1. A process for the preparation of star macromolecules comprising:
copolymerizing one or more macromonomer having a polymerizable vinyl group and a divinyl monomer in a reaction medium in the presence of a free radical initiator to provide a star macromolecule having a polydispersity of less than 2.5.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the star macromolecule has a polydispersity less than 2.0.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the macromonomer comprises \u03c9-functionality.
4. The process of claim 1 wherein the macromonomer comprises \u03b1-functionality in addition to the polymerizable vinyl group.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein the molecular structure of the star macromolecule is modified by variation in the molar ratio of macromonomer to the divinyl monomer to the free radical initiator.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein the divinyl monomer is added to the reaction medium periodically.
7. The process of claim 1 wherein the free radical initiator is added to the reaction medium periodically.
8. The process of claim 1 wherein more than one type of free radical initiator is added to the reaction medium.
9. The process of claim 8 wherein the more than one type of free radical initiator is added to the reaction at different times.
10. The process of claim 1 wherein the molar ratio of divinyl monomer to free radical initiator controls the size of the formed core.
11. The process of claim 1 wherein the free radical initiator comprises an additional functional group and the additional functional group is incorporated into the core of the star macromolecule.
12. The process of claim 11, wherein the molar ratio of divinyl monomer to free radical initiator can additionally be used to control one of star size and star core functionality.
13. The process of claim 1 further comprising adding a low molecular weight mono-vinyl monomer to the copolymerizing step, wherein the low molecular weight mono-vinyl monomer modifies the core of the star.
14. The process of claim 13 wherein the low molecular weight mono-vinyl monomer comprises an additional functional group.
15. The process of claim 1 further comprising adding a low molecular weight functional molecule to the copolymerizing step and encapsulating the low molecular weight functional molecule within a core of the star macromolecule.
16. The process of claim 1 wherein the copolymerizing step is conducted in a homogeneous solution.
17. The process of claim 1 wherein the copolymerizing step is conducted in one phase of a bi-phasic reaction medium.
18. The process of claim 1 wherein the star macromolecule comprises arms that predominately comprise the added macromonomer.
19. The process of claim 1 wherein two or more different macromonomers are added to the copolymerization and one or more of the arms of the star macromolecule comprise a different composition than one or more other arms.
20. The process of claim 19 wherein the two or more different macromonomers comprise different \u03c9-functionality and one or more of the arms of the star macromolecule comprise different peripheral \u03c9-functional groups.
21. The process of claim 19 wherein a first macromonomer is initially present in the copolymerizing step and a second macromonomer is added to the copolymerization after more than 50% of the initially added free radical initiator has decomposed.
22. The process of claim 19 wherein a first macromonomer is initially present in the copolymerizing step and a second macromonomer is added to the copolymerization after more than 75% of the initially added free radical initiator has decomposed.
23. The process of claim 19 wherein a first macromonomer is initially present in the copolymerizing step and a second macromonomer is added to the copolymerization after a core of the star has formed and after a majority of the free radical initiator has decomposed.
24. The process of claim 1 wherein the polymerization process is a free radical polymerization process and the resulting star macromolecule has a PDI of less than 1.5.
25. The process of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the macromonomer ranges from about 0.0001 M to about 0.5 M.
26. The process of claim 1 wherein more than 10 macromonomer units are incorporated into the star macromolecule.
27. The process of claim 1 wherein the molecular structure of the star macromolecule is modified by variation of steric bulk of the monomer units close to the \u03b1-chain end of the macromonomer.
28. The process of claim 27 wherein the macromonomer is a gradient copolymer or a block copolymer.
29. The process of claim 28 wherein the macromonomer comprises a gradient copolymer or block copolymer with a short block of desired bulkiness to provide the desired reactivity in a core formation reaction or a core growth reaction.
30. A process for the synthesis of multi-arm star polymers with high molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution and pre-selected site specific functionality comprising:
copolymerizing macromonomers having a vinyl group and functionality located on a backbone of the macromonomer with a divinyl monomer by a free radical polymerization process to form the multi-arm star polymer having a polydispersity of less than 2.5.
31. The process of claim 30, wherein the free radical polymerization process is initiated by a free radical initiator.
32. The process of claim 31, wherein the free radical initiator comprises a second functional group.
33. The process of claim 30, wherein the free radical polymerization process is initiated by a process selected from the group consisting of initiation by a photoinitiator, initiation by irradiation, a controlled radical polymerization process, initiation by heating, and initiation by a peroxygen compound.
34. The process of claim 30, wherein the macromonomers comprise two or more different macromonomers with different functional groups on the \u03c9-termini of a linear polymer chain.
35. The process of claim 34, wherein one of the functional groups is an \u03c9-functional group.
36. The process of claim 30, wherein the macromonomers comprise two or more different macromolecules.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A communication apparatus, comprising:
a first communication device that receives images and identification information of a camera owned by a user from the camera;
a displaying device that displays the images received from the camera by the first communication device and displays a service menu showing services offered by a service center for the user;
a selecting device that selects an image among the images displayed by the displaying device and selects a service among the services displayed by the displaying device; and
a second communication device that transmits the identification information, the image and information indicating the service to the service center through a network.
2. The communication apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:
the first communication device automatically starts communicating with the camera when the user connects the camera with the first communication device; and
the second communication device starts communicating with the service center through the network as need arises.
3. A server, comprising:
a communication device that receives identification information of a camera owned by a user from the user;
a recording device that records the identification information and a service menu showing services to be offered to the user; and
a reading device that reads the service menu from the recording device according to the identification information;
wherein the communication device transmits the service menu to the user.
4. The server as defined in claim 3, further comprising:
a payment information recording device that records the identification information and a method of payment;
a payment method reading device that reads the method of payment from the payment information recording device according to the identification information received; and
a charge receiving device that receives a charge for a service in accordance with the method of payment read by the payment method reading device.
5. A server, comprising:
a communication device that receives identification information of a camera owned by a user from the user;
a recording device that records the identification information and user information on the user; and
a device that reads the user information from the recording device according to the identification information and transmits the user setting information to another communication apparatus.
6. The server as defined in claim 5, wherein the user information includes at least one of the following: a delivery address, a distribution destination of image or audio data, a financial source, a password, an address, a name, a gender, a birthday and an age.
7. The server as defined in claim 5, further comprising:
a payment information recording device that records the identification information and a method of payment;
a payment method reading device that reads the method of payment from the payment information recording device according to the identification information received; and
a charge receiving device that receives a charge for a service in accordance with the method of payment read by the payment method reading device.
8. A server, comprising:
a communication device that receives identification information of a camera owned by a user from the user;
a recording device that records the identification information and utility data showing services used by the user;
a reading device that reads the utility data from the recording device according to the identification information; and
a determining device that determines an order of services in a service menu to be offered to the user in accordance with the utility data;
wherein the communication device transmits the service menu showing the services in the order determined by the determining device.
9. A server, comprising:
a communication device that receives identification information of a camera owned by a user and a password of the user from the user;
a recording device that records the identification information and a password;
a verifying device that reads the password from the recording device according to the identification information and verifies the password received by the communication device with the password read; and
a device that allows services to the user when the passwords are the same and prohibits the services to the user when the passwords are different.
10. A service center, comprising:
a communication device that receives identification information of a camera owned by a user and service information, or the identification information, an image and the service information from the user;
a recording device that records the identification information and user information on the user; and
a device that reads the user information from the recording device according to the identification information received by the communication device to specify the user, and provides a service corresponding with the service information to the user.
11. The service center as defined in claim 10, wherein the user information includes at least one of the following: a delivery address, a distribution destination of image or audio data, a financial source, a password, an address, a name, a gender, a birthday and an age.
12. The service center as defined in claim 10, further comprising:
a payment information recording device that records the identification information and a method of payment;
a payment method reading device that reads the method of payment from the payment information recording device according to the identification information received; and
a charge receiving device that receives a charge for a service in accordance with the method of payment read by the payment method reading device.
13. The service center as defined in claim 10, wherein the service includes at least one of the following: an image or audio distributing service, an image printing service, a service for publicly opening an image on a network, and a service for saving an image in a server.
14. The service center as defined in claim 13, wherein the user information includes at least one of the following: a delivery address, a distribution destination of image or audio data, a financial source, a password, an address, a name, a gender, a birthday and an age.
15. The service center as defined in claim 13, further comprising:
a payment information recording device that records the identification information and a method of payment;
a payment method reading device that reads the method of payment from the payment information recording device according to the identification information received; and
a charge receiving device that receives a charge for a service in accordance with the method of payment read by the payment method reading device.
16. A service center which offers an after-sales service on a camera owned by a user in response to a request from the user, the service center comprising:
a communication device that receives identification information of the camera from the user;
a recording device that records the identification information and after-sales service information; and
a reading device that reads the after-sales service information from the recording device according to the identification information;
wherein the communication device transmits after-sales service data to the user.
17. The service center as defined in claim 16, wherein the after-sales service information is updating information of a program for the camera.
18. A service center which offers an after-sales service on a camera owned by a user in response to a request from the user, the service center comprising:
a communication device that receives identification information of the camera and at least one of status information of the camera and history data related to utilization of the camera from the user;
a recording device that records the identification information, one of the status information and the history information, and after-sales service information of the camera; and
a reading device that reads the after-sales service information from the recording device according to the identification information and the one of the status information and the history information,
wherein the communication device transmits the after-sales service information to the user.
19. The service center as defined in claim 18, wherein the after-sales service information is updating information of a program for the camera.
20. A service method, comprising the following steps of:
receiving images from a camera connected with a communication apparatus and identification information of the camera from the camera;
displaying the images and a service menu showing services to be offered by a service center on a displaying device of the communication apparatus;
selecting a service from the service menu, or selecting the service and an image among the images; and
transmitting the identification information and information indicating the service selected, or the identification information, the information indicating the service and the images through a network.
21. The service method as defined in claim 20, wherein:
the communication apparatus connects to the service center and transmits the identification information and the image to the service center;
the server which communicates with the communication apparatus through the network has a recording device that records the identification information and user information on the user; and
the server reads the user information from the recording device on reception of the identification information from the service center and transmits the user information to the service center.
22. The service method as defined in claim 20, wherein:
the communication apparatus transmits the identification information, the image and information the service to the server through the network;
the server has a recording device that records the identification information and the user information, and reads the user information from the recording device according to the identification information; and
the server connects to the service center and transmits the user information and the image to the service center.
23. The service method as defined in claim 20, wherein:
the server which communicates with the communication apparatus through the network has a recording device that records the identification information and a password of the user; and
the server reads the password from the recording device according to the identification information on reception of the identification information and a password from the user, and verifies the password received from the user with the password read from the recording device, then allows the service when the passwords are the same and prohibits the service when the passwords are different.
24. The service method as defined in claim 20, wherein:
a server which communicates with the communication apparatus through the network has a recording device that records the identification information and the service menu; and
the server selects the service menu from the recording device on reception of the identification information from the user and transmits the service menu to the user.
25. The service method as defined in claim 24, wherein:
the communication apparatus connects to the service center and transmits the identification information and the image to the service center;
the server which communicates with the communication apparatus through the network has a recording device that records the identification information and user information on the user; and
the server reads the user information from the recording device on reception of the identification information from the service center and transmits the user information to the service center.
26. The service method as defined in claim 24, wherein:
the communication apparatus transmits the identification information, the image and information the service to the server through the network;
the server has a recording device that records the identification information and the user information, and reads the user information from the recording device according to the identification information; and
the server connects to the service center and transmits the user information and the image to the service center.
27. The service method as defined in claim 24, wherein:
the server which communicates with the communication apparatus through the network has a recording device that records the identification information and a password of the user; and
the server reads the password from the recording device according to the identification information on reception of the identification information and a password from the user, and verifies the password received from the user with the password read from the recording device, then allows the service when the passwords are the same and prohibits the service when the passwords are different.
28. The service method as defined in claim 20, wherein:
a server which communicates with the communication apparatus through the network has a recording device that records the identification information and utility information related to services used by the user; and
the server reads the utility information from the recording device on reception of the identification information from the user, determines an order of the services in the service menu in accordance with the utility information, and transmits the service menu in the order to the user.
29. The service method as defined in claim 28, wherein:
the communication apparatus connects to the service center and transmits the identification information and the image to the service center;
the server which communicates with the communication apparatus through the network has a recording device that records the identification information and user information on the user; and
the server reads the user information from the recording device on reception of the identification information from the service center and transmits the user information to the service center.
30. The service method as defined in claim 28, wherein:
the communication apparatus transmits the identification information, the image and information the service to the server through the network;
the server has a recording device that records the identification information and the user information, and reads the user information from the recording device according to the identification information; and
the server connects to the service center and transmits the user information and the image to the service center.
31. The service method as defined in claim 28, wherein:
the server which communicates with the communication apparatus through the network has a recording device that records the identification information and a password of the user; and
the server reads the password from the recording device according to the identification information on reception of the identification information and a password from the user, and verifies the password received from the user with the password read from the recording device, then allows the service when the passwords are the same and prohibits the service when the passwords are different.
32. A service method in which a recording device records identification information of a camera owned by a user and user information on the user, and at least one of the following is offered: an image or audio distributing service, an image printing service, a service for publicly opening an image on a network, and a service for saving an image in a server, said service method comprising the steps of:
receiving the identification information and service information indicating a service, or receiving the identification information, an image and the service information from the user; and
reading the user information from the recording device according to the identification information to specify the user, and providing the service to the user.
33. The service method as defined in claim 32, in which a recording device records the identification information and a method of payment, wherein said service method further comprising the steps of:
reading a method of payment from the recording device in accordance with the identification information; and
receiving a charge for the service from the user in accordance with the method of payment.
34. A service method in which a recording device records identification information of a camera owned by a user and after-sales service information indicating an after-sales service of the camera, and the after-sales service is provided to the user, said service method comprising the steps of:
receiving the identification information from the user;
reading the after-sales service information from the recording device in accordance with the identification information; and
transmitting the after-sales service information to the user.
35. The service method as defined in claim 34, in which a recording device records the identification information and a method of payment, wherein said service method further comprising the steps of:
reading a method of payment from the recording device in accordance with the identification information; and
receiving a charge for the service from the user in accordance with the method of payment.
36. A service method in which a recording device records identification information of a camera owned by a user, at least one of status information of the camera and history information related to utilization of the camera, and after-sales service information indicating an after-sales service of the camera, and the after-sales service is provided to the user, said service method comprising the steps of:
receiving the identification information and at least one of the status information and the history information from the user;
reading the after-sales service information from the recording device in accordance with the identification information and at least one of the status information and the history information; and
transmitting the after-sales service information to the user.
37. The service method as defined in claim 36, in which a recording device records the identification information and a method of payment, wherein said service method further comprising the steps of:
reading a method of payment from the recording device in accordance with the identification information; and
receiving a charge for the service from the user in accordance with the method of payment.