Abstract:
A 3-D printer system moves a printed tool over a print surface with a mechanism controlling a rotational angle of an arm holding the print tool and a revolutionary angle of axis of rotation of the printable area to eliminate the disadvantages of conventionally used linear motion mechanisms

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Three-dimensional (3-D) printing (also known as additive manufacturing or rapid prototyping) allows for the production of three-dimensional objects by building up a material on a layer-by-layer basis. One common 3-D printer employs a printhead extruding material and movable in three Cartesian axes (x, y, z) with respect to a print surface. Under the control of a computer, the printhead moves through a series of positions over the printing surface and at each location deposits a small volume of material to define a portion of the printed object at that location. After a base layer is printed directly on the printing surface, the printhead is successively elevated (z-axis) to print additional layers on top of the base layer and then each succeeding layer until the entire object is printed. 
         [0002]    At least one of the printhead or print surfaces is typically supported on an x-y carriage having ways extending along one axis (e.g. the x-axis) that support a movable carriage with ways extending along the perpendicular axes (e.g. the y-axis). The position of the carriage along the first set of ways and the position of the printhead along the second set of ways is typically controlled by electric motors (stepping motors and/or DC servo motors) operating through lead screws, belts, or the like. 
         [0003]    Fabrication of precision linear ways and the drive mechanism associated with the ways can be costly or difficult, particularly for large or very small systems. Further the fabrication process is normally slow, limited by the speed at which a single carriage holding one or more printheads can be maneuvered within the framework of the ways. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides a non-Cartesian mechanism for 3-D printing in which motion between the printhead and print surface is defined by two elements that move relatively only in rotation. The fabrication of rotating elements can be simpler than the fabrication of precision linear elements, employing relatively common rotational bearings without the need for extremely flat and rigid ways. The architecture of the present invention further facilitates the movement of multiple printheads independently over the printing surface without interference, providing the potential for higher throughput. 
         [0005]    Specifically, the present invention provides 3-D printing system having a tool movement assembly with an arm extending radially from a first axis to a printhead location. The arm is movable relative to a printing surface to: (a) rotate about the first axis to move the printhead location in an arc over the printing surface; (b) translate relative to the printing surface along the first axis to move the printhead location to different displacements from the printing surface; and (c) revolve relative to the printing surface about a second axis displaced from the first axis and generally parallel thereto. An actuator system independently controls the rotation, translation, and revolution according to control signals and a printhead attached to the arm at the printhead location receives control signals to direct a printed volume of material toward the printing surface. 
         [0006]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide an extremely simple architecture for a 3-D printer that eliminates the complexity and cost of multiple linear ways and drives. Only a single linear guide is required to translate the printhead in elevation with respect to the printing surface. 
         [0007]    The arm may extend radially from the first axis to at least two printhead locations and the 3-D printing system may further include printheads attached to the arm at each printhead location and each receiving control signals to direct a printed volume of material toward the printing surface. In one embodiment at least two printing locations may be displaced circumferentially about the first axis. 
         [0008]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide an increased throughput for the manufacture of three-dimensional objects by employing multiple printheads onto a single arm. 
         [0009]    The number of printheads displaced circumferentially about the first axis on the first arm at a given circumference may increase as a function of how close the circumference is to the first axis. 
         [0010]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to match the number of printheads at each location over the support surface to the area of the support surface that will be serviced by the printheads according to the geometry of the 3-D printer. 
         [0011]    The arc of a printhead may intersect the second axis. 
         [0012]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to permit complete coverage of the printing surface with a single printhead and combinations of rotation and revolution. 
         [0013]    The 3-D printing system may further include a second arm extending radially from a third axis displaced from the second axis, the second arm extending to a printhead location and holding a second printhead and operating analogously to the first arm. 
         [0014]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a 3-D printer that may allow multiple independent printheads movement over the print surface with reduced interference. 
         [0015]    The second arc of the second arm may not intersect the axis of the printing surface. 
         [0016]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to mechanically reduce collision areas between the arms. 
         [0017]    The tool movement assembly may include a platform defining on its upper surface the printable area and rotatable about the second axis as supported on a bearing assembly attached to a framework, and the arm may be supported by a column rotatable about the first axis as supported on a bearing assembly attached to the framework and whereby the arm revolves relative to the printing surface by rotation of the platform. 
         [0018]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a simple mechanism for realizing the rotational and revolutionary movement of the present invention. 
         [0019]    The 3-D printing system may further include a second platform defining on its upper surface a second printable area and rotatable about a third axis as supported on a bearing assembly attached to a framework and wherein the arm is adapted to revolve relative to first and second printing surface in an arc extending over the first and second printing surfaces. 
         [0020]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide better utilization of a print head that may be shared among different simultaneously fabricated objects 
         [0021]    The 3-D printing system may include a second arm selected from the group consisting of: a curing element, a material removal element, and a material support element. 
         [0022]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a system that permits multiple tools that may interact for fabrication and provide either additive or subtractive manufacture. 
         [0023]    The actuator system may comprise only two motors selected from the group consisting of stepping motors and permanent magnet synchronous motors. 
         [0024]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide an extremely low-cost 3-D printing system requiring only two motors. It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a system that may work flexibly with different motor types. 
         [0025]    The 3-D printing system may further include an electronic computer programmed to receive a three-dimensional description of an object to be fabricated in the form of a file providing locations identified in three Cartesian coordinates and providing control signals to the actuator system and the printhead to control the rotation, translation, revolution and printing to reproduce the object with or without support material for the object on the printing surface using the printhead. 
         [0026]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a system for translating conventional CAD files into the coordinate structure of the present invention. 
         [0027]    The printhead may extrude a fluid material. In one example, the fluid material may be heated thermoplastic material. In another example the fluid may be metal or solder heated by a welding system such as a TIG welder, or heater. 
         [0028]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a system that may work with conventional 3-D printheads. 
         [0029]    It is a feature of at least one embodiment to enable 3D scanning of objects placed on the turntable. This is made possible by viewing the object with one or more sensors attached to the printing arm of the device. 
         [0030]    These particular objects and advantages may apply to only some embodiments falling within the claims and thus do not define the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention showing a platform for supporting a printed object for rotation about a first axis positioned next to a tool column moving a printhead on an arm cantilevered over the platform, the tool column rotatable about a second axis and the arm elevated, all under the control of an electronic computer executing a stored program; 
           [0032]      FIG. 2  is a simplified top plan view of the system of  FIG. 1  showing two angular coordinates used for controlling the printhead in an arcuate path over the print surface and rotation of the print surface; 
           [0033]      FIG. 3  is a figure similar to that of  FIG. 2  showing an embodiment with multiple rotating platforms and multiple independent arms that may operate with limited interference; 
           [0034]      FIG. 4  is a figure similar to that of  FIGS. 2 and 3  showing an embodiment with multiple interdependent arms for changing tools; 
           [0035]      FIG. 5  is a fragmentary perspective view of an embodiment of the tool column of  FIG. 1  allowing rotation and elevation control with a single movable motor; 
           [0036]      FIG. 6  is a figure similar to that of  FIG. 5  showing single motor control of elevation and rotation of the arm in an alternative embodiment; 
           [0037]      FIG. 7  is a fragmentary view similar to that of  FIG. 6  showing implementation of an elevational control using the motion of the rotating platform rather than the tool column; 
           [0038]      FIG. 8  is a figure similar to that of  FIG. 2  showing incorporation of multiple printheads onto a single arm with a radial and circumferential offset between printheads and the number of printheads along each arc portion matching a radial distance of the arc from the center of rotation of the arm; 
           [0039]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the printing platform showing additional arms that may be used for subtractive machining, material support and material curing; 
           [0040]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention intended for extremely large-scale construction in which effective rotation of the printed object is obtained by movement of the support for the tool column; 
           [0041]      FIG. 11  is a process diagram of a program executable by the computer of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0042]      FIG. 12  is a figure similar to  FIG. 1  of an alternative embodiment of the invention eliminating continuous z-axis adjustability. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0043]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a 3-D printer  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention may provide an object platform  12  presenting a substantially upwardly facing horizontal planar surface  14 . The surface  14  provides a printing area on which an object  18  may be printed and is rotatable about a vertical axis  16  indicated by angle θ. 
         [0044]    The object platform  12  is supported on a rotary drive  20  allowing position-controlled rotation of the object platform  12  about the axis  16  under computer control. The rotary drive  20  may include, for example, bearings supporting the object platform  12  for rotation about the vertical axis  16  and a motor system, for example, a stepper motor or permanent magnet DC motor and encoder, providing for positioning. When a stepper motor is used, micro-stepping control may be implemented providing an accuracy of more than 1000 steps per revolution with direct drive. Alternatively or in addition, a gear train may be used to connect the motor to the platform  12  for added or increased resolution. In a simple embodiment the object platform  12  may be mounted directly on the shaft of the motor so that the bearings of the motor provide the necessary support for the object platform  12 . In a simple embodiment, the platform  12  may be attached directly to the drive shaft of the motor. 
         [0045]    The rotary drive  20  may be supported by an attached frame  22  holding the object platform  12  in fixed relationship adjacent to tool column  24  also attached to the frame  22  via rotary drive  26 . The rotary drive  26 , like the drive  20  may provide for controlled revolution of the tool column  24  about an axis  28  indicated by angle φ. The axis  28  is generally parallel to axis  16  and displaced laterally therefrom. The rotary drive  26  may be functionally comparable to the rotary drive  20  providing angular positioning under computer control. 
         [0046]    The rotary drive  26  may rotate a base plate  30  of the tool column  24 , the base plate  30  rigidly connected to a vertically opposed top plate  32  via three cylindrical ways  34  extending vertically between the base plate  30  and top plate  32  and spaced equally about the axis  28 . A horizontally extending tool support arm  36  may be supported on the cylindrical ways  34  by means of sliding bearings  38  positioned about each of the ways  34  so that the tool support arm  36  may move up and down in elevation (z-axis) while maintaining a horizontal orientation and rotating with the base plate  30  and top plate  32 . A portion of the tool support arm  36  centered between the ways  34  may hold an internally threaded collar  40  receiving a vertically oriented threaded rod  42 . The threaded rod  42  may be attached at its upper end to the top plate  32  through a rotary bearing  44  and at its bottom end to a rotary drive  46 , the latter attached to rotate with the base plate  30 . Rotation of the rotary drive  46  will cause rotation of the threaded rod  42  controlling elevation of the tool support arm  36  along the-z-axis by a distance z. 
         [0047]    In a simple embodiment, the rotary drive  46  may be a motor  47  attached to top of the base plate  30  with its shaft extending vertically upward along axis  28  and attached to the lower end of the threaded rod  42  by a rotary coupling. The motor  47  of the rotary drive  46 , like the rotary drives  20  and  26 , may be a stepper motor or other position-controllable motor system for angular position control of the threaded rod  42 . 
         [0048]    A portion of the tool support arm  36  extends in cantilever over the object platform  12  and supports a printhead  41  directed toward the object platform  12 . A printhead  41 , for example, may be an electronically controllable extruder extruding melted thermoplastic through a nozzle having an orifice, for example, as commercially available from MakerBot® Industries of Brooklyn, N.Y., under the tradename Stepstruder®. Such printheads  41  include a resistor (or similar heating element, such as a cartridge heater or resistive wire), heater nozzle and stepper motors for feeding thermoplastic rods into the heater to provide controlled extrusion of a predetermined volume of molten thermoplastic according to received command signals. 
         [0049]    It will further be appreciated that other kinds of printheads  41  may be used as are understood in the art, including those that deposit materials other than thermoplastic (for example, inks, paints, resists, or the like) including not only those that harden or solidify by cooling, but also those that harden by chemical reaction (for example with two-part epoxies or other polymers) or by solvent evaporation or absorption, or that do not harden appreciably, for example, a printhead  41  extruding a paste or frosting. The printhead  41  may further include those that deposit particulate solid materials, for example, metal beads that may be thermally fused by a laser beam or the like. 
         [0050]    Each of the rotary drives  20 ,  26 , and  46 , and the printhead  41 , may communicate through cabling  50  with an electronic computer  52  having an interface circuit  54 , for example, providing micro-stepping control stepper motors or feedback control of the DC servo motor using signals from an associated encoder and providing the necessary control signals to the printhead  41 . The rotation of the rotary drives  20 ,  26 , and  46  can either be synchronous or asynchronous, in the same direction or different directions and at different or the same angular velocities. The interface circuit  54  may communicate via an internal bus  55  with a processor  56  and a memory  58 , the latter holding a stored program  60  operating the printer  10  as will be described below. Generally, the internal bus  55  may also connect with an operator interface  62  communicating with a graphics display screen  64 , a keyboard  67 , and a mouse  68  or the like, for receiving input from a user and providing output to the user. 
         [0051]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the axis  28  may be positioned with respect to the axis  16  and the length of the cantilevered portion of the tool support arm  36  so that the printhead  41  may trace an arc  66  over the object platform  12 , the arc  66  extending from one edge of the object platform  12  to its center defined by axis  16 . The combined motion of the tool column  24  in angle φ and the object platform  12  in angle θ is therefore sufficient to position the printhead  41  at any location over the object platform  12  defined by a unique value of (φ, θ). The 3-D printer  10  can therefore provide precise positioning of the printhead  41  in the horizontal plane without complexity of multiple linear ways and drives associated with a standard x-y table. The 3-D printer  10  further reduces the necessary the linear ways and drives to one (used for the z-axis) as opposed to three in a conventional 3-D printer design. It will further be appreciated that the area printing area on which the printed object  18  may be fabricated extends over the entire surface of the object platform  12  and is not bounded by structure of the 3-D printer  10  as would be the case with the conventional x-y-z or Cartesian tool support. 
         [0052]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the architecture of the 3-D printer  10  permits the use of multiple tool arms  36   a - 36   c,  each associated with a different independently controllable tool column  24 , to be simultaneously in use on a single object platform  12   a  with minimal interference. Separate printheads  41  associated with the arms  36   a - 36   c  may move independently over the platform  12   a  to print different portions of an object, for example with different extruded materials. 
         [0053]    Likewise, a printhead  41  of a single tool support arm  36   c,  for example, may be positionable over multiple platforms  12   a  and  12   b  associated with different parallel axes  16   a  and  16   b  along the arc  66   c  of the printhead  41 . This configuration allows the use of a printhead  41  associated with a lightly used material (for example a spacer material) to be efficiently used for fabrication of multiple different objects  18 . 
         [0054]    When multiple arms  36  are used, the printheads  41  on some arms  36   d,  for example, may be positioned to describe an arc  66  that does not intersect the axis  16   a  which may be reached by another printhead  41 . This configuration reduces interference between the printheads  41  at this center position of the object platform  12 . 
         [0055]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , it will be further understood that a single tool column  24  and tool support arm  36  may provide for multiple separate cantilevered portions, in this case extending radially outward at equal angles about the axis  28  from a common elevation, each cantilevered portion holding a different printhead  41   a - 40   c.  In this configuration, selection between different printheads  41  and, for example, associated different materials, may be made simply by control of the angle φ of the tool column  24  to move the different printheads  41  into position over the platform  12 . Notably, this selection can be performed without the need for additional drive mechanisms reducing the implementing cost of using multiple printheads or other tools. 
         [0056]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a reduction in the number of necessary motors needed in the 3-D printer  10  may be achieved by using a single motor  70  providing for the function of both the rotary drives  26  and  46 . Specifically, a single motor  70  may be shared between a first drive mechanism  72  turning the base plate  30  and a second drive mechanism  74  turning the threaded rod  42 , for example, each of the drives  72  and  74  having a spur gear  76  that may alternately engage the corresponding spur gear  78  on the motor  70 , the latter as moved by a solenoid or the like. Because the movement of the threaded rod  42  is relatively infrequent (only between layers), such sharing is practical. 
         [0057]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , an alternative sharing technique, the threaded rod  42  may be fixed to the frame  22  so that rotation of the base plate  30 , for example, by a motor  70  simultaneously changes the height of the threaded collar  40  on the threaded rod  42  and the angle of the tool column  24  and hence the tool support arm  36 . In this case, incrementing of the printhead  41  along the z-axis may be performed by rotation of the base plate  30  by an integer multiple of 360 degrees causing the threaded collar  40  to rise to a next level (z 1  to z 2 ). In this case, movement in the φ angle causes some commensurate movement along z which may be minimized by a low pitch of the thread of threaded rod  42 . 
         [0058]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , an alternative method for reducing the number of required motors links the z and θ axes (instead of the z and φ axes as described with respect to  FIGS. 5 and 6 ) by having rotation of the object platform  12 , for example, by a motor  70  also cause a change in elevation of the platform along the z-axis. This may be effected, for example, by an upwardly extending threaded rod  73  fixed with respect to the frame  22  received within a corresponding threaded collar  75  attached to the bottom of the object platform  12 . Rotation of the object platform  12  may be had by the engagement of the gear  78  of the motor  70  with gear teeth along the periphery of the rotary platform  12  to rotate the platform. Rotation of the object platform  12  changes the angle θ and also elevates or drops the height of the object platform  12  along the z-axis by the engagement of the threaded rod  73  and collar  75 . During use of the 3-D printer  10  for printing a given layer, the object platform  12  rotation is restricted to a given 360 degree. Changes in layer height (z-axis) are achieved by an integer multiple of 360 degrees of rotation. The interaction between z and θ again provides a slight helical offset to layers of the printed object  18  which can be reduced by using a fine pitch of the threads of the rod  73  and collar  75 . 
         [0059]    It will be understood that all of the motions described herein, including motion in z, φ and θ are relative motion between the object platform  12  and the tool column  24 . 
         [0060]    Referring now to  FIG. 8 , increased throughput may be provided by adding multiple printheads  41  onto the tool support arm  36  at different arcs  66   a - 66   c  from the axis  28  which may allow opportunistic simultaneous ejection of material through multiple printheads  41 . As well as displacing the printheads  41  along different arc  66 , the printheads may be disbursed circumferentially along a given arc  66  to similar effect. Generally additional circumferentially spaced printheads  41  may be used for smaller arcs (e.g. arc  66   c ) reflecting the fact that these printheads cover the respective greater area of the object platform  12 . 
         [0061]    Referring now to  FIG. 9  different tool arms  36  may be associated not only with printheads  41  but also other tools that may be used for fabrication including, for example, a grinding tool  77  allowing for subtractive manufacturing or surface finishing. Such a subtractive process is particularly useful for rotationally symmetric items that may be conventionally produced on a lathe and which are well adapted to the present invention. Alternatively the tool support arm  36  may hold a UV curing lamp  79  that may operate in conjunction with a printhead  41  dispensing a light-curing polymer. Alternatively the tool support arm  36  may hold a shaping tool  80 , for example, used to support or shape molten or solidified material ejected from the printhead  41 , for example, instead of a substrate layer when an overhang must be created. 
         [0062]    Referring now to  FIG. 10 , as noted above, the necessary motion of the present invention is only relative motion between the printed object  18  and the printhead  41  and need not require rotatable object platform  12 . This can be particularly important for extremely large printing projects, for example, printing walls for building  18 ′ out of concrete or the like extruded from the printhead  41 . In this case the necessary revolution of the axis  28  of the tool support arm  36  about the printed object  18  may be provided by mounting the tool support arm  36  and the tool column  24  on a circular track  82  surrounding the printed object  18  by movement of a carriage  84  on the track  82  to which the tool column  24  is attached. In this way, the necessary revolution angle θ may be obtained without the need to rotate the building  18 ′ about the axis  16  relative to the earth. A conventional pivoting structure on the tool column  24  provides for the revolution angle φ. 
         [0063]    Referring now to  FIG. 11 , conventional CAD programs typically provide for a definition of a three-dimensional object in a data file  86  providing three Cartesian coordinates of x, y, and z for each volume element of the object. The program  60  of the present invention may therefore provide a translation of these coordinates of the data file  86  into a new set of coordinates in a data file  88  commensurate with the 3-D printer  10  of the present invention of revolution angle θ, rotation angle φ and elevational positions z allowing the present invention to work with conventional tools for computer aided machining and computer aided design. It will be appreciated that the motors may be any type of motor that can provide for controllable revolutions including stepper motors, permanent magnet DC motors, piezoelectric motors and the like. 
         [0064]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the printhead  41  may be replaced with or used in conjunction with a scanning head  90  to provide for 3-D scanning. The scanning head  90  may be, for example, a contact scanning head having a stylus  92  where the scanning head  90  may detect a touching of the stylus  92  to a three-dimensional model (not shown) for scanning the same. The model may be placed upon the surface  14  of the platform  12  and affixed thereto to rotate with rotation of the platform  12 . The stylus  92  may be touched against the surface of the model at various z-axis heights and θ rotations of the model on the platform  12  as the stylus  92  is moved radially inward and outward by movements of the arm  36  to develop a “point cloud” describing the surface of the model. This point cloud may then be converted to a polygon mesh model or a surface model employing polynomial splines or the like describing the surface of the model, this data then manipulated to produce the necessary commands to generate a printed replica of the model using the printhead  41 . In this regard, the use of the same geometry for the printer and the scanner may simplify the conversion between the scanned data and data needed to control the printhead  41 . The angular orientation of the stylus  92  may be changed to accommodate different model types or may be under control of the electronic computer  52  using a positionable servomotor or the like, to assist in characterizing concave surfaces. 
         [0065]    Other types of scanning heads  90 , including optical triangulation type heads triangulating a projected beam of light with a pattern or unique focus point to identify surface point locations; silhouette scanners using a camera to measure the silhouette of the model from multiple angles to reconstruct a convex hull using backprojection, or cameras deducing depth of surface points from lighting cues such as shadows or focus may also be used. 
         [0066]    Referring now to  FIG. 12 , in one embodiment, the tool column  24  may be limited in motion to angle φ only without the capability of z-axis motion, providing a greatly simplified system that permits two-dimensional or shallow three-dimensional printing, for example, printing of a generally planar upper surface of a printed circuit board  96  attached to the upper surface  14  of the rotating platform  12 . Such a printing system  10 ′ can be useful for applying a relatively thick layer of resist or conductive ink or etching liquid on a printed circuit board or the like, but could be used for any substantially two-dimensional printing requirement. In this case the printhead  14  may be stationary in the z-axis or may provide for a limited z-axis motion, typically, being positionable between two z-axis positions by a mechanism within the printhead  14 , for example using a solenoid or the like, to be positioned in either a printing or retracted position. An ability to move between two closely spaced z-axis positions allows relatively thick printing layers to be deposited for decorative or functional reasons when the printed material has a z-axis height. 
         [0067]    Certain terminology is used herein for purposes of reference only, and thus is not intended to be limiting. For example, terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “above”, and “below” refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. Terms such as “front”, “back”, “rear”, “bottom” and “side”, describe the orientation of portions of the component within a consistent but arbitrary frame of reference which is made clear by reference to the text and the associated drawings describing the component under discussion. Such terminology may include the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. Similarly, the terms “first”, “second” and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. 
         [0068]    When introducing elements or features of the present disclosure and the exemplary embodiments, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of such elements or features. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements or features other than those specifically noted. It is further to be understood that the method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed. 
         [0069]    References to “a microprocessor” and “a processor” or “the microprocessor” and “the processor,” can be understood to include one or more microprocessors that can communicate in a stand-alone and/or a distributed environment(s), and can thus be configured to communicate via wired or wireless communications with other processors, where such one or more processor can be configured to operate on one or more processor-controlled devices that can be similar or different devices. Furthermore, references to memory, unless otherwise specified, can include one or more processor-readable and accessible memory elements and/or components that can be internal to the processor-controlled device, external to the processor-controlled device, and can be accessed via a wired or wireless network. 
         [0070]    It is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein and the claims should be understood to include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims. All of the publications described herein, including patents and non-patent publications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.