Author: claimsbot

1. A remote pharmaceutical dispensing system for automatically dispensing medication, comprising:
(a) a plurality of packets each containing at least one type of medication for a predetermined hour of administration;
(b) at least one cartridge having a cartridge housing with an interior and a cover for selectively enclosing contents within the interior of the cartridge housing, the cover securable to the cartridge housing in a locked position, wherein the cover securely encloses the contents within the interior of the cartridge housing to substantially prevent access to the contents, and an unlocked position, wherein the cover is at least partially removable from the cartridge housing to allow access to the contents within the interior of the cartridge housing;
(c) a feed mechanism disposed within the interior of the cartridge housing, the feed mechanism suitable for advancing at least one of the plurality of packets containing at least one type of medication through an opening in the cartridge housing;
(d) a dispenser having a dispenser housing sized and configured to receive the at least one cartridge, the dispenser housing having an opening in substantial alignment with the opening in the cartridge housing, the dispenser further including a motor that is drivably engageable with the feed mechanism of the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the dispenser to advance the at least one of the plurality of packets containing at least one type of medication through the opening in the cartridge housing and through the opening in the dispenser housing, the motor drivably engageable with the feed mechanism when the cover is secured to the cartridge housing in the locked position; and
(e) a controller in operable communication with the motor and configured to actuate the motor to advance at least one of the plurality of packets containing at least one type of medication through the opening in the cartridge housing and through the opening in the dispenser housing at the predetermined hour of administration.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is in networked communication with a data center and a pharmacy.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the data center is configured to receive instructions from the pharmacy and communicate with the controller for instructing the controller to actuate the motor to advance at least one of the plurality of packets containing at least one type of medication through the opening in the cartridge housing and through the opening in the dispenser housing at the predetermined hour of administration based upon the instructions received from the pharmacy.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the cartridge includes a unique identifier that is identifiable by the controller when the cartridge is received within the dispenser, and wherein the controller sends the unique identifier to the data center.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the data center sends unique dispensing instructions to the controller corresponding to the cartridge received within the dispenser.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the pharmacy includes a pharmacy information system having software that is capable of receiving and processing prescriptions sent from the data center.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the software creates an electronic manifest corresponding to each unique identifier, the electronic manifest containing a record of the plurality of packets, the at least one type of medication contained within the plurality of packets, and the hour of administration for each of the plurality of packets, and wherein the electronic manifest is sent to the controller through the data center.
8. The system of claim 2, wherein the data center communicates with the controller for monitoring the inventory of the plurality of packets each containing at least one type of medication within the dispenser.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of packets each containing at least one type of medication are secured to one another end to end to define a strip, and wherein a transverse perforation is defined between each of the plurality of packets such that the plurality of packets are separable from one another.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of packets is labeled with information suitable for uniquely identifying at least one type of medication contained within the packet.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of packets contains more than one type of medication for a predetermined hour of administration.
12. A remote pharmaceutical dispensing system for automatically dispensing medication, comprising:
(a) a plurality of packets, at least some of the plurality of packets containing at least one type of medication for a predetermined hour of administration;
(b) at least one cartridge having a cartridge housing with an interior and a cover for selectively enclosing contents within the interior of the cartridge housing, the cover securable to the cartridge housing in a locked position, wherein the cover securely encloses the contents within the interior of the cartridge housing to substantially prevent access to the contents, and an unlocked position, wherein the cover is at least partially removable from the cartridge housing to allow access to the contents within the interior of the cartridge housing;
(c) a feed mechanism disposed within the interior of the cartridge housing, the feed mechanism suitable for advancing at least one of the plurality of packets containing at least one type of medication through an opening in the cartridge housing;
(d) a dispenser having a dispenser housing sized and configured to receive the at least one cartridge, the dispenser housing having an opening in substantial alignment with the opening in the cartridge housing, the dispenser further including a motor that is drivably engageable with the feed mechanism of the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the dispenser to advance the at least one of the plurality of packets containing at least one type of medication through the opening in the cartridge housing and through the opening in the dispenser housing, the motor drivably engageable with the feed mechanism when the cover is secured to the cartridge housing in the locked position; and
(e) a controller in operable communication with the motor and configured to actuate the motor to advance at least one of the plurality of packets containing at least one type of medication through the opening in the cartridge housing and through the opening in the dispenser housing at the predetermined hour of administration.

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 lens module, comprising:
a first barrel having a bump;
a second barrel disposed inside the first barrel;
a lens;
a swing lever having a first end and a second end, the lens disposed at the first end; and
a connecting shift connecting the swing lever and the second barrel, the swing lever rotated around the connecting shift;
wherein the bump is used for pushing the second end of the swing lever.
2. The lens module according to claim 1, wherein the bump has a first inclined plane with which the bump presses the second end of the swing lever.
3. The lens module according to claim 2, wherein the second end of the swing lever has a second inclined plane, and the first inclined plane of the bump presses the second inclined plane of the swing lever.
4. The lens module according to claim 3, wherein the first inclined plane and the second inclined plane are correspondingly engaged with each other.
5. The lens module according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic member disposed on the connecting shift.
6. The lens module according to claim 5, wherein the elastic member is a torsion spring or a helical compression spring.
7. The lens module according to claim 1, wherein the first barrel connects a shutter or another lens.
8. The lens module according to claim 1, wherein the first barrel has an opening, and the opening is used for accommodating the lens.
9. An electronic device, comprising the lens modular claimed in claim 1.
10. An image capturing system, comprising:
a lens module, comprising:
a first barrel having a bump;
a second barrel disposed inside the first barrel;
a swing lever having a first end and a second end;
a lens disposed at the first end of the swing lever; and
a connecting shift connecting the swing lever and the second barrel, the swing lever rotated around the connecting shift; and

an image capturing device disposed on an optical path of the lens module for sensing a light beam radiated onto the lens module.
11. The image capturing system according to claim 10, wherein the bump pushes the second end of the swing lever.
12. The image capturing system according to claim 10, wherein the bump has a first inclined plane, and the first inclined plane of the bump presses the second end of the swing lever.
13. The image capturing system according to claim 12, wherein the second end of the swing lever has a second inclined plane, and the first inclined plane of the bump presses the second inclined plane of the swing lever for lifting the swing lever.
14. The image capturing system according to claim 10, further comprising an elastic member disposed on the connecting shift for providing an elasticity restoring force to the swing lever.
15. The image capturing system according to claim 14, wherein the elastic member is a torsion spring or a helical compression spring.
16. A lens module, comprising:
a first barrel having a bump;
a second barrel disposed inside the first barrel;
a swing lever having a first end and a second end;
a lens disposed at the first end of the swing lever; and
a connecting shift connecting the swing lever and the second barrel, the swing lever rotated around the connecting shift.
17. The lens module according to claim 16, wherein the bump has a first inclined plane, and the first inclined plane of the bump pushes and press the second end of the swing lever.
18. The lens module according to claim 16, further comprising an elastic member disposed on the connecting shift.
19. The lens module according to claim 16, wherein the first barrel has an opening used for accommodating the lens.
20. An electronic device, comprising the lens modular claimed in claim 16.

1. A method of optimizing a query in a computer, the query being performed by the computer to retrieve data from a relational database stored in an electronic storage device coupled to the computer, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a query having a subquery containing a predicate for matching a nullable left-hand-size (LHS) operand to a nullable right-hand-size (RHS) operand, the query predicate presented in the form of \u201cLHS operand=RHS operand OR (LHS operand IS NULL AND RHS operand IS NULL)\u201d;
(b) transforming the subquery such that the re-written subquery has a simple predicate LHS=RHS returning TRUE value in a presence of a NULL value in all said operands, thereby enabling an optimizer to allow all access methods; and
(c) executing the transformed query in the computer to retrieve data from the relational database.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subquery transforming step comprises the step of re-writing the subquery by forming a \u201cCASE\u201d expression having two subqueries wherein:
the first subquery is executed when the LHS operand is NULL and having an \u201cRHS operand IS NULL\u201d predicate, and
the second subquery is executed when the LHS operand is not NULL and having an \u201cLHS operand=RHS operand\u201d predicate.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the executing the transformed query step comprises the following steps:
determining whether to execute the first or second subquery by evaluating whether the LHS operand having a NULL value,
if so, checking the RHS operand for nullness, or
if not so, checking whether the LHS operand has the same value as the RHS operand, and
interpreting the predicate as TRUE, in a presence of a NULL value in both operands.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the query transforming step is applied during a query plan compilation phase of query processing.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the query transforming step is applied during a query rewrite phase of query processing.
6. An apparatus for optimizing a query, comprising:
a computer having an electronic storage device coupled thereto for storing a relational database, the query being performed by the computer to retrieve data from the relational database;
means, performed by the computer, for receiving a query having a subquery containing a predicate for matching a nullable left-hand-size (LHS) operand to a nullable right-hand-size (RHS) operand, the query predicate presented in the form of \u201cLHS operand=RHS operand OR (LHS operand IS NULL AND RHS operand IS NULL)\u201d;
means, performed by the computer, for transforming the subquery such that the rewritten subquery has a simple predicate LHS=RHS returning TRUE value in a presence of a NULL value in all said operands, thereby enabling an optimizer to allow all access methods; and
means, performed by the computer, for executing the transformed query in the computer to retrieve data from the relational database.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for transforming the subquery comprises the means for re-writing the subquery by forming a \u201cCASE\u201d expression having two subqueries wherein:
the first subquery is executed when the LHS operand is NULL and having an \u201cRHS operand IS NULL\u201d predicate, and
the second subquery is executed when the LHS operand is not NULL and having an \u201cLHS operand=RHS operand\u201d predicate.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the means for executing the transformed query comprises:
means for determining whether to execute the first or second subquery by evaluating whether the LHS operand having a NULL value,
means for checking the RHS operand for nullness,
means for checking whether the LHS operand has the same value as the RHS operand, and
means for interpreting the predicate as TRUE, in a presence of a NULL value in both operands.
9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for transforming the query is applied during a query plan compilation phase of query processing.
10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for transforming the query is applied during a query rewrite phase of query processing.
11. A program storage device readable by a computer tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for optimizing a query, the query being performed by the computer to retrieve data from a relational database stored in an electronic storage device coupled to the computer, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a query having a subquery containing a predicate for matching a nullable left-hand-size (LHS) operand to a nullable right-hand-size (RHS) operand, the query predicate presented in the form of \u201cLHS operand=RHS operand OR (LHS operand IS NULL AND RHS operand IS NULL)\u201d;
(b) transforming the subquery such that the rewritten subquery has a simple predicate LHS=RHS returning TRUE value in a presence of a NULL value in all said operands, thereby enabling the optimizer to allow all access methods; and
(c) executing the transformed query in the computer to retrieve data from the relational database.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the subquery transforming step comprises the step of re-writing the subquery by forming a \u201cCASE\u201d expression having two subqueries, wherein:
the first subquery is executed when the LHS operand is NULL and having an \u201cRHS operand IS NULL\u201d predicate, and
the second subquery is executed when the LHS operand is not NULL and having an \u201cLHS operand=RHS operand\u201d predicate.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the executing the transformed query step comprises the following steps:
determining whether to execute the first or second subquery by evaluating whether the LHS operand having a NULL value,
if so, checking the RHS operand for nullness, or
if not so, checking whether the LHS operand has the same value as the RHS operand, and interpreting the predicate as TRUE, in a presence of a NULL value in both operands.
14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the query transforming step is applied during a query plan compilation phase of query processing.
15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the query transforming step is applied during a query rewrite phase of query processing.
16. A method of optimizing a query in a computer, the query being performed by the computer to retrieve data from a relational database stored in an electronic storage device coupled to the computer, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a query containing a predicate for matching a nullable left-hand-size (LHS) operand to a nullable right-hand-size (RHS) operand, the query predicate presented in the form of \u201cLHS operand=RHS operand OR (LHS operand IS NULL AND RHS operand IS NULL)\u201d;
(b) transforming the predicate into a simple predicate LHS= =RHS including an operator \u201c= =\u201d defining a possible simultaneous presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand, thereby enabling an optimizer to allow all join methods and access methods; and
(c) executing the transformed query in the computer to retrieve data from the relational database such that the marked predicate is TRUE in a presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand.
17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the executing the transformed query step comprises the following steps:
determining whether the predicate has the operator \u201c= =\u201d,
checking the LHS and RHS operand for nullness, and
interpreting the predicate as TRUE, in a presence of a NULL value in both operands.
18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the query transforming step is applied during a query plan optimization phase of query processing.
19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the query transforming step is applied during a query rewrite phase of query processing.
20. An apparatus for optimizing a query, comprising:
a computer having an electronic storage device coupled thereto for storing a relational database, the query being performed by the computer to retrieve data from the relational database;
means, performed by the computer, for receiving a query containing a predicate for matching a nullable left-hand-size (LHS) operand to a nullable right-hand-size (RHS) operand, the query predicate presented in the form of \u201cLHS operand RHS=operand OR (LHS operand IS NULL AND RHS operand IS NULL)\u201d;
means, performed by the computer, for transforming the predicate into a simple predicate LHS= =RHS including an operator \u201c= =\u201d defining a possible simultaneous presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand, thereby enabling an optimizer to allow all join methods and access methods; and
means, performed by the computer, for executing the transformed query in the computer to retrieve data from the relational database such that the marked predicate is TRUE in a presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand.
21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the means for executing the transformed query comprises:
means, performed by the computer, for determining whether the predicate has the operator \u201c= =\u201d,
means, performed by the computer, for checking the LHS and RHS operand for nullness; and
means, performed by the computer, for interpreting the predicate as TRUE, in a presence of a NULL value in both operands.
22. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the means for transforming the query is applied during a query plan optimization phase of query processing.
23. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the means for transforming the query is applied during a query rewrite phase of query processing.
24. A program storage device readable by a computer tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for optimizing a query, the query being performed by the computer to retrieve data from a relational database stored in an electronic storage device coupled to the computer, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a query containing a predicate for matching a nullable left-hand-size (LHS) operand to a nullable right-hand-size (RHS) operand, the query predicate presented in the form of \u201cLHS operand=RHS operand OR (LHS operand IS NULL AND RHS operand IS NULL)\u201d;
(b) transforming the predicate into a simple predicate LHS= =RHS including an operator \u201c= =\u201d defining a possible simultaneous presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand, thereby enabling an optimizer to allow all join methods and access methods; and
(c) executing the transformed query in the computer to retrieve data from the relational database such that the marked predicate is TRUE in a presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand.
25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the executing the transformed query step comprises the following steps:
(a) determining whether the predicate has the operator \u201c= =\u201d;
(b) checking the LHS and RHS operand for nullness; and
(c) interpreting the predicate as TRUE, in a presence of a NULL value in both operands.
26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the query transforming step is applied during a query plan optimization phase of query processing.
27. The method according to claim 24, wherein the query transforming step is applied during a query rewrite phase of query processing.
28. A method of optimizing a query in a computer, the query being performed by the computer to retrieve data from a relational database stored in an electronic storage device coupled to the computer, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a query containing a predicate for matching a nullable left-hand-size (LHS) operand to a nullable right-hand-size (RHS) operand, the query predicate presented in the form of \u201cLHS operand=RHS operand OR (LHS operand IS NULL AND RHS operand IS NULL)\u201d;
(b) transforming the predicate into a simple predicate LHS=RHS;
(c) marking the predicate as defining a possible simultaneous presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand, thereby enabling an optimizer to allow all join methods and access methods; and
(d) executing the query in the computer to retrieve data from the relational database such that the marked predicate is TRUE in a presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand.
29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the executing the query step comprises the following steps:
determining whether the predicate is marked;
checking the LHS and RHS operand for nullness; and
interpreting the predicate as TRUE, in a presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand.
30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the query predicate marking step is applied during a query plan optimization phase of query processing.
31. The method according to claim 28, wherein the query predicate marking step is applied during a query rewrite phase of query processing.
32. An apparatus for optimizing a query, comprising:
a computer having an electronic storage device coupled thereto for storing a relational database, the query being performed by the computer to retrieve data from the relational database;
means, performed by the computer, for receiving a query containing a predicate for matching a nullable left-hand-size (LHS) operand to a nullable right-hand-size (RHS) operand, the query predicate presented in the form of \u201cLHS operand=RHS operand OR (LHS operand IS NULL AND RHS operand IS NULL)\u201d;
means, performed by the computer, for transforming the predicate into a simple predicate LHS=RHS;
means, performed by the computer, for marking the predicate as defining a possible simultaneous presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand, thereby enabling an optimizer to allow all join methods and access methods; and
means, performed by the computer, for executing the query in the computer to retrieve data from the relational database such that the marked predicate is TRUE in a presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand.
33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the means for executing the query comprises:
means, performed by the computer, for determining whether the predicate is marked;
means, performed by the computer, for checking the LHS and RHS operand for nullness; and
means, performed by the computer, for interpreting the predicate as TRUE, in a presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand.
34. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the means for marking the query predicate is applied during a query plan optimization phase of query processing.
35. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the means for marking the query predicate is applied during a query rewrite phase of query processing.
36. A program storage device readable by a computer tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for optimizing a query, the query being performed by the computer to retrieve data from a relational database stored in an electronic storage device coupled to the computer, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a query containing a predicate for matching a nullable left-hand-size (LHS) operand to a nullable right-hand-size (RHS) operand, the query predicate presented in the form of \u201cLHS operand=RHS operand OR (LHS operand IS NULL AND RHS operand IS NULL)\u201d;
(b) transforming the predicate into a simple predicate LHS=RHS;
(c) marking the predicate as defining a possible simultaneous presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand, thereby enabling an optimizer to allow all join methods and access methods; and
(c) executing the query in the computer to retrieve data from the relational database such that the marked predicate is TRUE in a presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand.
37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the executing the query step comprises the following steps:
determining whether the predicate is marked;
checking the LHS and RHS operand for nullness; and
interpreting the predicate as TRUE, in a presence of a NULL value in the LHS and RHS operand.
38. The method according to claim 36, wherein the query predicate marking step is applied during a query plan optimization phase of query processing.
39. The method according to claim 36, wherein the query predicate marking step is applied during a query rewrite phase of query processing.

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 resonant converter (200, 300) consisting of a first circuit, primarily a DC circuit (201, 301) connected to a resonant circuit (207, 307) which is further connected to a switchfilter circuit (212, 312), which is connected to a second circuit, primarily an AC circuit (219, 319), characterized in that the resonant converter (200, 300) contains a direct connection between a voltage centre (203, 303) in the DC circuit (201, 301) and a voltage centre (209, 309, 325) in the resonant circuit (207, 307), and that the resonant circuit (207, 307) contains at least one transformer having at least two windings (223, 224, 331, 332, 333, 334), wherein there is a connection from the windings (223, 224, 331, 332) of the transformer to at least first and second switches (215, 216, 315, 316, 328, 329), wherein activation of the switches (215, 216, 315, 316, 328, 329) forms a connection to at least a first node (214, 314, 327), wherein a voltage centre (203, 303) in the DC circuit (201, 301) is also connected to the first node (214, 314, 327) by activation of at least a third switch (213, 313, 326).
2. A resonant converter (300) according to claim 1, characterized in that the transformer has additional windings (332, 333) which operate in anti-phase to the windings (331, 334).
3. A resonant converter (200, 300) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the resonant converter (200, 300) is used as a DC to AC converter.
4. A resonant converter (200, 300) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the resonant converter (200, 300) is used as an AC to DC converter, wherein the first node (214, 314, 327) of the resonant converter (200, 300) is connected to an AC supply (219, 319), wherein the first node (214, 314, 327) is connected by activation of switches (215, 216, 315, 316, 328, 329) to windings (223, 224, 331, 332) on the transformer, said transformer having windings (223, 224, 331, 332) which are connected to a DC circuit (201, 301).
5. A resonant converter (200, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the resonant converter (200, 300) is incorporated in an N-phase system having at least one resonant converter (200, 300) per phase, the number of phases N being at least 1.
6. A resonant converter (200, 300) according to claim 5, characterized in that several switchfilter circuits in the N-phase system use the same common resonant circuit (207, 307) and the same common DC circuit (201, 301), wherein each phase is formed by activation of independent sets of switches (213, 215, 216, 313, 315, 316, 326, 328, 329).
7. A resonant converter (200, 300) according to one of claims 2, 5 or 6, characterized in that the resonant converter (200, 300) is used as an AC to AC converter.
8. A resonant converter (200, 300) according to claim 7, characterized in that the resonant converter (200, 300) is used for converting at least one of the parameters frequency, voltage and current.
9. A resonant converter (200, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that semiconductors are used as switches comprising at least one of the types field effect transistor, bipolar transistor, Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), Gate Turn-Off thyristor (GTO) and Injection Enhanced Gate Transistor (IEGT).
10. A resonant converter (200, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the resonant frequency (200, 300) uses three point modulation.
11. A resonant converter (200, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the resonance is controlled by the switches (213, 215, 216, 313, 315, 316, 326, 328, 329) in the switchfilter circuit (212, 312).
12. A resonant converter (200, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the resonance is controlled by a current source which is coupled magnetically to the resonant circuit (207, 307) via the core (208, 308).