We Claim:
1. An apparatus for removing an adhesive backed component from a carrier and applying the component onto a substrate comprising:
first means for capturing said carrier;
second means for capturing said carrier;
a retracting blade assembly located between said first and second capturing means having a top surface of a retracting blade for retaining a portion of said carrier;
a first roller which is affixed to, and moves with, said retracting blade, and which rotates while said retracting blade is in motion; and
a second roller which is permanently affixed in place between said first roller and said second capturing means and which rotates when said carrier is moved through said apparatus.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second capturing means comprises at least one of a feed drive roller and pinch roller combination, a take up feature with an encoder, a linear actuator with a clamp, or a tractor feed used in combination with holes formed through said carrier.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said capturing means comprises a web clamp which clamps a top surface and a bottom surface of the carrier in place.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a tension element capable of applying tension to a portion of said carrier such that said carrier maintains a predetermined tension.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second capturing means comprises a brake.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said carrier comprises a tape capable of being threaded through said apparatus.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said retracting blade assembly further comprises at least one of an element or elements that produce a controlled linear motion for moving said top surface of said retracting blade.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said at least one element or elements comprises at least one of a rack and pinion with a gear motor, a linear motor, a voice coil actuator, or a motor and belt configuration.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein movement of said retracting blade does not result in movement of said carrier located on the top surface of said retracting blade.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said retracting blade and said carrier move simultaneously and independently of one another.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said retracting blade extends to a predetermined position while said second capturing means advances said carrier to a predetermined location.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a sensor positioned over said retracting blade wherein said sensor is capable of sensing at least one of a feature of said component or a portion of said carrier.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said predetermined location of said carrier is based upon input from said sensor.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein control of linear acceleration and velocity of said carrier is controlled by said second capturing means and is synchronized with linear acceleration and velocity of said retracting blade.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein computer software is used to program said control and synchronization.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said synchronization is performed by at least one of electrical and mechanical means.
17. A method for removing an adhesive backed component from a carrier and applying the component onto a substrate comprising the steps of:
positioning a carrier tape having adhesive backed components located thereon over a top surface of a retracting blade;
simultaneously extending said retracting blade and said carrier tape to a predetermined position;
applying a vacuum chuck to a component on said carrier located at said predetermined position;
removing said component from said carrier with said vacuum chuck by retracting said retracting blade;
applying said component to a substrate utilizing said vacuum chuck; and
retracting said vacuum chuck to its original starting position.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of applying said component to a substrate comprises the steps of:
extending said vacuum chuck to a placement position on said substrate; and
releasing said component from said vacuum chuck.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of simultaneously extending said retracting blade and said carrier tape comprises the step of simultaneously employing at least one of a rack and pinion with a gear motor, a linear motor, a voice coil actuator, or a belt configuration.
20. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of
arresting a feed drive roller which releasably secures the carrier tape; and
arresting the carrier tape at a position before the retracting blade.
21. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of utilizing at least one sensor for sensing at least one of a feature of said component or a portion of said carrier and inputting information for moving the extended retracting blade and carrier tape to said predetermined position.
22. The method of claim 17 wherein the sequence of steps are continuously repeated to provide an automated system for removing and applying a plurality of adhesive backed components retained on the carrier tape.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of operating a remote computer server platform to provide a range of consumer services by autonomously monitoring and managing a plurality of consumer device assets wirelessly connected to one or more communications networks, each asset having operating system and application software, nonvolatile memory for storing files of data content for display to a consumer user of the device, and a display apparatus for displaying the stored data content, said method comprising:
providing a remote computer server platform connected to the one or more communications networks, the remote computer server platform configured to execute software applications for monitoring and managing the plurality of consumer device assets, each of said assets being registered with the remote computer server platform;
receiving at the remote computer server platform communications sent from the plurality of consumer device assets containing operational status information and consumer usage information, said communications having automatically resulted from at least one selected from the group consisting of preprogrammed conditions and programming instructions generated by the remote computer server platform;
monitoring the plurality of consumer device assets by the remote computer server platform by automatically processing, according to preprogrammed conditions, the received operational status information and the received consumer usage information;
managing the plurality of consumer device assets by the remote computer server platform, based upon the results of having processed at least some of the received consumer usage information, by sending communications containing management instructions that cause the stored data content files of one or more assets to be automatically modified; and
wherein the communications received by and sent from the remote computer server platform are transmitted over the one or more communications networks and comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) data messages, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) data messages, and other packet switched data messages.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the one or more communications networks comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of a cellular mobile telecommunications network and the Internet.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the wireless connection between at least one of the plurality of consumer device assets and the one or more communications networks complies with at least one selected from the group consisting of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) air interface standards, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) air interface standards, CodeDivision Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface standards, CDMA2000 air interface standards, and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) implementation standards.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein communications between at least one of the plurality of consumer device assets and the remote computer server platform traverse a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein communications over the one or more communications networks between the plurality of consumer device assets and the remote computer server platform are encrypted according to a key pair encryption scheme.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the remote computer server platform includes in the respective communications sent to each of the plurality of consumer device assets a unique identifier of that particular consumer device asset.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the remote computer server platform includes in at least one communication sent to at least one of the consumer device assets a required coded number.
8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the automatic modification of the stored data content files of the one or more consumer device assets includes at least one selected from the group consisting of storing one or more new data content files on said assets, updating one or more existing stored data content files on said assets, and deleting one or more existing stored data content files from said assets.
9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the remote computer server platform stores information indicative of preferences that one or more individual consumer users of the plurality of consumer device assets have for particular data content files.
10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the remote computer server platform further manages the plurality of consumer device assets, based upon the results of having processed at least some of the consumer preference information, by communicating one or more additional management instructions that cause the stored data content files of one or more assets to be automatically modified.
11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the automatic modification of the stored data content files of the one or more consumer device assets caused by the one or more additional management instructions includes at least one selected from the group consisting of storing one or more new data content files on said assets, updating one or more existing stored data content files on said assets, and deleting one or more existing stored data content files from said assets.
12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the remote computer server platform communicates a Short Message Service (SMS) message to at least one of the plurality of consumer device assets that causes one or more components of said asset to power up from a powered down state for facilitating the exchange of further communications between said asset and the remote computer server platform.
13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the remote computer server platform further manages the plurality of consumer device assets by communicating one or more additional management instructions to at least one asset, the one or more additional management instructions causing at least one selected from the group consisting of automatic deletion of one or more existing stored data content files from the at least one asset, and automatic updating of one or more software programs stored on the at least one asset.
14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the remote computer server platform stores information comprising operational details for each of the consumer device assets.
15. A method according to claim 1 wherein the operational status information communicated by the plurality of consumer device assets to the remote computer server platform comprises data indicative of battery charge levels.
16. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of consumer device assets comprises a user identity card for accessing a cellular mobile telecommunications network.
17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the user identity card is a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card.
18. A method according to claim 1 wherein the one or more communications networks comprise a cellular mobile telecommunications network and the Internet.
19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the wireless connection between at least one of the plurality of consumer device assets and the cellular mobile telecommunications network complies with Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) air interface standards, and wherein the wireless connection between at least another of the plurality of consumer device assets and the Internet complies with Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) implementation standards.
20. A method of operating a remote computer server platform to provide a range of consumer services by autonomously monitoring and managing a first plurality of consumer device assets wirelessly connected to a cellular mobile telecommunications network and a second plurality of consumer device assets wirelessly connected to the Internet, each asset having operating system and application software, nonvolatile memory for storing files of data content for display to a consumer user of the device, and a display apparatus for displaying the stored data content, said method comprising:
providing a remote computer server platform connected to the cellular mobile telecommunications network and to the Internet, the remote computer server platform configured to execute software applications for monitoring and managing the first and second pluralities of consumer device assets, each of said assets being registered with the remote computer server platform;
receiving at the remote computer server platform communications sent over the one or more communications networks from the first and second pluralities of consumer device assets containing operational status information and consumer usage information, said communications having automatically resulted from at least one selected from the group consisting of preprogrammed conditions and programming instructions generated by the remote computer server platform, and wherein said communications comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) data messages, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) data messages, and other packet switched data messages;
monitoring the first and second pluralities of consumer device assets by the remote computer server platform by automatically processing, according to preprogrammed conditions, the received operational status information and the received consumer usage information automatically according to preprogrammed conditions;
managing the first and second pluralities of consumer device assets by the remote computer server platform, based upon the results of having processed at least some of the received consumer usage information, by sending over the one or more communications networks communications containing management instructions that cause the stored data content files of one or more assets to be automatically modified, said communications comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of GPRS data messages, EDGE data messages, or other packet switched data messages; and
sending a Short Message Service (SMS) message by the remote computer server platform to at least one of the first plurality of consumer device assets that causes one or more components of said asset to power up from a powered down state for facilitating the exchange of further communications between said asset and the remote computer server platform.
21. A method according to claim 20 wherein the wireless connections between the first plurality of consumer device assets and the cellular mobile telecommunications network comply with Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) air interface standards, and wherein the wireless connections between the second plurality of consumer device assets and the Internet comply with Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) implementation standards.
22. A method according to claim 20 wherein communications over the cellular mobile telecommunications network and over the Internet between the first and second pluralities of consumer device assets and the remote computer server platform are encrypted according to a key pair encryption scheme.
23. A method according to claim 20 wherein the remote computer server platform includes in the respective communications sent to each of the first and second pluralities of consumer device assets a unique identifier of that particular consumer device asset.
24. A method according to claim 20 wherein the remote computer server platform includes in at least one communication sent to at least one of the consumer device assets a required coded number.
25. A method according to claim 20 wherein the automatic modification of the stored data content files of the one or more consumer device assets includes at least one selected from the group consisting of storing one or more new data content files on said assets, updating one or more existing stored data content files on said assets, and deleting one or more existing stored data content files from said assets.
26. A method according to claim 20 wherein the remote computer server platform stores information indicative of preferences that one or more individual consumer users of the first and second pluralities of consumer device assets have for particular data content files.
27. A method according to claim 26 wherein the remote computer server platform further manages the first and second pluralities of consumer device assets, based upon the results of having processed at least some of the consumer preference information, by communicating one or more additional management instructions that cause the stored data content files of one or more assets to be automatically modified.
28. A method according to claim 27 wherein the automatic modification of the stored data content files of the one or more consumer device assets includes at least one selected from the group consisting of storing one or more new data content files on said assets, updating one or more existing stored data content files on said assets, and deleting one or more existing stored data content files from said assets.
29. A method according to claim 20 wherein the remote computer server platform stores information comprising operational details for each of the consumer device assets.
30. A method according to claim 20 wherein the remote computer server platform further manages the first and second pluralities of consumer device assets by communicating one or more additional management instructions to at least one asset, the one or more additional management instructions causing at least one selected from the group consisting of automatic deletion of one or more existing stored data content files from the at least one asset, and automatic updating of one or more software programs stored on the at least one asset.