All The Claims

1. Apparatus for generation of coherent light by high-order harmonic generation (HHG) comprising:
laser apparatus for providing coherent periodic optical pulses;
electric discharge apparatus for generating pre-ionized plasma including;
a capillary discharge tube formed of an insulating material;
apparatus for supplying a gas at a desired pressure into the discharge tube; and
circuitry to provide a periodically pulsed electric discharge across the gas for ionizing the atoms of the gas, wherein the periodically pulsed discharge leads the optical pulses by an interval, t; the circuitry including an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, the electrodes located at spaced apart openings on the capillary discharge tube; and

optics for directing the optical pulses into the ionized gas;
wherein the electric discharge apparatus pre-ionizes the gas sufficiently to allow the optical pulses to cause HHG in the pre-ionized gas, while reducing ionization-induced defocusing of the optical pulses.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry provides a direct current discharge to facilitate the pulsed discharge.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gas is a noble gas.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the gas is selected from among the group: Ar, Xe, Kr.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 where at least one of the following parameters is adjusted to optimize an aspect of the HHG pulses:
Pulsed discharge current;
Delay time t;
Composition of the gas;
Pressure of the gas;
Current of direct current discharge.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the predetermined pressure is sufficiently high that without pre-ionization, the pulses would be defocused and distorted via phase modulation, but with pre-ionization the defocusing and distortion is substantially reduced.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the discharge current is selected to result in an index of refraction profile in the plasma which guides the laser pulses.
8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the discharge current is selected to result in a desired tuning of the harmonic wavelength of the HHG pulses.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the discharge current is selected to achieve a charge state of the most abundant ions that is optimum for HHG.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the discharge current is on the order of 5-100 A.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein t is on the order of 1-10 ms.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus for providing coherent periodic optical pulses is a femtosecond laser.
13. The method of generating coherent light pulses by high-order harmonic generation (HHG) comprising the steps of:
providing coherent periodic optical pulses;
generating pre-ionized plasma by supplying a gas at a predetermined pressure to a capillary discharge tube formed of an insulating material;
providing a periodically pulsed electric discharge across the gas for ionizing the atoms of the gas sufficiently to allow the optical pulses to cause HHG in the pre-ionized gas, while reducing ionization-induced defocusing of the optical pulses, wherein the periodic discharge leads the optical pulses by an interval, t; and
directing the optical pulses into the pre-ionized gas, wherein the optical pulses cause HHG in the pre-ionized gas.
14. The method of claim 13, further including the step of optimizing an aspect of the HHG pulses by adjusting at least one of the following:
Pulsed discharge current;
Delay time t;
Composition of the gas;
Pressure of the gas;
Direct discharge current.
15. Apparatus for generation of coherent light pulses by high-order harmonic generation (HHG) comprising:
means for providing coherent periodic optical pulses;
a capillary discharge for generating pre-ionized plasma including;
means for supplying a noble gas at a consistent pressure to a length of capillary; and
means for providing a periodically pulsed electric discharge across the capillary for ionizing the atoms of the gas including an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, the electrodes located at spaced apart openings on the capillary discharge tube, wherein the periodic discharge leads the optical pulses by an interval, t; and

means for directing the optical pulses into the capillary;
wherein the capillary discharge pre-ionizes the gas sufficiently to allow the optical pulses to cause HHG in the pre-ionized gas, while reducing ionization-induced defocusing of the optical pulses.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the gas pressure and the discharge current are selected to result in an index of refraction gradient across the capillary which guides the laser pulses through the capillary.

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 input device, comprising:
a central core having a first end coupled to a first lead, a second end coupled to a second lead, and a winding;
a manipulandum slidably coupled to the central core and comprising a third lead, the third lead configured to contact the winding;
a braking surface; and
an electromagnet configured to repel the braking surface to cause the braking surface to contact the manipulandum when the electromagnet is activated to cause a haptic effect.
2. The input device of claim 1 wherein movement of the manipulandum along the core causes the third lead to move along the winding, causing a change in resistance between the third lead and the first lead.
3. The input device of claim 1, wherein the braking surface comprises a rectangular shape.
4. The input device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnet is configured to repel the braking surface.
5. A handheld device comprising the input device of claim 1.
6. The handheld device of claim 5, wherein the handheld device comprises a cell phone or a PDA.
7. A method comprising:
receiving a sensor signal indicating a movement of a manipulandum slidably coupled to a central core;
transmitting an actuator signal to an actuator, the actuator comprising an electromagnet; and
repelling a braking surface by energizing an electromagnet to cause the braking surface to contact the manipulandum to output a haptic effect.
8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code, the program code comprising:
program code for receiving a sensor signal indicating a movement of a manipulandum slidably coupled to a central core;
program code for transmitting an actuator signal to an actuator, the actuator comprising an electromagnet; and
program code for causing an electromagnet to repel a braking surface to the braking surface to contact the manipulandum to output a haptic effect.

1. A kerchief to be worn about the head, the kerchief comprising:
a head piece formed of cloth, cut generally rectangular, defining an outer peripheral edge, which outer peripheral edge is turned on itself and hemmed, said head piece defining a front portion and a rear portion;
a nape engaging member generally rectangular in shape having opposing longitudinal edges and opposing lateral edges, said nape engaging member is turned on itself and hemmed to encapsulate a resilient elastic member positioned centrally and longitudinally within said nape member, said nape engaging member being pleated so as its longitudinal ends coincide with said resilient elastic member, said nape engaging member being secured to opposing points on said peripheral edge of said head piece; said front portion of said peripheral edge of said head piece engaging a forehead portion of the head, said nape engaging member engaging the nape region of said head and said rear portion of said peripheral edge of said head piece extending about the rear portion of said head.
2. The kerchief in accordance with claim 1 wherein said rear portion of said peripheral edge of said head piece is positioned beneath said nape engaging member.
3. The kerchief in accordance with claim 1 wherein said head piece, said nape engaging member, and said resilient elastic member comprised of materials which are washable.
4. The kerchief in accordance with claim 1 wherein said head piece is formed of a perspiration absorbing cloth.

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 method for planning the routing of circuit paths on at least one routing surface, comprising the steps of:
defining a topology of the circuit paths on the routing surface according to input data for connections to be routed and respective routing constraints associated with the connections to be routed;
creating the circuit paths for connections to be routed having associated routing constraints, iteratively within each one of a plurality of predetermined unit zones of the at least one routing surface wherein the plurality of predetermined unit zones are processed in a predetermined sequence, the circuit paths being created according to the defined topology of the circuit paths within each unit zone;
verifying the circuit paths created, by evaluating the circuit paths for compliance with the respective routing constraints associated with the connections to be routed, during the step of creating the circuit paths; and
saving data describing the circuit paths created for the at least one routing surface.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
providing results of verifying the circuit paths via feedback preceding the step of creating the circuit paths.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of defining a topology comprises the step of:
selecting at least one of a rule for defining the topology from the group including user-defined rule, user-guided rule, standard pattern rule, minimum spanning tree (MST), daisy chain and node ordering;
computing densities of circuit paths to be routed from known obstacles and path patterns;
sorting the connections to be routed in order first for connections to be routed that are associated with a routing constraint and second for connections to be routed that are not associated with a routing constraint; and
planning circuit paths to be routed in order within each unit zone.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the circuit paths comprises the steps of:
reducing the circuit paths to orthogonal components;
defining a circuit path to comply with path density data and routing constraints;
performing a constraint verification on the defined circuit path; and
if the result of the constraint verification is negative, repeating the step of creating the circuit paths.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the circuit paths comprises the steps of:
reducing the circuit paths to orthogonal components;
defining a circuit path to comply with path density data and routing constraints;
performing a constraint verification on the defined circuit path; and
if the result of the constraint verification is affirmative, proceeding with a next connection to be routed.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
creating the circuit paths for connections to be routed that do not have associated routing constraints.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
determining whether homogenization of circuit paths routed in adequate.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining comprises the step of:
iterating the connections previously routed in the unit zone if the homogenization is not adequate.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining comprises the step of:
iterating the connections to be routed in the unit zone if the homogenization is adequate.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of verifying the circuit paths comprises the step of:
accessing a dedicated processing module via an interface manager to perform a constraint verification according to the routing constraint associated with the connection to be routed that is being created.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of verifying the circuit paths comprises the steps of:
accessing a processing module via an interface manager, the processing module configured for verifying the routing constraint associated with the connection to be routed; and
verifying the routing constraint is satisfied.
12. A method for automatically routing circuit paths on at least one routing surface, comprising the steps of:
planning the routing of the circuit paths on the at least one routing surface to produce a routing plan;
activating a routing engine to begin processing circuit path data retrieved from a routable segments file from an origin to an ultimate location and in incremental steps within each of a plurality of unit zones in sequence defined for the at least one routing surface to define an expanding virtual map of the routing plan such that all of the circuit paths defined by the routing plan between the origin and the extremities of the expanding virtual map are created;
verifying, upon the completion of routing the circuit paths of each unit zone, that any routing constraint associated with a connection to be routed in the present unit zone in the routing plan satisfies the associated routing constraint;
modifying the circuit path routing in the present unit zone if a routing constraint associated with a connection being verified in the previous step in the present unit zone does not satisfy the associated routing constraint; and
advancing to the next unit zone.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of planning the routing of the circuit paths comprises the steps of:
defining a topology of the circuit paths on the routing surface according to input data for connections to be routed and respective routing constraints associated with the connections to be routed;
creating the circuit paths for connections to be routed having associated routing constraints, iteratively within each one of a plurality of predetermined unit zones of the at least one routing surface wherein the plurality of predetermined unit zones are processed in a predetermined sequence, the circuit paths being created according to the defined topology of the circuit paths within each unit zone;
verifying the circuit paths created, by evaluating the circuit paths for compliance with the respective routing constraints associated with the connections to be routed, during the step of creating the circuit paths, and
saving data describing the circuit paths created for the at least one routing surface.
14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:
initiating a final verification, after routing of all of the circuit paths in all of the unit zones is completed, that all routing constraints associated with a connection to be routed are satisfied.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of verifying comprises the steps of:
accessing a processing module via an interface manager, the processing module configured for verifying the routing constraint associated with the connection to be routed; and
verifying the routing constraint is satisfied.
16. A method for planning the routing of circuit paths on at least one defined routing surface to accommodate a predetermined circuit parameter affecting the routing, comprising the steps of:
converting the predetermined circuit parameter affecting the routing of circuit paths to a spatial parameter of the at least one defined routing surface to be routed;
estimating the spatial parameter value required to satisfy the predetermined circuit parameter;
performing an iterative routing path analysis within each one of a plurality of predetermined unit zones of the at least one routing surface, wherein the plurality of predetermined unit zones are analyzed in a predetermined sequence to create a routable circuit path according to a defined topology of the circuit paths with each unit zone, and according to the estimated spatial parameter value;
evaluating the routable circuit path in a processing module, the processing module being configured to determine the correct circuit parameter value for the routable circuit path in a present unit zone, and expressing it in terms o the spatial parameter, the processing module further being accessible via an interface manager;
feeding back information indicating whether the circuit path as created satisfies the required circuit parameter value; and
iterating the routing path analysis until the circuit parameter value is met.
17. A method for planning the routing of circuit paths on at least one routing surface, comprising the steps of:
creating a pattern of traces on a routing surface from input data for connections in accordance with a trace creating algorithm;
after creating less than all of the pattern of traces, analyzing an operational characteristic of the created portion of the pattern of traces in the operating environment of the trace including traces subject to predetermined routing constraints;
comparing results of the analyzing step to a specification for the 10 operational characteristic of the created portion of the pattern of traces;
modifying the trace creating algorithm if the operational characteristic fails to satisfy the specification; and
repeating the foregoing steps until the operational characteristic for the created traces in the portion of the pattern of traces created satisfies the specification.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of creating comprises the steps of:
expressing the predetermined routing constraints as physical parameters of the routing surface;
defining the topology of the pattern of traces to be used during the planning of the routing of circuit paths; and
creating the pattern of traces utilizing the input data, predetermined routing constraints and the topology of the pattern of traces.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of analyzing comprises the step of:
branching to an analysis routine to verify the operational characteristic of the created portion of the pattern of traces; and
running a verification analysis to produce a value of the operational characteristic for comparison.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of comparing comprises the step of:
retrieving the specification for the operational characteristic; and
comparing the produced value of the operational characteristic with the specification.
21. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:
advancing to the connections for the next portion of the routing surface for which the routing of circuit paths is to be planned; and
repeating the steps of claim 17 until the planning the routing for all portions of the routing surface is completed.