U.S. patent application number 14/791788 was filed with the patent office on 2015-10-29 for location based event reminder for mobile device.
The applicant listed for this patent is Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc.. Invention is credited to Otman A. Basir.
Application Number | 20150312713 14/791788 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36144673 |
Filed Date | 2015-10-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150312713 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Basir; Otman A. |
October 29, 2015 |
LOCATION BASED EVENT REMINDER FOR MOBILE DEVICE
Abstract
Utilizing a spatial calendar device and service, the user can
associate an event reminder to a location in space. The location
can be fed into the device manually, from the map unit, GIS address
book unit, or from the current reading of the GPS unit, as well as
any other source of GPS location media. An event reminder can be
text and/or audio to remind the user of a specific thing to do or
pick once he or she approaches the location. Examples: once at the
parking lot of an airport (inside the car or in the vicinity of the
car), the user can associate a reminder (text, audio, or visual) to
the location of his/her vehicle at the airport. In this case the
system will automatically read the GPS location of the car and will
prompt the user to enter an audio or text event reminder.
Inventors: |
Basir; Otman A.; (Waterloo,
CA) |
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Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. |
Waterloo |
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CA |
|
|
Family ID: |
36144673 |
Appl. No.: |
14/791788 |
Filed: |
July 6, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11245488 |
Oct 6, 2005 |
9100776 |
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14791788 |
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60522490 |
Oct 6, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/456.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 4/029 20180201;
G06Q 10/109 20130101; G08B 21/24 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04W 4/02 20060101
H04W004/02; G08B 21/24 20060101 G08B021/24 |
Claims
1. A system for generating spatially-triggered reminders
comprising: a database of events, each event including a space
condition; a position-determination system determining a current
location; and an event manager comparing the space conditions of
the events to the current location and generating a notification
based upon the comparison of the space conditions and the current
location.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein each event further includes a time
condition, the event manager further comparing the time condition
with a current time and generating the notification based upon the
comparison of the time condition with the current time.
3. The system of claim 2 further including a user interface
providing the notification to a user, wherein the user interface is
provided on a mobile device.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the mobile device includes a
mobile phone.
5. The system of claim 3 wherein the mobile device includes a data
cache storing the events and wherein the events are also stored on
a central server.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein the mobile device and the central
server communicate wirelessly.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the position-determination system
is at least partially located on the mobile device.
8. The system of claim 6 wherein the space condition includes a
location and a radius.
9. The system of claim 6 wherein the space condition includes
another mobile device.
10. The system of claim 6 wherein the space condition includes a
category of locations.
11. The system of claim 6 wherein the event manager compares the
current location with the space condition using hysteresis.
12. A method of handling an event including the steps of: a)
associating an event with a space condition; b) determining a
current location; c) comparing the space condition with the current
location; and d) activating the event based upon the comparison in
said step c).
13. The method of claim 12 further including the steps of: e)
associating a time condition with the message; f) comparing a
current time with the time condition; and g) activating the event
in said step d) based upon the comparison in said step f).
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the current location in said
step b) is the current location of a mobile device, the method
further including the step of sending a notification wirelessly to
the mobile device based upon said steps c) and f).
15. The method of claim 13 further including the step of sharing
the event among a plurality of users.
16. The method of claim 15 further including the step of changing a
status of the event for the plurality of users based upon the
current location of one of the plurality of users.
17. The method of claim 12 further including the steps of: e)
determining a vehicle location while present at the vehicle
location; and f) storing the vehicle location as the space
condition.
18. The method of claim 17 further including the step of generating
directional instructions from the current location to the vehicle
location.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 11/245,488 filed Oct. 6, 2005, which claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/522,490 filed Oct. 6, 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many people now routinely carry mobile devices such as
mobile phones, personal digital assistants, integrated phones/PDAs
or other mobile devices with calendar functions. Existing calendars
and personal information management systems are useful to leave
reminders for appointment dates and times, but are ignorant of
physical location. The lives of everyone, from a busy business
executive to a salesperson to a student are not dictated solely by
date and time. How much time is wasted when you search for you car
in a large parking lot? How often do you pass by an important
building, only to make another trip later? How many trips past the
grocery store does it take to remember to pick up that required
ingredient? Outstanding tasks in our lives are almost always tied
to a physical location, yet we have no simple way to leave
reminders.
[0003] A need exists for help to organize our lives around both
time and space. A device and/or service that takes advantage of its
location can remind us when we need to pick up an important item
from the approaching store, allow us to quickly recall notes about
a client site, and allow us to keep track of useful information
associated with specific places.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The number of mobile devices is increasing rapidly. The
spatial calendar of the present invention utilizes these mobile
devices as platform to address the need for a personal information
management system that is aware of the path it travels through both
space and time. The spatial calendar utilizes these currently
deployed handheld tools to augment both our memory and our
perception. Reminders will be provided when you approach an
important location, notifications will be sent when you need to do
something nearby, and you will be able to easily track down
difficult to find items.
[0005] The system is mainly a software module that can deliver the
functionality described herein as long as it is executed on a
device that can supply it with GPS (or other source) reading of its
current location. For example, the device can be a GPS-enabled
phone, a car navigation system, a cellular phone that can obtain
GPS location using cellular-GPS capabilities, a laptop, desk
computer, pocket computer, a Palm or BlackBerry Device.
[0006] Utilizing the spatial calendar, the user can associate an
event reminder to a location in space (Space to Event Association
(SEA)). The location can be fed into the device manually, from the
map unit, GIS address book unit, or from the current reading of the
GPS unit, as well as any other source of GPS location media.
[0007] An event reminder can be text and/or audio to remind the
user of a specific thing to do or pick once he or she approaches
the location. Examples: once at the parking lot of an airport
(inside the car or in the vicinity of the car), the user can
activate the SEA function to associate a reminder (text, audio, or
visual) to the location of his/her vehicle at the airport. In this
case the system will automatically read the GPS location of the car
and will prompt the user to enter an audio or text event
reminder.
[0008] The user can create a library of audio and text event
reminders and use them in association with geographical
locations.
[0009] As another example, at home the user can associate an event
reminder to the address of a store in his/her way. The reminder
message can be simply to pickup milk from a grocery store once the
system realizes that the user is in the vicinity of any grocery
store or a specified grocery store (specified from map, address, or
GPS).
[0010] Reminder Triggering: The system keeps a memory of event
reminders in conjunction with their GPS locations. The user can
specify at what distance from the location of an event the reminder
should be triggered. For example, the user can specify that the
event reminder "car parking" be triggered once the user is within
500 m from the car. Another example, the user can specify that if
he is driving with 2 km distance from a given grocery store a
reminder of the event "Pick up diapers on your way home".
[0011] The user provides a functionality that allows the user to
combine temporal (time) events with location events. For instance,
the user can specify triggering a certain location event reminder
can only happen after 7 PM. The same for time events.
[0012] Navigation to location events: The invention includes a
navigation module which guides the user towards a location event.
For instance, the module can guide the user using an onboard map,
directional arrow, or clock numbering system (e.g., "the car is at
1 O'clock from you").
[0013] Reminders Retrieval and Display: The invention includes a
module that allows the user to display, and scan through stored
event reminders, to delete or modify them.
[0014] Location Labeling and Storing: The user can label his/her
current location with a text description of the location (e.g,
Toronto airport, my-favorite JC Penny-), or an audio or visual
description. This information is stored in the system's Location
Address Book.
[0015] Location Address Book: Contains locations labeled and stored
by the user, or acquired from other sources (e.g., Locations of
places such as parking areas, hotels, parks, gas stations, grocery
stores, press stands, etc., or Location Address Books supplied by
other users of similar device)
[0016] For example, if you open the last container of milk while
preparing breakfast, a few quick taps on your mobile device serves
as a reminder to yourself. Later that day, on the way home from
work, your mobile device notices that you are approaching a grocery
store. It has been a long day and you forgot all about breakfast. A
pleasant reminder is spoken to you about the milk you need to pick
up, with simple directions to the approaching grocery store. You
conveniently make a stop at the store to pick up the required
milk.
[0017] As another example, you return from a pleasant flight, only
to be faced with the daunting task of finding your vehicle. As you
walk outside, you turn to your mobile device for a little help, and
ask it where your vehicle is located. It quickly notifies you to
turn left and find your vehicle about 500 m ahead. Your mobile
device continues to assist with a "radar" display as you walk
toward your destination.
[0018] As yet another example, as you enjoy the road ahead, you
completely forget about the remaining fuel in your vehicle.
Luckily, your mobile device reminds you about the approaching gas
station far enough ahead of time for you to exit the highway and
stop for gas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Other advantages of the present invention can be understood
by reference to the following detailed description when considered
in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic of a spatial calendar system
implemented with a limited function mobile phone.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic of the spatial calendar system of FIG.
1 implemented with a full function mobile phone/PDA.
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates a space-time event stored in the spatial
calendar of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] One embodiment of the spatial calendar system 10 of the
present invention is shown in FIG. 1 for use with a limited
capability mobile device 12 (e.g. simpler cell phone). The spatial
calendar system 10 is shown in FIG. 2 in use with a more capable
and independent mobile device 12a, where some of the services
previously performed by the server 24 are performed on the mobile
device 12a. Except where otherwise indicated, the following
description applies to both embodiments of the system 10, 10a,
which will be referenced generically as system 10, for use with
limited and full capability mobile devices 12, 12a, which will be
referenced generically as mobile device 12.
[0024] The proposed modular architecture of the spatial calendar
system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is designed to support a simple,
transparent user interface on everything from a limited capability
mobile device 12 (such as a traditional mobile phone) (FIG. 1) to
an integrated PDA/phone to a standalone PDA/GPS device 12a (FIG.
2).
[0025] User Interface: The primary user interface 14 for the user
is the mobile device 12 itself, where space-time events can be
created, located, and used for automatic notification. The mobile
device 12 user interface 14 should be as simple as or simpler than
a pen and a pad of paper. The user interface 14 presents
notifications from the event management service 16 in addition to
event creation, modification, and search.
[0026] Event Management Service: The event management service 16 is
responsible for monitoring the state of space-time events. This
service is also responsible for sending reminders to the user
interface 14 at the appropriate places and times when event
conditions are satisfied. Knowledge of the maximum speed, time,
location, and active space-time events allows the event management
service to put the device into low-power mode when event conditions
are guaranteed to be false for extended periods of time.
[0027] Locator Service: The locator service 18 is responsible for
estimating the position of a mobile device 12 (and ideally, the
associated user). The physical source 19 of position information is
abstracted by this service to both keep the system flexible and
robust. Flexibility to incorporate additional or alternate sources
of position is important to improve accuracy and coverage.
Robustness is achieved by decoupling the decision process from the
physical source of position information. The locator service 18
will provide estimates of both position and a measure of accuracy
when a physical position source is temporarily unavailable. This
service provides both current and historical location information
to the event management service 16. The sources 19 of position
information can include: AFLT (Advanced Forward Link
Trilateration), or other methods for determining mobile device
location using cell towers on a mobile phone network; AGPS
(Assisted Global Positioning System), where a bare minimum of data
(i.e. one satellite) is received by the phone and sent to the
wireless network provider, where cell site location information and
phone details are combined to reduce time required for the initial
position lock and minimize mobile device power consumption; GPS and
Bluetooth (i.e. proximity to other Bluetooth devices with known
positions, or where proximity to these devices is relevant in
itself). Other sources of position information could be used and
will no doubt be implemented in the future.
[0028] Database: All space-time event information must be reliably
maintained in a personal space-time database 20 for effective
notification and future use. Required information can be grouped by
visibility: public information 22a available to everyone, and
private information 22b. The space-time database 20 is maintained
on a fixed server 24 in wireless communication with the mobile
device 12.
[0029] Public Information 22a is available to everyone and includes
the locations of relevant buildings (grocery store, gas station,
post office), and street address details. This public information
22a may be provided by a third party database or service, such as
Microsoft Location Services.
[0030] Guaranteed privacy of private information 22b is very
important to most end-users. Space-time event information for one
individual will be maintained in isolation from other individuals
unless explicit permission is granted.
[0031] Mobile Service Components in this architecture are not tied
to a specific processor or machine. To take advantage of the full
spectrum of mobile devices, from low-end mobile phone to high-end
PDA, the event management and locator services are distributed
between a fixed hardware platform and the mobile device 12 itself.
Operating the event management service 26 and locator service 28
locally on the fully-capable mobile device 12a results in improved
coverage where wireless network connectivity is not available (FIG.
2). Operating the event management services 26 and locator services
28 on the fixed server 24 (FIG. 1) is required to provide
notification capabilities on mobile devices 12 with limited
capabilities (J2ME/Bell).
[0032] In FIG. 2, an intermediate mobile space-time data cache 30
is used to keep the logic between mobile event management service
26 and locator service 28 consistent with their counterparts on the
server 24. This mobile data cache 30 also helps to minimize
response time by avoiding wireless communication when local memory
permits. Queries against large datasets, including address lookups
may be passed directly through to the fixed server 24.
[0033] A space-time event 40 is shown in FIG. 3. A simple set of
outstanding space-time events 40 is maintained for each individual
in the personal space-time database 20 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Each
space-time event 40 may be associated with any combination of
location region and/or time interval for future notification.
Examples of these space-time event descriptions include; pick up
cereal whenever you are near a grocery store (associated with any
grocery store--i.e. the event is associated with a generic category
of locations, not a specific geographic location), pick up
prototype from Bob the next time you visit (associated with Bob at
your remote office), or visit the fireworks if you are in Niagara
Falls on a Friday night.
[0034] Each space-time event 40 is associated with a specific user
42 (or with a specific mobile device 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2)) and
includes a simple human-readable description 44. This description
44 does not have to be meaningful to the software, only to the
user. The description 44 can be text, an audio clip, video clip,
image and or combination of these.
[0035] The space-time event 40 also includes space condition(s) 46,
which can be a single physical location or a set or category of
locations. A fixed location is defined by latitude, longitude, and
a description of the surrounding region. In the disclosed
embodiment, the space conditions 46 may be circles centered on a
location 48 (the latitude +longitude) and described by a radius 50.
A space condition 46 is considered satisfied when a predefined
region around the mobile device 12 overlaps the region (defined by
the radius 50) surrounding the fixed location 48. A fixed location
48 can optionally include a human readable description or address
used to resolve the latitude+longitude. Examples of fixed locations
include a specific store (i.e. Zehrs #45), one office, or a known
address, a set of locations defined by a human readable description
(i.e. "Grocery stores", or "Gas stations") and one or more fixed
locations. When measuring the distance or finding directions to a
set of locations, the closest fixed location 48 is considered.
[0036] Each space-time event 40 can optionally include time
conditions 56. Time conditions 56 can be specified as a fixed
absolute time interval, relative time interval (do this event AFTER
some other event is completed), or sets of time intervals. Time
intervals require at least one bound (i.e. anytime after Nov. 2,
2004). A relative time interval is specified using an offset from
the completion time of another space-time event 40. (i.e. go back
to collect a soil sample 7 days after the last time you collected a
sample). A set of time intervals can be used to define recurring or
regular events. Arbitrary sets of time intervals can be defined, in
addition to time intervals that are repeated after fixed durations
(i.e. weekly, daily). Repeated time intervals can include "repeat
until" and "start repeating from" times.
[0037] Each space-time event 40 includes a status 60 (Completion).
The number of times an event has been triggered is maintained,
along with the corresponding dates and times. This information
distinguishes events just entered into the system from old events,
and may be useful for the user to filter information and also for
the trigger type logic. The date and time the event was created or
modified is also maintained.
[0038] The user configures the notification rules 62 of the
space-time event 40 to notify the user: a) the first time all of
its conditions are satisfied; b) each time all of its conditions
are satisfied; or c) never.
[0039] The space-time event 40 can include associated notes 66. A
note 66 is useful to leave a long reminder for a future visit. The
note 66 can be text, audio, image and/or video.
[0040] The user can create, remove, and modify all space-time
events 40 directly from the mobile device 12.
[0041] The user can create a "thumbtack on the map," or location
marker at the user's current location with minimal user interaction
(this is particularly useful to remember where you left your car).
This action creates a space-time event 40 with a space condition
46, a reasonable default radius 50, and no trigger for notification
in the notification rules 62. Uses for an event 40 with only a
space condition 46 include helping to remember where a vehicle was
parked in an airport or other large parking space, and also to
leave location specific notes 66 as useful reminders for future
visits. More complex events can be created by completing the
space-time event 40 description 44. An event 40 must have at least
one of: description 44, space condition 46, time condition 56. All
other event information is optional.
[0042] Space conditions 46 can be entered: a) Automatically using
the current location +a reasonable default radius 50 that the user
can override and modify; b) Resolved from an address or range of
addresses (postal code)+a reasonable default radius (perhaps based
on building density) that the user can override and modify; c)
Selected on a map (including radius), or d) Selected from known
locations or location sets (presented in a way to minimize
effort--perhaps ordered by favorites, most frequently used, most
recently used, proximity to current location, and/or some
combination of these). Known locations will include a default
radius. The user can override a default radius 50 with a few
predefined alternate values or with a manually specified
radius.
[0043] An event 40 can be modified either directly when its
conditions are met and the user is notified, or indirectly by first
searching for the event. Events 40 can be sorted by name,
proximity, date entered, date last triggered, time condition, and
filtered by: a) Freeform text (in description, address, or notes);
b) Proximity to a given location (specify location as address or
using a map). The relative age of locations on a map will be
indicated (i.e. brighter=newer, darker=older). c) Date entered; d)
Date triggered; e) Time condition (an interval). Once an event is
located, any of its details can be modified or the event itself can
be removed. If the conditions of an event are modified, the event
is considered a new event for the purposes of the trigger type "the
first time all the conditions are met."
[0044] The user will be notified as soon as all of the space
conditions 46 and time conditions 56 of an event 40 are satisfied.
Notification methods include optional audible prompts, vibration,
and visual details about the space-time event 40. An event 40 with
no trigger, such as a location marker where you left your car in
the parking lot, will only generate passive visual messages when
its conditions are satisfied. Events with triggers may also
generate audible prompts or vibration when their conditions are
satisfied. The desired notification rules 62 (audible, silent,
display only) can be set by the user and remain in effect for all
future notifications until changed. When an event's conditions are
met, the user can (easily): a) Silence/Acknowledge.; b) Postpone.
(Postponing an event will notify the user again after either a user
specified reasonable time duration (e.g. 15 minutes) or when the
conditions are about to change from true to false, whichever occurs
first); c) Do nothing; d) Change the event's trigger type (fire the
next time, always, never); e) Delete; or f) Edit or view further
event details (notes, last trigger, etc.)
[0045] Unnecessary notifications are avoided to prevent false
alarms, by using hysteresis around space conditions 46 and/or a
minimum time or distance between successive notifications. The
velocity of the user and precision of location measurements may
also be used to determine if space conditions 46 are satisfied.
Velocity and precision is important to accommodate both travel by
foot and travel by vehicle. A region around the user that includes
a predicted path over a short time period will be considered. If
any part of the region around the user overlaps with any part of
the region defined in a space condition, the space condition 46 is
satisfied. When event notifications occur at the same time (all
conditions are met for more than one event), the most recent event
is shown to the user with an indication that multiple events
occurred.
[0046] Lost (but previously marked) locations are found using the
same mobile device interface. The same search options exist whether
modifying an event or trying to find a lost location. Events with
associated space conditions are included in the search, along with
known locations (gas stations, grocery stores, other points of
interest). Once a location is selected, either relative arrows and
distance or cardinal direction and distance will be provided,
depending on availability of orientation information. The user can
then request map directions (obtained using an existing navigation
application). Depending on accuracy and availability of location
information, the mobile device can also be used to help find a
marker with a regular audible (i.e. "Geiger counter mode") or
visual ("radar mode") indication of proximity while the user is
moving. An event can be directly modified or removed at any time
after it is selected. A map with road directions can be provided on
traditional mobile phones by integrating with Microsoft's Map
Location Service.
[0047] The user does not need to sift through unnecessary
information. Predefined sets of locations are provided, including
grocery stores, gas stations, and hotels, but the user can: a)
Define personal sets of locations. This can be useful for a
real-estate agent to add sets of houses they are trying to push, or
an individual that prefers certain types of grocery stores. b)
Hide/remove predefined sets that are of no use to the individual c)
Define aliases or abbreviations for commonly used locations
("Moe's", or "office") d) Define aliases or abbreviations for
commonly used time intervals ("morning" or "after dinner" have
different meanings depending on an individual's schedule) Aliases
and custom/personal sets of locations can be used to minimize data
entry time.
[0048] Preferably, the management of space-time events 40 can also
be done using a desktop PC and/or a web interface.
[0049] A space condition 46 can be added that is tied to another
mobile device 12 (phone, vehicle), not to a fixed
longitude/latitude. For privacy reasons, the user of a mobile
device 12 must explicitly grant permission to expose their location
to other mobile devices 12. Uses for mobile locations include
specifying events as "remember to pick up the briefcase the next
time you are in the car" (with an appropriate bluetooth-enabled
car), or notification when a delivery vehicle arrives for a pick-up
or delivery. Minor adjustments to this can also provide virtual
fence functionality for pets/hunters/people.
[0050] The user can also send or share some or all of his personal
space-time events 40 with others. For example, by choosing to
"Share an Event," shared events allow any person in a group of
mobile device 12 users to accomplish the task. Some form of task
selection/assignment should be possible, and once a shared item is
marked completed, it should be marked completed for everyone.
[0051] The user can also send a space-time event 40 to another
user, so that the space-time event 40 will be added to their
personal space-time events 40. The user can also send location
details via SMS, instant messaging, or email to users without
direct access to the system 10. The user can also leave a virtual
note in a public place for future interested visitors (e.g.
graffiti without property damage, or food reviews left at the
restaurant by previous customers).
[0052] Realistically, a person will not spend the time and effort
to manage more than one organizer/PIM system. Synchronizing
space-time events with existing desktop applications (e.g Outlook)
is one option to reduce double-entry. It may be difficult to
preserve the space information of events 40, but use of contact
names is useful for address lookups by name.
[0053] The system 10 also may utilize predictive reasoning. Knowing
the location and time of events 40 allows your mobile device 12 to
also predict how long it will take for you to travel to a meeting
or other scheduled appointment from the user's current location.
Reminders should take this time into consideration and notify the
user, giving enough time for the user to actually travel to their
appointment. One approach to include predictive reasoning is to add
a new trigger type for an appointment or meeting, and include
relevant logic in the event notification service.
[0054] The system 10 also provides inter-device communication.
Modern phones and vehicles communicate without user intervention to
use the vehicle sound system for hands free communication. The
device 12 can also take advantage of passing devices to help
determine location. For example, the device keeps track of when the
user leaves their vehicle and automatically stores a "thumbtack" to
help find it later (no user effort/time).
[0055] With an integrated camera, the mobile device 12 can also
take images with embedded location information. store and find
images based on where they were taken.
[0056] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and
jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are
considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention.
However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced
otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without
departing from its spirit or scope. Alphanumeric identifiers in
method steps are for ease of reference in dependent claims and do
not signify a required sequence unless otherwise specified.
* * * * *