Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is.

1. An interactive communication system enabling a lay person to communicate operating symptoms of equipment to skilled service personnel, to enable said service personnel to thereafter perform service on said equipment in accordance with said operating symptoms, comprising:
a sensor array associated with said equipment;
said sensor array providing a plurality of outputs indicative of a plurality of operating symptoms of said equipment that occur as said lay person operates said equipment;
memory means associated with said equipment;
first control means responsive to an action by said lay person;
actuation of said first control means operating to cause said plurality of outputs of said sensor array to be stored in said memory means when said lay person actuates said first control means in response to said lay person experiencing an abnormal mode of operation of said equipment;
a query generator at a service site for generating a symptom-related query;
a presentation device for receiving said symptom-related query and for presenting said symptom-related query to said lay person;
second control means responsive to an action by said lay person in response to said symptom-related query; and
said second control means being operable to provide a content of said memory means to said service site for analysis by said service personnel.
2. The interactive communication system of claim 1 wherein said service site and said equipment are located at geographically remote sites and wherein the Internet is utilized to send said symptom-related query and said content of said memory means.
3. The interactive communication system of claim 2 wherein said equipment is an automobile.
4. The interactive communication system of claim 3 wherein said first control means is associated with a portion of said automobile that is utilized as said automobile is operated.
5. A method enabling a lay person at an equipment site to communicate operating symptoms of equipment to skilled service personnel at a service site to thereby enable said service personnel to thereafter perform service on said equipment based upon said operating symptoms, comprising the steps of.
providing a sensor array on said equipment;
said sensor array providing a plurality of outputs that are indicative of a plurality of operating symptoms of said equipment that occur as said lay person operates said equipment;
providing memory means on said equipment;
providing first control means on said equipment responsive to an action by said lay person as said lay person operates said equipment;
actuation of said first control means causing said plurality of outputs of said sensor array to be stored in said memory means at a time when said lay person actuates said first control means in response to said lay person experiencing an abnormal mode of operation of said equipment;
providing a query generator at a service site for generating a symptom-related query to said equipment site;
providing a presentation device at said equipment site for receiving said symptom-related query and for presenting said symptom-related query to said lay person;
providing second control means responsive to actuation by said lay person in response to said symptom-related query; and
providing a content of said memory means to said service site for analysis by said service personnel in response to actuation of said second control means
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said service site and said equipment site are geographically spaced, and wherein the Internet is utilized to send said symptom-related query to said equipment site and to send said content of said memory means to said service site.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said equipment is an automobile.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said first control means is associated with a portion of said automobile that is utilized by said lay person as said automobile is operated by said lay person.
9. An Internet-based system for providing interactive communication between a plurality of service sites and a plurality of equipment sites at which a plurality of equipment needing service is operated by an equipment operator comprising:
a sensor array, memory and a manual actuator at each of said plurality of equipment;
actuation of said actuator by an equipment operator when an abnormal mode of operation of a given equipment at a corresponding equipment site is experienced causing equipment operating conditions sensed by said sensor array be to stored in said memory of said given equipment;
first means at said corresponding equipment site for causing a request for service to be sent via the Internet from said corresponding equipment site to a selected service site;
query means at said selected service site responsive to said request for service for sending a symptom query via the Internet from said selected service site to said corresponding equipment site;
second means at said corresponding equipment site responsive to said symptom query for sending a content of said memory of said given equipment via the Internet from said corresponding equipment site to said selected service site, and
a compiler at said given service site responsive to said content of said memory of said given equipment for providing a service plan based upon said content of said memory of said given equipment.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein said plurality of service sites are a plurality of automobile service sites, and wherein said plurality of equipment are a plurality of automobiles.
11. A method allowing a lay person to submit symptoms relating to a malfunction of equipment, and allowing a service provider to generate a chart of symptoms for use in servicing said equipment, comprising the steps of
providing a sensor array having a plurality of outputs corresponding to a plurality of operating symptoms of said equipment;
providing memory on said equipment;
providing an actuator on said equipment;
instantaneous operation of said actuator causing instantaneous values of said plurality of outputs of said sensor array to be stored in said memory;
initially a request for service to said service provider by said lay person;
in response to said request, querying said lay person for operating symptoms of said equipment by said service provider,
in response to said query, providing a content of said memory to said service provider by said lay person;
in response to receiving said content of said memory, compiling said content of said memory at said service provider; and
outputting a chart of operating symptoms of said equipment based upon said compilation, said chart for use by said service provider, and said chart having sufficient information so said lay person does not need to have direct communication with said service provider when leaving said equipment with said service provider.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said instantaneous operation of said actuator is based upon operation of said equipment as sensed by the five human senses of said lay persons and as said lay person operates said equipment.
13. The method of claim 12 including the step of:
instructing said lay person how to leave said equipment with said service provider, and how and when to claim said equipment following service of said equipment by said service provider.
14. The method of 13 including the step of:
capturing a signature of said lay person to provide authorization to said service provider.
15. An equipment operating condition recording device capable of recording operating conditions substantially identical to operating conditions during an abnormality sensed a lay person, comprising:
at least one actuator, the at least one actuator is responsive to an action by a lay person;
at least one sensor to monitor at least one operating condition of the equipment and to provide at least one output indicative of the at least one operating condition being sensed; and
at least one memory for recording the at least one output,
such that when the at least one actuator is actuated by the lay person during when the lay person senses the abnormality, the at least one memory records the operating condition of the equipment
16. The device of claim 15, wherein the recorded operating condition is the instantaneous operating condition.
17. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one sensor is at least two sensors
18. The device of claim 15, further comprising:
a read out module capable of downloading the recorded operating conditions to a service site such that the service site can duplicate the operating conditions that prompted the lay person to actuate the at least one actuator.
19. The device of claim 18, wherein the read out module downloads operating conditions to the service site using a protocol, the protocol comprises at least one of wireless protocols, internet protocols, radio frequency protocols, and telephoney protocols.
20. A device for recording operating conditions of a piece of equipment when a lay person senses an abnormality, comprising:
means for actuating at least one sensor, the means for actuating responsive to an action of the lay person,
means for sensing the operating conditions of the piece of equipment;
means for storing the sensed operating conditions; and
means for downloading the stored operating conditions to a service site, whereby the operating conditions of the piece of equipment when the lay person sensed the abnormality can be substantially duplicated

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 adaptor for a magnetic stripe card reader comprising:
a simulacrum configured to be substantially permanently positioned within a slot of a magnetic stripe card reader, the simulacrum comprising an inductor aligned with a magnetic head of the magnetic stripe card reader and configured to generate a magnetic field sensed by the magnetic head, a presence of the simulacrum within the slot allowing the magnetic head to continue to receive signals from a magnetic stripe card,
wherein the simulacrum is sufficiently narrow to allow the slot to accommodate a magnetic stripe card and the simulacrum at the same time, wherein the simulacrum is substantially permanently secured within the slot distal from the magnetic head to define a gap proximate to the magnetic head for receiving the magnetic stripe card, and wherein the simulacrum occupies a cross-sectional width of about 0.050\u2033 or less within the slot.
2. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the simulacrum is enclosed within a remote ATM-type magnetic stripe card reader hidden from user view.
3. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the simulacrum is positioned within a point-of-sale magnetic stripe card reader having a slot visible to the user.
4. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the adaptor further comprises:
a contact interface; and
a processor in electronic communication with the contact interface, the processor configured to receive a signal from the contact interface, to convert the signal into a corresponding series of electrical pulses emulating the signal in a magnetic stripe format, and to communicate the pulses to the simulacrum.
5. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the adaptor further comprises:
a wireless transceiver; and
a processor in electronic communication with the wireless transceiver, the processor configured to receive a wireless signal from the wireless transceiver, to convert the wireless signal into a corresponding series of electrical pulses emulating the wireless signal in a magnetic stripe format, and to communicate the pulses to the simulacrum.
6. The adaptor of claim 5 wherein the wireless transceiver is housed in an element in physical contact with the simulacrum.
7. The adaptor of claim 5 wherein the wireless transceiver is housed in an element separate from the simulacrum, the element in electronic communication with the simulacrum through one of a wired and a wireless connection.
8. The adaptor of claim 1 further comprising a separate magnetic card reader comprising a separate slot and a separate magnetic head, the separate magnetic head in electronic communication with the simulacrum.
9. The adaptor of claim 1 wherein the inductor comprises a conductive coil surrounding a magnetic core to define a magneto-inductive gap.
10. The adaptor of claim 9 wherein the magneto-inductive gap is defined between a first portion of the core and a second portion of the core spaced horizontally from the first core portion, the first and second core portions comprising separate elements, the coil comprising a first coil wrapped around the first core and a second coil wrapped around the second core.
11. A simulacrum configured to be substantially permanently positioned within a slot of a magnetic stripe card reader, the simulacrum comprising an inductor aligned with a magnetic head of the magnetic stripe card reader and configured to generate a magnetic field sensed by the magnetic head, wherein the simulacrum occupies a cross-sectional width of about 0.050\u2033 or less within the slot and a presence of the simulacrum within the slot allowing the magnetic head to continue to receive signals from a magnetic stripe card, wherein the inductor comprises a conductive coil surrounding a magnetic core to define a magneto-inductive gap, and wherein the magnetic core comprises a cobalt alloy.
12. The adaptor of claim 11 wherein the cobalt alloy comprises a percentage composition of cobalt of 30% or greater.
13. An adaptor for a magnetic stripe card reader comprising:
a simulacrum configured to be substantially permanently positioned within a slot of a magnetic stripe card reader, the simulacrum comprising an inductor aligned with a magnetic head of the magnetic stripe card reader and configured to generate a magnetic field sensed by the magnetic head, wherein the simulacrum occupies a cross-sectional width of about 0.050\u2033 or less within the slot and is sufficiently narrow to allow the slot to accommodate a magnetic stripe card and the simulacrum at the same time, a presence of the simulacrum within the slot allowing the magnetic head to continue to receive signals from a magnetic stripe card,
wherein the magnetic head is moveably biased to project into the gap, and movement of the magnetic stripe card through the slot between the simulacrum and the head is accommodated by movement of the magnetic head.
14. An adaptor for a point-of-sale (POS) magnetic stripe card reader to be used to conduct a transaction over a network coupled to the POS reader, the adapter comprising:
a wireless transceiver adapted to receive account information from a wireless device via a wireless signal;
a simulacrum adapted to be inserted into a card reading slot of the POS card reader, the simulacrum including an inductor which can be aligned with a magnetic head of the card reader, wherein the simulacrum is sufficiently thin to allow a magnetic stripe card to be swiped through the card reading slot and be read by the magnetic head while the simulacrum is positioned within the slot, and wherein the simulacrum occupies a cross-sectional width of about 0.050\u2033 or less within the slot; and
a processor in electronic communication with the wireless transceiver and with the simulacrum, the processor configured to receive a wireless signal to an emulated signal that can be sent to the inductor in the simulacrum, read by the magnetic head of the card reader, and transmitted over the network.
15. The adaptor of claim 14 wherein the wireless transceiver is housed in a first portion separate from a second portion including the simulacrum.
16. The adaptor of claim 15 wherein the first and second portion are configured to communicate through a wireless signal.
17. The adaptor of claim 14 wherein the inductor comprises a conductive coil surrounding a magnetic core to define a magneto-inductive gap.
18. An adaptor for a point-of-sale (POS) magnetic stripe card reader to be used to conduct a transaction over a network coupled to the POS reader, the adapter comprising:
a wireless transceiver adapted to receive account information from a wireless device via a wireless signal;
a simulacrum adapted to be inserted into a card reading slot of the POS card reader, the simulacrum including an inductor which can be aligned with a magnetic head of the card reader, wherein the simulacrum is sufficiently thin to allow a magnetic stripe card to be swiped through the card reading slot and be read by the magnetic head while the simulacrum is positioned within the slot;
wherein the inductor comprises a conductive coil surrounding a magnetic core to define a magneto-inductive gap, and
wherein the magnetic core comprises a cobalt alloy; and
a processor in electronic communication with the wireless transceiver and with the simulacrum, the processor configured to receive a wireless signal to an emulated signal that can be sent to the inductor in the simulacrum, read by the magnetic head of the card reader, and transmitted over the network.
19. The adaptor of claim 18 wherein the cobalt alloy comprises a percentage composition of cobalt of 30% or greater.
20. The adaptor of claim 18 wherein the magneto-inductive gap is defined between a first portion of the core and a second portion of the core spaced horizontally from the first core portion, the first and second core portions comprising separate elements, the coil comprising a first coil wrapped around the first core and a second coil wrapped around the second core.
21. The adaptor of claim 18 wherein the wireless device is selected from the group consisting of a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a proximity chip card, and a personal trusted device.
22. A method of using an RF proximity chip card to conduct a financial transactions over an existing magnetic stripe card point-of-sale (POS) network, the method comprising:
coupling an adaptor having a wireless transceiver, a processor, and a simulacrum including an inductor, to a magnetic card reading POS terminal by inserting the simulacrum into a magnetic card reading slot of the POS terminal and substantially permanently affixing the simulacrum to the terminal;
receiving with a wireless receiver a wireless signal from an RF proximity chip card comprising transaction information;
converting the wireless signal to a second signal emulating a magnetic card;
transmitting the second signal to the inductor aligned with a magnetic head of the terminal;
reading the second signal with the magnetic head;
transmitting the transaction information over the POS network using the POS terminal; and
allowing a magnetic card to be used in the POS terminal by swiping the magnetic card through a second slot provided in communication with the simulacrum.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the terminal receives one of an approval and a denial of the transaction after submitting the information to the POS network.

1. A turbocharging system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
a plurality of turbochargers which are driven by exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine;
flow path switching valves which respectively switch an intake flow path of intake gas drawn into the internal combustion engine and an exhaust flow path of the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine; and
a control unit which controls the flow path switching valves and the turbochargers,
wherein the plurality of turbochargers include a first turbocharger arranged on a most downstream side in the exhaust flow path and a second turbocharger arranged on an upstream side of the first turbocharger in the exhaust flow path, and
wherein the intake path of intake gas drawn into the internal combustion engine comprises:
an intake serial passage which is connected to the internal combustion engine via a turbo compressor of the first turbocharger and a turbo compressor of the second turbocharger;
an intake bypass passage which connects an exit side of the turbo compressor of the first turbocharger and an exit side of the turbo compressor of the second turbocharger;
an intake parallel passage which is connected to a downstream side of an upstream connection point between the intake bypass passage and the intake serial passage and introduces the intake air;
a flow path switching valve which is arranged at a connection point between the intake parallel passage and the intake serial passage and switch the intake flow path only; and
an onoff valve which is arranged in the intake bypass passage,

wherein the exhaust path of exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine comprises:
an exhaust serial passage which connects the internal combustion engine to outside through the second turbocharger and the first turbocharger;
a first exhaust bypass passage which connects an entrance side of a turbine of the second turbocharger and an entrance side of a turbine of the first turbocharger;
a second exhaust bypass passage which connects to an upstream side of a downstream connection point between the first exhaust bypass passage and the exhaust serial passage and an exit side of the turbine of the first turbocharger;
a flow path switching valve which is arranged at an upstream connection point between the second exhaust bypass passage and the exhaust serial passage and switch the exhaust flow path only; and
a flow control valve which is arranged in the first exhaust bypass passage and is capable to control the flow rate in a continuous manner,

wherein four valves including: flow path switching valves, each of which being arranged in the intake flow path and the exhaust flow path; the onoff valve; and the flow control valve, switch the intake flow path and the exhaust flow path and control the flow rate to select a mode from a series turbocharging mode, a one-stage turbocharging mode, a parallel turbocharging mode, and a variable two-stage mode, the first turbocharger and the second turbochargers being connected in series when the series turbocharging mode is selected, only one of the first turbocharger and the second turbocharger being supplied with gas when the one-stage turbocharging mode is selected, the first turbocharger and the second turbocharger being connected in parallel when the parallel turbocharging mode is selected, the flow of the exhaust gas to the first turbocharger and the second turbocharger being variable-controlled in the series turbocharging when the variable two-stage mode is selected.
2. The turbocharging system for the internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of turbochargers have the same turbine capacity.
3. The turbocharging system for the internal combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising:
a low pressure turbo control passage which connects the first exhaust bypass passage on a downstream side of the flow control valve to a downstream side of the first turbocharger; and
a flow control valve which is arranged in the low pressure turbo control passage.
4. The turbocharging system for the internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the second turbocharger includes a variable flow turbo.
5. The turbocharging system for the internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the second turbocharger includes a variable capacity turbo.
6. The turbocharging system for the internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the second turbocharger includes a twin scroll turbo.

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 shielded integrated circuit structure comprising:
an integrated circuit having a plurality of storage elements thereon; and
a tiled array comprising a plurality of shielding elements comprising a magnetic material having a saturation less than or equal to 20,000 gauss, each storage element having one of the plurality of shielding elements proximate thereto.
2. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 1 wherein the magnetic material has a saturation less than or equal to 12,000 gauss.
3. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 1 wherein the shielding elements comprise ferrites, manganites, chromites, cobaltites, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Cu, Co, or alloys thereof.
4. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 3 wherein the shielding elements comprise Ni\u2014Fe alloy.
5. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 1 wherein the shielding elements are 0.1 mm to 1 cm in longest dimension.
6. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 1 wherein the storage elements are magnetic storage elements.
7. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 1 wherein the shielding elements are square.
8. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 1 wherein the shielding elements are less than or equal to 0.1 mm thick.
9. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 1 wherein each shielding element is spaced from an adjacent shielding element by at least 0.1 mm.
10. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 1 further comprising a solid bulk shield on a side of the integrated circuit opposite the tiled array.
11. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 10 further comprising a second solid bulk shield, with the tiled array positioned between the integrated circuit and the second solid bulk shield.
12. A shielded integrated circuit structure comprising:
a substrate;
a solid bulk shield proximate the substrate;
an integrated circuit having a plurality of storage elements thereon; and
a tiled array comprising a plurality of shielding elements comprising a magnetic material having a saturation less than or equal to 20,000 gauss, each storage element having one of the plurality of shielding elements proximate thereto, and each shielding element spaced from an adjacent shielding element by at least 0.1 mm.
13. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 12 wherein the magnetic material has a saturation less than or equal to 12,000 gauss.
14. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 12 further comprising a second solid bulk shield, with the tiled array positioned between the integrated circuit and the second bulk shield.
15. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 12 wherein the shielding elements comprise ferrites, manganites, chromites, cobaltites, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Cu, Co, or alloys thereof.
16. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 15 wherein the shielding elements comprise Ni\u2014Fe alloy.
17. A shielded integrated circuit structure comprising:
an integrated circuit having a plurality of functional elements thereon; and
a tiled array comprising a plurality of shielding elements comprising a magnetic material having a saturation less than or equal to 20,000 gauss, each functional element having one of the plurality of shielding elements proximate thereto.
18. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 17 wherein the shielding elements comprise ferrites, manganites, chromites, cobaltites, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Cu, Co, or alloys thereof.
19. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 17 further comprising a solid bulk shield on a side of the integrated circuit opposite the tiled array.
20. The shielded integrated circuit structure of claim 19 further comprising a second solid bulk shield, with the tiled array positioned between the integrated circuit and the second solid bulk shield.