Author: claimsbot

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a sensing structure including a plurality of conductive fillers included a matrix; and
a plurality of electrical leads coupled to a portion of the sensing structure, the conductive fillers having a volumetric percentage of less than 25% of a volume of the sensing structure.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a substrate,
the sensing structure being coupled to the substrate such that a combination of the substrate and the sensing structure has a mechanical property that is different than a mechanical property of the sensing structure alone without modifying an electrical property of the sensing structure.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion can include an outer portion of the sensing structure.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical leads includes an even number of electrical leads.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical leads includes an odd number of electrical leads.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical leads includes at least three electrical leads.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing structure has a piezoresistive response.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a computing device configured to identify a deformation of the sensing structure.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing structure includes a sensing membrane.
10. An apparatus, comprising:
a sensing structure including a plurality of conductive fillers included in a matrix; and
a plurality of electrical leads coupled to a portion of the sensing structure, the sensing structure having a piezoresistive response.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the conductive fillers having a volumetric percentage of less than 25% of a volume of the sensing structure.
12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:
a substrate,
the sensing structure being coupled to the substrate such that a combination of the substrate and the sensing structure has a mechanical property that is different than a mechanical property of the sensing structure alone without modifying an electrical property of the sensing structure.
13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the piezoresistive response can be a negative piezoresistive response.
14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sensing structure includes a sensing membrane.
15. An apparatus, comprising:
a sensing membrane including a plurality of conductive fillers included in a matrix; and
a plurality of electrical leads coupled to a portion of the sensing membrane, the sensing membrane having a thickness less than a width of the sensing membrane.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the thickness of the sensing membrane is sufficiently thin to avoid Poisson effects.
17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the conductive fillers having a volumetric percentage of less than 25% of a volume of the sensing membrane.
18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the conductive fillers having a volumetric percentage of less than 40% of a volume of the sensing membrane.
19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the portion can include an outer portion of the sensing membrane.
20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:
a computing device configured to process data related to the sensing membrane.

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. An electrophoretic medium comprising a fluid and at least a first species of particles disposed in the fluid, the first species of particles being such that when a first addressing impulse is applied to the medium, the first species of particles move in one direction relative to the electric field, but when a second addressing impulse larger than the first addressing impulse but having the same polarity, is applied to the medium, the first species of particles move in the opposed direction relative to the electric field.
2. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 1 wherein the fluid is colored and the electrophoretic medium comprises a second species of particles having a color different from the first species of particles and moving in the same direction relative to the electric field under both the first and second addressing impulses.
3. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 2 wherein the second species of particles move in the opposed direction from the first species of particles under the first addressing impulse and in the same direction as the first species of particles under the second addressing impulse.
4. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 2 wherein one of the dyed fluid and the two species of particles has one of the additive primary colors and another of the dyed fluid and the two species of particles has the complementary subtractive primary color.
5. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 4 wherein the first species of particles is white, one of the dyed fluid and the second species of particles has one of the additive primary colors and the other of the dyed fluid and the second species of particles has the complementary subtractive primary color.
6. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 1 wherein the electrophoretic medium comprises second and third species of particles having colors different from the first species of particles and from each other, the second and third species of particles bearing charges of opposite polarities and the first species of particles bearing a charge of the same polarity as the third species of particles, such that when the first addressing impulse is applied in one direction, one surface of the electrophoretic medium displays the color of the third species of particle, when the first addressing impulse is applied in the opposed direction, said one surface of the display displays a mixture of the colors of the first and second particles, while when the second addressing impulse is applied in said one direction, said one surface displays a mixture of the colors of the first and third particles, and when the second addressing impulse is applied in the opposed direction, said one surface displays the color of the second particles.
7. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 6 wherein the fluid is uncolored.
8. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 7 wherein the second and third species of particles are white and black.
9. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 6 wherein, upon application of a third addressing impulse greater than the second addressing impulse, the first, second and third particles all travel in the same direction relative to the electric field.
10. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 9 wherein the fluid is colored with a color different from the colors of the first, second and third species of particles.
11. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 10 wherein one of the species of particles is white and the colors of the other two species of particles and the fluid are selected from yellow, cyan and magenta, in any order.
12. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 1 wherein the particles and the fluid are confined within a plurality of capsules or microcells.
13. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 1 wherein the particles and the fluid are present as a plurality of discrete droplets surrounded by a continuous phase comprising a polymeric material.
14. A front plane laminate, double release sheet, inverted front plane laminate or electrophoretic display comprising an electrophoretic medium according to claim 1.
15. An electrophoretic display comprising an electrophoretic medium according to claim 1 and at least one electrode arranged to apply an electric field to the electrophoretic medium.
16. An electronic book reader, portable computer, tablet computer, cellular telephone, smart card, sign, watch, shelf label or flash drive incorporating an electrophoretic medium according to claim 15.
17. A method of driving an electrophoretic medium comprising a fluid and at least a first species of particles disposed in the fluid, the method comprising:
(a) applying a first addressing impulse to the medium, thereby causing the first species of particles to move in one direction relative to the electric field; and
(b) applying a second addressing impulse, larger than the first addressing impulse but having the same polarity, to the medium, thereby causing the first species of particles to move in the opposed direction relative to the electric field.
18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the fluid is colored and the electrophoretic medium comprises a second species of particles having a color different from the first species of particles, and wherein the second species of particles move in the same direction relative to the electric field under both the first and second addressing impulses.
19. A method according to claim 17 wherein the electrophoretic medium comprises second and third species of particles having colors different from the first species of particles and from each other, the second and third species of particles bearing charges of opposite polarities and the first species of particles bearing a charge of the same polarity as the third species of particles, the method comprising:
(a) applying the first addressing impulse in one direction, thereby causing one surface of the electrophoretic medium displays the color of the third species of particle;
(b) applying first addressing impulse in the opposed direction, thereby causing said one surface of the display to display a mixture of the colors of the first and second particles;
(c) applying the second addressing impulse in said one direction, thereby causing said one surface to display a mixture of the colors of the first and third particles; and
(d) applying the second addressing impulse in the opposed direction, thereby causing said one surface to display the color of the second particles.
20. A method according to claim 19 further comprising applying to the medium a third addressing impulse greater than the second addressing impulse, thereby causing the first, second and third particles all to travel in the same direction relative to the electric field.
21. A method according to claim 19 wherein step (b) is effected by applying to electrophoretic medium a waveform comprising a series of short voltage pulses of one polarity, each except the last of the short voltage pulses being followed by a longer voltage pulse of the opposite polarity.
22. An electrophoretic display capable of rendering multiple different colors, the display comprising an electrophoretic medium comprising a fluid and a plurality of particles disposed in the fluid, the display further comprising first and second electrodes disposed on opposed sides of the electrophoretic medium, wherein upon application of a first addressing impulse to the electrophoretic medium the particles move towards the first electrode, but upon application of a second addressing impulse, larger than, but of the same polarity as, the first addressing impulse, the particles move towards the second electrode.
23. An electrophoretic display according to claim 22 wherein, upon application of the first addressing impulse the particles move towards the more positive electrode but upon application of the second addressing impulse the particles move towards the more negative electrode.
24. An electrophoretic display according to claim 23 further comprising a second type of particles which have a color different from the first type of particles and which move towards the more negative electrode upon application of either the first or second addressing impulse.
25. An electrophoretic medium comprising a fluid and first, second and third species of particles disposed in the fluid, the first species of particles bearing charges of one polarity, and the second and third species of particles bearing charges of the opposite polarity, such that when a first addressing impulse is applied to the electrophoretic medium, the first and third species of particles move in one direction relative to the electric field and the second species of particles move in the opposed direction relative to the electric field, but when a second addressing impulse, larger than the first addressing impulse but of the same polarity, is applied to the electrophoretic medium, the first species of particles move in said one direction relative to the electric field, while the second and third species of particles move in said opposed direction relative to the electric field.
26. An electrophoretic medium according to claim 25 wherein the second species of particles bears a polymeric surface treatment and the third species of particles bears either no polymeric surface treatment or a a polymeric surface treatment having a lower mass coverage per unit area of the particle surface than the second species of particles.
27. An electrophoretic display capable of rendering multiple different colors, the display comprising an electrophoretic medium and first and second electrodes disposed on opposed sides of the electrophoretic medium, the electrophoretic medium comprising a fluid and a plurality of a first species of particles having a negative charge, a plurality of a second species of particles having a positive charge, and a plurality of a third species of particles having a positive charge, wherein the particle pair interactions, both Coulombic and attractive non-Coulombic, are less between the first species of particles and the second species of particles than between the first species of particles and the third species of particles, such that with a first addressing impulse the particles of the first and third species move towards the more positive electrode and the particles of the second species move towards the more negative electrode, but with a second addressing impulse larger than the first addressing impulse, the particles of the first species move towards the more positive electrode or remain in the vicinity of the more positive electrode and the particles of the third species move towards the more negative electrode, while the particles of the second species remain in the vicinity of the more negative electrode.
28. An electrophoretic medium comprising a fluid, dyed a first color, and first, second and third species of particles disposed in the fluid, the first species of particles being light-scattering, and bearing charges of one polarity, while the second and third species of particles are non-light scattering, are of second and third colors respectively different from the first color and from each other, and bear charges of the opposite polarity, the characteristics of the first, second and third species of particles being such that the particle-particle interactions are less between the particles of the first species and the particles of the second species than between the particles of the first species and the particles of the third species, such that when a first addressing impulse is applied to the electrophoretic medium, the first and third species of particles move in one direction relative to the electric field and the second species of particles move in the opposed direction relative to the electric field, but when a second addressing impulse, larger than the first addressing impulse but of the same polarity is applied to the electrophoretic medium, the first species of particles move in said one direction relative to the electric field, while the second and third species of particles move in said opposed direction relative to the electric field, and when a third addressing impulse, larger than the second addressing impulse but of the same polarity is applied to the electrophoretic medium, the first species of particles move in said opposed direction relative to the electric field, while the second and third species of particles continue to move in said opposed direction relative to the electric field.
29. An electrophoretic display capable of rendering multiple different colors, the display comprising an electrophoretic medium and first and second electrodes disposed on opposed sides of the electrophoretic medium, the electrophoretic medium comprising a fluid dyed a first color; a plurality of a first species of light-scattering particles having a negative charge; a plurality of a second species of non-light scattering particles having a second color and a positive charge; and a plurality of a third species of non-light-scattering particles having a third color and a positive charge, the particle pair interactions, both Coulombic and attractive non-Coulombic, being less between the first species of particles and the second species of particles than between the first species of particles and the third species of particles, such that when a first addressing impulse is applied to the display, the first and third species of particles move towards the more positive electrode and the pigment particles of the second type move towards the more negative electrode, but when a second addressing impulse, larger than the first addressing impulse, is applied to the display, the first species of particles move towards the more positive electrode or remain in the vicinity of the more positive electrode and the third species of particles move towards the more negative electrode, while the second species of particles remain in the vicinity of the more negative electrode, and when a third addressing impulse, larger than the second addressing impulse, is applied to the display, the first species of particles move towards the more negative electrode.
30. An electrophoretic medium comprising a fluid and at least one type of charged particle disposed in the fluid and capable of moving through the fluid when an electric field is applied to the medium, the medium further comprising a charge-control adjuvant capable of imparting a more positive charge to the charged particles, wherein the charge-control adjuvant is a metal salt of a carboxylic acid, wherein the metal is chosen from the group consisting of lithium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, rubidium, barium, zinc, copper, tin, titanium, manganese, iron, vanadium, and aluminum.

1. A downhole tool for collecting and retrieving junk from a well bore, the tool comprising: a cylindrical body attachable in a work string; a multi-faceted surface comprising a plurality of projections arranged at an end of the body for contacting with and breaking up junk; and a plurality of inlet ports through which the broken up junk passes into a trap for collection, wherein each projection is located between adjacent inlet ports.
2. A downhole tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the projections each include a plurality of tungsten carbide coated surfaces.
3. A downhole tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tool further includes a sleeve located around the body, the sleeve including filter means for filtering debris from fluid passing there through.
4. A downhole tool as claimed in claim 3 wherein a trap is provided in an annular space between the body and the sleeve.
5. A downhole tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ports have a flow path parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tool.
6. A downhole tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein each inlet port includes a valve.
7. A downhole tool as claimed in claim 3 wherein the tool includes a throat, the throat being located adjacent to the projections and having a diameter narrower than a diameter of the sleeve.
8. A downhole tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cylindrical body includes an axial bore to permit fluid flow through the work string.
9. A downhole tool as claimed in claim 7 wherein the tool includes one or more milling elements located adjacent the throat and distal to the inlet ports.
10. A method of collecting and retrieving junk within a well bore, comprising the steps:
a) providing a multi-faceted contact surface on a work string, the surface including a plurality of projections and a plurality of inlet ports, each projection being located between adjacent inlet ports;
b) breaking up large pieces of junk by contact with the surface;
c) collecting the broken-up junk through the inlet ports; and
d) storing the broken-up junk in a trap adjacent the inlet ports.
11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the method includes the steps of providing a mill ahead of the surface and jetting milled junk from the mill towards the inlet ports.
12. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the method includes the step of operating one or more valves at each inlet port to prevent the broken-up junk from exiting the trap.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1-25. (canceled)
26. A method to adjust timing of an electrically actuated valve, said electrically actuated valve operating in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
during a cycle of said cylinder, opening said electrically actuated valve at a first valve opening position without activating a valve opening coil, and closing the valve at a first closing position; and
during a second subsequent cycle of said cylinder, opening said electrically actuated valve at a second opening position that is varied based on the crankshaft angle at which said first closing occurs, where the second opening position is increased as said the crankshaft angle at which the first closing occurs increases.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein said first closing position is determined from a signal of a sensor.
28. The method of claim 26 wherein between said first opening and first closing said electrically actuated valve, a valve closing electromagnet is de-energized and then energized after a integral number of oscillations of a valve armature between said valve closing electromagnet and a valve opening electromagnet.
29. The method of claim 26 further comprising varying of said second opening position of said electrically actuated valve in response to a sensor signal.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein said sensor signal is indicative of a cylinder air charge amount.
31. The method of claim 26 wherein said electrically actuated valve is an intake valve.
32. The method of claim 26 wherein said electrically actuated valve is an exhaust valve.
33. The method of claim 26 wherein between said first opening and first closing said electrically actuated valve, a closing coil repels then attracts an actuator armature that acts on said electrically actuated valve.
34. A method to adjust timing of an electrically actuated valve, said electrically actuated valve operating in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
operating a closing coil of said electrically actuated valve when said electrically actuated valve is in a substantially closed position;
opening said electrically actuated valve without actuating an opening coil of said electrically actuated valve in a first cylinder cycle;
operating said closing coil after a predetermined period to close said electrically actuated valve at a first position; and
opening said electrically actuated valve during a second cylinder cycle, said second cylinder cycle subsequent to said first cylinder cycle, without actuating an opening coil of said electrically actuated valve, at a position that is based on the crankshaft angle at which said closing occurred, where the position of the opening of the electrically actuated valve during the second cylinder cycle is increased as the crankshaft angle at which said closing occurred is increased.
35. The method of claim 34 wherein said electrically actuated valve is an intake valve.
36. The method of claim 34 wherein said electrically actuated valve is an exhaust valve.
37. The method of claim 34 wherein the opening position of said electrically actuated valve varies based on a sensor signal.
38. The method of claim 16 wherein said sensor signal is indicative of a cylinder air charge amount.
39. The method of claim 37 wherein said operating a closing coil of said electrically actuated valve when said electrically actuated valve is in a substantially closed position acts to allow said electrically actuated valve to move to an open position.
40. The method of claim 37 wherein said operating said closing coil of said electrically actuated valve varies based on said sensor signal.
41. A computer readable storage medium having stored data representing instructions executable by a computer to control an electrically actuated valve in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, said storage medium comprising:
instructions for opening said electrically actuated valve at a first position and closing said electrically actuated valve at a second position without activating a valve opening coil, during a cycle of said cylinder; and
instructions for opening said electrically actuated valve at a third position based on the crankshaft angle at which said second position occurs and closing said electrically actuated valve at a fourth position during a subsequent cycle of said cylinder, where the third position is increased as the second position increases.