All The Claims

1. An intermittent wiper control device for use in controlling operation of a wiper motor of a vehicle’s windshield wiper system, the control device comprising:
a user actuator mechanism;
a potentiometer system connected to the actuator mechanism such that a change in a position of the actuator mechanism produces a change in an output of the potentiometer system;
microprocessor circuitry electronically connected to the potentiometer system; and
a relay system including at least one relay electronically connected to the microprocessor circuitry and adapted to generate a motor activation signal and a motor deactivation signal corresponding with activation and deactivation, respectively, of a wiper motor of a vehicle’s windshield wiper system;
wherein the microprocessor circuitry is programmed to prompt operation of the relay system based upon the potentiometer system output to cause the wiper system to selectively operate in at least one continuous speed mode, a variable intermittent mode, and an off mode, based on different values of the potentiometer system output.
2. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 1, wherein the potentiometer system output is a voltage.
3. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 2, wherein the microprocessor circuitry is programmed to:
operate in a first mode corresponding with a first voltage output of the potentiometer system in which the relay system is prompted to generate the motor deactivation signal to cause the wiper system to be in the off mode;
operate in a second mode corresponding with a plurality of voltage outputs from the potentiometer system ranging between a second voltage output and third voltage output in which the relay system is prompted to intermittently and repeatedly generate the motor activation signal followed by the motor deactivation signal to cause the wiper system to operate in the variable intermittent mode; and
operate in a third mode corresponding with a fourth voltage output of the potentiometer system in which the relay system is prompted to generate the motor activation signal to cause the wiper system to operate in the at least one continuous speed mode.
4. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 3, wherein the second mode includes an interval period between a first prompting of the motor activation signal and a subsequent prompting of the motor activation signal, and further wherein the interval period is a pre-determined function of the voltage output.
5. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor circuitry includes an analog-to-digital converter.
6. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 1, wherein the potentiometer system includes a rotatable potentiometer shaft such that the output of the potentiometer system varies as a function of a rotational position of the potentiometer shaft.
7. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 6, wherein the user actuator mechanism includes an actuator shaft linked to the potentiometer shaft.
8. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 7, wherein the control device further includes a housing maintaining the potentiometer shaft and the actuator shaft such that rotation of the actuator shaft relative to the housing causes a corresponding rotation of the potentiometer shaft.
9. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 8, wherein the user actuator mechanism further includes a rotator assembly connected to the actuator shaft, the rotator assembly configured to correlate a pre-determined rotational position of the actuator shaft with a user-desired operational state of the wiper motor.
10. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 9, wherein the rotator assembly includes a detent pin and the housing forms a plurality of apertures sized to selectively capture the detent pin.
11. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of apertures includes a first stop groove, an elongate circumferential slot, and a second stop groove, and further wherein the slot is circumferentially disposed between the first and second stop grooves.
12. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 8, wherein the shaft is axially moveable relative the housing.
13. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 12, wherein the device further includes at least one washer contact electronically connected to the microprocessor circuitry, and further wherein the shaft is positioned to cause an electrical interface with washer contact upon movement from a first axial position to a second axial position.
14. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 13, wherein the actuator mechanism further includes a shaft insulator assembled to the actuator shaft, and a contact body assembled to the shaft insulator.
15. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 14, wherein the actuator shaft defines a trailing segment forming a bore sized to receive the shaft insulator, and further wherein the shaft insulator is formed of an electrically non-conductive material and forms a passage sized to receive the potentiometer shaft, and even further wherein the contact body is formed of an electrically conductive material and is assembled to the shaft insulator opposite the actuator shaft.
16. The intermittent wiper control device of claim 13, wherein the relay system includes a washer relay adapted to generate a wash signal corresponding with activation of a washing liquid pump of the vehicle’s windshield wiper system, and further wherein the microprocessor circuitry is programmed to prompt the washer relay to generate the wash signal in response to an electrical connection at the washer contact via the actuator mechanism.
17. A method of controlling operation of a wiper motor of a vehicle’s windshield wiper system, the method comprising:
providing an intermittent wiper control device including:
a user actuator mechanism,
a potentiometer system connected to the actuator mechanism such that a change in a position of the actuator mechanism produces a change in an output of the potentiometer system,
microprocessor circuitry electronically connected to the potentiometer system, and
a relay system including at least one relay electronically connected to the microprocessor circuitry and adapted to generate a motor activation signal and a motor deactivation signal corresponding with activation and deactivation, respectively, of a wiper motor of a vehicle’s windshield wiper system,
wherein the microprocessor circuitry is programmed to prompt operation of the relay system based upon the potentiometer system output to cause the wiper system to selectively operate in at least one continuous speed mode, a variable intermittent mode, and an off mode, based on different values of the potentiometer system output;

electrically connecting the relay system to an electrical system of the vehicle such that at least one relay of the relay system is electrically coupled to a wiper motor of the vehicle’s windshield wiper system;
mounting the user actuator mechanism to an interior surface of the vehicle; and
operating the user actuator mechanism by a user to effectuate desired operation of the wiper motor.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein operating the user actuator mechanism includes:
positioning the user actuator mechanism in a first position;
operating the microprocessor circuitry to automatically deactivate the wiper motor with the user actuator mechanism in the first position;
positioning the user actuator mechanism between a second and third position;
operating the microprocessor circuitry to automatically intermittently activate the wiper motor with the user actuator mechanism between the second and third positions;
positioning the user actuator mechanism in a fourth position; and
operating the microprocessor to automatically activate the wiper motor with the user actuator mechanism in the fourth position.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein operating the microprocessor circuitry to intermittently activate the wiper motor includes:
sensing a voltage output of the potentiometer system; and
selecting a pre-determined interval period between consecutive activations of the wiper motor based upon the sensed voltage output.
20. A method of retrofitting an existing wiper control device used in controlling a wiper motor of a vehicle’s windshield wiper system, the method comprising:
removing the existing wiper control device from the vehicle;
providing an intermittent wiper control device including:
a user actuator mechanism,
a potentiometer system connected to the actuator mechanism such that a change in a position of the actuator mechanism produces a change in an output of the potentiometer system,
microprocessor circuitry electronically connected to the potentiometer system, and
a relay system including at least one relay electronically connected to the microprocessor circuitry and adapted to generate a motor activation signal and a motor deactivation signal corresponding with activation and deactivation, respectively, of a wiper motor of a vehicle’s windshield wiper system,
wherein the microprocessor circuitry is programmed to prompt operation of the relay system based upon the potentiometer system output to cause the wiper system to selectively operate in at least one continuous speed mode, a variable intermittent mode, and an off mode, based on different values of the potentiometer system output;

electrically coupling the relay system to an electrical system of the vehicle such that at least one relay is electrically coupled to the wiper motor; and
mounting the user actuator mechanism to an interior surface of the vehicle.

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 cup assembly comprising:
a cup having an inner wall formed on an interior of the cup to sandwich a first chamber with an outer periphery of the cup, the inner wall having at least one cutout defined in a peripheral edge of the inner wall; and
a lid being able to be mounted on top of the cup to close an open end of the cup, the lid having an inner extension extending from a bottom face of the lid to sandwich a second chamber with an outer wall which is extended from a peripheral edge of the lid, the lid having an outlet defined through the lid to communicate with the second chamber, the inner extension having a second cutout defined in a peripheral edge of the inner extension to correspond to and selectively align with the at least one cutout of the cup and a second cutout defined in the peripheral edge of the inner extension to correspond to the peripheral edge of the inner extension, wherein a first passage including the at least one cutout of the cup and the first cutout of the lid and in communication with the outlet is defined after the lid is mounted on top of the cup, a second passage including the second cutout of the lid is defined after the lid is mounted on top of the cup and a liquid cooling compartment including the first chamber and the second chamber is formed after the lid is mounted on top of the cup such that tilting the cup assembly enables the liquid cooling compartment to be filled with liquid contained in the cup when the second passage is in communication with the liquid cooling compartment and the first cutout of the lid is in misalignment with the at least one cutout of the cup via rotation of the lid relative to the cup thereby allowing the liquid to flow out of the outlet after communication between the first cutout and the at least one cutout is established via the rotation of the lid after temperature of the liquid in the liquid cooling compartment has cooled.
2. The cup assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second cutout has a depth sufficient that after the lid is mounted on top of the cup, a portion of the second cutout is exposed out of the inner extension to form the second passage.
3. The cup assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a guiding device formed on an outer periphery of the inner wall of the cup and a limiting element formed on the lid to correspond to the guiding device so that when the lid is mounted on top of the cup, the corresponding relationship between the guiding device and the limiting element is able to guide the lid in relation to the cup.
4. The cup assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the guiding device comprises a longitudinal slit in the outer periphery of the inner wall and a latitudinal slit bisecting the longitudinal slit, the limiting element is a ball mounted on an outer periphery of the inner extension to correspond to the longitudinal slit and the latitudinal slit such that after the ball is received in the longitudinal slit, the mounting of the lid on the cup is guided and when the ball is received in the latitudinal slit, rotation of the lid relative to the cup is limited due to a length of the latitudinal slit.
5. The cup assembly as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a guiding device formed on an outer periphery of the inner wall of the cup and a limiting element formed on the lid to correspond to the guiding device so that when the lid is mounted on top of the cup, the corresponding relationship between the guiding device and the limiting element is able to guide the lid in relation to the cup.
6. The cup assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the guiding device comprises a longitudinal slit in the outer periphery of the inner wall and a latitudinal slit bisecting the longitudinal slit, the limiting element is a ball mounted on an outer periphery of the inner extension to correspond to the longitudinal slit and the latitudinal slit such that after the ball is received in the longitudinal slit, the mounting of the lid on the cup is guided and when the ball is received in the latitudinal slit, rotation of the lid relative to the cup is limited due to a length of the latitudinal slit.
7. The cup assembly as claimed in claims 1 further comprising a rotation facilitating device which includes:
multiple teeth formed on a peripheral edge of the outer wall of the lid;
a gear rotatably mounted on the outer periphery of the cup to mate with the teeth of the lid; and
a rack slidably and movably mounted on the cup to mate with the gear to drive the gear to rotate.
8. The cup assembly as claimed in claims 2 further comprising a rotation facilitating device which includes:
multiple teeth formed on a peripheral edge of the outer wall of the lid;
a gear rotatably mounted on the outer periphery of the cup to mate with the teeth of the lid; and
a rack slidably and movably mounted on the cup to mate with the gear to drive the gear to rotate.
9. The cup assembly as claimed in claims 3 further comprising a rotation facilitating device which includes:
multiple teeth formed on a peripheral edge of the outer wall of the lid;
a gear rotatably mounted on the outer periphery of the cup to mate with the teeth of the lid; and
a rack slidably and movably mounted on the cup to mate with the gear to drive the gear to rotate.
10. The cup assembly as claimed in claims 4 further comprising a rotation facilitating device which includes:
multiple teeth formed on a peripheral edge of the outer wall of the lid;
a gear rotatably mounted on the outer periphery of the cup to mate with the teeth of the lid; and
a rack slidably and movably mounted on the cup to mate with the gear to drive the gear to rotate.
11. The cup assembly as claimed in claims 5 further comprising a rotation facilitating device which includes:
multiple teeth formed on a peripheral edge of the outer wall of the lid;
a gear rotatably mounted on the outer periphery of the cup to mate with the teeth of the lid; and
a rack slidably and movably mounted on the cup to mate with the gear to drive the gear to rotate.
12. The cup assembly as claimed in claims 6 further comprising a rotation facilitating device which includes:
multiple teeth formed on a peripheral edge of the outer wall of the lid;
a gear rotatably mounted on the outer periphery of the cup to mate with the teeth of the lid; and
a rack slidably and movably mounted on the cup to mate with the gear to drive the gear to rotate.
13. The cup assembly as claimed in claims 1, wherein the cup further has a third cutout defined in the peripheral edge of the inner wall to correspond to and selectively align with the second cutout of the lid so as to form the second passage.
14. The cup assembly as claimed in claims 3, wherein the cup further has a third cutout defined in the peripheral edge of the inner wall to correspond to and selectively align with the second cutout of the lid so as to form the second passage.
15. The cup assembly as claimed in claims 4, wherein the cup further has a third cutout defined in the peripheral edge of the inner wall to correspond to and selectively align with the second cutout of the lid so as to form the second passage.
16. The cup assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cup further has a third cutout defined in the peripheral edge of the inner wall to correspond to and selectively align with the second cutout of the lid so as to form the second passage.

1. A method of forming a medical lead comprising:
forming a first wire coil with a first outer diameter and having an end;
removing a coating from a distal section at the end of the first wire coil thereby creating a second outer diameter in the distal section, the second outer diameter being less than the first outer diameter;
forming a second wire coil over at least the second outer diameter of the distal section of the first wire coil thereby filling an area around the second outer diameter of the first wire coil in the distal section and at the end of the first wire coil;
forming a marker coil over the first and second wire coils at least over the distal section and at the end of the first wire coil and the end of the second wire coil; and
forming a single ball weld at a distal end of the medical lead where the ends of each of the first and second wire coils and the marker coil are coupled creating an electrical coupling.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein removing the coating from the distal section of the first wire coil allows the first wire coil to function as a conductor and electrode in the medical lead.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the marker coil comprises including a radiopaque material capable of producing a relatively bright image on a fluoroscopy screen.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the distal section of the first wire coil is at a distal end of the medical lead such that the ball weld is formed at the distal end.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a first wire coil comprises forming a multifiler stranded coil.
6. A medical lead comprising:
a first wire coil having an outer diameter and an end;
a marker coil having an inner diameter and an end, the marker coil assembled over the first wire coil such that their ends are aligned;
wherein the outer diameter of the first wire coil is smaller than the inner diameter of the marker coil thereby defining a gap at the ends of the first wire and the marker coil;
a second wire coil with an end and substantially filling the gap between the first wire coil and the marker coil; and
a single ball weld formed at a distal end of the medical lead, thereby coupling together the ends of the first wire coil, the second wire coil and the marker coil.
7. The medical lead of claim 6, wherein the ball weld is formed at a distal end of the medical lead.
8. The medical lead of claim 6, wherein the inner diameter of the marker coil is less than 0.03 inch.
9. The medical lead of claim 6, wherein the medical lead is one of a group comprising an endoscopic device, laproscopic device, embolic protection device, and guidewire.
10. The medical lead of claim 6, wherein the marker coil comprises a radiopaque material capable of producing a relatively bright image on a fluoroscopy screen.
11. The medical lead of claim 10, wherein the marker coil comprises one of a group of material comprising gold, platinum, platinum-iridium, palladium, tantalum, tungsten alloy, and a plastic material loaded with a radiopaque additive.
12. The medical lead of claim 6, wherein the first and second coils comprise stainless steel.
13. A medical lead comprising:
a first wire coil having a first outer diameter at a first portion and having a second outer diameter at a second portion located at its end;
a marker coil having an inner diameter, the marker coil assembled over the first and second portions of the first wire coil;
wherein the second outer diameter of the first wire coil is smaller than the inner diameter of the marker coil thereby defining a gap adjacent the second portion of the first wire coil at the end of the first wire coil and an end of the marker coil;
a second wire coil substantially filling the gap between the first wire coil and the marker coil adjacent the second portion of the first wire coil; and
a single ball weld formed at a distal end of the medical lead thereby coupling together the ends of the first wire coil, the second wire coil, and the marker coil.
14. The medical lead of claim 13, wherein the ball weld is formed at a distal end of the medical lead.
15. The medical lead of claim 13, wherein the inner diameter of the marker coil is less than 0.03 inch.

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 image processing apparatus comprising:
an image processing unit which processes and displays an image;
a recognizing unit which recognizes a pointing operation input from a pointing device; and
a control unit which executes a predetermined function when a first pointing operation which selects the predetermined function and a second pointing operation which confirms whether to execute the selected predetermined function are input from the pointing device, and controls the image processing unit to process the image in response to the execution of the predetermined function,
wherein, when the first pointing operation is input, the control unit holds the predetermined function in a standby state to prepare for execution of the predetermined function until the second pointing operation is input.
2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second pointing operation includes at least one of an operation which occurs for a predetermined period of time, an operation which is repeated a predetermined number of times, a pattern of operation, an operation which indicates any region on a screen, and an operation which indicates a specified region on a screen.
3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, if the operation which occurs for the predetermined period of time stops before the predetermined period of time elapses or if the operation which is repeated by the predetermined number of times stops before the predetermined number of times is reached, the control unit restarts a determination operation as to determine whether the predetermined period of time elapses or the predetermined number of times is reached from a point of time when one of the operations which occurs for the predetermined period of time or which is repeated by the predetermined number of times is again input.
4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the image processing unit to display a second indicator to inquire whether to input the second pointing operation.
5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pointing device includes at least one of a laser pointer and a light pen.
6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an audio processing unit which processes and outputs audio,
wherein the control unit controls the audio processing unit to output a sound which indicates whether the predetermined period of time elapses.
7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit controls the audio processing unit to change at least one of output volume, output interval, and output type of the sound over time.
8. An image processing apparatus comprising:
an image processing unit which processes and displays an image;
a recognizing unit which recognizes a pointing operation input from a pointing device; and
a control unit which executes a predetermined function when a first pointing operation which selects the predetermined function and a second pointing operation which confirms whether to execute the selected predetermined function are input from the pointing device, and controls the image processing unit to process the image in response to the execution of the predetermined function,
wherein the second pointing operation includes at least one of an operation which occurs for a predetermined period of time, an operation which is repeated a predetermined number of times, a pattern of operation, an operation which indicates any region on a screen, and an operation which indicates a specified region on a screen, and
wherein the control unit controls the image processing unit to display a first indicator to indicate whether the predetermined period of time elapses.
9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit controls the image processing unit to change at least one of definition, transparency, size, color and contents of the first indicator over time.
10. A method of controlling an image processing apparatus, comprising:
recognizing a pointing operation input from a pointing device;
receiving a first pointing operation which selects a predetermined function;
receiving a second pointing operation which confirms whether to execute the selected predetermined function;
executing the selected predetermined function and processing and displaying an image in response to the execution of the selected predetermined function;
when the first pointing operation is input, holding the predetermined function in a standby state to prepare for execution of the predetermined function until the second pointing operation is input.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the second pointing operation includes at least one of an operation which occurs for a predetermined period of time, an operation which is repeated a predetermined number of times, a pattern of operation, an operation which indicates any region on a screen, and an operation which indicates a specified region on a screen.
12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: if the operation which occurs for the predetermined period of time stops before the predetermined period of time elapses or if the operation which is repeated by the predetermined number of times stops before the predetermined number of times is reached, restarting a determination as to determine whether the predetermined period of time elapses or the predetermined number of times is reached from a point of time when one of the operations which occurs for the predetermined period of time or which is repeated by the predetermined number of times is again input.
13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising displaying a second indicator to inquire whether to input the second pointing operation.
14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the pointing device includes at least one of a laser pointer and a light pen.
15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising outputting a sound which indicates whether the predetermined period of time elapses.
16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising changing at least one of output volume, output interval, and output type of the sound over time.
17. A method of controlling an image processing apparatus, comprising:
recognizing a pointing operation input from a pointing device;
receiving a first pointing operation which selects a predetermined function;
receiving a second pointing operation which confirms whether to execute the selected predetermined function;
executing the selected predetermined function and processing and displaying an image in response to the execution of the selected predetermined function,
wherein the second pointing operation includes at least one of an operation which occurs for a predetermined period of time, an operation which is repeated a predetermined number of times, a pattern of operation, an operation which indicates any region on a screen, and an operation which indicates a specified region on a screen; and
displaying a first indicator to indicate whether the predetermined period of time elapses.
18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising changing at least one of definition, transparency, size, color and contents of the first indicator with time.