Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer comprising:
a nonpiezoelectric plate;
at least one transducer-unit consisting of
at least one input IDT Ti (i1, 2, . . . , m) having an interdigital periodicity P and an overlap length L,
at least one output IDT Ri (i1, 2, . . . , m) having the electrode-finger direction slanting to that of said at least one input IDT Ti by an angle , and having an interdigital periodicity PN along the orthogonal direction to said electrode-finger direction of said at least one output IDT Ri and an overlap length LP along said electrode-finger direction of said at least one output IDT Ri,
a first input piezoelectric substrate, and
a first output piezoelectric substrate;

a signal analyzer;
a second piezoelectric substrate;
a coding IDT consisting of interdigital electrode pairs and having a coded pattern;
a terminal IDT having the electrode-finger direction parallel to that of said coding IDT;
a third piezoelectric substrate;
an initial IDT; and
a decoding IDT having the same construction pattern as said coding IDT,
said nonpiezoelectric plate, said at least one transducer-unit, and said signal analyzer forming a touch-panel section,
said second piezoelectric substrate, said coding IDT, and said terminal IDT forming a lock section,
said third piezoelectric substrate, said initial IDT, and said decoding IDT forming a key section,
said at least one input IDT Ti receiving an input electric signal, exciting a first SAW in said first input piezoelectric substrate, and transmitting said first SAW to said first output piezoelectric substrate along an upper end surface of said nonpiezoelectric plate,
said at least one output IDT Ri transducing said first SAW to electric signals Ej (j1, 2, . . . , n), of which the phase delays linearly correlate to SAW propagation lanes Wj (j1, 2, . . . , n) between said at least one input IDT Ti and said at least one output IDT Ri on said upper end surface of said nonpiezoelectric plate, and detecting one of said electric signals Ej only when touching one of said SAW propagation lanes Wj,
said coding IDT receiving said one of said electric signals Ej, and exciting a second SAW based on said coded pattern on said second piezoelectric substrate,
said terminal IDT detecting a coded burst-signal corresponding to said coded pattern,
said initial IDT receiving said coded burst-signal, and exciting a third SAW on said third piezoelectric substrate,
said decoding IDT detecting a pulse if said third SAW correlates to said coded pattern, and
said signal analyzer sensing said one of said SAW propagation lanes Wj by means of the phase of said pulse.
2. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer as defined in claim 1, wherein said interdigital periodicity PN is equal to the product of said interdigital periodicity P and cos , and said overlap length LP is equal to not only the product of said overlap length L and sec , but also the product of said interdigital periodicity P and cosec .
3. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer as defined in claim 1, wherein said first input-, first output-, second-, and third piezoelectric substrates are made of a piezoelectric ceramic, respectively, the polarization axis thereof being parallel to the thickness direction thereof.
4. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer as defined in claim 1, wherein said first input-, first output-, second-, and third piezoelectric substrates have a thickness smaller than said interdigital periodicity P, and said nonpiezoelectric plate has a thickness larger than three times said interdigital periodicity P.
5. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer as defined in claim 1, wherein the phase velocity of said first SAW on said nonpiezoelectric plate alone is higher than that in said first input-, and first output piezoelectric substrates alone.
6. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer as defined in claim 1, wherein said touch-panel section further comprises an amplifier connected between said signal analyzer and said at least one input IDT Ti.
7. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer comprising:
a nonpiezoelectric plate;
two transducer-units, of which each consists of
at least one input IDT Ti (i1, 2, . . . , m) having an interdigital periodicity P and an overlap length L,
at least one output IDT Ri (i1, 2, . . . , m) having the electrode-finger direction slanting to that of said at least one input IDT Ti by an angle , and having an interdigital periodicity PN along the orthogonal direction to said electrode-finger direction of said at least one output IDT Ri and an overlap length LP along said electrode-finger direction of said at least one output IDT Ri,
a first input piezoelectric substrate, and
a first output piezoelectric substrate;

a signal analyzer;
a second piezoelectric substrate;
two coding IDTs, of which each consists of interdigital electrode pairs and having a coded pattern;
two terminal IDTs having the electrode-finger directions parallel to those of said two coding IDTs, respectively;
a third piezoelectric substrate;
two initial IDTs; and
two decoding IDTs having the same construction patterns as said two coding IDTs, respectively,
said nonpiezoelectric plate, said two transducer-units, and said signal analyzer forming a touch-panel section,
said second piezoelectric substrate, said two coding IDTs, and said two terminal IDTs forming a lock section,
said third piezoelectric substrate, said two initial IDTs, and said two decoding IDTs forming a key section,
said at least one input IDT Ti of each of said two transducer-units receiving an input electric signal, exciting a first SAW in said first input piezoelectric substrate, and transmitting said first SAW to said first output piezoelectric substrate along an upper end surface of said nonpiezoelectric plate,
said at least one output IDT Ri of each of said two transducer-units transducing said first SAW to electric signals Ej (j1, 2, . . . , n), of which the phase delays linearly correlate to SAW propagation lanes Wxj (j1, 2, . . . , n) between said at least one input IDT Ti and said at least one output IDT Ri on said upper end surface of said nonpiezoelectric plate, and detecting one of said electric signals Ej only when touching one of said SAW propagation lanes Wxj,
each of said two coding IDTs receiving said one of said electric signals Ej, and exciting a second SAW based on said coded pattern on said second piezoelectric substrate,
each of said two terminal IDTs detecting a coded burst-signal corresponding to said coded pattern,
each of said two initial IDTs receiving said coded burst-signal, and exciting a third SAW on said third piezoelectric substrate,
each of said two decoding IDTs detecting a pulse if said third SAW correlates to said coded pattern, and
said signal analyzer sensing said one of said SAW propagation lanes Wj by means of the phase of said pulse.
8. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer as defined in claim 7, wherein said two coding IDTs have the different coded patterns from each other.
9. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer as defined in claim 7, wherein said interdigital periodicity PN is equal to the product of said interdigital periodicity P and cos , and said overlap length LP is equal to not only the product of said overlap length L and sec , but also the product of said interdigital periodicity P and cosec .
10. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer as defined in claim 7, wherein said first input-, first output-, second-, and third piezoelectric substrates are made of a piezoelectric ceramic, respectively, the polarization axis thereof being parallel to the thickness direction thereof.
11. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer as defined in claim 7, wherein said first input-, first output-, second-, and third piezoelectric substrates have a thickness smaller than said interdigital periodicity P, and said nonpiezoelectric plate has a thickness larger than three times said interdigital periodicity P.
12. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer as defined in claim 7, wherein the phase velocity of said first SAW on said nonpiezoelectric plate alone is higher than that in said first input-, and first output piezoelectric substrates alone.
13. An ultrasonic security system for personal computer as defined in claim 7, wherein said touch-panel section further comprises two amplifiers, of which each is connected between said signal analyzer and said at least one input IDT Ti of each of said two transducer-units.

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 flanged bearing ring (11) for a motor vehicle wheel, the ring (11) defining a central axis of rotation (x) and comprising:
a tubular core (20) made of a first, high toughness metallic material, and
a flange (13) extending in a radially outer direction, wherein the flange is made of a second material lighter than the first, is integral with the core (20), and has a plurality of axial through bores (14) at positions equally angularly spaced around the axis (x), each bore defining a respective axis (a) parallel to the axis of rotation (x); and wherein
the flanged ring includes a plurality of steel inserts (30), each is fixed in one of the bores (14) and providing a threaded inner cylindrical cavity (31) extending between an axially inner radial face (15) and an axially outer radial face (16) of the flange (13), and
at least one first transversal outer surface (33) which extends transversely with respect to the axis of rotation (x) and is in contact with the second material of the flange (13) so as to counter relative axial movements of the steel insert (30) with respect to the flange (13).
2. The flanged ring according to claim 1, wherein each insert (30) further provides a second outer transverse surface (34) which extends transversely with respect to the axis of rotation (x), is facing an axial direction opposite to an axial direction faced by the first outer transverse surface (33), and is in contact with the second material of the flange (13) so as to counter relative axial movements of the steel insert (30) relative to the flange (13).
3. The flanged ring according to claim 2, wherein each insert (30) has a sleeve portion (32) which forms the internal threaded cavity (31), and
at least a first shoulder (35, 36, 37) which extends outwardly from the sleeve portion and provides the at least one first transverse external surface (33).
4. The flanged ring according to claim 3, wherein the first shoulder (37) extends from an area of the sleeve portion (32) located in an intermediate position between the axially inner (15) and outer (16) radial faces of the flange (13), and
provides the two transversal outer surfaces (33, 34) located on opposite axial sides of the same shoulder and facing opposite axial directions.
5. The flanged ring according to claim 3, wherein each insert (30) provides the first shoulder (35) with the first transversal outer surface (33), and
a second shoulder (36) which extends outwardly from the sleeve portion (32) and provides the second transversal outer surface (34) which is facing axially the first transversal outer surface (33).
6. The flanged ring according to claim 5, wherein the two axially spaced shoulders (35, 36) are axially spaced and extend from respective opposite axial ends of the sleeve portion (32).
7. The flanged ring according to claim 6, wherein each insert (30) has at least one outer anti-rotation surface (38) which is arranged in contact with the second material of the flange (13) for preventing rotational movements of the insert about the axis (a) of the respective bore (14).
8. The flanged ring according to claim 7, wherein each of the anti-rotation surfaces (38) provides zones radially spaced differently from the axis (a) of the respective bore (14).
9. The flanged ring according to claim 8, wherein each of the anti-rotation surfaces (38) further comprises a surface having a shape different from that of a surface of revolution about the axis (a) of the respective bore (14).
10. The flanged ring according to claim 9, wherein the anti-rotation surfaces (38) are provided on peripheral zones of at least one of the shoulders (35, 36, 37).
11. The flanged ring according to any claim 10, wherein the first metallic material of which the tubular core (20) is made from at least one of a bearing grade steel and a steel having a low carbon content, and that
the second material of which the flange (13) is made of is selected from the following: aluminum or aluminum alloys, titanium alloys, magnesium alloys, metal matrix composites, polymers, fiber reinforced polymers.

1. A computer-implemented method for generating enhanced invoice payment documents, the method comprising:
receiving, by a computer system having a processor, a plurality of invoices issued by a plurality of different issuers and issued to a plurality of different recipients;
creating, by the computer system, a digital image of each of the plurality of invoices;
storing, by the computer system, the digital images of the plurality of invoices in a database connected to the computer processor;
receiving, by the computer system, an authorization from one of the recipients to make a payment by check for one or more of the plurality of invoices of a common issuer, as selected by said recipient;
retrieving, by the computer system, an image of the selected one or more of the plurality of invoices from the database;
generating, by the computer system, an enhanced invoice payment document, the enhanced invoice payment document containing (1) a check payable to an issuer of the selected invoice or invoices, and (2) the image of each of the selected one or more invoices;
displaying, by the computer system, a layout of the enhanced invoice payment document to said recipient for approval; and
responsive to receiving an approval from said recipient for the layout, preparing, by the computer system, the enhanced invoice payment document to be transmitted to an issuer.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:
the receiving authorization comprises receiving authorization from said recipient to make payment by a single check for two or more invoices selected by said recipient, the selected invoices all issued by a single issuer; and
the enhanced invoice payment document further containing images of each of the selected invoices, wherein the images of each of the selected invoices are laid out on a same page as the check in the graphical representation of the enhanced invoice payment document.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
responsive to receiving a disapproval from said recipient for the layout, generating a separate enhanced invoice payment document for each one of the selected invoices, wherein each of the separate enhanced invoice payment documents for each selected invoice includes (1) a separate check payable to an issuer for payment of that selected invoice, and (2) the corresponding image of that selected invoice.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the enhanced invoice payment document further comprises at least one of the following: a note about an underlying transaction, a mini-statement, and an advertisement.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the image of the one or more invoices is printed on a back side of the paper on which the check is printed.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein a classic statement is printed on a front side of the paper.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
comparing the received plurality of invoices to determine distinguishing features of templates of invoices from different issuers;
selecting templates for the invoices based on the determined distinguishing features, each template being identified with an issuer; and
extracting data from the received plurality of invoices based on the selected templates.
8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is encoded executable computer program instructions, the executable computer program instructions comprising instructions for:
receiving, by a computer system having a processor, a plurality of invoices issued by a plurality of different issuers and issued to a plurality of different recipients;
creating, by the computer system, a digital image of each of the plurality of invoices;
storing, by the computer system, the digital images of the plurality of invoices in a database connected to the computer processor;
receiving, by the computer system, an authorization from one of the recipients to make a payment by check for one or more of the plurality of invoices of a common issuer, as selected by said recipient;
retrieving, by the computer system, an image of the selected one or more of the plurality of invoices from the database;
generating, by the computer system, an enhanced invoice payment document, the enhanced invoice payment document containing (1) a check payable to an issuer of the selected invoice or invoices, and (2) the image of each of the selected one or more invoices;
displaying, by the computer system, a layout of the enhanced invoice payment document to said recipient for approval; and
responsive to receiving an approval from said recipient for the layout, preparing, by the computer system, the enhanced invoice payment document to be transmitted to an issuer.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:
the receiving authorization comprises receiving authorization from said recipient to make payment by a single check for two or more invoices selected by said recipient, the selected invoices all issued by a single issuer; and
the enhanced invoice payment document further containing images of each of the selected invoices, wherein the images of each of the selected invoices are laid out on a same page as the check in the graphical representation of the enhanced invoice payment document.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the executable computer program instructions further comprise instructions for:
responsive to receiving a disapproval from said recipient for the layout, generating a separate enhanced invoice payment document for each one of the selected invoices, wherein each of the separate enhanced invoice payment documents for each selected invoice includes (1) a separate check payable to an issuer for payment of that selected invoice, and (2) the corresponding image of that selected invoice.
11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the image of the one or more selected invoices is printed on a back side of the paper on which the check is printed.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the executable computer program instructions further comprise instructions for:
comparing the received plurality of invoices to determine distinguishing features of templates of invoices from different issuers;
selecting templates for the invoices based on the determined distinguishing features, each template being identified with an issuer; and
extracting data from the received plurality of invoices based on the selected templates.
13. A system comprising:
a processor and a memory storing instructions configured to instruct the processor to:
receive a plurality of invoices issued by a plurality of different issuers and issued to a plurality of different recipients;
create a digital image of each of the plurality of invoices;
store the digital images of the plurality of invoices in a database connected to the processor;
receive an authorization from one of the recipients to make a payment by check for one or more of the plurality of invoices of a common issuer, as selected by said recipient;
retrieve an image of the selected one or more of the plurality of invoices from the database;
generate an enhanced invoice payment document, the enhanced invoice payment document containing (1) a check payable to an issuer of the selected invoice or invoices, and (2) the image of each of the selected one or more invoices;
display a layout of the enhanced invoice payment document to said recipient for approval; and
responsive to receiving an approval from said recipient for the layout, prepare the enhanced invoice payment document to be transmitted to an issuer.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein:
the received authorization comprises receiving authorization from said recipient to make payment by a single check for two or more invoices selected by said recipient, the selected invoices all issued by a single issuer; and
the enhanced invoice payment document further containing images of each of the selected invoices, wherein the images of each of the selected invoices are laid out on a same page as the check in the graphical representation of the enhanced invoice payment document.
15. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions are configured to further instruct the processor to:
responsive to receiving a disapproval from said recipient for the layout, generate a separate enhanced invoice payment document for each one of the selected invoices, wherein each of the separate enhanced invoice payment documents for each selected invoice includes (1) a separate check payable to an issuer for payment of that selected invoice, and (2) the corresponding image of that selected invoice.
16. The system of claim 13, wherein the image of the one or more selected invoices is printed on a back side of the paper on which the check is printed.
17. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions are configured to further instruct the processor to:
compare the received plurality of invoices to determine distinguishing features of templates of invoices from different issuers;
select templates for the invoices based on the determined distinguishing features, each template being identified with an issuer; and
extract data from the received plurality of invoices based on the selected templates.

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 aircraft, comprising:
a fuel source configured to provide a fuel;
an oxidizer source configured to provide an oxidizer;
a fuel cell configured to react the fuel with the oxidizer to operate at a given power-generation rate; and
a controller configured to regulate the reaction pressure of a reactant of the group consisting of the fuel and the oxidizer;
wherein the controller is configured to regulate the reaction pressure to be less than one atmosphere with the aircraft at a cruise altitude and the fuel cell operating at the given power-generation rate.
2. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the cruise altitude is in the range of 55,000 to 70,000 feet.
3. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the reaction pressure of the reactant is not greater than 11 psia.
4. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the reaction pressure of the fuel is not greater than 11 psia, and wherein the reaction pressure of the oxidizer is not greater than 11 psia.
5. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the reaction pressure of the reactant is not greater than 10 psia.
6. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the reaction pressure of the fuel is not greater than 10 psia, and wherein the reaction pressure of the oxidizer is not greater than 10 psia.
7. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the reaction pressure of the reactant is not greater than 6 psia.
8. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the reaction pressure of the reactant is approximately 6 psia and the cruise altitude is in the range of 55,000 to 70,000 feet.
9. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate the reaction pressure of the reactant in response to the power requirements of the aircraft.
10. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the oxidizer source comprises an inlet for ambient air and a compression mechanism configured to compress the ambient air.
11. The aircraft of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate the reaction pressure of the oxidizer by regulating the amount by which the compression mechanism compresses the ambient air.
12. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the fuel source comprises a hydrogen tank containing liquid hydrogen, and a heat source for controllably boiling the liquid hydrogen.
13. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate the reaction pressure of the fuel by regulating the rate at which the heater boils the liquid hydrogen.
14. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate the reaction pressure of the fuel to be no greater than a predetermined increment above the reaction pressure of the oxidizer.
15. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein:
the oxidizer source comprises an inlet for ambient air and a compression mechanism configured to compress the ambient air;
the fuel source comprises a hydrogen tank containing liquid hydrogen, and a heat source for controllably boiling the liquid hydrogen; and
the controller is further configured to regulate the reaction pressure of the oxidizer by regulating the amount by which the compression mechanism compresses the ambient air, and to regulate the reaction pressure of the fuel by regulating the rate at which the heater boils the liquid hydrogen; and
the controller is further configured to regulate the reaction pressures of the fuel and the oxidizer such that the power-generation rate of the fuel cell varies in response to the power requirements of the aircraft, and the reaction pressure of the fuel is no greater than a predetermined increment above the reaction pressure of the oxidizer.
16. The aircraft of claim 15, wherein, with a cruise altitude in the range of 55,000 to 70,000 feet, the reaction pressure of the oxidizer is approximately 6 psia, and the predetermined increment is approximately 4-5 psi.
17. An aircraft, comprising:
a hydrogen source including a hydrogen tank and a mechanism configured to regulate delivery of hydrogen from the hydrogen tank;
an oxygen source including a compression mechanism configured to compress ambient air from outside of the aircraft;
a fuel cell configured to react hydrogen from the hydrogen tank with oxygen from the compression mechanism to generate power; and
a control system configured to control the operation of the hydrogen source and the oxygen source at a given aircraft flight condition such that the fuel cell reacts oxygen at a first reaction pressure with hydrogen at a second reaction pressure, wherein the first reaction pressure is less than one atmosphere, and wherein the difference between the first reaction pressure and the second reaction pressure is no greater than a predetermined limit.
18. The aircraft of claim 17, wherein the second reaction pressure is less than one atmosphere.
19. The aircraft of claim 17, wherein the control system is configured to vary the first and second pressures based on power requirements of the aircraft.
20. The aircraft of claim 19, wherein the control system is configured such that at a stratospheric flight condition, the first pressure is approximately 6 psia, and the predetermined limit is not greater than 5 psi.