U.S. patent application number 15/417792 was filed with the patent office on 2017-08-10 for system and method for treating sleep apnea while straightening teeth.
The applicant listed for this patent is Margaret ANDERSON, Donald FRANTZ, Joseph FRANTZ. Invention is credited to Margaret ANDERSON, Donald FRANTZ, Joseph FRANTZ.
Application Number | 20170224441 15/417792 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59496684 |
Filed Date | 2017-08-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170224441 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ANDERSON; Margaret ; et
al. |
August 10, 2017 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TREATING SLEEP APNEA WHILE STRAIGHTENING
TEETH
Abstract
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not
limited to: determining an incrementally progressive series of
adjustment appliances, each of the series of adjustment appliances
having geometries selected to progressively reposition teeth; and
determining for each of the series of adjustment appliances, a
vertical displacement and a forward mandibular position for
treating sleep apnea. In addition to the foregoing, other method
aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a
part of the present disclosure.
Inventors: |
ANDERSON; Margaret;
(Rockford, IL) ; FRANTZ; Donald; (Katy, TX)
; FRANTZ; Joseph; (Austin, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ANDERSON; Margaret
FRANTZ; Donald
FRANTZ; Joseph |
Rockford
Katy
Austin |
IL
TX
TX |
US
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59496684 |
Appl. No.: |
15/417792 |
Filed: |
January 27, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62292249 |
Feb 6, 2016 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 1/24 20130101; A61C
7/002 20130101; A61C 7/08 20130101; A61F 5/566 20130101; A61C 7/36
20130101; A61C 13/0019 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A61C 7/00 20060101
A61C007/00; A61C 13/00 20060101 A61C013/00; A61C 7/36 20060101
A61C007/36; A61B 1/24 20060101 A61B001/24; A61C 7/08 20060101
A61C007/08; A61F 5/56 20060101 A61F005/56 |
Claims
1. A dental appliance system, comprising: means for determining an
incrementally progressive series of adjustment appliances, each of
the series of adjustment appliances having geometries selected to
progressively reposition teeth; and means for determining for each
of the series of adjustment appliances, a vertical displacement and
a forward mandibular position for treating sleep apnea.
2. The dental appliance system of claim 1, wherein the means for
determining for each of the series of adjustment appliances, a
vertical displacement and a forward mandibular position for
treating sleep apnea includes: means for determining an alternate
series of adjustment appliances configured to be worn during
sleep.
3. The dental appliance system of claim 2 wherein the incrementally
progressive series of adjustment appliances are formed via a
three-dimensional printing apparatus.
4. The dental system of claim 1, wherein the means for determining
for each of the series of adjustment appliances, a vertical
displacement and a forward mandibular position for treating sleep
apnea further comprises: means for determining for each of the
series of adjustment appliances, an upper and lower tray adapted to
fit tightly but removably over upper and lower teeth such that the
lower tray creates the forward mandibular position with respect to
the upper tray.
5. The dental appliance system of claim 4, wherein the means for
determining for each of the series of adjustment appliances, an
upper and lower tray adapted to fit tightly but removably over
upper and lower teeth such that the lower tray creates the forward
mandibular position with respect to the upper tray further
comprises: means for releasably attaching forward and rearward
portions of opposite sides of the upper and lower trays,
respectively, to enable the forward mandibular position of the
lower tray with respect to the upper tray.
6. The dental appliance system of claim 4, wherein the means for
determining for each of the series of adjustment appliances, an
upper and lower tray adapted to fit tightly but removably over
upper and lower teeth such that the lower tray creates the forward
mandibular position with respect to the upper tray further
comprises: means for determining one or more removably attachable
elastic bands adapted to connect the upper and lower tray via
protrusions' on each of the upper and the lower tray such that the
elastic bands create the forward mandibular position with respect
to the upper tray.
7. The dental appliance system of claim 6, wherein the one or more
removably attachable elastic bands adapted to connect the upper and
lower tray via protrusions' on each of the upper and the lower tray
such that the elastic bands create the forward mandibular position
with respect to the upper tray comprises: a plurality of pairs of
elastic bands, each pair being of different length and/or
elasticity.
8. A computationally-implemented system, comprising: circuitry for
determining an incrementally progressive series of adjustment
appliances, each of the series of adjustment appliances having
geometries selected to progressively reposition teeth; and
circuitry for determining for each of the series of adjustment
appliances, a vertical displacement and a forward mandibular
position for treating sleep apnea.
9. The computationally-implemented system of claim 8, further
comprising: circuitry for forming each of the series of adjustment
appliances via a three dimensional printing apparatus.
10. The computationally-implemented system of claim 8, further
comprising: circuitry for determining the vertical displacement
appropriate for each of the series of adjustment appliances.
11. The computationally-implemented system of claim 8, further
comprising: circuitry for determining one or more alternative
vertical displacements appropriate for each of the series of
adjustment appliances.
12. The computationally-implemented system of claim 8, further
comprising: circuitry for communicating the determined
incrementally progressive series of adjustment appliances and the
determined vertical displacement to a three-dimensional printing
apparatus.
13. The computationally-implemented system of claim 8, further
comprising: circuitry for determining an alternate series of
adjustment appliances configured to be worn during sleep.
14. The computationally-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the
circuitry for determining for each of the series of adjustment
appliances, a vertical displacement and a forward mandibular
position for treating sleep apnea comprises: circuitry for
determining for each of the series of adjustment appliances, an
upper and lower tray adapted to fit tightly but removably over
upper and lower teeth such that the lower tray creates the forward
mandibular position with respect to the upper tray; and circuitry
for releasably attaching forward and rearward portions of opposite
sides of the upper and lower trays, respectively, to enable the
forward mandibular position of the lower tray with respect to the
upper tray.
15. The computationally-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the
circuitry for determining for each of the series of adjustment
appliances, a vertical displacement and a forward mandibular
position for treating sleep apnea comprises: circuitry for
determining a dimension and elasticity for one or more removably
attachable elastic bands adapted to connect the upper and lower
tray via protrusions' on each of the upper and the lower tray such
that the elastic bands create the forward mandibular position with
respect to the upper tray.
16. The computationally-implemented system of claim 15, wherein the
circuitry for one or more removably attachable elastic bands
adapted to connect the upper and lower tray via protrusions' on
each of the upper and the lower tray such that the elastic bands
create the forward mandibular position with respect to the upper
tray comprises: circuitry for a plurality of pairs of elastic
bands, each pair being of different length and/or elasticity.
17. A method for treating sleep apnea while straightening teeth,
the method comprising: determining an incrementally progressive
series of adjustment appliances, each of the series of adjustment
appliances having geometries selected to progressively reposition
teeth; and determining for each of the series of adjustment
appliances, a vertical displacement and a forward mandibular
position for treating sleep apnea.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining an
incrementally progressive series of adjustment appliances, each of
the series of adjustment appliances having geometries selected to
progressively reposition teeth comprises: receiving data pertaining
to a patient; determining a treatment plan for progressively
repositioning teeth based on the data from the patient; and forming
the series of adjustment appliances via one or more of a
three-dimensional printing apparatus or a plurality of thermoform
molds.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining for each of the
series of adjustment appliances, a vertical displacement and a
forward mandibular position for treating sleep apnea comprises:
determining for each of the series of adjustment appliances, an
upper and lower tray adapted to fit tightly but removably over
upper and lower teeth such that the lower tray creates the forward
mandibular position with respect to the upper tray; and releasably
attaching forward and rearward portions of opposite sides of the
upper and lower trays, respectively, to enable the forward
mandibular position of the lower tray with respect to the upper
tray.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining for each of the
series of adjustment appliances, a vertical displacement and a
forward mandibular position for treating sleep apnea comprises:
determining a dimension and elasticity for one or more removably
attachable elastic bands adapted to connect the upper and lower
tray via protrusions' on each of the upper and the lower tray such
that the elastic bands create the forward mandibular position with
respect to the upper tray.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more removably
attachable elastic bands adapted to connect the upper and lower
tray via protrusions' on each of the upper and the lower tray such
that the elastic bands create the forward mandibular position with
respect to the upper tray comprises: determining for each of the
series of adjustment appliances an appropriate forward mandibular
position and based on the appropriate mandibular position
identifying an appropriate pair of attachable elastic bands from a
plurality of pairs of elastic bands, each pair being of different
length and/or elasticity.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to the field of dental
appliances and methods for using dental appliances for treating
sleep apnea while straightening teeth.
SUMMARY
[0002] A method includes, but is not limited to determining an
incrementally progressive series of adjustment appliances, each of
the series of adjustment appliances having geometries selected to
progressively reposition teeth; and determining for each of the
series of adjustment appliances, a vertical displacement and a
forward mandibular position for treating sleep apnea. In addition
to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0003] In one or more various aspects, related systems include but
are not limited to circuitry and/or programming for effecting the
herein-referenced method aspects; the circuitry and/or programming
can be virtually any combination of hardware, software, and/or
firmware in one or more machines or article of manufacture
configured to effect the herein-referenced method aspects depending
upon the design choices of the system designer.
[0004] A dental system includes, but is not limited to: means for
determining an incrementally progressive series of adjustment
appliances, each of the series of adjustment appliances having
geometries selected to progressively reposition teeth; and means
for determining for each of the series of adjustment appliances, a
vertical displacement and a forward mandibular position for
treating sleep apnea. In addition to the foregoing, other system
aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a
part of the present disclosure.
[0005] A computationally implemented system includes, but is not
limited to: circuitry for determining an incrementally progressive
series of adjustment appliances, each of the series of adjustment
appliances having geometries selected to progressively reposition
teeth; and circuitry for determining for each of the series of
adjustment appliances, a vertical displacement and a forward
mandibular position for treating sleep apnea. In addition to the
foregoing, other system aspects are described in the claims,
drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0006] A method includes determining an incrementally progressive
series of adjustment appliances, each of the series of adjustment
appliances having geometries selected to progressively reposition
teeth; and determining for each of the series of adjustment
appliances, a vertical displacement and a forward mandibular
position for treating sleep apnea. In addition to the foregoing,
other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and
text forming a part of the present disclosure.
[0007] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not
intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative
aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further
aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by
reference to the drawings and the following detailed
description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0008] FIG. 1A shows an exemplary computing environment capable of
creating a dental appliance in accordance with the present
application.
[0009] FIG. 1B illustrates an embodiment of computing device 10
shown in FIG. 1A.
[0010] FIG. 2 shows another exemplary computing environment capable
of creating a dental appliance in accordance with the present
application.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a high-level logic flowchart of a process in
accordance with an embodiment of the present application.
[0012] FIG. 4A is an isometric view of an upper and lower tray
showing protrusions and lower bite pads in accordance with an
embodiment of the present application.
[0013] FIG. 4B is the isometric view of the upper and lower tray of
FIG. 4A showing the protrusions connected by elastic bands in
accordance with an embodiment of the present application.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] In the following detailed description, reference is made to
the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the
drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components,
unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments
described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not
meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other
changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of
the subject matter presented here.
[0015] In accordance with various embodiments, computationally
implemented methods, systems, processes and articles of manufacture
are provided for treating sleep apnea while straightening teeth by,
inter alia, determining an incrementally progressive series of
adjustment appliances, each of the series of adjustment appliances
having geometries selected to progressively reposition teeth and
determining for each of the series of adjustment appliances, a
vertical displacement and a forward mandibular position for
treating sleep apnea.
[0016] Referring now to FIG. 1, the figure illustrates a computing
device 10 connected via a network interface to a computer server 30
in an exemplary environment 100. As will be further described
herein the illustrated computing device 10 and computer server 30
may employ the computationally implemented methods, systems, and
articles of manufacture in accordance with various embodiments. The
computing device 10 and computer server 30, in various embodiments,
enable functions of the computing device 10.
[0017] Computing device 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 can be a tablet
computer, in alternative embodiments, the computationally
implemented methods, systems, and articles of manufacture in
accordance with various embodiments may be embodied in other types
of computer systems having other form factors including other types
of portable computing devices such as, for example, mobile
telephones, laptops, smartphones, e-readers, and so forth.
Computing devices can include smartphones, client computers and the
like as possible computing devices. As illustrated, the computing
device 10 can include a display, such as a touchscreen as
input/output of the computing device 10. Computing device 10 can
further include a keyboard, either as a touch input/output keyboard
or as an attached keyboard. As further depicted, the computing
device 10 may also be connected to a scanner 16. In one embodiment,
scanner 16 can be a scanning camera capable of creating a 3D image
of teeth.
[0018] Referring now to FIG. 1A, Computing device 10 is further
illustrated with logic modules 102, network interface 104, user
interface 110, processors 116 and memory 114. Logic modules 102 can
be implemented using circuit components such as ASIC, logic modules
102 and other modules shown, may be implemented using a combination
of specifically designed circuitry such as ASIC and one or more
processors 116 (or other types of circuitry such as field
programmable gate arrays or FPGAs) executing computer readable
instructions 152. For example, in some embodiments, at least one of
the logic modules may be implemented using specially designed
circuitry (e.g., ASIC) while a second logic module may be
implemented using a processor 116 (or other types of programmable
circuitry such as an FPGA) executing computer readable instructions
152 (e.g., software and/or firmware). System requirements could
dictate a combination of software and firmware and circuitry to
meet the embodiments herein, for example, logic modules could be
designed to use the most efficient combination of
software/hardware/firmware in order to quickly implement methods
and systems within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0019] In various embodiments, the memory 114 of the computing
device 10 may comprise of one or more of mass storage device,
read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM),
erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), cache memory such
as random access memory (RAM), flash memory, synchronous random
access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and/or
other types of memory devices. In various embodiments, the one or
more applications 160 stored in memory 114 may include, for
example, an operating system 162, a browser(s) 163, and one or more
productivity applications 164 such as a word processing application
or an imaging application, scanning application and one or more
communication applications 166.
[0020] Computing device 10 may also include access restricting
module 106. Access restricting module 106 of the computing device
10 can be configured to restrict access via the computing device 10
or preventing one or more actions by computing device 10. Computing
device 10 may also include appliance generation module 108 coupled
to access restricting module 106 via a bus.
[0021] Referring to FIG. 2, appliance generation module 108 may be
configured to determine that a first user 20 is an authorized user
attempting to operate computing device 10. Appliance generation
module 108 can also be configured to determine an established
authorized user based on network received data while computing
device 10 is connected to a network connection. In the case of
appliance generation module 108' existing in a cloud computing
setting or computer server 30, appliance generation module 108 may
be configured to determine a network-based authorization for the
first user when first logging into network 50 or cloud computing
logging to computer server 30.
[0022] In one embodiment, an appliance can be partially constructed
before first user 20 handles computing device 10. In some
embodiments, a manufacturer can enter data for an appliance perform
authentication based on information received by first user 20 when
ordering an appliance via computing device 10. In a computer server
30 environment, appliance data can be transferred from another
device, via network 50 or directly by first user 20.
[0023] Appliance generation module 108 can receive data related to
various types of tooth anomalies, actions and inputs. For example,
an initial appliance generated by appliance generation module 108
could be configured to adjust teeth incrementally based on
predetermined inputs to computing device 10 and/or computer server
30 and/or user 20 and/or scanner/camera 16.
[0024] Incremental adjustment inputs that may be tracked for
purposes of determining future appliance adjustments may be,
individually or in combination, tracked using one or more sensors
that may be included with the computing device 10.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 1 in combination with FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4A
and 4B, a method for treating sleep apnea while straightening teeth
includes the operational flow 300 of FIG. 3 and includes an
operation 310 for determining an incrementally progressive series
of adjustment appliances, each of the series of adjustment
appliances having geometries selected to progressively reposition
teeth. For instance, and as an illustration, a computer server 30
connecting via network 50 to the computing device 10 of FIG. 1 can
establish and/or determine an incrementally progressive series of
adjustment appliances associated with a patient. Operation 320
provides for determining for each of the series of adjustment
appliances, a vertical displacement and a forward mandibular
position for treating sleep apnea. For example, scanner 16 or molds
of a patient's teeth can be examined and used to determine the
adjustment needed for treating sleep apnea. Likewise, the molds or
scans of a patient's teeth can be used to determine the geometries
for adjusting malocclusions. FIG. 4A illustrates upper and lower
trays 400 that can be created from molds. For instance, a patient
with malocclusion and sleep apnea will require a determination via
scanner 16 or other method. Each patient, depending on the results
of scanned teeth and patient feedback, may require a different
incremental displacement and a different placement of horizontal
and vertical displacement for both treating sleep apnea and
straightening teeth. As shown in FIG. 4A, vertical displacement can
be by way of lower bite pads 402.
[0026] Operation 320 provides that the determining for each of the
series of adjustment appliances, a vertical displacement and a
forward mandibular position for treating sleep can include
operation 3201, determining for each of the series of adjustment
appliances, an upper and lower tray 400 adapted to fit tightly but
removably over upper and lower teeth such that the lower tray
creates the forward mandibular position with respect to the upper
tray; and operation 3202 releasably attaching the forward and the
rearward portions of the opposite sides of the upper and lower
trays, respectively, to enable the forward mandibular position of
the lower tray with respect to the upper tray. As shown in FIG. 4A,
protrusions 404a and 404b on the lower tray and 406a and 406b on
the upper tray are arranged to enable elastic bands to attach
thereto. Referring to FIG. 4B, the elastic bands 408a and 408b are
shown engaged to the upper and lower trays 400 via the protrusions.
As shown in FIG. 4A, the protrusions are coupled to a vertical
displacement bite pad 402.
[0027] Operation 3204 provides that the determining for each of the
series of adjustment appliances, a vertical displacement and a
forward mandibular position for treating sleep apnea can also
include determining a dimension and elasticity for one or more
removably attachable elastic bands 408a and 408b adapted to connect
the upper and lower tray via protrusions' 404a, 404b, 406a and 406b
on each of the upper and the lower trays 400 such that the elastic
bands 404a, 404b, 406a and 406b create the forward mandibular
position of the lower tray 410 with respect to the upper tray
412.
[0028] Operation 3204 includes optional operation 32042 which
provides that the elastic bands can include a plurality of pairs of
elastic bands, each pair being of different length and/or
elasticity.
[0029] In one embodiment, the series of adjustment appliances
includes an alternate series of adjustment appliances configured to
be worn during sleep. More specifically, a series of adjustment
appliances without the protrusions 404a, 404b, 406a and 406b and
with or without vertical displacement bite pads 402 can be worn
when a patient is not sleeping. That is the determining an
incrementally progressive series of adjustment appliances, each of
the series of adjustment appliances having geometries selected to
progressively reposition teeth can continue to progressively
reposition teeth when a patient is not sleeping and requiring sleep
apnea treatment. The series of adjustment appliances can include
upper and lower trays that are manufactured using 3D technologies
such as 3D printing to enable the series of adjustment appliances
to be identical with respect to the sleep apnea-enabled adjustment
appliances and the non-sleep apnea-enabled adjustment appliances.
In other embodiments, the series of adjustment appliances can be
thermoformed using molds of a patients teeth created for the
purpose of treating malocclusions and to straighten teeth.
[0030] During treatment of a patient, the series of adjustment
appliances can be altered as needed. More particularly, it has been
discovered that the treatment of sleep apnea can change as
malocclusions, bite problems and other dental issues are resolved.
For example, the size of a vertical bite pad or the strength of an
elastic band may need to be altered as teeth become straightened.
For this reason, in one embodiment, the initial appliance generated
by appliance generation module 108 could be configured to receive
later data from scanner/camera 16 to readjust teeth incrementally
based on predetermined inputs to computing device 10 and/or
computer server 30 and/or user 20 and/or scanner/camera 16. Using
the later data, the series of adjustment appliances can be
regenerated based on patient needs.
[0031] Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state
of the art has progressed to the point where there is little
distinction left between hardware and software implementations of
aspects of systems; the use of hardware or software is generally
(but not always, in that in certain contexts the choice between
hardware and software can become significant) a design choice
representing cost vs. efficiency tradeoffs. Those having skill in
the art will appreciate that there are various vehicles by which
processes and/or systems and/or other technologies described herein
can be effected (e.g., hardware, software, and/or firmware in one
or more machines or articles of manufacture), and that the
preferred vehicle will vary with the context in which the processes
and/or systems and/or other technologies are deployed. For example,
if an implementer determines that speed and accuracy are paramount,
the implementer may opt for a mainly hardware and/or firmware
vehicle; alternatively, if flexibility is paramount, the
implementer may opt for a mainly software implementation that is
implemented in one or more machines or articles of manufacture; or,
yet again alternatively, the implementer may opt for some
combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware in one or more
machines or articles of manufacture. Hence, there are several
possible vehicles by which the processes and/or devices and/or
other technologies described herein may be effected, none of which
is inherently superior to the other in that any vehicle to be
utilized is a choice dependent upon the context in which the
vehicle will be deployed and the specific concerns (e.g., speed,
flexibility, or predictability) of the implementer, any of which
may vary. Those skilled in the art will recognize that optical
aspects of implementations will typically employ optically-oriented
hardware, software, and or firmware in one or more machines or
articles of manufacture.
[0032] The foregoing detailed description has set forth various
embodiments of the devices and/or processes via the use of block
diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples. Insofar as such block
diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples contain one or more functions
and/or operations, it will be understood by those within the art
that each function and/or operation within such block diagrams,
flowcharts, or examples can be implemented, individually and/or
collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or
virtually any combination thereof. In one embodiment, several
portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented
via Application Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASICs), Field
Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs),
or other integrated formats. However, those skilled in the art will
recognize that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, in
whole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integrated
circuitry, as one or more computer programs running on one or more
computers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more
computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more
processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more
microprocessors), as firmware, or as virtually any combination
thereof, and that designing the circuitry and/or writing the code
for the software and or firmware would be well within the skill of
one of skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In addition,
those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the
subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as
a program product in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative
embodiment of the subject matter described herein applies
regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium used to
actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing
medium include, but are not limited to, the following: a recordable
type medium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact
Disc (CD), a Digital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer
memory, etc.; and a transmission type medium such as a digital
and/or an analog communication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a
waveguide, a wired communications link, a wireless communication
link, etc.).
[0033] In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize
that the various aspects described herein which can be implemented,
individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware,
software, firmware, or any combination thereof can be viewed as
being composed of various types of "electrical circuitry."
Consequently, as used herein "electrical circuitry" includes, but
is not limited to, electrical circuitry having at least one
discrete electrical circuit, electrical circuitry having at least
one integrated circuit, electrical circuitry having at least one
application specific integrated circuit, electrical circuitry
forming a general purpose computing device configured by a computer
program (e.g., a general purpose computer configured by a computer
program which at least partially carries out processes and/or
devices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a
computer program which at least partially carries out processes
and/or devices described herein), electrical circuitry forming a
memory device (e.g., forms of random access memory), and/or
electrical circuitry forming a communications device (e.g., a
modem, communications switch, or optical-electrical equipment).
Those having skill in the art will recognize that the subject
matter described herein may be implemented in an analog or digital
fashion or some combination thereof.
[0034] Those having skill in the art will recognize that it is
common within the art to describe devices and/or processes in the
fashion set forth herein, and thereafter use engineering practices
to integrate such described devices and/or processes into data
processing systems. That is, at least a portion of the devices
and/or processes described herein can be integrated into a data
processing system via a reasonable amount of experimentation. Those
having skill in the art will recognize that a typical data
processing system generally includes one or more of a system unit
housing, a video display device, a memory such as volatile and
non-volatile memory, processors such as microprocessors and digital
signal processors, computational entities such as operating
systems, drivers, graphical user interfaces, and applications
programs, one or more interaction devices, such as a touch pad or
screen, and/or control systems including feedback loops and control
motors (e.g., feedback for sensing position and/or velocity;
control motors for moving and/or adjusting components and/or
quantities). A typical data processing system may be implemented
utilizing any suitable commercially available components, such as
those typically found in data computing/communication and/or
network computing/communication systems.
[0035] The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates
different components contained within, or connected with, different
other components. It is to be understood that such depicted
architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other
architectures can be implemented which achieve the same
functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components
to achieve the same functionality is effectively "associated" such
that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two
components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality
can be seen as "associated with" each other such that the desired
functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or
intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated
can also be viewed as being "operably connected", or "operably
coupled", to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and
any two components capable of being so associated can also be
viewed as being "operably couplable", to each other to achieve the
desired functionality. Specific examples of operably couplable
include but are not limited to physically mateable and/or
physically interacting components and/or wirelessly interactable
and/or wirelessly interacting components and/or logically
interacting and/or logically interactable components.
[0036] While particular aspects of the present subject matter
described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent
to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein,
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the
subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and,
therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope
all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit
and scope of the subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it
is to be understood that the invention is defined by the appended
claims.
[0037] It will be understood by those within the art that, in
general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims
(e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as
"open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as
"including but not limited to," the term "having" should be
interpreted as "having at least," the term "includes" should be
interpreted as "includes but is not limited to," etc.). It will be
further understood by those within the art that if a specific
number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an
intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence
of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an
aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain
usage of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more"
to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases
should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim
recitation by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limits any
particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to
inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same
claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least
one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and/or
"an" should typically be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one
or more"); the same holds true for the use of definite articles
used to introduce claim recitations.
[0038] In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced
claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art
will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted
to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of
"two recitations," without other modifiers, typically means at
least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in
those instances where a convention analogous to "at least one of A,
B, and C, etc." is used, in general such a construction is intended
in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the
convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C"
would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B
alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C
together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.).
[0039] In those instances where a convention analogous to "at least
one of A, B, or C, etc." is used, in general such a construction is
intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand
the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, or C"
would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B
alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C
together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further
understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive
word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms,
whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be
understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the
terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase
"A or B" will be understood to include the possibilities of "A" or
"B" or "A and B."
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