Abstract:
A game bird decoy provides for more natural kinematics by providing a smoothly articulating neck, an automatic orientation of the neck with respect to body tipping and improved dual-mode wing activation in which the wings may lift or lift and extend as a function of body angle.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/804394 filed Jul. 21, 2015 which the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 62/027,407 filed Jul. 22, 2014, both hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to hunting decoys and in particular to a game bird decoy that provides more natural movement. 
         [0003]    Decoys for bird hunting may include very simple silhouette decoys which provide two-dimensional representations of a bird in silhouette and shell decoys which provide static, three-dimensional representations of a full-bodied bird. The latter shell decoys are preferable to silhouette decoys to the extent that they present a better simulation of a bird from a circling flock overhead. 
         [0004]    More advanced decoys also provide for motion. Decoys of this type may rely on wind to move the decoy or decoy parts or battery-powered motors which provide for oscillating or rotating decoy parts. While it is generally appreciated that adding motion to a decoy can improve its realism, poorly implemented motion can have the opposite effect, creating a decoy whose unnatural motion is more frightening than a static decoy and that causes passing flocks to be startled or flare before they approach. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides a moving decoy that better captures the natural motion of a goose or similar game bird in critical aspects, most notably, the characteristic, highly flexible goose neck. The invention further may coordinate neck orientation with posture and wing movement with change in posture. The decoy may be actuated by remote control or by automatic scripts allowing the motion to vary as would occur with the natural goose. In one mode of operation, multiple decoys make intercommunication to provide for flock-like behavior in which activity ripples through multiple decoys in the manner of actual birds responding to one another. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, the invention provides game bird decoy having a body element with a flexible neck element extending therefrom, the body element and flexible neck element sized and decorated to resemble a natural bird. The flexible neck element may include a stack of inter-engaging neck segments extending along a neck axis, each neck segment pivotally attached to an adjacent neck segment to provide a limited pivoting with respect to the adjacent neck segment to curve the neck axis. At least one restoring spring urges the neck segments into resting alignment, and at least one tension band is attached to an upper neck segment to extend downwardly along the neck segments to follow any curvature of the neck axis where it is attached to a servo-motor applying tension to the tension band to controllably curve the flexible neck element. An electronic computer executes a stored program to control the servo-motor to provide for controlled bending of the neck axis. 
         [0007]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to introduce a motion element to otherwise static decoys closer matching the natural movement of the goose or similar game bird. 
         [0008]    The game bird decoy may include at least three tension bands attached to at least two servo-motors to provide for forward and left and right controlled curvature of the flexible neck element. 
         [0009]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to permit complex articulation of the neck, for example, simulating feeding or preening by the bird. 
         [0010]    The restoring spring may be a central spring element passing upward through the inter-engaging neck segments and wherein the resting alignment is a substantially straight alignment of the inter-engaging neck segments. 
         [0011]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a simple and robust spring-return element of eliminating the assembly of multiple parts or the use of elastomeric materials that may degrade between seasons. 
         [0012]    The game bird decoy may include a head element rotatably attached at a distal end of the neck element to rotate about the neck axis as actuated by a servo-motor, and/or the head element may be mounted to the neck element to allow bobbing of the head element with respect to the neck axis about an axis perpendicular to the neck axis as actuated by a servo-motor. 
         [0013]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide improved articulation of the head thought to be an important element for simulating lifelike motion. 
         [0014]    The head element may further include a hinged jaw element movable between a closed position when the head is upright and an open position when the head is vertically inclined. 
         [0015]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to incorporate lifelike mouth movement into the head. 
         [0016]    The neck segments may include plate elements having holes at their peripheries receiving the tension bands to provide ball joints communicating with at least one adjacent neck segment. 
         [0017]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to mimic the actual vertebrae of an elongate neck with a simple mechanical element to better simulate natural motion. 
         [0018]    The game bird decoy may include a leg stand adapted to support the game bird decoy on a level surface, the leg stand pivotally attached to the body element to allow the body element to tip upward about a horizontal axis with respect to the leg stand as actuated by a body servo-motor. 
         [0019]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to allow for a craning movement found in natural geese and the like. 
         [0020]    The neck element may be pivotally attached to the body element and a linkage may communicate between the leg stand and the neck element to change an angle of attachment between the body element and the neck element to provide a substantially constant angle of the neck element with respect to the leg stand as the body element tips upward. 
         [0021]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to mimic the natural stabilization of the head during body motion implemented by living creatures. 
         [0022]    The linkage may provide a set of pivoting rigid link elements wherein at least one link element is captured along its length by a collar fixed with respect to the body element for constraining motion of the link element perpendicular to an extent of the link element. 
         [0023]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a simple linkage that may effect a complex positional adjustment normally requiring control of multiple tissue structures. 
         [0024]    The game bird decoy may further include at least one wing strut pivotally attached to the body element at a shoulder position proximate to the neck element and extending therefrom and actuable by a wing servo-motor. 
         [0025]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide for wing motion normally attendant to balancing the body during movement of the body. 
         [0026]    The game bird decoy may include a wing control strut attached to the wing strut and operable by at least two servo-motors to independently operate in a first mode to elevate the wing strut without substantial lateral extension and in a second mode to elevate and laterally extend the wing strut. 
         [0027]    it is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide multiple nuanced wing motions to produce a richer vocabulary of animation better matching actual game bird behavior. 
         [0028]    The wing control strut may cooperate with the body servo-motor to elevate and laterally extend the wing strut in the second mode when the body is tipped upward. 
         [0029]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to mimic the natural wing adjustment that occurs when the bird is tipping its body upward. 
         [0030]    The wing strut may include a humerus section pivotally attached to the body element, an ulna section pivotally attached to the humerus section and a metacarpus section pivotally attached to the ulna section, each threaded with an interconnecting tension cord operating to extend the sections with respect to each other to more closely approximate a single line when the tension cord is pulled, and wherein operation of the body servo-motor to tip the body upward operates to tension the tension cord to straighten the wing strut in addition to elevating and laterally extending the wing strut. 
         [0031]    It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a more anatomically correct wing motion reflecting the multiple wing bones of the bird. 
         [0032]    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 DRAWINGS 
         [0033]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a decoy constructed according to the present invention showing various axes and movements of parts of the decoy; 
           [0034]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the decoy of  FIG. 1  showing additional motions of the decoy; 
           [0035]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the decoy head with the decoy covering in phantom and showing a gravity-hinged lower bill jaw, and a nodding servo; 
           [0036]      FIG. 4  is a fragmentary view of the gravity-hinged lower bill jaw of  FIG. 3  when the head is tipped downward showing opening of the jaw as if during feeding; 
           [0037]      FIG. 5  a top plan view of a neck joint of the decoy head of  FIG. 3  showing a servo for rotating the head about the neck axis; 
           [0038]      FIG. 6  is a partially exploded side elevational view of the neck element of the decoy of  FIG. 1  comprised of multiple stacked neck segments that angle with respect to each other under the control of three tension bands and showing an internal helical spring fitting along the axis of the neck; 
           [0039]      FIG. 7  is an exploded fragmentary view of the lower portion of the neck element of  FIG. 6  showing servo control of the tension hands for left, right and forward articulation of the neck; 
           [0040]      FIG. 8  is a simplified diagram of a linkage communicating between a leg stand and the neck element as supported on the body with the body in a horizontal position; 
           [0041]      FIG. 9  is a figure similar to that of  FIG. 8  showing the body canted upward to elevate the neck with the linkage serving to retain the orientation of the neck elements with respect to the horizon: 
           [0042]      FIG. 10  is a detailed fragmentary view of a floating pivot point used in the linkage of  FIGS. 8 and 9 ; 
           [0043]      FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the wing strut assembly attached to the body element of  FIG. 8  by means of multi-axis ball joints and controlled by control struts extending between the wing struts and a slider pivot whose movement operates to laterally extend the wing struts, the ends of the control struts removed from the wing struts and communicating with a pull chain for elevating the wing struts; 
           [0044]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the wing strut assembly of  FIG. 11  showing the attachment of a servo-motor to the pull chain to elevate the wing struts; 
           [0045]      FIG. 13  is a top plan view of an alternative articulated wing strut design providing an additional extension of the wing under the control of a tension cord; 
           [0046]      FIG. 14  is an exploded perspective view of one joint of the articulated wing strut of  FIG. 13 ; 
           [0047]      FIG. 15  is an electrical block diagram of the elements of the decoy such as may communicate wirelessly with other decoys and a remote controller or cell phone; 
           [0048]      FIG. 16  is a simplified diagram of two decoys according to the present invention having different functionalities and operating to imitate flock behavior through successive yet possibly unique motions; and 
           [0049]      FIG. 17  is a flowchart of a program executing on a computer of  FIG. 15 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0050]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a kinematically realistic goose decoy  10  may include a body section  12  supported by a leg stand  14  extending downward therefrom. The body section  12  further has a neck section  16  attached at the front of the body section  12  extending generally upward therefrom to a decoy head element  18 . Wing elements  19  maybe attached on either side of the body section  12  to move independently of the body section  12 . Each of the leg stand  14 , body section  12 , neck section  16 , head element  18  and wing elements are covered with a flexible covering such as a cloth or foam material and are sized, positioned and decorated to look like corresponding elements of an actual goose. 
         [0051]    As will be discussed in greater detail below, the goose decoy  10  may provide for a range of different servo-motor controlled motions. As will be understood in the art, servo-motors provide for position control of an actuation lever attached to the motor, the position control obtained through the use of an internal or external feedback loop comprising a position sensor such as a potentiometer and a DC permanent magnet gearmotor or the like. 
         [0052]    In a first motion, the body section  12  may tip upward with respect to the leg stand  14  as indicated by arrow  20 . Additional motions allow curvature of a neck axis  22  of the neck section  16  to bend forward as indicated by arrow  24  in the manner of goose neck providing a generally curved continuous bending as will be discussed below. The wing elements  19  may elevate vertically as indicated by arrow  26 . The head element  18  may nod along a vertical axis with respect to the neck section  16  as indicated by arrow  25 . 
         [0053]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , wing elements  19  may also extend laterally as indicated by arrows  27 . The head element  18  may pivot about the neck axis  22  as indicated by arrows  28 , and the neck axis  22  of the neck section  16  may curve left or right also providing for a smooth continuous curving in that motion as indicated by arrows  30 . 
         [0054]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the head element  18  may provide for an internal armature  32  attached to an upper vertebral segment  62  of the neck section  16  by means of a swivel joint  36  allowing the armature  32  to rotate as shown by arrows  28  about the neck axis  22 . 
         [0055]    Referring momentarily to  FIG. 5 , a servo-motor  38  attached to one half of the swivel joint  36  may move a linkage  40  communicating with a structure attached to the other half of the swivel joint  36  so that motion of the servo-motor  38  provides for swiveling of the head armature  32 . 
         [0056]    Referring again to  FIG. 3 , head armature  32  may provide for an upstanding yoke  42  that supports a head frame  44  to pivot about a horizontally extending pivot pin  46  to provide the nodding action of arrow  25  shown in  FIG. 1 . A servo-motor  48  attached to the yoke  42  communicates with the head frame  44  by a linkage  50  to provide a servo-actuated control of the nodding action of arrow  25 . 
         [0057]    Attached to the head frame  44  which extends into the beak area of the head element  18  is a lower beak  52  that may freely pivot about horizontal hinge pin  54  with respect to the head frame  44 . A counterweight  58  opposite the hinge pin  54  from the lower beak  52  holds the lower beak  52  into a closed position against an of the head frame  44 . Referring now also to  FIG. 4 , when the head frame  44  is tipped downward (for example, by articulation of the neck section  16  as will be discussed below) the counterweight  58  passes over the hinge pin  54  causing a clockwise rotation of the lower beak  52  as shown in  FIG. 4  opening the lower beak  52  to simulate a goose opening its mouth to feed on an object near the ground. 
         [0058]    The lower beak  52  may extend through a flexible covering  60  which otherwise covers the yoke  42 , head frame  44 , and servo-motors  38  and  48 . 
         [0059]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the lower half of the swivel joint  36  may attach to an upper vertebral segment  62   a  being one of six vertebral segments  62   a - f  that are stacked to provide the neck section  16 . Each vertebral segment  62  provides a generally cylindrical disc having a central bore  64  with opposed concave depressions sized to provide a socket receiving intervening balls  63  between pairs of vertebral segment  62 . The ball  63  and the vertebral segment  62  when oriented vertically along a straight vertical neck axis  22  provide a continuous central passage through each of the vertebral segments  62  through which a helical spring  67  may be inserted, the helical spring  67  providing a biasing force on the vertebral segment  62  tending to straighten the stack of vertebral segments  62  and balls  63  along a vertical neck axis  22 . 
         [0060]    Each of the vertebral segments  62  may further have axially directed holes  65  in peripheral regions of the vertebral segment  62  for receiving tension bands  66  there through. Specifically left and right holes  65   a  and  65   b  are diametrically opposed across the bore  64  and may receive left and right vertically extending tension bands  66   a  and  66   b  threading successively through each vertebral segment  62 . Similarly, a set of axial holes  65  toward the front of the vertebral segments  62  and equally spaced from left and right holes  65   a  and  65   b  receive a front tension band  66   c.  The tension bands  66  pass freely through the holes  65  of all but the uppermost vertebral segment  62   a  where they are anchored at anchor points  69  on the upper face of the vertebral segment  62   a.    
         [0061]    The lower ends of the left and right tension bands  66   a  and  66   b  are received by opposite ends of a servo-motor lever  68  actuated at its center by servo-motor  70 . It will be appreciated that motion of the lever  68  in respective clockwise and counterclockwise directions (as dictated) will cause is smoothly curved articulation of the stack of vertebral segments  62 , right and left, in the manner of a gooseneck. In this motion, the angulation of each vertebral segment  62  with respect to its neighbors is substantially equal as moderated by the restoring force of the internal spring  67 , the angulation of the vertebral segments  62  operating to reduce the energy of the deformation of that spring  67 . 
         [0062]    A separate servo-motor  72  positioned near servo-motor  70  provides a lever  75  connected to the lower end of front tension band  66   c  to provide a forward bending of the neck section  16  downward, for example, as if the goose were feeding, when lever  75  is moved downward. This motion of the neck section  16  may activate the lower beak  52  shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0063]    Referring now to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the lower vertebral segment  62   f  may be attached to a movable platform  71  also holding the servo-motors  70  and  75  and attached to an internal frame structure  76  of the body section  12  by horizontal pivot pin  77 . A lever  79  may extend rearwardly from the movable platform  71  past the pivot pin  77  to be connected by linkage elements  78   a  and  78   b  in the internal frame structure  76 . Linkage elements  78   a  and  78   b  connect the lever  79  to anchor pivot  80  fixed with respect to the leg stand  14 . The linkage elements  78   a  and  78   b  are pivotally attached to each other and to the respective lever  79  and anchor pivot  80 . A central portion of the linkage element  78   b  is restrained by a loosely fitting collar  81  fixed relative to the frame structure  76 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , the collar  81  allows sliding of the linkage element  78   b  through the collar  81  as well as a rocking or pivoting about the collar  81  but largely resists motion of the linkage element  78   b  perpendicular to its length. 
         [0064]    The leg stand  14  may be attached by hinge element  82  to the frame structure  76  so that, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the frame structure  76  may tip upward about a horizontal axis as if the goose were changing its body posture. With this upward tipping, the pivot pin  77  rises as well as the platform  71  lifting the neck section  16 . At the same time, operation of the linkage elements  78  serve to rotate the platform  71  clockwise slightly in compensating motion to preserve its level aspect with respect to the ground on which the leg stand  14  rests. In this way the orientation of the neck section  16  is isolated from changes in orientation of the body section  12  in the manner of an actual goose. 
         [0065]    Tipping of the frame structure  76  upward with respect to the leg stand  14  may be accomplished by a servo-motor  84  communicating with a backbone strut  88  forming part of the frame structure  76 , the servo-motor  84  fixed to a structure stationary with respect the leg stand  14 . In this way the tipping of the body section  12  may be flexibly controlled to actuation of the servo-motor  84 . 
         [0066]    Referring now to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the back backbone strut  88  may support at its front edge a shoulder platform  89  at approximately a location where a bird&#39;s wings would connect to the body. The shoulder platform  89  provides two outwardly facing (left and right) ball joints  90   a  and  90   h  attached in turn to wing struts  92   a  and  92   b  shown passing rearward along the body section  12  and providing an internal support structure for decoy wing elements  19  (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). 
         [0067]    Control struts  94   a  and  94   b  are attached at one end via pivot joints  96  to respective wing struts  92   a  and  92   b  at a position removed from the ball joints  90  and slightly rearward therefrom. A midsection of each control strut  94  is supported by respective pivot joints  98  on a slider  100 , the latter of which may slide along the backbone strut  88  as will be discussed below. The pivot joints  98  allow multidimensional pivoting of the respective control struts  94  without sliding of the control struts  94  therethrough. 
         [0068]    The control struts  94 , after being received by the pivot joint  98 , extend rearward therefrom crossing over the slider  100  and the backbone strut  88  to terminate at cantilevered points connected to a chain  102  that passes downward on either side of the backbone strut  88  to be received by a lever  104  of servo-motor  106 . 
         [0069]    It will be appreciated that activation of the servo-motor  106  moves lever  104  in a counterclockwise direction pulling down on the chain  102  and the attached ends of the control struts  94  to raise the attached wing strut  92  providing a vertical elevation of the wing without wing extension as indicated by arrow  26  in  FIG. 12 . In contrast, movement of the slider  100  forward serves to simultaneously extend the wing struts  92  outward as indicated by arrows  27  caused by movement of the pivot joint  98  forward and to elevate the wings per arrow  26  caused by increased tension in the chain  102 , without needed movement of the servo-motor  106 . In this way, two different types of wing motion can be obtained. 
         [0070]    Referring also to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , movement of the slider  100  may occur automatically upon tilting upward of the body section  12 , for example, as shown between  FIGS. 8 and 9 , such as causes a slide weight  112  slidably mounted to the backbone strut  88  to slide rearward. A cable  114  passes forward from the slide weight  112  through a front mounted pulley  116  near the platform  89  and then backwards to connect with the slider  100  so that rearward motion of the slide weight  112  serves to pull the slider  100  forward. In this way, elevation of the body section  12  as shown in  FIG. 9  causes an extension of the wings simulating a balancing that might be performed by a natural bird when craning its neck. 
         [0071]    The slide weight  112 , in one embodiment, may hold lithium ion batteries used for powering of the servo-motor system ascribed herein. 
         [0072]    Referring now to  FIG. 13 , in an alternative embodiment, the wing strut  92 ′ may comprise multiple hingedly-connected segments including an ulna section  120  attached between ball joint  90   b  and a first pivot joint  122  communicating with a humerus section  124 . The humerus section  124  may, in turn, communicate through pivot joint  126  to a metacarpus section  128 . The sections  120 ,  124 , and  128  correspond generally to the same bones found in a bird&#39;s wing and have similar proportions. 
         [0073]    Referring to  FIG. 14 , each joint  122  and  126  may include a tension band guide  130 , for example, providing a pulley wheel coaxial with the joint axis  132  and a torsion spring  134  for biasing the joint in a particular direction. A similar arrangement may be applied to ball joint  90   h  with the springs  134  operating so as to generally fold ulna section  120  rearward the against the body section  12  and fold the humerus section  124  forward and the metacarpus section  128  backward in a compact arrangement. A tension band  136  may be anchored to a distal end of the metacarpus section  128  and may pass around and outside of each of the tension band guides  130  associated with the joints  126 ,  122  and  90   b  to be received by a pulley  142  at which it may curve along the backbone strut  88  to attach to the slide weight  112 . It will be appreciated that tension on the tension band  136  will thus serve to elongate the wing to generally pull each of the ulna section  120 , humerus section  124 , and metacarpus section  128  into a mutually straightened alignment laterally extending from the body. In this way the wings may extend more naturally when the bird body section  12  tips upward as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0074]    Referring now to  FIG. 15 , each of the servo-motors  38 ,  48 ,  70 ,  72 ,  84 , and  106  may be controlled by a microcontroller  150  having a processor  152  communicating with a memory  154  holding a stored program  156  as will be described below. The microcontroller  150  may communicate with a radio transceiver  160  that may communicate with a corresponding remote control unit  165  of the type used with remote-controlled aircraft having a transmitter  163  associated with a remote control keypad  164  or with a smart phone  166  or similar device and with the transceivers  160  of other goose decoys  10 . The body section  12  may contain lithium ion batteries  162  to provide power for each of the components. 
         [0075]    Program  156  may provide for the decoding of signals from the remote control unit  165  allowing continuous control of each of the servos for highly accurate and precise manipulation of the elements described above. In addition or alternatively the program  156  may hold motion scripts that may be invoked to produce various sequences of motion automatically according to a time schedule and list of motions stored in memory  154 . 
         [0076]    Referring now to  FIGS. 16 and 17 , in one embodiment, multiple goose decoys  10   a  and  10   b  (only two shown for clarity) may be deployed together to automatically produce a flock-like motion in which stimulation reflected in motion by one goose decoy  10   a  ripples through the remainder of the flock in the manner of actual flock of birds. Thus, for example, goose decoy  10   a  may be triggered to execute a script by the remote control unit  165 , for example, to elevate the body section  12  and then the head element  18  and raise the wings elements  19 . This command is indicated by process block  170 . After the script is executed as indicated by process block  172 , a delay may be imposed and a command sent from goose decoy  10   a  to a next goose decoy  10   b  per process block  176  (for example, according to address order or programmed order) so that goose decoy  10   b  executes the same script or an analog of that script providing a mimicking behavior. 
         [0077]    In this regard, it is contemplated that some goose decoys  10  will have limited functionality and accordingly will execute a modified script if all mechanisms necessary for the script execution cannot be implemented. For example, some goose decoys  10  may provide for only wing articulation and some decoys may provide for only neck articulation. In this regard each of the goose decoys  10  may be modular to allow additional mechanical structures to be added to the decoys after purchase, for example, to improve their functionality. It will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to geese but that all or portions of the present invention may be used in constructing decoys for other game birds including but not limited to other geese such as snow, brant, speckle bellied and blue geese as well as ducks including mallard, wood, green and blue wing teal and numerous other duck species and other birds such as cranes and swans. 
         [0078]    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. 
         [0079]    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 he 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, 
         [0080]    References to “a controller,” 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. 
         [0081]    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.