all which are also incorporated in the MOT design 100 . Ampule 21 is not installed in handpiece 114 ′ in these figures. [0075] With reference to FIG. 6 a , handpiece 114 ′ has a housing 150 with a trigger 116 ′. Turning to FIG. 6 b , an injection spring 152 is shown in the compressed state and is held in compression between a ball screw nut 154 and an injection release sleeve 156 having a shoulder 158 against which spring 152 rests, wherein, motor 119 ′ rotates ball screw nut 154 in the spring compression direction until it reaches and actuates a motor stop switch which is more fully explained with the embodiment of FIG. 7 . Optionally, the spring can be made to latch in this position and the motor is instructed to immediately return ball screw nut 154 to the lower portion of screw 164 . Alternatively, ball screw 154 can stay in the position shown until the injection is given and the used ampule released from the handpiece, at which time, the motor will reverse the ball screw position as described to be reset to again compress spring 152 . Both techniques have been implemented, the advantage of immediate reversal is saving time in preparation for the next injection. A force transfer system 160 transfers force from injection spring 152 to system 160 and ultimately to a ram for driving a piston inside an ampule. Motor 119 ′ is mounted in housing 150 and has a drive shaft 161 for rotating a spur gear 163 , which in turn rotates a spur gear 162 to rotate a ball screw 164 which moves ball screw nut 154 to compress injection spring 152 . No thrust bearing is required for protecting drive shaft 161 because the load is decoupled from the motor and the gearbox by virtue of the offset nature of the spur gears. An electric tether connector port 166 is shown as a connection for connecting a battery or, as suggested for the FIG. 5 embodiments, connecting other sources of electrical power to motor 119 ′. [0076] Force transfer system 160 includes a casing 168 for holding an ampule plunger rod, a transfer mechanism held in casing 168 , and a ramrod extending from injection release sleeve 156 to effect the active operation of the transfer mechanism. The ampules are held in handpiece 114 ′ by gripper jaws 172 , the operation of which is discussed in further detail for FIG. 8 c below. The foregoing mechanism included in handpiece 114 ′, with the exception of motor 119 ′ installed in handpiece 114 ′, is essentially the same as for the MOT handpiece 14 . [0077] When trigger 16 , 116 or 116 ′ is squeezed on any of handpiece 14 , 114 , 114 ′, the stored energy in injection spring 152 exerts the appropriate force on transfer system 160 (more fully described below for FIG. 8 a ), which then applies injection pressure to an ampule ramrod (discussed below). After an injection, an ampule release button 170 is compressed and the ampule capture sleeve (discussed below) is pulled back from its locked position. The gripper jaws 172 expands, are held open, and the used ampule 21 either falls out or is pushed away from the front end of handpiece 114 ′. There is no need for physical contact by the user; however, if desired, ampule 21 can be inserted and extracted manually. As described above, at some point in the cycle, motor 119 ′ reverses its direction to reset handpiece 114 ′. To install a new ampule 21 , the front end of the handpiece 114 ′ is placed over the mating back section of a new ampule 21 , and the capture sleeve is returned to the locked position as soon as gripper jaws 172 are released and closed. The ampule is now securely held in place for the next injection. Apparatus is provided for preventing the actuation of a ramrod for normally injecting injectate from an ampule unless gripper jaws 172 are properly holding an ampule because the actuation of the ramrod without a properly held ampule could pose a dangerous situation since the ramrod could provide a dangerous impact if it were to strike a person. [0078] FIGS. 7 a , 7 b , 7 c and 7 d show the internal structure for one embodiment of the MIT injector 200 . Injector 200 has a handpiece 114 ″ shown in FIGS. 7 a and 7 b in the armed position, and FIGS. 7 c and 7 d , the same in the fired or unarmed position. MIT handpiece 114 ″ includes a housing 150 ′ having a ball screw assembly 172 , which includes a motor and gear train 119 ″, a coupler mechanism 174 , a ball screw 164 ′ and a ball nut 154 ′. Coupler mechanism 174 represents a fixed point which locks the motor in the housing while at the same time coupling motor 119 ″ and its gear box (included in the motor or housing) to ball screw 164 ′. Member 174 is able to pivot very slightly (a few degrees) to allow for movement of ball screw 164 ′ and a power linkage 176 as ball screw nut 154 ′ moves up and down on ball screw 164 ′ during the arming process. Coupler mechanism 174 also includes a thrust bearing (not detailed in the figure) to protect the motor and gear train from the in-line spring load. Power linkage 176 , described in more detail below, operatively attaches to ball screw assembly 175 with an appropriate connector or pivot point 192 . The injector spring is included in a rear or right part of a spring tube assembly 178 . A battery 118 ′ is located within housing 150 ′ above spring tube assembly 178 . An ampule capture sleeve 180 holds an ampule 21 . The discharge or removal of a used ampule 21 is accomplished by the sidewise movement of an ampule release trigger 182 . A ready indicator 184 is located at the rear of headpiece 114 ″ and extends out the rear end of injector 200 as shown when the injection spring is compressed. A front view of the unit is shown in FIG. 7 b. [0079] Power linkage 176 includes a first link 186 connected to ball screw nut 154 ′ by connector 192 about which first link 186 can pivot. Link 186 has a free end 188 with a longitudinal slot 190 . A second link 194 is connected to a pin or pivot pin 196 extending from trigger 116 ″. Second link 194 can pivot about pin 196 . A third link 198 is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 201 carried on a tube housing 202 which allows pivot 201 to slide to the left when the injection spring is released, and a fourth link 204 is mounted at one end to a pivot pin 206 fixed on handpiece 114 ″, and at its other end to a connecting pin 208 extending through slot 190 in first link 186 . Link 198 is connected to fourth link 204 by means of the same connecting pin 208 for second link 194 . Pin 208 is held in place by a retainer 210 . [0080] As mentioned, FIG. 7 a shows MIT handpiece 114 ″ in a loaded or armed position. When trigger 116 ″ is actuated, injection release or second link 194 is forced upwardly by trigger 116 ″, therein, connecting pin 208 is raised above the center point of links 198 and 204 to unlock these links, and the compression spring in spring tube assembly 178 is released and rapidly moves to the left, driving an ampule plunger rod or ramrod into ampule 21 to cause the discharge of the injectate held therein. Connecting pin 208 moves to the upper end of slot 190 in first link 186 , and then, in this embodiment (other motions are possible), upon the sidewise actuation of ampule release trigger 182 , an ampule-eject spring engages an ampule ejector sleeve which both withdraws jaw capture sleeve 180 to release jaw expansion springs (not shown in this figure) from holding ampule 21 in place in handpiece 114 ″, and a plunger return and ampule-eject spring drives an ejector sleeve against ampule 21 to either eject or to allow ampule 21 to fall away from the open gripper jaws (discussed in detail with respect to FIG. 8 c ). The condition of handpiece 114 ″ after firing, i.e. after an injection has been made and just prior to ejection of ampule 21 from the gripping jaws 172 , is shown in FIG. 7 c. [0081] Ampule release 182 can also release an ampule in the event no injection is made. It also effects release of an ampule if the main system malfunctions. [0082] It is noted that the fully compressed spring in this embodiment latches with a slightly over-center toggle composed of third link 198 and fourth link 204 ; therefore, spring release is easily facilitated with a small force to the center point of this toggle arrangement when trigger 116 ″ is actuated. Ball nut 154 ′, screw 164 ′ and motor drive 119 ″, move in both the forward and reverse directions by virtue of electrical switch actuation as described below. As described earlier, a ready button 184 extending from the rear end of housing 150 ′ tells the user when injector 114 ″ is fully armed for an injection. [0083] After an injection has been accomplished and injector 200 moves from the condition in FIG. 7 a to that of condition 7 c , the direction of rotation of the shaft of motor 119 ″ is reversed. Control of motor 119 ″ is facilitated with the use of switches 214 , 216 , and 218 . When trigger 116 ″ is actuated and toggle 204 / 198 is released to facilitate the injection, trigger 116 ″ also causes a switch arm 212 to move upward with a guide and stop member 220 riding along a slot 213 , thereby releasing switch 216 . The release of switch 216 enables motor 119 ″, but this alone will not permit it to operate. At this point, there are two possible embodiments for having the motor rearm the injector. In the first embodiment, when ampule release trigger 182 is actuated and the used ampule falls away from the injector, switch 218 is released, and the combination of switch 216 and 218 enable motor 119 ″ to rearm the injector 200 , at which time, ball nut 154 ′ moves in the downward direction along screw 164 ″. When nut 154 ″ reaches the bottom of ball screw 164 ′, arm 212 slides downward with guide and stop member 220 riding along slot 213 , and switch 216 is again compressed, while at the same time, toggle 204 / 198 latches to its slightly over center position. Re-compression of switch 216 when ball screw 154 ′ reaches the bottom causes motor 119 ″ to reverse direction and ball 154 ′ immediately returns to the upward part of screw 164 as shown in FIG. 7 a . When ball screw 154 ′ reaches the top, it pulls on shaft 215 which in turn produces a slight pull on coupler 174 to pull coupler 174 away from switch 214 , and the motor stops. In an alternative embodiment for rearming the injector, motor 119 ″ reversed direction as soon as the injection is completed. This saves time between shots, however, it also provides the risk of dry firing the injector if the trigger is pulled before a new, filled ampule is inserted into the injector. The choice between the two embodiments is determined by the conditions where the injector is to be used. [0084] It should be noted that the manual backup, i.e., for situations where electrical power is unavailable, could be just as fast as automatic arming, but fatigue to the user could be much greater due to the physical energy needed at the rapid rate expected. Whatever the case, the manual feature is necessary to assure that all injections are completed at the location before the healthcare team moves on. [0085] FIGS. 8 a - 8 c illustrate the details of a complete Motor-Off-Tool injector 400 ; however, the inner workings, with the exception of how it is armed, apply to the Motor-In-Tool injector as well. [0086] The FIG. 8 a cut-away shows the off-axis energy transfer system consisting of a series of balls in a tube and all of the other elements described above. The off-axis transfer of power was developed in order to provide a handpiece that was less threatening to children than the gun type structure that has typically been used. This model is also easier to handle than the straight-line version (similar in shape to a conventional flashlight), provides for a better distribution of weight, and helps reduce the onset of fatigue to the healthcare worker. Several methods were reduced to practice, each having its own advantages and disadvantages for certain situations in mass immunization. [0087] Referring to FIG. 8 a , MOT 400 includes a handpiece 414 having a housing 450 with a trigger 416 , and a force transfer system 402 having ampule plunger rod or ramrod 403 , force transfer balls 405 and a ramrod 407 . Force transfer balls 405 are held in and tangential to the inside surface of curved housing 409 . Handpiece 414 further includes a draw rod 411 , a spring tube 413 housing an injection spring 415 and a spring retainer nut 417 . An injection release sleeve 456 includes part of curved housing 409 with force transfer balls 405 , as well as six release balls 419 which can be transferred from an annular channel 421 to an annular pocket 423 . Handpiece 414 has an ampule release button 425 and leaf springs 427 . Ampule release from the front end jaw structure is essentially the same as that described for FIG. 8 c below. [0088] FIG. 8 b is a blown-up view of force transfer balls 405 shown in FIG. 5 a . Balls 405 are preferably made from steel, and there are “hat” members 429 inserted between each of the balls that are intended to improve the efficiency of this transfer by helping maintain alignment of the balls to reduce wall friction. Hat members 429 are preferably made from Delrin. While not shown in the figures, tube 409 can also contain a hydraulic fluid with sealing pistons at either end, rather than balls 405 . The fluid, along with these pistons, will transfer the power to ampule plunger rod 403 when the injection spring 415 is released. Tubular transfer system 402 is the most compact and lightest weight of those disclosed; however, its efficiency is not as great as some of the others; for example, while somewhat larger, a chain or cable connected to a pulley and gear motor combination can also provide the spring compression at higher efficiency. Selection of a particular transfer system will depend on the energy available to accommodate an acceptable efficiency, as well as the premium placed on weight and size of the device. [0089] FIG. 8 c is a blown up view of the circular jaw structure shown in FIG. 8 a . As pointed out earlier and discussed below, these jaws allow for a no-personal contact procedure when grasping and discarding an ampule, and because of that, they also have important utility for personal use injectors when used by healthcare workers for a particular patient who might be harboring dangerous blood born pathogens, thus eliminating the risk of cross infection to the worker. [0090] In FIG. 8 c , an ampule 21 is held in handpiece 414 by three gripper jaws 472 . Ampule 21 has a housing 700 with a cylindrical forward outer surface 702 and a tapered rearward surface 704 that is narrow at its free end and thickens until it reaches a peak 706 after which it tapers inwardly towards the longitudinal axis of ampule 21 to form a slanting shoulder 708 . Gripper jaws 472 each have a head 475 with an inclined ampule engaging surface 476 for engaging ampule shoulder 708 . Jaws 472 are biased outwardly by jaw expansion springs 478 . A jaw capture sleeve 480 engages an abutment 482 on the outside of head 475 of jaws 472 to hold jaws 472 in a closed position against the bias of springs 478 . Ramrod 403 follows the longitudinal axis of jaws 472 and ampule 21 (if installed), and as explained earlier, effects the ejection of serum or other injectate from ampule 21 . A guide and holder 484 has a forward end portion with an inclined inner surface 486 for engaging and holding inclined rearward surface 704 of ampule 21 , an inward collar 488 and a rearward cylindrical portion 490 . An ejector sleeve 492 extends partially along ramrod 403 , and the inner surface of collar 488 of rearward portion 490 engages sleeve 492 and holds it against ramrod 403 . A plunger return and ampule spring 494 extends partially along ramrod 403 , including a forward portion between ejector sleeve 492 and ramrod 403 . [0091] A jaw capture sleeve return spring 496 extends along the inside surface of the rear part 497 of jaw capture sleeve 480 , and has a forward end abutting an inwardly extending collar 498 of sleeve 480 and a rear end abutting a gasket 500 extending between the rearward end of sleeve 480 and the rearward portion 490 of guide and holder 484 . A retaining ring 502 is located in an annular groove 504 of guide and holder 484 for maintaining gasket 500 and sleeve and return spring 496 in place. [0092] FIG. 8 a shows the MOT injector 400 in its loaded or armed condition, ready for giving an injection. The user actuates trigger 416 by causing it to pivot on an annular axle (hidden in this figure but located close to the left end centerline of plunger rod 403 ), which causes a cam 506 on trigger 416 to engage inclined surface 508 to force injection release sleeve 456 downwardly along tube 409 containing balls 405 . This causes injection release balls 419 to move from annular channel 421 into annular pocket 423 in injection release sleeve 456 . Balls 419 , which had been restricting the release of injection spring 415 in spring tube 413 , now permit the release of spring 415 . Therein, injection spring 415 , which at its upper end engages a drive member 510 , in turn drives draw rod 411 into ramrod 407 to apply the force from spring 415 into force transfer balls 405 to move upwardly, the forward ones of which moving around the curve in the upper end of tube 409 , to drive ampule rod 403 into the inner end of ampule 21 of such force as to cause the ejection of injectate under jet pressure through its discharge port 710 . [0093] It is noted that ampule 21 in this embodiment is shown with an exit port perforator 460 covered by a collapsible protective front end 462 whose interior contains a springy or resilient return material. When front end 462 is pressed against an injection site, it collapses under the applied force to then expose perforator 460 through the narrow access hole at the front. The perforator now enters the very outer layer of the body and the injection is thereafter delivered. When the injection is completed, protective cover 462 re-expands to again cover perforator 460 thus avoiding the risk of injury to the user. Importantly, protective front end 462 is manufactured with a side-wise bias that breaks lose when the perforator is first exposed, consequently, when perforator 460 is drawn back into protective front end 462 , the narrow exit hole in 462 will shift to the side as shown in FIG. 8 d , therefore making it impossible to again expose perforator 460 . This feature provides protection against any form of after shot “stick” or reuse by preventing the perforator from again becoming exposed, and will, in fact, destroy the perforator is such front end compression is again applied. [0094] Thereafter, the actuation of ampule release button 425 withdraws jaw capture sleeve 480 to the left as shown in FIG. 8 c , away from forward end 702 of ampule 21 . This results in jaw expansion spring 478 rotating gripper jaws away from ampule 21 so that ampule-engaging surface 476 disengages ampule shoulder 708 . Plunger return and ampule-eject spring 494 urges ejection sleeve 492 forwardly against the rear face 712 of ampule 21 to eject ampule 21 from MOT handpiece 414 . [0095] Since this embodiment is that of a motor-off-tool (MOT) injector, withdrawal of ramrod 407 from the forward or fired position must first be facilitated before a new ampule can be inserted into gripper jaws 472 . Thus, injector 414 is inserted into either a motor driven arming station or a manually driven arming station to grab hold of draw rod 411 and pull on it to recompress spring 415 to the injection ready position. A new ampule 21 can now be inserted in the forward end 485 of guide and holder 484 , and jaw heads 475 will ride along inclined surface 704 of ampule 21 until peak 706 rides over the gripping portion of jaw head 475 to releasably lock ampule 21 in place. Jaw capture sleeve return spring 496 then moves jaw capture sleeve 480 to the right as shown in FIG. 8 c , to move gripper jaws 472 to the closed position. [0096] MOT handpiece 414 is now ready for the next injection. The entire system in this and other embodiments have been found to make 600 injections per hour, including the injection of injectate from each ampule, discarding the ampule and reloading a new ampule. [0097] FIG. 9 illustrates a full external view of the FIG. 7 a - 7 c MIT injector 200 as seen when ejecting a used ampule 21 into a trash container T without the need for any physical contact by the user. [0098] FIGS. 10 a - 10 c are three views of one version of a self-destruct ampule that is conveniently used with this injection system. [0099] FIG. 10 a shows ampule 21 prior to filling. In order to maintain consistency as to the location of the proximal and distal ends of the ampule for the discussions to follow, the proximal end is always that end which is closest to the injector, i.e., the part of the ampule that is held by the grasping jaws described earlier. Each ampule 21 includes its thin plastic shell or housing 700 , cylindrical forward outer surface 702 , tapered rearward surface 704 , peak 706 , shoulder 708 , an orifice or discharge port 710 and rear face or proximal end 717 . A channel or bore 714 forms a chamber 715 extending along the longitudinal axis of ampule 21 , and is open at the rearward or proximal end 717 of ampule 21 . Orifice 710 is located at the forward or distal end 716 . Injection piston 718 is located at the distal end 716 while a spool 720 and a locking spring assembly 722 remain at proximal end 717 . Piston 718 is made from an appropriate plastic and has a head portion 724 , a body 726 and a base 728 . Spool 720 has a head 730 , a body 732 and a base 734 . Locking spring 722 is wrapped around body 732 of spool 720 , and has leaf spring members or fingers 736 which are biased outwardly from the longitudinal axis of ampule 21 towards the side wall 714 of chamber 715 . The leaf members 736 of the locking spring 722 apply slight outward pressure to the inner diameter (ID) of bore 714 , thus enabling locking spring assembly 722 to maintain position within bore 714 . Herein lies another feature that, in some cases, would find use with a personal use injector. However, it should be noted that in some cases where dangerous pathogens are not an issue, some personal use injectors actually promote the reuse of ampules to facilitate greater economy to the user. [0100] FIG. 10 b shows a filled ampule. The distal end 716 of ampule 21 is installed into the filling station (shown in greater detail in FIG. 19 ), and pressurized injectate is forced into chamber 714 through the orifice 710 , thus driving piston 718 towards spool assembly 720 at proximal end 717 of ampule 21 , wherein it makes physical contact with spool 720 and locking spring 722 and comes to a stop. Due to outward pointing fingers 736 of locking spring 722 , assembly 722 is unable to move any further in the proximal direction. The concept of filling through the exit port with the application of pressure to the vaccine reservoir offers a substantial advantage by avoiding the insertion of air into the injectate chamber during the filling process. This as opposed to the more common practice of creating a vacuum in the injectate chamber when the plunger is pulled back. While the pulling procedure certainly draws fluid into the injectate chamber, it also draws air in at the same time, therein requiring an extra step of carefully pushing the plunger forward until all of the air is expelled before giving the shot. [0101] FIG. 10 c depicts an ampule- 21 after the injection is completed. Plunger rod 403 makes contact with end or base 734 of spool 720 , thus driving the spool 720 , locking spring assembly 722 and piston 718 forward at high speed to force the high velocity injectate out through orifice 710 as a coherent jet stream. Once the injection is complete, piston 718 is firmly lodged in distal end 716 of ampule 21 , making reuse virtually impossible to further reduce the likelihood of cross infection. [0102] FIGS. 11 a - 11 c depict an alternate embodiment of the piston used in ampule 21 that avoids the use of a locking spring to disable the ampule, but relies instead on a very thin frangible section just behind an O-ring seal on the piston. After the piston reaches the end of the injection stroke and strikes the distal end of the ampule, the injector ram continues in the forward direction just far enough to produce an additional compression force on the piston which provokes a separation, or breakage, of the piston at the frangible ring. Once the piston is broken into two parts, reuse of the ampule is impossible. In another form of the same idea, the injector ram fractures a frangible center section on the piston. After the piston has fully pushed forward to complete the shot, a movable center rod will continue beyond the end of the ram and force a hole in the frangible member; therefore, if a user tries to refill the ampule, the remains of the piston cannot be moved to the full position. [0103] Thus, still referring to FIGS. 11 a and 11 b, an ampule piston 750 is shown. Piston 750 has a head 752 , a body 753 , and an annular groove 754 separated by a pair of surfaces 756 , 758 by a distance sufficient to engage in sealing contact an O-ring 760 . An elongated, annular groove 762 extends between a pair of collars 764 , 766 . A closed bore 768 ( FIG. 11 c ) extends from an end 770 of piston 750 and ends in a conical surface 772 . The narrow portion 774 between conical surface 772 and surface 758 of groove 754 forms a frangible web area. As explained above, in use a ram such as ampule plunger rod 403 —when activated—is driven into the rear surface 770 of piston 750 as it moves through its injection stroke to eject injectate from an ampule such as ampule 21 from chamber 715 through orifice 710 . After ampule piston 750 reaches the bottom of ampule 21 , plunger rod 403 continues its forward motion until its compressive force breaks the frangible web area at narrow portion 774 , rendering piston 750 useless and ampule 21 disabled against reuse. [0104] The item shown in FIGS. 12 a and 12 b is an example of ampules 21 connected together on an ampule strip 800 comprising a cardboard and paper combination, with tear-away paper strip 802 looping over each of the ampules as they rest on cardboard backing 804 . Ampules 21 are affixed to the cardboard backing when the paper overlay 802 is secured to the cardboard backing 804 by a suitable adhesive 806 . Cardboard backing 804 extends beyond distal face 716 of each ampule 21 , protecting the orifice 710 from incidental contact and possible contamination during handling. A loop belt 808 is configured and serpentined in such a way as to form folds 810 to hold ampules 21 securely inside of each other in the folded over strip during shipping, handling, and filling, but allows ampules 21 to be easily torn away when a shear load is applied by the handpiece jaws (such as jaws 472 ) when pulling ampules 21 out of ampule strip 800 , i.e., a tear-away system. Ampules 21 in FIGS. 12 a and 12 b are shown prior to insertion into the magazine system (described in more detail below). An alternate embodiment (not shown) has the ampules connected together during the molding process, but insertion into the magazine and the tear, or breakaway feature is essentially the same. [0105] Each ampule strip 800 preferably contains a number of 0.5 ml ampules 21 . Reconstitution of a 50-dose cake of lyophilized vaccine with 30 ml of diluent typically yields more than 50 doses of vaccine, especially with the highly efficient filling station described below. While a greater number is possible, the number of ampules in the strip will be equal to half the average number of doses of vaccine the filling station will extract from the vial (i.e. two ampule strips per vial of vaccine, wherein a strip will preferably hold between 26-28 ampules). As shown in FIGS. 12 a and 12 b , ampules 21 are spaced approximately 10 mm (0.400″) apart, allowing strip 800 to fold in half lengthwise ( FIG. 12 a ), nesting ampules 21 facing one another into the intervening spaces ( FIG. 12 b ) for ease of shipping and filling. [0106] The folded strip will be removed from its sterile pouch and interfaced directly with the filling station (as discussed below) advancing iteratively to allow the filling nozzle to access each ampule 21 and force reconstituted vaccine through its orifice 710 described above for FIGS. 10 a - 10 c. The vaccine will push ampule piston (such as piston 718 or 750 ) back until it stops against a pre-installed spool (such as spool 720 ) and lock ring (such as locking ring 722 ), insuring a precise amount of injectate in each ampule 21 . This spool and lock ring will also prevent the piston from moving in the reverse direction once the injection is completed, thus disabling the ampule and preventing reuse. Once the ampules 21 are filled, strip 800 is ready to go into cold storage for use later in the day or to be installed directly into a magazine. [0107] FIGS. 13 a - 13 d and 14 a - 14 b show two distinct, yet similar, off-tool ampule management systems available with the injection station of FIG. 1 , and the handpiece designs described above. By virtue of the ampule strip design in FIGS. 12 a - 12 b , a greater number of ampules are available for the off-tool magazines than that described for the on-tool magazines of prior art patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,522. Either of the magazines can be attached to a working surface, such as the injection system carry case, a table, a lanyard around the user's neck, belt pack, arm pack or wrist mounting, and/or any other convenient location. [0108] The magazine 820 shown in FIGS. 13 a - 13 b is a folding magazine. This system holds a set of ampules 21 in a fixed position relative to one another, and are removed from any location, one at a time by the handpiece. This system comprises three plastic segments: a center segment 822 and two winged sections 824 , 826 hinged to each side. Segments 822 , 824 , 826 are initially unfolded, and the open magazine is placed on a flat surface, allowing the ampule strip to be laid into the unfolded magazine ( FIG. 13 a ). Small posts 828 ( FIG. 13 b ) on the inner surface of magazine segments 822 , 824 , 826 press securely into a set of matching holes 832 in an ampule strip backing 830 , properly locating strip backing 830 on the support walls 834 , 836 , 838 ( FIG. 13 c ) on each of segments 822 , 824 , 826 , and holding it in place. Additionally, an edge 840 of backing 830 closest to proximal end 717 of ampules 21 fits firmly against retaining rib 708 on the inside surface of magazine segments 822 , 824 , 826 , keeping strip backing 830 from sliding while ampules 21 are being extracted one at a time. Ampule strip 800 when inserted in magazine 820 includes a loop belt 842 attached to strip backing 830 by an appropriate means such as an adhesive. Loop belt 842 and backing 830 are flexible so that they can bend with the folding of magazine 820 . Loop belt 842 has a sequence of loops 844 being generally semi-cylindrical for grasping ampules 21 around ampule body 702 to hold ampules 21 in place. Retaining rib 708 extends across each of segments 822 , 824 , 826 for engaging the edge of ampule strip 800 when it is inserted in the magazine. Segment 822 has two pairs of opposing hinge arms 848 , 849 for cooperating with hinge arms 850 on each of segments 824 , 826 for forming two pairs of hinges 852 . Hinge arms 850 each have a pin 854 for extending through a hole 856 in hinge arms 848 , 849 to complete respective hinges 852 . Segment 824 has an end plate 858 and segment 826 has an end plate 860 with a handle 862 attached to it by some appropriate means or to be integral therewith. Finally, the segments 824 , 826 are folded over center segment 822 , left segment 824 first ( FIG. 13 c ). The end of right segment 826 snaps fully over the opposite ends of the center segment 822 and left segment 824 , holding the system securely closed in its folded position ( FIG. 13 d ). Snapping occurs by virtue of opposing fingers 864 extending from hinge arms 850 into opposing notches 866 in end plate 860 . Strip backing 830 and loop belt 842 have strategically positioned pleats or perforations 868 , 870 to allow the folding to occur easily. The folded magazine 820 ( FIG. 13 d ) has a solid bottom surface because of foot flanges 872 , 874 , 878 on each of segments 822 , 824 , 826 , to protect ampule distal ends 716 and also to provide a place for possibly securing magazine 820 to a surface, either through hook-and-loop strips (e.g. Velcro©) or features which affix to matching surfaces on the injection system carry case. Folded magazine 820 also has solid sides 880 , 882 , which allow for gripping the magazine with one hand while extracting the ampules with the handpiece jaws. The relative position of the ampules in the magazine allows access to each ampule in turn. Proximal ends 717 of the remaining ampules provide some guidance to the nose of the handpiece, helping the user locate the handpiece nose (such as gripper jaw heads 475 ) appropriately for jaws (such as jaws 472 ) to grasp the targeted ampule. After the last ampule 21 has been extracted, magazine 820 can be unfolded, ampule strip backing 830 removed and discarded, and a new strip backing 830 of filled ampules 21 installed. The advantage of folding magazine 820 is simplicity. With few parts and few manipulations necessary to operate, this magazine design is likely to be robust and take minimal time to load and unload. Protection of the orifice or distal end 716 of ampule 21 prevents the possibility of cross infection, but because proximal ends 717 of ampules 21 are exposed, some effort must be made by the user to insure cleanliness. [0109] FIGS. 14 a - 14 b illustrate a rotating auto-feed magazine 890 . This system advances the ampule strip along a track, presenting each ampule at a consistent location for extraction. As with folding magazine 820 , this system 890 is ideal for placement on a table, attached to the injection system case, or ideally, on the opposite wrist to the hand used to hold the injector. If desired, auto-feed magazine 890 could also be worn as a neck lanyard by the vaccinator. This magazine 890 comprises a load chamber 892 that holds the ampule strip (such as strip 800 of FIG. 12 a ) and a rotating take-up spool 898 that collects the empty strip as the ampules are removed, and is similar in operation to the film advance system of a camera ( FIG. 14 a ). This embodiment includes four primary components: a base 894 , a cover 896 ( FIG. 14 b ), take-up spool 898 , and a constant-force negator spring 900 ( FIG. 14 c ) located and attached to the inside of spool 898 . Spring 900 is shown outside of spool 898 with FIG. 14 c for clarity. Housing base 894 has a bottom wall 902 , side walls 904 and interior guide walls 906 for cooperating with the inside surfaces of side walls 904 to guide strip backing 908 of ampule strips 909 through load chamber 892 . Wall 906 is also appropriately curved at wall section 910 so that load chamber 892 can receive take-up spool 898 . Cover 896 has a rim 912 that is configured to slip over and slidingly engage the upper portion of side walls 904 . Take-up spool 898 has a slot 914 for receiving a tab 916 and strip backing 908 , for holding tab 916 as take-up spool 898 rotates to draw ampule strip 800 (or 900 in FIG. 14 a ) along its path in magazine 890 . Ampule strip 909 has ampules 21 secured to strip backing 908 by some appropriate means, such as disclosed with reference to FIGS. 13 a - 13 d. [0110] In preparation for inserting ampule strip 909 into magazine 890 , the user pulls the wind-up cord (not shown, but see FIG. 17 for an equivalent one) which turns take-up spool 898 through several revolutions (counterclockwise in this figure) to turn spring 900 to the fully wound and latched position. A ratchet-type arrangement having a pawl 918 and a ratchet groove 929 will prevent the cord from being pulled back into the housing by wound up spring 900 because of the vertical left side on groove 929 and mating spring loaded pawl 918 on the interior of magazine 890 , however, the slanted surface on the right side of groove 929 will allow spool 898 to rotate in the counter clockwise direction during wind-up by having spring loaded member 918 slide over the slanted surface during each revolution. To facilitate loading magazine 890 , ampule strip 800 is rolled into a coil and placed in load chamber 892 ( FIG. 14 a ). The user then threads an extended tail or tab 916 of strip backing 908 along the track or path as described above, affixing it to rotatable take-up spool 898 . When cover 896 is placed on to housing base 894 , an appendage on the inside of cover 896 (not shown) extends downward to interface with the surface of spring loaded pawl 918 and push it out of the way to release take up spool 898 . Application of spring tension from constant force spring 900 located in housing base 894 draws strip backing 908 onto spool 898 until an ampule 21 comes to rest against a stop position defined by wall portion 926 . Cover 896 , which can optionally be attached to the housing base by a hinge on housing base 894 , is then placed over base 894 to protect the ampules against contamination ( FIG. 14 b ). As stated above, the ratchet is released when pawl 918 is pushed out of mating groove 929 in the closing of cover 896 . This should be made clear by considering FIGS. 14 d and 14 e . In order to cock or set spring 900 prior to the loading of a strip of ampules, a pull cord is pulled to rotate spool 898 counterclockwise. As spool 898 is wound counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 14 a , spring loaded pawl 918 slides into groove 929 but does not stop the rotation due to the sliding of the inclined surfaces of pawl 918 and groove 929 passing over each other. However, once a strip of ampules is inserted in load chamber 892 , spring 890 would be free to unwind spool 898 . This cannot occur, however, since while spring 900 could unwind, spool 898 moves a small amount due to pawl 918 moving below spool 898 as shown in FIG. 14 e . Nevertheless, while pawl 918 moves into groove 929 as shown in FIG. 14 d , the ampule strip is locked in place. When cover 896 is closed, a bar 897 moves pawl 918 downward so that it cannot stop the clockwise rotation of spool 898 as ampules are advanced through magazine 890 . This action-reaction will free spring 900 and advance ampules 21 on backing strip 908 as described. [0111] A funnel-like opening 930 in cover 896 provides access to the ampule 21 resting against the stop defined by wall portion 926 . The funnel feature allows the nose (the head of the gripping jaws) of the handpiece to be guided easily into position to grasp the ampule flange, i.e. the portion near proximal end 717 . Once an ampule 21 is extracted, spring 900 turns spool 898 and automatically brings the next ampule 21 into position at access opening 930 . After the last ampule 21 has been extracted, cover 896 is removed so that ampule strip 909 can be removed and discarded. A new ampule strip 909 is then installed as described above. Position of the pull-cord at all times is an indicator of the number of ampules remaining in magazine 890 as the cord is stepwise pulled into the housing when ampules 21 are extracted. Auto-feed magazine 890 makes use of the handpiece easier, because the ampule access point (opening 930 ) is always at the same place and the funnel in the cover (e.g. conical) can guide the jaws into position. To allow for the unlikely case of magazine malfunction, a slot 932 in housing side wall 904 provides a manual feed option where the user can pull the strip to advance the next ampule 21 into position for retrieval by the handpiece. [0112] FIG. 15 illustrates the ampules housed in a crate assembly rather than the magazine structure described above. Accordingly, a crate 940 is provided which is made of cardboard, plastic or other appropriate material, which has a series of orifices 942 defining the entrance to receptacles 944 for receiving distal ends 716 of ampules 21 with proximal ends 717 extending from receptacles 944 for engagement by jaws of an appropriate handpiece. While this is the least expensive way to manage ampules 21 , it is also the most likely to risk contamination and/or accidental spilling onto the floor. [0113] FIG. 16 illustrates an ampule 21 being extracted from auto-feed magazine 890 ( FIG. 14 ) by injector 200 shown in FIG. 9 . Ampule 21 could also be grabbed and extracted from folding magazine 820 ( FIG. 13 ) or crate 940 ( FIG. 15 ) with the same injector jaw assembly. [0114] FIG. 17 illustrates an in-line version of auto-feed magazine 890 shown in FIG. 14 and is geometrically similar to stationary magazine 820 shown in FIG. 13 d . This in-line type magazine is the preferred embodiment in some cases because it reduces the amount of handling of the ampule strip, i.e., the packaging alignment is similar to the way it will be inserted into the filling station, and after that, into the magazine itself. This is easier and faster than trying to coil the ampule strip for use with the rotating magazine shown in FIGS. 14 a and 14 b . The in-line magazine is also easier to hold and equally convenient for wrist mounting if so desired. Thus, FIG. 17 shows in-line magazine 950 having a housing 952 comprised of a base 954 and a cover 956 connected to base 954 by an integral hinge 958 . A spring wound take-up spool 960 (using negator spring 900 ) is disposed in an appropriately figured compartment 962 of housing 952 . A longitudinally extending dividing wall 964 extends between compartment 962 and an end 966 of housing 952 . A path for an ampule strip is defined between the opposite side surfaces of dividing wall 964 and the inside surfaces of opposing side walls 968 , 970 of base 954 . An ampule strip such as strip 800 in FIG. 12 a could be used. It extends from a base end and extends to a connecting end attached to spool 960 . A nylon pull-cord 972 for winding up negator spring 900 is shown in this FIG. 17 , and is the same as that described above for magazine 890 in FIGS. 14 a , 14 b . In both auto-feed magazines 890 , 950 , the housing can also be transparent for a visual appraisal of the number of ampules remaining. A funnel-shaped opening 973 is provided for presenting the proximal end 717 of ampules 21 for grasping by the jaws of an injector. [0115] FIG. 18 a is another embodiment of the rotating auto-feed magazine. However, rotating auto-feed magazine 980 as shown has a housing with a cover 984 and a base 986 . Cover 984 has a set of V-like rails 988 to virtually guide the injector nose into a funnel-shaped opening 990 where an ampule 21 appears for being grasped or retrieved with little or no visual contact by the user. For this reason, this embodiment is called a “noseeum” model; however, ampules 21 are grabbed by the jaw assembly the same as that described for the other magazine embodiments. It is noted that the “noseeum” feature is very important in high-speed procedures where it was found that delivery efficiency is greatly improved when the vaccinator is able to keep his/her eyes on the next patient rather than looking around for the next ampules 21 . [0116] FIG. 18 b illustrates magazine 980 in the released position from a mounting bracket 989 , and FIG. 18 c shows magazine 980 in the secured position in the mounting bracket 989 . Mounting bracket 989 can be any appropriate bracket in the market. [0117] FIG. 19 is an illustration of an ampule filling station 990 described above and will be included in injection kit 10 of FIG. 1 . The purpose of filling station 990 is to accelerate the ampule fill rate. It could have a fill rate capacity in excess of 600 ampules per hour in order to keep up with patient throughput, or several filling stations with slower fill rates could be used simultaneously. A more likely scenario would be to use a slower fill rate filling station to pre-fill a large quantity of ampules before the start of vaccine administration. It is preferred that each ampule be addressed individually in a serial manner (as opposed to collectively in a parallel manner) to minimize maintenance/cleaning of the fluid path, reduce the chance of entrapping air bubbles, and reduce the possibility of contamination. [0118] Filling station 990 includes a housing 991 and a manual fluid transfer handle 992 . A magazine 993 , which could be one of those discussed above, receives ampules 21 on a strip, such as ampule strip 800 shown in FIG. 12 a . A shroud 994 is used to cover magazine 993 in order to reduce the likelihood of contamination. After magazine 993 housing empty ampules is inserted into the filling station at access port 997 , injectate is forced into ampules 21 one by one upon the actuation of handle 992 , which effects the filling of ampules 21 from injectate contained in syringe 998 . The full magazine 995 exits the filling station at an exit 996 of filling station 990 . The filled magazine 995 is again covered with a shroud 994 when it exits from filling station 990 . [0119] In an alternate embodiment, ampules can be provided in strips 800 that interface with filling station 990 directly. After being filled in much the manner as described above, strips 800 of filled ampules may then be placed immediately into magazine 993 or placed into cold storage to be installed in magazines just before use. While considering the various means for filling ampules 21 for mass immunization campaigns, and as mentioned above, the assumption is made that the vaccine is available in a 50-dose vial of lyophilized vaccine with the associated 30 ml vial of diluent. Single-dose or ten-dose vials may also be used, but the increased frequency of swapping vials will slow the overall filling process accordingly. The possible means for filling include: 1) forcing injectate through output orifice 710 as illustrated with filling station 990 shown in FIG. 19 , 2) forcing injectate through the piston (similar in nature to that discussed below with reference to FIG. 20 a , which refers to the use of lyophilized vaccine), and 3) pulling injectate through orifice 710 by drawing on the piston. Use of a piston to facilitate filling from a filling station (as opposed to forcing the vaccine in through the orifice when using the filling station) poses several problems. The small diameter of the piston (0.186 in, 4.72 mm), coupled with the lack of an ampule plunger in the injection system disclosed, makes it very difficult to create an appropriate interface to the filling station. The precision needed to interface with a smaller component could very well lead to problems in the rougher treatment expected in the field. This concept was therefore not included in filling station 990 of FIG. 19 as discussed above, but it does fall within the scope of the invention. The orifice at distal end 710 of ampule 21 provides for a more user-friendly interface due to the increased outside diameter of ampule 21 (0.375 in, 9.53 mm). Filling station 990 therefore preferably uses distal end 710 of ampule 21 . Forcing the injectate into ampule 21 by use of a large syringe 998 as shown in FIG. 19 , or by pressurizing the vial containing the reconstituted vaccine have all been considered. Pumping air into the vial (i.e., avoiding transfer of syringe 998 ) to pressurize the contents could be accomplished via a simple ball type pump (bulb) such as that found on a sphygmomanometer or via a mechanically actuated syringe pump. A more complicated system utilizing a motor driven pump, with manual override, is possible but would add cost, weight and complexity to the portable system. The main difficulty in using the vial comes in the valving required to control flow of air into the vial and flow of injectate out of the vial. In addition, how to control and monitor the pressure within the vial is at issue. The complexity of valving, coupled with the need for pressure control, favors a standard large syringe 998 as a solution for filling the ampules, and this is what is shown in FIG. 19 . The syringe requires no valving, external pressurization, or pressure monitoring, to provide an accurate fill. In addition, and importantly, standard practice uses large syringes to mix the diluent with the lyophilized vaccine, and the same syringe 998 could then be used to then fill the ampules. A custom interface is provided for the syringe/vial interaction (i.e. for mixing diluent with lyophilized vaccine and for drawing mixed vaccine into syringe 998 ), or users could continue using standard needles to mix vaccine and to draw vaccine from the vial into the syringe. When filling ampules 21 from the syringes, advancement of the syringe plunger is accomplished via a simple lever action 992 , or alternatively, a more, complicated motor driven means. Many of these issues were addressed when settling on the filling station of FIG. 19 and have been eliminated with the use of ampules 21 that are pre-filled with liquid vaccine as described, or much better, the lyophilized pre-filled ampules 21 as described for FIGS. 20 a - 20 f below. [0120] The series of ampule and magazine configurations illustrated in FIGS. 20 a - 20 f are directed to the very important concept of the vaccine/medication manufacturers pre-filling the ampules prior to shipping them to the user. Pre-filling provides the promise for numerous improvements in some very important healthcare concerns, especially so in campaigns for mass immunization. Two of the most difficult considerations are time and sanitation, both of which are nicely addressed with the concepts disclosed. Time for preparation is a crucial factor for an immunization campaign in the difficult conditions often found in third world countries, and sanitation is virtually non-existent in some of these situations where misuse and mishandling runs rampant. This is especially true when it comes to handling the syringes and vaccine both before and after the injections are given. [0121] The concepts found in FIGS. 20 a - 20 f also address the problems that have long existed for pre-filled ampules. Plastic, for example, has long been banned for vaccine storage because of the possibility of leaching. While recent findings indicate that some of the higher-grade medical plastics may be satisfactory for long-term storage for vaccines, final approval remains to be seen; consequently, the concepts described in FIGS. 20 a - 20 f deal with both plastic storage and the long-accepted means of storing in glass. The mixing ampules shown in FIGS. 20 a - 20 f illustrate both a one-way valve and a frangible interface to provoke the mixing action; however, it has been shown that a one-way valve as shown in FIG. 20 a with a small retaining pressure, will be effective for allowing the mixing action in place of a frangible interface as shown in the other figures, i.e., FIGS. 20 d , 20 e and 20 f . It is also noted that in each of the diagrams shown in FIGS. 20 a - 20 f , the lyophilized vaccine is shown as a small pill-type member for illustrative purposes; however, in reality, the vaccine will totally fill the space to assure a minimum of air in the compartment. By the same token, while it has been pointed out in earlier discussion that filling the ampules through the front end with liquid vaccine will virtually eliminate the introduction of air into the injectate chamber, the same is not true for the case of pre-filled lyophilized vaccine where a very small amount of air will inevitably exist; consequently, following the mixing action for each of these cases, some form of minimal venting may be needed. [0122] FIG. 20 a illustrates an ampule 1000 that contains lyophilized vaccine 1001 and its diluent, the two being separated by a piston 1002 having a piston head 1004 with a one-way valve 1006 in the direction of an exit nozzle 1018 . The embodiment shown uses umbrella valve 1006 that will open (as shown in dotted lines) when piston 1002 is pulled vertically downward in the figure, wherein a diluent 1010 is forced upward, through the fluid flow path channel, past the valve, and into the lyophilized portion of the chamber for immediate mixing. Piston 1002 has a ring seal 1012 for sealing against fluid flow around the periphery of piston 1002 . The injection is given by first removing a cap 1016 that seals an orifice 1018 , slightly advancing the now sealed piston head 1004 to expel any air, and then fully pushing piston 1002 forward for the injection, wherein umbrella valve 1006 will seal throughput ports 1020 that were used for the mixing action. Cap 1016 shown on exit port 1018 is needed to prevent air from being pulled into ampule 1000 and must be removed to vent air and before an injection is given. Piston 1002 has a piston rod 1022 which is designed so that the MIT injector ram can optionally grab and pull it back during motor reversal when arming occurs. A seal 1024 is provided around an orifice 1026 in ampule 1000 to prevent leakage through orifice 1026 . Alternatively, rod 1022 can be eliminated if a small piece of magnetic material, such as a magnetic disk, is attached to the proximal side 1028 of piston head 1004 . A strong magnet on the injector ram (such as ram 403 ) will make contact with the metal disk when ampule 1000 is inserted; consequently, piston head 1004 will follow the ram in the reverse direction when arming occurs. After an injection, piston 1002 must be locked in the forward position as described earlier (see FIG. 10 a ), thus allowing a small reverse jog of the ram to separate the two for sanitary disposal. [0123] FIG. 20 b has only lyophilized medication 1001 in the forward or distal part of ampule 1000 . In this case, diluent 1010 is forced into exit nozzle 1018 from a filling station, while at the same time forcing piston 1002 to the proximal end of ampule 1000 . As before, the need for venting is likely, and a rapid forward push on piston 1002 will provoke the injection. [0124] FIG. 20 c again has lyophilized vaccine 1001 in the forward part of ampule 1000 ; however, in this case, an appendage 1030 containing diluent 1010 is attached to exit nozzle 1018 with an appropriate seal 1032 . When an appendage piston 1034 is forced downward, diluent 1010 will flow into the chamber for immediate mixing while simultaneously pushing injector piston 1002 to the proximal end of ampule 1000 . This model is ideally suited to the mixing magazine system described in FIG. 20 e below. [0125] FIG. 20 d has both lyophilized vaccine 1001 and diluent 1010 in an appendage 1036 connected to the front end; however, the two are separated by a very thin, frangible interface 1038 , or alternatively, a one-way valve. As soon as pressure is applied to an appendage piston 1040 and interface 1038 is broken, diluent 1010 is forced into the lower chamber to provoke immediate mixing in appendage 1036 , and at the same time, forcing the mixed fluid through nozzle 1018 to force injection piston 1002 to the proximal end of ampule 1000 . This technique is also ideally suited to the mixing magazine of FIG. 20 e. [0126] FIG. 20 e illustrates a complete mixing/shipping magazine that houses a multitude of pre-filled ampules. This technique could be housed in a lid for the stationary folding magazine and/or the auto-feed magazines described earlier. As such, the force needed to provoke the mixing action will require that the lid be collapsible into the lower stationary portion of the magazine. This type of magazine will ideally serve as a shipping container to further reduce the risk of contamination due to ampule handling, the need for which is virtually zero. The appendage for each ampule is similar to that described for FIG. 20 d ; however, in this case, the appendage is shown as a bellows assembly. Either type of collapsible appendage is suitable for exercising the techniques described. [0127] Still referring to FIG. 20 e , a filling system 1100 is shown. It has a force transfer member 1102 for collapsing pleated walls 1104 of storage unit 1103 to collapse a chamber 1106 holding diluent 1010 above a frangible interface 1138 , and lyophilized medication 1001 below interface 1138 . This applies to each of N filling stations filled by the operation of member 1102 . Each ampule 1000 has a body portion with piston 1002 having wall engaging seals 1012 . Storage unit 1103 is connected to exit nozzle 1018 having a seal 1032 to prevent leakage. Upon the application of sufficient downward force on member 1102 , the mixing diluent 1010 and lyophilized medication 1001 flow through exit orifice 1018 , forcing piston 1002 downward as shown by the arrow to fill the ampule. A cap could optionally be applied over nozzle or orifice 1018 to close ampule 1000 until an injection is made. [0128] FIG. 20 f illustrates an ampule 1200 that contains a lyophilized vaccine 1202 and its diluent 1204 , and in that regard is similar to FIG. 20 a . However, in this case, the separation is a very thin, inexpensive frangible barrier 1206 that eliminates the cost of an appendage and/or the piston with the one-way valve. A piston 1210 having an annular seal 1212 is provided. Barrier 1206 is held in place by a sliding seal 1208 which is used to properly locate frangible barrier 1206 in ampule 1200 . Force on ampule piston 1210 will cause barrier 1206 to fracture (or a one-way valve to open) and the mixing action occurs. As soon as mixing is complete and the ampule is full of liquid, a sealing cap 1214 can be removed, whereupon the sliding seal 1208 on barrier 1206 will move with piston 1210 as it reaches barrier 1206 and completes the injection transition through exit port 1216 . [0129] While the examples described for the procedures depicted in FIGS. 20 a - 20 f illustrate a direct pushing force to provoke the mixing action, a twisting motion for advancing a threaded interface could also be used to facilitate the mixing action. [0130] Finally, it should be noted that the conventional jet injector orifices shown in all of the above descriptions can be replaced with a perforator exit nozzle as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,716. Perforator delivery has been extensively experimented with by the inventors over a number of years and has been shown to allow for lower jet pressure, painless delivery because the jet stream begins from just inside the skin, which eliminates the need for the high-speed jet velocity required for crossing the barrier of fully exposed skin. Protection against sharps injury to the healthcare workers remain a concern; however, safety is realized by hiding the perforator before the injection, and having the injector itself destroy the perforator after the injection. Several methods are shown to be effective, one being where the perforator is extended through a tight fitting exit port of a compressible, protective front end that becomes an off axis shield after the perforator is drawn back into the protective housing, i.e., as described for FIGS. 8 a and 8 d . In another approach, an off-axis, exit hole on a rotatable disk located at the exit nozzle will automatically rotate after the injection to therefore crush and disable the perforator to the point where it is virtually impossible to do any damage. Another tremendous advantage for using this low-pressure technique is the very low cost for a thin-walled ampule. The inventors have shown over the course of many years of experimentation that pressures of anywhere from 200 to 1000 psi are effective for virtually any type of injection, the preferred pressure depending on the patient, location for the injection and the required depth for the delivery (i.e., intradermal, subcutaneous or intramuscular). Because of this, the use of low cost, thin-walled glass is also possible, since the inventors have also shown that the low cost glass ampules that are readily available will not fracture until exposed to pressures in excess of 1500 psi. Consequently, glass ampules for housing the vaccines for long term storage is a realistic goal for the pre-filled techniques described if perforator delivery is used. [0131] The invention has been described in detail, with particular emphasis on the preferred embodiment thereof, but variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

A hypodermic injection system particularly for use in mass immunizations having a handpiece with a grasping mechanism for holding ampules filled with injectate, a plunger for driving into the ampule to discharge the injectate in an injection process, an injection spring mechanism for driving the plunger, a motor and/or manual mechanism for cocking the injection spring mechanism, and an ampule ejection mechanism for ejecting ampules after use under control of a release mechanism. Ampules can be loaded, used and ejected without contact by the user of the system or the patient being injected. Also disclosed are a filling station for filling ampules through their injection orifices, and an arming device for setting the injection spring. Ampules are disclosed having a piston which is drivable towards an orifice to discharge injectate through the orifice. Ampules are also disclosed having enlarged proximal portions for easy grasping by the grasping mechanism of the injector. Ampules are further disclosed with separators for mixing lyophilized medication and a diluent. Further disclosed are magazines for holding ampules for sequential use by the hypodermic injector. The disclosed system finds particular use as a mass immunization kit for making numerous injections in the field.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The invention relates generally to systems and methods for providing media content for mobile communication devices and, more particularly, to systems and methods for supporting the production, management and delivery of media content for wireless devices. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] A typical system for distributing media content, such as audio-based ringtones, to mobile communication devices over a communication network includes a library of media content stored in a file server and a means for sending the media content to a device. Each piece of media content is stored in a format compatible with one or more communication devices. For example, an audio file stored in a Nokia proprietary format is considered to be compatible with all models of Nokia telephones. Among the various models of Nokia telephones, however, there may be different types of media capabilities. For example, one telephone model may be capable of playing an audio file such as “ringtones” of a certain byte duration and note range while another model has different duration and range capabilities. [0005] Existing media content distribution systems do not account for these differences in device capabilities. Thus, a piece of media content associated with Nokia telephones may be sent to any Nokia telephone regardless of the capabilities of the particular telephone model. If the particular model receiving the content does not have the proper capabilities, the content may not be able to be played or, if it can be played, will be limited by the model capabilities. For example, the duration of the ringtone may be truncated or the note range modified to accommodate the capability of the particular telephone. Thus, the user of the device is not able to hear the “true” ringtone. [0006] In view of the foregoing limitations of existing media distribution systems, those skilled in the art have recognized a need for a system that is capable of providing media content to a variety of communication devices operating over various communications networks and with various media content capabilities such that the possibility of providing incompatible media content to an end-user device is substantially eliminated. The invention fulfills these needs and others. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] Briefly, and in general terms, the invention is directed to various systems and methods for providing media content for mobile communication devices. The systems and methods take the media content capabilities of the device into consideration when determining which media content is available for a given device. The distribution channel over which a device operates may also be taken into consideration. [0008] In a first aspect, the invention relates to a system for making one or more pieces of media content available for delivery to an end-user device. The system includes a file server with a plurality of media content files stored therein and a database. The database associates content type attributes with each of the media content files and attribute capability constraints with the end-user device. The attribute capability constraints prescribe a range of acceptable values for content type attributes. The system also includes a first rules engine that creates an available library of media content that excludes all media content that have content type attributes outside the range of acceptable values. [0009] In another aspect of the system, the database associates a carrier network with the end-user device. The carrier network, in turn, has an associated delivery channel capacity. The system further includes a second rules engine adapted to refine the available library to exclude all media content not supported by the delivery channel of the end-user device. [0010] A key differentiator between the prior system and the system of the present invention is the capacity for the system to determine whether media content of a particular type is viable for delivery to a given device or class of devices. Existing systems operate on the premise that all content marked as active in a database is viable for the devices it is associated with. In accordance with the system of the present invention, content availability is determined from a combination of rules for device capabilities and rules for distribution capabilities. [0011] The device capabilities determination is made by a rules-based engine that compares content attributes (typically metadata derived by content examination programs) with constraints on those attributes for a device. There are effectively two main steps to this process: firstly, metadata describing the content is derived and entered into the database; secondly, as the specifications of different devices are entered into the system, corresponding constraints are associated with the devices that tell the rules engine what the valid range of values for each content attribute is. As output of this process, the rules engine creates an available content library for each class of devices by excluding all instances of media content that have attributes outside the range of values prescribed in the constraints. [0012] A similar rule set determines whether the content can be distributed through a particular delivery channel, based on factors such as territory-based licensing of content, distribution channel capacity to support the given media type, and business agreements with third-party distributors and networks that would allow or disallow content of that type to be distributed. The subset of content that passes both the device capabilities tests described above and the distribution capability tests can be determined to be viable for delivery to a given end-user device over a particular distribution channel. Thus, the system substantially eliminates the possibility of providing incompatible media content to an end-user device and instead provides only the most viable media content in view of the operating parameters, i.e., content constraints, delivery channel capacity, etc., associated with a given device. [0013] These and other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example the features of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] [0014]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary communications system configured in accordance with the invention and including an engine with a database, file servers and client-server interface interfacing with a number of client servers; [0015] [0015]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the functions performed by the system of FIG. 1 including media production, media management and media delivery; [0016] [0016]FIG. 3 is a conceptual model related to the media production function of FIG. 2; [0017] [0017]FIG. 4 is an exemplary listing of the information associated with a performance of FIG. 3, including media type, performance type, performance attributes and content tree; [0018] [0018]FIGS. 5 and 6 are exemplary listings of the information associated with two of the contents listed in the content tree of FIG. 4, including content type, content attribute values and child content tree; [0019] [0019]FIG. 7 a is a conceptual model related to the content to device mapping (C2DMA) function depicted in FIG. 2; [0020] [0020]FIG. 7 b is a conceptual model related to the content to payload mapping performed by the media delivery function in FIG. 2; [0021] [0021]FIG. 7 c is a conceptual model related to the project configurator aspect of the media management function of FIG. 2; [0022] [0022]FIGS. 8 a - 8 c are exemplary user interfaces associated with the project configurator aspect of the media management function of FIG. 2; [0023] FIGS. 9 - 15 are exemplary user interfaces associated with the catalog designer aspect of the media management function of FIG. 2; [0024] [0024]FIG. 16 provides an exemplary code listing for a catalog request; [0025] [0025]FIGS. 17 a - 17 d provide an exemplary code listing for a catalog response; [0026] [0026]FIG. 18 is a conceptual model related to the billing interface aspect of the media delivery function of FIG. 2; [0027] [0027]FIGS. 19 a and 19 b provide an exemplary code listing for a content delivery request; [0028] [0028]FIG. 20 provides an exemplary code listing for a content delivery response; [0029] [0029]FIG. 21 is a conceptual model related to the distributor aspect of the media delivery function of FIG. 2; [0030] [0030]FIG. 22 is a conceptual model related to the customer service tools aspect of the media delivery function of FIG. 2; [0031] [0031]FIG. 23 provides an exemplary code listing for an account status request; and [0032] [0032]FIG. 24 provides an exemplary code listing for an account status response. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0033] Referring now to the drawings, particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of a communications system configured to deliver media content to an end-user device over a wireless carrier network. “Media content”, as used herein includes, but is not limited to, ringtones, graphics, photographs, text messages and other audio, video, audiovisual, textual or interactive content as well as actual software applications such as games, alert applications and media players. An “end-user device” includes, but is not limited to, cellular telephone handsets, such as those manufactured by Nokia, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and Kyocera. End-user devices may also include personal digital assistants (PDA), pagers, wireless e-mail devices, wireless calenders, GPS enabled devices and wireless game devices. [0034] The system includes an engine 10 with various database related components and server related components working in conjunction to provide a library of media content. Database related components include a database system 12 which stores metadata of the media content while the server system includes a file server system 13 which stores the actual media content. The metadata in the database system 12 includes a uniform resource locator (URL) to the media content in the file server system 13 . In a preferred configuration of the system, the database system 12 includes at least two production databases 12 a to provide a level of redundancy and an additional replication server database 12 b to manage and synchronize the redundant databases. In one configuration, the redundant databases are Sun 420 RS boxes running on the Sun Solaris operating system and the replication server database is a Sun 220 box running Sybase database software. The filer servers 13 are Intel 2U, 1 GHz dual processor CPUs running the Linux operating system. [0035] The system also includes a client-server interface 14 for providing communication between the engine 10 and one or more client servers 16 . The client-server interface 14 is housed within a triple redundant CPU system comprised of Intel 2U, 1 GHz dual processor CPUs, and interfaces with the client servers 16 through a network of switches 15 and routers 17 . The client servers 16 themselves, interface with one or more end-users through an end-user interface 18 . The end-user interface 18 may be a browser running on a personal computer or the end-user device itself, e.g., cellular telephone or a client application. [0036] The system or platform is built as a layered multitier server application. The Sybase relational database management system is used for data storage but application code components are implemented in the Java programming language using Java 2 as the platform. A Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) driver provided by the database vendor is used to connect the datastore to the application. [0037] The lowest-level component of the Java core of the application is a toolkit called XORM (an acronym for eXtensible Object-Relational Mapping). XORM is an open source implementation of the Java Data Objects (JDO) specification which allows application developers to work with the relational data in the database as if it were native Java data objects. XORM facilitates the automatic generation of Structure Query Language (SQL) statements and queries in order to perform operations on persistent data. [0038] The central part of the application consists of logic classes that provide shared business logic to the externally facing parts of the system. The logic classes include components to manage the complex relationships between different types of data and are broken down into core divisions based on their responsibilities. One contains functions that enable the available library of content, one provides methods to navigate the complexities of the content to device mapping application (C2DMA), and so on. [0039] The external face of the application is created using the Java Servlet and Java Server Pages application programming interfaces defined by Sun Microsystems. The open source Jakarta Tomcat servlet engine created by the Apache Group is used to host these components. In addition, many of the web-based interfaces in the system rely on the Jakarta Struts template engine, which adds a Model-View-Controller paradigm to the servlet and JSP model. Other components that provide XML (eXtensible Markup Language) output are built similarly but use the open source JDOM API for generating and managing data using the XML document object model. [0040] The external connectivity pieces of the application, including the content distributors and delivery mechanisms, use the core services provided by the business logic classes and database connectivity layers. They also rely on additional proprietary software and components provided by third-party vendors to provide Java code access to complex communication protocols. [0041] With reference to FIG. 2, the system includes various functionally interrelated operating modules and database components, including a media production aspect 20 , a content-to-device-mapping application (C2DMA) module 22 , a media management aspect 24 and a media delivery aspect 26 . The media production portion 20 is responsible for the creation and storage of media content. The media management portion 24 is responsible for the management of content catalogs and associated projects and clients through the client-server interface 14 (FIG. 1). The media delivery aspect 26 of the system is responsible for the delivery of content through any available channel to any addressable end-user device. The C2DMA 22 handles the management and selection of appropriate media content for users based on a variety of factors described in detail below. A detailed description of each portion of the system follows. The operating modules described below are contained within the various redundant processing unit systems shown in FIG. 1. Each of these processing units is an Intel 2U, 1 GHz dual processor CPU. Common numeric identifiers in FIGS. 1 and 2 show the relationship between the functional modes (FIG. 2) and the system hardware (FIG. 1). [0042] Media Production [0043] With the continued reference to FIG. 2, the media production aspect 20 of the system includes a production tools module 28 and a master media content library 30 , referred to herein as the “master library”. The media production aspect may also include a licensing tools module 32 . With reference to the conceptual model of FIG. 3, the media production aspect 20 allows for the creation of a piece of content 34 from an original piece of media 36 . The content 34 is made by a producer 38 using production tools 40 . Production tools 40 include algorithms which are specific for end-user devices. In the case of ringtones, these algorithms manipulate a source file, e.g., MIDI file, of the media 36 into a piece of content 34 that is compatible with a particular end-user device. The algorithms used by the producer 38 are based on the operation attributes of the end-user device and are often provided by the manufacturer of the end-user device. For example, some end-user devices cannot reproduce a musical note above high “C”. The algorithm associated with this end-user device takes this into account when manipulating the source file. A description and example of the major blocks of the media production portion 20 of the system follows. [0044] Media 36 is an original work, such as the written music of a song or a piece of art created by an author 44 . A piece of media 36 may have several performances 42 . An example of a piece of media 36 is “Dock of the Bay” written by Steve Cropper and Otis Redding. A performance 42 is a unique rendering of a piece of media 36 . Performances 42 have their own set of attributes such as album name, track length, etc. Thus, for the media “Dock of the Bay”, performances might be “Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding and “Dock of the Bay” by Glen Campbell. Content 34 is a generic container of all forms of digital media. For example, a ringtone's original MIDI, its Real Audio preview, its Motorola ringtone string, its WAV preview—are all unique pieces of content 34 that relate to a performance 42 . Thus, for the performance, “Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding, a piece of content might be “the Motorola ringtone for the Otis Redding performance of Dock of the Bay.” [0045] Licensing system 46 refers to the process by which a performance 42 is associated with specific licensing requirements. For example, a performance 42 may be limited to use in a specific geographical region. Post production 48 is performed by someone who has authority to approve content 34 from the standpoint of quality, licensing, etc. A producer 38 is someone who manipulates content 34 into various formats using the production tools 40 . A producer may also create the original performance using standard media production tools. [0046] With reference to FIG. 4, various pieces of information are associated with a particular performance, including media type (audio), performance type (song) and rating filter. Each performance is a record in a performance database file stored in the database 12 a (FIG. 1). The pieces of information are fields in the performance record. The rating filter assigns a G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17 or X content rating to the performance. As described further below, this rating filter may be used to limit access to the performance. Each performance has an associated set of attributes, which may include album, genre, label, year and country information. These attributes are fields in the performance record. The attributes may identify one or more geographical territories (not shown) for licensing purposes. As explained further below, the licensing attribute acts as a filter to limit access to a performance based on licensing criteria such as geographical territories and approved clients. Regarding approved clients, certain clients may have the exclusive rights to certain performances based on distributor agreements. Associated with each performance is one or more pieces of content, as listed under the content tree. The pieces of content are associated with the performance record. Content records contain paths to individual media files stored on the content servers 13 (FIG. 1). [0047] With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, various pieces of information are associated with each piece of content, including content type (audio/Nokia Proprietary, audio/Motorola Proprietary) status (active), deliverable (yes), performance (Who Let the Dogs Out) and several content attributes. These pieces of information are fields in the content record. The content attributes relate to the content media file itself and include, for example, the byte count of the content file and the highest and lowest notes within a media file and dimensions and bit depth in the case of graphics. A content file also may include attributes related to territorial licensing. Each content file's associated attributes and information are stored in a content database file in the database 12 a (FIG. 1). The actual data is stored on a file server referenced from the database. Additional details on the content field entries are described under the following C2DMA section. [0048] Content-to-Device-Mapping Application (C2DMA) [0049] With reference to FIG. 2, as previously mentioned, the C2DMA 22 handles the management and selection of appropriate content for users. In general, the system is capable of managing, serving and delivering correctly formatted content to heterogeneous devices over heterogenous networks. To this end, the system supports multiple makes and models of end-user devices. The system also differentiates between differing makes and models of end-user devices; supports differing functional capabilities of end-user devices that may share the same make and model; recognizes and handles carrier networks that may not allow or support the same functionality, even on the same device; defines the set of products available to a given end-user device and the media constraints for a piece of content to qualify as a product for a device; and associates specific users with specific devices which they own and use. With reference to the conceptual model of FIG. 7 a , the C2DMA maps content to end-users using the following subtasks: [0050] Content Description: [0051] The C2DMA provides a metadata model allowing each unique piece of content 34 in the system to be described in such a way that it can be reused. A content type 50 represents a formal declaration of a specific type of content 34 along with a generic description of its possible attributes. Each of the attributes is defined by an instance of the content type attribute 52 class. A content type attribute 52 has a name, a datatype, and a field denoting whether the attribute must be assigned to all content of that type. Note that content type attributes 52 are not meant to provide metadata for the original media title (such as artist, album, etc.), but instead describe details of the electronic media produced. For example, an MP3 file can be stereo or mono, has a bit rate in Kbps or has a variable bit rate with a maximum. In this case a content type “audio/mp3” would be created, with content type attributes named “stereo” (type boolean), “bitRateKbps” (type integer), and “variableBitRate” (type boolean). All three would most likely be marked as required database entries. [0052] As a piece of content 34 is produced and entered into the system, content attribute value 54 items are created to describe the values for content type attributes 52 of its content type 50 . All content type attributes 52 marked as required must be specified; others are optional. For example, the “Working in a Coal Mine” MIDI is of type “audio/midi”. As content attribute values, it specifies that “numNotes=25”, “highNote=G4”, “lowNote=E3”, etc. [0053] User Device Customization: [0054] The C2DMA architecture supports the possibility of unique capabilities for each individual end-user device. A user 56 owns one or more devices 58 . The user 56 may know the make 60 and model 62 of each device 58 . In the object model, make 60 and model 62 are simply entities with a name, where a single make can be associated with many models. For example, end-user Barbara owns a Kyocera 3035. “Barbara” is the name of a user; her device object references a model with the name “3035” which in turn references the “Kyocera” make. [0055] A device 58 is the entity that binds a user 56 to a model 62 . In some cases, model 62 may not be known, so the device 58 to model 62 mapping is optional. Both models 62 and devices 58 can support any number of platforms 64 . A platform 64 is a semantic grouping of distinct platform product 66 definitions, as described below. Multiple models 62 that support the same functionality may be part of the same platform 64 . For example, the Nokia 5125 model and the Nokia 5165 model both reference the “Nokia 51 xx” platform. [0056] Platform Product Support: [0057] The C2DMA describes platforms 64 that support specific media products 68 . A product 68 is a formal definition of deliverable content that implies both media type and intended use. Two examples of products 68 are “Screen Saver” and “Operator Logo”. While these products 68 use the exact same piece of content 34 defined by the exact same size constraints, i.e., content attribute values 54 , they represent different uses of the media. [0058] A platform product 66 describes the media type and constraints that specify products 68 deliverable to the platform 64 . This is done via a set of media capability 70 objects. The ability for a phone to support ringtones is captured, in the object model, by a platform product 66 that references the product 68 named “Ringtone”. Other platform products 66 for the same phone platform may reference “Operator Logo”, “Screen Saver”, etc. [0059] A media capability 70 references a content type 50 and capability constraints 72 for that content type. A capability constraint 72 specifies the required value or range of acceptable values for a particular content type attribute 52 . For example, the Nokia 3390 can utilize operator logos that are monochrome bitmaps exactly 72 pixels wide by 72 pixels high. Here, the “3390” model is linked to a platform 64 . This platform 64 references a platform product 66 entry. The platform product 66 references the product 68 named “Operator Logo” and specifies that it is composed of a single media capability 70 for content type 50 , “image/ING”. Attached to the media capability 70 object are three capability constraints 72 , specifying “width=72”, “height=72”, and “color Depth=1”. [0060] Device to Network Mapping: [0061] The C2DMA provides a means of associating specific end-user devices with the carrier networks that service them. A device 58 is on a network 74 , which is provided by an operator 76 . For example, Steve's Motorola phone (the device) is serviced by Verizon (the operator) on the “Verizon US TDMA” network. [0062] A network 74 can deliver content 34 via a set of delivery channels 78 . Delivery channels 78 define a protocol and means of addressing a device 58 . Examples of delivery channels 78 include the following: [0063] HTTP: user or agent acquires content by requesting a URL [0064] SMS: requires a phone number [0065] EMS: requires a phone number [0066] Carrier Proprietary: requires a phone number (there might be many of these for different custom protocols) [0067] Email: requires an email address [0068] Manual Entry/user Install: denotes that the content must be acquired by the user via a different channel, for example downloading a PRC application from a PC and later synching with a PDA. [0069] WAP push/pull: user or agent acquires content by requesting a URL [0070] BREW: user must have appropriate client software [0071] The relationship between a specific device 58 and a delivery channel 78 is the device's delivery address 80 . The format of a delivery address 80 may vary based on the delivery channel 78 . For example, the delivery address for the “SMS” delivery channel on Steve's phone contains an address data field with the value “13105551234”. [0072] Network Product Support: [0073] The C2DMA describes the ability for specific media products to be delivered via particular network connections and protocols, both public (the Internet) and proprietary SMSCs). Each delivery channel 78 can provide delivery of a set of products 68 . For example, the Nokia 51xx line supports delivery of ringtones via SMS. [0074] Associated with each delivery channel 78 for a network 74 is one or more acceptable encodings, provided by subtypes of the converter class. For example, for a specific SMS delivery channel, the ringtones must be sent as hexadecimal sequences with colons between each pair of characters and segmented into data packets or “frames” for SMPP delivery. Some examples of encodings are: binary, hexadecimal encoded, hexadecimal encoded escaped, ZIPped and Base64/UUEncoded. [0075] With reference to FIG. 7 b , each specific converter 142 encapsulates business logic for translating raw content 34 data to the format specified by the encoding, taking into account the details of the end-user device 58 (FIG. 7 a ) and network 74 . The transformed content is an instance of the payload 160 class. A payload 160 is the customized version of media content 34 for a particular end-user device on a particular delivery network. [0076] Media Management [0077] With reference to FIG. 2, the media management aspect 24 of the system includes an available media content library 82 which is a subset of the master library 30 . The available media content library is not a physical entity, i.e., its content resides in the master library. As described further below, attributes, such as content type and territory designation, assigned to a piece of content within the master library 30 determine whether the content may be mapped to a particular available media content library 82 . [0078] The media management portion 24 of the system provides the tools to create catalogs 86 of media content using the content stored in the master library 30 . These catalogs 86 are defined by various parameters, described below, which are stored in system processors (FIG. 1). The media content itself, remains in the file servers 13 . Attributes associated with a piece of content and a catalog are used to map content to a catalog. A conceptual model of this mapping relationship is shown in FIG. 7 c . As previously mentioned, an available media content library 82 is derived from the master library. This derivation process involves one or more rules engines which act as filters to exclude certain media content in the master library 30 from being associated with the available media content library 82 . [0079] In one configuration, a rules engine uses the territory 88 and country 90 associated with a particular catalog 86 to limit the available content for the catalog to those pieces of content having licensing related attributes that match or exceed those of the catalog. For example, if a catalog has North America as a territorial designation, only those pieces of content with a North America territorial designation or greater designation, e.g., worldwide, are mapped to the available media content library 82 of the catalog 86 . Other licensing-related parameters, such as approved clients, may be used to limit the available content. [0080] The available media content library 82 may also be refined by another rules engine based on the media capabilities, i.e., platform 64 , make (not shown), model (not shown), associated with the catalog 86 and the media capabilities associated with the content of the existing available media content library 82 . Thus, the limiting factors in an available media content library 82 are the end-user devices that are supported by the catalog. For example, if a catalog 86 has an associated media capability of “audio/Nokia Proprietary”, only those pieces of content within the existing available media content library 82 of the catalog having an associated media capability of “audio/Nokia Proprietary” are mapped to the available media content library 82 of the catalog. [0081] With reference to FIG. 2, the media management portion 24 of the system also includes a project configurator 92 which provides an integrated interface between a project manager (PM) and the master library 30 through the C2DMA 22 . The project configurator 92 allows for the creation of client accounts and catalog permissions using standard technologies including Java Server Pages (JSP) and Struts. Data related to the client accounts is stored in system processors (FIG. 1). Various interfaces of the project configurator 92 and the functions provided thereby are described below, with reference to FIG. 7 c. [0082] Create New Client: [0083] With reference to FIG. 8 a , the PM enters client 96 information which adds a new record to the system database. Client information contains the name of the client and contact 94 information. The first screen of the graphical user interface (GUI) allows the PM to go to “client operations.” This screen has a list of current clients. When a new client is created, a form appears for obtaining client information. After filling out the information and selecting “OK,” the previous screen appears and the new client now appears on the client list. [0084] Delete (or Disable) Existing Client: [0085] At the “client operations” screen, a client is selected on the list and the delete button is selected. After an “are you sure?” popup ensures that this is not a mistake, the client is marked as “deleted,” i.e., is no longer on the list of clients. Client information, however, is not permanently deleted from the system database; it is merely hidden. [0086] Change Client Information: [0087] Basic client information is modified. For example: addresses, contacts, etc. The user navigates to the “client operations” screen, selects a specific client, and selects the modify button. A screen just like the form for creating a new client appears, but information is already filled in. The PM can change this information and hit “OK.” The fields are then updated in the system database. [0088] Manage Contacts for the Client: [0089] Contact information is added, including names, phone numbers, etc. At the “client operations” screen, there is a list of contacts 94 , and “add”, “modify”, and “remove” buttons. The add and modify buttons navigate to a screen with client contact information. This information can be added or modified. By selecting “OK,” a new database record is created or the existing one is modified. [0090] Create Extranet Logins: [0091] An extranet login 98 allows a client 96 to have limited access to the system. At the “client operations” screen, there is a list of contacts 94 . The PM must choose from this list and select the “Create Extranet Login” button. This brings up a screen that asks for the username and password. The system knows who the contact 94 is and what client 96 he is associated with. When this information is entered, a new record is created which is used to validate client logins and initialize the session. [0092] Manage Catalogs: [0093] With reference to FIG. 8 b , a client 96 may want changes made to its catalog 86 . Such changes may involve the name and catalog limit 100 , or even deleting a catalog 86 . The system provides an interface for a PM to manage these changes. When a PM chooses to manage catalogs 86 for a client 96 , he is presented with a list of catalogs currently defined for the client. Each catalog 86 in the list has an edit and delete link next to it. [0094] Selecting delete causes the system to disable (not physically remove) the catalog 86 by marking it as inactive. The PM is returned to the manage catalogs interface with the selected catalog 86 no longer showing. Selecting edit takes the PM to the change catalog setup details. On the same interface, a button is provided to create new catalogs. When selected, the system presents a create new catalogs screen. [0095] Create New Catalogs: [0096] With reference to FIG. 8 c , the system provides an interface allowing a PM to create new catalogs 86 for a client 96 . The catalog 86 provides the basis for the client's product 68 offerings to end users. The interface has a text field for entering a name of the catalog 86 and a drop down box with all currently defined territories 88 in it. [0097] The interface provides a list of available networks 74 . At least one network must be assigned to the catalog 86 , optionally multiple networks can be assigned. The system responds with an interface providing a list of platforms 64 supported by the assigned networks 74 , to be assigned to the catalog 86 . At least one platform 64 must be assigned, optionally multiple platforms can be selected. The system responds with a list of products 68 to be assigned to the catalog 86 . The list of products available for assignment are those capable of being deployed to the previously assigned platforms 64 . [0098] When the PM assigns a product 68 to a catalog 86 , a catalog limit 100 can be specified. If set, the limit sets the maximum amount of the product 68 the client 96 can add to his catalog 86 from the available library for each supported platform 64 . If a limit is not set, no limit is enforced. [0099] The system creates the catalog 86 with the chosen territory 88 , networks 74 , platforms 64 , and products 68 associated with it. In addition, a root category is created in the catalog 86 to store default values for the catalog. A default price code 102 for “free” is created. All categories 106 entered by the client 96 , as explained below, are created under this default root category. After creating the catalog 86 and default root category, the PM is returned back to the client management page (FIG. 8 b ). [0100] If more than one network 74 is going to be supported in one catalog 86 , the client 96 appends the target network when querying for the XML list of available titles 104 , allowing the system to respond with just the titles 104 available for the selected network 74 . This is because if the catalog 86 supports multiple networks 74 , it may have selected content 108 that can be deployed to one network 74 but not to others. A catalog 86 may have price codes 102 in one or more currencies. Different price codes can be associated with different catalog categories. [0101] Change Catalog Setup Details: [0102] The client 96 may want to change the name of the catalog 86 , adjust the catalog limits 100 or even change the networks 74 , platforms 64 , and products 68 associated with a catalog. This interface shows the name of the catalog 86 in a text box for editing. Below the name a table shows columns containing the supported networks 74 , platforms 64 , and products 68 . At the bottom of each column a link is provided to change the information above the link. [0103] If the PM chooses to change the networks 74 , he is taken to interfaces to select the networks, and must reselect the platforms 64 and products 68 since the available platforms and products may have changed when the networks changed. Similarly, if the platforms 64 are changed, the products 68 must be reselected. [0104] The interfaces for selecting the networks 74 , platforms 64 , and products 68 are identical to the interfaces specified in the create new catalog section. If the networks 74 , platforms 64 , and or products 68 are changed, the system traverses the current selected content 108 and unselects all content not currently supported by the new configuration. Once the system is updated, the PM is taken back to the manage catalogs interface. [0105] Associate Client Logins with Catalogs: [0106] The PM, having created extranet logins 98 for contacts 94 and one or more catalogs 86 for the clients 96 , now needs to associate which contacts can edit the catalogs in question. The PM is presented with a grid with catalogs 86 listed across and contacts 94 with extranet logins 98 listed down. Each intersection of a contact 94 and catalog 86 is represented by a checkbox. The PM can check or uncheck each checkbox; upon this action, the system creates or removes the corresponding mapping from the extranet login 98 to the catalog 86 . [0107] With reference to FIG. 2, the media management aspect 24 of the system also includes a catalog designer 110 which provides an integrated interface between a client user and the available library through the C2DMA 22 . The catalog designer 110 allows for the creation of catalogs using standard technologies including JSP and Struts. Various interfaces of the catalog designer 110 and the functions provided thereby are described below. As previously mentioned, data related to catalogs is stored in system processors (FIG. 1). [0108] Client Login/Logout: [0109] A contact 94 accesses the system home page, which has a hyperlink to the login page. The login page has text fields for username and password, and a login button. The contact 94 gives name/password which is checked against the system database. If correct, a session is created for that contact 94 . The contact 94 is then able to create and modify catalogs 86 . All pages have a logout button. Also, when the session times out, the contact 94 is automatically logged out of the system. [0110] Catalog Manager/Category Manager: [0111] After a contact 94 has successfully logged into the system, he is taken to the catalog manager (FIG. 9). The contact 94 is presented with a list of catalogs 86 that have been defined by the PM for the client 96 . Each catalog 86 provides a link to a category manager interface, which displays the categories associated with the catalog. (FIG. 10). If the system determines the contact 94 has authorized access to only one catalog 86 , the contact is immediately presented to the category manager for that catalog. [0112] Create New Category: [0113] From the category manager, the contact 94 can choose to add new categories 106 to an existing catalog 86 . In response to a request to create a new category, the system presents an interface screen (FIG. 11), whereby attributes are assigned to the new category. Relevant data about the new category 86 includes: [0114] Category name [0115] Product types (choose from list of available product types for catalog) [0116] Default price code (choose from list of available price codes) [0117] Rating filter [0118] Choose if the category is seasonal; if so, enter start and end dates. [0119] Choose whether the auto-add feature is enabled and if so, what existing category should be used as a template. [0120] Upon completion of this form, the system creates a new category 106 object with the appropriate relationships and presents an updated category manager screen with the newly created category (FIG. 12). If the auto-add feature is enabled, the category 106 is immediately populated with the titles 104 from the auto-add source category. The category 106 name does not have to be unique throughout a catalog 86 . Default values for price code, rating filter and seasonal status are inherited from the parent category. [0121] Manage Categories: [0122] Once a contact 94 has chosen a catalog 86 to manage, he is taken to the category manager interface (FIG. 12). This interface presents a list of all the subcategories defined under the root category of the catalog. Each category has links next to it to edit, create subcategories, manage content, and delete. [0123] If the contact chooses to edit a category 106 , he is taken to the edit category interface (FIG. 13) and presented with all of the category attributes. The category name is displayed in an editable text box through which it can be changed. Under the category name, other category attributes are presented including: default price code, rating filter, start date and end date. [0124] The contact 94 can save or cancel the changes. If he saves the changes, the system modifies the category 106 to reflect the new attribute values. If the rating filter has been lowered, the system removes all selected titles 104 from the category 106 that no longer meet the rating requirements. In one configuration of the system, the titles are left in place, thus allowing the client to see what titles have been removed. In either case (save or cancel) the contact is returned to the category manager interface (FIG. 12). [0125] If the contact 94 chooses to manage category or subcategory content, the system presents a manage content interface, which is described below. If he chooses to delete the category 106 , he is given a popup to confirm the action. If he confirms it, the system deletes the category and its dependent objects permanently. [0126] Add Content to Category: [0127] The manage content interface (FIG. 14) provides a list of titles currently in the category, and allows for the addition of titles. Selecting the “add titles” option causes the system to present a title selector interface (FIG. 15). This interface allows the contact 94 to select a title from the list of available content for the platforms, products and networks associated with this category and catalog. The available list is further restricted based on the rating for the title. The contact can view this available list of titles in a number of ways: [0128] Sorted alphabetically and paginated via a query containing one of the following: [0129] Artist name (substring match) [0130] Title (substring match) [0131] Exact rating (G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17, X) [0132] Product type (choice of products configured for category) [0133] Platform type (choice of platforms configured for catalog) [0134] Template category—show content as grouped in an existing template category [0135] The contact 94 can select one or more titles 104 from this list to import into the category 106 . The system creates a title 104 instance linked to each chosen title and assigns it the default price code 102 . In addition, subject to catalog limit 100 constraints, selected content 108 entries are created for each platform product 66 (FIG. 7 a ) that matches the title with the category's configuration. The performances listed in a category 106 are unique, i.e., the same item cannot be added twice. As a default function, a single price applies to all selected versions of a title. [0136] Add/Remove Selected Content by Platform: [0137] A manage catalog interface allows a contact 94 to look at an existing catalog 86 and add or remove titles 104 . The contact 94 goes to this page and sees a list of catalogs. A specific catalog can be selected and the “modify” button pressed. This brings up a page that displays the titles for that catalog. Specific titles can be selected and deleted. [0138] There may also be titles in this “active catalog” that are shown, but not selected as active. The contact activates these by selecting the title line item (for a specific device). Also, the contact can go to a screen that shows the entire catalog of available items, select one or more items, and have them added to the active catalog. [0139] Manage Price/Code Settings for Each Title: [0140] Each title can be given a price code 102 . Also, the price codes 102 can be modified globally, which automatically changes the price for all items using that code. The active catalog page contains a dropdown combo box for each line item title. The contact 94 can select from a list of price codes 102 . The current price for that code is also displayed. [0141] To change pricing, the contact 94 goes to a pricing page and sees a list of all price codes 102 . An individual price code can be selected and modified. Also, existing price codes 102 can be deleted, and new ones created. If a price code 102 is deleted, all titles 104 that are set to that price code revert to the default price code. There is a default price code for the entire catalog 86 . This is selected from a list of available price codes on a “pricing” page. [0142] Manage Price Codes: [0143] When a contact 94 chooses to manage price codes 102 , he is taken to the manage price codes interface (not shown). The interface presents the contact with a list of all currently defined price codes, in an editable text box, with the set of prices (one price for each currency) to the right of the code in text boxes. The name of the price code can be changed, as can each of the prices. [0144] Below the list of price codes the list continues with several lines of the same text boxes, all of which are blank. The contact can add new price codes by filling in the blank boxes. When the contact selects save, the system renames any price codes, resets any changed prices and adds any new price codes and prices. [0145] Next to each price code in the list is a button to delete the price code. If the contact chooses to delete a price code, a pop-up confirmation is presented. If confirmed, the system checks if any titles are using the price code and returns an error page if the price code is currently in use. Otherwise, the price code and all associated prices are permanently deleted. If the price code being deleted was the default price code of any categories or subcategories, the category is modified to use the default “free” price code. [0146] With continued reference to FIG. 2, the media management aspect 24 of the system also includes a Web services application tool 112 or content export tool which is part of the client-server interface 14 (FIG. 1) and provides an integrated interface between client servers 16 (FIG. 1) and a particular project catalog 86 . The Web services application tool 112 is built utilizing XML and HTTP protocols and provides XML feeds of catalogs and the previews and content associated with a catalog in response to an HTTP request by a client server. [0147] The following is generally needed to retrieve content information from the system servers: a client account in the system, one or more created catalogs within the system, and an Internet protocol (IP) address from which the client accesses the system. A client requests (via browser manually or server originated request), receives (via browser copy and paste or server catch), parses (to flat file or database importer), and stores (in flat file or database) catalog and content feeds. Using the catalog and content feeds, the client creates an HTML/Wireless Applications Protocol (WAP) display (flat file served to end-user interface or dynamically displayed from system database) interface (Storefront) for use by end-users. [0148] A client accesses the content of a project catalog 86 with an XML request via HTTP. Once this is successfully passed into the system server, a response is generated and pushed to the client server 16 for display to the end user. In other embodiments, the responses may be provided to the client server by WAP pulling and other browser based delivery. [0149] The process is as follows: The client sends a server 16 XML request via HTTP to the system server 10 to access its client-specific catalog 86 . The code for an exemplary catalog request and its related schema is shown in FIG. 16. The following fields are in the request: [0150] Catalog Request—the enclosing tag denoting that this is a catalog request [0151] Client Id—the assigned client ID for the partner [0152] Storefront Id—the storefront ID the partner requests [0153] Model Id—a device model ID, for which the partner is requesting content [0154] The Web services application tool 112 responds to HTTP POST requests and looks for a parameter with name XML to contain the actual request XML. The Web services application tool 112 uses a standard approach to error messaging. Since it is built on the top of HTTP, it utilizes the robust and extensible platform of HTTP error messaging. All successful requests return HTTP status code 200 . If an error occurs, the response will have error code 4xx. [0155] If an XML request is detected by the Web services application tool 112 , the catalog request is sent to the system server 10 . The catalog request is handled via the system server 10 and a catalog response is generated as shown in FIGS. 17 a and 17 b . The code for an exemplary catalog response and its related schema is shown in FIGS. 17 a through 17 d. [0156] Catalog Response—the enclosing tag denoting that this is a catalog response [0157] Model—an end-user device, for which a client is requesting content [0158] Id—a model Id as assigned by the system operator [0159] Name—model's name [0160] Make—model's manufacturer [0161] Product—describes the media types supported by the model [0162] Id—a platform product Id as assigned by the system operator [0163] Name—a formal definition of deliverable content that implies both media type and intended use [0164] Platform—a media type supported by the model [0165] Category—a logical grouping of content within a catalog; category can contain other categories [0166] Name—name of the category [0167] Description—description of the category [0168] Title—a title of a given performance as stored in the catalog [0169] Name—name of this performance [0170] Type—performance type of the piece of content [0171] Artist—artist or band [0172] Price—price for all types of content with this title [0173] Title Attribute—additional attributes describing the above title [0174] Type—attribute type [0175] Value—attribute value [0176] Content Delivery Code—a unique Id for a piece of content that is derived via the storefront from which the content is being requested [0177] Id—id of the content delivery code [0178] Product—product for which this title is available and supported by at least one of the requested models [0179] Id—id for the product [0180] Preview—a URI pointing to a preview of the requested piece of content; one piece of content might have several previews with different media types [0181] MediaType—media type of the preview [0182] URI—URI of the selected piece of content [0183] Upon receipt of the catalog response, the client server 16 unwinds the XML within the response and builds an HTML or WAP storefront. The storefront may be a Web page displaying the content available within the requested catalog and end-user devices compatible with at least one of the displayed content types. [0184] With reference to FIG. 2, the media management aspect 24 of the system also includes billing interfaces 114 which provide for the payment of content by the end user. A conceptual model of an exemplary billing interface is shown in FIG. 18. The billing manager 116 is the central object that reconciles billing reports 118 generated from a billing channel 120 with delivery reports generated by a network's 74 delivery of content 34 through a delivery path 122 . The billing channel 120 may include any one of a 900 toll Interactive Voice Response (IVR) 124 , 800 toll free IVR, credit card 126 , carrier direct billing (CDB) 128 a prepaid card or other billing forms, such as Paypal. [0185] From the billing report 118 and the network 74 delivery information, commissions 130 are calculated for the various entities in the sales pipeline. The sales pipeline is a conceptual model that includes all primary entities involved in the delivery of a particular piece of content 34 , such as distributors, operators, billing partners, etc. The system calculates a commission share for each entity within the sales pipeline. In addition to commissions, royalties 132 are generated for use of the content 34 that was delivered. Of note is the price list 134 , generated from a client contract 136 involving a point of sale (EPOS) 138 and the system operator. The contract drives which content 34 is available for sale at an EPOS, and the price that will be charged at the EPOS. Possible EPOSs include the Web, Wireless Applications Protocol (WAP), Mobile Originated Short Message Service (MOSMS), a prepaid card, print, advertising and IVR. [0186] Media Delivery [0187] With reference to FIG. 2, the media delivery aspect 26 of the system includes a request handler 140 , a broker/converter 142 , a distributor 144 , monitoring tools 146 and customer service tools 148 . The request handler 140 hosts the Web services application 14 (FIG. 1) and receives content requests from a client server. [0188] In one embodiment, the content requests sent to the request handler 140 by the client server may contain the fields listed below. In other embodiments, less fields may be included. For example, the delivery address, content delivery code Id and operator Id are sufficient to deliver content. The code for an exemplary content request and its related schema is shown in FIGS. 19 a and 19 b. [0189] Content Delivery Request—the enclosing tag denoting that this is a content delivery request [0190] Delivery Address—destination phone number or e-mail address where content is to be sent [0191] Content Delivery Code Id—the requested content id; content Id uniquely identifies a piece of content as a part of a catalog; it doesn't represent the actual content; this is a unique id that is determined by matching the content with the storefront to which it will be delivered [0192] Picture Message Text—this is a special case of product—picture message, which along with a graphic can contain a text message [0193] Price—price of the requested piece of content; this is defined by combining the storefront and the billing method to calculate the cost to the end user [0194] Operator Id—the id assigned by the system operator that designates which mobile operator the piece of content will be sent through [0195] Storefront Id—The store front where the request is coming from [0196] Sales Channel Id—The sales channel used for this request; this helps determine how the client will pay for a piece of content; it identifies uniquely billing method which will be used, e.g., credit card, and point of sale, e.g., 800, Web site [0197] Client Transaction Id—the id tracked by the client for this content request [0198] Request Type—paid/free/resend, etc. [0199] Billing Address—in case when someone sends a content to a buddy, the billing address will be different from the delivery address [0200] Model Id—the model of a device that the piece of content will be sent to; the system operator provides the client with a separate document detailing the ids of the models it supports [0201] Upon receiving the request, the request handler 140 repackages the requests into a standard form and forwards it to the broker/converter 142 . The request handler 140 also sends a content delivery response to the client-server, which contains the following fields. The code for an exemplary content response and its related schema is shown in FIG. 20. [0202] Content Delivery Response—the enclosing tag denoting that this is a content delivery response [0203] Moviso Transaction—a transaction associated to this content delivery request [0204] Id—the transaction id [0205] Client Transaction—a transaction Id used by the client for tracking this content delivery request [0206] Id—the transaction id [0207] With reference to FIG. 7 b , the broker/converter 142 translates the raw content 34 into a payload 160 , i.e., a format specified by the encoding requirements/delivery format 162 used by the delivery channel 78 of the carrier network identified in the content request. The final payload 160 is placed in a que in the broker/converter 142 before being forwarded to the distributor 144 for transmission over the carrier's delivery network 74 . [0208] A conceptual model of media distribution is shown in FIG. 21. The following abbreviations are used in the figure: [0209] SMPP: Short Message Peer to Peer [0210] SM/ASI: Short Message/Application Service Interface [0211] SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol [0212] ESME: External Short Message Entity [0213] SMSC: Short Message Service Center [0214] IVR: Interactive Voice Response [0215] Delivery network: global system for mobile communication (GSM), time division multiple access (TDMA) or code division multiple access (CDMA) for second generation (2G) systems [0216] MOSMS: Mobile Short Message Service [0217] Though not shown in the diagram, the system may be used with other delivery networks including the following third generation systems: third generation code division multiple access (3GCDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) and freedom of mobile multimedia access (FOMMA). [0218] With reference to FIG. 2, the system may also include a customer service (CS) tool 148 through which it provides various reports to the client and notifications to the end users. A conceptual model of the CS tool 148 is shown in FIG. 22. An exemplary content delivery/accounting report 150 contains the following information: [0219] Content download transaction identifier [0220] Content download date [0221] Content type (ringtone,picture message,etc) [0222] Content id [0223] Content name [0224] Accounting type (free,paid,credit,charge,etc) [0225] Content download originator type (customer,cs rep,etc) [0226] Delivery status (phoneset delivered,smsc delivered,buffered,rejected,etc) [0227] Billing status (billed, not billed, refunded) [0228] A service request 152 generates a notification 154 , e.g. an email, which is sent to an appropriate notification receiver. The receiver searches for this service request in the CS tool 148 and resolves it, resulting in a service request resolution 156 and an associated notification delivery to an appropriate user 158 . [0229] As an additional feature, the request handler 140 provides an account status service to those clients using a pre-paid or MIN accounting system to bill the end user. To use this feature, the client sends an account status request which includes the following fields. The code for an account status request and its related schema is shown in FIG. 23. [0230] Account Status Request—the enclosing tag denoting that this is an account status request [0231] Billing Address—this can be either an e-mail address, telephone number, home address, etc. that is being used to charge for delivery of the content; when someone sends a ringtone to a buddy, the billing address will be different from the delivery address [0232] Sales Channel Id—The sales channel used for this request. This is the means by which the user is charged, such as 800 IVR, 900 IVR, pre-paid, etc. [0233] Store Front Id—The store front from which the request is coming [0234] In response to the account status request, the request handler 140 generates an account status response which includes the following fields. The code for an account status request and its related schema is shown in FIG. 24. [0235] Account Status Response—the enclosing tag denoting that this is an account status response [0236] Balance—the balance of the requested account [0237] While the foregoing description of the system has focused on the provision of audio-based media content, particularly ringtones, to cellular telephones, the system may be used to provide any type of media content including visual-based and audiovisual-based media content to any one of a variety of communication devices, such as those described earlier. [0238] It will be apparent from the foregoing that while particular forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.

In a system for providing media content to a communication device, a device capabilities determination is made by a rules engine that compares content attributes with constraints on those attributes for a device. Metadata describing the content is derived and entered into a database. As the specifications of different devices are entered into the system, corresponding constraints are associated with the devices that tell the engine the valid range of values for the content attributes. The engine creates an available content library for each class of devices by excluding all instances of content that have attributes outside the range of values prescribed in the constraints. A similar rule set determines whether the content can be distributed through a particular delivery channel, based on the distribution channel capacity to support a media type. The subset of content that passes both the device capabilities tests and the distribution capability tests is viable for delivery to a device over a particular distribution channel.

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/730,311, entitled “Single Pass Plow,” filed on Oct. 26, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to plows for preparing the ground for planting crops. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Many different types of equipment and methods have been used to prepare agricultural ground for planting. Typically, after a crop has been harvested, the agricultural ground must be prepared for planting the next crop. Several methods for preparing the agricultural ground have been widely used. The first is a no-tillage system, wherein no work is done to the ground prior to planting a crop after a previous crop has been harvested. No tillage systems, however, generally do not adequately prepare the agricultural ground for planting the next crop, which leads to lower crop yields. [0004] Another method for preparing agricultural ground is a multi-pass system. In a typical multi-pass system, the vegetation left from the previous crop is typically cut and removed during a first pass over the agricultural ground by a tractor pulling a cutting device. Then, a second pass is typically made in which a tractor must pull a ground breaking device over the agricultural ground. Then, a third pass is typically made in which a tractor must pull a plow across the agricultural ground that reforms planting rows prior to planting the next crop. Therefore, at a minimum, a multi-pass system typically requires at least three passes by a tractor over the agricultural ground in order to adequately prepare the agricultural ground for the next crop. Accordingly, multi-pass systems are time consuming and expensive because a tremendous amount of effort and fuel is needed to perform the multiple passes over the agricultural ground. Additionally, the profits available from a crop are reduced due to the need to make multiple passes over the agricultural ground. [0005] Therefore, there exist a need in the art for an improved system and device for preparing agricultural ground for planting a crop. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] Disclosed is a plow and method of fabricating a plow. The plow includes an elongated frame with one or more shear assemblies affixed to the frame in a spaced relationship along a length of the frame. Each of the one or more shear assemblies includes a shearing blade disposed at a distal end of the shear assembly and configured to operate below the surface of the soil to sever the roots of planted vegetation as the plow is pulled through a field. The vertical position of the shearing blade may be adjustable. One or more cylinder assemblies are rotatably affixed to the frame and positioned parallel to the one or more shear assemblies and configured to rotate as the plow is pulled through a field. The one or more cylinder assemblies include a plurality of radially extending cylinder blades configured to mulch the soil and press the severed vegetation into the soil. The one or more cylinder assemblies may further include a first and second cylinder support arm extending from the frame, and a cylinder body rotatably attached to the first and second cylinder support arms. One or more gauge wheels may be configured in a spaced relationship along the cylinder body to control the vertical position of the plow as the plow is being pulled through a field. One or more coulters may additionally be mounted to the cylinder body and configured in a spaced relationship along the cylinder assembly. [0007] According to an aspect of the present invention, one or more support arms extend from the frame, wherein each of the one or more support arms is configured to hold one or more ground working implements. The one or more ground working implements are laterally adjustable along the length of at least one of the one or more support arms. The one or more ground working implements are also vertically adjustable in their attachment to at least one of the one or more support arms. One of the ground working implements may be a rowing device configured to reposition soil on top of the severed vegetation and form a seedbed. Another one of the ground working implements may be a chisel assembly configured to break the ground between two adjacent rows of planted vegetation. A hitch may also be affixed to the frame and configured to allow the plow to be lifted and transported by a prime mover. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) [0008] Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: [0009] FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of a single pass plow according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0010] FIG. 1B is a rear perspective view of a single pass plow according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a single pass plow according to a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0012] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a single pass plow according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0013] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of a single pass plow according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0014] FIG. 5 is a front plan view of a single pass plow according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention [0015] FIG. 6 is a rear plan view of a single pass plow according to a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0016] FIG. 7 is a first cross-sectional view of a single pass plow taken along lines A-A′ of FIG. 3 . [0017] FIG. 8 is a second cross-sectional view of a single pass plow taken along lines B-B′ of FIG.3 . [0018] FIG. 9A is a top plan view of a shear assembly of a single pass plow according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0019] FIG. 9B is a first plan side view of a shear assembly of a single pass plow according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0020] FIG. 9C is a first perspective view of a shear assembly of a single pass plow according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0021] FIG. 9D is a second side plan view of a shear assembly of a single pass plow according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0022] FIG. 9E is a second perspective view of a shear assembly of a single pass plow according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0023] FIG. 10 is a partially exploded perspective view of a cylinder assembly of a single pass plow according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0024] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a chisel assembly that may be used in conjunction with a single pass plow according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0025] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a buster assembly that may be used in conjunction with a single pass plow according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0026] FIG. 13A is a front perspective view of a bracket that may be used to removably affix attachments to a support arm of a single pass plow according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0027] FIG. 13B is a rear perspective view of a bracket that may be used to removably affix attachments to a support arm of a single pass plow according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0028] FIG. 14A is a top plan view of a hipper that may be used in conjunction with a single pass plow according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. [0029] FIG. 14B is a perspective view of a hipper that may be used in conjunction with a single pass plow according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0030] The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. [0031] FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of a single pass plow 100 according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The single pass plow 100 may include a tool bar 105 , a hitch 110 , one or more shear assemblies 115 , a cylinder assembly 120 , and one or more support arms 125 . Additionally, a chisel assembly 130 and/or a rowing device 135 may be attached to each of the support arms 125 . [0032] The tool bar 105 of the single pass plow 100 may function as a frame and other components of the single pass plow 100 may be connected or mounted to the tool bar 105 . As shown in FIG. 1A , the tool bar 105 may include a first cross bar 140 and a second cross bar 145 . The two cross bars 140 , 145 may be connected to one another by one or more braces 150 . The cross bars 140 , 145 may be permanently affixed or connected to the braces 150 such as, for example, by welding the cross bars 140 , 145 to the one or more braces 150 . Alternatively, the cross bars 140 , 145 may be removably connected to the one or more braces 150 via any suitable connecting device such as, for example, bolts, screws, pegs, or pins. The cross bars 140 , 145 and the one or more braces 150 may be constructed out of tubular steel or any other suitable materials including, but not limited to, iron, plastic, aluminum, synthetic fibers, polymers, steel or other metal alloys, solid steel, other metals, ceramics or a combination of materials. [0033] It will be understood by those of skill in the art that the tool bar 105 may include any number of cross bars and braces to connect the cross bars. Additionally, it will be understood that the cross bars and braces may be individual components that are connected together to form the tool bar 105 , or alternatively, the tool bar 105 may be a formed of a single or unitary component. [0034] In the exemplary embodiments of the single pass plow 100 , the one or more shear assemblies 115 may be connected to the first cross bar 140 and the cylinder assembly 120 may be connected to the second cross bar 145 . The separation between the first cross bar 140 and the second cross bar 145 and, accordingly, the length of the one or more braces 150 may be determined by the size of the one or more shear assemblies 115 , the size of the cylinder assembly 120 , and/or the desired separation between the one or more shear assemblies 115 and the cylinder assembly 120 , as explained in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 10 . It will, however, be understood that many different lengths may be used for the one or more braces 150 to allow for various separations between the first cross bar 140 and the second cross bar 145 . Additionally, it will be understood that adjustable braces or multi-section braces may be utilized in accordance with the present invention to allow the separation between the first and second cross bars 140 , 145 to be varied. [0035] The length of the first cross bar 140 and the second cross bar 145 may be determined at least in part by the intended number of agricultural crop rows that are to be worked by the single pass plow 100 . The single pass plow 100 depicted in FIG. 1A is a six row embodiment of the single pass plow 100 . The cross bars 140 , 145 of the tool bar 105 may be sized accordingly to support enough shear assemblies 115 to work six agricultural rows and a cylinder assembly 120 that has a sufficient length for working six agricultural rows, as explained in greater detail below. However, it will be understood that many different lengths for the first and second crossbars 140 , 145 may be utilized for a plow in accordance with the present invention. Additionally, the lengths of the first and second crossbars 140 , 145 do not necessarily have to be the same, as shown in FIG. 1A where the second cross bar 145 is longer than the first cross bar 140 . It will also be understood that the lengths of the cross bars 140 , 145 may be adjustable or that a cross bar 140 , 145 may be formed of more than one section, allowing various cross bar lengths to be achieved. [0036] A hitch 110 may be connected to or incorporated into the tool bar 105 of the single pass plow 100 . The hitch 110 may allow the single pass plow 100 to be pulled by a prime mover such as, for example, a tractor. The hitch 110 may be any type of hitch suitable for allowing the single pass plow 100 to be pulled by a prime mover such as, for example, a standard three point hitch as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. It will also be understood that the single pass plow 100 of the present invention may be pushed and/or integrated into a vehicle rather than being configured to be pulled by a prime mover. For a standard three point hitch, three attaching points 155 , 160 , 165 may be included in the hitch 110 . A central attaching point 155 may be adapted to connect to a movable center arm or top link of a tractor. The central attaching point 155 may be positioned between two outer hitching points 160 , 165 and may further be vertically positioned above the two outer hitching points 160 , 165 . The two outer hitching points 160 , 165 may be adapted to each connect to an outer arm or hitch lifting arm of a tractor. The hitch lifting arms may further be controlled by the hydraulic system of the tractor and used to lift, lower, or tilt the one pass plow 100 as it is being pulled by the tractor. [0037] Each of the attaching points 155 , 160 , 165 of the hitch 110 may include one or more sets of attachment holes 170 . The one or more sets of attachment holes 170 may be used to connect an arm of a prime mover to the hitch 110 such as, for example, a center arm or lifting arm of a tractor. The one or more sets of attachment holes 170 may be vertically spaced along an attaching point 155 , 160 , 165 to allow the arm of the prime mover to be connected at various vertical positions of the attaching point 155 , 160 , 165 . A connection hole located on the arm of the prime mover may be situated between a set of attachment holes 170 and connected to the hitch 110 by inserting a peg, post, bolt, or other suitable device through both the arm and a corresponding set of attachment holes 170 . The peg, post, bolt, or other suitable device may then be secured in place with a locking mechanism such as, for example, a pin or a nut. Although only two sets of attachment holes 170 are shown in FIG. 1A for each attaching point 155 , 160 , 165 , it will be understood that any number of sets of attachment holes 170 may be situated on each attaching point 155 , 160 , 165 . Additionally, the sets of attachment holes 170 may be vertically or horizontally spaced along each attaching point 155 , 160 , 165 . [0038] As shown in FIG. 1A , one or more support arms 125 may also be connected to the tool bar 105 . Ground working implements in addition to the one or more shears 115 and the cylinder assembly 120 may be attached or connected to the one or more support arms 125 . FIG. 1A shows a chisel assembly 130 and a rowing device 135 connected to each support arm 125 ; however, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that many other types of ground working implements may be connected to one or more of the support arms 125 including, but not limited to, disk harrows, moldboard plows, chisel plows, subsoilers, bedders, ridgers, cultivators, harrows, rotary hoes, seadbed conditioners, roller harrows, packers, rotary tillers, Burrowers, and basket rollers. It will also be understood that ground working implements may be connected directly to the tool bar 105 in addition to and/or as an alternative to connecting ground working implements to the one or more extension arms 125 . [0039] The one or more support arms 125 may be permanently or removably connected to the second cross bar 145 of the tool bar 105 and may further extend rearwardly from the second cross bar 145 . The one or more support arms 125 may be removably connected to the second cross bar 145 by any suitable means such as, for example, bolts, screws, pins, welds, or any combination of attachment means. By removably connecting the support arms 125 to the second cross bar 145 , the support arms 125 may be laterally adjustable along the length of the second cross bar 145 . [0040] Each of the one or more support arms 125 may extend rearwardly from the tool bar 105 of the single pass plow 100 . Additionally, at least a portion of each support arm 125 may angle downwardly from the tool bar 105 , as explained in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 . By angling a portion of each support arm 125 downwardly from the tool bar 105 , ground working implements may be connected to each support arm 125 at a lower vertical position than the vertical position of the tool bar 105 . Accordingly, the length required for any shanks incorporated into or connecting to the ground working implements may be less than the length that would be required if the support arms 125 did not include an angled portion. Utilizing shorter shafts in conjunction with the ground working implements may provide greater strength and leverage to the shafts and the ground working implements. For example, if a chisel assembly 130 is connected to a support arm 125 that contains an angled portion, the length of a chisel shaft that connects a chisel to the support arm 125 may be reduced. The shorter chisel shaft may then provide greater strength and leverage to the chisel assembly 130 as the single pass plow 100 is pulled through agricultural ground. [0041] It will be understood that, in addition to the second cross bar 145 of the tool bar 105 , one or more additional cross bars or braces may extend between two or more of the support arms 125 . For example, a cross bar may extend between all of the support arms 125 at their distal ends relative to the tool bar 105 . It will also be understood that ground working implements may be connected or attached to the one or more additional cross bars or braces. Additionally, the one or more support arms 125 may be constructed out of tubular steel or out of any other suitable materials including, but not limited to, iron, plastic, aluminum, synthetic fibers, polymers, steel or other metal alloys, solid steel, other metals, ceramics or a combination of materials. [0042] FIG. 1B is a rear perspective view of a single pass plow 100 according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Similar to FIG. 1A , a six row embodiment of a single pass plow 100 is shown in FIG. 1B . [0043] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a single pass plow 200 according to a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention. A ten row embodiment of a single pass plow 200 is shown in FIG. 2 . According to an aspect of the present invention, the single pass plow 200 may include one or more lateral sections, and each of the one or more lateral sections may be utilized to work different rows of agricultural land while the single pass plow 200 is pulled through a field. Three lateral sections 201 , 202 , 203 are shown in FIG. 2 ; however, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that the single pass plow 200 may include any number of lateral sections. The three lateral sections 205 , 210 , 215 may each include a separate tool bar 205 or, alternatively, one or more of the three lateral sections 201 , 202 , 203 may share a tool bar 205 . Additionally, it will be understood that each of the one or more lateral sections of the single pass plow 200 may include separate ground working implements. For example, each of the three lateral sections 201 , 202 , 203 shown in FIG. 2 may include a separate cylinder assembly 220 . [0044] Also shown in FIG. 2 , one or more outside sections 201 , 202 of the single pass plow 200 may be situated in a forward position relative to a central section 203 of the single pass plow 200 . The central section 203 of the single pass plow 200 may include a hitch 210 , one or more shear assemblies 215 , a cylinder assembly 220 , and one or more support arms 225 to which additional ground working implements may be attached. Each of the outside sections 201 , 202 of the single pass plow 200 may include one or more shear assemblies 215 , a cylinder assembly 220 , and one or more support arms 225 to which additional ground working implements may be attached. The central section 203 may be utilized to work six rows of crops and each of the outside sections 201 , 202 may be utilized to work two rows of crops; however, it will be understood that any number of rows of crops may be worked by each of the sections 201 , 202 , 203 of the single pass plow. For example, in a twelve row embodiment of the single pass plow 200 , the central section 203 may be utilized to work four rows of crops and each of the outside sections 201 , 202 may be utilized to work four rows of crops. [0045] The outside sections 201 , 202 of the single pass plow 200 may be situated in a forward position relative to the central section 200 to assist in the lifting of the single pass plow 200 by a prime mover. The center of mass of the single pass plow 200 may be altered by positioning the outside sections 201 , 202 in a forward position relative to the central section 203 and, consequently, the weight at the hitch 210 of the single pass plow 200 may be reduced. As a result, the power needed to lift the single pass plow 200 may be reduced, thereby aiding a prime mover such as, for example, a tractor, in lifting and transporting the single pass plow 200 . [0046] It will be understood that additional features may be incorporated into the single pass plow 200 to assist a prime mover in transporting the single pass plow 200 . For example, one or more of the outside sections 201 , 202 of the single pass plow 200 may be connected to the central section 203 by one or more hinges 204 , thereby allowing one or more of the outside sections 201 , 202 to be hinged into an upward or vertical position. For wider embodiments of the single pass plow 200 such as, for example, a twelve row or a fourteen row embodiment of the single pass plow 200 , hinging one or more of the outside sections 201 , 202 into an upward position may reduce the overall width of the single pass plow 200 . Accordingly, the single pass plow 200 may be more easily transported in certain situations such as, for example, when transporting the single pass plow 200 down a road in order to reach agricultural land. [0047] Another feature that may be incorporated into or utilized in conjunction with the single pass plow 200 to assist in transporting the single plow 200 is a lift assist assembly, as will be understood by those of skill in the art. The lift assist assembly may include one or more hydraulically operated rubber gauge wheels that may assist in lifting the single pass plow 200 when it is transported. It will also be understood that any number of wheels may be incorporated into the single pass plow 200 to assist in transporting the single pass plow 200 . For example, wheels may be attached to wheel supports or wheel mounts that extend downwardly from the tool bar 205 of the single pass plow 200 , and the wheels may support all of or a portion of the weight of the single pass plow 200 when it is being transported to or from agricultural ground. Additionally, the wheel supports may be removably attached or hingably attached to the tool bar 205 , thereby allowing the wheel supports and attached wheels to be removed or hinged into an upward position when the plow is being pulled across agricultural land by a prime mover. [0048] FIG. 3 is a top view of a single pass plow 100 according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Similarly, FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a single pass plow 100 according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention. A six row embodiment of the single pass plow 100 is illustrated in FIGS. 3-4 . As shown in FIGS. 3-4 , the one or more support arms 125 may be laterally positioned in the spaces to the side of and/or between the one or more shear assemblies 115 . In operation, as the single pass plow 100 is pulled across agriculture land, the one or more shear assemblies 115 may operate on the rows of crops, as explained in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 7-9 . The blades of the cylinder assembly 120 may also operate on the rows of crops, as explained in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 7, 8 , and 10 . Additionally, the one or more support arms 125 may be positioned between the rows of crops, and the ground working implements attached to the one or more support arms 125 may operate on or work the ground between the rows of crops, as explained in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 7, 8 , 11 , 12 , and 14 . [0049] It will be understood that the single pass plow 100 may be utilized to work agricultural land according to many different row spacings. For example, the single pass plow 100 may be utilized to work agricultural land that contains row to row spacings of approximately ten to approximately fifty inches. According to a particularly beneficial embodiment of the present invention, the single pass plow 100 may be utilized to work agricultural land with a row to row spacing of approximately thirty-six to forty inches. It will be understood that the row to row spacing of agricultural land may be measured from the center of one row of crops to the center of an adjacent row of crops. The seed bed area or the width of the seed bed of each row of crops may vary depending on the type of crop planted. The seed bed area of many types of agricultural crops such as, for example, corn, cotton and soy beans, may be approximately eighteen inches or less; however, it will be understood that in some situations, the seed bed area may exceed approximately eighteen inches. [0050] As explained in greater detail below, each of the one or more shear assemblies 115 of the single pass plow 100 may operate within the seed bed area of a row of crops or within the area immediately surrounding the seed bed area of a row of crops. Similarly, the blades 1025 ( FIG. 10 ) of the cylinder assembly 120 may operate within the seed bed area of a row of crops or within the area immediately surrounding the seed bed area of a row of crops. The one or more support arms 125 of the single pass plow 100 may be laterally positioned between the seed bed areas of two adjacent rows of crops, and the ground working implements attached to or connected to the one or more support arms 125 may operate on the agricultural ground situated between the seed bed areas of two adjacent rows of crops. It will, however, be understood that the ground working implements attached to or connected to the one or more support arms 125 may be intended to operate within the seed bed area of a row of crops or, alternatively, may incidentally operate within the seed bed area of a row of crops. [0051] Also shown in FIGS. 3-4 , the one or more shear assemblies 115 of the single pass plow 100 may be configured so that the cutting edge 930 of the blade portion 910 ( FIGS. 9A-9E ) of each shear assembly 115 is angled toward the hitch 110 of the single pass plow 100 . Accordingly, the one or more shear assemblies 115 situated on either side of the hitch 110 may form a mirror image of one another. As explained in greater detail below, such a configuration of the one or more shear assemblies 115 may assist in preventing the one or more shear assemblies 115 from contacting or interfering with the hitch 110 of the single pass plow 100 . It will, however, be understood by those of skill in the art that the cutting edge 930 of the blade portion 910 of each of the one or more shear assemblies 115 may be configured so that it is angled toward the hitch 110 or away from the hitch 110 of the single pass plow 100 . [0052] FIG. 5 is a front view of a single pass plow 100 according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Similarly, FIG. 6 is a rear view of a single pass plow 100 according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Both FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 illustrate a six row embodiment of the single pass plow 100 . [0053] FIGS. 7-8 are cross-sectional views of the single pass plow 100 of FIG. 3 . FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the single pass plow 100 of FIG. 3 taken along axis A-A′ and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the single pass plow 100 of FIG. 3 taken along axis B-B′. As shown in FIGS. 7-8 , the one or more shear assemblies 115 of the single pass plow 100 may be positioned immediately in front of the cylinder assembly 120 of the single pass plow 100 . The one or more support arms 125 of the single pass plow 100 may extend rearwardly from the tool bar 105 . The one or more shear assemblies 115 and the cylinder assembly 120 may extend from the tool bar 105 in the same direction and in a parallel relationship with respect to the tool bar 105 . Also shown in FIGS. 7-8 , one or more of the support arms 125 may include a downwardly angled portion 705 and an attachment portion 710 . The attachment portion 710 may be a horizontal section of the support arm 125 to which ground working implements may attach. The one or more ground working implements may extend from the tool bar 105 in the same direction as the one or more shear assemblies 115 and the cylinder assembly 120 in a parallel relationship with respect to the tool bar 105 . The downwardly angled portion 705 of the support arm 125 may operate to lower the vertical position of the attachment portion 710 relative to the vertical position of the tool bar 105 . Accordingly, ground working implements may be connected to the attachment portion 710 of a support arm 125 at a lower vertical position than the vertical position of the tool bar 105 , thereby decreasing the length required for any shanks incorporated into or connecting to the ground working implements. Utilizing shorter shafts in conjunction with the ground working implements may provide greater strength and leverage to the shafts and the ground working implements. It will be understood that many different downward angles 715 may be utilized for the downwardly angled portion 705 of the support arm 125 such as, for example, a downward angle 715 of approximately 25 to approximately 40 degrees. According to an aspect of the present invention, the downward angle 715 may be approximately 38 degrees. It will also be understood that the diameter of the cylinder assembly 120 may limit the downward angle 715 of the downwardly angled portion 705 as it may be advantageous for the support arm 125 to not make contact with the cylinder assembly 120 . [0054] While the single pass plow 100 is being pulled through agricultural land, the one or more shear assemblies 115 may first operate on the agricultural land, followed by the cylinder assembly 120 and then the ground working implements attached to the one or more support arms 125 . As shown in FIGS. 7-8 , a chisel assembly 130 and a buster assembly 135 may be attached to each of the one or more support arms 125 . The operation of each of these components of the single pass plow 100 is described in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 9-14 . [0055] FIGS. 9A-9E depict various views of a shear assembly 115 of a single pass plow 100 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9A is a top view of a shear assembly 115 ; FIG. 9B is a side view of a shear assembly 115 ; and FIG. 9C is a perspective view of a shear assembly 115 . As shown in FIGS. 9A-9C , the shear assembly 115 may include a shear support 905 , a blade assembly 910 , a stalk manager assembly 915 , a shear assembly mount 920 , and a shear shank 925 . [0056] The shear support 905 may extend downwardly from the tool bar 105 of the single pass plow 100 . The shear assembly mount 920 may be removably attached to, fixedly attached to, or incorporated into the shear support 905 , and the shear assembly mount 920 may be used to removably attach the shear assembly 115 to the tool bar 105 of the single pass plow 100 . By removably attaching the shear assembly 115 to the tool bar 105 , the shear assembly 115 may be laterally moved along the length of the first cross bar 140 of the tool bar 105 . It will, however, be understood that the shear assembly 115 may be fixedly attached to the tool bar 105 . A connection or attachment between the shear assembly mount 920 and the tool bar 105 may be made by any suitable means such as, for example, bolts, screws, pins, and/or welds. [0057] The shear shank 925 may be removably or fixedly connected to or attached to the distal end of the shear support 905 . According to an aspect of the present invention, the shear shank 925 may be removably attached to the shear support 905 and may further be vertically adjustable with respect to the shear support arm 905 . The shear shank 925 may be connected to the shear support 905 by any suitable means such as, for example, bolts, screws, or pins. For example, the shear shank 925 may include one or more attachment holes 926 positioned in a vertical line along the shear shank 925 . Bolts or screws may be inserted through both a portion of the one or more attachment holes 926 and the shear support 905 , thereby forming a connection between the shear support 905 and the shear shank 925 . In order to adjust the vertical position of the shear shank 925 with respect to the shear support 905 , the shear shank 925 may be connected to the shear support 905 by utilizing a different portion of the one or more attachment holes 926 . By adjusting the vertical position of the shear shank 925 with respect to the shear support 905 , the vertical position of the blade assembly 910 of the shear assembly 115 may be adjusted. It will, however, be understood that the vertical position of the blade assembly 910 may be adjusted by other means including, but not limited to, a telescopic shear support 905 , a telescopic shear shank 925 , or a telescopic connection between the shear support 905 and the shear shank 925 . According to an aspect of the present invention, the vertical position of the blade assembly 910 may be configured such that the blade assembly 910 operates at a subsurface depth of approximately one to eight inches, although it will be understood that the blade assembly 910 may be configured to operate at any vertical height either above or below the surface. [0058] The shear shank 925 may include a foot portion 927 at its distal end. The blade assembly 910 may be connected to or attached to the foot portion 927 of the shear shank 925 by any suitable means such as, for example, bolts screws, pins, or welding. The angle at which the foot portion 927 joins the remainder of the shear shank 925 may be determined by the various angles associated with the blade assembly 930 , as described in greater detail below. The shear shank 925 may also include a shank angle 928 as it extends downwardly from the shear support 905 . The shank angle 928 may cause the shear shank 925 to extend away from the shear support 905 in a lateral direction, thereby contributing to the ability of the blade assembly 910 to operate on agricultural crops without the shear support 905 becoming entangled with the crops. For example, while the blade assembly 910 is operating beneath a row of crops, the shear support 925 may be positioned to the side of the row of crops or to the side of the main stalks of the plants within the row of crops. It will be understood that many different shank angles 928 may be utilized by the present invention such as, for example, a shank angle 928 that is within the range of approximately 10 degrees to approximately 45 degrees. According to an aspect of the present invention, the shank angle 928 may be approximately 24.5 degrees. It will also be understood that the shank angles 928 of the various shear shanks 925 may vary according to the row to row spacing of the crops situated on the agricultural land. [0059] Additionally, the blade assembly 910 may include a cutting edge 930 that is configured to cut through the ground and the root zone of the crops that are situated within a row of agricultural land. The cutting edge 930 of the blade assembly 910 may cut a subsurface swath or section through the row of crops. Additionally, it will be understood that the cutting edge 930 may not be configured to turn the soil through which it operates; however, it is possible that the cutting edge 930 and the blade assembly 910 may turn a portion of the soil through which it operates. [0060] The subsurface section that is cut by the cutting edge 930 may have a wide variety of lateral cutting widths such as, for example, a lateral width of approximately eighteen inches. The lateral cutting width may be the width of the subsurface swath or section that it is cut by the cutting edge 930 as it travels through agricultural ground. An eighteen inch lateral cutting width may be utilized to help ensure that the cutting edge 930 cuts through a majority or all of the root system of the crops that are planted in a particular row. For many agricultural crops such as, for example, corn, soy beans, and cotton, the lateral width of the seed bed of the crops does not exceed approximately eighteen inches. Accordingly, a majority or all of the root system of the crops may be cut or severed if the cutting edge 930 has a lateral cutting width of approximately eighteen inches. For taproot crops such as, for example, cotton, the cutting edge 930 may sever the taproot as the single pass plow 100 is pulled through agricultural land. [0061] It will be understood that the various components of the shear assembly 115 may be constructed of steel or any other suitable material such as, for example, iron, plastic, aluminum, synthetic fibers, polymers, steel or other metal alloys, solid steel, other metals, ceramics or a combination of materials. It will also be understood that as components of the shear assembly 115 make contact with agricultural ground, the components of the shear assembly 115 may experience wear. For example, the shear shank 925 may experience wear as when the shear assembly 115 is pulled through agricultural ground. In order to minimize the wear on the shear shank 925 , a shin 935 may be permanently or removably attached to the front of the shear shank 925 . The shin 935 may be attached to the shear shank 925 by any suitable means such as, for example, bolts, screws, pins, or welds. As shown in FIGS. 9B-9E , the shin 935 may have a triangular solid shape; however, it will be understood that the shin 935 may have many different shapes such as, for example, a rectangular solid shape, or a semicircular solid shape. As the shear assembly 115 is pulled through agricultural ground, the shin 935 may protect the shear shank 925 and minimize wear on the shear shank 925 . Additionally, the shin 935 may assist the shear assembly 115 in cutting through the soil of the agricultural ground and may additionally assist in cutting vegetation or other materials situated within the soil. For example, if the shin 925 has a triangular solid shape, one of the points of the triangle may face the front of the single pass plow 100 and that point may assist the shear assembly 115 in cutting through the soil and any vegetation or other materials situation within the soil. [0062] The blade assembly 910 and foot portion 927 of the shear shank 925 may contact or be affixed to the shear shank 925 at any angle. According to an aspect of the present invention, the blade assembly 910 may be angled such that the cutting edge 930 of the blade assembly 910 is diagonal to the front of the single pass plow 100 , allowing cut, sliced or severed material to slide off of the blade assembly 910 . As shown in FIG. 9A , the blade assembly 910 may include or incorporate a swept back angle 940 that defines an angle in the horizontal plane at which the blade assembly 910 contacts the root zone of the crops and other material situated in an agricultural row. By providing a swept back angle 940 , cut material may slide off of the cutting edge 930 and the blade assembly 910 , thereby assisting in the prevention of materials accumulating on the cutting edge 930 and the blade assembly 910 . The swept back angle 910 may also assist in the cutting of roots and other materials. As the shear assembly 115 passes through a row of crops, the forward momentum of the single pass plow 100 will cause any material contacted by the cutting edge 930 to travel down the length of the cutting edge 930 , thereby assisting in the severing or cutting of that material. [0063] Due to the swept back angle 940 of the blade assembly 910 , in order to cut a subsurface swath having a lateral cutting width of approximately 18 inches, the length of the cutting edge 930 of the blade assembly 910 may be greater than approximately 18 inches. It will be understood that the greater the swept back angle 940 , the easier it will be for the blade assembly 910 to slide or move through the soil and the rows of crops planted therein and the easier it will be for a prime mover to pull the single pass plow 100 over the agricultural land. In other words, as the angle of the swept back angle 940 increases, a prime mover will have to expend less energy or horsepower to pull the single pass plow 100 . However, the greater the swept back angle 940 , the greater the length of the cutting edge 930 required to have a lateral cutting width of approximately 18 inches. It will also be understood that the swept back angle 940 may be any angle between approximately zero and approximately ninety degrees such as, for example, an angle that is in the range of approximately 30 degrees to approximately 60 degrees. As shown in FIG. 9 , the swept back angle 940 may be approximately 45 degrees. Accordingly, the length of the cutting edge 930 may be approximately 22 inches in order to have a lateral cutting width of approximately 18 inches. It will be understood that the length of the cutting edge 930 and the value of the swept back angle 940 may be virtually any length and angle respectively, as desired by a user of the single pass plow 100 . Additionally, it will be understood that the value of the swept back angle 940 may be adjustable or fixed for a given shear assembly 115 . [0064] The blade assembly 910 of the shear assembly 115 may also contact the ground or terrain at an angle in the vertical direction, referred to herein as the blade lift angle 945 . FIG. 9D is a side view of the shear assembly 115 of FIG. 9A viewed along a first axis 947 . The blade lift angle 945 of the blade assembly 910 is shown in FIG. 9D . The blade lift angle 945 may assist in providing plow suction to the shear assembly 115 . In other words, the blade lift angle 945 may function to pull the shear assembly 115 downward into the ground or terrain while the single pass plow 100 is being pulled through agricultural land. The shear assembly 115 may be pulled downward into the ground up to the limits of the one or more gauge wheels 1010 of the cylinder assembly 120 , as explained in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 10 . The blade life angle 945 may further assist in lifting cut vegetation and other materials from the terrain as that material may be pulled upward as it makes contact with the blade assembly 910 . [0065] Many different angles may be utilized for the blade lift angle 945 such as, for example, angles that are less than approximately 45 degrees. According to an aspect of the present invention, the blade lift angle 945 may be any angle within the range of approximately 10 degrees to approximately 20 degrees. It will be understood that, as the value of the blade lift angle 945 increases, the power required to pull the single pass plow 100 through agricultural land may increase. Additionally, the plow suction created by the blade assembly 910 may increase as the blade lift angle 945 increases. Conversely, as the value of the blade life angle 945 decreases, the power required to pull the single pass plow through agricultural land may decrease. Additionally, the plow suction created by the blade assembly 910 may decrease as the blade lift angle 945 decreases. It will be understood that the value of the blade lift angle 945 may be adjustable or fixed for a given shear assembly 115 . [0066] The cutting edge 930 of the blade assembly 910 may also be angled along its length, which will be referred to herein as the cutting edge angle 950 . FIG. 9E is a perspective view of the shear assembly 115 of FIG. 9A viewed along a second axis 952 . The cutting edge angle 950 is illustrated in FIG. 9E . The cutting edge 930 may include both a leading point 953 and a trailing point 954 . The leading point 953 of the cutting edge 930 may be the first portion of the cutting edge 930 that makes contact with the terrain when the single pass plow 100 is being pulled through agricultural ground, and the trailing point 954 of the cutting edge may be the last portion of the cutting edge 930 to make contact with the terrain when the single pass plow 100 is being pulled through agricultural ground. Additionally, the trailing point 954 of the cutting edge 930 may be situated at the distal end of the cutting edge 930 relative to the leading point 953 . The cutting edge angle 950 may be a vertical angle formed along the length of the cutting edge 930 that results in the leading point 953 making contact with the terrain prior to the trailing point 954 . [0067] Similar to the blade lift angle 945 , the cutting edge angle 950 may assist in creating downward plow suction, thereby pulling the shear assembly 115 downward into the ground or terrain while the single pass plow 100 is being pulled through agricultural land. The shear assembly 115 may be pulled downward into the ground up to the limits of the one or more gauge wheels 1010 of the cylinder assembly 120 , as explained in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 10 . The cutting edge angle 950 may further assist in lifting cut vegetation and other materials from the terrain as that material may be pulled upward as it makes contact with the blade assembly 910 . [0068] Many different angles may be utilized for the cutting edge angle 950 such as, for example, angles that are less than approximately 45 degrees. According to an aspect of the present invention, the cutting edge angle 950 may be any angle within the range of approximately 5 degrees to approximately 30 degrees. It will be understood that, as the value of the cutting edge angle 950 increases, the power required to pull the single pass plow 100 through agricultural land may increase. Additionally, the plow suction created by the blade assembly 910 may increase as the cutting edge angle 950 increases. Conversely, as the value of the cutting edge angle 950 decreases, the power required to pull the single pass plow through agricultural land may decrease. Additionally, the plow suction created by the blade assembly 910 may decrease as the cutting edge angle 950 decreases. It will be understood that the value of the cutting edge angle 950 may be adjustable or fixed for a given shear assembly 115 . [0069] The stalk manager assembly 915 or deflector assembly is also shown in FIG. 9 . The stalk manager assembly 915 may assist in guiding the stalks of crops through the single pass plow 100 . The stalk manager assembly 915 may include a stalk manager support 955 and a deflector 960 . The stalk manager support 955 may be a horizontal arm or beam that is fixedly or removably attached to the shear support 905 by any suitable means such as, for example, by bolts, screws, pins, or welds. It will also be understood that the stalk manager support 915 may be vertically adjustable along the length of the shear support 955 , as described above with reference to the shear shank 925 . The deflector 960 may extend downwardly from any point along the length of the stalk manager support 955 such as, for example, at the distal end of the stalk manager support 955 . The deflector 960 may be fixedly or removably attached to the stalk manager support 955 by any suitable means such as, for example, by bolts, screws, pins, or welds. Additionally, the deflector 960 may be laterally adjustable along the length of the stalk manager support 955 . The length of the deflector 960 may be determined in part by the depth at which the blade assembly 930 is being pulled through the terrain or the depth at which the single pass plow 100 is plowing. To assist in preventing the deflector 960 from wearing, it may be desirable to prevent the deflector 960 from contacting the ground. Accordingly, the length of the deflector 960 may be any suitable length with minimal contact between the deflector 960 and the ground. The deflector 960 may also be connected to the stalk manager support 955 at a wide variety of deflector angles 970 such as, for example, at an angle of approximately zero to approximately twenty degrees with respect to the side of the shear support 905 . The deflector angle 970 may assist in guiding any stalks or other vegetation of the crops towards the blade assembly 910 . In addition, the face of the deflector 960 may be slightly opened towards the crops at the deflector and the blade assembly 910 at the deflector angle 970 , as shown in FIG. 9A , thereby assisting in guiding stalks and vegetation into the blade assembly 910 . [0070] In operation the stalk manager assembly 915 may contact stalks and other vegetation and assist in guiding it into the blade assembly 910 . As stalks and vegetation contact the stalk manager assembly 915 , the stalks and vegetation may be held in an upright position and/or pushed forward by the stalk manager assembly 915 as the single pass plow 100 is pulled through a field, thereby allowing the stalks and vegetation to be more easily cut by the blade assembly 110 . Additionally, for some types of crops such as, for example, corn, the stalk manager assembly 915 may assist in lifting stalks and other vegetation as the stalks and other vegetation make contact with the top of the stalk manager support 915 . [0071] In addition to guiding stalks and vegetation into the blade assembly 910 , the stalk manager assembly 915 may also assist in guiding stalks and vegetation into the cylinder assembly 120 , which will be described in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 10 . It will be understood that many different types of stalk manager assemblies may be used in accordance with the present invention in addition to or as an alternative to the stalk manager assembly 915 described above. For example, a U-shaped collector or a plant lifter may be utilized as a stalk manager assembly in accordance with the present invention. [0072] With general reference back to FIGS. 7-8 , a cylinder assembly 120 may be attached to the tool bar 105 in a position behind the one or more shear assemblies 115 . FIG. 10 is a partially exploded perspective view of a cylinder assembly 120 that may be utilized in conjunction with a single pass plow 100 , according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The cylinder assembly 120 may include a cylinder body 1005 , one or more gauge wheels 1010 , one or more coulters 1015 , one or more coulter retainers 1020 , one or more blade assemblies 1025 , and one or more shafts 1030 . A six row cylinder assembly 120 is depicted in FIG. 10 ; however, it will be understood that a cylinder assembly 120 may be configured to operate on any number of rows of crops. Additionally, it will be understood that the single pass plow 100 may include one or more cylinder assemblies 120 . The cylinder assembly 120 may be configured to rotate as the single pass plow is pulled through a section of agricultural ground. The cylinder assembly 120 may rotate through the motion of the single pass plow 100 or, alternatively, the cylinder assembly 120 may be rotated by a motor. [0073] The cylinder body 1005 may be a circular pipe that extends through substantially the entire length of the cylinder assembly 120 . The cylinder body 1005 may be a hollow steel pipe; however, it will be understood that a solid steel pipe or a hollow or solid pipe made out of another material such as, for example, aluminum, other metals, plastic, synthetic fibers, polymers, ceramics, or any combination of materials may be utilized for the cylinder body 1005 . It will also be understood that the cylinder body 1005 need not be circular, but can take any shape such as for example, a hexagonal or octagonal pipe. For purposes of the present disclosure, the cylinder body 1005 is described as a hollow steel pipe because the hollow steel pipe may provide at least partial strength and support for the remainder of the cylinder assembly 120 while still maintaining a relatively light weight. Additionally, the cylinder body 1005 is described as a circular pipe because a circular pipe may easily be rotated as the single pass plow 100 is pulled over agricultural land while causing fewer vibrations than pipes of other shapes. [0074] The cylinder assembly 120 may additionally include one or more gauge wheels 1010 . Each of the one or more gauge wheels 1010 may be laterally positioned in a spaced relationship along the cylinder body 1005 in the space or area between two adjacent rows of crops. Each of the one or more gauge wheels 1010 may be fixedly or removably attached to the circumference of the cylinder body 1005 or, alternatively, the one or more gauge wheels 1010 may not be attached to the circumference of the cylinder body 1005 . Additionally, the one or more gauge wheels 1010 may operate to support or carry the weight of the single pass plow 100 as the single pass plow 100 is pulled through agricultural land. The one or more gauge wheels 1010 may be constructed of steel or any other suitable material such as, for example, rubber, aluminum, other metals, synthetic fibers, polymers, ceramics, or a combination of materials. Additionally, it will be understood that the one or more gauge wheels 1010 may be substantially or completely round wheels; however, it will be understood that other shapes of gauge wheels 1010 may be used in accordance with the present invention such as, for example, hexagonal or octagonal wheels. [0075] It will also be understood that the many different values may be utilized for the diameter of the one or more gauge wheels 1010 such as, for example, a diameter in the range of approximately 20 inches to approximately 35 inches. According to an aspect of the present invention, the diameter of the one or more gauge wheels 1010 may be approximately 28 inches. [0076] The cylinder assembly 120 may additionally include one or more coulters 1015 that operate to cut any vegetation that is situated at or near the top of the soil through which the one or more coulters 1015 are pulled. Each of the one or more coulters 1015 may be laterally positioned in a spaced relationship along the cylinder body 1005 such that they operate in the area between two adjacent rows of crops of a section of agricultural land. Additionally, each of the one or more coulters 1015 may be laterally positioned adjacent to one side of the one or more gauge wheels 1010 . Each of the one or more coulters 1015 may additionally be fixedly or removably attached or connected to the circumference of the cylinder body 1005 and/or to an adjacent gauge wheel 1010 . The one or more coulters 1015 may be constructed of steel or any other suitable material such as, for example, aluminum, other metals, synthetic fibers, polymers, ceramics, or a combination of materials. Additionally, it will be understood that the one or more coulters 1015 may be substantially or completely round around an outer edge; however, it will be understood that other shapes of coulters 1015 may be used in accordance with the present invention such as, for example, hexagonal or octagonal wheels. [0077] Each of the one or more coulters 1015 may include one or more parts. As shown in FIG. 10 , each of the one or more coulters 1015 may include a first coulter half 1017 and a second coulter half 1019 ; however, it will be understood that each of the one or more coulters 1015 may include more or less than two parts. By providing two halves 1017 , 1019 , each of the coulters 1015 may be easily attached or connected to the cylinder body 1005 and/or a gauge wheel 1010 . [0078] It will also be understood that each of the one or more coulters 1015 may be laterally positioned at or substantially near the center between two rows of crops. While the single pass plow 100 is being pulled over agricultural land, the one or more coulters 1015 may stabilize the single pass plow 100 and assist in preventing lateral movement of the single pass plow 100 . In other words, the one or more coulters 1015 may assist in keeping the single pass plow 100 in a straight line as it is being pulled across agricultural land. The one or more coulters 1015 may also assist in cutting any vegetation or other debris that are present between the one or more rows of crops, thereby assisting in the prevention of accumulation of the vegetation and other debris on the chisel assembly 130 and/or the rowing device 135 , as will be explained in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 11-12 . [0079] The diameter of the one or more coulters 1015 may be greater than the diameter of the one or more gauge wheels 1010 . Providing a greater diameter for the one or more coulters 1015 may assist in the lateral stabilization of the single pass plow 100 . It will be understood that many different diameters may be utilized for the one or more coulters 1015 such as for example, a diameter that is approximately two to eight inches greater than the diameter of the one or more gauge wheels 1010 . According to an aspect of the present invention, the diameter of the one or more coulters 1015 may be approximately six inches greater than the diameter of the one or more gauge wheels 1010 . Accordingly, if the one or more gauge wheels 1010 have a diameter of approximately 28 inches, the one or more coulters 1015 may have a diameter of approximately 34 inches. Additionally, the one or more coulters 1015 may extend into the soil and cut or sever any encountered vegetation as the single pass plow 100 is pulled through a field. If the diameter of the one or more coulters 1015 is approximately six inches greater than the diameter of the one or more gauge wheels 1010 , then the one or more coulters 1015 may extend approximately three inches into the soil and cut or sever any encountered vegetation. [0080] The cylinder assembly 120 may also include one or more coulter retainers 1020 . Each of the one or more coulter retainers 1020 may be laterally positioned adjacent to a coulter 1015 . The one or more coulter retainers 1020 may operate to assist in securing and strengthening the coulter 1015 that it is adjacent to. Each of the one or more coulter retainers 1020 may additionally be fixedly or removably attached or connected to the circumference of the cylinder body 1005 and/or to an adjacent coulter 1015 . The one or more coulter retainers 1020 may be constructed of steel or any other suitable material such as, for example, aluminum, other metals, synthetic fibers, polymers, ceramics, or a combination of materials. Additionally, it will be understood that the one or more coulter retainers 1020 may be substantially or completely round along an outer edge; however, it will be understood that other shapes of coulter retainers 1020 may be used in accordance with the present invention such as, for example, hexagonal or octagonal wheels. [0081] Each of the one or more coulter retainers 1020 may include one or more parts. As shown in FIG. 10 , each of the one or more coulter retainers 1020 may include a first coulter retainer half 1022 and a second coulter retainer half 1024 ; however, it will be understood that each of the one or more coulter retainers 1020 may include more or less than two parts. By providing two halves 1022 , 1024 , each of the coulter retainers 1020 may be easily attached or connected to the cylinder body 1005 and/or a coulter 1015 . Additionally, the two halves 1022 , 1024 of a coulter retainer 1020 may be phase shifted from the two halves 1017 , 1019 of an adjacent coulter 1015 , thereby providing greater strength to both the coulter 1015 and the coulter retainer 1020 . A wide range of phase shifts may be utilized in accordance with the present invention when a coulter retainer 1020 is laterally positioned adjacent to a coulter 1015 such as, for example, a 180 degree phase shift. [0082] The cylinder assembly 120 may additionally include one or more blade assemblies 1025 . The one or more blade assemblies 1025 may be laterally positioned along the cylinder body 1005 such that a blade assembly 1025 is present between each set of adjacent gauge wheels 1010 . Additionally, the center of each blade assembly 1025 may be longitudinally aligned with a corresponding shear assembly 115 positioned in front of the blade assembly 1025 , such that the blade assembly 1025 is operable to roll across a row of crops. [0083] Each of the one or more blade assemblies 1025 may include one or more radially extending blades 1035 . Each of the one or more blades 1035 may be fixedly or removably connected or attached to a blade mount 1040 by any suitable means such as, for example, bolts, screws, pins, welds, or any combination of attachment means. According to an aspect of the present invention, each of the one or more blades 1035 may be removably attached to a blade mount 1040 , thereby allowing for replacement of each individual blade as desired by a user of the single pass plow 100 . The blade mounts 1040 may further be fixedly or removably attached to the cylinder body 1005 by any suitable means such as, for example, bolts, screws, pins, welds, or any combination of attachment means. It will be understood that the lateral widths of the one or more blades 1035 and the one or more blade mounts 1040 along the length of the cylinder body 1005 may be any positive lateral width such as, for example, approximately eighteen inches. By providing one or more blades 1035 and one or more blade mounts 1040 that are approximately eighteen inches wide, each blade assembly 1025 may be operable to work on a row of crops with a seedbed width of approximately eighteen inches or less. [0084] For each of the one or more blade assemblies 1025 , the one or more blades 1035 and the one or more blade mounts 1040 may be spaced along the circumference of the cylinder body 1005 . The spacing between each set of blades 1035 and blade mounts 1040 may be determined at least in part by the number of blades 1035 that are included in each blade assembly 1025 . According to an aspect of the present invention, the one or more blades 1035 may be spaced along the circumference of the cylinder body 1005 such that the distance between each set of adjacent blades 1035 is substantially the same. Additionally, any number of blades 1035 may be incorporated into each blade assembly 1025 such as, for example, six blades, eight blades, or ten blades. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, four to twenty blades 1035 may be incorporated into each blade assembly 1025 . [0085] In operation, as each of the one or more blade assemblies 1025 is pulled or rolled across a row of crops, the blades 1035 may serve to mash vegetation, stalks, and other debris into the ground. The blades 1035 may also assist in aerating, breaking, and/or mulching the ground. By mashing vegetation, stalks, and other debris into the ground, the blades 1035 may assist in the positioning of the vegetation, stalks, and other debris into future seedbeds, thereby encouraging the later decomposition of the vegetation, stalks, and other debris, as will be explained in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 12 and 14 . As the number of blades 1035 utilized in a blade assembly 1025 increases, the amount of aeration, ground breaking, and/or mulching performed by the blade assembly 1025 may increase; however, as the number of blades 1035 increases, it may become easier for soil and other materials to become compacted between two adjacent blades 1035 , thereby clogging the blade assembly 1025 and interfering with its intended operation. [0086] It will be understood that each of the one or more blades 1035 may take a variety of shapes such as, for example, a rectangular, square, or triangular shape. Each of the one or more blades 1035 may additionally include a cutting edge 1045 at its distal end that may assist in mulching vegetation, stalks, and other debris. The cutting edge 1045 may also function to assist in preventing the cylinder assembly 120 and the single pass plow 100 from being lifted as the cylinder assembly 120 rolls through a field, because the cutting edge 1045 may penetrate the soil as the cylinder assembly 120 is rolled through a field. The cutting edge 1045 may also take a variety of shapes and the shape of the cutting edge 1045 need not be the same as the shape of a blade 1035 . For example a blade 1035 may have a rectangular shape and the cutting edge 1045 may have a triangular or arcuate shape. [0087] It will also be understood that many different values may be utilized for the distance that each blade 1035 extends away from the circumference of the cylinder body 1005 . For example, the distance that each blade 1035 extends away from the circumference of the cylinder body 1005 , or the length of the blade, may be approximately six to nine inches. There are several considerations that may be taken into account when choosing an appropriate length for a blade 1035 . First, it may be advantageous that the blade 1035 does not make contact with the shear assembly 115 positioned in front of the cylinder assembly 120 . Additionally, to assist in preventing wear on the blade 1035 , it may be beneficial that the blade 1035 does not extend more than approximately one or two inches beyond the diameter of a gauge wheel 1010 . For example, setting the length of the blade 1035 to approximately one inch beyond the diameter of a gauge wheel 1010 may also assist in preventing the compaction of soil as the cylinder assembly 120 is rolled across a field. It will be understood that as the length of the blade 1035 gets smaller, less lift will be provided to the cylinder assembly 120 and the single pass plow 100 by the blade 1035 ; however, the vibration(s) that occurs as the cylinder assembly 120 rolls through a field may be increased. [0088] The cylinder assembly 120 may additionally include one or more shafts 1030 . Each of the one or more shafts 1030 may be utilized to connect the cylinder assembly 120 to one or more cylinder support arms 175 ( FIG. 1A ) that may be lateral positioned at each end of the cylinder assembly 120 . As shown in FIG. 10 , a shaft 1030 may be laterally positioned at each end of the cylinder assembly 120 and the shafts 1030 may partially extend into the cylinder body 1005 . It will, however, be understood that it is possible to use a single shaft 1030 that extends all the way through the cylinder body 1005 . [0089] A cylinder support arm 175 , as shown in FIGS. 1A-1B , may be connected to a shaft 1030 at each end of the cylinder assembly 120 . At one end of a cylinder support arm 175 , the cylinder support arm 175 may be fixedly or removably attached or connected to the tool bar 105 of the single pass plow 100 by any suitable form of attachment such as, for example, bolts, screws, pins, welds, or a combination of attachments. It will also be understood that the cylinder support arm 175 may be laterally adjustable along the length of the tool bar 105 . At its distal end, the bearing assembly 175 may be connected to a shaft 1030 . A shaft 1030 may extend into the cylinder support arm 175 and through one or more bearings that are attached to the cylinder support arm 175 at its distal end. Accordingly, the cylinder assembly 120 may be attached or connected to the one or more bearing assemblies 175 in such a manner that the cylinder assembly 120 is free to rotate. [0090] With reference back to FIGS. 7-8 , it may be advantageous to minimize the distance between a shear assembly 115 and a corresponding blade assembly 1025 of the cylinder assembly 120 . As explained in greater detail below, minimizing this distance may contribute to vegetation, stalks, soil, and other debris being worked more easily by the single pass plow 100 because the motion of the vegetation, stalks, soil, and other debris may be constant and maintained as the single pass plow 100 is pulled through a field. Additionally, minimizing the distance between a shear assembly 115 and a corresponding blade assembly 1025 may assist in concentrating a greater portion of weight of the single pass plow 100 towards the front of the single pass plow 100 , thereby making it easier for the single pass plow 100 to be lifted by a prime mover. Many different distances may exist between a shear assembly 115 and a corresponding blade assembly 1025 such as, for example, a within the range of approximately 0.5 inches to approximately 3 inches. According to an aspect of the present invention, the distance between a shear assembly 115 and a corresponding blade assembly 1025 may be approximately one inch or less. [0091] It will also be understood that the positions at which one or more blades 1035 of adjacent blade assemblies 1025 are connected or attached to the diameter of the cylinder body 1005 may be phase shifted from one another. The cross section of the cylinder assembly 120 depicted in FIG. 8 depicts a blade assembly 1025 that is adjacent to the blade assembly 1025 depicted in FIG. 7 . When comparing FIGS. 7 and 8 , it may be observed that the positions at which the one or more blades 1035 attach to the blade assembly 1025 of FIG. 7 may be phase shifted from the positions at which the one or more blades 1035 attach to the adjacent blade assembly 1025 of FIG. 8 . It will be understood that many different alignments of the one or more blades 1035 may be utilized in accordance with the present invention. For example, the one or more blades 1035 of a blade assembly 1025 may be positioned in the center points along the circumference of the cylinder body 1005 between the one or more blades 1035 of an adjacent blade assembly 1025 . By phase shifting or positioning the one or more blades 1035 of a blade assembly 1025 in a different configuration than that of an adjacent blade assembly 1025 , the lift generated by the cylinder assembly 120 may be minimized. Additionally, less vibration(s) may occur as the cylinder assembly 120 is rolled across a field, thereby assisting in the stabilization of the single pass plow 100 . [0092] With continued reference to FIGS. 7-8 , one or more ground working implements may be connected to each of the one or more support arms 125 that extend rearwardly from the tool bar 105 . As shown in FIGS. 7-8 , a chisel assembly 130 and a rowing device 135 may be attached or connected to a support arm 125 . [0093] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a chisel assembly 135 that may be used in conjunction with a single pass plow 100 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The chisel assembly 135 may include a standard chisel plow as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. As shown in FIG. 11 , the chisel assembly 135 may include a chisel shank 1105 , a chisel blade 1110 , and a trip shank 1115 . The chisel shank 1105 may be fixedly or removably attached to a support arm 125 of the single pass plow 100 by any suitable means such as bolts, screws, pins, welds, or the bracket described in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 13A and 13B . At its distal end, the chisel shank 1105 may be fixedly or removably connected to the chisel blade 1110 . It will further be understood that the chisel shank 1105 may be connected to the chisel blade 1110 via the trip shank 1115 . The chisel assembly 130 may be laterally and/or vertically adjustable with respect to the support arm 125 to which it is attached, as will be explained in greater detail below. [0094] As the single pass plow 100 is pulled through a field, the chisel assembly 130 may operate between two adjacent rows of crops. A chisel assembly 130 may be positioned behind one of the coulters 1015 of the cylinder assembly 120 . The chisel blade 1110 may operate below the surface of the soil and may break the ground prior to a rowing device 135 operating on the ground. Additionally, the chisel blade 1110 may assist in aerating and loosening the soil between two adjacent rows of crops. [0095] It will be understood that the chisel blade 1110 may be configured to operate at many different soil depths such as, for example, at a depth between approximately eight inches and approximately twelve inches. If the chisel blade 1110 contacts an object or substance that it cannot plow through, the trip shank 1115 may trip, causing the chisel blade 1110 to hinge rearwardly. Once the trip shank 1115 has been tripped, the chisel blade 1110 may no longer operate to break the ground, as will be understood by those of skill in the art. The various components of the chisel assembly 130 may be constructed of steel or any other suitable material such as, for example, iron, other metals, synthetic fibers, polymers, ceramics, or a combination of materials. [0096] Many different types of rowing devices 135 may be utilized in conjunction with the present invention. As shown in the illustrative embodiments of the present invention in FIGS. 1-8 , a buster assembly 135 may be used as a rowing device 135 . FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a buster assembly 135 that may be utilized in conjunction with a single pass plow 100 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The buster assembly 135 may be a standard buster assembly as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Additionally, the buster assembly 135 may include a buster shank 1205 , a buster blade 1210 and a trip shank 1215 . The buster shank 1205 may be fixedly or removably attached to a support arm 125 of the single pass plow 100 by any suitable means such as bolts, screws, pins, welds, or the bracket described in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 13 . At its distal end, the buster shank 1205 may be fixedly or removably connected to the buster blade 1210 . It will further be understood that the buster shank 1205 may be connected to the buster blade 1210 via the trip shank 1215 . The buster assembly 135 may be laterally and/or vertically adjustable with respect to the support arm 125 to which it is attached, as will be explained in greater detail below. [0097] As the single pass plow 100 is pulled through a field, the buster assembly 135 may operate between two adjacent rows of crops. A buster assembly 135 may be positioned behind one of the coulters 1015 of the cylinder assembly 120 . The buster blade 1210 may operate below and/or at the surface of the soil and may push the soil into furrows to make rows for planting crops. Additionally, the buster blade 1210 may assist in aerating and loosening the soil between two adjacent rows of crops. [0098] Many different values for the lateral width of the buster blade 1210 may be utilized in accordance with the present invention such as, for example, lateral widths in the range of approximately seven inches to approximately twenty-two inches. It will be understood that the buster blade 1210 may be configured to operate at many different soil depths such as, for example, at a depth between approximately eight inches and approximately twelve inches. If the buster blade 1210 contacts an object or substance that it cannot plow through, the trip shank 1215 may trip, causing the buster blade 1210 to hinge rearwardly. Once the trip shank 1215 has been tripped, the buster blade 1210 may no longer operate to push the soil into furrows, as will be understood by those of skill in the art. The various components of the buster assembly 135 may be constructed of steel or any other suitable material such as, for example, iron, other metals, synthetic fibers, polymers, ceramics, or a combination of materials. [0099] According to an aspect of the present invention, the chisel assembly 130 , the buster assembly 135 , and other ground working implements may be removably attached to a support arm 125 of the single pass plow 100 . The various ground working implements may be laterally adjustable along the length of the support arm 125 and/or vertically adjustable. A wide variety of features may be utilized in accordance with the present invention to allow the various ground working implements to be laterally and/or vertically adjustable such as, for example, providing a plurality of adjustment holes along the lengths of both the support arm 125 and the shank of a ground working implement. Bolts or pins may then be inserted through one or more of these adjustment holes as desired to adjust the lateral and vertical position of the ground working implement. Additionally, the support arm 125 and/or the shank of a ground working implement may be telescopic, thereby allowing the lateral and vertical position of the ground working implement to be adjusted. According to an aspect of the present invention, the various ground working implements may be connected to a support arm 125 with an adjustable bracket that allows a ground working implement to be laterally and/or vertically adjusted. [0100] FIG. 13A is a front perspective view of a bracket 1120 that may be used to removably affix attachments to a support arm 125 of a single pass plow 100 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Similarly, FIG. 13B is a rear perspective view of a bracket 1120 that may be used to removably affix attachments to a support arm 125 of a single pass plow 100 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The back of the bracket 1120 may be positioned adjacent to the shaft of a ground working implement such as, for example, the chisel shaft 1105 of FIG. 11 . The operation of the bracket 1105 will be described herein with reference to the chisel shaft 1105 of the chisel assembly 130 ; however, it will be understood that the bracket 1120 may be used in conjunction with a wide variety of other ground working implements. The back of the bracket may include two extensions 1305 that are configured to extend outwardly from the bracket 1120 and along the sides of the chisel shaft 1105 . A bracket plate 1122 may then be placed on the opposite side of the chisel shaft 1105 from the bracket 1120 , and the chisel shaft 1105 may be surrounded by the bracket plate 1122 and the back of the bracket 1120 . The front of the bracket 1120 may then be positioned next to a support arm 125 of the single pass plow 100 . The front of the bracket 1120 may include one or more extensions 1310 that extend outwardly from the bracket 1120 and along the peripheral edges of the support arm 125 . Two U-bolts 1125 may then be positioned on the opposite side of the support arm 125 from the bracket 1120 and the bracket plate 1122 . The U-bolts 1125 may extend around the three sides of the support arm 125 not adjacent to the bracket 1120 , and the U-bolts 1125 may be inserted into the bracket plate 1122 , thereby securing the chisel shaft 1105 to the support arm 125 . It will be understood that the bracket 1120 , bracket plate 1122 , and U-bolts 1125 may be used to secure the chisel shaft 1105 to a support arm 125 at any vertical position along the length of the chisel shaft 1105 and at any lateral position along the length of the support arm 125 . Accordingly, the chisel assembly 130 may be vertically and/or laterally adjustable in its connection to the support arm 125 . It will also be understood that, although the bracket 1120 , bracket plate 1122 , and U-bolts 1125 are shown and described herein as being capable of securing a chisel shaft 1105 to a rectangular-shaped support arm 125 , the bracket 1120 , bracket plate 1122 , and U-bolts 1125 could easily be designed to secure a chisel shaft 1105 to a support arm 125 with a different shape such as, for example, a circular support arm 125 . [0101] It will be understood that many different types of ground working implements may be attached to the one or more support arms 125 of the single pass plow 100 . An example of another type of ground working implement is a hipper assembly which, similar to the buster assembly 135 , may be utilized to form furrows or rows in the soil. FIG. 14A is a top view of a hipper assembly 1400 that may be used in conjunction with a single pass plow 100 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14B is a perspective view of a hipper assembly 100 that may be used in conjunction with a single pass plow 100 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The hipper assembly 1400 may be a standard hipper assembly as will be understood by those of skill in the art. The hipper assembly 1400 may include a hipper mount 1405 , a first hipper blade assembly 1410 , a second hipper blade assembly 1415 , and a hipper attachment plate 1420 . The hipper mount 1405 may include two downward extensions. The first hipper blade assembly 1410 may connect or attach to one of the downward extensions and the second hipper blade assembly 1415 may connect or attach to the other downward extension. Each of the hipper blade assemblies 1410 , 1415 may be vertically adjustable in its connection to the hipper mount 1405 . For example, a telescopic connection may be formed between each of the hipper blade assemblies 1410 , 1415 and the hipper mount 1405 . Each set of hipper blade assemblies 1410 , 1415 may include one or more angled disk blades that are configured to form soil into rows as the hipper assembly 1400 is pulled through a field. In operation, the first hipper blade assembly 1410 may throw dirt in one direction and the second hipper blade assembly 1415 may throw dirt in the opposite direction. The hipper assembly 1400 may be pulled through the area between two adjacent rows in agriculture land, thereby causing the rows to be reformed by the hipper assembly 1400 . The hipper attachment plate 1420 may be connected to the top of the hipper mount 1405 and may be utilized to connect or attach the hipper assembly 1405 to either a support arm 125 or directly to the tool bar 105 of the single pass plow 100 . [0102] Other types of ground working implements that may be attached to the one or more support arms 125 of the single pass plow 100 may include, but are not limited to, disk harrows, moldboard plows, chisel plows, subsoilers, bedders, ridgers, cultivators, harrows, rotary hoes, seadbed conditioners, roller harrows, packers, rotary tillers, furrowers, and basket rollers. It will also be understood that ground working implements may also be attached or connected to the tool bar 105 of the single pass plow 100 . For example, a seeder may be connected to the tool bar 105 of the single pass plow. [0103] In operation, as the single pass plow 100 may be transported to a field by a prime mover. As the single pass plow 100 is then pulled through the field, the one or more shear assemblies 115 may be pulled through the rows of crops. The cutting edges 930 of the one or more shear assemblies 115 may operate below the soil and may cut any encountered stalks, roots, or vegetation. For many agricultural crops, an eighteen inch cutting width may sever the entire root mass. For tap root crops, the cutting edges 930 may sever the tap roots of the crops. The cut vegetation may then encounter the one or more blade assemblies 1025 of the cylinder assembly 120 . The one or more blade assemblies 1025 may operate to mash the cut vegetation into the soil. Any vegetation that has fallen between the rows of crops may be cut by the one or more coulters 1015 of the cylinder assembly 120 . The soil may also be aerated by the cylinder assembly 120 . If one or more rowing devices 135 are utilized, then the one or more rowing devices 135 may form furrows out of the soil. The furrows may cover up the cut vegetation, thereby aiding in the decomposition of the vegetation. If one or more chisel assemblies 130 are utilized, then the one or more chisel assemblies 130 may loosen the ground before the one rowing devices 135 form furrows out of the soil. The single pass plow 100 of the present invention may be pulled through a field after a crop has been harvested. In a single pass, the single pass plow 100 may sever the root masses or tap roots of any planted crops, position the vegetation into rows, break the soil, aerate the soil, and form a seed bed for subsequent planting by position soil on top of the vegetation. After the single pass plow 100 has been pulled through the field, the field should be properly prepared for the planting of a subsequent crop. [0104] Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

A plow and method of fabricating a plow is disclosed. The plow includes an elongated frame. One or more shear assemblies are affixed to the frame in a spaced relationship along a length of the frame, wherein each of the one or more shear assemblies includes a shearing blade disposed at a distal end of the shear assembly and configured to operate below the surface of the soil to sever the roots of planted vegetation as the plow is pulled through a field. One or more cylinder assemblies are rotatably affixed to the frame and positioned parallel to the one or more shear assemblies and configured to rotate as the plow is pulled through a field. The one or more cylinder assemblies include a plurality of radially extending cylinder blades configured to mulch the soil and press the severed vegetation into the soil.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/802,862, filed on Mar. 12, 2001, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/524,508, filed on Mar. 13, 2000 and issued as U.S. Patent No. 6,316,002, which in turn claims the priority of U.S. provisional application No. 60/158,377, filed on Oct. 12, 1999, wherein all of the U.S. priority applications are herein incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a method for treating mammals with immunological disorders, particularly autoimmune diseases, and most favorably systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), by orally administering germination activated Ganoderma lucidum spores (“GLSs”) to the mammals. The GLSs can be co-administered with a corticosteroid to achieve a better therapeutic effect on treatment of SLE. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] The ability of the immune system to discriminate between “self” and “non-self” antigens is vital to the functioning of the immune system as a specific defense against invading microorganisms. “Non-self” antigens are those antigens on substances entering or in the body which are detectably different or foreign from the animal's own constituents, whereas “self” antigens are those which, in the healthy animal, are not detectably different or foreign from its own constituents. However, under certain conditions, including in certain disease states, an individual's immune system may identify its own constituents as “non-self,” and initiate an immune response against “self” material. This, at times, may result in causing more damage or discomfort as from an invading microbe or foreign material, and often producing serious illness in an individual. [0004] Autoimmune disease results when an individual's immune system attacks his own organs or tissues, producing a clinical condition associated with the destruction of that tissue, as exemplified by diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (“AIDS”), hemolytic anemias, rheumatic fever, Crohn's disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome, psoriasis, thyroiditis, Graves' disease, myasthenia gravis, glomerulonephritis, autoimmune hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc. Blocking, neutralizing or inhibiting the immune response or removing its cause in these cases is, therefore, desirable. [0005] Autoimmune disease may be the result of a genetic predisposition alone or as the result of the influence of certain exogenous agents such as, viruses, bacteria, or chemical agents, or as the result of the action of both. Some forms of autoimmunity come about as the result of trauma to an area usually not exposed to lymphocytes, such as neural tissue or the lens of the eye. When the tissues in these areas become exposed to lymphocytes, their surface proteins can act as antigens and trigger the production of antibodies and cellular immune responses which then begin to destroy those tissues. Other autoimmune diseases develop after exposure of the individual to antigens which are antigenically similar to, that is cross-reactive with, the individual's own tissue. For example, in rheumatic fever an antigen of the streptococcal bacterium, which causes rheumatic fever, is cross-reactive with parts of the human heart. The antibodies cannot differentiate between the bacterial antigens and the heart muscle antigens, consequently cells with either of those antigens can be destroyed. [0006] Other autoimmune diseases, for example, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (involving the destruction of the insulin producing beta-cells of the islets of Langerhans), multiple sclerosis (involving the destruction of the conducting fibers of the nervous system) and rheumatoid arthritis (involving the destruction of the joint lining tissue), are characterized as being the result of a mostly cell-mediated autoimmune response and appear to be due primarily to the action of T-cells. Yet others, such as myesthenia gravis and systemic lupus erythematosus, are characterized as being the result of primarily a humoral autoimmune response. [0007] Nevertheless, the autoimmune diseases share a common underlying pathogenesis, resulting in the need for safe and effective therapy. Yet none of the presently available drugs are completely effective for the treatment of autoimmune disease, and most are limited by severe toxicity. [0008] Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly known as Lupus, is an autoimmune disease characterized by dysregulation of the immune system resulting in the production of antinuclear antibodies, the generation of circulating immune complexes, and the activation of the complement system. The immune complexes build up in the tissues and joints causing inflammation, and degradation to both joints and tissues. While the word “systemic” correctly suggests that the disease effects the entire body and most organ systems, the disease most often involves inflammation and consequent injury to the joints, skin, kidney, brain, the membranes in body cavities, lung, heart, and gastrointestinal tract. An individual with SLE often experiences unpredictable acute episodes or “outbreaks” and equally unexpected remissions. The pathologic hallmark of the disease is recurrent, widespread, and diverse vascular lesions resembling a rash or changes on the surface of the skin. [0009] Physicians have known Lupus since 1828 when it was first described by the French dermatologist, Biett. Early studies were simply descriptions of the disease, with emphasis on the skin rashes typically present in those afflicted with the disease as well as other easily visible symptoms. Forty-five years later a dermatologist named Kaposi noted that some patients with lupus erythematosus (LE) skin lesions showed signs of affected internal organs. In the 1890s, Sir William Osler, a Canadian physician, observed that SLE could affect internal organs without the occurrence of skin changes. In 1948, Dr. Malcolm Hargraves of the Mayo Clinic isolated and described the particular morphology of the LE cell. This cell was found in the blood of patients with SLE. Dr. Hargraves' discovery has enabled physicians to identify many more cases of SLE by using a simple blood test. As a result, the number of SLE cases diagnosed has steadily risen. [0010] SLE is not a rare disorder. Although reported in both the extremely old and the extremely young, the disease is chiefly found in women of childbearing age. Among children the occurrence of SLE is three times more likely in females than in males. In the 60% of SLE patients who experience the onset of this disease between puberty and the fourth decade of life, the female to male ratio is 9:1. Thereafter, the female preponderance again falls to that observed in prepubescent children (i.e., 3:1). In addition, the disorder appears to be three times more common in persons of African and Asian descent than in persons of Caucasian descent. [0011] The prevalence of SLE in the United States is an issue of some debate. Estimates of occurrence range from 250,000 to 2,000,000 persons. Problems with identifying SLE are part of the problem in providing estimates of the numbers of individuals affected. The root of this identification problem is the fact that the clinical features of SLE can be mimicked by many other disorders, such as infectious mononucleosis or lymphoma. In this way the actual number of individuals affected is masked. [0012] Numerous autoantibodies (i.e., self-reactive antibodies) of differing specificity are present in SLE. SLE patients often produce autoantibodies having anti-DNA, anti-RNP, anti-Ro (SSA), and anti-Sm, anti-La (SSB) specificity and which are capable of initiating clinical features of the disease, such as glomerulonephritis, arthritis, serositis, complete heart block in newborns, and hematologic abnormalities. These autoantibodies are also possibly related to central nervous system disturbances. Kidney damage, measured by the amount of proteinuria in the urine, is one of the most acute areas of damage associated with pathogenicity in SLE, and accounts for at least 50% of the mortality and morbidity of the disease. The presence of antibodies immunoreactive with double-stranded native DNA is normally used as a diagnostic marker for SLE. [0013] Currently, there are no really curative treatments for patients that have been diagosed with SLE. Physicians generally employ a number of powerful immunosuppressive drugs such as high-dose corticosteroids, azathioprine or cyclophosphamide—many of which have potentially harmful side effects to the patients being treated. In addition, these immunosuppressive drugs interfere with the person's ability to produce all antibodies, not just the self-reactive anti-DNA antibodies. Immunosuppressants also weaken the body's defense against other potential pathogens thereby making the patient extremely susceptible to infection and other potentially fatal diseases, such as cancer. In some of these instances, the side effects of current treatment modalities can be fatal. Ganoderma ( Ganoderma lucidum Leyss ex Fr. Karst) is a polyporous fungus. It belongs to the class Basidiomycetes, the family Polypolaceae, and the genus Ganoderma. Since ancient times, ganoderma has been praised as a miracle fungus for its capability of prolonging human life. It is believed that the medicinal effects of ganoderma lie upon the natural or bioactive substances it produces which can stimulate or modulate the neuro-endocrino-immuno system of human body to fight off diseases. Ganoderma is also well known for its antitumor and immune enhancing properties, (Kim et al., Int. J. Mol. Med. (1999), 4(3):273-277), cardiovascular effects (Lee et al., Chem. Pharm. Bull. (1990), 38:1359-1364), as well as free radical scavenging and antihepatotoxic activities (Lin et al., J. Ethnopharmacol., (1995), 47(1):33-41). [0014] Ganoderma is the most rare and valuable herb in Chinese medicine. It is known in China for over 5,000 years as “ling zhi”. There are a variety of ganoderma, for instance, G. lucidum (red), G. applanatum (brown), G. tsugae (red), G. sinense (black), and G. oregonense (dark brown). However, due to the fact that wild types of ganoderma only grow naturally and very rarely on aged trees in steep mountains, research which requires a constant supply of high quantity and quality of ganoderma has rarely been conducted. [0015] Although it is believed that the spores of ganoderma represent the essence of ganoderma because they contain all the bioactive substances of ganoderma, most of the ganoderma studies are conducted using the fruit body or mycelium of ganoderma as experimental materials. Ganoderma spores are rarely studied. [0016] Ganoderma spores are tiny and mist-like spores of 5˜8 μm in sizes which have extremely hard and resilient, double-layer epispores, thus making them difficult to break open. The ganoderma spores normally scatter at the pelius of mature ganoderma. When mature, the ganoderma spores are ejected from the pileus. Such ejected ganoderma spores are collectively called “spore powders”. In the wild, the “spore powders” are difficult to collect because of the following reasons: (1) the germination rate (i e., about 3-15%) of the spores is extremely low; (2) the ejection period is relatively short (i.e., approximately 10 days per lifecycle); and (3) some environmental factors, such as wind and rain, may also hinder the collection of the spores. In addition, the substances of the collected spores are difficult to extract due to the resiliency of the epispores. [0017] In recent years, with the improvement of the spore breaking techniques, more research which directed to the studies of the ganoderma spores has been undertaken. However, the improvement of the spore breaking techniques does not overcome the shortcoming of the low germination rate of the spores. In fact, due to the low germination rate, most of the studies on ganoderma spores are conducted using the extraction of bioactive substances from spores representing an array of dormant to various germination stages. Because the spores at different stages of the lifecycle produce different kinds and/or proportions of bioactive substances, each batch of the mixture of the spores thus contains different active ingredients. The results from such studies are apparently meaningless since no proper controls can be provided. [0018] A germination activation method is disclosed in the parent application of the present application, which was issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,002 B1, which is herein incorporated by reference. The method provides successfully activation of the dormant ganoderma spores and increase the germination rate of the ganoderma spores to more than 95%. Although in the parent applications, GLSs demonstrated therapeutically activities in patients with immunological disorders, which suggested that GLSs may have effect on SLE, which is essentially an immunological disorder, no experimental data were presented in support of that possibility. In the present invention, the therapeutic effects of GLSs to treat SLE are introduced, using allogenic lymphocyte-induced SLE mice (DBA/2 and BALB/C F1 mice) as a model. The results demonstrate that GLSs are capable of relieving the symptoms associated with SLE. The therapeutic effects of GLSs on SLE are similar to, but without the toxic side effects of, corticosteroid such as prednisolone. A combined treatment of GLSs and cortisosteroid is also investigated. The results indicate that the combined treatment of GLSs and corticosteroid restores the T cell counts in the lupus mice to a level comparable to those in the normal mice. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0019] The present invention provides a method for treating a mammal with immunological disorder by orally administering to the mammal an effective amount of a germination activated Ganoderma Lucidum spores (GLSs). The preferred mammal is human. [0020] The immunological disorder is a disease which includes, without limitation, dysfunction of the nervous system, neuromusculature including multiple sclerosis, myotonias and muscular dystrophy, and autoimmune diseases. The preferred embodiment of this invention involves the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Examples of the autoimmune diseases include, without limitation, rheumatoid arthritis, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (“AIDS”), hemolytic anemias, rheumatic fever, Crohn's disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome, psoriasis, thyroiditis, Graves' disease, myasthenia gravis, glomerulonephritis, autoimmune hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The method of the present invention is preferably for treating patients with (SLE). [0021] The preferred dosage of GLSs for treating patients with SLE is in the amount of about 1-20 g of GLSs per person per day, and most favorably 3-12 g per person per day. [0022] The GLSs can be co-administered with a corticosteroid hormone to achieve a better therapeutical activity on relieving/reducing the symptoms associated with SLE. [0023] Examples of corticosteroid hormone include, but are not limited to, prednisolone, prednisone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone, cortisol, cortisone, triamcinolone, betamethasone, etc. These corticosteroid hormones can be administered by mouth, by topical treatment (such as in solution, cream, lotion or ointment), or by parenteral injection. The preferred corticosteroid is prednisolone, which is preferably administered to patient by mouth. [0024] The GLSs can be used as an agent for treatment of SLE. Alternatively, a combination of GLSs and a corticosteroid hormone can also be used as a treatment regimen to treat SLE. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0025] The tiny spore of Ganoderma lucidum has an extremely hard and resilient, double-layered epispore. In the wild, the germination of the spores of Ganoderma lucidum is relatively slow and their germination rate is extremely low. In fact, it takes about 24 to 48 hours for the germ tubes of the spores start to sprout under proper conditions, and the capillitia start to form branches after 72 hours, with a germination rate of only 3-15%. [0026] Mature spores of Ganoderma lucidum were selected to undergo processing treatment. There are three distinctive stages for the spores processing treatment so as to effectively preserve the large amount of bioactive substances produced by the germination activated spores. The first stage involves the induction of germination, which is achieved by soaking the spores in a solution for a period of time, followed by cultivating the germination induced spores in a well-ventillated culture box. The second stage involves the production of sporoderm-broken (i.e., by breaking up the cell walls of epispores) spores, which is achieved by enzyme treatment and/or mechanical force. The final stage involves the extraction of bioactive substances from the sporoderm-broken spores, which is achieved by freeze-drying or vacuum drying followed by extraction with solvent or by thin film condensation. [0027] Below are general descriptions of the steps which lead to the production of bioactive substances: [0028] I. Soaking to induce germination: Mature and perfect spores of Ganoderma lucidum were carefully selected to undergo a soaking process to induce germination. Spores were kept in clear or distilled water, biological saline solution, or other nutritional solutions that could enable the spores of red Ganoderma lucidum to germinate rapidly. Examples of nutritional solutions include coconut juice or a 1-5% malt extract solution, 0.5-25% extracts of Ganoderma lucidum sporocarps or Ganoderma lucidum capillitia, 0.1-5% of culture solution containing biotin, 0.1-3% of culture solution containing potassium phosphate (monobasic) and magnesium sulfate. The choice of solution would depend on the soaking time required, the amount of spores to be processed and other such factors as availability of materials. One or more of the above germination solutions could be used, with the amount added being 0.1-5 times the weight of the spores of red Ganoderma lucidum . The soaking time was determined according to the temperature of the water, and usually the soaking was carried out for 30 min to 8 hours with the temperature of the water at 20-43° C. Preferably soaking times were 2-4 hours, and temperature of the water was 25-35° C. [0029] II. Activation culture: The spores of Ganoderma lucidum were removed from the soaking solution and excess solution was eliminated by allowing it to drip. The spores were then placed in a well-ventilated culturing box at a constant temperature and humidity so that spore activation culture could be carried out. The relative humidity of the culture was generally set at 65-98%, the culture temperature at 18-48° C. and the activation time lasted from 30 min to 24 hours. Preferably humidity is 85-97% and temperature is 25-35° C. Using this method, the activation of spores of red Ganoderma lucidum reached a rate of more than 95%. During activation, the cell walls of the spores of red Ganoderma lucidum were clearly softened such that it was easier to penetrate the cell walls of the spores. [0030] III. Treatment of the epispores: After the germination activation process, the spores were treated by enzymolysis. This process was carried out at a low temperature and under conditions such that enzyme activity was maintained, using chitinase, cellulase, or other enzymes, which are commonly used in the industry. The process was complete when the epispores lost their resilience and became brittle. Alternatively, physical treatments were carried out to penetrate the cell walls, for example, micronization, roll pressing, grinding, super high pressure microstream treatment, and other mechanical methods commonly used in the industry could be carried out, with a penetration rate of over 99%. [0031] IV. Drying/Encapsulation: Drying was carried out at low temperature using standard methods including freeze-drying or vacuum-drying etc., which are commonly used in the industry. The obtained product had a moisture content less than 4%. The dried GLSs are in powder form and encapsulated. Each capsule contains 300 mg of dried GLSs. [0032] The recommended clinical dosage of GLSs to treat patients with immunological disorders was about 6.3 g/day/person, which was converted according to the respective body mass of humans and mice. This was equivalent to a dosage in mice of 0.8 g/kg, (6.3 g÷7.9=0.8 g/kg). About 10 times of the recommended clinical dosage of GLSs did not appear to cause adverse effects in humans and mice. [0033] The present invention uses GLSs to treat immunological disorder, particularly autoimmune disease, and most favorably SLE. SLE is an autoimmune disease also known as Lupus. In patients with SLE, multiple vital organs may be attacked by autoantibodies (also known as “self-reactive antibody”) such as anti-dsDNA, SSA/SSB, and Sm/RNP antibodies. Kidneys are eventually involved in about 80% of lupus patient. In lupus nephritis, severe proteinuria, high titers of anti-dsDNA and heavy mono-nuclear infiltration in kidney parenchyma are found in patients. [0034] At present, there is no cure for SLE. The mainstay of lupus treatment involves the use of corticosteroid hormones, such as prednisone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone. Corticosteroids are related to cortisol, which is a natural anti-inflammatory hormone. They work by rapidly suppressing inflammation. However, cortocosteroids are known for its side effects. Short-term side effects of corticosteroids include swelling, increased appetite, weight gain, and emotional ups and downs; and long-term side effects of corticosteroids can include stretch marks on the skin, excessive hair growth, weakened or damaged bones, high blood pressure, damage to the arteries, high blood sugar, infections, and cataracts. [0035] Other than corticosteroids, several other types of drugs such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, COX-2 inhibitors, antimalarials, methotrexate, Gamma globulin, and immunosuppressives, are also commonly used to treat lupus. However, similar to corticosteroid treatment, these other treatment options for lupus also lead to unwanted adverse effects. [0036] The following examples are illustrative, but not limiting the scope of the present invention. Reasonable variations, such as those occur to reasonable artisan, can be made herein without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, in describing the invention, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected. It is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. EXAMPLE 1 Immunoregulatory Effect of GLSs [0037] I. Test Conditions: [0038] 1. Samples: The dosage for testing the immunoregulatory effect of GLSs was at 0.06 g/kg bodyweight (BW) per day, and the concentrations needed for the various tests were all prepared by diluting GLSs in with distilled water. [0039] 2. Dosage Groups: The animals were divided into the cold distilled water control group, and high, medium and low doses groups. The dosage of each group was described as follows: [0040] Low dose group: 0.06 g/kg BW per day. [0041] Medium dose group: 0.60 g/kg BW at approximately 10 times of that in the low dose group. [0042] High dose group: 1.80 g/kg BW at approximately 30 times of that in the low dose group. [0043] 3. Animals: NIH small white mice, 6-8 weeks old, weight 20-22 g, supplied by the Guangdong Medical Animal Farm, qualification inspection approval No. 97A022. The pellets were supplied by the Guangdong Medical Animal Farm. [0044] 4. Laboratory for animal testing: Clean grade, Guangdong qualification inspection approval no. 96C 0, medical animal use no. 26-040. Room temperature 25±2° C., humidity 70-75%. [0045] 5. Route of administering the test substances: The test substances were gavaged to each animal at a dose of 0.2 mL/10 g daily. [0046] II. Test Methods: [0047] 1. Test of the delayed allergic reaction of the mouse (by measuring the increase of the thickness of the footpad) [0048] A week after being examined under laboratory conditions, 40 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, with 10 for each group. The test substances were administered to the mice every day, with the duration of the test lasting for 4 weeks. Four (4) days before the end of the test, the immune animals were given injections of 0.2 mL 2% (v/v) sheep erythrocytes in the abdomen to sensitize the animals. Four (4) days later the thickness of the left rear footpad was measured, then 20% (v/v) sheep erythrocytes (20 μL per mouse) were injected subcutaneously at the same location. Twenty four (24) hrs after the injection, the thickness of the left rear footpad was measured three times and a mean value was obtained. [0049] 2. Measurement of the mouse serum hemolysin titer (by measuring the blood coagulation) [0050] Forty (40) mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, with 10 for each group. The test substances were administered every day, with the duration of the test lasting for 4 weeks. The amount of the samples given was adjusted every week according to the increase or decrease of the body weight. Four (4) days before the end of the test, the immune animals were each given injections of 0.2 mL 2% (v/v) sheep erythrocytes in the abdomen, and 5 days later the eyeballs were extracted to obtain blood samples, with the blood serum separated to be used later. The thymus and the spleen were weighed and their ratios to the body weight were calculated. [0051] Coagulation reaction: the blood serum was diluted with biological saline solution at an appropriate ratio in a trace element reaction plate, each 50 μL, then 50 μL of 0.5% sheep erythrocytes were added, placed inside a moist container, covered with a lid and placed in an incubator at 37° C. for 3 hrs. The degree of coagulation was observed. [0052] 3. Mouse carbon clearance test [0053] Forty (40) mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, with 10 for each group. The test substances were administered every day, with the duration of the test lasting for 4 weeks. The amount of the samples given was adjusted every week according to the increase or decrease of the body weight. On day 28 when the drug was administered for the last time, India ink diluted at 1:4 was intravenously injected into the tail of the mouse at 0.1 mL per 10 g body weight per mouse. Using a timer, 20 μL blood were drawn at once, at intervals of 2 min and 10 min, from the veins inside the canthus, added to 2 mL Na 2 CO 3 solution, then the OD value was measured at the 600 nm wavelength using a 721 spectrometer with the Na 2 CO 3 solution serving as a blank control. The mice were then sacrificed, the liver and the spleen weighed to calculate the phagocytic index. [0054] 4. Data processing: Variance analysis was carried out using the SAS software package. [0055] III. Test Results [0056] 1. The effect of the GLSs on the body weight of the mice was shown in Table 1. The original, intermediate and the final body weights of the mice of each of the test groups were compared to the control groups for the same periods and statistically processed. The results were insignificant, indicating that the GLSs did not have significant effect on the body weight of the mice. TABLE 1 Effects of GLSs on the Body Weight of the Mice No. of animals Thymus/body Spleen/body Group (mouse) Body weight weight weight Control group Control group 10 23.0 ± 1.15 24.9 ± 0.75 27.7 ± 0.95 4.8 ± 1.24 Low dose 10 22.9 ± 1.23 25.2 ± 0.76 28.0 ± 1.34 5.1 ± 0.82 Medium dose 10 22.9 ± 1.16 25.3 ± 0.65 28.5 ± 1.42 5.3 ± 0.97 High dose 10 23.2 ± 0.96 25.3 ± 0.55 27.6 ± 1.46 4.6 ± 0.71 F value 0.18 0.76 0.89 1.15 p value >0.05 >0.05 >0.05 >0.05 [0057] 2. The effect of the GLSs on the spleen and thymus weights of the mice is shown in Table 2. The values of the spleen and the thymus weights of the mice of each of the test groups were compared to the control groups and statistically processed. The results were not significant, indicating that there is no effect of the GLSs on the spleen and thymus weights of the mice. TABLE 2 The effect of the pure GLSs on the Spleen and Thymus Weights of the Mice No. of animals Body Thymus/body Spleen/body Group (mouse) weight weight weight Control group 10 28.7 3.52 ± 0.46 4.08 ± 0.82 Low dose 10 27.6 3.44 ± 0.37 3.85 ± 0.38 Medium dose 10 29.3 3.18 ± 0.26 4.63 ± 0.75 High dose 10 28.9 3.21 ± 0.45 4.20 ± 0.88 F value 2.02 0.43 p value >0.05 >0.05 [0058] 3. The effect of the GLSs on the delayed allergic reaction of the mice is shown in Table 3. The thickness of the tested parts of the mice of the low, medium and high dose groups were compared to those of the control group and statistically processed. The differences are highly significant, indicating that the test results were positive. TABLE 3 The Effect of the GLSs on the Delayed Allergic Reaction of the Mice Thickness of the left rear No. of footpad p value animals Mean ± standard (compared to the Group (mouse) deviation control group) Control group 10 0.43 ± 0.16 Low dose 10 0.71 ± 0.22 <0.01 Medium dose 10 0.68 ± 0.10 <0.01 High dose 10 0.77 ± 0.19 <0.01 F value 7.70 (P < 0.01) [0059] 4. The effect of the GLSs on the antibody titer of the blood serum hemolysin of the test animals is shown in Table 4. The high dose group of the test was compared to the control group and the differences were highly significant, indicating that the effect of the GLSs on the antibody titer of the blood serum hemolysin of the test animals was positive. TABLE 4 The effect of the GLSs on the Antibody Titer of the Blood Serum Hemolysin No. of Animals Antibody product p value Group (mouse) Mean ± Standard Deviation (compared to the control group) ± Control Group 10 72.6 ± 17.59 Low dose 10 87 ± 13.7 >0.05 Medium dose 10 89.6 ± 13.43 >0.05 High dose 10 103.4 16.19 <0.01 F value [0060] 5. The effect of the GLSs on the carbon clearance phagocytic index of the mice is shown in Table 5. The high dose group of the test was compared to the control group. The differences were highly significant, indicating that the GLSs could significantly increase the carbon clearance phagocytic index of the test animals. TABLE 5 The effect of the GLSs on the Carbon Clearance Phagocytic Index of Mice No. of Animals Carbon clearance phagocytic index p value Group (mouse) Mean ± Standard Deviation (compared to the control group) Control Group 10 4.59 ± 0.34 Low dose 10 4.7 ± 0.59 >0.05 Medium dose 10 5.01 ± 0.21 >0.05 High dose 10 5.2 ± 0.39 >0.05 F value [0061] IV. Conclusion: [0062] By using the GLSs, the delayed allergic reaction of the mice (Table 3) induced by the sheep erythrocytes, was significantly increased (as measured by the increase in the thickness of the footpad), indicating an effect on increasing the immune function in the mice. Also, the antibody titer of the blood serum hemolysin of the mice (Table 4) was significantly elevated, indicating an effect on increasing the humoral immune function. Finally, the carbon clearance phagocytic index of the mice (Table 5) was significantly increased, indicating an effect on increasing the phagocytosis by the phagocytes. [0063] The results show that the GLSs exhibit an immunoregulatory effect. EXAMPLE 2 Test of GLSs Toxicity and Mutagenicity in Mice [0064] I. Material: [0065] 1. Test material: The GLSs were brown powders. After going through a 100 mesh sieve, 120 g of the samples were mixed with 300 mL distilled water (to give a concentration of 40 g/dL) and stirred for 15 min in a stirrer at 7000 rpm. They were then bottled, underwent disinfection and antiseptic treatments, and 1 mL of a pasty liquid was obtained, which was about 0.4 g of the samples. Direct gavage was carried out two times per day. [0066] 2. Animals: Healthy NIH small white mice supplied by the Guangdong Medical Animals Farm, with body weights of 18-22 g. [0067] II. Methods and Results: [0068] 1. Mouse acute toxicity LD 50 test: [0069] Forty (40) NIH small white mice with body weights of 18-22 g, half male and half female, were used in this test. Using Horn's method, the mice were randomly divided into 4 dose groups and were force fed once on empty stomachs. Observation was carried out for a week and the results are shown in Table 6. TABLE 6 Acute Toxicity Test Results Dose No. of animals (mouse No. of deal animals (mouse) (g/kg) Female Male Female Male 21.50 5 5 0 0 10.00 5 5 0 0 4.64 5 5 0 0 2.15 5 5 0 0 [0070] Result: The activity and feeding of the test mice appeared normal. There was no deaths. LD 50 >21.5 g/kg BW was obtained by administration to both male and female mice via the oral route. [0071] The results demonstrate that the sampled GLSs contained nontoxic substances. The amount was 268.75 times the recommended treatment amount (0.08 g/kg BW). [0072] 2. Mouse bone marrow micronucleus test: [0073] Seventy (70) NIH mice with body weights of 20-23 g were used in this test. The mice were divided into 7 groups and testing was carried out according to the methods of the Toxicological Evaluation Procedures for Food Safety. Gavage was carried out twice, and 6 hrs after the second force feeding, the mice were sacrificed, and both of the femurs were taken out for the preparation of a biopsy, staining and examination under a microscope. The micronucleus rate of each of the groups was calculated and the results were shown in Table 7. [0074] Result: The micronucleus rate of the various dose groups of the GLSs was similar to that of the blank control group and none of them showed a significant difference. The test showed a negative result. TABLE 7 Mouse Bone Marrow Micronucleus Test Results Dose No. of test cells No. of (g/kg) No. of animals stained red micronuclei Percentage of micronuclei    (0/00)   0  10.00  5 5 10000 14 1.4 5.00 5 5 10000 15 1.5 2.50 5 5 10000 14 1.4 1.25 5 5 10000 13 1.3 0.62 5 5 10000 14 1.4       Endoxan 5 5 10000 12 1.2 (0.06) 5 5 10000 249  24.9** [0075] 3. Sperm deformation test [0076] Twenty five (25) NIH mice with body weights of 18-22 g, randomly divided into 5 groups and continuously force fed for 5 days (the Endoxan positive group received abdominal injections), were used in this test. Thirty five (35) days later, the animals were sacrificed and both testicles were taken out for the standard biopsy preparation and staining. Five thousand (5000) whole sperm from each group were examined under an oil immersion lens and the sperm deformation percentage was calculated. The results are shown in Table 8. TABLE 8 Analysis of the Effect of the GLSs on the Mouse Sperm Deformation Test No of No. of No. of deformed Dose animals test sperm sperm Percentage (g/kg) (mouse) (count) (count) deformation 0 5 5000 98 19.60 10.00 5 5000 98 19.60 5.00 5 5000 98 18.80 2.50 5 5000 98 18.40 Endoxan (0.04) 5 5000 98  72.80** [0077] Result: The sperm deformation percentage of the various dose groups of the GLSs was similar to that of the blank control group. Even when a dose as high as 50.00 g/kg BW of GLSs was used, no induced deformation of the reproductive cells was found. [0078] 4. Ames test [0079] Test bacteria (TA97, TA98, TA100, TA102) were supplied by the Bureau of Food Inspection, Department of Health in Beijing. Some of the properties and the S9 activity of the bacteria were evaluated and they met the requirement. Using the Petri dish mixing method, two independent tests were carried out. Three dishes were prepared for each group and the results are shown in Table 9. [0080] Result: Whether or not S9 mixtures were added to each of the dose groups of the pure Ganoderma lucidum spore capsules (cell wall completely penetrated), the test results showed that the number of colonies due to reverse mutation was never more than 2 times the number of colonies due to natural mutation. There was no indication that the GLSs could cause mutations directly or indirectly. TABLE 9 Test Result of the GLSs Using the Petri Dish Mixing Method Dosage TA97 TA98 TA100 TA102 Mg/dish +S9 −S9 +S9 −S9 +S9 −S9 +S9 −S9 5000 149 135 33 32 180 167 311 296 500 154 141 37 34 148 152 311 195 50 161 152 47 36 175 164 305 288 5 149 153 35 30 167 159 299 267 0.5 164 159 38 35 153 146 305 288 Natural 142 39 154 297 reverse mutation Positive control Atabrine >1500 >1433 Sodium >1500 azide Mitomycin >1500 2-Amino- >1500 >1600 >1500 >855 fluorine [0081] IV. Summary of Test Results: [0082] 1. LD 50 : [0083] No adverse effects were observed for the animals and LD 50 >21.5 g/kg BW was obtained when the samples were given to male and female mice via the oral route. This is roughly equal to a LD 50 of 170 g in human. These results demonstrate that the sampled GLSs are nontoxic. [0084] 2. Micronucleus test [0085] The micronucleus rate of 0.62-10 g/kg BW GLSs was compared to that of the blank control group, and no significant differences were found. The test showed a negative result. There was no mutation of the cells of the body induced by GLSs. [0086] 3. Sperm deformation test [0087] The sperm deformation rate of 2.5-10 g/kg BW GLSs was compared to that of the blank control, and no significant differences were found. The test showed a negative result; there was no induced deformation of the reproductive cells of the body by GLSs. [0088] 4. Ames test [0089] Whether or not S9 mixtures were added to 0.5-5000 μg/dish GLSs, the test results showed that the number of colonies due to reverse mutation was never more than 2 times the number of colonies due to natural mutation. The results also show that GLSs did not cause mutations directly or indirectly. EXAMPLE 3 Toxicology Tests of Ganoderma in Rats [0090] I. Material: [0091] 1. Test material: The GLSs samples were as brown powders. After going through a 100 mesh sieve, 120 g of the samples were mixed with 300 mL distilled water and stirred at high speed for 15 min at 7000 rpm. They were then subjected to disinfecting and antiseptic treatments for 20 min, and made into pastes. One (1) mL of the paste was about 0.4 g of the samples. [0092] 2. Animals: Healthy SD rats supplied by the Guangdong Medical Animals Farm. [0093] II. Methods: [0094] Ninety six (96) healthy SD rats with body weights of 80-88 g were selected, which were supplied by the Guangdong Medical Animal Farm. They were randomly divided into 4 groups with 24 rats in each group, half male and half female. The average difference in body weight in each of the group was less than ±5 g. Observation was carried out for 1 week before the administration of the drug to see if there were any abnormal activities, feeding or characteristic appearances among the animals of the different dose groups. [0095] 1. Dosage: The recommended treatment amount was 4 times every day, 4 capsules each time and 0.3 g per capsule, based on an adult of 60 kg, at about 0.08 g/kg BW. Three test groups and a control group were set up respectively for the male and the female rats with 12 rats for each group. [0096] Blank control group: Distilled water [0097] 25×group: 2.0 g/kg/day [0098] 50×group: 4.0 g/kg/day [0099] 100×group: 8.0 g/kg/day [0100] 2. Test methods: [0101] (1) Gavage of the samples was administered every day according to the body weight. The high dose group was gavaged twice every day and the control group was gavaged the same amount of distilled water. The samples were administered continuously for 30 days. The body weights were taken every week and the amount of the feed consumed was calculated while tracking the physiological indexes of the animals. [0102] (2) Standard blood tests were carried out at the end of the test, the test items included the erythrocyte counts, hemochrome, white cell counts, the kind, and number of platelets, measured by the R-1000SYSME blood cell counter made in Japan. For the blood biochemical indexes, blood sugar, albumin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, dehydrated creatine, glutamate-pyruvate transaminase and urea nitrogen were tested. Measurements were carried out using the ALIZE automatic biochemical analyzer made in France. [0103] (3) The liver, kidney, spleen, heart and testicles were extracted and weighed, preserved in formaldehyde, and the standard biopsies were taken, stained so that pathological changes could be observed. [0104] III. Result and Analysis: [0105] 1. The rats from the different dose groups grew well and there were no significant differences when compared to the control group (p>0.05) (See Tables 10 and 11). The consumption of the feed by the rats of each of the dose groups and the utilization rate of the food also showed no significant differences when compared to the control group (See Table 12). [0106] 2. In the final hemogram test, none of the specific indexes showed any significant differences when compared to the control group (See Table 13). [0107] 3. In the items of the blood biochemical indexes, the blood sugar levels of the male rats were decreased in the low and medium dose groups and there were significant differences when compared to the control group (p <0.01). The blood sugar level of the male rats was decreased in the high dose group and there was a significant difference when compared to the control group (p<0.05). The blood sugar level of the female rats was decreased in the low dose group and there was a significant difference when compared to the control group (p<0.01). The blood sugar levels of the female rats were decreased in the medium and high dose groups and there were significant differences when compared to the control group (p<0.05). However, these biochemical changes basically varied within the normal range. There were significant differences in the urea nitrogen content of the male rats in the low and medium dose groups when compared to the control group (p<0.05). There were significant differences in the triglyceride content of the female rats in the low and high dose groups when compared to the control group (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the other indexes of any of the test groups when compared to the control group (See Table 14). [0108] 4. There were no significant differences in the organ indexes of each of the test groups when compared to the control group (See Table 16). Pathological observation showed that there were no pathological abnormalities of the organs in any of the test groups. TABLE 10 Change in Body Weight of the Rats After GLSs Administration (Each Group n = 12, X ± SD Original body Sex Group weight First week Second week Third week Forth week Male rats Control   87 ± 9.4 120.2 ± 11.0 152.1 ± 12.9 192.0 ± 13.4 242.3 ± 17.6 10 Times 88.0 ± 6.7 125.1 ± 9.3  145.0 ± 9.9  190.6 ± 11.5 242.0 ± 18.2 50 Times 85.7 ± 8.6 125.8 ± 15.2 148.4 ± 12.1 192.9 ± 12.2 235.5 ± 24.0 100 Times  86.6 ± 8.9 123.0 ± 13.7 154.7 ± 17.0 202.2 ± 18.3 251.6 ± 25.8 Female rats Control 82.4 ± 7.5 109.2 ± 8.0  148.8 ± 8.2  165.1 ± 18.3 202.6 ± 16.1 10 Times 80.5 ± 7.3 117.7 ± 9.2  144.3 ± 9.9  174.2 ± 12.0 206.2 ± 11.5 50 Times 80.5 ± 5.9 112.4 ± 15.2 141.2 ± 9.9  171.5 ± 13.1 199.6 ± 17.2 100 Times  81.7 ± 6.6 115.3 ± 13.0 144.1 ± 14.7 171.5 ± 16.2 206.8 ± 24.9 F Value Male 0.15 0.48 0.75 1.33 1.27 Female 0.21 2.73 1.01 0.94 0.45 [0109] [0109] TABLE 11 Change in Body Weight, Feed Consumption and Utilization in Rats After GLSs Administration, each group n = 12, X ± SD Amount of Original Increase in feed body Final body the body consumed Utilization of Sex Group weight weight (g) weight (g) (g/mouse) the food Male rats Control   87 ± 9.4 242.3 ± 17.6 155.2 ± 20.1 596.4 26.02 25 Times 88.0 ± 6.7 242.0 ± 18.2 154.0 ± 15.5 656.7 23.45 50 Times 85.7 ± 8.6 235.5 ± 24.0 149.8 ± 24.3 625.6 23.95 100 Times  86.6 ± 8.9 251.6 ± 25.8 165.1 ± 19.5 640.9 25.76 Female rats Control 82.4 ± 7.5 201.6 ± 16.1 119.2 ± 16.1 552.8 21.56 25 Times 80.5 ± 7.3 206.2 ± 11.5 125.7 ± 11.8 574.8 21.87 50 Times 80.5 ± 5.9 199.6 ± 17.2 119.1 ± 14.7 569.2 20.92 100 Times  81.7 ± 6.6 206.8 ± 24.9 125.1 ± 25.5 565.7 22.11 Net increase in body F = 1.27 P > 0.05 Net increase in body F = 1.12 P > 0.05 weight of the male rats weight of the male rats [0110] [0110] TABLE 12 Standard blood indexes, each group n = 12, X ± SD Mid- Red Blood White blood illegible Group Cells Hemoglobin Blood platelets cells Lymphocytes cells Neutrophilis Male Control 6.84 ± 0.36 124.2 ± 10.1  106.2 ± 167.4 7.17 ± 1.23 90.4 ± 5.4 5.5 ± 3.2 4.1 ± 2.4 rats 25 Times 6.57 ± 0.51 122.2 ± 13.8 931.8 ± 90.9 10.85 ± 3.53  90.9 ± 3.8 4.3 ± 1.7 4.8 ± 2.5 50 Times 6.51 ± 0.41 122.5 ± 14.1  981.7 ± 190.3 9.40 ± 1.86 90.6 ± 3.9 4.8 ± 1.7 4.6 ± 2.7 100 Times  6.71 ± 0.38 123.2 ± 10.6 1169.8 ± 254.2 8.12 ± 2.00 91.8 ± 2.5 4.8 ± 1.4 3.9 ± 1.6 Fem. Control 6.74 ± 0.66 132.0 ± 10.1 1155.7 ± 196.3 9.63 ± 3.39 91.3 ± 4.7 4.3 ± 2.0 4.4 ± 2.8 Rats 25 Times 6.32 ± 0.62 126.1 ± 2.9  1202.5 ± 256.6 10.68 ± 2.89  83.6 ± 2.8 3.9 ± 1.6 3.7 ± 1.2 50 Times 6.43 ± 0.91 133.2 ± 9.2  1241.8 ± 199.6 8.73 ± 1.79 90.3 ± 4.4 4.8 ± 1.8 4.8 ± 3.2 100 Times  6.33 ± 0.50 127.8 ± 7.7  1440.2 ± 377.5 10.42 ± 1.19  92.2 ± 4.2 4.1 ± 1.9 3.8 ± 2.4 White blood cells F = 5.14 P < 0.01 Compared to the P < 0.05 control group [0111] [0111] TABLE 13 Biochemical indexes, each group n = 12, X ± SD Glutamate Blood Total Urea pyruvate Blood serum Muscle Group sugar Triglycerides cholesterol Nitrogen transaminase albumin anhydride Male Control 3.71 ± 0.59 1.41 ± 0.37 1.78 ± 0.23 10.29 ± 1.61  51.0 ± 7.6  38.09 ± 1.42 66.76 ± 4.91 rats 25 Times 2.65 ± 0.67 1.67 ± 0.44 1.98 ± 0.30 8.64 ± 1.32 55.8 ± 10.5 40.73 ± 1.72 65.57 ± 6.52 50 Times 2.75 ± 0.41 1.63 ± 0.42 1.90 ± 0.41 8.40 ± 1.58 55.8 ± 11.7 41.42 ± 1.39 66.57 ± 5.52 100 Times  3.08 ± 0.48 1.36 ± 0.39 1.73 ± 0.36 9.44 ± 2.07 59.1 ± 10.9 40.91 ± 0.91 67.56 ± 4.91 Fem. Control 4.92 ± 0.63 0.79 ± 0.18 1.83 ± 0.29 8.88 ± 1.50 48.0 ± 8.3  40.72 ± 0.96 70.60 ± 6.26 rats 25 Times 3.75 ± 0.59 1.10 ± 0.25 1.94 ± 0.28 9.24 ± 0.95 53.8 ± 11.9 40.28 ± 1.44 70.33 ± 4.23 50 Times 4.24 ± 0.37 0.92 ± 0.20 1.78 ± 0.22 9.99 ± 1.42 54.1 ± 6.9  41.69 ± 1.38 73.98 ± 6.14 100 Times  4.27 ± 0.55 1.02 ± 0.23 1.99 ± 0.39 8.95 ± 2.07 51.6 ± 13.2 41.85 ± 2.56 74.84 ± 5.31  F value   Male 7.08 0.05 1.32 4.49 1.26 0.78 0.28 Female 9.60 4.59 1.19 1.3 0.03 2.42 1.64 [0112] [0112] TABLE 14 Comparison of the organ indexes, each group n = 12, X ± SD Group Heart Liver Spleen Kidney Testicles Male rats Control 0.31 ± 0.03 2.67 ± 0.18 0.24 ± 0.03 0.63 ± 0.05 0.86 ± 0.09 25 Times 0.31 ± 0.03 2.60 ± 0.18 0.26 ± 0.05 0.64 ± 0.04 0.82 ± 0.12 50 Times 0.30 ± 0.03 2.60 ± 0.45 0.24 ± 0.05 0.65 ± 0.07 0.87 ± 0.14 100 Times  0.31 ± 0.03 2.65 ± 0.17 0.21 ± 0.02 0.63 ± 0.05 0.86 ± 0.08 Female Control 0.32 ± 0.02 2.44 ± 0.23 0.26 ± 0.05 0.63 ± 0.10 rats 25 Times 0.31 ± 0.03 2.47 ± 0.72 0.27 ± 0.03 0.64 ± 0.06 50 Times 0.33 ± 0.04 2.24 ± 0.78 0.25 ± 0.78 0.67 ± 0.08 100 Times  0.33 ± 0.03 2.45 ± 0.34 0.25 ± 0.05 0.64 ± 0.07 [0113] IV. Summary of Test Results [0114] In the present test, 25, 50 and 100 times the recommended amount (0.08 g/kg BW) of the GLSs were administered respectively to growing SD rats of both male and female. The control group was given distilled water. The duration of the test lasted for 30 days and the final results were: [0115] 1. Compared to the control group, there was no significant difference in the increase in body weight of the test rats given the pure Ganoderma lucidum spores. [0116] 2. The standard blood test showed a basically normal result. [0117] 3. The biochemical blood serum test: there was a slight decrease in the blood sugar, a slight increase in the triglycerides for the female but these were within the normal range. [0118] 4. Examination of the pathological biopsies of the organs of the rats from each of the dose groups showed no abnormalities. [0119] Conclusions: Examination of the 30 days feeding with GLSs showed that all the indexes were normal, and they could be safely used. EXAMPLE 4 Induction of SLE in Mice [0120] SLE mice was induced by infusing to F1 mice allogenic (different individuals of the same species) T-lymphocytes from DBA/2 and BALB/C mice (parent mice). After a period of time, autoantibodies were found and SLE-like symptoms developed in the F1 mice. SLE-mice demonstrated SLE-like symptoms such as severe proteinuria, high titers of anti-dsDNA autoantibodies, IgG immune complexes precipitated at the base membranes of kidney and skin, and heavy mono-nuclear infiltration in kidney parenchyma, etc., which were essentially the same as those found in lupus patients. [0121] The detailed procedure for inducing the SLE in mice was described as follows: [0122] 1. Isolation of Lymphocytes: [0123] Spleens, lymph nodes, and thymus glands were collected under sterile conditions from the DBA/2 or BALB/C mice. Lymphocytes were then isolated and washed with Hanks solution 3 times. Cells were stained with 0.5% trypan blue and examined for viability. The lymphocytes were then adjusted to the desired concentrations. [0124] 2. Allogenic Lymphocyte Inoculation: [0125] Mice were randomly separated into 8-10 animals per group. The isolated lymphocytes were infused through vein into unradiated F1 mice which were of the same gender and age. Each animal received two lymphocyte infusions, with 1 week apart. Control group was consisted of unradiated, untreated mice of the same age. [0126] 3. Establishment of SLE Mice: [0127] The mice were monitored for the levels of serum autoantibodies and urine proteins. When the symptoms were established (about 2 months), the kidney tissues were collected for pathology and immunology examinations. EXAMPLE 5 Effects of GLSs and/or Prednisolone on SLE Mice [0128] I. Materials [0129] Fifty (50) female SLE mice, 8 weeks of age and weighing 20-25 g, were obtained from the Experimental Animal Center of the First Military Medical University according to the protocol described in Example 4. [0130] GLSs solution (0.2 g/mL) was obtained from Guangzhou Green Food Project Company of the College of Life Sciences, Zhongshan University and Green Power Health Products International Co. Ltd., Sweden and Hong Kong. Prednisolone (50 mg/100 mL solution) was given to the SLE mice about 50 ml/kg/day. [0131] II. Method [0132] The SLE mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (10 mice per group). Ten normal BALALC mice (the F1 mice without allogenic T-lymphocyte infusion) at the same age and sex of the SLE mice were also used as normal control. [0133] Groups A: normal control; [0134] Group B: SLE control; [0135] Group C: prednisolone alone; [0136] Group D: GLSs alone; and [0137] Group E: prednisolone and GLSs combined treatment. [0138] At about 1.5 hours prior to the experiment, blood samples from each animals in each group were taken, and the symptoms and characteristics of each animals were recorded. The mice in Groups A and B were given saline solution orally; the mice in Group C were given 50 mL/kg/day of prednisolone solution (about 25 mg of prednisolone); the mice in Group D were given 0.8g/kg/day orally; and the mice in Group E were given 50 mL/kg/day of prednisolone and 0.8 g/kg/day of GLSs. The drug was given to the mice daily at 9 am. [0139] At 168 hours after the first dosing, blood samples were collected via tail cutting and T cell counts were performed. Kidney tissues were sampled and undergone morphologic analyses under light scope. [0140] Statistical analyses and t test, were carried out using SPAAS 10.0 computer software. [0141] III. Results [0142] The total T cell (T) (also known as the “T-lymphocyte populations”), T helper cell (Th) and T suppressor (Ts) counts of the blood samples drawn at 168 hours after the first dosing were presented in Table 1. TABLE 15 Comparison of the T-lymphocyte Populations in SLE Mice under Different Treatments Group N T(%) Th (%) Ts (%) Th/Ts A (normal control) 10 62.43 ± 3.21 38.20 ± 4.91 24.20 ± 3.17 1.61 ± 0.28 B (SLE control) 6 44.42 ± 2.31 25.33 ± 3.38 33.23 ± 5.61 0.78 ± 0.21 C (prednisolone) 8 51.30 ± 4.23 31.44 ± 3.21 28.43 ± 3.12 1.12 ± 0.31 D (GLSs) 8 53.42 ± 3.32 31.32 ± 5.96 28.56 ± 6.71 1.14 ± 0.25 E (GLSs + prednisolone) 10 60.20 ± 5.43 34.53 ± 4.92 25.53 ± 4.32 1.38 ± 0.17 [0143] As shown in Table 15, the SLE control group contained the lowest levels of T-lymphocyte populations (T%) and Th%, as well as the lowest Th/Ts ratio. The T%, Th%, Ts% and the Th/Ts ratio in Group C (with GLSs) and Group D (with prednisolone) were similar, which were much better than those in the SLE control group. The most significant improvement came from Group E (with GLSs and prednisolone) where the T%, Th%, Ts%, and Th/Ts ratio were about the same as those in the normal control group (Group A). [0144] IV. Discussion [0145] Ganoderma spores are tiny mist-like spores released by mature Ganoderma. They contain all the bioactive genetic materials of Ganoderma. They can rapidly activate the nerve system, induce feedback regulation, improve endocrine system functions and promote metabolism, thus, increase the immune ability, prevent diseases and delay aging of the body. However, because Ganoderma spores have very strong, tough sporoderms that are resistant to high pressure, acid, and enzymatic digestion. The germination activated Ganoderma lucidum spore powder (GLSs) used in this study had a sporoderm-broken rate higher than 99.8%. The active materials, weighing about 37.5% of the spores, in GLSs maintained their activities after the sporoderms were broken. [0146] The present study results indicated that GLSs treatment could lower the body temperature, stimulate appetite, improve diarrhea, and reduce death rate in SLE mice to certain degrees. Also, no side effect was observed in animals treated with GLSs. Similar to the GLSs treatment, the prednisolone treatment also improved the T cell counts in similar degree as those of GLSs. [0147] However, in SLE mice receiving the combined treatment of GLSs and prednisolone (Group E), the general health and reduction of death (no death in this group) were significantly improved; the T%, Th%, and Th/Ts ratio were increased; and the Ts% was significantly decreased (p<0.05), as compared to the SLE control (Group B). [0148] Activation of B cells by T cells has been suggested to the one of the reasons for causing SLE. For this reason, a restoration of the normal homeostasis of T and B cells as well as their cytokines could essentially alleviate the symptoms associated with SLE. Thus, higher number of lymph cells indicate that more numbers of mature T cells and a better immune function are in the body. [0149] While the invention has been described by way of examples and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications.

The present invention provides a method for treating a mammal with immunological disorders, particularly autoimmune disease, and most preferably systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The method includes oral administration of germination activated Ganoderma lucidum spores (“GLSs”) to the mammal. Additionally, a corticosteroid, such as prednisolone, can be co-administered with the GLSs to the mammal to achieve synergistic effect of treatment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] This invention relates generally to a dental device for application and removal of various materials and solutions to teeth and gums. More specifically, this invention relates to a dental device including a handle and an applicator positionable within the handle via a half-exposed channel, the channel including ribs and bulges that secure the applicator into a number of different positions and/or lengths. [0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Art [0004] Handle instruments are generally used in dentistry to facilitate application and removal of various materials and solutions. [0005] Conventional handle instruments can be classified into two categories, single-piece handles and interchangeable handles. Single piece handles are non-adjustable and include an integrally formed applicator. Interchangeable handles include an opening that is designed to accept another piece, generally an applicator tip. [0006] These conventional handle instruments each have various short comings. Single-piece non-adjustable handles are limited to a single type of applicator and cannot vary in length. While conventional interchangeable handles are limited to the design of their exclusive accessories. Conventional interchangeable handles have a fixed indentation that accepts an applicator to a set position and depth that cannot be altered, limiting the usefulness of the handle. [0007] In view of the above statements, there is a need for a dental device which can accept standard applicator tips in various positions, allowing for length adjustments providing greater accessibility and ease of use for a dentist. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The present invention provides a dental device that accepts a variety of applicators and allows for length adjustments. [0009] According to one embodiment of this invention, the dental device includes an elongated handle, an opening extending into a channel in the elongated handle. Formed into a wall of the channel is at least one of a rib and/or a bulge. In a preferred embodiment, the rib comprises a pair of ribs that each extend in a plane from opposing walls of the channel. The bulge comprises at least two bulges that extend from opposing walls in an alternating staggered pattern. Preferably, the pair of ribs are positioned closer to the opening than the bulges. [0010] An applicator can be positioned within the channel in a friction fit with at least one of the opening, the wall, the rib, the bulge and/or the channel. The applicator includes a body and a tip portion. The body is preferably a cylindrical body but can be any shape that can fit within the channel and form the friction fit. The tip portion can be of any shape necessary for a dental procedure but generally includes a tapered portion and a point that is frocked with bristles. [0011] To use the handle, a dentist inserts an appropriate applicator for a dental procedure in the channel. The dentist inserts the applicator to an appropriate depth for the procedure while the ribs and bulges securely hold the applicator at this appropriate depth. [0012] Other objects and advantages of this invention are apparent to those skilled in the art, in view of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended claims and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] FIG. 1 is a side view of a dental tool, according to one embodiment of this invention; [0014] FIG. 2 is a top view of the dental tool shown in FIG. 1 ; [0015] FIG. 3 is a side view of the dental tool shown in FIG. 1 with an applicator; [0016] FIG. 4 is a side view of the dental tool shown in FIG. 1 with a second applicator; and [0017] FIG. 5 is a side view of the dental tool shown in FIG. 1 with a third applicator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0018] Referring to FIGS. 1-5 , the present invention provides dental device 10 that includes elongated handle 12 , elongated handle 12 including first end 14 and an opposite second end 16 . Elongated handle 12 preferably includes contoured grip 18 . Dental device 10 is preferably formed in a unitary molded body, for instance, with an injection molded plastic construction. Dental device 10 may be formed of any other suitable material that is generally flexible, sterile, non-toxic and/or preferably inexpensive so as to promote disposability. Dental device 10 is preferably formed of a material that can be autoclaved and reused multiple times. [0019] Dental tool 20 can be connected to elongated handle 12 at first end 14 . Dental tool 20 is preferably formed with elongated handle 12 into a unitary molded body. Dental tool 20 may include a proximate end connects with first end 14 and a tapered portion to a distal end. At the distal end, dental tool 20 may include an instrument useful for a dental procedure including for example, but not limited to, a pick, a scrapper, a spatula, a mirror, a probe and a hook. [0020] Opening 22 is formed in second end 16 and extends coaxial with elongated handle 12 to form channel 24 . Channel 24 can be of any shape including, but not limited to, a cylinder or a square-shaped channel. In a preferred embodiment, channel 24 includes first wall 26 and second wall 28 . First wall 26 and second wall 28 are generally opposing sides of channel 24 . First wall 26 and second wall 28 can have well defined areas, such as opposing sides of a square-shaped channel. Alternatively, first wall 26 and second wall 28 can have less well defined areas, such as opposing arcs of a cylindrically-shaped channel. [0021] Rib 30 can be formed on first wall 26 and/or second wall 28 . Rib 30 is generally flat and rectangular shaped extending generally at a right angle to first wall 26 and/or second wall 28 . Alternatively, rib 30 can be of any shape and/or extend at any angle from the first wall 26 and/or second wall 28 in order to form a friction fit with applicator 40 . In one embodiment, first wall 26 and second wall 28 include a plurality of ribs 30 . In a preferred embodiment, a first rib extends from first wall 26 and a second rib extends from second wall 28 and the first rib is co-planar with the second rib. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 , four ribs extend from each of first wall 26 and second wall 28 such that each rib is positioned in a plane with another rib on the opposing wall 26 , 28 . [0022] Bulge 32 can be formed on first wall 26 and/or second wall 28 . In one embodiment, first wall 26 and second wall 28 include a plurality of bulges 32 . Bulge 32 is a section of a cylinder with a curved section of the cylinder extending from one of first wall 26 or second wall 28 . Alternatively, bulge 32 can be of any shape in order to form a friction fit with applicator 40 . In a preferred embodiment, a first bulge extends from first wall 26 and a second bulge extends from second wall 28 . The first bulge offset from the second bulge. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , dental tool 20 includes four bulges 32 , two bulges 32 on each wall, in an alternating staggered pattern. [0023] Generally, rib 30 is smaller in size relative to bulge 32 and rib 30 is positioned closer to second end 16 than bulge 32 . Alternatively, rib 30 can be larger than bulge 32 and/or bulge 32 could be positioned closer to second end 16 than rib 30 . [0024] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 , channel 24 is exposed along a portion of a length of handle 12 forming slot 34 . Slot 34 provides a view of the position of applicator 40 within channel 24 . Slot 34 also eases the placement of applicator 40 into channel 24 by allowing air pressure to be released. Without slot 34 the friction fit of applicator 40 could prevent air from escaping out of opening 22 , hindering placement of applicator 40 . Alternatively, dental device 10 can be designed without slot 34 . [0025] Dental device 10 of this invention accepts applicator 40 in opening 22 and into channel 24 . In general, applicators are used to apply a dental composition to a tooth surface or region. Applicator 40 includes body 42 that fits into opening 22 and channel 24 and forms a friction fit with at least one of opening 22 , first wall 26 , second wall 28 , rib 30 and/or bulge 32 . In FIG. 3 , body 42 consists of a cylindrical shape. However, body 42 could be of any shape including, but not limited to, a square or a triangular shape that can form a friction fit as described above. [0026] In the embodiment of FIG. 3 , applicator 40 includes tip portion 44 , which tapers from body 42 to point 46 . Tip portion 44 is preferably frocked with a plurality of bristles 48 . Preferably, applicator 40 is pliable to permit tip portion 20 to be bent in a desired position or configuration as necessary for various dental procedures. [0027] In one preferred embodiment of this invention, at least one weakened portion 50 can be formed in applicator 40 and located within an area of tip portion 20 . According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, weakened portion 50 comprises a reduced a diameter shoulder. Alternatively, weakened portion 50 may comprise some other structure or treatment to applicator 40 that permits tip portion 44 to be bent in a desired position or configuration. [0028] In the embodiment of FIG. 4 , applicator 60 includes tip portion 64 , connected to body 62 , tip portion 64 further including brush head 66 and bristles 68 . Preferably, applicator 60 is pliable to permit tip portion 64 to be bent in a desired position or configuration as necessary for various dental procedures, tip portion 64 can also include a weakened portion to ease bending of applicator 60 . [0029] In the embodiment of FIG. 5 , applicator 70 can comprise a device as taught by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/181,148, filed on 27 Jul. 2007. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/181,148 is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and is made a part hereof, including but not limited to those portions which specifically appear hereinafter. Applicator 70 includes body 72 and access handle 73 that is preferably formed at a distal end of body 72 . Access handle includes tip portion 74 preferably tapers to point 76 . Tip portion 76 is further preferably flocked with a plurality of bristles 78 . [0030] According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, tip portion 76 is freely pliable into a desired configuration. [0031] In one preferred embodiment of this invention, at least one weakened portion 80 can be formed in access handle 73 . Weakened portion 80 permits a user to bend or to snap off access handle 73 from body 72 . Weakened portion 80 preferably comprises a reduced diameter shoulder formed between body 72 and access handle 73 . Weakened portion 80 may alternatively comprise some other structure or treatment to applicator 70 that permits a clean break between body 72 and access handle 73 . [0032] The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element, part, step, component, or ingredient which is not specifically disclosed herein. [0033] While in the foregoing detailed description this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for purposes of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.

A dental device including a handle and a channel. An applicator positioned within the handle via the channel, the channel including ribs and bulges that secure the applicator into a number of different positions and/or lengths.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to synchronized memory technologies, and particularly to memory controllers for synchronous memories. 2. Background of the Invention As synchronized memory technology progresses, there is an increasing need for developing synchronous memory controllers that can support the high clock speeds required as the state of the art for memory devices advances. Due to the improvements in processing technologies used to fabricate memory controllers, memory controller logic can be designed to run at such high clock rates. However, since typically a memory controller is externally coupled to a synchronous memory, signals exchanged between the memory controller and the synchronous memory may be delayed due to input/output (“I/O”) pads and printed circuit board (“PCB”) traces which facilitate the coupling between the memory controller and the synchronous memory. The problem is more serious with higher clock frequencies or lower clock cycles. For example, the internal clock cycle of a high-speed memory has gone down to about 5 nanoseconds, but the delay of a signal due to impedance associated with an I/O pad and a PCB trace can be as long as about 10 nanoseconds, which is two times the value of the clock cycle. Delays like this may cause the memory controller to be out of sync with the synchronous memory. When synchronization is lost, wrong data will be latched by the memory controller in an attempt to read from the synchronous memory. Since the delays are caused by impedance associated with the I/O pads and PCB traces, the I/O pads and PCB traces associated with a synchronized memory system must be designed and made carefully to meet the timing requirements. However, this goal is difficult to meet consistently because the I/O pads and PCB traces transmitting the signals have impedance characteristics that vary depending on the fabrication process, the voltage of the clock signal, and the operating temperature of the memory controller. These variations introduce clock uncertainty, thus reducing the actual memory clock frequency that the memory controller can use. Clock uncertainty, in turn, makes it difficult for such memory controllers to operate consistently and/or properly at high clock rates in the real world with synchronous memory. Therefore, there is a need for a high-speed memory controller that can operate at its highest selected internal frequency or clock frequency when coupled to a synchronous memory, and still remain relatively immune from impedance variations caused by variations in fabrication process, voltage of clock signal, and operating temperature. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method and system that eliminate or significantly reduce the effect of signal delays caused by I/O pads and PCB traces during the operation of a synchronized memory controller, thus allowing the memory controller to run at the highest internal clock frequency. The present invention advantageously provides a high-speed memory controller that can operate at high clock rates and remain relatively immune from impedance variations caused by fabrication processes, voltage of the clock signal, and/or operating temperature. In one embodiment of the present invention, a memory controller is externally coupled to a synchronous memory. The memory controller generates a master clock signal to control the operation of the memory controller and the synchronous memory. A latch clock signal is generated by routing the master clock signal off-chip and then back to the memory controller through an I/O pad, at least one PCB trace, and another I/O pad. The memory controller also generates a read valid signal. The read valid signal is then routed off-chip and back to the memory controller as a read valid loop back signal. The read valid signal is routed off-chip via an I/O pad, at least one PCB trace, and another I/O pad. The memory controller latches read data from the synchronous memory based on the latch clock signal and the read valid loop back signal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a synchronous memory system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a timing diagram associated with the memory system as illustrated in FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is a flowchart diagram illustrating the operation of a memory controller in a synchronous memory system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In one embodiment of the present invention, a memory controller is externally coupled to a synchronous memory. The synchronous memory returns read data a certain number of clock cycles after receiving a read command from the memory controller. The memory controller includes an asynchronous First-In-First-Out (“FIFO”) buffer, which latches the read data from the synchronous memory in response to two signals, a latch clock signal and a read valid loop back signal. The read valid loop back signal is asserted when read data for a given read command is anticipated. Both the latch clock signal and the read valid loop back signal originate from the memory controller and are routed off-chip in such a manner so that they encounter a similar delay characteristic as the read data from the memory. Therefore, any variations, due to fabrication process, voltage of clock signal and/or operating temperature, that may affect the I/O pads and PCB traces used by the read command and read data also affects the I/O pads and PCB traces used by the off-chip routing of the latch clock signal and read valid loop back signal. This permits the read valid loop back signal, the latch clock signal, and the read data to be synchronized regardless of variations in process, voltage, and/or temperature. Therefore, only valid read data signals are latched into the asynchronous FIFO buffer. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As shown In FIG. 1, the system 100 comprises a memory controller 101 externally coupled to a synchionous memory 102 , such as, for example, a synchronous dynamic random access memory (“SDRAM”) or a synchronous graphics random access memory (“SGRAM”). The system 100 also includes PCB traces 103 A, 103 B, 103 C, 103 D, 103 E, 103 F. The memory controller 101 is externally coupled to the synchronous memory 102 by, for example, PCB traces 103 A, 103 B, and 103 F. The memory controller 101 includes a phase lock loop (PLL) 110 , a memory control logic 120 coupled to the PLL 110 , a data buffer 121 associated with the memory control logic 120 , an asynchronous first-in-first-out buffer (“Async_FIFO”) 130 coupled to the PLL 110 and to the memory control logic 120 , and six I/O pads 140 A, 140 B, 140 C, 140 D, 140 E, and 140 F. The I/O pad 140 A is connected to the PCB trace 103 A and coupled to the Async_FIFO 130 . The I/O pad 140 B is connected to the PCB trace 103 B and coupled to the memory control logic 120 . The I/O pad 140 F is connected to the PCB trace 103 F and coupled to the PLL 110 . As shown in FIG. 1, the system 100 also comprises a PCB trace 103 E which connects the PCB trace 103 F to the I/O pad 140 E. The system 100 also comprises two PCB traces 103 C and 103 D which are connected with each other and which together connect I/O pad 140 C with I/O pad 140 D. FIG. 2 is a timing diagram associated with the system 100 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a master memory clock (“MCLK”) signal 210 generated by the PLL 110 , a valid memory clock signal (“VALID_MCLK”) 220 generated by the memory control logic 120 , and a read command (“CTR_MCLK”) 230 also generated by the memory control logic 120 . FIG. 2 also shows a memory clock (“MEM_CLOCK”) signal 211 received by the synchronous memory 102 , a read valid signal (“READ_VALID”) 221 which is at least a delayed version of VALID_MCLK 220 after passing the I/O pad 140 C and the PCB trace 103 C, and a read command signal (MEM_CTRL) 231 as received by the synchronous memory 102 . FIG. 2 also shows a memory data signal (“MEM_DATA”) 240 returned by the synchronous memory 102 in response to receiving the MEM_CTRL 231 . FIG. 2 further shows a return clock signal (“RCLK”) 212 which is the loop back of MEM_CLOCK 211 , a read valid loop back signal (“READ_VALID_I”) 222 which is a loop back of READ_VALID 221 , and a read data signal (“RDAT”) 241 received by the Async_FIFO 130 . The MCLK signal 210 includes cycles C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , C 4 , and C 5 , as shown in FIG. 2 . The MEM_CLOCK signal 211 includes cycles C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , C 4 , and C 5 , as shown in FIG. 2 . The RCLK signal 212 includes cycles C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , C 4 , and C 5 , as shown in FIG. 2 . Now referring to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the function of the PLL 110 is to generate MCLK 210 , and send this signal to the memory control logic 120 , the Async_FIFO 130 . All of the communications between the memory control logic 120 and the Async_FIFO 130 are with reference to MCLK 210 . The PLL 110 also sends MCLK 210 to the synchronous memory 102 for the purpose of synchronizing the communications between the memory controller 101 and the synchronous memory 102 . However, since the synchronous memory 102 is externally coupled to the PLL 110 through the PCB trace 103 F and the I/O pad 140 F, MCLK 210 becomes MEM_CLOCK 211 when it arrives at the synchronous memory 102 . MEM_CLOCK 211 is at least a delayed version of MCLK 210 due to the impedance associated with the I/O pad 140 F and the PCB trace 103 F. This is illustrated in FIG. 2 where MEM_CLOCK 211 is shown to be delayed from MCLK 210 by a period of time T 1 . This delay period of time T 1 is unpredictable because it depends on the geometric features of the I/O pad 140 F and the PCB trace 103 F, which are different from system to system due to variations in fabrication processes. T 1 is also dependent on the voltage of the clock signal MCLK 211 , which varies because of instabilities in any power source used by the memory system 100 . T 1 is also dependent on the operating temperature of the memory system, which varies depending on, for example, the environment in which the memory system 100 is being operated. Part of the functions of the memory control logic 120 is to issue read commands per requests from a user (not shown) of the system 100 . Still referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the memory control logic 120 issues a read command CTRL_MCLK 230 at cycle C 1 of MCLK 210 . The read command CTRL_MCLK 230 needs to go through the I/O pad 140 B and the PCB trace 103 B in order to reach the synchronous memory 102 , and there, it becomes signal MEM_CTRL 231 . MEM_CTRL 231 is delayed from CTRL_MCLK 230 due to impedance associated with the I/O pad 140 B and the PCB trace 103 B. Since the impedance associated with the I/O pad 140 B and the PCB trace 103 B, and that associated with the I/O pad 140 F and the PCB trace 103 F, are subject to the same variations in fabrication processes, voltage of clock signal and operating temperature, the I/O pads 140 B and the PCB traces 103 B can be designed in reference to the design of the I/O pad 140 F and the PCB trace 103 F so that MEM_CTRL 231 is delayed from CTRL_MCLK by the same time period T 1 as MEM_CLOCK 211 is delayed from MCLK 210 . Therefore the MEM_CTRL 231 is received by the synchronous memory 102 at cycle C 1 of MEM_CLOCK 211 . Still referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in one embodiment of the present invention, in response to receiving the MEM_CTRL 231 at cycle C 1 of MEM_CLOCK 211 , the synchronous memory 102 returns read data (“MEM_DATA”) 240 at cycle C 3 of MEM_CLOCK 211 . Since the read data has to go through the PCB trace 103 A and the I/O pad 140 A in order to reach the Async_FIFO 130 , the read data RDAT 241 received by the Async_FIFO 130 is delayed from MEM_DATA 240 by a period of time T 2 , due to the impedance associated with the PCB trace 103 A and the I/O pad 140 A. A loop back of the MEM_CLOCK 211 , the RCLK 212 is used as a latch clock signal by the Async_FIFO 130 to latch read data. The RCLK 212 is created by looping back the MEM_CLOCK 211 through the PCB trace 103 E and the I/O pad 140 E. This is intended so that, due to the impedance associated with the PCB trace 103 E and the I/O pad 140 E, the RCLK signal 212 is delayed from MEM_CLOCK 211 just as RDAT 241 is delayed from MEM_DAT 240 . Since the impedance associated with the I/O pad 140 E and the PCB trace 103 E, and that associated with the I/O pad 140 A and the PCB trace 103 A, are subject to the same variations in fabrication processes, voltage of clock signal and operating temperature, the I/O pad 140 E and the PCB trace 103 E can be designed in reference to the design of the I/O pad 140 A and the PCB traces 103 A so that RDAT 241 and RCLK 212 are synchronized. In anticipation of receiving the read data, the memory control logic 120 also issues a read valid signal VALID_MCLK 220 for each read command. The read valid signal is intended for the Async_FIFO 130 to use as a write enable when latching the read data from the synchronous memory 102 . In order to synchronize the read valid signal with the read data RDAT 241 and the latch clock signal RCLK 212 , the read valid signal is routed off-chip and looped back to the memory controller 101 , through the I/O pad 140 C, the PCB trace 103 C, the PCB trace 103 D and the I/O pad 140 D. The read valid loop back signal READ_VALID_I 222 is then used as a write enable signal for the Async_FIFO 130 to latch read data from the synchronous memory 102 . Since any variations due to fabrication processes, the voltage of the clock signal or the operation temperature that may affect the I/O pads and PCB traces used by RCLK 212 also affects the I/O pads and PCB traces used by READ_VALID_I 222 , the I/O pad 140 C, the PCB trace 103 C, the PCB trace 103 D and the I/O pad 140 D can be designed so as to create a delay characteristic for the READ_VALID_I 222 that is similar to that of RCLK 212 , i.e., the READ_VALID_I 222 is delayed from VALID_MCLK 220 by a same time period as RCLK 212 is delayed from MCLK 210 , regardless of the aforementioned variations. In one embodiment of the present invention, the I/O pad 140 C, the PCB traces 103 C and 103 D, and the I/O pad 140 B are designed in reference to the design of the I/O pad 140 F, the PCB traces 103 F and 103 E, and the I/O pad 140 E, so that the READ_VALID signal 221 , is delayed by a period of time T 1 from the VALID_MCLK 220 , and the loop back of READ_VALID 221 , the READ_VALID_I signal 222 , is delayed from READ_VALID 221 by a period of time T 2 due to the impedance associated with the PCB trace 103 D and the I/O pad 140 D, as shown in FIG. 2 . Similarly, as recited above, MEM_CLOCK 211 is delayed from MCLK 210 by a period of T 1 due to impedance associated with the I/O pad 140 F and the PCB trace 103 F, and RCLK 212 is delayed from MEM_CLOCK 211 by a period of T 2 due to impedance associated with the PCB trace 103 E and the I/O pad 140 E. In one embodiment of the present invention, the Async_FIFO 130 is a conventional asynchronous first-in-first-out buffer comprising two ports for communicating with two different agents with two different clocks. The memory control logic 120 as one agent communicates with one port of the Async_FIFO 130 using the MCLK signal 210 . The synchronous memory 102 as another agent communicates with another port of the Async_FIFO 130 using the RCLK signal. This port of the Async_FIFO 130 that communicates with the synchronous memory 102 is designed to latch read data RDAT 241 at the rising edge of RCLK 212 when the read valid loop back signal READ_VALID_I 222 is asserted. Since the I/O pads and the PCB traces used to route these signals are now subject to the same variations in fabrication processes, the voltage of the clock signal, and the operating temperature, the latch clock signal RCLK 212 , the write enable READ_VALID_I 222 , and the read data RDAT 241 are synchronized regardless of aforementioned variations. Therefore this embodiment of the present invention permits the right read data to be captured by the Async_FIFO 130 regardless of the variations due to fabrication processes, voltage of clock signal and operating temperature. Once the read data RDAT is captured by the Async_FIFO 130 , it is stored in the Async_FIFO 130 and then sent to the data buffer 121 associated with the memory control logic 120 on a first-in-first-out basis and under the control of MCLK 210 . In an alternative embodiment, the data buffer 121 is not used, and the read data is provided to the user of the system 100 from the Async_FIFO 130 by the memory control logic 120 . FIG. 3 is a flowchart diagram illustrating a read operation of the memory controller 101 in response to receiving a user request 310 to read data from the synchronous memory 102 in the memory system 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The memory controller 101 issues 320 a read command CTRL_MCLK 230 corresponding to the user request and the read command is sent to the synchronous memory 102 . In anticipation of receiving read data returned by the synchronous memory 102 , the memory controller 101 issues 330 a write enable signal VALID_MCLK 220 . The write enable signal VALID_MCLK 220 is routed 340 off-chip and back to the memory controller 101 . The memory controller 101 then checks 350 if the loop back of the write enable signal, READ_VALID_I 222 , is asserted. If it is asserted, the memory controller 101 latches 360 the read data from the synchronous memory 102 at the rising edge of the latch clock signal RCLK 212 . The read data is then provided 350 to the requesting user. While particular embodiments and applications of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction and components disclosed herein and that various modifications, changes and variations which will be apparent to those skilled in the art may be made in the arrangement, operation and details of the method and apparatus of the present invention disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

In a synchronized memory system comprising a memory controller externally coupled to a synchronous memory, a read valid loop back signal is introduced for the memory controller to track the delays of signals exchanged between the memory controller and the synchronous memory, so that the uncertainty introduced by I/O pads and PCB traces used to facilitate the coupling of the memory controller with the sychronous memory is no longer the limiting factor for the speed of the memory controller. An asynchronous FIFO buffer is used to latch read data returned by the synchronous memory based on the read valid loop back signal.

This is a divisional of prior application Ser. No. 08/993,033, filed Dec. 18, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,483. This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of European Patent Application No. 97202152.1, filed in the European Patent Office on Jul. 17, 1997. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a stent for use in a body passageway, comprising a flexible self-expanding braided tubular wall being composed of helically wound wires and having proximal and distal ends. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing such a stent. A stent of the type as mentioned in the introduction is described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,771. The tubular wall is composed of several flexible thread elements each of which extends along a helix with the center line of the tubular wall as a common axis. The thread elements are arranged in two groups of opposite directions of winding crossing each other in a way to form a braided configuration. This is to impart to the tubular body the necessary stability for supporting a vessel. The diameter of the tubular wall can be changed by axial movement of the ends relative to each other. The stent is transluminally inserted into position in its radially compressed state and then subjected to expansion staying in place by a permanent pressure against the inner wall of the body passageway. The stability of the tubular body depends in general from the number of the thread elements, their diameter and material and from the braiding angle of the thread elements at their crossings. It is preferred to have the axially directed braiding angle being obtuse, i.e. larger than 90°, in order to obtain a large force in radial directions. But the braiding angle also influences the shortening of the stent, which is the reduction of the stent length upon conversion from its compressed to its expanded state. At a given diameter expansion the stent shortens less at braiding angles smaller than around 120° than at larger angles. In the following stents with a braiding angle larger than about 120° are referred to as “normal-shortening” whereas stents having a braiding angle of less than about 120° are referred to as “less-shortening.” It is an advantage of less-shortening stents that they can be placed more accurately because the practitioner can better estimate the final positions of the stent ends after expansion. The less-shortening feature comes also to fruition when the stent is implanted in a moving hollow organ in which the stent is repeatedly radially compressed, such as in the esophagus, in the trachea or in a pulsating blood vessel. In those cases the reduced shortening of the stent is less traumatic for the inner wall of the hollow organ since the stent ends perform smaller axial movements than normal shortening stents do. For the aforesaid reasons less-shortening stents are preferably implanted in ostium regions, for example in the aorta next to the entries into the renal arteries or in side branches. Exact placement capability and less axial movement of the stent ends reduce the risk of unwanted perturbation or obstruction of the blood flow by stent ends projecting into the ostium. However, stents of the less-shortening type comprise smaller hoop strength compared to normal-shortening prostheses due to their smaller braiding angle. A consequence of the lower radial force is a reduction of the self-fixation characteristics with the risk of a local axial displacement of the stent within the body passageway. Moreover, the stent is not stable enough to resist flattening if it is implanted in arched vessels. This means that a more or less strong deformation of the stent cross-section deviating from its original circular shape can partially close the stent. In EP-A-0 775 471 an improved stent is disclosed comprising a flexible self-expanding braided tubular wall having a proximal segment of smaller diameter and a distal segment of larger diameter and in-between an intermediate segment forming a truncated cone. A covering layer is arranged within the tubular wall. Although the document does not disclose any specific braiding angles the proximal segment will have a similar braiding angle as the above described less-shortening stent and the distal segment will have a larger braiding angle. The different geometry can be derived from the manufacturing methods as described in the document. The large-diameter segment serves as a migration anchor while the less-shortening segment with smaller diameter makes an easier and safer way through curves or at the end of for example a food pipe. But the less-shortening stent segment still has not sufficient shape stability for use in curved areas of body vessels. The cross-section of this segment may be deformed elliptically if bended in curved body vessels as it will occur generally for less-shortening stents. Moreover, because of the conical shape such a stent can be used only at particular areas, such as in food pipes. In addition, it is to be said that the used manufacturing methods are quite expensive. All documents cited herein, including the foregoing, are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve a less-shortening stent such that it can be used universally, and more specifically in moving and/or in curved body passageways avoiding migration and flattening deformation thereof. A further object of the invention is to provide a stent which can be manufactured easier. The term “elevation” has the meaning of an impression or bulge of the stent wall as well in the negative as in the positive sense, i.e. extending inwardly or outwardly of the tubular stent wall. Accordingly, the tubular wall has at least a local inwardly and/or outwardly formed elevation, whereby the wires are plastically deformed in a way that the number of degrees of freedom for their movement within the braiding is reduced. This means that the mesh cells defined by the braided wires are “frozen” by a reduced capability of the wires to rotate and shift relative to each other at their crossing points. The braided tubular wall remains its less-shortening feature and becomes more stable against radial deformation. A further advantage of the formed elevations is the possibility to make a short stent of the type mentioned in the introduction. Such stents are usually cut from the braiding blank and comprise an unwanted conical shape due to a memory effect from the braiding process. This shape can be converted into a cylindrical tube and conserved by forming elevations on the stent wall. Where the elevations are distributed regularly over the tubular wall, the stent will be anchored firmly with the tissue of the body vessel without damaging. The homogeneity of the elevation distribution is for example preferred if the stent is to be implanted in a curved area of a body passageway. More dense distribution of the elevations at the proximal and distal ends of the stent will provide higher stability at these areas for better anchoring thereof with the tissue of the body vessel. This embodiment is preferred if the stent is to be implanted in ostium positions for a safe fixation of the stent ends in order to prevent migration of the stent and disturbing for example the blood flow into a side branch through this ostium. Another preferred application of such a stent is the support of a vessel having a hard plaque stenosis whereby the stent comprises a higher density of elevations in the stenotic region. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the elevations are formed outwardly so that they can serve as an anchor against stent migration by engaging into the inner vessel wall to be supported. Moreover, the deployment of such a stent with delivery devices as known in the art is enhanced since the retraction of the outer sheath is easier. This results from a reduced friction between the inside of the delivery sheath and the radially outwardly pressing stent touching the sheath only at the elevations. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention the local elevations have an elongate shape which makes the manufacturing of such stents very easy by using wires to emboss the tubular wall. The elevations may have an arched cross-sectional shape. Preferably the height of the elevations are approximately one to two times the wire diameter of the braid. These embossments or elevations can be formed helically on the tubular wall, where in a preferred embodiment the helical elevation has a different pitch than the wires of the braid in order to deform as many wires as possible. The elevations may also be formed annularly or in axial direction on the tubular wall depending on the desired effect. Where the elevations are placed annularly the stent wall comprise an improved radial stability, whereas elevations in axial directions impart to the stent a higher longitudinal stability which is especially useful for implantation in the airways. The manufacturing method according to the present invention is determined by the steps of forming an elongate mandrel having at least one local outwardly bound elevation, forming an elongated tubular braid of spring steel having proximal and distal ends and an inner diameter commensurate with the diameter of the mandrel, engaging said tubular braid over said mandrel, heating the tubular braid on the mandrel, cooling the tubular braid and disengaging the braid from the mandrel. Preferably previous to the disengaging step the braid will be compressed in axial direction. In sum the present invention relates to a stent for use in a body passageway. A flexible self-expanding braided tubular wall is composed of helically wound wires and has proximal and distal ends, wherein the tubular wall has at least a local inwardly and/or outwardly formed elevation. The local elevations may be distributed regularly over the tubular wall and distributed more densely at the proximal and distal ends. The local elevations of the stent may be formed outwardly and may have an elongated shape. The stent elevations may have an arched cross-sectional shape and/or a height of approximately one to two times of the diameter of the wires. The elevations may be formed helically on the tubular wall. The helical elevation may have a different pitch than the wires of the braid. The elevation may be formed annularly on the tubular wall or formed in axial direction on the tubular wall. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a stent by forming or providing an elongated mandrel having at least one local outwardly bound elevation; forming or providing an elongated tubular braid of spring steel having proximal and distal ends and an inner diameter commensurate with the diameter of the mandrel; engaging the tubular braid over the mandrel; heating the tubular braid over the mandrel; cooling the tubular braid; and disengaging the braid from the mandrel. Prior to disengaging the braid from the mandrel, the braid may be compressed in an axial direction. The steps of heating the tubular braid over the mandrel and cooling the tubular braid may be performed under vacuum condition. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the subsequent description, wherein the invention,will be explained in further details with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, diagrammatically and by way of example only, preferred but still illustrative embodiments of the invention. FIG. 1 shows a stent with a helical elevation in side view, FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view according to line A—A in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 shows a stent with a plurality of radial elevations in side view, FIG. 4 shows a stent with a plurality of axial elevations in side view, and FIG. 5 shows the stent of FIG. 4 in front view according to arrow B. In the following description of the drawings the same reference numbers have been used for all figures if not mentioned otherwise. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The stent depicted in FIG. 1 comprises a flexible self-expanding braided tubular wall 1 which is composed of a first plurality of parallel spring stainless steel wires 2 helically wound in a first direction crossing a second plurality of parallel spring stainless steel wires 3 helically wound in a second direction opposite to the first one. The braided structure assures contraction of the stent in the radial direction when the proximal and distal ends 4 and 5 of the stent are pulled away from one another as exemplified by arrows 6 , and self-expansion of the stent in the radial direction when the pull according to arrows 6 is released. This configuration is well known in the art and needs no further explanation. Of course, other known braidings or patterns providing the same effect may be used. The tubular wall 1 of the stent having a helical elevation 7 which is outwardly formed and has an angle of gradient or pitch slightly smaller than the angle of gradient or pitch of the steel wires 3 showing in the same winding direction. The elevations 7 have an elongate and arched cross-sectional shape. The height of the elevations 7 over the tubular wall 1 is about once or twice the diameter of the wires 2 or 3 of the braided configuration. The wires 2 and 3 may be made of a metallic material, e.g. stainless steel, which may be filled with a radiopaque core, or made of a thermoplastic polymer, such as polyesters, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, polysulphides, polypropylene, polyethylene or polysulphonates. Normally the diameter of the wires 2 and 3 lie within the range 0.01 to 0.5 mms. The helical elevation 7 provides a greater stability of the meshes of the braided tubular wall 1 , i.e. the parallel wires 2 and the parallel wires 3 will be prevented from moving apart at the crossing points 8 . Especially in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 it can be seen that wires 2 and 3 have been deformed locally in a tubular shape. The elevation pattern is normally distributed in a regular manner over the tubular wall 1 . Therefore a specific wire 2 or 3 will have several elevation areas over its whole length within the tubular wall 1 and a much greater stability of the wires 2 and 3 within the braid will be obtained. The elevation is further smooth curved, i.e. having a continuous smoothly inclining and declining curvature with the effect that the spring activity of the wires 2 and 3 will be reduced in the areas of the elevations. On the other hand the braiding angle between the wires 2 and 3 will be enlarged locally in the area of the elevations which will additionally enhance the mechanical stability of the tubular wall 1 . In fact, the meshes are immobilized or “frozen” at the crossing points of the wires 2 and 3 in the area of the elevation. By the frozen meshes the tubular wall 1 will obtain an enlarged shape stability which will resist the deforming forces of the body vessel. The elevation 7 will also reduce the tendency of the wires 2 and 3 to debraid at the proximal and distal ends 4 and 5 of the tubular wall 1 . Thus the aforementioned stent will have a greater form or shape stability if the tubular wall 1 will be bent in blood vessels with a strong curvature, i.e. the circular cross-section of the tubular wall 1 will be remained and not deformed to an elliptical one as can be observed with less-shortening stents. Another possibility of providing elevations for stents according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 3, where the stent having annular outwardly formed elevations 12 which are equidistant and parallel to each other. Here also the stability of the stent has been improved over the well-known stents. If an annular elevation 12 will be provided near the proximal and distal end 4 and 5 the tendency of debraiding of the wires 2 and 3 can be reduced further. In FIG. 4 another example of a stent according to the invention is shown, wherein outwardly elevations 13 are provided in axial direction on the tubular wall 1 , which elevations 13 are also equidistant and parallel to each other. The front view of FIG. 5 shows that these elevations are also smoothly curved as in the previous examples. Since the wires 2 and 3 are intertwined with a relatively dense mesh the four elevations 13 as depicted in this example are sufficient to prevent debraiding at the proximal and distal ends 4 and 5 of the stent. Although the elevations 7 , 12 and 13 in the examples of FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 are formed outwardly on the tubular wall 1 , they may also be formed inwardly on the tubular wall 1 or possibly provided in combination of outwardly and inwardly formed elevations. The manufacturing of the aforementioned stents is as follows: Firstly the stent will be produced in the known manner, i.e. the wires 2 and 3 will be intertwined with a predetermined braiding angle and with a predetermined. mesh size dependent from the wire cross-section. The braiding angle of the so formed stent will normally be between 100° and 120°. Thereafter the stent will be pushed over a cylindrical mandrel with a regular pattern of outwardly formed elevations like the helical shape of wires provided on the surface of the mandrel as will be used to form a stent according to FIG. 1 . The mandrel with the stent will then be heated up to process temperature, kept under process temperature for a certain period of time, and cooled down afterwards. The heating and cooling procedure is carried out under vacuum condition. In the case of stainless steel wires the thermal treatment maybe take up to sixteen hours, whereby the process temperature of 550° C. is maintained for about two hours. Then the stent will be pulled from the mandrel. In cases where the elevations are not axially directed as for the stent depicted in FIG. 4, the tubular wall 1 may be compressed in order to enlarge the diameter thereof for an easier disengagement. In case of the helical shape of the elevations the stent may also be unscrewed from the mandrel. Although other patterns of elevations may also be used for the stents according to the invention the shown patterns are preferred since they guarantee a smooth outer surface of the tubular wall 1 which is especially important for stents to be used at delicate areas such as blood vessels in order not to damage the tissue. The helical shape or the annular shape of the elevations are preferred for stents used at the junction between the esophagus and the stomach as these will prevent much better the migration of the stent as in case of the axial elevations. In particular the elevations may also be formed inwardly instead of outwardly as shown and described above, i.e. the tubular stent wall having depressions. This may be advantageous if the body vessel to be repaired needs more support and a larger contact area with the stent. Stents according to the present invention have a further advantage in that they can be handled easier in the flexible shaft of the positioning instrument since the friction between the stent and the inner wall thereof will be reduced. This applies more for the outwardly formed elevations as for the ones inwardly formed. But in both cases the friction will be reduced in comparison to conventional stents. Thus repositioning of stents with elevations as shown before has been improved also. The above-described embodiments of the invention are merely descriptive of its principles and are not to be considered limiting. Further modifications of the invention herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the respective arts and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

A prosthetic stent with a tubular wall having local inwardly or outwardly formed elevations. Stents having such elevations have a higher mechanical stability if bend according to the curvature of the body vessels to be supported or repaired. Also a method for manufacturing a stent with such elevations is described.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/550,570, filed on Aug. 31, 2009 and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR NETWORK EDGE DATA PROTECTION”, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/727,068, filed on Dec. 3, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,607,010, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/462,201, filed Apr. 12, 2003, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/572,112 filed May 17, 2000 and entitled “INTELLIGENT FEEDBACK LOOP PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/875,319 filed Jun. 6, 2001 and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CONTROL IN A DATA TRANSMISSION NETWORK;” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/078,386 filed Feb. 20, 2002 and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING AND ELIMINATING IP SPOOFING IN A DATA TRANSMISSION NETWORK,” the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The invention relates generally to information communication and, more particularly, to monitoring network communications for detection and/or deletion of undesirable information, such as may contain viruses, Trojans, worms, and/or the like. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Information communication has proliferated in recent years with the nearly ubiquitous adoption of computer systems and networks, such as local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), intranets, extranets, the Internet, etcetera, in both personal and business applications. Accordingly, various computer programs and systems have been developed to facilitate such information communication. For example, EXCHANGE and OUTLOOK software programs, available from Microsoft Corporation, provide electronic mail servers and electronic mail clients, respectively, which are used widely by businesses and individuals. Software programs such as GROUPWISE, available from Novell, Inc., and LOTUS NOTES, available from International Business Machines, Inc., also provide electronic mail clients for use by businesses and individuals. [0004] Information communication systems, such as those utilizing the above mentioned software programs, often implement features for simplifying communication tasks for the user, such as by automating particular features and tasks. For example, OUTLOOK will, in its default configuration, automatically execute Visual Basic attachments and basic script attachments to mail messages when the associated mail message is opened. Most users will not reconfigure their mail client, such as OUTLOOK, not to automatically execute such attachments, particularly if using Visual Basic scripts in electronic mail is a normal part of their business process, as doing so makes their business process more difficult and time consuming to implement because they have to explicitly execute such attachments. [0005] Mail clients, such as OUTLOOK, also include features which allow certain types of attachments to exploit automatic execution features without a user opening or otherwise accessing an associated mail message. Such features are very convenient in that a user is not required to manually select and initiate execution of particular attachments. [0006] However, miscreants have taken advantage of the widespread availability of information communication networks, automated features of information communication systems, the relative naivete users, and/or the inability of system administrators to detect and quickly react to malicious behavior to spawn innumerable attacks on information communication systems. For example, certain messages, such as electronic mail messages, can contain executable code that, while normally such code serves a useful function, exploits the trust that is involved by introducing malicious code that adversely affects the operation of network systems. Such malicious code is often in the form of embedded Java script or Visual Basic scripts that exploit weaknesses in electronic mail clients and electronic mail servers to generate floods of electronic mails or infect the client and/or server host with code that leads to some type of security vulnerability or destructive operation. Many users believe that opening an electronic mail is harmless or that the system should take care of an potential malicious code, so they open electronic mail messages not knowing any better or not caring, and pretty soon an infection starts. [0007] Common types of such malicious code include viruses, Trojans, and worms. A virus, for example, is often in the form of an electronic mail attachment which is received contaminated, e.g., the mail message attachment already contains an infectant and is contagious. The virus itself will often be hosted by an electronic mail message from a trusted source, such as a friend or acquaintance, and will utilize the automated features of the user's mail client to propagate new infected mail messages directed to each entry in the user's mail client address list. Propagation in this manner is similar to an organic virus, such as the common cold, spreading as quickly as it comes into contact with others. A worm will typically be introduced into a network again in the same way as the virus described above. For example, a worm may be carried as an electronic mail attachment or embedded in a file. However, a worm is often more difficult to detect as it is often transmitted as pieces of code that collect themselves for reassembly and operation. A worm generally will operate to create a destructive pathway out of an infected system to other systems, such as through an electronic mail address book, file transfer protocol (FTP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), etcetera, to carry information and/or establish a porthole (wormhole) out of the host system. A Trojan is typically a piece of code that that is hidden or buried within a file or an electronic mail that sits resident and dormant on an infected computer system waiting to be activated for destructive operation. For example, a Trojan can be time activated, it can be called through a remote command, etcetera, and when activated the infected system may start acting on its own to attack other systems or operations. In contrast to the typical virus, which reacts very rapidly and spreads almost immediately, a Trojan can sit resident and dormant for a very long time, reacting when called upon or otherwise triggered. [0008] Malicious code, such as the aforementioned viruses, Trojans, and worms, may operate to provide certain functions to the progenitor of the code, such as to allow that person to get access to the infected machine. For example, a Trojan may be implemented for creating a special telnet connection that only the creator of the Trojan code is aware of in order to allow them to log onto an infected computer. Alternatively, a Trojan might operate to alter a host machine so that the creator of the Trojan can log on legitimately, although they are an illegitimate user. However, other malicious code operates more to propagate its payload. For example, viruses and worms are typically directed to spreading the payload, such as to create a flooding attack. [0009] An example of a malicious code attack might be to attach a file to an electronic mail message, wherein the file appears to be an innocuous word processing (e.g., Microsoft WORD) document, slideshow (e.g., Microsoft POWERPOINT) presentation, or a Visual Basic script that does something useful, but in fact contains code that will for instance send copies of the message to everybody in the electronic mail client address book. When the recipient opens the mail message carrying the attachment, the mail client may automatically execute the attachment, thereby allowing the malicious code to execute and replicate the message with the attachment over and over. Even where the electronic mail client does not automatically execute the attachment, the recipient may unwittingly execute the malicious code believing it to be a useful attachment. The replicated messages may propagate within a particular company's information communication network, and/or may spread to external networks, continuing to be replicated and spread by each new recipient. Unchecked, the message keeps replicating and can bring the mail system down due to the message load, perhaps even seriously affecting or even crashing the entire information communication network. [0010] A specific example of implementation of a malicious code attack as set forth above is the Code Red virus. The Code Red virus was transmitted as an electronic mail attachment, which would infect client machines causing them to spread copies of the electronic mail and its virus to anybody in the infected machine's address book. It would infect the electronic mail server with a piece of malicious code that would launch a flooding attack at a certain time of every month. This particular attack is estimated to have cost hundreds of millions of dollars in lost time to clean up the virus and return the infected systems to normal operation. Moreover, costs due to the Code Red virus continue to mount as the virus keeps coming back, preying on the inexperience of users to continue to spread. [0011] Although the specific examples above have been described with reference to malicious code resulting in flooding type attacks, other attacks may be result from such malicious code. For example, rather than designing a virus to replicate itself and flood the network, such malicious code may be designed to delete hard drive content, to alter system configurations, to cause hardware to be damaged or destroyed, to alter data, and/or the like. However, the current trend appears to be toward the initiation of flooding or denial of service type attacks, as it takes very little sophistication to mount such an attack, the automated features of server and client systems often facilitates such attacks, user naivete can often be relied upon to further the attack, and few effective solutions are implemented to prevent such attacks. [0012] Although most people probably are not malicious or mean spirited, attacks based upon malicious code as described above continue to increase at an alarming rate. This is a problem that started with a very low level of notoriety approximately five years ago and has doubled in the numbers of attacks and the numbers of incidents every year since. The technology and bandwidth available in the information communication networks has fueled the impact of such attacks. For example, it used to take 80 minutes for a malicious code attack to propagate across the Internet, but that time has now been reduced to approximately 4 minutes. As of the spring of 2003, the dollar amounts for damages for 2003 had already surpassed the entire dollar value lost the previous year. In addition to resulting in business disruption and a tremendous financial impact, such attacks form the basis of the most common security breaches in networks and communications today. [0013] Initially, most attacks seemed to be originated out of a curiosity of what would result. However, as time goes on, and the profit margin in this type of activity increases, even more malicious attacks will be seen. As the more organized crime element gets involved with the individuals who know how to implement malicious code attacks and do not particularly care about the impact, we are likely to see these attacks focused on particular companies or particular parts of the government in order to cause calculated disruption in that area. For example, if some miscreant wanted to take an Internet based company, such as Ebay, offline for a number of days, thereby disrupting the business and its revenue stream or even manipulating the company's stock price, an assault of their systems may be mounted using malicious code. [0014] There are a number of companies that provide anti-virus solutions, such as McAfee, Norton, Trend Micro, Soffos, F-Secure, etcetera. The solutions that are currently available today are software programs which, when deployed, are resident on a host system, such as a user's personal computer or laptop (collectively referred to a PCs) or on an electronic mail server to clean messages as they come into the server itself. Accordingly, these solutions are commonly called host based systems, and do not provide network based or inline devices that scan and scrub traffic as it comes into a network or leaves a network, but rather provide protection at one particular point. [0015] It is incumbent upon the user or network administrator to maintain the updated protection files from the source of the anti-virus software program, such as from McAfee, Norton, Trend Micro, Soffos, or F-Secure (there is often a monthly fee or an annual fee for maintenance and support for that product). Accordingly, these products are only as effective as the last update that they have had. Managing and maintaining a large base of anti-virus software programs, such as anti-virus software programs installed upon individual network workstations, can be difficult and time consuming. [0016] It should be appreciated that once the malicious code reaches the server, whether a post office protocol (POP), e.g., POP3 protocol, Internet message access protocol (IMAP), or other server configuration, the malicious code is typically already resident in the electronic mail. For example, one of the most traditional ways malicious code is able to penetrate commonly available defenses is through the use of off-line systems which are later reconnected to the network. A business traveler may be offsite, such as at a hotel or client site, and connect to a foreign network, such as a public network, to conduct business or download electronic mails. This traveler may unknowingly receive malicious code, such as because he has not yet received anti-virus updates due to his travels, because he has connected to an unprotected mail server, etcetera. When the business traveler returns to his office and again plugs their laptop into the business' network, they may be plugging in behind their firewall and behind their mail server, so everything that is on that laptop has not had a chance to be cleaned by the resident electronic mail or anti-virus program. This provides the malicious code the opportunity to contaminate the rest of the network, such as by replicating itself and going from the inside of the network out. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0017] The present invention is directed to systems and methods which examine information communication streams to identify and/or eliminate malicious code, while allowing “good” code to pass unaffected. Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide network based or inline devices that scan and scrub information communication in its traffic pattern, e.g., as information communication packets come into a network or leave a network or otherwise are passed via a network. For example, systems of the present invention may be deployed in line with or “in front of” various network systems to intercept information communication traffic and clean it or scrub it of any malicious code before it enters vulnerable systems. Additionally or alternatively, systems of the present invention may be utilized with respect to data egress, thereby preventing and containing malicious code from exiting the network where the contamination exists, and causing damage or disruption to business to other enterprises. [0018] Embodiments of the present invention are adapted to accommodate various information communication protocols, such as simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP), post office protocol (POP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), Internet message access protocol (IMAP), file transfer protocol (FTP), domain name service (DNS), and/or the like. Moreover, embodiments of the present invention may accommodate variations on particular protocols, such as file sharing protocols (e.g., Kazaa) which “piggy-back” on top of HTTP or other base protocols. Additionally or alternatively, routing protocols, such as hot standby router protocol (HSRP), border gateway protocol (BGP), open shortest path first (OSPF), enhanced interior gateway routing protocol (EIGRP), and/or the like. However, the present invention is not limited to operation with respect to particular protocols. For example, embodiments of the present invention operate to provide spam filtering, e.g., filtering of unsolicited and/or unwanted communications. [0019] According to one embodiment of the invention, a protection system is introduced into the communication path between an electronic mail client and an electronic mail server. Packets directed to/from such clients and servers will be detoured to an appropriate subsystem, such as a virus scanning subsystem, before reaching their intended destination. The packets of an embodiment will be assembled into a message, or message subpart, by a proxy for operation of anti-virus functionality. The anti-virus functionality may operate to detect a virus in the message, clean the message of the virus, delete an infected message, etcetera. Packets having been cleaned or which do not receive cleaning are passed by the proxy on to the originally intended recipient. [0020] It should be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention are disposed in an information communication data pathway, e.g., inline with network data traffic, providing monitoring and filtering of packets for malicious code which is transparent to network users. An advantage provided according to embodiments of the present invention is that malicious code is detected and removed before the message ever resides on a system for which protection is provided. [0021] Preferred embodiments of the present invention do not present a network addressed appliance or interface (also referred to herein as “ZERO FOOTPRINT TECHNOLOGY™”) with respect to malicious code analysis functionality. Accordingly, an invisible solution is provided wherein hackers cannot compromise the protective aspects of the system. [0022] Embodiments of the present invention provide an interface for utilizing commercially available anti-virus software, or other malicious code analysis functionality. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention avoid a need to independently develop such functionality and/or facilitate rapid implementation of such functionality as it is introduced into the market. [0023] The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING [0024] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: [0025] FIG. 1 shows a system including a protective system operable according to an embodiment of the present invention; and [0026] FIG. 2 shows further detail with respect to an embodiment of the protective system of FIG. 1 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0027] Directing attention to FIG. 1 , system 100 configured according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. System 100 includes real client 101 , such as may comprise an electronic mail client (e.g., OUTLOOK) operable upon a user's PC, and real server 107 , such as may comprise an electronic mail server (e.g., EXCHANGE) operable upon a network server, as is well known in the art. Real client 101 represents an actual source or intended destination of an information communication, such as the transmitter of an electronic mail message or a receiver of an electronic mail message. Real server 107 represents an actual server providing information communication services with respect to real client 101 , such as an electronic mail server using POP or IMAP mail protocols. Real client 101 may be associated with real server 107 , such as comprising a part of a LAN disposed at a business location, or may not be associated with real server 107 , such as where real client 101 is transmitting a message via the Internet to another real client (not shown) associated with real server 107 . [0028] The illustrated embodiment disposes a protective system or systems of the present invention in the traffic pattern between real client 101 and real server 107 . As shown in FIG. 1 , there are three main functional components to a preferred embodiment protective system of the present invention. Specifically, there is virus scanning engine 108 , echelon module 104 , and decider module 102 which cooperate to examine information communication streams to identify and/or eliminate malicious code. Of course, alternative embodiments may comprise less than all the aforementioned functional components and/or additional functional components, if desired. It should be appreciated that when used in context with the illustrated embodiment of virus scanning engine 108 , the term virus may include any form of malicious code, including but not limited to viruses, Trojans, and worms. [0029] Virus scanning engine 108 (also referred to herein as a malicious code analyzer) preferably includes a proxy, such as proxy 109 shown including sub-functions proxy server 103 and proxy client 106 , for interacting with information communication packets and providing suitable information for use with malicious code scanning and/or elimination functionality, such as virus scanning daemon 105 . A proxy of virus scanning engine 108 preferably proxies multiple ports. For example, if the same service is offered on multiple ports, embodiments of the present invention will not proxy just one of the ports it serves, but rather will proxy multiple ports, thereby allowing an amount of flexibility in network implementations. A proxy of virus scanning engine 108 are preferably multi-threaded, thereby providing faster operation as described herein. [0030] Decider module 102 (also referred to herein as a communications throttle) preferably provides logic for analyzing data packets to determine which should be passed, which should be blocked, and/or which should be redirected. Accordingly, decider module 102 may be configured substantially as the systems and methods described in detail in the above referenced patent applications entitled “Intelligent Feedback Loop Process Control System,” “System and Method for Traffic Management Control in a Data Transmission Network,” and/or “System and Method for Detecting and Eliminating IP Spoofing. Preferably, decider module 102 of the illustrated embodiment includes decision logic operable to make a determination as to whether or not to proxy a particular packet. For example, if a packet is destined for a particular service that is proxied according to the present invention (e.g., sub-function proxy server 103 or proxy client 106 proxies the service), then rather than allowing the packet to pass straight through echelon module 104 (e.g., from inside interface 211 to outside interface 212 ), decider module 102 may cause the packet to be directed to the appropriate proxy before it is sent through to the intended destination. [0031] Echelon module 104 (also referred to herein as a steering module) is preferably disposed in the information communication path and handles all the steering of the network traffic presented at inside interface 211 and outside interface 212 . According to a preferred embodiment, echelon module 104 will operate under control of decider module 102 to allow data packets to pass therethrough, such as between real client 101 and real server 107 , to block data packets, and/or to redirect data packets, such as to virus scanning engine 108 . [0032] According to a preferred embodiment, the protective systems of the present invention are configured to be transparent to users and network system operations. For example, embodiments of the invention provide a transparent virus, worm, and/or Trojan scanner. Such a transparent protective system implementation may be accomplished using a proxy configuration as described herein. In contrast to conventional proxy implementations, proxies of the present invention preferably exist without externally available network addresses. In a typical situation in which proxies are used, the proxy will have its own IP address so a user's client can point to the proxy instead of the actual server that is being proxied. A mail server may be proxied, such as to provide caching or management functionality, such that an electronic mail server communicates with the proxy instead of to the client and the client communicates with the proxy instead of the mail server. In order to install the proxy, the client and server must be reconfigured to direct their communications to the proxy. However, proxies utilized according to preferred embodiments of the present invention implement ZERO FOOTPRINT TECHNOLOGY™, wherein the proxy exists without an externally available network address, to present a protective system that is invisible on the network. [0033] Proxies of the illustrated embodiment do not have an externally available IP address, yet receive every packet that passes through the protective system that are to be proxied according to the present invention. For example, by placing the interfaces, e.g., inside interface 211 and outside interface 212 , in promiscuous mode, the processes of the protective system of a preferred embodiment is enabled to see all the traffic on the interface. In contrast to an interface operating in normal mode, which will only show messages that were addressed to the interface at the data link layer, an interface operating in promiscuous mode will show every packet that is on the wire. Accordingly, processes such as echelon module 104 may identify packets for processing according to the present invention, although they are not specifically addressed to the protective system or any process thereof, and redirect those packets to the proxies of virus scanning engine 108 . [0034] Echelon module 104 , in cooperation with decider 102 , preferably provides a proxy translate function that monitors each connection or flow and determines which connections are associated with a port being proxied according to embodiments of the present invention. For example, a configuration file may be set up in which information with respect to what ports are proxied is provided and echelon module 104 and/or decider module 102 may reference the configuration file for appropriate treatment of packets passed through the protective system. [0035] The above described translate function not only renders the preferred embodiment proxies invisible, thereby making it very difficult for hackers to compromise the effectiveness of the protective system, but also facilitates a completely transparent deployment of the protective system. For example, real server 107 and real client 101 need not be reconfigured upon deployment of the protective system as the aforementioned translate function will autonomously handle packet detouring according to the present invention. [0036] The aforementioned protective system transparency extends to operation with respect to the users of the information communication system. Although test configurations have shown that a finite amount of latency with respect to message transmission may be experienced, such latency is insufficient to be objectionable (and perhaps even unnoticeable) to users and has not been found to cause undesired operation, such as timeouts and resends. Embodiments of the present invention do not implement message store and forward techniques, but rather compile only enough packets at any particular time, e.g., message subparts, to facilitate scanning and/or redressing of malicious code. Embodiments of the present invention may, however, implement message store and forward techniques, if desired. For example, where complex protocols such as IMAP are supported, it may be desirable to compile a complete message within a protective system of the present invention for appropriate processing. Similarly, where anti-spam analysis and/or blocking is implemented, compiling a complete message may be desirable to avoid passing a portion of a message to a client before the message is identified as spam to be blocked. [0037] In operation according to a preferred embodiment, a packet enters echelon module 104 disposed in the traffic pattern between real client 101 and real server 107 . The packet may be transmitted, for example, by either of real client 101 or real server 107 and/or may be directed, for example, toward either of real server 107 or real client 101 . When echelon module 104 recognizes a packet that is to be provided malicious code analysis using proxy 109 , echelon module 104 preferably marks the packet as a packet to be proxied according to the present invention, e.g., a bit may be set in a header. [0038] Once identified as a packet to be proxied, echelon module 104 may direct the packet for further analysis according to the present invention. For example, path 116 illustrates the path of a packet transmitted by real server 107 which is identified by echelon module 104 for malicious code analysis by virus scanning engine 108 using proxy 109 . Embodiments of the present invention implement traffic management control, such as may provide a determination as to whether a packet should be passed further, blocked, stored and forwarded, etcetera, and therefore echelon module 104 may direct the packet (or information with respect thereto) to processes other than virus scanning engine 108 , such as decider module 102 , for further analysis. Path 111 illustrates the path of a packet transmitted by real client 101 which, although being identified by echelon module 104 for malicious code analysis using proxy 109 , is initially directed to decider module 102 . Thereafter, if decider module 102 determines that the packet is one which should be passed by the protective system, decider module 102 will preferably control echelon module 104 to route the packet to virus scanning engine 108 (path 113 ) to allow the appropriate function of proxy 109 (e.g., sub-function proxy server 103 or sub-function proxy client 106 ) to receive the packet. It should be appreciated that analysis of a data packet beyond that provided by virus scanning engine 108 may be provided before and/or after processing by virus scanning engine 108 . Path 114 illustrates echelon module 104 directing a packet transmitted by real server 107 to decider 102 after analysis by virus scanning engine 108 . After processing by the protective system, packets are preferably directed to their intended destinations (passed by the protective system) by echelon module 104 (paths 112 and 115 ). [0039] Decider module 102 of the preferred embodiment determines whether or not particular traffic is to be passed, as mentioned above. Such determinations may be based on flow specifications, such as may describe how much bandwidth is in use or available, the byte or packet traffic a particular conversation or system is allowed, etcetera. Flow specifications for determining whether or not to pass particular traffic are shown and described in further detail in the above referenced patent applications entitled “Intelligent Feedback Loop Process Control System” and “System and Method for Traffic Management Control in a Data Transmission Network.” According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, such determinations are made on the side of the conversation that initiates the conversation (e.g., real client 101 in the example shown in FIG. 1 ). [0040] According to a preferred embodiment, proxy 109 (e.g., using proxy server 103 and proxy client 106 ) operates to emulate an appropriate packet destination host for malicious code analysis. For example, where a packet is transmitted from real server 107 to real client 101 , sub-function proxy client 106 may be utilized with respect to the packet to emulate reception of the packet by real client 101 and facilitate malicious code analysis. Similarly, where a packet is transmitted from real client 101 to real server 107 , sub-function proxy server 103 may be utilized with respect to the packet to emulate reception of the packet by real server 107 and facilitate malicious code analysis. A proxy of virus scanning engine 108 may operate to collect any number of pieces of a message, e.g., multiple packets, in order to provide malicious code analysis. After providing malicious code analysis, e.g., malicious code identification and elimination, the packet may be again returned, perhaps scans any identified malicious code, to echelon module 104 by virus scanning engine 108 for routing to its proper destination. [0041] According to one embodiment of the invention, a proxy of virus scanning engine 108 comprises a proxy substantially as is well known in the art, but which has been adapted to interface with the network via the aforementioned proxy translation function. Loop back interfaces are preferably utilized according to the present invention to facilitate a proxy communicating with the rest of the protective system using a proxy translation function. [0042] As discussed above, a proxy of the illustrated embodiment comprises two sub-functions, a server proxy function (proxy server 103 ) and a client proxy function (proxy client 106 ). The server proxy function of the illustrated embodiment accepts the connections from a client and performs operations to emulate a real server, such as mimicking a handshake with a real server, while communicating with a client. The client proxy function of the illustrated embodiment accepts the connections from a server and performs operations to emulate a real client. The use of such proxy functions to emulate connections is desirable because communication protocols, such as transport control protocol (TCP), often expect a certain amount of handshaking or other interaction in establishing and/or maintaining a connection. Moreover, particular message protocols, such as may be provided on top of an underlying communication protocol, such as the above mentioned mail protocols, often expect certain messages or commands to be passed back and forth to establish and/or maintain a connection. In order to facilitate receiving information sufficient for malicious code analysis, such as by acquiring an entire message or conversation from a client, embodiments of the present invention utilize the aforementioned proxy to send appropriate responses back to the transmitting client or server. It should be appreciated that operation of proxies according to embodiments of the present invention facilitate reception of an electronic mail message by the protective system without actually allowing the intended recipient, whether a client or a server, to receive even a portion of an infected message. [0043] According to one embodiment, the aforementioned proxies accept scannable pieces of an electronic mail message, such as the body of the electronic mail message, an attachment thereto, mime encoded message sections, and/or the like, and feed those pieces into a malicious code analyzer, such as may comprise virus scanning daemon 105 . The malicious code analyzer preferably accumulates appropriate ones of these pieces in order to do an analysis, and then when completed with its analysis, returns a result that indicates the pieces either passed or failed and/or operates to eliminate or otherwise render harmless any malicious code. [0044] If malicious code is detected the protection system may proceed according to several options. For example, virus scanning daemon 105 may operate to fix the damaged piece of the message, e.g., remove the malicious code and leave usable good code (scrub the message), if the virus scanning daemon 105 is capable of doing so. Alternatively, virus scanning daemon 105 may determine that it is unable to repair the message without the malicious code attached and, therefore, virus scanning daemon 105 may generate a message to replace the original message indicating that malicious code was identified and the original message has been quarantined. This replacement message may include some information from the original message, such as identification of the transmitter, information with respect to the content of the message, etcetera. [0045] Although virus scanning daemon 105 utilized according to embodiments of the present invention may comprise a propriety, or otherwise uniquely configured, malicious code analysis program, preferred embodiments of the present invention utilize commercially available software programs, such as the aforementioned anti-virus solutions available from McAfee, Norton, Trend Micro, Soffos, F-Secure, etcetera. For example, virus scanning daemon 105 may provide hooks, or other software links, to interface commercially available anti-virus software programs with proxy 109 , thereby providing an embodiment of virus scanning daemon 105 comprising an anti-virus software program and virus scanning engine proxy interface. Additionally or alternatively, virus scanning daemon 105 may comprise a combination of proprietary and commercially available malicious code detection means. For example, commercially available anti-virus software programs may be utilized with respect to one embodiment of virus scanning daemon 105 due to their widespread availability while proprietary anti-spam software programs may be utilized with respect to such an embodiment of virus scanning daemon 105 due to their relatively limited commercial availability. [0046] The aforementioned embodiment, wherein an interface is provided to utilize commercially available anti-virus software programs, provides advantages in that a user is free to implement their choice of anti-virus protection using a protective system of the present invention. Moreover, implementation of a protective system of the present invention does not require redevelopment of otherwise available functionality nor separate maintenance and updating of the anti-virus aspect. Likewise, as the sophistication of viruses evolves, embodiments of the present invention will be able to be current with new products in the market that are highly specialized. [0047] It should be appreciated that, although such an embodiment utilizes an otherwise commercially available anti-virus software program, functional advantages of the present invention are still realized. For example, the disposition of the protective system in the traffic pattern and utilization of the aforementioned proxy provides for an improved form of malicious code analysis as the malicious code is prevented from ever reaching its destination. Additionally, the proxy translate function of preferred embodiments of the present invention results in disposing of the anti-virus software programs in an environment invisible and inaccessible to hackers as well as users, thereby rendering it substantially more difficult to defeat. [0048] Directing attention to FIG. 2 , further detail with respect to an embodiment of system 100 of FIG. 1 is shown. In the embodiment of FIG. 2 , echelon module 104 is disposed in operating system kernel space 201 and decider module 102 and virus scanning engine 108 are disposed in application space 202 . However, it should be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention may be configured differently than the illustrated embodiment. For example, in a particular operating system environment, such as LINUX, some or all of echelon module 104 may be disposed in application space, whereas in another operating system environment, such as SOLARIS, echelon module 104 may be disposed in the operating system kernel space as shown. [0049] Real client 101 in the embodiment of FIG. 2 is disposed on a network associated with the protective system (e.g., a LAN, MAN, WAN, or intranet) and is coupled to “inside” interface 211 . Real server 107 in the embodiment of FIG. 2 is disposed on a network not associated with the protective system (e.g., the Internet) and is coupled to “outside” interface 212 . Of course, systems either associated with or not associated with the protective system may be coupled to either of inside interface 211 or outside interface 212 , depending upon the particulars of a network configuration. However, according to a preferred embodiment, the protective system is disposed at a protected network's edge, thereby associating inside interface 211 with the systems of the protected network and outside interface 212 with the systems external thereto. [0050] As an example of operation according to system 100 as illustrated in FIG. 2 , real client 101 may be retrieving a message from real server 107 . Accordingly, the information communication conversation begins on the client side and arrives at inside interface 211 . Proxy lookup 213 preferably checks translation table 217 to determine if this connection is part of a proxy conversation that already exists. As the conversation is just being initialized, proxy lookup 213 determines that it currently is not part of a proxy conversation and, accordingly, process frame 216 processes the packet further according to an embodiment of the invention. [0051] Station map 219 of embodiments of the present invention stores information with respect to addresses of systems communicating on a network or networks served by a protection system comprising echelon module 104 , decider module 102 , and virus scanning engine 108 . For example, station map 219 may store Ethernet media access controller (MAC) addresses, much the way a network bridge or switch would keep track of such addresses, for use in determining how the packet should be directed by echelon module 104 . In the case of a packet arriving at inside interface 211 and being directed to an address coupled to outside interface 212 , as may be determined using station map 219 , processing by decider module 102 and/or virus scanning engine 108 may be desired. However, in the case of a packet arriving at inside interface 211 and being directed to an address also coupled to inside interface 211 , as may be determined by receive 220 using station map 219 , processing by decider module 102 and/or virus scanning engine 108 may be foregone, such as depending upon a level or mode of protection implemented. [0052] Process frame 216 of a preferred embodiment stores a copy of the packet in frame store 218 for use when it is determined by decider module 102 that it is to be passed or further processed. Process frame 216 may operate to send the packet and/or metadata associated with the packet on to decider module 102 for it to make its decision on whether or not that packet should be passed or blocked. In the current example, decider module 102 of the preferred embodiment will determine that the packet is to be passed rather than blocked. Decider module 102 will further preferably determine that the packet from real client 101 initiating a message retrieval from real server 107 is associated with one of the ports proxied by the protection system and, therefore, will preferably give it a disposition that indicates that the packet is to be proxied. [0053] It should be appreciated that, in addition to or in the alternative to determining which packets are to be passed by the protective system, as described above, various other processes may be implemented with respect to such packets. For example, a process residing in the application space, such as decider module 102 , may provide forensic capture functionality, such as to retain a copy of the packets for analysis later. Particular functionality, such as forensic analysis, may be difficult to implement in the operating system kernel space, thus resulting in PIQ 222 of the illustrated embodiment facilitating enhanced processing and functionality. [0054] The illustrated embodiment utilizes packet information queue (PIQ) 222 to pass packets, and/or information associated therewith (e.g., metadata), between echelon module 104 and decider module 102 . PIQ 222 of the illustrated embodiment provides an interface between operating system kernel space 201 and application space 202 . Accordingly, echelon module 104 can place packets, and/or information associated therewith, in PIQ 222 in order for processes, such as decider module 102 , operating in the application space can see the packet and/or its attendant data. Additionally, PIQ 222 of the illustrated embodiment provides a mechanism for providing decisions or other information with respect to packets by processes, such as decider module 102 , operating in the application space back down to processes operating in the operating system kernel space, such as echelon module 104 . Embodiments of PIQ 222 essentially provide a drop box, such as in the form of a circular queue, to pass packets, and/or information associated therewith, from the interfaces up to decider and back. [0055] Disposition 215 , which recognizes the disposition given the packet by decider module 102 , may retrieve the packet from frame store 218 for further processing. Disposition 215 may, for example, send the packet to bridge 214 or proxy lookup 213 for further processing as described herein. [0056] Proxy lookup 213 will preferably build a set of translations for mapping addresses, stored in translation table 217 , when a suitable set of translations does not already exist for use with the particular packet. For example, the packet may initially be addressed with the real client address and the real server address. These addresses may be mapped by proxy lookup 213 to a set of addresses for going from real client 101 to proxy 109 , from proxy 109 to real client 101 , from proxy 109 to real server 107 , and from real server 107 to proxy 109 , thereby establishing four paths associated with the message. [0057] Once the aforementioned mapping entries are created, proxy lookup 213 preferably passes the packet up through TCP/IP stack 221 to virus scanning engine 108 . TCP/IP stack 221 is utilized in interfacing virus scanning engine 108 according to a preferred embodiment in order to provide a standard network interface to the proxies. In order to facilitate communication through TCP/IP stack 221 according to a preferred embodiment, a loop back interface, e.g., SLEUTH NINE™ loop (S9LO) 223 , is utilized which allows normal socket calls to work. For example, where echelon module 104 is implemented in the Sun Microsystems SOLARIS operating system, a loop back interface may be created for use according to the present invention such as by creating a loop back driver to provide access to the stream of traffic between the driver and the stack. For example, a kernel module may be inserted in the stream to intercept the packets, allowing steering of the packets using the stream module up and down the loop back connections and into the rest of the kernel module for getting to the real network interfaces. However, where the Free Software Foundation LINUX operating system is utilized, for example, the provided internal loop back functionality may be used, such as by implementing PF_PACKET, raw sockets, and IP tables. [0058] It should be appreciated that the loop back interfaces utilized according to preferred embodiments of the present invention are not required for a functional implementation. For example, proprietary interfaces may be developed to provide connectivity between virus scanning engine 108 and echelon module 104 , if desired. However, embodiments of the present invention implement proxies which are adapted to communicate with a network connection. This proxy configuration attribute may be leveraged to utilize a network stack (e.g., TCP/IP stack) which the operating system provides to implement an interface between the packets below the network stack and the applications (proxies) above the network stack. The aforementioned loop back interfaces essentially fake a connection from the bottom of the network stack to provide an interface useful according to embodiments of the present invention. Special addresses on the loop back interface may be utilized to bind the proxies and to essentially create a virtual connection for their communication. Using such a loop back configuration, the proxies may be configured to communicate with a real host although packets are being passed to processes of the present invention. [0059] Proxy 109 sub-function proxy server 103 preferably has a thread waiting on an accept call to accept the message and determine how the message should be handled. Preferably, the appropriate proxy determines if the corresponding real host is available. In the above example, proxy 109 sub-function proxy client 106 will attempt to establish a connection with real server 107 to determine if the real server is available for the conversation being initiated by real client 101 . The preferred embodiment protection system does not store messages for later delivery and, therefore, if the corresponding real host is not available for a communication session, the proxies of virus scanning engine 108 will emulate a failed connection to the host giving the same result as if the protection system had not been implemented. [0060] In processing packets associated with a conversation, normal commands, such as authentication, are propagated through the proxy, through the proxy lookup and the appropriate interface to relay responses. In the above example, proxy 109 may pass the packet to proxy lookup 213 for transmission to real server 107 through outside interface 212 . According to a preferred embodiment, all packets going to and from the server side functionality (proxy server 103 ) of proxy 109 go through decider 102 regardless of which interface is used. However, according to this embodiment, all packets going to and from the client side functionality (proxy client 106 ) of proxy 109 do not pass through decider 102 regardless of which interface is used. [0061] When information to be analyzed (e.g., scanned) by virus scanning daemon 105 is identified, such as a mail message and/or its associated attachment, the packets coming from real client 101 will preferably continue to be acknowledged as received by sub-function proxy server 103 of proxy 109 , which will read the packets to recognize when a suitably complete piece of the message (perhaps the entire message) has been assembled to allow proper scanning, analysis, and/or repair by virus scanning daemon 105 . Accordingly, it should be appreciated that the message packets subsequent to the initial packet discussed above, repeat the above described path through inside interface 211 , proxy lookup 213 , process frame 216 , decider module 102 , disposition 215 , proxy lookup 213 , and virus scanning engine 108 according to embodiments of the invention. [0062] Virus scanning daemon 105 may determine that nothing is to be done with respect to the analyzed message (comprised, for example, of one or more packets), that malicious code is to be removed from the message or one or more parts thereof, or that malicious code is present but is such that removal is impossible. In the first and second of the above cases, the unchanged message (first case) or scrubbed message (second case) may be passed on to real server 107 , such as by transmission of packets following the path described above with respect to normal commands. In the third of the above cases, a new message indicating that the original message contained malicious code and was quarantined may be generated and the associated packets may be passed on to real server 107 , such as following the path described above. [0063] It should be appreciated that the actual and/or complete packets need not be passed between one or more of the functional blocks of FIG. 2 , such as where packets are to be bridged and when packets are processed by decider module 102 . As mentioned above, frame store 218 stores a copy of the packet as received by echelon module 104 . Accordingly, a disposition associated with a particular packet may be provided to and/or returned from decider module 102 in situations where the packet is to be passed by the protection system. For example, when decider module 102 determines that a packet should be passed, decider module 102 may send a disposition message for the packet to echelon module 104 via PIQ 222 . Disposition 215 utilizes frame store 218 to retrieve such packets at a point in the path more near the output, thereby avoiding unnecessary passing of packets between functional blocks. [0064] According to one embodiment of the invention, disposition 215 and bridge 214 may operate with respect to a packet send function of echelon module 104 to avoid unnecessary passing of complete packets. According to such an embodiment, when decider module 102 determines that a particular packet should be passed, disposition 215 may retrieve the packet identified by decider module 102 from frame store 218 and pass the packet to bridge 214 . Bridge 214 may then utilize station map 219 to determine which of interfaces inside interface 211 and outside interface 212 the packet is to be sent through, and transmit the packet accordingly. [0065] Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.

Disclosed are systems and methods which examine information communication streams to identify and/or eliminate malicious code, while allowing the good code to pass unaffected. Embodiments operate to provide spam filtering, e.g., filtering of unsolicited and/or unwanted communications. Embodiments provide network based or inline devices that scan and scrub information communication in its traffic pattern. Embodiments are adapted to accommodate various information communication protocols, such as simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP), post office protocol (POP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), Internet message access protocol (IMAP), file transfer protocol (FTP), domain name service (DNS), and/or the like, and/or routing protocols, such as hot standby router protocol (HSRP), border gateway protocol (BGP), open shortest path first (OSPF), enhanced interior gateway routing protocol (EIGRP), and/or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a frequency synthesizer comprising a first input for receiving a first frequency signal and a second input for receiving a second frequency signal, a comparator coupled to the first and second inputs for comparing the first and second signals, and charging means having an input coupled to an output of said comparator, and an output coupled to an output of the frequency synthesizer for supplying an output signal. The invention further relates to a receiver comprising such a frequency synthesizer. 2. Description of the Related Art Such frequency synthesizers are known and can be used for down conversion of RF signals in a digital or analog satellite receiver, car radios, digital or analog (cable) TV receivers, cordless or wireless telephones, etc. By combining the voltage-controlled oscillator of the phase-locked loop demodulator with the voltage-controlled oscillator of the frequency synthesizer, a major cost reduction can be achieved in systems wherein direct demodulation of FM signals is employed. Such a receiver is, for example, known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,411, wherein a phase-locked loop is used as an FM demodulator. The frequency synthesizer is used to set up the phase-locked loop demodulator to run at a predetermined frequency. A standard PLL frequency synthesizer is not suitable in systems were the tuning voltage-controlled oscillator is used for demodulation. The reason is that two PLLs, the frequency synthesizer and the demodulation loop (FM) or the synchronization loop (AM), will try to lock the same VCO to different frequencies (the former to the multiplied crystal, and the latter to the carrier frequency), which leads to a non-functional system. To overcome the is disadvantages mentioned above, the output of the frequency synthesizer is coupled, via switching means and a resistive divider, to the input of the voltage-controlled oscillator. Disadvantages of this frequency synthesizer is that the switching means at the output of the frequency synthesizer can cause transients, loss of lock, and spikes during switching. Further, such a resistive divider has thermal noise. Power dissipation is high due to the presence of a frequency measurement device operating at the highest frequency. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and further to provide a frequency synthesizer with lower costs, lower dissipation, lower noise, and with an improved performance and wider application range. To this end a first aspect of the invention provides a frequency synthesizer as described in the opening paragraph, characterized in that the frequency synthesizer further comprises a frequency window detector also coupled to the first and second inputs, said frequency window detector supplying an output signal depending on whether or not the first and second frequency signals are within a predetermined frequency window, and switching means coupled between the comparator and the charging means, said switching means being controlled by the output signal of the frequency window detector. A second aspect of the invention provides a receiver incorporating such frequency synthesizer. The invention is-based on the recognition that by using a frequency window detector and switching means between the comparator and the charging means, the frequency synthesizer can be turned off. There are two ways to implement this. Firstly, its effect is zero, but the circuitry stays active (watch dog function), and secondly, completely “turn off” (low power dissipation). In this way, the influence of the frequency synthesizer during normal operation, that is, within the frequency window, is reduced to (nearly) zero. Because the switching means is turned off before the charging means, at the moment when the charging means becomes inactive, no transients or spikes can occur at the output of the frequency synthesizer. A further advantage of the frequency synthesizer according to the invention is that the accuracy of the frequency of the output signal is not dependent on the accuracy of the reference frequency. This receiver structure, with the combined tuning system, enables the use of cheap crystal oscillators because when the voltage-controlled oscillator is “in-window”, the frequency synthesizer is disabled. Therefore, the accuracy of the VCO frequency is not dependent on the accuracy of the crystal frequency, but on the Automatic Frequency Control (AFC). Another advantage is that the AFC has taken over control of the VCO, saving a substantial amount of power dissipation when switching off the power of the frequency synthesizer. It is to be noted here that from U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,097, a phase-locked loop having a phase detector and a frequency detector, with associated monitor and recovery circuitry, is known for data and clock extraction from NRZ (Non Return to Zero) data streams. After detecting that the phase-locked loop is outside a narrow frequency window, the phase detector is turned off and the frequency detector is turned on. After determining that the phase-locked loop is (again) within the narrow frequency window, the phase detector is turned on and the frequency detector is turned off. Further, this phase-locked loop comprises an EXOR (exclusive OR) and analog elements to obtain a first input signal for the phase-frequency comparator. The frequency synthesizer of the invention contains no analog elements and is therefore robust with relation to aging, spread in component values, etc. An embodiment of a frequency synthesizer according to the invention is characterized in that the frequency synthesizer comprises a first divider for dividing the first frequency input signal by a first predetermined value, and a second divider for dividing the second frequency input signal by a second predetermined value. The division values of the dividers can be chosen depending on the input signals and/or on the crystal oscillator used. Another embodiment of a frequency synthesizer according to the invention is characterized in that the frequency window detector comprises a logic circuit having inputs coupled, respectively, to the first and the second inputs of the frequency synthesizer, and an output, a phase-frequency detector for supplying a frequency,.difference signal, said phase-frequency detector having a first input coupled to the output of the logic circuit, a second input and an output, and a programmable divider having an input coupled to the second input of the frequency synthesizer, and an output coupled to the second input of the phase-frequency detector, said phase-frequency detector supplying an output signal depending on a frequency difference between the first and second frequency signals as a control signal to the switching means. In this way, the switching signal for the switching means is obtained very efficiently. A further embodiment of a frequency synthesizer according to the invention is characterized in that the logic circuit comprises a first D-Flip-Flop having inputs coupled, respectively, to the first and second inputs of the frequency synthesizer, and an output, a multiplexer having a first input coupled to the output of the first D-Flip-Flop, a second input, a select input, and an output, a second D-Flip-Flop having a first input coupled to the first input of the frequency synthesizer, a second input, and an output, an OR-gate having a first input coupled to the second input of the frequency synthesizer, a second input coupled to receive a clock signal, and an output coupled to the second input of the second D-Flip-Flop, an EXOR-gate having a first input coupled to the output of the second D-Flip-Flop, a second input coupled to the output of the first D-Flip-Flop, and an output coupled to the select input of the multiplexer, and a third D-Flip-Flop having a first input coupled to the output of the multiplexer, a second input coupled to the second input of the frequency synthesizer, and an output coupled to the second input of the multiplexer and to the phase-frequency detector. To further improve the switching signal, the logic circuit of the frequency window detector comprises three D-Flip-Flops to overcome possible unwanted (extra) switching signals. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention and additional features, which may optionally be used to implement the invention to advantage, will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the examples described below hereinafter and shown in the figures, in which: FIG. 1 shows a block schematic example of a frequency synthesizer according to the invention; FIG. 2 shows a block schematic example of a frequency synthesizer in more-detail according to the invention; FIG. 3 shows a block schematic example of a receiver comprising a frequency synthesizer according to the invention; FIG. 4 shows a block schematic example of a receiver comprising a frequency synthesizer according to the invention; FIG. 5 shows a block schematic example of a receiver comprising a frequency synthesizer according to the invention; and FIG. 6 shows a block schematic example of a frequency window detector according to the invention. Throughout the description, corresponding elements will have corresponding reference numerals. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an example of a frequency synthesizer FS according to the invention, comprising a first input I 1 and a second input I 2 for receiving a first frequency input signal s 1 and a second frequency input signal s 2 , respectively. The inputs I 1 and I 2 are coupled to a phase-frequency comparator 1 for comparing the two frequency input signals. Depending on the frequency difference between the two frequency input signals s 1 and s 2 , the phase-frequency comparator supplies, in operation, a signal sc. The output of the phase-frequency comparator 1 is coupled, via switching means 3 , to charging means 5 . The charging means 5 supplies a charging signal, for example, via a loop filter, to control a voltage-controlled oscillator (not shown). The two inputs I 1 and I 2 are also coupled to a frequency window detector 7 for detecting whether or not the two frequency input signals si and s 2 are within a predetermined window. Depending on the frequency difference between the two frequency input signals, the frequency window detector 7 supplies a control signal nW to the switching means 3 for opening or closing, respectively, the signal path between the phase-frequency comparator 1 and the charging means 5 . When the two frequency input signals are within a predetermined frequency window, the signal path will be opened resulting in no output signal at the output O. FIG. 2 shows an example of a frequency synthesizer FS 2 according to the invention in more detail. At an input I 21 , the frequency synthesizer receives the frequency input signal s 21 , being, in this example, the VCO frequency signal. After dividing this input signal in a divider D 21 by a predetermined factor N, the output signal fa of the divider D 21 is supplied to a phase-frequency comparator 21 . At an input I 22 , the frequency synthesizer receives a frequency input signal s 22 from a crystal oscillator Xtal. After dividing this input signal in a divider D 22 by a predetermined factor M, the output signal fr of the divider D 22 is supplied to the other input of the phase-frequency comparator 21 . The outputs of the dividers D 21 and D 22 , respectively, are also coupled to a frequency window detector 27 . The frequency window detector 27 comprises, in this example, a D-Flip-Flop 271 , a programmable divider 273 and, a phase-frequency detector 275 . The programmable divider 273 receives a signal ws depending on the required window size. The D-Flip-Flop 271 supplies a frequency signal fd which is equal to |fa-fr|. The divider 273 supplies a signal fwb whose frequency defines the size of the frequency window. These two signals are supplied to the phase-frequency detector 275 for supplying an enable-signal nw to the switching means 23 when the frequency of the signal fd is larger than the frequency window. In this example, the switching means 23 is implemented as two AND-stages. The enable signal nw 2 is supplied to one input of each AND-gate, and the other inputs receive, respectively, a signal UP or a signal DN from the phase-frequency comparator 21 , depending on the frequency or phase difference between the signals fa and fr. The outputs of the AND-gates are coupled to respective current sources, as part of the charging means 25 , for supplying a positive or negative current signal lp 2 , respectively, at the output 02 of the frequency synthesizer FS 2 . FIG. 3 shows an example of a receiver R 3 having a frequency synthesizer FS 3 according to the invention. At a receiver input RI 3 , the receiver receives a RF signal Rfin. This signal is supplied to an input amplifier IA 3 , this amplifier also receiving an automatic gain control signal AGC. The output signal of the input amplifier IA 3 is supplied to a mixer M 3 . At its other input, the mixer receives a signal from a voltage-controlled oscillator VCO 3 . The output of the-mixer is supplied, via a bandpass filter, BPF 3 , to a further amplifier A 3 , a frequency demodulator FD 3 and an output amplifier OA 3 , to supply a baseband output signal for further processing. This is well known in the art, and needs no further explanation. The input signal of the output amplifier OA 3 is also supplied, via a low-pass filter LPF 3 , as an automatic frequency control signal AFC 3 to an input of a summing device SUM 3 . The summing device receives, at its other input, via a loop filter LF 3 , the output signal lp 3 from the frequency synthesizer FS 3 . The frequency synthesizer FS 3 has, in this example, the same structure as in FIG. 2; all elements have corresponding reference numerals. This receiver structure, with the combined tuning system, enables the use of cheap crystal oscillators because when the voltage-controlled oscillator is “in-window”, the frequency synthesizer is disabled. Therefore, the accuracy of the VCO frequency is not dependent on the accuracy of the crystal frequency, but on the AFC signal. Another advantage is that the AFC has taken over control of the VCO, saving a substantial amount of power dissipation if the frequency synthesizer is turned off. FIG. 4 shows an example of a digital satellite receiver R 4 . At an input R 14 , the receiver receives the RF signal RFin. This signal is supplied to an input amplifier IA 4 controlled with an automatic gain control signal AGC. The output signal of the input amplifier IA 4 is supplied to a first mixer M 41 and to a second mixer M 42 . The first mixer M 41 receives an I -signal at its other input, and supplies, via an amplifier A 41 and a low-pass filter F 41 , a baseband I-signal bbI. The second mixer M 42 receives, at its second input, a Q-signal and supplies, via an amplifier A 42 and a low-pass filter F 42 , a baseband Q-signal bbQ. This is generally known in the art and needs no further explanation. The baseband I-signal and the baseband Q-signal are also supplied to a frequency detector FD 4 . The output of the frequency detector FD 4 is coupled to a low-pass filter LPF 41 , supplying an analog automatic frequency control signal AFC. This automatic frequency control signal-is supplied, via a low-pass filter LPF 42 , to a low-noise voltage-controlled oscillator VCO 41 . The output of the voltage-controlled oscillator VCO 41 is supplied to the input I 41 of the frequency synthesizer FS 4 . At an input 142 , the frequency synthesizer receives the frequency signal from a crystal oscillator Xtal 4 via a programmable divider PD 41 . The output O 4 of the frequency synthesizer is coupled to the input of the low-pass filter LPF 42 . A voltage-controlled oscillator VCO 42 supplies the I-signal and the Q-signal to the first mixer M 41 and the second mixer M 42 , respectively. The Q-signal is also supplied to a programmable divider PD 42 . The output of the programmable divider PD 42 is supplied to a phase-frequency detector PFD 4 . The other input of the phase-frequency detector PFD 4 receives the output signal of the voltage-controlled oscillator VCO 41 . The output of the phase-frequency detector is supplied, via a low-pass filter LPF 43 , to the input of the voltage-controlled oscillator VCO 42 . In this way, a wide-band loop WBL is created, reducing phase noise of the integrated quadrature oscillator VCO 42 . The use of the AFC function enables frequency drifts of the Low Noise Block (LNB) converter (not shown) to be compensated in a smooth and continuous way avoiding cycle slips. In a standard way, the division ratio of the divider D 41 has to be switched (discontinuous), The frequency synthesizer FS 4 has, in this example, the same structure as in FIG. 2 and needs here no further explanation. FIG. 5 shows an example of a receiver R 5 comprising a demodulator phase-locked loop DPLL 5 and a frequency synthesizer FS 5 for use in a direct conversion analog satellite receiver. This figure shows an example of a direct conversion analog satellite receiver. At an input RI 5 , the receiver receives an RF input signal RFin. The input RI 5 is coupled to an input amplifier IA 5 controlled by an automatic gain control AGC. The output of the input amplifier IA 5 is coupled to a mixer MS for mixing this signal with a signal from a voltage-controlled oscillator VCO 5 . The output of the mixer M 5 is coupled, via an output amplifier OA 5 , also controlled by automatic gain control AGC, to charging means CP 5 . The charging AD means CP 5 is coupled to an input of summing means SUM 5 for supplying a current Icp 5 . At its other input, the summing means SUM 5 receives the output signal from the frequency synthesizer FS 5 . The output of the summing means SUM 5 is coupled, via a loop filter LF 5 , to the input of the voltage-controlled oscillator VCO 5 . The frequency synthesizer FS 5 corresponds with earlier described examples. Because of the switching means of the frequency synthesizer according to the invention, a direct conversion is possible. FIG. 6 shows an example of a frequency window detector 67 , wherein the D-Flip-Flop 571 (see FIG. 5) has been replaced by a logic circuit 671 comprising three D-Flip-Flops DFF 61 , DFF 62 , and DFF 63 , a multiplexer MUX 6 , an OR-gate OR 6 and an EXOR-gate EXOR 6 . The signal fa from the divider D 61 is supplied to a first input of D-Flip-Flop DFF 61 , and the signal from the divider D 62 is supplied to the other input of DFF 61 . In FIG. 5, the output of this D-Flip-Flop ( 571 , in FIG. 5) is supplied to the phase-frequency detector 675 ( 575 in FIG. 5 ). Here, the output signal of D-Flip-Flop DFF 61 is supplied to the multiplexer MUX 6 . The output signal of the multiplexer is supplied to the D-Flip-Flop DFF 63 , which receives, at its other input, the signal fr from the divider D 62 . The output signal of D-Flip-flop DFF 63 is supplied to the phase-frequency detector 675 , and is also coupled back to the other input of the multiplexer MUX 6 . The multiplexer further has a select input which receives a signal from the EXOR-gate EXOR 6 . The clock signal fx from the crystal oscillator Xtal 6 is supplied to an input of the OR-gate OR 6 . At its other input, the OR-gate OR 6 receives the signal fr from the divider D 62 . The output of the OR-gate OR 6 is supplied to the D-Flip-Flop DFF 62 . At the D-input, this D-Flip-Flop receives the signal fa from the divider D 61 . The output signal of the D-Flip-Flop DFF 62 is supplied to the other input of the, EXOR-gate EXOR 6 . By replacing the D-Flip-Flop ( 571 , FIG. 5) by the logic circuit 671 , the detection of ‘out of window’ is further improved. To detect (extra) transitions of the signal fa which lie within a given distance from the sampling moment which could cause ‘wrong’ decisions, these transitions are then disregarded. The safety window is achieved by use of the D-Flip-Flop DFF 62 , that is sampling the signal fa with a higher frequency fx. The OR-gate OR 6 lets D-Flip-Flop DFF 62 be clocked by signal fx when signal fr is low. The rising edge of the signal fr not only clocks the D-Flip-Flop-DFF 61 , sampling fa, but also freezes the state of the D-Flip-Flop-DFF 62 . To assess a ‘dangerous’ transition in the signal fa, the output of the D-Flip-Flops DFF 61 and DFF 62 are combined in the EXOR-gate EXOR 6 . If the states of the two D-Flip-Flops DFF 61 and DFF 62 are not the same, it means that a transition in the signal fa happened in between the sampling moments of the D-Flip-Flops DFF 61 and DFF 62 . This makes the output of the EXOR-gate EXOR 6 a high signal, which, in turn, forces the multiplexer MUXG to redirect the output of the D-Flip-Flop DFF 63 to its input, in this way disregarding the transition in the signal fa. For example, when the output of the EXOR-gate is low, the signal at input b is supplied to the output, and when the output of the EXOR-gate is high, the signal at the input a is supplied to the output. The D-Flip-Flop DFF 63 is then clocked on the falling edge of the signal fr. For proper operation, it is preferred that the signal fx has to have its rising edge before the rising edge of the signal fr. It is to be noted that above the invention has been described on the basis of some examples. The person skilled in the art will be well aware of a lot of variations, which fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, the frequency window detector can be amended, as will be known to the person skilled in the art, using the same idea to create the required window. Further, the frequency synthesizer, according to the invention, can be used, for example, in all kind of receivers, pagers, and mobile phones.

Frequency synthesizers are used for down conversion of RF signals in a lot of applications, such as digital and analog radio and television receivers, car radios, etc. By combining the voltage-controlled oscillator of the phase-locked loop demodulator with the voltage-controlled oscillator of the frequency synthesizer, a major cost reduction can be achieved, but measures have to be taken to prevent that the two PLLs try to lock the same VCO to different frequencies. These measures include providing a switching circuit between the phase frequency comparator and the charging circuit, and controlling the switching circuit by using a frequency window detector.

REFERENCE TO PENDING PRIOR PATENT APPLICATIONS This patent application: (1) is a continuation-in-part of pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/554,379, filed Oct. 25, 2005 by Barry T. Bickley et al. for FIXATION AUGMENTATION DEVICE AND RELATED TECHNIQUES, which: (a) claims benefit of International (PCT) Patent Application No. PCT/US04/14640, filed May 10, 2004 for FIXATION AUGMENTATION DEVICE AND RELATED TECHNIQUES, which itself claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/468,829, filed May 8, 2003 for FIXATION AUGMENTATION DEVICE; and (b) is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 10/246,304, filed Sep. 18, 2002 for FIXATION AUGMENTATION DEVICE AND RELATED TECHNIQUES; (2) is a continuation-in-part of pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/148,845, filed Apr. 23, 2008 by Barry T. Bickley et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING AN OBJECT TO BONE; and (3) claims benefit of prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/932,805, filed Jun. 1, 2007 by Barry T. Bickley et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STABILIZING BONE. The six above-identified patent applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to surgical methods and apparatus in general, and more particularly to surgical methods and apparatus for securing an object to bone and/or for stabilizing bone. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In many situations an object may need to be secured to bone. By way of example but not limitation, where a bone is fractured, it may be desirable to stabilize the bone with a bone plate which extends across the fracture line. By way of further example but not limitation, where two separate bones need to be secured together (e.g., in the case of a spinal fusion), it may be desirable to secure the two bones to one another with a bone plate which extends from one bone to the other. By way of still further example but not limitation, where soft tissue needs to be attached (or re-attached) to bone (e.g., in the case of a ligament repair or reconstruction), it may be desirable to capture the soft tissue to the bone using a fixation plate. In all of the foregoing situations, as well as many others which are well known to those skilled in the art, a plate or other object needs to be secured to bone. Such attachment is most commonly effected by using a surgical screw which passes through a hole in the plate (or other object) and into the bone. When using a surgical screw to secure a plate to bone, the plate is first aligned with the bone. Then a hole is drilled into the bone, by passing a drill through a pre-existing hole in the plate and into the bone. Next, the bone hole may be tapped. Then the surgical screw is passed through the hole in the plate and into the hole in the bone, whereby to secure the plate to the bone. One problem which can arise during the foregoing procedure is that the hole in the bone may become stripped as the screw is inserted into the bone. When this occurs, the screw can no longer obtain adequate purchase in the bone, thereby undermining plate fixation. A screw having inadequate purchase is sometimes referred to as a “spinner”. Spinners can occur for many reasons, including (i) inadequate bone quality, (ii) over-tightening of the screw, (iii) an error when drilling the hole in the bone, (iv) an error when tapping the hole in the bone, etc. As noted above, spinners generally result in inadequate fixation. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to address the foregoing deficiencies of the prior art, by providing a new and improved method and apparatus for securing an object to bone and/or for stabilizing bone. More particularly, the present invention provides a new and improved fixation system for securing an object to bone and/or for stabilizing bone. In one preferred form of the present invention, the new fixation system comprises a plate which is to be secured to bone, and a sleeve and a screw for securing the plate to the bone. The plate comprises an opening which extends through the plate. The plate is placed against the bone and then a drill is used to form a hole in the bone beneath the opening. A sleeve is passed through the opening and into the hole in the bone. The sleeve and plate are formed so that the sleeve (and the recipient bone hole) can be disposed at any one of a variety of angles relative to the plate. A screw is then passed through the sleeve, radially expanding the sleeve so that the sleeve is simultaneously secured to both the bone and the plate. In another preferred form of the present invention, the new fixation system is intended to stabilize bone in general, and vertebral bodies in particular. In a preferred form of the present invention, there is provided a novel anterior cervical plate (ACP) system which comprises a novel ACP which is to be attached to two adjacent cervical bodies, and attachment apparatus for attaching the ACP to the two cervical bodies. Preferably, the attachment apparatus comprise a screw and, in one preferred form of the invention, the attachment apparatus comprise a sleeve and screw combination, where the sleeve acts as an interface between (i) the bone and the screw, and (ii) the ACP and the screw, with the sleeve enhancing fixation. Among other things, the ACP is specifically configured to provide the option of adding future level extensions. In another form of the present invention, there is provided a surgical system for stabilizing a first bone segment to a second bone segment, the system comprising: a plate having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to be secured to the first bone segment and the second end is configured to be secured to the second bone segment, and further wherein the plate has a structural integrity sufficient to stabilize the first bone segment to the second bone segment; the plate comprising a first, generally toroidal body at the first end of the plate, a second generally toroidal body at the second end of the plate, and a bridge connecting the first generally toroidal body to the second generally toroidal body; the first generally toroidal body comprising at least one opening extending therethrough for receiving attachment apparatus therethrough for securing the first generally toroidal body to the first bone segment, and the second generally toroidal body comprising at least one opening extending therethrough for receiving attachment apparatus therethrough for securing the second generally toroidal body to the second bone segment. If desired, the surgical system may further comprise: a supplemental plate for stabilizing a third bone segment to the second bone segment, the supplemental plate having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to be secured to the second generally toroidal body of the plate and the second end is configured to be secured to the third bone segment, and further wherein the supplemental plate has a structural integrity sufficient to stabilize the third bone segment to the second bone segment; the supplemental plate comprising a first, generally toroidal body at the first end of the supplemental plate, a second generally toroidal body at the second end of the supplemental plate, and a bridge connecting the first generally toroidal body to the second generally toroidal body; the first generally toroidal body comprising a cavity extending therethrough for mounting on the second generally toroidal body of the plate so as to secure the supplemental plate to the plate, and the second generally toroidal body comprising at least one opening extending therethrough for receiving attachment apparatus therethrough for securing the second generally toroidal body to the third bone segment. In another form of the present invention, there is provided a method for stabilizing a first bone segment to a second bone segment, the method comprising: providing a surgical system comprising: a plate having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to be secured to the first bone segment and the second end is configured to be secured to the second bone segment, and further wherein the plate has a structural integrity sufficient to stabilize the first bone segment to the second bone segment; the plate comprising a first, generally toroidal body at the first end of the plate, a second generally toroidal body at the second end of the plate, and a bridge connecting the first generally toroidal body to the second generally toroidal body; the first generally toroidal body comprising at least one opening extending therethrough for receiving attachment apparatus therethrough for securing the first generally toroidal body to the first bone segment, and the second generally toroidal body comprising at least one opening extending therethrough for receiving attachment apparatus therethrough for securing the second generally toroidal body to the second bone segment; and securing the first generally toroidal body to the first bone segment and securing the second generally toroidal body to the second bone segment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects and features of the present invention will be more fully disclosed or rendered obvious by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which is to be read in conjunction with the attached drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts, and further wherein: FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing one preferred form of the novel fixation system of the present invention; FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic views showing one preferred form of the plate; FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an alternative form of plate and sleeve; FIGS. 5-10 are schematic views showing one preferred form of the sleeve; FIGS. 11-14 are schematic views showing one preferred form of the screw; FIGS. 15-20 are schematic views showing the plate being secured to a bone using a plurality of sleeve/screw constructions; FIGS. 21-25 are schematic views showing another preferred form of the plate; FIGS. 26-28 are schematic views showing another preferred form of the sleeve; FIG. 29 is a schematic view showing another preferred form of the screw; FIG. 30 is a schematic view showing a rod for use with the sleeve/screw construction of the present invention; FIG. 31 is a schematic view showing another form of rod for use with the sleeve/screw construction of the present invention; FIG. 32 is a schematic view of a plate for capturing a rod against bone; FIG. 33 is a schematic view of a “tulip” mount which may be secured to a bone using the sleeve/screw construction of the present invention; FIGS. 34 and 35 show the sleeve being mated with the tulip mount, and the screw being mated with the sleeve, respectively; FIG. 36 is a schematic view showing a hybrid tulip mount/sleeve construction; FIG. 37 is a schematic view showing a screw being mated with the hybrid tulip mount/sleeve construction shown in FIG. 36 ; FIG. 38 is a schematic top perspective view illustrating (i) a primary anterior cervical plate (ACP) formed in accordance with the present invention, and (ii) a supplemental ACP formed in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 39 is an enlarged schematic top perspective view illustrating the primary ACP shown in FIG. 38 ; FIG. 40 is an enlarged schematic top perspective view illustrating the supplemental ACP shown in FIG. 38 ; FIG. 41 is a schematic bottom perspective view illustrating the primary ACP and the supplemental ACP shown in FIG. 38 ; FIG. 42 is a schematic end perspective view illustrating the primary ACP and the supplemental ACP shown in FIG. 38 ; FIGS. 43-46 are schematic views of the preferred form of attachment apparatus used to secure the primary ACP and the supplemental ACP to bone; FIG. 47 is a schematic side view showing how a supplemental ACP 700 fits over the primary ACP 600 ; FIGS. 48 and 49 are schematic top views showing how a primary ACP 600 and a supplemental ACP 700 may be oriented “off-axis” to one another; FIGS. 50 and 51 are schematic side views showing how attachment apparatus 635 may pivot relative to primary ACP 600 ; FIG. 52 is a schematic side view showing how attachment apparatus 635 may translate longitudinally relative to primary ACP 600 ; FIG. 53 is a schematic top perspective view illustrating a primary ACP 600 with a protective collar attached; and FIG. 54 is a schematic top perspective view illustrating a supplemental ACP 700 with a protective collar attached. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Method and Apparatus for Securing an Object to Bone Looking first at FIG. 1 , there is shown a novel fixation system 5 which generally comprises a plate 10 which is to be secured to bone, a sleeve 15 and a screw 20 for securing plate 10 to the bone. Plate 10 is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3 . Plate 10 generally comprises a distal surface 25 ( FIG. 3 ) for positioning against bone, a proximal surface 30 ( FIG. 2 ), and at least one opening 35 formed in the plate. Opening 35 is preferably in the form of a bore-counterbore configuration, i.e., a bore 40 opens on distal surface 25 , a counterbore 45 opens on proximal surface 30 , and an annular flange 50 is formed at the intersection of bore 40 and counterbore 45 . As will hereinafter be discussed in further detail, bore 40 is sized to receive the shank of sleeve 15 , and counterbore 45 is sized to receive the head of sleeve 15 , with annular flange 50 serving to support the head of sleeve 15 and prevent the head of the sleeve from passing through the plate. Opening 35 is preferably dimensioned, and one or more of the plate surfaces defining opening 35 are preferably appropriately radiused, and counterpart portions of sleeve 15 are preferably appropriately radiused, in order to permit sleeve 15 to extend through plate 10 at a range of different angles as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. See, for example, FIG. 1 , where sleeve 15 is shown extending through plate 10 at an acute angle. A raised rim 55 is preferably formed on proximal surface 30 adjacent to opening 35 . Raised rim 55 helps to present a smooth interface between the elements of the system and the surrounding tissue, particularly when sleeve 15 and screw 20 are placed at an acute angle relative to the plane of plate 10 (i.e., at an angle significantly off the perpendicular, such as is shown in FIG. 1 ). In addition, raised rim 55 also provides an enlarged contact surface for the head of sleeve 15 , particularly when sleeve 15 and screw 20 are placed at an acute angle relative to the plane of plate 10 (i.e., an angle significantly off the perpendicular). See, for example, FIG. 1 . Depending on the intended use of plate 10 , more than one opening 35 may be provided. By way of example but not limitation, where plate 10 is intended to be used as a fracture fixation plate or as a spinal fusion plate, at least one (and preferably two or more) openings 35 are formed in plate 10 on either side of the bone separation line (e.g., the fracture line, the vertebral body abutment lines, etc.), such that plate 10 can be secured to bone on each side of the bone separation line. By way of further example but not limitation, where plate 10 is intended to be used to secure soft tissue to bone, plate 10 might include only one opening 35 . If desired, opening 35 in plate 10 and head 65 of sleeve 15 may be formed with non-circular (e.g., oval) shapes (as seen in top view) so as to provide an anti-rotation contact between the sleeve and the plate. Furthermore, if desired, opening 35 in plate 10 can have a slot-like configuration (as seen in top view), so as to allow a degree of longitudinal freedom when determining where to place sleeve 15 through opening 35 in plate 10 . See FIG. 4 . Sleeve 15 is shown in detail in FIGS. 5-10 . Sleeve 15 generally comprises a shank 60 , a head 65 and an opening 70 extending along the length of sleeve 15 . Shank 60 comprises a screw thread 75 on its outer surface. Screw thread 75 is preferably configured to facilitate the gripping entry of sleeve 15 into bone when the sleeve is turned into bone. Such screw threads may be self-drilling, in which case it may not be necessary to pre-drill a hole in the bone. Furthermore, the threads may be self-tapping, or they may not be self-tapping, in which case it may be necessary to tap a bone hole before inserting the sleeve into that bone hole. Sleeve 15 may be formed with threads having a reverse face so as to aid in backing the sleeve out of the bone, in the event that the same should be desired (e.g., in the case of a revision). A plurality of slits 80 extend through the side wall of shank 60 at the distal end of shank 60 . Slits 80 permit shank 60 to expand radially when screw 20 is disposed in opening 70 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. Head 65 includes a plurality of longitudinally-extending slots 85 . Slots 85 permit sleeve 15 to be held against rotation as screw 20 is turned into the sleeve, as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. Slots 85 also permit head 65 to expand when screw 20 is turned into the sleeve, whereby to facilitate head 65 gripping adjacent portions of plate 10 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. Additionally, the head of sleeve 15 can be formed with a beveled edge so that it stands less proud when the sleeve is inserted into plate 10 at an angle which is relatively far off the perpendicular. Opening 70 comprises a bore-counterbore-counterbore configuration. More particularly, and looking now at FIG. 10 , a bore 90 , terminating in a tapered portion 92 , communicates with distal slits 80 . A counterbore 95 communicates with bore 90 . An annular flange 100 is formed at the intersection of bore 90 and counterbore 95 . Another counterbore 102 communicates with counterbore 95 and opens on the proximal end of sleeve 15 . An annular shoulder 103 is formed at the intersection of counterbore 95 and counterbore 102 . As will hereinafter be discussed, counterbore 95 is sized to receive the shank of screw 20 , and counterbore 102 is sized to receive the head of screw 20 , with annular shoulder 103 serving to support the head of screw 20 . However, sleeve 15 and screw 20 are sized so that when screw 20 is received in opening 70 of sleeve 15 , engagement of the shank of screw 20 with tapered portion 92 of sleeve 15 will radially expand the distal end of sleeve 15 so as to grip the bone. Furthermore, sleeve 15 and screw 20 are also sized so that when the head of screw 20 is seated in counterbore 102 , screw 20 will radially expand head 65 of sleeve 15 so as to grip plate 10 . It should be appreciated that (i) the size and shape of the head of screw 20 , (ii) the size and shape of counterbore 102 , and (iii) the size and shape of slots 85 in the head of sleeve 15 , can all be combined so as to “tune” the degree of expansion of head 65 of sleeve 15 , whereby to regulate the force with which the sleeve is secured to plate 10 . In addition to the foregoing, and as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail, sleeve 15 is preferably sized so that, when sleeve 15 is deployed in a plate 10 and into a bone, the distal end of shank 60 will extend beyond the cortical bone/cancellous bone interface, so as to provide enhanced stabilization. Thus, advancing screw 20 into sleeve 15 radially expands both the distal and proximal ends of sleeve 20 , such that the sleeve is simultaneously secured to both the bone and the plate, as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. Bore 95 is preferably threaded so as to securely receive the shank of screw 20 . A radially-extending detent 105 is preferably formed in the side wall of counterbore 102 , in order to receive a counterpart locking finger (see below) of screw 20 , whereby to releasably lock screw 20 to sleeve 15 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. Screw 20 is shown in detail in FIGS. 11-14 . Screw 20 generally comprises a shank 110 , a head 115 and an opening 120 extending longitudinally into screw 20 . Shank 110 comprises a thread 125 on its outer surface. As noted above, head 115 includes a radially-extending locking finger 130 for seating in the radially-extending detent 105 formed in sleeve 15 , whereby to releasably lock screw 20 to sleeve 15 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. Opening 120 has a non-circular cross-section (e.g., hexagonal), in order that screw 20 can be rotatably driven by an appropriate driver. Preferably screw 20 is sized so that when it is seated within sleeve 15 , the distal end of the screw projects out of the distal end of the sleeve (see FIG. 1 ). Sleeve 15 and screw 20 can be used to secure a plate to bone. By way of example but not limitation, sleeve 15 and screw 20 can be used to secure plate 10 to a fractured bone so as to stabilize that bone. In this circumstance, plate 10 extends across the fracture line, with each end of the plate being secured to the bone using a sleeve/screw construction. Significantly, each sleeve/screw construction can be oriented at a different angle relative to plate 10 , so as to better distribute load and/or apply a compressive force. More particularly, and looking now at FIG. 15 , there is shown a bone B having a fracture F. In order to stabilize fracture F, a plate may be secured to the bone on either side of fracture F. To this end, and looking now at FIG. 16 , plate 10 is positioned against bone B, and then a bone hole H is drilled into the bone beneath each of the openings 35 which are to receive a sleeve/screw construction. This is done by passing a drill through opening 35 in plate 10 and into the bone. Due to the construction of plate 10 and sleeve 15 , bone hole H can be set at any one of a number of different orientations relative to plate 10 , e.g., bone hole H can extend at an acute angle relative to the plane of plate 10 (see, for example, FIG. 16 ) or bone hole H can extend at a right angle to the plane of plate 10 (not shown). This construction allows the surgeon to select the most desirable orientation for the bone hole, taking into account factors such as bone quality, force distribution, angle of approach, etc. Once bone holes H have been drilled in bone B, sleeves 15 are advanced through plate openings 35 and into bone holes H ( FIGS. 17 and 18 ). This is done by turning sleeve 15 with an appropriate rotational driver. Sleeve 15 is advanced until shank 60 is disposed in bone B and head 65 is seated in plate counterbore 45 . At this point, sleeve 15 will serve to provide some degree of attachment of plate 10 to bone B, by virtue of the engagement of screw threads 75 with bone B and head 65 with counterbore 45 . As noted above, sleeve 15 is preferably sized so that, when sleeve 15 is deployed in a plate 10 and into bone B ( FIG. 17 ), the distal end of shank 60 extends beyond the cortical bone/cancellous bone interface I, so as to provide enhanced stabilization, as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. Next, screw 20 is advanced down opening 70 in sleeve 15 ( FIGS. 19 and 20 ). As this occurs, sleeve 15 can be held against rotation using sleeve slots 85 . The advancing screw 20 causes sleeve 15 to be radially expanded, so that the sleeve is simultaneously secured to both bone B and to plate 10 . More particularly, the distal end of shank 60 of sleeve 15 is expanded so that the sleeve engages the cancellous portion of bone B, the proximal end of shank 60 of sleeve 15 engages the cortical portion of bone B, and head 65 of sleeve 15 engages plate 10 . Significantly, sleeve 15 is sized so that the distal end of the sleeve mushrooms open beyond the cancellous bone/cortical bone interface I, making a tight securement between plate 10 and bone B. Screw 20 is advanced until locking finger 130 seats in sleeve detent 105 , thereby releasably locking the screw in position relative to the sleeve. Engagement of locking finger 130 in sleeve detent 105 also serves as an indicator, with tactile feedback, that the screw has been advanced to the proper extent (and not overtightened) relative to the sleeve. Significantly, inasmuch as sleeve 15 opens laterally and presents a substantially larger profile than screw 20 alone, the disposition of the combination of sleeve and screw in the plate and the bone provides much better contact with the plate and the bone, thereby enhancing securement and shear resistance. This is particularly true since the distal end of sleeve 15 opens just beyond the cortical bone/cancellous bone interface I, so that plate 10 is secured to bone B under tension. In addition, since screw 20 is being advanced into sleeve 15 and not directly into the bone, there is little likelihood that the screw will lose its purchase and become a spinner. Furthermore, in the unlikely event that the screw should become a spinner, the situation can be easily rectified by removing screw 20 from sleeve 15 and removing sleeve 15 from the bone and plate 10 . This leaves the host bone in condition for the procedure to be repeated with a new sleeve and/or a new screw, reusing the same bone hole. Additional Constructions It is possible to modify the constructions described above without departing from the scope of the present invention. By way of example but not limitation, plate 10 might be formed with a non-rectangular and/or curved configuration, so as to seat more securely against a curved bone surface. See, for example, FIGS. 21-25 , which show one such construction for plate 10 . By way of further example but not limitation, sleeve 15 might be formed with ribs (or other lateral projections) 75 instead of a screw thread 75 . See, for example, FIGS. 26-28 , which show a sleeve 15 formed with ribs 75 . In this case, sleeve 15 might be set with a mallet driver, etc., rather than with a rotational driver. Where sleeve 15 is formed with ribs 75 , ribs 75 may be given a profile to facilitate insertion and impede withdrawal from the bone, e.g., sloped leading edges 135 and sharp rims 140 . Also by way of example but not limitation, screw 20 may be sized to terminate within sleeve 15 rather than extend out the end of sleeve 15 . Furthermore, screw thread 125 of screw 20 might be replaced by ribs (or other lateral projections) 125 for engaging the interior side wall of sleeve 15 . See, for example, FIG. 29 , which shows such a ribbed construction. In this case, or in other cases, the interior side wall of sleeve 15 might not be threaded. Additionally, screw 20 can be cannulated, so as to facilitate delivery over a guidewire. Furthermore, sleeve 15 might be formed without a counterbore, and screw 20 might be formed without an enlarged head, in which case the screw would essentially constitute a threaded pin to be seated within a sleeve bore. Additionally, the positions of detent 105 and finger 130 may be reversed, i.e., finger 130 may be formed on sleeve 15 and detent 105 may be formed on screw 20 . Additionally, more than one detent and/or finger may be provided, e.g., the apparatus may comprise one finger and multiple detents. Also, screw 20 and sleeve 15 may be pre-assembled (either at the time of manufacture or in the operating room) so as to constitute a single unit. It should also be appreciated that the present invention may be used to secure a rod (or the like) to bone. By way of example but not limitation, the rod could be a spinal rod (or other surgical rod) used to stabilize a plurality of vertebral bodies relative to one another. In this case, a portion of the rod might be modified so as to be analogous to plate 10 (e.g., so as to provide one or more openings 35 through the rod for receiving a sleeve 15 and screw 20 ). See FIG. 30 , where a rod 141 is provided with one or more openings 35 therethrough. Where the rod has a relatively narrow diameter, and looking now at FIG. 31 , a portion of rod 141 might be flattened and/or laterally expanded so as to provide an enlarged surface area 142 for receiving openings 35 to receive sleeve 15 . However, where the rod has a relatively large diameter, openings 35 may be formed in the rod without requiring any flattening and/or lateral expansion of the rod. Alternatively, an adapter might be provided to secure the rod to bone. In this case, and looking now at FIG. 32 , plate 10 could function as a rod mount, preferably with a groove 143 on the underside of the plate to capture the rod to the bone. In this case, it may be necessary to position openings 35 in plate 10 so that a sleeve 15 passing through openings 35 will pass alongside a rod captured in the groove. See FIG. 32 . Additionally, the novel sleeve/screw construction can be used to secure a tulip-shaped mount to the bone, with the tulip-shaped mount being used to secure a rod to the bone. More particularly, and looking now at FIG. 33 , a tulip-shaped mount 144 is shown, wherein the tulip-shaped mount has an opening 35 for securing the tulip-shaped mount to bone and a slot 145 for receiving a rod. In use, tulip-shaped mount 144 is positioned alongside bone. A hole is drilled in the bone via opening 35 formed in tulip-shaped mount 144 . Sleeve 15 is advanced through opening 35 ( FIG. 34 ) and into the hole formed in the bone. Next, screw 20 is advanced through sleeve 15 , causing sleeve 15 to be radially expanded, so that the sleeve is simultaneously secured to both the bone and to tulip-shaped mount 144 (see FIG. 35 ). With tulip-shaped mount 144 secured to the bone, a rod may be positioned in the slot 145 of tulip-shaped mount 144 , whereby to stabilize the bone(s). If desired, tulip-shaped mount 144 may be provided with a threaded cap (not shown) which can be positioned superior to the rod using threads 150 , so as to securely hold the rod in place within slot 145 of tulip-shaped mount 144 . Looking next at FIGS. 36 and 37 , it should also be appreciated that sleeve 15 can be formed integral with tulip-shaped mount 144 . Method and Apparatus for Stabilizing Bone In many situations it may be necessary, or desirable, to stabilize bone. By way of example but not limitation, where a bone is fractured, it may be desirable to stabilize the bone with a bone plate which extends across the fracture line. By way of further example but not limitation, where two separate bones need to be secured together (e.g., in the case of a spinal fusion), it may be desirable to secure the bones to one another with a bone plate which extends from one bone to the other. In some cases, bridging or spacer material (e.g., allograft, autograft, biologic, etc.) may be placed as a graft between the two bones to stabilize and/or to enhance the fusion process of the two bones being secured together. Furthermore, in some situations (e.g., multi-level spinal surgery), it may be desirable to secure together more than two bones (e.g., in 3-level spinal surgery, it may be desirable to secure together three separate vertebral bodies). Again, bridging or spacer material may be placed as a graft between the individual bones. In all of the foregoing situations, as well as in many other situation's which are well known to those skilled in the art, a plate or plates generally need to be secured to bone. Such securement is most commonly effected by using a surgical screw which passes through a hole in the plate and into the bone. When using a surgical screw to secure a plate to bone, the plate is first aligned with the bone. Then a hole is drilled into the bone, by passing a drill through the pre-existing hole in the plate and into the bone. Next, the hole may be tapped. Then the surgical screw is screwed through the plate and into the hole in the bone. Many different bone plates have been developed. In general, the configuration of these bone plates depends on their use, e.g., a fracture fixation plate may have one configuration, a spinal fusion plate may have another configuration, etc. Typically, the plate configuration seeks to balance anatomical configurations, anatomical loads, etc. Over the past decade or so, anterior cervical fusion (ACF) has gained wide spread acceptance in the spinal community. In general, this procedure involves fusing together two (1-level) or more (multi-level) vertebral bodies. Anterior cervical plates (ACPs) are commonly used to hold the vertebral bodies in position while bone fusion occurs. Current ACPs all suffer from one or more disadvantages, including configurations which do not adequately accommodate anatomical limitations, designs which do not adequately stabilize anatomical loads, etc. Furthermore, current ACPs are not designed to accommodate subsequent surgeries where additional levels of fixation must be added. By way of example, current ACPs are not designed to facilitate converting a 1-level fixation to a 2-level fixation. The present invention is intended to provide a new and improved ACP which improves upon the limitations of the prior art, including providing (i) improved anatomical accommodation, (ii) improved load stabilization, (iii) optional future level extensions, etc. The present invention is intended to address the foregoing deficiencies of the prior art by providing a new and improved method and apparatus for stabilizing bone in general, and vertebral bodies in particular. Among other things, the present invention provides a new and improved ACP system for stabilizing two or more cervical bodies. In one preferred form of the present invention, the new ACP system comprises a plate which is to be attached to two adjacent cervical bodies, and attachment apparatus for attaching the ACP to the two cervical bodies. Preferably, the attachment apparatus comprise a screw and, in one preferred form of the invention, the attachment apparatus comprise a sleeve and screw combination, where the sleeve acts as an interface between (i) the bone and the screw, and (ii) the ACP and the screw, with the sleeve enhancing fixation. Among other things, the ACP is specifically configured to provide the option of adding future level extensions. Looking now at FIGS. 38-46 , there is shown a new and improved ACP system 500 for stabilizing two or more cervical bodies relative to one another. ACP system 500 generally comprises a primary ACP 600 for effecting a 1-level stabilization, and may further comprise one or more supplemental ACPs 700 for effecting subsequent 1-level stabilizations. Thus, for example, where a 1-level stabilization is to be initially established, and a further 1-level stabilization is to be thereafter established, ACP system 500 may comprise a primary ACP 600 and a secondary ACP 700 , whereby to collectively establish the desired 2-level stabilization. Looking now at FIG. 39 , primary ACP 600 generally comprises a first, generally toroidal body 605 , a second generally toroidal body 610 , and a bridge 615 connecting first generally toroidal body 605 to second generally toroidal body 610 . First toroidal body 605 and second toroidal body 610 each include (i) at least one opening 620 for receiving a pin 625 for initially tacking primary ACP 600 to the cervical bodies, and (ii) at least one opening 630 for receiving attachment apparatus 635 for thereafter securing primary ACP 600 to the cervical bodies. Attachment apparatus 635 may comprise a spinal screw. More preferably, however, attachment apparatus 635 comprise a sleeve and screw combination of the sort discussed above (i.e., sleeve 15 and screw 20 ) and/or as disclosed in one or more of: (i) pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/246,304, filed Sep. 18, 2002 by Barry T. Bickley for FIXATION AUGMENTATION DEVICE AND RELATED TECHNIQUES; (ii) pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/554,379, filed Oct. 25, 2005 by Barry T. Bickley et al. for FIXATION AUGMENTATION DEVICE AND RELATED TECHNIQUES; and/or (iii) pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/148,845, filed Apr. 23, 2008 by Barry T. Bickley et al. for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING AN OBJECT TO BONE. These three patent applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Preferably, primary ACP 600 includes recesses 640 ( FIG. 53 ) formed in the sidewalls 645 which define openings 630 . Recesses 640 help to releasably secure attachment apparatus 635 within openings 630 , i.e., by receiving fingers 650 ( FIG. 40 ) formed on the proximal end of attachment apparatus 635 . In order to facilitate the use of primary ACP 600 in conjunction with a supplemental ACP 700 : (i) the outer sidewall 651 forming the periphery of second toroidal body 610 is preferably formed with a taper ( FIG. 47 ) in order to mate with a corresponding opening in supplemental ACP 700 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail below; (ii) primary ACP 600 preferably includes a plurality of teeth 655 extending along outer sidewall 651 of second toroidal body 610 , in order to selectively lock primary ACP 600 to a supplemental ACP, as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail below; (iii) primary ACP 600 is preferably cut back on its lateral edges, adjacent to where second toroidal body 610 meets bridge 615 , i.e., at 660 ( FIG. 41 ), in order to allow primary ACP 600 and a supplemental ACP 700 to assume a wide range of different positions, as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail below; (iv) primary ACP 600 is preferably cut back on its proximal face, adjacent to where second toroidal body 610 meets bridge 615 , i.e., at 665 , in order to mate with a corresponding portion of a supplemental ACP 700 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail below; and (v) primary ACP 600 includes an opening 670 formed in its proximal face, to facilitate locking primary ACP 600 and a supplemental ACP 700 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. Looking now at FIG. 40 , supplemental ACP 700 generally comprises a first, generally toroidal body 705 , a second generally toroidal body 710 , and a bridge 715 connecting first generally toroidal body 705 to second generally toroidal body 710 . Second toroidal body 710 includes (i) at least one opening 720 for receiving a pin (not shown) for initially tacking supplemental ACP 700 to a cervical body, and (ii) at least one opening 730 for receiving attachment apparatus 635 for thereafter securing supplemental ACP 700 to a cervical body. Again, attachment apparatus 635 may comprise a spinal screw. More preferably, however, attachment apparatus 635 comprise a sleeve and screw combination of the sort discussed above (i.e., sleeve 15 and screw 20 ) and/or as disclosed in one or more of: (i) pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/246,304; (ii) pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/554,379; and/or (iii) pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/148,845. Preferably, supplemental ACP 700 includes recesses 740 formed in the sidewalls 745 which define opening 730 . Recesses 740 help to releasably secure attachment apparatus 635 within openings 730 , i.e., by receiving fingers 650 formed on the proximal end of attachment apparatus 635 . In order to facilitate use of supplemental ACP 700 with primary ACP 600 : (i) supplemental ACP 700 preferably includes a large opening 775 formed in its first toroidal body 705 , and the sidewall 776 defining opening 775 is preferably formed with a taper ( FIG. 47 ), in order to mate with the correspondingly-tapered second toroidal body 610 of primary ACP 600 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail below; (ii) supplemental ACP 700 preferably includes a plurality of teeth 765 lining at least a portion of opening 775 , in order to selectively lock primary ACP 600 to a supplemental ACP, as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail below; (iii) supplemental ACP 700 preferably has its first toroidal body 705 cut back adjacent to its free end, i.e., at 760 , in order to allow primary ACP 600 and a supplemental ACP 700 to assume a wide range of different positions, as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail below; and (iv) supplemental ACP 700 preferably includes strap 780 on its first toroidal body 705 , with strap 780 including a slot 785 , to facilitate locking primary ACP 600 and a supplemental ACP 700 , as will hereinafter be discussed in further detail. In use, primary ACP 600 is initially used to establish 1-level cervical stabilization. This is done by first positioning the two cervical bodies in the desired position, with or without bridging or spacer material (e.g., allograft, autograft, biologic, etc.) being placed as a graft between the two bones to stabilize and/or to enhance the fusion process of the two bones being secured together. Then primary ACP 600 is positioned against the two cervical bodies, with first toroidal body 605 of primary ACP 600 being positioned against one cervical body, and second toroidal body 610 of primary ACP 600 being positioned against a second cervical body. Primary ACP 600 is then pinned to the two bodies, i.e., using pins 625 extending through openings 620 . Alternatively, primary ACP 600 may be pinned to one of the two bodies, the positioning of the two bodies may then be adjusted, and then the primary ACP pinned to the other of the two bodies. Thereafter, primary ACP 600 is secured to the two cervical bodies by passing attachment apparatus 635 through openings 630 . By forming the head of attachment apparatus 635 with a hemispherical profile, and by forming the sidewalls of openings 630 with a corresponding arced profile, attachment apparatus 635 can be set at a range of angles “off the perpendicular” in order to accommodate various surgical considerations, e.g., patient anatomy, load distribution, etc. Furthermore, by forming the head of attachment apparatus 635 with a reduced profile (see FIGS. 38 and 43 ), attachment apparatus 635 will present a lower profile to the surrounding tissue if and when attachment apparatus 635 are set “off the perpendicular”. In addition to the foregoing, by using attachment apparatus 635 in the form of a sleeve and screw combination of the sort discussed above (i.e., sleeve 15 and screw 20 ) and/or as disclosed in one or more of (i) pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/246,304; (ii) pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/554,379; and/or (iii) pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/148,845, a significant advantage is obtained. More particularly, by using attachment apparatus 635 of this type, the sleeve is effectively interposed between the screw and the ACP. Thus, it is the sleeve which is loaded by the ACP and therefore there is no transfer of motion forces directly onto the screw. As a result, there is a reduced tendency for the screw to back out over time. If and when the 1-level stabilization of primary ACP 600 needs to be extended to a 2-level stabilization, a supplemental ACP 700 is used. More particularly, and looking still at the figures, first toroidal body 705 of supplemental ACP 700 is fit over second toroidal body 610 of primary ACP 600 , with second toroidal body 610 of primary ACP 600 being received in large opening 775 ( FIG. 41 ) of first toroidal body 705 of supplemental ACP 700 . Seating of second toroidal body 610 of primary ACP 600 in large opening 775 of supplemental ACP 700 is facilitated by complementary tapered surfaces 651 , 776 ( FIG. 47 ). Furthermore, by forming primary ACP 600 with surfaces 651 which taper inwardly as they move away from the bone, and by forming supplemental ACP 700 with surfaces 776 which taper outwardly as they move toward the bone, fitting supplemental ACP 700 over primary ACP 600 will help clear away any tissue which may have grown over the primary ACP while it has been implanted (e.g., in a revision situation). As second toroidal body 610 of primary ACP 600 is received in large opening 775 ( FIG. 41 ) of first toroidal body 705 of supplemental ACP 700 , teeth 655 of primary ACP 600 engage with teeth 765 of supplemental ACP 700 so as to fix the two bodies relative to one another, with strap 780 of supplemental ACP 700 overlying bridge 615 of primary ACP 600 . Then a screw (not shown) is passed through slot 785 in bridge 780 ( FIG. 38 ) and into opening 670 in bridge 615 ( FIG. 39 ), whereby to lock primary ACP 600 and supplemental ACP 700 into position relative to one another. Thereafter, supplemental ACP 700 is secured to the third cervical body by passing attachment apparatus 635 through opening 730 . By forming the head of attachment apparatus 635 with a hemispherical profile, and by forming the sidewalls of openings 730 with a corresponding arced profile, attachment apparatus 635 can be set at a range of angles “off the perpendicular” in order to accommodate various surgical considerations, e.g., patient anatomy, load distribution, etc. Furthermore, by forming the head of attachment apparatus 635 with a reduced profile (see FIGS. 38 and 43 ), attachment apparatus 635 will present a lower profile to the surrounding tissue if and when attachment apparatus 635 are set “off the perpendicular”. In addition to the foregoing; by using attachment apparatus 635 in the form of a sleeve and screw combination of the sort discussed above (i.e., sleeve 15 and screw 20 ) and/or as disclosed in one or more of: (i) pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/246,304; (ii) pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/554,379; and/or (iii) pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/148,845, a significant advantage is obtained. More particularly, by using attachment apparatus 635 of this type, the sleeve is effectively interposed between the screw and the ACP. Thus, it is the sleeve which is loaded by the ACP and therefore there is no transfer of motion forces directly onto the screw. As a result, there is a reduced tendency for the screw to back out over time. Due to the construction of primary ACP 600 and supplemental ACP 700 , the primary ACP and the supplemental ACP can be aligned in a variety of orientations, i.e., on-axis ( FIG. 38 ) or off-axis ( FIGS. 48 and 49 ) before being secured. In essence, supplemental ACP 700 can be “dialed around” primary ACP 600 , according to the particular anatomical situation encountered by the surgeon. This can be particularly helpful in revision cases, since the surgeon does not need to remove a mis-aligned primary ACP 600 in order to get proper alignment of a supplemental ACP 700 . If further levels of stabilization are required, additional supplemental ACPs 700 can be added in a serial fashion. To this end, second toroidal body 710 of supplemental ACP 700 includes teeth 790 for mating with teeth 765 of an immediately-proceeding supplemental ACP 700 . Again, each incremental supplemental ACP 700 may be set on-axis or off-axis from its immediately-preceding ACP, as dictated by the existing position of the immediately-preceding ACP and by the patient anatomy being encountered. Among other things, it should be appreciated that when attachment apparatus 635 include receiving fingers 650 ( FIG. 40 ), and when primary ACP 600 and supplemental ACP 700 include recesses 640 , 740 , attachment apparatus 635 are able to pivot relative to primary ACP 600 and supplemental ACP 700 . This construction permits primary ACP 600 and/or supplemental ACP 700 to pivot relative to attachment apparatus 635 (and hence pivot relative to the cervical bodies receiving the distal ends of attachment apparatus 635 ), without permitting longitudinal and/or lateral translation of primary ACP 600 and/or supplemental ACP 700 relative to attachment apparatus 635 (and hence the cervical bodies receiving the distal ends of attachment apparatus 635 ). See FIGS. 50 and 51 . Alternative Constructions If desired, primary ACP 600 may have more than one opening 630 per level, and/or supplemental ACP 700 may have more than one opening 730 per level. Furthermore, primary ACP 600 may extend for more than two levels, and/or supplemental ACP 700 may extend for more than two levels. Furthermore, openings 630 and/or openings 730 may have a round or oval shape. The oval shape is generally preferred, since it provides an anti-rotation feature when attachment apparatus 635 comprise a sleeve and screw combination. Furthermore, the oval shape provides some opportunity for the attachment apparatus 635 to slide within the opening. In addition to the foregoing, recesses 640 and 740 can comprise a hemisphere or an elongated slot. Where recesses 640 and 740 comprise an elongated slot, the slot can itself provide several seats to accommodate a range of engagements. By way of example but not limitation, the slot can comprise a plurality of detents spaced along the length of the slot for selectively seating fingers 650 , whereby to permit adjustable engagement of attachment apparatus 635 to primary ACP 600 and supplemental ACP 700 . By forming openings 630 , 730 with an oval shape, and by forming recesses 640 , 740 in a slot configuration with several seats, dynamic fixation can be effected. More particularly, the foregoing construction permits primary ACP 600 and/or supplemental ACP 700 to translate longitudinally relative to attachment apparatus 635 (and hence translate longitudinally relative to the cervical bodies receiving the distal ends of attachment apparatus 635 ), without permitting lateral translation of primary ACP 600 and/or supplemental ACP 700 relative to attachment apparatus 635 (and hence the cervical bodies receiving the distal ends of attachment apparatus 635 ). See FIG. 52 . It should also be appreciated that teeth 655 of primary ACP 600 , teeth 765 of supplemental ACP 700 , and teeth 790 of supplemental ACP 700 may all be replaced with facet structures. These facet structures may be configured so as to provide fast and simple alignment and assembly of adjoining ACPs. Protective Collars Primary ACP 600 and/or supplemental ACP 700 may be provided with a protective collar so as to minimize tissue ingrowth about second generally toroidal body 610 and/or second generally toroidal body 710 , respectively. See, for example, FIG. 53 , which shows a protective collar 800 set about second generally toroidal body 610 , and FIG. 54 , which shows a protective collar 805 set about second generally toroidal body 710 . Protective collars 800 and/or 805 are preferably pre-applied to primary ACP 600 and/or supplemental ACP 700 , respectively, prior to deployment of the ACP into the body, although the protective collars may also be applied after an ACP has been deployed in the body. If primary ACP 600 and/or supplemental ACP 700 is equipped with a protective collar, and if an additional level of fixation is to be added (i.e., if a supplemental ACP 700 is to be added to the ACP structure(s) already in place), that protective collar is removed before the supplemental ACP is deployed, so that the supplemental ACP can be fixed to the ACP structure(s) already in place. Materials The various components can be formed out of any material or materials consistent with the present invention. Thus, for example, some or all of the components may be formed out of implantable metals (e.g., surgical grade stainless steel, titanium, Nitinol, etc.), implantable plastics, implantable absorbables, etc. Modifications It will be understood that many changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles and scope of the present invention.

A surgical system for stabilizing a first bone segment to a second bone segment, the system comprising a plate having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to be secured to the first bone segment and the second end is configured to be secured to the second bone segment, and further wherein the plate has a structural integrity sufficient to stabilize the first bone segment to the second bone segment. Further embodiments comprise a supplemental plate for stabilizing a third bone segment to the second bone segment.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/502,341, filed Sep. 12, 2003, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to injection molding machines, and in particular to valve gate systems for injection molding machines, and injection molding machines having molds using valve-gate systems for controlling the injection of molten plastic into the mold chamber. [0003] Valve-gate systems have the advantage of creating a clean, flush gate mark, when minimal vestige height is required on the molded part. Apart from a cosmetic viewpoint, larger orifices allowed by valve gates prevent drooling, reduce shear heat and molded-in stress, provide easier filing and reduce injection pressure. Valve-gates are typically part of a larger unit (commonly referred to as “valve-gate unit”) that is mounted behind the gate area, in firm contact with the hot runner's manifold. More issues regarding existing valve-gate unit designs are raised below. [0004] While existing valve gate systems create quality gates on molded parts, they also suffer from certain shortcomings, as described below. The valve pin or stem of a valve gate unit is actuated typically by pneumatic or hydraulic systems, included in the body of the valve-gate unit, which contributes to increase valve pin length. Pneumatic or hydraulic actuating systems included in heated valve-gate units are continuously subjected to high temperatures, and therefore likely to suffer from problems associated with thermal expansion. Pneumatic or hydraulic actuating systems mounted behind the manifold require cooling. If no cooling is available, they generally will require regular maintenance checks (e.g., to inspect and/or change o-rings, etc.), which adds to the overall cost of the operation of the machine. Presence of pneumatic or hydraulic systems in valve-gate units may limit the use of back-to-back gating for stack molds. In such cases, when using a single manifold, staggered placement of gates may be required, resulting in increased projected area. It is noted that back-to-back mounting can be achieved if using multiple manifolds, but, in such cases, equalizing flow in all runners (e.g., to avoid preferential flow) becomes an issue. Many of the existing valve-gate systems have no form of adjustment of the valve pin length. An adjustment of some sort is typically necessary to bring the valve pin flush with surrounding molding surface. Existing systems that have this adjustment still require a fair amount of work, even with the mold in the injection press, resulting in increased downtime. [0010] There is therefore a need for an improved valve-gate unit that does not suffer from these issues. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] The present invention provides a valve gate system and an injection molding machine having such a valve gate system, where the activating unit of the valve gate system is located in an unheated area of the injection molding machine and where an element of the activating unit extends through the injection molding machine to engage and activate the valve gate of the valve gate unit. [0012] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a valve gate system for an injection molding machine, having a valve gate unit configured to be in contact with a manifold of an injection molding machine for delivering a molten plastic flow from a hot runner system to an injection chamber. The valve gate unit has a valve pin for controlling the flow of the molten plastic from a hot runner system to an injection chamber and an activating unit coupled with the valve gate unit. The activating unit is configured to be mounted external to a mold unit that houses the injection chamber. In addition, the activating unit has an element that extends through the mold unit to engage the valve pin, so as to control the molten plastic flow from a runner system to an injection chamber. [0013] For a further understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings described below are merely exemplary drawings of various embodiments of the present invention which should not limit the scope of the disclosure and claims herein. One of ordinary skill would recognize many variations, alternatives, and modifications. These variations, alternatives, and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention, which is described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] FIG. 1 is an exemplary schematic diagram of one embodiment of a valve gate unit in accordance with the present invention shown as a part of a single-face multi-cavity mold. [0015] FIG. 2 is an exemplary schematic diagram showing an enlarged detail view of the valve-gate unit of FIG. 1 . [0016] FIG. 3 is an exemplary schematic diagram of one embodiment of a valve gate unit and the activating unit in accordance with the present invention shown as a part of a single-face multi-cavity mold. [0017] FIG. 4 is an exemplary schematic diagram showing an enlarged detail view of the activating unit of FIG. 3 . [0018] FIG. 5 is an exemplary schematic diagram showing another enlarged detail view of the activating unit of FIG. 3 . [0019] FIGS. 6A and 6B are exemplary schematic diagrams showing additional detail views of the activating unit of FIG. 3 . [0020] FIG. 7A is an exemplary schematic diagram of a curved activating slot of the valve gate unit of FIG. 1 . [0021] FIG. 7B is an alternate exemplary schematic diagram of an activating slot of the valve gate unit of FIG. 1 . [0022] FIGS. 8-9 are exemplary schematic diagrams showing engagement positions on the slot of FIG. 7A . [0023] FIGS. 10 A-B are exemplary schematic diagrams showing engagement positions of the activating rod on the slot of FIG. 7A . [0024] FIGS. 11-13 are exemplary schematic diagrams of alternate embodiments of a valve gate unit in accordance with the present invention shown as a part of a single-face multi-cavity mold. [0025] FIG. 14 is an exemplary side view schematic diagram of an alternate embodiment of a valve gate unit and the activating unit having a multi-piece activation bar in accordance with the present invention shown as a part of a single-face multi-cavity mold. [0026] FIG. 15 is an exemplary schematic diagram showing engagement positions of the activating rod of FIG. 14 . FIG. 15 shows the mold of FIG. 14 opened, for example, for the removal of valve gate unit(s). [0027] FIGS. 16-19 are exemplary detailed view schematic diagrams of the multi-piece activation bar of FIG. 14 ; with activating inserts and connecting bars shown separated in a top view ( FIG. 16 ); front view ( FIG. 17 ) and assembled shown in top view ( FIG. 18 ) and front view ( FIG. 19 ). [0028] FIG. 20 is an exemplary detailed schematic diagram of a connection of the pieces of the multi-piece activation bar of FIG. 14 . [0029] FIG. 21 is an exemplary cross sectional diagram through a stack mold using back-to-back gating. [0030] FIG. 22A is an exemplary plan view diagram of a multi-cavity mold (seen from the parting line), shown with two activating units. [0031] FIG. 22B is an alternate exemplary plan view diagram of a multi-cavity mold (seen from the parting line), shown with two activating units and using a multi-piece activating bar. [0032] FIG. 22C is an alternate plan view diagram of FIG. 22B , seen from an opposite end. [0033] FIG. 23 is an exemplary side view diagram of a stack mold, shown from the side where the activating units are mounted. [0034] FIGS. 24 A-C are exemplary schematic diagrams showing a first alternate embodiment of the valve gate unit in accordance with the present invention. [0035] FIGS. 25 A-C show the embodiment of FIGS. 24 A-C with the valve gate closed. [0036] FIGS. 26 A-C are simplified views of the embodiment of FIGS. 24 A-C, shown with the valve gate open. [0037] FIGS. 27 A-C simplified views of simplified views of this embodiment, shown with the valve gate closed. [0038] FIGS. 28 A-C are exemplary schematic diagrams showing a second alternate embodiment of the valve gate unit in accordance with the present invention. [0039] FIGS. 29 A-C show the embodiment of FIGS. 28 A-C with the valve gate closed. [0040] FIGS. 30 A-C are simplified views of the embodiment of FIGS. 28 A-C, with the valve gate open. [0041] FIGS. 31 A-C are simplified views of the embodiment of FIGS. 28 A-C, with the valve gate closed. [0042] FIGS. 32 A-C are exemplary schematic diagrams showing a third alternate embodiment of the valve gate unit in accordance with the present invention. [0043] FIGS. 33 A-C show the embodiment of FIGS. 32 A-C with the valve gate closed. [0044] FIGS. 34 A-C are simplified views of the embodiment of FIGS. 32 A-C, with the valve gate open. [0045] FIGS. 35 A-C are simplified views of the embodiment of FIGS. 32 A-C, with the valve gate closed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0046] The embodiments of the present invention, described herein, may be used for single cavity molds, as well as with multi-cavity (e.g., single-face and stack) molds. [0047] The embodiments of the present invention use a combination of pneumatic-mechanical actuating system for the movement of the valve pin. The pneumatic component (e.g., pneumatic cylinder) of the actuating system is brought outside the mold, leaving only mechanical components in the mold. The pneumatic cylinder runs cold, which helps protect its components from heat expansion and extend the life of its seals (e.g., o-rings). Also, maintenance checks and service are easier for cylinders located outside the mold, where they are easily accessible. The pneumatic actuating component being removed from the valve-gate unit, enables the back-to-back mounting of valve-gate units for stack molds. [0048] An embodiment of the valve-gate unit in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 as part of a single-face multi-cavity mold. Such a mold typically includes the following items: a bottom plate 1 , stripper plate 2 , stripper rings 3 (secured to stripper plate 2 ), cores 4 (secured to bottom plate 1 ), cavity blocks 5 secured to cavity plate 6 , gate inserts 7 (secured in cavity blocks 5 ), manifold plate 8 , housing manifold 9 , top plate 10 , and valve-gate units 11 (secured to cavity plate 6 ). It should be understood that additional components (not shown or described here) can be part of such a mold, and different mounting methods than the one described can be used, without departing from the scope of the present invention. [0049] In a manner typical to the injection process, at the beginning of each injection cycle the mold closes and molten plastic is injected, through the hot runner system (e.g., as shown including a manifold 9 and a nozzle unit 12 ), in the injection chambers 13 formed between the active faces of cores 4 and cavity blocks 5 . The active end of nozzle unit 12 shown in FIG. 1 is housed in gate insert 7 , but can be housed directly in a pocket in cavity block 5 (e.g., gate insert 7 is optional). At the end of the injection cycle, the mold opens and the stripper plate 2 moves away from bottom plate 1 for a short distance, causing the stripper rings 3 to strip the molded parts 14 off cores 4 . The molded parts 14 fall through the opening between the mold halves, and the injection machine closes the mold for the beginning of a new cycle. [0050] The valve-gate system in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention includes two main units: the valve-gate unit 11 (as shown in FIG. 1 ), secured to cavity plate 6 and in contact with manifold 9 , and the activating unit 31 (as shown in FIG. 3 ), mounted on the side of the mold, and having elements that go through the mold, to valve-gate units 11 . [0051] Melt-flow channels through manifold 9 bring molten plastic to valve-gate units 11 . Valve-gate units 11 can have one flow channel connecting to nozzle unit 12 , or they can have two flow channels (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3 ), diverging from a common entry point (e.g., matching exit channel of manifold 9 ), and converging at interface with nozzle unit 12 . Sealing between manifold 9 and valve-gate unit 11 , and between valve-gate unit 11 and nozzle unit 12 , is achieved by the thermal expansion of these components. In single-face molds, pressure pads 78 are mounted between manifold 9 and top plate 10 , in line with the gate (one pressure pad for each injection point—e.g., see FIG. 1 ). Pressure pads 78 are used to counteract the injection pressure from the gate, and aid with sealing when components expand during mold cycles. In stack molds with back-to-back gating, pressure pads may not be needed as the injection pressures equalize on sides of manifold. [0052] An enlarged detail of the valve-gate unit 11 from FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2 . It includes a valve pin or stem 15 going through nozzle unit 12 and through a central hole in the body of valve-gate unit 11 . It has an enlarged cylindrical portion 16 , followed by a reduced cylindrical end 17 . A flanged sleeve 18 is mounted on this end, followed by a retainer 19 , these two components being locked in place with a retaining ring 20 . Although these items are employed and described in the present design, it should be understood that any system producing a similar result could be used on this end of valve pin 15 . Flanged sleeve 18 and retainer 19 move in a pocket 21 in the body of valve-gate unit 11 . Pocket 21 is round on one side, and open to the other side, towards the exterior of the body of valve-gate unit 11 . A yoke 22 is located in the open end of pocket 21 , pivoting around a pivot-pin 23 secured in the body of valve-gate unit 11 . The forked end 24 of yoke 22 is located in the space between flanged sleeve 18 and retainer 19 (mounted on reduced cylindrical end 17 of valve pin 15 ). Yoke 22 has a spherical end 25 on the opposite side, which can move in a rounded slot/activating profile 26 in an activating bar 27 . A cover cap 28 , bolted to body of valve-gate unit 11 , acts as guide for activating bar 27 . A thermal plate 29 prevents heat transfer from body of valve-gate unit 11 , which is heated, to activating bar 27 and cover cap 28 . A cover plate 30 is bolted at top of valve-gate unit 11 , to separate pocket 21 from manifold 9 . [0053] One activating bar 27 can be used to activate several valve-gate units 11 located along the same axial line. The activating bar 27 extends to one side of the mold, where it is connected to the activating unit 31 , as shown in FIG. 3 . An enlarged detail of the activating unit 31 of FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. 4 . The activating unit 31 includes a base guide 32 , an adjusting nut 33 , an adjustable cylinder support 34 and a pneumatic cylinder 35 . Base guide 32 is a round piece, extended with a squared base 36 that is secured to the side of the mold with bolts 37 (as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 B). On the opposite end, base guide 32 has an outer thread 38 , for engagement of adjusting nut 33 . Base guide 32 has a central cylindrical hole with one axial slot 39 . Adjustable cylinder support 34 is in the shape of a sleeve with a flanged end. A transversal key 40 is press-fit in an axial slot 41 on the outer surface (on the sleeve portion) of adjustable cylinder support 34 . Sleeve portion of adjustable cylinder support 34 is inserted in central hole of base guide 32 , with transversal key 40 sliding in axial slot 39 . Transversal key 40 prevents rotation of adjustable cylinder support 34 in reference with base guide 32 . Adjustable cylinder support 34 is loosely secured to adjusting nut 33 with shoulder bolts 42 . As shown in FIG. 6A , outer surface of adjusting nut 33 has a notched portion 43 (for ease of handling), extending with a narrow cylindrical portion 44 , marked with a number of indentations 45 . One “origin” indentation 59 is marked on the outer surface of flange portion of adjustable cylinder support 34 . Indentations 45 are used for precise adjustment in reference with “origin” indentation 59 . [0054] Pneumatic cylinder 35 is secured onto the end face of adjustable cylinder support 34 with bolts 46 , as shown in FIG. 4 . External end 48 of piston 47 of pneumatic cylinder 35 has an internal thread 49 . A connector 50 , in the shape of a square prism, has a threaded extension 51 at one end (for engagement in piston 47 ) and a central slot 52 at the other end (as shown in FIG. 5 , which is a top view of system from FIG. 4 ). End 53 of activating bar 27 is secured in central slot 52 with a low-head bolt 54 . Four (4) access holes 55 are located, at 90° intervals, on middle portion of base guide 32 , to provide access to low-head bolt 54 . Piston 47 of pneumatic cylinder 35 actuates connector 50 , which in turn directs activating bar 27 in a push-pull movement. Bar 27 has one rounded slot/activating profile 26 for each valve-gate unit 11 it activates. Activating slot 26 runs along a curve/spline 56 (as shown in FIGS. 3, 7A , 8 , 9 , 10 , and 14 ), and holds the spherical end 25 of yoke 22 previously described. Yoke 22 cannot move axially (in the direction of movement of activating bar 27 ), as it is held in body of valve-gate unit 11 , but can pivot around pivot pin 23 . The push-pull movement of activating bar 27 makes the rounded slot 26 guide the spherical end 25 of yoke 22 in an up-and-down movement, in a manner that will be described in more detail later. In other words, the up-and-down movement of the spherical end 25 causes yoke 22 to pivot around pivot-pin 23 , which makes the forked end 24 of yoke 22 move down-and-up respectively, bringing the valve pin 15 with it. Valve pin 15 opens and close once per injection cycle. The pneumatic cylinder 35 receives a signal from the injection machine, which correlates movement of valve pin 15 with mold cycles. [0055] The 3 positions on curve 56 (as shown in FIG. 7A ), are next described, with correlation to FIGS. 8, 9 , 10 A, and 10 B. In the case described here, curve 56 is an arc (e.g., a portion of a circle). Position “0” (zero), also shown in FIGS. 8 and 10 A, corresponds to valve-gate being closed (when injection is stopped). Piston 47 , connector 50 and activating bar 27 are fully retracted ( FIG. 10A ), which corresponds to 0° rotation of yoke 22 . In this position, forked end 24 of yoke 22 is lowered, bringing valve pin flush with surrounding surface of injection chamber 13 . Position “1”, also shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 B, corresponds to valve-gate being fully opened (when injection is in progress). Piston 47 , connector 50 and activating bar 27 are extended at full stroke S ( FIG. 10B ), which corresponds to rotation “A” of yoke 22 . In this position, forked end 24 of yoke 22 is lifted at maximum, retracting valve pin 15 by amount “B” ( FIG. 9 ). Note: Spherical end 25 of yoke 22 moves repeatedly from “0” to “1” and back to “0” during mold cycles (once per mold cycle). Position “2” is at the quadrant of curve 56 traveled by spherical end 25 of yoke 22 . Valve pin 15 can be adjusted to move towards injection chamber 13 (to bring it flush with surrounding surface, or to eliminate plastic leaks at gate, etc.) by moving spherical end 25 of yoke 22 anywhere between “0” and “2”. Quadrant “2” is the highest position the spherical end 25 can reach, and corresponds to the furthest out the valve pin 15 can go towards injection chamber 13 . If spherical end 25 of yoke 22 is at “2” and valve pin is below surrounding surface of injection chamber 13 , it cannot be adjusted any further and will need to be replaced with a longer pin. [0059] Stroke S is an in-built feature of pneumatic cylinder 35 used, and its value is thus typically a constant. Values “A” and “B” are a result of the combination of stroke S of pneumatic cylinder 35 used, geometry of curve 56 , and shape and size of yoke 22 . These values can be varied depending on desired result. [0060] Procedure to adjust activating unit: [0061] In order to adjust the activating unit, the following procedure may be followed: 1. Mold is stopped. 2. Shoulder bolts 42 are loosened slightly (but not removed) to allow a little clearance between adjustable cylinder support 34 and adjusting nut 33 . 3. Adjusting nut 33 is rotated while adjustable cylinder support 34 is slowly pulled away from (or moved inward into) base guide 32 , as shoulder bolts 42 bolted in adjusting nut 33 rotate in annular groove 57 of adjustable cylinder support 34 . This movement increases or reduces adjustment gap 58 between front of base guide 32 and flanged portion of adjustable cylinder support 34 . 4. Indentations 45 of adjusting nut 33 help mold operator control the adjustment precision in reference with the origin indentation 59 of adjustable cylinder support 34 . 5. When desired adjustment has been reached, shoulder bolts 42 are tightened, locking adjusting nut 33 and adjustable cylinder support 34 together. When these two items are locked together, they are also locked into position, in reference to base guide 32 . This is achieved by the combination of transversal key 40 and thread 38 . As transversal key 40 allows only axial movement of adjustable cylinder support 34 in reference to base guide 32 , when shoulder bolts 42 are tightened, they also force the threads of adjusting nut 33 against the opposing threads of base guide 32 , resulting in a solid, precise engagement of all the components of activating unit 31 . 6. Steps 2, 3, 4, and 5 are repeated for each activating unit 31 mounted on mold, depending on performance of valve pins 15 . 7. Once all activating units 31 have been adjusted, the mold can be started again. [0069] A more detailed explanation of the correlation between adjustment on activating unit 31 and location of spherical end 25 of yoke 22 on curve 56 follows, in reference with FIGS. 7A, 7B , 8 , 9 , 10 A and 10 B. Position “1” is at the bottom of rounded slot/activating profile 26 . Position “0” is located, along the length of the activating bar 27 , at a distance, from “1”, equal to the stroke S of pneumatic cylinder 35 . Position “2” is always at the quadrant of curve 56 . When adjustment gap 58 is altered (unit 31 is being adjusted), adjusting nut 33 , adjustable cylinder support 34 , and pneumatic cylinder 35 move relative to base guide 32 , bringing connector 50 and activating bar 27 with them. This means that adjustments modify location of position “0” relative to position “2” on curve 56 . Since distance, along length of activating bar 27 , between “0” and “1” is constant (equal to stroke S of pneumatic cylinder 35 ), position “1” also moves with every adjustment. Valve pin 15 will need to be replaced with a longer one when it requires adjustment beyond position “2”. [0070] A feature of curve 56 (of rounded slot/activating profile 26 ) that influences the closing speed of valve pin 15 is discussed below, with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B . When spherical end 25 of yoke 22 moves along curve 56 from “1” to “0”, its speed decreases as the angle of the curve reduces. This translates into the valve pin slowing down slightly as it reaches the gate, allowing for a smooth closing. For comparison purposes, FIG. 7B shows a straight activating slot 26 (straight from “1” to “0”), which would result in a constant closing speed of the valve pin 15 . [0071] For comparison purposes, FIG. 10A shows activating unit 31 , complete with activating bar 27 , in position “0”, while FIG. 10B (below it) shows same system in position “1”. Piston 47 is retracted in FIG. 10A , bringing spherical end 25 of yoke 22 in position “0”, and extended in FIG. 10B , bringing spherical end 25 in position “1”. Yoke 22 is shown at the left of the figures for clarity. [0072] One embodiment of this invention is directed to the use of a one-piece activating bar 27 , the distance between activating slots 26 being determined by the pitch of the mold. An alternate embodiment, however, uses a multi-piece activation bar ( FIGS. 14, 15 ), where the activating profile 26 is part of an activating insert 60 , made of high-wear material. The mold pitch influences the length of connecting bars 61 that connect activating inserts 60 . As shown in FIGS. 16 through 20 , slotted activating inserts 60 and connecting bars 61 have a tongue-and-groove style joint 62 , locked with a transversal key 63 of square section. Transversal key 63 has a cylindrical extension 64 with a groove 65 . A washer 66 and a retaining ring 67 (pushed in groove 65 ) lock the transversal key 63 in place, which in turn locks the slotted activating inserts 60 in connecting bars 61 and in activating bar 27 . Transversal key 63 has a knurled cylindrical flange 68 at opposite end, which is used for handling. [0073] The multi-piece embodiment has several advantages in regards to servicing of the valve-gate unit. For a single-face mold (as shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 ) the procedure to service the valve-gate unit is as follows: 1. Mold is closed in the injection machine. Valve-gates must be closed (pistons 47 of pneumatic cylinders 35 are fully retracted). 2. Safety straps 69 are installed between top plate 10 and cavity plate 6 (shown with phantom lines). Mold is opened and bolts 70 are removed. Mold is closed again. 3. Safety straps 69 are then installed between cavity plate 6 and bottom plate 1 . 4. Mold is opened slowly, as shown in FIG. 12 , bringing cavity plate 6 , manifold plate 8 (which is secured to cavity plate 6 ), and valve-gate units 11 (secured to cavity plate 6 ) with the core half, away from cavity side. 5. Manifold 9 stays with top plate 10 , as it is secured to top plate 10 with bolts 71 . 6. When mold is opened this way, valve-gate units 11 are exposed and can be removed, one at a time, for service, cleaning etc. To do that, bolts 72 (that secure valve-gate unit 11 to cavity plate 6 ) can be removed, as shown in FIG. 13 . Retaining rings 66 (see FIG. 20 ) are removed from grooves 65 of cylindrical extensions 64 , and transversal keys 63 are then removed. Slotted activating insert 60 can then be easily disengaged from connecting bars 61 (which will stay in the mold, attached to adjacent valve-gate units) and valve-gate unit 11 (together with its activating insert 60 ) can be lifted out of the mold, using threaded portion of holes for bolts 72 as jacking holes 73 . After changes, cleaning, service etc. valve-gate unit 11 can be returned to the mold and secured back in it, in reverse order. Another valve-gate unit 11 can then be removed in the same manner. [0080] FIG. 14 shows a side view of a single-face multi-cavity mold, in closed position, using a multi-piece activating bar 27 . FIG. 15 shows same mold being opened in the manner described above, for removal of valve-gate units 11 . FIGS. 16 through 19 are detailed views of multi-piece activating bar 27 , with activating inserts 60 and connecting bars 61 shown separated in top view ( FIG. 16 ) and front view ( FIG. 17 ), and assembled (complete with transversal keys 63 , washers 66 , and retaining rings 64 ), shown in top view ( FIG. 18 ) and front view ( FIG. 19 ). [0081] FIG. 21 shows a cross section through a stack mold using back-to-back gating. Valve-gate units 11 are shown, complete with activating bar 27 (one-piece option shown) and activating units 31 mounted to side of mold. Valve-gate units 11 are be heated, to hold desired temperature of molten plastic as it transits from manifold 9 to nozzle unit 12 . Different types of heating elements 74 can be used (coil heaters wrapped around body of valve-gate unit 11 , or bar-type heaters inserted in the body of the valve-gate unit 11 as shown in FIG. 21 , etc.). Wires 75 extending from heaters 74 are directed through pockets in the mold, similar with wires 76 coming from nozzle unit 12 , and wires 77 coming from heaters of manifold 9 . [0082] FIG. 22A is a plan view of a multi-cavity mold (seen from the parting line), shown with two activating units 31 . The two cavities at the bottom of the mold are shown with valve-gate open (one-piece activating bar 27 is extended at full stroke S of pneumatic cylinder 35 , as shown just below the plan view). The two cavities at the top of the mold are shown with valve-gate closed (activating bar 27 is retracted fully, as shown above the plan view). At the right of the page, valve gate units, complete with nozzle units, are shown open (bottom) and closed (top), corresponding to plan view. [0083] FIG. 22B shows the same mold in plan view, but using a multi-piece activating bar 27 . FIG. 22C is a plan view of the same mold from FIG. 22B , seen from opposite end—after top plate 10 and manifold 9 are removed. The valve-gate units 11 and multi-piece activating bars 27 are visible, and valve-gate units 11 can be removed, one by one, as previously described. [0084] FIG. 23 is a side view of a stack mold, shown from the side where the activating units 31 are mounted. [0085] FIGS. 24 A-C are exemplary schematic diagrams showing a first alternate embodiment of the valve gate unit in accordance with the present invention. [0086] The embodiment of FIGS. 24 A-C uses a pair of activating bars 27 ′ working in parallel as a rigid unit. They can be of either one-piece or multi-piece design, and are connected in a rigid assembly by means known to those of skill in the art. An activating unit 31 ′, mounted externally on the injection mold, activates both bars 27 ′ simultaneously. A pair of bars 27 ′ may activate one or several valve gate units 11 ′ located along the same axial line. Cover caps 28 ′, secured to opposing sides of the body of valve gate unit 11 ′, act as guides for activating bars 27 ′. Each activating bar has a slot/activating profile 26 ′ for each valve gate unit 11 ′ activated. This embodiment shows a linear, sloped slot, but it should be understood that a rounded slot such as those described above may be used. [0087] The valve gate unit 11 ′ of this embodiment has a round pocket 21 ′, disposed centrally, opening to the side which comes in contact with manifold 9 ′. A cylindrical guide 80 , in threaded engagement 81 with a cylindrical cage 82 , is located in round pocket 21 ′. A valve stem 15 ′ has a cylindrical flange 83 , located centrally in cage 82 . Flange 83 is firmly held between base of cage 82 and bottom of threaded extension of guide 80 , with no freedom of axial motion. Guide 80 , flange 83 of valve stem 15 ′, and cage 82 form a sliding unit 84 , which can move axially in pocket 21 ′ to repeatedly close or open a valve gate opening into an injection chamber 13 ′ of the injection mold. Such motion of the sliding unit is achieved by a transversal pin 85 , fixedly engaged in guide 80 , and having symmetrical extensions on sides of guide 80 . Ends of transversal pin 85 pass through vertical slots 86 on sides of valve gate unit 11 ′, continuing on through activating profiles 26 ′, and being secured with some means such as retaining rings (as shown) against accidental sliding out of profiles 26 ′. With each extension of the piston 47 ′ of a pneumatic cylinder 35 ′ of activating unit 31 ′, the pair of bars 27 ′ extends, causing the activating profiles 26 ′ to force transversal pins 85 to retract sliding units 84 , so that valve stems 15 ′ open the valve gates. With each retraction of the piston 47 ′, the pair of bars 27 ′ retracts, causing the activating profiles 26 ′ to force transversal pins 85 to extend sliding units 84 , so that valve stems 15 ′ close the valve gates. Vertical slots 86 only allow extend/retract motions along axis of valve stem 15 ′, preventing any sideway motions as could be caused by slots 26 ′ of activating bars 27 ′, acting against transversal pin 85 . A cover plate 30 ′, secured at the top of the valve gate unit 11 ′, separates pocket 21 ′ from manifold 9 ′. [0088] FIGS. 25 A-C show the embodiment of FIGS. 24 A-C with the valve gate closed. [0089] FIGS. 26 A-C are simplified views of the embodiment of FIGS. 24 A-C, shown with the valve gate open. [0090] FIGS. 27 A-C simplified views of simplified views of this embodiment, shown with the valve gate closed. [0091] FIGS. 28 A-C are exemplary schematic diagrams showing a second alternate embodiment of the valve gate unit in accordance with the present invention. [0092] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 28 A-C uses a pair of activating bars 27 ′ working in parallel as a rigid unit. They can be of either one-piece or multi-piece design, and are connected in a rigid assembly by means known to those skilled in the art. An activating unit 31 ′, mounted externally on the injection mold, activates both bars 27 ′ simultaneously. A pair of bars 27 ′ may activate one or several valve gate units 11 ′ located along the same axial line. Rollers 87 and support pads 88 guide the extend/retract motions of bars 27 ′, as activated by unit 31 ′. Activating bars 27 ′ transfer this motion, through pins 89 , to side arms 90 , which transfer it further, through transversal pin 85 ′, to a sliding unit 84 ′ (similar to the one described above). Vertical slots 86 ′ in opposite sides of valve gate unit 11 ′ allow extend/retract motions of pin 85 ′, as activated by bars 27 ′. Such motions of pin 85 ′ are transferred directly to valve stem 15 ′ through sliding unit 84 ′. When activating bars 27 ′ are extended, they cause side arms 90 to pull pin 85 ′ to the bottom end of slots 86 ′. Pin 85 ′ brings the whole sliding unit 84 ′ down, which causes the valve stem 15 ′ to close the valve gate as shown in FIGS. 29A , B, and C. When activating bars 27 ′ are retracted, they cause side arms 90 to push pin 85 ′ to the top end of slots 86 ′, bringing the whole sliding unit 84 ′ up, and causing the valve stem 15 ′ to open the valve gate (as shown in FIGS. 28A , B, and C). [0093] FIGS. 29 A-C show the embodiment of FIGS. 28 A-C with the valve gate closed. [0094] FIGS. 30 A-C are simplified views of the embodiment of FIGS. 28 A-C, with the valve gate open. [0095] FIGS. 31 A-C are simplified views of the embodiment of FIGS. 28 A-C, with the valve gate closed. [0096] FIGS. 32 A-C are exemplary schematic diagrams showing a third alternate embodiment of the valve gate unit in accordance with the present invention. [0097] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 32 A-C uses a pair of activating bars 27 ′ working in parallel as a rigid unit. They can be of either one-piece or multi-piece design, and are connected in a rigid assembly by means known to those of skill in the art. An activating unit 31 ′, mounted externally on the injection mold, activates both bars 27 ′ simultaneously. A pair of bars 27 ′ may activate one or several valve gate units 11 ′ located along the same axial line. Roller bearings 91 guide the extend/retract motions of bars 27 ′, as activated by unit 31 ′. Activating bars 27 ′ transfer this motion, through a toggle system 92 , to a transversal pin 85 ′, to a sliding unit 84 ′ (similar to the one described above) and to a valve stem 15 ′. The toggle system 92 has of two side arms, 93 and 94 , their connecting pins 95 and 96 , and the transversal pin 85 ′. Pins 95 are fixedly secured onto opposite sides of the valve gate unit 11 ′. Pins 96 connect side arms 93 and 94 , and are allowed motion in vertical slots 97 of activating bars 27 ′. Side arms 94 are further connected to ends of transversal pin 85 ′. Vertical slots 86 ′ on opposite sides of valve gate unit 11 ′ only allow pin 85 ′ an extend/retract motion along axis of valve stem 15 ′. Such motions of pin 85 ′ are transferred directly to valve stem 15 ′ through sliding unit 84 ′. When activating bars 27 ′ are extended, vertical slots 97 cause pins 96 to move simultaneously along horizontal direction of activating bars 27 ′ and vertically towards bottom of slots 97 (which are open at the top). Since side arms 93 can only pivot around pins 95 (when actuated by activating bars 27 ′), the resulting combined horizontal/vertical motion of pins 96 causes side arms 94 to pull transversal pin 85 ′ to bottom end of vertical slots 86 ′. Pin 85 ′ transfers this motion to the sliding unit 84 ′, causing the valve stem 15 ′ to close the valve gate, as shown in FIGS. 33A , B, and C. When activating bars 27 ′ are retracted, vertical slots 97 cause pins 96 to move simultaneously along horizontal direction of activating bars 27 ′ and vertically towards top of slots 97 . Side arms 93 pivot around pins 95 , the resulting combined horizontal/vertical motion of pins 96 causes side arms 94 to push transversal pin 85 ′ to top end of vertical slots 86 ′. Pin 85 ′ transfers this motion to the sliding unit 84 ′, causing the valve stem 15 ′ to open the valve gate, as shown in FIGS. 32A , B, and C. [0098] FIGS. 33 A-C show the embodiment of FIGS. 32 A-C with the valve gate closed. [0099] FIGS. 34 A-C are simplified views of the embodiment of FIGS. 32 A-C, with the valve gate open. [0100] FIGS. 35 A-C are simplified views of the embodiment of FIGS. 32 A-C, with the valve gate closed. [0101] It should be noted that in all three alternate embodiments described above, S 1 is the stroke of the activating bars 27 ′, along a direction perpendicular to that of valve stem 15 ′. Sliding unit 84 and valve stem 15 ′ have a stroke S 2 , along the centerline of the valve stem 15 ′. Both strokes are shown on FIGS. 24A , B and C of the first alternate embodiment. For the other two embodiments, however, only stroke S 2 is shown, for clarity of the drawing. The two extreme positions of these embodiments (when valve is open and when valve is closed) were not shown on the same drawing to avoid unnecessarily cluttering the figures. [0102] As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. For example, instead of the pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic one may be used may, or alternately the motive force may be supplied by an electric motor drive. These other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

A valve gate system for an injection molding machine, having a valve gate unit configured to be in contact with a manifold of an injection molding machine for delivering a molten plastic flow from a hot runner system to an injection chamber. The valve gate unit has a valve pin for controlling the flow of the molten plastic from a hot runner system to an injection chamber and an activating unit coupled with the valve gate unit. The activating unit is configured to be mounted external to a mold unit that houses the injection chamber. In addition, the activating unit has an element that extends through the mold unit to engage the valve pin, so as to control the molten plastic flow from a runner system to an injection chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention concerns an optical device for the processing of an optical wave, its method of fabrication and a frequency doubler. More particularly, it concerns a device and a method enabling major optical non-linear effects to be obtained in waveguides made of ferroelectric materials. 2. Description of the It is well known that the electrical polarization induced in a medium by an electromagnetic wave can be written out as follows: P=d.sup.(1) E+d.sup.(2) EE+. . . where E is the electric magnetic field associated with the electromagnetic wave. In this expression, the first term is responsible for the linear properties of the material and the following terms are responsible for the non-linear properties which can give rise to phenomena of frequency doubling, tripling, addition etc. The even-order terms exist only in media having no center of symmetry. For such non-linear interactions to be effective, it is generally necessary to ascertain that there is a condition called a phase-matching condition. For, at every point, the non-linear polarization will radiate an electromagnetic field having the same frequency but with a phase that will be determined by the sum of the phases of the generating fields at this point. On the other hand, the phase of the radiated field will naturally behave differently and, in particular, will depend on the refractive index of the medium at the harmonic frequency. In fact, another way to formulate this condition is to assume that two conditions have to be considered for such non-linear interactions to be effective: 1) Conservation of energy 2) Conservation of the moments (wave vectors in this case) For simplicity's sake, let us consider the case of the generation of a second harmonic. In this case, we have: P(2w) proportionate to d.sup.(2) E(w)E(w) and hence: k (2w)=2 k(w) 2 (2πn(w)) // F=n(2w) 2π/λ(2w) λ(w) being the wavelength of the fundamental λ(2w) being the harmonic wavelength. It is this latter condition that is called "phase matching". This condition may be achieved, in practice, by using for example the birefringency of the material. In this case, the harmonic wave (2w) and the fundamental wave (w) can be polarized according to the different inherent directions of the crystal being used. For example, if the harmonic wave is extraordinarily polarized and if the two fundamental waves coming into the interaction are ordinarily polarised, the following has to be ascertained: 2(2πn.sub.o (w))/λ(w)=n.sub.e (2w)2π/λ(2w) where n o (w) is the index of the medium for the wavelength of the fundamental n e (2w) is the index of the medium for the harmonic giving n e (2w)=n o (w) This condition can be achieved in certain materials either by using temperature effects or by changing the angle of propagation with respect to the optical axis n e =f (angle). The angle considered is the angle between the direction of propagation and the optical axis of the material considered. Other techniques may be used to set up the phase matching, such as those described in the following documents: Article by N. BLOEMBERGEN et al in Applied Physics Lettters, 17, 483, 1970; Article by B. JASKORZYNSKA et al in SPIE volume 651, Innsbruck, 1986; Article by T. TANIUCHI et al in SPIE, volume 864, Cannes, 1987. For example, the presence of a diffraction grating within the material can lead to a cancellation of the mismatching between K (2w) and 2K (w) if the period of the grating is accurately chosen. We should have: K(2w) - 2 k(w)=mK (grating) where m is an integer and K is the wave vector associated with the grating (k-2π/period). In such an interaction, the grating may be created on the basis of either the linear properties of the material or its non-linear properties. In the latter case, it is advantageous (more efficient) to create a change in the sign of the non-linear coefficient concerned. This technique is particularly valuable with materials having non-linear coefficients that cannot be used with standard phase matching methods. This, for example, is the case with the non-linear coefficients X33 of LiNbO 3 and LiTaO 3 which bring into play fundamental and harmonic waves polarized along the optical axis of these materials (extraordinary polarization). If we consider the case of LiNbO 3 with X33, demonstrations have been given by periodically reversing the ferroelectric polarization (and hence the sign of X33) during the growth of the crystal (as described in the article by D. FENG in Applied Physics Letter, 37, 607, 1980). The goal of the invention is to propose means that enable periodical reversals of the non-linear coefficient of an optical guide. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention concerns an optical device for the processing, by non-linear effects, of an optical wave with a determined wavelength (w) and length of coherence (Lc=π/k(zw)-2k(w) for the non-linear interaction used, said device comprising, within a ferroelectric substrate transparent to the wavelength (w) of the optical wave: a two-dimensional optical guide, implanted in the surface of the substrate and oriented along a first direction; doping zones distributed along the optical guide, each doping zone having a length, along the first direction, which is an odd multiple of the length of coherence (Lc), and the distribution pitch of doping zones having a value that is an even multiple of the length of coherence, the doping zones giving rise to a reversal of the polarization of the optical wave with respect to the the polarization in the zones included between the doping zones. The invention also concerns a method for the fabrication of an optical device, said method comprising the following steps: a) the making, on one face of a transparent ferroelectric substrate, of doping zones distributed along a first direction with a pitch equal to an even multiple of the length of coherence (Lc), each zone having a length equal to an odd multiple of the length of coherence (Lc), the doping being such that it reverses the polarization of the wave with respect to that in the non-doped zones; b) the making of an optical guide in the first direction. Finally, the invention concerns a frequency doubler comprising a two-dimensional optical guide provided with doping zones distributed along the length of the optical guide, with a periodicity equal to the length of coherence of an optical wave to be processed, the length of each zone being equal to a half length of coherence. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The various objects and features of the invention will be understood more clearly from the following description, given as an example, in referring to the appended drawing wherein: FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The aim of the invention is to propose a method enabling the periodic reversal of the non-linear coefficient a posteriori (namely after the growth of a monodomain crystal) on the surface so that it is possible to make an optical waveguide in the material thus prepared. In this context, the fabrication of a waveguide for the fundamental and harmonic waves is very useful because it is thus possible to set up, in the interaction zone, very high optical intensities with low incident power values, and this leads to high efficiency (since the harmonic intensity generated is proportionate to the square of the fundamental intensity). Although the principles described herein are applicable to other crystals, for simplicity's sake, in the description of the invention, we shall concentrate on the example of LiNbO 3 . It has been pointed out by S. MIYAZAMA, in the Journal of Applied Physics, 50, 4599, 1979, that the presence of a surface concentration of dopants can, under certain conditions (such as a concentration of dopant on the +C face of the crystal), cause the formation of a zone, the ferroelectric orientation of which is reversed with respect to the original substrate. In general, the zone of reversed ferroelectric polarization is therefore superficial and is therefore advantageously used in the case of guided optical waves. The invention profits by this effect and, through a surface doping of the ferroelectric material in periodic form, it provides for the creation, on the surface of the substrate, of a periodic reversal of the ferrolectric polarization of the crystal and, therefore, of the non-linear coefficient. Thus, after the fabrication of a waveguide, a frequency doubler in integrated optics will have been made, capable of using the greatest electro-optical coefficient of the material considered (in this case X33 of LiNbO 3 ). FIGS. 1 and 2 represent an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention. In FIG. 1, a substrate 1 oriented in a trihedron with a reference XYZ has, on its surface 10, an optical guide G1 oriented along an axis X. Doping zones ZD1, ZD2, . . . ZDn are distributed lengthwise along the guide. The distribution pitch p of the zones, according to the example of FIG. 1, is equal to twice the length of coherence Lc for the generation of the second harmonic of an incident light wave FI. The length L of a doping zone along the direction Z is equal to one length of coherence of the light wave. In FIG. 2, showing the device in a top view, zones ZD1, ZD2, . . . ZDn are made in the form of strips perpendicular to the direction X of the guide G1. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the length L has been chosen as being equal to half the pitch p. However, there could be different proportions, for example p=2K L c and L=kL with k=3, which would make p=6 L c and L=3 L c . The value of the pitch p could also be different in various zones of the guide. An arrangement such as this enables the making of a frequency doubler, the incident wave FI with a frequency w then giving a wave FS with double frequency 2w. We shall now describe a method of fabrication according to the invention, enabling such a device to be made. An an exemplary method of fabrication, the following process can be described: 1) A grating of titanium strips is deposited on the +C face of an LiNbO 3 substrate. The pitch of the grating is chosen so as to compensate for the phase mismatching between the fundamental waves and the harmonic waves that it is sought to generate. 2) The titanium strips are diffused into the substrate by a high temperature process (for example, 1000° C. for a few hours in an oxygen atmosphere). 3) A waveguide is built by a method that does not modify the orientation of the ferroelectric domains (for example, proton exchange which occurs at low temperatures, as described in J. L. JACKEL et al in Applied Physics Letters, 41, 607, 1982. In this method, the pitch p of the grating is chosen so as to verify the relationship: 2π(n.sub.ef (2w)-n.sub.ef (w))/λ(2w)=2πm/p where N ef (2w) is the effective index of the mode of the guide for the harmonic 2w of the incident wave; n ef (w) is the effective index of the guided mode for the fundamental w of the incident wave. λ(2w) is the length of the harmonic wave corresponding to the optical frequency 2w. m is an integer. In the case of LiNbO 3 , taking the values of the refraction indices cited in current literature, the following minimum grating pitch is obtained (taking n ef =n): ______________________________________fundamental wavelength 9 micrometersindex at w 2.1741index at 2w 2.2765pitch 4.39 micrometersfundamental wavelength 1 micrometerindex at w 2.1647index at 2w 2.2446pitch 6.255 micrometers______________________________________ The main points of the system described are therefore: periodic reversal of the ferroelectric polarization by diffusion of a dopant on the +C face of the crystal; creation of a waveguide by a method that does not modify the polarizations created (for example, by proton exchange). The advantages are: Non-linear generation through "artificial" phase-matching by using a high non-linear coefficient (X33 in the case of LiNBO 3 and LiTaO 3 or ferroelectric); Guided interaction for the harmonic and fundamental waves (unlike the case of Cerenkov type configurations) causing a harmonic intensity proportionate to the square of the interaction length (proportionate only to the length in the case of Cerenkov type configurations); Monomode and Gaussian type shape of the harmonic beam, easily transformable by a standard optic device. It is clear that the above description has been given purely by way of a non-restrictive example. The numerical examples have been given solely to illustrate this description. Other variants may be considered without going beyond the scope of the invention. In particular, the substrate used may be a ferroelectric other than LiNbO 3 or LiTaO 3 . In this case, the implanting of the guide and of the doping zones will not necessarily be made from the +C face of the substrate, the essential point being that of obtaining periodic reversals of polarization in the doped zones with respect to the polarization in the non-doped zones.

Disclosed is an optical device for the processing of an optical wave by non-linear effects, comprising, on the surface, a guide and doping zones arranged transversally to the direction of the guide. The distribution pitch of these zones is equal to an even multiple of the length of coherence for the interaction envisaged. The length of each zone along the direction of the guide is equal to an odd multiple of the length of coherence.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to co-pending German Patent Application No. 101 32 242.9-43 entitled “Schutzfolie für den Transport von Fahrzeugen”, filed Jul. 4, 2001. [0002] 1. Fields of the Invention [0003] The present invention generally relates to a protective foil to be used during transport of vehicles. The protective foil includes a protecting layer and a layer being made of a polymer and being connected to the protecting layer. It is common practice in the automobile industry to place a transport protection system on newly manufactured vehicles after having painted the body of the vehicle. The protection system serves to prevent the paint or the enameling of the vehicle from being damaged during transport of the vehicle from the production plant to the car dealer. Such damages may occur from the surface getting scratched or from other influences, such as rain, snow, dirt and so forth. [0004] 2. Background of the Invention [0005] Known transport protection systems especially use waxes which are applied onto the vehicle after having applied the paint onto the vehicle. The car dealer later has to remove the layer of wax by a comparatively time consuming process. For removing the wax from the vehicle, solvents have to be used. Consequently, the car dealer also has the problem of having to care for correct waste disposal of the solvents. [0006] From German Patent Application No. 42 23 822 A1 it is known to use an adhesive protection foil for the transport of automobiles. The known protection foil includes a protection layer and an adhesive layer, the protection layer being located on the adhesive layer. The protection foil fulfills the protection function of the vehicle during transport from the manufacturer to the dealer, and it replaces known commonly used wax layers. The protection foil with its adhesive layer contacts the paint of the vehicle, and it is desired that the adhesive layer sticks to the paint of the vehicle even during increased mechanical charges, as they, for example, occur during strong wind streams during transport of the vehicle on trucks or on trains. It is desired that the good adhesive properties are maintained, and that the protection layer reliably protects against mechanical damages and environmental influences, such as rain, snow, hail, dirt, bird excrements and the like. [0007] The protection foil known from German Patent Application No. 42 23 822 A1 may include a plurality of adhesive layers and a plurality of protection layers. For this purpose, adhesive foils commonly known in technology are used as adhesive layers, as there are, for example, glue foils or foils being made of polymers being modified with certain functional groups. It is preferred to use acrylate glue foils or foils being made of thermoplastic polymers being modified with functional groups. Thermoplastic polymers like polyamide, polystyrole, polyester, polycarbonate or polyolefin, for example, are used as protection layers. [0008] The protection foil known from German Patent Application No. 42 23 822 A1 including a plurality of layers is produced by the so called coating method, lamination method or the blowing/wide slot co-extrusion method. In this way, a homogeneous adhesive layer is attained without having to use solvents. The adhesive force of the protection foil on the surface of a vehicle to be attained in this known way is limited such that there is the danger of the known foil being removed from the vehicle during transport caused by winds. This disadvantage may be counteracted by using additional securing tape having strong adhesion properties. The tape is fixed in the region of the edges of the protection foil. The known protection foils may usually be easily removed from the surfaces of the vehicle, but usually parts of the glue remain located on the vehicle. The remainder of the glue has to be separately removed from the vehicle. Furthermore, at temperatures of more than approximately 70° C. (approximately 160° F.), the surface of the paint covered by the adhesive protection foil sometimes gets uneven portions. [0009] To counteract these disadvantages, it is known from European Patent No. 0 592 913 B1 to use a copolymer of C2-C10-α-olefins and 5-80% by weight with respect to the copolymer of unsaturated, polar comonomers during transport of vehicles. Such known protection foils have the disadvantage that they tend to melt at high temperatures, and consequently the paint on the surface of the vehicle gets damaged. Such damages may also occur due to so the called cold flowing effect even at comparatively low temperatures since the chains of these thermoplastic materials are only located side by side in the layer, and there is no fixed bond between them. Such a known protection foil changes its properties in a disadvantages way especially under long term usage circumstances. The gluing force of the protection foil is not sufficient, especially at high temperatures and under great mechanical stresses, as they occur during transportation of motor vehicles being covered with the protection foil on open transport wagons of trains, for example. [0010] According to the background of the invention of German Patent Application No. 196 35 704 A1 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,456, a self-adhesive foil has been known in the art, the foil consisting of a polyvinyl chloride foil including a cross-linked self-adhesive mass of polyacrylate and isocyanate. The known protection foil was used for protecting paint at the front portion of vehicles against stones and impurities due to insects during first use of the vehicle. However, there were problems since the polyacrylate mass had to be cross-linked to a great extent not to show interactions with the paint of the vehicle. Consequently, there were problems using the known foil due to insufficient adhesive effects of the foil. [0011] According to the reaching of German Patent Application No. 196 35 704 A1, it is proposed to use a self-adhesive protection foil including a base foil on which a self-adhesive mass is located. The foil is, made of a mixture of 40% by volume up to 70% by volume of polyethylene, 20% by volume up to 40% by volume of polypropylene, 8% by volume up to 15% by volume of titan dioxide, and 0.3% by volume up to 0.7% by volume of light protection stabilizers. The self-adhesive mass consists of polyethylene vinylacetate including a share of vinylacetate of 40 mole % up to 80 mole %, and a loss angle at certain temperatures. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0012] The present invention relates to a protective foil for covering articles such as motor vehicles during transport. The foil includes at least one protective layer and at least one adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is connected to the protective layer. The adhesive layer is made of a polymer, and it includes photo reactive UV cross-linkage initiators being substantially reactive only to radiation of wavelengths not occurring in nature. The adhesive layer is at least partly cross-linked due the photo reactive UV cross-linkage initiators being exposed to UV radiation. [0013] With the novel foil, it is possible to chose the adhesive layer being connected to the protective layer such that there are sufficient adhesive effects with respect to the surface of the vehicle, and with which no material of the adhesive layer remains on the painted surface of the vehicle even under long term usage conditions and at increased temperatures. [0014] The present invention is based on the concept of designing a protection foil to include a protection layer and an adhesive layer the properties of which do not substantially change under long term using conditions and even under increased temperatures. The adhesive layer may also be called sticking layer or bonding layer. The protection foil includes an adhesive layer made of a polymer including certain portions of photo reactive cross-linking initiators. The initiators may be sensitively cross-linked by radiation. Cross-linkage may be chosen to reach different levels, as it is appropriate to attain the desired properties of the adhesive layers. Cross-linkage or cross-bondage is achieved by radiation at a wavelength which does not occur in nature. In this way, it is ensured that natural UV radiation does not continue cross-linkage effects, and consequently the properties of the adhesive layers are not changed in an undesired way. In this way, the adhesive properties of the adhesive layer may be chosen such that there is sufficient adhesiveness even during stronger mechanical stresses due to wind and the like. At the same time, it is ensured that no parts of the adhesive layer remain on the vehicle. The novel protecting foil is made of solid matter, meaning no solvents have to be used. Consequently, the novel protecting foil does not require energy consuming processes such as drying and recovering solvents, as it is the case with protection systems including solvents and with dispersions. The level of cross-linkage is defined, and it is completed during the production process. [0015] Preferably, the protection layer made of a polymer is cross-linked in a way that its cross-linkage—and consequently cohesion of the side of the free surface of the protection layer—is more than cross-linkage and cohesion of the side of the adhesive layer facing the protection layer. The free surface of the adhesive layer is directly subjected to radiation effecting cross-linkage such that cross-linkage is realized to a greater extent than in the layers being located below the free surface layer. It is to be understood that the gradient of cross-linkage diminishes from the free surface towards the protection layer. This effect is desired to attain different gluing effects about the cross section, and especially about the surface portions. Cross-linkage may be locally chosen and adjusted, respectively, by choosing the period of time during which radiation is used and/or by choosing the concentration of the photo reactive UV inter-linkage initiators. [0016] The adhesive layer may be made of glue which is applied onto the protective layer in melted form and without using solvents. While non-cross-linked glues being applied onto the protective layer in melted form have cold flowing properties in a disadvantageous way since the chains of applied glue even in the solid state do not remain in position (but they rather flow, especially under pulling tension), this disadvantage is counteracted by the above described cross-linkage such that cold flowing does not occur, even at increased temperatures, as it is the case in hot parts of the country. The adhesive force is reliably maintained even under such hot conditions without remainders of the glue sticking on the surface of the vehicle when removing the protection foil from the vehicle. Cross linkage has the effect of such anchoring effects of the chains of the glue with increased cohesion resulting therefrom. [0017] Especially, the adhesive layer may be made of acrylate copolymer including the photo reactive UV cross-linkage initiators. This adhesive layer is applied to the protective layer preferably being made of polyolefins in the melted form. However, this application is a solid matter application since no solvents have to be discharged, and no solvents or water have to dry. Consequently, energy usually being necessary for this purpose is not required. The following UV cross-linkage may be realized by using mercury vapor discharge lamps. During its production, the protective foil is subjected to UV radiation of a wavelength of approximately 250 to approximately 260 nm. This radiation does not occur in nature since such radiation is filtered by the ozone layer. The natural UV radiation cannot continue the cross-linkage process, and the properties of the protective foil remain constant, even when using it for long periods of time. [0018] The present invention also relates a protective system for protecting articles of all kinds, preferably articles made of metal. The protective system includes at least one protective layer to face away from the article to be protected and at least one adhesive layer to face the article to be protected. The adhesive layer is located on the protective layer. The adhesive layer is made of a polymer. The adhesive layer includes photo reactive UV crosslinkage initiators being substantially reactive only to radiation of wavelengths not occurring in nature. The adhesive layer is at least being cross-linked due said photo reactive UV cross-linkage initiators being exposed to UV radiation. [0019] The present invention also relates to a method of producing a protective foil for protecting articles. The method includes the steps of producing at least one protective layer, producing at least one adhesive layer being made of a polymer and including photo reactive UV cross-linkage initiators being substantially reactive only to radiation of wavelengths not occurring in nature, connecting the adhesive layer to the protective layer, and exposing the adhesive layer and the photo reactive UV cross-linkage initiators to UV radiation not occurring in nature to at least partly attain cross-linkage. [0020] The present invention also relates to a method of protecting an article with a protective foil. The method includes the step of applying the protective foil on the article, the protective foil including at least one protective layer to face away from the article to be protected, and at least one adhesive layer to face the article to be protected, the adhesive layer being located on the protective layer, the adhesive layer being made of a polymer, the adhesive layer including photo reactive UV cross-linkage initiators being substantially reactive only to radiation of wavelengths not occurring in nature, the adhesive layer at least being partly cross-linked due the photo reactive UV cross-linkage initiators being exposed to UV radiation. [0021] Cross-linkage is approximately proportional to the applied energy, also meaning that it does not continue without activation. Cross-linkage begins and ends with radiation of the surface of the adhesive layer to later face the surface of the vehicle, and it continues towards the direction of the protective layer. In this way, there is a gradient of cross-linkage which leads to increased cross-linkage of the free surface of the adhesive layer to produce increased cross-linkage and increased cohesion at this side. Consequently, cold flowing effects and the effect of glue remaining on the vehicle are prevented. The more cross-linkage has been realized, the more is cohesion, and the smaller is adhesion, meaning adhesion effects with respect to the surface of the vehicle. Adhesion with respect to the surface of the vehicle is sensitively chosen such that the protective foil is not unintentionally removed during transport due to wind influences or other mechanical stresses. The desired adhesion and necessary radiation may be determined by simple tests. [0022] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description. It is intended that all such additional features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0023] The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. [0024] [0024]FIG. 1 is a schematic cross sectional view of a first exemplary embodiment of the novel protective foil. [0025] [0025]FIG. 2 is a schematic cross sectional view of a second exemplary embodiment of the novel protective foil. [0026] [0026]FIG. 3 is a schematic cross sectional view of a third exemplary embodiment of the novel protective foil. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0027] Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the novel protective foil 10 including at a protective layer 12 and an adhesive layer 14 being connected to the protective layer 12 . Usually, one first produces the protective layer 12 to then connect the adhesive layer 14 to the protective layer 12 to attain the novel protective foil 10 to be used for the protection of articles, especially for cars during their transport from the plant to the car dealer. [0028] [0028]FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of the novel protective foil 10 ′ in which the protective layer 12 ′ includes two layers 16 ′ and 18 ′. The layer 16 ′ facing away from the vehicle (not shown) and from the adhesive layer 14 is made of modified polypropylene, while the other layer 18 ′ facing the adhesive layer 14 is made of modified polypropylene mixed with a copolymer of the ethyl vinyl acetate group. [0029] [0029]FIG. 3 schematically illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the novel protective foil 10 ″ in which the protective layer 12 ″ includes three layers 20 ″, 22 ″ and 24 ″. The two outer layers 20 ″ and 24 ″ are made of modified polypropylene. The layer 22 ″ is a mixture of LLDPE and copolymer of vinyl acetate glue. [0030] FIGS. 1 - 3 only show the schematic design of the layers without indicating their thickness. Many variations and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0031] The novel protective foil includes at least one protective layer and at least one adhesive layer being connected to the protective layer. Usually, one first produces the protective layer to then connect the adhesive layer to the protective layer to attain the novel protective foil to be used for the protection of vehicles, especially cars, during their transport from the plant to the car dealer. [0032] In a first exemplary embodiment, the novel protecting foil includes a protective layer being designed as a polyolefin foil including a three layer design. The two outer layers are made of modified polypropylene. Polypropylene is chosen because of its greater resistance against heat compared to polyethylene, and due to its comparatively flat surface. The flat and even surface of the outer surface facing away from the adhesive layer allows for natural release properties. These release properties are required for simple handling of the protecting foil during unwinding it from a reservoir coil. The middle layer is a mixture of LLDPE and copolymer of vinyl acetate glue. The middle layer provides great cohesion of the two outer layers made of modified polypropylene, and due to its great splice resistance, it reduces the tension of the outer surfaces made of modified polypropylene to be teared. The first exemplary embodiment of the protective foil has a total thickness of approximately 50 μm. The outer surface of the protective layer which later faces away from the vehicle is wide pigmented and UV stabilized to counteract brittleness and mechanical reduction of the properties of the protective layer during permanent use under the influence of radiation by the sun. Due to wide pigmentation, reflection of UV radiation is an additional effect. UV stabilization is limited to keep the UV stabilizers usually migrating low. All migrating material, as UV stabilizers, and especially slip additives have to be precisely watched and dosed. This first exemplary embodiment of the novel foil does not use slip additives at all to prevent changes of the gluing force of the adhesive layer. [0033] A second exemplary embodiment of the novel protective layer includes two layers. The protective layer facing away from the vehicle and from the adhesive layer is made of modified polypropylene, while the other layer facing the adhesive layer is made of modified polypropylene mixed with a copolymer of the ethyl vinyl acetate group. This mixture serves to realize especially good adhesive effects acting between the protective layer and the adhesive layer. The adhesive effects acting between the protective layer and the adhesive layer may be further improved by intense so called corona treatment of the protective layer at the side of the adhesive material. [0034] The purpose of the second adhesive layer being located between the first adhesive layer and the protective layer is to prevent portions of the first adhesive layer from remaining on the article to be protected—meaning the painted sheet metal of the vehicle., In this second exemplary embodiment, adhesion acting between the adhesive layer and the protective layer is sufficient. [0035] However, there is a second possible problem due to which erroneous properties of the protective foil may be caused. The second possible problem is the so called cohesion break. A cohesion break is to be understood as a break occurring inside the adhesive layer when the molecular chains of the polymer material are capable of being displaced under thermal or mechanical stresses. Such cohesion breaks are prevented by the novel cross-linkage effects of the novel protective foil. [0036] The above described exemplary embodiments of the novel protective layer have been used in combination with various exemplary adhesive layers. In the above described two exemplary embodiments, the thickness of the adhesive layer has been chosen to be approximately 2 g/m2 and approximately 5 g/m2, respectively. The adhesive layer is made of acrylate copolymer reacting to UW light, including no solvents and having a density of more than approximately 1 g/m3. The UV reactive groups are not physically mixed, but they are rather polymerized. In this way, a bond to the molecular chains has been reached such that volatile components do not migrate, and there are no negative effects to the production and application in an uncontrolled way. The adhesive layer is applied at processing temperatures of between approximately 120° C. (approximately 250° F.) and 140° C. (approximately 290° F.). The general adhesiveness of the adhesive layer being made of a polymer is modified by adding resins, especially partially hydrated, esterified colophonium resins and terpene phenolic resins. [0037] Properties and features of adhesion and cohesion acting inside the adhesive layer and between the adhesive layer and the protective layer are substantially influenced by the thickness of the adhesive layer applied to the protective layer. An increase of the thickness of the adhesive layer results in an increase of adhesiveness. Cross-linkage counteracts this effect. A great degree of cross-linkage reduces adhesiveness. [0038] Especially, mercury average pressure radiators are used to cross-link the adhesive layers. However, it is also possible to use UJV radiators being excited by microwaves. Depending on what kind of radiators are used, different removing velocities of the protective foil and respective cross-linkage intensities are realized. Production velocity and cross-linkage intensity are to be coordinated. Generally, it is not necessary to work under inert gas atmosphere conditions during the process of cross-linking. However, it is preferred to realize direct contact of the radiation serving to attain cross-linkage on the adhesive layer. In this way, different levels of cross-linkage are realized inside the adhesive layer. An increased level of cross-linkage results in the outer portions of the adhesive layer, whereas there is less cross-linkage in the inner portions of the adhesive layer. The portions of the adhesive layer which directly contact the protective layer have a comparatively low degree of cross-linkage, and they consequently have increased adhesion. This condition is desired to guarantee better adhesion of the adhesive layer on the protective layer due to increased adhesion. [0039] Preferably, the adhesive layer is applied on the already produced protective layer. The application may be realized in melted form, and it is desired to uniformly distribute it such that the protective layer is uniformly covered with the adhesive layer material. The melted adhesive layer is heated in a reservoir container, and it is applied onto the protective layer in the form a flat melted billet. It is preferred to apply the adhesive layer to the protective layer as even and uniform as possible. It is preferred to allow for film forming effects. Since the protective layer preferably is made of polyolefins, and it therefore is sensitive to heat, a nozzle by which the material of the adhesive layer is applied may not directly contact the protective layer, and it may not be located too close since the adhesive material has a temperature of between approximately 120° C. (approximately 250° F.) and 140° C. (approximately 290° F.). It is preferred to realize a distance between the nozzle and the protective layer of a plurality of millimeters. [0040] Many variations and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims.

A protective foil for covering articles such as motor vehicles during transport includes at least one protective layer and at least one adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is connected to the protective layer. The adhesive layer is made of a polymer, and it includes photo reactive UV cross-linkage initiators being substantially reactive only to radiation of wavelengths not occurring in nature. The adhesive layer is at least partly cross-linked due the photo reactive UV cross-linkage initiators being exposed to UV radiation.

[0001] This application claims priority from provisional application No. 61/054,695, filed May 20, 2008, the whole contents of the disclosure of which is herewith incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND [0002] Alcohol and tobacco advertisers have poured billions of dollars into national advertising campaigns designed to increase public awareness of their products and thereby increase sales. Last year in the United States alone, bottling companies spent a record of over 1.75 billion in 2007. [0003] Each year, the alcohol industry spends more than a billion dollars on “measured media” advertising, that is, television, radio, print, and outdoor ads. The available evidence indicates that more than 300 wine brands, 350 beer brands, and 1,400 distilled spirits brands are marketed to the U.S. Fewer than a quarter of them are advertised through measured media each year. [0004] Alcohol promotions are often carried out in unconventional ways, including: [0005] Sponsorship of cultural, musical, and sporting events; [0006] Internet advertising; [0007] Point-of-sale material, including window and interior displays at retail outlets, bars, and restaurant; [0008] Distribution of brand-logoed items such as t-shirts, hats, watches, and glassware; [0009] Product placements in movies and TV shows; [0010] Catalogs and other direct mail communications; [0011] Price promotions such as sales, coupons, and rebates; and [0012] Trade promotions directed at wholesalers and retailers [0013] Recently local banks, sports bar and various nightclubs have started placing plasma screens or flat panel Televisions in public view and displaying channels like CNN or the Sports Channel. SUMMARY [0014] The present application describes a system that uses the same monitor screen for bar functions, e.g, entry of an order, or display of an action in the bar, and also for displaying advertisements. The advertisements can be received over transmissions, and creates advertisements based on the received transmissions. [0015] According to an embodiment, the transmissions are received over a satellite link. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] FIG. 1 depicts screens as might be installed in a typical nightclub environment. [0017] FIG. 2 depicts the end to end systems components as are intended to be included. [0018] FIG. 3A depicts an embodiment of an individual screen in advertising mode and [0019] FIG. 3B depicts an example of the screen in the POS terminal mode. [0020] FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment of the system flow of operations at a typical nightclub site. [0021] FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of the value of the system to the advertiser placing ads on the system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0022] Display screens in nightclubs and bars display various images. The flat screens normally depict images of dancers in the building or prerecorded disco videos or streaming light images for special effects. This or other similar screens can be used by the bartender to ring up sales and/or make orders. [0023] In an embodiment, each time the bartender rings up a sale, the touch screen becomes a computer keyboard. When the bartender steps away from the touch screen, the screen saver becomes a miniature billboard which displays advertising for various brands of alcohol or beer. In one embodiment, this system is fed via a satellite dish which updates the ads periodically either by venue, by region, by day of the week, or globally all at once. [0024] FIG. 1 shows the layout of a typical bar, 100 , which may include a number of display devices. The bar 100 shows four screens 102 , 104 , 106 and 108 . In this embodiment, the screens show their own advertisements at times between when they are being used for some other purpose. For example, touchscreens can be used for ringing up customers payment. The screen 102 could be a touchscreen for ordering drinks, or a screen of information, or screen about upcoming events. When not being used, the screen forms a miniature billboard that entices the clients using advertisements about items that are occurring in the bar. For example, when the bar's well drinks are “Smirnoff”, a Smirnoff vodka advertisement is presented. The system provides an advertisement that is tied to the content of what the bar is serving or wanting to serve—providing targeted advertisements. [0025] FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment, and also shows an end to end version of the system. A satellite 200 may receive information from a ground station such as 205 , which can itself be provided in a conventional way. Information from the satellite is downlinked to a satellite receiver 215 . The information from the satellite receiver is sent to a demultiplexing box 220 . In an embodiment, the satellite can be Q band satellite that receives a transmission from the transmission feed on a periodic basis, for example, hourly, weekly, daily or monthly. The ads can also be updated by venue, region, day of the week, or the like. For example, different bars may offer different specials on different days, and ads related to those specials could be displayed. [0026] A number of different point-of-sale cash boxes such as 220 are also provided. Each cashbox may include a point-of-sale slot 221 through which a user slide their ID device such as an ID card. At this point, the screen 225 becomes a screen used for the sale, e.g. a touchscreen as in 225 . In the cash machine 230 , the screen 235 is a conventional screen, and there is also a user interface 236 that allows the user to enter a command such as on the keyboard. In operation, the bartender can slide ID information into the point-of-sale slot 221 , in which case the screen 225 becomes a screen associated with obtaining sales. When the sale is completed, the screen reverts to being an advertisement screen. The advertisement advertises items associated with the bar's sales. [0027] FIG. 3A shows the crossover, where FIG. 3A shows the screen 225 displaying Smirnoff advertising, and FIG. 3B shows the screen 225 in its normal point-of-sale mode, displaying a touchscreen matrix 300 . [0028] The system operates as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4 , which may be executed by a central processor such as 120 , which provides output to all the different screens, e.g, the same output to all the screens, or individual displays to the individual screens. After the session is started at 400 , the screens initially go into cash register mode at 405 , allowing a bartender to use the cash register to ring up a drink at 410 using the display to carry out the checkout. The cashbox drawer then opens at 415 (or allows a swipe of an owner's credit card), and the bartender executes the transit the transaction at 420 , then stepping away from the screen at 425 . After the screen has not been used for a certain amount of time, at 430 , the screen reverts to the display of advertisements of the periodically updated content. The ads can be shown to any user within range. At any time such as 435 , when the bartender wants to ring up a drink, they touch the screen, causing device to revert at 442 to cash register mode. At 445 , the bartender can use the touchscreen to ring up a drink for example. [0029] In one embodiment, illustrated with reference to FIG. 5 , the price for the advertising may be computed based on the increased sales from the advertising. For example, taking an example of a bar called the Vault Ultra Lounge in FIG. 5 , a before and after scenario may be shown. Step 500 shows the scenario before the advertising is carried out. The total number of drinks served per month is 60,000 and the number of drinks which used Smirnoff per month is 1200. Again, this is the baseline before the advertising. [0030] 510 shows an “after” scenario; where an additional 1200 drinks have been sold, which equates to 60 bottles of Smirnoff. The “after” scenario on the advertising provides a sales increase of another 1200 drinks. [0031] In the embodiment of FIG. 5 , the advertiser provides ⅙ of the increased revenue as a fee for the advertising. Of course, other numbers can be used for this analysis. Smirnoff pays an advertising fee of ⅙ of the extra, or $2000. [0032] Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example, other components can be used. While the above describes a location system for anti theft, the same kind wireless battery or solar powered devices can be used for other applications. While the above has described very specific forms of structure and networks that can be used, other network protocols, including but not limited to Bluetooth and others can be similarly and analogously used. In addition, other applications for this system are possible and are contemplated by the present application. While the above describes Smirnoff, it should be understood that any other product can be similarly advertised. In embodiments, the product that is advertised is preferably a product that is available for sale at the advertising location, and more preferably is a food or drink for sale at the location. [0033] Also, the inventors intend that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims.

Advertising content is received over a channel and displayed on the same terminal that displays the point of sale information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to lighting devices and more particularly to a self-contained photovoltaic powered low light level marking light. In the prior art, there exists many electrically powered outdoor low voltage lights which are utilized to mark and illuminate pathways, yards, certain areas of parks and other predetermined areas. Typically, these lights are interconnected to the public utility source of electric power and are controlled by preset timing devices so that they illuminate at night fall and extinguish at a predetermined time such as approaching daybreak or the like. Such lights require extensive cabling including conduits along with appropriate timing mechanisms and thus are relatively expensive to install and maintain. In many instances, there is no particular need to illuminate a particular area but rather only a need to delineate the area. There is further a need to provide a source of illumination for such delineation which does not require interconnection to a public utility source of power or the like and which is relatively easy and inexpensive to install and requires no maintenance. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A marking light having a low voltage light source coupled to a self contained electrical power source for automatically providing electrical power to illuminate said light source when ambient light falls below a predetermined level. A lens is closely coupled to the light source for diffusing light emanating therefrom. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a prospective view illustrative of a marking light constructed in accordance with the principals of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the lens of the marking light illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the lens of FIG. 2 taken about the lines 3--3 thereof; FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the marking light structure without the supporting stake taken about the lines 4--4 of FIG. 1; and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit of the marking light constructed in accordance with principals of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a marking light 10 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. As is shown, the marking light 10 is a totally self-contained unit which is supportable upon a stake 12 and includes a housing 14 having a lens 16. A series of photovoltaic cells 18 are disposed in the upper surface 20 of the light 10 so as to be generally exposed to the sunlight when the light 10 is placed in its operational position. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that a plurality of the marking lights 10 may be disposed in any predetermined arrangement as desired by pressing the stake 12 into the earth so as to position the lens 16 of the light at a particular desired delineation or demarkation position. By thus positioning a plurality of the marking lights 10, a particular area, such as a pathway, may be easily delineated so that a person, even in complete darkness, may be able to follow the pathway without the necessity of producing sufficient illumination to illuminate the pathway. The only source of power for the marking light 10 constitutes a battery (described more in detail hereinbelow) which is maintained in a charged condition by the sunlight striking the photovoltaic cells 18 during the daytime. When the output voltage from the photovoltaic cells 18 reaches a predetermined low level, the internal light is illuminated thus causing the lens 16 effectively to glow. In order to retain the light 10 in position after it has been in place, the housing 14 is attached to a stake 12 which is generally cruciform in shape and formed symmetrically with a plurality of sawtooth shaped members 22, 24, 26, and 28 disposed within each of the four cavities defined by the general cruciform as illustrated at 30. It should be noted that each of the sawtooth members 22 through 28 is formed such that the upper portion thereof provides a substantially flat ledge 32, 34, 36, and 38 respectively which is substantially normal to the adjacent arms 40 and 42 forming the stake 12. The body of the stake then tapers longitudinally inwardly toward the arm 40 for the sawtooth members 22 through 28 as shown in FIG. 1. It will be recognized that such configuration of the sawtooth members contained within each of the four quadrants formed by the general cruciform shape will permit easy insertion of the stake into the earth but difficult removal therefrom since the flat platforms or ledges would tend to catch the earth, thus requiring movement of a large amount of the earth upon attempted removal of the stake from the earth. The housing 14 is secured to the stake in such a manner that once it is in place, it is locked to the stake and cannot easily be removed therefrom without destruction of the housing or the stake. Thus once in place, the marking light is relatively secure. The lens 16 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 3 to which reference is hereby made. The lens is a molded plastic member having a first portion 44 which extends exteriorly of the housing 14 and a second portion 46 which is contained interiorly of the housing 14 as is illustrated more clearly in FIG. 4. The lens portion 44 extending exteriorly of the housing 14 includes a first surface 48 which is textured. The portion 46 of the lens extending interiorly of the housing defines a blind bore 50 which includes a surface 52 which is also textured. The bore 50 receives the source of illumination 54 in a closely coupled manner. When the source of illumination 54 is illuminated, as will be described more fully hereinbelow, the light emanating therefrom is diffused and enters the interior 56 of the lens 16. The lens 16 is preferably a clear molded plastic such as a polycarbonate so that light may travel easily through the interior thereof. As the light travels through the interior 56 of the lens 16 and attempts to pass through the exterior surface thereof, it is trapped by the textured surface 48 causing the light to be reflected interiorly of the lens. The light thus is caused to be reflected and retained internally of the lens before passing outwardly thereof at the surface 48. Such internal reflection of the light caused by both the surfaces 52 and 48 causes the lens 16 to appear to glow even though a relatively small light source 54 may be utilized. The lens 16 is provided with a pair of notches or recesses 58-60 on each side of the portion 46 which extends internally into the housing 14. The notches 58-60 are provided to lock the lens in place as by a snap fit when the lens is inserted into the housing 14. The housing 14 includes upper and lower members 60-62 with the lower member interlockingly fitting into the upper member 60 as shown at 63 and 64. The lower member is then retained in place by a fastening device such as a screw 66 or the like which fits into mating standards 68-70 as is well known. An opening 72 is provided in the upper surface within which is received a plurality of photovoltaic cells protected at their upper surface by a clear plastic plate or cover 76 or the like held in position within the opening 72 of the housing 14. The photovoltaic cells 74 are secured in place by appropriate fingers or the like as shown at 78, 80 and 82 around three sides of the cell 74 so that it may be slid into place prior to positioning of the lower portion 62 of the cover 14. Appropriate electrical wiring as shown at 84 and 86 is connected between the photovoltaic module 74 and a circuit board 88 which also supports the source of illumination 54 which may be any relatively low voltage source of illumination including a high intensity light emitting diode (LED). Whatever the source of illumination, one of the significant features of the present invention is the close coupling of the source of illumination to the lens 16 by means of inserting the source of illumination into the blind bore 50 as above described. The circuit board 88 contains appropriate electrical components and is shown generally at 90 and is secured in place for example as by a layer of adhesive 92 or the like within the housing 14. The lower portion 62 of the housing 14 defines an appropriate opening 94 for receiving the upper portion of the stake 12 and includes appropriate notches and/or recesses as illustrated generally at 96 for receiving protrusions at the end of the stake for locking the same in position within the opening 94. By reference now more particularly to FIG. 5, the electrical interconnection of the source of illumination with the photovoltaic cell and a battery along with the appropriate control circuit is illustrated. As is therein shown, the photovoltaic cell 74 is interconnected to a battery 94. The source of illumination 54 in the form of a high intensity LED is connected by a current limiting resistor 96 and a transistor 98 across the battery 94 and the photovoltaic cell 74. Connected between the negative terminals of the battery 94 and the photovoltaic cell 74 is a current steering diode 100. An additional resistor 102 is connected across the photovoltaic cell 74. The transistor 98 is a N-P-N transistor and functions as a switch to automatically connect the battery 94 to the light source 54 under certain predetermined conditions. The current steering diode 100 functions as a switch control means to cause the transistor 98 to conduct or not conduct thus interconnecting the light source 54 with the battery, or alternatively, opening the circuit to prevent such from occurring. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the photovoltaic cell 74, when generating electrical power as a result of some light striking the same, is used to charge the battery 94 and during such period of time, there is no need for the marking light to function. Thus the light source 54 is disconnected from the power source during such time whether it be the photovoltaic cell 74 or the battery 94. However, when the voltage generated by the photovoltaic cell 74 drops below a predetermined level as established by the level of the ambient light, then the power source consisting of the battery 94 is automatically connected so as to illuminate the light source 54. The current steering diode 100 functions as the control device to cause the transistor 98 to conduct or not conduct depending upon the relative levels of voltage between the photovoltaic cell 74 and the battery 94. When the ambient light striking the photovoltaic cell 74 is such that the output of voltage generated by it is greater than the voltage of the battery 94, the steering diode 100 will be forward biased causing current to flow from the positive terminal of the photovoltaic cell through the battery 94 positive to negative, thus charging the battery 94. At the same point in time, the voltage drop across the diode 100 will be such as to reverse bias the emitter base diode of the transistor 98, thus causing it to appear as an open circuit across the battery 94 and the photovoltaic cell 74. The resistor 102 has an impedance which is substantially higher than that of the battery 94 and the diode 100, thus causing little or no current flow therethrough. When, however, the ambient light falling on the photovoltaic cell falls below a predetermined level such that the output voltage from the photovoltaic cell 74 is substantially less than that of the battery 94, the diode 100 becomes reverse biased and then appears as an open circuit precluding flow of current from the photovoltaic cell or the battery toward the other. When such occurs, a positive voltage is applied through the resistor 102 to the base of the transistor 98. Since the emitter thereof is connected to the negative terminal of the battery, the transistor 98 is now caused to commence to conduct thereby completing the circuit through the light source 54 across the battery 94. When such occurs, the light source 54 will illuminate thus causing the lens 16 to appear to glow as above described. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that as the ambient light increases above the predetermined level or falls below the predetermined level, the electrical power is provided to automatically charge the battery 94 or illuminate the light source 54 respectively. It has thus been disclosed a self-contained photovoltaic powered marking light which may be utilized to delineate predetermined areas without utilization of a public utility source of electrical power or the like.

A self-contained solar powered marking light. The marking light may be utilized to delineate certain predetermined boundaries without effectively illuminating the areas. The marking light automatically illuminates when output power from the photovoltaic cells contained therein fall below a predetermined level and automatically extinguishes when the voltage from the photovoltaic cells reaches a predetermined level. The marking light includes a lens which is closely coupled to a source of light and which includes a textured surface for diffusing the light to cause the lens to appear to glow when the source of light is illuminated. An electrical circuit is coupled between the photovoltaic cells and a battery and includes the source of light and switching means for automatically illuminating the light dependent upon the relative relationship between the voltage of the photovoltaic cells and the battery voltage.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to RF (including microwave) interconnections among layers of assemblies of multiple integrated circuits, and more particularly to compliant interconnection arrangements which may be sandwiched between adjacent circuits. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Active antenna arrays are expected to provide performance improvements and reduce operating costs of communications systems. An active antenna array includes an array of antenna elements. In this context, the antenna element may be viewed as being a transducer which converts between free-space electromagnetic radiation and guided waves. In an active antenna array, each antenna element, or a subgroup of antenna elements, is associated with an active module. The active module may be a low-noise receiver for low-noise amplification of the signal received by its associated antenna element(s), or it may be a power amplifier for amplifying the signal to be transmitted by the associated antenna element(s). Many active antenna arrays use transmit-receive (T/R) modules which perform both functions in relation to their associated antenna elements. The active modules, in addition to providing amplification, ordinarily also provide amplitude and phase control of the signals traversing the module, in order to point the beam(s) of the antenna in the desired direction. In some arrangements, the active module also includes filters, circulators, andor other functions. A major cost driver in active antenna arrays is the active transmit or receive, or T/R module. It is desirable to use monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC) to reduce cost and to enhance repeatability from element to element of the array. Some prior-art arrangements use ceramic-substrate high-density-interconnect (HDI) substrate for the MMICs, with the substrate mounted to a ceramic, metal, or metal-matrix composite base for carrying away heat. These technologies are effective, but the substrates may be too expensive for some applications. FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-section of an epoxy-encapsulated HDI module 10 in which a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) 14 is mounted by way of a eutectic solder junction 16 onto the top of a heat-transferring metal deep-reach shim 18. The illustrated MMIC 14, solder 16, and shim 18 are encapsulated, together with other like MMIC, solder and shim assemblies (not illustrated) within a plastic encapsulant or body 12, the material of which may be, for example, epoxy resin. The resulting encapsulated part, which may be termed "HDI-connected chips" inherently has, or the BP ΔN lower surfaces are ground and polished to generate, a flat lower surface 12 ls BP ΔN. The flat lower surface 12 ls , and the exposed lower surface 18 ls , of the shim, are coated with a layer 20 of electrically and thermally conductive material, such as copper or gold. As so far described, the module 10 of FIG. 1 has a plurality of individual MMIC mounted or encapsulated within the plastic body 12, but no connections are provided between the individual MMICs or between any one MMIC and the outside world. Heat which might be generated by the MMIC, were it operational, would flow preferentially through the solder junction 16 and the shim 18 to the conductive layer 20. In FIG. 1, the upper surface of MMIC 14 has two representative electrically conductive connections or electrodes 14 1 and 14 2 . Connections are made between electrodes 14 1 and 14 2 and the corresponding electrodes (not illustrated) of others of the MMICs (not illustrated) encapsulated within body 12 by means of HDI technology, including flexible layers of KAPTON on which traces or patterns of conductive paths, some of which are illustrated as 32 1 and 32 2 , have been placed, and in which the various layers are interconnected by means of conductive vias. In FIG. 1, KAPTON layers 24, 26, and 30 are provided with paths defined by traces or patterns of conductors. The layers illustrated as 24 and 26 are bonded together to form a multilayer, double-sided structure, with conductive paths on its upper and lower surfaces, and additional conductive paths lying between layers 24 and 26. Double-sided layer 24/26 is mounted on upper surface 12 us of body 12 by a layer 22 of adhesive. A further layer 30 of KAPTON, with its own pattern of electrically conductive traces 32 2 , is held to the upper surface of double-sided layer 24/26 by means of an adhesive layer 28. The uppermost layer of electrically conductive traces may include printed antenna elements in one embodiment of the invention. As mentioned above, electrical connections are made between the conductive traces of the various layers, and between the traces and appropriate ones of the MMIC contacts 14 1 and 14 2 , by through vias, some of which are illustrated as 36. The items designated MT0, MT1, MT2, and MT3 at the left of FIG. 1 are designations of various ones of the flexible sheets carrying the various conductive traces. Those skilled in the art will recognize this structure as being an HDI interconnection arrangement, which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,633, issued Sep. 3, 1996 in the name of Sharma. As illustrated in FIG. 1, at least one radio-frequency (RF) ground conductor layer or "plane" 34 is associated with lower layer 24 of the double-sided layer 24/26. Those skilled in the art will realize that the presence of ground plane 34 allows ordinary "microstrip" transmission-line techniques to carry RF signals in lateral directions, parallel with upper surface 12 us of plastic body 12, so that RF signals can also be transmitted from one MMIC to another in the assembly 10 of FIG. 1. Allowed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/815,349, in the name of McNulty et al., describes an arrangement by which signals can be coupled to and from an HDI circuit such as that of FIG. 1. As described in the McNulty et al. application, the HDI KAPTON layers with their patterns of conductive traces are lapped over an internal terminal portion of a hermetically sealed housing. Connections are made within the body of the housing between the internal terminal portion and an externally accessible terminal portion. One of the advantages of an antenna array is that it is a relatively flat structure, by comparison with the three-dimensional curvature of reflector-type antennas. When assemblies such as that of FIG. 1 are to be used for the transmit-receive modules of an active array antenna, it is often desirable to keep the structure as flat as possible, so as, for example, to make it relatively easy to conform the antenna array to the outer surface of a vehicle. FIG. 2a illustrates an HDI module such as that described in the abovementioned McNulty patent application. In FIG. 2a, representative module 210 includes a mounting base 210, to which heat is transferred from internal chips. A plurality of mounting holes are provided, some of which are designated 298. A contoured lid 213 is hermetically sealed to a peripheral portion of base 212, to protect the chips within. A first set of electrical connection terminals, some of which are designated as 222a, 224a, and 226a are illustrated as being located on the near side of the base, and a similar set of connection terminals, including terminals designated as 222b, 224b, and 226b are located on the remote side of the base. FIG. 2b is a perspective or isometric view, partially exploded, of an active array antenna 200. In FIG. 2b, the rear or reverse side (the non-radiating or connection side) of a flat antenna element structure 202 is shown, divided into rows designated a, b, c, and d and columns 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Each location of array structure 202 is identified by its row and column number, and each such location is associated with a set of terminals, three in number for each location. Each array location of antenna element array 202 is associated with an antenna element, which is on the obverse or front side of structure 202. Each antenna element on the obverse side of the antenna element structure 202 is connected to the associated set of three terminals on the corresponding row and column of the reverse side of the antenna element array 202. Each antenna element of active antenna array 200 of FIG. 2b is associated with a corresponding active antenna module 210, only one of which is illustrated. In FIG. 2b, active antenna module 210b3 is associated with antenna element or array element 202b3. Active module 210b3 is identical to module 210 of FIG. 2a and to all of the other modules (not illustrated) of FIG. 2b. Representative module 210b3 has its terminals 222a, 224a, and 226a connected by means of electrical conductors to the set of three terminals associated with array element 202b3 of antenna structure 202. The other set of terminals of module 210b3, namely the set including terminals 222b, 224b, and 226b, is available to connect to a source or sink of signals which are to be transmitted or received, respectively. It will be clear that the orientation of module 210b3, and of the other modules which it represents, will, when all present, will extend for a significant distance behind or to the rear of the antenna element support structure 202, thereby tending to make the active antenna array 200 fairly thick. Also, the presence of the many modules will make it difficult to support the individual modules in a manner such that heat can readily be extracted from the mounting plates (212 of FIG. 2a). Also, the presence of many such active modules 210 will make it difficult to make the connections between the terminal sets of the active modules and the terminal sets of the antenna elements. The problem of thickness of the structure of FIG. 2b is exacerbated by the need for a signal distribution arrangement, partially illustrated as 290. Distribution arrangement 290 receives signal from a source 292, and distributes some of the signal to the near connections of each of the modules, such as connections 222b. 224b, and 226b of module 210b3. A further problem with the structure of FIG. 2b is that the connections between the active module 210b3 and the set of terminals for array element 202b3 is by way of an open transmission-line. Those skilled in the art of RF and microwave communications know that such open transmission-lines tend to be lossy, and in a structure such as that illustrated in FIG. 2b, the losses will tend to result in cross-coupling of signal between the terminals of the various array elements. A further problem with interconnecting the structure of FIG. 2b is that of tolerance build-up between the antenna terminal sets on the reverse side of the antenna element structure 202, the terminals of the modules 210, and the terminals of beamformer 290. Improved arrangements are desired for producing flat HDI-connected structures which can be arrayed with other flat structures. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, the invention lies in a short electrical transmission-line which includes a center electrical conductor having the form of a circular cylinder centered about an axis. The circular cylinder of the center conductor defines an axial length between first and second ends of the center conductor. An outer electrical conductor arrangement comprises a plurality of mutually identical electrical outer conductors, each being in the form of a circular cylinder centered about an axis, and each having an axial length between first and second ends which is equal to the axial length of the center conductor. The axes of the outer conductors are oriented parallel with each other and with the axis of the center conductor. The first ends of the center and outer conductors are coincident with a first plane which is orthogonal to the axes of the center and outer conductors, and the second ends of the center and outer conductors are coincident with a second plane parallel with the first plane. The outer conductors have their axes equally spaced from each other at a first radius from the axis of the center conductor. The short electrical transmission-line also includes a rigid dielectric disk defining a center axis and an axial length no greater than the axial length of the center conductor. The rigid dielectric disk also defines a periphery spaced from the center axis by a second radius which is greater than either (a) the first radius or (b) the axial length of the center conductor. The dielectric disk surrounds and supports the center and outer conductors on side regions thereof lying between the first and second ends of the center and outer conductors, for holding the center and outer conductors in place. However, the dielectric disk does not overlie the first ends of the center and outer conductors. In a more particular embodiment, the center conductor defines a diameter, and the outer conductors each have the same diameter. More particularly, the material of the center and outer conductors comprises at least a copper core, and the material of the dielectric disk is epoxy resin. A method, according to an aspect of the invention, for producing a flat connection assembly includes the step of affixing a plurality of microwave integrated-circuit chips to a support, with connections of the chips adjacent to the support. A plurality of short electrical transmission-lines are made or generated. Each of the short electrical transmission-lines is similar to that summarized above. A plurality of the short transmission-lines are applied to the support, with the first ends of the conductors adjacent the support. The chips and the short transmission-lines are encapsulated in rigid dielectric material, to thereby produce encapsulated chips and transmission-lines. The support is removed from the encapsulated chips and transmission-lines, to thereby expose a first side of the encapsulated chips and transmission-lines, and at least the connections of the chips and the first ends of the center and outer conductors of the short transmission-lines. At least one layer of flexible dielectric sheet carrying a plurality of electrically conductive traces is applied to the first side of the encapsulated chips and transmission-lines. The flexible dielectric sheet interconnects, by way of some of the traces and by through vias, at least one of the connections of at least one of the chips with the first end of the center conductor of one of the transmission-lines, and at least one other of the connections of the one of the chips to the first ends of all of the outer conductors of the one of the transmission-lines, to thereby produce a first-side-connected encapsulated arrangement. So much material is removed from that side of the first-side-connected encapsulated arrangement which is remote from the first side as will expose second ends of the center and outer conductors of the transmission-lines, to thereby produce a first planar arrangement having exposed second ends of the center and outer conductors of the transmission-lines. A planar conductor arrangement is applied over the first planar arrangement, and adjacent that side of the first planar arrangement which has the exposed second ends of the center and outer conductors. The planar conductor arrangement includes a plurality of individual electrical connections which, when the planar conductor arrangement is registered with the first planar arrangement, are registered with the center and outer conductors of the transmission-lines. The planar conductor arrangement is registered with the first planar arrangement, and electrical connections are made between the first ends of the center and outer conductors of the transmission lines of the first planar arrangement and the individual electrical connections of the planar conductor arrangement. In a particular method according to an aspect of the invention, the step of making electrical connections comprises the steps of placing a compressible floccule of electrically conductive material between the first ends of each of the center and outer conductors of the transmission lines of the first planar arrangement and the registered ones of the planar conductor arrangement, and compressing the compressible floccule of electrically conductive material between the first ends of the center and outer conductors of the transmission lines of the first planar arrangement and the registered ones of the planar conductor arrangement, to thereby establish the electrical connections and to aid in holding the compressible floccules in place. The step of encapsulating the chips and the short transmission-lines in dielectric material includes the step of encapsulating the chips and the short transmission-lines in the same dielectric material as that of the dielectric disk. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a portion of a prior-art high-density interconnect arrangement by which connections are made between multiple integrated-circuit chips mounted on a single supporting substrate; FIG. 2a is a simplified perspective or isometric view of a prior-art module which contains HDI-connected integrated-circuit chips, and FIG. 2b illustrates how a flat or planar antenna array might use a plurality of the modules of FIG. 2a to form an active antenna array; FIGS. 3a and 3b are simplified plan and elevation views, respectively, of a short transmission-line, and FIG. 3c is a cross-section of the structure of FIG. 3a taken along section lines 3c--3c; FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g, and 4h illustrate steps, in simplified form, in the fabrication of an RF HDI structures using a short transmission-line as in FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c to interface to another planar circuit, illustrated as a beamformer or manifold; FIG. 5 illustrates an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 4h with a cold plate interposed between the HDI-connected chips and the beamformer, and using a rigid fuzz button holder; FIG. 6a is a simplified plan view of a compressible or conformable short transmission line, FIG. 6b is a simplified cross-section of the arrangement of FIG. 6a taken along section lines 6a--6a, FIG. 6c is a simplified perspective or isometric view of the short transmission line of FIGS. 6a and 6b, with the fuzz button conductors illustrated in phantom, and FIG. 6d is a simplified perspective or isometric view of a representative fuzz button; FIG. 7 is a simplified cross-sectional representation of an assemblage including a cold plate, in which a compressible fuzz button holder is used; FIG. 8 is a simplified perspective or isometric view, exploded to reveal certain details, of the assemblage of FIG. 7; FIG. 9a is a simplified perspective or isometric view of a short-circuited transmission line according to an aspect of the invention, FIG. 9b is a side or elevation view of the transmission line of FIG. 9a, FIG. 9c illustrates the arrangement of FIG. 9a in encapsulated form, and FIG. 9d is a side elevation of the encapsulated structure of FIG. 9c; FIG. 10a illustrates the result of certain fabrication steps corresponding to the steps of FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d applied to the short-circuited transmission line of FIGS. 9c and 9d, and FIG. 10b illustrates the result of further fabrication steps applied to the structure of FIG. 10a; FIG. 11 illustrates a short-circuited multiple transmission line which may be encapsulated as described in conjunction with FIGS. 9c or 9d, and used for interconnecting planar circuit arrangements at frequencies somewhat lower than the higher RF frequencies, such as the clock frequencies of logic circuits; FIG. 12 is a perspective or isometric view of a structure according to an aspect of the invention, including a planar plastic HDI circuit, a bipartite separator plate, and a second planar circuit, some of which are cut away to reveal interior details; FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the structure of FIG. 12, showing the planar plastic HDI circuit associated with one portion of the separator plate as one part, the second portion of the separator plate, and the second planar circuit as other parts of the exploded structure; FIG. 14 is an exploded view of a portion of the second part of the separator plate, showing rigid and compliant transmission lines, and other structure; and FIG. 15 is a more detailed cross-sectional view of the structure of FIG. 12. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In FIGS. 3a 3b, and 3c, a short transmission line or "molded coaxial interconnect" 310 is in the form of a flat disk or right circular cylinder 311 having a thickness 312 and an outer diameter 314 centered about an axis 308. Thickness 312 should not exceed diameter 314. An electrically conductive center conductor 316 is in the form of a right circular cylinder defining a central axis which is concentric with axis 308. A set 318 of a plurality, in this case eight, of further electrical conductors 318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h, are also in the form of right circular cylinders, with axes which lie parallel with the axis 308 of the flat disk. The further electrical conductors have their axes equally spaced by an incremental angle of 45° on a circle of diameter 320, also centered on axis 308. The main body of short transmission line 310 is made from a dielectric material, which encapsulates the sides, but not the ends, of center conductor 316 and outer conductors 318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h. The diameter of circle 320 on which the axes of the outer conductors lie is selected so that the outer conductors lie completely within the outer periphery of the dielectric disk. A first end of the center conductor and the outer conductors lies adjacent a plane 301, and a second end of each lies adjacent to a second plane 302. In a particular embodiment of the short transmission line, the thickness 312 is 0.055 in., and the diameter is 0.304 in. In another embodiment, the diameter is the same, but the thickness is 0.115 in. In both embodiments, the axes of the outer conductors of set 308 are centered on a circle of diameter 0.192 in., and the conductors have diameters of 0.032 in. The material of the dielectric disk is Plaskon SMT-B-1 molding compound, and the conductors are copper. As described below, these short transmission lines are used for interconnecting RF circuits. The characteristic impedance of the short transmission line of FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c is selected to substantially match the impedances of the signal source and sink, or to substantially match the impedances of the stripline or microstrip transmission lines to which the short transmission line is connected in an HDI circuit. The impedance Z 0 of the short transmission line is determined by ##EQU1## where ε is the dielectric constant of the dielectric disk; D 0 is the diameter of the inside surface of the outer conductor; and D i is the outer diameter of the center conductor. To produce a 50-ohm characteristic impedance, with center conductor wire diameter of 0.032" and epoxy encapsulation material having a dielectric constant of 3.7, the axes of the outer conductors should be on a circle having a diameter of 0.192 inches. FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, and 4h illustrate steps in the fabrication of an RF HDI structure. In a step preceding that illustrated in FIG. 4a, one or more short transmission lines 310 are fabricated, and monolithic RF circuits 14 are assembled with heat-transferring metal deep-reach shims 18. In FIG. 4a, the chip/shim assemblages 14/18 and the short transmission lines 310 are mounted face-down onto an adhesive backed KAPTON substrate 410. FIG. 4b illustrates the encapsulation of the assemblages 14/18 and the short transmission line 310 within an epoxy or other encapsulation to form a structure with encapsulated chips and transmission-lines. The structure of FIG. 4b with encapsulated chips and transmission lines then continues through conventional HDI processing. As illustrated in FIG. 4c, vias are laser-drilled to die bond pads 14 1 and 14 2 and to the conductors of the short transmission line 310 which are against the substrate 410. Conductive traces are then patterned on the exposed substrate 410, making the necessary electrical connections. FIG. 4d illustrates the result of applying a plurality (illustrated as three) of layers of conductive-trace bearing flexible HDI connection material designated together as 424, with the traces appropriately registered with the connections 14 1 and 14 2 of the chips 14, and with the center conductor 316 and the set 318 of outer conductors of the short transmission line 310. Following the step illustrated in FIG. 4c, plated through-vias 36 are formed in the conductive-trace bearing flexible HDI connection material 424, with the result that the chip connections are made, and the connections to the short transmission line 18 are made as illustrated in FIG. 4e. The metallization layers 32 connect the short transmission line to at least one of the chips 14, so that one connection of a chip connects to center conductor 316 of short transmission line 310 of FIG. 4e, and so that a ground conductor associated with the chip connects to the set 318 of outer conductors of the short transmission line. FIGS. 4f represents the cutting off of that portion of the encapsulated structure (the structure of FIG. 4e) which lies, in FIG. 4f, above a dash line 426. This produces a planar structure 401, illustrated in FIG. 4g, in which the connections among the chips 14, and between the chips and one end of the short transmission lines, lie within the conductive-trace layers 424 on the "bottom" of the encapsulated structure, and in which a heat interface end 18 hi of each of the heat-conducting shims 18, and the ends of the center conductor 316 and of the set 318 of outer conductors of a coaxial connection structure 490 at the end of the short transmission line, are exposed on the "upper" side of the structure as contacts. The center conductor contact is illustrated as 316 c , and some of the outer conductor contacts are designated as 318a c and 318f c . FIG. 4h illustrates a cross-section of a structure resulting from a further step following the step illustrated in conjunction with FIGS. 4f and 4g. More particularly, the structure of FIG. 4g is attached to an RF manifold or beamformer 430, which distributes the signals which are to be radiated by the active array antenna. The surface 430s of manifold 430 which is adjacent to the encapsulated structure bears conductive traces, some of which are designated 432. In order to make contact between the conductive traces 432 on the RF distribution manifold and the exposed ends of the center conductor 316 and the set 318 of outer conductors of the short transmission line, compressible electrical conductors 450, termed "fuzz buttons," are placed between the conductive traces 432 on the distribution manifold 430 and the exposed ends of the center conductor 316 and set 318 of outer conductors of each of the short transmission lines 310. The manifold 430 is then pressed against the remainder of the structure, with the fuzz buttons between, which compresses the fuzz buttons to make good electrical connection to the adjacent surfaces, and which also tends to hold the fuzz buttons in place due to compression. Appropriate thermal connection must also be made between the manifold and the shims 18 to aid in carrying away heat. Thus, in the arrangement of FIGS. 4a-4h, electrical RF signals are distributed to the ports (only one illustrated) of the distribution manifold 430 to a plurality of the ports (only one of which is illustrated) represented by short transmission lines 310 of planar circuit 401 of FIG. 4g, and the signals are coupled through the short transmission lines to appropriate ones of the metallization layers 32 0 , 32 1 , and 32 2 , as may be required to carry the signals to the MMIC for amplification or other processing, and the signals processed by the MMIC are then passed through the signal paths defined by the paths defined by conductive traces 32 0 , 32 1 , and 32 2 to that layer of conductive traces which is most remote from the distribution manifold 430. More particularly, when the distribution manifold 430 is in the illustrated position relative to the encapsulated pieces, the uppermost layer 32 2 of conductive traces may itself define the antenna elements. Thus, the structure 400 defined in FIG. 4h, together with other portions which appear in other ones of FIGS. 4a-4g, comprises the distribution, signal processing, and radiating portions of a planar or flat active array antenna. The fuzz buttons 450 of FIG. 4h may be part no. 3300050, manufactured by TECKNIT, whose address is 129 Dermodry Street, Cranford, N.J. 07016, phone (908) 272-5500. If the conductors 32 2 of metallization layer MT2 of FIG. 4h are elemental antenna elements, the RF manifold 430 can be a feed distribution arrangement which establishes some measure of control over the distribution of signals to the active MMICs of the various antenna elements. On the other hand, the structure of FIG. 4h denominated as RF manifold 430 could instead be an antenna array, with the elemental antennas on side 430p, while the metallization layers 32 1 and 32 2 would in that case distribute the signals to be radiated, or collect the received signals. Thus, the described structure is simply a connection arrangement between two separated planar distribution sets. It will be noted that in FIG. 4h, the region 460 about the fuzz buttons 450 is surrounded by air dielectric, which has a dielectric constant of approximately 1. Since the fuzz buttons 450 have roughly the same diameter as the center conductor 316 and the outer conductors 318, the characteristic impedance of the section 460 of transmission line extending from exposed traces 432 to short transmission line 310 is larger than that of the short transmission line. If the short transmission line has a characteristic impedance of about 50 ohms, the characteristic impedance of the region 460 will be greater than 50 ohms. Those skilled in the art know that such a change of impedance has the effect of interposing an effective inductance into the transmission path, and may be undesirable. FIG. 5 represents a structure such as that of FIG. 4h with a cold plate 510 interposed between the HDI-connected chips 10 on structure 12 and the beamformer 430. The cold plate 510 has an interface surface 510is which makes contact with the adjacent surface of the plastic body 12 of the HDI circuit 10. The cold plate may be, as known in the art, a metal plate with fluid coolant channels or tubes located within, for carrying heat from heat interface surfaces 18 hi to a heat rejection location (not illustrated). Those skilled in the art know that a heat conductive grease or other material may be required at the interface. As illustrated in FIG. 5, a fuzz button housing 512 has a thickness about equal to that of the cold plate, for holding fuzz buttons 450 in a coaxial pattern similar to that of center conductor 316 and outer conductors 318, for making connections between the center conductor 316/outer conductors 318 and the corresponding metallizations 432 of the beamformer 430. More particularly, the outer conductors 318 and the outer conductor fuzz buttons 450 lie on a circle with diameter d192. The dielectric constant of the material of fuzz button housing 512 is selected to provide the selected characteristic impedance. As also illustrated in FIG. 5, fuzz button housing 512 is not quite as large in diameter as the cut-out or aperture in cold plate 510, in order to take tolerance build-up. Consequently, an air-dielectric gap 512 g1 exists around fuzz button housing 512. The axial length of fuzz button housing 512 is similarly not quite as great as the thickness of the cold plate 510, resulting in a gap 512 g2 . Gaps 512 g1 and 512 g2 have an effect on the characteristic impedance of the transmission path provided by the fuzz buttons 450 which is similar to the effect of the air gap 460 of FIG. 4h. In an analysis of an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 5, the calculated through loss was 0.8 dB, and the return loss was only 10.5 dB. The fuzz button housing or holder 512 is made from an elastomeric material, which compresses when compressed between the HDI-connected chips 10 and the underlying beamformer 430, so as to eliminate air gaps which might adversely affect the transmission path. FIGS. 6a, 6b, and 6c are views of a compressible or compliant RF interconnect with fuzz button conductors. In FIGS. 6a, 6b, and 6c, elements corresponding to those of FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c are designated by like reference numerals, but in the 600 series rather than in the 300 series. As illustrated in FIGS. 6a, 6b, and 6c, compliant RF interconnect 610 includes a fuzz button center conductor 616 defining an axis 608, and a set 618 including a plurality, illustrated as eight, of fuzz button outer conductors 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f, 618g, and 618h, spaced at equal angular increments, which in the case of eight outer conductor elements corresponds to 45°, about center axis 608, on a radius 620 having a diameter of 0.200". Dielectric body 611 has an outer periphery 611p, and is made from a silicone elastomer having a dielectric constant within the range of 2.7 to 2.9, and has an overall diameter 614 of about 0.36", and a thickness 612 of 0.10". As can be best seen in FIGS. 6a and 6c, the dielectric body 611 has two keying notches 650a and 650b. Dielectric body 611 also has a flanged inner portion 648 with a diameter of 0.30", and the maximum-diameter portion 652 has a thickness 654 of about 0.44". The fuzz buttons 616, 618 have a length 613 in the axial direction which is slightly greater (0.115" in the embodiment) than the axial dimension 612 of body 611 (0.10"). FIG. 6d illustrates a representative one of the outer conductor fuzz buttons, which is selected to be fuzz button 618f for definiteness. In FIG. 6d, outer conductor fuzz button 618f is in the form of a right circular cylinder centered on an axis 617, and defines first and second ends 618f 1 and 618f 2 which are coincident with planes 601 and 602, respectively, of FIG. 6b. The cylindrical form of fuzz button 618f of FIG. 6d defines an outer surface 618 fs lying between the first and second ends 618f 1 and 618f 2 . FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 5, and corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals. In FIG. 7, the compliant RF interconnect 610 is compressed between the broad surface 430 fs of beamformer manifold 430 and the broad surface 712 ls of HDI-connected chip arrangement 10, and is somewhat compressed axially, to thereby eliminate the gap 512 g2 which appears in FIG. 5. This, in turn, eliminates the principal portion of the impedance discontinuity at the interface which is filled by the compliant RF interconnect 610. The axial compression of the dielectric body 611 of the compliant RF interconnect 610, in turn, tends to cause the compliant body 611 to expand radially, to thereby somewhat fill the circumferential or annular gap 512 g1 , which further tends to reduce impedance discontinuities at the interface. A further advantage of the axial compression of body 611 is that the compression tends to compress the body 611 around the fuzz button conductors 616, 618, to help in holding them in place. Analysis of the arrangement of FIG. 7 indicated that the through loss would be 0.3 dB and the return loss 28 dB, which is much better than the values of 0.8 dB and 10.5 dB calculated for the arrangement of FIG. 5. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a heat-transfer interface surface 18 hi on the broad surface 712 ls of HDI-connected chip structure 10 is pressed against cold plate 510. In the view of FIG. 7, the fuzz button conductors 616 and 618 of the compliant coaxial interconnect 610 are illustrated as being of a different diameter than the conductors 316, 318 of the molded coaxial interconnect 310, and the outer conductors 618 are centered on a circle of somewhat different diameter than the outer conductors 318. The difference in diameter of the wires and the spacing of the outer conductor from the axis of the center conductor is attributable to differences in the dielectric constant of the epoxy which is used as the dielectric material in the molded coaxial interconnect 310 and the silicone material which is the dielectric material of compliant interconnect 610. In order to minimize reflection losses, both interconnects are maintained near 50 ohms, which requires slightly different dimensioning. This should not be a problem, so long as the diameters of the circles on which the outer conductors of the molded and compliant interconnects are centered allow an overlap of the conductive material, so that contact is made at the interface. A method for making electrical connections as described in conjunction with FIGS. 6a, 6b, 6c, 7, and 8 includes the step of providing or procuring a first planar circuit 10 including at least a first broad surface 712 ls . The first broad surface 712 ls of the first planar circuit 10 includes at least one region 490 defining a first coaxial connection. It may also include at least a first thermally conductive region 18 hi to which heat flows from an active device within the first planar circuit. The first coaxial connection 490 of the first planar circuit 10 defines a center conductor contact 616 c centered on a first axis 608 orthogonal to the first broad surface of the first planar circuit 10, and also defines a first plurality of outer conductor contacts, such as 618a c and 618f c . Each of the outer conductor contacts such as 618a c , 618f c of the first coaxial connection 490 of the first planar circuit 10 is centered and equally spaced on a circle spaced by a first particular radius, equal to half of diameter dl92, from the first axis 608 of the center conductor contact 616 of the first coaxial connection 490. The first broad surface 712 ls of the first planar circuit 10 further includes dielectric material electrically isolating the center conductor contact 616 c of the first planar circuit 10 from the outer conductor contacts, such as 618a c , 618f c , and the outer conductor contacts, such as 618a c , 618f c , from each other. The method also includes the step of providing a second planar circuit 430, which includes at least a first broad surface 430 fs . The first broad surface 430 fs of the second planar circuit 430 includes at least one region 431 defining a coaxial connection. The coaxial connection 431 of the second planar circuit 430 includes a center conductor contact 432 c centered on a second axis 808 orthogonal to the first broad surface 430 fs of the second planar circuit 430, and also includes the first plurality (eight) of outer conductor contacts 432 o . Each of the outer conductor contacts, such as 432 co , 432 o , of the coaxial connection 431 of the second planar circuit 430 is centered and equally spaced on a circle spaced by a second particular radius, close in value to the first particular radius, from second axis 808 of the center conductor contact 432 c of the coaxial connector 431 of the second planar circuit 430. The first broad surface 430 fs of the second planar circuit 430 further includes dielectric material electrically isolating the center conductor contact 432 c of the second planar circuit 430 from the outer conductor contacts, such as 432 co , 432 o of the second planar circuit 430, and the outer conductor contacts, such as 432 co , 432 o of the second planar circuit 430, from each other. A compliant coaxial connector 610 is provided, which includes (a) a center conductor 616 which is electrically conductive and physically compliant, at least in the axial direction. The compliant center conductor 616 has the form of a circular cylinder centered about a third axis 608, and defines an axial length 613 between first 617 f1 and second 617 f2 ends. The compliant coaxial connector 610 also includes (b) an outer electrical conductor arrangement 618 including a set 618 including the first plurality (eight) of mutually identical, electrically conductive, physically compliant outer conductors 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f, 618g, and 618h. Each of the compliant outer conductors 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f, 618g, and 618h is in the form of a circular cylinder centered about an axis 617, and each has an axial length 613 between first 617 f1 and second 617 f2 ends which is equal to the axial length 613 of the compliant center conductor 616. The axes 617 of the compliant outer conductors 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f, 618g, and 618h are oriented parallel with each other, and with the third axis 608 of the compliant center conductor 616. The first ends 617 f1 of the compliant center conductor 616 and the compliant outer conductors 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f, 618g, and 618h coincide with a first plane 601 which is orthogonal to the axes 608, 617 of the compliant center conductor 616 and the compliant outer conductors 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f, 618g, and 618h, and the second ends 617 f2 of the compliant center conductor 616 and the compliant outer conductors 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f, 618g, and 618h coincide with a second plane 602 parallel with the first plane 601. The compliant outer conductors 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f, 618g, and 618h have their axes 617 equally spaced from each other at the particular radius from the axis 608 of the compliant center conductor 616. The compliant coaxial connector 610 further includes (c) a compliant dielectric disk-like structure 611 defining a fourth center axis 608 coincident with the third axis 608 of the compliant center conductor 616 and also defining an uncompressed axial length no more than about 10% greater than the uncompressed axial length of the compliant center conductor 616. The compliant disk-like structure 611 also defines a periphery 611p spaced from the center axis 608 by a second radius which is greater than both (a) the first radius (half of diameter 620) and (b) the axial length 613 of the compliant center conductor 616. The compliant dielectric disk 611 surrounds and supports the compliant center conductor 616 and the compliant outer conductors 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f, 618g, and 618h at least on side regions 618 fs thereof lying between the first 618 f1 and second 618 f2 ends of the compliant center conductor 616 and the compliant outer conductors 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f, 618g, and 618h. The compliant dielectric disk-like structure 611 does not overlie the first 618 f1 ends of the compliant center conductor 616 and the compliant outer conductors 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f, 618g, and 618h, so that electrical connection thereto can be easily established. The method described in conjunction with FIGS. 6a, 6b, 6c, 7, and 8 also includes the further step of placing the first broad surfaces 712 ls , 430 fs of the first and second planar circuits 10, 430 mutually parallel, with the first axis 8 passing through the center of the center conductor contact 316c of the first planar circuit 10 and orthogonal to the first broad surface 712 ls of the first planar circuit 10, and coaxial with the second axis 808 passing through the center of the center conductor contact 432 c of the second planar circuit 430 orthogonal to the first broad surface 430 ls of the second planar circuit 430, with the first and second planar circuits 10, 430 rotationally oriented around the coaxial first and second axes 8, 808 so that a fourth axis 880 orthogonal to the first broad side 712 ls of the first planar circuit 10 and passing through the center of one of the outer conductor contacts 318 cc of the first coaxial connector 431 of the first planar circuit 10 is coaxial with a fifth axis 882 orthogonal to the first broad side 430 fs of the second planar circuit 430 and passing through the center of one of the outer conductor contacts 432 cc of the first coaxial connector 431 of the second planar circuit 430. The compliant coaxial connector 310 is placed between the first and second planar circuits 10, 430, with the third axis 608 of the compliant center conductor 616 substantially coaxial with the mutually coaxial first and second axes 8, 808. The compliant coaxial connector 610 is oriented so that a sixth axis 884 of one of the compliant outer conductors 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f, 618g, and 618h is coaxial with the mutually coaxial fourth and fifth axes 880, 882. Force is applied to translate the first and second planar circuits 10, 430 toward each other until the compliant coaxial connector 610 is compressed between the first broad surface 712 ls of the first planar circuit 10 and the first broad surface 430 fs of the second planar circuit 430 sufficiently to make contact between the center conductor contacts 316 c , 432 c of the first and second planar circuits 10, 430 through the compliant center conductor 616, and to make contact between outer conductor contacts 318a c , 318f c of the first planar circuit and corresponding outer conductor contacts 432 ac , 432f c of the second planar circuit 430 through some of the compliant outer conductors 618. In a particular version of the method described in conjunction with FIGS. 6a, 6b, 6c, 7, and 8 also includes the further step of procuring a first planar circuit 10 in which the first broad surface 712 ls includes a first thermally conductive region 18 hi to which heat flows from an active device within the first planar circuit. In this version of the method, before the step of applying force to translate the first and second planar circuits 10, 430 toward each other, a planar spacer or cold plate 510 is interposed between the first broad surface 712 ls of the first planar circuit 10 and the first broad surface 430 fs of the second planar circuit 430. In this method, the step of interposing a planar cold plate 510 between the first broad surfaces 712 ls , 430 fs comprises the step of interposing a planar cold plate 510 having an aperture 810 with internal dimensions no smaller than twice the second radius of the compliant dielectric disk-like structure 610, with the outer periphery of the aperture 810 surrounding the compliant coaxial connector 610. FIG. 9a is a simplified perspective or isometric view of a short monolithic (one-piece without joints) conductive short-circuited transmission line or RF interconnect 900 according to an aspect of the invention, FIG. 9b is a side or elevation view of the transmission line of FIG. 9a, and FIGS. 9c and 9d illustrate the arrangement of FIG. 9a in encapsulated form. In FIGS. 9a and 9b, the short-circuited transmission line or RF interconnect 900 has an air dielectric, and is made by machining from a block, or preferably by casting. Transmission line 900 includes a center conductor 916 centered on an axis 908, and having a circular cross-section. Center conductor 916 ends at a plane 903 in a flat circular end 916e, and each of the outer conductors 918a, 918b, 918c, 918d, 918e, 918f, and 918h also has a corresponding flat circular end 918ae, 918be, 918ce, 918de, 918ee, 918fe, and 918he. The cross-sectional diameters of the center conductor 916 and the outer conductors 918a, 918b, 918c, 918d, 918e, 918f, and 918h taper from a relatively small diameter d 1 of the circular ends at plane 903 to a larger diameter d 2 at a second plane 902. At (or immediately adjacent to) plane 902, a short-circuiting plate 907 interconnects the ends of the center conductor 916 and the outer conductors 918a, 918b, 918c, 918d, 918e, 918f, and 918h which are remote from plane 903. In FIGS. 9a and 9b, the axes of outer conductors 918a, 918b, 918c, 918d, 918e, 918f, and 918h, only one of which is illustrated and designated 918aa, lie on a circle illustrated as a dash line 921, which lies at a radius 920 from axis 908 of center conductor 916. The periphery lip of short-circuiting plate 907 is illustrated as being circular, with a diameter or radius measured from axis 908 which is just large enough so that the outer edges of the various outer conductors of set 918 are coincident or tangent with periphery llp at plane 902. While not the best mode of using the short-circuited transmission line of FIGS. 9a and 9b, FIGS. 9c and 9d illustrate the short-circuited transmission line 900 of FIGS. 9a and 9b encapsulated in a cylindrical body 911 of dielectric material corresponding to the dielectric body 311 of FIG. 3, to form an encapsulated short-circuited transmission line 901. As illustrated in FIG. 9c, the encapsulating body 911 does not cover the ends 916e and 918ae, 918be, 918ce, 918de, 918ee, 918fe, and 918he of the center and outer conductors, thereby making them available for connections. As also illustrated in FIG. 9c, the diameter of dielectric body 911 of encapsulated short-circuited transmission line 901 is the same as the diameter 914 of the short-circuiting plate 907, so the side of the short-circuiting plate 907 is exposed. The diameter of the dielectric encapsulating body could be greater than diameter 914 of the short-circuiting plate 907, in which case the plate 907 would not be visible in FIG. 9c. With the unencapsulated short-circuited transmission-line 900 made as described in conjunction with FIGS. 9a, 9b, or with the encapsulated short-circuited transmission line 901 made as described in conjunction with FIGS. 9a, 9b, 9c, and 9d, the unencapsulated (900) or encapsulated transmission line (901) can then be made a part of a planar circuit. The unencapsulated short-circuited transmission line 900 of FIGS. 9a and 9b, or the encapsulated transmission line 901, is placed on a substrate 410 as illustrated for circuit 310 in FIG. 4a, with its exposed conductor ends 916e, 918ae, 918be, 918ce, 918de, 918ee, 918fe, and 918he adjacent substrate 410. The steps of FIGS. 4b, 4c, and 4d are followed. FIG. 10a is a simplified representation of the result of applying the steps of FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d to the encapsulated transmission line 901 of FIGS. 9a, 9b, and 9c. In FIG. 10a, elements corresponding to those of FIG. 4e are designated by like reference numerals, and elements corresponding to those of FIGS. 9a, 9b, 9c, and 9d are designated by like reference numerals. As illustrated in FIG. 10a, the planar circuit structure 1000, which may be an antenna array, has the location of the short-circuiting plate 907 below the parting plane 426 at which a cut is made to expose a newly formed end 1016e of the tapered center conductor and to also expose newly formed ends of the set of outer conductors 918, respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 10a, the parting plane lies between planes 903 and 902 associated with the RF interconnect 900. FIG. 10b is a simplified cross-section of a structure generally similar to that of FIG. 4h, in which the structure of FIG. 10a is the starting point; elements of FIG. 10b corresponding to those of FIG. 10a are designated by like reference numerals, and elements corresponding to those of FIG. 4h are designated by like reference numerals. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the structure of FIG. 10B is equivalent to that of FIG. 4h, with the sole difference lying in the tapered diameter of the center conductor 916 and of the outer conductors represented by 918b and 918f between the small ends 916e and newly formed large ends 1018be and 1018fe, respectively. This taper may change the characteristic impedance somewhat between the ends of the RF interconnect, but this effect is mitigated by the relatively small taper, and because the axial length of the RF interconnect is selected to be relatively short in terms of wavelength at the highest frequency of operation. Naturally, if one or more unencapsulated short-circuited transmission lines 900 are used to make the planar circuit according to the method described in conjunction with FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 10a, and 10b, the dielectric constant of the encapsulant material of the transmission line is the same as that of the planar circuit itself. If an encapsulated transmission line such as 901 is used to make the planar circuit of FIG. 10b, it is desirable that the encapsulating materials be identical. FIG. 11 illustrates a monolithic electrically conductive structure which forms multiple short-circuited transmission paths, each consisting of at least one conductor paired with another; as known to those skilled in the art, one of the pair may be common with other circuit paths, and may be used at somewhat lower frequencies than the coaxial structures, down to zero frequency. In FIG. 11, the multiple short-circuited transmission paths take the form of a monolithic electrically conductive structure 1110, including a baseplate 1112 and a plurality, eleven in number, of tapered pins or posts 1114a, 1114b, 1114c, 1114d, 1114e, 1114f, 1114g, 1114h, 1114i, 1114j, and 1114k. The short-circuited multiple transmission-line structure is used instead of the coaxial arrangement 900 in the method described in conjunction with FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 10a, and 10b, to make a planar structure. Those skilled in the art know that antenna array/beamformer combinations require not only connection of RF signals, but also require transmission between elements of power and control signals, which can be handled by the structure made with the multiple transmission paths of FIG. 11. FIGS. 12, 13, 14, and 15 illustrate a planar plastic HDI circuit 10 similar to those described in conjunction with FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, and 4g. More particularly, planar plastic HDI circuit 10 includes a molded interconnect 310 such as that described in conjunction with FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c, assembled to the substrate 12 as described in conjunction with FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, and 4g. The planar plastic HDI circuit 10 is mounted on a stiffening plate 510a, which is part of a bipartite separation plate 510. First portion 510a of the bipartite separation plate 510 has an aperture 810 formed therein to accommodate the flanged disk-like body of compliant interconnect 610, with the fuzz-button conductors 616, 618 of the compliant interconnect registered with the conductors of molded interconnect 310 so as to be in contact therewith. Second portion 510b of separation plate 510 of FIGS. 12, 13, 14, and 15 has a through aperture 1312 including a cylindrical portion, and also including a recess 1214 2 adjacent side 1310b of second portion 510b of separation plate 510, which recess accommodates a hold-down flange 1214. Through aperture 1312 also includes a lip or flange 1314 adjacent side 1310c, which aids in holding the body of a rigid coaxial transmission line 1210 in place. Rigid coaxial transmission line 1210 is similar to molded interconnect 310, but may be longer, so as to be able to carry signals through the first and second portions of the separation plate 510. Aperture 1312 also defines a key receptacle 1316 which accepts a key 1212 protruding from the body of rigid transmission line 1210. The number of conductors of rigid transmission line 1210 is selected, and the conductors are oriented about the longitudinal axis of the rigid transmission line, in such a manner as, when keyed into the aperture 1312 in separation plate 510, the conductors each match and make contact with corresponding conductors of compliant interconnects 610a and 610b. Compliant interconnect 610a is compressed between molded interconnect 310 and rigid coaxial transmission line 1210, and is oriented to make the appropriate connections between the center fuzz button 616 of molded interconnect 610a and the center conductor 1210c, and between the outer fuzz buttons 618 of molded interconnect 610a and the outer conductors, one of which is designated 1210o, of the rigid transmission line 1210. Molded interconnect 610b of FIGS. 12, 13, 14, and 15 is compressed between a surface 1210s of rigid transmission line 1210 and face 430s of second circuit 430, and, when the second circuit 430 is registered with separation plate 510, the center and outer metallizations 1332 and 1334, respectively, of its coaxial port 1331 are registered with the corresponding center fuzz button 616 and outer fuzz buttons 618 of compliant interconnect 610b. The second compliant interconnect 610b is held in place by flange 1214, which in turn is held down by screws 1216a and 1216b in threaded apertures 1218a and 1218b, respectively. It will be clear from FIGS. 12, 13, 14, and 15 that when the center axis 308 of the center-conductor connection 316c of port 490 of the HDI circuit 10 are coaxial with the axis 1308 of the center-conductor connection 1332 of the port 1331 of the beamformer or second circuit 430, and with the axes 1408, 1210cca, and 1432ca of the center conductors of the first compliant interconnect 610a, the rigid transmission line 1210, and the second compliant interconnect 610b, and the compliant interconnects are of sufficient length, an electrically continuous path will be made between the two center conductor contacts. Similarly, with the center conductors and center conductor contacts coaxial, all that is required to guarantee that the outer conductors make corresponding contact is that they have the same number and be equally spaced about the center conductors, and that one of the outer conductors or outer conductor contacts in each piece lie in a common plane with the common axes of the center conductors. When any one of the eight outer conductors or contacts of any one of the interconnection elements is aligned with the corresponding others, all of the outer conductors or outer conductor contacts is also aligned with its corresponding elements. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 12, 13, 14, and 15, the separation plate 510 consists of a stiffener plate 510a which is adhesively or otherwise held to the otherwise flexible plastic HDI circuit 12, and the second portion 510b of separator plate 510 is a cold plate, which includes interior chambers (not illustrated) into which chilled water or other coolant may be introduced by pipes illustrated as 1230a and 1230b. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the planar plastic HDI circuit (only a portion illustrated) defines an antenna array, and the MMIC (not illustrated in FIGS. 12, 13, 14, and 15) associated with the planar plastic HDI circuit include chips operated as active amplifiers for the antenna elements. The second circuit 430 is part of a beamformer which supplies signals to, and receives signals from, the MMIC associated with the planar plastic HDI circuit 12. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, while the described flat antenna structure lies in a plane, it may be curved to conform to the outer contour of a vehicle such as an airplane, so that the flat antenna structure takes on a three-dimensional curvature. It should be understood that an active antenna array may, for cost or other reasons, define element locations which are not filled by actual antenna elements, such an array is termed "thinned." The term "RF" has been used to indicate frequencies which may make use of the desirable characteristics of coaxial transmission lines; this term is meant to include all frequencies, ranging from a few hundred kHz to at least the lower infrared frequencies, about 10 13 Hz., or even higher if the physical structures can be made sufficiently exactly. While the short transmission line illustrated in FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c has eight outer conductors, the number may greater or lesser. The dielectric constant of the dielectric conductor holder of the short transmission lines is selected to provide the proper impedance, whereas the specified ranges are suitable for 50 ohms. While the cold plate has been described as being for carrying away heat generated by chips in the first planar circuit 10, it will also carry away heat from the distribution beamformer. While the diameters of the center and outer conductors have been illustrated as being equal, the center conductor may have a different diameter or taper than the outer conductors, and the outer conductors may even have different diameters among themselves. Thus, an aspect of the invention lies in a short electrical transmission-line (310) which includes a center electrical conductor (316) having the form of a circular cylinder centered about an axis (308). The circular cylinder of the center conductor (316) defines an axial length (312) between first (plane 301) and second (plane 302) ends of the center conductor (316). An outer electrical conductor arrangement (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) comprises a plurality of mutually identical electrical outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h), each being in the form of a circular cylinder centered about an axis, and each having an axial length between first (plane 301) and second (plane 302) ends which is equal to the axial length of the center conductor (316). The axes of the outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) are oriented parallel with each other and with the axis (308) of the center conductor (316). The first ends of the center and outer conductors are coincident with a first plane (301) which is orthogonal to the axes of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h), and the second ends of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) are coincident with a second plane (302) parallel with the first plane. The outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) have their axes equally spaced from each other at a first radius (320) from the axis (308) of the center conductor (316). The short electrical transmission-line (310) also includes a rigid dielectric disk (311) defining a center axis and an axial length (312) no greater than the axial length of the center conductor (316). The rigid dielectric disk (311) also defines a periphery spaced from the center axis by a second radius (314) which is greater than either (a) the first radius or (b) the axial length of the center conductor (316). The dielectric disk encapsulates, or (311) surrounds and supports the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) on side regions thereof lying between the first and second ends of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, for holding the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) in place. However, the dielectric disk (311) does not overlie the first ends (the ends coincident with plane 301) of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h). In a more particular embodiment, the center conductor (316) defines a diameter (d), and the outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) each have the same diameter. More particularly, the material of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) comprises at least a copper interior, and the material of the dielectric disk (311) is epoxy resin. A method, according to an aspect of the invention, for producing a flat connection assembly (400) includes the step of affixing a plurality of microwave integrated-circuit chips (14) to a support (410), with connections of the chips (14) adjacent to the support (410). A plurality of short electrical transmission-lines (310) are made or generated. Each of the short electrical transmission-lines (310) is similar to that described immediately above. A plurality of the short transmission-lines (310) are applied to the support (410), with the first ends of the conductors adjacent the support (410). The chips (14) and the short transmission-lines (310) are encapsulated in rigid dielectric material, to thereby produce encapsulated chips and transmission-lines (FIG. 4b). The support (410) is removed from the encapsulated chips and transmission-lines (FIG. 4b), to thereby expose a first side (411) of the encapsulated chips and transmission-lines (FIG. 4b), and at least the connections (14 1 , 14 2 ) of the chips (14) and the first ends (adjacent plane 301) of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) of the short transmission-lines (310). At least one layer (424) of flexible dielectric sheet carrying a plurality of electrically conductive traces (32 1 , 32 2 ) is applied to the first side of the encapsulated chips and transmission-lines (FIG. 4b). The flexible dielectric sheet (424) interconnects, by way of some of the traces (32 1 , 32 2 ) and by through vias (36), at least one of the connections (14 1 , 14 2 ) of at least one of the chips (14) with the first end of the center conductor (316) of one of the transmission-lines (310), and at least one other of the connections (14 1 , 14 2 ) of the one of the chips (14) to the first ends of all of the outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) of the one of the transmission-lines (310), to thereby produce a first-side-connected encapsulated arrangement (FIG. 4e). So much material is removed from that side (413) of the first-side-connected encapsulated arrangement (FIG. 4e) which is remote from the first side (411) as will expose second ends (316 2 ; 318 2 ) of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) of the transmission-lines (310), to thereby produce a first planar arrangement (401 of FIG. 4h) having exposed second ends (316 2 ; 318 2 ) of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) of the transmission-lines (310). A planar conductor arrangement (430) is applied over the first planar arrangement (401), and adjacent that side (426) of the first planar arrangement (401) which has the exposed second ends (316 2 ; 318 2 ) of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h). The planar conductor arrangement (430) includes a plurality of individual electrical connections (432) which, when the planar conductor arrangement (430) is registered with the first planar arrangement (430), are registered with the ends of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) of the transmission-lines (310). The planar conductor arrangement (430) is registered with the first planar arrangement (401), and electrical connections (450) are made between the second ends of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) of the transmission lines (310) of the first planar arrangement (401) and the individual electrical connections (450) of the planar conductor arrangement (430). In a particular method according to an aspect of the invention, the step of making electrical connections comprises the steps of placing a compressible floccule (450) of electrically conductive material between the second ends of each of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) of the transmission lines (310) of the first planar arrangement (401) and the registered ones of the conductors (432) of the planar conductor arrangement (430), and compressing the compressible floccule (450) of electrically conductive material between the second ends of the center (316) and outer conductors (318a, 318b, 318c, 318d, 318e, 318f, 318g, and 318h) of the transmission lines (310) of the first planar arrangement (401) and the registered ones of the connections (432) of the planar conductor arrangement (430), to thereby establish the electrical connections and to aid in holding the compressible floccules (450) in place. The step of encapsulating the chips (14) and the short transmission-lines (310) in dielectric material includes the step of encapsulating the chips (14) and the short transmission-lines (310) in the same dielectric material as that of the dielectric disk (311).

Interconnections are made through a planar circuit by a monolithic short-circuited transmission path which extends from a circuit portion of the planar circuit to the opposite side. The opposite side is ground sufficiently to remove the short-circuiting plate, thereby separating the previously monolithic conductors, and exposing ends of the separated conductors of the transmission path. Connection is made between the exposed conductors of the transmission path and the registered contacts of a second planar circuit by means of electrically conductive, compliant fuzz buttons. The transmission path may be a coaxial path useful for RF.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to industrial furnace construction elements and, more particularly, to refractory blocks, i.e., tuckstones, placed adjacent steel supporting members of an industrial furnace for protecting the supporting members from extreme heat. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In general, industrial furnaces are constructed to have three main sections, the tank at the lower portion of the furnace, the intermediate superstructure, and the crown positioned over the superstructure. In general, the tank and superstructure define a heating chamber. Supporting steel elements, such as channel irons for supporting the crown, and steel plates for supporting the superstructure sidewalls, function to allow the three main sections of the furnace to be independent of each other, thereby allowing separate maintenance on the three sections. Heretofore, the conventional way to protect supporting steel members, especially the steel support plate extending over the tank and supporting the superstructure, from extreme heat has been to place refractory blocks called "tuckstones" on top of the support steel support plate, and the remaining refractory blocks that form the superstructure on top of the tuckstones. The prior art tuckstone generally is approximately L-shaped with a body portion that rests on the metal support plate and a nose portion which extends over and down in front of the metal support plate on the interior side within the furnace which protects the metal support plate from direct exposure to the extreme heat in the furnace. Replacement of the tuckstones is necessitated, especially in the case of continuous furnace campaigns, because of their susceptibility to thermal shock cracking, which eventually can lead to loss of the noses of the tuckstones, and hence loss of protection for the metal support plate. Such damage to the tuckstones and subsequent damage to the support plate can lead to reduced furnace life, or to expensive hot welding repairs of the metal support plate, or to the installation of expensive cooling coils adjacent the tuckstones which must be replaced as they deteriorate. Inasmuch as the tuckstones are placed on top of the metal support plate, they form a part of the superstructure, and usually when the tuckstones are to be replaced they cannot be removed without removal of that portion of the superstructure which rests upon them. One example of a furnace structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,753 of Negroni et al wherein the tuckstones apparently support the superstructure. The use of tuckstones having depending noses which extend over the inner edges of the horizontal metal support plate creates a tuckstone ledge or shelf which necessitates a step back superstructure within the furnace, thereby reducing furnace capacity, and the tuckstone ledge forms an area within the furnace where corrosive chemicals may be deposited, which in turn can contaminate the melt. These corrosive materials can be of particular concern in the case of glass furnaces. When, during operation of the furnace, the nose of a tuckstone breaks off the main body of the tuckstone and if the broken tuckstone is not replaced, flux line corrosion of the top rim of the tank sidewall can occur, thereby exposing the flux line (top surface of the melt) to direct flame contact which can reduce convection and reduce melt output per time unit. In addition, there will be an increase of energy consumption per melt unit. It therefor can be seen that it would be desirable to provide a furnace construction wherein the tuckstones can be expediently removed, inspected and replaced, even when the furnace is hot. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described the present invention comprises an industrial furnace having an interior heating chamber wherein the superstructure of the furnace is directly supported by a laterally extending steel support plate, and tuckstone assemblies of the invention are mounted with the nose portion of each tuckstone assembly facing the heating chamber of the furnace in a space below the support plate so that the tuckstone assemblies do not directly support the superstructure of the furnace. The spaces in which the tuckstone assemblies are mounted are formed between the top of the side wall of the furnace tank and the bottom of the support plate. In the disclosed embodiments the support plate has a plurality of hanger tracks affixed to the bottom surface thereof and the tuckstone assemblies are suspended from the hanger tracks by means of hangers, and the hangers are movable within the tracks toward and away from the interior heating chamber of the furnace. Each tuckstone assembly comprises a lower support block with its front end facing the interior heating chamber of the furnace and its rear end extending toward the exterior of the furnace and having a sloped upper surface extending from the front interior end to the rear exterior end of the block. A movable nose block is supported by the support block and includes a main body portion with a lower sloped surface which has a reverse slope as that of the support block and the lower sloped surface of the nose block is supported on the sloped surface of the support block, and the nose block includes a nose portion that extends upwardly from the main body portion to shield the metal support plate. The sloped surfaces of the nose block and the support block preferably are curved and mate to form a slip joint between the nose block and support block whereby forward movement of the nose block into the furnace past the front end of the support block causes the nose block, and particularly the upwardly extending nose portion of the nose block, to follow a downwardly sloped path. As a consequence, the height of the tuckstone assembly is decreased to the extent that the tuckstone assembly can be inserted into an empty space below the support plate from which it is suspended and after insertion the upper movable nose block is pulled back along the upper sloped surface of the support block into its high profile operative position until the upwardly projecting nose portion covers and shields the interior edge of the metal support plate, thereby protecting it. In the disclosed embodiment, the nose portion of the tuckstone fits into a recess in the block of the superstructure immediately above the support plate, with the front end of the assembly facing the heating chamber and the rear end extending toward the exterior of the furnace. Removal of the tuckstone assembly is accomplished by sliding the nose block and the support block with respect to each other until the vertical dimensions of the tuckstone assembly are less than the vertical dimensions of the opening in the furnace wall into which the tuckstone assembly is inserted. After the vertical dimensions of the tuckstone assembly have been reduced to less than the predetermined height of the opening, the tuckstone assembly can be withdrawn outwardly through its opening beneath the metal support plate. In the disclosed embodiment, slotted tracks are mounted to the downwardly facing surface of the metal support plate and each tuckstone assembly is supported by a support bracket which has a T-shaped hanger adapted to ride in a slotted track along the bottom side of the support plate. The support bracket, which has a generally inverted U-shaped configuration, slidably grips the tuckstone support block while permitting free movement of the nose block along the sloped surface of the support block, yet the exterior portion of the nose block is shaped so as to engage the support bracket when moved to its innermost position in the furnace, thereby serving to limit the forward movement of the nose block. In the disclosed embodiments of the invention the mated sloped surfaces of the nose block and support block that form the slip joint are curved so that the nose portion of the nose block progressively tilts to a lower height as the nose block is moved with respect to the support block and into the heating chamber of the furnace. An industrial furnace ordinarily is not formed in a round shape but can have several corners, including both inwardly projecting and outwardly projecting corners. In order to realize complete tuckstone protection it is necessary that the tracks on the underside of the metal support plate be oriented at oblique angles to allow insertion of the tuckstone assemblies at the proper locations about the furnace. Where such angular orientations occur, the corresponding tuckstone assembly is suspended from the tracks on the support plate by round headed pins instead of T-hangers with the heads of the pins positioned in the slotted tracks, thereby making it possible for the tuckstone assemblies to be moved along the tracks without jamming against adjacent tuckstones. It is therefore an object of the present invention to protect the metal support plate of a furnace with tuckstone assemblies that are independent of the remaining refractory structure and thus are independently replaceable. It is another object of the present invention to increase the capacity of a furnace and reduce corrosive deposits thereon by elimination of the tuckstone ledge. A further object of the present invention is to increase furnace capacity and to extend furnace life while maintaining a substantially constant energy consumption rate. Another object of the invention is to provide a furnace with a tuckstone assembly that can be expediently and independently replaced without disturbing the superstructure of the furnace. Another object of the invention is to provide a furnace that can have its tuckstones replaced substantially without disturbing the other components of the furnace. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1A and 1B are opposite walls of an industrial furnace with FIG. 1A showing a prior art tuckstone and FIG. 1B showing an embodiment of the tuckstone assembly of the invention; FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the tuckstone assembly of the present invention in its operative position; FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the tuckstone assembly of FIG. 2A but in its low profile insertable and removable position; FIG. 3A is a rear end elevation view of the tuckstone assembly of the invention as it appears from outside the furnace when being inserted in place in the furnace; FIG. 3B is a side sectional view along the line 3B--3B of FIG. 3A; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tuckstone assembly of FIGS. 3A and 3B; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a tuckstone assembly configured to fit in an inwardly projecting corner within the furnace; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a tuckstone assembly of the invention adapted to fit into an outwardly projecting corner within the furnace; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a tuckstone assembly of the invention having hanger pins instead of T-shaped hangers; FIG. 8A is a plan cross-sectional view of a furnace, with a portion 8B thereof outlined; and, along the line 8A--8A of FIG. 1; and FIG. 8B is a detailed plan view of the portion 8B of FIG. 8A showing the furnace wall at the level of the hangers for the tuckstone assemblies, illustrating the track configuration involved in both inwardly and outwardly projecting corners. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1A illustrates a cross-section of a conventional furnace wall structure 11, having a conventional tuckstone arrangement 12, whereas FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-section of a furnace wall 13 having the tuckstones 14 of the present invention. Furnace structure 11 is supported by suitable support means 15 and comprises a floor 16 made of suitable refractory material and having sidewall blocks 17 (FIG. 4) extending upwardly therefrom to form the furnace tank 20. Above the furnace tank is the superstructure 18 which comprises refractory blocks mounted on and supported by a tuckstone 12 which is, in turn, supported by steel support plate 19. Together the interior of the tank 20 and superstructure 18 form the furnace heating chamber. Support plates 19 are in turn supported by elongated vertically extending buckstays 21 to which the support plates preferably are welded. Triangular brackets 22 which are welded to support plates 19 and to buckstays 21 provide further support for plates 19. As can be seen in the conventional arrangement depicted on the left side of FIG. 1, the nose of the conventional tuckstone 12 is relatively thick, which is for the function of reducing thermal shock cracking while protecting plate 19. This large thickness is necessary inasmuch as tuckstone 12 is not replaceable, as noted in the foregoing, and, because of the large thickness, the tank wall 17 must be stepped inwardly, as shown, to achieve a smooth transition from wall 17 to the nose of tuckstone 12. Stepping wall 17 inwardly reduces tank capacity, causes the interior surface of the tank wall to be coextensive with the nose of the tuckstone. On the other hand, in the construction of the new furnace 13 of the present invention, the tuckstone assembly 14 does not require an inordinately thick nose inasmuch as the new tuckstone assembly is readily replaceable, as will be apparent hereinafter. As a consequence, of the smaller nose of the new tuckstone assembly, it is not necessary that wall 17 be stepped inwardly, thus the tank capacity is greater than that of conventional system 11. FIG. 2A illustrates the tuckstone assembly 14 of the present invention in its high profile operative configuration with the nose of the nose block facing the heating chamber, and FIG. 2B illustrates the same tuckstone assembly in its low profile insertion or removal configuration. As shown, tuckstone assembly 14 comprises a support block 26 having a sloped convex upper or top surface 27 shaped as a segment of a circle extending from the front end 28 of the block 26 to the rear end 29. Rear end 29 is formed with a dovetail 31, as best seen in FIG. 2B, to which is affixed a metal holding bracket 32 which mates with dovetail 31. Mounted on bracket 32 is a pull pin 33 formed with an eye 34. Mounting grooves 36 extend longitudinally of block 26 on opposite sides thereof from the rear end 29 toward the front. Only one mounting groove 36 is shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. A movable nose block 37 rests atop support block 26. Nose block 37 has a concave lower surface 38, shaped as a segment of a circle of the same radius as that of surface 27 of block 26, and the lower concave surface of the nose block extends from the front nose surface 39 to the rear 41 of block 37. The two mating surfaces 27 and 38 form an elongated curved slip joint. The front end 39 of nose block 37 has a nose 42 which, as shown in FIG. 1B, is adapted to cover and protect support plate 19. Rear end 41 of block 37 is provided with a dovetail 43 for retaining a holding bracket 44 which mates therewith. Bracket 44 has affixed thereto a pull pin 46 having an eye 47. A support bracket 48, having the general configuration of an inverted U, has a pair of inwardly extending flanges 49 on the distal ends of the depending arms, only one of which is shown, which ride in grooves 36 on opposite sides of block 26. The inner dimensions of support bracket 48, i.e., the spacing between the downwardly extending legs of the inverted U, are such that nose block 37 is free to move longitudinally without interference, and the outer width dimensions of bracket 48 are less than the width of nose 42 and block 26. On top of bracket 48 is affixed a T-hanger 51 which is adapted to ride in tracks on the underside of support plate 19, as will be discussed more fully hereinafter. When tuckstone assembly 14 is to be installed adjacent a triangular bracket 22, as seen in FIG. 1, it is necessary, to avoid any interference therebetween, that cut-outs 52, shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 2A and 2B, be made toward the rear of block 26, to provide clearance for the bracket 22. FIG. 3A is a rear end view of the tuckstone assembly of FIGS. 2A and 2B, and FIG. 3B is a side elevation view along the line 3B--3B in FIG. 3A, with the tuckstone assembly 14 in its insertable and removable position. As can be seen, especially in FIG. 3B, for insertion into the opening 53 below support plate 19, nose block 37 and support block 26 are slid with respect to each other along their slip joint so that nose portion 42 follows a downward curving path, reducing the profile of tuckstone assembly 14 to a height less than the height of opening 53. Bracket 48 serves to block the rear end 41, as shown in FIG. 3B, thereby preventing nose block 37 from being moved too far forward to where it could disengage from support block 26. As shown in FIG. 3B, after nose block 37 has been moved forwardly, T-hanger 51 is inserted into a slotted track 54 mounted to the underside of support plate 19, and the entire tuckstone assembly 14 in its low profile configuration then can be moved into its operative position within opening 53. After tuckstone 14 is in position, movable block 37 can be pulled back into its operative configuration by means of pin 46 until nose portion 42 fits snugly within a recess 56 in the superstructure 18, thereby providing a stepless transition from superstructure 18 to side wall block 17, which defines the tank portion of oven 13. FIG. 4 illustrates a tuckstone assembly 14 that has been fully inserted into opening 53 with T-hanger 51 at the forward end of track 54, but not yet placed in its operative position. As can be seen in FIG. 4, several other tuckstone assemblies 14 are in place in their operative positions. FIG. 5 depicts a tuckstone assembly 14 of the invention configured to form a ninety degree (90°) inwardly projecting corner 83 of the furnace wall (FIG. 8B) in its operative position. The structure of assembly 14 is basically identical to that shown in FIG. 2A, with the exception of the front ends 61 and 62 of blocks 26 and 37 respectively. As can be seen, front end 62 of block 37 has first and second legs 63 and 64 which form a ninety degree (90°) angle nose portion, and front end 61 of block 26 has legs 66 and 67, only 66 being shown, which coincide with legs 63 and 64 to form a smooth surface in the operative position. In FIG. 6 there is shown a tuckstone assembly 14 configured to form a ninety degree (90°) outwardly projecting corner 93 of the furnace wall (FIG. 8B) in the operative position. As in the case of the inside corner configuration of FIG. 5, the assembly 14 of FIG. 6 is basically the same as that of the assembly of FIG. 2A, with the exception of the front ends 71 and 72 of blocks 26 and 37 respectively. In addition, block 26 has skirts 73 on opposite sides thereof against which adjacent tuckstones bear, as can be seen more clearly in FIG. 8. As can be seen in FIG. 6, front end 72 has first and second arms 74 and 76 which meet to form a ninety degree (90°) angle. Front end 71 likewise has two arms 77 and 78 (only arm 77, being shown) forming a ninety degree (90°) angle to form a smooth front end nose portion of assembly 14 with arms 74 and 76. While the corner tuckstones of FIGS. 5 and 6 depict 90° corners, it is to be understood that if the furnace has other than 90° corners, the angles formed by arms 63, 64 and 66, 67 and 76, 76 and 77, 78 can be made to conform to the corner angles of the furnace. FIG. 7 illustrates a tuckstone assembly 14 for placement at position 84 next to an inwardly projecting corner assembly 84 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8B. As will be more apparent in the discussion of FIG. 8B, the tuckstone assembly 14 of FIG. 7 has a semi-trapezoidal plan view configuration, and, because of its shape and because of limitations on access, it is necessary to replace the T-hanger of the previously discussed tuckstones with headed pins 81 and 82 for mounting and positioning within the furnace wall. In FIG. 7, there is shown in dashed lines, a tool for retracting upper nose block 37 into its high profile operative position. The tool comprises an elongated arm with one end pivotally mounted in eye 34 of pin 33, and a shorter arm pivotable with respect to the long arm having one end pivotally mounted in eye 47 of pin 46. Rotation of the upper part of the long arm in a clockwise direction will pull block 37 back into its operative position, at which point the tool can be removed. The tool as shown illustrates an arrangement for moving the blocks relative to each other. In FIG. 8A there is shown a sectional plan view of the furnace along the line 8A--8A of FIG. 1, and an enlarged detail 8B showing both outwardly projecting and inwardly projecting corner tuckstone arrangements. To avoid confusion, each of the tuckstone assemblies to be discussed is given its own identifying number. In the enlarged detail in FIG. 8B, inwardly projecting corner tuckstone assembly 83 is suspended from track 54 mounted on the underside of support member 19, by means of T-hanger 51. Installation is simple, the top movable block 37 is rotated forward, tuckstone 83 inserted and pushed forward into position, and block 37 rotated back into its operative position. Next-to-outside corner tuckstone assemblies 84 and are suspended from a pair of tracks 86 and 87 by means of headed pins 81 and 82. For insertion, upper block 37 is rotated forward, and the assembly is pushed in along tracks 86 and 87, which, as can be seen, have straight portions 54 from which tracks 86 and 87 branch off at a forty-five (45°) angle. Tuckstone assembly 88 of FIG. 8B illustrates the insertion arrangement when there is a triangular bracket 22 (not shown) in the way. Tuckstone assembly 88 has a cut-out 52 for clearing bracket 22, and is suspended from tracks 89, which branch off at a 45° angle from tracks 54, by means of headed pins 81 and 82. Insertion is similar to that of tuckstone assembly 84. In a like manner, tuckstone assembly 91 is inserted, with the mounting arrangement and insertion sequence being a mirror image of tuckstone assembly 88. With tuckstone assemblies 88 and 91 in place, tuckstone assembly 92 can be inserted straight in. Outside corner tuckstone assembly 93 is inserted straight in along its track 54, after which tuckstone assemblies 94 and 96 may be inserted straight in. Whenever anyone of tuckstone assemblies 83, 84, 88, 91, 92, 93, 94 or 96 is to be removed, only tuckstone assemblies 92, 94 and 96 can be removed without the necessity of removing any adjacent tuckstone assembly. However, if, for example, corner tuckstone assembly 93 is to be removed, tuckstone assemblies 94 and 96 must first be removed so that block 37 of tuckstone assembly 93 may be rotated forward for its removal. Tuckstone assembly 94 must also be removed to permit removal of tuckstone assembly 91, and tuckstone assembly 92 must be removed to permit removal of tuckstone assembly 88. By the same token, tuckstone assemblies 92 and both of tuckstone assembly 84 must be removed to permit removal of inside corner tuckstone assembly 83. In accordance with the features of the present invention, removal of any of the tuckstone assemblies are a relatively simply process, as is clear from the foregoing. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the hot replaceable tuckstone assemblies of the present invention do not necessitate shutting down the furnace, furnace life is extended, furnace capacity increased, melt quality is improved, the energy consumption rate of the furnace stays relatively constant, and hot repair expenses are virtually eliminated. The foregoing specification and drawings illustrate the principals of the present invention in a preferred embodiment thereof. Numerous variations or modifications may occur to workers in the art without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

A tuckstone assembly (14) for an industrial type furnace (10) fills a space between a wall of the furnace and a supporting member (19) that supports the furnace superstructure. The tuckstone assembly (14) has a support block (26) having a sloped upper surface (27) and a nose block (37) having a mating sloped lower surface (38). The longitudinal profile of the tuckstone is reduced for insertion in the space of the furnace wall by sliding the nose block forwardly, and the enlarged nose portion (42) is made to cover the support plate (19) by sliding the nose block (37) back to where the ends of the support block and the nose block substantially coincide.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) [0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/498,934, filed Jun. 20, 2011. FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] The present application relates to the synthesis of molecules comprising one or more β-hydroxyamine moieties, for example, β-hydroxyaminosilicones and compositions such as consumer products comprising such molecules. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Molecules comprising one or more β-hydroxyamine moieties, include, but are not limited to, poly(β-hydroxyamino)silicones, poly(glycidylamino)silicones, poly(β-hydroxyvinylamines) and poly(β-hydroxyethylenimines). Such polymers are used in premium consumer products for benefits such as softness, hand, anti-wrinkle, hair conditioning/frizz control, color protection, etc. Unfortunately, molecules comprising a β-hydroxyamine moiety, including current aminosilicones, are expensive, difficult to produce requiring long reaction time, large reactors and high temperature during the reaction process. Current technologies for producing molecules comprising one or more β-hydroxyamine moieties are typically expensive and/or difficult to process due processing conditions and limited processing efficiencies. Thus, what is needed is an economical, safe technology for producing molecules comprising one or more beta-hydroxyamine moieties. [0004] Applicants previously disclosed the use of certain protic solvents in the production of aminosilicones. Unfortunately, the process of making such β-hydroxyaminosilicones was not as efficient and therefore not as economical as desired. Applicants recognized that the source of the inefficiency and cost was that the current protic solvents did not have a sufficient number of the correct type of hydroxyl groups in the required proximity of the groups to each other. In short, Applicants recognized that as the hydroxy equivalent/gram of a protic solvent increases, the catalytic activity of the protic solvent increases, that primary and/or secondary hydroxyl moieties provide better catalytic activity than tertiary hydroxyl moieties, that as the proximity of such hydroxyl groups in the protic solvent molecule increases, the catalytic activity of the protic solvent increases and that as the solubility of the protic solvents in the amine feedstock decreases the catalytic activity of the protic solvent decreases. Thus, if a protic solvent is judiciously selected such that it has sufficient solubility in the amine feedstock, contains at least two hydroxyl moieties, preferably at least one of the moieties being a primary and/or secondary hydroxyl moiety, contains the maximum number of hydroxy equivalents/g and such hydroxyl equivalents are in the maximum proximity, for example alpha-beta proximity, alpha-gamma proximity or alpha-delta proximity, the process efficiency can be dramatically improved. A further benefit of such discovery is that flash point of such judiciously selected protic solvents is typically higher. Thus, the safety of the process is improved. This increase in safety decreases costs, as explosion proof processing equipment and transportation equipment/procedures may not be not required. Applicants recognized that the aforementioned benefits not only applied to the production of aminosilicones but to any molecule that comprises one or more one or more beta-hydroxyamine moieties. [0005] Thus, Applicants disclose certain highly effective, economical processes for producing molecules that comprise one or more one or more beta-hydroxyamine moieties, for example aminosilicones, as well as the use of such molecules. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] The present application relates to molecules comprising one or more beta-hydroxyamine moieties, for example, aminosilicones and compositions such as consumer products comprising such molecules, as well as processes for making and using such molecules and such compositions. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Definitions [0007] As used herein “consumer product” means baby care, beauty care, fabric & home care, family care, feminine care, health care, products or devices generally intended to be used or consumed in the form in which it is sold. Such products include but are not limited to diapers, bibs, wipes; products for and/or methods relating to treating hair (human, dog, and/or cat), including, bleaching, coloring, dyeing, conditioning, shampooing, styling; deodorants and antiperspirants; personal cleansing; cosmetics; skin care including application of creams, lotions, and other topically applied products for consumer use including fine fragrances; and shaving products, products for and/or methods relating to treating fabrics, hard surfaces and any other surfaces in the area of fabric and home care, including: air care including air fresheners and scent delivery systems, car care, dishwashing, fabric conditioning (including softening and/or freshening), laundry detergency, laundry and rinse additive and/or care, hard surface cleaning and/or treatment including floor and toilet bowl cleaners, and other cleaning for consumer or institutional use; products and/or methods relating to bath tissue, facial tissue, paper handkerchiefs, and/or paper towels; tampons, feminine napkins; products and/or methods relating to oral care including toothpastes, tooth gels, tooth rinses, denture adhesives, and tooth whitening. [0008] As used herein, the term “cleaning and/or treatment composition” is a subset of consumer products that includes, unless otherwise indicated, beauty care, fabric & home care products. Such products include, but are not limited to, products for treating hair (human, dog, and/or cat), including, bleaching, coloring, dyeing, conditioning, shampooing, styling; deodorants and antiperspirants; personal cleansing; cosmetics; skin care including application of creams, lotions, and other topically applied products for consumer use including fine fragrances; and shaving products, products for treating fabrics, hard surfaces and any other surfaces in the area of fabric and home care, including: air care including air fresheners and scent delivery systems, car care, dishwashing, fabric conditioning (including softening and/or freshening), laundry detergency, laundry and rinse additive and/or care, hard surface cleaning and/or treatment including floor and toilet bowl cleaners, granular or powder-form all-purpose or “heavy-duty” washing agents, especially cleaning detergents; liquid, gel or paste-form all-purpose washing agents, especially the so-called heavy-duty liquid types; liquid fine-fabric detergents; hand dishwashing agents or light duty dishwashing agents, especially those of the high-foaming type; machine dishwashing agents, including the various tablet, granular, liquid and rinse-aid types for household and institutional use; liquid cleaning and disinfecting agents, including antibacterial hand-wash types, cleaning bars, mouthwashes, denture cleaners, dentifrice, car or carpet shampoos, bathroom cleaners including toilet bowl cleaners; hair shampoos and hair-rinses; shower gels, fine fragrances and foam baths and metal cleaners; as well as cleaning auxiliaries such as bleach additives and “stain-stick” or pre-treat types, substrate-laden products such as dryer added sheets, dry and wetted wipes and pads, nonwoven substrates, and sponges; as well as sprays and mists all for consumer or/and institutional use; and/or methods relating to oral care including toothpastes, tooth gels, tooth rinses, denture adhesives, tooth whitening. [0009] As used herein, the term “fabric and/or hard surface cleaning and/or treatment composition” is a subset of cleaning and treatment compositions that includes, unless otherwise indicated, granular or powder-form all-purpose or “heavy-duty” washing agents, especially cleaning detergents; liquid, gel or paste-form all-purpose washing agents, especially the so-called heavy-duty liquid types; liquid fine-fabric detergents; hand dishwashing agents or light duty dishwashing agents, especially those of the high-foaming type; machine dishwashing agents, including the various tablet, granular, liquid and rinse-aid types for household and institutional use; liquid cleaning and disinfecting agents, including antibacterial hand-wash types, cleaning bars, car or carpet shampoos, bathroom cleaners including toilet bowl cleaners; and metal cleaners, fabric conditioning products including softening and/or freshening that may be in liquid, solid and/or dryer sheet form ; as well as cleaning auxiliaries such as bleach additives and “stain-stick” or pre-treat types, substrate-laden products such as dryer added sheets, dry and wetted wipes and pads, nonwoven substrates, and sponges; as well as sprays and mists. All of such products which were applicable may be in standard, concentrated or even highly concentrated form even to the extent that such products may in certain aspect be non-aqueous. [0010] As used herein, articles such as “a” and “an” when used in a claim, are understood to mean one or more of what is claimed or described. [0011] As used herein, the terms “include”, “includes” and “including” are meant to be non-limiting. [0012] As used herein, the term “solid” includes granular, powder, bar and tablet product forms. [0013] As used herein, the term “fluid” includes liquid, gel, paste and gas product forms. [0014] As used herein, the term “situs” includes paper products, fabrics, garments, hard surfaces, hair and skin. [0015] As used herein the term “siloxyl residue” means a polydimethylsiloxane moiety. [0016] As used herein, “substituted” means that the organic composition or radical to which the term is applied is: (a) made unsaturated by the elimination of elements or radical; or (b) at least one hydrogen in the compound or radical is replaced with a moiety containing one or more (i) carbon, (ii) oxygen, (iii) sulfur, (iv) nitrogen or (v) halogen atoms; or (c) both (a) and (b). [0020] Moieties that may replace hydrogen as described in (b) immediately above, which contain only carbon and hydrogen atoms are all hydrocarbon moieties including, but not limited to, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkyldienyl, cycloalkyl, phenyl, alkyl phenyl, naphthyl, anthryl, phenanthryl, fluoryl, steroid groups, and combinations of these groups with each other and with polyvalent hydrocarbon groups such as alkylene, alkylidene and alkylidyne groups. Specific non-limiting examples of such groups are: —CH 3 , —CHCH 3 CH 3 , —(CH 2 ) 8 CH 3 , —CH 2 —C≡CH, [0000] —φCH 3 , —φCH 2 φ, −φ, and −φ−φ. [0022] Moieties containing oxygen atoms that may replace hydrogen as described in (b) immediately above include hydroxy, acyl or keto, ether, epoxy, carboxy, and ester containing groups. Specific non-limiting examples of such oxygen containing groups are: —CH 2 OH, —CCH 3 CH 3 OH, —CH 2 COOH, —C(O)—(CH 2 ) 8 CH 3 , —OCH 2 CH 3 , ═O, —OH, —CH 2 —O—CH 2 CH 3 , —CH 2 —O—(CH 2 ) 2 —OH, —CH 2 CH 2 COOH, —φOH, —φOCH 2 CH 3 , —φCH 2 OH, [0000] [0024] Moieties containing sulfur atoms that may replace hydrogen as described in (b) immediately above include the sulfur-containing acids and acid ester groups, thioether groups, mercapto groups and thioketo groups. Specific non-limiting examples of such sulfur containing groups are: —SCH 2 CH 3 , —CH 2 S(CH 2 ) 4 CH 3 , —SO 3 CH 2 CH 3 , SO 2 CH 2 CH 3 , —CH 2 COSH, —SH, —CH 2 SCO, —CH 2 C(S)CH 2 CH 3 , —SO 3 H, —O(CH 2 ) 2 C(S)CH 3 , ═S, [0000] [0025] Moieties containing nitrogen atoms that may replace hydrogen as described in (b) immediately above include amino groups, the nitro group, azo groups, ammonium groups, amide groups, azido groups, isocyanate groups, cyano groups and nitrile groups. Specific non-limiting examples of such nitrogen containing groups are: —NHCH 3 , —NH 2 , —NH 3 + , —CH 2 CONH 2 , —CH 2 CON 3 , —CH 2 CH 2 CH═NOH, —CN, —CH(CH 3 )CH 2 NCO, —CH 2 NCO, —Nφ, —φN═NφOH, and ≡N. [0026] Moieties containing halogen atoms that may replace hydrogen as described in (b) immediately above include chloro, bromo, fluoro, iodo groups and any of the moieties previously described where a hydrogen or a pendant alkyl group is substituted by a halo group to form a stable substituted moiety. Specific non-limiting examples of such halogen containing groups are: —(CH 2 ) 3 COCl, —φF 5 , —φCl, —CF 3 , and —CH 2 φBr. [0027] It is understood that any of the above moieties that may replace hydrogen as described in (b) can be substituted into each other in either a monovalent substitution or by loss of hydrogen in a polyvalent substitution to form another monovalent moiety that can replace hydrogen in the organic compound or radical. [0028] As used herein “φ” represents a phenyl ring. [0029] As used herein, the nomenclature SiO “n”/2 represents the ratio of oxygen and silicon atoms. For example, SiO 1/2 means that one oxygen is shared between two Si atoms Likewise SiO 2/2 means that two oxygen atoms are shared between two Si atoms and SiO 3/2 means that three oxygen atoms are shared are shared between two Si atoms. [0030] As used herein random means that the [(R 4 Si(X—Z)O 2/2 ], [R 4 R 4 SiO 2/2 ] and [R 4 SiO 3/2 ] units are randomly distributed throughout the polymer chain. [0031] As used herein blocky means that multiple units of [(R 4 Si(X—Z)O 2/2 ], R 4 R 4 SiO 2/2 ] and [R 4 SiO 3/2 ] units are placed end to end throughout the polymer chain. [0032] When a moiety or an indice of a preferred embodiment is not specifically defined, such moiety or indice is as previously defined. [0033] Unless otherwise noted, all component or composition levels are in reference to the active portion of that component or composition, and are exclusive of impurities, for example, residual solvents or by-products, which may be present in commercially available sources of such components or compositions. [0034] All percentages and ratios are calculated by weight unless otherwise indicated. All percentages and ratios are calculated based on the total composition unless otherwise indicated. [0035] It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given throughout this specification includes every lower numerical limitation, as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this specification will include every higher numerical limitation, as if such higher numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given throughout this specification will include every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein. [0036] Molecules Comprising β-hydroxyamine Moieties: [0037] Suitable β-hydroxyamino compounds made by the aforementioned process include those which comprise one or more —N—CH(R)—CH(R)OH groups wherein each R is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl. In one aspect, said —N—CH(R)—CH(R)OH groups are attached to a polymeric molecule. In another aspect, the polymeric molecule is a siloxane polymer. Suitable organosilicone polymers that can be made by the aforementioned process are alkylated aminosilicones. In one aspect, these silicones include aminosilicones alkylated with alkylene oxide. In yet another aspect, suitable β-hydroxyalkyl siloxane polymers that can be synthesized using this invention include those selected from the group consisting of (i) a random or blocky β-hydroxyaminosilicone polymer having the following formula: [R 1 R 2 R 3 SiO 1/2 ] (J+2) [R 4 Si(X—Z)O 2/2 ] k [R 4 R 4 SiO 2/2 ] m [R 4 SiO 3/2 ] j Wherein: j is an integer from 0 to about 98; in one aspect j is an integer from 0 to about 48; in one aspect, j is 0; k is an integer from 0 to about 200, in one aspect, k is an integer from 0 to about 50; when k=0, at least one of R 1 , R 2 or R 3 is —X—Z; m is an integer from 4 to about 5,000; in one aspect m is an integer from about 10 to about 4,000; in another aspect m is an integer from about 50 to about 2,000; R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl, C 1 -C 32 alkoxy, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkoxy, and X-Z; each R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl, C 1 -C 32 alkoxy, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkoxy; each X in said alkyl siloxane polymer comprises a substituted or unsubstituted divalent alkylene radical comprising 2-12 carbon atoms, in one aspect each divalent alkylene radical is independently selected from the group consisting of —(CH 2 )s- wherein s is an integer from about 2 to about 8, or from about 2 to about 4; in one aspect, each X in said alkyl siloxane polymer comprises a substituted divalent alkylene radical selected from the group consisting of: —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —; −CH 2 —CH 2 —CH(OH)—; and [0000] each Z is selected independently from the group consisting of [0000] [0000] and at least one Q in said β-hydroxyaminosilicone is independently selected from —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —R 5 ; [0000] each additional Q in said β-hydroxyaminosilicone is independently selected from the group comprising of H, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl, —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —R 5 ; [0000] wherein each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl or C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl, —(CHR 6 —CHR 6 —O—) w -L and a siloxyl residue; each R 6 is independently selected from H, C 1 -C 18 alkyl each L is independently selected from —C(O)—R 7 or R 7 ; w is an integer from 0 to about 500, in one aspect w is an integer from about 1 to about 200, one aspect w is an integer from about 1 to about 50; each R 7 is selected independently selected from the group consisting of H; C 1 -C 32 alkyl; C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl; C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl; C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl; C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl and C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl and a siloxyl residue; each T is independently selected from H, and [0000] wherein each v in said organosilicone is an integer from 1 to about 20, in one aspect, v is an integer from 1 to about 10 and the sum of all v indices in each Q in said organosilicone is an integer from about 1 to about 30, from about 1 to about 20, or even from about 1 to about 10; [0055] In one aspect, the β-hydroxyaminosilicones may be terminal organosilicones (organosilicones wherein the Z groups when present are present at the ends of the organosilicone's molecular chain) wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, in one aspect methyl, and C 1 -C 32 alkoxy, in one aspect —OCH 3 or —OC 2 H 5 ; and R 1 is —X—Z, k=0 and j is an integer from 0 to about 48. [0056] In the second aspect, such terminal β-hydroxyaminosilicone may have the following structures: [0000] [0057] R 1 and R 2 are each independently selected from C 1 -C 32 alkyl and C 1 -C 32 alkoxy groups. In one aspect the aforementioned terminal organosiloxanes at least one Q in the β-hydroxyaminosilicone is selected from the group consisting of —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —R 5 ; [0000] [0000] and each additional Q in said organosilicone is independently selected from the group comprising of H, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 - C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl; —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —R 5 ; [0000] [0000] wherein each v in the said organosilicone is an integer selected from 1 to about 10 and the sum of all the v indices in each Q in the said organosilicone is an integer from about 1 to 30, from 1 to about 20 and even from 1 to about 10; all other indices and moieties are as previously described. Process of Making [0058] Protic solvents may be used as a catalytic solvent. Protic solvents are solvents that have a hydrogen atom bonded to an electronegative atom, yielding highly polarized bonds in which the hydrogen has protonlike character and can have hydrogen bonding characteristics. It is recognized that certain selected protic solvents are particularly effective at increasing the rate of the reaction. [0059] Thus, a process of making one or more molecules comprising one or more beta-hydroxyamine moieties said process comprising: a) combining one or more molecules comprising one or more primary and/or secondary amine moieties, with one or more molecules comprising one or more epoxide moieties and a catalyst comprising a protic solvent, said protic solvent: (i) having a hydroxyl equivalents of at least 0.007 equivalents per gram, from about 0.007 to about 0.032 equivalents per gram, from about 0.009 to about 0.026 equivalents per gram; from about 0.013 to about 0.022 equivalents per gram; and (ii) comprising at least two hydroxyl moieties per protic solvent molecule, and solubility of at least 0.2%, at least 0.3% to about 20%, or from about 0.5% to about 20% by weight of protic solvent in the mixture at the conditions of the reaction, to form a first mixture; b) heating said first mixture to a temperature of from about 20° C. to about 200° C., from about 60° C. to about 175° C., or from about 100° C. to about 160° C. and maintaining said temperature for a time of from about 10 seconds to about 48 hours, from about 10 minutes to about 48 hours, from about 10 minutes to about 20 hours, from about 10 minutes to about 12 hours, from about 10 minutes to about 6 hours to form a composition comprising one or more molecules comprising one or more beta-hydroxyamine moieties; and c) optionally purifying said composition comprising one or more molecules comprising one or more beta-hydroxyamine moieties is disclosed. [0065] In one aspect of said process, said protic solvent's at least two hydroxyl moieties per protic solvent molecule, have at least one conformation selected from the group consisting of α-β, α-γ, and α-δ. [0066] In one aspect of said process, said protic solvent's at least two hydroxyl moieties per protic solvent molecule, have at least one conformation that is α-β. [0067] In one aspect of said process, said protic solvent comprises two or three hydroxyl moieties per protic solvent molecule. [0068] In one aspect of said process, said protic solvent has a flash point of at least 50° C., or from 100° C. to about 200° C. [0069] In one aspect of said process, said composition comprising one or more molecules comprising one or more beta-hydroxyamine moieties comprises an organomodified silicone comprising one or more beta-hydroxyamine moieties. [0070] In one aspect of said process, said composition comprising one or more molecules comprising one or more beta-hydroxyamine moieties does not comprise a silicone moiety, and wherein said protic solvent is not water. [0071] In one aspect of said process, said protic solvent is selected from the group consisting of diols, triols, polyols, water, a water/surfactant mixture and mixtures thereof. [0072] In one aspect of said process, said diol is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 2,2-dibutyl-1,3-propanediol, 2,2-diethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-methylene-1,3-propanediol, 3-ethoxy-1,2-propanediol, 2-methyl-2-propyl-1,3-propanediol, 3-methoxy-1,2-propanediol, 1,2-butanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 2,3-butanediol, 1,2-pentanediol, 1,4-pentanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 2,4-pentanediol, 1,2-hexanediol, neopentyl glycol, 1,5-hexanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 2,5-hexanediol, 1,7-heptanediol, 1,4-heptanediol, 2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol, 1,2-octanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 4,5-octanediol, 1,9-nonanediol, 1,10-decanediol, 1,2-decanediol, 1,2-dodecanediol, 1,12-dodecanediol, 1,14-tetradecanediol, 1,2-tetradecanediol, 1,16-hexadecanediol, 1,2-hexadencanediol, 1,2-octadecanediol, 1,18-octadecanediol, and glycerol monoethers and mixtures thereof. [0073] In one aspect of said process, said glycerol monoethers are selected from the group consisting of 3-propoxypropane-1,2-diol, batyl alcohol and mixtures thereof. [0074] In one aspect of said process, said triol is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, ethoxylated glycerol, propoxylated glycerol, alkoxyated glycerol, 1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)ethane, 1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)propane, 2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol, 1,2,4-butanetriol, 1,2,4-butanetriol, 3-methyl-1,3,5-pentanetriol, 1,2,3-hexanetriol, 1,2,6-hexanetriol, 1,2,3-heptanetriol, 1,2,3-octanetriol and mixtures thereof. [0075] In one aspect of said process, said polyol is selected from the group consisting of pentaerythritol, alkoxylated pentaerythritol, sorbitol, alkoxylated sorbitol, glucose, alkoxylated glucose, fructose, alkoxylated fructoses, and mixtures thereof. [0076] In one aspect of said process, said: a) alkoxylated pentaerythritol is selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated pentaerythritol, proxylated pentaerythritol, and mixtures thereof; b) alkoxylated sorbitol is selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated sorbitol, proxylated sorbitol and mixtures thereof; c) alkoxylated glucose is selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated glucose, proxylated glucose, and mixtures thereof; d) alkoxylated fructose is selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated fructose, proxylated fructose and mixtures thereof; e) and mixtures thereof. [0082] In one aspect of said process, said polyol is selected from the group consisting of a sugar, a carbohydrate, an alkoxylated sugar, an alkoxylated carbohydrate and mixtures thereof. [0083] In one aspect of said process, said one or more molecules comprising one or more primary and/or secondary amine moieties comprises an amino silicone. [0084] In one aspect of said process, said amino silicone is selected from the group consisting of an aminopropylmethylsiloxane—dimethylsiloxane copolymer, aminoethylaminopropylmethylsiloxane—dimethylsiloxane copolymer, aminoethylaminopropyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane, aminopropyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane and mixtures thereof. [0085] In one aspect, an additional catalyst may be combined with the aminosilicone and the epoxide, the catalyst being used to react the epoxide with the aminosilicone. This reaction may optionally take place in a solvent. Suitable solvents include any solvent that is not reactive to the epoxide and that solubilizes the reagents, e.g., toluene, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran (THF). For example, an aminosilicone may be combined with an epoxide to form a first mixture. The first mixture may then be dissolved in toluene and a catalyst may be added to the mixture dissolved in toluene. [0086] In addition to the protic solvent catalyst, additional catalysts may be used. Suitable catalysts for making the β-hydroxyamino silicones include, but are not limited to, metallic catalysts. The term “metallic catalyst” includes within its definition catalysts which include a metallic component. This definition includes metallic salts and materials such as AlCl 3 , covalent compounds, and materials such as BF 3 and SnCl 4 , all of which include a metallic component. The metallic component includes all elements commonly known as metals, such as alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, and boron. [0087] Suitable catalysts include, but are not limited to, TiCl 4 , Ti(OiPr) 4 , ZnCl 2 , SnCl 4 , SnCl 2 , FeCl 3 , AlCl 3 , BF 3 , platinum dichloride, copper(II) chloride, phosphorous pentachloride, phosphorous trichloride, cobalt(II) chloride, zinc oxide, iron(II) chloride and BF 3 —OEt 2 and mixtures thereof. In some aspects, the metallic catalysts are Lewis acids. The metallic components of these Lewis acid catalysts include Ti, Zn, Fe, Sn, B, and Al. Suitable Lewis acid catalysts include TiCl 4 , SnCl 4 , BF 3 , AlCl 3 , and mixtures thereof. In some aspects, the catalyst is SnCl 4 or TiCl 4 . The metallic Lewis acid catalysts may be employed at concentrations of about 0.1 mol % to about 5.0 mol %, in some aspects, about 0.2 mol % to about 1.0 mol %, in some aspects about 0.25 mol %. [0088] Other suitable catalysts for making the β-hydroxyaminosilicone include basic or alkaline catalysts. The term “basic catalyst” includes within its definition catalysts which are basic or alkaline. This definition includes alkaline salts and materials such as KH, KOH, KOtBu, NaOEt, covalent compounds, and elements, such as metallic sodium. [0089] Suitable catalysts include alkali metal alkoxylates, such as KOtBu, NaOEt, KOEt, NaOMe and mixtures thereof, NaH, NaOH, KOH, CaO, CaH, Ca(OH) 2 , Ca(OCH(CH 3 ) 2 ) 2 , Na and mixtures thereof. In some aspects, the catalyst is selected from alkali metal alkoxylates. In some aspects, the basic catalyst is a Lewis base. Suitable Lewis base catalysts include KOH, NaOCH 3 , NaOC 2 H 5 , KOtBu, NaOH, and mixtures thereof. The Lewis base catalysts may be employed at concentrations of about 0.1 mol % to about 5.0 mol %, in some aspects, about 0.2 mol % to about 1.0 mol %. The alkali metal alkoxylate catalysts may be employed at concentrations of about 2.0 mol % to about 20.0 mol %, in some aspects, about 5.0 mol % to about 15.0 mol %. [0090] In one aspect, suitable β-hydroxyamino silicones are produced by reacting terminal aminosilicones such as [0000] [0000] with an epoxide with the structure [0000] [0000] to produce the organosilicone [0000] [0091] It is recognized that the epoxide can react with one or more than one N—H group in the aminosilicone (i.e. Q=hydrogen in structure A) to produce branched structures [0000] [0092] It is also recognized that not all the amine N—H groups must react with the epoxide. [0093] Those skilled in the art will recognize that organomodified silicones analogous to structures B, C and D, can be made by reacting an aminosilicone of the structure [0000] [0000] with an epoxide of the structure [0000] [0094] In one aspect, suitable β-hydroxyamino silicones are produced by reacting terminal aminosilicones such as [0000] [0000] with an epoxide with the structure [0000] [0000] to produce the organosilicone [0000] [0095] It is recognized that the epoxide can react with one or more than one N—H group in the aminosilicone (i.e. Q=hydrogen in structure F) to produce branched structures like [0000] [0096] It is also recognized that not all the amine N—H groups must react with the epoxide. [0097] Those skilled in the art will recognize that β-hydroxyaminosilicone analogous to structures G, H and I, can be made by reacting an aminosilicone of the structure [0000] [0000] with an epoxide of the structure [0000] EXAMPLES [0098] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention. Examples 1-23 are Examples of Making the β-hydroxyaminosilicones of the Present Invention Example 1 Protic Solvent is 2-Propanol [0099] A 600-milliliter Parr reactor is used (Model Number 4563 with 2 each pitched blade impellers, 4-blades each, 1.38″ dia.). 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) is mixed with 5.0 grams of 2-propanol and is drawn into the reactor using vacuum. The reactor is purged of air using vacuum and nitrogen cycles then charged with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide with stirring at 700 rpm (used throughout). The reactor is charged with nitrogen to ˜90 psig and heated to 125° C. The reaction is allowed to run and samples are taken during the course of the reaction for later analysis. After 22 hours, the reactor is cooled and the product is drained to recover a clear and colorless mixture. The viscosity of the final mixture is 1750 centipoise. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 2 Protic Solvent is 1,2-Hexanediol [0100] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 5.0 grams of 1,2-hexanediol then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 15 hours of reaction time is 1450 centipoise and is clear and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 3 Protic Solvent is Hexylene Glycol [0101] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 5.0 grams of hexylene glycol then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 2200 centipoise and is clear and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 4 5-Gallon Reactor—Protic Solvent is 1,2-Hexanediol [0102] A 5-Gallon Parr reactor is used (Model Number 4555 with 2 each pitched blade impellers, 6-blades each, 5.25″ dia.) and is charged with 14053 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) followed by 779 grams of 1,2-hexanediol. The reactor is purged of air using vacuum and nitrogen cycles then heated to 125° C. with stirring at 400 rpm (used throughout). The reactor is then charged with 759 grams of propylene oxide and is then charged with nitrogen to ˜90 psig. The reaction is allowed to run while taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. After 8 hours, 106 grams of ethanolamine is added to the reactor to react with residual propylene oxide. The reactor is cooled to 100° C. and allowed to stir overnight. The next day, the reactor is cooled and the product is drained to recover a clear and colorless mixture. The viscosity of the final mixture is 2880 centipoise. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 5 Protic Solvent is 1,2-Propanediol [0103] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 3.2 grams of 1,2-propanediol then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 3450 centipoise and is clear and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 6 Protic Solvent is 1,2-Butanediol [0104] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 3.7 grams of 1,2-butanediol then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 1570 centipoise and is clear and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 7 Protic Solvent is 1,3-Butanediol [0105] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 3.7 grams of 1,3-butanediol then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 2820 centipoise and is cloudy and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 8 Protic Solvent is 1,4-Butanediol [0106] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 3.7 grams of 1,4-butanediol then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 2140 centipoise and is cloudy and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 9 Protic Solvent is Dipropylene Glycol [0107] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 5.6 grams of dipropylene glycol then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 1690 centipoise and is clear and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 10 Protic Solvent is Neodol 25-1.8+Water [0108] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 5.0 grams of Neodol 25-1.8 and 2.5 grams of water then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 520 centipoise and is cloudy and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 11 Protic Solvent is Neopentyl Glycol [0109] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 4.3 grams of neopentyl glycol then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 1160 centipoise and is clear and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 12 Protic Solvent is Glycerol Propoxylate [0110] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 7.4 grams of glycerol propoxylate then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 1690 centipoise and is cloudy and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 13 Protic Solvent is 1,2-Hexanediol [0111] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 5.0 grams of 1,2-hexanediol then reacted with 4.2 grams of ethylene oxide at 125° C. Example 14 Protic Solvent is 2-propanol [0112] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 5.0 grams of 2-propanol then reacted with 4.2 grams of ethylene oxide at 125° C. Example 15 Protic Solvent is 2-propanol [0113] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8008 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 5.0 grams of 2-propanol then reacted with 1.1 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. Examples 16 Protic Solvent is 1,2-hexanediol [0114] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8008 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 5.0 grams of 1,2-hexanediol then reacted with 1.1 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. Example 17 Protic Solvent is Methanol [0115] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 2.7 grams of methanol then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 1750 centipoise and is clear and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 18 Protic Solvent is 1-Butanol [0116] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 6.2 grams of 1-butanol then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 1390 centipoise and is clear and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 19 Protic Solvent is 2-Butanol [0117] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 6.2 grams of 2-butanol then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 1500 centipoise and is clear and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 20 Protic Solvent is Tert-Butanol [0118] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) mixed with 6.2 grams of tent-butanol then reacted with 5.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. while periodically taking several samples during the course of the reaction for later analysis. The viscosity of the final mixture after 21 hours of reaction time is 1230 centipoise and is clear and colorless. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. Example 21 Protic Solvent is 1,2-hexanediol [0119] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 16.2 grams of Epoxypropoxypropyl Terminated Polydimethylsiloxane DMS-E12 (available from Gelest, Inc.) mixed with 2.3 grams of 1,2-hexanediol then reacted with 30.00grams of Poly(propylene glycol)bis(2-aminopropyl ether) 406686 (available from Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, Mo.) at 125° C. Example 22 Monomethylamine/PO/TAS (where a Diol is Formed In-Situ; Process Simplification) [0120] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8008 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) is added to the reactor then reacted with 1.0 gram of monomethylamine then 9.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. This procedure forms 5 grams of N-Methyldiisopropanolamine in-situ and becomes the diprotic catalyst used in the reaction. [0000] Example 23 Ammonia/PO/TAS (where a Triol is Formed In-Situ; Process Simplification) [0121] The general procedure is repeated from Example #1 using 100.0 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8008 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) is added to the reactor then reacted with 0.44 grams of ammonia then 9.5 grams of propylene oxide at 125° C. This procedure forms 5 grams of Triisopropanolamine in-situ and becomes the triprotic catalyst used in the reaction. [0000] Example 24 Protic Solvent is 1,2,4-butanetriol [0122] A 600-milliliter Parr reactor is used (Model Number 4563 with 2 each pitched blade impellers, 4-blades each, 1.38″ dia.). 390 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) is mixed with 11.7 grams of 1,2,4-butanetriol and is drawn into the reactor using vacuum. The reactor is purged of air using vacuum and nitrogen cycles then charged with nitrogen to ˜90 psig and heated to 125° C. Then the reactor is charged with 22 grams of propylene oxide with stifling at 500 rpm (used throughout). The reaction is allowed to run and samples are taken during the course of the reaction for later analysis. After analysis shows that the reaction is complete, the reactor is cooled and the product is drained to recover a white opaque mixture. The samples are analyzed by titration to determine the remaining amount of primary and secondary amine. Example 25 Protic Solvent is 1,2,6-hexanetriol [0123] A 600-milliliter Parr reactor is used (Model Number 4563 with 2 each pitched blade impellers, 4-blades each, 1.38″ dia.). 383 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) is mixed with 14.6 grams of 1,2,6-hexanetriol and is drawn into the reactor using vacuum. The reactor is purged of air using vacuum and nitrogen cycles then charged with nitrogen to ˜90 psig and heated to 125° C. Then the reactor is charged with 21 grams of propylene oxide with stifling at 500 rpm (used throughout). The reaction is allowed to run and samples are taken during the course of the reaction for later analysis. After analysis shows that the reaction is complete, the reactor is cooled and the product is drained to recover a white opaque mixture. The samples are analyzed by titration to determine the remaining amount of primary and secondary amine. Example 26 Protic Solvent is 1,2-octanediol [0124] A 600-milliliter Parr reactor is used (Model Number 4563 with 2 each pitched blade impellers, 4-blades each, 1.38″ dia.). 392 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) is mixed with 23.8 grams of 1,2-octanediol and is drawn into the reactor using vacuum. The reactor is purged of air using vacuum and nitrogen cycles then charged with nitrogen to ˜90 psig and heated to 125° C. Then the reactor is charged with 23 grams of propylene oxide with stifling at 500 rpm (used throughout). The reaction is allowed to run and samples are taken during the course of the reaction for later analysis. After analysis shows that the reaction is complete, the reactor is cooled and the product is drained to recover a amber translucent mixture. The samples are analyzed by titration to determine the remaining amount of primary and secondary amine. Example 27 Protic Solvent is 1,6-hexanediol [0125] A 600-milliliter Parr reactor is used (Model Number 4563 with 2 each pitched blade impellers, 4-blades each, 1.38″ dia.). 215 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) is mixed with 10.6 grams of 1,6-hexanediol and is drawn into the reactor using vacuum. The reactor is purged of air using vacuum and nitrogen cycles then charged with nitrogen to ˜90 psig and heated to 125° C. Then the reactor is charged with 23 grams of propylene oxide with stifling at 500 rpm (used throughout). The reaction is allowed to run and samples are taken during the course of the reaction for later analysis. After analysis shows that the reaction is complete, the reactor is cooled and the product is drained to recover a white opaque mixture. The samples are analyzed by titration to determine the remaining amount of primary and secondary amine. Example 28 Protic Solvent is 1,2-dihydroxybenzene [0126] A 600-milliliter Parr reactor is used (Model Number 4563 with 2 each pitched blade impellers, 4-blades each, 1.38″ dia.). 373 grams of Shin-Etsu KF-8675 aminosilicone (available from Shin-Etsu Silicones of America Inc., Akron, Ohio) is mixed with 17.1 grams of 1,2-dihydroxybenzene and is drawn into the reactor using vacuum. The reactor is purged of air using vacuum and nitrogen cycles then charged with nitrogen to ˜90 psig and heated to 125° C. Then the reactor is charged with 21 grams of propylene oxide with stifling at 500 rpm (used throughout). The reaction is allowed to run and samples are taken during the course of the reaction for later analysis. After analysis shows that the reaction is complete, the reactor is cooled and the product is drained to recover a brown opaque mixture. The samples are analyzed by NMR for % reaction of propylene oxide with the amino groups on the polymer. [0127] The protic solvents listed in the table below were all tested at identical equivalents of hydroxyl group. Examples 3-8, 11, 23, and 25 represent protic solvents having multiple hydroxyl groups in close proximity. Examples 9 and 12 represent protic solvents having only multiple hydroxyl groups. Examples 1 and 17-20 represent protic solvents having single hydroxyl groups—thus no opportunity for close proximity exists. Examples 21-22, and 24 represent protic solvents having limited solubility in the amine feedstock. [0000] From 4 hr % >90% Hydroxy Example No. Protic Solvent Conversion Conversion Equiv./g 3 Hexylene glycol — 8 hr 0.017 4 1,2-Hexanediol 100 2.5 hr 0.017 5 1,2-Propanediol 80 <8 hr 0.026 6 1,2-Butanediol — <8 hr 0.022 7 1,3-Butanediol — <8 hr 0.022 8 1,4-Butanediol — <6 hr 0.022 11 Neopentyl glycol 85 <5 hr 0.019 26 1,2-octanediol 97 3 hrs 0.014 28 1,2- >95 2.5 hrs 0.018 dihydroxybenzene 9 Dipropylene 59 21 hr 0.015 glycol 12 Glyceryl — 21 hr 0.011 propoxylate (Mn = 266) 1 2-Propanol 79 21 hr 0.017 17 Methanol 56 >21 hr 0.031 18 1-Butanol 65 21 hr 0.013 19 2-Butanol 54 >21 hr 0.013 20 Tert-butanol 51 21 hr 0.013 24 1,2,4-butanetriol* 52 21 hrs 0.028 25 1,2,6-hexanetriol* 55 21 hrs 0.022 27 1,6-hexanediol* 72 7.5 hrs 0.017 *protic solvent having limited solubility in the amine feedstock [0128] The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm”. [0129] All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern. [0130] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

The present application relates to molecules comprising one or more beta-hydroxyamine moieties, for example, aminosilicones and compositions such as consumer products comprising such molecules, as well as processes for making and using such molecules and such compositions. The aforementioned process is safer, more efficient and thus more economical. Thus, the aforementioned moleculers may be more widely used.

PRIORITY CLAIM [0001] The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No, 10-2015-0188533 filed on 29 Dec. 2015, the content of said application incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention relates to a micro-speaker for use in a small electronic device, and more particularly, to a micro-speaker having an enclosure applied thereto and having an air adsorbent which can improve the low frequency sound quality. BACKGROUND [0003] A speaker converts an electrical energy into a mechanical energy to generate sound, using a voice coil present in an air gap according to Fleming's left hand rule. Recently, with the wide spread of a small electronic device requiring a small internal speaker, such as a smartphone, there are increasing demands for a small and slim micro-speaker. [0004] As the micro-speaker is limited in terms of a size, shape, location of a sound emitting hole, etc., a structure for obtaining high sound quality in a limited space has been taken into account. Especially, an enclosure micro-speaker module has advantages in that the micro-speaker is provided in an enclosure casing serving as a resonance space, this enclosure casing is mounted in an electronic device, and the sound generated by the micro-speaker is resonated in and emitted from the enclosure casing, which can thereby reduce sound interferences and improve sound quality and sound volume. In particular, the resonance space of the speaker is a critical factor in the low frequency characteristics, and the larger the resonance space is, the more easily the low frequency sound can be reproduced and the more the reproducible frequency range can be increased. [0005] Recently, a micro-speaker having an air adsorbent starts to be developed to further enhance such low frequency characteristics. Zeolite or activated carbon is put into an enclosure to define a virtual back volume, i.e., a resonance space, using adsorption and desorption of air molecules. European patent 2424270, U.S. patent publication 2015-0358721, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,687,836 disclose a speaker which uses zeolite to enhance the low frequency sound characteristics. [0006] However, the conventional micro-speakers having zeolite have adopted expensive materials with a high mass ratio of silicon to aluminum so as to achieve goals such as improvement in the low frequency sound quality. In general, the higher the mass ratio of silicon to aluminum is, the more hydrophobic zeolite is, so only the mass ratio of silicon to aluminum has been considered as a major performance index for zeolite. It is because the hydrophobic air adsorbent less adsorbs water molecules and thus more adsorbs air molecules. Nevertheless, increasing the mass ratio of silicon to aluminum significantly increases a process cost and thus a unit cost, as a result of which the micro-speaker having the air adsorbent has not been widely spread in spite of its superior performance. SUMMARY [0007] The present invention has been made to solve the aforementioned problems in the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide a micro-speaker which shows excellent improvement in the low frequency characteristics, regardless of a mass ratio of silicon to aluminum of an air adsorbent. [0008] In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a micro-speaker which shows excellent improvement in the low frequency characteristics at a low unit cost of production. [0009] According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the aforementioned objects, there is provided a micro-speaker including an enclosure, a speaker unit accommodated in the enclosure, a resonance space defined between the enclosure and the speaker unit, and an air adsorbent provided in the resonance space, wherein the air adsorbent is zeolite having at least 35% of channels with a size of 0.4 nm to 0.6 nm. [0010] In some embodiments, at least some zeolites have a framework selected from FER, MFI, MEL, TON, and MFS. [0011] In some embodiments, zeolite has a specific surface area BET of at least 400 m 2 /g. [0012] In some embodiments, zeolite is provided in the form of granules with a grain size of 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm. [0013] In some embodiments, inner micropores of zeolite have a volume of 0.25 cm 3 /g to 0.35 cm 3 /g per unit mass. [0014] In some embodiments, the air adsorbent is arranged in a specific portion of the resonance space. [0015] In some embodiments, two or more air adsorbent arrangement portions are provided around the speaker unit. [0016] In some embodiments, the air adsorbent arrangement portion surrounds the speaker unit in a non-continuous manner. [0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a micro-speaker which shows excellent improvement in the low frequency characteristics, regardless of a mass ratio of silicon to aluminum of an air adsorbent. [0018] In addition, it is possible to provide a micro-speaker which shows excellent improvement in the low frequency characteristics at a low cost, by reducing a mass ratio of silicon to aluminum, as compared with the conventional micro-speaker having the air adsorbent. [0019] Those skilled in the art will recognize additional features and advantages upon reading the following detailed description, and upon viewing the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0020] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a micro-speaker having an air adsorbent according to an embodiment; [0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the micro-speaker having the air adsorbent; [0023] FIG. 3 is a graph showing changes in a sound pressure level based on frequencies, which are measured after zeolites with different air channel distribution ratios are applied as an air adsorbent; [0024] FIG. 4 is a graph showing changes in a sound pressure level based on frequencies, which are measured after zeolites with different specific surface areas are applied as the air adsorbent; and [0025] FIG. 5 is a graph showing changes in a sound pressure level based on frequencies, which are measured after zeolites with different grain sizes are applied as an air adsorbent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0026] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a micro-speaker having an air adsorbent according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description, some reference numerals can be omitted for readability of the drawings in the case of equivalent structures or identical constructions being easily recognizable in the drawings. [0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a micro-speaker 10 having an air adsorbent according to an embodiment of the present invention. The micro-speaker 10 may include a speaker unit 100 , an enclosure 200 , and an air adsorbent which can be located in a resonance space R defined therebetween. The speaker unit 100 is accommodated in the enclosure 200 to be protected from the outside. The speaker unit 100 , which serves to receive an electric signal and generate sound, may include, e.g., a diaphragm, voice coil, and magnet. [0028] The enclosure 200 can accommodate the speaker unit 100 and also include the resonance space R where the sound generated by the speaker unit 100 can be resonated. The enclosure 200 may have a sound emitting hole 210 at its one side. An air adsorbent arrangement portion 300 in which the air adsorbent is arranged may be defined in the resonance space R as a separate space. [0029] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the micro-speaker 10 having the air adsorbent according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 schematically shows the speaker unit 100 and the air adsorbent arrangement portion 300 which are arranged in the resonance space R. Although two or more air adsorbent arrangement portions 300 may be provided around the speaker unit 100 , three air adsorbent arrangement portions 300 are shown in FIG. 2 . The enclosure 200 may be formed in a more complicated shape than a rectangle dependent upon where the micro-speaker 10 is installed, which may put restrictions on the air adsorbent arrangement portion 300 . Therefore, it is preferable that the air adsorbent arrangement portion 300 should surround the speaker unit 200 especially in a non-continuous manner. [0030] For example, zeolite, which is an aluminum silicate mineral, may be arranged in the air adsorbent arrangement portion 300 . Commercially available zeolites are mostly artificially synthesized and commonly produced in the form of granules for ease of use. Zeolites have micropores formed therein and show selective molecule adsorption characteristics according to the channel size of the micropores. Zeolites are divided into a variety of different types by their components and structures, and the channel size or the channel size composition ratio of the micropores may vary accordingly. [0031] The air is composed of nitrogen gas (N 2 ), oxygen gas (O 2 ), and vapor (H 2 O), and the dry air almost constantly contains 78% of nitrogen gas and 21% of oxygen gas. A virtual back volume which can be created by the micro-speaker having the air adsorbent can be smoothly created when the air adsorbent can adsorb a sufficient amount of air, i.e., nitrogen gas and oxygen gas, so the channel size of the micropores of zeolite needs to be greater than the size of the air molecules. It is known that the size of the nitrogen gas molecules is about 0.4 nm and the size of the oxygen gas molecules is very slightly smaller. When the channel size is greater than the size of the nitrogen gas molecules and the size of the oxygen gas molecules, zeolite can smoothly adsorb such molecules. However, since zeolites have unique micropore size distributions according to their structures, i.e., frameworks, it is necessary to optimize which size distribution results in significant performance improvement in the low frequency sound quality of the micro-speaker. [0032] FIG. 3 is a graph showing changes in a sound pressure level (dB) based on frequencies (Hz), which are measured after zeolites with different distribution ratios of channels having a size of 0.4 nm to 0.6 nm (hereinafter, referred to as ‘air channels’) are applied as the air adsorbent of the micro-speaker 10 of FIG. 1 . It can be seen from the graph that the low frequency sound pressure level has been significantly improved since the air channel distribution ratio reaches 40%, as compared with the non-application of the air adsorbent. For some margin, preferably, zeolite having at least 35% of air channels can be efficiently used as the air adsorbent. The frameworks of zeolites meeting such restrictions include at least FER, MFI, MEL, TON, and MFS (Database of Zeolite Structures, Princeton University, http://helios.princeton.edu/zeomics/cgi-bin/list_structures.pl). [0033] FIG. 4 is a graph showing changes in a sound pressure level (dB) based on frequencies (Hz), which are measured after zeolites with different specific surface areas (measured using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller equation) are applied as the air adsorbent of the micro-speaker 10 of FIG. 1 . As the adsorption occurs on the surface of the air adsorbent, the larger the specific surface area of the air adsorbent is, the higher the adsorption efficiency is. Therefore, the larger the specific surface area of the air adsorbent employed by the micro-speaker 10 is, the more the low frequency sound quality improves. It can be seen from the graph that zeolite having a BET specific surface area of at least 400 m 2 /g remarkably improved the low frequency sound quality. The micropores of zeolite, which have a volume of 0.25 cm 3 /g to 0.35 cm 3 /g per unit mass, guarantee sufficient air molecule adsorption capability. [0034] As mentioned above, zeolite is produced in the form of granules for ease of use. In particular, when zeolite is applied as the air adsorbent of the micro-speaker, if it is used in the form of powder, without secondary forming, or finely classified as excessively small grains, the air adsorbent may enter and contaminate other components of the micro-speaker 10 . Furthermore, it is apparent that this outflow of the air adsorbent leads to the reduction of the virtual back volume. However, on the other hand, the secondary forming may have a detrimental effect on the air molecule adsorption capability of the air adsorbent. It is because the more the grain size of the granule increases, the more the surface area per unit mass, i.e., the specific surface area of the grain itself decreases. [0035] FIG. 5 is a graph showing changes in a sound pressure level (dB) based on frequencies (Hz), which are measured after zeolites (secondarily formed into granules) with different grain sizes are applied as the air adsorbent of the micro-speaker 10 of FIG. 1 . That is, the same type of zeolites are secondarily formed into different grain sizes, respectively, and compared with the non-application of the air adsorbent (Empty) in terms of improvement in the low frequency sound quality. A zeolite group having a grain size of 0.21 mm to 0.42 mm, a zeolite group having a grain size of 0.21 mm to 0.5 mm, and a zeolite group having a grain size of 0.42 mm to 0.6 mm show the almost identical improvement in the low frequency sound pressure level. Inter alfa, the zeolite group having a grain size of 0.21 mm to 0.42 mm and the zeolite group having a grain size of 0.21 mm to 0.5 mm are slightly more improved in the low frequency sound quality than the zeolite group having a grain size of 0.42 mm to 0.6 mm, while showing almost the same numerical values. Accordingly, it is most preferable to employ the zeolite or zeolite group having a grain size of 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm, which has a not-too-small grain size and shows satisfactory improvement in the low frequency sound quality, for ease of use. [0036] As apparent from the above description of the experiments, it is possible to significantly improve the low frequency sound quality merely by selecting zeolite based on different pore characteristics instead of the mass ratio as in the prior art. Moreover, it is apparent that the above description is intended to assist better understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to any specific embodiment thereof. [0037] As used herein, the terms “having”, “containing”, “including”, “comprising” and the like are open-ended terms that indicate the presence of stated elements or features, but do not preclude additional elements or features. The articles “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural as well as the singular, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. [0038] With the above range of variations and applications in mind, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited by the foregoing description, nor is it limited by the accompanying drawings. Instead, the present invention is limited only by the following claims and their legal equivalents.

The present invention relates to a micro-speaker for use in a small electronic device, and more particularly, to a micro-speaker having an enclosure applied thereto and having an air adsorbent which can improve the low frequency sound quality. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a micro-speaker which shows excellent improvement in the low frequency characteristics, regardless of a mass ratio of silicon to aluminum of an air adsorbent, and also possible to provide a micro-speaker which shows excellent improvement in the low frequency characteristics at a low cost, by reducing a mass ratio of silicon to aluminum, as compared with the conventional micro-speaker having an air adsorbent.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/692,311, filed Jun. 20, 2005. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to resin transfer moulding, and more specifically to a resin transfer moulding system having an automatic venting system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Resin transfer moulding (“RTM”) is generally known as a low pressure, closed moulding process that offers a dimensionally accurate and high quality surface finish composite moulding, using liquid thermoset polymers reinforced with various forms of fiber reinforcements. Typically, polymers of various epoxy, vinyl ester, methyl methacrylate, polyester, polyurethanes, polyester/urethane blends, and/or phenolic materials are used with various reinforcement materials, such as fiberglass. Other reinforcement materials, such as aramids, carbon fibers, and/or synthetic fibers, either alone or in combination with each other, can be used for more demanding applications. Along with the polymer and reinforcement materials, the addition of mineral fillers may be added to enhance fire retardancy, flex modulus and surface finish. [0004] Reinforcements are typically presented in their dry form to the mould in either binder-bound chopped mat, random-continuous strand mat, and/or woven cloth format. The fiber has been either “preformed” to the exact shape of the moulding tool in a previous operation or is hand-tailored during the loading process in the moulding tool. After the fiber is installed into the mould, a premixed catalyst/hardener and resin is injected into the closed mould cavity encapsulating the fiber within. The primary surface of the moulding may be gel-coated or in-mould primed, a process of spraying the mould surface before installing the fiber. If a gel coat is not required, the exterior finish would be the same from the front to back of the moulded part. [0005] The RTM process has the inherent advantage of low-pressure injection, i.e., it usually does not exceed 300 psi of resin injection pressure during the mould-fill process. [0006] Current vacuum-assisted RTM processes typically involve filling the mould cavity under partial vacuum. For example, resin enters the part through a perimeter gate and it typically converges at a vent location often centrally located with respect to the part. Resin then overflows into a catch pot, which is used to prevent resin from entering the vacuum system. After the liquid resin cures, the vacuum is removed and the catch pot is removed and emptied manually. For polyester and vinyl ester resins, the level of vacuum is typically kept below the boiling point of styrene, around 24 in. Hg. [0007] Several problems can arise with conventional approaches. First, partial vacuum contributes to air in the part, thus resulting in porosity and other imperfections in the finished part. Second, manual effort is required to clean the catchpot, thus the system cannot be automated which increases cycle time as well as manufacturing costs. Third, resin is wasted in the overflow pot, again increasing manufacturing costs. Fourth, pressure cannot be applied in the cavity to drive porosity as the system is always open to the vacuum system until the resin gelation process has occurred. [0008] Accordingly, there exists a need for a new and improved resin transfer moulding system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved resin transfer moulding system which obviates at least one disadvantage of the prior art. [0010] It is another object of the present invention to provide new and improved resin transfer moulding systems that include automatic vent systems operably associated therewith [0011] In accordance with the general teachings of the present invention a resin transfer system is provided with an automatic vent system that closes when all the predetermined resin material (as well as the catalyst/hardener and any other additives) has been injected in the mould cavity that is used to form the finished part. A substantially cylindrical column connected to the automatic vent system is also connected to a valve system, e.g., a three-way valve, which is connected to the full vacuum source on one side and to the flushing/purging system on the other side. When the automatic vent system closes, in parallel the valve system switches from vacuum to flush/purge. This allows, for example, resin and/or styrene in the column to be flushed/purged and thus prevents freezing lines in the system. The automatic vent system in the mould also includes a valve system e.g., a three way valve, which when open acts as the vent and vacuum source, and when closed, the valve is open to flush/purge. [0012] In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a resin transfer system having an automatic vent system operably associated therewith is provided. [0013] In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, a resin transfer system having an automatic vent system operably associated therewith is provided, wherein the automatic vent system is operable to selectively engage once a predetermined amount of mouldable material has been introduced into the resin transfer system. [0014] In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, a resin transfer system having an automatic vent system operably associated therewith is provided, wherein the automatic vent system is operable to selectively remove any excess material contained within the resin transfer system after a predetermined amount of mouldable material has been introduced into the resin transfer system. [0015] In accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention, a resin transfer system having an automatic vent system operably associated therewith is provided, wherein the automatic vent system is operable to selectively permit a vacuum force to be applied to the resin transfer system. [0016] In accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention, a resin transfer system having an automatic vent system operably associated therewith is provided, wherein the automatic vent system is operable to selectively prevent a vacuum force being applied to the resin transfer system. [0017] In accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention, a resin transfer system is provided, wherein the resin transfer system includes a selectively inflatable seal system operably associated with a moulding system. [0018] In accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present invention, a resin transfer system is provided, wherein the resin transfer system includes a selectively inflatable seal system and a selectively operable hydraulic system, both of which are operably associated with a moulding system. [0019] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0020] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: [0021] FIG. 1 illustrates a partial perspective view of a resin transfer moulding system prior to injection of any of the components, in accordance with the general teachings of the present invention; [0022] FIG. 2 illustrates a partial perspective view of a resin transfer moulding system at the conclusion of the injection of the components, in accordance with the general teachings of the present invention; [0023] FIG. 3 illustrates a partial schematic view of a resin transfer moulding system at the conclusion of the injection of the components, in accordance with the general teachings of the present invention; [0024] FIG. 4 illustrates a partial schematic view of a resin transfer moulding system when the flushing/purging system is engaged, in accordance with the general teachings of the present invention; [0025] FIG. 5 illustrates a partial perspective view of a resin transfer moulding system when the hydraulic clamp is engaged, in accordance with the general teachings of the present invention; [0026] FIG. 6 illustrates a partial schematic view of a resin transfer moulding system when the hydraulic clamp is engaged, in accordance with the general teachings of the present invention; [0027] FIG. 7 illustrates a partial perspective view of a resin transfer moulding system during the exothermic and shrinkage of the polymer phases, in accordance with the general teachings of the present invention; [0028] FIG. 8 illustrates a partial perspective view of a resin transfer moulding system during the optional expansion of the low profile fillers phase, in accordance with the general teachings of the present invention; and [0029] FIG. 9 illustrates a partial perspective view of a resin transfer moulding system during the de-moulding phase, in accordance with the general teachings of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0030] The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. [0031] Although the present invention is primarily intended for use with RTM systems, it should be appreciated that the present invention can be practiced with other types of moulding processes, such as but not limited to structural reinforcement moulding (i.e., SRIM) processes. [0032] Referring to the Figures generally, and specifically to FIG. 1 , there is shown a resin transfer system generally at 10 . System 10 can be employed to produce any number of different finished parts, such as but not limited to automotive components and the like. By way of a non-limiting example, system 10 can employ liquid thermoset polymers reinforced with various forms of fiber reinforcements to produce these products. For example, system 10 can employ polymers of various epoxy, vinyl ester, methyl methacrylate, polyester, and/or phenolic materials are used with various reinforcement materials, such as fiberglass. Other reinforcement materials, such as aramids, carbon fibers, and/or synthetic fibers, either alone or in combination with each other, can be used for more demanding applications, in accordance with the general teachings of the present invention. [0033] System 10 includes a resin source 12 and a catalyst/hardener source 14 that are used to form a finished moulded part. Sources 12 , 14 , respectively, are in communication with a mixer 16 (e.g., static or dynamic) through conduits 18 , 20 , respectively. Mixer 16 is in communication with a pair of injection heads 22 , 24 , respectively, through conduits 26 , 28 , respectively. Injection heads 22 , 24 , respectively, are in communication with the mould 30 , and more specifically, with the mould cavity 32 , e.g., for permitting the introduction of the resin and catalyst/hardener therein. An automatic vent system 34 is in communication with the mould 30 , and more specifically, with the mould cavity 32 . Exiting from one portion of automatic vent system 34 is a purge conduit 36 . Exiting from another portion of automatic vent system 34 is a conduit 38 which is in communication with a resin overflow system 40 . Resin overflow system 40 is in communication with a vacuum vent/resin purge system 42 via conduit 44 . Injection heads 22 , 24 , respectively, are also in communication with vacuum vent/resin purge system 42 via conduits 46 , 48 , respectively. A vent conduit 50 exits from a portion of vacuum vent/resin purge system 42 . A purge system 52 (e.g., employing acetone and/or air) is in communication with mixer 16 via conduit 54 . [0034] As can be seen in FIG. 1 , system 10 is shown at the point where injection of any materials into mould cavity 32 has not yet occurred, i.e., 0 time has elapsed in the moulding process. However, the pressure in system 10 is maintained at about −14 psi, i.e., system 10 is maintained under vacuum or negative pressure. [0035] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 , the resin material 100 and the catalyst/hardener material 102 are selectively injected into system 10 via their respective sources, 12 , 14 . The path of the materials, 100 , 102 , can be tracked through system 10 by following the arrow paths. [0036] As can be seen in FIG. 2 , system 10 is shown at the point where injection of any materials into mould cavity 32 has just finished occurred, i.e., 30 seconds have elapsed in the moulding process. However, the pressure in mould cavity 32 is maintained at about 3 psi, i.e., mould cavity 32 is maintained under positive pressure. [0037] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, automatic vent system 34 is selectively operable to close when all of the predetermined resin material (as well as any catalyst/hardener and other additives) to form the finished part has been injected into mould cavity 32 . In this view, any excess material, such as excess resin material 100 or the like, is traveling towards resin overflow system 40 . [0038] Automatic vent system 34 includes a valve system 104 operably associated therewith. Valve system 104 can include, but is not limited to a three-way valve system 106 . Referring to FIG. 4 , when automatic vent system 34 closes, in parallel this three way valve system 106 switches from vacuum operation to flush operation. Resin overflow system 40 , which is communication with automatic vent system 34 is also in communication with vent/resin purge system 42 . Vacuum vent/resin purge system 42 also includes a valve system 108 . Valve system 108 can include, but is not limited to a three-way valve system 110 . Valve system 108 selectively controls the vacuum operation and the purging operation of vacuum vent/resin purge system 42 . [0039] By permitting automatic vent system 34 to actuate its purging operation, any excess or residual resin, styrene and/or other materials in resin overflow system 40 or other portions of system 10 (e.g., various conduits, chambers, and/or the like) can be purged, thus preventing freezing lines in system 10 . It should be noted that the purging operation can be performed at any time during the moulding process after the requisite amount of mouldable material (e.g., resin, catalyst, hardener, additives and the like) has been introduced into mould cavity 32 and preferably before the mouldable material substantially begins to gel and/or cure. [0040] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 , system 10 is shown wherein a hydraulic clamping system 200 , consisting of a series of hydraulic clamps 202 , 204 , 206 , 208 , respectively, are shown in the engaged position so as to compress the mouldable material contained within mould cavity 32 . As can be seen in FIG. 5 , system 10 is shown at the point where injection of any materials into mould cavity 32 has already occurred, i.e., 35 seconds have elapsed in the moulding process. However, the pressure in mould cavity 32 is maintained at about 6 psi, i.e., mould cavity 32 is maintained under positive pressure. [0041] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a selectively inflatable inner perimeter seal system 210 is employed to gap the tool or mould cavity slightly. For example, at a predetermined time, hydraulic clamping system 200 will close the mould cavity 32 to a fixed thickness. This will provide significant processing advantages for wetting out any fiber systems contained therein that typically exhibit poor permeability, as well as providing advantages in terms of speeding up injection times. Further, the surface quality of the finished part will also be enhanced due to an increase in pressure seen in the tool or mould cavity at the end of the filling cycle. [0042] Referring to FIG. 7 , system 10 is shown during the exothermic and shrinkage of the polymer phases of the moulding process. As can be seen in FIG. 7 , system 10 is shown at the point where the mouldable materials are reacting with one another and beginning to form the part, i.e., 120 seconds have elapsed in the moulding process. However, the pressure in mould cavity 32 is maintained at about −2 psi, i.e., mould cavity 32 is maintained under negative pressure. [0043] Referring to FIG. 8 , system 10 is shown during the expansion of the optional low profile additives phase of the moulding process. As can be seen in FIG. 8 , system 10 is shown at the point where any additives that cause expansion are causing the injected mouldable materials to expand, i.e., 200 seconds have elapsed in the moulding process. However, the pressure in mould cavity 32 is maintained at about 2 psi, i.e., mould cavity 32 is maintained under positive pressure. [0044] Referring to FIG. 9 , system 10 is shown during the de-moulding phase of the moulding process. As can be seen in FIG. 9 , system 10 is shown at the point where the part is in the process of fully gelling or curing, i.e., 500 seconds have elapsed in the moulding process. However, the pressure in mould cavity 32 is maintained at about 0 psi. [0045] It should be appreciated that the aforementioned discussion of pressure levels and time periods are illustrative in nature and can be modified within the scope of the present invention. For example, certain mouldable materials may require longer or shorter moulding times as well as require more than or less than the pressures depicted in any of the Figs. or the described in the discussion contained herein. [0046] There are several advantages associated with the system of the present invention, such as but not limited to: (1) the ability to employ relatively high levels of vacuum in the mould cavity without the negative effects of the boiling styrene, which could result in reduced air in the system and reduced porosity in the finished part. Furthermore, when full vacuum in the mould cavity is used, e.g., when filling, only the leading front of the resin material boils, with the vapour and resin exiting the mould cavity and is kept from entering the vacuum system by entering resin overflow system that has a screen to wick away the vapours. When the pumping stops, the automatic vent system (specifically the valve system operably associated therewith) closes, cutting off the vacuum from the mould cavity. This traps the resin material in the mould cavity and allows the user to introduce pressure if required. The resin material and vapor that get past the valve system are flushed to waste using a purge system, such as but not limited to an acetone and/or air purge system; (2) the system can be easily automated (e.g., via computer controls) and thus no manual cleaning operations would be required; (3) there is less wasted resin in that the user does not need to overfill the system, e.g., due in part to the relatively high initial vacuum levels; (4) fill times are relatively faster at the relatively higher vacuum levels; (5) by coordinating when the automatic vent system closes, the user can introduce positive pressure into the mould cavity which could improve the overall cosmetic appearance of the finished part. [0047] The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

A resin transfer system having an automatic vent system operably associated therewith is provided. The automatic vent system is operable to selectively engage once a predetermined amount of mouldable material has been introduced into the resin transfer system. The automatic vent system can also selectively remove or purge any excess materials, such as excess resin, from the resin transfer system, without having to manually clean any conduits or catch pots.

REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS [0001] Reference is hereby made to U.S. Pat. No. 8,567,796, entitled Rolling Container Assembly with Adjustable Storage Units, the description of which is hereby incorporated by reference. [0002] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/480,113, entitled “ROLLING CONTAINER ASSEMBLY WITH ADJUSTABLE STORAGE UNITS” and filed Sep. 8, 2014, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein and priority of which is hereby claimed. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention relates generally to stackable and/or rollable storage and toolbox systems and to a job site communications center which is stackable and/or otherwise usable therewith. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] Various types of stackable and rollable storage and toolbox systems are known. Audio play systems, commonly known as “boom boxes” are also known. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] The present invention seeks to provide an improved job site communications center which is suitable for use with stackable and/or rollable storage and/or toolbox systems and to stackable and/or rollable storage and/or toolbox systems including a job site communication center which is stackable or rollable therewith. [0006] The present invention also relates to a rugged sound system and a housing for a sound system, which are adapted for use in demanding environments, such as, for example, jobsites or building sites. Jobsite sound systems or radios are at high risk of being dropped, or of having heavy items such as tools or workpieces dropped onto them. Additionally, jobsite sound systems have to perform well in the open air and in large interior spaces. [0007] One aim of the present invention is to provide high quality sound performance in a jobsite communication center. Another aim of the present invention is to improve the overall impact resistance of a housing for a jobsite communication center while also providing high quality sound performance. It should be understood that although the invention will be described with reference to a jobsite communication center and a housing for a jobsite communication center, the sound system of the present invention and the sound system housing of the present invention may be suitable for use with or to house other devices, for example a sound system which does not include a radio receiver, or a computer system with or without speakers, or another device which it is desirable to take to a jobsite but which requires rugged protection. [0008] Another aim of an embodiment of the present invention is to integrate the jobsite sound system as an element of an integrated tool storage and transport system, such as the TSTAK® and Tough System™ tool storage and transport systems, which are currently manufactured and sold by assignee and/or its affiliates. [0009] A further aim of an embodiment of the present invention is to integrate into the jobsite sound system, which may include the features described hereinabove, a WIFI system which enables communication, via the sound system, with and between workers at various locations, who may not be in a line of sight or shouting distance of each other. Mobile devices of workers may communicate with the WIFI system among themselves as well as with entities remote from the jobsite. A foreman or team leader may employ the WIFI system to manage the work of members of a work team. [0010] An additional aim of an embodiment of the present invention is to integrate into a jobsite sound system, which may include the features described hereinabove, an Internet of Things (TOT) module, which enables remote monitoring of functioning of tools and activity of workers. Such monitoring may include, for example, proper functioning of tools, duty cycle of tool usage, tool wear and charge status. [0011] There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a jobsite communications center including a communications module including an electrical power source, at least one speaker and at least one antenna and a toolbox-like housing for enclosing the communications module and having a handle and first and second connection functionalities, the first connection functionality enabling readily-disconnectable and reconnectable stacking interconnection of the communications center with tool boxes, the second connection functionality enabling readily-disconnectable and reconnectable mounting of the communication center on a toolbox-carrying cart in a manner similar to connection of toolboxes thereto. [0012] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention a jobsite communications center including a communications module including an electrical power source, at least one speaker and at least one antenna, the communications module including two-way wireless communication functionality and a housing enclosing the communications module and having a handle, the antenna being embedded in the handle. [0013] There is further provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention a jobsite communications center including a communications module including an electrical power source, at least one speaker and at least one antenna, the communications module including two-way wireless communication functionality and a toolbox-like housing for enclosing the communications module and having a handle, the antenna being embedded in the housing. [0014] There is even further provided in accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention a jobsite communications center including a communications module including an electrical power source, at least one speaker and at least one antenna and a housing for enclosing the communications module and having a handle, and connection elements enabling the housing to be removably attached to and transported together with toolboxes. [0015] Preferably, the housing includes a toolbox-like housing. [0016] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the at least one antenna is located in a portion of the housing. Preferably, at least one of the at least one antenna is located in the handle. [0017] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the first connection functionality includes a pair of manually actuable clamps for selectable attachment of the housing to a toolbox stacked thereabove. Additionally or alternatively, the second connection functionality includes a pair of bracket receiving side portions for selectable attachment of the housing to the toolbox-carrying cart. Additionally, the second connection functionality also includes a pair of resilient engagement elements operative to engage a corresponding pair of brackets forming part of the housing to the toolbox-carrying cart. [0018] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the second connection functionality enables the jobsite communications center to be mounted onto the toolbox-carrying cart interchangeably with a toolbox. Additionally or alternatively, the second connection functionality enables the jobsite communications center to be mounted onto the toolbox-carrying cart in additional to at least one toolbox. [0019] Preferably, the first connection functionality includes a pair of connection elements for selectable attachment of the housing to a toolbox stacked therebelow, which toolbox has a pair of manually actuable latches for connecting to the connection elements. [0020] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the communications module includes a radio receiver. Additionally or alternatively, the communications module includes a WI-FI hotspot module. Additionally or alternatively, the communications module includes a wireless router. [0021] Preferably, the communications module includes a BLUETOOTH® module. Additionally or alternatively, the communications module includes a video communication module. Additionally, the video communication module provides video communication both to and from a jobsite to a remote location. Additionally or alternatively, the video communication module provides audio-video communication both to and from a jobsite via at least one smartphone. [0022] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the communications module includes a projector operative to project an image onto a region of a jobsite. Additionally or alternatively, the communications module includes a camera for imaging a region of a jobsite and a wireless communication module for transmitting an image from the camera to a remote location. [0023] Preferably, the communications module includes an image overlay module for overlaying an image taken at a jobsite with another image and an image comparison module for indicating differences between the image taken at a jobsite and the another image. [0024] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the communications module includes a holographic lens module. Additionally or alternatively, the communications module includes a lighting module. Additionally, the lighting module includes at least one of ambient light and directable lighting. [0025] Preferably, the jobsite communications center also includes at least one of an oxygen source, a compressor, a welder and a dust extractor. Additionally or alternatively, the jobsite communications center also includes at least one of a refrigerated compartment and a microwave oven. [0026] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the jobsite communications center also includes at least one of an intrusion alarm module and a tampering alarm module. Additionally, the at least one of an intrusion alarm module and a tampering alarm module has at least one of a wireless remote reporting module and a management module. [0027] Preferably, the communications module includes a visually sensible display. Additionally or alternatively, the communications module interfaces with a smart phone. [0028] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the communications module includes a remotely controllable 360 degree camera. Preferably, the communications module includes a printer. Additionally or alternatively, the communications module includes an augmented-reality module. [0029] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the communications module includes an intercom module. Additionally, the intercom module is operative to enable intercom communications among multiple smartphones via the communications module. [0030] Preferably, the communications module includes a 3D printer to enable on-site fabrication of elements based on data received via the communications module. Additionally or alternatively, the communications module includes a 3D scanner. [0031] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the communications module includes a tool tracking module. Additionally or alternatively, the communications module includes a tool use monitoring module. [0032] Preferably, the communications module includes a tool wear monitoring module. Additionally or alternatively, the communications module includes a tool battery charge state tracking module. [0033] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the communications module includes an environmental hazard sensing module. Additionally, the environmental hazard sensing module includes sensors for at least one of fire, smoke, dangerous chemicals, biohazards, weather hazards and earthquakes. [0034] Preferably, the communication module includes at least one sensor interface. [0035] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the jobsite communications center also including a wireless battery charging module. Preferably, the communication module includes a calendar module including an active reminder module. [0036] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the at least one speaker is wirelessly connected to the jobsite communication center. Additionally or alternatively, the communication module includes a message transmission module. [0037] Preferably, the communication module includes a wireless remote communicator enabling it to communicate with a wireless remote communicator in another jobsite communication center located remotely therefrom. Additionally or alternatively, the communication module includes a communicator enabling it to communicate with and via the cloud. [0038] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing includes a main shell and at least one side panel, and the at least one side panel partially overlaps an area of the main shell and each of the at least one side panel includes a plate and at least one bumper, the plate being relatively rigid and the bumper being relatively resilient, and the plate is connected to the main shell in the area of overlap and the bumper protrudes beyond one or more planar surfaces of the housing. Additionally, the main shell includes a top shell and a bottom shell. Preferably, at least one of the bumpers is overmolded onto the corresponding plate. [0039] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the overmolding process is carried out as a two step process after the molding of the plate in the same injection molding machine. Alternatively, the overmolding process is carried out as a separate process on a batch of pre-made plates in a different machine. [0040] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing has six main faces in a substantially cuboid arrangement. Additionally, the at least one side panel includes two side panels, the two side panels partially overlapping areas of the main shell which are located on opposite main faces of the housing. Alternatively, the at least one side panel includes more than two side panels. [0041] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the at least one side panel is connected to the main shell via the plate. [0042] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the plate is connected to the main shell in the area of overlap by one or more screws, each screw passing through a screw hole in the plate. Preferably, the screw holes in the plate are each provided with a resilient gasket. Additionally, the resilient gaskets are overmolded onto the corresponding plate. Preferably, the resilient gaskets are overmolded in the same molding shot as the resilient bumper on the same plate. [0043] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention each side panel includes one bumper. Alternatively, at least one of the at least one side panels includes two or more separate bumpers. Additionally, the two or more separate bumpers may be provided at different positions. [0044] Preferably, the handle is attached to the main shell, and the handle includes a recess adapted to contain the at least one antenna. [0045] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing includes an enclosure adapted to contain the at least one antenna, the enclosure being located between one of the one or more plates and the main shell in the area of overlap. [0046] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing provides accommodation for a sound system including at least one sound input means, up to six speakers and means for powering the speakers and the housing also includes cover means for each speaker located therein. Additionally or alternatively, the housing is integratable into a storage system by means of adaptation to be stackable or adaptation to be supported on a storage rack. Additionally, the sound input means is a radio receiver. [0047] Preferably, the housing includes one or more latches, one or more latch receiving structures, and one or more rack attachment structures. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the jobsite communications center includes a rear attachment point for securing to a rack. [0048] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the jobsite communications center also includes sound system electronics located within the housing and WIFI electronics coupled to the sound system electronics and located within the housing. Additionally, the jobsite communications center also includes Internet of Things (JOT) electronics for communication with IOT components of tools via the WIFI electronics. Additionally or alternatively, the WIFI electronics enables communication with a monitoring site remote from the sound system. [0049] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing includes a sound system including at least six speakers housed therein, at least one of the at least six speakers is an active subwoofer and at least one of the at least six speakers is a passive subwoofer. [0050] Preferably, the housing includes a top face, a bottom face opposite to the top face and at least one side face, the housing having a central axis passing through the centre point of the top face and the centre point of the bottom face. Additionally, a central axis of the active subwoofer and a central axis of the passive subwoofer are parallel to each other. Additionally, both the active subwoofer and the passive subwoofer face the bottom surface of the housing and the central axis of the active subwoofer and the passive subwoofer are parallel to the central axis of the housing. [0051] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the subwoofers face downwards. [0052] Preferably, the jobsite communications center is supported on a surface. Additionally, the surface is a floor surface. Alternatively, the jobsite communications center is suspended above a floor surface by support means. [0053] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a speaker cover is attached to the outside of the housing, the speaker cover including a first convex region facing the housing, the first convex region having a central axis collinear with the central axis of the active subwoofer, and a second convex region facing the housing, the second convex region having a central axis collinear with the central axis of the passive subwoofer, the speaker cover further including at least one grill region. [0054] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention at least four of the at least six speakers include tweeter units. Preferably, four of the at least six speakers are tweeter units. Additionally or alternatively, each of the tweeter units are located near the top face of the housing. Additionally or alternatively, each of the tweeter units are adjacent to the top face of the housing. [0055] Preferably, the central axis of each tweeter unit is at a diverging angle to the central axis of the housing. It is appreciated that this arrangement may help to project sound from the speaker units evenly over a wide area, to improve overall sound distribution. [0056] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing includes at least one external handle suitable for carrying the sound system, the at least one external handle being located on one of the at least one side faces of the housing. Additionally or alternatively, the housing includes connection means to permit the housing to be mounted onto a rack or dolly. [0057] Preferably, the housing includes a range of attachment points for support means. Additionally, the support means are wall-mounted. Alternatively, the support means are portable. [0058] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing includes a portable housing. [0059] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the jobsite communications center also includes a cover assembly including a pair of latch assemblies. Additionally, each of the latch assemblies includes two slidable latch elements and a spring urging the latch elements towards a locked orientation. Additionally or alternatively, the cover assembly includes a water-resistant seal, the water-resistant seal acting as a spring to urge the cover assembly into an open orientation when it is unlatched. [0060] There is also provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention a toolbox system including at least one toolbox having a footprint and a jobsite communications center having a footprint at least similar to the footprint of the at least one toolbox, the at least one toolbox and the jobsite communication center having mutual attachment elements enabling the jobsite communications center and the at least one toolbox to be removably attached to each other and transported together. [0061] There is yet further provided in accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention a toolbox system including a toolbox cart, at least one toolbox having a footprint and a jobsite communications center having a footprint at least similar to the footprint of the at least one toolbox, the toolbox cart, the at least one toolbox and the jobsite communication center having mutual attachment elements enabling the jobsite communications center and the at least one toolbox to be removably attached to the cart and transported together. [0062] Preferably, the jobsite communications center includes a housing, the housing including a main shell and at least one side panel, the at least one side panel partially overlapping an area of the main shell, each of the at least one side panels including a plate and at least one bumper, the plate being relatively rigid and the bumper being relatively resilient and the plate is connected to the main shell in the area of overlap and the bumper protrudes beyond one or more planar surfaces of the housing. Preferably, at least one of the bumpers is overmolded onto the corresponding plate. [0063] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing has six main faces in a substantially cuboid arrangement. Additionally, the at least one side panel includes two side panels, the two side panels partially overlapping areas of the main shell which are located on opposite main faces of the housing. Alternatively, the at least one side panel includes more than two side panels. [0064] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the plate is connected to the main shell in the area of overlap by one or more screws, each screw passing through a screw hole in the plate. Preferably, the screw holes in the plate are each provided with a resilient gasket. Additionally, the resilient gaskets are overmolded onto the corresponding plate. [0065] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention each side panel includes one bumper. Alternatively, at least one of the at least one side panels includes two or more separate bumpers. [0066] Preferably, the housing includes a handle attached to the main shell; and the handle includes a hollow adapted to contain at least one antenna. Additionally or alternatively, the housing includes an enclosure for at least one antenna, the enclosure being located in-between one of the one or more plates and the main shell in the area of overlap. [0067] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing provides accommodation for a sound system including at least one sound input means, up to six speakers and means for powering the speakers and the housing also includes cover means for each speaker located therein. Additionally or alternatively, the housing is integratable into a storage system by means of adaptation to be stackable or adaptation to be supported on a storage rack. [0068] Preferably, the housing includes one or more latches, one or more latch receiving structures, and one or more rack attachment structures. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the jobsite communications center includes a rear attachment point for securing to a rack. [0069] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the toolbox system also includes sound system electronics located within the housing and WIFI electronics coupled to the sound system electronics and located within the housing. Additionally, the toolbox system also includes Internet Of Things (IOT) electronics for communication with IOT components of tools via the WIFI electronics. Additionally or alternatively, the WIFI electronics enables communication with a monitoring site remote from the sound system. [0070] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing includes a sound system including at least six speakers housed therein, at least one of the at least six speakers is an active subwoofer and at least one of the at least six speakers is a passive subwoofer. [0071] Preferably, the housing includes a top face, a bottom face opposite to the top face and at least one side face, the housing having a central axis passing through the centre point of the top face and the centre point of the bottom face. Additionally, a central axis of the active subwoofer and a central axis of the passive subwoofer are parallel to each other. Additionally, both the active subwoofer and the passive subwoofer face the bottom surface of the housing and the central axis of the active subwoofer and the passive subwoofer are parallel to the central axis of the housing. [0072] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a speaker cover is attached to the outside of the housing, the speaker cover including a first convex region facing the housing, the first convex region having a central axis collinear with the central axis of the active subwoofer, and a second convex region facing the housing, the second convex region having a central axis collinear with the central axis of the passive subwoofer, the speaker cover further including at least one grill region. [0073] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention at least four of the at least six speakers include tweeter units. Preferably, four of the at least six speakers are tweeter units. Additionally or alternatively, each of the tweeter units are located near the top face of the housing. Additionally or alternatively, each of the tweeter units are adjacent to the top face of the housing. [0074] Preferably, the central axis of each tweeter unit is at a diverging angle to the central axis of the housing. [0075] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing includes at least one external handle suitable for carrying the sound system, the at least one external handle being located on one of the at least one side faces of the housing. Additionally or alternatively, the housing includes connection means to permit the housing to be mounted onto a rack. [0076] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the housing includes a portable housing. [0077] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the jobsite communications center includes a cover assembly including a pair of latch assemblies. Additionally, each of the latch assemblies includes two slidable latch elements and a spring urging the latch elements towards a locked orientation. Additionally or alternatively, the cover assembly includes a water-resistant seal, the water-resistant seal acting as a spring to urge the cover assembly into an open orientation when it is unlatched. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0078] The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: [0079] FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G and 1H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a job site communications center constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [0080] FIG. 2 is a simplified exploded view illustration of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-1H ; [0081] FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F, 3G and 3H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a main assembly, forming part of the communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 ; [0082] FIG. 4 is a simplified exploded view illustration of the main assembly of FIGS. 3A-3H ; [0083] FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, 5F, 5G and 5H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a main assembly housing element, forming part of the main assembly of FIGS. 3A-4 ; [0084] FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E, 6F, 6G and 6H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a base element, forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 ; [0085] FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, 7F, 7G and 7H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a bottom element, forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 ; [0086] FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, 8F, 8G and 8H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a right side bracket engaging element, forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 ; [0087] FIGS. 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 9E, 9F, 9G and 9H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a right side bumper, forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 ; [0088] FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G and 10H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a left side bracket engaging element, forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 ; [0089] FIGS. 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11E, 11F, 11G and 11H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a left side bumper, forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 ; [0090] FIGS. 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E, 12F, 12G and 12H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a latchable pivotable top cover assembly, forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 ; [0091] FIGS. 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D, 13E, 13F, 13G and 13H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view exploded view illustrations of the latchable pivotable top cover assembly of FIGS. 12A-12H ; [0092] FIGS. 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D, 14E, 14F, 14G and 14H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a battery charging receptacle, forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 ; [0093] FIGS. 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, 15E, 15F, 15G and 15H are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a latchable, pivotable battery charging receptacle cover, forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 ; [0094] FIGS. 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16E, 16F, 16G, 16H and 161 are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view, left side planar view and sectional illustrations of a handle and antenna assembly, forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 , FIG. 16I being taken along lines I-I in FIG. 16H ; [0095] FIGS. 17A, 17B, 17C and 17D are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; side-facing sectional, rearward-facing sectional and top planar view illustrations of the latchable pivotable top cover assembly of FIGS. 12A-12H in a cover-raised operative orientation, FIGS. 17B and 17C being taken along lines B-B and C-C in FIG. 17D ; [0096] FIGS. 18A, 18B, 18C and 18D are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; side-facing sectional, rearward-facing sectional and top planar view illustrations of the latchable pivotable top cover assembly of FIGS. 12A-12H in a cover partially-lowered, unlatched operative orientation, FIGS. 18B and 18C being taken along lines B-B and C-C in FIG. 18D ; [0097] FIGS. 19A, 19B, 19C and 19D are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; side-facing sectional, rearward-facing sectional and top planar view illustrations of the latchable pivotable top cover assembly of FIGS. 12A-12H in a cover-lowered, latched operative orientation, FIGS. 19B and 19C being taken along lines B-B and C-C in FIG. 19D ; [0098] FIGS. 20A, 20B, 20C and 20D are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; side-facing sectional, rearward-facing sectional and top planar view illustrations of the latchable pivotable top cover assembly of FIGS. 12A-12H in a cover-lowered, unlatched operative orientation, FIGS. 20B and 20C being taken along lines B-B and C-C in FIG. 20D ; [0099] FIGS. 21A, 21B, 21C and 21D are simplified pictorial illustrations illustrating stages in mounting of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-20D onto a rollable container carrier; [0100] FIGS. 22A and 22B are simplified pictorial illustrations illustrating stages in stackable and lockable mounting of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-20D onto a tool box in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; [0101] FIGS. 23A, 23B and 23C are simplified pictorial illustrations illustrating stages in stackable and lockable mounting of a tool box onto the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-20D in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; [0102] FIGS. 24A and 24B are simplified pictorial illustrations illustrating stages in stackable and lockable mounting of a job site communications center onto a tool box in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; [0103] FIGS. 25A, 25B and 25C are simplified pictorial illustrations illustrating stages in stackable and lockable mounting of a tool box onto a job site communications center in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; [0104] FIGS. 26A and 26B are simplified sectional illustrations of the flow of sound from two sub-woofers and out through grills in the job site communications center in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, taken along lines XXVIA-XXVIA and XXVIB-XXVIB in FIG. 1E , respectively; [0105] FIG. 27 is a simplified block diagram illustrating various selectable features of the job site communications center of any of FIGS. 1A-39 ; [0106] FIG. 28 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in a calendar reminder mode of operation; [0107] FIG. 29 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in a WIFI hotspot mode of operation; [0108] FIG. 30 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in an intercom mode of operation; [0109] FIG. 31 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in a tool monitoring mode of operation; [0110] FIG. 32 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in a wireless recharging mode of operation; [0111] FIG. 33 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in a two-way video communication mode of operation; [0112] FIG. 34 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in a video projection mode of operation; [0113] FIG. 35 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in a 3D printing mode of operation; [0114] FIG. 36 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in a hazard sensing mode of operation; [0115] FIG. 37 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in an illumination mode of operation; [0116] FIG. 38 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in an alarm mode of operation; and [0117] FIG. 39 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in a mode of communication between communication centers. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0118] Reference is now made to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G and 1H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of a job site communications center constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and to FIG. 2 , which is a simplified exploded view illustration of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-1H . [0119] As seen in FIGS. 1A-2 , the job site communications center of a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a top shell, such as a main assembly 100 , a bottom shell, such as a base element 110 , and a bottom cover, such as a bottom element 120 . The job site communications center also preferably includes respective right and left side panels, each side panel including a plate, such as right and left side bracket engaging elements 122 and 124 , which are mounted onto respective right and left sides of the main assembly 100 , in the sense of FIG. 1A , and a bumper, such as a right side bumper 126 and a left side bumper 128 , which are mounted over the peripheral edges of respective right side bracket engaging element 122 and left side bracket engaging element 124 . [0120] The right and left side panels are preferably attached to main assembly 100 with multiple screws onto side sections thereof. The side sections of the main assembly 100 may be reinforced compared to the other regions thereof, for example, by one or more ribs perpendicular to the external surface. Main assembly 100 preferably includes a grid of ribs perpendicular to the external surface, to provide a region which is resistant to deformation or crushing if the region is subjected to sudden impacts or heavy loading. [0121] The top shell, bottom shell and bottom cover are made from any suitable rigid material, preferably plastic, such as ABS. Right side bumper 126 and left side bumper 128 are preferably formed of a resilient, impact-absorbing, material, such as an elastomer or rubber. The top shell, bottom shell and bottom cover are preferably formed by injection molding, and right side bumper 126 and left side bumper 128 are preferably formed of a thermoplastic elastomer to allow them to be formed on and attached to right and left side bracket engaging elements 122 and 124 in an overmolding process. It is appreciated that fire resistant materials may be used for some or all parts of the job site communications center. [0122] A sound system of the job site communication center preferably includes an active sub-woofer 130 and a passive sub-woofer 132 , which are preferably mounted onto base element 110 and are protected from below by bottom element 120 . A battery charging assembly 134 is also preferably mounted onto base element 110 . A back mounting bracket 136 is mounted onto main assembly 100 . [0123] Reference is now made to FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F, 3G and 3H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of main assembly 100 , forming part of the communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 , and to FIG. 4 , which is a simplified exploded view illustration of the main assembly 100 of FIGS. 3A-3H . [0124] As seen in FIGS. 3A-4 , the main assembly 100 preferably comprises a main assembly housing element 150 , a user interface and electronics subassembly 160 , a latchable pivotable top cover assembly 170 and an antenna and handle assembly 180 including an antenna 181 . The sound system of the job site communication center preferably also includes four speakers, preferably waterproof, such as tweeters 182 , which are mounted onto main assembly housing element 150 and are protected by corresponding tweeter covers 184 , which are also mounted onto main assembly housing element 150 . A side antenna 186 is preferably mounted onto a side of main assembly housing element 150 . Main assembly 100 also preferably includes a pivotably mounted battery charging assembly cover element 188 . [0125] It is appreciated that the number of speakers and placement thereof may differ from that shown, for example, there may be a larger or smaller number of small speakers near the top, and there may be only one sub-woofer cone. For example, there may be two, three, five or six small speakers, or there may be a total of two small, two medium-sized and one or two large speakers. [0126] It is further appreciated that main assembly housing element 150 is preferably waterproofed to avoid damage to the job site communication center due to rain or other fluid contacting the housing element 150 . The speakers may have waterproof cones and all of the housing compartments, including each speaker compartment, may be individually sealed with rubber seals. User interface and electronics subassembly 160 provides a user interface for operation of the sound system. Preferably, user interface and electronics subassembly 160 is waterproofed to prevent water damage. [0127] A pair of latch assemblies 190 are mounted on latch assembly mounting surfaces 192 on right and left sides of main assembly housing element 150 . Latch assemblies 190 are preferably known latch assemblies employed in the known TOUGH SYSTEM™ tool box carrier, commercially available under the DEWALT® brand from the Stanley Black & Decker. [0128] Reference is now made to FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, 5F, 5G and 5H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of main assembly housing element 150 , forming part of the main assembly 100 of FIGS. 3A-4 . [0129] As seen in FIGS. 5A-5H , main assembly housing element 150 preferably comprises an integral element preferably formed of plastic by injection molding. The main assembly housing element 150 is generally rectangular and preferably includes at a front and top facing portion thereof, in the sense of FIG. 5A , a control panel portion 200 for receiving user interface and electronics subassembly 160 ( FIG. 4 ) and including a socket 202 for a flat panel display (not shown), a main button socket 204 and various push button sockets 206 on both sides thereof. Disposed on opposite sides of the control panel portion 200 are tweeter housing portions 208 , each having a socket 210 for receiving and mounting of a tweeter 182 and a frame 212 for receiving and mounting of a tweeter cover 184 . [0130] The main assembly housing element 150 also preferably includes at a top and rear facing portion thereof, in the sense of FIG. 5A , a battery charger assembly receiving portion 220 for receiving and mounting of battery charging assembly 134 ( FIGS. 1A-2H ) and a frame 222 for receiving battery charger assembly cover portion 188 ( FIG. 4 ). Battery charging assembly cover element 188 ( FIG. 4 ) is pivotably and sealably mounted over battery charger assembly receiving portion 220 . Preferably, two latch recesses 224 are provided in main housing element 150 for engagement with battery charging assembly cover element 188 . [0131] The main assembly housing element 150 also preferably includes, at a top facing portion thereof, in the sense of FIG. 5A , a pair of side-by-side enclosures 230 , which are both selectably accessible via latchable pivotable top cover assembly 170 ( FIG. 4 ), which preferably provides a water-tight seal for enclosures 230 via a peripheral sealing rib 232 formed on main assembly housing element 150 . Rearwardly of enclosures 230 there are provided a plurality of mutually axially spaced intermediate hinge elements 234 . Forwardly of enclosures 230 , there are preferably provided recesses 236 for retaining latch assemblies. [0132] Enclosures 230 preferably include a storage cavity 238 , which can be used to store an AC power adaptor, provided with the job site communications center, when the adaptor is not in use, and a media compartment 239 , including one or more of a media device charging socket and an auxiliary input socket for the media device to interface with the sound system. Storage cavity 238 may also store various other elements useful in embodiments of the invention described hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 27-39 . [0133] Extending outwardly and downwardly from each of side portions of main assembly housing element 150 , in the sense of FIG. 5A , is a latch engagement portion 240 , which preferably comprises a pair of side supports 242 , each extending outwardly from a lower side portion of main assembly housing element 150 , which are joined by an elongate portion 244 having formed therein a plurality of side by side separated latch engagement apertures 246 . [0134] Formed on a forward-facing surface of main assembly housing element 150 are a pair of mutually spaced intermediate handle attachment sockets 248 and formed on respective side-facing surfaces of main assembly housing element 150 are a pair of end handle attachment sockets 250 , at least one of which includes an antenna connection socket 252 . [0135] Reference is now made to FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E, 6F, 6G and 6H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of base element 110 , forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 . [0136] As seen in FIGS. 6A-6H , the base element 110 comprises a generally planar top surface 300 , preferably having a grid of reinforcing elements and a centrally disposed, rearward recess 302 for accommodating battery charging assembly 134 ( FIG. 2 ). Disposed on opposite sides of recess 302 are a socket 304 for accommodating active sub-woofer 130 ( FIG. 2 ) and a socket 306 for accommodating passive sub-woofer 132 ( FIG. 2 ). [0137] Depending from generally planar top surface 300 at the sides of base element 110 , there are provided depending side portions 310 , each of which is preferably provided with a bifurcated latch mounting portion 312 . [0138] On the underside of base element 110 at a forward facing portion thereof there is provided a generally planar bottom surface 314 having a plurality of screw attachment protrusions 316 . Underlying each of side portions 310 there are provided a pair of leg portions 318 and a generally planar screw attachment portion 320 . [0139] Reference is now made to FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, 7F, 7G and 7H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of bottom element 120 , forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 . [0140] As seen in FIGS. 7A-7H , bottom element 120 includes a generally planar top facing surface 350 , having formed therein a pair of slightly convex (in the sense of FIG. 2 ) round domes 352 and 354 , arranged to generally underlie sub-woofers 130 and 132 , respectively. Bottom element 120 also includes an upwardly-inclined, forward facing grill 356 and a bifurcated upwardly-inclined rearward facing grill 358 . [0141] It is appreciated that domes 352 and 354 redirect the sound output from sub-woofers 130 and 132 through forward facing grill 356 and rearward facing grill 358 . [0142] During use, the job site communications center may be supported on a surface, and the redirection of the sub-woofer output towards the front and back thereof prevents the sound quality being impaired or affected by the surface onto which the job site communications center is supported. [0143] Reference is now made to FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, 8F, 8G and 8H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of right side bracket engaging element 122 , forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 . [0144] As seen in FIGS. 8A-8H , right side bracket engaging element 122 preferably comprises a unitary element, preferably formed of plastic, and includes a generally flat surface 360 for receiving a mounting bracket of a rollable container carrier, preferably a wheeled tool box carrier, such as a TOUGH SYSTEM™ tool box carrier, commercially available under the DEWALT® brand from Stanley Black & Decker. Surrounding surface 360 is a partially peripheral bumper mounting protrusion 362 having a closed forward-facing end 364 and an open rearward-facing end 366 . Protrusion 362 includes a top central recess 368 and a bottom central recess 370 . Respective inner facing walls 372 and 374 of recesses 368 and 370 help define, together with generally flat surface 360 , a bracket insertion guide path for enabling ready mounting and dismounting of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 onto mounting brackets of the wheeled tool box carrier, as is described hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 21A-21D . [0145] Reference is now made to FIGS. 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 9E, 9F, 9G and 9H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of right side bumper 126 , forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 . [0146] As seen in FIGS. 9A-9H , right side bumper 126 preferably comprises a unitary element, preferably formed of a resilient, impact-absorbing, material, such as an elastomer or rubber, and includes a cut-out generally flat mounting surface 380 which serves for mounting the bumper 126 onto the right side of the main assembly housing element 150 and in protective relationship on the outside of right side bracket engaging element 122 . [0147] In the illustrated embodiment, mounting surface 380 is preferably retained between a right end of the main assembly housing element 150 and an inner facing surface of right side bracket engaging element 122 , while a resilient, shock absorbing, partial peripheral bumper protrusion 382 , integrally formed with mounting surface 380 , is mounted onto partially peripheral bumper mounting protrusion 362 of right side bracket engaging element 122 and protrudes outwardly to the right, as well as to the top, bottom, front and rear thereof, thereby providing impact protection for the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 at the right end thereof. It is seen that partially peripheral bumper protrusion 382 has a closed forward-facing end 384 mounted over closed forward-facing end 364 of partially peripheral bumper mounting protrusion 362 of right side bracket engaging element 122 and an open rearward-facing end 386 , mounted over open rearward-facing end 366 of partially peripheral bumper mounting protrusion 362 of right side bracket engaging element 122 . [0148] It is a particular feature of bumper 126 that there is provided a resilient downwardly extending curved engagement lip 388 at a lower surface 390 of an upper portion 392 of partially peripheral bumper protrusion 382 adjacent open rearward facing end 386 . [0149] Reference is now made to FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G and 10H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of left side bracket engaging element 124 , forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 . Left side bracket engaging element 124 is preferably a mirror image of right side bracket engaging element 122 and is otherwise identical thereto. [0150] Accordingly, as seen in FIGS. 10A-10H , left side bracket engaging element 124 preferably comprises a unitary element, preferably formed of plastic, and includes a generally flat surface 460 for receiving a mounting bracket of a rollable container carrier, preferably a wheeled tool box carrier, such as a TOUGH SYSTEM™ tool box carrier, commercially available under the DEWALT® brand from Stanley Black & Decker. Surrounding surface 460 is a partially peripheral bumper mounting protrusion 462 having a closed forward-facing end 464 and an open rearward-facing end 466 . Protrusion 462 includes a top central recess 468 and a bottom central recess 470 . Respective inner facing walls 472 and 474 of recesses 468 and 470 help define, together with generally flat surface 460 , a bracket insertion guide path for enabling ready mounting and dismounting of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 onto mounting brackets of the wheeled tool box carrier, as is described hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 21A-21D . [0151] Reference is now made to FIGS. 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11E, 11F, 11G and 11H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of left side bumper 128 , forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 . Left side bumper 128 is preferably a mirror image of right side bumper 126 and is otherwise identical thereto. [0152] Accordingly, as seen in FIGS. 11A-11H , left side bumper 128 preferably comprises a unitary element, preferably formed of a resilient, impact-absorbing, material, such as an elastomer or rubber, and includes a cut-out generally flat mounting surface 480 which serves for mounting the bumper 128 onto the left side of the main assembly housing element 150 and in protective relationship on the outside of left side bracket engaging element 124 . [0153] In the illustrated embodiment, mounting surface 480 is preferably retained between a left end of the main assembly housing element 150 and an inner facing surface of left side bracket engaging element 124 , while a resilient, shock absorbing, partial peripheral bumper protrusion 482 , integrally formed with mounting surface 480 , is mounted onto partially peripheral bumper mounting protrusion 462 of left side bracket engaging element 124 and protrudes outwardly to the left, as well as to the top, bottom front and rear thereof, thereby providing impact protection for the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 at the left end thereof. It is seen that partially peripheral bumper protrusion 482 has a closed forward-facing end 484 mounted over closed forward-facing end 464 of partially peripheral bumper mounting protrusion 462 of left side bracket engaging element 124 and an open rearward-facing end 486 , mounted over open rearward-facing end 466 of partially peripheral bumper mounting protrusion 462 of left side bracket engaging element 124 . [0154] It is a particular feature of bumper 128 that there is provided a resilient downwardly extending curved engagement lip 488 at a lower surface 490 of an upper portion 492 of partially peripheral bumper protrusion 482 adjacent open rearward facing end 486 . [0155] It is appreciated that right side bumper 126 and left side bumper 128 protrude from the edges of the right side bracket engaging element 122 and left side bracket engaging element 124 , respectively, and when the right and left side panels are attached to the main assembly 100 , bumpers 126 and 128 protrude beyond the main surfaces of main assembly 100 . Bumpers 126 and 128 may have cavities defined by partially peripheral bumper protrusion 382 as shown in FIGS. 9A-9H and 11A-11H , or alternatively the bumper may be partially hollow or may be a solid piece of resilient material. If the jobsite communications center is dropped or heavy equipment is dropped onto it, bumpers 126 and 128 act to absorb shocks and prevent the main structure from being damaged or crushed. [0156] A corner impact will deform bumper 126 or 128 extending therefrom. Some of the force from the impact will be dissipated by deformation of the resilient bumper 126 or 128 and some will be transferred to the bracket engaging element 122 or 124 to which bumper 126 or 128 is attached. As shown in FIGS. 8A-8H and 10A-10H , bracket engaging elements 122 and 124 each have a number of screw holes with which bracket engaging elements 122 and 124 can be attached to main assembly 100 . These screw holes can be provided with resilient gaskets. Such gaskets can allow any impact forces to be dissipated without damaging main assembly 100 and bracket engaging elements 122 and 124 where they are in contact with the screws. [0157] In the embodiment shown in the figures, bracket engaging elements 122 and 124 hold the job site communications center together. Base element 110 is preferably connected to main assembly 100 using screws. A left and a right side panel are then attached to the left and right sides of the main assembly 100 , respectively. Bracket engaging elements 122 and 124 are not attached to base element 110 by screws, but an edge of the bracket engaging elements 122 and 124 overlaps base element 110 , which ensures that base element 110 is held tightly in position by even if the screws connecting base element 110 to main assembly 100 were removed or any connecting parts were snapped. [0158] Alternatively, bracket engaging elements 122 and 124 may be attached to base element 110 as well as to main assembly 100 using screws, or the job site communications center may have a different arrangement. Preferably, all of the screw connections between bracket engaging elements 122 and 124 and the job site communications center are provided with resilient gaskets. [0159] The edges of the job site communications center which are not directly protected by bumpers 126 and 128 are chamfered, in order to reduce the likelihood of an impact crushing part of an edge, since the chamfered edges do not protrude as far as the edges would otherwise. The tweeter covers 184 also have a central molded divot to improve crush-resistance. Tweeter covers 184 may also be slightly set back from the main surfaces of the job site communications center, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1H and 3A-3H , which may make them less vulnerable to impacts and main assembly 100 may also be slightly shaped to provide extra acoustic amplification and direction. [0160] Reference is now made to FIGS. 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E, 12F, 12G and 12H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of latchable pivotable top cover assembly 170 , forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 , and to FIGS. 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D, 13E, 13F, 13G and 13H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view simplified exploded view illustrations of the latchable pivotable top cover assembly of FIGS. 12A-12H . Reference is also made to FIGS. 17A-20D , which illustrate various stages in the closing, latching and unlatching of the top cover. [0161] As seen in FIGS. 12A-13H , the latchable pivotable top cover assembly 170 preferably comprises a generally planar cover portion 500 having a generally rectangular shape, defining a central forward facing cut out 502 . At a forward-facing edge of cover portion 500 , in the sense of FIG. 12A , there are preferably provided two pairs of mutually spaced, depending latch fingers 504 , each having a forward facing tooth 506 . [0162] At a rearward-facing edge of cover portion 500 , in the sense of FIG. 12A , there are preferably provided a pair of corner hinge elements 508 and a pair of mutually spaced intermediate hinge elements 510 , all mutually axially spaced from each other and receiving a pair of coaxial pivot axles 512 , which also extend through corresponding mutually axially spaced hinge elements 234 , formed on main assembly housing element 150 ( FIGS. 5A-5H ). [0163] As seen particularly in FIG. 13C , an underside surface of cover portion 500 is formed with a peripheral recess 520 , which accommodates a water-resistant seal 522 . Water-resistant seal 522 cooperates with peripheral sealing rib 232 ( FIGS. 5A-5H ) to provide a water-tight seal for containers 230 ( FIGS. 5A-5H ). Water-resistant seal 522 also serves as a spring, which urges the latchable pivotable top cover assembly 170 into an open orientation when it is unlatched. [0164] The latchable pivotable top cover assembly 170 preferably also comprises a pair of identical latch assemblies 530 , which are fixed to recesses 236 in main assembly housing element 150 , each of which includes a latch assembly housing 532 , a pair of finger engageable slidable latch elements 534 and a compression spring 536 , which urges the latch elements 534 towards a mutually axially separated operative orientation, as seen in FIGS. 12A-12H . [0165] As seen particularly in FIG. 13G , each of latch elements 534 includes a finger-engageable recessed top surface 538 and a rearwardly and downwardly-facing latch engagement shoulder 539 arranged to be lockingly engaged by a forward-facing tooth 506 of a latch engaging finger 504 of cover portion 500 . [0166] The latch assembly housings 532 are each generally rectangular and define a pair of axially spaced access windows 540 for finger engagement with latch elements 534 . As seen partially well in FIG. 12A , the latch elements 534 are normally in mutually spaced arrangement, under the urging of springs 536 . In this arrangement, when cover portion 500 is pivoted into its fully closed position, as seen in FIGS. 12A-12H and 19A-19D , forward-facing teeth 506 of latch engaging fingers 504 of cover portion 500 are caused to lockingly engage downwardly-facing latch engagement shoulders 539 of latch elements 534 , thereby locking the cover portion 500 in a sealed closed orientation with respect to enclosures 230 ( FIGS. 5A-5H ). This engagement can be seen particularly well in FIGS. 12G and 12H . [0167] Unlocking of the cover portion 500 from its sealed closed orientation is achieved, as seen in FIGS. 20A-20D , by generally simultaneous finger engagement with both latch elements 534 of each latch assembly 530 , each latch assembly 530 being engaged by a separate hand of a user, and by axial displacement of the latch elements 534 against the urgings of springs 536 towards each other, thus sliding downwardly-facing latch engagement shoulders 539 out of locking engagement with corresponding forward facing teeth 506 of latch engaging fingers 504 of cover portion 500 and allowing cover portion 500 to pivot upward about axle 512 . [0168] Reference is now made to FIGS. 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D, 14E, 14F, 14G and 14H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of battery charging assembly 134 , forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 and being located in recess 220 in main assembly housing element 150 ( FIGS. 5A-5H ). [0169] As seen in FIGS. 14A-14F , the battery charging assembly 134 is formed define a battery receiving socket 550 configured to receive a rechargeable battery pack (not shown) and having a plurality of electrical connection pins 552 at a base 554 of socket 550 . [0170] Reference is now made to FIGS. 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, 15E, 15F, 15G and 15H , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view and left side planar view illustrations of latchable, pivotable battery charging receptacle cover 188 ( FIG. 4 ), forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 . [0171] As seen in FIGS. 15A-15H , at a rearward-facing edge of cover 188 , in the sense of FIG. 15A , there are preferably provided a pair of mutually spaced hinge elements 560 , and receiving pivot axles 512 , which also extend through corresponding mutually axially spaced hinge elements 234 formed on main assembly housing element 150 ( FIGS. 5A-5H ). It is thus appreciated that both the cover 188 and the cover assembly 170 pivot about the same axis, preferably about coaxial axles 512 . [0172] Cover 188 also preferably includes a pair of slidable, spring loaded side latch assemblies 562 , which selectably engage latch recesses 224 formed on frame 222 . [0173] Reference is now made to FIGS. 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16E, 16F, 16G, 16H and 161 , which are respective simplified front/top view pictorial; back/top view pictorial, front/bottom view pictorial, back/bottom view pictorial, top planar view, bottom planar view, right side planar view, left side planar view and sectional illustrations of handle and antenna assembly 180 , forming part of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-2 , FIG. 16I being taken along lines I-I in FIG. 16H . [0174] As seem in FIG. 16A , the handle and antenna assembly 180 includes a generally hollow handle element 580 defining a pair of end attachment protrusions 582 , each of which fits into a corresponding socket formed on a forward-facing surface of main assembly housing element 150 , and a pair of intermediate attachment protrusions 584 , each of which fits into a corresponding socket formed on a forward-facing surface of main assembly housing element 150 . A hand grip portion 586 is preferably molded over a central portion of generally hollow handle element 580 . [0175] Antenna 181 ( FIG. 4 ) preferably extends through a hollow portion 588 of handle element 580 and also extends through an antenna connection passageway 590 into antenna connection socket 252 of the main assembly housing element 150 . [0176] It is appreciated that the job site communications center may include additional handles. Additionally, generally hollow handle element 580 may form a hollow front bumper bar, which further protects the front of the job site communications center, including speakers, grills and any nearby elements of the user interface from frontal impacts, while minimizing weight of the jobsite communications center and material required. Alternatively, an additional solid front bumper bar may be provided. [0177] It is appreciated that all connections for antenna 181 are contained within main assembly 100 , and the user cannot access or adjust antenna 181 . As seen in FIG. 4 , antenna 186 may also be provided at a side of main assembly 100 , positioned inside a channel in main assembly 100 between ribs of a reinforced side section thereof, such that antenna 186 is covered by the side panel when it is attached to the main assembly 100 . These arrangements provide increased protection for antennas 181 and 186 and the connections thereof to the sound system, which improves the durability of the sound system. [0178] It is appreciated that job site communications center may include various radio receivers, for example, FM, AM, DAB and other versions of digital radio broadcast. Additionally, the sound system of job site communications center may include Bluetooth® capabilities and may have one or more auxiliary inputs, in order to allow media from other devices to be played through the sound system. The sound system may have one or more user accessible compartments within the main shell, which can be sealed in order to protect devices contained in the compartments. The device interface ports can be provided within the compartments, and USB chargers to recharge mobile telephones or other devices may also be provided within the compartments. Thereby, the whole assembly of the sound system, mobile telephone or other device, and linking cables, can be protected from water or dust ingress and from impacts, and the whole assembly can also easily be moved to another work location with a minimum of disturbance of the assembly. [0179] The job site communications center may be operated by a battery, or may be plugged into a power supply using a transformer supplied with the job site communications center. When plugged in, the job site communications center may be arranged to recharge the battery. Advantageously, the sound system of job site communications center may be powered by batteries intended for use with power tools, which will typically be available on a jobsite, and which can provide suitable power for the application and are convenient to use when the job site communications center is not close to a source of mains power. [0180] Reference is now made to FIGS. 21A, 21B and 21C , which are simplified pictorial illustrations illustrating stages in stackable and lockable mounting of a tool box onto the job site center of FIGS. 1A-20D in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. [0181] FIG. 21A shows initial partial sliding engagement of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-20D with the right one of a pair of known mounting brackets 600 of a known TOUGH SYSTEM™ tool box carrier 602 , commercially available under the DEWALT® brand from the Stanley Black & Decker. The enlargement shows a known socket 604 forming part of each of brackets 600 which surrounds a screw head 606 , also forming part of each of brackets 600 . The enlargement also shows resilient downwardly extending curved engagement lip 388 ( FIG. 9D ) at a lower surface 390 of an upper portion 392 of partially peripheral bumper protrusion 382 adjacent open rearward facing end 386 . At this stage engagement lip 388 does not engage socket 604 . [0182] FIG. 21B shows further partial sliding engagement of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-20D with the right one of a pair of known mounting brackets 600 of the known TOUGH SYSTEM™ tool box carrier. The enlargement shows resilient downwardly extending curved engagement lip 388 ( FIG. 9D ) approaching socket 604 of bracket 600 which surrounds screw head 606 . At this stage engagement lip 388 does not yet engage socket 604 . [0183] FIG. 21C shows full retained engagement of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-20D with the right one of a pair of known mounting brackets 600 of the known TOUGH SYSTEM™ tool box carrier. Enlargement A shows resilient downwardly extending curved engagement lip 388 ( FIG. 9D ) engaging socket 604 of bracket 600 and partially surrounding screw head 606 . This engagement retains but does not lock the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-20D onto the TOUGH SYSTEM™ tool box carrier 602 . Enlargement B shows a rotatable locking element 610 of the TOUGH SYSTEM™ tool box carrier 602 out of locking engagement with back mounting bracket 136 ( FIGS. 1A-2 ) of the job site communications center 100 . [0184] FIG. 21D shows full locked engagement of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-20D with the right one of a pair of known mounting brackets 600 of the known TOUGH SYSTEM™ tool box carrier 602 . As seen in Enlargement A of FIG. 21C , resilient downwardly extending curved engagement lip 388 ( FIG. 9D ) engages socket 604 of bracket 600 and partially surrounding screw head 606 . This engagement retains but does not lock the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-20D onto the TOUGH SYSTEM™ tool box carrier 602 . The enlargement shown in FIG. 21D shows rotatable locking element 610 of the TOUGH SYSTEM™ tool box carrier 602 in locking engagement with back mounting bracket 136 ( FIGS. 1A-2 ) of the job site communications center 100 . A padlock (not shown) may be inserted into an aperture 612 of rotatable locking element 610 for preventing unauthorized unlocking and removal of the job site communications center from the tool box carrier 602 . [0185] Reference is now made to FIGS. 22A and 22B , which are simplified pictorial illustrations illustrating stages in stackable and lockable mounting of the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-20D onto a tool box in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. [0186] FIG. 22A shows a job site communications center as shown in FIGS. 1-20D , herein designated by reference number 615 , located above a conventional tool box 620 , forming part of the TOUGH SYSTEM™, wherein latches 622 of the conventional tool box are in an open operative orientation. [0187] FIG. 22B shows the job site communications center 615 stacked and latched onto and above conventional tool box 620 , forming part of the TOUGH SYSTEM®, wherein latches 622 of the conventional tool box are in latching engagement with latch engagement portion 240 ( FIGS. 5A-5H ) of the job site communications center 615 . [0188] Reference is now made to FIGS. 23A, 23B and 23C , which are simplified pictorial illustrations illustrating stages in stackable and lockable mounting of a tool box onto the job site communications center of FIGS. 1A-20D in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. [0189] FIG. 23A shows the job site communications center 615 , wherein latch assemblies 190 ( FIGS. 1A-5H ) of the job site communications center 615 are in an open operative orientation. [0190] FIG. 23B shows a conventional tool box 620 , forming part of the TOUGH SYSTEM™, about to be stacked onto the job site communications center 615 , wherein latch assemblies 190 ( FIGS. 1A-5H ) of the job site communications center 615 are in an open operative orientation. [0191] FIG. 23C shows the conventional tool box 620 stacked and latched onto and above job site communications center 615 wherein latch assemblies 190 of the job site communications center 615 are in latching engagement with corresponding latch engagement portion 624 ( FIG. 23B ) of the conventional tool box 620 . [0192] Reference is now made to FIGS. 24A and 24B , which are simplified pictorial illustrations illustrating stages in stackable and lockable mounting of another job site communications center onto a tool box in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. [0193] FIG. 24A shows a job site communications center 630 , having at least some of the functionality of the job site communication center of FIGS. 1A-20D , located above a conventional tool box 632 , forming part of the TSTAK® SYSTEM, wherein latches 634 of the conventional tool box 632 are in an open operative orientation. [0194] FIG. 24B shows the job site communications center 630 stacked and latched onto and above conventional tool box 632 , wherein latches 634 of the conventional tool box 632 are in latching engagement with latch engagement portions 636 ( FIG. 24A ) of the job site communications center 630 , which may be similar to latch engagement portions 240 ( FIGS. 5A-5H ) of the job site communications center shown in FIGS. 1A-20D . [0195] Reference is now made to FIGS. 25A, 25B and 25C , which are simplified pictorial illustrations illustrating stages in stackable and lockable mounting of a known tool box 632 onto the job site communications center 630 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. [0196] FIG. 25A shows the job site communications center 630 , wherein latch assemblies 640 , which may be similar to latch assemblies 190 ( FIGS. 1A-5H ) of the job site communications center 100 , are in an open operative orientation. [0197] FIG. 25B shows a conventional tool box 632 about to be stacked onto the job site communications center 630 , wherein latch assemblies 640 of the job site communications center 630 are in an open operative orientation. [0198] FIG. 25C shows the conventional tool box 632 stacked and latched onto and above job site communications center 630 wherein latch assemblies 640 of the job site communications center 630 are in latching engagement with corresponding latch engagement portion 636 of the conventional tool box 632 . [0199] It is appreciated that the jobsite communications center of FIGS. 1A-161 may be used in a standalone mode, such as, for example on a floor or other flat support surface. Alternatively, it can be placed on a stationary rack or a movable rack, such as seen in FIGS. 21A-21D . The side panels of FIGS. 8A-11H include rack attachment structures in the form of a slot that is horizontal when the jobsite communications center is in normal use, shaped to be slidably engageable with horizontal bracket arms of a storage rack system or dolly of the appropriate width. The outer face of respective right and left side bracket engaging elements 122 and 124 is flat and respective right and left side bumpers 126 and 128 extend linearly horizontally and have a gap at the rear such that the jobsite communications center may be slid and rested onto a bracket arm at that point. Parts of the resilient bumpers 126 and 128 may be in contact with the bracket arms, in order to increase the friction holding the sound system onto the bracket arms when the dolly is moved. In particular, there may be one or more dimples in one part which engage with corresponding raised portions of the other part, wherein preferably the dimples are provided on the resilient bumpers 126 and 128 and the raised portions are provided on the bracket arms. As shown in FIG. 2 , back mounting bracket 136 may be provided at the rear of the jobsite communications center, which may be used to lock the radio onto the rack or dolly to hold it securely, as seen in FIG. 21D . [0200] Alternatively, the jobsite communications center FIGS. 1A-161 may be placed in a stack with other items, such as, for example, as seen in FIGS. 22A-23C , DEWALT® Tough System™ storage boxes, or anything else of a suitable size and shape. Latch assemblies 190 ( FIG. 4 ) may, for example, be used to latch onto a case or second job site communications center placed on top of the first job communications center, and latch engagement portion 240 ( FIGS. 5A-5H ) may accept latches from a case or second job site communications center placed below. It is appreciated that the number and location of latch assemblies 190 and latch engagement portion 240 may vary. [0201] It is appreciated that for any jobsite sound system, the highest risk of being dropped is when it is being carried across a jobsite from a van or car to get to the worksite, or when it is being carried between two worksites. A worker typically has to take a number of tools or items to each worksite, and may carry these in one or more toolboxes. A worker will typically carry as many items together as possible, in order to minimize the number of trips between positions before starting work. This can result in a jobsite sound system being carried while being balanced on top of another item, which increases the risk of being dropped. Thus, the integration of a jobsite sound system into a storage system, as seen in FIGS. 21A-25C , where it is latched onto a toolbox so both are carried together, or where it is latched into a movable storage rack, reduces the overall risk of damage to the jobsite sound system and makes it easier for the user to move items between locations on the jobsite. [0202] Reference is now made to FIGS. 26A and 26B , which are simplified sectional illustrations of the flow of sound from sub-woofers 132 and 130 , respectively, and out through grills in the job site communications center in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, taken along lines XXVIA-XXVIA and XXVIB-XXVIB in FIG. 1E , respectively. [0203] As indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 26A and 26B , sound from respective sub-woofers 132 and 130 ( FIG. 2 ) passes over bottom element 120 and more specifically over generally planar top facing surface 350 , having formed therein a pair of slightly convex (in the sense of FIG. 2 ) round domes 354 and 352 , arranged to generally underlie sub-woofers 132 and 130 , respectively, and out through upwardly-inclined, forward facing grill 356 and a bifurcated upwardly-inclined rearward facing grill 358 . FIG. 26B also shows the sound from tweeters 182 . [0204] Reference is now made to FIG. 27 , which is a simplified block diagram illustrating various selectable features of the job site communications center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B . As seen in FIG. 27 , the job site communications center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B , preferably includes a central processor 700 , which forms part of the user interface and electronics subassembly 160 ( FIGS. 1A-2 ). Central processor 700 is preferably powered by a power supply 702 which may receive mains power or have an external or internal battery (not shown). A user interface 704 , such as a radio control panel, and preferably including a multi-functional user interface control may be wirelessly coupled to the central processor 700 or hard wired thereto. [0205] The central processor 700 , preferably associated with a memory 706 , preferably controls and powers the operation of one and preferably more than one and most preferably all of the following modules, some of which are described hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 28-39 : [0206] A battery charging module 710 , employing battery charging assembly 134 ( FIG. 2 ); [0207] An internet communications module 720 , such as a WIFI hot-spot; [0208] A Bluetooth® communications module 730 ; [0209] A hazard sensing module 740 , which may sense hazards, such as noxious gases, excessive temperature and earthquakes; [0210] An intercom module 750 which may employ smartphones or alternatively dedicated intercom units; [0211] A one-way or two-way video communications module 760 , which may employ the internet communications module 720 and/or the Bluetooth communications module; [0212] A tampering alarm module 770 ; [0213] A tool monitoring module 780 , which may monitor tool wear, overheating, battery status and duty cycle; [0214] A wireless recharging module 790 for wirelessly recharging tool batteries; [0215] A video projection module 800 for projecting received video images onto a job site surface; [0216] An illumination module 820 for providing ambient and directed illumination at a job site; [0217] A 3D printing module 830 and [0218] A communication module 840 between multiple disparately located job site communication centers. [0219] Reference is now made to FIG. 28 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-27 in a calendar reminder mode of operation. As seen in FIG. 28 , the internet communications module 720 ( FIG. 27 ) of the job site communications center 100 of any of FIGS. 1A-27 preferably includes a reminder module. Reminders may be sent to various persons in communication with the communication center in various ways, such as via smartphones 920 , tablets 922 or intercom units 924 . The reminders may be stored at the job site in memory 706 , forming part of the job site communications center and associated with processor 700 or alternatively in a memory forming part of a remote server 926 , accessible via the Internet or any other communications medium. [0220] Reference is now made to FIG. 29 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-26B in a WIFI hotspot mode of operation. As seen in FIG. 29 , the internet communications module 720 ( FIG. 27 ) of the job site communications center 100 of any of FIG. 1A preferably provides broadband internet communications via the internet for computers 930 , smartphones 932 , tablets 936 and any other devices having an Internet of Things (TOT) module at the job site. [0221] Reference is now made to FIG. 30 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the job site communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-27 in an intercom mode of operation employing intercom module 730 ( FIG. 27 ). As seen in FIG. 30 , intercom module 730 enables point to point and multipoint communications between people at the job site via smartphones 940 and/or intercom specific communicators 942 . [0222] Reference is now made to FIG. 31 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the job site communications center of any of FIGS. 1A-27 in a tool monitoring mode of operation employing tool monitoring module 780 . Tool monitoring module 780 may be employed with various tools, such as drills and saws and any other devices having an Internet of Things (TOT) module 946 , at the job site. Tool monitoring module 780 may monitor various tool parameters, such as duty cycle, hours of operation, tool wear, cutting implement wear and removal of tools from the propinquity of the job site communications center and may employ TOT modules 946 embedded in or attached to various tools. [0223] Reference is now made to FIG. 32 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-27 in a wireless recharging mode of operation, employing wireless recharging module 790 ( FIG. 27 ). The wireless recharging may be based on induction or on any other available technology and may employ a known inductive charger 948 . [0224] Reference is now made to FIG. 33 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-27 in a one way or two-way video communication mode of operation, employing one-way or two-way video communications module 760 ( FIG. 27 ). This module may employ internet communications module 720 and/or Bluetooth communications module 730 and enables still or moving images 950 from the job site to be communicated via a job site camera 951 , or a camera module forming part of jobsite communications center, to remotely-located users and also enables still or moving images 952 from a remote location to be viewed at a job site, such as on display 953 . In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIG. 33 , images 950 of a structure under construction taken with job site camera 951 are transmitted to a remote location, where a user is able to annotate them and provided annotated images 952 to workers at the job site for viewing on display 953 . [0225] Reference is now made to FIG. 34 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-27 in a video projection mode of operation, preferably employing video projection module 800 ( FIG. 27 ). As seen figuratively in FIG. 34 , this enables architectural drawings to be overlaid by projection, using a conventional computer controlled projector 954 onto existing structures 956 at the job site. The projected content may be stored in memory 706 ( FIG. 27 ) of the job site communication center or received via the internet from a remote location. [0226] Reference is now made to FIG. 35 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-27 in a 3D printing mode of operation, employing 3D printing module 830 ( FIG. 27 ). This module enables models and tools, such as drill bits, to be fabricated at the job site by a 3D-printer 958 from computerized instructions received from a remotely located server. [0227] Reference is now made to FIG. 36 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-27 in a hazard sensing mode of operation, preferably employing hazard sensing module 740 ( FIG. 27 ). Hazard sensing module 740 , which is suitable for various types of job sites, such as in a mine, can include gas sensors 960 , such as methane sensors, carbon monoxide sensors, bio-sensors, which sense the presence of dangerous bio-organisms, vibrations, which could indicate earthquakes or other dangerous events, excessive noise or dangerous levels of illumination. The outputs of gas sensors 960 may be provided to processor 700 ( FIG. 27 ) and may trigger any suitable alarm, such as an audio alarm 962 , a visually sensible alarm 964 , a tactile alarm 966 or a combination thereof. Processor 700 ( FIG. 27 ) may also provide remote alerts, via the internet to remote sites, such as a project management site. [0228] Reference is now made to FIG. 37 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-27 in an illumination mode of operation, preferably employing illumination module 820 ( FIG. 27 ). Illumination module 820 , which is suitable for various types of job sites, such as in a mine, can include various types of illuminators, such as large space illuminating lamps 970 and directable lamps 978 , including, for example LED illuminators and laser illuminators. [0229] Reference is now made to FIG. 38 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-27 in a tampering alarm mode of operation, preferably employing tampering alarm module 770 ( FIG. 27 ). Tampering alarm module 770 may employ various types of sensors, such as vibration sensors 980 , case-open switch sensors 982 , propinquity sensors 984 and movement sensors 986 , which sensors may output to processor 700 ( FIG. 27 ). Processor 700 preferably provides a sensor output thresholding function to avoid false alarms and proves an output to such as an audio alarm 992 a visually sensible alarm 994 , a tactile alarm 996 or a combination thereof. Processor 700 ( FIG. 27 ) may also provide remote alerts, via the internet to remote sites, such as a project management site, indicating intrusion into a protected space in which the communication center is located or tampering with the communication center, toolboxes or tools. [0230] Reference is now made to FIG. 39 , which is a simplified pictorial illustration of the operation of the communication center of any of FIGS. 1A-27 in a mode of communication between communication centers, preferably employing communication module 840 ( FIG. 27 ) which enables communication between multiple disparately located job site communication centers. In this way, a network of job site communication centers 998 at disparate locations in a large job site can be effectively created and employed for coordinating activities and sharing information. [0231] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly claimed and includes both combinations and subcombinations of features described and shown hereinabove as well as modifications thereof which are not in the prior art.

A jobsite communications center including a communications module including an electrical power source, at least one speaker and at least one antenna and a toolbox-like housing for enclosing the communications module and having a handle and first and second connection assemblies, the first connection assembly enabling readily-disconnectable and reconnectable stacking interconnection of the communications center with tool boxes, the second connection assembly enabling readily-disconnectable and reconnectable mounting of the communication center on a toolbox-carrying cart in a manner similar to connection of toolboxes thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Technical Field [0002] The invention relates to in situ monitoring of the state of charge of a motor vehicle battery, particularly a lead acid battery. [0003] 2. Description of the Problem: [0004] Lead acid batteries are the conventional source for power used by automatic starters to crank start internal combustion engines installed on motor vehicles. Lead acid batteries also provide auxiliary power for other electrical components installed on such vehicles. Failure of a battery to supply power for starting can necessitate jump starting the engine or an expensive and time consuming call to service for assistance. It would be an advantage to operators to receive warning of impending battery failure in time to take corrective action before failure of a battery in the field. [0005] The lead-acid batteries typically used in vehicles are rated according to the Society of Automotive Engineers SAE J537 specification. The J537 specification defines two different ways in which capacity is measured, Cold Cranking Amps (CCA), and Reserve Capacity (RC). CCA is an indication of a batteries' ability to deliver high power for a short duration (the amperage that a fully charged battery is expected to deliver for 30 sec.). RC is an indication of total energy capacity (the number of minutes that a battery can deliver 25 amps). For example, a battery rated at 650 CCA is expected to deliver 650 amps for 30 sec. (under the controlled conditions set forth in the specification). Likewise, a battery rated at 180 RC is expected to deliver 25 amps of current for 180 minutes. [0006] Lead acid batteries are constructed from closely spaced, alternating plates of sponge lead (Pb), which serve as the negative plates, and lead dioxide (PbO 2 ), which serve as the positive plates. The plates are preferably substantially immersed in a sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) water solution, which serves as an electrolyte. During discharge of the battery both plates react with the electrolyte and lead sulfate (PbSO 4 ) forms on both the negative and positive plates. The concentration of acid in the electrolyte decreases. As the plates become more chemically similar and the acid strength of the electrolyte falls, a battery's voltage will begin to fall. From fully charged to fully discharged each cell loses about 0.2 volts in potential (from about 2.1 volts to 1.9 volts). The rate at which the reaction occurs governs energy flow and battery power characteristics. Many factors control the reaction rate, such as the amount of active material in the plates and the availability of the acid. When a battery discharges, the acid in the pores of the lead plates react first. The depleted electrolyte at the plates is replenished by the electrolyte in the rest of the battery. A lead acid battery thus can be viewed as having multiple reservoirs of available energy. One that is available for immediate use, the primary reservoir, and secondary reservoirs that replenish the primary. The physical integrity of the plates and the purity and concentration of the electrolyte determine the battery's total potential. [0007] Optimally, recharging a battery would reverse the process of discharge, strengthening the acid in the electrolyte and restoring the original chemical makeup and physical structure of the plates. In practice however, the chemical reactions and resulting physical changes that produce current during discharge are not perfectly reversible. The reasons for this are several. For example, input and output currents are not symmetric. A motor vehicle battery can discharge several hundred ampere-seconds during the relatively brief period of cranking of an engine. Recharging then occurs during the first few minutes after the engine begins running at far lower rates of current flow. The cycle of repeated discharge and subsequent recharge of lead acid batteries results in chemical imbalances in and loss of the electrolyte solution, the formation of undesirable compounds on battery plates and physical deterioration of the plates. [0008] Recharging a battery has various secondary effects, including polarization of the battery, overheating and the electrolytic decomposition of the water into molecular hydrogen and oxygen. These factors contribute to the battery not returning to its original state. Electrolysis of the water in the electrolyte reduces the physical volume, and quantity, of the electrolyte. Electrolytic breakdown of the water leaves the electrolyte excessively acidic, with consequential degradation of the battery plates. High temperatures developed during recharging can promote sulfation of the battery plates (i.e. the formation of hardened, relatively insoluble crystalline lead sulfate on the surface of the plates), which in turn increases a battery's internal resistance. To some extent sulfation and other factors resulting in the slow reduction of a lead acid battery's charge capacity can be controlled by avoiding overcharging, or by avoiding overheating of the battery stemming from excessively fast recharging, but in practice the slow deterioration of a battery is unavoidable. [0009] Polarization results in a poorly mixed electrolyte and a condition where battery voltage reflects a full 2.1 volts per cell, but only because local areas of the electrolyte contain overconcentrations of acid, which in turn can damage the plates. [0010] As the physical condition of a battery deteriorates, its capacity to hold a charge, in terms of ampere-hours declines. This is the case even though the battery continues to exhibit a 2.1 volt potential per cell when charged to maximum. Accordingly, battery state of charge and available battery cranking power are not, over the long term, accurately reflected by open circuit voltage. [0011] Battery condition is best indicated by the specific gravity of the battery's electrolytic solution. Conventionally, the best way to gauge the state of charge of a lead acid battery has been to measure the specific gravity of the electrolyte of a properly filled (and exercised) battery using a temperature compensated hydrometer. A load test of the battery under controlled conditions may be used, either in conjunction with a check of specific gravity or independently. A load test subjects a fully charged battery to an ampere load equal to ½ the rated cold cranking capacity of the battery (at −18 degrees Celsius) for 15 seconds, then measures the voltage and the current under load and requires referral to a voltage chart to assess battery condition. See page 48, Storage Battery Technical Service Manual, Tenth Edition, published by the Battery Council International, Chicago, Ill. (1987). Such procedures are obviously not easily practiced in the field, where driver/operators of vehicles could make use of a quick indication if a battery has sufficient cranking power to start an engine. [0012] To meet the need for battery condition evaluation in the field and to provide an accurate estimation of a battery's state of charge (SOC), the prior art has proposed numerous battery condition monitoring systems which rely on indirect indications of battery condition. In broad overview, a lead-acid battery will exhibit different operating characteristics when new as opposed to when used. As the battery deteriorates it will exhibit a higher internal resistance, and will not accept as great an input current. Voltage under load will fall off more rapidly. Indicators related to these factors may be monitored to give an indication of battery condition. However, difficulties arise from the inability to control the conditions of the evaluation. [0013] One such system directed to determining battery condition is U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,963 to Arai et al. Arai teaches a battery residual capacity estimation system. Residual capacity is estimated from a current integration method which utilizes a voltage-current trend calculating section, sensors for obtaining battery current and terminal voltage, a voltage-current straight line calculating section, and a comparator operation for detecting when residual capacity has declined compared to a prior period residual capacity. [0014] Palanisamy, U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,919, describes another method of monitoring a vehicle battery used with a gasoline engine. Five variables are monitored including ambient temperature (T), battery voltage (V), power source (typically an alternator/voltage regulator) voltage (V s ), battery current (I) and time (t). From these variables, the patent provides algorithms for determining the battery's State of Charge (SOC), internal resistance (IR), polarization, and performs various diagnostics. [0015] Palanisamy determines the battery's SOC using a combination of charge integration and open circuit voltage measurements. The open circuit portion of the test relies on a 0.2 voltage drop per cell from a fully charged lead acid cell to a discharged lead acid cell. Open circuit battery voltage (OCV or VOCV) may be taken with the engine on, but is measured at a point in time which avoids effects of polarization of the battery. Open circuit voltage is deemed to coincide with the absence of current flows into or out of the battery for a minimum period. Current integration counts current flow (I) into and out of the battery. Monitoring starts from a point of predetermined charge of the battery, preferably a full charge as determined by the open circuit voltage test. As Palanisamy observes, current integration is subject to error from battery out gassing and deterioration of the physical condition of the battery. The combination of the results is offered as an improvement in measurement of a battery's state of charge, but, due to the systematic errors identified in the patent, is not an necessarily an accurate measurement of the battery's condition. [0016] Internal resistance (IR) is estimated from the open circuit voltage and current flow from the battery following imposition of the starting load. Power output capacity is estimated from IR. Battery polarization arises from non-uniformity of electrolyte density between battery plates and is estimated using V s , I and the last battery voltage reading during starting. IR can be used to get battery output capacity for a variety at various temperatures, and then used for a comparison to a table of engine start power requirements supplied by the engine manufacturer. [0017] Palanisamy is limited due to the fact that, under common operating conditions, the current required to crank a gasoline engine is substantially less than the load requirements of a standard load test. Cranking of a gasoline engine usually does not generate data of anywhere near the quality of data produced by controlled condition load test making reference to published voltage charts useless as a mechanism for determining battery conditional. [0018] U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,668 to Howard, et al., which is assigned to the assignee of the current application, described an in situ battery monitoring system. Howard provides that upon movement of a vehicle ignition switch from off to on, a process of evaluating the vehicle battery starts. Open circuit voltage and ambient temperature are measured. The open circuit voltage is compared to a table of allowable open circuit voltage ranges as a function of ambient temperature to determine, as an initial matter, if the open circuit voltage is within acceptable ranges for the battery as indicated by manufacturer's specifications. If the open circuit voltage falls within the acceptable range, it is determined if sufficient time has passed since the most recent execution of the routine to avoid polarization effects on the measured open circuit voltage. [0019] If the possibility of polarization effects on the measured open circuit voltage is indicated by a brief lapse since the vehicle battery was last exercised, a load test is imposed on the vehicle battery by engaging an engine starter system to crank the vehicle engine. If the test is automated a safety interlock may be provided based, for example, on whether the hood is open or closed. After a period T, which is preferably fixed in advance, of cranking the engine, voltage across the terminals of the vehicle battery and current from the vehicle battery are measured. Both measurements occur while the battery remains under the load imposed by cranking. A empirically developed specification table indicates battery capacity as a function of the results of the load test. The table may be updated by battery history. An engine required cranking power specification using engine sensor measurements as inputs provides a value for comparison to the capacity figure. A comparison provides an input criterion for generating a displayable result. [0020] Battery modeling provides a partial alternative to empirically generated look up tables. The concept of a battery model using multiple reservoirs with energy flowing between has previously been described. See for example: [0021] 1) “Hybrid Vehicle Simulation for a Turbogenerator-Based Power-Train”-C. Leontopoulos, M. R. Etermad, K. R. Pullen, M. U. Lamperth (Proceedings of the I MECH E Part D Journal of Automobile Engineering Volume 212, 1998, Pg 357-368) [0022] 2) “Temperature-Dependent Battery Models for High-Power Lithium-Ion Batteries” V. H. Johnson, A. A. Pesaran (Presented at the 17th Electric Vehicle Symposium, Montreal, Canada, Oct. 16-18, 2000) [0023] 3) “Battery Characterization System” Thomas J. Dougherty (US Patent application 2004/0212367 A1 Oct. 28, 2004) [0024] 4) “Lead Acid Battery Model” (Saber Electronic Simulator, Generic Template Library, October 1999, Synopsys, Inc. 700 East Middlefield RD. Mountain View, Calif.). Both electrical and hydrodynamic analogies have been proposed. [0025] The general model provides an approximation of actual battery characteristics when implemented with modeling and simulation tools, and is useful in the design of electrical systems where batteries are involved. But the models are inadequate for a motor vehicle lead acid battery. The deficiencies have to do with the controlled conditions in design simulations vs. uncontrolled conditions in a vehicle and the need to synchronize in situ monitoring with a real battery. [0026] There are several ways that synchronization can be lost between the model and the target battery. One way is for the initial conditions of the algorithm to be set different from the target. This would occur when the algorithm is initially started/reset, batteries are replaced, etc. Default parameters such as battery state of charge are unlikely to match the real battery in this case. Another loss of synchronization can occur if the device running the algorithm loses power when the vehicle is turned off. Finally, model error also causes loss of synchronization. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0027] According to the invention there is provided a model which is readily evaluated by a computer using a minimal set of measured battery operating variables to provide an estimate of battery state of charge and to define and provide a battery state of recovery. The lead acid battery modeling system includes a voltage sensor connected to provide measurements of voltage across the terminals of a target lead acid battery, a current sensor coupled to provide measurements of current through the target lead acid battery, and a temperature sensor providing a measurement of a temperature expected to correspond to battery temperature. A vehicle body computer is connected to the sensors to receive the measurements of temperature, current and voltage. The vehicle body computer has a stored program defining an energy flow model for the target battery. The battery model includes an energy flow module with at least two energy storage reservoirs, a battery capacity calculation section for establishing an estimated capacity for the energy storage reservoirs and a module for predicting target battery output voltage. Upon execution by the body computer, the stored program is responsive to the measurements for adjusting the capacities of the energy storage reservoirs, determining the state of charge of the energy storage reservoirs and for predicting the output voltage of the target battery. Comparison of the predicted voltage and the measured battery output voltage allow synchronization between the energy flow module and the target battery. [0028] Additional effects, features and advantages will be apparent in the written description that follows. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0029] The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: [0030] FIG. 1 is a high level block diagram of the invention. [0031] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a truck side rail illustrating mounting of a battery array. [0032] FIG. 3 is a schematic overview of a motor vehicle control system incorporating battery monitoring allowing modeling of the battery. [0033] FIG. 4 is a high level block diagram of a generic battery model. [0034] FIG. 5 is a data flow diagram of the battery model of the invention. [0035] FIG. 6 is a more detailed view of energy flow in the model of FIG. 5 . [0036] FIG. 7 is a graph of battery model incorporating a plurality of current integrators. [0037] FIG. 8 is a graphical depiction of energy flow in the battery model of the invention. [0038] FIG. 9 is a graphical illustration of determination of predicated output voltage of the battery model for synchronization. [0039] FIG. 10 illustrates look up tables used by the model. [0040] FIG. 11 is a graphical illustration of model response to discharge currents. [0041] FIG. 12 is a graphical illustration of determination of the state of recovery of the target battery. [0042] FIG. 13 is an exemplary graphical comparison of predicated output voltage against measured output voltage of the target battery. [0043] FIG. 14 is a flow chart of battery capacity calculation. [0044] FIG. 15 is a flow chart of the cold cranking capacity of the battery. [0045] FIG. 16 is a series of graphs illustrating predicted battery operating variables. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0046] 1. Environment of Application [0047] FIG. 1 shows the environment of the invention at a high level of abstraction, with a battery 21 and a temperature sensor 44 connected to supply data inputs (battery voltage, battery current and temperature) to a battery monitor module 60 . Ideally the temperature reading is battery temperature, though another source may be used if reliably related to battery temperature. In truck applications where the batteries are carried on vehicle side rails removed from the engine compartment the use of ambient temperature is acceptable. The battery monitor module 60 may be realized as a program running on a vehicle body computer. Through such an implementation the output of the monitoring program may be reported to any of a group 62 of interface systems including: a display, a gauge pack, a driver instrument panel; a telematics system; a smart display; or a worker's service tool. Data reported includes battery state of charge (SOC), battery state of recovery (SOR) and measured amps. SOC and SOR are defined more completely herein. [0048] FIG. 2 illustrates an array of batteries 21 and the manner of connection of the batteries to a starter system 30 for an engine 46 installed on vehicle 11 . Batteries 21 are connected in parallel to supply a high amp/hour capacity to vehicle starter system 30 during cranking. A negative terminal battery cable 26 is connected from a negative terminal of one of batteries 21 to a terminal of a starter motor 31 , both of which are connected to the vehicle chassis, which serves as a floating ground in a conventional manner. A positive terminal battery cable 28 is connected between a positive terminal from the same one of batteries 21 to an input terminal on a starter system component 33 . Terminal cables 26 and 28 are usually 0000AWG cables of known length, and readily determined resistance (usually as a function of temperature). Two instrumentation wires 32 and 34 are also illustrated running from separate terminals on battery 21 to locations adjacent engine 46 . Instrumentation wire 34 is connected to chassis ground and wire 32 to a connector box 35 . [0049] FIG. 3 illustrates electronic control of a vehicle 11 schematically, based on a network and an overall electrical system controller (ESC) 24 . ESC 24 communicates with several autonomous controllers over a SAE J1939 data link 18 , including a gauge cluster 14 , a transmission controller 16 , an antilock brake system controller 22 and an engine controller 20 . Each of these local autonomous controllers may in turn receive data directly from switches and sensors, as ESC 24 does from a switch bank 48 and discrete input section 50 . Discrete inputs may include ignition key switch position and start button position. Each local controller may provide control or informational signals to local, discretely controllable components, as ESC 24 does with discrete output section 52 . [0050] Engine controller 20 is commonly used to monitor a number of operational sensors on a vehicle 11 because of the immediate need of the engine controller for such measurements in controlling fuel flow to engine 46 . Some of these measurements relate to the battery monitoring algorithm of the invention. Engine controller 20 is illustrated as connected to receive measurements from a battery voltage sensor 40 , a battery current sensor 42 and an ambient temperature sensor 44 . Battery voltage sensor 40 and battery current sensor 42 are connected to terminals of a battery 21 to provide electrical output readings relating to battery performance. Alternatively, battery voltage and current sensors 40 and 42 may be connected to ESC 24 , or may communicate to ESC 24 over bus 18 . Battery voltage measurement requires connection across the negative (or chassis ground 41 ) and positive terminals of battery 21 . Current measurement is made by measurement of the voltage drop along the length of the negative terminal battery cable, the resistance of which is represented by a resistor 37 connected between the negative terminal of battery 21 and chassis ground 41 . The resistance of negative terminal cable 26 is a fraction of an ohm and thus a fraction of the internal resistance (IR) of battery 21 and the effect of the battery terminal cable's resistance can be disregarded in measuring of the voltage difference between battery terminals. Ambient temperature from sensor 44 is taken as a proxy for battery internal temperature, though those skilled in the art will realize that a direct measurement of battery temperature would be preferred. [0051] The vehicle electrical system includes other components used in practicing the present invention. A gauge cluster controller 14 is used to control the display of data relating to the condition of battery 21 . [0052] Also under the control of the engine controller is a starter system 30 , which is used to crank engine 46 and thus impose a load test on battery 21 . Diesel engines commonly used on trucks generally require substantially more cranking and draw a higher current during cranking than do gasoline fired internal combustion engines. This is due to a lack of a spark source and reliance on compression induced ignition which occurs at substantially higher compression ratios. The greater compression imposes a greater load on starter motors than imposed by gasoline engines. Diesel engines have been found by the present inventors to impose enough of a load, for a long enough duration, to allow use for a load test, unlike conditions associated with gasoline engines. With a diesel engine one can be assured of at least 3 to 5 seconds of cranking time before an engine will began to generate power from partial ignition, assuring some constancy of conditions in performing the test. A starting system 30 may be used which forces cranking for a predetermined period once a command to start has been received from a human operator, either by turning an ignition key to the start position or by depression of a start button. Starting system 30 may be automated, however, if it is, a safety interlock is provided keyed on a maintenance profile of the truck. [0053] FIG. 4 is a high level depiction of a battery model 400 generalized to apply to several modeling approaches, including the one adopted in the present invention. Battery model 400 depicts the energy potential of a battery as held in each of several reservoirs 402 , 404 , 406 and 408 . The primary reservoir 402 represents the energy “presently” available to vehicle systems, in effect “short term” or “primary” change. The energy stored in the primary reservoir 402 is taken to be the primary state of charge (PSOC). Not all energy is available immediately. The remaining secondary reservoirs 404 , 406 and 408 represent energy available after a time delay or at a reduced rate of delivery. In some sense this may be taken as corresponding to the physical reality of the battery although the reservoirs do not correspond literally to any particular physical or chemical mechanism of the battery (e.g., a secondary reservoir may primarily relate to time delay occurring as locally depleted electrolyte is replenished, or fresh electrolyte circulates into contact with exposed electrode plates). While reservoirs are depicted as serially connected it is possible that a mix of parallel and series connections with different allowed flow rates could also be used. The battery's total state of charge (TSOC) is an accumulation of PSOC and SSOC. [0054] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustration of the battery monitor program 500 of the invention. Battery monitor program 500 has four major sections including: (1) an energy flow calculation module 504 ; a battery model output voltage calculation 512 ; a battery capacity calculation module 522 ; and a battery fault calculation module 530 . The Energy Flow Calculation section 504 is the basic model, and generates estimates of the battery's state of charge and state of recovery. The Primary State of Charge and battery current are used in the “Battery Model Output Voltage Calculation” section 512 to generate a predicted battery voltage. This section uses empirically derived tables to handle non-linear characteristics in the model. Ideally this voltage will match the measured battery voltage. A mismatch indicates that parameters in the model do not match those of the vehicle batteries. The Predicted Output Voltage (POV) from the Battery Model Output Voltage Calculation 512 is supplied to a comparator 513 for comparison to measured battery 21 voltage (Target Output Voltage (TOV)) and generation of an error current. This error current is used to synchronize the model State of Charge with that of the target battery by its use in adjusting the battery current measurement signal applied to the energy flow calculation. The Battery Capacity section 522 calibrates model energy capacity to the capacity of the target battery 21 . The battery fault calculation section 530 determines battery 21 failures in different ways. First, since several model parameters are synchronized to that of the target battery (SOC, CCA, RC), these parameters can be compared to normal operating limits. If a parameter exceeds a limit, a battery fault is declared. Error current is also monitored. If this current exceeds a predefined limit for an extended time, it is a indication of a fault condition (i.e. a shorted battery cell). [0055] Battery 21 is illustrated as connected to support vehicle loads 502 . Sensors including a voltage sensor 40 , a temperature sensor 44 and a current sensor 42 are associated with the battery 21 to supply data to the monitor program 500 . Monitor program 500 represents a model of the battery 21 in which energy flows between reservoirs over time. The model is implemented primarily through a “Energy Flow Calculation” 500 which uses integrators 506 and 508 to emulate energy storage. The purpose of the energy flow calculation 500 is to estimate the battery condition, which has three components, Primary State of Charge (PSOC), Secondary State(s) of Charge (SSOC), and State of Recovery (SOR). The block marked “Secondary Integrators” 508 can represent multiple integrators. PSOC and SSOC have already been defined. SOR represents the degree to which a battery has returned to an equilibrium condition. A high SOR reflects all integrators having approximately the same (normalized) SOC. A low SOR indicates that the SOC for one integrator is greatly different from that of another. The energy flow calculation 504 uses all three primary inputs, battery voltage, current and temperature. Temperature determines the gains used with energy flow calculations between energy reservoirs. Net energy flow into and out the battery 21 comes from adjusting battery current by an error signal through a error gain amplifier 513 . The error signal applied to amplifier 513 is generated from predicted voltage provided by a battery model output voltage calculation 512 . The other input to amplifier 513 is the currently measured battery voltage. This error current from amplifier 513 is applied to a summing junction 510 with the measured battery current and supplied directly to the primary integrator 506 as adjusted battery current. It may be seen that the output to the primary integrator from summer 510 may be positive or negative depending on whether energy is being drawn from the battery or not. PSOC and SSOC may be summed to generate a total state of charge (TSOC). The outputs, PSOC, SSOC, TSOC and SOR are supplied the module 512 for predicting battery output voltage and are made available for display. [0056] 2. Energy Flow and Calculation [0057] FIG. 6 illustrates in more detail the operation of the Energy Flow Calculation 504 . It was stated previously that the energy stored in a battery is modeled as reservoirs of energy. Each of these reservoirs can be represented mathematically as total charge equaling the integral of current with respect to time. It is useful to normalize this relationship such that a result of “one” equals the maximum storage capability of a reservoir. This also represents 100% State of Charge for that reservoir. In the model of the present invention the reservoirs are marked as storage integrators. The outputs of any storage integrator is normalized and thus is a number between 0 (0% SOC) and 1 (100% SOC). These integrators can now be put together in a way that represents the multiple reservoirs of each battery cell and movement of energy between the reservoirs. The Primary State of Charge and battery current are used in the “Battery Model Output Voltage Calculation” section to generate a predicted battery voltage. This section uses empirically derived tables to handle non-linear characteristics in the model. Ideally this voltage will match the measured battery voltage. A mismatch indicates that parameters in the model do not match those of the vehicle batteries. The value 1/q provided for each integrator is the normalized value of the capacity (q) of each respective integrator supplied by battery capacity calculation section 522 . [0058] A model incorporating one primary integrator 604 and two secondary integrators 606 , 608 is illustrated, however a larger or smaller number of secondary integrators is possible with two being selected purely for illustrative purposes. Increasing the number of integrators will increase the accuracy of the model. The output of a primary storage integrator 604 is controlled by energy derived from the adjusted battery current and energy from the first secondary storage integrator 606 . The output of the primary integrator (normalized) is the Primary State of Charge (PSOC) and is made available to outside of the module 504 . A first secondary integrator is controlled by energy derived from the primary integrator and a second secondary integrator 608 . Through a summer 624 is the output of the first secondary integrator 606 and the second secondary integrator 608 made available outside of the module 504 as the SSOC. Secondary states of charge (SSOC 1 , SSOC 2 ) from integrators 606 , 608 may also be made available depending the requirements of a given application. [0059] The amount of energy flowing between the integrators is determined by applying a gain to the difference in the outputs. This gain becomes the Energy Flow Coefficients (eflow) which are supplied to amplifiers 612 and 620 to determine the energy flow rate between integrators. The energy flow coefficients are determined empirically and are temperature compensated using the measurement of ambient temperature from temperature sensor 44 . It is evident that when battery current equals zero, the outputs of the integrators move toward equilibrium (and because the outputs are normalized, also equality) as energy flow between integrators falls to zero. [0060] In the Energy Flow Calculation section 504 battery current is summed with the output of amplifier 612 (representing energy flow from or into secondary storage integrator 606 ) to provide a system energy flow input to primary storage integrator 604 . The output of the primary storage integrator 604 is the PSOC. The difference between PSOC and the state of charge from the first secondary storage integrator 606 (SSOC 1 ) is determined by summer 610 (with PSOC subtracted from SSOC 1 ) and fed to amplifier 612 . The output from amplifier 612 is also connected to an inverter 614 and the output of the inverter coupled to the first secondary storage integrator 606 . Thus the flow of charge from an secondary integrator to a higher stage secondary integrator or the primary energy storage integrator is matched by addition of its negative to the source. If battery current reflects charging, charge will eventually flow from primary storage integrator 604 to first secondary storage integrator 606 (i.e. the negative output of amplifier 612 is inverted and accumulated by secondary storage integrator 606 until the state of charge of secondary storage integrator 606 equals that of the primary storage integrator 604 . If battery current reflects discharging of the battery 21 the primary storage integrator 604 will be drained and energy will begin to flow from secondary storage integrator 606 to the primary storage integrator 604 . [0061] The second secondary storage integrator 608 has a relationship to the first secondary storage integrator 606 that is essentially the same as the relationship of the first secondary storage integrator to the primary storage integrator 604 . Summer 618 provides a difference signal by subtracting the state of charge from the first secondary integrator 606 from the state of charge of the second secondary integrator 608 . The resulting value is applied to amplifier 620 the gain of which is controlled by a energy flow coefficient eflow 2 . Where the state of charge of integrator 608 exceeds that of integrator 606 energy is indicated flowing from integrator 608 to integrator 606 and its inverse (through inverter 622 ) is added to integrator 608 . Where the state of charge of integrator 608 is less than that of integrator 606 energy flow is reversed. The eflow gain coefficient for each integrator is independently determined. [0062] Secondary state of charge (SSOC 1 , SSOC 2 ) may be supplied from each of the secondary storage integrators 606 , 608 individually, or it may be accumulated and renormalized (summer 624 and normalization calculation 625 ) to provide an accumulated secondary state of charge (SSOC). [0063] The graph in FIG. 7 shows the State of Charge for a model with four integrators. At the beginning of this simulation, all the integrators are set to a 90% state of charge (arbitrarily), then a 15 amp discharge is applied. Initially the PSOC of the primary integrator drops quickly, but soon energy begins to be transferred from the secondary integrators upstream to the primary in a cascade like sequence, and the declines of each integrator become parallel with the deepest reservoir retaining a slightly greater state of charge than each successively shallower reservoir until the primary integrator is reached. [0064] FIG. 8 expands the model of FIG. 6 to provide total state of charge (TSOC) and the State of Recovery. It also indicates the use made of error signal. A two integrator model is presented for the sake of simplicity. Most of the model is the same as that of FIG. 6 except that an error signal is subtracted from the input to the primary storage integrator 604 and additional output signals are calculated. [0065] The error current is applied to a modified summer 802 for input to the primary integrator 604 . The error current is generated from measured battery 21 voltage and predicted battery voltage, which is calculated in the battery model output voltage calculation section 512 . The error signal directly effects the output of the integrators and the model's State of Charge. The error signal is generated by applying a gain to the difference of the Predicted Output Voltage (POV) and the measured battery voltage (Target Output Voltage (TOV)). Its use is to synchronize the model's State of Charge to observed battery behavior. For example, if the target battery is discharged (e.g., SOC=40%) and it's terminal voltage is 11.7 v, but the model's algorithms are reset to 100% SOC with a Predicted Output Voltage of 12.7, the difference between the predicted and the actual is 1.0 v. If the error gain is 20, a current equal to a 20 amp discharge current would be injected into the primary integrator, with the effect of lowering the model's SOC. Error current would continue to flow until the model and target voltages equalized. [0066] The model's total State of Charge is derived by scaling (weighting) 822 , 820 and combining the SSOC of all the integrators. The scaling factors are calculated by dividing the capacity (q) of each integrator by total battery capacity. Since the model is synchronized with the target, model SOC can be equated to the SOC of the target battery. [0067] The algorithm extracts another parameter from the model, called State of Recovery (SOR). As can be seen from the model, this value results from the absolute value 818 of the difference in the outputs of the integrators 604 , 612 . If the integrators are equalized (a difference of zero), the SOR equal 100% (totally recovered). An SOR of 0% is produced when one of the integrators is fully charged, and one is fully discharged. In practical terms, a low SOR would result during periods of high battery discharge, typically when the Primary storage integrator 604 is discharged but the secondary storage integrator 606 is not. SOR can be a valuable parameter since the output voltage of the battery is controlled by the charge on the primary integrator only. SOR provides an indication of the relative state of depletion of the primary integrator when compared with the rest of the battery. Allowing the battery to rest restores the charge in the primary integrator. [0068] 3. Calculating Predicted Output Voltage [0069] Referring to FIG. 9 the operation of the battery model output voltage calculation 512 is illustrated. The output of this section is the Predicted Output Voltage (POV) which is the voltage that the model determines should exist at the output terminals of the target battery. POV is used to generate an error current which is used to synchronize the model with the target battery 21 and for diagnosing faults in the battery fault calculation section 530 . Predicted voltage is determined primarily from the PSOC calculation supplied by the primary integrator 604 , measured battery current, and a polarization factor. Since the polarization factor, the source resistance and predicted no-load voltage as a function of primary state of charge are non-linear, the model uses empirically derived lookup tables at this point. The source resistance table is divided into two subtables. One is selected when the battery is charging, the second is selected when it is discharging. [0070] The PSOC provides the argument applied to both the source resistance look up table 904 (along with temperature) and into the no load voltage look up table 906 . The result returned from the no load voltage look up table is applied directly to summer 912 . The result returned from the source resistance look up table 904 is applied to multiplier 908 where it is multiplied with the inverse of the manufacturer's rated cold cranking capacity of the target battery 21 . This result is in turn applied to a second multiplier 910 where it is multiplied with the measured battery current. Measured battery 21 current also provides the argument into a polarization voltage look up table 902 . The returned value from LUT 902 and the output of multiplier 910 are both applied to summer 912 to provide a predicted output voltage (POV). [0071] Two examples of look up tables 904 , 906 are given in FIG. 10 . The “Source Resistance Lookup Table” gives normalized resistance values for various SOC at a given temperature. The values in this table are normalized to the rated size of the battery. For example, the resistance value from the table at 100% state of charge is 4.87. The actual resistance expected for a 650 CCA battery is therefore 4.48/650=0.0069 ohms. The Open Circuit Voltage table provides the expected voltage at the target battery terminals when the current at the battery terminals equal zero. Note that this table (along with the others) use the SOC from the primary integrator (as opposed to the combined SOC). This has the effect of allowing for transient voltages and battery recovery. [0072] FIG. 11 is a graph showing the relationship of source resistance and SOC to Predicted Output Voltage. The example starts with the battery at rest and at a 90% State of Charge. [0073] At rest, from 0 seconds to about 200 seconds elapsed, the output voltage matches the voltage derived from the “Open Circuit Lookup Table”. A 15 amp load is applied at 200 sec. The POV drops quickly from about 12.6 volts to about 12.2 volts. This drop of about 0.4 volts has three components. Resistive drop due to the application of the 15 amp load (about 0.1 volt), the Polarization voltage drop (about 0.2 volts), and a drop due to a small but fast loss of charge in the primary integrator (from 90% to 85% SOC). After this, from 200 sec. to 10,000 sec., the drop in voltage is gradual, and reflects the loss of charge in the primary integrator. [0074] FIG. 12 shows the recovery effect of the primary integrator and the resulting Predicted Output Voltage. In this example, a 10 amp load is applied at 100 sec. and removed at 1950 sec. When the load is applied, the charge in the primary integrator quickly drops below that of the secondary integrator, and tracks lower the whole time that the load is present. But when the load is removed, energy flowing to the primary from the secondary, causes it's charge level to increase. This results in the gradual increase of POV starting at 2,000 sec. The example also shows the response of a real battery to this load. It is seen that the POV tracks closely with that of the target battery 21 . [0075] The battery monitor calculates battery capacity and uses this parameter in the model. Target battery capacity is synchronized to model capacity through the Capacity section 522 of the monitor 504 . During these calculations, CCA relates to the size of the primary integrator and battery source resistance. Reserve capacity is related to the combined size of the primary and secondary integrators. [0076] The sizes of the primary and secondary integrators are determined in similar ways. The primary integrator however is adjusted during times of high discharge e.g. >200 amps, and secondary integrators are adjusted during longer periods of low discharge e.g. <50 amps. A high discharge rate serves the purpose of isolating the primary integrator from the secondary since the energy flow time constants are long compared to a fast discharge. A low discharge rate allows all the integrators to equalize with a small offset. Both of these adjustments compare the average slope of the Predicted Output Voltage with that of the Target Output Voltage. Capacity is incrementally adjusted dependent on this comparison. FIG. 13 , for example, shows a POV with a greater slope then the TOV. This would cause the capacity of the integrators to be increased. [0077] Integrator capacities are estimated for the model, being derived initially from manufacturer specifications of battery reserve capacity. The RC rating of the target battery is derived by the following equation: RC =((Capacity/60)/25)* De -rate Factor [0078] Dividing Capacity by 60 converts amp seconds to amp minutes. Dividing by 25 reflects the 25 amp discharge rate of the SAE specification. The de-rate factor is an empirically derived number of approximately 0.8. It is required because at a 25 amp discharge rate, only about 80% of the energy in the battery can be extracted before it's voltage drops below 10.5 volts. [0079] Referring to FIG. 14 an algorithm for calculating the capacity of the primary and secondary integrators in terms of ampere seconds (coulombs) is illustrated. Algorithm 1400 starts at step 1402 . At step 1404 capacity (q or CAP) is initialized. The capacity of the primary integrator (CAP_P) and the secondary integrator (CAP_S) are provided by the user. Next, at step 1408 battery current is read. At step 1408 it is determined if the battery is discharging, permitting the capacity adjustments to be made. If not the program loops until discharging occurs. Once discharging has been detected execution advances to step 1410 . At step 1412 battery 21 voltage (TOV) and predicted output voltage (POV) are read and stored as POV 1 and TOV 1 . After a delay (step 1412 ) new values (POV 2 and TOV 2 ) are collected for the difference calculation step 1416 which produces the value VDIFF. At step 1418 the discharge rate is characterized as high or not. If the discharge rate is high the capacity q of the primary integrator is adjusted (step 1422 ). If the discharge rate is not high the capacity q of the secondary integrator(s) is adjusted (step 1420 ) and processing is returned to step 1404 . [0080] Referring to FIG. 15 the section 522 for generating a predicted cold cranking capacity of the target battery 21 is illustrated. The inputs of the routine are measured battery 21 voltage (TOV), predicted output voltage (POV) and measured battery current. Initially at step 1502 , the user supplied cold cranking amp (CCA) rating utilized is taken as a starting point. To begin adjustment of rated battery capacity battery current is read at step 1504 . If the discharge rate is low as determined as step 1506 nothing can be done and execution returns to step 1504 . Adjustment of the cold cranking capacity requires measurements to be taken during periods of high discharge, typically engine cranking. Once the discharge rate exceeds a threshold level program execution advances to step 1508 to read and store the predicted and measured values for battery voltage (POV and TOV). The CCA rating of the target battery is calculated by comparing the Predicted Output Voltage with the Target Output Voltage at one point in time during the period of high discharge, which in effect compares the instantaneous source resistance of the model to the target. This comparison assumes that the model state of charge is synchronized with the target. Step 1512 reflects adjustment of estimated battery capacity by adjusting the supplied value by the product of the difference in the measurements by an empirically derived gain factor. [0081] FIG. 16 shows an actual test case in which the battery monitor was exercised in a vehicle for 8 hours. During this time the vehicle's batteries were exercised through two charge and three discharge cycles. This test was conducted to determine if the monitor could synchronize on the target batteries' reserve capacity rating, which was separately measured at 170 minutes. The RC rating of the monitor was initially set to 255. The bottom graph shows the monitor adjusting the RC rating during each discharge cycling. By the third discharge cycle the value is within the 30% error limit required for the test. [0082] Since the battery monitor contains a mathematical model of a battery, it emulates the response of a functional non-faulted device. As mentioned previously, this response is compared with the target battery response. Differences in response indicate that battery parameters do not match model parameters. Small difference are expected and result from the fact that the model never can fully emulate the real device and are therefore considered modeling error. Large differences or differences that tend in one direction indicate battery degradation or a sudden battery failure. [0083] The Battery Fault Calculation section 530 monitors these conditions and makes decisions concerning battery failures. Typically these conditions are determined by attaching limit to parameters to values already calculated in the model. These parameters are battery capacity (CCA, RC), and State of Charge. Another fault that can be detected is a shorted battery cell. This condition will result in a abnormally high error current in the model. [0084] While the invention is shown in only two of its forms, it is not thus limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

A lead acid battery model suitable for programming on a motor vehicle body computer uses environmental and target battery operating variables for maintaining synchronization of the model with the target battery under actual operating conditions. The model includes a energy flow section with at least two integrators for simulating primary and recovery reservoirs of charge in the battery. An output voltage estimation signal provides a signal for comparison with measured battery voltage for synchronization. Capacity of the reservoirs is generated from manufacturer specifications measured against battery performance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention deals with material handling equipment and in particular for equipment for moving of heavy objects such as an oxygen tank between a storage position and a servicing position. The storage position needs to include an apparatus for securely holding such heavy tanks in a fixed manner in order to prevent it from becoming loose especially when mounted within vehicles. When an oxygen tank is mounted within an ambulance or other emergency vehicle to provide a concentrated oxygen supply to an emergency patient, it must be secured in an absolutely rigorous manner. If the tank were to become loose, for example, as a result of a vehicular accident, then the tank itself could become a lethal projectile within the ambulance cabin. It is for this reason that it is important that a very secure locking mechanism is used for assuring detachable yet fixed retaining of such an oxygen tank in a locked storage position. Due to the weight of these tanks, however, it is also important that the tank be capable of being removed from the locked storage position to a more accessible position for servicing thereof. This servicing could include removal and replacement of one tank with another or could comprise merely servicing of the tank. The movement of such a tank by a tank handling apparatus between the storage position and the servicing position is an important aspect of this design as well as the ability to firmly yet detachably hold the tank in a storage position with respect to the environmental structure. 2. Description of the Prior Art Numerous patents have been granted for the purposes of material handling with respect to vehicles or handling or carrying or hoisting tanks for various purposes. These patents include U.S. Pat. No. 1,788,987 patented Jan. 13, 1931 to C. Cunningham on a "Carrier For Transporting And Dispensing Liquids"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,607 patented Oct. 16, 1962 to J. T. Kiley and assigned to James A. Kiley Company on "Ladder Racks"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,471,046 patented Oct. 7, 1969 to G. H. Hess and assigned to Stanray Corporation on a "Cart For Gas Cylinders"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,097 patented Jan. 25, 1972 to Robert Horowitz and assigned to S&H Industries, Inc. on a "Power-Operated Tailgate With Maximum Rearward Displacement Between Fully Elevated And Fully Lowered Positions"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,423 patented Mar. 21, 1972 to John W. O'Brien on a "Mechanical Ladle"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,682,342 patented Aug. 8, 1972 to David Evans on "Lifting Devices"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,968 patented Nov. 28, 1972 to R. Uhrich et al and assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy on a "Linear Linkage Manipulator Arm"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,271 patented Feb. 20, 1973 to D. L. Bargman, Jr. and assigned to Colorado Leisure Products, Inc. on a "Vehicle Tire Carrier"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,070 patented May 3, 1977 to Frank Shea on a "Mechanical Lift"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,281 patented Nov. 22, 1977 to Dafydd Evans on a "Mounting Assembly For A Controllably Movable Fluid Tank"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,529 patented Sep. 9, 1980 to A. DeShano on a "Delivery Trailer"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,508 patented Aug. 17, 1982 to A. Peck and assigned to Alcan Research and Development Limited on a "Lift Mechanism For A Vehicle Tail-Board Or Other Load Platform"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,358 patented Dec. 3, 1985 to Burton Harlan on a "Portable Hoist"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,193 patented Dec. 24, 1985 to Randall Beebe on a "Carrying Device For Transporting A Cylindrical Tank"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,308 patented Aug. 25, 1987 to Ramon Alvarez on a "Mobile Radiator Shop"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,582 patented Apr. 19, 1988 to John Roberts and assigned to E Manufacturing Company, Inc. on a "Tank Carrier And Manipulator"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,056 patented Feb. 28, 1989 to Shinnosuke Oshima on an "Elevator Device Transportable In A Motor Vehicle"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,421 patented May 16, 1989 to Walter Hawelka et al and assigned to Konrad Rosenbauer KG on a "Service Vehicles"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,794 patented Oct. 10, 1989 to Gail David et al and assigned to Halliburton Company on a "Tank Mounting Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,330 patented Mar. 27, 1990 to James Vlaanderen et al and assigned to Iowa Mold Tooling Company, Inc. on a "Service Vehicle With Dispensing System"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,280 patented Apr. 14, 1992 to Michael P. Ziaylek et al and assigned to Michael P. Ziaylek on an "Apparatus For Use With An Emergency Vehicle For Storage And Retrieval Of Remotely Located Emergency Devices"; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 331,030 patented Nov. 17, 1992 to Michael P. Ziaylek et al and assigned to Michael P. Ziaylek on a "Unit For Use With An Emergency Vehicle For Storage And Retrieval Of Remotely Located Emergency Devices"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,628 patented May 11, 1993 to C. Hassell on a "Self-Loading Dolly Mount Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,357 patented Sep. 13, 1994 to C. Hassell on a "Self-Locking Parallel-Motion Dolly Mount"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,338 patented Nov. 22, 1994 to ED. Mortensen on a "Lift And Tow Motorcycle Transporter"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,098 patented Aug. 8, 1995 to T. Matus and assigned to Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. on a "Gas Cylinder Lifting System"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,357 patented May 21, 1996 to Michael P. Ziaylek and assigned to Theodore Ziaylek, Jr. and Michael P. Ziaylek on a "Retaining And Retrieval Apparatus For Storage Of A Ladder Upon A Vehicle Shelf Area"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,300 patented Nov. 12, 1996 to M. Simmons on "Utility Vehicles With Interchangeable Emergency Response Modules"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,271 patented Feb. 10, 1998 to Susumu Aoki et al and assigned to Mitsuba Corporation on a "Brush Holder Device And Method Of Molding Same"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,857 patented Aug. 11, 1998 to Theodore Ziaylek, Jr. et al and assigned to Theodore Ziaylek, Jr. and Michael Paul Ziaylek on an "Automatic Ladder Lowering And Storage Device For Use With An Emergency Vehicle". SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a tank handling apparatus which is usable for transferring a tank repeatedly between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position. This apparatus is particularly usable for securing of such a tank, like an oxygen tank, with respect to an emergency vehicle. The apparatus includes a base member with an arm assembly pivotally secured thereto and movably extendable outwardly away therefrom. A tank retaining device is detachably securable with respect to a tank for holding thereof and aiding the handling by the apparatus. The tank retaining device is preferably pivotally attached to the arm assembly in such a manner as to be movable therewith. The retaining tank device and arm assembly are preferably movable between a tank servicing position for accessing the tank for servicing thereof and the tank storage position to facilitate retainment of the tank with respect to the base. In most configurations the tank servicing position will be at a lower elevation than the tank storage position to facilitate servicing. An actuator preferably formed as an electrical actuator will include a longitudinally extendable and retractable member and will be pivotally secured with respect to the base member and the arm assembly. The actuator is preferably operable to longitudinally extend in order to urge movement of the arm assembly to the tank servicing position. It is preferably longitudinally retractable to urge movement of the arm assembly to the tank storage position. A locking mechanism is included in the apparatus of the present invention including a locking hook fixedly secured to the tank retaining member. A locking housing is attached to the base and is at least partially spaced therefrom to define a locking channel therebetween. The locking housing also defines a locking slot therein adjacent the locking channel. This locking slot is adapted to receive the locking hook extending therethrough into the locking channel responsive to the tank retaining device being in the tank storage position in order to facilitate selective securement thereof with respect to the base member. In a preferred configuration the locking housing also includes a first handle opening and a second handle opening to facilitate operational control of movement of a locking slide which will be movably mounted within the locking channel. This locking slide will preferably include at least one locking tongue positionable adjacent the locking slot in order to be adapted to engage the locking hook positioned extending through the locking slot into the locking channel for selective securement of the tank retaining device in the tank storage orientation. The locking slide preferably is movable within the locking channel between an engaged position retaining the locking hook with respect to the base member and a disengaged position releasing the locking hook from the base member. A locking handle will preferably be included pivotally secured with respect to the base member and pivotally attached to the locking slide to urge movement thereof. The locking handle is pivotally movable to the locking position to urge movement of the locking slide to the engaged position. The locking handle is also pivotally movable to the unlocking position to urge movement of the locking slide to the disengaged position. The locking handle is pivotally secured to the locking slide at a position within the locking channel in order to facilitate controlled movement between the locking position and the unlocking position thereof. The locking handle extends through the first handle opening into and through the locking channel and outwardly therefrom through the second handle opening. The locking handle is pivotally attached with respect to the locking housing at a position outside of the locking channel adjacent the second handle opening. The locking handle includes a handle grip section positioned outside of the locking channel adjacent the first handle opening to facilitate grasping thereof for urging movement of the locking slide between the engaged position and the disengaged position. A hydraulic damper is also preferably included pivotally secured to the base member and with respect to the arm assembly to facilitate stabilizing of movement of the arm assembly between the tank storage position and the tank servicing position as its movement is urged by the electric actuator device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tank handling apparatus for transferring a tank between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position wherein usage within an emergency vehicle cabin is made possible for the purposes of extreme safety. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tank handling apparatus for transferring a tank between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position wherein the orientation of the tank is maintained vertically in the storage position and in the servicing position and at all points during movement therebetween. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tank handling apparatus for transferring a tank between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position wherein four individual control arms interconnect a base member with the tank holding bracket to facilitate firm securement thereof. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tank handling apparatus for transferring a tank between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position wherein a locking mechanism is utilized including a movable locking slide adapted to engage a locking hook which is fixedly secured to the tank retaining means for detachably and securely holding of the tank and the tank retaining device with respect to the base member and the surrounding environmental structure. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tank handling apparatus for transferring a tank between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position wherein usage with tanks having various diameters and various heights is made possible. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tank handling apparatus for transferring a tank between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position wherein medical oxygen cylinders can be firmly secured within an emergency vehicle patient cabin and easily removed for the purposes of recharging or replacement. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tank handling apparatus for transferring a tank between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position wherein tanks having weights as great as 205 lbs. can be easily moved. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tank handling apparatus for transferring a tank between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position wherein a locking mechanism provides a safety locking apparatus for holding the tank in the storage position during normal usage thereof and during normal usage of the emergency vehicle within which it is used. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tank handling apparatus for transferring a tank between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position wherein the handle for locking or unlocking of the tank in the storage position is easily reversible laterally. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tank handling apparatus for transferring a tank between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position wherein transferring between positions is completely automated and is powered by an electrical actuator. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tank handling apparatus for transferring a tank between a locked tank storage position and an accessible tank servicing position wherein multiple arms are utilized for supporting the tank and tank retaining member with respect to the mounting base and wherein this movement is dampened by a hydraulic damper member. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portions herein, a preferred embodiment is set forth in the following detailed description which may be best understood when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a side plan view of an embodiment of the tank handling apparatus of the present invention as shown in the servicing position; FIG. 2 is a side plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 shown in the storage position; FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in the position of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a front plan view of the base member and an assembled locking mechanism of the apparatus of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a partial breakaway perspective illustration of an embodiment of the locking mechanism of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a front plan view of an embodiment of the locking housing of the present invention; FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the housing shown in FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a side plan view of the housing shown in FIG. 6; FIG. 9 is a front plan view of an embodiment of the locking slide of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the slide shown in FIG. 9; FIG. 11 is a side plan view of the side shown in FIG. 9; FIG. 12 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the locking hook of the present invention; and FIG. 13 is a rear plan view of the locking hook shown in FIG. 12. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention provides a unique apparatus for handling of tanks 10 in such a manner as to allow movement thereof between a locking tank storage position 14 and an accessible tank servicing position 16. This is particularly important when a heavy tank such as a 150-200 lb. oxygen tank is stored in an emergency vehicle 10. Such a tank can be used for the purposes of supplying concentrated oxygen to patients and it is important that the tank be held in a fixed storage position in the patient servicing cabin in a firm manner such that it will not become loose during vehicle operation and due to the motion of the vehicle itself become airborne and extremely dangerous to individuals in the emergency patient cabin or compartment. As such, an emergency vehicle 12 should define a specific locked tank storage position 14 which detachably and yet firmly secures the tank 10 fixedly with respect to the vehicle 12. It is also necessary, however, to periodically service the tank and for this reason the tank handling apparatus of the present invention is capable of transferring the tank between the locked tank storage position and the accessible tank servicing position. When used with an emergency vehicle 12 the accessible tank servicing position 16 will normally be outside of the vehicle with the tank at a position less elevated than the locked tank storage position 14. At this position the tank can be removed and replaced or the tank itself can be maintained or serviced as necessary. The specific construction of the handling apparatus includes a base member 18 which is fixedly secured to the environmental structure which most likely be an emergency vehicle 12. An arm assembly 20 is pivotally secured with respect to the base 18. In the preferred configuration the arm assembly 20 will include four individual arm members including a first upper arm 22, a second upper arm 24, a first lower arm 26 and a second lower arm 28. By utilizing these arms connected in a parallel system wherein they extend away from the arm assembly approximately parallel with respect to one another, the tank is maintained in vertical orientation as it is moved at all times between the storage position and the servicing position. Preferably the first upper arm 22 and the second upper arm 24 are laterally spaced from one another to provide lateral stability to the tank 10 when secured to the tank retaining means 30. The first lower arm 26 and the second lower arm 28 are also laterally spaced with respect to one another at a position below the respective upper arms to maintain vertical stability of the tank retaining means 30 with the tank 10 secured thereto. Powering of movement is achieved by an actuator means such as an electrical actuator means 32 which includes a longitudinally extensible and retractable member. This member is secured to the base 18 and the tank retaining means 30. The actuator with the longitudinally movable member is pivotally secured at one end to the base 18 and pivotally secured at the other end to the arm assembly 20 and preferably to the first lower arm 26. With this configuration extending of the electric actuator 32 will cause movement of the arm assembly 20 and the tank retaining member 30 to the accessible tank servicing position. Similarly but oppositely retraction of the electric actuator 32 will cause movement of the arm assembly 20 and the tank 10 secured to the tank retaining member 30 to the tank storage position. At the tank storage position a locking mechanism 34 is included which facilitates firm securement of the tank in the tank storage position and yet allows it to be detachable by unlocking thereof. The locking mechanism 34 includes a locking hook 36 which preferably takes the form of both an upper locking hook member 38 and a lower locking hook member 40. The locking hook members preferably extend rearwardly from the tank retaining means 30 and are adapted to extend through locking slots 46 in the locking housing 42. Preferably locking housing 42 will define an upper locking slot 48 adapted to receive the upper locking hook member 38 and a lower locking slot 50 adapted to receive the lower locking hook member 40. The locking housing 42 will be secured to the base member 18 and will include a portion thereof spatially disposed from the base member 18 to define a locking channel means 44 therebetween. A locking slide 52 will be vertically movably mounted within the locking channel 44. Each locking slide will include a locking tongue 54 which comprises preferably an upper locking tongue 56 and a lower locking tongue 58. This locking slide 52 is positioned with the upper locking tongue 56 and the lower locking tongue 58 immediately adjacent the upper locking slot 48 and the lower locking slot 50. In this configuration with the upper locking hook member 38 and the lower locking hook member 40 extending through the upper locking slot 48 and the lower locking slot 50 the upper locking tongue 56 can be movable downwardly such that it then extends through and behind the upper locking hook member 38 for securement thereof with respect to the base 18. In a similar manner the lower locking tongue 58 will extend downwardly through the hook opening means 70 defined behind the lower locking hook member 40 and thereby further facilitate locking of the tank retaining means 30 with respect to the base 18 and the emergency vehicle 12. With both of the locking tongues 56 and 58 extending through the upper and lower locking hook members 38 and 40 the locking slide 52 and the generic locking mechanism 34 will be defined to be in the engaged position. Movement to the disengaged position 62 is achieved by moving the locking slide 52 vertically upwardly and thereby removing engagement between the upper locking tongue 56 and the upper locking hook member 38 and removing engagement between the lower locking tongue 58 and the lower locking hook member 40. Movement between the engaged position 60 and the disengaged position 62 is facilitated by the inclusion of a locking handle 64. Locking handle 64 is movable between a downwardmost locking position 66 with the locking slide 52 moved downwardly into the engaged position 60 and the unlocked position 68 with the locking slide 52 moved to the disengaged position 62. Movement of the locking handle 64 is facilitated by the defining of a handle grip section 78 thereon. In the preferred configuration of the locking mechanism the locking housing 42 will define a first handle opening 74 laterally thereon and a second handle opening 76 laterally but oppositely located thereon. These handle openings will provide for ease of movement of the locking handle 64. With this configuration the locking handle 64 will preferably be pivotally secured to the base member 18 at a position external to the locking channel 44. The handle will then extend through the second handle opening 76 into the locking channel 44 and therewithin will be pivotally secured with respect to the locking slide 52. The channel will then extend outwardly through the second handle opening 76 and thereby exit the locking channel 44. The handle grip section 78 will then be defined adjacent the first handle opening 74 at a position on the locking handle 64 external from the locking channel 44. With this configuration, as best shown in FIG. 5, movement of the handle grip section 78 downwardly will cause pivotal movement of the locking handle 64 downwardly and downward movement of the locking slide 52 and the locking tongues 56 and 58 defined thereon. These upper and lower locking tongues 56 and 58 will extend through the upper locking hook member 38 and the lower locking hook member 40 respectively and in this manner firmly secure the tank retaining member 30 and the tank 10 with respect to the base member 18. Subsequent movement upwardly of the handle grip section 78 will cause the upper locking tongue 56 and the lower locking tongue 58 both to move to the disengaged position 68 thereby releasing the upper locking hook member 38 and the lower locking hook member 40 and allowing the actuator means 32 to longitudinally extend and urge movement of the tank retaining member 30 and the tank 10 from the storage position to the servicing position. To prevent undesirable vibrations or racking of the arm assembly 20 which might occur to the use of four individual arm members 22, 24, 26 and 28, it is preferable that a damper member such as a hydraulic damper member 72 be pivotally secured on one end to the base 18 and on the other end to the arm assembly 20. Preferably the hydraulic damper member 72 will be pivotally secured specifically with respect to the second upper arm 28 for damping unwanted movement thereof. The locking slide 52 May include an engagement orifice 80 defined immediately below the upper locking tongue 56 into which the upper locking hook member 38 will extend to facilitate downward movement of the upper locking tongue 56 into engagement with the upper locking hook member 38. This is purely optional and is in the configuration of the locking slide shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 9. While particular embodiments of this invention have been shown in the drawings and described above, it will be apparent, that many changes may be made in the form, arrangement and positioning of the various elements of the combination. In consideration thereof it should be understood that preferred embodiments of this invention disclosed herein are intended to be illustrative only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

A tank handling apparatus which is usable for loading and unloading of a tank such as an oxygen tank with respect to a location of usage such as an emergency vehicle. The handling apparatus is capable of securely locking the tank in place at the storage or usage position while at the same time easily allowing it to be detached therefrom and transferred to a tank service position for removal and replacement or servicing. The apparatus includes a unique locking mechanism including a locking hook construction and a locking housing with a locking slide movably mounted therein wherein a locking handle is secured thereto for movement of the locking slide between the position of engagement and the position of release of the locking hook. Multiple locking hooks and locking slides can be utilized for further secure attachment of the tank in the storage position.

BACKGROUND [0001] Solid-state light emitting devices, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes, have become more common in curing applications such as those using ultra-violet light. Solid-state light emitters have several advantages over traditional mercury arc lamps including that they use less power, are generally safer, and are cooler when they operate. [0002] However, even though they generally operate at cooler temperatures than arc lamps, they do generate heat. Since the light emitters generally use semiconductor technologies, extra heat causes leakage current and other issues that result in degraded output. Management of heat in these devices has become important. [0003] One traditional cooling technique uses a heat sink, which generally consists of thermally conductive materials mounted to the substrates upon which the light emitters reside. Some sort of cooling or thermal transfer system generally interacts with the back side of the heat sink, such as heat dissipating fins, fans, liquid cooling, etc., to draw the heat away from the light emitter substrates. The efficiency of these devices remains lower than desired, and liquid cooling systems can complicate packaging and size restraints. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0004] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a solid-state light fixture having vapor chamber cooling. [0005] FIG. 2 shows a cut view of an LED-based light fixture having vapor chamber cooling. [0006] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a solid-state light fixture having vapor chamber cooling with a liquid-cooled structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS [0007] Several approaches exist for cooling LED and other solid-state light fixtures including air and liquid cooled systems. Air cooled systems typically involve a heat sink, generally a piece of thermally conductive material like aluminum or copper, mounted to the back side of the substrate or substrates of the arrays of light emitting elements. Heat generated by the solid-state or semiconductor light emitting elements transfers through the thermally conductive heat sink out the back side of the module, away from the elements. This process may be assisted by the user of fins on the back side of the heat sink, and air circulation, such as with a fan. [0008] Liquid cooled systems typically involve a liquid enclosed in some sort of vessel that traverses the back side of the array of elements. The liquid receives the heat from the array and moves it to another area where some sort of cooler removes the heat so that when the liquid returns to the back side of the array, it can accept more heat. The cooler may consist of a refrigeration unit through which the liquid moves. The cooler may also consist of air cooling systems, but the overall system relies upon liquid for heat transfer and is therefore considered a liquid cooling system. [0009] While both of these options provide a solution to the problems of cooling solid-state light fixtures, they have problems. Air cooled systems typically do not provide as high a level of cooling as desired. These systems may run a little ‘hot’ reducing the efficiency and effectiveness of the light fixtures. Liquid cooled systems typically have complicated packaging requirements to accommodate both the liquid channels, which must be sealed so as to not damage the electronics, and the cooling system to cool the liquid. [0010] Another viable option involves using a vapor chamber type cooling system in the place of a traditional heat sink. A vapor chamber may take many forms, but a common form includes a chamber ‘inside’ the heat sink. The chamber typically has three regions. A first region is the transportation region in which a liquid resides. A vaporization region may have a wicking material within it to wick the liquid away from the region in which the heat from the arrays transfers. Finally, a condensation region typically resides the furthest away from the heat transfer/transportation region. [0011] As the liquid turns to gas in the transportation region, the vaporization region moves the gas to the condensation region. As the gas cools and returns to liquid form, it moves back through the vaporization region into the transportation region. [0012] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a vapor chamber cooled solid-state light module. The light module 10 has an array 12 of individual light emitting elements formed into an array. The array may reside on one substrate, or may consist of several smaller arrays each on individual substrates, such as 14 and 16 , but the term array used here will encompass both possibilities. The light module may also include control electronics and optics, not shown. [0013] The array 12 mounts to the front face of the heat sink 18 , possibly with a thermal interface material, like thermal grease. The heat sink appears in this view to consist of a traditional heat sink, typically a large block of thermally conductive material such as copper, aluminum, or brass, with cooling structures 20 . In this embodiment, the cooling structures 20 consist of fins for an air cooled heat sink, but may instead consist of liquid cooled or other air cooling features like a fan with or without the fins, typically arranged on the surface of the heat sink opposite the surface upon which the light emitters reside. [0014] If one were to cut the heat sink 18 along the section line A, the resulting view appears in FIG. 2 . As can be seen in FIG. 2 , the heat sink 18 is revealed to include a vapor chamber 22 . The vapor chamber 22 contains the liquid and the three zones mentioned above. The liquid will generally consist of water, although other liquids such as alcohol, ethylene glycol, of a fluorocarbon-based fluid may be used. The liquid should have good wicking properties and not be too viscous. The vapor chamber 22 may also be pressurized to lower the boiling point of the liquid to increase the efficiency of the system. [0015] The vapor chamber appears to be like any other heat sink, except that it may have a slightly greater thickness to accommodate the chamber. This allows for a smaller profile than other liquid cooled systems, but still provides the higher thermal transfer characteristics than a typical air-cooled system. [0016] In typical heat sinks, the fins towards the center of the heat sink end up receiving most of the heat from the light emitters. This limits the amount of heat that the heat sink dissipates because the fins that receive most of the heat have much smaller surface area than the surface area of all of the fins. The fins towards the top and the bottom of the heat sink, as oriented in the drawing, become essentially unused. [0017] By employing a vapor chamber inside the heat sink, these fins become part of the heat dissipation path. The vapor expands and fills the chamber as it moves away from the heat source, so the heat is more evenly distributed against the second surface of the heat sink. This utilizes the fins that were previously unused. Advantages of this include allowing the heat source to run at higher temperatures than previous, since more heat will be dissipated, and the ability to have heat sinks that are much larger than the heat source. One could have a large heat sink with several fins that extend well beyond the size of the heat source. Without the vapor chamber, the extra fins would add no benefit. [0018] In some instances, higher cooling requirements may benefit from use of a water or other liquid cooling approach. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of this approach. The heat sink 18 , with the interior vapor chamber, is mounted to a pipe. The pipe has an inlet pipe portion 34 that circulates cool water or other liquid from a cooler unit, not shown. The cool liquid traverses the backside of the heat sink 18 , removing the heat from the vapor chamber. As mentioned above, this will cause the vapor to return to liquid state and move back towards the surface of the heat sink adjacent to the array of light-emitting elements. The liquid moves away from the heat sink 18 by outlet pipe 32 . Outlet pipe 32 then passes the liquid to the cooling unit, where it is cooled and then re-circulated to the heat sink. The cooling unit may take one of many forms including a fan, a refrigeration unit, etc. [0019] There has been described to this point a particular embodiment for a vapor chamber cooled light module, with the understanding that the examples given above are merely for purposes of discussion and not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments or the following claims to any particular implementation.

A lighting module has an array of light emitters, a heat sink having a first surface, the array of light emitters being mounted to the first surface, a vapor chamber inside the heat sink, the vapor chamber including a liquid and arranged to absorb heat from the first surface until the liquid becomes vapor, and a cooling unit thermally coupled to a second surface of the heat sink opposite the first.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS [0001] This patent application claims priority to Patent Application No. 01000018.0, filed in Europe on Feb. 16, 2001, which is incorporated by reference. This application further claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/274,265 filed Mar. 8, 2001, which is incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a method of lithographic printing wherein a lithographic base is unrolled from a supply roll, wrapped around a cylinder of a printing press, and on-press coated with an image-recording layer, which is then image-wise exposed and processed by supplying single-fluid ink. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Lithographic printing presses use a so-called printing master such as a printing plate which is mounted on a cylinder of the printing press. The master carries a lithographic image on its surface and a print is obtained by applying ink to said image and then transferring the ink from the master onto a receiver material, which is typically paper. In conventional lithographic printing, ink as well as an aqueous fountain solution (also called dampening liquid) are supplied to the lithographic image which consists of oleophilic (or hydrophobic, i.e. ink-accepting, water-repelling) areas as well as hydrophilic (or oleophobic, i.e. water-accepting, ink-repelling) areas. In so-called driographic printing, the lithographic image consists of ink-accepting and ink-abhesive (ink-repelling) areas and during driographic printing, only ink is supplied to the master. [0004] Printing masters are generally obtained by the so-called computer-to-film method wherein various pre-press steps such as typeface selection, scanning, color separation, screening, trapping, layout and imposition are accomplished digitally and each color selection is transferred to graphic arts film using an image-setter. After processing, the film can be used as a mask for the exposure of an imaging material called plate precursor and after plate processing, a printing plate is obtained which can be used as a master. [0005] In recent years the so-called computer-to-plate (CTP) method has gained a lot of interest. This method, also called direct-to-plate method, bypasses the creation of film because the digital document is transferred directly to a plate precursor by means of a so-called plate-setter. A special type of CTP processes involves the exposure of a plate precursor while being mounted on a plate cylinder of a printing press by means of an image-setter that is integrated in the press. This method may be called ‘computer-to-press’ and printing presses with an integrated plate-setter are sometimes called digital presses. A review of digital presses is given in the Proceedings of the Imaging Science & Technology's 1997 International Conference on Digital Printing Technologies (Non-Impact Printing 13). Computer-to-press methods have been described in e.g. EP-A 770 495, EP-A 770 496, WO 94001280, EP-A 580 394 and EP-A 774 364. EP-A 640 478 describes a digital press with an automatic plate-loading system comprising a supply roll and an uptake roll within the plate cylinder. [0006] Typical plate materials used in computer-to-press methods are based on ablation. A problem associated with ablative plates is the generation of debris which is difficult to remove and may disturb the printing process or may contaminate the exposure optics of the integrated image-setter. Other methods require wet processing with chemicals which may damage or contaminate the electronics and optics of the integrated image-setter and other devices of the press. Therefore, lithographic coatings which require no wet processing or may be processed with plain water, ink or fountain is especially desired in computer-to-press methods. WO 90002044, WO 91008108 and EP-A 580 394 disclose such plates, which are, however, all ablative plates having a multi-layer structure which makes them less suitable for on-press coating. U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,048 discloses the processing of an ablation-type material with a single-fluid ink. [0007] A non-ablative plate which can be processed with fountain and ink is described in EP-B 770 494. The latter patent specification discloses a method wherein an imaging material comprising an image-recording layer of a hydrophilic binder, a compound capable of converting light to heat and hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles, is image-wise exposed, thereby converting the exposed areas into a hydrophobic phase that define the printing areas of the printing master. The press run can be started immediately after exposure without any additional treatment because the layer is processed by interaction with the fountain and ink that are supplied to the cylinder during the press run. Therefore, the wet chemical processing of these materials is ‘hidden’ to the user and accomplished during the first runs of the printing press. [0008] A problem associated with the latter method is that the on-press processing is done by the steps of first supplying fountain to the plate and subsequently also ink, which can easily be carried out in printing presses wherein the ink and fountain rollers can be engaged independently from one another. However, it is more difficult to optimize on-press processing by the simultaneous application of fountain and ink, which is the only option in printing presses that are equipped with an integrated ink/fountain supply. [0009] In addition, processing of plate materials by fountain is not possible in a driographic press since only ink is supplied to the plate in such presses. Driographic presses need careful temperature control because there is no cooling effect from an aqueous fountain liquid. [0010] So there is need for a method wherein on-press processing of an imaging material can be achieved without the supply of aqueous fountain liquid. [0011] Whereas a plate precursor normally consists of a sheet-like support and one or more functional coatings, computer-to-press methods have been described, e.g. in GB1546532, wherein a composition, which is capable to form a lithographic surface upon image-wise exposure and optional processing, is provided directly on the surface of a plate cylinder of the press. EP-A 101 266 describes the coating of a hydrophobic layer directly on the hydrophilic surface of a plate cylinder. After removal of the non-printing areas by ablation, a master is obtained. However, ablation should be avoided in computer-to-press methods, as discussed above. U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,287 describes a computer-to-press method wherein a so-called switchable polymer such as tetrahydro-pyranyl methylmethacrylate is applied directly on the surface of a plate cylinder. The switchable polymer is converted from a first water-sensitive property to an opposite water-sensitive property by image-wise exposure. [0012] A problem associated with the known on-press coating methods is that, after printing, the coating needs to be removed from the plate cylinder so that a next cycle of on-press coating, exposure, processing and printing can be started. During the time period necessary for this cleaning step, the printing press is not productive. Press down time should be minimized. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] It is an object of the present invention to provide an on-press coating, on-press exposure, and on-press processing method that is applicable in all lithographic printing presses, also those that contain no fountain supply. It is a further object to minimize the press down time. These objects are realized by the method of claim 1. [0014] It has been found that excellent results can be obtained by using a single-fluid ink for the on-press processing of an imaging material comprising an image-recording layer which is soluble in such a single-fluid ink or can be rendered soluble in the single-fluid ink by the exposure step. Single-fluid ink is generally understood as an emulsion of an ink phase in a polar phase, or vice-versa, an emulsion of a polar phase in an ink phase. Single-fluid ink allows printing with a conventional, wet lithographic printing master without the application of a dampening liquid. The ink phase adsorbs onto the hydrophobic areas of the printing master and the polar phase wets the hydrophilic areas, thereby preventing adsorption of the ink component on the non-printing portions of the lithographic image. [0015] The lithographic coating is not applied on the plate cylinder itself but on a flexible lithographic base which is automatically supplied from a spool and then wrapped around a press cylinder. After on-press coating, on-press exposure, on-press processing and printing, no cleaning step is carried out for removing the coating from the base. Instead, the printing master is removed from the plate cylinder, and a fresh lithographic base can be loaded on the cylinder to start a next cycle of on-press coating, on-press exposure, on-press processing and printing. This cycle can be repeated several times, the exact number being dependent on the length of the web of the lithographic base that is present on the supply spool. Preferably the number of print cycles is larger than 1, more preferably larger than 10 and most preferably larger than 30. Since plate changing and loading is fully automatic, the press down time between print cycles is minimized. [0016] Further objects of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description. Specific features for preferred embodiments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0017] The imaging material used in the present invention comprises a flexible lithographic base and an image-recording layer. [0018] The lithographic base comprises a support in web form which is sufficiently flexible so that it can be wound on a spool. The support has a hydrophilic surface or is provided with a hydrophilic layer. The flexible support may consists of paper, plastic, a thin metal such as aluminum, or a composite or a laminate thereof, e.g. a laminate of plastic and metal. A highly preferred example is a PET film laminated to aluminum which is sufficiently thin to allow winding on a spool. Preferred examples of plastic film are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, polyethylene naphthalate film, cellulose acetate film, polystyrene film, polycarbonate film, etc. The plastic film support may be opaque or transparent. [0019] A particularly preferred lithographic base having a hydrophilic surface is an electrochemically grained and anodized aluminum support. The anodized aluminum support may be treated to improve the hydrophilic properties of its surface. For example, the aluminum support may be silicated by treating its surface with a sodium silicate solution at elevated temperature, e.g. 95° C. Alternatively, a phosphate treatment may be applied which involves treating the aluminum oxide surface with a phosphate solution that may further contain an inorganic fluoride. Further, the aluminum oxide surface may be rinsed with a citric acid or citrate solution. This treatment may be carried out at room temperature or may be carried out at a slightly elevated temperature of about 30 to 50° C. A further interesting treatment involves rinsing the aluminum oxide surface with a bicarbonate solution. Still further, the aluminum oxide surface may be treated with polyvinylphosphonic acid, polyvinylmethylphosphonic acid, phosphoric acid esters of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylsulfonic acid, polyvinylbenzenesulfonic acid, sulfuric acid esters of polyvinyl alcohol, and acetals of polyvinyl alcohols formed by reaction with a sulfonated aliphatic aldehyde It is further evident that one or more of these post treatments may be carried out alone or in combination. More detailed descriptions of these treatments are given in GB-A- 1 084 070, DE-A- 4 423 140, DE-A- 4 417 907, EP-A- 659 909, EP-A- 537 633, DE-A- 4 001 466, EP-A- 292 801, EP-A- 291 760 and U.S. Pat. 4 458 005. [0020] A support which has no hydrophilic surface may be provided with a hydrophilic layer, called base layer. The base layer is preferably a cross-linked hydrophilic layer obtained from a hydrophilic binder cross-linked with a hardening agent such as formaldehyde, glyoxal, polyisocyanate or a hydrolyzed tetra-alkylorthosilicate. The latter is particularly preferred. The thickness of the hydrophilic base layer may vary in the range of 0.2 to 25 μm and is preferably 1 to 10 μm. [0021] The hydrophilic binder for use in the base layer is e.g. a hydrophilic (co)polymer such as homopolymers and copolymers of vinyl alcohol, acrylamide, methylol acrylamide, methylol methacrylamide, acrylate acid, methacrylate acid, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate or maleic anhydride/vinylmethylether copolymers. The hydrophilicity of the (co)polymer or (co)polymer mixture used is preferably the same as or higher than the hydrophilicity of polyvinyl acetate hydrolyzed to at least an extent of 60% by weight, preferably 80% by weight. [0022] The amount of hardening agent, in particular tetraalkyl orthosilicate, is preferably at least 0.2 parts per part by weight of hydrophilic binder, more preferably between 0.5 and 5 parts by weight, most preferably between 1 parts and 3 parts by weight. [0023] The hydrophilic base layer may also contain substances that increase the mechanical strength and the porosity of the layer. For this purpose colloidal silica may be used. The colloidal silica employed may be in the form of any commercially available water dispersion of colloidal silica for example having an average particle size up to 40 nm, e.g. 20 nm. In addition inert particles of larger size than the colloidal silica may be added e.g. silica prepared according to Stober as described in J. Colloid and Interface Sci., Vol. 26, 1968, pages 62 to 69 or alumina particles or particles having an average diameter of at least 100 nm which are particles of titanium dioxide or other heavy metal oxides. By incorporating these particles the surface of the hydrophilic base layer is given a uniform rough texture consisting of microscopic hills and valleys, which serve as storage places for water in background areas. [0024] Particular examples of suitable hydrophilic base layers for use in accordance with the present invention are disclosed in EP-A- 601 240, GB-P- 1 419 512, FR-P- 2 300 354, U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,660, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,705. [0025] It is particularly preferred to use a film support to which an adhesion improving layer, also called subbing layer, has been provided. Particularly suitable adhesion improving layers for use in accordance with the present invention comprise a hydrophilic binder and colloidal silica as disclosed in EP-A- 619 524, EP-A- 620 502 and EP-A- 619 525. Preferably, the amount of silica in the adhesion improving layer is between 200 mg/m 2 and 750 mg/m 2 . Further, the ratio of silica to hydrophilic binder is preferably more than 1 and the surface area of the colloidal silica is preferably at least 300 m 2 /gram, more preferably at least 500 m 2 /gram. [0026] The imaging material comprises at least one image-recording layer provided on the lithographic base. Preferably, only a single layer is provided on the base. The material may be light- or heat-sensitive, the latter being preferred because of daylight-stability. The image-recording layer of the material used in the present invention is preferably non-ablative. The term “non-ablative” shall be understood as meaning that the image-recording layer is not substantially removed during the exposure step. The material can be positive-working, i.e. the exposed areas of the image-recording layer are rendered removable with the single-fluid ink, thereby revealing the hydrophilic surface of the lithographic base which defines the non-printing areas of the master, whereas the non-exposed areas are not removable with the single-fluid ink and define the hydrophobic, printing areas of the master. In a more preferred embodiment, the material is negative-working, i.e. the unexposed areas of the image-recording layer are removable with the single-fluid ink, thereby revealing the hydrophilic surface of the lithographic base which defines the non-printing areas of the master, whereas the exposed areas are not removable with the single-fluid ink and define the hydrophobic, printing areas of the master. The term removable indicates that the image-recording layer can be removed from the lithographic base by the supply of single-fluid ink, e.g. by dissolution of the layer in the single-fluid ink or by the formation of a dispersion or emulsion of the layer in the single-fluid ink. [0027] In a preferred embodiment, the imaging material is negative-working and comprises an image-recording layer that is removable with the single-fluid ink before exposure and is rendered less removable upon exposure. Two highly preferred embodiments of such a negative-working image-recording layer will now be discussed. [0028] In a first highly preferred embodiment, the working mechanism of the imaging layer relies on the heat-induced coalescence of hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles, preferably dispersed in a hydrophilic binder, as described in e.g. EP 770 494; EP 770 495; EP 770 497; EP 773 112; EP 774 364; and EP 849 090. The coalesced polymer particles define a hydrophobic, printing area that is not readily removable with the single-fluid ink whereas the unexposed layer defines a non-printing area that is readily removable with the single-fluid ink. The thermal coalescence can be induced by direct exposure to heat, e.g. by means of a thermal head, or by the light absorption of one or more compounds that are capable of converting light, more preferably infrared light, into heat. Particularly useful light-to-heat converting compounds are for example dyes, pigments, carbon black, metal carbides, borides, nitrides, carbonitrides, bronze-structured oxides, and conductive polymer dispersions such as polypyrrole, polyaniline or polythiophene-based conductive polymer dispersions. Infrared dyes and carbon black are highly preferred. [0029] The hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles preferably have a coagulation temperature above 35° C. and more preferably above 50° C. Coagulation may result from softening or melting of the thermoplastic polymer particles under the influence of heat. There is no specific upper limit to the coagulation temperature of the thermoplastic hydrophobic polymer particles, however the temperature should be sufficiently below the decomposition of the polymer particles. Preferably, the coagulation temperature is at least 10° C. below the temperature at which the decomposition of the polymer particles occurs. Specific examples of hydrophobic polymer particles are e.g. polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polymethyl (meth)acrylate, polyethyl (meth)acrylate, polyvinylidene chloride, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl carbazole, polystyrene or copolymers thereof. Most preferably used is polystyrene. The weight average molecular weight of the polymers may range from 5,000 to 1,000,000 g/mol. The hydrophobic particles may have a particle size from 0.01 μm to 50 μm, more preferably between 0.05 μm and 10 μm and most preferably between 0.05 μm and 2 μm. The amount of hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles contained in the image forming layer is preferably between 20% by weight and 65% by weight and more preferably between 25% by weight and 55% by weight and most preferably between 30% by weight and 45% by weight. [0030] Suitable hydrophilic binders are for example synthetic homo- or copolymers such as a polyvinylalcohol, a poly(meth)acrylic acid, a poly(meth)acrylamide, a polyhydroxyethyl(meth)acrylate, a polyvinylmethylether or natural binders such as gelatin, a polysacharide such as e.g. dextran, pullulan, cellulose, arabic gum, alginic acid. [0031] In the second highly preferred embodiment, the imaging layer comprises an aryldiazosulfonate homo- or copolymer that is hydrophilic and soluble in the single-fluid ink before exposure and rendered hydrophobic and less soluble after such exposure. The exposure can be done by the same means as discussed above in connection with thermal coalescence of polymer particles. Alternatively, the aryldiazosulfonate polymer can also be switched by exposure to UV light, e.g. by a UV laser or a UV lamp. [0032] Preferred examples of such aryldiazosulfonate polymers are the compounds which can be prepared by homo- or copolymerization of aryldiazosulfonate monomers with other aryldiazosulfonate monomers and/or with vinyl monomers such as (meth)acrylic acid or esters thereof, (meth)acrylamide, acrylonitile, vinylacetate, vinylchloride, vinylidene chloride, styrene, α-methyl styrene etc. Suitable aryldiazosulfonate polymers for use in the present invention have the following formula: [0033] wherein R 0,1,2 each independently represent hydrogen, an alkyl group, a nitrile or a halogen, e.g. Cl, L represents a divalent linking group, n represents 0 or 1, A represents an aryl group and M represents a cation. L preferably represents divalent linking group selected from the group consisting of —X t —CONR 3 —, —X t —COO—, —X— and —X t —CO—, wherein t represents 0 or 1, R 3 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group or an aryl group, X represents an alkylene group, an arylene group, an alkylenoxy group, an arylenoxy group, an alkylenethio group, an arylenethio group, an alkylenamino group, an arylenamino group, oxygen, sulfur or an aminogroup. A preferably represents an unsubstituted aryl group, e.g. an unsubstituted phenyl group or an aryl group, e.g. phenyl, substituted with one or more alkyl group, aryl group, alkoxy group, aryloxy group or amino group. M preferably represents a cation such as NH 4 + or a metal ion such as a cation of Al, Cu, Zn, an alkaline earth metal or alkali metal. [0034] Suitable aryldiazosulfonate monomers for preparing the above polymers are disclosed in EP-A 339393, EP-A 507008 and EP-A 771645. Specific examples are: [0035] The imaging material may also comprise other layers, in addition to the image-recording layer. Such other layers are preferably provided on the lithographic base which is stored on the supply spool, so that only the image-recording layer is coated on-press. A preferred example is a light absorbing layer which contains a light absorbing compound, e.g. a compound which converts light into heat. The image-recording layer, which comprises e.g. the hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles or the aryldiazosulfonate polymer described above, is applied on top of that light absorbing layer during the on-press coating step. [0036] Single-fluid inks which are suitable for use in the method of the present invention have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,045,232, 4,981,517 and 6,140,392. Single-fluid ink is generally understood as an emulsion of an ink phase in a polar phase, or vice-versa, an emulsion of a polar phase in an ink phase. The ink phase is also called the hydrophobic or oleophilic phase. The polar phase preferably comprises at least 50%, more preferably at least 70% and even more preferably at least 90% of a non-aqueous, polar liquid. In a most preferred embodiment, the polar phase consists of an organic, polar liquid and comprises essentially no water. The polar liquid is preferably a polyol. A highly preferred single-fluid ink has been described in WO 00/32705, of which the relevant content is reproduced hereinafter. [0037] The hydrophobic phase preferably comprises a vinyl resin having carboxyl functionality. The term “vinyl resin” includes polymers prepared by chain reaction polymerization, or addition polymerization, through carbon-carbon double bonds, using vinyl monomers and monomers copolymerizable with vinyl monomers. Typical vinyl monomers include, without limitation, vinyl esters, acrylic and methacrylic monomers, and vinyl aromatic monomers including styrene. The vinyl polymers may be branched by including in the polymerization reaction monomers that have two reaction sites. When the vinyl polymer is branched, it nonetheless remains usefully soluble. By “soluble” it is meant that the polymer can be diluted with one or more solvents. (By contrast, polymers may be crosslinked into insoluble, three-dimensional network structures that are only be swelled by solvents.) The branched vinyl resins retain solvent dilutability in spite of significant branching. [0038] The carboxyl-functional vinyl polymers may be prepared by polymerization of a monomer mixture that includes at least one acid-functional monomer or at least one monomer that has a group that is converted to an acid group following polymerization, such as an anhydride group. Examples of acid-functional or anhydride-functional monomers include, without limitation, α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acids containing 3 to 5 carbon atoms such as acrylic, methacrylic, and crotonic acids; α,β-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acids containing 4 to 6 carbon atoms and the anhydrides and monoesters those acids, such as maleic anhydride, and fumaric acid; and acid-functional derivatives of copolymerizable monomers, such as the hydroxylethyl acrylate half-ester of succinic acid. [0039] It is preferred to include an acid-functional monomer such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, or crotonic acid, or an anhydride monomer such as maleic anhydride or itaconic anhydride that may be hydrated after polymerization to generate acid groups. It is preferred for the acid-functional vinyl polymer to have an acid number of at least about 3 mg KOH per gram nonvolatile, preferably an acid number of from about 6 to about 30 mg KOH per gram nonvolatile, and more preferably an acid number of from about 8 to about 25 mg KOH per gram nonvolatile, based upon the nonvolatile weight of the vinyl polymer. [0040] In a preferred embodiment, the acid-functional polymers are significantly branched. The inks used in the present invention preferably include a vinyl polymer that is branched but usefully soluble. The branched vinyl polymers may be diluted, rather than swollen, by addition of solvent. The branching may be accomplished by at least two methods. In a first method, a monomer with two or more polymerizable double bonds is included in the polymerization reaction. In a second method, a pair of ethylenically unsaturated monomers, each of which has in addition to the polymerizable double bond at least one additional functionality reactive with the additional functionality on the other monomer, are included in the monomer mixture being polymerized. Preferably, the reaction of the additional functional groups takes place during the polymerization reaction, although this is not seen as critical and the reaction of the additional functional groups may be carried out partially or wholly before or after polymerization. A variety of such pairs of mutually reactive groups are possible. Illustrative examples of such pairs of reactive groups include, without limitation, epoxide and carboxyl groups, amine and carboxyl groups, epoxide and amine groups, epoxide and anhydride groups, amine and anhydride groups, hydroxyl and carboxyl or anhydride groups, amine and acid chloride groups, alkylene-imine and carboxyl groups, organoalkoxysilane and carboxyl groups, isocyanate and hydroxyl groups, cyclic carbonate and amine groups, isocyanate and amine groups, and so on. When carboxyl or anhydride groups are included as one of the reactive groups, they are used in a sufficient excess to provide the required carboxyl functionality in the vinyl resin. Specific examples of such monomers include, without limitation, glycidyl (meth)acrylate with (meth)acrylic acid, N-alkoxymethylated acrylamides (which react with themselves) such as N-isobutoxymethylated acrylamide, gamma-methacryloxytrialkoxysilane (which reacts with itself), and combinations thereof. [0041] Preferably, the vinyl resin is polymerized using at least one monomer having two or more polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated bonds, and particularly preferably from two to about four polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated bonds. Illustrative examples of monomers having two or more ethylenically unsaturated moieties include, without limitation, (meth)acrylate esters of polyols such as 1,4-butanediol di(meth)acrylate, 1.6-hexanediol di(meth)acrylate, neopentyl glycol di(meth)acrylate, trimethylol propane tri(meth)acrylate, tetramethylol methane tetra(meth)acrylate, pentaerythritol tetra(meth)acrylate, dipentaerythritol penta(meth)acrylate, dipentaerythritol hexa(meth)acrylate, alkylene glycol di(meth)acrylates and polyalkylene glycol di(meth)acrylates, such as ethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, butylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, diethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, triethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, and polyethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate; divinylbenzene, allyl methacrylate, diallyl phthalate, diallyl terephthalate, and the like, singly or in combinations of two or more. Of these, divinylbenzene, butylene glycol dimethacrylate, butanediol dimethacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, and pentaerythritol tetra-acrylate are highly preferred, and divinylbenzene is still more highly preferred. [0042] Preferably, the branched vinyl polymer is polymerized using at least about 0.008 equivalents per 100 grams of monomer polymerized of at least one monomer having at least two ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable bonds, or 0.004 equivalents per 100 grams of monomer polymerized of each of two monomers having mutually reactive groups in addition to an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable bond. Preferably, the branched vinyl polymer is polymerized using from about 0.012 to about 0.08 equivalents, and more preferably from about 0.016 to about 0.064 equivalents per 100 grams of monomer polymerized of the polyfunctional monomer or monomers having at least two ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable bonds or of the pair of monomers having one polymerization bond and one additional mutually reactive group. [0043] The polyfunctional monomer or monomers preferably have from two to four ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable bonds, and more preferably two ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable bonds. In one embodiment it is preferred for the branched vinyl resin to be prepared by polymerizing a mixture of monomers that includes from about 0.5% to about 6%, more preferably from about 1.2% to about 6%, yet more preferably from about 1.2% to about 4%, and even more preferably from about 1.5% to about 3.25% divinylbenzene based on the total weight of the monomers polymerized. (Commercial grades of divinylbenzene include mono-functional and/or non-functional material. The amount of the commercial material needed to provide the indicated percentages must be calculated. For example, 5% by weight of a material that is 80% by weight divinylbenzene/20% mono-functional monomers would provide 4% by weight of the divinylbenzene fraction). [0044] The optimum amount of (1) divinylbenzene or other monomer having at least two polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated bond or (2) pair of monomers having polymerizable group and additional, mutually-reactive groups that are included in the polymerization mixture depends to some extent upon the particular reaction conditions, such as the rate of addition of monomers during polymerization, the solvency of the polymer being formed in the reaction medium chosen, the amount of monomers relative to the reaction medium, the half-life of the initiator chosen at the reaction temperature and the amount of initiator by weight of the monomers, and may be determined by straightforward testing. [0045] Other monomers that may be polymerized along with the polyfunctional monomers and the acid-functional monomers (or monomers with groups that can later be converted to acid groups) include, without limitation, esters of α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acids containing 3 to 5 carbon atoms such as esters of acrylic, methacrylic, and crotonic acids; α,β-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acids containing 4 to 6 carbon atoms and the anhydrides, monoesters, and diesters of those acids; vinyl esters, vinyl ethers, vinyl ketones, and aromatic or heterocyclic aliphatic vinyl compounds. Representative examples of suitable esters of acrylic, methacrylic, and crotonic acids include, without limitation, those esters from reaction with saturated aliphatic and cycloaliphatic alcohols containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, 2-ethylhexyl, lauryl, stearyl, cyclohexyl, trimethylcyclohexyl, tetrahydrofurfuryl, stearyl, sulfoethyl, and isobomyl acrylates, methacrylates, and crotonates; and polyalkylene glycol acrylates and methacrylates. Representative examples of other ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable monomers include, without limitation, such compounds as fumaric, maleic, and itaconic anhydrides, monoesters, and diesters with alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol, isobutanol, and tert-butanol. Representative examples of polymerization vinyl monomers include, without limitation, such compounds as vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, vinyl ethers such as vinyl ethyl ether, vinyl and vinylidene halides, and vinyl ethyl ketone. Representative examples of aromatic or heterocyclic aliphatic vinyl compounds include, without limitation, such compounds as styrene, α-methyl styrene, vinyl toluene, tert-butyl styrene, and 2-vinyl pyrrolidone. The selection of monomers is made on the basis of various factors commonly considered in making ink varnishes, including the desired glass transition temperature and the desired dilutability of the resulting polymer in the solvent or solvent system of the ink composition. [0046] The preferred vinyl polymers may be prepared by using conventional techniques, preferably free radical polymerization in a semi-batch process. For instance, the monomers, initiator(s), and any chain transfer agent may be fed at a controlled rate into a suitable heated reactor charged with solvent in a semi-batch process. Typical free radical sources are organic peroxides, including dialkyl peroxides, such as di-tert-butyl peroxide and dicumyl peroxide, peroxyesters, such as tert-butyl peroxy 2-ethylhexanoate and tert-butyl peroxy pivalate; peroxy carbonates and peroxydicarbonates, such as tert-butyl peroxy isopropyl carbonate, di-2-ethylhexyl peroxydicarbonate and dicyclohexyl peroxydicarbonate; diacyl peroxides, such as dibenzoyl peroxide and dilauroyl peroxide; hydroperoxides, such as cumene hydroperoxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide; ketone peroxides, such as cyclohexanone peroxide and methylisobutyl ketone peroxide; and peroxyketals, such as 1,1-bis(tert-butyl peroxy)-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexane and 1,1-bis(ter-t-butyl peroxy)cyclohexane; as well as azo compounds such as 2,2′-azobis(2-methylbutanenitrile), 2,2′-azobis(2-methyl)propionitrile, and 1,1′-azobis(cyclohexanecarbonitrile). Organic peroxides are preferred. Particularly preferred is tert-butyl peroxy isopropyl carbonate. Chain transfer agents may also be used in the polymerization. Typical chain transfer agents are mercaptans such as octyl mercaptan, n- or tert-dodecyl mercaptan, thiosalicylic acid, mercaptocarboxylic acids such as mercaptoacetic acid and mercaptopropionic acid and their esters, and mercaptoethanol; halogenated compounds; and dimeric α-methyl styrene. Preferably, no chain transfer agent is included because of odor and other known drawbacks. The particular initiator and amount of initiator used depends upon factors known to the person skilled in the art, such as the reaction temperature, the amount and type of solvent (in the case of a solution polymerization), the half-life of the initiator, and so on. [0047] The addition polymerization is usually carried out in solution at temperatures from about 20° C. to about 300 ° C, preferably from about 150° C. to about 200° C., more preferably from about 160° C. to about 165° C. Preferably, the polymerization is carried out with approximately the same reaction temperature and using the same initiator(s) throughout. The initiator should be chosen so its half-life at the reaction temperature is preferably no more than about thirty minutes, particularly preferably no more than about five minutes, and yet more preferably no more than about two minutes. Particularly preferred are initiators having a half-life of less than about one minute at a temperature of from about 150° C. to about 200° C. In general, more of the branching monomer can be included when the initiator half-life is shorter and/or when more initiator is used. The vinyl polymer vehicles used in the ink preferably have little or no residual (unreacted) monomer content. In particular, the vinyl vehicles are preferably substantially free of residual monomer, i.e., have less than about 0.5% residual monomer, and even more preferably less than about 0.1% residual monomer by weight, based on the total weight of the monomers being polymerized. [0048] In a semi-batch process, the monomer and initiator is added to the polymerization reactor over a period of time, preferably at a constant rate. Typically, the add times are from about 1 to about 10 hours, and add times of from about three to about five hours are common. Longer add times typically produce lower number average molecular weights. Lower number average molecular weights may also be produced by increasing the ratio of solvent to monomer or by using a stronger solvent for the resulting polymer. [0049] In general, the branched vinyl polymer used in the ink has a low number average molecular weight and a broad polydispersity. The number average molecular weight and weight average molecular weight of a vinyl resin used in the ink can be determined by gel permeation chromatography using polystyrene standards, which are available for up to 6 million weight average molecular weight, according to well-accepted methods. Polydispersity is defined as the ratio of M w /M n . In a preferred embodiment, the vinyl polymer has a number average molecular weight (M n ) of at least about 1000, and more preferably at least about 2000. The number average molecular weight is also preferably less than about 15,000, more preferably less than about 10,000, and even more preferably less than about 8500. A preferred range for M n is from about 1000 to about 10,000, a more preferred range for M n is from about 2000 to about 8500, and an even more preferred range is from about 4000 to about 8000. The weight average molecular weight should be at least about 30,000, preferably at least about 100,000. The weight average molecular weight (M w ) is preferably up to about 60 million, based upon a GPC determination using an available standard having 6 million weight average molecular weight. A preferred range for M w is from about 30,000 to about 55 million, a more preferred range for M w is from about 100,000 to about 1 million, and a still more preferred range is from about 100,000 to about 300,000. Resins having ultra-high molecular weight shoulders (above about 45 million), which can be seen by GPC, are preferably avoided for the M w range of from about 100,000 to about 300,000. The polydispersity, or ratio of M w /M n , may be up to about 10,000, preferably up to about 1000. The polydispersity is preferably at least about 15, particularly preferably at least about 50. The polydispersity preferably falls in the range of from about 15 to about 1000, and more preferably it falls in a range of from about 50 to about 800. [0050] The theoretical glass transition temperature can be adjusted according to methods well-known in the art through selection and apportionment of the commoners. In a preferred embodiment, the theoretical T g is above room temperature, and preferably the theoretical T g is at least about 60° C., more preferably at least about 70° C. The methods and compositions of the present invention preferably employ vinyl polymers having a T g of from about 50° C. to about 125° C., more preferably from about 60° C. to about 100° C., and even more preferably from about 70° C. to about 90° C. [0051] In one embodiment of the single-fluid ink, the acid-functional vinyl polymer, which may be a branched vinyl polymer, is combined with other resins in the ink composition. Examples of suitable other resins that may be combined with the acid-functional vinyl polymer include, without limitation, polyester and alkyd resins, phenolic resins, rosins, cellulosics, and derivatives of these such as rosin-modified phenolics, phenolic-modified rosins, hydrocarbon-modified rosins, maleic modified rosin, fumaric modified rosins; hydrocarbon resins, other acrylic or vinyl resins, polyamide resins, and so on. Such resins or polymers may be included in amounts of up to about 6 parts by weight to about 1 part by weight of the acid-functional vinyl polymer, based upon the nonvolatile weights of the resins. [0052] In addition to the acid-functional vinyl resin and any optional second resin, the ink compositions preferably include one or more solvents. In a preferred embodiment of the single-fluid ink, the branched vinyl resin forms a solution or apparent solution having no apparent turbidity in the solvent or solvents of the ink formulation. The particular solvents and amount of solvent included is determined by the ink viscosity, body, and tack desired. In general, non-oxygenated solvents or solvents with low Kauri-butanol (KB) values are used for inks that will be in contact with rubber parts such as rubber rollers during the lithographic process, to avoid affecting the rubber. Suitable solvents for inks that will contact rubber parts include, without limitation, aliphatic hydrocarbons such as petroleum distillate fractions and normal and iso paraffinic solvents with limited aromatic character. For example, petroleum middle distillate fractions such as those available under the tradename Magie Sol, available from Magie Bros. Oil Company, a subsidiary of Pennsylvania Refining Company, Franklin Park, Ill., under the tradename ExxPrint, available from Exxon Chemical Co., Houston, Tex., and from Golden Bear Oil Specialties, Oildale, Calif., Total Petroleum Inc., Denver, Colo., and Calumet Lubricants Co., Indianapolis, Ind. may be used. In addition or alternatively, soybean oil or other vegetable oils may be included. [0053] When non-oxygenated solvents such as these are used, it is generally necessary to include a sufficient amount of at least one monomer having a substantial affinity for aliphatic solvents in order to obtain the desired solvency of the preferred branched vinyl polymer. In general, acrylic ester monomers having at least six carbons in the alcohol portion of the ester or styrene or alkylated styrene, such as tert-butyl styrene, may be included in the polymerized monomers for this purpose. In a preferred embodiment, an ink composition with non-oxygenated solvents includes a branched vinyl resin polymerized from a monomer mixture including at least about 20%, preferably from about 20% to about 40%, and more preferably from about 20% to about 25% of a monomer that promotes aliphatic solubility such as stearyl methacrylate or t-butyl styrene, with stearyl methacrylate being a preferred such monomer. It is also preferred to include at least about 55% percent styrene, preferably from about 55% to about 80% styrene, and more preferably from about 60% to about 70% styrene. Methyl methacrylate or other monomers may also be used to reduce solvent tolerance in aliphatic solvent, if desired. All percentages are by weight, based upon the total weight of the monomer mixture polymerized. Among preferred monomer compositions for vinyl polymers for lithographic inks are those including a (meth)acrylic ester of an alcohol having 8-20 carbon atoms such as stearyl methacrylate, styrene, divinylbenzene, and (meth)acrylic acid. In a preferred embodiment, a branched vinyl for a lithographic printing ink is made with from about 15, preferably about 20, to about 30, preferably about 25, weight percent of a (meth)acrylic ester of an alcohol having 8-20 carbon atoms, especially stearyl methacrylate; from about 50, preferably about 60, to about 80, preferably about 75, weight percent of a styrenic monomer, especially styrene itself, an amount of divinylbenzene as indicated above; and from about 0.5, preferably about 2.5, to about 5, preferably about 4, weight percent of acrylic acid or, more preferably, of methacrylic acid. [0054] Preferably, the solvent or solvent mixture will have a boiling point of at least about 100° C. and preferably not more than about 550° C. Offset printing inks may use solvents with boiling point above about 200° C. News inks usually are formulated with from about 20 to about 85 percent by weight of solvents such as mineral oils, vegetable oils, and high boiling petroleum distillates. The amount of solvent also varies according to the type of ink composition (that is, whether the ink is for newsprint, heatset, sheetfed, etc.), the specific solvents used, and other factors known in the art. Typically the solvent content for lithographic inks is up to about 60%, which may include oils as part of the solvent package. Usually, at least about 35% solvent is present in lithographic ink. When used to formulate the preferred single-fluid ink compositions, these varnishes or vehicles, including the branched vinyl resins, are typically clear, apparent solutions. [0055] The ink compositions will usually include one or more pigments. The number and kinds of pigments will depend upon the kind of ink being formulated. News ink compositions typically will include only one or only a few pigments, such as carbon black, while gravure inks may include a more complicated pigment package and may be formulated in many colors, including colors with special effects such as pearlescence or metallic effect. Lithographic printing inks are typically used in four colors—magenta, yellow, black, and cyan, and may be formulated for pearlescence or metallic effect. Any of the customary inorganic and organic pigments may be used in the ink compositions of the present invention. Alternatively, the compositions may be used as overprint lacquers or varnishes. The overprint lacquers (air drying) or varnishes (curing) are intended to be clear or transparent and thus opaque pigments are not included. [0056] Lithographic ink compositions used in the invention are preferably formulated as single-fluid inks having an oil-based continuous phase that contains the acid-functional vinyl vehicle and a polyol discontinuous phase that contains a liquid polyol. The vinyl polymer phase is relatively stable toward the polyol phase. The stability is such that the two phases do not separate in the fountain. During application of the ink, however, the emulsion breaks and the polyol comes to the surface, wetting out the areas of the plate that are not to receive ink. Inks that are stable in the fountain but break quickly to separate on the plate print cleanly without toning and provide consistent transfer characteristics. Proper stability also may depend upon the particular acid-functional vinyl polymer and the particular polyol chosen. The acid number and molecular weight may be adjusted to provide the desired stability. [0057] Higher acid number vinyl resins can be used in lower amounts, but the acid number cannot be excessively high or else the vinyl polymer will not be sufficiently soluble in the hydrocarbon solvent. In general, it is believed that an increase in acid number of the acid-functional vinyl resin should be accompanied by a decrease in the amount of such resin included in the hydrophobic phase. [0058] Polyethylene glycol oligomers such as diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and tetraethylene glycol, as well as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and dipropylene glycol, are examples of liquid polyols that are preferred for the polyol phase of the single-fluid ink used in the invention. The polyol phase may, of course, include mixtures of different liquid polyols. In general, lower acid number vinyl or acrylic polymers are used with higher molecular weight polyols. The polyol phase may include further materials. A weak acid such as citric acid, tartaric acid, or tannic acid, or a weak base such as triethanolamine, may be included in an amount of from about 0.01 weight percent up to about 2 weight percent of the ink composition. Certain salts such as magnesium nitrate may be included in amounts of from about 0.01 weight percent to about 0.5 weight percent, preferably from about 0.08 to about 1.5 weight percent, based on the weight of the ink composition, to help protect the plate and extend the life of the plate. A wetting agent, such as polyvinylpyrolidone, may be added to aid in wetting of the plate. From about 0.5 weight percent to about 1.5 weight percent of the polyvinylpyrollidone is included, based on the weight of the ink composition. [0059] Single-fluid inks may be formulated with from about 5% to about 50%, preferably from about 10% to about 35%, and particularly preferably from about 20% to about 30% of polyol phase by weight based on the total weight of the ink composition. Unless another means for cooling is provided, there is preferably a sufficient amount of polyol in the ink composition to keep the plate at a workably cool temperature. The amount of polyol phase necessary to achieve good toning and printing results depends upon the kind of plate being used and may be determined by straightforward testing. Up to about 4 or 5% by weight of water may be included in the polyol phase mixture to aid in dissolving or homogenizing the ingredients of the polyol phase. [0060] It will be appreciated by the skilled artisan that other additives known in the art that may be included in the ink compositions used in the invention, so long as such additives do not significantly detract from the benefits of the present invention. Illustrative examples of these include, without limitation, pour point depressants, surfactants, wetting agents, waxes, emulsifying agents and dispersing agents, defoamers, antioxidants, UV absorbers, dryers (e.g., for formulations containing vegetable oils), flow agents and other rheology modifiers, gloss enhancers, and anti-settling agents. When included, additives are typically included in amounts of at least about 0.001% of the ink composition, and may be included in amount of about 7% by weight or more of the ink composition. [0061] The lithographic base is automatically supplied to a cylinder of a printing press by unwinding the base from a supply spool or from a supply roll, i.e. a web of lithographic base rolled on said supply spool. The unwound lithographic base is wrapped around a press cylinder, which is preferably the plate cylinder that holds the printing master during printing. The supply roll is preferably located within the plate cylinder as described in EP-A 640 478. Alternatively, the supply roll can also be located outside the cylinder and then, the unwound lithographic base is wrapped around the cylinder and preferably automatically cut from the web on the supply roll. After printing, the used material is preferably wound on an uptake roll or spool, which preferably is also integrated in the cylinder. Technical details of a preferred embodiment of such an integrated supply and an uptake roll as well as of the associated driving mechanism and tension control mechanism can be found in EP-A 640 478. [0062] The image-recording layer can be applied by heat- or friction-induced transfer from a donor material as described in EP 1 048 458, or by powder coating, e.g. as described in EP-A 974 455 and EP-A 99203682, filed on Nov. 3, 1999, or by coating a liquid solution according to any known coating method, e.g. spin-coating, dip coating, rod coating, blade coating, air knife coating, gravure coating, reverse roll coating, extrusion coating, slide coating and curtain coating. An overview of these coating techniques can be found in the book “Modem Coating and Drying Technology”, Edward Cohen and Edgar B. Gutoff Editors, VCH publishers, Inc, New York, N.Y., 1992. It is also possible to apply the coating solution to the substrate by printing techniques, e.g. ink-jet printing, gravure printing, flexo printing, or offset printing. Jetting as described in EP-A 00202700, filed on Jul. 31, 2000, is highly preferred. [0063] According to another highly preferred embodiment, a coating solution is sprayed on the substrate by means of a head comprising a spray nozzle. Preferred values of the spraying parameters have been defined in EP-A 99203064 and EP-A 99203065, both filed on Sep. 15, 1999. In a preferred configuration, the spray head translates along the lithographic base in the axial direction while the press cylinder is rotating in the angular direction. [0064] Coating by spraying or jetting are the preferred techniques for applying an image-recording layer which comprises thermoplastic polymer particles or an aryldiazosulphonate polymer, as described above. [0065] The imaging material used in the present invention is exposed on-press to heat or to light, i.e. while the material is mounted on a press cylinder, preferably the plate cylinder which holds the printing master during printing. Exposure can be done by e.g. a thermal head, LEDs or a laser head. Preferably, one or more lasers such as a He/Ne laser, an Ar lasers or a violet laser diode are used. Most preferably, the light used for the exposure is not visible light so that daylight-stable materials can be used, e.g. UV (laser) light or a laser emitting near infrared light having a wavelength in the range from about 700 to about 1500 nm is used, e.g. a semiconductor laser diode, a Nd:YAG or a Nd:YLF laser. The required laser power depends on the sensitivity of the image-recording layer, the pixel dwell time of the laser beam, which is determined by the spot diameter (typical value of modern plate-setters at 1/e 2 of maximum intensity: 10-25 μm), the scan speed and the resolution of the exposure apparatus (i.e. the number of addressable pixels per unit of linear distance, often expressed in dots per inch or dpi; typical value: 1000-4000 dpi). More technical details of on-press exposure apparatuses are described in e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,174,205 and 5,163,368. [0066] After exposure, the image-recording layer is processed by supplying single-fluid ink, preferably by means of the inking rollers of the press that supply ink to the plate cylinder. Preferably, the same single-fluid ink is used for the processing step and the subsequent printing step. In that embodiment, the steps of processing and printing are part of the same operation: after exposure, the printing process is started by feeding single-fluid ink to the material; after the first few revolutions of the print cylinder (typically less than 20, more preferably less than 10), the imaging layer is completely processed and subsequently, high-quality printed copies are obtained throughout the press run. As explained above, the areas of the image-recording layer, which are soluble in the single-fluid ink or which have been rendered soluble in the single-fluid ink by the exposure step, are removed during the processing step. Preferably, the removed components are transferred to the print paper. [0067] The processing of the imaging material with single-fluid ink can be preceded by an optional step wherein the image-recording layer is first moistened or allowed to swell by the supply of water or an aqueous liquid, without thereby substantially removing the image-recording layer. [0068] The following examples further illustrate the invention but, of course, should not be construed as in any way limiting its scope. EXAMPLE 1 [0069] 1. Preparation of a Vinyl Varnish [0070] An amount of 44.19 parts by weight of Ketrul 220 (a petroleum middle distillate fraction available from Total Petroleum, Inc.) is charged to a glass reactor equipped with stirrer, nitrogen inlet, total reflux condenser, and monomer inlet. The solvent is heated to 160° C. with stirring under a blanket of nitrogen. A monomer mixture of 36.01 parts by weight styrene, 12.27 parts by weight stearyl methacrylate, 2.62 parts by weight divinylbenzene, 1.89 parts by weight methacrylic acid, and 2.79 parts by weight t-butyl peroxy isopropyl carbonate (75% solution in mineral spirits) is added to the reactor over a period of three hours. After the monomer addition is complete, 0.23 parts by weight of t-butyl peroxy isopropyl carbonate is added over a period of fifteen minutes. The temperature is held at 160° C. for an additional two hours to allow for complete conversion of the monomer to polymer. [0071] The measured amount of non-volatile matter (NVM) is 55%. The percent conversion, measured as NVM divided by the percent of the total weight of monomers, is 100.1. The acid number on solution is 12.0 mg KOH per gram. The viscosity is 30 Stokes (bubble tube, 54.4° C.). The solvent tolerance is 230% and the NVM at cloud point is 16.7%. [0072] 2. Preparation of Single-Fluid Ink [0073] 58.0 grams of the following Mixture A is added to 142.0 grams of the following Mixture B with stirring. The ink composition is mixed for 20 minutes on a dispersator, maintaining a vortex and holding the temperature under 60° C. The ink composition has a single fall time Laray of 14 to 17 seconds for 500 grams at 30° C. [0074] Mixture A: Mix in a glass beaker until clear 181.0 grams of diethylene glycol, 8.0 grams of water, 0.4 grams of citric acid, and 0.4 grams of magnesium nitrate. Add 191.2 grams of diethylene glycol and mix until homogenous. [0075] Mixture B: Mix, using a high-speed mixer, 46.0 grams of the above Vinyl Varnish, 4.0 grams of Blue Flush 12-FH-320 (available from CDR Corporation, Elizabethtown, Ky.) 1.0 gram technical grade Soy oil (available from Cargill, Chicago, Ill.) and 0.6 grams of an antioxidant. While mixing, add 34.4 grams of a hydrocarbon resin solution (60% LX-2600 in EXX-Print 283D, available from Neville), 27.0 grams of a carbon black (CSX-156 available from Cabot Corp.), and 1.0 gram of a polytetrafluoroethylene wax (Pinnacle 9500D, available from Carrol Scientific). Mix at a high speed for 30 minutes at 149° C. Slow the mixing speed and add 27.0 grams of EXX-Print 588D (available from Exxon). Mill the premix in a shot mill to a suitable grind. [0076] Mixture B has a Laray viscosity of 180 to 240 poise and a Laray yield of 800 to 1200 (according to test method ASTM D4040: Power Law-3 k, 1.5 k, 0.7 k, 0.3 k). Mixture B is tested on the Inkometer for one minute at 1200 rpm for a measured result of 25 to 29 units. [0077] 3. The Lithographic Base [0078] A web of PET, having a thickness of 0.175 mm, was coated at a wet coating thickness of 50 μm with a layer from a 23.6% aqueous coating solution having a pH of 4. After cooling for 30 sec at 10° C., the layer was dried at a temperature of 50° C. with a moisture content of the air of 4 g/m 3 during at least 3 minutes. The resulting hydrophilic base layer contained 8990 mg/m 2 of TiO 2 , 900 mg/m 2 of SiO 2 , 990 mg/m 2 of polyvinylalcohol, 81.6 mg/m 2 of SAPONIN™, 36.8 mg/m 2 of HOSTAPON T™ and 605 mg/m 2 of FT248™. [0079] SAPONIN is a nonionic surfactant mixture consisting of esters and polyglycosides, commercially available from Merck. HOSTAPON T is an anionic surfactant, commercially available from Hoechst AG. FT248 is an anionic perfluoro surfactant, commercially available from Bayer AG. [0080] The above-mentioned TiO 2 and SiO 2 were added to the coating solution as a dispersion in the polyvinylalcohol. The TiO 2 dispersion had an average particle size of between 0.3 and 0.5 μm. The polyvinyl alcohol was hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate, commercially available from Wacker Chemie GmbH, Germany under the trademark POLYVIOL WX™. The SiO 2 mentioned above was added as a dispersion of hydrolyzed tetramethyl orthosilicate. [0081] 4. The Image-recording Layer [0082] A 2.61 wt. % solution in water was prepared by mixing a polystyrene latex, a heat absorbing compound and a hydrophilic binder. This solution was coated on the hydrophilic base layer of the above-described PET support. After drying, the image-recording layer had a thickness of 0.83 μm and contained 75 wt. % of the polystyrene latex, 10 wt. % of the infrared dye IR-1, and 15 wt. % of polyacrylic acid (Glascol E15 commercially available at N. V. Allied Colloids Belgium) as hydrophilic binder. [0083] The above solution was sprayed onto the lithographic base. Therefore, the lithographic base was mounted on a cylinder, rotating at a line speed of 164 m/min. The imaging element was coated by a spray nozzle moving in the axial direction of the cylinder at a speed of 1.5 m/min. The spray nozzle was mounted on a distance of 40 mm between nozzle and the base. The flow rate of the spray solution was set to 7 ml/min. During the spray process an air pressure of 90 psi was used on the spray head. The coating was dried at an air temperature of 70° C. during the spraying process. [0084] The spray nozzle used was of the type SUV76, an air assisted spray nozzle, commercially available at Spraying Systems Belgium, Brussels. [0085] 5. Exposure, Processing and Printing [0086] The above imaging material was exposed with an external drum platesetter (830 nm, at 2400 dpi, surface line speed of 1 m/s and power setting of 16 Watt), installed on the print cylinder of a modified KORD 64 printing press from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, Germany. After exposure, the press was started and the above-described single-fluid ink was supplied to the image-recording layer. After 10 revolutions, the processing step was complete and the paper supply was started. Clear prints were obtained with no ink uptake in the non-image parts. [0087] All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. [0088] The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. [0089] Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

A method of lithographic printing is disclosed which comprises the steps of unwinding a web of a flexible lithographic base from a supply spool, the lithographic base having a hydrophilic surface, wrapping the lithographic base around a cylinder of a printing press, applying on the lithographic base an image-recording layer which is removable in a single-fluid ink or can be rendered removable in a single-fluid ink by exposure to heat or light, image-wise exposing the image-recording layer to heat or light, processing the image-recording layer by supplying single-fluid ink, thereby obtaining a printing master, printing by supplying single-fluid ink to the printing master which is mounted on a plate cylinder of the printing press; and removing the printing master from the plate cylinder, preferably by winding up on an uptake spool. Since the image-recording layer can be processed by single-fluid ink, the imaging material is suitable for on-press processing in printing presses wherein no fountain solution is supplied to the plate. The method allows a rapid, fully automatic plate change with reduced press down time.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to novel antidiabetic compounds, their derivatives, their analogs, their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their polymorphs and pharmaceutically acceptable compositions containing them. [0002] More particularly, the present invention relates to novel 3-aryl-α-oxy substituted propanoic acids of the general formula (I), their derivatives, their analogs, their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their polymorphs and pharmaceutically acceptable compositions containing them. [0003] where R 1 represents t-butyldimethyl silyl, trimethyl silyl or alkoxyalkyl group; R 2 represents hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl group. [0004] The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of compounds of formula (1). [0005] The present invention also relates to novel intermediate of formula (VI) and its use in the preparation of compounds of formula (I). [0006] The compounds of formula (I) are useful in lowering the plasma glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol (TC); increase high density lipoprotein (HDL) and decrease low density lipoprotein (LDL). [0007] The compounds of formula (I) are useful in reducing body weight, glucose intolerance and for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, peripheral vascular diseases and related disorders. The compound of formula (I) is also useful for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of insulin resistance (type II diabetes). [0008] The compounds of formula (1) are also useful as intermediates for the preparation of many pharmaceutically active compounds. Few representative examples of such compounds are [0009] disclosed in WO 99/62870 and [0010] disclosed in WO 99/16758. The compounds of formulae (IIa) and (IIb) are shown to have potent blood glucose lowering, triglyceride lowering, cholesterol lowering and body weight reducing activities. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0011] Diabetes and insulin resistance is yet another disease which severely effects the quality of life of a large population in the world. Insulin resistance is the diminished ability of insulin to exert its biological action across a broad range of concentrations. In insulin resistance, the body secretes abnormally high amounts of insulin to compensate for this defect; failing which, the plasma glucose concentration inevitably rises and develops into diabetes. Among the developed countries, diabetes mellitus is a common problem and is associated with a variety of abnormalities including obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia (J. Clin. Invest., (1985) 75: 809-817; N. Engl. J. Med. (1987) 317: 350-357; J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., (1988) 66: 580-583; J. Clin. Invest, (1975) 68: 957-969) and other renal complications (See Patent Application No. WO 95/21608). It is now increasingly being recognized that insulin resistance and relative hyperinsulinemia have a contributory role in obesity, hypertension, atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The association of insulin resistance with obesity, hypertension and angina has been described as a syndrome having insulin resistance as the central pathogenic link-Syndrome-X. [0012] Cernerud et. al., in Tetrahedron Asymmetry, 7(10), 2863-2870, 1996, disclosed di-t-butyl dimethyl silyloxy benzenepropionic acid of the formula (III) OBJECTIVE OF PRESENT INVENTION [0013] The main objective of the present invention is to provide novel compounds of the formula (I) for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diabetes with high chiral purity, which can be used in the synthesis of pharmaceutically acceptable compounds, which will not have problems of racemization in subsequent steps, when used in the preparation of pharmaceutically acceptable compounds. [0014] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a simple and robust process for the preparation of the compound of formula (I). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0015] Accordingly, the present invention provides novel 3-aryl-α-oxy substituted propanoic acid and their derivatives, their stereoisomers, their polymorphs having the formula (I) [0016] where R 1 represents t-butyldimethyl silyl, trimethyl silyl or alkoxyalkyl group; [0017] R 2 represents hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl group. [0018] The term alkoxyalkyl represents methoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, ethoxymethyl, ethoxyethyl and the like. [0019] The term (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl group represents groups such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, t-butyl, n-butyl and the like. [0020] Suitable substituents on the alkyl group represented by R 2 may be selected from hydroxy or alkoxy group such as methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy and the like. [0021] Particularly useful compounds of the formula (I) according to the present invention, include: [0022] (±) 3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-(t-butyl dimethyl silyloxy)propanoic acid; [0023] (+) 3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-(t-butyl dimethyl silyloxy)propanoic acid; [0024] (−) 3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-(t-butyl dimethyl silyloxy)propanoic acid; [0025] (±) Methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(t-butyl dimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0026] (+) Methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(t-butyl dimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0027] (−) Methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(t-butyl dimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0028] (±) Ethyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(t-butyl dimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0029] (+) Ethyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(t-butyl dimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0030] (−) Ethyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(t-butyl dimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0031] (±) Isopropyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(t-butyl dimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0032] (+) Isopropyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(t-butyl dimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0033] (−) Isopropyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(t-butyl dimethyl silypoxy)propanoate; [0034] (±) Isopropyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-methoxymethoxy propanoate; [0035] (+) Isopropyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-methoxymethoxy propanoate; [0036] (−) Isopropyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-methoxymethoxy propanoate; [0037] (±) Isopropyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-methoxymethoxy propanoate; [0038] (+) Isopropyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-methoxymethoxy propanoate; [0039] (−) Isopropyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-methoxymethoxy propanoate; [0040] (±) 3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-(trimethyl silyloxy)propanoic acid; [0041] (+) 3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-(trimethyl silyloxy)propanoic acid; [0042] (−) 3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-(trimethyl silyloxy)propanoic acid; [0043] (±) Methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(trimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0044] (+) Methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(trimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0045] (−) Methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(trimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0046] (±) Ethyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(trimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0047] (+) Ethyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(trimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0048] (−) Ethyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(trimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0049] (±) Isopropyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(trimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0050] (+) Isopropyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(trimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0051] (−) Isopropyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(trimethyl silyloxy)propanoate; [0052] According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a process for the preparation of novel 3-aryl-α-oxy substituted propanoic acid and their derivatives, having the formula (I) [0053] where R 1 represents t-butyldimethyl silyl, trimethyl silyl or alkoxyalkyl group; [0054] R 2 represents hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl group, which comprises: [0055] (i). esterifying the compound of formula (IV) where R 3 represents benzyl using alkylating agent to produce compound of formula (V) where R 2 represents (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl group, [0056] ii). protecting the compound of formula (V) with a protecting agent in the presence of a base and a solvent to obtain compound of formula (VI) where R 2 represents (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl group and R 1 and R 3 are as defined above and [0057] iii). debenzylating the compound of formula (VI) where R 3 represents benzyl using aqueous alcohol in the presence of metal catalysts to yield pure compound of formula (1) where R 1 and R 2 are as defined above. [0058] The process explained above is shown in scheme-1 below: [0059] The esterification of compound of formula (I) to obtain compound of formula (V) may be carried out using alcohol such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol and the like under acidic conditions in the presence of sulfuric acid, methane sulfonic acid, thionyl chloride, p-TSA, amberlite resin or HCl or the reaction may be carried out using ethyl iodide, DES, DMS and the like under basic conditions in the presence of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium methoxide and the like. The reaction may be carried out 30° C. to reflux temperature of the solvent used. The duration of the reaction may range from 2 to 20 h. [0060] The protection of compound of formula (V) may be carried out with protecting agent such as t-butyldirnethyl silyl chloride, trimethyl silyl chloride, alkoxyalcohols such as methoxymethanol, ethoxymethanol and the like in the presence of bases such as imidazole, triethyl amine, potassium carbonate and the like. The reaction may be carried out in the presence of solvents such as toluene, DMF, DCE, DCM, diethyl acetamide, N-methyl pyrrolidone, ethyl acetate, acetonitrile and the like. The reaction may be carried out at a temperature in the range of 10 to 90° C. and the duration of the reaction may range from 2-30 h. [0061] The debenzylation of the compound of formula (VI) to yield compound of formula (I) may be carried out using THF, aqueous acetic acid, ethyl acetate, aqueous (C 1 -C 6 ) alcohols such as aqueous methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol and the like in the presence of metal catalysts such as Pd/C. [0062] According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a novel intermediate of formula (VI) [0063] where R 1 represents t-butyldimethyl silyl, trimethyl silyl or alkoxyalkyl group; [0064] R 2 represents hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6 )akyl group, R 3 represents benzyl. [0065] The compounds of formula (I) are useful in the preparation of pharmaceutically important compounds such as [0066] The process for preparing the compounds of formula (IIb) starting from compound of formula (I) is as shown in scheme-3: [0067] It is appreciated that in any of the above mentioned reactions, any reactive group in the substrate molecule may be protected according to conventional chemical practice. Suitable protecting groups in any of the above mentioned reactions are tertiarybutyl dimethyl silylchloride, methoxymethyl chloride and the like. The methods of formation and removal of such protecting groups are those conventional methods appropriate to the molecule being protected. [0068] The stereoisomers of the compounds forming part of this invention may be prepared by using compound of formula (I) in its single enantiomeric form in the process by resolving the mixture of stereoisomers by conventional methods. Some of the preferred methods include use of microbial resolution, resolving the diastereomeric salts formed with optically pure bases such as brucine, cinchona alkaloids and their derivatives, optically pure 2-alkyl phenethyl amine, phenyl glycinol and the like. The diastereomeric salts may be obtained in pure form by fractional crystallization. Commonly used methods are compiled by Jaques et al in “Enantiomers, Racemates and Resolution” (Wiley Interscience, 1981). [0069] Various polymorphs of compound of general formula (I) forming part of this invention may be prepared by crystallization of compound of formula (I) under different conditions. For example, using different solvents commonly used or their mixtures for recrystallization; crystallizations at different temperatures; various modes of cooling, ranging from very fast to very slow cooling during crystallizations. Polymorphs may also be obtained by heating or melting the compound followed by gradual or fast cooling. The presence of polymorphs may be determined by solid probe NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, powder X-ray diffraction or such other techniques. [0070] The invention is described in the examples given below which are provided by way of illustration only and therefore should not construed to limit the scope of the invention. EXAMPLE 1 Step (i) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0071] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g), methanol (30 ml) and sulfuric acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 85-95%. Step (ii) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0072] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser methyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.5 g), obtained in step (i), N-methyl pyrrolidone (12.5 ml), triethyl amine (2.20 g) to and tertiary butyl dimethyl silyl chloride (2.62 g) were taken. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 4 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous NaHCO 3 (25 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×25 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil, yield 82-85%. Step (iii) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0073] In a 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 0.3 g) was taken. Methyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in methanol (50 ml) was added and fixed to a parr hydrogenation apparatus. The reaction mass was hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 90-95%. EXAMPLE 2 Step (i) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0074] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) ethanol (30 ml) and sulfuric acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonrate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 80-90%. Step (ii) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0075] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser ethyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.5 g), obtained in step (i), DMF (12.5 ml), imidazole (1.41 g) and tertiary butyl dimethyl silyl chloride (2.49 g) were taken. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 4 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous NaHCO 3 (25 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×25 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. [0076] The crude compound was distilled at reduced pressure (2 mm/Hg) and 200-220° C. (vapour temp) to obtain the pure title compound as a pale yellow liquid, yield 82-85%. Step (iii) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0077] In a 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 0.3 g) was taken. Ethyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in ethanol (50 ml) was added and fixed to a parr hydrogenation apparatus. The reaction mass was hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 92-96%. EXAMPLE 3 Step (i) Preparation of propyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0078] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) propanol (30 ml) and sulfuric acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 91-95%. Step (ii) Preparation of propyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0079] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser propyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.5 g), obtained in step (i), DMF (12.5 ml), triethyl amine (2.01 g) and tertiary butyl dimethyl silyl chloride (2.38 g) were taken. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 4 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous NaHCO 3 (25 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×25 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. [0080] The crude compound was distilled at reduced pressure (2 mm/Hg) and 200-220° C. (vapour temp) to obtain the pure title compound as a pale yellow liquid, yield 85-90%. Step (iii) Preparation of propyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0081] In a 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 0.3 g) was taken. Propyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in propanol (50 ml) was added and fixed to a parr hydrogenation apparatus. The reaction mass was hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 85-88%. EXAMPLE 4 Step (i) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0082] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) isopropanol (30 ml) and sulfuric acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 90-97%. Step (ii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0083] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.5 g), obtained in step (i), N-methyl pyrrolidone (12.5 ml), triethyl amine (2.01 g) and tertiary butyl dimethyl silyl chloride (2.38 g) were taken. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 4 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous NaHCO 3 (25 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×25 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil, yield 90-95%. Step (iii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0084] In a 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 0.3 g) was taken. Isopropyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in THF (50 ml) was added and fixed to a parr hydrogenation apparatus. The reaction mass was hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 80-85%. EXAMPLE 5 Step (i) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0085] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) methanol (30 ml) and methane sulfonic acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 87-93%. Step (ii) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0086] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser methyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.5 g), obtained in step (i), DMF (12.5 ml), imidazole (1.48 g) and tertiary butyl dimethyl silyl chloride (2.62 g) were taken. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 4 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous NaHCO 3 (25 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×25 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil, yield 79-85%. Step (iii) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0087] In a 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 0.3 g) was taken. Methyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in methanol (50 ml) was added and fixed to a parr hydrogenation apparatus. The reaction mass was hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 90-95%. EXAMPLE 6 Step (i) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0088] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) ethanol (30 ml) and methane sulfonic acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was, extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 84-88%. Step (ii) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0089] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser ethyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.5 g), obtained in step (i), N-methyl pyrrolidone (12.5 ml), triethyl amine (2.10 g) and tertiary butyl dimethyl silyl chloride (2.49 g) were taken. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 4 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous NaHCO 3 (25 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×25 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil, yield 81-86%. Step (iii) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0090] In a 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 0.3 g) was taken. Ethyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in methanol (50 ml) was added and fixed to a parr hydrogenation apparatus. The reaction mass was hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 90-92%. EXAMPLE 7 Step (i) Preparation of propyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0091] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) propanol (30 ml) and methane sulfonic acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 86-88%. Step (ii) Preparation of propyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0092] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser propyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.5 g), obtained in step (i), N-methyl pyrrolidone (12.5 ml), imidazole (1.35 g) and tertiary butyl dimethyl silyl chloride (2.38 g) were taken. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 4 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous NaHCO 3 (25 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×25 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. [0093] The crude compound was distilled at reduced pressure (2 mm/Hg) and 200-220° C. (vapour temp) to obtain the, pure title compound as a pale yellow liquid, yield 85-88%. Step (iii) Preparation of propyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0094] In a 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 0.3 g) was taken. Propyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in methanol (50 ml) was added and fixed to a parr hydrogenation apparatus. The reaction mass was hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 88-90%. EXAMPLE 8 Step (i) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0095] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) isopropanol (30 ml) and methane sulfonic acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 88-92%. Step (ii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0096] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.5 g), obtained in step (i), DMF (12.5 ml), imidazole (1.35 g) and tertiary butyl dimethyl silyl chloride (2.38 g) were taken. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 4 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous NaHCO 3 (25 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×25 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil, yield 88-92%. Step (iii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0097] In a 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 0.3 g) was taken. Isopropyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in isopropanol (50 ml) was added and fixed to a parr hydrogenation apparatus. The reaction mass was hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 90-96%. EXAMPLE 9 Step (i) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0098] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) methanol (30 ml) and thionyl chloride (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 88-90%. Step (ii) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0099] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser methyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.5 g), obtained in step (i), diethyl acetamide (12.5 ml), potassium carbonate (3.01 g) and tertiary butyl dimethyl silyl chloride (2.62 g) were taken. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 4 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous NaHCO 3 (25 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×25 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil, yield 65-70%. Step (iii) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0100] In a 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 0.3 g) was taken. Methyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in isopropanol (50 ml) was added and fixed to a parr hydrogenation apparatus. The reaction mass was hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 92-95%. EXAMPLE 10 Step (i) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0101] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) ethanol (30 ml) and amberlite resin (1.5 g) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and filtered the resin and transferred the filtrate into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 70-75%. Step (ii) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0102] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser ethyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.5 g), obtained in step (i), dimethyl acetamide (12.5 ml), potassium carbonate (2.87 g) and tertiary butyl dimethyl silyl chloride (2.49 g) were taken. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 4 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous NaHCO 3 (25 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×25 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil, yield 80-88%. Step (iii) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0103] In a 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 0.3 g) was taken. Ethyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in THF (50 ml) was added and fixed to a parr hydrogenation apparatus. The reaction mass was hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 75-88%. EXAMPLE 11 Step (i) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0104] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) isopropanol (30 ml) and amberlite resin (1.5 g) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and filtered the resin and transferred the filtrate into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 80-84%. Step (ii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0105] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.5 g), obtained in step (i), diethyl acetamide (12.5 ml), potassium carbonate (2.74 g) and tertiary butyl dimethyl silyl chloride (2.38 g) were taken. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 4 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous NaHCO 3 (25 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×25 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. [0106] The crude compound was distilled at reduced pressure (2 mm/Hg) and 200-220° C. (vapour temp) to obtain the pure title compound as a pale yellow liquid, yield 92-95%. Step (iii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0107] In a 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 0.3 g) was taken. Isopropyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in acetone (50 ml) was added and fixed to a parr hydrogenation apparatus. The reaction mass was hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 70-75%. EXAMPLE 12 Step (i) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0108] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) isopropanol (30 ml) and thionyl chloride (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 88-89%. Step (ii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0109] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.5 g), obtained in step (i), diethyl acetamide (12.5 ml), potassium carbonate (2.74 g) and tertiary butyl dimethyl silyl chloride (2.38 g) were taken. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 4 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous NaHCO 3 (25 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×25 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil, yield 92-95%. Step (iii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0110] In a 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 0.3 g) was taken. Isopropyl 2(S)-tertiary butyl dimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in methanol (50 ml) was added and fixed to a parr hydrogenation apparatus. The reaction mass was hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 92-95%. EXAMPLE 13 Step (i) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0111] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) methanol (30 ml) and sulfuric acid (6.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 85-95%. Step (ii) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0112] In a 100 ml round bottom flask methyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.0 g), DMF (20 ml), imidazole (1.89 g) were taken. Trimethyl silyl chloride (3.77 g, 0.0349 M) was added slowly. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 20-24 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. Step (iii). Preparation of methyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0113] In 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 1 g) slurred in water (1 ml) was taken. Methyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in methanol (100 ml) was added and hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 80-82%. EXAMPLE 14 Preparation of methyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0114] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) methanol (30 ml) and methane sulfonic acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 87-93%. Step (ii) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0115] In a 100 ml round bottom flask methyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.0 g), N-methyl pyrrolidone (20 ml), triethyl amine (1.76 g) were taken. Trimethyl silyl chloride (3.77 g, 0.0349 M) was added slowly. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 20-24 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. Step (iii) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0116] In 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 1 g) slurred in water (1 ml) was taken. Methyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in methanol (100 ml) was added and hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 80-82%. EXAMPLE 15 Step (i) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0117] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) methanol (30 ml) and thionyl chloride (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the string material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 88-90%. Step (ii) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0118] In a 100 ml round bottom flask methyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.0 g), diethyl acetamide (20 ml), potassium carbonate (2.41 g) were taken. Trimethyl silyl chloride (3.77 g, 0.0349 M) was added slowly. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 20-24 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. Step (iii) Preparation of methyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0119] In 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 1 g) slurred in water (1 ml) was taken. Methyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in isopropanol (100 ml) was added and hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 78-84%. EXAMPLE 16 Step (i) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0120] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) ethanol (30 ml) and sulfuric acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 80-90%. Step (ii) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0121] In a 100 ml round bottom flask ethyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.0 g), DMF (20 ml), imidazole (1.11 g) were taken. Trimethyl silyl chloride (3.59 g, 0.0332 M) was added slowly. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 20-24 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. Step (iii) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0122] In 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 1 g) slurred in water (1 ml) was taken. Ethyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in ethanol (100 ml) was added and hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 82-86%. EXAMPLE 17 Step (i) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0123] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) ethanol (30 ml) and methane sulfonic acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 84-88%. Step (ii) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0124] In a 100 ml round bottom flask ethyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.0 g), N-methyl pyrrolidone (20 ml), triethyl amine (1.68 g) were taken. Trimethyl silyl chloride (3.59 g, 0.0332 M) was added slowly. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 20-24 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. Step (iii) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0125] In 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 1 g) slurred in water (1 ml) was taken. Ethyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in methanol (100 ml) was added and hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 84-86%. EXAMPLE 18 Step (i) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0126] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) ethanol (30 ml) and amberlite resin (1.5 g) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and filtered the resin and transferred the filtrate into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 70-75%. Step (ii) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0127] In a 100 ml round bottom flask ethyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.0 g), dimethyl acetamide (20 ml), potassium carbonate (2.29 g) were taken. Trimethyl silyl chloride (3.59 g, 0.0332 M) was added slowly. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 20-24 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. Step (iii) Preparation of ethyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0128] In 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 1 g) slurred in water (1 ml) was taken. Ethyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in TB:F (100 ml) was added and hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 79-81%. EXAMPLE 19 Step (i) Preparation of propyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0129] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) propanol (30 ml) and sulfuric acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 91-95%. Step (ii) Preparation of propyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0130] In a 100 ml round bottom flask propyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.0 g), DMF (20 ml), triethyl amine (1.60 g) were taken. Trimethyl silyl chloride (3.43 g, 0.0317 M) was added slowly. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 20-24 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. Step (iii) Preparation of propyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0131] In 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 1 g) slurred in water (1 ml) was taken. Propyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in propanol (100 ml) was added and hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 80-84%. EXAMPLE 20 Step (i) Preparation of propyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0132] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) propanol (30 ml) and methane sulfonic acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 86-88%. Step (ii) Preparation of propyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0133] In a 100 ml round bottom flask propyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.0 g), N-methyl pyrrolidone (20 ml), imidazole (1.08 g) were taken. Trimethyl silyl chloride (3.43 g, 0.0317 M) was added slowly. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 20-24 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. Step (iii) Preparation of propyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0134] In 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 1 g) slurred in water (1 ml) was taken. Propyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in methanol (100 ml) was added and hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 80-83%. EXAMPLE 21 Step (i) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0135] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) isopropanol (30 ml) and sulfuric acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 90-97%. Step (ii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0136] In a 100 ml round bottom flask isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.0 g), DMF (20 ml), imidazole (1.08 g) were taken. Trimethyl silyl chloride (3.43 g, 0.0317 M) was added slowly. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 20-24 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the, reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. Step (iii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0137] In 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 1 g) slurred in water (1 ml) was taken. Isopropyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in isopropanol (100 ml) was added and hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 90-91%. EXAMPLE 22 Step (i) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0138] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) isopropanol (30 ml) and methane sulfonic acid (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 88-92%. Step (ii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0139] In a 100 ml round bottom flask isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.0 g), N-methyl pyrrolidone (20 ml), triethyl amine (1.60 g) were taken. Trimethyl silyl chloride (3.43 g, 0.0317 M) was added slowly. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 20-24 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. Step (iii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0140] In 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 1 g) slurred in water (1 ml) was taken. Isopropyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in THF (100 ml) was added and hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 79-83%. EXAMPLE 23 Step (i) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (V) [0141] In a 50 ml 3 neck round bottom flask, fitted with a mechanical stirrer and reflux condenser 3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (3 g) isopropanol (30 ml) and thionyl chloride (0.3 ml) were taken and refluxed for 16 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Refluxing was continued, till the starting material has disappeared on TLC. The reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and transferred into a distillation flask and concentrated on a rotavapour. The concentrated mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (30 ml), neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with water (30 ml) and concentrated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound, yield 88-89%. Step (ii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (VI) [0142] In a 100 ml round bottom flask isopropyl 2(S)-hydroxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (2.0 g), diethyl acetamide (20 ml), potassium carbonate (2.19 g) were taken. Trimethyl silyl chloride (3.43 g, 0.0317 M) was added slowly. The reaction mass was heated to 60-70° C. and maintained at this temperature for a period of 20-24 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, quenched with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated to yield crude title compound as brown coloured oil. Step (iii) Preparation of isopropyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate (I) [0143] In 250 ml parr hydrogenation flask, palladium carbon (5%, 1 g) slurred in water (1 ml) was taken. Isopropyl 2(S)-trimethyl silyloxy-3-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)propanoate (3 g) dissolved in acetone (100 ml) was added and hydrogenated at 50-60 psi hydrogen pressure for 10-12 h. The reaction was monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, catalyst was filtered on a hi-flow bed and the solvent was evaporated on a rotavapour under reduced pressure to yield the title compound as a syrupy liquid, yield 78-84%. Demonstration of Efficacy of Compounds [0144] Efficacy in Genetic Models [0145] Mutation in colonies of laboratory animals and different sensitivities to dietary regimens have made the development of animal models with non-insulin dependent diabetes and hyperlipidemia associated with obesity and insulin resistance possible. Genetic models such as db/db and ob/ob (Diabetes, (1982) 31(1): 1-6) mice and zucker fa/fa rats have been developed by the various laboratories for understanding the pathophysiology of disease and testing the efficacy of new antidiabetic compounds (Diabetes, (1983) 32: 830-838; Annu. Rep. Sankyo Res. Lab. (1994). 46: 1-57). The homozygous animals, C57 BL/KsJ-db/db mice developed by Jackson Laboratory, US, are obese, hyperglycemic, hyperinsulinemic and insulin resistant (J. Clin. Invest., (1990) 85: 962-967), whereas heterozygous are lean and normoglycemic. In db/db model, mouse progressively develops insulinopenia with age, a feature commonly observed in late stages of human type II diabetes when blood sugar levels are insufficiently controlled. The state of pancreas and its course vary according to the models. Since this model resembles that of type II diabetes mellitus, the compounds of the present invention were tested for blood sugar and triglycerides lowering activities. [0146] Male C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice of 8 to 14 weeks age, having body weight range of 35 to 60 grams, bred at Dr. Reddy's Research Foundation (DRF) animal house, were used in the experiment. The mice were provided with standard feed (National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, India) and acidified water, ad libitum. The animals having more than 350 mg/dl blood sugar were used for testing. The number of animals in each group was 4. [0147] Test compounds were suspended on 0.25% carboxymethyl cellulose and administered to test group at a dose of 0.1 mg to 30 mg/kg through oral gavage daily for 6 days. The control group received vehicle (dose 10 ml/kg). On 6th day the blood samples were collected one hour after administration of test compounds/vehicle for assessing the biological activity. [0148] The random blood sugar and triglyceride levels were measured by collecting blood (100 μl) through orbital sinus, using heparinised capillary in tubes containing EDTA which was centrifuged to obtain plasma. The plasma glucose and triglyceride levels were measured spectrometrically, by glucose oxidase and glycerol-3-PO 4 oxidase/peroxidase enzyme (Dr. Reddy's Lab. Diagnostic Division Kits, Hyderabad, India) methods respectively. [0149] The blood sugar and triglycerides lowering activities of the test compound was calculated according to the formula. [0150] Formulae for Calculation: [0151] Percent reduction in Blood sugar can be calculated according to the formula: Percent     reduction     ( % ) = [ 1 - TT / OT TC / OC ] × 100 [0152] OC=Zero day control group value [0153] OT=Zero day treated group value [0154] TC=Test day control group value [0155] TT=Test day treated group value.

The present invention relates to novel antidiabetic compounds, their derivatives, their analogs, their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their polymorphs and pharmaceutically acceptable compositions containing them. More particularly, the present invention relates to novel 3-aryl-α-oxy substituted propanoic acids of the general formula (I), their derivatives, their analogs, their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their polymorphs and pharmaceutically acceptable compositions containing them. Formula (I) where R 1 represents t-butyldimethyl silyl, trimethyl silyl or alkoxyalkyl group; R 2 represents hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl group.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The invention in this application is related to that in co-pending application of Norman E. Slindee for Magnetic Disk Drive Unit With Flexible Skirt, Ser. No. 615,944, filed Sept. 23, 1975. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to magnetic recording systems and more particularly to magnetic disk and jacket assemblies. Such assemblies have been previously proposed and are in current use. Such an assembly is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,668,658 issued June 6, 1972 to Ralph Flores et al. The assembly disclosed in this patent includes a magnetic disk which is contained and is rotatably disposed within a square jacket or cover. The jacket has a central opening for revealing a smaller central opening in the disk by means of which the disk can be driven, and the jacket contains two aligned radially extending slots through which a magnetic transducer may extend for the purpose of magnetically reading from or writing on a surface of the disk as the disk is rotatably driven. A wiping material is provided on the inner surfaces of the jacket adjacent the outer surfaces of the disk for providing low friction characteristics and contaminant capture for the disk and for acting as an antistatic device for the static generated due to rotation of the disk. High electrical resistance materials, such as polyvinyl chloride acetate, have been found particularly suitable for forming the jackets in such assemblies. The favorable characteristics of jackets formed with such materials are low cost, resistance to impact, heat sealability for attaching parts of the jackets together to form a complete unit, etc.; however, jackets of such material have been found to collect large accumulations of static electricity due to normal handling. Such accumulations of static electricity have been found to provide spurious signals in a transducer used with the disk as the static discharges, particularly when the transducer used with the disk is mainly composed of electrically nonconductive material. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide improved means for quickly discharging the accumulations of static electricity carried by the jackets of disk-jacket assemblies. More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide such static discharging means contained within the jacket so as not to detract from the aesthetic appearance of the assembly. In brief, the invention proposes that such a jacket be lined with a layer of electrical conductive material, preferably being located between a wipe material directly in contact with the disk and the inner surface of the disk; and we have found that, with such construction, the static accumulation on such a jacket will be quickly drained away to the disk drive machine with which the disk-jacket assembly is used. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a magnetic record disk assembly embodying the principles of the invention and including a rotatable disk disposed in a jacket of high electrical insulating material; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the record disk assembly showing the assembly being inserted into a protective envelope therefor; FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1 with the parts of the disk assembly being exploded for better illustration; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the frame of a disk drive machine with which the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 3 may be used; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cover of the disk drive machine; FIG. 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 4 with the cover shown in FIG. 5 being assembled on the frame shown in FIG. 4; FIG. 7 is a face view on an enlarged scale of a transducer head in the disk drive machine taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 6; FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C are respectively a plan view of a blank from which the jacket of the record disk assembly may be formed, a sectional view of an ink container, and an elevational view of an ink roll by means of which ink from the container may be applied onto the blank; FIGS. 9A and 9B are respectively a plan view of the blank subsequent to the inking and an elevational view of a plurality of heated rolls by means of which an inner wipe may be fixed with respect to the blank; FIG. 10 is a plan view of the blank after the blank has subsequently been provided with openings through it and has been trimmed; FIG. 11 is a plan view of the blank after it has been folded to form a jacket for a magnetic disk assembly; and FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on line 12--12 of FIG. 11 but showing a folding spacer in place in the jacket to assure a void within the jacket sufficient in thickness to receive a magnetic disk. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The disk assembly 18 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 may be seen to comprise a magnetic disk 20 disposed within a square jacket 22. The disk 20 is of a thin, flexible material, such as polyethylene terephthalate (Mylar) of about 0.003 inch thickness; and the disk 20 has an unoriented Fe 2 O 3 coating on both sides. The jacket 22 may be of a more rigid but still somewhat flexible vinyl sheet material, such as polyvinyl chloride, or more preferably polyvinyl chloride acetate, of 0.010 inch thickness, for example. Both the magnetic disk 20 and the jacket 22 are thus of electrically nonconductive material. The disk 20 has a central opening 24, and the jacket 22 has larger central openings 26 in its two thicknesses. In addition, the jacket 22 has aligned radial slots 28 and aligned round openings 30 in its two thicknesses. The openings 30 are adapted to align with an opening 32 in the disk 20 as the disk rotates within the jacket 22. A layer 34 (see FIG. 3) of a porous, low friction material is disposed between the disk 20 and the inner surface of the jacket 22. A particular material for this purpose may be the dusting fabric which is manufactured by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company and is designated 3M550, generally known in the art as "pink wipe". The functioning of such a wipe in a disk assembly as so far described herein is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,668,658, issued June 6, 1972, which may be also referred to for additional details of such a disk assembly. An electrically conductive layer 35 is disposed between the layer 34 and the inner surface of the jacket 22. The layer 35 may be made of conductive ink and provides an antistatic effect with respect to static accumulating on the jacket 22 as will be more specifically hereinafter described. The jacket 22 may constitute a single piece of polyvinyl chloride acetate having two halves folded together to form a lower edge 22a (see FIG. 1) and the jacket 22 is provided with flaps 22b, 22c and 22d which are bent over and are bonded on one outer surface of the assembly 18 in order to form a closed structure for the disk 20. The assembly 18 is adapted to be stored in a protective envelope 36 which is shown in FIG. 2. The assembly 18 in being slid into and out of an envelope 36 may be expected to accumulate a static charge, apparently on its outer surface; and this charge causes difficulty in magnetically reading from a surface of the disk 20 without the provision of the conductive layer 35. The static charge on the jacket 22 may also be caused in other ways, such as simply by carrying the assembly 18 in a person's hand as he moves across a floor carpet. The retention of the charge on the jacket 22, in fact, is difficult to avoid and varies depending on the humidity in which the assembly 18 exists and is undoubtedly due in part to the highly nonconductive nature of the polyvinyl chloride acetate of which the jacket is preferably composed. The machine shown in FIGS. 4-7 is made up of a vertical disk assembly frame 42 and a cover 44 which is hingedly mounted on the frame 42 by means of studs 46. A metal hub 48 is rotatably disposed in the frame 42 and is driven from a drive motor 49 by any suitable drive mechanism, such as a belt and pulleys (not shown). The hub 48 has a countersunk opening 50 for purposes to be described. The cover 44 has a tapered collet or arbor 52 (which may be made of plastic) rotatably mounted in it, and the collet 52 is so shaped and located that it fits in the opening 50 when the cover 44 is moved toward or closed with respect to the frame 42. The collet 52 extends through the opening 24 in the disk 20, and the disk 20 is thus clamped between the hub 48 and the collet 52 to be rotatably driven when the disk assembly 18 is properly located in the machine. The cover 44 may be held in place with respect to the frame 42 by any suitable latch 54 so that the disk 20 is gripped between the collet 52 and the hub 48. The frame 42 is provided with a pair of opposite tapered slots 56 and 58 into which the disk assembly 18 may be moved. Sides of the slots 56 and 58 are formed by an H-shaped auxiliary support 60 which is screwed onto the frame 42 as shown in FIG. 4. The disk assembly 18 is simply moved downwardly into the slots 56 and 58 to bring the central disk opening 24 into alignment with the countersunk opening 50 prior to a closing of the cover 44, and a pair of abutments 62 are provided at the bottoms of the slots 56 and 58 for holding the assembly 18 properly positioned in the frame 42. The frame 42 has a slide rod 64 fixed within it and has a lead screw 66 rotatably disposed in it opposite the rod 64. A slider 68 is slideably disposed on the rod 64 and has a threaded connection with the screw 66. An electric motor 70, preferably of the electrical stepping type, is fixed on the bottom of the support 42 and is driveably connected with the screw 66 so as to move the slider 68 longitudinally along the slide rod 64. The slider 68 carries an electrical transducer 72 (see FIGS. 4 and 7), and a pressure arm 74 is swingably mounted on the slider 68 and has a protruding portion adapted to enter into one of the elongate slots 28 in the assembly 18 for forcing the disk 20 against the transducer 72. A spring 76 provides force on the arm 72 for this purpose. An electromagnet 78 (see FIG. 6) is provided for swinging the arm 74 with respect to the transducer 72. The electromagnet has a core 80, and an armature 82 moves toward and away from the core 80. The armature 82 is in the form of a lever which is fulcrumed in an opening 84 in a standard 86 that is fixed with respect to the cover 44 by means of another standard 88 screwed onto the cover 44. A spring 90 is provided between the standard 88 and the lever 82. A lever extension 92 of relatively thin flexible material is fixed at its base end to the lever 82, and an adjustment screw 94 extends through the distal end of the lever 82 and is in contact with the lever extension 92 for adjusting extension 92 with respect to lever 82. The extension 92 is quite elongate compared with the arm 74, and the extension 92 extends beneath the upper end of the arm 74 so that, as the arm 74 travels vertically with the slider 68, the lever extension 92 nevertheless remains beneath the upper end of the arm 74. The lever extension 92 carries a foam rubber pressure member 96 that is located opposite a platen portion 98 of the frame 42, and the pressure member 96 is adapted to grip the disk assembly 18 between it and the platen portion 98 as is illustrated in FIG. 6. Referring to FIG. 7, the transducer 72 may be seen to have a round central portion 100, which may be flat or slightly spherical, and an outer portion 102 which recedes from the central portion 100. The transducer 72 has substantially the same construction as the transducer disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,846,840 and has a read/write magnetic core 104 with a gap 104a and a pair of erase magnetic cores 106 and 108 with gaps 106a and 108a. The cores 104, 106 and 108 are disposed in a stack with the stack being completed by fillers 104b, 106b and 108b for the cores. A pair of support plates 110 and 112 are provided on opposite sides of the stacked cores 104, 106 and 108; and the outer surfaces of the plates 110 and 112 and of the cores 104, 106 and 108 and fillers 104b, 106b and 108b all lie in the same plane (or in the same slightly spherical contour) as the rest of the central portion 100 of the transducer 72. The cores 104, 106 and 108 are preferably ferrite. The plates 110 and 112 and fillers 104b, 106b and 108b are of ceramic material; and the rest of the portion 100 and the portion 102 are of a rigid phenolic material so that the transducer 72 as a whole is of electrical insulating material. As is illustrated in FIG. 7, the cores 104, 106 and 108 as an assembly are centrally located in the central region 100 of the transducer 72 and are centered with respect to the center 72a of the transducer 72. It will be understood that suitable electric coils (not shown) are located in the transducer 72 and are in energy transferring relationship with respect to the cores 104, 106 and 108 and with the gaps 104a, 106a and 108a so that the gap 104a is effective for magnetically reading or writing on the magnetic surface of the disk 20 and the gaps 106a and 108a are effective for erasing at the edges of a magnetic track with which the gap 104a is effective. The machine shown in FIGS. 4-7 functions as follows: With the cover 44 swung open about the studs 46, the collet 52 is spaced with respect to the hub 48; and the disk assembly 18 is dropped into the slots 56 and 58. The disk assembly bottoms on the abutments 62 and in this position has the center of its disk opening 24 aligned with the center of the countersunk opening 50 in the hub 48. The cover 44 is then swung closed, and the tapered portion of the collet 52 enters the opening 50; and the disk 20 is clamped between the hub 48 and the collet 52. The latch 54 is then effective to engage the frame 42 so as to hold the cover 44 closed. It is assumed that the electromagnet 78 is initially de-energized, and the spring 90 is thus effective to hold the lever 82 swung counterclockwise from its position as shown in FIG. 6; and the pressure member 96 is under these conditions spaced from the platen portion 98 of the frame 42. Also, the lever extension 92 in this position holds the swinging arm 74 outwardly with respect to the transducer 72. The disk assembly 18 is thus, under these conditions, relatively loose within the slots 56 and 58. The electromagnet 78 it then energized, swivelling the lever 82 about the edges of the opening 84, moving the pressure member 96 toward the platen portion 98 so as to grip the disk assembly 18 between the pressure member 96 and portion 98. The gripping action of the pressure member 96 is not sufficiently great, however, to prevent rotation of the disk 20 in the jacket 22. This swivelling of the lever extension 92 also causes it to separate from the upper portion of the swing arm 74 so that the spring 76 is effective to cause the arm 74 to bear against the disk 20 and hold it with slight force against the portion 100 of the transducer 72. The motor 49 is in operation so as to rotate the hub 48 and disk 20. The cores 104, 106 and 108 are then in contact with the face of the disk 20 remote from the swing arm 74, and a magnetic reading or writing may take place by means of the gap 104a. The gaps 106a and 108a provide a tunnel erasing action with respect to a track on the disk 20 on which the gap 104a provides a writing action. The motor 70 is used for drivingly rotating the screw 66 for thus moving the slider 68 and thus the transducer 72 toward and away from the center of the hub 48 for causing the transducer 72 to be effective on different concentric tracks on the disk 20. The disk assembly 18 may be made as is illustrated in FIGS. 8-12. A blank 118 of polyvinyl chloride acetate in the shape shown in FIG. 8A is utilized for the jacket 22; and an area bounded by lines 120, 122 and 124 has electrically conducting ink applied on it. The application of ink may be from an ink container 126 (FIG. 8B) and may be by means of an ink roll 128 (FIG. 8C). The roll 128 is dipped into the ink in the container 126 and is then rolled across the blank 118 within the area defined by the lines 120, 122 and 124. After the ink, which is in liquid form, has thus been applied to the blank 118, the ink is allowed to dry to form the conductive ink layer 35 which adheres to the inner surface of the jacket 22. The wipe 34 is then placed in position as shown in FIG. 9A on the blank 118, and the wipe 34 is fixed onto the blank 118 by using the heated rolls 130 (FIG. 9B) and rolling them across the wipe 34 on the blank 118 so as to affix the wipe 34 to the blank 118 along the lines 132a, 132b, 132c, 132d and 132e. Side edge portions are then cut from the lower part of the blank 118, and this results in the blank 118 having the flaps 22b, 22c and 22d as shown in FIG. 10. Also, the openings 30, 26 and 28 are cut through the blank 118 at this time. The blank 118 is then folded along the line 22a seen in FIG. 10, and this folding is about a sheet metal spacer shown in FIG. 12. The flaps 22b and 22d are then bent around the half of the blank 118 shown in the lower portion of FIG. 10 and are bonded to this portion of the blank 118 along lines 136a-136h shown in FIG. 11. This bonding may be by means of pressure and heat. The metal spacer 134 remains in place between the halves of the blank 118 during this operation so as to assure that there is sufficient spacing between the halves of the blank 118 so that the disk 20 may freely rotate within the jacket 22. The spacer 134 is then withdrawn from the jacket 22 as completed to this point, and the disk 20 is inserted into the jacket. The flap 22c is then bent around the upper marginal portions of the jacket 22 and is bonded to the same rear face of the jacket 22 as are the flaps 22b and 22d to thus complete the disk assembly as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. As has been previously described, during ordinary usage and handling of the disk assembly 18, such as by moving it into and out of the protective envelope 36, the jacket 22 accumulates an electrostatic charge apparently on its outer surface. If the disk assembly 18, but lacking the conductive layer 35, is used in the disk drive machine shown in FIGS. 4-7, this electrical charge migrates from the exterior surface of the jacket 22 and accumulates on the transducer 72. After an accumulation of charge on the transducer 72 to a certain high voltage, a transient discharge occurs, probably within the transducer 72 itself. Such discharges occur periodically for a prolonged period of time, such as 15 minutes, until the charge on the jacket 22 has been dissipated. Each such discharge causes an extraneous bit to be sensed by the transducer 72 during reading and prevents the machine of FIGS. 4-7 from being used effectively for this period of time. The charge on the exterior surface of the jacket 22 is retained for this prolonged period due to the fact that the jacket 22 is made of a material which has a very high resistivity. This problem is particularly concerned and prevalent with a transducer 72 of the ferrite type which is of electrically insulating material; and, in fact, the problem can be overcome by using a conventional transducer which is mainly of metal. This is true, because transducers which are made of metal do not allow accumulation of charge on them and rather conduct the charge to ground (the frame 42 of the machine). The ferrite transducer 72, nevertheless, is preferred and is used in connection with the invention, particularly since the ferrite transducer 72 is of relatively low cost and provides a more accurate reading and writing action. The action of the electrostatic charge on the exterior surface of the jacket 22 which disturbs the reading action of the ferrite transducer 72 should be distinguished from any static charge which occurs due to rotation of the disk 20 within the jacket 22. The wipe layer 34 functions to minimize any effects of such a static charge as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,668,658. The presence of the electrical conducting layer 35 within the jacket 22 has been found to very materially decrease the time during which troublesome discharge takes place in the transducer 72, such as from about 15 minutes to 15 milliseconds. This shortened time of discharge is so short that the electrostatic charge on the exterior of the jacket 22 ceases to be a problem in putting the disk drive machine of FIGS. 4-7 into operation. This is true even though the electrically conducting layer 35 is completely within the jacket 22 and does not come directly into contact with portions of the disk drive machine which are normally of metal, such as the abutments 62 and the hub 48. The electrostatic charge which resides on the outer surface of the jacket 22 may be dissipated to the machine frame 42 acting as ground through three general paths, namely, (1) directly to the machine frame 42, (2) through the hub 50 to the machine frame 42, or (3) through the transducer 72 to the machine frame 42. Charges which flow directly to the machine frame 42 may travel in several branch paths. The most straightforward of these is a branch path including only the outer surface of the jacket 22 from the original position of the charge on the outer surface of the jacket 22 to the nearest grounding point. Parts of the machine frame in direct contact with exterior parts of the jacket 22 represent such grounding points and may be the abutments 62 or the inner surfaces of the frame 42 forming the slots 56 and 58. Another such branch path and which includes the layer 35 of relatively low resistivity compared to that of the material of the jacket 22 is a branch path in which a charge on the exterior surface of the jacket 22 moves from its original position directly through the jacket material into the inner conductive layer 35. Once in the inner layer 35, the charge may travel to any of the above-mentioned grounding points by tunneling through the material of the jacket 22 at the grounding point. Another such branch path is one in which the charge travels by conduction on the outer surface of the jacket 22 to an opening in the jacket 22 (an opening 28, an opening 30 or an opening 26), then moves inwardly around the edges of the opening to the conductive layer 35 and flows through the conductive layer to a grounding point as in the branch path just above mentioned. Charges which flow to the hub 48 functioning as a grounding point may do so through several branch paths. In one such branch path, a charge travels by conduction on the surface of the jacket 22 to one of the openings 26, 28 or 30 in the jacket 22, travels around the edges of the opening to the conductive layer 35 and from thence travels on the recording surface of the disk 20 to the hub 48. The Fe 2 O 3 coating on the disk 20 may act as a conductor for these charges particularly since it includes carbon in its makeup providing some conductivity. In another branch path, a charge on the exterior surface of the jacket 22 may flow directly through the material of the jacket 22, through the layers 34 and 35 onto the recording surface of the disk 20, and from thence the charge may flow across the Fe 2 O 3 coating of the disk 20 to the hub 48 as in the previously mentioned branch path. Charges originally lying quite remote from the hub 48 use the last mentioned branch path to rapidly travel to the hub 48. Charges which flow to the transducer 72 do so in branch paths which are exactly analagous to those in which charges travel to the hub 48. Such branch paths for the transducer 72 include one in which charges travel on the outer surface of the jacket 22 to one of the openings 26, 28 or 30, thence to the conductive layer 35 and from thence across the recording surface of the disk 20 to the transducer 72. In another such branch path, a charge may flow directly through the material of the jacket 22, through the layers 34 and 35 and onto the recording surface of the disk 20 from which the charges flow across the coating on the disk 20 to the transducer 72. Charges accumulating on the transducer 72 may be sensed by the recording system connected to the transducer 72 as extraneous bits. This extraneous bit sensing is diminished by the action of the conductive layer in the following ways: (1) charge distribution, (2) charge interception, (3) shortened discharge times, and (4) reduction of potential differences. Charge distribution is accomplished by the conductive layer 35 by providing a means in which charges can simultaneously flow to several grounding points at the same time. Since the conductive layer 35 is virtually equipotential, if any point of the layer 35 is grounded (either directly or through the thickness of the jacket 22) all of the inner surface of the jacket 22 is similarly grounded. Most importantly, this charge distribution function of the conductive layer 35 allows charges from remote parts of the jacket 22 to be dissipated by any grounding point, rather than each grounding point only collecting those charges nearby. In its charge interception (or diversion) function, the conductive layer 35 increases the percentage of the total charge which flows to the frame 42 and hub 48 and lowers the percentage of the charges which flow to the transducer 72 due to the usual laws of current division. This function of the conductive layer 35 is particularly important in reducing the effect of the charge on the exterior surface of the jacket 22 on the transducer 72 when the latter is used in its reading function. Since charge distribution occurs in the conductive layer 35, charges which were formerly collected on the recording surface of the disk 20 in the area of the disk 20 in contact with the transducer 72 are instead conducted away from the vicinity of the tranducer 72 to multiple grounding points in parallel paths. For example, a charge on the exterior surface of the jacket 22 and at the edge of the slot 28 receiving the transducer 72 is attracted by the relatively close coextensive edge of the conductive layer 35 at the edge of this slot 28 rather than being attracted to the transducer 72 which is relatively remote compared to this edge of the conductive layer 35. The conductive layer 35 causes shortened discharge times for charges on the exterior surface of the jacket 22 to occur because the charge decay time for any such charge decreases as the time constant RC decreases. (R) and (C) in the expression (RC) are respectively the resistance to ground and the capacitance to ground for any small area of charge on the exterior surface of the jacket 22. The capacitance (C) to ground for any small charged area on the jacket 22 increases with the conductive layer 35 present; however, the total resistance (R) to ground from any small charged area on the jacket 22 is reduced because of the shortening of surface conduction path lengths and because of the paralleling of paths by the conductive layer 35. Even though C increases, R is reduced enough that the decay time for any charge on the exterior surface of the jacket 22 is reduced. Reduction of potential differences occurs through the following means: Because of the proximity of the conducting layer 35 to the surface charge, capacitance to ground of a small unit of surface area is increased. For a given charge on any capacitor if the capacitance is increased, the capacitive voltage is decreased. Through this action, surface potential difference to ground is reduced, and in turn, the magnitude of current flow through all of the conducting paths above mentioned is reduced. Most importantly, charge migration toward transducer 72 is reduced. For the successful operation of the conductive layer 35 as just described, we consider it important that the layer 35 shall have a very low resistance compared to that of the polyvinyl chloride acetate of the jacket 22 and also compared to the Fe 2 O 3 coating on disk 20. The resistivity of the polyvinyl chloride acetate of the jacket 22 is about 1 × 10 15 ohms per square; the resistivity of the Fe 2 O 3 coating on the disk 20 may be between 5 × 10 9 and 1 × 10 6 ohms per square; and the resistivity of the conductive coating 35 should preferably be between 1 × 10 8 ohms per square and 0 ohms per square. The resistance of the jacket material is thus at least one million times that of the layer 35, although the latter may have appreciable resistance. Incidentally, the thickness of the polyvinyl chloride acetate of the jacket 22 may be 0.010 inch; the thickness of the Fe 2 O 3 coating on the disk 20 may be 90-120 microinch; and the thickness of the conductive coating of the layer 35 may be 0.001 inch, for example. We also consider it important that the conductive layer 35 shall cover as much as possible of the inner surface of the jacket 22 so that a large equipotential surface within the jacket 22 is achieved. It is also considered important that the conductive layer 35 be coextensive with and completely surround the openings 26 and 28 in the jacket 22 so as to provide equipotential edges around the hub 48 and around the transducer 72 whereby the charge on the exterior surface of the jacket 22 may easily migrate from the outer surface of the jacket 22 around the edges of these openings and into the conductive layer 35. Although different types of conductive ink may be used for forming the conductive layer 35, a water-based ink having carbon black of 13% by weight of the solids therein has been found satisfactory. The ink shall be formulated so that when dry it firmly adheres to the polyvinyl chloride acetate material of the jacket 22 and for this purpose may have shellac as one of its constituents. Also, ordinary Higgins India Ink available in familiar stationery stores has been found satisfactory. In lieu of the ink for forming the conductive layer 35, foils of copper, aluminum, gold and platinum, for example, may be used. Alternately, silver particulate paint may be used for forming the layer 35, or the jacket 22 could be metallized with aluminum on its inner surfaces. Other materials besides polyvinyl chloride or polyvinyl chloride acetate may be used for the jacket 22 if desired, but polyvinyl chloride acetate is preferred due to a multitude of favorable properties of this material for the jacket. Also, although the conductive layer 35 has been described and has been shown in the drawings as being on the interior surfaces of the jacket 22, the conductive layer 35 could also, if desired, be placed on the outer surface of the jacket 22 with favorable results. It is preferred, however, that the layer 35 be placed within the jacket 22, since it is thereby much less likely to be damaged in the usage of the assembly 18.

A rotary magnetic record disk assembly comprising a magnetic disk which is rotatably disposed within a containing jacket of material of high electrically insulating characteristics. An electrically conductive layer is disposed on the inside surface of the jacket for draining away electrostatic charge on the jacket.

[0001] The present invention relates to the preparation of intermediates useful in the synthesis of 2′-cyano-2′-deoxy-N 4 -palmitoyl-1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine, a pyrimidine nucleoside therapeutically useful in the treatment and/or prevention of cancer. Specifically, the invention provides an improved process for the preparation of 2′-cyano-2′-deoxy-N 4 -palmitoyl-1-O-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION [0002] The therapeutic use of pyrimidine nucleosides in the treatment of proliferative disorders has been well documented in the art. By way of example, commercially available antitumor agents of the pyrimidine series include 5-fluorouracil (Duschinsky, R., et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 79, 4559 (1957)), Tegafur (Hiller, S A., et al., Dokl. Akad. Nauk USSR, 176, 332 (1967)), UFT (Fujii, S., et al., Gann, 69, 763 (1978)), Carmofur (Hoshi, A., et al., Gann, 67, 725 (1976)), Doxyfluridine (Cook, A. F., et al., J. Med. Chem., 22, 1330 (1979)), Cytarabine (Evance, J. S., et al., Proc. Soc. Exp. Bio. Med., 106. 350 (1961)), Ancytabine (Hoshi, A., et al., Gann, 63, 353, (1972)) and Enocytabine (Aoshima, M., et al., Cancer Res., 36, 2726 (1976)). [0003] EP 536936 (Sankyo Company Limited) discloses various 2′-cyano-2′-deoxy-derivatives of 1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine which have been shown to exhibit valuable anti-tumour activity. One particular compound disclosed in EP 536936 is 2′-cyano-2′-deoxy-N 4 -palmitoyl-1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (referred to hereinafter as “682” or “CYC682”); this compound is currently under further investigation. [0004] CYC682, also known as 1-(2-C-cyano-2-dioxy-(3-D-arabino-pentofuranosyl)-N 4 -palmitoyl cytosine, (Hanaoka, K., et al, Int. J. Cancer, 1999:82:226-236; Donehower R, et al, Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol, 2000: abstract 764; Burch, P A, et al, Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol, 2001: abstract 364), is an orally administered novel 2′-deoxycytidine antimetabolite prodrug of the nucleoside CNDAC, 1-(2-C-Cyano-2-deoxy-β-D-arabino-pentafuranosyl)-cytosine. [0000] [0005] CYC682 has a unique mode of action over other nucleoside metabolites such as gemcitabine in that it has a spontaneous DNA strand breaking action, resulting in potent anti-tumour activity in a variety of cell lines, xenograft and metastatic cancer model. [0006] CYC682 has been the focus of a number of studies in view of its oral bioavailability and its improved activity over gemcitabine (the leading marketed nucleoside analogue) and 5-FU (a widely-used antimetabolite drug) based on preclinical data in solid tumours. Recently, investigators reported that CYC682 exhibited strong anticancer activity in a model of colon cancer. In the same model, CYC682 was found to be superior to either gemcitabine or 5-FU in terms of increasing survival and also preventing the spread of colon cancer metastases to the liver (Wu M, et al, Cancer Research, 2003:63:2477-2482). To date, phase I data from patients with a variety of cancers suggest that CYC682 is well tolerated in humans, with myelosuppression as the dose limiting toxicity. [0007] More recent studies have focussed on different crystalline forms of CYC682 (see for example, WO 02/064609 in the name of Sankyo Company Limited) and optimised formulations containing CYC682 which exhibit improved stability and which allow easier processing (see for example, WO 07/072,061 in the name of Cyclacel Limited). [0008] The preparation of CYC682 described in EP 536936 (see Scheme 1 below) involves reacting cytidine [1] with palmitic anhydride in DMF to form N 4 -palmitoylcytidine [ 2]and subsequently protecting with 1,3-dichloro-1,1,4,4-tetraisopropyldisiloxane (CIPS) to form intermediate [3]. Oxidation of [3] with pyridinium dichromate/acetic anhydride in dichloromethane produces intermediate ketone [4], which is then reacted with sodium cyanide and sodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate in ethyl acetate to form the cyanohydrin [5]. Intermediate [5] is then reacted with N,N-dimethylaminopyridine, phenoxythiocarbonyl chloride and triethylamine to form intermediate [6], which is subsequently reacted with AIBN and tributyltin hydride in toluene to give intermediate [7]. Deprotection of [7] with acetic acid and tetrabutylammonium fluoride in THF yields the desired product, CYC682. [0000] [0009] Further modifications to the above described route have been disclosed in JP 07053586 (Sankyo Company Limited). In particular, JP 07053586 discloses that the oxidation step can be achieved using 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinyloxy free radical (TEMPO), NaOCl and an alkali metal halide (see conversion of [3a] to [4a] in Scheme 2 below). Furthermore, conversion of ketone [4a] to cyanohydrin intermediate [5a] can be achieved by treating [4a] with acetone cyanohydrin instead of NaCN. The resulting cyanohydrin [5a] can then be treated with 2-naphthylchlorothioformate to give intermediate [6a]. [0000] [0010] However, in spite of these modifications, the above described routes are associated with relatively poor yields and/or a high level of variability, thereby highlighting the need for improved synthetic strategies. [0011] The present invention thus seeks to provide an improved process for preparing CYC682. More specifically, the invention seeks to provide a synthetic route which gives rise to improved yields of CYC682 and/or which is suitable for the large scale preparation of this compound. STATEMENT OF INVENTION [0012] A first aspect of the invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of formula 682-4, [0000] [0000] said process comprising the steps of: [0013] (i) converting a compound of formula 682-1 into a compound of formula 682-2′; [0014] (ii) converting said compound of formula 682-2′ into a compound of formula 682-3; and [0015] (iii) converting said compound of formula 682-3 into a compound of formula 682-4 [0000] [0016] Advantageously, reversal of the first two steps of the synthesis to incorporate the CIPS protecting group prior to the —NH 2 protecting group leads to better quality intermediate material 682-4, which forms the substrate for the subsequent reaction with cyanohydrin in the preparation of CYC682. [0017] A second aspect of the invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of formula 682-9 or 682, [0000] [0000] said process comprising the steps of (A) preparing an intermediate of formula 682-4 as described above; (B) converting said compound of formula 682-4 to a compound of formula 682-9; and (C) optionally converting said compound of formula 682-9 to a compound of formula 682. [0021] A third aspect of the invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of formula 682-5, said process comprising treating a compound of formula 682-4 with acetone cyanohydrin and NEt 3 in heptane [0000] [0022] Advantageously, the use of acetone cyanohydrin and NEt 3 in heptane leads to the improved yield and easier purification of intermediate 682-5 compared to reaction conditions previously known in the art. [0023] A fourth aspect of the invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of formula 682-9 or 682, [0000] [0000] said process comprising the steps of: (A″) preparing an intermediate of formula 682-5 as described above; (B″) converting said compound of formula 682-5 to a compound of formula 682-9; and (C″) optionally converting said compound of formula 682-9 to a compound of formula 682. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0027] As described above, a first aspect of the invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of formula 682-4, said process comprising the steps of: [0028] (i) converting a compound of formula 682-1 into a compound of formula 682-2′; [0029] (ii) converting said compound of formula 682-2′ into a compound of formula 682-3; and [0030] (iii) converting said compound of formula 682-3 into a compound of formula 682-4. [0031] Advantageously, incorporating the CIPS protecting group first in step (i) yields a solid product, 682-2′, which can be more easily purified (for example, by washing) to remove unwanted by-products and any excess of the CIPS protecting group reagent. Once purified, the solid 682-2′ intermediate so produced is then acylated to give intermediate 682-3, which is subsequently oxidised to give intermediate 682-4. The ability to purify 682-2′ in solid form leads to better quality material for use in the subsequent steps of the process, leading to higher yields and improved reproducibility. More particularly, the above route leads to better quality intermediate 682-4, which is the substrate for the subsequent cyanohydrin reaction in the synthesis of CYC682. [0032] In one preferred embodiment of the invention, step (i) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-1 with 1,3-dichloro-1,1,4,4-tetraisopropyldisiloxane (CIPS) in pyridine. Further details of this reaction are reported in Org. Process Dev., 4, 172 (2000); U.S. Pat. No. 6,531,584 B1 (2003); Org. Lett., 8, 55 (2006). [0033] In one preferred embodiment of the invention, step (ii) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-2′ with acetic anhydride in EtOH. Alternatively, DMF may be used as the solvent [see Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 43, 3033 (2004)]. [0034] Oxidising agents for converting compound 682-3 to compound 682-4 in step (iii) will be familiar to the skilled artisan. By way of example, the conversion can be achieved by Dess-Martin periodinane oxidation [analogous to methods described in Helv. Chim. Acta, 85, 224 (2002) & J. Org. Chem., 55, 5186 (1990)], Swern oxidation [ Org. Process Res. Dev., 4, 172 (2000) & J. Med. Chem., 48, 5504 (2005)], oxidation with pyridinium dichromate or with 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinyloxy free radical (TEMPO) and NaOCl. [0035] In one particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, step (iii) comprises oxidising said compound of formula 682-3 with 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinyloxy free radical (TEMPO) in the presence of an alkali metal halide and NaOCl. Further details of this reaction are described in JP 07053586 (Sankyo Company Limited). [0036] Another aspect of the invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of formula 682-9 or 682, said process comprising the steps of: (A) preparing an intermediate of formula 682-4 as described above; (B) converting said compound of formula 682-4 to a compound of formula 682-9; and (C) optionally converting said compound of formula 682-9 to a compound of formula 682. [0040] In one preferred embodiment, step (B) comprises the steps of: [0000] [0041] (B1) converting said compound of formula 682-4 into a compound of formula 682-5; [0042] (B2) converting said compound of formula 682-5 into a compound of formula 682-6; [0043] (B3) converting said compound of formula 682-6 into a compound of formula 682-7; and [0044] (B4) converting said compound of formula 682-7 into a compound of formula 682-9. [0045] In one preferred embodiment, step (B1) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-4 with NaCN/NaHCO 3 in H 2 O/EtOH. [0046] In another preferred embodiment, step (B1) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-4 with NaCN/NaH 2 PO 4 .2H 2 O in ethyl acetate. Further details of this reaction may be found in EP 536936 (Sankyo Company Limited). [0047] In another preferred embodiment, step (B1) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-4 with acetone cyanohydrin /KH 2 PO 4 in dichloromethane. Further details of this reaction may be found in JP 07053586 (Sankyo Company Limited). [0048] In one particularly preferred embodiment, step (B1) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-4 with acetone cyanohydrin and NEt 3 in heptane. Further details of this reaction are described below in the second aspect of the invention. [0049] In yet another alternative preferred embodiment, step (B1) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-4 with TMSCN and A1Cl 3 in dichloromethane. Further details of this reaction are described in Tet, 60, 9197 (2004). [0050] Preferably, step (B2) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-5 with 2-naphthylchlorothioformate in the presence of NEt 3 and dimethylaminopyridine. Further details of this reaction are described in JP 07053586 (Sankyo Company Limited). [0051] Alternatively, step (B2) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-5 with phenoxylthiocarbonyl chloride in the presence of NEt 3 and dimethylaminopyridine. Further details of this reaction may be found in EP 536936 (Sankyo Company Limited). [0052] Preferably, step (B3) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-6 with tris(trimethylsilyl)silane (TTMSS) and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) in toluene. Further details of the use of this reagent may be found in J. Org. Chem., 53, 3641 (1988) and Tett. Lett., 44, 4027 (2003). [0053] Alternatively, step (B3) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-6 with tributyltin hydride and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) in toluene, as described in EP 536936 (Sankyo Company Limited). [0054] Removal of the CIPS protecting group from said compound of formula 682-7 in step (B4) and subsequent liberation of free base 682-9 may be achieved using methods familiar to the skilled artisan. Preferably, step (B4) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-7 with HCl/MeOH, and then treating the intermediate so produced with a base to form a compound of formula 682-9. Further details of this reaction may be found in EP 536936 (Sankyo Company Limited). [0055] Preferably, step (C) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-9 with palmitic anhydride in a mixture of H 2 O/dioxane. Other suitable conditions for this conversion will be familiar to the skilled artisan. [0056] A further aspect of the invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of formula 682-5, said process comprising treating a compound of formula 682-4 with acetone cyanohydrin and NEt 3 in heptane [0000] [0057] Advantageously, the use of acetone cyanohydrin and NEt 3 in heptane leads to the improved yield and easier purification of intermediate 682-5 compared to reaction conditions previously known in the art. [0058] Prior art conditions for this conversion typically involve the use of NaCN or acetone cyanohydrin and triethylamine in a 2-phase reaction mixture (for example, water/ethyl acetate) which gives rise to an equilibrium between ketone starting material 682-4 and two possible cyanohydrin isomers. In contrast, the use of cyanohydrin and NEt 3 in heptane favours the formation of just one of the two possible cyanohydrin products; the desired cyanohydrin product is insoluble in heptane and precipitates out of solution, whilst the other isomer and starting ketone 682-4 remain in solution. This precipitation drives the equilibrium towards completion in accordance with Le Chatelier's Principle, thereby leading to improved yields of the desired cyanohydrin. Moreover, the formation of a solid allows for the easier processing of intermediate 682-5. [0059] In one preferred embodiment, the process further comprises the step of preparing said compound of formula 682-4 from a compound of formula 682-3 [0000] [0060] Suitable oxidation conditions are as described above for the first aspect of the invention. More preferably, the process comprises reacting a compound of formula 682-3 with 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinyloxy free radical (TEMPO) and NaOCl. [0061] In one preferred embodiment, the process further comprises the step of preparing said compound of formula 682-3 from a compound of formula 682-2 [0000] [0062] More preferably, the process comprises reacting said compound of formula 682-2 with 1,3-dichloro-1,1,4,4-tetraisopropyldisiloxane (CIPS) in pyridine. Suitable conditions for this conversion are as described above for the first aspect of the invention. [0063] In one preferred embodiment, the process further comprises the step of preparing said compound of formula 682-2 from a compound of formula 682-1 [0000] [0064] More preferably, the process comprises reacting said compound of formula 682-1 with Ac 2 O in EtOH. Suitable conditions for this conversion are as described above for the first aspect of the invention. [0065] In one preferred embodiment, the process further comprises the step of preparing said compound of formula 682-3 from a compound of formula 682-2′ [0000] [0066] More preferably, the process comprises reacting said compound of formula 682-T with Ac 2 O in EtOH. [0067] In one preferred embodiment, the process further comprises the step of preparing said compound of formula 682-2′ from a compound of formula 682-1 [0000] [0068] More preferably, the process comprises reacting a compound of formula 682-1 with 1,3-dichloro-1,1,4,4-tetraisopropyldisiloxane (CIPS) in pyridine. [0069] A further aspect of the invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of formula 682-9 or 682, [0000] [0070] said process comprising the steps of: (A″) preparing an intermediate of formula 682-5 as described above; (B″) converting said compound of formula 682-5 to a compound of formula 682-9; and (C″) optionally converting said compound of formula 682-9 to a compound of formula 682. [0074] Preferably, for this embodiment, step (B″) comprises the steps of: [0000] (B2″) converting said compound of formula 682-5 into a compound of formula 682-6; (B3″) converting said compound of formula 682-6 into a compound of formula 682-7; and (B4″) converting said compound of formula 682-7 into a compound of formula 682-9. [0078] Preferably, step (B2″) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-5 with 2-naphthylchlorothioformate in the presence of NEt 3 and dimethylaminopyridine. Suitable conditions for this step are as described above for the first aspect of the invention. [0079] Preferably, step (B3″) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-6 with tris(trimethylsilyl)silane (TTMSS) and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) in toluene. Suitable conditions for this step are as described above for the first aspect of the invention. [0080] Preferably, step (B4″) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-7 with HCl/MeOH, and then treating the intermediate so produced with a base to form a compound of formula 682-9. Suitable conditions for these steps are as described above for the first aspect of the invention. [0081] Preferably, step (C″) comprises treating said compound of formula 682-9 with palmitic anhydride in a mixture of H 2 O/dioxane. [0082] The present invention is further described by way of non-limiting examples, and with reference to the following figures, wherein; [0083] FIG. 1 shows synthesis of CYC682 via Route 1, a modification of the prior art procedure. [0084] FIG. 2 shows synthesis of CYC682 via Route 1a, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. EXAMPLES Step 1: 682-1→682-2′ [0085] [0086] Org. Process Dev., 4, 172 (2000); U.S. Pat. No. 6,531,584 B1 (2003); Org. Lett., 8, 55 (2006). Cytidine (8.0 g, 32.89 mmol) was pre-dried by azeotroping with pyridine (2×15 ml), then suspended in pyridine (22 ml) and the vessel purged with argon. 1,3-Dichloro-1,1,4,4-tetraisopropyldisiloxane (12.0 ml, 35.40 mmol) was added dropwise at room temperature over a period of 20 min. A mild exotherm to 32° C. was observed. A heavy white precipitate gradually settled at the bottom of the flask. This was broken up with vigorous stirring and the resulting heavy suspension stirred overnight. The mixture was poured into water (200 ml) and extracted with EtOAc (3×200 ml). The combined organics were washed (brine), dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated to a white solid. This was triturated with heptane, filtered and washed with heptane (100 ml) followed by light pet ether (2×50 ml). 13.46 g (84%) obtained. In the last stage of the work up, isopropyl acetate may be substituted for heptane. Step 2: 682-2′→682-3 [0087] [0088] 682-2′ (10.0 g, 20.59 mmol) was suspended in ethanol (200 ml) and acetic anhydride (6.9 ml, 72.06 mmol) added dropwise (no exotherm). The mixture was heated (oil bath 65° C.—internal temp 50-53° C.) for 2 h. Tlc (7% MeOH/DCM) showed product with only trace of starting material. A further 3 ml of acetic anhydride was added (no exotherm) and heating continued a further 1.5 h. Tlc showed no starting material. The mixture was cooled to room temperature and the EtOH evaporated on RV. 5% NaHCO 3 (100 ml) was added (CO 2 ↑) and the mixture extracted with 1:1 TBDME/heptane (3×100 ml). The combined organics were washed (brine), dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated to a white foam (10.43 g, 96%). Step 3: 682-3→682-4 [0089] [0090] 682-3 (8.0 g, 15.15 mmol) was dissolved in DCM (120 ml) and cooled to 10° C. in an ice-bath. Dess-Martin periodinane (12.58 g, 28.78 mmol) was added in small portions and the addition funnel rinsed with DCM (20 ml). The resulting cloudy solution stirred with cooling for 10 min, then at room temperature overnight. The mixture was diluted with Et 2 O (450 ml) and washed with aq NaHCO 3 (200 ml) in which Na 2 S 2 O 3 .5H 2 O (38.5 g) had been dissolved. The aqueous phase was extracted with Et 2 O (200 ml). The combined organics were washed (sat NaHCO 3 , followed by brine), dried (MgSO 4 ) filtered and evaporated to a crisp white foam. NMR showed ca.7.5% of starting material remaining. The crude product was redissolved in DCM (150 ml) and treated with a further 2.5 g (5.89 mmol) of Dess-Martin periodinane as before. The reaction mixture was worked up as before (using 9 g Na 2 S 2 O 3 .5H 2 O) to give 7.54 g (95%) of the desired product as a white foam. Step 4: 682-4→682-5 [0091] [0092] 682-4 (700 mg, 1.33 mmol) was partially dissolved in heptane (7 ml) to give a hazy solution. Acetone cyanohydrin (0.25 ml, 2.66 mmol) was added in a steady stream, followed by dropwise addition of triethylamine (19 μl, 0.13 mmol). The mixture was stirred at room temperature, gradually becoming more cloudy. After ca. 20 min the reaction mixture was a thick, paste-like suspension. LCMS after 1 h showed no starting material. The mixture was cooled in an ice bath and filtered. The collected white solid was washed with cold heptane (ca. 15 ml) followed by light pet ether (ca. 5 ml). The product was dried under vacuum at 40° C. 673 mg (91%) obtained. Step 5: 682-5→682-6 [0093] [0094] A solution of 2-naphthyl chlorothioformate in toluene (2-NTF) (25% solution, 1.82 kg/kg 682-5) is added to 682-5 in dichloromethane (10 L/kg 682-5) and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (0.022 kg/kg 682-5) at, or below 5° C. Triethylamine (0.22 kg/kg 682-5) at 0° to 10° C., is added slowly to the reaction mixture at a rate to maintain the temperature at 10° C., or below. The mixture is maintained at 0° to 10° C. and monitored by HPLC. The reaction is continued until the 682-5 content is 52.0%. At the completion of the reaction, 1% w/w aqueous sodium dihydrogen phosphate (10 kg/kg 682-5) is added at a rate to maintain the temperature at 10° to 25° C. The phases are separated and the aqueous phase extracted with additional dichloromethane (4.5 L/kg 682-5). After phase split, the organic phases are washed with a single low pyrogen water (10 L/kg 682-5) charge, combined and transferred for distillation with a dichloromethane line wash. The organic phase is concentrated under reduced pressure at not more than 30° C. Methanol (3 L/kg 682-5) is charged and concentration continued. Additional methanol is charged (10 L/kg 682-5) and the product granulated for at least 1 hour at, or below 5° C. The product is isolated by centrifugation in up to two loads. Each load is washed with cold methanol (1.5 L/kg 682-5) at 0° to 5° C., prior to drying under vacuum at up to 45° C., to constant weight. Step 6: 682-6→682-7 [0095] [0096] The radical initiator Vazo67 (2,2′-azobis[2-methylbutyronitrile]) (0.05 kg/kg 682-6) and tris(trimethylsilyl)silane (TTMSS) (0.41 kg/kg 682-6) are added to the intermediate 682-6 in toluene (4.5 L/kg 682-6). The reaction mixture is heated to 70° C. and agitated at 65° to 75° C. for at least 1 hour, prior to monitoring. The mixture is monitored by HPLC. The reaction is continued until the 682-6 content is X2.0%. Additional initiator and TTMSS can be added if required. After reaction completion is achieved, the mixture is added slowly to ethylcyclohexane (20 L/kg 682-6) at 65° to 75° C. The reaction mixture is cooled to 0° to 5° C. over at least 2.5 hours and held at this temperature. The resultant solid is isolated by centrifugation in up to three loads. Each load is washed with a cold ethylcyclohexane (1 L/kg 682-6) at 0° to 5° C. The product is dried under vacuum at up to 45° C., to constant weight. Step 7: 682-7→682-8 [0097] [0098] To establish hydrolysis, 682-7 is dissolved in methanol (2.34 L/kg 682-7) and hydrochloric acid (36%, 0.48 L/kg 682-7) at 48° to 52° C. A 682-8 seed is prepared by treating 682-9 (5 g/kg 682-7) with hydrochloric acid (29 mL/kg 682-7) in methanol (140 mL/kg 682-7), prior to charging to the reaction mixture. The reaction mixture is heated at 53° C. to 60° C. for at least 2 hours and monitored by HPLC. The reaction is continued until the peak at retention time ca 5.25 is 512.0%. At the completion of the reaction, the mixture is cooled to 10° C. to 15° C. over at least 100 minutes. Ethyl acetate (10 L/kg 682-7) is added over at least 25 minutes at 10° C. to 15° C., and the mixture cooled to 0° C. to 5° C. over at least 30 minutes. The mixture is granulated at less than 5° C. for at least 1 hour. The product is isolated by centrifugation in up to two loads and each load washed with a cold mixture of methanol (0.38 L/kg 682-7) and ethyl acetate (1.11 L/kg 682-7) at 0° to 5° C. The product is dried under vacuum at up to 45° C., to constant weight. Step 8: 682-8→682-9 [0099] [0100] The hydrochloride salt 682-8 is neutralised by adding triethylamine (0.41 kg/kg 682-8) to a suspension of 682-8 in a methanol (3.9 L/kg 682-8): dichloromethane (10 L/kg 682-8) mixture at 15° to 30° C. Dissolution occurs on addition of the triethylamine. The reaction mixture is agitated at 15° to 30° C. for at least 10 minutes and the pH of a sample checked after dilution with water. It is expected to be in the range pH 9 to 9.5. The intermediate 682-9 may undergo epimerization at high pH. Acetic acid (0.25 kg/kg 682-8) is added slowly with agitation, at a rate to maintain the temperature at less than 30° C., to adjust the pH range to 4.0 to 4.5 and induce crystallisation. Additional acetic acid may be added if required. The mixture is then diluted with dichloromethane (25 L/kg 682-8) and cooled to 0° C. to 5° C. The mixture is stirred at 0° C. to 5° C. for at least 1 hour, the product isolated by centrifugation in up to two loads. Each load is washed with a cold mixture of methanol (0.63 L/kg 682-8) and dichloromethane (4.4 Ukg 682-8). The product is dried under vacuum at up to 45° C., to constant weight. Step 9: 682-9→682 [0101] [0102] 682 can be obtained in accordance with the methods disclosed in Examples 1-4 of EP 536936. The intermediate 682-9 is converted to CYC682 and is initially isolated as Form K which is a methanol solvate. Form K is converted to Form B which is a hemihydrate by a suspension form change reaction. Form K or Form B can be further purified by recrystallisation. The recrystallisation yields Form K which is then converted, or reconverted to Form B. (i) 682: Form K [0103] Palmitic anhydride (3.53 kg/kg 682-9) is added to a mixture of 682-9 in 1,4-dioxane (20 L/kg 682-9) and low pyrogen water (1.0 L/kg 682-9) and the reaction mixture is heated to 80° to 90° C. (target range 80° to 85° C.). The reaction is monitored by HPLC and continued until the 682-9 content is 52.0%. At the completion of the reaction, the mixture is hot filtered and the filter washed with 1,4-dioxane (10 L/kg 682-9) at 70° to 90° C. The resultant combined filtrate is concentrated to less than 30% of its original volume (7.3 L/kg 682-9) at or below 60° C. (target internal temperature 45° C. to 55° C., or less). The water content is checked by Karl Fischer titration. If the water content is <2%, additional dioxane is added and the distillation repeated. If required, 1,4-dioxane is added to dilute the mixture to 30% of the original volume. Ethylcyclohexane (48.3 L//kg 682-9) and 1,4-dioxane (3.66 L/kg 682-9) are added and the temperature adjusted into the range 43° to 47° C. Methanol (3.23 L/kg 682-9) is added at 40° to 45° C. over at least 5 minutes. [0104] In a separate reactor CYC682 seed crystals (Form B) (10 g/kg 682-9) are added to a mixture of ethylcyclohexane (1333 mL/kg 682-9), 1,4-dioxane (177 mL/kg 682-9) and methanol (89 mL/kg 682-9) (15:2:1 v/v/v). The resultant mixture is stirred at 20° to 25° C. for at least 1 hour, then added to the crude reaction solution at 40° to 45° C. After crystallisation of the Form K occurs, the reaction mixture is stirred at 40° to 45° C. for at least a further 30 minutes. The reaction mixture is cooled to 20° to 23° C. over at least 120 minutes, and held in the range 20° to 23° C. for at least 1 hour. The resultant solid is isolated by centrifugation in up to two loads and each load washed with a mixture of ethylcyclohexane (7.5 L/kg 682-9), 1,4-dioxane (1.0 L/kg 682-9) and methanol (0.5 Ukg 682-9) at 0° to 5° C. The product is dried under vacuum at 35° to 40° C., to constant weight to yield CYC682 (Form K). [0105] (ii) 682: Form B [0106] CYC682 (Form K) is suspended in methyl acetate (8.9 L/kg CYC682) containing approximately 1.5 to 2% low pyrogen water (169.3 mUkg CYC682). The suspension is stirred at 20° to 25° C. (target 22° to 24° C.) for 1.5 hours and undergoes form conversion. The product is isolated by Nutsche filtration and washed with a mixture of methyl acetate (2.2 L/kg CYC682) and low pyrogen water (42.3 mUkg CYC682) 20° to 25° C. The product is dried under vacuum at or below 40° C., to constant weight, to yield CYC682 (Form B). Recrystallisation of CYC682 (Form K or B) [0107] CYC682 (Form K or B) is suspended in a mixture of 1,4-dioxane (3.33 L/kg CYC682) and ethylcyclohexane (25 L/kg CYC682) and the mixture adjusted into the range 43° to 47° C. Methanol (1.66 L/kg CYC682) is added at 40° to 50° C. over at least 5 minutes to achieve dissolution. Additional heating up to 60° C. may be required to achieve dissolution of CYC682 Form B. [0108] In a separate reactor CYC682 seed crystals (4 to 15 g/kg CYC682) are added to a mixture of ethylcyclohexane, 1,4-dioxane and methanol (15:2:1 v/v/v) as in section (i) above. The resultant mixture is stirred at 20° to 25° C. for at least 1 hour, then added to the crude reaction solution at 40° to 45° C. After crystallisation of the Form K occurs, the reaction mixture is stirred at 40° to 45° C. for at least a further 30 minutes. The reaction mixture is cooled to 20° to 23° C. over at least 120 minutes, and held in the range 20° to 23° C. for at least 1 hour. The resultant solid is isolated by centrifugation in up to two loads and each load washed with a mixture of ethylcyclohexane (3.852 L/kg CYC682), 1,4-dioxane (0.514 L/kg CYC682) and methanol (257 mL/kg CYC682) at 0° to 5° C. The product is dried under vacuum at 35° to 40° C., to constant weight to yield CYC682 (Form K). Comparative Studies [0109] Studies by the Applicant have shown that the process steps as presently claimed lead to improved yields over methodology previously used in the art. By way of example, Table 1 below compares the yields for each step in Route 1 (see FIG. 1 ; prior art methodology) and Route 1a (see FIG. 2 ; in accordance with the invention). [0000] TABLE 1 Comparison of yields for Route 1 and Route 1a → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 → 8 → 9 → K → B Tot. Route 1 98 38 90 91 85 97 89 89 19.9 Route 1a 86 99 95 92 90 91 85 97 89 89 39.8 [0110] Table 1 shows that reversal of the first two steps in the synthesis, (Route 1a, i.e. incorporating the CIPS protecting group prior to the acylation step), and the use of acetone cyanohydrin/heptane in the cyanation step gives rise to intermediate 682-5 in high yield. By way of comparison, performing the acylation step prior to incorporating the CIPS protecting group (Route 1), and using standard cyanation conditions known in the art (e.g. NaCN, NaHCO 3 in H 2 O/EtOAC gives rise to a much lower yield 682-5 (38%). Overall, a comparison of the two routes gives 19.9% CYC682 for Route 1, compared to 39.8% CYC682 for Route 1a. [0111] Various modifications and variations of the described aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes of carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the relevant fields are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a compound of formula 682-4, said process comprising the steps of: (i) converting a compound of formula 682-1 into a compound of formula 682-2; (ii) converting said compound of formula 682-2′ into a compound of formula 682-3; and (iii) converting said compound of formula 682-3 into a compound of formula 682-4. Further aspects of the invention relate to the use of the above process in the preparation of 2′-cyano-2′-deoxy-N 4 -palmitoyl-1-β-D-arabmofuranosylcytosine, a pyrimidine nucleoside which is therapeutically useful in the treatment and/or prevention of cancer.

The present application is a US National Stage of International Application No. PCT/CN2011/077990, filed 4 Aug. 2011, designating, the United States, and claiming the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. 201010245348.9, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on Aug. 4, 2010 and entitled “Method and device for updating tracking area list”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of mobile communications and particularly to a method and device for updating a tracking area identity list. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the prior art, after a Mobility Management Entity (MME) is restarted, a User Equipment (UE) in an idle mode cannot detect the loss of established Packet Data Network (PDN) connection(s) until it initiates any TAU or Service Request procedure, by that TAU or Service Request procedure, the UE will be triggered to reattach onto the network. If the UE had any network service, e.g., an IP multimedia system voice call, before the UE reattaches to the network, then this downlink service would be rejected because there is no context of the UE on the MME. In order to address the problem arising from the MME restart, two solutions have been proposed respectively as follows: First Solution: When the MME receives a TAU/Routing Area Update (RAU) request of the UE, the MME checks a Tracking Area (TA) List and determines whether it needs to be updated, and if the list needs to be updated and the UE has at least one Downlink Data Triggered Attach (DLDTA) bearer (as assumed in this method, based on the operator's configuration, for some bearers on S5/S8 interface of the UE, as long as they have downlink data, paging has to be triggered to recover the PDN connection(s) and guarantee user experience, even if the MME is restarted), then the MME has to notify the Serving Gateway (SGW) to update the stored TAI list by a Modify Bearer Request message (C4 — 101741: When MME receives the TA update request/RA update request message from UE, then MME checks if the TA-list information needs to be updated or not. If the TA-list needs to be updated and the UE has at least one DLDTA bearer, then MME sends the Modify bearer request message ( . . . , TA-list/RA)), so that the SGW maintains the updated TAI list. after the MME is restarted, the SGW knows that the MME is restarted according to echo mechanism or like that, and at this time, the SGW decides to reserve some of the hearers on an S5/S8 interface as configured by the operator, and when downlink data arrive over these hearers, the SGW triggers paging and also will carry the stored latest TAI list of the UE in the downlink data notification to the MME. The UE will reattach to the network upon reception of a paging message carrying an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI). Second Solution: In session establishment and modification procedures, the MME will notify the SGW of the latest updated TAI list (C4 — 101767: During the session establishment and modification procedures, the MME transfers the latest TAI list of the UE to the SGW), and after the MME is restarted, the SGW knows in an echo mechanism or like that the MME is restarted, and at this time, the SGW triggers paging and also carries all the TAI lists of UEs related to the MME in a downlink data notification to the MME, the MME pages all the UEs, and the UEs are reattached to the network and reestablish all the PDN connections upon reception of a paging message carrying an IMSI. Drawbacks of the prior art at least lie in that: The two solutions may not satisfy a demand for updating a TAI list; and The two solutions may not necessarily enable a TAI list to be updated. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A technical problem to be addressed by the invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for updating a tracking area identity list so as to solve the problem in the prior art that a TAI list may not be updated in time. There is provided in an embodiment of the invention a method for updating a TAI list, which includes the steps of: determining, by an MME, whether a TAI list allocated to a UE is changed; determining whether there is no Tunnel Management Message, TMM, message on an S11 interface when the TAI list is changed; and transmitting to an SGW a message carrying the changed TAI list or indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined when there is no TMM message. There is provided in an embodiment of the invention an MME apparatus including: a list determining module configured to determine whether a TAI list allocated to a UE is changed; a message determining module configured to determine whether there is no TMM message on an S11 interface when the TAI list is changed; and a transmitting module configured for the MME to transmit to an SGW a message carrying the changed TAI list or indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined when there is no TMM message. A method for updating a TAI list includes the steps of: receiving, by an SGW, a message transmitted from an MME upon determining that a TAI list allocated to a UE is changed and that there is no TMM message on a current S11 interface, wherein the message carries the changed TAI list or indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined; and storing, by the SGW, the changed TAI list or the indication information, from which the changed TAI list can be determined, carried in the message. An SGW apparatus includes: a receiving module configured to receive a message transmitted from an MME upon determining that a TAT list allocated to a UE is changed and that there is no TMM message on a current SI 1 interface, wherein the message carries the changed TAI list or indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined; and a storing module configured to store the changed TAI list or the indication information, from which the changed TAI list can be determined, carried in the message. Advantageous effects of the invention are as follows: Since an MME transmits a message to an SGW only upon determining that a TAI list is changed, the MME can transmit the TAI list of a UE to the SGW only when the TAI list is changed, and furthermore since a message carrying the latest TAI list or indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined even when there is no TMM message, the new TAI list can be transported to the SGW even if there is no TMM signaling message on an S11 interface at that time to thereby remedy the drawbacks of the solution in the prior art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic flow chart of performing a method for updating a TAI list in an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of an MME apparatus in an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 is a schematic flow chart of performing another method for updating a TAI list in an embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of an SGW apparatus in an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS The inventors have identified during making the invention that: In the first solution in the Background of the Invention, the MME updates a TAI list only when the UE initiates the TAU/RAU request; and in the second solution, the TAI list is updated in the session establishment or modification procedure. However a change to the TAI list may not occur or will occur only in these procedures, for example, the UE initiates a periodical TAU procedure, but the TAI list of the UE at this time may not be changed, and it is not necessary to notify the SGW of the TAI list. Furthermore a change to the TAI list may also occur in a Globally Unique Temporary Identity (GUTI) Reallocation procedure, so the TAI list will not be updated only in the foregoing procedures. In the two solutions, a TAI list has to be transported via an S11 interface between the MME and the SGW, but in some scenarios, a changed TAI list of some UE on the MME may not be transmitted via the S11 interface even if the TAI list is changed, for example, the UE moves out of the original TAI list resulting in an intra MME intra SGW TAU procedure, GUTI reallocation procedure, etc., and in these scenarios, the MME can not transport the changed TAI list to the SGW in time. In view of this, a technical solution according to an embodiment of the invention addresses the problems of how an MME selects an appropriate occasion for transporting a TAI list to an SGW and how the MME updates a TAI list on the SGW if there is no signaling message on an S11 interface between the MME and the SGW. Particular embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic flow chart of performing a method for updating a TAI list, and as illustrated in FIG. 1 , a TAI list can be updated in the following steps: Step 101 . An MME determines whether a TAI list allocated to a UE is changed; Step 102 . The MME determines whether there is no TMM message on an S11 interface when the TAI list is changed; and Step 103 . The MME transmits to an SGW a message carrying the changed TAI list or indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined when there is no TMM message. For example, respective possible TAI lists and indexes corresponding to the respective TAI lists are preconfigured at the MME and the SGW, and the indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined is the index of the changed TAI list, and after the MME transmits the index of the changed TAI list to the SGW, the SGW can store the index locally, and subsequently the SGW transports the index back to the MME, and the MME itself retrieves the corresponding TAI list from a local database. Of course, the indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined will not be limited to the index of the changed TAI TEM list, and any other information from which the changed TAI list can be determined shall fall into the claimed scope of the invention, for example, information of an address at which the changed TAI list is stored, a name of the TAI list, etc. In an implementation, the method can further include: Step 104 . The MME receives a response message returned from the SGW upon reception of the message. In an implementation of the step 103 , the message carrying the TAI list or the indication information may be a Modify Bearer Request message or a newly added message. The two schemes will be described below respectively by way of an example. I. A Modify Bearer Request message is reused for carrying. When there is no signaling message on the S11 interface, a Modify Bearer Request message can be reused to transport the changed TAI list, particularly as follows: 1. When the TAI list allocated by the MME to the UE is changed, the MME decides to update the TAI list to the SGW. 2. If there is no TMM message on the S11 interface, then the new TAI list or the indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined can be transported in a Modify Bearer Request message, and in a specific implementation, this will also require Information Elements (IEs) to be added to the Modify Bearer Request message as will be described below. 3. The SGW receives the Modify Bearer Request message carrying the TAI list or the indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined and then records the TAI list or the indication information and returns a Modify Bearer Response message. In a specific implementation, IEs can be added to the Modify Bearer Request message as follows: Information elements P Condition/Comment IE Type Instance ME Identity C This IE shall be sent on the S5/S8 interfaces for MEI 0 (MEI) the Gn/Gp SGSN to MME TAU. User Location C The MME/SGSN shall include this IE for ULI 0 Information (ULI) TAU/RAU/Handover procedures if the PGW has requested location information change reporting and MME/SGSN support location information change reporting. An MME/SGSN which supports location information change shall include this IE for UE-initiated Service Request procedure if the PGW has requested location information change reporting and the UE's location info has changed. The SGW shall include this IE on S5/S8 if it receives the ULI from MME/SGSN. C This IE shall also be included on the S4/S11 O interface for a TAU/RAU/Handover with MME/SGSN change without SGW change procedure, if the level of support changes the MME shall include the ECGI/TAI in the ULI, the SGSN shall include the CGI/SAI in the ULI. The SGW shall include this IE on S5/S8 if it receives the ULI from MME/SGSN. Serving C This IE shall be sent on S5/S8 for a TAU with an Serving 0 Network associated MME change and the SGW change. Network C This IE shall be included on S5/S8 for a O RAU/Handover with an associated SGSN/MME change and SGW change. RAT Type C This IE shall be sent on the S11 interface for a RAT Type 0 TAU with an SGSN interaction, UE triggered Service Request or an I-RAT Handover. This IE shall be sent on the S5/S8 interface for a change of RAT type. This IE shall be sent on the S4 interface for an RAU with MME interaction, a RAU with an SGSN change, a UE Initiated Service Request or an I-RAT Handover. Indication Flags C This IE shall be included if any one of the Indication 0 applicable flags is set to 1. Applicable flags are: ISRAI: This flag shall be used on S4/S11 interface and set to 1 if the ISR is established between the MME and the S4 SGSN. Handover Indication: This flag shall be set for an E-UTRAN Initial Attach or for a UE Requested PDN Connectivity, if the UE comes from a non-3GPP access. Direct Tunnel Flag: This flag shall be used on the S4 interface and set to 1 if Direct Tunnel is used. Change Reporting support Indication: shall be used on S4/S11, S5/S8 and set if the SGSN/MME supports location Info Change Reporting. This flag should be ignored by SGW if no message is sent on S5/S8. Change F-TEID support Indication: This flag shall be used on S4/S11 for an IDLE state UE initiated TAU/RAU procedure and set to 1 to allow the SGW changing the GTP-U F-TEID. Re-initiate indication: This flag shall be included on S11 and S5/S8 interface to tell PGW to re-initiate the dedicated bearer activation/modification/deactivation procedure which was rejected by the MME because a handover procedure was in progress at the same time. Sender F- C This IE shall be sent on the S11 and S4 F-TEID 0 TEID for interfaces for a TAU/RAU/ Handover with Control Plane MME/SGSN change and without any SGW change. This IE shall be sent on the S5 and S8 interfaces for a TAU/RAU/Handover with a SGW change. Aggregate C The APN-AMBR shall be sent for the PS AMBR 0 Maximum mobility from the Gn/Gp SGSN to the S4 Bit Rate SGSN/MME procedures. (APN-AMBR) Delay Downlink This IE shall be sent on the S11 interface for a Delay Value 0 Packet UE triggered Service Request. Notification Request Bearer C This IE shall not be sent on the S5/S8 interface Bearer 0 Contexts to for a UE triggered Service Request. Context be modified When Handover Indication flag is set to 1 (i.e., for EUTRAN Initial Attach or UE Requested PDN Connectivity when the UE comes from non-3GPP access), the PGW shall ignore this IE. See NOTE 1. Several IEs with the same type and instance value may be included as necessary to represent a list of Bearers to be modified. During a TAU/RAU/Handover procedure with an SGW change, the SGW includes all bearers it received from the MME/SGSN (Bearer Contexts to be created, or Bearer Contexts to be modified and also Bearer Contexts to be removed) into the list of ‘Bearer Contexts to be modified’ IEs, which are then sent on the S5/S8 interface to the PGW (see NOTE 2). Bearer C This IE shall be included on the S4 and S11 Bearer 1 Contexts to interfaces for the TAU/RAU/Handover and Context be removed Service Request procedures where any of the bearers existing before the TAU/RAU/Handover procedure and Service Request procedures will be deactivated as consequence of the TAU/RAU/Handover procedure and Service Request procedures. (NOTE 3) For each of those bearers, an IE with the same type and instance value, shall be included. Recovery C This IE shall be included if contacting the peer Recovery 0 for the first time UE Time O This IE may be included by the MME on the UE Time 0 Zone S11 interface or by the SGSN on the S4 Zone interface. C If SGW receives this IE, SGW shall forward it to PGW across S5/S8 interface. MME-FQ-CSID C This IE shall be included by MME on S11 and FQ-CSID 0 shall be forwarded by SGW on S5/S8 according to the requirements in 3GPP TS 23.007 [17]. SGW-FQ-CSID C This IE shall be included by SGW on S5/S8 FQ-CSID 1 according to the requirements in 3GPP TS 23.007 [17]. User CSG C The MME/SGSN shall include this IE for UCI 0 Information O TAU/RAU/Handover procedures and (UCI) UE-initiated Service Request procedure if the PGW has requested CSG Info reporting and the MME/SGSN support the CSG information reporting. The SGW shall include this IE on S5/S8 if it receives the User CSG Information from MME/SGSN. Last TAI List C The MME shall include this IE on S11 F-Container 0 Container O interface when the TA List of UE is changed. Private O Private VS Extension Extension NOTE1: This requirement is introduced for backwards compatibility reasons. If Bearer Contexts to be modified IE(s) is received in the Modify Bearer Request message, the PGW shall include corresponding Bearer Contexts modified IE(s) in the Modify Bearer Response message. NOTE2: According to the description in 3GPP TS 23.401 [3] e.g. subclause 5.3.3.1 “Tracking Area Update procedure with Serving GW change” and 3GPP TS 23.060 [35], during a TAU/RAU/Handover procedure with an SGW change, if the SGW receives ‘Bearer Context to be removed’ IEs, the SGW shall allocate the S5/8-U SGW F-TEID for those bearers and include also these bearers in the ‘Bearer contexts to be modified’ IE, which is then sent within this message on the S5/S8 interface to the PGW. NOTE3: The ‘Bearer Contexts to be removed’ IE signals to the SGW that these bearers will be removed by the MME/SGSN later on by separate procedures (e.g. MME/S4-SGSN initiated Dedicated Bearer Deactivation procedure). Therefore, the SGW will not delete these bearers during the ongoing TAU/RAU/Handover procedure (without an SGW change), a Handover procedure (with an SGW change except for an X2-Handover) and a Service Request procedure. Particularly CO stands for Conditional-Optional. A defined TAI list is added in the F-Container. Bits Octets 8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1 1 Type = 118 (decimal) 2 to 3 Length = n 4 Spare Instance 5 Spare Container Type 6 to (n + 4) F-Container field When the value of the Container Type is 4, it indicates that what is in the F-Container is the TAI list or the indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined. As can be apparent, the changed TAI list or the indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined can be carried in the F-Container of the message in an implementation. II. A newly added message is used for carrying. When there is no signaling message on the S11 interface, a new message can alternatively be defined to transport the changed TAI list, particularly as follows: 1. When the TA list allocated by the MME to the UE is changed, the MME decides to update the TAI list to the SGW. 2. If there is no TMM message on the S11 interface to carry information of the new TAI list, then the new TAI list or the indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined can be transported in a new message. 3. The SGW receives the new message carrying the TAI list or the indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined and then records the TAI list or the indication information and returns a newly defined Response message. In an implementation, new TAI List Notification Request and Response messages can be defined as follows: Information elements included in the TAI List Notification Request message are as depicted in Table below: Information elements P Condition/Comment IE Type Ins. Last TAI List C The MME shall include this IE on S11 F-Container 0 Container O interface when the TA List of UE is changed. Private Extension O Vendor or operator specific information Private VS Extension Particularly the VS stands for Vendor or operator Specific. Information elements included in the TAI List Notification Response message are as depicted in Table below: Information elements P Condition/Comment IE Type Ins. Cause M Cause 0 Private O Vendor or operator Private VS Extension specific information Extension Reference can be made to the description of the preceding embodiment for the definition of the F-Container in this embodiment. In an implementation, the Cause and Private Extension IEs can be defined as in the 3GPP TS29.274. Based upon the same inventive idea, there is further provided in an embodiment of the invention an MME apparatus, and since the apparatus addresses the problem under a similar principle to the method for updating a TAI list, reference can be made to the implementation of the method for an implementation of the apparatus, a repeated description of which will be omitted here. FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of an MME apparatus, and as illustrated, the MME can include: A list determining module 201 configured to determine whether a TAI list allocated to a UE is changed; A message determining module 202 configured to determine whether there is no TMM message on an S11 interface when the TAI list is changed; and A transmitting module 203 configured for the MME to transmit to an SGW a message carrying the latest TAI list or an indication from which the latest TAI list can be derived when there is no TMM message. In an implementation, the transmitting module can further be configured to carry the latest TAI list or indication information, from which the changed TAI list can be determined, in a Modify Bearer Request message or a newly added message. In an implementation, the transmitting module can further be configured to carry the latest TAI list or the indication information, from which the changed TAI list can be determined, in an F-Container of the message. In an implementation, the transmitting module can further be configured to define Cause and Private Extension IEs in the F-Container as in the 3GPP TS29.274. In an implementation, the MME can further include: A receiving module 204 configured to receive a response message returned from the SGW upon reception of the message. Referring to FIG. 3 , there is further provided in an embodiment of the invention a method for updating a TAI list, which includes the following steps: Step 30 : An SGW receives a message transmitted from an MME upon the MME determining that a TAI list allocated to a UE is changed and that there is no TMM message on a current S11 interface, where the message carries the changed TAI list or indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined; and Step 31 : The SGW stores the changed TAI list or the indication information, from which the changed TAI list can be determined, carried in the message. Furthermore after the SGW stores the changed TAI list or the indication information, from which the changed TAI list can be determined, carried in the message, when the SGW knows in an echo mechanism or the like that the MME is restarted, the SGW triggers paging and also transmits to the MME a downlink data notification message carrying the stored TAI list or the stored indication information. The MME pages all the UEs, and the UEs are reattached to a network and reestablish all the PDN connections upon reception of a paging message carrying an IMSI. Referring to FIG. 4 , an embodiment of the invention further provides an SGW apparatus including: A receiving module 40 configured to receive a message transmitted from an MME upon determining that a TAI list allocated to a UE is changed and that there is no TMM message on a current S11 interface, where the message carries the changed TAI list or indication information from which the changed TAI list can be determined; and A storing module 41 configured to store the changed TAI list or the indication information, from which the changed TAI list can be determined, carried in the message. Furthermore the apparatus further includes: A transmitting module 42 configured to transmit to the MME a downlink data notification message carrying the stored TAI list or the stored indication information upon knowledge of that the MME is restarted after the changed TAI list or the indication information, from which the changed TAI list can be determined, carried in the message is stored. For the convenience of a description, the respective components of the foregoing apparatuses have been described respectively by functionally dividing them into respective modules or units. Of course the functions of the respective modules or units can be performed in the same one or a plurality of items of software or hardware to put the invention into practice. As can be apparent from the foregoing implementations, the technical solutions of the invention can enable an MME to transmit a TAI list of a UE to an SGW only when the TAI list is changed and to transmit the new TAI list to the SGW even if there is no TMM signaling message on an S11 interface at that time to thereby remedy the drawbacks of the solution in the prior art. Those skilled in the art shall appreciate that the embodiments of the invention can be embodied as a method, a system or a computer program product. Therefore the invention can be embodied in the form of an all-hardware embodiment, an all-software embodiment or an embodiment of software and hardware in combination. Furthermore the invention can be embodied in the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer useable storage mediums (including but not limited to a disk memory, a CD-ROM, an optical memory, etc.) in which computer useable program codes are contained. The invention has been described in a flow chart and/or a block diagram of the method, the device (system) and the computer program product according to the embodiments of the invention. It shall be appreciated that respective flows and/or blocks in the flow chart and/or the block diagram and combinations of the flows and/or the blocks in the flow chart and/or the block diagram can be embodied in computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be loaded onto a general-purpose computer, a specific-purpose computer, an embedded processor or a processor of another programmable data processing device to produce a machine so that the instructions executed on the computer or the processor of the other programmable data processing device create means for performing the functions specified in the flow(s) of the flow chart and/or the block(s) of the block diagram. These computer program instructions can also be stored into a computer readable memory capable of directing the computer or the other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner so that the instructions stored in the computer readable memory create an article of manufacture including instruction means which perform the functions specified in the flow(s) of the flow chart and/or the block(s) of the block diagram. These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto the computer or the other programmable data processing device so that a series of operational steps are performed on the computer or the other programmable data processing device to create a computer implemented process so that the instructions executed on the computer or the other programmable device provide steps for performing the functions specified in the flow(s) of the flow chart and/or the block(s) of the block diagram. Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, those skilled in the art benefiting from the underlying inventive concept can make additional modifications and variations to these embodiments. Therefore the appended claims are intended to be construed as encompassing the preferred embodiments and all the modifications and variations coming into the scope of the invention. Evidently those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus the invention is also intended to encompass these modifications and variations thereto so long as the modifications and variations come into the scope of the claims appended to the invention and their equivalents.

The present application discloses a method and device for updating a tracking area list, which method comprises: determining, by a mobility management entity, whether a tracking area list allocated to a user device has been changed; determining, when the tracking area is changed, whether there is no tunnel management message on an S11 interface; and when there is no tunnel management message, sending, by the mobility management entity, a message to a serving gateway, with the message carrying a changed tracking area list or indication information capable of determining the changed tracking area list. The mobility management entity transfers a tracking area list to the serving gateway only when the tracking area list of the user device changes and can still transfer a new tracking area list to the serving gateway even when there is no tunnel management message on the S11 interface, thereby remedying the defects in the solutions in the prior art.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to telecommumcations, and, in particular, to a telecommunications architecture and system wherein all calls routed to a switch are examined and processed in a manner that permits "selected" calls to be differentiated from other calls, so as, for example, to allow the selected calls to receive special treatment. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Telecommunications service providers desire to arrange their network so that the call processing logic applied to each call can be customized, i.e., each call given individualized treatment. This is advantageous from the customer (caller) point of view, since the customer will obtain better service. It is also advantageous from the network provider point of view, since it enables segment specific strategies, i.e., allows marketing tailored to individual customer groups. Today's interexchange networks are not arranged to routinely determine customer identification and provide customized treatment at the time of call origination. Rather, existing networks have been optimized for "simple" calls, and such networks handle calls requiring special treatment on an "exception" basis. In present arrangements, the customer is not identified directly, at the beginning of the call processing process, so that customer-specific features are applied to a particular call only after a great deal of processing. The difficulty is illustrated by one example involving call processing instructions: currently, service type is first identified using a table that associates trunk group type with service type. Automatic number identification (ANI) information may be collected from the caller and sent to an ANI vs customer table, to further identify the customer. Next, the ANI and customer identification are sent to a customer vs allowed feature table, to obtain a list of authorized features. Finally, processed data obtained as a result of the foregoing table look-up is sent back to the switch that is processing the call to execute whatever call processing is appropriate. Other aspects of call treatment, such as access and egress determination and recording/billing arrangements, can be equally complex. The problem with this approach is that the various tables just described are distributed rather than centralized. These tables have to be provisioned, i.e., stored, when a customer first obtains a service or feature, and coordinated among themselves when a customer makes a change. This is costly, complicated, time consuming and error prone. Also, there is no central record of "who has what"; this complicates customer inquiry response and maintenance of the network elements. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides real time call control within a telecommunications network, using a call selection processor separate from the switches carrying the call, which responds to incoming calls and uses information carried in the associated signaling messages to determine what application processor, if any, should be involved on the call. One embodiment of the present invention includes a call selection processor called a signaling director", or "SD" for short, for recognizing certain signaling messages, typically SS7 initial address messages (IAM's), as the messages flow through the signaling network. Alternatively, particular signaling messages may be recognized in a signaling message processing element within the signaling network, such as the signal transfer point (STP) associated with the switch that receives the telephone calls, and a copy of those particular messages forwarded to the SD. The SD examines information in the particular messages, generally information relating to the originating user and destination of each call, and then transmits an "action message" to the switch to direct the switch as to "what to do next". For selected calls, for example, calls that require special treatment, the SD transmits an action message to the switch, directing the switch to await further instructions. The SD then transmits a query message pertaining to the selected call to an appropriate applications processor, also determined based upon information about the calling and called parties gleaned from the IAM. After the query is processed in the applications processor, a response is returned directly to the switch, containing the required call treatment instructions. Those calls that are not "selected" calls are identified in the SD, and a "proceed" action message is sent to the switch, directing that the calls be conventionally treated. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the switch is arranged to wait after receiving the initial incoming call message (i.e., the IAM) and then begin a timing process in response to receipt of this call, so that if an action message for that call does not arrive within a predetermined time period, a query can be launched to obtain such action message. Likewise, if an action message that requests the switch to await call treatment instructions for a "selected" call is received, the switch can begin a second timing process, so that, if those instructions do not arrive within a predetermined time, a query can be launched to obtain such instructions. If a call is received in a switch via a direct connection such that signaling information is provided by multi-frequency tones, ISDN signaling or other means rather than via an SS7 signaling message, then the present invention may process such calls by launching a query from the switch to the SD. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be more fully appreciated by consideration of the following detailed description, which should be read in light of the accompanying drawing in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the telecommunications network architecture of the present invention, illustrating an implementation within an interexchange carder network; FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the signaling messages received and/or generated by certain of the network elements of FIG. 1; FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the processes performed in switch 130 of FIG. 1, relating to signaling messages; FIG. 5 illustrates the relationship between FIGS. 3 and 4; FIG. 6 illustrates the processes performed in SD 150 of FIG. 1; FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a typical Signal Director (SD) in accordance with the present invention; and FIG. 8 illustrates the connection arrangement among a series of SD's, applications processors, telecommunications switches, and signaling message processors. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of the telecommunications network architecture of the present invention, illustrating the relationship between the major components when the invention is used in the context of an interexchange carder telecommunications network, such as the network of AT&T. (Note here that the invention could also be implemented in the context of a local (intraexchange) telephone network, for example, in a terminating switch within a local exchange carder (LEC) network; this type of arrangement is discussed in more detail below. When a telephone call is originated from a point of origin, such as telephone 101, the call is received in a switch 111 of a first local exchange carrier (LEC) network 110 which serves the subscriber for that telephone. If the call is an interexchange call destined for a destination, such as telephone 102, served by a different LEC network 120, the call is connected to the appropriate gateway switch (switch 130 in FIG. 1 ) in the interexchange network. The interexchange network routes the call via a transport network shown generally as 135 to the appropriate interexchange terminating switch, switch 132 in FIG. 1, which thereafter connects the call to switch 121 in LEC network 120, that serves telephone 102. Of course, many other subscribers, not shown, are served by each LEC, many LEC's are served by the interexchange network, and the interexchange network includes many other switches. Our invention is also applicable to calls received in the interexchange network via an alternate access vendor instead of a LEC. Signaling messages which control the process of setting up the call path through switches 111 and 121 in networks 110 and 120 and switches 130, 132 in the interexchange network may follow the well known Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocol defined by Study Group XI-Specification of Signaling System No. 7, International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT) Blue Book, Vol. 6 of Facile VI.9, Geneva, Switzerland, 1989. The signaling messages are originated and processed in a series of signaling message processors, typically signal transfer points (STP's), including STP 112 associated with originating switch 111, STP 122 associated with switch 121, and STP's 141 and 142, associated with the switches 130 and 132, respectively, and are transported between STP's using a signaling network shown generally as 140. Normally, STP's are provisioned in pairs, for reliability purposes; the "inate" to each STP in FIG. 1 is not shown. This is described in more detail below, in conjunction with FIG. 8. Signaling messages, signaling protocols, the conventional signaling network architecture, and the internal arrangement of STP's are all well known to persons skilled in telecommunications architecture development, and are described, for example, in an article by Modarressi and Skoog entitled "Signaling System No. 7: A Tutorial", IEEE Communications Magazine, July 1990, page 19 et seq. Note here that signaling messaging processors, as contemplated by the present invention, can include not only conventional STP's, but also the network endpoint signaling transfer point (NESTP) arrangement described in patent application Ser. No. 07/958845 filed Oct. 9, 1992, entitled "Telecommunications System SS7 Signaling Interface with Loose Coupling to its Host filed by Blatchford et al. and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. In accordance with the present invention, a call selection processor called a signal director (SD) is a network element having the properties of a "full signaling end point" that is arranged to receive information relating to calls connected to any of the switches served by the SD, when those calls are call originations. In FIG. 1, SD 150 is shown as connected to STP 141, so that it can receive a copy of each initial address message (IAM) associated with origination of calls extended from switch 111 to switch 130. Likewise, a second SD 151 is shown connected to STP 142, so that it receives a copy of certain signaling messages (IAM's) relating to origination of calls extended from switch 132 to switch 122. If a signaling message indicates that it represents a message other than an IAM, such as a message relating to on-going calls or calls that are being torn down, copies are not provided to the SD. Note that other alternatives exist for sending call set up messages (IAM's) to the SD. In particular, the SD could monitor all the signaling links directly and itself extract and process those particular messages relating to calls arriving in a switch. Alternatively, the STP could send copies of all messages to the SD, and the SD could likewise extract some of the messages. When SD 150 receives a signaling message containing information relating to a call origination, such as a copy of an IAM, it examines information in that signaling message relating, in general, to the calling and called parties, such as the dialed number and/or the ANI information for the call, to determine if the call requires special treatment. This examination is accomplished through a query to a database in or associated with the SD, using the dialed number, ANI, or other information in the signaling message as a query key. If the call does require special treatment, a message is transmitted from the SD to an appropriate applications processor (AP), such as applications processor 160 in FIG. 1. The last mentioned message is a query also containing information relating to the call, typically including the dialed number and ANI. This message is transmitted from SD 150 to STP 141 and then directly (or through other STP's in signaling network 140) to applications processor 160. Note here that the calling party information can include, in addition to or in lieu of ANI information, information derived from the caller's credit card or telephone calling card, or other information, and the called party information can include, in addition to or in lieu of dialed number information, information which is translated or derived from the dialed number. Applications processor 160 may be configured much like a network control point (NCP) currently available from AT&T, and is essentially a database arranged to receive queries, look up stored information in accordance with retrieval keys contained in the queries, process that information in order to implement call processing, billing, recording or other functions, and return messages containing instructions for call processing or other switch actions. In accordance with the present invention, the call treatment messages are returned "directly" to the switch processing the call, in this case switch 130, meaning that the instructions are not returned to the SD that queried the application processor. Rather, the call treatment instructions proceed through STP 141 (and possibly through other STP's in signaling network 140) to switch 130. Switch 130, as shown in FIG. 1, includes the conventional functional components typically found in a switch such as the 4ESS™ program controlled switch available from AT&T. These components are a signaling interface 131 for receiving signaling messages routed to the switch from the signaling network, including messages from STP 112, SD 150 and applications processor 160, and a CPU 136 for processing calls in accordance with call treatment instructions contained in such messages and with stored instructions that control other switch functions. A database 134 may include other program instructions and/or data used in processing calls. The switch fabric 133, through which calls are actually routed, is connected to other elements in the IXC network, including elements in the transport network 135 as well as switch 111 in LEC network 110. Connections within switch fabric 133 are made under the control of instructions received from CPU 136. In accordance with the present invention, the programs that control the operation of switch 130 are different from those available today. As described in more detail below, switch 130 is arranged to begin certain timing and counting processes in response to receipt of a call origination, to await call treatment instructions for selected calls if instructed by SD 150 to do so, and to process calls in accordance with call treatment instructions received from applications processor 160 if those instructions are received within a predetermined time period, and otherwise to process the calls in accordance with default instructions. FIG. 2 illustrates graphically the sequence in which certain signaling messages are received and/or generated by certain of the network elements of FIG. 1 during call set up. The elements in FIG. 2 retain the same reference designations as used in FIG. 1. The signaling messages are numbered 1 to 5, indicating the sequence in which the messages are generated. The first message, message 1, represents an IAM transmitted by STP 141 to switch 130, as a result of a call being originated and applied to switch 130. This IAM, which actually originates in switch 111 within LEC network 110, is routed via STP 112 and STP 141 to switch 130, and typically includes information pertaining to the dialed number, as well as ANI information pertaining to the originating telephone. However, in some situations, the IAM may include other information, such as a call type indicator and/or calling card number. In accordance with the present invention, when message 1 is recognized by STP 141 as an IAM, a copy of the message is made, packaged in a Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) envelope and transmitted to SD 150 as message 2 using SS7 message transfer part (MTP) routing. In accordance with the invention, when SD 150 receives message 2, it queries its own database to determine if special treatment will be provided for the call, based upon the information provided in the IAM, typically dialed number and ANI. The SD generates message 3, called an action message (AM), and sends the AM through STP 141 to CPU 136 in switch 130 via signaling interface 131, directing that switch (a) proceed with processing, in the case of a call that is not a "selected" call, for example, a call that does not require special treatment, (b) wait for further instructions, in the case of a selected call, for example, a call that does require special treatment, or (c) deny or "kill" the call, in the case of certain other calls which which originate from certain telephones, are destined for certain telephones, or otherwise have characteristics recognized as indicating that such calls should be blocked or terminated. Note that in most applications, the action message described above will be formatted as a TCAP message, in accordance with CCITT recommendations Q.771 through Q.775, and routed via SS7 SCCP and MTP routing, in accordance with Q.711 through Q.714 and Q.701 through Q.704. In the case of selected calls, e.g., calls requiring special treatment, SD 150 then generates a query message 4, requesting routing and processing information for the call, and routes the query to an appropriate applications processor, in this example, applications processor 160 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Routing of query message 4 (which also may be a TCAP message routed using SS7 SSCP routing) is via STP 141 and possibly other STP's in signaling network 140. Generally speaking, the query includes information obtained from the IAM, such as dialed number and ANI. In response to the query message 4, applications processor is arranged to generate call treatment instructions contained in a signaling message 5, and transmit that message directly to switch 130, advising the switch how to proceed. As stated above, the path for message 5 is from applications processor 160 through STP 141 and possibly other STP's in signaling network 140, without passing through SD 150. The call treatment instructions can include call processing instructions, access and egress instructions, recording and billing instructions, and so on. These instructions can, among other things, be used in switch 130 to enable certain features to be applied to the call, such as subaccount billing, abbreviated dialing, call forwarding, sequence calling, etc. The messages described above can be more fully appreciated by considering FIGS. 3 and 4, which illustrate the processes performed in switch 130, and FIG. 6, which illustrates the processes performed in SD 150. The process performed in switch 130, illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, is initiated when an IAM is received in step 301. This causes initialization of an "SD count" in step 303 (for purposes described below) and initiation of an SD timer in step 305, which allows the switch to query the SD if the SD does not provide an action message within a predetermined time. In particular, a determination is made in step 307 as to whether the SD timer has timed out. If so, a determination is made in step 313 as to whether or not the SD count has been exceeded, this being done to assure that an excessive number of queries are not launched. If the result in step 313 is negative, i.e., if the SD count threshold is not exceeded, a query is launched from the switch to the SD in step 315, and the SD count is incremented in step 317. The process then continues with step 305. On the other hand, if the result in step 313 is positive, indicating the the number of queries launched exceeded the SD count threshold, the switch is arranged to proceed without the AM, in step 319. This means that the switch will process the call conventionally. Note here that the timing and querying processes performed in the switch are considerably different from current processing. Conventionally, a switch may receive a signaling message and, in response to the message, generate a query. To protect against the possibility that a response to the query will be delayed or never received, the switch conventionally begins a timing process when the query is launched, so that another query or default processing can occur if the timer "times out". By way of contrast, in accordance with the present invention, the switch begins timing in step 305 in response to receipt of a signaling message. This is because the switch will receive instructions in an action message from the SD (proceed, wait or deny) without the need to launch any query. Until the SD timeout period occurs, switch 130 monitors for an action message in step 309; this can be a "proceed instruction", which causes the switch to proceed with call processing in step 319, a "deny instruction", which causes the switch to provide "final handling" in step 311, or a "wait instruction", which places the switch in a wait state until a message containing call treatment instructions is received from applications processor 160. If the action message received by the switch in step 309 is a wait message, the process continues with steps 321 and 323, in which an "AP count" is initialized (for purposes described below) and an AP timer is started, respectively. This timer allows the switch to query the applications processor for call treatment instructions if the applications processor does not provide a signaling message containing those instructions within a predetermined time. A determination is made in step 325 as to whether or not the AP timer has timed out. If so, and it is determined in step 327 that the AP count threshold has not been exceeded, the switch is arranged to launch a query to applications processor 160 requesting that call treatment instructions be provided. Then, in step 331, the AP count is incremented, and the process is repeated, beginning at step 323. On the other hand, if the AP count threshold has been exceeded, the switch is arranged to perform default processing, as though the "wait instruction" had been a "proceed instruction". As long as the AP timer has not timed out in step 325, the switch awaits call treatment instructions in step 333. These instructions can include, in addition to the the instructions themselves, "origin"information of three general varieties: first, if the query to applications processor 160 and its response was based upon both the ANI and dialed number information, the call treatment instructions include a first origin code indicating that step 341 should be performed, wherein the switch proceeds to execute the call treatment instructions without itself performing either ANI or dialed number processing. Second, if the query to applications processor 160 and its response was based only upon dialed number information, the call treatment instructions include a second origin code indicating that steps 351 should be performed, wherein the switch proceeds to execute the call treatment instructions by (a) storing the received instructions, in step 352, (b) performing ANI table processing, in step 353, and (c) thereafter executing the stored instructions received from applications processor 160 based on the dialed number, in step 354. This sequence of steps is performed to assure that features associated with both the dialed number and ANI can be ascertained, and, to the extent that they are not inconsistent with each other, all of such features can be applied to the call. On the other hand, if the some or all of the features are inconsistent or conflict with each other, processes arranged to resolve the inconsistencies can be applied. Third, if the query to applications processor 160 and its response was based only upon ANI information, the call treatment instructions include a third origin code indicating that steps 361 should be performed, wherein the switch proceeds to execute the call treatment instructions by (a) executing the received instructions from applications processor 160 without further local ANI processing, in step 362, and (b) thereafter performing dialed number based processing, in step 363. This sequence of steps is performed for reasons similar to those stated above, namely, to assure that features associated with both the dialed number and ANI can be ascertained, and, to the extent that they are not inconsistent with each other, all of such features can be applied to the call. In this sequence, however, the ANI based instructions from the applications processor are executed immediately and not stored, since, in general, it is advantageous to perform calling pay features before performing called party features. In all of the above instances, when processing in accordance with steps 341, 354 or 363 is completed, the switch proceeds with call treatment and routes the call through transport network 135 of FIG. 1. The present invention may also be used in the case where a call is extended to a switch via a direct connection, such that an SS7 signaling message is not provided to the switch together with the call. In this event, the switch receiving the call, for example switch 130, also receives origination signaling in the form of multifrequency tones, DTMF tones, ISDN call setup messages, non-channelized signaling, or other non-SS7 signaling in step 351. Then, in step 353, the switch extracts and obtains ANI information and dialed number information for the call from the signaling information and/or the trunk group characteristics, and routes a query to SD 150 containing that information. Thereafter, the process of FIGS. 3-4 continues with step 305, as described above. Techniques for obtaining ANI and dialed number information in these environments is well known: see E. G. Sable, H. W. Ketfler, "Intelligent Network Directions," AT&T Technical Journal, Vol. 70, Nos. 3-4, Summer 1991, pp. 2-10; Ameritech, "Ameritech Intelligent Network Release O Architecture Overview," AM SR-OAT-000019, Issue 1, Arlington Heights; S. Horing, J. Z. Menard, R. E. Stachler, and B. J. Yokelson, "Stored program Controlled Network Overview," Bell System Technical Journal, Vol. 61, No. 7, Part 3, September 1982, pp. 1579-1588; J. J. Lawser, R. E. LeCronier, and R. L. Simms, "Stored Program Controlled Network: Genetic Network Plan," Bell System Technical Journal, Vol. 61, No. 7, Part 3, September 1982, pp. 1589-1598; and CCITT recommendation Q.931. The process performed in SD 150, illustrated in FIG. 6, begins in step 601, wherein the SD receives an IAM from an associated STP, in this case, STP 141, or a query from switch 130. In step 603, information in the IAM or query, for example, the dialed number and ANI information, is used to query the SD's own database, to determine if the call is a selected call, for example, one that requires special treatment. If the call is other than a selected call, SD 150 sends an action message to switch 130 in step 605, directing it to proceed with call processing. On the other hand, if the call is a selected call, SD 150 sends an action message to switch 130 in step 605, requesting that switch to wait for call treatment instructions from applications processor 160. Note that in some circumstances, the action message may direct the switch to deny or "kill" the call, so that the call will not be completed. In step 607, if the call was determined to be a "selected" call, then SD 150 transmits a query to applications processor 160 in step 609, requesting call treatment instructions for the call. The process of FIG. 6 then ends in step 611, and returns to processing of other signaling messages. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a typical Signal Director (SD) in accordance with the present invention. Each SD is connected to the signaling network, typically via a high speed data link such as a T1.5 channel. Messages destined for the SD are received in a brouter 701 which acts as an input/output interface to a common bus 705. Each IAM relating to a call, which typically includes dialed number and ANI information, is routed on bus 705 to an available query processor 720-722, which performs a database lookup using information extracted from the IAM as a retrieval key. The query is intended to determine if the call is a selected call, for example, one that requires special treatment, or if the call is not a selected call, such that it can be treated in the normal fashion. Each query processor 720-722 is connected to one or more RAM disks, such as RAM disks 730-733, which actually store the relevant information that can be processed in a query processor to generate the action message that is formatted in response to a query. The information stored in RAM disks 730-733 also identifies a particular applications processor which may contain call treatment information for a particular call, based upon the characteristics (e.g., dialed number or ANI) of that call. Note that, in accordance with our invention, each SD, using its RAM disks, stores a record for every ANI and for every dialed number for which special treatment is desired. In a typical implementation, each SD should be arranged to store up to 100 million records, each containing up to 100 bytes of information. Typically, each SD is arranged to accommodate approximately 2000 queries per second, with a 50 millisecond average processing delay. The capacity of the SD to handle transactions must be sufficient to assure that as many IAM's as arrive in one SS7 region (i.e., as arrive and are processed by one pair of STP's) can be accommodated. The connection arrangement among a series of SD's, applications processors and telecommunications switches is illustrated in FIG. 8. As shown, each switch, such as switches 801-803, is cross-connected to a pair of STP's 810 and 820, via signaling links. This pairing of STP's is conventional, and is done for reliability purposes. Note that each STP pair serves multiple switches. Each switch (such as switches 801-803) receives calls from one or more LEC's, and signaling messages relating to those calls on signaling links known as "network interconnect" or NI signaling links. In accordance with our invention, SD's 830 and 831 are also paired for reliability, and each SD is connected to each STP 810 and 820 in the pair through signaling links. Identical data will be stored in each SD, so that, in the event of a failure of one SD, the other SD will perform the required functions. In the arrangement of FIG. 8, note that SD's 830 and 831 serve multiple switches. Note also, from FIG. 8, that the application processor (AP) 840 is interconnected with both STP's in a pair in a similar fashion. Thus, application processor 840 is connected to both STP's 810 and 820 through signaling links. Various modifications and adaptations of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For this reason, the invention is to be limited only by the appended claims. For example, while ANI information was used in the call selection unit shown in the figures, it is to be understood that other information which describes the calling party, such as a calling card number, can be used instead. Also, while the previous description illustrated our invention as deployed in an interexchange network, the invention could also be applicable to a local exchange network. For example, each call received in a terminating (LEC) switch could be processed in the same manner as described above, so that the terminating switch would, after receipt of such calls, await action instructions from an SD, based upon information contained in signaling messages associated with the routing of the call to that terminating switch. As with IAM's, the information used in the SD can be called and calling number information, or other information, and the SD will, for selected calls, route a query to an appropriate applications processor which returns processing instructions directly to the terminating switch.

The present invention provides real time call control within a telecommunications network, using a call selection processor separate from the switches carrying the call, which responds to incoming calls and uses information carried in the associated signaling messages to determine what application processor, if any, should be involved on the call. One embodiment of the present invention includes a call selection processor called a signaling director", or "SD" for short, for recognizing certain signaling messages, typically SS7 initial address messages (IAM's), as the messages flow through the signaling network. Alternatively, particular signaling messages may be recognized in a signaling message processing element within the signaling network, such as the signal transfer point (STP) associated with the switch that receives the telephone calls, and a copy of those particular messages forwarded to the SD.

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to the U.S. provisional patent application filed on 10 May 2012 and identified by Application Ser. No. 61/645,397, which is incorporated herein. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to systems and methods for Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest, HARQ, feedback using Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH, for interband Time Division Duplex, TDD, carrier aggregation with different Uplink/Downlink, UL/DL, configurations on different bands. BACKGROUND Carrier aggregation or CA is one of the new features recently developed by the members of the 3rd-Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP, for so-called Long Term Evolution, LTE, systems, and is standardized as part of LTE Release 10, referred to as “LTE Rel-10” or simply “Rel-10”, which is also known as LTE-Advanced. Rel-8 is an earlier version of the LTE standards and it supports bandwidths up to 20 MHz. In contrast, LTE-Advanced supports bandwidths up to 100 MHz. The very high data rates contemplated for LTE-Advanced require an expansion of the transmission bandwidth. However, to maintain backward compatibility with Rel-8 mobile terminals, the available spectrum in Rel-10 is divided into chunks called component carriers, or CCs, where each CC is Rel-8 compatible. CA enables bandwidth expansion beyond the limits of LTE Rel-8 systems by allowing mobile terminals to transmit data over an “aggregation” of multiple Rel-8 compatible CCs, which together can cover up to 100 MHz of spectrum. This approach to CA ensures compatibility with legacy, Rel-8 mobile terminals, while also ensuring efficient use of the wider carrier bandwidths supported in Rel-10 and beyond by making it possible for the legacy mobile terminals to be scheduled in all parts of the wideband LTE-Advanced carrier. The number of aggregated CCs, as well as the bandwidth of the individual CCs, may be different for uplink, UL and downlink, DL, transmissions. The configuration of aggregated CCs is referred to as “symmetric” when the number of CCs in the UL is the same as in the DL. Thus, a CA configuration with different numbers of CCs aggregated in the UL versus the DL is referred to as an asymmetric configuration. Note, too, that the number of CCs configured for a geographic cell area may be different from the number of CCs seen by a given mobile terminal. A mobile terminal, for example, may support more downlink CCs than uplink CCs, even though the same number of uplink and downlink CCs may be offered by the network in a particular area. LTE systems can operate in either Frequency-Division Duplex, FDD, mode or in TDD mode. In FDD mode, downlink and uplink transmissions take place in different, sufficiently separated, frequency bands. In TDD mode, on the other hand, downlink and uplink transmission take place in different, non-overlapping time slots. Thus, TDD can operate in unpaired spectrum, whereas FDD requires paired spectrum. TDD mode also allows for different asymmetries in terms of the amount of resources allocated for uplink and downlink transmission, respectively. In this regard, the UL/DL configuration of a TDD cell determines, among other things, the particular allocation of subframes for DL use and for UL use, within a given radio frame. Different UL/DL configurations correspond to different proportions of DL and UL allocations. Accordingly, UL and DL resources can be allocated asymmetrically for a given TDD carrier. One consideration for operation in the CA context is how to transmit control signaling on the UL from a mobile terminal to the wireless network. Among other things, UL control signaling includes HARQ feedback. As used herein, the term “HARQ feedback” denotes the HARQ-ACK bits transmitted from the mobile terminal for the involved CCs, for a given HARQ feedback window. Here, the term “HARQ feedback window” refers to the overall set or span of DL subframes that is associated with the HARQ feedback being generated, as taken across all serving cells involved in the HARQ feedback generation. Moreover, the term “HARQ-ACK bit” is used to refer to a given HARQ feedback bit, regardless of whether the state of that bit is an ACK value, a NACK value, or a Discontinuous Transmission, DTX, value. A User Equipment, UE, or other mobile terminal operating in accordance with LTE Rel-8 or Rel-9—i.e., without CA—is configured with only a single downlink CC and uplink CC. The time-frequency resource location of the first Control Channel Element, CCE, used to transmit the Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, for a particular downlink assignment determines the dynamic resource to be used by the targeted UE for sending corresponding HARQ feedback on a PUCCH, which in this context is referred to as a “Rel-8 PUCCH”. No PUCCH collisions occur in the Rel-8 scheme, because all PDCCHs for a given subframe are transmitted by the network using a different first CCE. Therefore, each targeted UE sends HARQ feedback corresponding to its PDCCH reception using different CCE resources in the UL. HARQ feedback becomes more complicated in the CA context, where the HARQ feedback relates to multiple serving cells or, equivalently, multiple CCs. However, Rel-10 provides a number of defined approaches to sending such feedback. These defined approaches build in some sense on the approach used in Rel-8, but with certain multiplexing and timing provisions to cover the multiple cells/CCs involved in the HARQ feedback. Rel-10 procedures, however, assume that all serving cells in a given CA configuration have the same UL/DL configurations and thus have the same UL/DL subframe allocations. Rel-11, among other things, adds the flexibility of aggregating carriers having different UL/DL configurations and aggregating carriers having different frequency bands and/or Radio Access Technologies, RATs. Rel-11 thus introduces a number of new HARQ feedback scenarios that are incompatible with the HARQ feedback signaling introduced in Rel-10 for CA scenarios. SUMMARY In one aspect, the teachings herein provide a method and apparatus for extending certain HARQ feedback procedures introduced in LTE Rel-10, which are defined for CA configurations involving TDD serving cells of the same UL/DL configuration, to the new, more complex CA configurations introduced in Rel-11 and involving aggregations of interband TDD serving cells with differing UL/DL configurations. Such reuse enables reliable and efficient HARQ feedback signaling in LTE Rel-11, without substantially increasing the specification or implementation complexity of HARQ feedback signaling in LTE Rel-11, despite the decidedly more complex CA configurations introduced in LTE Rel-11. In one example, a UE implements a method of HARQ feedback generation for transmission in a wireless communication network, where the method advantageously enables the UE to generate the same number of HARQ feedback bits for all serving cells in its CA configuration, even where two or more of the serving cells have differing UL/DL configurations. In this regard, the UE operates according to a defined CA configuration that involves two or more TDD serving cells having different UL/DL configurations. The method includes determining which serving cell from among two or more serving cells has a largest association set size. It will be understood that the UL/DL configurations of the serving cells define the association set for each serving cell as which DL subframes are associated with the HARQ feedback to be generated. The method includes generating an equal number of HARQ-ACK bits for each serving cell, based on the largest association set size. Such processing includes, for the determined serving cell—i.e., the cell having the largest association set size—generating a HARQ-ACK bit according to an actual HARQ feedback state for each DL subframe that is associated with the determined serving cell. The processing further includes, for each remaining serving cell among the two or more serving cells, generating a HARQ-ACK bit according to an actual HARQ feedback state for each DL subframe that is associated with the remaining serving cell, and generating additional HARQ-ACK bits as DTX or NACK values, as needed, so that the number of HARQ-ACK bits generated for each remaining serving cell equals the number of HARQ-ACK bits generated for the determined serving cell. Additionally, or alternatively, the UE may be configured to perform another example method, in which it uses the value of a received downlink assignment index to generate an equal number of HARQ-ACK bits for each serving cell in its CA configuration, even where two or more of the serving cells have differing UL/DL configurations. The method includes receiving a downlink assignment index, the value of which indicates the number of DL subframe assignments within the HARQ feedback window, as taken across all serving cells that are associated with the HARQ feedback being generated. The serving cells operate as TDD cells according to their respective UL/DL configurations and are known from a CA configuration for the UE. The method includes generating an equal number of HARQ-ACK bits for each serving cell, based on the downlink assignment index. Such processing includes, for each serving cell, generating a HARQ-ACK bit based on the actual HARQ feedback state for each DL assignment that is within an association set of DL subframes, as defined for the serving cell by the UL/DL configurations of the serving cells. The processing further includes, for each serving cell, as needed, generating additional HARQ-ACK bits as DTX or NACK bits, so that the number of HARQ-ACK bits generated for the serving cell equals the downlink assignment index. Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not limited to the above contexts or examples, and will recognize additional features and advantages upon reading the following detailed description and upon viewing the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a Long Term Evolution, LTE, network that is configured according to the teachings herein. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating example components of a User Equipment, UE, that is configured according to the teachings herein. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating an eNodeB or eNB that is configured according to the teachings herein. FIG. 4 is a signaling diagram illustrating a HARQ feedback signaling procedure according to one or more embodiments of HARQ feedback generation taught herein. FIG. 5 illustrates UL/DL configurations for TDD operation of a cell in a LTE network, as are known from LTE Rel-10. FIG. 6 illustrates Table 1, which is known from 3GPP TS 36.213 and provides association set definitions for a TDD cell operating according respective ones of the various UL/DL configurations illustrated in FIG. 5 . FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate application of Table 1 from FIG. 6 in terms of the DL subframe associations and feedback timing for HARQ feedback to be observed by a UE with respect to a TDD cell operating according to Configuration #1 and Configuration #2, respectively, from FIG. 5 . FIGS. 9-12 illustrate DL subframe associations and timings for various two-cell carrier aggregation scenarios involving interband aggregations of a primary and secondary cell, wherein the HARQ timing used by the UE for the secondary cell is based on the HARQ timing of the primary cell. FIGS. 13 and 14 are logic flow diagrams of example embodiments of methods taught herein for generating an equal number of HARQ-ACK bits per serving cell, in CA scenarios involving the aggregation of serving cells having differing UL/DL configurations. FIG. 15 illustrates Table 2, which, according to the teachings herein, depicts example cases for reusing CA HARQ signaling from LTE Rel-10, for new LTE Rel-11 CA scenarios. FIG. 16 illustrates Table 3, which is known from 3GPP TS 36.213 and shows the mapping of transport block and serving cell to HARQ-ACK(j) for PUCCH format 1b HARQ-ACK channel selection for TDD with M=1. FIGS. 17-19 illustrates Tables 4, 5 and 6, respectively, as known from 3GPP TS 36.213 for the transmission of HARQ-ACK multiplexing for A=2 (Table 4), A=3 (Table 5), and A=4 (Table 6). FIG. 20 illustrates Table 7, as known from 3GPP TS 36.213 for the mapping of subframes on each serving cell to HARQ-ACK(j) for PUCCH format 1b HARQ-ACK channel selection for TDD with M=2. FIG. 21 illustrates Table 8, as known from 3GPP TS 36.213 for the transmission of HARQ-ACK multiplexing, for M=3. FIGS. 22A-22B illustrate Table 9, as known from 3GPP TS 36.213 for the transmission of HARQ-ACK multiplexing, for M=4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates a representative example of a modern wireless communication network 10 contemplated for use in one or more embodiments of the teachings presented herein. In particular, the network 10 is depicted according to the LTE standards promulgated by 3GPP. As shown, the network 10 includes a core network 12 —an “evolved packet core” in the LTE context—and radio access network 14 —which is denoted as an E-UTRAN for the LTE context—i.e., an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network. The core network 12 comprises a plurality of nodes 16 including those having the functionality of a Mobile Management Entity, MME, and a Signaling Gateway, S-GW. In turn, the radio access network 14 includes a number of base stations 18 , referred to as evolved NodeBs, eNodeBs, or simply eNBs in the LTE context. The eNBs 18 communicatively connect to each other over a logical interface referred to as an “X2” interface. Further, the eNBs 18 communicate with the MME/SGWs 16 over a logical interface referred to as the “S1” interface. The eNBs 18 also communicate with one or more user terminals, as represented by the User Equipment, UE, 20 shown in the diagram. With respect to those communications, each eNB 18 provides or otherwise controls one or more “cells”. Multiple cells associated with one eNB 18 may partly or wholly overlap in terms of geographic area. Likewise, cells associated with neighboring eNBs 18 may at least partly overlap at their respective borders. As is well understood in the art, a cell may be understood as the allocation of particular radio resources over a particular geographic area. For example, a given eNB 18 may provide two cells that partially or wholly overlap by using different carriers in the cells, e.g., carriers in different frequency bands or subbands. Unless the distinction is needed for clarity, the term “serving cell” is used interchangeably with “component carrier” or “CC”, in the CA context of interest herein. For further ease of discussion FIG. 1 illustrates only one UE 20 . Of course, there may be many UEs 20 supported by the network 10 and, similarly, the network 10 may include additional eNBs 18 , MME/SGWs 16 , and various other entities not shown, such as for authorization, access control and accounting, operations and maintenance, etc. The term “UE” should be given a broad construction that encompasses essentially any wireless device or apparatus that is configured to operate within the network 10 , with mobile terminals such as cellular telephones or other wireless computing devices being non-limiting examples. The radio access network 14 provides an air interface communicatively linking the UEs 20 and the eNBs 18 , where the air interface is defined by specific frequencies, signal type/structure, timing, protocols, etc. In the example case, the air interface follows the LTE specifications. The eNBs 18 provide the UEs 20 with access to the core network 12 , and to other systems and networks to which the core network 12 is communicatively coupled. FIG. 2 provides a functional block diagram illustrating components of an example UE 20 configured to operate according to one or more embodiments of the teachings herein. As seen in the diagram, the example UE 20 comprises a programmable controller 22 , a memory 24 , a user I/O interface 26 , and a communications interface 28 . The user I/O interface 26 provides the components necessary for a user to interact with the UE 20 and its details depend on the intended use and features of the UE 20 , which are of no particular concern in this discussion. The communications interface 28 comprises a transceiver—a transmitter and receiver—that supports wireless communication with the wireless communication network 10 via an air interface. That is, the communications interface 28 provides for communications with the eNBs 18 in the network 10 over the appropriate air interface. In one or more embodiments, the air interface is an LTE-based air interface and the communications interface 28 is configured to operate according to the LTE specifications, e.g., according to Rel-11. The memory 24 may comprise any solid-state memory or computer readable media known in the art. Suitable examples of such media include, but are not limited to, ROM, DRAM, FLASH, or a device operable as computer-readable media, such as optical or magnetic media. Of course, working memory such as SRAM also may be included, e.g., in or accessible to the programmable controller 22 . The programmable controller 22 , also referred to as a “controller circuit”, is implemented by one or more microprocessors, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof, and generally controls the operation and functions of the UE 20 according to the appropriate standards. Such operations and functions include, but are not limited to, communicating with the eNBs 18 as previously noted. In this regard, the programmable controller 22 may be configured to implement logic and instructions stored in memory 24 to perform the device-side method(s) described herein, or any variations or extensions. In particular, it will be understood that whether configured programmatically via computer program instruction execution or configured via fixed circuitry, the example UE 20 is configured to generate HARQ feedback according to the teachings herein. According to one example, the UE 20 is configured to generate HARQ feedback for transmission in the network 10 . Advantageously, the HARQ feedback generation is performed in a manner that allows the UE 20 to operate with CA configuration wherein two or more of the serving cells have different association set sizes, such as permitted in Rel-11, while reusing certain HARQ feedback procedures established in LTE Release 10 for CA configurations involving serving cells all having the same association set size. For example details on association sets, one may refer to Table 1 of FIG. 6 herein, which is a reproduction of Table 10.1.3.1-1 in 3GPP TS 36.213 V10.4.0 (2011). Of course, TS 36.213 includes comprehensive details for association sets and background procedures for generating HARQ feedback in the non-CA and CA contexts, which may be of interest to the reader. Here, it is enough to note that the association set for a given serving cell or CC can be understood as defining which DL subframes are associated with the HARQ feedback to be sent a given UL subframe n. Because Rel-11 permits the aggregation of serving cells with different UL/DL configurations, some serving cells in the CA configuration of the UE 20 may have a greater or lesser number of associated DL subframes, which greatly complicates the generation of HARQ feedback. The controller circuit 22 has an advantageous configuration that addresses such complexities. In on example, the controller circuit 22 is operatively associated with the communications interface 28 and is configured to determine which serving cell from among two or more serving cells has a largest association set size. Here, the serving cells are serving cells according to the CA configuration defined for the UE 20 and they operate as TDD cells according to their respective UL/DL configurations, which define the association set for each serving cell. The size of the association set of any given serving cell may be denoted by the parameter “M”. The controller circuit 22 is further configured to generate the HARQ feedback, e.g., for the given UL subframe n, by, for the determined serving cell, generating a HARQ-ACK bit according to an actual HARQ feedback state for each DL subframe that is associated with the determined serving cell. For each remaining serving cell among the two or more serving cells in the UE's CA configuration, the controller circuit 22 is configured to generate a HARQ-ACK bit according to an actual HARQ feedback state for each DL subframe that is associated with the remaining serving cell, and to generate additional HARQ-ACK bits as DTX or NACK values, as needed, so that the number of HARQ-ACK bits generated for each remaining serving cell equals the number of HARQ-ACK bits generated for the determined serving cell. This controller configuration generates an equal number of HARQ-ACK bits for each serving cell or CC that is included in the CA configuration of the UE 20 , even where different ones of the serving cells have different association set sizes. HARQ feedback generation in this manner provides several advantages, including allowing the UE 20 to reuse HARQ feedback procedures defined in Rel-10 for CA configurations that are based on all serving cells having the same association set size. In a related embodiment, a computer program comprises instructions stored in the memory 24 or other computer readable medium, which, when executed by the controller circuit 22 , configure the UE 20 to generate HARQ feedback for transmission in a wireless communication network 10 , based on configuring the UE 20 to determine which serving cell from among two or more serving cells has a largest association set size. As explained, the serving cells are serving cells according to a CA configuration for the UE 20 and operate as TDD cells according to UL/DL configurations that define the association set for each serving cell as which DL subframes are associated with the HARQ feedback. Execution of the program instructions further configure the controller circuit 22 to generate the HARQ feedback by, for the determined serving cell, generating a HARQ-ACK bit according to an actual HARQ feedback state for each DL subframe that is associated with the determined serving cell, and, for each remaining serving cell among the two or more serving cells, generating a HARQ-ACK bit according to an actual HARQ feedback state for each DL subframe that is associated with the remaining serving cell, and generating additional HARQ-ACK bits as DTX or NACK values, as needed, so that the number of HARQ-ACK bits generated for each remaining serving cell equals the number of HARQ-ACK bits generated for the determined serving cell. Additionally or alternatively, the controller circuit 22 is configured to: receive a downlink assignment index, DAI. Here, the serving cells are, as before, TDD cells having respective UL/DL configurations and the value of DAI, denoted as W DAI , indicates to the UE the number of subframes for which the UE 20 shall potentially provide HARQ feedback for and thus is not a cell-specific value, in contrast to the cell-specific association set sizes of the serving cells. The DAI indicated in the UL grant is single value that is valid across multiple serving cells and may be understood as a parameter that is used by the UE 20 to derive the size of the HARQ feedback window. In that regard, note that the HARQ feedback window spans all of the DL subframes that are associated with the HARQ feedback to be generated, across all of the serving cells in the CA configuration for which the HARQ feedback is to be generated. In contrast, the association set sizes, represented by the M parameters, are cell-specific. That is, each serving cell in the CA configuration has its own specified M parameter, which may or may not equal the downlink assignment index W DAI . The downlink assignment may be received in Downlink Control Information, DCI, carrying an UL grant for the UE 20 . The controller circuit 22 in this embodiment is configured to generate the HARQ feedback by generating HARQ-ACK bits for each serving cell equal in number to the downlink assignment index, so that the same number of HARQ-ACK bits is generated for each serving cell. Here, the HARQ-ACK bits generated for each serving cell are based on actual HARQ feedback states for each DL subframe assignment that is within the association set of DL subframes defined for the serving cell, and additional HARQ-ACK bits are generated for each serving cell on an as-needed basis, to make the number of HARQ-ACK bits generated for each serving cell equal to the downlink assignment index. The additional HARQ-ACK bits are generated as DTX or NACK values. It will be appreciated that this example controller circuit configuration may be achieved based on the execution by the controller circuit 22 of computer program instructions stored in the memory 24 or other computer-readable medium. FIG. 3 illustrates a functional block diagram of an example eNB 18 that is configured to carry out network-side processing according to one or more embodiments taught herein. The example eNB 18 comprises a programmable controller 30 , a communications interface 32 , and a memory 34 . The communications interface 32 may, for example, comprise a transmitter and receiver configured to operate in an LTE system or other similar system. As is known in the art, the transmitter and receiver are coupled to one or more antennas, which are not shown, and communicate with the UE 20 over the LTE-based air interface. Memory 34 may comprise any solid-state memory or computer readable media known in the art. Suitable examples of such media include, but are not limited to, ROM, DRAM, Flash, or a device capable of reading computer-readable media, such as optical or magnetic media. The programmable controller 30 controls the operation of the eNB 18 in accordance with the LTE standard. The functions of the controller 30 may be implemented by one or more microprocessors, hardware, firmware, or a combination thereof, and include performing the network-side processing described herein. Thus, the controller 30 may be configured, according to logic and instructions stored in memory 34 , to communicate with UEs 20 , and to perform the network-side aspects of HARQ-feedback related processing as taught herein. In one such example, the eNB 18 knows how a given UE 20 is scheduled and for which UL/DL configurations the UE 20 is configured. Thus, the eNB 18 can configure its receiver resources with respect to the UE 20 so that it searches for the states in the HARQ feedback from the UE 20 that are valid for the UE 20 . As a further advantage, the teachings herein disclose example methods enabling reuse of the LTE Rel-10 signaling tables and associated HARQ-ACK bit mappings and structure, including those defined for Format 1b with channel selection. Broadly, these may be referred to as “HARQ signaling protocols”. See the aforementioned TS 36.213 at Sections 10.1 and 10.2. Section 10.1.3.2 in particular defines TDD HARQ-ACK procedures for more than one configured serving cell and includes arrangements for multiplexing HARQ-ACK bits for more than one configured cell in Table 10.1.3.2-1 (Transmission of HARQ-ACK multiplexing for A=2), Table 10.1.3.2-2 (Transmission of HARQ-ACK multiplexing for A=3), and Table 10.1.3.2-3 (Transmission of HARQ-ACK multiplexing for A=4). Of course, these signaling tables are predicated on all serving cells involved in the HARQ reporting having the same UL/DL configuration. As noted, LTE Rel-11 departs significantly this assumption by allowing for the aggregation of CCs having different UL/DL configuration. As a consequence, the M parameter is not necessarily equal across the CCs included in a given CA configuration and the Rel-10 HARQ signaling protocols are, as presented in the standard, inapplicable. Thus, one might be intuitively led to defining a new HARQ signaling protocol for Rel-11. Advantageously, however, the teachings herein disclose HARQ-ACK bit generation and processing methods that enable reuse of the Rel-10 HARQ signaling protocols. The teachings herein thus enable reliable and efficient HARQ-ACK feedback for LTE Rel-11 interband TDD CA without substantial increase in specification and implementation complexity. FIG. 4 illustrates an example context for the innovative device-side HARQ feedback processing taught herein, wherein a UE 20 performs HARQ feedback generation according to a method 400 that is detailed later herein. To better understand the signaling flow context of FIG. 4 , consider that LTE-based UEs 20 use HARQ to report whether decoding was successful (ACK) or unsuccessful (NACK) for DL subframe transmissions—PDSCH transmissions—from an eNB 18 to the UE 20 . In case of an unsuccessful decoding attempt, the eNB 18 can retransmit the erroneous data. In a subframe where the UE 20 has an UL grant for a Physical Uplink Shared Channel, PUSCH, transmission, the UE 20 incorporates the HARQ feedback message into the PUSCH transmission. If the UE 20 has not been assigned an uplink resource for PUSCH transmission in a subframe, the UE 20 uses a PUCCH to send the HARQ feedback message. In the specified TDD context, the HARQ feedback timing depend on the UL/DL configuration of the cell originating the PDSCH transmission(s). To better understand the timing arrangements, consider FIG. 5 , which depicts seven defined UL/DL configurations for TDD operation of a cell in an LTE network. The LTE radio frame is ten milliseconds. Each frame includes ten subframes of one millisecond each. While not detailed in the diagram, those skilled in the art will appreciate that each subframe includes two slots of one-half millisecond each, and that each slot spans six or seven Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, OFDM, symbol times, depending on whether normal Cyclic Prefix, CP, or extended CP is being used. Also in the diagram, one sees that each UL/DL configuration defines a certain allocation of subframes to DL use and to UL use, and includes “special” subframes having an abbreviated DL part—DwPTS—and an abbreviated UL part—UpPTS. A guard portion or GP separates the DL and UL parts of a special subframe. LTE Rel-8 specifies that a UE shall provide HARQ feedback for PDSCH decoding in an UL subframe having a predefined position relative to the DL subframes for which the HARQ feedback is being generated. In particular, the UE shall transmit such HARQ feedback on the PUCCH in UL subframe n if there is a PDSCH transmission indicated by the detection of a corresponding Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, or there is a PDCCH indicating downlink Semi-Persistent Scheduling, SPS, release within subframe(s) n-k, where k is within a so-called association set K={k 0 , k 1 , . . . , k M-1 }. The association set can be understood as defining the DL subframes that are associated with the HARQ feedback being generated for transmission at UL subframe n and in that sense the associated set of DL subframes defines the HARQ feedback window. Table 1 as shown in FIG. 6 illustrates the association sets as specified in TS 36.213 for the different UL/DL configurations shown in FIG. 5 and is a reproduction of Table 10.1.3.1-1 in TS 36.213. The size of the association set K is denoted by M. In Rel-10, the parameter M is used to determine the PUCCH resources and signaling. The parameter M may take on different values in different subframes and in cells of different UL/DL configurations. However, as noted, for the CA context, Rel-10 assumes that all aggregated serving cells have the same UL/DL configuration. As a consequence, the M parameters are identical across all CCs configured as serving cells for a UE in Rel-10, for any given subframe. To better understand the DL subframe association sets, consider that Table 1 illustrates K={7,6} for UL subframe 7 according to Configuration #1. That corresponds to carrying possible HARQ feedbacks for PDSCHs transmitted to the UE in subframes 7-7=0 and 7-6=1. This arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 7 , which shows two consecutive LTE frames of ten subframes each, where the subframes in each frame are indexed from 0 to 9. One sees for UL/DL Configuration #1 arrows pointing from DL subframes 0 and 1 to the UL subframe 7, indicating that the HARQ feedback sent in UL subframe 7 will be for DL subframes 0 and 1. For UL subframe 7 in FIG. 7 , then, the HARQ feedback window spans the two DL subframes 0 and 1 that are associated with UL subframe 7 according to the association set defined for it. It will be understood that M=2 in this case, i.e., that the association set size is two for UL subframe 7 in the first illustrated frame, denoted as “FRAME i” in the diagram. Also note that in the diagram, “D” indicates DL subframes, U indicates UL subframes, and S indicates special subframes. In a similar example, FIG. 8 illustrates that, according to Configuration #2, the UL subframe 2 in the second frame, FRAME i+1, has an association set defined by K={8, 7, 4, 6}, which corresponds to carrying possible HARQ feedback for PDSCHs transmitted in subframes 4, 5, 6, and 8 of the preceding frame, FRAME i. This arrangement is illustrated as arrows from the associated DL subframes to the UL subframe 2. Correspondingly, it will be understood that M=4 for the UL subframe 2 in FRAME i+1, i.e., its association set size equals four and its HARQ feedback window includes all of the associated DL subframes. FIGS. 9-12 illustrate example HARQ timing for multiple cells in cases where a UE is configured with different UL/DL configurations for the different cells. In particular, these figures illustrate that the timing may differ between different cells and that the HARQ feedback size per CC is different as well. For example, FIG. 9 illustrates the association set mappings for sending HARQ feedback from a UE operating with two CCs aggregated together, where the Primary CC, PCC, operates with UL/DL Configuration #2 and the secondary CC, SCC, operates with UL/DL Configuration #1. The PUSCH HARQ timing of the PCC is applied to the SCC, although the SCC operates with Configuration #1 and the PCC operates with Configuration #2. FIG. 10 shows the opposite case, where the PCC operates according to Configuration #1 and the SCC operates according to Configuration #2. In this case, the PUSCH HARQ timing defined by Configuration #1 of the PCC is applied to the SCC. In a similar fashion, FIG. 11 depicts the two-CC case, where the Configuration #1 timing of the PCC is applied to an SCC having Configuration #3. Finally, FIG. 12 illustrates the application of Configuration #3 timing from the PCC, to an SCC having Configuration #1. With these examples in mind, consider an example elaboration of the method 400 introduced in FIG. 4 , such as shown in FIG. 13 . The UE 20 performs the method 400 for HARQ, feedback transmission in a wireless communication network, such as the example network 10 . In the context of method 400 , one may assume that the UE 20 has a CA configuration involving two or more serving cells having different UL/DL configurations that give rise to different M parameter values for two or more of the serving cells to be reported on by the UE 20 in the HARQ feedback. The method 400 includes determining (Block 402 ) which serving cell from among two or more serving cells has a largest association set size (i.e., the largest M parameter), wherein the serving cells are serving cells according to the CA configuration defined for the UE 20 . The CA configuration may be established using RRC signaling and the serving cells in question are TDD cells operating according to their respective UL/DL configurations. These UL/DL configurations define the association set for each serving cell, as which DL subframes are associated with the HARQ feedback. Again, see FIGS. 9-12 for various two-carrier aggregations, where the SCC takes its HARQ timing from the UL/DL configuration of the PCC. The method 400 continues with generating (Block 404 ) an equal number of HARQ-ACK bits per serving cell, based on the largest association set size among the association sets of the serving cells. In more detail, for the determined serving cell, the HARQ feedback is generated (Block 404 A) by generating a HARQ-ACK bit according to an actual HARQ feedback state for each DL subframe that is associated with the determined serving cell. For each remaining serving cell, the method 400 includes generating (Block 404 B) generating a HARQ-ACK bit according to an actual HARQ feedback state for each DL subframe that is associated with the remaining serving cell, and generating additional HARQ-ACK bits as DTX or NACK values, as needed, so that the number of HARQ-ACK bits generated for each remaining serving cell equals the number of HARQ-ACK bits generated for the determined serving cell. While this description refers to “all” and “each” serving cell of the UE 20 , it will be understood that such terms here and elsewhere in this disclosure refer to those serving cells for which the UE 20 is expected to report HARQ feedback, which may be only those serving cells in the CA configuration that are “active” with respect to the UE 20 . The method 400 presents an advantageous example HARQ feedback generation rule that forces the number of HARQ-ACK bits to be the same for each serving cell in a given CA configuration, even where different ones of the serving cells have different M parameters. The method 400 further includes transmitting (Block 406 ) the HARQ feedback, thus generated. The HARQ feedback transmission may be a PUCCH transmission, e.g., a PUCCH format 1b transmission. Alternatively, the HARQ feedback may be included in a PUSCH transmission multiplexed with UL Shared Channel, U-SCH, information, or multiplexed with Channel State Information, CSI. Advantageously, the method 400 provides for transmitting the HARQ feedback using a PUCCH resource selection reserved for use in cases where all configured serving cells use the same UL/DL configuration, even when the method 400 is performed in the context of CA configurations involving two or more serving cells having different UL/DL configurations. For example, using the PUCCH resource selection predefined for use in cases where all configured serving cells use the same UL/DL configuration comprises reusing a resource allocation table as defined in Rel-10 of the LTE standard for a DL subframe associated size of M=x, where x equals the size of the association set for the determined serving cell. Such reuse refers, for example, to Tables 10.1.3.2-4, 10.1.3.2-5 and 10.1.3.2-6 in Section 10 of TS 36.213. Broadly, one or more embodiments of the method 400 include multiplexing the HARQ feedback for the two or more serving cells having different M parameters, using a HARQ feedback multiplexing procedure from Rel-10, in which all serving cells have the same M parameter. The method 400 may include transmitting a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) release response within a same HARQ feedback window applicable to the HARQ feedback. Such transmission is based, for example, on mapping the SPS release response to one of the HARQ-ACK bits generated for the serving cell associated with the SPS release. Additionally, or alternatively, the controller circuit 22 may be configured to carry out HARQ feedback generation according to the example method 500 shown in FIG. 15 . Such processing was introduced in the context of the FIG. 2 discussion earlier herein, in the context of example configurations and processing for the controller circuit 22 . Here, the controller circuit 22 generates an equal number of HARQ-ACK bits for each of its serving cells in a CA configuration, even where those serving cell have different M parameters. However, rather than determining the number of HARQ-ACK bits to generate per serving cell based on the largest association set size, here the controller circuit 22 uses the downlink assignment index, W DAI to generate an equal number of HARQ-ACK bits for each serving cell. The method 500 includes receiving (Block 502 ) a downlink assignment index that indicates the number of DL subframe assignments within the HARQ feedback window, which is taken across all serving cells in the CA configuration of the UE 20 for which the HARQ feedback is to be generated. The downlink assignment index is received, e.g., in DCI carrying an UL grant for the UE 20 and its value indicates the number of DL assignments for the UE 20 across all the serving cells in its CA configuration. The method continues with generating an equal number of HARQ-ACK bits for each serving cell based on the downlink assignment index (Block 504 ), and transmitting the generated HARQ feedback (Block 406 ). As for the processing in Block 504 , the illustration depicts an example configuration where the controller circuit 22 of the UE 20 generates the HARQ feedback by: for each serving cell, generating (Block 504 A) a HARQ-ACK bit based on the actual HARQ feedback state for each DL assignment that is within an association set of DL subframes defined for the serving cell by the UL/DL configurations of the serving cells; and for each serving cell, as needed, generating (Block 504 B) additional HARQ-ACK bits as DTX or NACK bits, so that the number of HARQ-ACK bits generated for the serving cell equals the downlink assignment index. Regarding the HARQ feedback protocol reuse features provided by the teachings herein, consider Table 2 in FIG. 15 . One sees a first portion corresponding to known Rel-10 cases involving two serving cells in a CA configuration having the same value of M parameters. Here, the serving cell associated with the PCC is referred to as the Primary Cell or PCell and its M parameter is denoted M PCell . Correspondingly, the serving cell associated with the SCC is referred to as the Secondary Cell or SCell and its M parameter is denoted M SCell . The Rel-10 cases apply for M=1 through M=4, where M PCell and M SCell are equal. New cases are defined for multiple scenarios, broken out as new groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, all involving different values of M for the PCell and the SCell. Consider “group 3” from Table 2, for example. This group corresponds to the selection of PUCCH resources from “A” PUCCH resources for HARQ feedback transmission, where A=4 PUCCH resources. The interested reader may refer to Section 10.1.3.2.1 of TS 36.213 for details on the related Rel-10 PUCCH format 1b with channel selection HARQ-ACK procedure, and Table 10.1.3.2-3 within that section, highlighting transmission of HARQ-ACK multiplexing for the A=4 case. For a subframe n, define M map =max(M PCell , M SCell ). That is, M map gives the larger value between the M parameters of the PCell and the SCell, meaning that M map is the value of the M parameter for the serving cell determined to have the largest association set size. The method 400 can be considered as including the following processing rules for generating the HARQ-ACK bits in this scenario, including the following: If M map =1: Reserve HARQ-ACK bits for the two serving cells according to Table 3 as shown in FIG. 16 , where Table 3 defines the mapping of transport block and serving cell to HARQ-ACK(j) for PUCCH format 1b HARQ-ACK channel selection for TDD with M=1. If M PCell =0, assign DTX to HARQ-ACK bits for the PCell so that HARQ-ACK(j)=DTX or NACK where M PCell ≦j<M map . If M SCell =0, assign DTX to HARQ-ACK bits for the Scell so that HARQ-ACK(j)=DTX or NACK where M SCell ≦j<M map . The UE shall transmit b(0)b(1) on PUCCH resource n PUCCH (1) selected from A PUCCH resources, n PUCCH,j (1) where 0≦j≦A−1 and Aε{2,3,4}, according to Table 4, Table 5 and Table 6 in subframe n using PUCCH format 1b—where the relevant tables are shown in FIGS. 17 , 18 and 19 , respectively. Table 4 relates to HARQ-ACK multiplexing for A=2, Table 5 corresponds to A=3, and Table 6 corresponds to A=4. Here, A can be determined in different ways. According to the first example, A is given by Table 3, in a second example A is given by maximum number of configured transport blocks on either of the two component carrier times two, in a third example spatial HARQ-ACK bundling across multiple codewords within a DL subframe is performed by a logical AND operation of all the corresponding individual HARQ-ACKs, so that at maximum one HARQ-ACK bit per CC is fed back. If M map =2: Reserve HARQ-ACK bits for the two serving cells according to Table 7 shown in FIG. 20 , where Table 7 relates to mapping of subframes on each serving cell to HARQ-ACK(j) for PUCCH format 1b HARQ-ACK channel selection for TDD with M=2. If M PCell <M map , assign DTX to HARQ-ACK bits for the PCell so that HARQ-ACK(j)=DTX or NACK where M PCell ≦j<M map . If M SCell <M map , assign DTX to HARQ-ACK bits for the SCell so that HARQ-ACK(j)=DTX or NACK where M SCell ≦j<M map . The UE shall transmit b(0)b(1) on PUCCH resource n PUCCH (1) selected from A PUCCH resources, n PUCCH,j (1) where 0≦j≦3 according to Table 6 in subframe n using PUCCH format 1b. If M map =3: Reserve M=3 HARQ-ACK bits per serving cell according to Table 8 in FIG. 21 , which specifies transmission of HARQ-ACK multiplexing for M=3. If M PCell <M map , assign DTX to HARQ-ACK bits for the PCell so that HARQ-ACK(j)=DTX or NACK where M PCell ≦j<M map . If M SCell <M map , assign DTX to HARQ-ACK bits for the SCell so that HARQ-ACK(j)=DTX or NACK where M SCell ≦j<M map . The UE shall transmit b(0)b(1) on PUCCH resource n PUCCH (1) selected from A PUCCH resources, n PUCCH,j (1) where 0≦j≦3 according to Table 8 in subframe n using PUCCH format 1b. If M map =4: Reserve M=3 HARQ-ACK bits per serving cell according to Table 9 in FIGS. 22A-22B , for transmission of HARQ-ACK multiplexing for M=4. If M PCell <M map , assign DTX to HARQ-ACK bits for the PCell so that HARQ-ACK(j)=DTX or NACK where M PCell ≦j<M map . If M SCell <M map , assign DTX to HARQ-ACK bits for the SCell so that HARQ-ACK(j)=DTX or NACK where M SCell ≦j<M map . The UE shall transmit b(0)b(1) on PUCCH resource n PUCCH (1) selected from A PUCCH resources, n PUCCH,j (1) where 0≦j≦3 according to Table 9 in subframe n using PUCCH format 1b. For any of the above cases if an SPS release response is to be transmitted within the same HARQ-ACK feedback window, it is mapped to HARQ-ACK(0) for the respective serving cell. In another embodiment, the HARQ-ACK feedback is fed back on PUSCH, multiplexed either with UL-SCH or Channel State Information, CSI, feedback. In one example case, the PUSCH transmission is a PHICH or SPS transmission, or the PUSCH transmission occurs on an UL cell that uses UL/DL Configuration #0 as the actual or reference configuration. In another example case, the PUSCH transmission is based on an UL grant to the UE 20 and the UL/DL Configuration #0 is not used. The overall number of generated HARQ-ACK bits can be as described above, including the generation of HARQ-ACK bits corresponding to actual HARQ feedback states and as NACK or DTX bits, as needed, according to the “RM Code Input Bits” column in Tables 8 and 9. The bits for the HARQ feedback are encoded with a leaner error correction, as for example a Reed Muller code. In one embodiment, the UE 20 selects the channel selection mapping table corresponding to M=max(M PCell , M SCell ) and the HARQ-ACK bits that do not correspond to any DL subframe are set to DTX or NACK. When the UE 20 is configured with PUCCH format 1b with channel selection and is transmitting on a PUSCH not in accordance with an UL grant, the UE 20 follows the Rel-10 CA PUSCH procedure defining the number of HARQ-ACK bits to generate. See, e.g., Section 7.3 of TS 36.213 V10.6 or later, and Tables 10.1.3.2-5 and 10.1.3.2-6 in Section 10 of the same document. In cases where the PUSCH transmission is based on an UL grant and the downlink assignment index W DAI =1 or 2, the UE 20 follows the procedure for PUCCH format 3 for scheduled transmissions on the PUSCH, according to the Rel-10 specification detailed in Section 7.3 of TS 36.213 V10.6 or later. In cases where the PUSCH transmission is based on an UL grant and the downlink assignment index W DAI =3 or 4, the UE selects either M=3 or M=4 channel selection table based on whether W DAI =3 or W DAI =4, following the procedure in Rel-10—see the example Tables 10.1.3-3 and 10.1.3-4 in Section 10.1.3.1 of 3GPP TS 36.213 V10.4.0 (2011). In cases where the HARQ-ACK bits are multiplexed on PUSCH and the PUSCH transmission is not based on an UL grant, the UE generates the number of HARQ-ACK bits according the PUCCH design set forth in Section 7.3 of TS 36.213 V10.6 or later. In cases where the HARQ-ACK bits are multiplexed on PUSCH and the PUSCH transmission is based on an UL grant and the downlink assignment index W DAI =1 or 2, the UE 20 follows the procedure for PUCCH format 3. In cases where the HARQ-ACK bits are multiplexed on PUSCH and the PUSCH transmission is based on an UL grant and W DAI =3 or 4, the UE 20 selects either channel selection table M=3 or M=4 to generate HARQ feedback for both DL cells based on if W DAI =3 or W DAI =4. The above detailed rules or protocols address the complexities that arise when sending HARQ feedback from a UE 20 that has a CA configuration that aggregates two or more CCs having different UL/DL configurations. It can be observed from FIGS. 9-12 that the UE would generate a cell specific M c per cell and occasion in time. Broadly, it will be appreciated from the foregoing examples that, in one or more embodiments taught herein, a UE 20 is configured to generate M c number of HARQ-ACK bits per DL cell for a PUCCH format 3 transmission or PUSCH transmission that is not based on an UL grant. In another embodiment, the UE 20 is configured to generate min(W DAI , M c ) number of HARQ-ACK bits per DL cell in case the PUSCH transmission is based on an UL grant. In the same or other embodiments, the UE is configured to select the channel selection mapping table corresponding to M=max(M 0 , M 1 ) and the HARQ-ACK bits that do not correspond to any DL subframe are set to DTX or NACK. In the forgoing, M 0 is the number of DL subframes for which HARQ feedback should be generated for the first cell and M 1 is the number of DL subframes for which HARQ feedback should be generated for the second cell. In another example configuration or configurations, in cases where the HARQ-ACK bits are multiplexed on PUSCH and the PUSCH transmission is not based on an UL grant, the UE 20 may be configured to generate the number of HARQ-ACK bits according PUCCH design. For cases where the HARQ-ACK bits are multiplexed on PUSCH and the PUSCH transmission is based on an UL grant and the downlink assignment index W DAI =1 or 2, the UE 20 may be configured to follow the procedure in Section 7.3 of TS 36.213 V10.6 or later for PUCCH format 3, using M=max(M 0 , M 1 ). Finally, for cases where the HARQ-ACK bits are multiplexed on PUSCH and the PUSCH transmission is based on an UL grant and W DAI =3 or 4, the UE 20 may be configured to select either channel selection table M=3 or M=4 to generate HARQ feedback for both DL cells based on whether the downlink assignment index W DAI =3 or W DAI =4. Notably, modifications and other embodiments of the disclosed invention(s) will come to mind to one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention(s) is/are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

In one aspect, the teachings herein provide a method and apparatus for extending certain HARQ feedback procedures introduced in LTE Rel-10, which were defined for CA configurations involving TDD serving cells of the same UL/DL configuration, to the new, more complex CA configurations introduced in Rel-11, which involve the aggregation of interband TDD serving cells with differing UL/DL configurations. Such reuse enables reliant and efficient HARQ feedback signaling in LTE Rel-11, without substantially increasing the specification or implementation complexity of HARQ feedback signaling in LTE Rel-11, despite the decidedly more complex CA configurations introduced in LTE Rel-11.

CROSS REFERENCE TO THE APPLICATION [0001] This application is a Division of copending application Ser. No. 10/834,648 filed Apr. 29, 2004, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a vessel arrangement having a base and multiple vessels suited for simultaneously conducting a plurality of isolated experimental reactions or treatments at atmospheric process conditions or elevated temperatures and pressure condition. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] In recent years, new, automated methods for the systematic preparation of new compounds, so-called “combinatorial techniques” have been developed. A wide variety of methodologies, tools and techniques wear the label of combinatorial methods. Generally these methods seek to accelerate the discovery of new materials and the application of new and known materials to new uses by increasing the number and rapidity of material tests though reductions in the size of material samples. A particular type of combinatorial methods focuses on the creation and/or analysis of arrays of materials at discrete locations on a substrate of some type. The substrates often comprise a base having regions defines by depressions, wells, walls of other structural means to separate the regions and keep the different materials in the arrays isolated for synthesis and analysis. [0004] The size of the materials samples in the regions are of necessity kept small to achieve the objective of such arrays in the combinatorial methodology. Accordingly the diameter of the regions seldom exceeds 15 mm and usually presents regions of much smaller size. The small size of these regions can pose contamination problems. Contamination whether detected or undetected can interfere with the usefulness of such arrays by corrupting the data obtained from the material samples thereby leading to false conclusions that waste time and resources. Consequently reuse of a substrate such as a base that receives material directly on its surface requires thorough cleaning and/or treatment to avoid the presence of any contaminants from previous experiments. Since the regions are by definition small, intensive and thorough cleaning of the small areas can present a challenge. Moreover the composition of the substrate or base may exacerbate the problems. The use of easily machinable or formable materials facilitates the manufacture of the small structures on the surface of the base that define the vast number of small regions needed for such arrays. However easily machinable and formable materials are typically less susceptible to the harsh conditions needed to get the contaminants out of the small regions. [0005] It is already known to synthesize a multitude of material samples in arrays of small vessels. For example, it is known to produce various metal oxides in small vessels having the form of individual crucibles retained by a base. The use of individual vessels allows their disposal or intensive cleaning once all experimental steps with the material contained therein are concluded. However, many of the synthesis operations, treatments steps and analysis of a material may require movement of the arrays. So on one hand the vessels must remain fixed in the base throughout such procedures that may in addition to movement between pieces of equipment require shaking stirring or agitation in the equipment. But at the same time the vessel must not become so fixed in the base or substrate that they are not readily removed for disposal. Fitting vessels into a base with a tight tolerance may prevent their removal after completion of the experiment. Moreover, certain treatment steps may create minor distortion of the vessels or the base that binds them together by the completion of the experiment. [0006] Such conditions occur in the synthesis of many materials. One example of such materials, zeolites, are prepared by so-called hydrothermal synthesis at temperatures ranging from 100° C. to 200° C. requiring crystallization times of one hour or more. For syntheses being carried out at temperatures that are higher than the boiling point of the solvent, it is necessary to use pressure vessels, and these have to be suitable for the temperature and pressure used during the operation. This further requires the sealing of the vessels in a manner that prevents contamination between the materials undergoing synthesis. [0007] Zeolite syntheses are usually performed in strongly alkaline media, often at pH>14, and the reaction mixture will often contain toxic chemicals such as, e.g., fluoride. Conventionally, syntheses that may be performed at temperatures lower than 110° C. are carried out in polymer bottles, often Teflon™ (tetrafluoroethylene), while reactions at higher temperatures require steel autoclaves, perhaps lined with Teflon™. Having a cost effective combinatorial method for such syntheses is quite useful since he price of an autoclave of this type with the required safety details is typically of the order of about 1,000 United States dollars or higher. Furthermore, such an autoclave will weigh from 1 kilogram and upwards, and all of these elements represent limitations regarding the number of syntheses that may be performed in most laboratories in the course of one year. [0008] Zeolite synthesis is often carried out by keeping the synthesis mixture at around 100° C. for at least 6 h. At these moderate temperatures sealed chambers are necessary in order to avoid drying out of the synthesis mixture. US 3,130,007 A exemplifies conventional zeolite synthesis. Common to all the synthesis procedures mentioned and for all other known synthesis procedures for the preparation of zeolites on a laboratory scale with the purpose of discovering new zeolites or to optimize existing zeolites is that these are performed in a cumbersome and expensive manner by having to separately prepare each reaction mixture, which typically consists of 4-7 reagents, and by adding the reagents one by one. In many other examples the is synthesis of zeolites and other molecular sieves needs temperatures well above 100° C., so that steel pressure vessels or the like are required. [0009] New, combinatorial techniques which may be used for liquid phase synthesis at temperatures above approximately 100° C. have been disclosed in WO 02/07873 that provides the synthesis to be performed in a hermetically sealed vessel at elevated pressures. There is, e.g., a known design called “multiblock”, see Krchnak, V.; Vagner, J. Peptide Res. 1990, 3,182, consisting of i) a Teflon™ block holding 42 reactors, polypropylene syringes equipped with polymer filters, ii) a vacuum adapter connecting each reactor to a vacuum line (not described in detail) which enables rapid washing in an apparatus for continuous flow, iii) two Teflon™ plates with 42 stoppers to which the Teflon™ block is fastened during use, and iv) a glass cover used during homogenization. The problem with this design is that the reactors which are made of glass and which do not have protected sidewalls may be used only at low pressures and not in strongly alkaline solutions. [0010] Until recently there has been no available literature describing methods or equipment for using arrays that might be used for practical work to sufficiently retain vessels in the array to perform combinatorial experimentation while providing facile withdrawal of the vessels for replacement in the substrate or base. Zeolite synthesis can be particularly problematic inasmuch as such syntheses almost without exception require hydrothermal treatment of a solution or gel with a relatively high content of water and often high contents of organic compounds in a closed chamber under elevated temperatures and high pressure. [0011] WO 98/36826 discloses a system for screening of synthesis conditions for the preparation of zeolites and other non-carbon materials requiring hydrothermal conditions in the temperature range of 100° C. to 250° C. Some of the parameters that have been made more cost efficient with the multiautoclave of WO 98/36826 include: reduced size of the separate reaction chambers and increased number of reaction chambers; reduced use of reactants; automated addition of reactants, for instance by a pipetting machine which makes quick and exact addition of all liquid reactants possible; and devices allowing automated analysis with X-ray diffraction and automatic identification of known crystalline phases. WO 98/36826 has also disclosed automated equipment for larger synthesis series and preparation formulations based on mixtures of different liquids/solutions with varying reactant ratios. [0012] The WO 98/36826 invention is a pressure and temperature reactor vessel comprising a central block having a multitude of perforations. The perforations are through-going perforations, cavities or other form of holes permanently closed at one end. A cover engages the central block to seal the open ends of the perforations and form a multitude of chambers. A sealing means, operatively associated with the cover together form a pressure tight seal when a locking means holds cover in engagement with the sealing means to make reaction chambers pressure tight. Applications for the WO 98/36826 invention may, in addition to zeolite synthesis, be in any field of activities within research and development connected to products where at least one production step comprises the mixing of different liquids, e.g., in the fields of organic and inorganic syntheses, paint production, formulation of fuels, food industry, etc., and, furthermore, applications within clinical testing, dissolution and digestion of samples with acid etc. where a liquid reactant is added to a liquid or solid, or a solid is added to a liquid. The invention of WO/9836826 is most useful where open vessels cannot be used, and where it is required to operate at temperatures which will cause elevated pressures in the liquid part of the mixture. [0013] The present invention is an advancement in the art as compared to WO/9836826 in that a set of vessels are removably secured within associated bores defined by a base. The vessels are constructed of material that is inert in the reactions or treatments conducted within a synthesis zone including a pressure and temperature conditions as may occur when using and substrate or base in any form from simple plate to a multiautoclave. The vessels, being each a single unit, line the interior of the bores, both the interior walls and one end. The vessels allow for a simple means of extracting material from the multiautoclave and can then be replaced with fresh vessels to minimize cross contamination between runs using the vessels. Optionally, the vessels may be used in the weighing of reagents such as powders and liquids for increased accuracy. Others have employed a liner in specific single vessel units such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,136 A where a fluoropolymer lining is used to inhibit acid corrosion of the walls of the pressure vessel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,048,481 A which discloses a refractory lining used within a synthesis gas generator, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,865 A which teaches a synthesis pressure vessel having a thermally conductive pressure shell and a chemically resistant thermally insulating lining within the shell made of a dense refractory concrete. The present invention, however, is unique in its use of a set of vessels to facilitate solid product removal and minimize cross contamination between runs using the array of vessels. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0014] The invention allows the making of arrays of materials in quantities suitable for research and development using vessels that are easily maintained in array during the experimentation steps and may be discarded the array once the experimentation is completed. The invention overcomes the problems of using a plurality of small vessels in a method or apparatus where the problems of adequately securing the vessels for manipulation during experimentation while also removing stuck vessels from the array are both overcome. In one form the invention introduces a component of a first material into one independent vessel through an opening in its top of the first vessel and introduces another component of a second material into a different independent vessel through its top. Both vessels are removably located about a base at different first locations. Transformation of the components in the vessels then occurs to produce different materials therein. After completion of the experiments a displacement medium simultaneously urges the vessels from their respective locations about the base for discard or reuse after any necessary cleaning. Typically at least one property of the materials from the vessels is determined either within the vessel or after recovery of the materials. [0015] It is also possible to practice the invention without the use of a base per se by again introducing the component of first and second materials independent vessels. In this case one of the independent vessels is removably located about one opening in a framework at a one location and another of the independent vessels is removably located about another opening in the framework at a different location. The vessel and framework locations permit contact by the framework with a portion of each vessel. In this form the invention also provides a unique trapping surface for contact with a different portion of each of the vessels when in their framework locations. Urging the trapping surfaces in unison into contact with the vessels create trapping contact between the vessels and the framework thereby fixing the location of the vessels relative to the framework for the manipulation of the arrays during the steps of experimentation. The components in the vessels are transformed to produce materials for experimentation in the desired array using one or more steps. After the steps, urging the first and second trapping surfaces out of contact with the first and second vessels permit ready withdrawal of the first and second vessels from the framework. In most cases the framework will comprise provided a base with bores for receiving the vessels but the framework may simply comprise an grid of openings through which the vessels pass in part. [0016] In another form the invention provides a method of making an array of materials by introducing at least one component of a first material into a first vessel; introducing at least one component of a second material into a second vessel; and removably securing said first vessel at first location within a first bore defined by a base and removably securing said second vessel at second location within a second bore defined by the base by interaction between a surface of each vessel and a wall of its respective bore. The components in the first vessel are transformed into the first material and the components in the second vessel are transformed into the second material. At least a portion of the first material is recovered in isolation from the second material. In one embodiment of the invention, at least the first vessel is tapered to provide the interaction between only a portion of an outer sidewall of the first vessel and the inner wall of the first bore. In a more limited embodiment of this form, at least a plurality of the bores extend completely through the base, each bore retains a vessel and the plurality of bores are closed at their distal ends to at least temporarily create a pocket by affixing a bottom closure to the base that covers the distal ends of the bores and optionally removing the bottom closure permits at least partial displacement of the vessels through either side of the bore that removably secures it. Optionally this embodiment of the invention, may provide a displacement medium in the form of a series of displacement pins affixed in pattern that aligns a pin with each distal end of the plurality of bores. After the removal of the bottom closure the pins displace the vessels from the bores by contact of an individual pin with a bottom of each displaced vessel as the pins are urged into the bores. [0017] The invention can also comprise a unit containing a multitude of pressure vessels, also referred to as a multiautoclave. The multiautoclave has typically from 10 to 10,000 or more small, separate chambers that retain a vessel, each typically with a volume of from 0.001 to 10 ml. The multiautoclave may be composed of a base having bores that define the chambers and optionally extend completely through the base. Where the bores extend partially through the base a single plate will cover the top to maintain pressure within the vessels. When the bores extend completely through the base a set of plates will cover opposite faces of the base. Each vessel is removably secured within a bore of the base and optionally a thin laminate may be sandwiched between the base and either plate to improve the pressure seal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a base with bores. [0019] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the base of FIGS. 1 and 2 . [0020] FIG. 3 is a section of the base of FIG. 2 taken along section 3 - 3 . [0021] FIG. 4 is perspective view of the underside of the base of FIGS. 1-3 . [0022] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a vessel for use in this invention. [0023] FIG. 6 is a front view of the vessel of FIG. 5 . [0024] FIG. 7 is an optional cap for sealing the vessel of FIGS. 5 and 6 . [0025] FIG. 8 is a front view section of the cap of FIG. 8 . [0026] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the base of FIGS. 1-4 retaining a plurality of the vessels of FIGS. 5-8 . [0027] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an optional lid for sealing the vessel and base assembly of FIG. 9 . [0028] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the assembled base and lid of FIGS. 9 and 10 . [0029] FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a base showing different vessel and optional lid configurations for use with the invention. [0030] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a displacement medium comprising a jig and aligned pins. [0031] FIG. 14 is perspective view of an alternate base configuration having shallow bores. [0032] FIG. 15 is section representative of the base of FIG. 14 having vessels therein and an optional lid configuration. [0033] FIG. 16 is a section showing an alternate arrangement for the base section of FIG. 15 . [0034] FIG. 17 is a section of alternate base, vessel and lid configuration. [0035] FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing an assembly of a framework and with trapping surfaces to retain vessels and effect their simultaneous withdrawal. [0036] FIG. 18 a is a perspective view of the framework of FIG. 18 isolated from the assembly of FIG. 18 . [0037] FIG. 18 b is a perspective view of the trapping surfaces of FIG. 18 isolated from the assembly of FIG. 18 . [0038] FIG. 18 c is a perspective view of the framework of FIG. 18 isolated from the assembly of FIG. 18 and retaining vessels. [0039] FIG. 19 is section representative of FIG. 18 with the trapping surfaces in a first position relative to the framework. [0040] FIG. 20 shows the trapping surfaces of FIG. 19 in a second position relative to the framework. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0041] As summarized above, the invention is a method of making an array of materials. The method uses at least a first and second vessel. The vessels are described below in greater detail. It is preferred that a greater number of vessels be used in order to enhance the efficiency of the method. Eight, sixteen, forty-eight, ninety-six, or a greater number of vessels may be used. The number of vessels may extend into the hundreds, thousands, or ten of thousands. The vessels are removably located about a base or framework. [0042] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a base. The base 22 defines a multitude of bores having openings 24 in the top of the base for receiving vessels. When the base is to be used at temperatures in the range of from about 150 to about 250° C., the base may be made from stainless steel, aluminum, titanium or other rigid material such as polyethylethylketone (PEEK) or the like. For use at temperatures above 150° C., the base 22 can be made entirely of Teflon™, for use below 130° C. it can be made of polypropylene, and for use below 105° C. it can be made of polyethylene. It is preferred that the bores be through-going, or in other words, the bores extend from one surface of the base to a parallel second surface of the base. However, as can be seen in FIG. 2 the openings 24 of the bore define a passage through the thickness of base 22 , but only a smaller diameter port 26 to the bottom of base 22 . Port 26 provides one form of release opening for use with a displacement medium as hereinafter described. The difference in the diameter of the openings of the bores 24 and the ports 26 are shown in FIG. 3 as well as the depth of the opening 24 through the thickness of base 22 . FIG. 4 shows port 26 opening in the bottom of base 22 . Alternatively, the bores may define cavities that do not have an opening extending completely through the base. In general, the invention will be described below as the preferred embodiment of a base having bores with bore openings on one surface of the base and ports connecting the bore openings to another side of the base. [0043] FIG. 5 is a perspective view looking into a typical vessel 28 that occupies at least a portion of the bores in the base. The vessels may conform to the shape of the bores of the base and are positioned so that an individual vessel extends into at least one of the bore openings 24 . FIGS. 5 and 6 show a cylindrically shaped vessel 28 . FIG. 6 shows the outline of the interior of vessel 28 and an optional removed dimple 32 from the bottom of the vessel to aid in withdrawal of the vessel. The individual vessel lines at least a portion of the walls of the bore opening 24 and lines the bottom of the bore opening near port 26 . Alternate vessels are possible and are discussed in more detail below. The vessel is preferably made of an inert polymer material such as Teflon™, polyethylene, polypropylene, perfluoroalcoxy fluorinated ethylene propylene, and polyethylethylketone, that is able to withstand the temperatures and pressures necessary for synthetic reactions. The vessels may be constructed of material that is transparent to radiation for ease of later analysis, such as transparent to infrared radiation or transparent to x-rays. However, the vessels themselves may provide a convenient way to provide catalyst function to the reaction occurring within the vessel. For example, catalyst may be present on the interior surface of the vessels, may be released from cavities within the walls of the vessels, may be released from an adsorbent that coats the walls of the vessels, and the like. [0044] In one embodiment of the invention, materials are made in quantities suitable for research and development experiments. For example, material may be made in quantities ranging from milligrams to grams. The vessels in this application may have a maximum inner diameter of about 10 mm. Multiple vessels are used in an application, and typically, 8, 48, 96, 188 or more vessels are removably located about a base. [0045] The vessels provide several advantages over previous equipment with the most important being the simple means of removing the vessel from the base. This allowed for a greater degree of flexibility in that different vessels may be grouped for different types of experiments. Another benefit is the ease of extracting solid products from the separate reaction vessels as compared to extracting multiple solid products from a unitary device. Yet another advantage is the significantly reduced chance of cross contamination between runs using the multiple pressure vessels. Small vessels may improve operations by eliminating the need to clean small confined regions on plates and thereby eliminating the risk of undetected contamination compromising future experiments. The individual vessel may also be used to weigh the reagents and or products to a high degree of accuracy. The vessels may also provide an alternative approach to product recovery through using ports 26 in the base 22 . Vessels containing synthesis products may be pressed out of the bores of the base using an extraction device which is discussed in greater detail below. [0046] At least one component of a first material is introduced into a first independent vessel, and at least one component of a second material is introduced into a second vessel. The components may be introduced serially to each of the vessels, or simultaneously to the respective vessels. Additional components may also be added to one or more of the vessels. Multiple components may be mixed together and added to a vessel, or may be introduced to the vessel separately. When multiple components are each introduced to a single vessel separately, the multiple components may be introduced sequentially or simultaneously. The same or differing amounts of components may be introduced to the vessels. The materials may be inorganic or organic. Preferred materials include zeolites, ceramics, composite materials and the like. The term different materials is meant to include materials produced from the same components. For example, varying the amounts of the components or the order of addition of the components, although the identity of the reactants remains the same, may results in different product materials. [0047] Various different techniques may be used to introduce the components to the vessels, such as manual methods and automatic methods. The components are preferably introduced to the vessels in measured amounts, the measuring may be contemporaneous with the introduction, before the introduction, or after the introduction. One embodiment may use a dispenser such as a pipette, micropipette, or a powder doser. It is preferred that the dispenser be automatic, but is not necessary. [0048] The components are transformed, while in the vessels, into materials having at least one property that is different from that of the starting component. It is expected that the transformed materials between at least two of the vessels would have at least one property that is different. [0049] FIGS. 7 and 8 show an optional lid that may cover the top of the vessel. FIG. 7 shows the outline of an hollowed portion 36 on the interior of a lid 34 . Lid 34 may be inserted into the opening of interior portion 30 of vessel 28 . Lid 34 may be shaped with a tapered end 33 to facilitate the insertion of lid 34 into interior portion 30 of vessel 28 . Lid 34 may also have top portion 35 to prevent lid 34 from completely inserting within interior portion 30 of vessel 28 . One purpose of lid 34 is to retain the components and materials within the vessel during handling, processing, and transformation. Another purpose of lid 34 is to provide closure of the vessel for purposes of maintaining an internal pressure such as that required for hydrothermal synthesis. Lid 34 may be constructed of materials as described for the vessel and the base above. [0050] FIG. 9 shows a plurality of vessels 28 and lids 34 assembled into a base 22 . and FIG. 10 shows a retaining plate 38 that contacts the lids to urge the bottom of vessels 28 into contact with the bottom of the respective bores in base 22 when assembled with the base of FIG. 9 into the assembly shown in FIG. 11 . Retaining plate 38 may also operated to urge a portion of lid 34 into the interior portion of vessel 28 . The lids may actually be an integral part of the retaining plate, or the retaining plate may retain a separate lid for each vessel that has a lid. The vessels 28 are removably placed within bore openings 24 defined by base 22 . The vessels may be removably placed about the base before, during, or after the components have been introduced. The vessels may be removably placed about the base sequentially, at the same time, or in groups. In one embodiment, a bore contains no more than one vessel. The term about a base is meant to include within, on, or against the base. [0051] Optionally, retaining plate 38 may be fixed to base 22 using clamps or fasteners. Threaded fasteners may operate through bores in retaining plate 38 and corresponding bores in base 22 to maintain the assembly during handling and processing. [0052] The retaining plate serves several functions. The retaining plate in combination with the lids provide for a mechanism for independently sealing each of the vessels in order to retain materials within the vessels during mixing operations such as shaking, vibrating, stirring, tumbling, and the like. Furthermore, with each vessel being independently sealed, the components within a vessel may be mixed without resulting in cross contamination between different vessels. One possible feature of the invention employing one or more retaining plates is that a large number of assemblies may be placed on top of each other forming layers of reaction chambers according to the desired capacity. As an example, ten assemblies as shown in FIG. 11 can be placed on top of each other. The retaining plate, or the lid, or the combination of the retaining plate and the lid may also operate to provide pressure that prevents the vessels from rotational movement with respect to the base, or the retaining plate may operate to prevent the vessels from any movement with respect to the base. [0053] FIG. 17 more completely illustrates the use of fasteners in the form of bolts 48 that extend through a hole 52 in a top retaining plate 38 ′, a hole 54 in a base 58 that defines through going bores 60 and a hole 56 in a bottom retaining plate 46 . The bolts 48 engage nuts 50 to secure the whole assembly together once vessels 62 are ready for sealing. To facilitate work with the vessels before closing retaining plate 38 ′ optional bolts 64 may pass through holes 66 and engage a threaded hole 68 in base 58 to secure it to the base while moving the open ends of vessels 62 in base 58 to the various locations required for the experimentation steps. [0054] The invention is suitable for use with a wide variety of base, retaining plate and vessel configurations. FIG. 17 also demonstrates the use of vessels 62 having lips 70 that extend radially outward over the top of base 58 . These lips have a thickness much less than the depth of vessels 62 . Securing retaining plate 38 ′ to base 58 will squeeze lips 70 between the two contacting surfaces to provide the necessary seal to maintain pressure in vessels 62 . Preferably the bolts 48 and nuts 50 are placed in such a manner and their number adjusted so that a sufficiently distributed even load is obtained in order to ensure that all the chambers are tight when in use. Additionally the squeezing mechanism may include springs or the like, which ensures the maintenance of a suitable pressure. A frame made of a rigid material that ensures good tightness in the outer chambers may enclose the entire assembly, also counteracting deformation of plates made of pure Teflon™ or another ductile material. [0055] FIG. 12 further shows the variety of vessels that can occupy the bores and use the retaining plate as shown in FIGS. 3 and 17 . At the location of each vessel 28 base 22 ′ further defines ports 26 . Retaining plate 38 ′ retains lids 34 in various forms as described. Vessels 28 a have tapered geometries where a closed end has a diameter less than that of an open end and vessels 28 a and are completely contained within the bores of base 22 ′ with the exterior surface of the open end of the vessel being in contact with the surface of the bore. Many closure arrangements can seal the tops of vessels 28 a for retaining pressure. In its simplest form the underside of retaining plate 38 ″ may provide sufficient containment contacting the proximate face of base 22 ′ with enough force to seal the bore that retains vessel 28 a . Placing a gasket or other thin layer of sealing material between the two contact surfaces of base 22 ′ and retaining plate 38 ″ can increase the effectiveness of the seal across the bores that retain vessels 28 a . Retaining plate 38 ″ may also provide a direct seal with the top of vessel 28 a using a lid 34 ′ integrated into retaining plate 38 ′ and extending below its bottom surface such that the bottom of lid 34 ′ directly contacts the rim of vessel 28 a. [0056] Vessels 28 b also have tapered geometries where a closed end has a diameter less than that of an open end. Vessels 28 b , while positioned within the bore, extend beyond the opening of the bore in the base. The portion of vessels 28 b that extend beyond the bore 28 b provide a protruding region of the vessel having an enlarged outer diameter with respect to the diameter of the bore The exterior surface of vessels 28 b are in contact with the bore opening and adaptation of such contact into a suitable force-fit within the bores allows frictional forces to operate against rotation or other movement such as translational movement of the vessels during the steps of experimentation. However, the retaining plate and or lids may also be used to prevent cross contamination or to contain materials within the vessel during mixing. All of vessel 28 c , 28 d , 28 e and 28 f have a cylindrical geometry. Vessels 28 c , 28 d , and 28 F while positioned within the bore, all extend beyond the opening of the bore in the base. Retaining plate 38 ″ may contact the tops of any or all of these vessels to prevent their movement within bore and if desired provide a pressure seal between the rim of the vessels and the underside of retaining plate 38 ″. Although not required, any of the cylindrical vessels may be force-fit within the bores as described above for the tapered vessels in order to restrict against rotation or other movement. For example Vessel 28 c may undergo a slight force-fit with the base 22 ′ when inserted in a bore to maintain its position. Vessel 28 d may fit relatively loosely into its respective bore and relies on contact with surface of retaining plate 38 ″ to keep it positioned within base 22 ′. Vessel 28 f is a two-piece vessel comprised of a bottom disk 72 in combination with a detachable side wall in the form of a sleeve 74 . The sleeve 74 rests on an at least partially closed bottom 76 of the bore. Pressure from retaining plate 38 ″ against the top of sleeve 74 urges it into contact with disk 72 so that sidewall section and bottom section function as a unitary vessel while optionally provided a seal at the top of sleeve 74 with the underside of retaining plate 38 ″. [0057] As with the unitary vessels, vessel 28 f may be contained within the bore, or may extend beyond the bore as shown. As depicted the bore of base 22 ′ completely contains vessel 28 e such that adjacent lid 14 ′ is partially inserted within the bore to contact the rim of vessel 28 e. [0058] Using any vessels, force-fitting of vessels, addition of components to vessels, deformation of vessels undergoing sealing, exposure to pressure and temperature conditions under experimentation, and other procedures will create the need to extract the vessels from the base. Vessels lodged within a bore may be extracted from the base using a displacement medium. One form of such a medium is an extraction tool such as that shown in FIG. 13 . Extraction tool 40 has a jig 44 for positioning pins 42 in alignment with ports 26 of the bores or through going bores 60 in order to disengage the vessels from the bores. Extraction tool 40 provides for simultaneous disengagement of the vessels from the bores. In one embodiment of the invention, extraction occurs by placing a base of the type shown in FIGS. 1-4 or 17 that contains vessels 28 or 62 within the bores over the extraction tool and forcing it downward so that pins 22 enter either the open bore or ports 26 and contact vessels 62 and 28 . Continued force would result in disengagement of the vessels from the bores of the base. [0059] Many alternate forms of a displacement medium for removing more than one vessel at a time from the bores are within the scope of the invention. For example, another form of mechanical displacement medium could manually mechanically seize at least a portion of several vessel about a surface of each vessel to withdraw the seized vessel from its bore. If the vessel is formed of relatively soft material such extractor could use an array of hooks or puncturing devices to penetrate an interior or exterior surface of individual vessels as moves toward the block and then simultaneously remove the engaged vessels as it is withdrawn. Other forms of mechanical displacement mediums may engage a lip, tab other member on the vessel to withdraw it from the base. For instance a series of thin members may slide under the lip 70 of the vessels as shown in FIG. 17 . In one form such a removal device can simply comprise an extractor in the form of a flat plate with enlarged openings that fit around the outer edges of lips 70 and of suitable thinness to slide under the lips 70 when urged against them for lifting of the vessels from the base with the plate. Such a surface fluidic or electro mechanical displacement medium may also find use in this invention. For example with the use of ferrous vessels a magnetic field may provide the displacement medium to attract or repel the vessels from a block. More simply the displacement medium can comprise a compressed gas such as air delivered to one side of through going bores 60 or ports 26 . An open chamber sealed around the bottom perimeter of a block 22 may deliver the air. Alternately, an additional block 22 in the form of that shown in FIG. 4 may serve as manifold which when in bottom side to bottom side contact with a similar block 22 delivers compressed gas out of its ports 26 and into corresponding ports 26 of the similar block to blow the vessels from the bores that retain them. Similarly the a block 22 can serve as a vacuum manifold by placing its bottom over the top of a similar block 22 that retains vessels and drawing a vacuum between the individual vessels and the ports 26 as the two block are maintained in at least partially sealed contact. Drawing the vacuum can either merely dislodge the vessels extraction by an additional displacement medium or maintaining the vacuum between individual vessels and ports 26 may allow complete withdrawal of the vessels with removal of the block 22 . Thus the displacement medium can comprise any effective force delivered to the vessels to effect displacement of withdrawal of more than one vessel at a time. [0060] The array of vessels need not extend significantly into a bore or into a bore at all to utilize this invention. FIGS. 14-16 illustrate shallow depressions 80 with optional holes 82 or simply holes 84 on different regions of base 78 . Depressions 80 and holes 84 can retain the vessels 86 or 86 ′ (shown in outline) in place on the regions. The size of holes 80 may permit a force fit with the outside wall of vessel 86 to retain the vessels on the plate. Blowing compresses gas through the optional holes 82 can again serve as a displacement medium to eject the vessels 86 from depressions 80 . Alternately placing vessels 86 with a relatively loose fit into the depressions 80 and then drawing and maintaining a vacuum through the optional holes 82 can provide the retaining force for the vessels. In such an arrangement releasing the vacuum through holes 82 also releases the vessels such that the absence of the vacuum serves as the displacement medium. The use of the vacuum displacement medium can eliminate the need for depression 80 altogether where sufficient retention is possible by merely drawing the vacuum through holes 84 to create enough force to retain vessel 86 ′ directly on the surface of base 78 . [0061] To use another form of displacement medium the vessels 86 or 86 ′ can comprise a ferrous material and the area of holes 82 or 84 can serve as point contacts in an array of electro-magnets that can contain vessels 86 or 86 ′ on the base until release of the vessels by de-energizing the magnets. In another embodiment base 78 can comprise one large electromagnet for retaining ferrous vessels that thereby eliminates the need for any holes or depressions. [0062] FIG. 15 shows a section that further illustrates all of the foregoing description of the vessel and base interaction along with additional forms of displacement mediums. On the far right FIG. 15 shows a vessel 86 ′ retained on the top of the base 78 by connection with a source of vacuum through hole 84 . Next, to the left in FIG. 15 a vessel 86 resides in a depression 80 . Again vessel 86 may have a force-fit with depression 80 in which case hole 82 can accommodate a mechanical or pneumatic displacement medium to force vessel 86 and several similarly situated vessel from depression 80 when desired. Alternately vessel 86 may fit relatively loosely into depressions 80 ′ not having optional hole 82 retains vessels 80 in a force fit as previously described and hole 86 may retain the vessel 86 selectively in place through vacuum or other means. An offset retaining plate 90 contacts the top of the vessels 86 and retains them in depressions 92 . Securing offset retaining plate 90 by threading bolt 94 into threaded hole 96 of base 78 provides additionally stability to the base and vessel assembly for transport vessels and/or agitation of the materials contained therein and can also provide sealing of the vessels for pressure operations. Retaining plate 90 in combination with the depressions 92 may provide another form of mechanical displacement medium when unbolted from base 78 by using the plate 90 to simultaneously tip two or more of vessels out of depressions 80 ′ thereby eliminating the need for any other displacement medium. [0063] In a similar manner to that just described it is also possible to use the same displacement medium for removing relatively rigid vessels from a relatively pliant and preferably elastic base wherein the base permits most of any necessary deformation to retain the vessels in a force-fit. Release of the vessels, in this instance while possible using many of the different displacement mediums as already described, may again simply rely on engagement and tipping of the vessels from the base using a grid for simultaneous contact of the vessels. A framework 120 or trapping plate 108 as later described are examples of such grids that can engage the tops of the vessels for tipping from the base. [0064] Retaining plate 90 may also include ports 98 for communicating fluids with the vessels 86 . A plenum 100 brazed or welded in place over the top of retaining plate 90 can provide a sealed chamber 102 for communicating or evacuating fluids from vessels 86 . By pulling a vacuum in the chamber 102 retaining plate can serve as a vacuum for of displacement medium that permits simultaneous lifting of the vessels 86 from the depressions 80 ′. The chamber 102 can also deliver fluids for treatment or testing of the materials in the vessels 86 . Plenum may be divided as with individual piping to each divided area to provide any number of different fluids to groups of vessels 86 or even individual vessels 86 . [0065] FIG. 16 provides another alternate arrangement for situating vessels 86 ″ directly on the top of the base 78 . Vessel 86 ″ have posts 88 depending form their bottoms for insertion into hole 84 that extends completely through base 78 or hole 84 ′ that extends partially into the base. Post 88 may engage holes 84 or 84 ′ in a force fit or a loose fit for ejection of the post by mechanical pneumatic or other displacement medium in the case of a force-fit and retention by vacuum, magnetic or other retention methods susceptible to selective de-energizing. Again a retaining plate 90 ′ may secure the vessels more firmly to the base by use of a bolt 94 and a threaded hole 96 . The addition of guide plate 104 for engagement with the sides of base 78 can further improve stability enhancing function of retaining plate 90 . Retaining plate 90 ′ in combination with stubs 106 that depend from its underside into vessels 86 ″ can provide another form of mechanical displacement medium when unbolted from base 78 by using the plate 90 ′ to simultaneously tip the posts from two or more of vessels out of holes 84 or 84 ′. Retaining plate 90 ′ may also include ports 98 ′ for communicating fluids or solids with the vessels 86 and may again use a plenum in communication with the ports 98 ′. [0066] FIGS. 18, 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c illustrate another embodiment of the invention that uses the release of a mechanical retaining device to provide the displacement medium. FIG. 18 shows an assembly 126 of a trap plate 108 having trapping surfaces in the form of holes 112 positioned over a framework 110 for movement of the trapping surfaces in unison. As shown in FIG. 18 a framework 110 comprises an array holes 116 in a flat plate 118 supported by sidewalls 120 . FIG. 18 c show vessel 114 ′ occupying all of the holes in the 116 in framework 110 . Holes 116 have a loose fit for contact with a portion of the sidewalls of the vessels. The size of the holes permits their ready insertion and withdrawal from framework 110 . Framework 110 can have a hollow interior as depicted in FIG. 18 a or may comprise a solid block with bores that extend partially or completely through the base. Ordinarily framework 110 will have a bottom plate to prevent the vessel from dropping completely through holes 116 . To complete the assembly plate 108 rests on top of framework 110 and vessels 114 ′ extend through holes 112 that are sized to fit readily over the vessels for contact with a portion of the vessel sidewalls. [0067] FIGS. 19 and 20 show the relative positioning of framework 110 and trapping plate 108 during for the retention and release of the vessels 114 ′. FIG. 119 shows the release position where the holes 122 of trapping plate 108 align in a relatively concentric manner with respect to holes 116 of framework 110 to permit ready insertion and withdrawal of vessels 114 ′. Positioning framework 110 and plate 108 in this manner allows insertion of the vessels 114 ′ into assembly 126 individually or collectively through holes 122 and 116 . As the vessels 114 ′ are dropped into the assembly they rest on an optional retaining plate. Simultaneous withdrawal of multiple vessels 114 ′ from the assembly 126 is effected by either withdrawing the bottom plate 124 or lifting the assembly 126 to leave the vessels 114 ′ on the bottom plate 124 . The effectiveness of the pinching action of plate 108 and framework 110 in retaining vessels 114 ′ allows enlarging sizing of holes 122 and 116 that eliminates adhering or sticking of the vessels 114 ′ within assembly 126 when it is positioned for release of the vessels as shown in FIG. 19 . [0068] After insertion of the vessels 114 ′ into the assembly as shown in FIG. 19 , positioning plate 108 and framework 110 in the relative positions shown in FIG. 20 will retain the vessels in the assembly 120 for moving of the vessels during the different steps of experimentation. With vessel 114 ′ in place, sliding plate 108 to align holes 122 in an eccentric arrangement relative to holes 116 causes trapping surfaces provided by edges of holes 116 to simultaneously contact portions of the vessel 114 ′ on one side while on the opposite sides of the vessels opposing trapping surfaces provided by edges of a holes 122 while simultaneously contact portions of the vessels on an opposite and at a slightly higher point on the vessels. The assembly can employ any suitable clamp detent to hold the relative positions of plate 108 and framework 110 in the trapping position until the desired release or removal of vessels 114 ′ from the array. [0069] The steps used in the transformation of the component or components contained by the vessels may be any of those commonly known in the art. Heat may be applied, stirring, mixing, agitation, hydrothermal conditions, and the like. Multiple steps may be employed, or a single step may be used, for example, it is often desirable to calcine inorganic samples after synthesis. Washing, grinding, and sieving are additional optional steps. Different components may be added between transformation steps. The materials formed may be further process or analyzed using different techniques and are not required to be treated as an array. The materials are retained in the defined matrix that, in a simple manner, can be transferred to an automatic sample-switching unit for analysis, e.g., by X-ray diffraction or IR thermography. [0070] An added advantage of using the independent vessels is that the base is ready to be used again with no or only minimal cleaning. Residue from the previous reactions is removed in the vessels and the base is virtually residue-free for subsequent synthesis reactions. The overall benefits of the advances in the present invention are primarily related to the increase in efficiency in removing the synthesized materials, the reduction in cross contamination, and the increase in efficiency in preparing the apparatus for subsequent use. Advances in the automated layout will make it possible to more efficiently perform large numbers of syntheses/formulations simultaneously, and it will thus be very useful for all research laboratories in industry as well as in research institutions/universities.

A vessel arrangement having a base and multiple vessels suited for simultaneously conducting a plurality of isolated experimental reactions or treatments at atmospheric process conditions or elevated temperatures and pressure condition has been developed. A component of a first material is introduced into one independent vessel through an opening in its top of the first vessel and another component of a second material is introduced into a different independent vessel through its top. Both vessels are removably located about a base at different first locations. Transformation of the components in the vessels then occurs to produce different materials therein. After completion of the experiments a displacement medium simultaneously urges the vessels from their respective locations about the base for discard or reuse after any necessary cleaning. Typically at least one property of the materials from the vessels is determined either within the vessel or after recovery of the materials.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/508,208, filed Sep. 20, 2004, which is a 35 U.S.C. §371 National Phase Entry Application from PCT/EP2003/002845, filed Mar. 19, 2003, and designating the United States. This application also claims the benefit of German Application No. 10212704.2, filed Mar. 21, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Technical Field [0003] The present invention relates to fungicidal mixtures, comprising [0000] (1) 2-[2-(1-chlorocyclopropyl)-3-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxypropyl]-2,4-dihydro-[1,2,4]-triazole-3-thione (prothioconazole) of the formula I or a salt or adduct thereof [0000] [0000] and at least one further fungicidal compound, selected from the group consisting of (2) boscalid of formula II [0000] [0000] and (3) carboxin of formula III [0000] [0000] and (4) metrafenone of formula IV [0000] [0000] and (5) a compound of formula V [0000] [0000] and (6) a compound of formula VI [0000] [0000] and (7) quinoxyfen of formula VII [0000] [0000] and (8) dithianon of formula VIII [0000] [0000] and (9) thiram of formula IX [0000] [0000] and (10) mepiquat chloride of formula X [0000] [0000] and (11) cyazofamid of formula XI [0000] [0000] and (12) fenoxanil of formula XII [0000] [0000] and (13) a compound of formula XIII [0000] [0000] and (14) thiophanate-methyl of formula XIV [0000] [0000] and (15) carbendazim of formula XV [0000] [0000] and (16) metalaxyl of formula XVI [0000] [0000] and (17) fludioxonil of formula XVII [0000] [0000] and (18) thiabendazole of formula XVIII [0000] [0000] and (19) quintozen of formula XIX [0000] [0000] and (20) prochloraz of formula XX [0000] [0000] and (21) anthraquinone of formula XXI [0000] [0000] in a synergistically effective amount. [0004] Moreover, the invention relates to a method for controlling harmful fungi using mixtures of the compounds I and at least one of the compounds II to XXI, and to the use of the compounds I and at least one of the compounds II to XXI for preparing such mixtures, and to compositions comprising these mixtures. [0005] 2. Description of the Background Art [0006] Prothioconazole of formula I, i.e. 2-[2-(1-chlorocyclopropyl)-3-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxypropyl]-2,4-dihydro-[1,2,4]triazole-3-thione, is already known from WO 96/16048. [0007] WO 98/47367 discloses a number of active compound combinations of prothioconazole with a large number of other fungicidal compounds. [0008] Boscalid of formula II and its use as crop protection agent are described in EP-B 0 545 099. [0009] Carboxin of formula III is already known and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,249,499. [0010] Metrafenone of formula IV is likewise known and described in EP-A-727 141, EP-A 897 904, EP-A 899 255 and EP-A-967 196. [0011] The compound of formula V is described in WO 96/19442. [0012] The compound of formula VI is described in EP-A-1017670, EP-A-1017671 and DE 19753519.4. [0013] Quinoxyfen of formula VII is known from EP-A-0 326 330. [0014] Dithianon of formula VIII is described in GB 857 383. [0015] Thiram of formula IX is described in DE-A-06 42 532. [0016] Mepiquat chloride of formula X is known from DE-A-22 07 575. [0017] Cyazofamid of formula XI is described in PCT/EP/02/00237 [0018] Fenoxanil of formula XII is described in PCT/EP/01/14785. [0019] The compound of formula XIII is described in WO 99/56551. [0020] Thiophanate-methyl of formula XIV is known from DE-A-1930540. [0021] Carbendazim of formula XV is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,443. [0022] Metalaxyl of formula XVI is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,299. [0023] Fludioxonil of formula XVII is known from EP-A-206 999. [0024] Thiabendazole of formula XVIII is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,017,415. [0025] Quintozene of formula XIX is described in DE-A-682048. [0026] Prochloraz of formula XX is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,071. [0027] Anthraquinone of formula XXI is described in The Pesticide Manual, 12th Ed. (2000), page 39. [0028] It is an object of the present invention to provide mixtures which have improved activity against harmful fungi combined with a reduced total amount of active compound applied (synergistic mixtures), with a view to reducing the application rates and improving the activity specetrum of the known compounds I to XXI. [0029] We have found that this object is achieved by the mixture, defined at the outset, of prothioconazole with at least one further fungicide. Moreover, we have found that applying the compound I simultaneously, that is jointly or separately, with at least one of the compounds II to XXI or applying the compound I with at least one of the compounds II to XXI in succession provides better control of harmful fungi than is possible with the individual compounds alone. [0030] 2-[2-(1-Chlorocyclopropyl)-3-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxypropyl]-2,4-dihydro-[1,2,4]-triazole-3-thione of the formula I is known from WO 96-16 048. The compound can be present in the “thiono” form of formula I [0000] [0000] or in the tautomeric “mercapto” form of formula Ia. [0000] [0031] For the sake of simplicity, only the “thiono” form is shown in each case. [0032] Boscalid of formula II [0000] [0000] is known from EP-B-0 545 099. [0033] Carboxin of formula III [0000] [0000] is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,249,499. [0034] Metrafenone of formula IV [0000] [0000] is known from EP-A-727 141, EP-A-897 904, EP-A-899 255 and EP-A-96 196. [0035] The compound of formula V [0000] [0000] is known from WO 96/19442. [0036] The compound of formula VI [0000] [0000] is described in EP-A-1017 670, EP-A-1017 671 and DE 197 535 19.4. [0037] Quinoxyfen of formula VII [0000] [0000] is known from EP-A-0 326 330. [0038] Dithianon of formula VIII [0000] [0000] is described in GB 857 383. [0039] Thiram of formula IX [0000] [0000] is known from DE-A-06 42 532. [0040] Mepiquat chloride of formula X [0000] [0000] is described in DE-A-22 07 575. [0041] Cyazofamid of formula XI [0000] [0000] is described in PCT/EP/02/00237. [0042] Fenoxanil of formula XII [0000] [0000] is described in PCT/EP/01/14785. [0043] A compound of formula XIII [0000] [0000] is described in WO 99/56 551. [0044] Thiophanate-methyl of formula XIV [0000] [0000] is described in DE-A-1 930 540. [0045] Carbendazim of formula XV [0000] [0000] is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,443. [0046] Metalaxyl of formula XVI [0000] [0000] is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,299. [0047] Fludioxonil of formula XVII [0000] [0000] is described in EP-A-206 999. [0048] Thiabendazole of formula XVIII [0000] [0000] is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,017,415. [0049] Quintozene of formula XIX [0000] [0000] is described in DE-A-682 048. [0050] Prochloraz of formula XX [0000] [0000] is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,071. [0051] Anthraquinone of formula XXI [0000] [0000] is described in The Pesticide Manual, 12th Ed. (2000), page 39. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0052] Preference is given to mixtures of prothioconazole with boscalid of the formula II. [0053] Preference is furthermore also given to mixtures of prothioconazole with carboxin of the formula III. [0054] Preference is also given to mixtures of prothioconazole with metrafenone of the formula IV. [0055] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with the compound of the formula V. [0056] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with the compound of the formula VI. [0057] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with quinoxyfen of the formula VII. [0058] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with dithianon of the formula VIII. [0059] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with thiram of the formula IX. [0060] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with mepiquat chloride of the formula X. [0061] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with cyazofamid of the formula XI. [0062] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with fenoxanil of the formula XII. [0063] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with the compound of the formula XIII. [0064] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with thiophanate-methyl of the formula XIV. [0065] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with carbendazim of the formula XV. [0066] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with metalaxyl of the formula XVI. [0067] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with fludioxonil of the formula XVII. [0068] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with thiabendazole of the formula XVIII. [0069] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with quintozene of the formula XIX. [0070] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with prochloraz of the formula XX. [0071] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with anthraquinone of the formula XXI. [0072] Preference is furthermore given to mixtures of prothioconazole with two further fungicidal compounds of the formulae II to XXI. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0073] Owing to the basic character of its nitrogen atoms, the compound I is capable of forming salts or adducts with inorganic or organic acids or with metal ions. [0074] Examples of inorganic acids are hydrohalic acids, such as hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide and hydrogen iodide, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid and nitric acid. [0075] Suitable organic acids are, for example, formic acid, carbonic acid and alkanoic acids, such as acetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid and propionic acid, and also glycolic acid, thiocyanic acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, oxalic acid, alkylsulfonic acids (sulfonic acids having straight-chain or branched alkyl radicals of 1 to 20 carbon atoms), arylsulfonic acids or -disulfonic acids (aromatic radicals, such as phenyl and naphthyl, which carry one or two sulfonic acid groups), alkylphosphonic acids (phosphonic acids having straight-chain or branched alkyl radicals of 1 to 20 carbon atoms), arylphosphonic acids or -diphosphonic acids (aromatic radicals, such as phenyl and naphthyl, which carry one or two phosphonic acid radicals), where the alkyl or aryl radicals may carry further substituents, for example p-toluenesulfonic acid, salicylic acid, p-aminosalicylic acid, 2-phenoxybenzoic acid, 2-acetoxybenzoic acid, etc. [0076] Suitable metal ions are in particular the ions of the elements of the second main group, in particular calcium and magnesium, of the third and fourth main group, in particular aluminum, tin and lead, and also of the first to eighth transition group, in particular chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc and others. Particular preference is given to the metal ions of the elements of the transition groups of the fourth period. The metals can be present in the various valencies that they can assume. [0077] When preparing the mixtures, it is preferred to employ the pure active compounds I to XXI, to which may be added further active compounds against harmful fungi or against other pests, such as insects, arachnids or nematodes, or else herbicidal or growth-regulating active compounds or fertilizers. [0078] The mixtures of the compound I with at least one of the compounds II to XXI, or the compound I and at least one of the compounds II to XXI applied simultaneously, together or separately, exhibit outstanding activity against a wide range of phytopathogenic fungi, in particular from the classes Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, Phycomycetes and Deuteromycetes. Some of them act systemically and can therefore also be employed as foliar- and soil-acting fungicides. [0079] They are especially important for controlling a large number of fungi in a variety of crop plants, such as cotton, vegetable species (for example cucumbers, beans, tomatoes, potatoes and cucurbits), barley, grass, oats, bananas, coffee, corn, fruit species, rice, rye, soya, grapevine, wheat, ornamentals, sugar cane, and a large number of seeds. [0080] They are particularly suitable for controlling the following phytopathogenic fungi: Blumeria graminis (powdery mildew) in cereals, Erysiphe cichoracearum and Sphaerotheca fuliginea in cucurbits, Podosphaera leucotricha in apples, Uncinula necator in grapevines, Puccinia species in cereals, Rhizoctonia species in cotton, rice and lawns, Ustilago species in cereals and sugar cane, Venturia inaequalis (scab) in apples, Helminthosporium species in cereals, Septoria nodorum in wheat, Botrytis cinera (gray mold) in strawberries, vegetables, ornamentals and grapevines, Cercospora arachidicola in groundnuts, Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides in wheat and barley, Pyricularia oryzae in rice, Phytophthora infestans in potatoes and tomatoes, Plasmopara viticola in grapevines, Pseudoperonospora species in hops and cucumbers, Alternaria species in vegetables and fruit, Mycosphaerella species in bananas and also Fusarium and Verticillium species. [0081] The compound I and at least one of the compounds II to XIII can be applied simultaneously, that is together or separately, or in succession, the sequence, in the case of separate application, generally not having any effect on the result of the control measures. [0082] The compounds I and II are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0083] The compounds I and III are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0084] The compounds I and IV are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0085] The compounds I and V are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0086] The compounds I and VI are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0087] The compounds I and VII are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0088] The compounds I and VIII are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0089] The compounds I and IX are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0090] The compounds I and X are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0091] The compounds I and XI are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0092] The compounds I and XII are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0093] The compounds I and XIII are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0094] The compounds I and XIV are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0095] The compounds I and XV are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0096] The compounds I and XVI are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0097] The compounds I and XVII are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0098] The compounds I and XVIII are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0099] The compounds I and XIX are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0100] The compounds I and XX are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0101] The compounds I and XXI are usually employed in a weight ratio of from 20:1 to 1:20, in particular from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. [0102] Depending on the kind of effect desired, the application rates of the mixtures according to the invention are, in particular in agricultural crop areas, from 0.01 to 8 kg/ha, preferably from 0.1 to 5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.1 to 3.0 kg/ha. [0103] The application rates of the compounds I are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.05 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0104] The application rates of the compounds II are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0105] The application rates of the compounds III are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0106] The application rates of the compounds IV are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0107] The application rates of the compounds V are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0108] The application rates of the compounds VI are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0109] The application rates of the compounds VII are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0110] The application rates of the compounds VIII are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0111] The application rates of the compounds IX are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0112] The application rates of the compounds X are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0113] The application rates of the compounds XI are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0114] The application rates of the compounds XII are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0115] The application rates of the compounds XIII are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0116] The application rates of the compounds XIV are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0117] The application rates of the compounds XV are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0118] The application rates of the compounds XVI are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0119] The application rates of the compounds XVII are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0120] The application rates of the compounds XVIII are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0121] The application rates of the compounds XIX are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0122] The application rates of the compounds XX are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0123] The application rates of the compounds XXI are accordingly from 0.01 to 1 kg/ha, preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 kg/ha, in particular from 0.05 to 0.3 kg/ha. [0124] For seed treatment, the application rates used of the mixture are generally from 0.001 to 250 g/kg of seed, preferably from 0.01 to 100 g/kg, in particular from 0.01 to 50 g/kg. [0125] If phytopathogenic harmful fungi are to be controlled, the separate or joint application of the compound I and at least one of the compounds II to XXI or of the mixtures of the compound I with at least one of the compounds II to XXI is effected by spraying or dusting the seeds, the plants or the soils before or after sowing of the plants, or before or after plant emergence. [0126] The fungicidal synergistic mixtures according to the invention or the compound I and at least one of the compounds II to XXI can be formulated, for example, in the form of ready-to-spray solutions, powders and suspensions or in the form of highly concentrated aqueous, oily or other suspensions, dispersions, emulsions, oil dispersions, pastes, dusts, materials for broadcasting or granules, and applied by spraying, atomizing, dusting, broadcasting or watering. The use form depends on the intended purpose; in any case, it should ensure as fine and uniform as possible a distribution of the mixture according to the invention. [0127] The formulations are prepared in a known manner, for example by adding solvents and/or carriers. The formulations are usually admixed with inert additives, such as emulsifiers or dispersants. Fungicidal compositions comprise the fungicidal mixture and a solid or liquid carrier. [0128] Suitable surfactants are the alkali metal salts, alkaline earth metal salts and ammonium salts of aromatic sulfonic acids, for example ligno-, phenol-, naphthalene- and dibutylnaphthalenesulfonic acid, and of fatty acids, alkyl- and alkylarylsulfonates, alkyl, lauryl ether and fatty alcohol sulfates, and also salts of sulfated hexa-, hepta- and octadecanols, or of fatty alcohol glycol ethers, condensates of sulfonated naphthalene and its derivatives with formaldehyde, condensates of naphthalene or of the naphthalenesulfonic acids with phenol and formaldehyde, polyoxyethylene octylphenol ether, ethoxylated isooctyl-, octyl- or nonylphenol, alkylphenyl or tributylphenyl polyglycol ethers, alkylaryl polyether alcohols, isotridecyl alcohol, fatty alcohol/ethylene oxide condensates, ethoxylated castor oil, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers or polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers, lauryl alcohol polyglycol ether acetate, sorbitol esters, lignosulfite waste liquors or methylcellulose. [0129] Powders, materials for broadcasting and dusts can be prepared by mixing or jointly grinding the compound I and at least one of the compounds II to XXI or the mixture of the compound I with at least one of the compounds II to XXI with a solid carrier. [0130] Granules (for example coated granules, impregnated granules or homogeneous granules) are usually prepared by binding the active compound or active compounds to a solid carrier. [0131] Fillers or solid carriers are, for example, mineral earths, such as silicas, silica gels, silicates, talc, kaolin, limestone, lime, chalk, bole, loess, clay, dolomite, diatomaceous earth, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, ground synthetic minerals, and also fertilizers, such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, ureas, and products of vegetable origin, such as cereal meal, tree bark meal, wood meal and nutshell meal, cellulose powders or other solid carriers. [0132] The formulations generally comprise from 0.1 to 95% by weight, preferably from 0.5 to 90% by weight, of the compound I and at least one of the compounds II to XXI or of the mixture of the compound I with at least one of the compounds II to XXI. The active compounds are employed in a purity of from 90% to 100%, preferably from 95% to 100% (according to NMR spectrum or HPLC). [0133] The compound I and at least one of the compounds II to XXI, the mixtures, or the corresponding formulations, are applied by treating the harmful fungi, their habitat, or the plants, seeds, soils, areas, materials or spaces to be kept free from them with a fungicidally effective amount of the mixture, or of the compound I and at least one of the compounds II to XXI in the case of separate application. [0134] Application can be effected before or after infection by the harmful fungi. EXAMPLES Use Example [0135] The synergistic activity of the mixtures according to the invention was demonstrated by the following experiments: [0136] The active compounds, separately or together, were formulated as a 10% emulsion in a mixture of 85% by weight of cyclohexanone and 5% by weight of emulsifier, and diluted with water to the desired concentration. [0137] Evaluation was carried out by determining the infected leaf areas in percent. These percentages were converted into efficacies. The efficacy (W) was calculated as follows using Abbot's formula: [0000] W = ( 1 - α β ) · 100 α corresponds to the fungal infection of the treated plants in % and β corresponds to the fungal infection of the untreated (control) plants in %. [0140] An efficacy of 0 means that the infection level of the treated plants corresponds to that of the untreated control plants; an efficacy of 100 means that the treated plants were not infected. [0141] The expected efficacies of the mixtures of the active compounds were determined using Colby's formula [R. S. Colby, Weeds 15, 20-22 (1967)] and compared with the observed efficacies. [0000] Colby formula: E=x+y−xy/ 100 E expected efficacy, expressed in % of the untreated control, when using the mixture of the active compounds A and B at the concentrations a and b x efficacy, expressed in % of the untreated control, when using active compound A at a concentration of a y efficacy, expressed in % of the untreated control, when using active compound B at a concentration of b. [0145] Use example 1: Activity against mildew of wheat caused by Erysiphe [syn. Blumeria] graminis form a specialis. tritici [0146] Leaves of wheat seedlings of the cultivar “Kanzler”, grown in pots, were sprayed to runoff point with an aqueous preparation of active compound which had been prepared from a stock solution comprising 10% of active compound, 85% of cyclohexanone and 5% of emulsifier, and 24 hours after the spray coating had dried on, the leaves were dusted with spores of mildew of wheat ( Erysiphe [ syn. Blumeria] graminis form a specialis. tritici ). The test plants were then placed in a greenhouse at 20-24° C. and 60-90% relative atmospheric humidity. After 7 days, the extent of the mildew development was determined visually in % infection of the entire leaf area. [0147] The visually determined values for the percentage of diseased leaf areas were converted into efficacies in % of the untreated control. An efficacy of 0 means the same disease level as in the untreated control, an efficacy of 100 means a disease level of 0%. The expected efficacies for the combinations of active compounds were determined using Colby's formula, mentioned above, and compared with the observed efficacies. [0000] TABLE 1 Efficacy Concentration of active in % of the compound in the spray untreated Active compound liquor in ppm control Control (90% infection) 0 (untreated) Compound I = 4 42 prothioconazole 1 0 0.25 0 Compound II = 4 0 boscalid 1 0 0.25 0 0.06 0 Compound IV = 0.06 53 metrafenone 0.015 30 Compound VI 0.25 53 0.06 0 Compound VIII = 4 0 dithianon 1 0 0.25 Compound XI = 1 22 cyazofamid 0.25 22 0.06 0 [0000] TABLE 2 Combinations according to the Observed Calculated invention efficacy efficacy*) Compound I = prothioconazole + 19 0 Compound II = boscalid 0.25 + 4 ppm mixture 1:16 Compound I = prothioconazole + 92 0 Compound II = boscalid 1 + 4 ppm mixture 1:4 Compound I = prothioconazole + 53 0 Compound II = boscalid 0.25 + 1 ppm mixture 1:4 Compound I = prothioconazole + 30 0 Compound II = boscalid 1 + 0.25 ppm mixture 4:1 Compound I = protioconazole + 19 0 Compound II = boscalid 1 + −.06 ppm mixture 16:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 65 53 Compound IV metrafenone 0.25 + 0.06 ppm mixture 4:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 65 53 Compound IV metrafenone 1 + 0.06 ppm mixture 16:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 42 30 Compound IV metrafenone 0.25 + 0.015 ppm mixture 16:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 65 53 Compound VI 1 + 0.25 ppm mixture 1:16 Compound I = prothioconazole + 18 0 Compound VI 0.25 + 0.06 ppm mixture 4:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 88 77 Compound VI 4 + 0.25 ppm mixture 16:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 33 0 Compound VII = dithianon 0.25 + 4 ppm mixture 1:16 Compound I = prothioconazole + 33 0 Compound VII = dithianon 1 + 4 ppm mixture 1:4 Compound I = prothioconazole + 97 0 Compound VII = dithianon 0.25 + 0.25 ppm mixture 1:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 22 0 Compound VII = dithianon 1 + 0.25 ppm mixture 4:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 56 22 Compound XI = cyazofamid 0.06 + 1 ppm mixture 16:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 56 22 Compound XI = cyazofamid 1 + 0.25 ppm mixture 4:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 33 22 Compound XI = cyazofamid 1 + 0.25 ppm mixture 4:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 22 0 Compound XI = cyazofamid 1 + 0.06 ppm mixture 16:1 *)Efficacy calculated using Colby's formula [0148] The test results show that in all mixing ratios the observed efficacy is higher than the efficacy calculated beforehand using Colby's formula (from Synerg 176. SLX) [0149] Use example 2: Protective activity against mildew of cucumber caused by Sphaerotheca fuliginea [0150] Leaves of cucumber seedlings of the cultivar “chinese snake”, grown in pots, were, at the cotyledon stage, sprayed to runoff point with an aqueous preparation of active compound which had been prepared from a stock solution comprising 10% of active compound, 85% of cyclohexanone and 5% of emulsifier. 20 hours after the spray coating had dried on, the plants were inoculated with an aqueous spore suspension of mildew of cucumber ( Sphaerotheca fuliginea ). The plants were then cultivated in a greenhouse at 20-24° C. and 60-80% relative atmospheric humidity for 7 days. The extent of the mildew development was then determined visually in % infection of the cotyledon area. The visually determined values for the percentage of diseased leaf areas were converted into efficacies in % of the untreated control. An efficacy of 0 means the same disease level as in the untreated control, an efficacy of 100 means a disease level of 0%. The expected efficacies for the combinations of active compounds were determined using Colby's formula, mentioned above, and compared with the observed efficacies. [0000] TABLE 3 Concentration of active Efficacy in % of compound in the spray the untreated Active compound liquor in ppm control Control (untreated) (90% infection) 0 Compound I = 1 78 prothioconazole 0.25 56 Compound II = 4 78 boscalid 0.25 0 0.06 0 Compound IV = 0.06 0 metrafenone 0.015 0 Compound VI 0.06 33 0.015 0 [0000] TABLE 4 Combinations according to the Observed Calculated invention efficacy efficacy*) Compound I = prothioconazole + 99 90 Compound II = boscalid 0.25 + 4 ppm mixture 1:16 Compound I = prothioconazole + 89 78 Compound II = boscalid 1 + 0.25 ppm mixture 4:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 78 56 Compound II = boscalid 0.25 + 0.06 ppm mixture 4:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 94 78 Compound II = boscalid 1 + 0.06 ppm mixture 16:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 78 56 Compound IV = metrafenone 0.25 + 0.06 ppm mixture 4:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 94 78 Compound IV = metrafenone 1 + 0.06 ppm mixture 16:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 78 56 Compound IV = metrafenone 0.25 + 0.015 ppm mixture 16:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 89 70 Compound VI 0.25 + 0.06 ppm mixture 4:1 Compound I = prothioconazole + 72 56 Compound VI 0.25 + 0.015 ppm mixture 16:1 *)Efficacy calculated using Colby's formula [0151] The test results show that in all mixing ratios the observed efficacy is higher than the efficacy calculated beforehand using Colby's formula (from Synerg 176. SLX)

The invention relates to a fungicidal mixture comprising prothioconazole or a salt or adduct thereof with an inorganic acid an organic acid or a metal ion; and at least one further fungicidal compound, selected from the group consisting of thiram, fenoxanil, benthivalicarb, metalaxyl, fludioxonil and prochloraz, in a synergistically effective amount and to methods for controlling harmful fungi, comprising applying the fungicidal mixture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a slewing device for inserting and cutting cross wires in automatic equipment for the prefabrication of building panels. More particularly, the present invention relates to a slewing device, for such inserting and cutting, which can be quickly adjusted. 2. Discussion of the Prior Art Sandwich-type building panels are now available made of expanded plastic and wire netting: prefabricated structures consisting substantially of a layer of expanded plastic material, usually polystyrene, between two sheets of wire netting mutually connected through electric welding by a number of cross wires passing through this layer, to be utilized after being coated with plaster, and placed side by side to define hollow spaces for pouring a concrete mix in order to create walls, floors and the like in building construction. Equipment already exists, as described in European patent No. 0,038,837 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,284, for the automatic production of these building panels, and in particular for automatically inserting the cross wires into the layer of expanded plastic and welding them at both ends to the netting on the two faces of the layer. This equipment, while functional, is relatively difficult to regulate when the format of the panel varies in thickness. Moreover, this equipment is poorly adapted to the insertion of pairs of cross wires on each pass. Finally, the equipment does not permit insertion of the cross wires at an angle. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide devices that can be quickly adjusted and are capable of pulling and inserting, through a layer of expanded plastic forming a panel, one or a plurality of metal wires at practically any angle in automatic building panel prefabrication equipment. Another object of the invention is to achieve the preceding objective by means of devices that permit the unit to be adjusted as quickly, simply and immediately as possible when the format of the panels to be stapled is varied. Another object of the invention is to achieve the preceding objectives by simple and effective means that are safe to use and relatively economical considering the practical results obtained. The present invention achieves these objects by providing a quick-adjustment slewing device for inserting and cutting cross wires in automatic equipment for the prefabrication of building panels. The device includes a bridge that can be tilted to planes transverse to the line of conveyance of the panels supporting a bank of electronically-controlled electric motor drives. Each motor drive operates corresponding means for pulling at least one metal wire in order to push it and insert it at substantially any angle through the layer of plastic material positioned between sheets of wire netting constituting the panel after passing through coaxial cutting devices operable for trimming at least one wire after its insertion. The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described, by way of example, currently preferred embodiments of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of automated equipment for the prefabrication of sandwich building panels formed of wire netting and expanded plastic, and incorporating a device constructed in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a partial front view of the automated equipment of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a partial front view of the automated equipment of FIGS. 1 and 2 with some of the components illustrated in FIG. 2 removed to facilitate viewing of components located behind them; FIG. 4 is rear face view of a detail of the device according to this invention, with certain parts shown in cross-section and others removed for purposes of illustration; FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the same detail shown in FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a partial vertical cross-section of another detail of the device according to this invention; FIG. 7 section of the same detail shown in FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of a sandwich panel formed of wire mesh and expanded plastic with pairs of cross wires inserted therethrough in accordance with an operating alternative of the device of the present invention; and FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of a sandwich panel formed of wire mesh and expanded plastic with pairs of cross wires inserted therethrough in accordance with another operating alternative of the device of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 depicts an automated apparatus or equipment for the prefabrication of building panels 2, including a conveyor platform 1 for the panels 2. The panels 2 are formed of a layer of expanded plastic 3 between electrically-welded rectangular wire nets 4 consisting of transversal warp wires 5 criss-crossed by longitudinal weft wires 6 (also see FIGS. 8 and 9). The panels 2 are caused to move in a jogging, i.e. inching, motion on the conveyor platform 1 by means of an advancing device 7 located under the conveyor and consisting of hooks 8 pushed up and away by means of pneumatic pistons 9 and also linked by a bar 10 that transmits to them the horizontal alternating movement provided by a pneumatic device 11. Above the conveyor platform 1 is a frame 12 comprising two symmetrical lateral plates 13 equipped respectively with arched slots 14 in which a tilting bridge 16 is engaged at the top by means of air brakes 15 and is hinged at the bottom at hinges 17 to two sides of the conveyor platform, and is driven there by a geared motor 18. The tilting bridge 16 includes three span carriages reciprocally graduated and identified as the large carriage 19, the medium carriage 20 and the small carriage 21 (see also FIGS. 2 and 3). The large carriage 19 slides on cylindrical guides 22 which have coaxial pins, not illustrated, screwed into them and driven through tapered couples 23 by a shaft 24. The large carriage 19 can be driven by a motor (not shown) to facilitate this sliding of the large carriage 19. The medium carriage 20 is supported by the large carriage 19 and slides with respect to the latter on cylindrical guides 25 solidly attached to the large carriage 19 through a component with alternating movement 26 and driven by a pneumatic device 27. The small carriage 21 is in turn supported by the medium carriage 20 and slides with respect to the latter on cylindrical guides 28 that are solidly attached to the medium carriage 20 by means of screw pins 29 driven by motorized units 30. The large carriage 19, in addition to supporting the medium carriage 20, also supports in side-by-side relation, on a plane crosswise to the conveyor platform 1 of the panels 2, a number of guiding and straightening devices 31. Into each of the guiding and straightening devices 31 runs a pair of wires 32A, coming off a coil at the top (not illustrated) and coupled axially with respect to the direction of advance of the panels 2. Below each guiding and straightening device 31, the large carriage 19 also supports devices 33, for pulling and inserting the wires 32A, as is more fully described hereinbelow. The medium carriage 20, in addition to supporting the small carriage 21, also supports a number of cutting devices 34. The cutting devices 34 are located respectively below the pulling and inserting units 33 in continuation of the descending trajectory of the wire pairs 32A, which trajectory intersects the conveyor platform 1 of the panels 2 substantially at the point of the axis of hinge 17 of the tilting bridge 16 for purposes that will soon be apparent. The small carriage 21 supports a number of upper welding devices indicated globally as 35, positioned coaxially one step behind the respective cutting devices 34 with reference to the direction of advance of the panels 2. Beneath the panel conveyor platform 1 are a number of lower welding devices 36, respectively positioned so as to be substantially coaxial to the cutting devices 34. The welding devices 36 are supported vertically and are moved in alternation by a lower carriage 37 which is driven by an alternating motion component 38 driven by a pneumatic device 39. The devices 33 for pulling and inserting the wires 32A are carried by the large carriage 19 by means of a support bearing 40 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). To support bearing 40 is affixed a plate 41 attached to a fixed block 42 containing reduction gearing (not shown) for transmitting rotary motion by means of "stepped" electric motor 43 powered by direct current to a coaxially twinned pair of wheels 44A, 44B grooved and, optionally, knurled around their peripheries' circumference. Tangent to each such periphery are positioned the wires 32A which, if necessary, may run in guides 45 solidly attached to the fixed block 42. The block 42 has a vertically shaped projection 46 with symmetrical slopes. At the apex of the slopes is a pin 47 to which are consecutively hinged two pivoting forks 48, 49, that are separated by a spacer bushing 50. The bottom 51 of the first fork 48 at which the tines 52 are connected is turned downward, the tines respectively supporting, below the hinge 47, an electronic revolution counter or "encoder" 53 and an idle wheel 54A connected by a pin 55. The idle wheel 54A has a groove, optionally knurled, about its circumference and the wheel is positioned so as to press a wire 32A against the drive wheel 44A. The bottom 56 of the second fork 49 at which the tines 57 are connected is turned outward. Through the tines runs a pin 58 that is coaxial to the pin 55 of the first fork 48 and which supports a second idle wheel 54B. The second idle wheel 54B also has a groove, optionally knurled, around its circumference and is positioned so as to press another or separate wire 32A against the drive wheel 44B. Above the hinge 47, one of the tines 52, 57 of each of the forks 48, 49 is matched by a spring 59 disposed within a hole 60 defined through the fixed block 42. Each spring 59 is adjustably compressed by means of the corresponding screws 61 to maintain the respective upper portions of the forks 48, 49 under a constant outward pressure. This constant outward pressure under the fulcrum formed by the hinge 47 produces an increase in pressure caused by the idle wheels 54A, 54B on the wires 32A against the counterforce exerted by the drive wheels 44A, 44B for the purposes described below. The cutting devices 34 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) are respectively carried by the medium carriage 20 through clamps 62 and each include a pair of jaws 63, 64 hinged on a pin 65 mounted horizontally between two walls 66. The first jaw 63 has, in its articulation zone, a portion 67 shaped as a fork so as to permit it to be inserted into a portion with reeds 68 in the second jaw 64. The jaws 63, 64 include cutting parts 69 at the bottom and operable for working together. The tops of the jaws 63, 64 extend into arms 70 equipped with cross pins 71 that respectively engage in slots 72 converging obliquely downward and formed a slide 73 that runs vertically on guides 74 supported by walls 75. The walls 75, with the walls 66, form a box-shaped casing of the cutting devices 34. Above the box-shaped casing thus formed is a pneumatic cylinder 76 whose piston 77 is equipped with two shafts 78. The shafts 78 are connected to the slide 73. Pneumatic cylinder 76 is axially perforated to permit the passage of the wires 32A. Also for this purpose the slide 73 and the pin 65 have suitably positioned holes such that the wires 32A reach between the cutting parts 69 of the jaws 63, 64. Jaws 63, 64 are arranged to close by means of angular rotation effected by lowering the slide 73 under the control of the pneumatic device 76, thus cutting the wires 32A, through the reciprocal elongation of the pins 71 that engage the slots 72. Operation of the Disclosed Embodiment The panels 2 are caused to move or advance in a jogging motion on the conveyor platform 1 by the advancing device 7 so that each overlapping pair of transversal warp wires 5 of the netting 4 is positioned under the set of cutting devices 34 for the time necessary to carry out the following operations. A length of parallel wires 32A is unrolled from each of the pulling and inserting devices 33 and inserted through the layer of expanded plastic 3 on both sides of the transversal warp wires 5 of the netting 4. The wires 32A are unrolled by drive wheels 44A, 44B of the pulling devices 33 against the action of the respective idle wheels 54A, 54B, there pressed as needed by the pivoting forks 48, 49 with the load on the springs 59 appropriately regulated by the screws 61. The length of the segment of wires 32A unrolled on a contingency basis is determined by an appropriate setting of the electronic encoder 53 which "reads" or detects the turns of the first idle wheel 54A. It should be noted that because the turns are induced, the first idle wheel does not experience slippage that could result in false readings by the encoder 53. The encoder 53 stops the electric motor 43 when the desired length of wires 32A has been unrolled. At this point, the medium carriage 20 is lowered by the action of the alternating-movement component 26 driven by the pneumatic device 27. The bank of cutting devices 34 is therefore likewise lowered, with the mechanisms seen above and against a relative dynamic profile, to cut the pairs of wires 32A substantially at the point of the upper wire mesh 4. In this manner are isolated pairs of cross wires 32B which remain to pass through the layer of expanded plastic 3 on both sides of the transversal warp wires 5 (also see FIG. 8). Simultaneously with the above-described lowering of the bank of cutting devices 34, the carriage 37 raises the bank of lower welding devices 36 which, with suitably shaped and dimensioned jaws, simultaneously weld the pairs of cross wires 32B to the lower wire netting 4. Also at the same time, the bank of upper welding devices 35 is lowered by the medium carriage 20 together with the bank of cutting devices 34 one step behind the latter, where it welds the pairs of cross wires 32B cut as indicated to the upper wire mesh 4. In the event of a change or variation in the format of the panels 2 to be operated upon, as for example using a thicker format, the entire bridge 16 may be raised to provide a sufficient opening on the conveyor platform 1 by raising the large carriage 19. In that case, the increased length of the cross wires 32B required to span the greater distance between the sheets of wire netting 4 can be obtained immediately and without the necessity of complex adjustments. This may for example be accomplished merely by changing the calibration of the electronic revolution counters or "encoders" 53 so that they accept a larger number of rotations of the wheels 54A of the pulling and insertion devices 33 without otherwise changing or adjusting any of the other parts or mechanisms of the apparatus. Another advantageous feature of the device of the invention is that it is operable for inserting the pairs of cross wires 32B at a non-perpendicular angle to the panel wire nets 4. By means of the motor mechanism 18 the entire bridge 16 may be caused to rotate on the hinges 17 until it is tilted at a user-selectable angle, and then there fixed by the air brakes 15 at any point on the slots 14 which, incidentally, are high enough to tolerate the full range of the large carriage 19. The substantial coincidence of the axis of hinge 17 of the bridge 16 with the plane of insertion of most of the pairs of cross wires 32B permits the insertion of the wires to take place along an inclined trajectory. This occurs without modifications of any kind from that described above in connection with vertical insertion of the wires, and the same likewise applies to the action of the lower welding units 36. On the other hand, the positioning of the upper welding units 35, which are one jogging step behind the panels 2 with respect to the hinge axis 17 of the bridge 16, means that the tilting of the bridge causes the welding devices to shift and, in particular, to move further away from the upper sheet of netting 4. However, this increased distance or spacing may be offset by adjusting the small carriage 21 so that only the bank consisting of these devices is able to slide. The increased shifting of the pairs of cross wires 32B outside of the wire netting 4 as a result of the correspondingly tilted insertion (see FIG. 9) may be eliminated, if necessary or desirable, by a pair of rotating cutters or shears or the like as schematically illustrated in FIG. 9. The cutters may be positioned behind the battery of tipper welders 35 with reference to the direction of advance of the panels 2 on the conveyor platform 1. The invention is not limited by the embodiments described above which are presented as examples only but can be modified in various ways within the scope of protection defined by the appended patent claims.

A slewing device having a quickly adjustable drive is available for inserting and cutting cross wires in automated equipment for the prefabrication of building panels. The device includes a bridge that may be selectively tilted to planes transverse to the line of conveyance of the panels supported by a bank of electronically-controlled electric motor drives. Each drive motor operates a corresponding device for pulling at least one metal wire so as to push and insert the wire at substantially any angle through a layer of plastic material sandwiched between sheets of wire netting to form the panel after passing through coaxial cutting devices for trimming the wire after its insertion.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application is a continuation-in-part application of the application of Randall Jamail and David Thompson, bearing U.S. Ser. No. 08/301,040, filed Sep. 6, 1994, entitled "Method of Selectively Concealing Magneto-Optical Compact Disk Data For Playback Upon Demand," now pending, which was a continuation of the application of equal inventors bearing U.S. Ser. No. 08/172,849, filed Dec. 22, 1993, entitled "Method of Prerecording Data for Playback Upon Demand" now abandoned. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of masking data in a storage medium for selective playback upon demand or for transcription to another medium. Specifically, the present invention relates to adapting a storage medium for recording information on such medium in gaps adjacent to the data tracks or at the end of the data tracks. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Data storage media are well known. Particularly, optical data storage media in the form of compact disks are well known. Compact disks are an alternative to long-playing records and magnetic tape cassettes. The disks with which consumers are familiar are optical read-only disks and the common disk player is designed specifically for this type of disk. These disks have a reflective surface containing pits which represent data in binary form. A description of these pits and how they function is provided by Watkinson, "The Art of Digital Audio," Focal Press, Chapter 13. Compact disks are currently produced by a pressing process similar to the process used to produce conventional long playing records. The process is referred to herein as the "mastering" process. The mastering process starts by first polishing a plain glass optical disk. The disk has an outside diameter from 200 to 240 mm, a thickness of 6 mm and undergoes various cleaning and washing steps. The disk is then coated with a thin chrome film or coupling agent, a step taken to produce adhesion between the glass disk and a layer of photoresist, which is a photo-sensitive material. Data on a compact disk master tape are then transferred to the glass disk by a laser beam cutting method. The glass disk is still completely fiat after it is written on by the laser beam because pits are not formed until the glass is photographically developed. The disk surface is first made electrically conductive and then subjected to a nickel evaporation process. The disk, typically known as the glass master, then undergoes nickel electrocasting, a process which is similar to that used in making analog phonograph records. A series of metal replications follow, resulting in a disk called a stamper. The stamper is equivalent to a photographic negative in the sense that it is a reverse of the final compact disk; that is, there are now bumps where there were pits. This stamper is then used to make a pressing on a transparent polymer such as polyvinyl chloride, poly(ethyl-metacrylate) or a polycarbonate. The stamped surface is then plated with a reflective film such as aluminum or another metal, and finally a plastic coating is applied over the film to form a rigid structure. The player operates by focusing a laser beam on the reflective metal through the substrate and then detecting reflected light. The optical properties of the substrate, such as its thickness and index of refraction, are thus critical to the player's detection systems and standard players are designed specifically with these parameters in mind. The pits increase the optical path of the laser beam by an amount equivalent to a half wavelength, thereby producing destructive interference when combined with other (non-shifted) reflected beams. The presence of data thus takes the form of a drop in intensity of the reflected light. The detection system on a standard player is thus designed to require greater than 70% reflection when no destructive interference occurs and a modulation amplitude greater than 30% when data is present. These intensity limits, combined with the focusing parameters, set the criteria for the compact disks and other optical data storage media which can be read or played on such players. Media on which data can be recorded directly on and read directly from have a different configuration and operate under a somewhat different principle. One example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,615 (Feyrer et al.). As optical information recording media of this type, compact disks (herein referred to simply as "CD") have been practically developed and widely used as optical information recording media of ROM (read only memory) type wherein pits are already formed on a light transmitting substrate by means of, for example, a press and a reflective layer of a metal is formed on the surface having such pits. As a further progress from such a ROM type, optical information recording media have been proposed on which information can be recorded by irradiating a laser beam to the substrate as the user requires. For Example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 89605/1979 discloses an optical information recording medium which comprises at least a transparent substrate, a light absorptive layer containing a coloring matter formed on the substrate and a light reflective layer formed on the light absorptive layer, and on which information can optically be recorded and from which the recorded information can be reproduced. To conduct the reproduction by commercially available CD players, optical recording media must be able to produce read-out signals which satisfy the CD standards which are accepted world wide. To satisfy the CD standards, typical requirements are that the reflectance is at least 70%; the block error rate is at most 3.0×10 -2 ; and when a push-pull method is employed for tracking pits, the push-pull valve is from 0.04 to 0.07. However, none of the conventional recording media comprising a substrate having a pregroove, a light absorptive layer containing a coloring matter formed on the substrate and a light reflective layer formed on this absorptive layer, uses all the aspects of the CD format satisfying the various conditions prescribed by the CD standards. It is, therefore, a feature of the present invention to provide a method of recording data for masking or concealing the data for later playback upon demand. A feature of the present invention is to provide a method of masking data on a storage medium for selective playback upon demand or for transcription to another medium is provided. Another feature of the present invention is to provide a method of masking data on a storage medium for positioning at least one data track on the storage medium such that the data track has, adjacent thereto, enough space or time for accepting a concealed data track. Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a method of masking data on a storage medium for positioning a last data track on the storage medium such that the data track has adjacent thereto, and after the last data track, enough space or time for accepting a concealed data track. Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a method of masking data on a storage medium for impressing data on the storage medium for generating a concealed track. Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a method of masking data on a storage medium for impressing data on the storage medium for generating a hidden recording area such that the hidden recording area contains concealed data which can be accessed upon demand for transcription to another medium or for playback. Yet still another feature of the present invention is to provide a method of masking data on a storage medium such as, for example, a compact disk, a read-only memory compact disk, a mini-disk, a photo compact disk or the like for impressing data on the storage medium for generating a concealed track which can be accessed upon demand for transcription to another medium or for playback. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized by means of the combinations and steps particularly pointed out in the appended claims. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the foregoing objects, features, and advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a method of masking data on a storage medium for selective playback upon demand or for transcription to another medium is provided. The method of masking data on a storage medium is typically used with a storage medium adapted for communication with a player or transcriber such that the storage medium has a start location and a stop location with at least one data track therebetween. Each data track can include a data recording area for recording or reproducing the data. Also each track can include a start position indicative of a beginning location for the data recording area for that particular track. Typically, the start location precedes the first start position for the first track for either a location or a time of operation. The stop location follows the last data recording area for the last track to be located with respect to position on the medium or time of operation associated with the medium. Typically, the storage medium has a begin communication location at or in close proximity to the start position indicating the beginning of the data recording area for the respective track. The first start position is indicative of the beginning of the data recording area for the first track and the start position for each subsequent track, if any, is indicative of the beginning of the data recording area for the respective track. The storage medium is engaged at the begin communication location for either recording or reproducing data for each respective data track. The method of the present invention comprising the steps of (a) determining the position of the start location on the storage medium, (b) determining the position of the stop location on the storage medium, (c) positioning at least one data track on the storage medium between the start location and the stop location such that the data track has, adjacent thereto, enough space or time for accepting a concealed data track, and (d) impressing data on the storage medium for generating the concealed track having a hidden recording area such that the hidden recording area contains concealed data which can be accessed upon demand for transcription to another medium or for playback. The present invention can be adapted for use with different storage media such as, for example, a compact disk, a read-only memory compact disk, a mini-disk, a photo compact disk or the like. Particularly, the step of impressing data on the storage medium for generating the concealed track further comprises the step of generating the concealed track by identifying a position within the gap relative to either location or time for working with a player or transcriber and impressing the concealed track on the storage medium at the identified position. The step of impressing the concealed track on the storage medium at the identified position includes impressing a recording area within the concealed track, and impressing a start position within the concealed track for indicating the location where the recording area begins for the concealed track. The step of identifying a position within the gap comprises the step of identifying a position with respect to the begin communication location or with respect to the start location or alternately with respect to the start position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. FIG. 1 is a partial cross section perspective view of a conventional compact disk (Prior Art). FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the sequence of track counts on a conventional CD (Prior Art). FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of another embodiment of the method of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a representative configuration embodying a track layout adaptable for use with the present invention. FIG. 6 is a generic illustration of the representative configuration as illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 illustrates a representative configuration of a track layout adaptable for use with the present invention. FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a representative configuration wherein the track and recording areas are identical areas. FIG. 9 illustrates another representative configuration of another track layout adaptable for use with the present invention. FIG. 10 is a schematic illustrating more particularly a concealed track disposed within a gap as practiced by the present invention. FIG. 11 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention with the concealed track at the end of the data medium. FIG. 12 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention wherein two concealed tracks are placed between two data tracks. FIG. 13 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention wherein a plurality of concealed tracks are located at the end of a storage medium. FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of the method of masking data on a storage medium as taught by the present invention. FIG. 15 is another flow chart illustrating a more detailed embodiment of the method of masking data on a storage medium as taught by the present invention. The above general description and the following detailed description are merely illustrative of the generic invention, and additional modes, advantages, and particulars of this invention will be readily suggested to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention as described in the accompanying drawings. The presently preferred application of the present invention is for use with standard audio compact discs as found in, for example, music and record stores. However, the present invention can be adapted for use in other related storage media such as, for example, CD-ROM discs, mini-compact discs, single-session or multi-session Photo CDs, as well as 80-mm-diameter CD discs. A wide selection of CD storage media is available for entertainment, education, and business. A typical disc can hold over 650 megabytes (MB) of information--the equivalent of 270,000 pages of text, up to eight hours of speech and music (depending on the sound quality), hundreds of high-resolution images, or any combination of text, sound and graphics. Standard music CDs provide sound and music recorded in a format typically referred to as digital audio. The present invention is especially adaptable for use in the digital audio format. Prior formats for storage media are silent with respect to concealing tracks or data between or adjacent to accessible tracks or data available for use. Developers and industry producers have implemented numerous and varied standards or protocols. Of particular relevance are the CD standards co-developed by Philips and Sony for the digital audio format. The Phillips/Sony digital audio format is called "CD Digital Audio." The Philips/Sony CD Digital Audio technology is available for license from Philips in what is called the "Red Book." The Red Book standards have become the industry standards in the digital audio industry. The present invention provides a significant advancement to all known industry standards for digital audio technology, including the Red Book standards. Further, the present invention has application to other known standards or protocols. Standards of relevance and possible application to the present invention are the Philips/Sony CD-ROM standards, known as the Yellow Book; the Philips/Sony CD-I standards, known the Green Book; the Philips/Sony Recordable CD standards, known as the Orange Book; the Philips/Sony CD-Video/Laser Disc standards; the Philips/Sony CD-ROM XA standards; the Philips/Sony CD-I Ready standards; the Philips/Sony CD-I Bridge standards; the Philips/Kodak Photo CD standard; and the Philips/JVC Video CD specification standard, known as the White Book. It is known in the industry to use a pre-gap on the compact disk. The pre-gap is a buffer between a start communication location on the CD and a first start mark indicative of a beginning location for the data recording area for the first track on the CD. The start communication location on the CD is typically closer than the perimeter of the CD so that the CD is transcribed in an outward expanding radial direction. The pre-gap is provided, indeed required, on CD's to assure that the player can align itself with the start mark. Typically, the pre-gap is two (2) seconds on a CD. The pre-gap can be termed a buffer. The CD player provides an indexing mechanism. The indexing mechanism reads from the CD a table of contents. The table of contents associated with the CD determines, for example, the start and finish location, and respective times for the different tracks or groupings of data on the CD. The CD table of contents information is read by the player and stored in memory. Based upon the table of contents information from the CD, the memory in the player knows, for example, where each track begins, each track ends and the length of the respective track. Typically, the table of contents has the track locations. Each track has a beginning index point and may have an ending index point. Typically, the track will begin at index 1 and end at index 0. Thus, the begin play point is at track 1, index 1. If there are X tracks on a CD, the last play location would be track X, index 0. The location identified by track 1, index I is the begin play point. Heretofore, the pre-gap provided a location point for aligning the CD in the player. The CD players are preprogrammed to locate the end of the pre-gap location, i.e. the predefined begin play location. Thereafter, the table of contents is read by the player and the player has been discovered to be programmed to remember the locations of each of the tracks on the CD. It is advantageous to use the pre-gap as an auxiliary recording zone. Thus, a conventional CD could be divided into two (2) recording zones, the pre-gap zone and the normal zone. Using the pre-gap zone provides a new realm of functionality to the standard CD player market. No changes or adjustments need to be made to the CD player whatsoever. Typically, a CD player can access the pre-gap by pressing and holding the rewind button so that the player scrolls to the beginning of a pre-track. The length of the pre-track can be set during the time the CD's are manufactured. For example, in a conventional CD, to use the method of the present invention, termed the Justice Soundboard™ pre-track, the CD is inserted and the play button is pressed. After the play button engages the CD and the CD is aligned, the table of contents is read and the first track is presented for processing, the rewind button is pressed and held providing that the player scrolls to the beginning of the Justice Soundboard™ pre-track. When the front of the pre-track location is reached, the button can be released, and the pre-track zone data will be transcribed by the player. This provides the availability of multiple independent track recording on a conventional CD. FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the method of the present invention. The method provides for locating the begin play point on the medium sufficiently remote from the first play location for accepting data between the begin play point and the first play location. Data is impressed on the medium in the pretrack location, i.e., between the first play location and the begin play point. Then, data is placed on the media as normally done, for example, between the first play location and the last play location. Further, the method provides for engaging the player for locating the begin play point. The player can be further engaged to locate the first play location. Thereafter, the player is directed to transcribe the data from the media between the first play location and the begin play point, i.e., from the pre-gap zone. Thereafter, the player is provided access to transcribe the remaining data as normally would be transcribed from a CD by a player. FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the invention of the present application. The method identified in the flow diagram illustrated in FIG. 4 provides for locating the begin play point on the media sufficiently remote from the first play location for accepting data in a pretrack or pre-gap zone. Data is impressed on the pretrack or pre-gap zone which is located between the first play location and the begin play point. Further, as normally done on CD media, data is impressed between the begin play point and the end play point. Typically, this is done in a series of tracks. Thereafter, the player is engaged for locating the begin play point. After the begin play point is located, the player is further engaged to locate the first play location. The player can transcribe the data from the media between the first play location and the begin play location so that the pretrack data is transcribed from the pre-gap zone. Lastly, the player can transcribe the data as normally transcribed from between the first play location and the last play location. It can be appreciated that this same technique can be used in any medium. It is not just the CD medium in which the technique can be incorporated. FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a representative configuration embodying a track layout adaptable for use with the present invention. FIG. 5 illustrates a storage medium having three data tracks 202, 204, 206. The data tracks 202, 204, 206 are preceded by a start location 102, and terminated by a stop location 106. Between the data tracks 202, 204, 206 and the start location 102 and the stop location 106 are gaps G. More particularly, the gaps G may be defined as a pre-gap G P , a first mid-gap G 1 , a second mid-gap G 2 and an end gap G E . A begin communication location 302 is typically provided for the first data track 202. Further, a begin communication location 302, 304, 306 may be provided for each respective data track 202, 204, 206. It can be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the begin communication location 302 may be the only such location required. For example, the begin communication location 302 is typically adapted for use with a player or a transcriber so that the player or transcriber will know where to begin removing data from the storage medium. Each data track 202, 204 206 has its respective recording area 212, 214, 216. Similarly, each recording area 212, 214, 216 has its respective start position 222, 224, 226. FIG. 6 is a generic illustration of the representative configuration as illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 illustrates that a plurality of tracks can be adapted for use with the storage medium and in conjunction with the present invention. FIG. 6 illustrates data tracks ranging from data track 1 through data track N. The data tracks provide for a following gap G 1 through G X and G E . Of particular interest is the break away portion of FIG. 6 which illustrates that the data track 204 is spaced in time or distance from the subsequent illustrated data track 21X. The data track 21X is positioned so as to be separated from data track 21X+1 by the gap G X . The data track 21X+1 is spaced remotely from the last data track 21N. The last data track 21N is illustrated being adjacent the end gap G E . The end gap G E separates the data track 21N from the stop location 106. It can be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the representative configurations adapted for use with the present invention can vary. FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate variations of representative configurations which can be adapted for use with the present invention. FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a representative configuration wherein the track and recording areas are identical areas 232, 234, 236. The start position 222, 224, 226 for the respective track/recording areas 232, 234, 236 are used in a similar fashion as previously discussed. It can be appreciated that the tracks illustrated may include concealed tracks pursuant to the present invention. Also, the pre-gap G P , mid-gaps G 1 , G 2 and end-gap G E are provided as discussed in FIGS. 5 and 6. FIGS. 7 and 9 illustrate another representative configuration of another track layout adaptable for use with the present invention. The configurations of FIGS. 7 and 9 illustrate tracks without gaps. It can be appreciated that the tracks illustrated may include concealed tracks pursuant to the present invention. Particularly, FIG. 7 illustrates the track 202 abutting the track 204. Also, the track 204 is illustrated abutting the track 206. The recording areas 212, 214, 216 are provided with respective start positions 222, 224, 226, as previously discussed. The pre-gap and post-gap of the representative configurations can exist or not exist as the case may be. For example, FIGS. 5, 7, 8, 9 illustrate a pre-gap G P existing and not existing, similarly FIGS. 5, 7, 8, 9 illustrate the end-gap G E existing and not existing. The pre-gaps G P are identified by labels 102 and 104. The end-gaps G E are identified by numerals 106 and 108. FIG. 10 is a schematic illustrating more particularly a concealed track disposed within a gap G 1 as practiced by the present invention. FIG. 10 illustrates a data track 202 and a data track 204 having a gap G 1 there between. The data track 202 has a recording area 212 and a start position 222. The data tracks 202, 204 are preceded by a start location 102. The first data track 202 has a begin communication location 302 aligned in the general vicinity of the start position 222. The data track 204 has a recording area 214 and a start position 224. Between the data tracks 202, 204, is the concealed track C202. The concealed track C202 comprises a recording area C212 and a start position C222. The gap G 1 between the data tracks 202, 204 includes the entirety of the concealed track C202 and its adjacent gaps G C1 , G C2 . It can be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the gaps G C1 , G C2 associated with the concealed track C202 can be of whatever dimensions are desired with respect to time or location. Also, it can be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the gaps can be displaced or omitted altogether such that the data track 202 abuts against the concealed track C202, and the concealed track C202 abuts against the other data track 204, thus, providing an embodiment without any gaps. FIG. 11 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention with the concealed track C202 at the end of the data medium. FIG. 11 illustrates a plurality of data tracks 201-20N as illustrated with a break away. The break away provides that any number of data tracks can be disposed between the illustrated data tracks 202, 20N. The concealed track C202 having a recording area C212 and a start position C222 is disposed between the last data track 20N and the stop location 106. The gap G E between the last data track 20N and the stop location 106 provides for the full dimension of the concealed track C202 and its respective gaps G C1 , G CE . As previously discussed, the respective gaps G C1 , G CE can be altered in size or eliminated completely. FIG. 12 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention wherein two concealed tracks C202, C204 are placed between two data tracks 202, 204. The concealed tracks C202, C204 are, for example, placed near the beginning of the storage medium so as to be between the first two data tracks 202, 204. The concealed tracks C202, C204 and their associated gaps G C1 , G C2 , G C3 fill the entire gap G 1 between the first data track 202 and the second data track 204. Each concealed data track C202, C204 has its recording area C212, C214 and start position C222, C224, respectively. FIG. 13 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention wherein a plurality of concealed tracks C202, C204 are located at the end of a storage medium. FIG. 13 illustrates two of the plurality of concealed tracks C20N-1, C20N disposed between the last data track 20N and the stop location 106. The concealed data tracks C20N-1, C20N are disposed in the end gap G E . The entire dimension of the end gap G E includes the first concealed gap G C1 , the concealed track C20N-1, the second concealed gap G C2 , the concealed track C20N and the gap G CE . In its schematic representation, the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 13 expands the entire length of the storage medium from the start location 102 to the stop location 106. It can be appreciated that numerous concealed tracks can be placed in each respective gap between data tracks. Also, it can be appreciated that numerous concealed tracks can be placed in the pre-gap just as easily as has been illustrated in the mid-gaps and the end-gap. Additional advantages and modification will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus, and the illustrative examples shown and described herein. Accordingly, the departures may be made from the details without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosed general inventive concept.

A method of masking data on a storage medium for selective playback upon demand or for transcription to another medium. The method comprising the steps of (a) determining the position of the start location on the storage medium, (b) determining the position of the stop location on the storage medium, (c) positioning at least one data track on the storage medium between the start location and the stop location such that the data track has, adjacent thereto, enough space or time for accepting a concealed data track, and (d) impressing data on the storage medium for generating the concealed track having a hidden recording area such that the hidden recording area contains concealed data which can be accessed upon demand for transcription to another medium or for playback. The present invention can be adapted for use with different storage media such as, for example, a compact disk, a read-only memory compact disk, a mini-disk, a photo compact disk or the like. More particularly, the step of impressing data on the storage medium for generating the concealed track further comprises the step of generating the concealed track by identifying a position within the gap relative to either location or time for working with a player or transcriber and impressing the concealed track on the storage medium at the identified position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/709,149, entitled “A method of Architecture definition of secure playback of HD content using Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) for OTT (Over the Top) and Home Network” filed Oct. 2, 2012, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD The disclosure relates generally to the field of digital rights management (DRM), and more particularly to the field of protecting and manipulating sensitive information in a secure environment with emphasis to playback of protected high definition) (HD) content having additional restrictions. BACKGROUND Digital content distribution systems conventionally include a content server, a content player, and a communications network connecting the content server to the content player. The content server is configured to store digital content files, which can be downloaded from the content server to the content player. Each digital content file corresponds to a specific identifying title, such as “Gone with the Wind,” which is familiar to a user. The digital content file typically includes sequential content data, organized according to playback chronology, and may comprise audio data, video data, or a combination thereof. The stored content can also be streamed to the client. In addition, the client can stream from a live source such as a tuner-based server e.g., broadcast service. The content player is configured to download or stream and play a digital content file, in response to a user request selecting the title for playback. The process of playing the digital content includes decoding and rendering audio and video data into an audio signal and a video signal, which may drive a display system having a speaker subsystem and a video subsystem. In the case of streaming, the content data is transmitted from an already-created content file sequentially to the content player. Streaming can also be live when the source is, for example, from a tuner using HTTP Live Streaming protocol (HLS). In this embodiment, HLS is used for streaming. The downloaded file can be either in HLS or MP4 ISO14496-12 formats. The player is configured to play the digital content as described above. Content data is typically encrypted and needs to be decrypted before the data can be played. The playback process, therefore, includes four steps, (i) retrieve content, (ii) decrypt content, (iii) decode content and (iv) output content. For the purposes of content protection, the content is most vulnerable at step (ii). At this step, the decrypted (and, therefore, unprotected) but still compressed content data is available. Since it is not always desirable or possible to prevent execution of un-trusted code, the decrypted content at step (ii) is vulnerable to attacks from third-party applications. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The details of the present disclosure, both as to its structure and operation, may be understood in part by study of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the disclosure. FIG. 1 illustrates a content distribution system configured to implement embodiments of the disclosure; FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate block diagrams of two examples of mobile platforms configured to implement embodiments of the disclosure; FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of hardware and software organization of a mobile device according to embodiments of the disclosure; FIG. 4 is a more detailed view of the mobile device of FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3 according to embodiments of the disclosure; and FIG. 5 illustrates an example media streaming system configured to implement embodiments of the disclosure; FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of method steps for client registration and rights acquisition in a secure environment according to embodiments of the disclosure; FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of method steps for initializing a content key in a secure environment for HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) according to embodiments of the disclosure; FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of method steps for playback of HLS content according to embodiments of the disclosure; and FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of method steps for playback of an MP4 file according to embodiments of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The examples described are directed to a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system operating in a secure environment within a mobile platform. Although the present examples are described and illustrated as being implemented in a mobile device system, the system described is provided as an example and not a limitation. Mobile devices may include pocket personal computers (PCs), cellular phones, music players, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet devices and the like. These mobile devices are typically configured to operate in a system that includes the internet, PCs and the like to facilitate license and media content transfer. A typical licensing system is a digital rights management (“DRM”) system. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the present example is suitable for application in a variety of different types of systems that operate under a rights object. The use of a playback period may be useful in the management of licensed content for these types of systems. In a first aspect, a method of providing digital rights management (DRM) for processing protected content in a mobile platform is disclosed, the method including: providing an application software module configured to implement a non-critical security software module; and providing a critical security module configured to run in a hardware module comprising a trusted execution environment (TEE), wherein the critical security module is configured to provide decryption, key management, key storage and processing, copy and output control enforcement in the TEE; wherein the application software module is in communication with a non-secure memory module and wherein the critical software module is in communication with a secure memory module. In a second aspect, a method of separating the functionality of a media streaming playback device is disclosed, the method including: providing a non-secure user space; and providing a secure space in communication with the user space, wherein the non-secure user space is configured to process a non-critical portion of client registration and rights acquisition, wherein the non-secure user space comprises a client application and a client providing interface for secure playback, and wherein the secure space is configured to process a critical portion of client registration and rights acquisition, wherein the secure space comprises a secure service that implements critical digital rights management functions, a parser secure service and a secure storage that cannot be accessed by the non-secure user space. In a third aspect, a mobile device configured to provide digital rights management (DRM) for secure execution of encrypted content is disclosed, the device including: one or more computer processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, control the one or more computer processors to be configured for: providing an application software module configured to implement a non-critical software module; and providing a hardware module, the hardware module comprising a trusted execution environment (TEE) configured to implement a critical software module, wherein the critical security module is configured to provide decryption, key management, key storage and processing, copy and output control enforcement in the TEE; wherein the application software module is in communication with a non-secure memory module and wherein the hardware module is in communication with a secure memory module. In a fourth aspect, a mobile device configured to separate the functionality of media streaming playback of encrypted content is disclosed, the device including: one or more computer processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, control the one or more computer processors to be configured for: providing a non-secure user space; and providing a secure space in communication with the user space, wherein the non-secure user space is configured to process a non-critical portion of client registration and rights acquisition, wherein the non-secure user space comprises a client application and a client providing interface for secure playback, and wherein the secure space is configured to process a critical portion of client registration and rights acquisition, wherein the secure space comprises a secure service that implements critical digital rights management functions, a parser secure service and a secure storage that cannot be accessed by the non-secure user space. FIG. 1 illustrates a content distribution system 100 configured to implement embodiments of the disclosure. As shown, the content distribution system 100 includes a content distribution network (CDN) 102 , a communications network 104 , a digital rights management (DRM) server 106 and an electronic device 108 . The communications network 104 includes a plurality of network communications systems, such as routers and switches, configured to facilitate data communication between the CDN 102 , the DRM server and the electronic device 108 . Persons skilled in the art will recognize that many technically feasible techniques exist for building the communications network 104 , including technologies practiced in deploying the well-known internet communications network. The electronic device 108 may include a computer system, a set top box, a mobile device such as a mobile phone, or any other technically feasible computing platform that has network connectivity and is coupled to or includes a display device and speaker device for presenting video frames, and generating acoustic output, respectively. The CDN 102 may include one or more computer systems configured to serve download requests or streaming requests for digital content received from the electronic device 108 . The digital content may reside as content files on a mass storage system accessible to the computer system or available as live stream from a tuner. The mass storage system may include, without limitation, direct attached storage, network attached file storage, or network attached block-level storage. The digital content files may be formatted and stored on the mass storage system using any technically feasible technique. A data transfer protocol, such as the well-known hyper-text transfer protocol (HTTP), may be used to download or stream digital content from the CDN 102 to the electronic device 108 . In some embodiments, the digital content is also stored in MP4 (ISO base media file format as defined in ISO 14496-12) file format. Apple HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), Microsoft Smooth Streaming or Adobe dynamic streaming all use HTTP as transfer protocol. MPEG-DASH adaptive streaming also uses HTTP transfer protocol. The DRM server 106 serves requests for rights objects associated with encrypted digital content files received from the electronic device 108 . In operation, an encrypted digital content file downloaded from the CDN 102 by the electronic device 108 must be decrypted before the digital content file can be played. The rights object associated with the encrypted digital content file is stored in the DRM server 106 and is transmitted to the electronic device 108 , which in turn uses the rights object to decrypt the digital content file. When the content is streamed live from the server, key material to derive the content key is obtained dynamically from the DRM server. Rights objects typically regulate the use of content. Most current DRM solutions rely on unique identification of electronic devices, such as mobile devices. In such systems each rights object may be bound to a unique consumer electronics device (or playback device), so the rights object stored in one mobile device typically cannot be transferred or used by another device. The rights object may be provided with information to specify a playback period for the particular media being controlled by that rights object. The rights objects are typically stored separately from the content, typically in a dedicated storage area such as a secure store (e.g., storage space that cannot be accessed by user space). DRM server 106 typically provides a collection of processes for the secure distribution of multimedia content from a service provider coupled to an insecure channel, such as the Internet. Digital media content for viewing or playback would typically include music files, picture files, video files, documents, etc. In particular, content may be anything that a provider desires to protect such as music, video, multimedia, pictures and the like. Content is typically regulated to prevent its unauthorized use by providing licenses and/or other tools such as encryption. Content may be audio, video, textual, encrypted, unencrypted, compressed, uncompressed or otherwise manipulated. In some embodiments, content is audio video compressed and encrypted like MPEG-2 TS. Although, in the above description, the content distribution system 100 is shown with one electronic device 108 and one CDN 102 , persons skilled in the art will recognize that the architecture of FIG. 1 contemplates only an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Other embodiments may include any number of electronic devices 108 and/or CDNs 102 . FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of two examples of mobile platforms configured to implement embodiments of the disclosure. In FIG. 2A , a mobile platform 200 may be used for playback of standard definition (SD) content in electronic devices 108 . Mobile platform 200 includes application software 210 , platform software 220 , hardware 230 , and non-secure memory 240 . Mobile platform 200 uses software obfuscation, allowing it to protect SD content based on studio requirements. In FIG. 2A , the entire application security component (e.g., security software 215 ) resides in the application software space 210 and uses non-secure memory 240 . The security software 215 is software obfuscated, thus satisfying the SD content playback requirements of content providers. Software obfuscation is well known and tools are provided by vendors such as Irdeto and Arxan. Software obfuscation tools transform the code and data, uses white box technology for cryptographic functions, code integrity verification, and anti-debug protection. Using the tools makes it more difficult for hackers to obtain content keys and access compressed clear data. In FIG. 2B , a mobile platform 250 may be used for execution of software in secure space and secure memory in electronic devices 108 . Mobile platform 250 includes application software 260 , platform software 270 , hardware 280 , non-secure memory 290 , and secure memory 295 . In FIG. 2B , security software is split into two components. Non-critical software 265 is executed in the application software space 260 and critical security software 287 runs in secure part or secure execution 285 of hardware, also known as a secure or trusted execution environment (TEE). In some embodiments, the critical security software 287 is configured to communicate with and store secure contents in secure memory 295 . In some embodiments, non-critical software 265 is configured to communicate with and store non-secure contents in non-secure memory 290 . In some embodiments, the secure and non-secure contents are manipulated or processed and stored separately from each other. Currently software obfuscation tools are used to secure DRM in the playback of SD format content, as described above with reference to FIG. 2A . These tools cannot protect a video path without affecting rendering performance and can be compromised with tools as the code runs in the user space. Studios require a protected video path meaning the video component of the content can never appear in user space memory in compressed form (before being decoded). In addition, the output buffers need to be protected based on HDMI setting. For DRM used for content protection, all the keys and sensitive data need to be handled using hardware security for HD content. Even for studios, approved SD content hardware security is desirable. In order to satisfy the HD robustness rules, a chip that supports Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) (e.g., ARM core chips) is used, such as described above with reference to FIG. 2B . Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) thus provides a protected sandbox or secure space to run sensitive software and also provides firewalls between the various components including the renderer. FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of hardware and software organization of a mobile device according to embodiments of the disclosure. In FIG. 3 , electronic device 108 includes a partitioning of functionality between a secure execution environment 330 and a normal or non-secure environment 332 . Hardware components include an application processor 320 A in the non-secure environment 332 and a secure processor 320 S in the secure environment 330 . Also included in the non-secure environment 332 is non-secure memory 360 S. Operating software in the non-secure environment includes an operating system (O/S) 336 , content player application or “app” 338 , chipset application programming interface (C/S API) component 340 , and a non-secure (NS) portion of a DRM client (DRM CLT-NS) 342 . In some embodiments, the operating system 336 may be an Android™ operating system 336 for mobile devices. The components in the secure environment 330 are responsible for establishing and maintaining secure communication with DRM server 106 to obtain content key material to derive content keys for decrypting content. Secure environment 330 includes a secure kernel 344 , secure file system 346 , DRM agent 348 , hardware decryption circuit (CRYP) 334 , and secure memory 360 S. It also includes a secure (S) portion of the DRM client (DRM CLT-S) 350 that may work together with the non-secure DRM client 342 to establish communication with DRM server 106 . In the remaining description the term “DRM client” may be used to refer to the paired DRM client portions 342 , 350 as a single unit. The non-secure DRM client 342 is mainly an interface (via the API component 340 ) between the content player 338 and the secure DRM client 350 . In particular, the non-secure DRM client 342 only sends requests to the latter to register electronic device 108 , obtain a rights object for a particular media object, and enable decryption and playing of the media object. The DRM Agent 348 is an API layer to access the DRM server 106 . In some embodiments, the secure environment 330 may employ components of the so-called TrustZone family, including the secure processor 320 S realized according to the ARM architecture, as well as the secure kernel 344 and secure file system 346 which are specially tailored for security-related uses. Establishing a secure communication channel and execution space may be based on security features offered by the hardware (SOC chipset) that is embedded in a circuit board used to build a device (e.g., mobile phone handset). While the chipset manufacturer provides the hardware, the DRM provider loads firmware (code) such as the DRM client and DRM agent 348 . FIG. 4 illustrates various components of an example electronic device 400 that can be implemented as a mobile device described with reference to any of FIGS. 1-3 and 5-9 . In some embodiments, the electronic device may be implemented in any form of device that can receive and playback streaming video content, such as anyone or combination of a communication, computer, media playback, gaming, entertainment, mobile phone, and/or tablet computing device. The electronic device 400 includes communication transceivers 402 that enable wired and/or wireless communication of device data 404 , such as received data, data that is being received, data scheduled for broadcast, data packets of the data, etc. Example transceivers include wireless personal area network (WPAN) radios compliant with various IEEE 802.15 (Bluetooth™) standards, wireless local area network (WLAN) radios compliant with any of the various IEEE 802.11 (WiFi™) standards, wireless wide area network (WWAN) radios for cellular telephony, wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN) radios compliant with various IEEE 802.15 (WiMAX™) standards, and wired local area network (LAN) Ethernet transceivers. The electronic device 400 may also include one or more data input ports 406 via which any type of data, media content, and/or inputs can be received, such as user-selectable inputs, messages, music, television content, recorded video content, and any other type of audio, video, and/or image data received from any content and/or data source. The data input ports may include USB ports, coaxial cable ports, and other serial or parallel connectors (including internal connectors) for flash memory, DVDs, CDs, and the like. These data input ports may be used to couple the electronic device to components, peripherals, or accessories such as microphones and/or cameras. The electronic device 400 includes one or more processors 408 (e.g., any of microprocessors, controllers, and the like), which process computer-executable instructions to control operation of the device. Alternatively or in addition, the electronic device can be implemented with any one or combination of software, hardware, firmware, or fixed logic circuitry that is implemented in connection with processing and control circuits, which are generally identified at 410 . Although not shown, the electronic device can include a system bus or data transfer system that couples the various components within the device. A system bus can include any one or combination of different bus structures, such as a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a universal serial bus, and/or a processor or local bus that utilizes any of a variety of bus architectures. The electronic device 400 also includes one or more memory devices 412 that enable data storage, examples of which include random access memory (RAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.), and a disk storage device. A disk storage device may be implemented as any type of magnetic or optical storage device, such as a hard disk drive, a recordable and/or rewriteable disc, any type of a digital versatile disc (DVD), and the like. The electronic device 400 may also include a mass storage media device. A memory device 412 provides data storage mechanisms to store the device data 404 , other types of information and/or data, and various device applications 414 (e.g., software applications). For example, an operating system 416 can be maintained as software instructions within a memory device and executed on the processors 408 . The device applications may also include a device manager, such as any form of a control application, software application, signal-processing and control module, code that is native to a particular device, a hardware abstraction layer for a particular device, and so on. The electronic device may also include a proxy application 418 and a media player 420 , such as for a client device. The electronic device also includes a trusted execution environment (TEE) 422 that can be implemented in any one or combination of software, hardware, firmware, or the fixed logic circuitry to implement embodiments of content decryption and playback in a secure environment in a mobile platform. The electronic device 400 also includes an audio and/or video processing system 424 that generates audio data for an audio system 426 and/or generates display data for a display system 428 . The audio system and/or the display system may include any devices that process, display, and/or otherwise render audio, video, display, and/or image data. Display data and audio signals can be communicated to an audio component and/or to a display component via an RF (radio frequency) link, S-video link, HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface), composite video link, component video link, DVI (digital video interface), analog audio connection, or other similar communication link, such as media data port 430 . In implementations, the audio system and/or the display system are integrated components of the example electronic device. As will be understood by the flow charts below ( FIGS. 6-9 ), audio and/or video processing system 424 may be partially or wholly included in trusted execution environment 422 . In some embodiments, there are a plurality of audio and/or video processing systems 424 , with at least one audio and/or video processing system 424 dedicated to processing and rendering data or content in a secure environment and at least one audio and/or video processing system 424 dedicated to processing and rendering data or content in a non-secure environment. As used herein, content delivery describes the delivery of media “content” such as audio or video or computer software and games over a delivery medium such as broadcasting or the Internet. Content delivery generally has two parts: delivery of finished content for digital distribution, with its accompanying metadata; and delivery of the end product to the end-user. As used herein, “streaming media” is media that is received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider using Adaptive Bit Rate streaming among other methods. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather than to the medium itself. The distinction is usually applied to media that are distributed over telecommunications networks, e.g., “on-line,” as most other delivery systems are either inherently streaming (e.g., radio, television) or inherently non-streaming (e.g., books, video cassettes, audio CDs). Hereinafter, on-line media and on-line streaming using Adaptive Bit Rate among other methods will be referred to as “media” and “streaming.” Adaptive Bit Rate (ABR) streaming is a technology that works by breaking the overall media stream into a sequence of small HTTP-based file downloads, each download loading one short segment of an overall potentially unbounded transport stream. As the stream is played, the client (e.g., the media player) may select from a number of different alternate streams containing the same material encoded at a variety of data rates, allowing the streaming session to adapt to the available data rate. At the start of the streaming session, the player downloads/receives a manifest containing the metadata for the various sub-streams which are available. Since its requests use only standard HTTP transactions, Adaptive Bit Rate streaming is capable of traversing a firewall or proxy server that lets through standard HTTP traffic, unlike UDP-based protocols such as RTP. This also allows a content delivery network (CDN) to readily be implemented for any given stream. ABR streaming methods have been implemented in proprietary formats including HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) by Apple, Inc and HTTP Smooth Streaming by Microsoft, Inc. ABR streaming has been standardized as ISO/IEC 23009-1, Information Technology—Dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP (DASH): Part 1: Media presentation description and segment formats. An increasing number of video playback devices, such as the Apple iPad and other mobile devices prefer video content to be delivered via ABR streaming rather than streamed continuously. The iPad, using Apple's HLS format, receives the manifest as an m3u8 file that contains links, media uniform resource identifiers (URIs), to each of the segments or “chunks” of video content, and processes the manifest file to retrieve and play back each media segment in turn. In this disclosure, HLS represents the range of protocols that media segment content and employ a playlist/manifest file to manage playback. Having disclosed some components of a computing system, the disclosure now turns to FIG. 5 , which illustrates an example media streaming system embodiment 500 . The communications between the entities depicted in FIG. 5 can occur via one or more wired or wireless networks. Further, the devices can communicate directly, via the World Wide Web, or via an application programming interface (API). A playback device 502 , such as a mobile electronic device tablet device, first makes a request to a media server 504 for playback of media content, such as an episode of Star Trek. Typically, the media server 504 resides in a network, such as the Internet. In HLS, the media server 504 receives the request and generates or fetches a manifest file 506 to send to the playback device 502 in response to the request. Example formats for the manifest file 506 include the m3u and m3u8 formats. An m3u8 file is a specific variation of an m3u encoded using UTF-8 Unicode characters. The m3u file format was initially used in the WINAMP Media Player for only audio files, but has since become a de facto playlist standard on many media devices for local and/or streaming media, including music and other media types. Many media devices employ variations of the m3u file format, any of which can be used according to the present disclosure. A manifest file can include links to media files as relative or absolute paths to a location on a local file system, or as a network address, such as a URI path. The m3u8 format is used herein as a non-limiting example to illustrate the principles of manifest files including non-standard variants. The manifest file 506 includes a list of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) to different representations of the requested segmented media content. Before or at the time of the request, the media server 504 generates or identifies the media segments of the requested media content as streaming media content 510 . The media segments of the streaming media content 510 are generated, either by the media server 504 , the content producer, or some other entity, by splitting the original media content 508 . Upon receiving the manifest file 506 , the playback device 502 can fetch a first media segment for playback from the streaming media content 510 , and, during playback of that media segment or chunk 512 , fetch a next media segment for playback after the first media segment, and so on until the end of the media content. In some embodiments, architectural methods are provided which include two main areas: (1) DRM architecture including interface to the player and (2) HLS and MP4 player architecture. In some embodiments, DRM functions include: (1) Registration, (2) Rights Object Acquisition and Verification, (3) Key Management, (4) Content Protection, and (5) Interaction with the player to provide the decrypted encoded data. As described above, device keys have to be protected using the hardware security (e.g., TEE). Generally a SOC provides a way to secure device keys (e.g., RSA Private Key, Key Encryption Key). These keys can be used only inside the secure space. The SOC while running in secure mode has access to secure RAM and execution memory that cannot be accessed by the user space. The secure space is limited-in case the secure code size is larger than a 500 KB (Kilo Bytes) there may be a code swap during execution, reducing the performance. The entire DRM framework cannot be ported to the secure space. In some embodiments, an application or user agent uses DRM API, to register, obtain rights acquisition, key acquisition and playback. The API's trigger sends requests to rights acquisition server and/or key management server. This triggers DRM request and DRM reply message transaction between the client and servers. In order to protect the content key all the way from acquisition to generation, parts of the message processing is performed inside the secure space. Rights extraction, parsing, and verification functions are all performed inside the secure service. After verification of the rights, the content key is derived and decryption engine is set inside the secure space. The user space has only access to the session of the transaction, content ID or URL for playback. The DRM also provides the decrypt interface API's inside the secure space as the video path has to be protected. In some embodiments, in order to satisfy protected video path requirement, an HLS player is also split into two parts. The front end or the user part of the player that communicates with the network to download the HLS Manifest and chunks provides player API for the application and plays the content. The secure part of the player includes a HLS TS parser, demultiplexer and manages secure buffer handles (buffers for decoding the video). The SOC provides handles in the user space which is translated to appropriate address in the secure space for decrypted decoded/encoded video. Even though in some embodiment we discuss Apple's HLS streaming, same method applies to MPEG-DASH transport based version (MPEG-2) and DLNA/DTCP-IP based streaming regarding secure part of the player. In some embodiments, the HLS player passes the encrypted TS chunk to the TEE as standard HLS encrypts the whole TS, and triggers DRM Decrypt based on the session ID inside the secure space. DRM at this stage has the content key set in the engine. The decrypted data is demultiplexed into audio, video and closed caption text. Audio and closed caption text data is pulled by the user space player using non-secure buffers. An HLS Video Push API passes the secure buffer handle, encrypted data to the TEE. Inside the secure space after translation the secure buffer is populated with decrypted encoded video. Since the secure buffer is fire wall protected, an Openmax API call to decode will use secure buffer maintaining protection of the video back into the user-space. Openmax API is the Khronos Open Source API implemented by the decoder vendors to decode encoded stream. This is available in the Android System used in the present example. In the case of an MP4 file format, metadata is in the clear, so demultiplexing is not done inside the secure space. For example, unlike HLS, in MP4 only an mdat box or content data is encrypted. Metadata defines the properties of the video, audio and data tracks in the file. The properties include size, resolution, presentation time stamp, protection type used, etc. This applies to MPEG-DASH, MPEG-4 file format, fragmented MP4 files, Microsoft smooth streaming, etc. For HLS and/or MP4, video data after decryption go into secure buffers and are pulled by user space API to decode and render. Audio packets after decryption are passed to user space buffers. In order to ensure that the decrypted audio packets are really audio packets, the decrypted audio buffer is scanned for audio specific data. This is done to ensure that the user space code is not compromised and video data is not presented as audio data in order to bypass the protected video path. In some embodiments, the same mechanism may be used in case MPEG-2 TS headers are in the clear, and only the payload is encrypted for HTTP live streaming. In addition, the interface API's between the player and the DRM, should to handle high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) output correctly. Based on DRM copy protection rules and high bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) is enabled or disabled, output uncompressed video buffer can be mirrored to HDMI port or not and this is set as oplv (Output Protection Flag) flag in SetKey API to notify the user in case HDMI cable is connected but HDCP is not enabled. The DRM Decrypt function inside the TEE checks if HDMI Mirroring can be allowed, e.g., meaning HDCP is active, and will allow playback only for 10 seconds and will throw error if HDCP is not active. The user can take action to enable HDCP using the user interface. FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a process 600 for client registration and rights acquisition in a secure environment according to embodiments of the disclosure. Process 600 may be implemented by a user space environment 610 and a secure space (TEE) 620 . User space environment 610 includes DRM Server 605 , Client Application 615 and SecureClient SDK 625 . Secure space (TEE) 620 includes DRMSecureService (TEE) 630 and SecureStore (TEE) 635 . In order to satisfy robustness, parts of DRM message requests and responses are processed inside the secure space (TEE) 620 . In some embodiments, Secure Client SDK (Software Development Kit) 625 provides API for Secure playback of both the MPEG-2 transport and MPEG_4 containers. DRMSecureService 630 implements security critical functions inside the secure space, for example, rights verification. In a first step 640 , a client (e.g., via Client Application 615 ) executes a register command (e.g., via SecureClient SDK 625 ). Secure Client Software Development Kit (SDK) 625 is provided for service providers and one of the API's is to register the client to the DRM server and it runs in the user space and is part of the application. In a second step 645 , third step 650 , and fourth step 655 , the register request message is completed and signed using the client's credentials (e.g., client's private key). As shown, in second step 645 , SecureClient SDK 625 communicates with DRMSecureService (TEE) 630 to complete the register message. In third step 650 , DRMSecureService (TEE) 630 communicates with SecureStore (TEE) 635 to obtain client credentials. In fourth step 655 , the message is completed. In a fifth step 660 and sixth step 665 , the request is sent to the DRM Server 605 and registration completed. In fifth step 660 , DRMSecureService (TEE) 630 communicates with SecureClient SDK 625 to register the request message. In sixth step 665 , SecureClient SDK 625 communicates with DRM Server 605 to register the request message and receive a response back. In a seventh step 670 and eighth step 675 , the client triggers a rights object request for content and the request is sent to the server. In seventh step 670 , Client Application 615 communicates with SecureClient SDK 625 to get rights for content with content ID (CID). In eighth step 675 , SecureClient SDK 625 communicates with DRM Server 605 to request an authorization token and rights. In a ninth step 680 , the server sends the authentication token and the rights message. In ninth step 680 , DRM Server 605 communicates with SecureClient SDK 625 to send the authentication information. In a tenth step 685 , eleventh step 690 and twelfth step 695 , the client processes the response inside secure space, extracts the rights and saves in the secure memory. In tenth step 685 , SecureClient SDK 625 communicates with DRMSecureService (TEE) 630 to process the message. In eleventh step 690 , DRMSecureService (TEE) 630 communicates with SecureStore (TEE) 635 to process the message, save rights and the token. In twelfth step 695 , DRMSecureService (TEE) 630 communicates with SecureClient SDK 625 to provide the status. FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a process 700 for initializing a content key in a secure environment for HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) according to embodiments of the disclosure. User space environment 710 includes Media Server 705 , Client Application 715 and SecureClient SDK 725 . Secure space (TEE) 720 includes DRMSecureService (TEE) 730 and SecureStore (TEE) 735 . Process 700 shows content key acquisition for an example HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) use case. In a first step 740 , a client executes a play command for a particular HLS URI. In first step 740 , Client Application 715 communicates with SecureClient SDK 725 to play the URI. In a second step 745 and a third step 750 , a security client (e.g., SecureClient SDK 725 ) requests a manifest file and extracts the key URI. In second step 745 , SecureClient SDK 725 communicates with Media Server 705 to get the manifest file. In third step 750 , SecureClient SDK 725 module parses the manifest file and obtains the key tag and initial vector (IV). The key tag in HLS manifest provides the URI or information to obtain the key and IV to decrypt the content. In a fourth step 755 and fifth step 760 , the key URI is processed inside secure space and a content key is computed. In fourth step 755 , SecureClient SDK 725 communicates with DRMSecureService (TEE) 730 to process the key tag and set IV. In fifth step 760 , DRMSecureService (TEE) 730 parses the key tag and computes the key. The key tag in HLS manifest provides the URI or information to obtain the key and initial vector or IV to decrypt the content. The content key is computed inside the secure space. In a sixth step 765 , the content key and IV are saved in the secure memory. In sixth step 765 , DRMSecureService (TEE) 730 is in communication with SecureStore (TMM) or TEE 735 to save the key, IV. FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a process 800 for playback of HLS content according to embodiments of the disclosure. User space environment 810 includes Media Server 805 , Client Application 815 , SecureClient SDK 825 , and Decode-Render 830 . Secure space (TEE) 820 includes Parser SecureService (TEE) 835 and DRM SecureService TEE 840 . In process 800 , the HLS format is an MPEG-2 transport stream, and the entire transport stream is encrypted. The sequence for rendering HD HLS content is as follows. It should be appreciated that the device is registered and authenticated and the content key is set as described in FIGS. 6 and 7 . In a first step 845 , SecureClient SDK 825 obtains HLS content data from Media Server 805 . Media Server 805 is responsible for generating the HLS manifests and media chunks and providing them to the client on request. Media Server 805 interfaces with the DRM server to encrypt the HLS chunks before transmitting to the client. In a second step 850 and third step 855 , SecureClient SDK 825 pushes encrypted data to Parser SecureService (TEE) 835 and provides a secure buffer handle (e.g., DRM SecureService TEE 840 ). The secure buffer handle can be a virtual or abstract handle that can be referenced or created in user application space without root privileges, allowing a single function that resides in both secure and non-secure application space to use the secure buffer handle's virtual or abstract handle. If the handles are physical addresses, then the function residing in application user space may not have any read access. Parser Secure Service 835 is configured to parse or demultiplex the HLS MPEG-2 packets into video, audio and closed caption data after decryption. Video data is copied only to secure memory. The secure buffer handle from user application space is translated to firewall memory inside the secure space. This memory is configured to be read only by decoder component within the secure service. In some embodiments, the decoder component is OpenMAX IL decoder component and uses a non-tunnel way of communication. DRM Secure Service 840 is configured to generate/process DRM messages, generate content keys, provide decrypted interfaces to Parser Secure Service 835 and enforce copy protection rules. In second step 850 , SecureClient SDK 825 communicates with Parser SecureService (TEE) 835 to push content. In third step 855 , Parser SecureService (TEE) 835 communicates with DRM SecureService TEE 840 to decrypt the content. In a third step 855 , a secure parser service (e.g., Parser SecureService (TEE) 835 ) inside the TEE invokes a secure DRM service (e.g., DRM SecureService TEE 840 ) to decrypt the content chunks. In a fourth step 860 , DRM SecureService TEE 840 checks for if HDMI is enabled and required based on copy control bits (CCI) and then decrypts the content and returns it to the secure parser service (e.g., Parser SecureService (TEE) 835 ) in a step 865 . In a sixth step 870 , the secure parser service demultiplexes the clear transport stream into video, audio and closed caption streams. In a seventh step 875 , the audio and closed caption streams are returned in normal buffer. Video remains in secure buffer provided by the secure buffer handle. The User Space client (e.g., Client Application 815 and SecureClient SDK 825 ) cannot see the clear encoded video. In an eighth step 880 , SecureClient SDK 825 communicates with Decode Render 830 to decode the video and render to a liquid crystal display (LCD). Decode Render 830 (e.g., Open max IL/ALAPI is used in the example Android System) can read the secure buffer protected by a firewall (not shown). The firewall prevents any other user application from accessing the secure video buffers. The firewall configuration is set during secure boot of the device. This allows the platform Decoder Render 830 to read the Secure buffer, decode and render the video. Audio and closed caption data are in user space buffers and rendered also. FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a process 900 for playback of an MP4 file according to embodiments of the disclosure. User space environment 910 includes Media Server 905 , Client Application 915 , SecureClient SDK 925 , and Decode-Render 930 . Secure space (TEE) 920 includes Parser SecureService (TEE) 935 and DRM SecureService TEE 940 . MP4 playback may be used for a file download or sync and go use case. In a first step 945 , Client Application 915 downloads a content file from Media Server 905 . In a second step 950 , SecureClient SDK 925 executes a play command after receiving the content file from Client Application 915 . In a third step 955 , because MP4 metadata is in clear, encrypted video and audio buffers are pushed into secure space. In third step 955 , SecureClient SDK 925 pushes video and audio packets into Parser SecureService (TEE) 935 . As described above, metadata refers to video, audio description, size and location in the file. Since this information is in the clear (e.g., not encrypted), parsing need not be done in secure space. In a fourth step 960 , MP4 parser class requests DRM Service decrypt function. In fourth step 960 , Parser SecureService (TEE) 935 communicates with DRM SecureService TEE 940 . In a fifth step 965 , the DRM Service verifies rights, checks if HDMI is enabled and then decrypts the content. In a sixth step 970 , the DRM SecureService TEE 940 communicates with Parser SecureService (TEE) 935 to provide the decrypted (clear) content. In a seventh step 975 and eighth step 980 , the parser checks if audio buffer is really audio (and not video) and sends the audio to user space in the clear. When the parser checks the audio buffer, it is done to ensure that only audio data is sent to unsecure memory, and that video data does not get mislabeled and sent to unsecure memory. In eighth step 980 , Parser SecureService (TEE) 935 communicates with SecureClient SDK 925 to send the audio content to the user space. The video clear compressed data will be in secure buffer and user space will only have to handle the video secure buffer. In a ninth step 985 , SecureClient SDK 925 communicates with Decode Render 930 to render the content. Decode Render 930 has access to secure buffer. In some embodiments, Openmax IL/ALAPI is used as in HLS case to decode and render. As explained above, DRM architecture for TEE enables protection for all the permanent keys by using device hardware keys. Rights object creation, process and verification is performed in TEE, so user entitlement is not compromised. Additionally, sensitive functions of DRM, like message signing, decryption using RSA private key is handled inside the secure space. All key wrappings, unwrapping code is executed inside the secure service. Functions like content key derivation, session key derivation execution happens inside TEE, so are also secure. Even though session keys or intermediate wrapping keys are not permanent, their exposure can lead to eventual exposure of a content key. In the case of an HLS Player, TS parser is implemented inside the TEE, so the demultiplexing of video and audio packets occurs inside the secure space. The decrypted encoded video uses secure buffers. This way the decrypted decoded video packets are not accessible by user space memory bus. A decoder (e.g., accessed using Open MAX API) is programmed to use secure buffers and also the output buffers can also be fire wall protected. DTCP-IP (DLNA) protected content streaming inside a home network can be treated in the same manner as HLS as the entire MPEG 2-TS stream is encrypted using DTCP-IP. DTCP-IP adds header in front of the payload. Header contains information to derive keys. In the case of MP4 file format, the video and audio tracks are encrypted but already demultiplexed inside the file. Video data is decrypted inside the secure space and copied to secure buffers and User space will only have handle to the secure buffer. Open MAX decoder uses the protected memory and will get the handle to secure buffer that contains the decrypted encoded video. An HLS TS parser and MP4 player component inside the secure space initiates DRM decrypt function inside the secure space, thus preventing any attacks to decrypt interface. HDMI output protection is also enforced inside secure service as Decrypt functions checks if HDCP is required and if required, then checks if enabled. If HDCP is not enabled when required the decryption will fail after 10 seconds. The above description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, it is to be understood that the description and drawings presented herein represent exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present disclosure. It is further understood that the scope of the present disclosure fully encompasses other embodiments and that the scope of the present disclosure is accordingly limited by nothing other than the appended claims.

Methods and devices for protecting and manipulating sensitive information in a secure mobile environment are disclosed. Methods and devices for processing secure transactions and secure media processing up to rendering in human readable form using abstract partitioning between non-secure and secure environments are disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to polyacetylene-containing polymer products which are distinguished by improved stability to air and in particular oxygen. Polyacetylene-containing polymer products are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,422. They are suitable, for example, as organic-based electrical conductors and semiconductors. In contrast to pure polyacetylene, they can easily be converted into mouldings, for example films or fibres. They are more stable than pure polyacetylene. However, they are sensitive to oxygen at elevated temperature. Their preparation is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,422, in which acetylene is polymerized in organic solution of at least one polymer other than polyacetylene and in the presence of certain nickel(0) complexes. The resultant polyacetylene-containing polymer product can contain from 0.1 to 99% by weight, preferably from 1 to 50% by weight of polyacetylene. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention refers to mouldings made from a polyacetylene-containing polymer product comprising polyacetylene and a polymer other than polyacetylene which has a protective coating of silicate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The polymer other than polyacetylene can be any soluble polymer, for example polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, polychloroprene, polyether, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyisoprene, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose derivatives, for example methylcellulose and copolymers, such as acrylonitrile copolymers, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, which may be hydrogenated, or acrylonitrile(meth)acrylate copolymers. The solvents employed are the solvents which are suitable for said polymers. Preference is given to polymers containing polar groups, for example halogen atoms, nitrile groups, hydroxyl groups, acetyl groups or carbonate groups, for example polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylbutyral, polyacrylonitrile and acrylonitrile-containing copolymers, and polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylcarbazole and methylcellulose. Preferred solvents are polar aprotic substances, for example dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulphoxide. On a macroscopic level, the polyacetylene-containing polymer products exhibit either a heterogeneous or a homogeneous distribution of polyacetylene in the polymer matrix. The heterogeneous distribution is evident from discrete black particles of polyacetylene in the polymer matrix, but in highly disperse distribution. The homogeneous distribution is evident from a continuous yellow-brown, red to deep blue colouration of the polymer product. All polyacetylene-containing polymer products can be converted into mouldings, for example filaments or films, in the conventional manner without loss of their optical and electrical properties. The polyacetylene can also be in oriented form here. The electrical properties do not change on extended storage. The polyacetylene can be doped in a conventional manner, for example with iodine. The doping increases the electrical conductivity, if desired, by up to about ten powers of ten, making the products suitable for a broad range of applications from nonconductors via semiconductors to electrical conductors. The formal degree of doping is obtained from the increase in weight caused by iodination. In accordance with the invention, the mouldings of the polyacetylene-containing polymer products are provided with a silicate coating. This is achieved, in particular, by immersing said mouldings into an aqueous solution of sodium water glass or potassium water glass and subsequently drying the coated mouldings. Even extremely thin coatings result in excellent stabilization of the polyacetylene to oxygen, for example even coatings of about 1 μm. From 50 mg to 2 g of water glass (solid) are preferably required to stabilize 1 m 2 of moulding surface. The moulding surface can preferably have been treated in advance with a silane or a borate, this treatment being carried out in such small amounts that the increase in weight is virtually unmeasurable. This pretreatment is also achieved by briefly immersing the moulding into the solution of a silane or a borate and drying the coated moulding, it also being possible to immerse the moulding into the pure compound in the case of liquid silanes. Examples of suitable silanes are tetramethoxysilane and tetraethoxysilane. Suitable borates are boric acid and borax. The stabilizing effect of the silicate coating can be demonstrated in a heat test carried out in air. To this end, thin transparent coatings of matrix polyacetylenes are produced and their absorption spectra are measured before and after heating. EXAMPLES Example 1 (PVPPAC) 5 g of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were dissolved under an argon protective gas atmosphere in 95 g of dry dimethylformamide (DMF) for 30 minutes at about 60° C. with magnetic stirring in a 250 ml 4-necked flask which had been dried by heating and which was fitted with an internal thermometer, argon and acetylene gas inlet and excess pressure valve. At 60° C., 0.5 mmol of catalyst [NiPh(Ph 2 PCHCPhO)(i-Pr 3 PCHPh)] dissolved in 3 ml of DMF were then injected and stirred in for 1 minute (Ph=phenyl; i-Pr=isopropyl). Acetylene gas was then passed through the solution in a rapid stream for 30 seconds, the solution becoming a blue-black colour. Unreacted acetylene was expelled by a vigorous stream of argon. The PVPPAC solution was diluted with DMF in the ratio 1:1. Glass specimen slides were coated by vertical dipping into this solution and drying in air, and the light absorption in the visible wavelength range was measured. Further measurements were carried out after heating at 90° C. in air. The absorbance drops after this heating, and the absorption maximum shifts to shorter wavelength. The colour of the clear coating changes from blue to reddish. ______________________________________t (90° C.) E.sup.max λ.sup.max______________________________________ 0 min 2.83 642 nm 60 min 2.36 588 nm120 min 2.09 562 nm______________________________________ EXAMPLE 2 (PVPPAC, silicate) The procedure was as in Example 1, but after the coating had been produced, the slide was first dipped in tetraethoxysilane for about 2 minutes, dried and then dipped briefly into aqueous sodium silicate solution and dried. The absorption spectrum was now unchanged after the 2-hour heat treatment. EXAMPLE 3 (Me-CELPAC) The procedure was as in Example 1, but 2.5 g of methylcellulose were dissolved in 97.5 g of DMF over the course of 1 hour and 0.25 mmol of catalyst were employed. The blue-black Me-CELPAC solution was used directly for the dip coating, i.e. without further dilution. After heating at 90° C. for 2 hours, the absorbance had dropped from 3.89 to 2.46 and the absorption maximum had shifted from 707 nm to 601 nm. EXAMPLE 4 (Me-CELPAC, silicate) A dip-coated glass plate from Example 3 was aftertreated as described in Example 2. The absorption spectrum did not change in the 4-hour 90° C. heat test. EXAMPLE 5 (PANPAC) The procedure was as in Example 3, but the matrix polymer used was polyacrylonitrile. The blue-black PANPAC reaction solution was used directly for the dip coating. After heating at 90° C. for 4 hours, the absorbance of the glass plate coated on both sides with PANPAC had dropped from 1.95 to 1.32; the absorption maximum had shifted from 663 nm to 550 nm and the colour had changed from blue to reddish. EXAMPLE 6 (PANPAC, silicate) A dip-coated glass plate from Example 5 was after-treated as described in Example 2. The absorption spectrum did not change in the 4-hour heat test. Accordingly, the colour of the coating remained blue. EXAMPLE 7 (PANPAC, silicate) A sample produced as described in Example 6 was kept at 90° C. for 10 days, during which the colour and spectrum remained unchanged.

Mouldings made from polyacetylene-containing polymer products comprising poly-acetylene and a polymer other than polyacetylene are distinguished by improved stability of their optical and electrical properties in air when they have a protective coating of a silicate.