Author: claimsbot

1. A vehicle security apparatus capable of communicating with an electronic key transmitting a unique identification signal and with a communication apparatus in a remote location transmitting drive request signals representing a drive prohibition request and a drive permission request for a vehicle driving device of a vehicle, the vehicle security apparatus comprising:
a key communication unit for communicating with the electronic key;
a remote communication unit for communicating with the communication apparatus in the remote location;
a control unit for controlling the vehicle driving device based on at least one of the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit and the drive request signals transmitted to the remote communication unit; and
a releasing unit for releasing control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request according to an instruction from a user,
wherein the control unit prohibits driving of the vehicle driving device upon receipt of the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request at the remote communication unit and allows a transition of power from a power supply mounted on the vehicle such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user only when the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit is an authorized identification signal.
2. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit prohibits the drive permission for the vehicle driving device until the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request is released, even when the power supply transition is allowed.
3. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit also controls locking and unlocking of a steering wheel of the vehicle based on the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit and prohibits unlocking of the steering wheel until at least the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request is released, even when the power supply transition is allowed.
4. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the releasing unit includes a display unit for displaying an image for releasing the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request, and an operation unit operable by the user and allowing an operation associated with the image; and
the releasing unit releases the control over the vehicle driving device, when an operation based on the image displayed on the display unit is performed on the operation unit.
5. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the releasing unit includes an operation unit, which is operable by the user and releases the control over the vehicle driving device according to an operation by the user.
6. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the releasing unit includes a voice recognition device for checking whether the voice of the user satisfies a predetermined condition, and releases the control over the vehicle driving device when the voice recognition device determines that the voice satisfies the predetermined condition.
7. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the releasing unit includes a biological information determination device for checking whether biological information on the user satisfies a predetermined condition, and releases the control over the vehicle driving device when the biological information determination device determines that the biological information satisfies the predetermined condition.
8. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the control unit controls the power from the power supply mounted on the vehicle for a transition to an off state, an accessory-on state or an ignition-on state; and
the control unit makes the power supply transition of the power supply to the accessory-on state or the ignition-on state, when the transition of the power from the power supply is allowed such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user.
9. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the control unit controls the transition of the power from the power supply; and
the control unit supplies power to the releasing unit without making the accessory-on state and the ignition-on state, when the transition of the power from the power supply is allowed such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user.
10. A vehicle security system comprising:
an electronic key which is portable and which transmits a unique identification signal;
a communication apparatus for remote-controlling a vehicle driving device of a vehicle by transmitting drive request signals representing a drive prohibition request and a drive permission request; and
a vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1.
11. A vehicle security apparatus capable of communicating with an electronic key transmitting a unique identification signal and with a communication apparatus in a remote location transmitting drive request signals representing a drive prohibition request and a drive permission request for a vehicle driving device of a vehicle, the vehicle security apparatus comprising:
a key communication unit for communicating with the electronic key;
a remote communication unit for communicating with the communication apparatus in the remote location;
a control unit for controlling the vehicle driving device based on at least one of the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit and the drive request signals transmitted to the remote communication unit;
a releasing unit for releasing control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request according to an instruction from a user; and
a door lock switch detection unit which is normally supplied with power from a power supply mounted on the vehicle and which detects an operation on a door lock switch of the vehicle,
wherein the control unit prohibits driving of the vehicle driving device upon receipt of the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request by the remote communication unit and allows a transition of power from the power supply such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user only when the door lock switch detection units detects an operation on the door lock switch of the vehicle.
12. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit prohibits the drive permission for the vehicle driving device until the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request is released, even when the power supply transition is allowed.
13. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit also controls locking and unlocking of a steering wheel of the vehicle based on the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit and prohibits unlocking of the steering wheel until at least the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request is released, even when the power supply transition is allowed.
14. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:
the releasing unit includes a display unit for displaying an image for releasing the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request, and an operation unit operable by the user and allowing an operation associated with the image; and
the releasing unit releases the control over the vehicle driving device, when an operation based on the image displayed on the display unit is performed on the operation unit.
15. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the releasing unit includes an operation unit, which is operable by the user and releases the control over the vehicle driving device according to an operation by the user.
16. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the releasing unit includes a voice recognition device for checking whether the voice of the user satisfies a predetermined condition, and releases the control over the vehicle driving device when the voice recognition device determines that the voice satisfies the predetermined condition.
17. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the releasing unit includes a biological information determination device for checking whether biological information on the user satisfies a predetermined condition, and releases the control over the vehicle driving device when the biological information determination device determines that the biological information satisfies the predetermined condition.
18. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:
the control unit controls the power from the power supply mounted on the vehicle for a transition to an off state, an accessory-on state or an ignition-on state; and
the control unit makes the power supply transition of the power supply to the accessory-on state or the ignition-on state, when the transition of the power from the power supply is allowed such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user.
19. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:
the control unit controls the transition of the power from the power supply; and
the control unit supplies power to the releasing unit without making the accessory-on state and the ignition-on state, when the transition of the power from the power supply is allowed such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user.
20. A vehicle security system comprising:
an electronic key which is portable and which transmits a unique identification signal;
a communication apparatus for remote-controlling a vehicle driving device of a vehicle by transmitting drive request signals representing a drive prohibition request and a drive permission request; and
a vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11.

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

What is claimed is:

1. A system for facilitating the assembly of a bundle of conductors into a connector that defines a plurality of cavities for receiving the conductors, said system comprising:
a plurality of mating connectors that each define a plurality of cavities, wherein the connector is capable of being removably coupled to one of said mating connectors, wherein coupling the connector to the mating connector optically couples the cavities of the mating connector with the cavities of the connector; and
a plurality of light emitting elements optically coupled to the cavities of said mating connectors, wherein said light emitting elements are capable of selectively illuminating at least one of the cavities of said mating connectors; and
a processing element adapted to control said light emitting elements to selectively illuminate at least one of the cavities of said mating connectors to thereby illuminate at least one corresponding cavity of the connector to facilitate plugging at least one associated conductor into the at least one illuminated cavity of the connector.
2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a plurality of optical fibers capable of optically coupling the cavities of said mating connectors with said light emitting elements.
3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said mating connectors include at least one plug mating connector and at least one receptacle mating connector, wherein the connector is selected from a group consisting of a plug connector and a receptacle connector, and wherein the plug mating connector is capable of being removably coupled to a receptacle connector and the receptacle mating connector is capable of being removably coupled to a plug connector.
4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said mating connectors include at least two connectors of different types, wherein the connector is capable of being removably coupled to the mating connector of the same type as the connector.
5. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a display capable of being driven by said processing element to thereby indicate the at least one cavity being illuminated.
6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said processing element is capable of driving said display to present a graphical representation of the connector including the cavities and indicating the at least one cavity being illuminated.
7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said processing element is further capable of driving said display to indicate at least one of at least one cavity including a previously plugged conductor and at least one cavity including a filler plug.
8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said processing element is capable of receiving a selection of a conductor and thereafter illuminating a corresponding cavity of the connector to thereby facilitate plugging the selected conductor into the illuminated cavity.
9. A system according to claim 8 further comprising a display capable of being driven by said processing element, wherein said processing element is capable of driving said display to present a listing of the conductors and associated cavities of the connector such that said processing element can receive the selection from the listing.
10. A system according to claim 8, wherein said processing element is capable of receiving an identification of the bundle of conductors and thereafter driving said display to present the listing of conductors and associated cavities based upon the identified bundle.
11. A method of assembling a bundle of conductors into a connector that defines a plurality of cavities for receiving the conductors, said method comprising:
providing an apparatus comprising:
a plurality of mating connectors that each define a plurality of cavities, wherein the connector is capable of being removably coupled to one of said mating connectors; and
a plurality of light emitting elements optically coupled to the cavities of said mating connectors;

removably coupling the connector to one of the mating connectors, wherein coupling the connector to the mating connector optically couples the cavities of the mating connector with corresponding cavities of the connector;
selecting one of the plurality of conductors;
illuminating a cavity of the mating connector to thereby illuminate the corresponding cavity of the connector, wherein the cavity illuminated is based upon the conductor selected;
displaying an indication of the cavity being illuminated; and
plugging the selected conductor into the illuminated cavity of the connector,
wherein the selecting, illuminating and displaying steps occur for each conductor of the bundle.
12. A method according to claim 11, wherein providing an apparatus comprises providing an apparatus comprising a plurality of mating connectors including at least one plug mating connector and at least one receptacle mating connector, wherein the connector is selected from a group consisting of a plug connector and a receptacle connector, and wherein removably coupling the connector comprises removably coupling the connector to a plug mating connector when the connector comprises a receptacle connector and removably coupling the connector to a receptacle mating connector when the connector comprises a plug connector.
13. A method according to claim 11, wherein providing an apparatus comprises providing an apparatus comprising a plurality of mating connectors including at least two connectors of different types, and wherein removably coupling the connector comprises removably coupling the connector to a mating connector of the same type as the connector.
14. A method according to claim 11, wherein displaying an indication comprises displaying a graphical representation of the connector including the cavities and indicating the at least one cavity being illuminated.
15. A method according to claim 14, wherein displaying an indication further comprises displaying an indication at least one of at least one cavity including a previously plugged conductor and at least one cavity including a filler plug.
16. A method according to claim 11 further comprising displaying a listing of the conductors and associated cavities of the connector and thereafter identifying the conductor selected from the listing, wherein displaying the listing occurs before illuminating the cavity, and wherein illuminating the cavity is based upon the conductor identified from the listing.
17. A method according to claim 16 further comprising identifying the bundle of conductors, and wherein displaying a listing comprises displaying a listing based upon the bundle identified.
18. A system for facilitating the assembly of a bundle of conductors into a connector that defines a plurality of cavities for receiving the conductors, said system comprising:
a display;
a processing element capable of driving said display, wherein said processing element is capable of receiving a selection of a conductor and thereafter driving said display to present an indication of a corresponding cavity of the connector to thereby facilitate plugging the selected conductor into the corresponding cavity.
19. A system according to claim 18, wherein said processing element is capable of driving said display to present a graphical representation of the connector including the cavities and indicating the corresponding cavity.
20. A system according to claim 19, wherein said processing element is further capable of driving said display to indicate the corresponding cavity and at least one cavity including a previously plugged conductor.
21. A system according to claim 20, wherein said processing element is further capable of driving said display to indicate the corresponding cavity and at least one cavity including a filler plug.
22. A system according to claim 18, wherein said processing element is capable of driving said display to present a listing of the conductors and associated cavities of the connector such that said processing element can receive the selection from the listing.
23. A system according to claim 22, wherein said processing element is capable of receiving an identification of the bundle of conductors and thereafter driving said display to present the listing of conductors and associated cavities based upon the identified bundle.

1. A surgical device for cutting a portion of a body comprising:
first and second jaws for receiving the body portion therebetween;
the first jaw comprising an anvil in communication with a first smart memory material to facilitate opening and closing of the first jaw towards the second jaw, wherein the first smart memory material is capable of moving from a first physical state in which the first and second jaws are in an open position and a second physical state in which the first and second jaws are in a closed position;
the second jaw comprising a knife in communication with a second smart memory material to move the knife from a first position to a second position spaced apart from the first position, wherein the second smart memory material is capable of moving from a first physical state in which the knife is in an undeployed state and a second physical state in which the knife is deployed to facilitate cutting of the body portion; and
an activating apparatus in communication with the smart memory materials for causing the smart memory materials to change from their respective first physical state to their respective second physical state.
2. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the smart memory materials is a metallic alloy.
3. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the smart memory materials is a polymeric material.
4. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein the activating apparatus is a source of electricity which when activated causes at least one of the smart memory materials to expand in volume thereby moving the knife.
5. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein the activating apparatus causes at least one of the smart memory materials to expand in volume thereby moving the knife.
6. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the smart memory materials is a metallic alloy comprised of a composition, which can go from a martensite phase to an austenite phase.
7. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the smart memory materials is a metallic alloy comprised of nickel and titanium.
8. The surgical device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the smart memory materials is a metallic alloy of copper, zinc and aluminum or iron, nickel and aluminum.
9. A method of cutting a body portion comprising:
providing the device of claim 1; and
cutting the desired body portion.

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 system for processing objects comprising:
a plurality of object processing assemblies that are each configured to process said objects, each of said object processing assemblies comprising:
an object transfer mechanism having a plurality of object carriers, each of said object carriers being configured to hold at least one of said objects, said object transfer mechanism being configured to move said object carriers to transfer said objects to different processing positions; and
an object processing unit operatively associated with said transfer mechanism to process said object transferred to said different processing positions by said object carriers of said object transfer mechanism; and
an object transfer device configured to unload an object from a first one of said plurality of object processing assemblies and to transfer the object to a second one of said plurality of object processing assemblies.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said object transfer mechanism includes a carousel that can rotate to move said object carriers in a substantially circular path.
3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second object transfer device situated between two selected object processing assemblies of said object processing assemblies to transfer said objects between said two selected object processing assemblies, said second object transfer device and said object transfer device being situated on opposite sides of said system.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein said processing unit is configured to perform a process selected from a group consisting of polishing, wet etching, electroplating, cleaning, thickness measuring, heating, coating and treating.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein said processing unit of one of said processing assemblies includes a plurality of sub-processing units to process some of said objects.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein at least one of said sub-processing units is configured to perform a process selected from a group consisting of polishing, wet etching, electroplating, cleaning, thickness measuring, heating, coating and treating.
7. The system of claim 5 wherein at least one of said sub-processing unit is configured to process one of said objects when that object is placed on that sub-processing unit with the surface to be processed facing away from that sub-processing unit.
8. The system of claim 5 wherein at least one of said sub-processing units is configured to process one of said objects held by one of said object carriers associated with said sub-processing units.
9. The system of claim 1 further comprising an object processing station operatively associated with said object transfer device to process said objects placed on said object processing station.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein said object processing station is configured to process two or more of said objects in parallel.
11. The system of claim 9 wherein said object processing station is configured to perform a process selected from a group consisting of cleaning and thickness measuring.
12. A method of processing objects comprising:
processing said objects at processing positions of a first object processing assembly, including moving said objects to said processing positions of said first object processing assembly using a first object transfer mechanism of said first object processing assembly, said objects being supported by said first object transfer mechanism;
transferring said objects that have been processed by said first object processing assembly to a second object processing assembly wherein an object transfer device is employed for unloading said objects from the first object processing assembly and transferring said objects to the second object processing assembly; and
processing said objects at processing positions of said second object processing assembly, including moving said objects to said processing positions of said second object processing assembly using a second object transfer mechanism of said second object processing assembly, said objects being supported by said second object transfer mechanism.
13. The method of claim 12 where said step of moving said objects to said processing positions of said first object processing assembly includes rotating said first object transfer mechanism to move said objects to said processing positions of said first object processing assembly.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein at least one of said step of processing said objects at said processing positions of said first object processing assembly and said step of processing said objects at said processing positions of said second object processing assembly includes performing a process selected from a group consisting of polishing, wet etching, electroplating, cleaning, thickness measuring, heating, coating and treating.
15. The method of claim 12 further comprising a step of transferring said objects that have been processed by said second object processing assembly to a third object processing assembly, including unloading said objects from said second object processing assembly at a different processing position of said second object processing assembly from the processing position at which said objects were loaded onto said second processing assembly.
16. The method of claim 12 wherein at least one of said step of processing said object at said processing positions of said first object processing assembly and said step of processing said object at said processing positions of said second object processing assembly includes processing said objects at sub-processing units.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of processing said objects at said sub-processing units includes performing a process selected from a group consisting of polishing, wet etching, electroplating, cleaning, thickness measuring, heating, coating and treating at one or more of said sub-processing units.
18. The method of claim 16 further comprising a step of placing one of said objects on one of said sub-processing units, including turning over that object such that the surface to be process is faced away from that sub-processing unit.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of processing said objects at said sub-processing units includes holding one of said object while processing that object at one of said sub-processing units.
20. The method of claim 12 further comprising a step of transferring said objects that have been processed by said first object processing assembly to an object processing station to process said object at said object processing station.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of transferring said objects that have been processed by said first object processing assembly to said object processing station includes placing two or more of said objects on said object processing station to process two or more said objects in parallel.
22. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of transferring said objects that have been processed by said first object processing assembly to said object processing station includes performing a process selected from a group consisting of cleaning and thickness measuring.
23. A system for processing semiconductor objects comprising:
a first object processing assembly that is configured to process said semiconductor objects;
a second object processing assembly that is configured to further process said semiconductor objects; and
an object transfer device configured to unload said objects from the first object processing assembly and to transfer said objects to the second object processing assembly,
each of said first and second object processing assemblies including:
an object transfer carousel having a plurality of object carriers, each of said object carriers being configured to hold at least one of said semiconductor objects, said object transfer carousel being configured to move said object carriers to transfer said semiconductor objects to different processing positions; and
an object processing unit operatively associated with said object transfer carousel to process said semiconductor objects transferred to said different processing positions by said object carriers of said object transfer carousel.
24. The system of claim 23 wherein said processing unit is configured to perform a semiconductor process selected from a group consisting of polishing, wet etching, electroplating, cleaning, thickness measuring, heating, coating and treating.
25. The system of claim 23 wherein said processing unit of one of said first and second processing assemblies includes a plurality of sub-processing units to process some of said semiconductor objects.
26. The system of claim 25 wherein each of said sub-processing units is configured to perform a semiconductor process selected from a group consisting of polishing, wet etching, electroplating, cleaning, thickness measuring, heating, coating and treating.
27. The system of claim 25 wherein at least one of said sub-processing units is configured to process one of said semiconductor objects when that semiconductor object is placed on that sub-processing unit with the surface to be process facing away from that sub-processing unit.
28. The system of claim 23 further comprising an object processing station operatively associated with said object transfer device to process said semiconductor objects placed on said object processing station.
29. The system of claim 28 wherein said object processing station is configured to process two or more of said semiconductor objects in parallel.
30. The system of claim 28 wherein said object processing station is configured to perform a semiconductor process selected from a group consisting of cleaning and thickness measuring.