1. A method for calculating at least one of a temperature of a solid body or a time required for a change of temperature of the solid body, comprising the steps of:
i) defining a differential equation
dTdt=b\u2212cT
wherein
T is the temperature of a solid body
t is time
b is per unit time temperature change caused by energy absorption \u0394TEA,
cT is the per unit time temperature change caused by conductance of heat \u0394TWA,
ii) converting the differential equation into a dimensionless differential equation:
dd\u03c4=1\u2212,
wherein
is dimensionless temperature
\u03c4 is dimensionless time,
iii) determining and programming a computer with a function (\u03c4) or its inverse function \u03c4() that is a solution to the dimensionless differential equation, and compiling a matrix A=(aij), with i=1, 2; j \u03b5 N; aij=\u03c4j and a2j=j, for which (\u03c4) at the values \u03c4j makes: j=(\u03c4j) and \u03c4 () at the values j makes \u03c4j=\u03c4(j); and
iv) in the computer, electronically determining at least one of the temperature T by
a) calculating \u03c4 for t,
b) calculating using the values contained in A, and
c) calculating T for the values calculated in step d) for , or the time t by
d) calculating for T,
e) calculating \u03c4 using the values contained in A, and
f) calculating t for the values calculated in step e) for \u03c4.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising employing an anode of an x-ray tube as said solid body.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2 comprising employing the anode of a rotating piston x-ray tube as said solid body.
4. A method as claimed in claim 2 comprising employing \u0394TEA as an energy absorption caused by absorption of electrons by said anode.
5. A method as claimed in claim 2 comprising employing \u0394TWA as heat conductance from said solid body to a cooling medium in thermal communication with said solid body.
6. A method as claimed in claim 5 comprising employing a cooling medium at a constant temperature as said cooling medium in thermal communication with said solid body.
7. A method as claimed in claim 5 comprising employing a cooling medium in ideal thermal communication with said solid body as said cooling medium in thermal communication with said solid body as cooling medium in thermal communication with said solid body.
8. A method as claimed in claim 5 comprising employing a cooling medium having a variable temperature as said cooling medium in thermal communication with said solid body.
9. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising employing an anode of a rotary piston x-ray tube as said solid body, and employing \u0394TEA as an energy absorption caused by friction of said rotary piston x-ray tube in a cooling medium.
10. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising controlling the energy absorption of the solid body by comparing the temperature T with at least one limit value for T.
11. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising controlling the energy absorption of the solid body by comparing the time t with at least one limit value for t.
12. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising employing a temperature of a cooling medium in ideal thermal communication with said cooling body as a representative of the temperature of the solid body.
13. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising employing an anode in a rotating piston x-ray tube as said solid body, and controlling operation of said rotary piston anode tube dependent on the temperature T.
14. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising employing an anode in a rotating piston x-ray tube as said solid body, and controlling operation of said rotary piston anode tube dependent on the time t.
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 database arrangement for use with data items having one or more index terms associated therewith, comprising:
relationship storage means operable to store relationship information relating to the index terms associated with the data items in the database;
identifying means operable to identify the or each index term contained in a user request for interrogating the database;
consulting means operable to consult the relationship information to identify other index terms which are associated with data items with which the index terms or terms of the request are associated; and
information means operable to provide information relating to the index term or terms of the request and the other index terms, for presentation to a user.
2. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the information means provides information for presentation to a user in graphical form.
3. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the information is provided as a diagram of index terms, the diagram showing a link between combinations of index terms which are associated with data items in common.
4. An arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the links are provided to display weighting information representing the frequency of occurrence of at least some combinations.
5. An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the frequency is the frequency of data items occurring in the database.
6. An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the frequency is the frequency of new data items being added to the database.
7. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the arrangement is operable to receive requests from a user at a remote location.
8. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the arrangement is in communication with the user by means of a communication network.
9. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the communication network is a public or private network.
10. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the arrangement also comprises index means operable to identify the or each index term associated with a data item contained in or to be added to the database, and modifying means operable to modify the relationship information in accordance with the identified index terms.
11. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the modifying means are operable to modify the relationship information to record combinations of index terms which are associated with data items in common.
12. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the modifying means are operable to cause the relationship information to contain weighting information relating to at least some combinations, weightings being chosen according to a frequency of occurrence.
13. An arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the frequency is the frequency of occurrence of data items in the database.
14. An arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the frequency is the frequency of occurrence in new data items to be added to the database.
15. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the database arrangement is in communication with a database holding the data items, by means of a communication network.
16. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the communication network is a public or private network.
17. A signal propagating on a transmission medium, the signal representing information provided by information means of the database arrangement as set in claim 1, the information relating to the index term or terms of a request, and the other index terms, for presentation to a user.
18. A database arrangement for use with data items having one or more index terms associated therewith, comprising:
relationship storage means operable to store relationship information relating to the index terms associated with the data items in the database; and
index means operable to identify the or each index term associated with a data item contained in or to be added to the database,
the arrangement further comprising modifying means operable to modify the relationship information in accordance with the identified index terms.
19. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the modifying means are operable to modify the relationship information to record combinations of index terms which are associated with data items in common.
20. An arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the modifying means are operable to cause the relationship information to contain weighting information relating to at least some combinations, weighting being chosen according to a frequency of occurrence.
21. An arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the frequency is the frequency of occurrence in data items in the database.
22. An arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the frequency is the frequency of occurrence in new data items to be added to the database.
23. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the database arrangement is in communication with a database holding the data items, by means of a communication network.
24. An arrangement according to claim 23, wherein the communication network is a public or private network.
25. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the information means is operable to provide information for presentation to a user in graphical form.
26. An arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the information is provided as a diagram of index terms, the diagram showing a link between combinations of index terms which are associated with data items in common.
27. An arrangement according to claim 26, wherein the links are provided to display weighting information representing the frequency of occurrence of at least some combinations.
28. An arrangement according to claim 27, wherein the frequency is the frequency of data items occurring in the database.
29. An arrangement according to claim 27, wherein the frequency is the frequency of new data items being added to the database.
30. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the arrangement is operable to receive requests from a user at a remote location.
31. An arrangement according to claim 30, wherein the arrangement is in communication with the user by means of a communication network.
32. An arrangement according to claim 31, wherein the communication network is a public or private network.
33. A database arrangement for use with data items having one or more index terms associated therewith, comprising:
relationship storage means operable to store relationship information relating to the index terms associated with the data items in the database;
index means operable to identify the or each index term associated with a data item contained in or to be added to the database;
modifying means operable to modify the relationship information in accordance with the identified index terms;
identifying means operable to identify the or each index term contained in a user request for interrogating the database;
consulting means operable to consult the relationship information to identify other index terms which are associated with data items with which the index term or terms of the request are associated; and
information means operable to provide information relating to the index term or terms of the request and the other index terms, for presentation to a user.
34. An arrangement according to claim 33 further including a database containing the data items.
35. Computer software which, when installed on a computer system, is operable to provide a database arrangement defined in claim 1.
36. A carrier medium carrying computer software as defined in claim 35.
37. A method of providing a database for data items having one or more index terms associated therewith, in which:
relationship information is stored, relating to the index terms associated with the data items in the database;
the or each index term contained in a user request for interrogating the database is identified;
the relationship information is consulted to identify other index terms which are associated with data items with which the index terms of the request are associated; and
information relating to the index term or terms of the request and the other index terms is provided for presentation to a user.
38. A method according to claim 37, wherein the information is provided for presentation to a user in graphical form.
39. A method according to claim 38, wherein the information is provided as a diagram of index terms, the diagram showing a link between combinations of index terms which are associated with common data items.
40. A method according to claim 39, wherein the links are provided to display weighting information representing the frequency of occurrence of at least some combinations.
41. A method according to claim 40, wherein the frequency is the frequency of data items occurring in the database.
42. A method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the frequency is the frequency of new data items being added to the database.
43. A method according to claim 37, wherein requests from a user are received at a remote location.
44. A method according to claim 43, wherein communication with the user is by means of a communication network.
45. A method according to claim 44 wherein the communication network is a public or private network.
46. A method according to claim 37, wherein the or each index term associated with a data item contained in or to be added to the database is identified, and the relationship information is modified in accordance with the identified index terms.
47. A method according to claim 46, wherein combinations of index terms which are associated with data items in common are recorded.
48. A method according to claim 46 wherein the relationship information contains weighting information relating to at least some combinations, weightings being chosen according to a frequency or occurrence.
49. A method according to claim 48, wherein the frequency is the frequency of occurrence of data items in the database.
50. A method as claimed in claim 48, wherein the frequency is the frequency of occurrence in new data items to be added to the database.
51. A method of providing a database for data items having one or more index terms associated therewith, in which:
relationship information relating to the index terms associated with the data items is stored in the database;
the or each index term associated with a data item contained in or to be added to the database is identified; and
the relationship information is modified in accordance with the identified index terms.
52. A method according to claim 51, wherein the relationship is modified to record combinations of index terms which are associated with data items in common.
53. A method according to claim 52 wherein the relationship information contains weighting information relating to at least some combinations, weightings being chosen according to a frequency of occurrence, such as the frequency of occurrence in data items in the database, or the frequency of occurrence in new data items to be added to the database.
54. A method according to claim 52, wherein information is provided for presentation to a user in graphical form.
55. A method according to claim 54 wherein the information is provided as a diagram of index terms, the diagram showing a link between combinations of index terms which are associated with data items in common.
56. A method according to claim 55, wherein the links are provided to display weighting information representing the frequency of occurrence of at least some combinations.
57. A method according to claim 56, wherein the frequency is the frequency of data items occurring in the database.
58. A method according to claim 56, wherein the frequency is the frequency of new data items being added to the database.
59. A method according to claim 52, wherein requests from a user are received at a remote location.
60. A method according to claim 59, wherein communication with the user is by means of a communication network.
61. A method as claimed in claim 60, wherein communication is by a public or private network.
62. A method of providing a database for data items having one or more index terms associated therewith, in which:
relationship information relating to the index terms associated with the data items in the database is stored;
the or each index term associated with a data item contained in or to be added to the database is identified;
The relationship information is modified in accordance with the identified index terms;
the or each index term contained in a user request for interrogating the database is identified;
the relationship information is consulted to identify other index terms which are associated with data items with which the index term or terms of the request are associated; and
information relating to the index term or terms of the request and the other index terms is provided, for presentation to a user.
63-64. (canceled)