U.S. patent application number 08/963908 was filed with the patent office on 2002-01-31 for image pickup apparatus displaying recording capacity.
Invention is credited to MIZOGUCHI, YOSHIYUKI.
Application Number | 20020012051 08/963908 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 16019619 |
Filed Date | 2002-01-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020012051 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MIZOGUCHI, YOSHIYUKI |
January 31, 2002 |
IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS DISPLAYING RECORDING CAPACITY
Abstract
Apparatus is provided for use with an image recording device
which records images on a recording medium. The image recording
device has (i) structure for detecting one of a remaining amount
and a used amount of recording medium capacity, and (ii) a display
for displaying the amount of recording medium capacity detected by
the detecting structure. The apparatus for use with such an image
recording device includes image recording mode-setting structure
for setting an image recording mode of the image recording device
to one of a first mode and a second mode. A processor is provided
for causing the display to display the amount of recording medium
capacity as a first value in the first image recording mode and as
a second, different, value in the second image recording mode.
Preferably, the display displays either frames or recording time
for the recording medium. Preferably, the first and second image
recording modes may be either still/continuous modes, different
compression modes, or different speeds of continuous photographing.
Also, the display may be switched between used capacity and
remaining capacity of the recording medium.
Inventors: |
MIZOGUCHI, YOSHIYUKI;
(KAWASAKI-SHI, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FITZPATRICK CELLA HARPER & SCINTO
30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA
NEW YORK
NY
10112
US
|
Family ID: |
16019619 |
Appl. No.: |
08/963908 |
Filed: |
November 4, 1997 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
08963908 |
Nov 4, 1997 |
|
|
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08272155 |
Jul 8, 1994 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
348/220.1 ;
348/333.02; 348/E5.047 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 5/232939 20180801;
H04N 1/215 20130101; H04N 1/2125 20130101; H04N 2201/214 20130101;
H04N 1/2112 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
348/220 ;
348/231; 348/333.02 |
International
Class: |
H04N 005/225 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 16, 1993 |
JP |
176775 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An image pickup apparatus comprising: means for picking up
images of an object; a recording device for recording information
relating to the images of the object picked up by said picking up
means; means for detecting a recorded capacity or an unrecorded
capacity of said recording device; indicating means for indicating
the detected recorded capacity or unrecorded capacity; a selection
member for selecting between a mode of recording a single image,
and a mode of recording a plurality of images which are
time-serially consecutive; and switching means for switching an
indication of said indicating means between frame-number
information and recording-period information according to the mode
of said selection member.
2. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
indication of said indicating means indicates frame numbers when
the mode of recording a single image is selected, and time
information when the mode of recording a plurality of images is
selected.
3. An image pickup apparatus for recording images of objects, said
apparatus comprising: means for picking up images of an object; a
recording device for recording information relating to the images
of the object picked up by said picking up means; means for
detecting an unrecorded capacity of said recording device; and
indicating means for indicating the unrecorded capacity on said
display means when the unrecorded capacity is equal to or less than
a predetermined value.
4. An image pickup apparatus comprising: means for picking up
images of an object; a recording device for recording information
relating to the images of object picked up by said picking up
means; means fop detecting a recorded capacity or an unrecorded
capacity of said recording device; indicating means for indicating
the detected recorded capacity or unrecorded capacity; a first
operation means for actuating recording of a single image by said
recording device; a second operation means for actuating recording
of a plurality of images which are consecutive by said recording
control means for causing said indicating means to indicate frame
numbers when said first operation means is operated, and time
information when said second operation means is operated.
5. An image pickup apparatus comprising: means for picking up
images of an object; a recording device for recording information
relating to the images of object picked up by said picking up
means; means for detecting a recorded capacity or an unrecorded
capacity of said recording device; indicating means for indicating
the detected recorded capacity or unrecorded capacity; input means
for settings a time interval of a photographing operation; and,
control means for causing the recording device to record a
plurality of images at the time interval set by said input means,
and for switching the indication of said indicating means between
frame numbers and time information in accordance with the time
interval set by said input means.
6. An image pickup means comprising: means for picking up images of
an object; input means for inputting a ratio; compression means for
compressing information relating to the images of the object picked
up by said picking up means using the compression ratio input from
said input means; recording means for recording the information
compressed by said compression means; means for detecting an
unrecorded capacity of said recording device; and indicating means
for indicating the unrecorded capacity in accordance with the
compression ratio set by said input means.
7. Apparatus for use with an image recording device which records
images on a recording medium, the image recording device having (i)
means for detecting one of a remaining amount and a used amount of
recording medium capacity, and (ii) an indicator for indicating the
amount of recording capacity detected by the detecting means, said
apparatus comprising: image recording mode-setting means for
setting an image recording mode of said image recording device to
one of a first image recording mode and a second image recording
mode; and a processor for causing the indicator to indicate the
amount of recording medium capacity as a first value in the first
image recording mode and as a second, different value in the second
image recording mode.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first mode comprises
a single image mode and the second code comprises a plurality of
image modes, and wherein said processor causes the indicator (i) to
indicate the amount of recording medium capacity as a number of
frames in the first mode, and (ii) to indicate the amount of
recording medium capacity as a time amount in the second mode.
9. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first mode comprises
a first compression ratio and the second mode comprises a second
compression ratio, and wherein said processor causes the indicator
to indicate the amount of recording medium capacity as a number of
frames in the first mode and as a different number of frames in the
second mode.
10. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first mode
comprises a first compression ratio and the second mode comprises a
second compression ratio, and wherein said processor causes the
indicator to indicate the amount of recording medium capacity as a
time amount in the first mode and as a different time amount in the
second mode.
11. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first mode
comprises a first continuous photographing speed and the second
mode comprises a second continuous photographing speed, and wherein
said processor causes the indicator to indicate the amount of
recording medium capacity as a first time amount in the first mode
and as a second, different time amount in the second mode.
12. Apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising indicator
content switching, means for switching the indicator between
indicating the remaining amount of recording medium capacity and
the used amount of recording medium capacity.
13. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processor causes
the indicator to change the first value to the second value in
response to the mode-setting means changing the image recording
mode from the first mode to the second mode.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to an image pickup apparatus which
displays the recording capacity of the recording medium.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] There are known image pickup apparatuses which can perform
still and continuous (movie) photographing and recording
operations. However, sufficient consideration has not yet been
given to display methods with respect to such recording device
memories (tapes, films, and the like).
[0005] Some silver-film cameras, which use silver films, have a
single-photographing function of photographing a one-frame image in
response to a single shutter release operation, and a
continuous-photographing function of repeating photographing
operations at a predetermined time interval during one shutter
release operation. Pictures taken by a continuous photographing
operation in such a silver-film camera can be seen at one time
after printing the pictures, in contrast to reproduction in a video
camera in which pictures are individually reproduced time-serially.
Accordingly, in silver-film cameras display of remaining recording
capacity on a time base is not performed, and only the number of
used frames or the number of remaining frames is displayed or
indicated based on the total number of frames of the film.
[0006] Recently, some camcorders, which can also record still
pictures by operating a still-photographing operation member, have
been on the market. However, the still-photographing operation is
only an auxiliary function, and the used amount or the remaining
amount of a tape is displayed only in units of
hours/minutes/seconds. In a movie-photographing operation in a
camcorder, the photographing rate is fixed at 60 fields/second or
50 fields/second conforming to broadcast standards, such as NTSC,
PAL, or the like. Accordingly, the used amount or the remaining
amount of tape is displayed only in terms of time at the fixed
photographing rate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to solve the
above-described problems.
[0008] In one aspect of the present invention, apparatus is
provided for use with an image recording device which records
images on a recording medium, the image recording device having (i)
means for detecting one of a remaining amount and a used amount of
recording medium capacity, and (ii) a display for displaying the
amount of recording medium capacity detected by the detecting
means. The apparatus comprises an image recording mode-setting
means for setting an image recording mode of said image recording
device to one of a first mode and a second mode. A processor is
provided for causing the display to display the amount of recording
to medium capacity as a first value in the first image recording
mode and as a second, different value in the second recording
mode.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide an
optimum display method for a recording device of a photographing
apparatus capable of performing still- and continuous-photographing
and recording operations.
[0010] In another aspect of the present invention, by detecting
whether the current photographing mode is a still-photographing
mode or a continuous-photographing mode, the recorded capacity or
the unrecorded capacity of a recording device for recording
information of images of objects is displayed in units of a frame
in the still-photographing mode, and in units of time in the
continuous-photographing mode, so that the remaining capacity (the
number of frames in a still-photographing operation, and time in a
continuous-photographing operation) of the recording device for the
subsequent photographing operation in the set photographing mode
can be seen at a glance.
[0011] In another aspect of the present invention, by displaying
the unrecorded capacity of a recording device for recording
information of images of objects only when the unrecorded capacity
becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, a display
having a plurality of digits is unnecessary, so that the size and
the cost of an apparatus can be reduced.
[0012] In still another aspect of the present invention, when
displaying the recorded capacity or the unrecorded capacity of a
recording device for recording information of images of objects,
the display is performed in units of a frame when a
still-photographing starting member has been operated, and the
display is performed in units of time when a
continuous-photographing starting member has been operated, so that
a display corresponding to the current photographing mode is
automatically performed.
[0013] In yet another aspect of the present invention, when
displaying the recorded capacity or the unrecorded capacity of a
recording device for recording information of images of objects, in
a mode of performing a continuous-photographing operation with a
set time interval or speed, the contents of the display are changed
in accordance with the set time interval or speed, so that the time
period allowed for the subsequent continuous-photographing
operation at the set interval or speed can be seen at a glance.
[0014] In yet a further aspect of the present invention, when
displaying the recorded capacity or the unrecorded capacity of a
recording device for recording information of images of objects by
compressing the information with a set compression ratio, the
contents of the display are changed in accordance with the set
compression ratio, so that the remaining capacity (the number of
frames in a still-photographing operation, and time in a
continuous-photographing operation) for the photographing operation
in the set photographing mode can be seen at a glance.
[0015] The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of
the present invention will become more apparent from the following
detailed description of the preferred embodiment taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an
apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the entire display contents
on a display unit in the embodiment; and
[0018] FIGS. 3(a) through 6(b) are diagrams illustrating examples
of the display on the display unit shown in FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] FIGS. 1 through 6(b) illustrate an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0020] In FIG. 1, a still/continuous photographing switch 8 is used
for switching the photographing mode of a camera between a
still-photographing mode and a continuous-photographing mode.
Compression-ratio setting means 9 switches the compression ratio of
a compression circuit 3 (to be described later) among 1/2 (a
high-picture-quality mode: F), 1/5 (a standard mode: S) and 1/10 (a
multiple-frame-photographing mode: E).
Continuous-photographing-speed setting means 10 assigns a
continuous-photographing speed during a continuous-photographing
operation. An arbitrary speed equal to or lower than 60
frames/second can be assigned. Display-contents switching means 13
switches the display relating to the used state of a recording
device provided on a display unit 7 between the display of the used
capacity and the display of the remaining capacity. An operation
button 11 is used for providing a trigger to start a
still-photographing operation. An operation button 12 is
photographing operation. Accordingly, a still-photographing
operation is performed by operating the button 11, and a
continuous-photographing operation is performed at a
continuous-photographing speed (set by the
continuous-photographing-speed setting means 10) by operating the
button 12.
[0021] In an image pickup unit 1, a CCD (charge-coupled device) 32
performs photoelectric conversion of an image of an object imaged
by imaging lens system 31 and outputs an electrical signal
representing the image. The signal is processed into a video signal
by a known signal processing circuit 2. The video signal is
supplied to a connector (not shown) for connecting the signal
processing circuit 2 to an EVF 6 and an external display unit for
the purpose of display, and is also supplied to a
compression/expansion circuit 3 in order to record the video signal
in a recording device 5. The compression/expansion circuit 3,
comprising known means, converts the video signal into a digital
video signal, compresses the digital video signal with the
compression ratio set by the compression-ratio setting means 9, and
supplies the recording device 5 with the compressed signal via an
I/F (interface) 4. The I/F 4 is an interface between the
compression/expansion circuit 3 and the recording device 5. The I/F
4 records the signal from the compression/expansion circuit 3 in
response to a command from a CPU (central processing unit) 14, and
reads image information from the recording device 5 and supplies
the compression/expansion circuit 3 with the read information. The
I/F 4 also communicates results of detection by a known detector
51, provided in the recording device 5, for detecting the total
recording capacity, the recorded capacity and the unrecorded
capacity of the entire recording device 5 to the CPU 14. The EVF 6
superposes various kinds of information with the video signal
obtained from the signal processing circuit 2, and displays the
resultant information.
[0022] The display unit 7 displays various kinds of information
relating to the camera's operating state. The display unit 7 can be
any type of indicating device for conveying information, including
visual, audio and tactile indicating devices. FIG. 2 illustrates
the contents of the display on the picture surface of the display
unit 7. A notation "still" is displayed in the case of the
still-photographing mode, and a notation "continuous photographing:
(continuous-photographing speed) {fraction (1/15)}s" is displayed
in the case of the continuous photographing mode, in accordance
with the selected photographing mode. Notations "F", "S" and "E"
are displayed when the compression ratio is 1/2 (the
high-picture-quality mode: F), 1/5 (the standard mode: S) and 1/10
(the multiple-frame-photographing mode: E), respectively. In
addition, information relating to the state of the use of the
recording device 5 (the used capacity or the remaining capacity) is
displayed.
[0023] Next, a description will be provided of the display
operation of the display unit 7 in the present embodiment.
[0024] First, power is supplied to the camera using a switch (not
shown). When the still/continuous photographing switch 8 has been
used to set the photographing mode to the continuous-photographing
mode, the continuous-photographing-speed setting means 10 has been
used to set the continuous-photographing speed to 1/5 s, the
compression-ratio setting means 9 has been used to set the
compression ratio to the high-picture-quality mode F, and the
display-contents switching means 13 has set the display contents to
remaining-amount display, as shown in FIG. 3(a), notations
"continuous photographing: 1/5 s", "compression ratio F mode" and
"remaining amount" are displayed, and the remaining amount of the
recording device 5 is displayed in terms of the time period
remaining for a continuous-photographing operation with a speed of
five frames per second as "0M (minutes) 18S (seconds)". At that
time, if the still/continuous photographing switch 8 has been used
to set the photographing mode to the still-photographing mode, as
shown in FIG. 3(b), the setting 1/5 s by the
continuous-photographing-speed setting means 10 is neglected, and
notations "still", "compression ratio F mode" and "remaining
amount" are displayed, then the remaining amount of the recording
device 5 is displayed in terms of frames allowed for
still-photographing operations as "94 frames". At that time, as
described above, the unrecorded capacity (remaining capacity) of
the recording device 5 is detected by the detector, and is
communicated to the CPU 14 via the I/F 4. The CPU 14 converts the
communicated amount in terms of the time allowed for a
continuous-photographing operation, or in terms of the number of
frames allowed for still-photographing operations, and displays the
converted value.
[0025] As described above, by displaying the capacity of the
recording device in units corresponding to the mode of the
subsequent photographing operation, the remaining capacity (the
number of frames in still-photographing operations, and time in a
continuous-photographing operation) for a subsequent photographing
operation in the set photographing mode can be seen at a
glance.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 3(c), in the case of notations "continuous
photographing: {fraction (1/15)} s", "compression ratio F mode" and
"remaining amount 15M 37S", if the still/continuous photographing
switch 8 is used to switch the photographing mode to the
still-photographing mode, the number of frames allowed for
still-photographing operations is obtained as 937 seconds (15
minutes 3 seconds).times.15 frames/second=14055 (frames), so that
the number cannot be displayed on the display unit 7. Accordingly,
as shown in FIG. 3(d), when the number of frames allowed for
still-photographing operations equals at least 9999 (frames), the
display is shown as "- - - -", because it is unnecessary to care
for the remaining amount in still-photographing operations.
[0027] The used amount reaches, in some cases, at least 9999 frames
also when the display-contents switching means 13 is used to set
the contents of the display to the used-amount display. Also in
such a case, the notation "- - - -" is displayed in a flashing
state in order that the display should be switched to the
remaining-amount display.
[0028] As described above, a numerical display is not provided when
the unrecorded capacity or the used capacity is very large and thus
a display having a large number of digits is not required. Hence,
it is possible to reduce the size and the cost of the
apparatus.
[0029] Next, a description will be provided of changes in the
display which will be produced when switching the
continuous-photographing speed, with reference to FIGS. 4(a) and
4(b). FIG. 4(a) illustrates the display when the photographing mode
is the continuous-photographing mode with a speed of {fraction
(1/15)} s, the compression ratio is set to the standard mode (S),
and the display contents are set to the remaining-amount display.
FIG. 4(a) indicates that a remaining amount corresponding to a
continuous-photographing operation for "15 minutes 37 seconds" is
present. At that time, if the continuous-photographing-speed
setting means 10 is used to set the continuous-photographing speed
to {fraction (1/60)} s, since the number of frames photographed in
a second increases by four times from 15 frames to 60 frames, the
time period allowed for a continuous photographing operation is
reduced by 1/4. Hence, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the remaining-amount
display becomes "3 minutes 54 seconds".
[0030] As described above, by switching the contents of the display
in accordance with the set continuous-photographing-speed, the time
period allowed for the subsequent continuous-photographing
operation (at the set continuous-photographing speed) can be seen
at a glance, and the exhaustion of the capacity of the recording
medium during a photographing operation can be prevented in
advance.
[0031] Next, a description will be provided of changes in the
display which will be produced when switching the compression
ratio, with reference to FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b). FIG. 5(a) illustrates
the display when the photographing mode is set to the
still-photographing mode, the compression ratio is set to the
high-picture-quality mode (F: compression ratio of 1/2), and the
contents of the display are set to remaining-amount display. FIG.
5(a) indicates that a remaining amount corresponding to "17"
photographing operations (of "17" frames) is present. At that time,
if the compression-ratio setting means 9 is used to set the
compression ratio to the multiple-frame-photographing mode (E:
compression ratio of 1/10), the compression ratio changes from 1/2
to 1/10, and therefore the recording capacity used for recording
one frame is reduced by 1/5. Hence, the number of frames allowed
for still-photographing operations increases 5 times, and the
remaining-amount display becomes "187 frames", as shown in FIG.
5(b).
[0032] As described above, by switching the contents of the display
in accordance with the set compression ratio, the remaining
capacity (the number of frames in still-photographing operations,
and time in a continuous-photographing operation) for the
subsequent photographing operation at the set compression ratio can
be seen at a glance, and the exhaustion of the capacity during a
photographing operation can be prevented in advance.
[0033] Next, a description will be provided of changes in the
display which will be produced during a camera photographing
operation, with reference to FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b). FIG. 6(a)
illustrates the display when the photographing mode is set to the
continuous-photographing mode at a speed of {fraction (1/15)} s,
the compression ratio is set to the high-picture-quality mode (F),
and the contents of the display are set to used-amount display.
FIG. 6(a) indicates that a recorded amount corresponding to a
continuous-photographing operation of "1 minute 13 seconds" is
present. In the camera of the present embodiment, in order to
respond to an instantaneous request of a photographer, the
photographing mode can be changed by operating the
still-photographing operation member 11 or the
continuous-photographing operation member 12 in spite of the
setting of the photographing mode through the still/continuous
photographing switch 8, so that a still-photographing operation or
a continuous-photographing operation desired by the photographer
can be performed. Accordingly, if the still-photographing operation
member 11 is operated, a still-photographing operation is
performed, and, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the display is automatically
changed to the still-photographing mode, and the used capacity
becomes "1096 frames". If the continuous-photographing operation
member 12 is operated in the still-photographing mode, the display
is automatically changed to display units of time for the
continuous-photographing mode.
[0034] As described above, by automatically switching the display
relating to the capacity of the recording device to a display
corresponding to the actuated photographing operation member, the
capacity of the recording device after a photographing operation
can be confirmed in units corresponding to the photographing
mode.
[0035] In the present embodiment, fractions are round up in the
display of the used amount, and fractions are round down in the
display of the remaining amount. This processing is performed in
order to ensure that the actual remaining capacity is greater than
the displayed remaining capacity. For example, the remaining amount
of "94 frames" shown in FIG. 3(b) would be converted into the
remaining amount of "18 seconds" shown in FIG. 3(a) instead of 18
4/5 seconds (corresponding to 94 divided by five) or rounded up to
19 seconds. The same kind of processing is performed in the cases
of FIGS. 4(a) through 6(b).
[0036] As described above, the present invention has the following
effects.
[0037] (1) By detecting whether the current photographing mode is a
still-photographing mode or a continuous-photographing mode, the
recorded capacity or the unrecorded capacity of a recording device
for recording information of images of objects is displayed in
units of a frame in the still-photographing mode, and in units of
time in the continuous-photographing mode, so that the remaining
capacity (the number of frames in a still-photographing operation,
and time in a continuous-photographing operation) for the
subsequent photographing operation in the set photographing mode
can be seen at a glance, and the operability of the apparatus is
greatly improved.
[0038] (2) By not displaying the remaining amount in a state in
which photographing operations can be performed without paying much
attention to the unrecorded capacity of a recording device, and
displaying the unrecorded capacity of the recording device only
when the unrecorded capacity becomes equal to or less than a
predetermined value, a display requiring a great number of digits
is omitted, so that the size of the apparatus can be reduced.
Furthermore, when displaying numerals in the same size, the size of
the numerals can be increased, so that visibility can be greatly
improved. Moreover, by reducing the number of display digits, the
cost of the display unit and the driving circuit can be
reduced.
[0039] (3) By providing a display related to the capacity of a
recording device in units of a frame when a still-photographing
operation member has been operated, and in units of time when a
continuous-photographing operation member has been operated, it is
possible to automatically switch the display to a display
corresponding to the current photographing mode, and to confirm the
capacity after a photographing operation in units corresponding to
the current photographing mode, and to greatly improve the
operability of the apparatus.
[0040] (4) When performing a continuous photographing operation at
a set speed, the contents of the display relating to the capacity
of a recording device are changed in accordance with the set speed,
so that the time period allowed for the subsequent
continuous-photographing operation at the set speed can be seen at
a glance, whereby the exhaustion of the capacity of the recording
device during a photographing operation can be prevented in
advance. In addition, the operability of the apparatus is greatly
improved.
[0041] (5) By changing the contents of the display relating to the
capacity of a recording device, for recording information of images
of objects by compressing the information with a set compression
ratio, in accordance with the set compression ratio, the remaining
capacity (the number of frames in a still-photographing operation,
and time in a continuous-photographing operation) for the
subsequent photographing operation in the set photographing mode
can be seen at a glance, whereby the exhaustion of the capacity of
the recording device during a photographing operation can be
prevented in advance. In addition, the operability of the apparatus
can be greatly improved.
[0042] The individual components shown in outline or designated by
blocks in the drawings are all well known in the image pickup
apparatus arts and their specific construction and operation are
not critical to the operation or the best mode for carrying out the
invention.
[0043] While the present invention has been described with respect
to what is presently considered to be the preferred embodiment, it
is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the
disclosed embodiment. To the contrary, the present invention is
intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements
included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The
scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent structures and functions.
* * * * *