Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING PRODUCT INFORMATION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to systems and methods for determining information about
a product. The
invention relates particularly to the remote interrogation of product
information and the
subsequent use of the acquired information.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Consumable goods having a useful life defined in terms of the consumption of
the goods are well
known. The useful life may be viewed as one or more events associated with the
consumption of
at least a portion of the useful quantity of the goods. Information associated
with the environment
of use of the goods and/or the quantity of goods used and remaining available
may exist but may
also be generally inaccessible to the typical consumer of the goods. What is
needed is a system
and method for extracting product relevant information in a manner which makes
the information
readily accessible and usable by the consumer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, a sensor system comprises a tag. The tag comprises an analog to
digital converter,
a radio-frequency chip, a first antenna, and includes, or attaches to, at
least one sensor. The chip
may be an active or passive chip. The sensor is adapted to provide an output
analogous to a
change in an environment of the sensor. The sensor produces an analog output
and includes
output terminals. The analog to digital converter is adapted to convert an
analog output of the
sensor to a digital value. The analog to digital converter includes input and
output terminals. The
input terminals of the analog to digital converter are disposed in electrical
communication with
the output terminals of the sensor. The passive radio-frequency chip comprises
a memory
element, input terminals and output terminals. The input terminals are
disposed in electrical
communication with the output terminals of the analog to digital converter.
The first antenna is
disposed in electrical communication with the output terminals of the chip.
In one aspect a method of determining product information includes the steps
of: providing a
product comprising a tag, and an interrogator adapted to detect radiation
associated with the data
of the tag; interrogating the state of the tag;. interpreting the state of the
tag; and providing an
output associated with the interpreted state of the tag. The tag comprises a
digital memory storing
data associated with the product.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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Further features and benefits of the present invention will become more
readily apparent through
consideration of the drawings.
Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of one embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 show s a schematic representation of one embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of one embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Definitions:
The following text sets forth a broad description of numerous different
embodiments of the
present invention. The description is to be construed as exemplary only and
does not describe
every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be
impractical, if
not impossible, and it will be understood that any feature, characteristic,
component,
composition, ingredient, product, step or methodology described herein can be
deleted, combined
with or substituted for, in whole or part, any other feature, characteristic,
component,
composition, ingredient, product, step or methodology described herein.
Numerous alternative
embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or
technology developed
after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope
of the claims.
It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined in this
patent using the
sentence "As used herein, the term `_ : is hereby defined to mean..." or a
similar sentence,
there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by
implication, beyond its
plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not be interpreted to be
limited in scope based
on any statement made in any section of this patent (other than the language
of the claims). No
term is intended to be essential to the present invention unless so stated. To
the extent that any
term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this
patent in a manner
consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as
to not confuse the
reader, and it is not intended that such claim term be limited, by implication
or otherwise, to that
single meaning. Finally, unless a claim element is defined by reciting the
word "means" and a
function without the recital of any structure, it is not intended that the
scope of any claim element
be interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
In one aspect, a sensor system comprising a tag. The tag may comprise one or
more layers of
conductive inks, and non-conductive materials printed upon a substrate.
Exemplary substrate
materials include: polymer films, paper, high permittivity dielectric
materials, and FR-4 material.
Multiple layer structures may further comprise partial layers of non-
conducting material
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separating at least portions of the conductive layers. Exemplary conductive
layers include copper
and silver inks. The tag comprises at least an analog to digital converter
(ADC), a radio-
frequency chip, and a first antenna disposed as a circuit upon a card, coin,
or inlay, and includes,
or is coupled or attached to at least one sensor. Exemplary chip/first antenna
combinations
include model numbers: RI-103-112A-03 (13.56 MHz), and RI-INL-R9QM (134.2
kHz), or
model TRF7970A, each available from Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX. The antenna
may be in
the physical form of a coil or a dipole. In one embodiment, the antenna may
comprise a
conductive package or product component to which the remainder of the tag is
connected
electrically. The chip/first antenna combination, and ADC (analog to digital
converter) may be
integrated into a unit tag available from IDS Microchip, Germany.
The sensor may be selected according to the nature of the environmental factor
of interest.
Typical sensor types include chemical sensors, electrical sensors, biological
sensors, mechanical
sensors, and physical sensors. The sensor of the tag may also comprise
multiple sensor of a single
type or a combination of sensors of differing types.
Exemplary chemical sensors include: model TGS 813 gas sensor for Propane,
Butane, Methane,
Alcohol, H2 made by Figaro Engineering Inc., and available from Conrad
Electronics, of
Wernberg-Koblitz, Germany . Exemplary electrical sensors include: model AH1751-
PG-B-A
Hall effect sensor to measure magnetic field made by Zetex Semiconductors, and
available from
Allied Electronics, of Fort Worth, TX.
Exemplary mechanical sensors include: model L3G3200D 3-axis gyro based on MEMS
made by
ST Microelectronics, and model N11MA512023 strain gauge sensor made by Allied
Electronic,
Forth Worth, TX.
Exemplary physical sensors include: model- VCNL4020 light sensor made by
Vishay, and model
LP5331AP pressure sensor based on MEMS made by ST Microelectronics.
Exemplary biological sensors can be tailored to detect various biological
molecules such as
diseases, ions, bio markers, antibodies, DNA, various proteins, metabolic
markers etc. The
method of detection fundamentally can be potentiometric or amperometric in
nature. Analyzed
material samples may be collected from an organism or from the environment and
include:
blood, epithelial cells, mucous, saliva, feces, hair, urine, air, water and
other environmental
materials. The electrode configuration can be two (working and counter) or
three (working,
counter and reference) where the electrodes can be made of a number of
substrates such as gold,
silver, platinum, carbon, etc. These electrodes may be purchased from
Conductive Technologies,
Inc., of York, PA, or made (Sensors and Actuators B, 114, (2006) 357-363).
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A potentiometric bio sensor that detects antibodies may take advantage of an
ELISA sandwich
assay. The previously mentioned electrodes are coated with a conductive
polymer such as
poly(pyrrole) to prepare a substrate suitable for bio attachment while
maintaining conductivity to
the electrode substrate. The materials for the assay may be purchased from
Sigma-Aldrich, of St.
Louis, MO.: capture antibody - anti-mouse IgG (Fc specific) F(ab')2 fragment
antibody produced
in goat (M0284), antibody - mouse serum (M5905), analyte competitor - anti-
mouse IgG (7-chain
specific) peroxidase antibody produced in goat (A3673) and albumin from bovine
serum is used
during the process to prevent non-specific binding (A7906).
The ELISA sandwich structure described from the bottom up on the working
electrode, is as
follows: capture antibody adsorption to the poly(pyrrole) substrate, analyte,
analyte competitor
with HRP conjugate, and working solution enzyme to catalyze the HRP to
generate hydrogen
peroxide. This reaction at the working electrode generates a potential with a
resolution of micro
volts.
To adapt the signal of the sensor to the ADC input range an integrated pre
amplifier may be used.
The needed power supply for the electrodes may be provided by the harvested
energy of the
RFID circuit because the needed current is in the micro ampere range. The
harvested power may
be stored with an element such as a capacitor for use by the sensor at a later
time.
The sensor system may further comprise an interrogator. The interrogator
comprising a power
source and a second antenna adapted to generate electromagnetic radiation
comprising a resonant
frequency of the first antenna, and a receiver adapted to detect
electromagnetic radiation and de-
modulate the detected radiation extracting embedded data from the detected
radiation. The
Bluetoothtm RFID Reader, model number 223012, available GAO RFID, of Toronto
Canada,
exemplifies one form of interrogator. The model 223012 interrogator has the
capacity to
interrogate the radio frequency tag and to determine the state of the memory
of the tag and thus
extract information associated with the output of the sensor or sensors
relating to the environment
of the tag. The 223012 further comprises a secondary network communications
link utilizing the
Bluetoothtm communications protocol for transmitting the information extracted
from the tag to a
secondary device or secondary interrogator, such as a Bluetoothtm enabled
computer or smart
phone. The secondary interrogator may further analyze the information relating
to the state of the
tag and/or the tags environment and provide an output associated with a
particular tag and/or tag
environment state. The interrogator may further comprise a display element
such as an LCD or
LED screen for displaying an output associated with the analyzed tag
information. The
interrogator may further comprise one or more sensors for ascertaining
information associated
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with the environment of the interrogator. The sensors may include:
temperature, humidity,
acceleration sensors. The interrogator may further comprise one or more
cameras enabling the
capture of images associated with a product, the tag or the environment. The
interrogator may
comprise a Global Positioning capability enabling the interrogator to
ascertain and share
5 information relating to the geographic location of the interrogator.
In one aspect, the smart phone may serve as the only interrogator. In this
aspect the smart phone
may interrogate the tag thereby ascertaining the information from the memory
of the tag. The
interrogator may analyze or otherwise interpret the information and may create
an output. The
output may be provided to a system user via an audio output, visual output,
haptic output or
combinations thereof. The interrogator may utilize inputs from sensors or
systems of the smart
phone, including information and analysis available from a networked resource
such as cloud
computing resources, in addition to the tag information in creating the
output. Exemplary smart
phones suitably configured to perform as a system interrogator include: the
Ace? E320 Liquid
Express, the Blackberry"' Bole 970, available from Research In Motion; the
Casio IT-800; the
Google Nexus 7"11, available from Google, Inc. Mountain View Ca.; the HTC
Desire Cm,
available from HTC of; the LG Optimus Elite; the Motorola Droie Raz?",
available from
Motorola; the Nokia 700; the Panasonic BizPae; and the Samsung Galaxy S
Advance.
In one aspect, the sensor system may include a product. The term "product(s)"
is used in
the broadest sense and refers to any product, product group, services,
communications,
entertainment, environments, organizations, systems, tools, and the like. For
example, an
example of a product group is personal and household products, such as used by
a person, family
or household. Examples of a representative, and non-limiting list of product
categories within
the personal and household product group includes antiperspirants, baby care,
colognes,
commercial products (including wholesale, industrial, and commercial market
analogs to
consumer-oriented consumer products), cosmetics, deodorants, dish care,
feminine protection,
hair care, hair color, health care, household cleaners, laundry, oral care,
paper products, personal
cleansing, disposable absorbent articles, pet health and nutrition,
prescription drugs, prestige
fragrances, skin care, foods, snacks and beverages, special fabric care,
shaving and other hair
growth management products, small appliances, devices and batteries, services
such as
haircutting, beauty treatment, spa treatment, medical, dental, vision
services, entertainment
venues such as theaters, stadiums, as well as entertainment services such as
film or movie shows,
plays and sporting events A variety of product forms may fall within each of
these product
categories.
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Exemplary product forms and brands are described on The Procter & Gamble
Company's
website www.pg.com, and the linked sites found thereon. It is to be understood
that consumer
products that are part of product categories other than those listed above are
also contemplated by
the present invention, and that alternative product forms and brands other
than those disclosed on
the above-identified website are also encompassed by the present invention.
Exemplary products within the laundry category include detergents (including
powder,
liquid, tablet, and other forms), bleach, conditioners, softeners, anti-static
products, and
refreshers (including liquid refreshers and dryer sheets). Exemplary products
within the oral care
category include dentifrice, floss, toothbrushes (including manual and powered
forms), mouth
rinses, gum care products, tooth whitening products, and other tooth care
products. Exemplary
feminine protection products include pads, tampons, interlabial products, and
pantiliners.
Exemplary baby care products include diapers, wipes, baby bibs, baby change
and bed mats, and
foaming bathroom hand soap.
Exemplary health care products include laxatives, fiber supplements, oral and
topical
analgesics, gastro-intestinal treatment products, respiratory and cough/cold
products, heat
delivery products, and water purification products. Exemplary paper products
include toilet
tissues, paper towels, and facial tissues. Exemplary hair care products
include shampoos,
conditioners (including rinse-off and leave-in forms), and styling aids.
Exemplary household
care products include sweeper products, floor cleaning products, wood floor
cleaners,
antibacterial floor cleaners, fabric and air refreshers, and vehicle washing
products. Skin care
products include, but are not limited to, body washes, facial cleansers, hand
lotions, moisturizers,
conditioners, astringents, exfoliation products, micro-dermabrasion and peel
products, skin
rejuvenation products, anti-aging products, masks, UV protection products, and
skin care puffs,
wipes, discs, clothes, sheets, implements and devices (with or without skin
care compositions).
Other product groups include but are not limited to: sports equipment,
entertainment
(books, movies, music, etc), vision, and in-home-consumed medical and first
aid, among others.
In one embodiment, the product may comprise a test unit for the evaluation of
other
products such as portable power sources. In this embodiment, the product may
comprise all the
described elements including the chip, antenna, and shielding. In using this
embodiment, the user
will place the power source of interest in the product and engage the tag of
the unit using the
interrogator. The interrogator will power the tag, read and analyze the memory
value, and
generate an output. The analysis will evaluate the read value in terms of the
open circuit voltage
of the power source to which it is analogous. The output may be in the form of
a percentage of
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power remaining, a color coded output associated with the power remaining, a
simple textual
output, good or bad, etc., or combinations of these. The output may be further
transmitted using a
network communications link and/or displayed using the display element of the
interrogator.
The tag may be attached to the packaging of the product such as the primary
packaging of
a liquid product, or a granular product. The tag may be immersed in or float
upon the surface of a
packaged liquid or granular product. The tag may be incorporated within the
product such as
within a disposable absorbent article such as within a diaper for the purpose
of detecting an insult
to the absorbent core of the diaper. The tag may be disposed upon the surface
of the product itself
such as upon the surface of a battery for the purpose of sensing information
relating to the useful
power remaining in the battery.
It is believed that conforming the antenna of the tag to the shape of the
outer surface of the
product yields a system where communication between the interrogator and the
tag may be omni-
directional or achievable at a variety of angles between the interrogator and
the tag.
One of the problems associated with creating a communication device for
various products is
realized when the communication device is utilized on electromagnetically
conductive bodies.
Free space radio propagation principles do not apply near highly conductive
bodies. Additionally,
antenna performance is severely degraded when antennas are placed near metals.
As such, simply
placing an RFID tag on a battery or on an object with a conductive body may
not accomplish the
desired effect, e.g. energy harvesting and/or data transfer. Notably, this
problem is not limited to
rechargeable / disposable batteries. For example, a can of shaving gel, foam,
etc., or a package
comprising a metalized film, could experience the same issues because of the
conductivity of the
container. In general, an RFID tag next to metallic body decreases signal
coupling between the
reader and the tag by 10x.
One way to prevent the effects arising from metal proximity to the antenna is
to prevent the
electromagnetic field from entering the metal. For example, separating the
antenna and the metal
surface by placing a material with suitable electromagnetic properties and
dimensions between
them may divert the electromagnetic field around the metallic / conductive
body of the product.
The properties of the diverter material depend on the exact metal used and the
RFID frequency.
The magnetic diverter effectively isolates the tag from the can. An effective
separation may also
be achieved with an air filled gap between the materials.
In one aspect, a method of determining product information comprises steps of:
providing a
product comprising a tag as described above. The tag comprising, at least one
sensor adapted to
provide an output analogous to a change in an environment of the sensor. The
sensor having at
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least one output terminal. The tag also comprising an analog to digital
converter adapted to
convert the analog output of the sensor to a digital value, the analog to
digital converter having
input and output terminals, the input terminal(s) of the analog to digital
converter being disposed
in electrical communication with the output terminal(s) of the sensor. The tag
also includes a
radio-frequency chip comprising a memory element, input terminals and output
terminals, the
input terminals disposed in electrical communication with the output terminals
of the analog to
digital converter, and a first antenna disposed in electrical communication
with the output
terminals of the chip.
The method also includes providing an interrogator adapted to detect radiation
associated
with the data of the tag. The interrogator may be an RF or NFC protocol reader
coupled with a
Bluetoothtm capability as described above, or a smart phone or other computing
device
comprising an RF or NFC capable reader.
The interrogator may be used to determine the current state of the tag
utilizing an RF
communications protocol such as the NFC protocol. The interrogator may
interpret the data
received from the tag using a software application written for that purpose.
In one embodiment,
the tag and sensor may be configured to detect an open circuit voltage of a
battery cell. The
detected open circuit voltage may alter the value of at least one bit of the
memory of the tag. The
interrogator may then read the value of the memory and correlate that value
with an open circuit
voltage and a useful battery life remaining. The useful battery life remaining
may be displayed to
a user of the system via a display element of the interrogator. The output
displayed may be in
terms of a percentage of life remaining or in more analog terms of red, yellow
and green colors
signifying little to no useful life, some useful life, or a significant amount
of useful life depending
upon the algorithm used to set the thresholds for converting the detected open
circuit voltage to
an analog of battery useful life. In one embodiment, the application may
provide steps for the
user of the application to input the nature of the load case of the battery.
Exemplary load cases
include powering: a flash camera, a toy, a flashlight, a remote control unit,
a clock, or a radio or
other entertainment system.
As an example, the tag may be incorporated as a sensor system for a 1.5 volt
alkaline power
source. In this example the sensor may be configured to read the open circuit
voltage (OCV) in
the range between 0.8 volts and 1.65 volts. The ADC may be designed to provide
different digital
output values in association with differing OCV values. As an example a 5 bit
ADC may be used
to partition the sensed voltage range of 0.85 volts across the 32 possible
digital output values of
the ADC. The analysis of the ADC output may be programmed to provide output
changes at
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thresholds associated with OCV values considered of interest. AS an example,
the output of the
analysis may be programmed to switch at around a value associated with 1.25
volts, to switch a
second time at around 1.35 volts. This example divides the OCV range into
three zones, below
around 1.25 volts, between 1.25 and 1.35 volts, and above 1.35 volts. These
outputs may be
further associated with a percentage equivalent or a color coding of red
yellow and green
respectively.
In one aspect, the interrogator may incorporate a secondary network
communication module
affording the device an ability to send and receive data over a cellular phone
or other networks
including a local area or WiFi networks. In such an aspect, the interrogator
may transmit data
received from the tag and/or an analysis of the data from the tag. The
software application of the
interrogator may analyze the data from the tag to determine if replenishment
of the product
associated with the tag in needed, or to project when such replenishment will
be needed in view
of usage history of the product established via a series of interrogations of
the tag. In this aspect
the application may be used to consummate a purchase of addition product via
the network. The
application may be further utilized to offer the user related products for
purchase, or to make
offers of other products not directly related to the product.
Examples:
A tag comprising a capacitive sensor strip coupled with an ADC may be arrayed
within a
package such as a mascara package, such that the sensor output will be
analogous to the product
quantity remaining within the package. An axis of the sensor may be aligned
with the geometry
of the package such that the portion of the sensor in contact with the product
will change as the
amount of product in the container changes. Upon interrogation, the tag sensor
will provide an
output to the ADC analogous to the product quantity remaining. The ADC will
convert the output
to a digital value and store that value in memory. The interrogator will read
the stored value. The
application software may then analyze the read value and interpret it in terms
of the amount of
product remaining. The software may then provide an output to the user
indicating the amount of
product remaining as a quantity or as a percentage of the original amount
within the package.
The software may be written to provide a suggestion to the user to replenish
the product at a
particular quantity or percentage threshold. The software may utilize the
network
communications capacity of the interrogator to enable the user to connect to a
network retail
source to purchase replenishment product offered by a network retailer. The
software may search
the network to identify a set of retailers and may also gather information
such as the price and
shipping options of the product associated with each retailer. The software
may utilize a location
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provider by the user or derived via the GPS or WiFi location capabilities of
the interrogator to
identify retailers having location near the present location of the user where
the product may be
directly purchased.
A tag comprising an electrical sensor, such as a sensor for resistance,
capacitance,
5 inductance, or combinations thereof, may be provided in contact with a
product as part of a
product/package combination. The system may be configured to sense changes in
the product,
such as changes related to shelf stability or the efficacy of the product, and
to provide an output
associated with such a change in the product.
A tag comprising a temperature sensor may be incorporated within the diaper
such that upon
10 interrogation the sensor output to the ADC will be analogous to the
temperature of the wearer of
the diaper which will be stored digitally in the memory of the tag. The
application software may
read the stored value and interpret it in terms of body temperature. The
associated value may be
stored by the application software together with other available data such as
date, time, location,
images of the wearer, and combinations thereof. A collection of data records
may be accumulated
over time and used as an indicator of the wearer's health and wellness.
A tag comprising a chemical or biosensor coupled to an ADC may be incorporated
within a
patient garment for the purpose of detecting environmental factors associated
with the occurrence
of pressure ulcers. Other tags having chemical or biological sensors may be
used for purposes
such as detecting metabolic markers in saliva, detecting alcohol in breath or
saliva, detecting
malodorous compounds in air samples.
In one embodiment, the system tag may be subdivided into portions. One portion
may contain
the antenna, the ADC and the chip, the other portion may contain the sensor.
The two portions of
the tag may be disposed with the sensor exposed to the functional environment
of an absorbent
article, and the antenna, ADC, chip portion removed from exposure to the
functional
environment of the article. The antenna, ADC, chip portion may be made
removable and
therefore reusable as well. In one embodiment, conductive hook and loop
fasteners, such as are
available from APLDC Inc., of Charlotte, NC, may be used to create an
interface between the
functional environment of the article and the exterior of the article. The
attachment mechanism
between the article, sensor and the removable tag to enable conductivity can
be hook & loop,
compression (e.g. elastic band, garter), adhesion (e.g. adhesive strip),
magnetic, or combinations
thereof. In this embodiment, the sensor may be fabricated as an assembly in
electrical contact
with the conductive hook and loop pads which in turn are disposed upon an
exterior surface of
the article. Matching pads may be incorporated as part of the assembly of the
antenna, ADC, chip
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assembly and the two respective assemblies may be united using the matching
hook and loop
pads for operational use of the tag. In this manner, the more costly antenna,
ADC, chip assembly
may be rendered reusable thereby reducing the overall cost associated with
using the system with
a number of respective disposable articles. The respective assemblies may be
formed using
conductive adhesive, such as is available from MG Chemicals, of Surrey, B.C.,
Canada to affix
the electrical leads of the respective portions of the tags to their
respective hook and loop fastener
pads.
As shown in Figure 1, a system 1000, comprises an absorbent article 300, and
an interrogator
200. The absorbent article 300 comprises a tag 100. The tag 100 comprises a
sensor 110, and a
removable portion 105 including an analog to digital converter, 120, a chip
130, and an antenna
140. The interrogator 200 comprises a sensor 210, a power source 220, an
antenna 230, an
analysis element 240, a display element 250, and a network link 260. As shown
in figure 2, an
absorbent article 300 comprises a tag 100 and a sensor 110. The tag 100
comprises a removable
portion 105 including an analog to digital converter 120, a chip 130, and an
antenna 140. As
shown in Figure 3, a portable power source 400, comprises a tag 100 and
shielding 150.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being
strictly limited
to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified,
each such dimension is
intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range
surrounding that
value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean
"about 40 mm."
Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent
or
application, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless
expressly excluded
or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it
is prior art with
respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in
any combination with
any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such
invention. Further, to
the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts
with any meaning
or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the
meaning or definition
assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated
and
described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other
changes and
modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. It is
therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and
modifications that are
within the scope of this invention.
