U.S. patent application number 13/890299 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-18 for communicating via a body-area network.
The applicant listed for this patent is MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC. Invention is credited to Deepak Chandra, Per Bo Johan Ljung.
Application Number | 20140283017 13/890299 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51527137 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140283017 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chandra; Deepak ; et
al. |
September 18, 2014 |
COMMUNICATING VIA A BODY-AREA NETWORK
Abstract
In a first example of "Body-Area Networking" ("BAN"), a user
wishing to access his electronic device ingests a small pill
carrying a transmitter. The transmitter's signal carries an
identification code that traverses the user's BAN and is read by
the device. If the device recognizes that identification code as
authenticate, then the device grants the user the desired access.
In another example, the user again swallows a transmitter. When the
user shakes hands with another person, the signal originating at
the ingested transmitter is carried across the BAN of the first
user, travels across the handshake to the BAN of the second user,
then traverses the second user's BAN to her device. In a third
example, a media player transmits audio information across the BAN
to a headset worn by the user. The headset receives the signal,
demodulates it, and renders the audio to the user.
Inventors: |
Chandra; Deepak; (Mountain
View, CA) ; Ljung; Per Bo Johan; (Oakland,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC |
Libertyville |
IL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51527137 |
Appl. No.: |
13/890299 |
Filed: |
May 9, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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61778913 |
Mar 13, 2013 |
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|
61778944 |
Mar 13, 2013 |
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61778975 |
Mar 13, 2013 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
726/19 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 21/32 20130101;
H04R 3/00 20130101; H04W 88/02 20130101; H04B 13/005 20130101; H04R
1/1091 20130101; H04L 63/10 20130101; H04M 1/6066 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
726/19 |
International
Class: |
G06F 21/32 20060101
G06F021/32 |
Claims
1. A method of allowing a user to access an electronic device, the
method comprising: establishing a first physical contact between
the electronic device and the user; receiving, by the electronic
device via the first physical contact, a first varying electrical
signal generated by a first transmitter ingested by the user;
demodulating, by the electronic device, the first received varying
electrical signal to a first identification code; and based, at
least in part, on the first identification code, allowing further
access to the electronic device.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first physical contact
comprises a finger of one of the user's hands and a finger of
another of the user's hands concurrently touching the electronic
device.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first physical contact
comprises one finger in contact with a capacitive touch-screen of
the electronic device and another finger in contact with a frame of
the electronic device.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first physical contact
comprises a finger of one of the user's hands touching the
electronic device.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first varying electrical
signal comprises an element selected from the group consisting of:
a direct electrical current, an alternating electrical current, and
a varying capacitive field.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein allowing further access comprises
allowing the setting of a parameter of the electronic device.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising: reviewing, by the
electronic device, calendar information associated with the user;
based, at least in part, on the reviewed calendar information,
calculating, by the electronic device, a number of transmitters
needed; and notifying, by the electronic device, the user of a
number of transmitters to pack, the number based, at least in part,
on the calculated number of transmitters needed.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: noting, by the
electronic device, a time associated with the receiving of the
first varying electrical signal; and based, at least in part, on
the noted time, reminding the user to take medicine.
9. The method of claim 1: wherein the first received varying
electrical signal is further demodulated to a sensor code; the
method further comprising responding to the sensor code.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the sensor code is associated
with an element selected from the group consisting of: a
temperature and an acidity.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising: establishing a second
physical contact between the user and another device; and
communicating by the electronic device via the first and second
physical contacts to the other device.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, by the
electronic device from the user, authentication information,
wherein the authentication information is not based on the first
ingested transmitter; and disabling access based on the first
ingested transmitter.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising: before the first
transmitter is ingested, associating the first identification code
with the user; and before the first transmitter is ingested,
associating the user with the electronic device.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein associating the first
identification code with the user comprises receiving information
by the electronic device from an element selected from the group
consisting of: packaging associated with the first transmitter and
a computing device associated with a provider of the first
transmitter.
15. The method of claim 13 further comprising: before the first
transmitter is ingested, associating the first identification code
with a plurality of users; and before the first transmitter is
ingested, associating the plurality of users with the electronic
device.
16. The method of claim 13 further comprising: associating a
plurality of identification codes with the user, each
identification code associated with exactly one transmitter; and
associating a sequence of the plurality of the identification codes
with the user.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein allowing further access is
further based on a position of the first received identification
code in the sequence of codes associated with the user.
18. The method of claim 1 further comprising: again receiving, by
the electronic device via the first physical contact, the first
varying electrical signal generated by a first transmitter ingested
by the user; again demodulating, by the electronic device, the
first received varying electrical signal to the first
identification code; and if a threshold amount of time has passed
between the receiving and the again receiving, then disabling
further access to the electronic device based on the first
identification code.
19. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, by the
electronic device via the physical contact, a second varying
electrical signal generated by a second transmitter ingested by the
user; demodulating, by the electronic device, the second received
varying electrical signal to a second identification code, the
second identification code distinct from the first identification
code; disabling further access to the electronic device based on
the first identification code; and allowing further access to the
electronic device based on the second identification code.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first and second
transmitters are the same.
21. An electronic device configured for allowing a user access, the
electronic device comprising: a communications interface comprising
two electrodes and configured for establishing a first physical
contact with a user; and a processor operatively connected to the
communications interface and configured for: receiving, via the
first physical contact, a first varying electrical signal generated
by a first transmitter ingested by the user; demodulating the first
received varying electrical signal to a first identification code;
and based, at least in part, on the first identification code,
allowing further access to the electronic device.
22. The electronic device of claim 21 wherein the device is
selected from the group consisting of: a personal electronics
device, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a watch,
eyeglasses, a computer, a tablet computer, a set-top box, a gaming
console, an automated teller machine, a cash register, an
order-entry device, a lock, a handle, and a media player.
23. The electronic device of claim 21 wherein the two electrodes
comprise a capacitive touch-screen of the electronic device and a
frame of the electronic device.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is related to U.S. patent
applications (Motorola Docket Numbers CS41475 and CS41476), filed
on an even date herewith.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure is related generally to electronic
communications and, more particularly, to body-area networking.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Recent engineering studies show that electrical signals can
be transmitted through a human body. With careful configuration,
these signals can be modulated to carry digital information across
a so-called "Body-Area Network" ("BAN").
[0004] One company, for example, makes small ingestible pills. Each
pill contains the circuitry for a transmitter. When the outer
covering of the pill dissolves in a digestive tract, contacts are
exposed to stomach acid. The stomach acid acts as a dielectric to
power the transmitter. (For safety's sake, the pill contains no
other power source.) When powered up, the transmitter repeatedly
sends out a weak electrical signal. The signal is carried across
the BAN to a receiving device located outside, but in physical
contact with, the ingestor's body. The receiver demodulates the
signal into an identification code. The transmitter continues to
send out its signal until the process of digestion dissolves the
pill. The transmitter typically transmits for a total of five to
seven minutes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] While the appended claims set forth the features of the
present techniques with particularity, these techniques, together
with their objects and advantages, may be best understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings of which:
[0006] FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c are overviews of representative
environments in which the present techniques may be practiced;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a generalized schematic of some of the devices of
FIG. 1;
[0008] FIGS. 3A and 3B together form a flowchart of a
representative method for allowing access to a device based on a
signal received from an ingested transmitter;
[0009] FIGS. 4A and 4B together form a flowchart of a
representative method for delivering information about one person
to another person; and
[0010] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a representative method for
transmitting audio information via a BAN.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] Turning to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals
refer to like elements, techniques of the present disclosure are
illustrated as being implemented in a suitable environment. The
following description is based on embodiments of the claims and
should not be taken as limiting the claims with regard to
alternative embodiments that are not explicitly described
herein.
[0012] The emerging technology of BAN communications can be
profitably used in a variety of situations. Consider first the
communications environment of FIG. 1a. Here, a user 100 wishes to
access his electronic device 102. For security's sake, the device
102 will not allow the user 100 to access it until he provides some
identification information. Traditionally, the user 100 could enter
a user name and a password, or the device 102 could recognize a
signature or fingerprint submitted by the user 100. Aspects of the
present invention, however, eliminate the need for these
techniques. The user 100 ingests a small pill carrying a
transmitter 104. The transmitter's signal carries an identification
code that traverses the user's BAN and is read by the device 102.
If the device 102 recognizes that identification code as
authenticate (using techniques described below), then the device
102 grants the user 100 the desired access.
[0013] Another use of BAN communications is illustrated in FIG. 1b.
Again, the user 100 has swallowed a transmitter 104 that constantly
transmits an identification code. When the user 100 shakes hands
with another person 106, it is a device 102 (not shown) on this
other user 106 that receives the signal. That is to say, the signal
originating at the ingested transmitter 104 is carried across the
BAN of first user 100, travels across the handshake to the BAN of
the second user 106, then traverses the second user's BAN to her
device 102. In one application of this two-BAN scenario, the second
user's device 102 runs a virtual "Farley File" application: When it
receives the identification code sent by the transmitter 104, it
recognizes the code and associates it with a particular person,
here the first user 100. That recognition can make use of a
contacts file on the device 102 or an online database, for example.
The Farley File application then presents this information to the
second user 106 to refresh her memory of whom it is she is
currently meeting. Other applications of this two-BAN scenario are
discussed below in relation to FIG. 4.
[0014] In the examples of FIGS. 1a and 1b, the electronic device
102 receives a signal coming through the BAN. The example of FIG.
1c shows that the device 102 can also transmit across the BAN. The
user 108 is wearing a headset 110. Rather than wiring the headset
to a media-player device 102 (not shown) or connecting via a
short-range radio protocol such as Bluetooth, the media player 102
transmits audio information across the BAN to the headset 110. The
headset 110 receives the signal, demodulates it, and renders the
audio to the user 108. The particular headset 110 of FIG. 1c also
includes a microphone, and the headset 110 can transmit voice
captured by the microphone across the BAN to the media-player
device 102. If, of course, the media player 102 also includes a
wide-area communications capability (e.g., it is a cellular
telephone), then it can transfer sounds and other information
between the headset 110 and remote locations to support, for
example, a telephone call, a media download, or web-site
access.
[0015] FIG. 2 shows the major components of a representative
electronics device 102, 110. These devices 102, 110 could be, for
example, a smartphone, tablet, personal computer, electronic book,
or gaming controller. In some situations, the device 102, 110 could
be in the form of a watch, a pair of eyeglasses, a headset, a
set-top box, an automated teller machine, a cash register, an
order-entry device, a lock, a handle, or a media player.
[0016] The CPU 200 of the electronics device 102, 110 includes one
or more processors (i.e., any of microprocessors, controllers, and
the like) or a processor and memory system which processes
computer-executable instructions to control the operation of the
device 102, 110. In particular, the CPU 200 supports aspects of the
present disclosure as illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 5, discussed
below. The device 102, 110 can be implemented with a combination of
software, hardware, firmware, and fixed-logic circuitry implemented
in connection with processing and control circuits, generally
identified at 202. Although not shown, the device 102, 110 can
include a system bus or data-transfer system that couples the
various components within the device 102, 110. A system bus can
include any combination of different bus structures, such as a
memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a universal
serial bus, and a processor or local bus that utilizes any of a
variety of bus architectures.
[0017] The electronics device 102, 110 also includes one or more
memory devices 204 that enable data storage, examples of which
include random-access memory, non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only
memory, flash memory, EPROM, and EEPROM), 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 or rewriteable disc, any type of a digital versatile
disc, and the like. The device 102, 110 may also include a
mass-storage media device.
[0018] The memory system 204 provides data-storage mechanisms to
store device data 212, other types of information and data, and
various device applications 210. An operating system 206 can be
maintained as software instructions within the memory 204 and
executed by the CPU 200. The device applications 210 may also
include a device manager, such as any form of a control application
or software application. The utilities 208 may include a
signal-processing and control module, code that is native to a
particular component of the electronics device 102, 110, a
hardware-abstraction layer for a particular component, and so
on.
[0019] The electronics device 102, 110 can also include an
audio-processing system 214 that processes audio data and controls
an audio system 216 (which may include, for example, speakers). A
visual-processing system 218 processes graphics commands and visual
data and controls a display system 220 that can include, for
example, a display screen. The audio system 216 and the display
system 220 may include any devices that process, display, or
otherwise render audio, video, display, or image data. Display data
and audio signals can be communicated to an audio component or to a
display component via a radio-frequency link, S-video link,
High-Definition Multimedia Interface, composite-video link,
component-video link, Digital Video Interface, analog audio
connection, or other similar communication link, represented by the
media-data ports 222. In some implementations, the audio system 216
and the display system 220 are components external to the device
102, 110. Alternatively (e.g., in a cellular telephone), these
systems 216, 220 are integrated components of the device 102,
110.
[0020] The electronics device 102, 110 can include a communications
interface which includes communication transceivers 224 that enable
wired or wireless communication. Example transceivers 224 include
Wireless Personal Area Network radios compliant with various IEEE
802.15 standards, Wireless Local Area Network radios compliant with
any of the various IEEE 802.11 standards, Wireless Wide Area
Network cellular radios, Wireless Metropolitan Area Network radios
compliant with various IEEE 802.16 standards, and wired Local Area
Network Ethernet transceivers.
[0021] The electronics device 102, 110 may also include one or more
data-input ports 226 via which any type of data, media content, or
inputs can be received, such as user-selectable inputs (e.g., from
a keyboard, from a touch-sensitive input screen, or from another
user-input device), messages, music, television content, recorded
video content, and any other type of audio, video, or image data
received from any content or data source. The data-input ports 226
may include USB ports, coaxial-cable ports, and other serial or
parallel connectors (including internal connectors) for flash
memory, storage disks, and the like. These data-input ports 226 may
be used to couple the device 102, 110 to components, peripherals,
or accessories such as microphones and cameras.
[0022] Finally, the electronics device 102, 110 may include any
number of "other sensors" 228. These sensors 228 can include, for
example, accelerometers, a GPS receiver, compass, magnetic-field
sensor, and the like.
[0023] FIGS. 3a and 3b together present a representative method for
using BAN communications in the environment of FIG. 1a.
[0024] Steps 300 and 302 prepare the ground for the later
authentication step 312. Each ingestible transmitter 104 can be
given a different identification code. In a very simple example of
step 300, a "white list" of the identification codes of the
transmitters 104 that will be used by this user 100 are entered
into his device 102. This process is ideally a secure one because
the security of later authentication is based on it. If the
ingestible transmitters 104 are prescription items, then their
identification codes can be encoded onto their packaging and those
codes read by the device 102. Alternatively, the codes could be
downloaded from the pharmacy's server to the device 102 when the
user 100 picks up the prescribed transmitters 104. More secure, the
packaging (or pharmacy download) could include a unique identifier
that the device 102 uses when accessing a secure web server to
download the identification codes.
[0025] As another known security technique, the identification
codes associated with the transmitters 104 can be placed in a set
sequence. If a nefarious agent manages to get hold of a transmitter
104 but uses it out-of-sequence, then he would be denied access in
step 312, described below.
[0026] A one-time-pad security mechanism can also be used along
with the identification codes of the individual transmitters 104.
Though highly secure, one-time pads are often an administrative
nuisance and are thus mostly useful where access to the device 102
needs to be highly controlled (e.g., rather than being a personal
cellular telephone, the device 102 is an electronic lock mediating
entrance into a secured facility).
[0027] Also in step 300, the user 100 can be identified to the
device 102, for example by storing a profile of the user 100 on the
device 102.
[0028] Where more than one user 100 should be allowed access to the
device 102 (e.g., all members of one family may use the same device
102), then the identification codes can be associated with all of
the relevant users 100, and all of the relevant users 100 can be
associated with the device 102.
[0029] Other known security techniques can be implemented as
appropriate, given the level of security desired.
[0030] With the security preliminaries established, if necessary,
the user 100 begins the actual identification method of FIG. 3 by
establishing a physical contact with the device 102 in step 304.
Tests have shown that when the device 102 is a smartphone, a
two-finger contact, using one finger from each hand, tends to be
more reliable than using two fingers on the same hand. The device
102 may expose two dedicated contact points. Alternatively, one
contact point may be the capacitive touch-screen of the device 102,
while the other contact point is a frame of the device 102. For
devices 102 with form factors other than the typical smartphone,
other contact placements may be appropriate.
[0031] In step 306, a varying electrical signal originating at the
ingested transmitter 104 traverses the BAN of the user 100 until it
is detected, via the physical contact established in step 304, by
the device 102. Different transmitters 104 may be developed that
use different signaling mechanisms. Thus, the detected current
could be, for example, a direct electrical current, an alternating
current, or a varying capacitive field.
[0032] In any case, the device 102 demodulates the received signal
to an identification code in step 308. The received signal can also
include information beyond this identification code. This
possibility is discussed below in relation to optional step
310.
[0033] In step 312, the identification code is checked and, if
appropriate, the user 100 is allowed further access to the device
102. The checking here can call in all of the authentication
mechanisms discussed above in relation to steps 300 and 302. If,
for example, a specific sequence of codes has been defined, then
one particular identification code be legitimate, but if it is
encountered out-of-sequence, then it would be rejected.
[0034] The allowed "further access" can have any number of
meanings. Even if security is not an issue, the device 102 can
configure itself according to the stated profile and preferences of
this particular user 100, that is, it can give the user 100 his
preferred login environment. Just as with traditional
password-protected systems, different users 100 can be allowed
different levels of access, with some users being allowed to alter
parameters of the device 102. Also, the access can vary
dramatically with the form factor of the device 102. If the device
102 is an electronic lock, then it could allow the user 100 to open
a door. If the device 102 is an automated teller machine, it may
automatically bring up a screen displaying the user's current
checking balance. In general, the techniques of FIG. 3 can be
implemented with just about any device 102 that recognizes its
users 100.
[0035] Returning to optional step 310, the transmitter 104 can send
information beyond its identification code. If the ingestible pill
that carries the transmitter 104 also carries a sensor (e.g., a
temperature or stomach-acid sensor), then readings from that sensor
could be sent to the device 102. If, for example, a device 102
carried by a fireman detects, from body-temperature information
transmitted by an ingestible sensor, that the fireman's core
temperature is dangerously elevated, then the device 102 could warn
the fireman to withdraw or could call for assistance.
[0036] In optional step 314 of FIG. 3b, the device 102 can note the
timing and frequency with which the user 100 ingests the
transmitters 104. For transmitters 104 associated with prescribed
medication, if the device 102 has access to the desired medication
schedule, then it can remind the user 100 if he seems to have
missed taking his medicine on time. By looking at the user's
calendar, the device 102 might note that the user will be traveling
soon and will remind the user 100 to pack enough transmitters 104
for the duration of the trip.
[0037] As an extension of the method already described, the device
102 can transmit back over the BAN of the user 100 to another
device (step 316). An example of this option is more fully
described in the text accompanying FIGS. 1c and 5.
[0038] Step 318 gives a few scenarios where the device 102 may
optionally cease to trust the identification code read in step 308.
As an added security option, if the user 100 uses a non-pill based
authentication mechanism (e.g., a fingerprint scanner), then the
device 102 will ignore the identification code. If another
identification code is received (e.g., if the user 100 ingests
another transmitter 104), then the first identification code would
no longer be trusted. This scenario could also occur when a
sophisticated transmitter 104 changes the code that it is
transmitting: Again, the earlier code is no longer to be trusted.
As a final option, a time window can be set wherein the
identification code is accepted. If the code is still being
received after the window closes, then something strange may be
going on, and the code is no longer trusted. (Current transmitters
104 only work for five to seven minutes before stomach acid
dissolves them into inoperability. Thus, any code received for
longer than seven minutes may be fraudulent. While future
transmitters 104 may last longer, it is anticipated that they may
also have a relatively fixed time window of acceptability.)
[0039] The representative method of FIGS. 4a and 4b can be used in
the BAN-communications scenario of FIG. 1b. Some of the steps of
this method are similar to those of the method of FIGS. 3a and 3b.
As in that previous method, preliminary authentication mechanisms
may be implemented (steps 400 and 402 of FIG. 4a.)
[0040] In step 404, the user 106 of FIG. 1b establishes a physical
contact with her electronic device 102. (See step 304 of FIG.
3a.)
[0041] The user 106 establishes a physical contact (e.g., she
shakes hands) with another user 100 in step 406. It is this user
100 who has ingested a transmitter 104. The signal emitted by that
transmitter 104 traverses the BAN of the user 100, crosses over via
the handshake, traverses the BAN of the user 106, and is read by
her device 102 in step 408.
[0042] The reading of the signal (step 408) and the demodulating of
the signal (step 410 and optional step 412) can be as performed
above in steps 306 through 310 of FIG. 3a.
[0043] Then in step 414 of FIG. 4b, the device 102 uses the
identification code to retrieve some information about the user
100. For example, the identification code is associated (in step
400 of FIG. 4a) with a person in the device's contact list. The
device 102 retrieves that contact information (or possibly updates
the contact information by pulling information from the web) and
passes it along to the user 106 in step 416. If the user 106 is
wearing an earbud, for example, the device 106 can "whisper" the
name of the person 100 in her ear. Other information, if available,
can be provided such as the last time she met this person 100, the
name of the organization he represents, and the like. Thus, the
user 106 may be spared the embarrassment of having to admit that
she does not recognize the user 100.
[0044] The BAN-communications scenario of FIG. 1c differs from the
previous two because it does not involve an ingestible transmitter
104. However, many of the techniques discussed above apply here as
well.
[0045] In steps 500 and 502, the user 108 establishes a first
physical contact between herself and her electronic device 102 and
establishes a second physical contact between herself and a headset
110 (which could involve simply placing earbuds in her ears).
[0046] Her device 102 acts as a media-playback device by sending,
in step 504, audio information (which could be stereo) across the
first physical contact, through the BAN of the user 108, and across
the second physical contact to the headset 110.
[0047] The headset 110 receives the signal in step 506, demodulates
it into an audio signal, and plays the audio to the user 108 (step
508). Optionally, a signal can be sent in the other direction from
a microphone on the headset 110 to the device 102.
[0048] Of special interest are optional steps 510 and 512. When the
user 108 alters her bodily configuration (step 510), she changes
the transmission characteristics of her BAN. If the change is great
enough, it can be detected either by the media player 102 or by the
headset 110. The detected change can be interpreted as a playback
command (step 512). Thus, for example, if the user 108 draws her
right hand down her left forearm, that might mean that she wishes
to turn down the volume. Other gestures could be devised that would
be interpreted as other well known playback commands, such as
pause, fast-forward, change stations, and the like.
[0049] In view of the many possible embodiments to which the
principles of the present discussion may be applied, it should be
recognized that the embodiments described herein with respect to
the drawing figures are meant to be illustrative only and should
not be taken as limiting the scope of the claims. Therefore, the
techniques as described herein contemplate all such embodiments as
may come within the scope of the following claims and equivalents
thereof.
* * * * *