Patent Publication Number: US-2018045702-A1

Title: Automated Filter Changer

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This patent application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/537,737, filed Nov. 10, 2014, entitled “Automated Filter Changer,” which is incorporated in its entirety here by this reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to an apparatus for automatically changing syringe type filters of different styles, manufactured by multiple vendors for use with devices such as a drug dissolution testing system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A dissolution testing system may be used to determine the dissolution characteristics of a particular drug in solid, gel, capsule, caplet, gel cap, or similar forms. The dissolution testing system utilizes testing vessels containing media into which the drug is dissolved. A sample of the media containing the dissolved drug is transferred to a collection device so that the amount of drug dissolved can be measured. This can be repeated at various time intervals so that a drug&#39;s dissolution rate over time can be determined. 
     In some instances, prior to collection, a sample of the media containing the dissolved drug may require filtration. Current automated filtration systems are inconvenient to use, susceptible to jams, and susceptible to corrosion. For example, current filtration systems make it inconvenient if the user chooses not to use a filter for a particular sample. The fluidic path would need to be changed by disconnecting the fluid tubing and then reconnecting it in a different configuration to remove the filter changer from the fluidic path, allowing the system to then sample without filtration. This is inconvenient when dealing with a large number of samples. In addition, current filtration systems are subject to frequent jamming because of the method by which the filters are loaded in the system. Also, various components of existing filtration systems may be subject to corrosion. 
     For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a filtration system that is easy to use, reliable, and durable, and can be used in conjunction with any dissolution system without many modifications. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is directed to an automated filter changing apparatus for use with a dissolution testing machine, the present invention making available the option of filtering fluids from a dissolution testing machine. The automated filter changing apparatus allows filters to be automatically placed into the fluidic path, if desired. In addition, the apparatus can remove the filter from the fluidic path, discard the used filter into a bin, or hold the removed filter for another sample. 
     The automated filter changing apparatus utilizes a unique pair of rollers to separate filters from their respective stacks in a sequential order so that only one filter is removed at a time, which reduces the amount of power or torque required to release or remove filters from their respective stacks. Filters can be separated one at a time by utilizing angularly offset indentations on the aforementioned rollers. 
     A shuttle plate is used to catch a filter separated from its filter stack (referred to as a separated filter) and transport the separated filter to a fluid coupler to filter fluids from a dissolution machine, and the like. A centering plate used in conjunction with the shuttle plate aligns the separated filter properly with the fluid coupler. The shuttle plate is also configured to remove filter in the event filtration is not desired. 
     The system is contained in a corrosion resistant housing. The system is programmable to run a variety of protocols, and may have a wired or wireless connection to connect to the Internet to update firmware and the like. In some embodiments, the system may be able to receive a USB flash drive for firmware updates, and for storing data. In some embodiments, the system receives instruction from the dissolution machine or some other smart host. 
     A variety of different types of filters and filter sizes may be used with the system. In some embodiments, various components may be adjusted to accommodate different sizes of filters. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a front, perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a front, perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention with the housing removed. 
         FIG. 3  shows a rear, perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention with the housing removed. 
         FIG. 4A  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the filter stack block and the separator, with various components removed for clarity. 
         FIG. 4B  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the separator. 
         FIG. 4C  shows an elevation view of a portion of one of the rollers of the separator. 
         FIG. 5  shows a partially exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention with the housing removed. 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the shuttle plate. 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the fluid coupler. 
         FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the centering plate. 
         FIGS. 9A through 9I  show the process of removing the filter from the filter stack using the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  shows an embodiment of a computer architecture for automatically operating the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description of the invention and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In addition, some components may be described in singular form, but can be replicated and the description of the singular form applies to the replicated forms. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the automated filter changing system  100  of the present invention comprises a housing  102 , a filter stack block  200  mounted on the housing  102 , a filter separator  300  positioned below the filter stack block  200 , and a shuttle plate  400  positioned below the filter separator  300 . In general, filter stacks  10  are fed into the housing  102  through the filter stack block  200 . From the filter stack block  200 , the filters are separated into single filters  12  by the filter separator  300 . The filter separator  300  transfers the filters  12  separated from their respective stacks (separated filters) to the shuttle plate  400 . The shuttle plate  400  transfers the separated filters  12  to fluid couplers  500 . Each fluid coupler  500  can connect to one separated filter  12  to create a fluidic path that utilizes the separated filter  12 . A centering plate assembly  600  is used to facilitate proper alignment of the filters with the fluid coupler  500 . A sample fluid to be measured or characterized can now be filtered as the fluid flows through the fluidic path from, for example, a dissolution machine to a measuring or collection device. 
     Housing 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the housing comprises a top  104 , a bottom  106  opposite the top  104 , a front  108  adjacent to the top  104  and bottom  106 , a back  110  opposite the front  108  and adjacent to the top  104  and bottom  106 , two opposing sides  112 ,  114  adjacent to the top  104 , bottom  106 , front  108  and back  110 , and an underlying framework  124  upon which the various components can be mounted. In the preferred embodiment, the overall dimensions of the housing  102  have been minimized to fit on a workbench having a depth of approximately 24 inches. The front  108  of the housing comprises a collection bin  116  that can slide in and out of the housing  152 . Discarded filters are collected in the collection bin  116 . Preferably, the collection bin  116  has a see-through front panel so that discarded filters can be seen. The automated filter changer  100  may be operatively connected to a dissolution automated sampling machine that can pump fluids from the dissolution machine through the automated filter changer  100  and to a collection or measuring device. Therefore, tubing lines from the dissolution machine may be connected to the fluid coupler  500  of the automated filter changer  100  as described below. Tubing lines may be outside of the housing  102  and at a central location so that connecting the tubing from the dissolution device is made easy. As such, the automated filter changer  100  may be a part of an overall dissolution system. 
     A monitor  118  may be mounted on the housing  102  to display a graphic user interface to allow the user to interact with the automated filter changer  100 . Various indicators  120  may be presented on the housing  102  to notify the user of the current status of the machine, including information such as errors, malfunctions, stoppages, normal operation, and the like. The same or more detailed information may be presented on the monitor  118 . Various communication ports  122  may also be present on the housing to allow the automated filter changer to communicate with auxiliary devices, such as external monitors, input/output devices, USB drives, printers, other computers and servers, and the like. The monitor  118 , indicators  120 , and communication ports  122 , as well as the various components described herein, may all be operatively associated with a computer  1000  for automatically operating the automated filter changer  100 . 
     In some embodiments, the automated filter changer  100  may comprise a plurality of filter tubes  216   a - h  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The filter tubes  216   a - h  may be elongated, cylindrical tubes with openings  218   a - h ,  220   a - h  at opposite ends. Each filter tube  216   a - h  is configured to fit inside one of the plurality of holes  214   a - h  in the filter stack block  200 . A portion of each tube  216   a - h  is inserted into one of the holes  214   a - h  of the filter stack block  200 , while the remainder of each tube  216   a - h  projects out above the filter stack block  200 . A filter stack  10   a - h  can be slid into each filter tube  216   a - h  through their respective top openings  218   a - h . During use, filters  12  are released from their respective stacks  10   a - h  through the bottom openings  220   a - h  of each filter tube  216   a - h . The filter tubes  216   a - h , therefore, may provide some stability to the filter stacks  10   a - h  to maintain the filter stacks  10   a - h  in a vertical orientation. In addition, the filter tubes  216   a - h  provide some protection and coverage to the filters  12  to help keep the filters  12  clean or sterile. Preferably, the filter tubes  216   a - h  are transparent or see-through so that the filter stacks  10   a - h  therein are visible to the user. This allows the user to determine whether the filters  12  are still in the proper orientation to be fed into the filter separator  300 . Preferably, the filter tubes  216   a - h  are designed to contain up to 25 filters each. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the filter stack block  200  is connected to the housing  102 , and in particular, to the framework  124 , preferably at the top  104 . The filter stack block  200  is generally rectangular or block shaped having a top  202 , a bottom  204  opposite the top  202 , a front  206  adjacent to the top  202  and bottom  204 , a back  208  opposite the front  206  and adjacent to the top  202  and bottom  204 , and two opposing sides  210 ,  212  adjacent to the top  202 , bottom  204 , front  206  and back  208 . At least one hole  214   a  is formed through the top  202  and bottom  204 . Preferably, a plurality of holes  214   a - h  are formed from the top  202  and through the bottom  204  and are arranged linearly from one side  210  to the opposite side  212  to create a row. In the preferred embodiment, 6 to 8 holes  214   a - h  are formed to accommodate 6 to 8 filter stacks  10   a - h.    
     The holes  214   a - h  of the filter stack block  200  are configured to receive a plurality of filters  12  stacked one on top of another (i.e. the filter stacks  10   a - h ), wherein each hole  214   a - h  is configured to receive one filter stack  10 . With reference to the single column shown in  FIGS. 9A-9I  (although the following description is applicable to all the columns), each filter  12  in a filter stack  10  comprises an inlet  14  and an outlet  16  opposite the inlet  14  with a filter body  18  therebetween. The filter body  18  contains a filtering mechanism, such as PTFE, PVDF, nylon, glass fiber membranes, and the like, to filter a fluid passing from the inlet  14  through the outlet  16 . The inlet  14  and the outlet  16  are generally coaxially aligned along a central axis A that passes through the center of the filter body  18 . 
     The filters  12  may be like those of a general syringe filter having a circular filter body  18 , such as the 25 mm syringe filters. The inlet  14  may have a Luer lock feature. The outlet  16  may have an outer diameter  20  that is narrower than an inner diameter of the inlet  14 . In some embodiments the outlet  16  may taper as it moves away from the filter body  18 . Therefore, a plurality of filters  12  can be stacked linearly by inserting the outlet  16  of one filter  12  into the inlet  14  of another filter  12  to create the filter stack  10 . In some embodiments, since the outlet  16  is tapered, it may be wedged into the inlet  14  of another filter  12  to create a resistance fit. 
     Filter Separator 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4A-4C , in the preferred embodiment, the filter separator  300  is mounted on the framework  124  and positioned below the filter stack block  200  to separate one filter  12  at a time from each filter stack  10   a - h  in a sequential manner so that the first filter from a first stack is separated from the first stack before the first filter of a second stack is separated from the second stack, and so on. The first filter available for separation from the filter stack is referred to as the lead filter. Therefore, each column of filter stacks  10   a - h  will have a lead filter. In the arrangement discussed above, the lead filter is the bottom filter since separation occurs at the bottom of the stack. The separator  300  can be configured to have the lead filters in each column separated simultaneously. However, to reduce the amount of power and torque required, the filter separator  300  may be configured to separate one filter  12  from each column sequentially. Therefore, at any given time, only one filter  12  is being separated from its respective filter stack  10 . 
     To achieve the single filter separation, in the preferred embodiment, the filter separator  300  comprises a pair of rollers  302 ,  304  that run substantially the width of the housing  102  from one side  112  to the other side  114 . In the preferred embodiment, each roller  302 ,  304  is generally cylindrical in shape having an outer surface  308 ,  310  and defining a longitudinal axis L 1 , L 2 . The two rollers  302 ,  304  are arranged parallel to each other in a horizontal plane and are separated from each other by a gap  306  defined by the outer surfaces  308 ,  310  of each roller  302 ,  304 . The gap  306  distance is smaller than the diameter  20  of the filter body  18 . Therefore, when a filter stack  10  is placed into a hole  214   a  of the filter stack block  200 , the filter stack  10   a  falls through the hole  214   a  until it rests on top of the pair of rollers  302 ,  304 . This occurs for each filter stack  10   a - h . Depending on the orientation of the filter  12 , either the filter inlet  14  or the filter outlet  16  projects into the gap  306 . In the preferred embodiment using standard filters, the inlet  14  or the female end may be pointed down into the gap  306  as shown in  FIG. 9A . 
     The roller pairs  302 ,  304  are configured to rotate about their respective longitudinal axes L 1 , L 2  but in opposite directions as shown by the arrows in  FIGS. 9A and 9B . Therefore, one roller  302  will rotate about its longitudinal axis L 1  in a counterclockwise direction, and the second roller  304  will rotate about its longitudinal axis L 2  in a clockwise direction. The rotation of both rollers  302 ,  304  is such that indentations  316   a - h ,  318   a - h  on the surface of the roller rotates from the top side  310  into the gap  306 , then to the bottom side  312 , then to the outer side  314  then back to the top side  310  again. Gears  303 ,  305  attached to a motor may be used to rotate the rollers  302 ,  304 . The gears  303 ,  305  may be operatively connected to each other so that the rollers move simultaneously. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4B , to separate the lead filter  12   a  from its filter stack  10  and allow the lead filter  12   a  to fall past the rollers  302 ,  304 , each roller  302 ,  304  comprises at least one indentation  316   a ,  318   a , respectively. In the preferred embodiment, each roller  302 ,  304  comprises a plurality of indentations  316   a - h ,  318   a - h , respectively, to correspond with each column of filter stacks  10   a - h . Furthermore, each indentation  316   a - h  on one roller  302  corresponds with an indentation  318   a - h  on the other roller  304  to form a matching indentation pair. In the preferred embodiment, the rollers  302 ,  304  comprise a plurality of matching indentation pairs such that the indentations  316   a ,  318   a  of each matching indentation pair face each other in the gap  306  during rotation of the rollers  302 ,  304  as shown in  FIG. 9B . Therefore, the pair of rollers  302 ,  304  is configured so that as each roller  302 ,  304  rotates in opposite directions, the matching indentation pairs  316   a - h ,  318   a - h  align with and face each other as they pass through the gap  306 . 
     As the indentations in the matching indentation pair align with each other within the gap  306 , the gap size is temporarily enlarged (referred to as the enlarged gap  320 ) because the enlarged gap  320  distance is now defined by the walls of the indentations rather than the outer surface of the rollers. Preferably, the enlarged gap  320  is large enough such that when a filter  12  is seated within a matching indentation pair, the filter  12  is able to pass in between the rollers  302 ,  304 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 9A-9C , at the top side  310 , the matching indentation pair  316   a ,  318   a  receives the lead filter  12   a . As the rollers  302 ,  304  continue their rotation, the matching indentation pair rotates into the gap  306 . Since the gap  306  has been enlarged due to the matching indentation pair, the filter moves into the enlarged gap  320 . In the meanwhile, the next filter  12   a ′ in line abuts against the outer surface  308 ,  310  of the rollers  302 ,  304  since the gap  306  in between the rollers  302 ,  304  is too small for the filter  12   a ′ to fit through. Therefore, the lead filter  12   a  is separated from the rest of the filter stack  10  becoming a separated filter. Then as the matching indentation pair  316   a ,  318   a  moves towards the bottom side  312 , the separated filter drops by the force of gravity while the filter stack  10  remains on the top side  310  of the rollers  302 ,  304 . When the matching indentation pair reaches the top side  310  again, the next filter  12   a ′ in the column is received into the indentations  316   a ,  318   a  and separated from the filter stack  10  in the same way and passed through the rollers  302 ,  304 , as shown in  FIGS. 9F and 9G . The matching indentation pair  316   a ,  318   a  can be moved to the top side  310  by continuing the rotation of the rollers or by reversing the rotation of the rollers. In the preferred embodiment, due to the configuration of the indentations  316   a - h ,  318   a - h , after the lead filter  12   a  is separated, but before the next filter  12   a ′ is separated, the lead filters in each of the other filter stacks  10   b - h  are separated in series. 
     In the preferred embodiment, in order for the filters from each column to be separated in series, each indentation  316   a - h  on the first roller  302  may be angularly offset about the longitudinal axis L 1  of the first roller  302  from every other indentation  316   a - h  on the first roller  302 . Similarly, each indentation  318   a - h  on the second roller  304  may be angularly offset about the longitudinal axis L 2  of the second roller  304  from every other indentation  318   a - h  on the second roller  304 . The degree of the angular offset in between each indentation in the first roller  302  is the same as the degree of angular offset in between each indentation in the second roller  304 , except that the angular offset is in opposite directions. Therefore, when a matching indentation pair  316   a ,  318   a  is aligned in the gap, a mirror image is created between the two rollers  302 ,  304 ; however, due to the angular offsets, no other matching indentation pair  316   b - h ,  318   b - h  is aligned in the gap  306  at the same time as another matching indentation pair. The degree of angular offset between any adjacent indentation pair may range from approximately 2 degrees to approximately 60 degrees. In some embodiments, the angular offset ranges from 5 degrees to 45 degrees. Preferably, the angular offset is approximately 30 degrees or less. In some embodiments, the angular offset is approximately 25 degrees or less. The minimum angular degree of offset is determined by the amount of space needed between adjacent matching indentation pairs that allow one filter to be separated from its filter stack at any given time. 
     What follows is that no matching indentation pair is receiving a lead filter from its respective filter stack at the same time as another matching indentation pair. Since the pair of rollers are configured to rotate in opposite direction about their respective longitudinal axes each matching indentation pair will eventually receive a lead filter, but it will do so sequentially or in series, and not simultaneously. Specifically, during rotation of the pair of rollers, a first matching indentation pair  316   a ,  318   a  will receive a lead filter  12 , then as the first matching indentation pair  316   a ,  318   a  separates the lead filter  12  from its filter stack  10   a , the next matching indentation pair  316   b ,  318   b  will receive a lead filter  12  from the next column of filter stacks  10   b  in the row, and as this indentation pair  316   b ,  318   b  separates the lead filter  12  from its filter stack  10   b , subsequent indentation pairs  316   c - h ,  318   c - h  will receive lead filters  12  from the subsequent columns of filter stacks  10   c - h , and so on. This arrangement of matching indentation pairs allows only one filter to be separated from any filter stack at a time. By having one filter removed from any filter stack at a time, less torque, and therefore, less power is required by the rollers. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4B , in the preferred embodiment, each roller may comprise an elongated bar  320 ,  321  defining the longitudinal axes L 1 , L 2 , respectively, and a plurality of cylinders  322   a - i ,  324   a - i , respectively, coaxially formed or mounted on their respective elongated bars  320 ,  321 . Preferably, each roller  302 ,  304  has a first cylinder  322   a ,  324   a , a last cylinder  322   i ,  324   i , and a plurality of intermediate cylinders  322   b - h ,  324   b - h  in between their respective first cylinder  322   a ,  324   a  and last cylinder  322   i ,  324   i . Referring to the example in  FIG. 4C , each cylinder  322   a - i ,  324   a - i  is spaced apart from another so as to create a space  326  in between each cylinder. All of the cylinders  322   a - i ,  324   a   4  have a first end  330  and a second end  332 . Each intermediate cylinder may comprise two indentations, one at the first end  330  and one at the second end  332 , which are offset from each other, but align with indentations of another cylinder. By way of example only, the following description and  FIG. 4C  pertain to cylinders  324   b ,  324   c , and  324   d , but the principle applies to all of the intermediate cylinders. 
     The first indentation  318   b ″ and the second indentation  318   c ′ of intermediate cylinder  324   c  is angularly offset from each other about the longitudinal axis L 2  as discussed above. The second indentation  318   c ′ of intermediate cylinder  324   c  is in line with the first indentation  318   c ″ of an immediately adjacent cylinder  324   d  to form the indentation  318   c  between two immediately adjacent cylinders  324   c ,  324   d . An indentation  318   c  on one roller  304  has a matching indentation  316   c  on the other roller  302  to form the matching indentation pair as discussed above. Similarly, cylinder  324   b  has a first indentation  318   a  at its first end and a second indentation  318   b ′ at its second end that is offset from the first indentation  318   a . Cylinder  324   c  has a first indentation  318   b ″ at its first end  330  that aligns with the indentation  318   b ′. These two indentations form indentation  318   b , which corresponds with indentation  316   b  on roller  302 . Therefore, in this embodiment, the matching indentation pair is created from four indentations on four different cylinders. As discussed above, due to the angular offset in the indentations, each matching indentation pair receives a lead filter in sequence rather than at the same time. This allows filters to be released sequentially, one at a time. 
     In this embodiment, three gaps exist between the two rollers. The first gap  306  is defined by the distance between the outer surfaces of the rollers. The second gap  320  is the extended gap as measured from indentation to indentation between matching indentation pairs. The third gap is defined by the distance between the elongated bars  320 ,  321  as measured at the space  326  in between the cylinders. The first gap  306  measured between the cylinder of the first roller  302  and the corresponding cylinder on the second roller  304  is smaller than the diameter  20  of the filter body  18 . The third gap between the elongated bar  320  of the first roller  302  and the elongated bar  321  of the second roller  304  is larger than the diameter  20  of the filter body  18 . The second gap  320  in between indentations of matching pairs is any size larger than the first gap and up to the size of the third gap. 
     In this embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 9A-9C  each filter stack  10  is aligned so that the central axis A falls in the gap  306 , and is aligned in the space  326  in between two cylinders. In this configuration, the largest part of the filter body  18  aligns with the space  326  in between two cylinders, while adjacent portions of the filter body rest on the cylinders, thereby making a four-point contact. Then as the rollers  302 ,  304  rotate, eventually the filter  12   a  drops into the matching indentation pair  316   a ,  318   a . As the rollers continues to rotate, the widest portion of the filter body  10  passes through the gap  306  due to the spacing  326  in between cylinders and the filter  12   a  is able to drop below the rollers  302 ,  304 . Due to the angular offset of the matching indentation pairs, one filter falls at a time from each column sequentially. 
     In some embodiments, the rollers  302 ,  304  may be adjustable to change the gap distance to accommodate filters of different sizes. 
     The Shuttle Plate 
     When a filter  12  is separated from its filter stack  10  by the filter separator  300 , the separated filter may drop to the shuttle plate  400 . The shuttle plate  400  has multiple positions. In the first position, the shuttle plate  400  is positioned directly below the filter separator  300  (first position) to catch a separated filter. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5-6 , the shuttle plate  400  comprises a plurality of slots  402   a - h  defined by slot arms  404   a - p , each slot  402   a - h  configured to align with one of the filter stacks  10   a - h  when the shuttle plate  400  is in the first position. The slot arms  404   a - p  are closed at one side  406 , and open at the opposite side  408  so that the slot arms  404   a - p  form a “U”-shaped or “V”-shaped configuration. When the lead filter  12  drops onto the shuttle plate  400 , the inlet  14  or outlet  16  of the filter  12  falls through one of the slots  402   a - h  and the filter body  18  rests against the shuttle plate  400  surface. In some embodiments, a predetermined amount of time may pass to allow the filter  12  to settle on the shuttle plate  400  before moving to the next step. In some embodiments, the shuttle plate  400  may jiggle or jostle to force the filter body  18  to settle on the shuttle plate  400  in the proper orientation. 
     In some embodiments, the paired slot arms that define a slot may taper inwardly either gradually or abruptly toward each other. For example, slot arms  404   a ,  404   b , which define slot  402   a  taper toward each other so that the opening to the slot  402   a  is slightly narrower than the slot  402   a  itself, as shown in  FIG. 6 . The same applies to each of the other slot arm pairs. The narrowing of the opening to the slots  402   a - h  creates a restraint profile that improves the proper seating of the filter  12  once dropped into the shuttle plate  400 . 
     The shuttle plate  400  is movable in a first horizontal direction to carry the released filter  12  or a set of released filters to a second position for connection to a fluid coupler  500 . In the preferred embodiment, the shuttle plate  400  moves horizontally towards the back  110  of the housing  102  in this step. In the preferred embodiment, the shuttle plate  400  comprises 6 to 8 slots. To assure even movement, the shuttle plate  400  is attached to two linear slides  410 ,  412  located at each end of the shuttle plate  400 . The two linear slides  410 ,  412  will be driven at each end by a lead screw  414   a ,  414   b  and nut  416   a .  416   b . The two screws will operate together for equal movement of the shuttle plate  400  at each end. A motor  418  will connect to one of the screws or will drive a belt  420  that is positioned midway between and operatively connected to the screws  414   a ,  414   b  to drive both screws  414   a ,  414   b  simultaneously in a forward or backward direction. 
     The Fluid Coupler 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the fluid coupler  500  comprises upper fluid couplings  502   a - h  and lower fluid couplings  504   a - h , one lower fluid coupling coaxially aligned with one upper fluid coupling. Each upper fluid coupling  502   a - h  and lower fluid coupling  504   a - h  pair defines a vertical axis B and both can move up and down along the vertical axis B. The upper fluid couplings  502   a - h  and the lower fluid couplings  504   a - h  are mounted to movable bars (upper  506  and lower bars  508 , respectively) that can move up and down to cause the upper fluid couplings  502   a - h  and the lower fluid couplings  504   a - h  to move towards and away from each other along their respective vertical axes B. Once the separated filter is trapped against the shuttle plate  400  and the centering plate assembly  600  (as discussed below), the fluid couplings  502   a - h .  504   a - h  are actuated to move towards each other. Since the inlet  14  and the outlet  16  of the filter  12   a  is aligned with the vertical axis B and the fluid couplings  502   a - h .  504   a - h  move along the vertical axis B, one of the upper and lower fluid coupling pairs  502   a - h ,  504   a - h  attach to the inlet  14  and the outlet  16  of the filter  12   a  to complete the fluidic path. Depending on the orientation of the filter  12   a , the inlet  14  may be connected to one of the lower fluid couplings  504   a - h  and the outlet  16  may be connected to the corresponding upper fluid coupling  502   a - h  or vice versa. 
     In the preferred embodiment, each fluid coupling comprises a rod  510 ,  512  at the first end that connects to a tube, and a connector  514 ,  516  at the second end. To accommodate standard syringe filters having Luer lock connectors, one of the fluid couplings is a male connector and the other fluid coupling is a female connector. In the preferred embodiment, the filter  12   a  is positioned on the shuttle plate  400  with the female end projecting downwardly. Therefore, the lower fluid couplings  504   a - h  will have a male connector at its second end to be inserted into the female inlet  14  of the filter  12 , and the upper fluid couplings  502   a - h  will have a female connector at its second end so that the male outlet  16  of the filter  12  can be inserted into the female connector of the upper fluid couplings  502   a - h . The rods  510 ,  512  may be spring-loaded  518 ,  520  to allow for minor engagement variations when connecting to the filters. 
     The upper and lower bars  506 ,  508  will be driven vertically by lead screws  522 ,  524  coupled to each end of the bar area. Each screw  522 ,  524  may be fixed to the upper bar  506 , although allowed to rotate, and then threaded through a nut  526   a ,  526   b  that is secured on the lower bar  508 . The two screws  522 ,  524  may be coupled together for equal movement. A motor  528  may connect to one of the screws  522 ,  524  or may drive the belt  530  midway between the screws  522 ,  524 . When activated the screws  522 ,  524  will drive each bar  506 ,  508  with the rods towards or away from each other. Incoming and outgoing fluid line connections to the rods  510 ,  512  will be available for easy access on the outside of the housing. In the preferred embodiment, all of the upper and lower fluid couplings  502   a - h .  504   a - h  can either engage all filters at one time or no filters for straight through fluid flow without media filters. In some embodiments, some fluid couplers may have filters and some fluid couplers may not have filters. 
     In some embodiments, an optical emitter  531  and a detector  532  are mounted at opposite ends on the top side of the upper bar  506 . The optical emitter  531  emits a beam  534  that is received by the detector  532  when the path of the beam  534  is unobstructed. The upper fluid couplings  502   a - h  are slidably mounted on the upper bar  506 . The rods  510  (only one labeled for clarity, but each upper coupling  502   a - h  has one as shown in  FIG. 7 ) may be spring-loaded  518  to bias the upper fluid couplings  502   a - h  in a first position. Mounted on each rod  510  of each upper fluid coupling  502   a - h  may be a collar  540  (only one labeled, but shown for each fluid coupling) that can move up and down with its respective fluid coupling  502   a - h.    
     When the upper fluid couplings  502   a - h  are in their first position, the beam  534  remains unobstructed. When any one or more of the upper fluid couplings  502   a - h  are not properly inserted into their respective filters  12 , the affected upper fluid coupling  502   a - h  may not move downwardly with the upper bar  506 . As the upper bar  506  continues to move downwardly, the fluid coupling  502   a - h  does not move and is placed in a second position relative to the upper bar  506 . Since the optical emitter is fixed to the upper bar  506 , and the collar  540  is fixed to the upper fluid coupling  502   a - h , the collar  540  moves into the path of the beam  534 . The detector  532  no longer receives the beam  534 , and sends a signal to the computer  1000  to indicate that at least one of the fluid couplings  502   a - h  is not properly connected with filter  12  and appropriate action can be taken. In some embodiments, the upper fluid couplings  502   a - h  may each have a collar  540  and/or the lower fluid couplings  504   a - h  may each have a collar  542 , and the optical emitter  531  and detector  532  may be on the upper bar  506  and/or the lower bar  508  to perform the function described above. 
     In some embodiments, a fluid may be sampled without first being filtered. In such a situation, the lower coupling  504   a - h  and upper coupling  502   a - h  continue to move towards each other until they couple with each other to complete the fluidic path. In some embodiments, the centering plate assembly  600  may be retracted so as not to interfere with the coupling of the upper and lower fluid couplings  502   a - h ,  504   a - h.    
     The Centering Plate 
     Located towards the back side  110  of the housing is a centering plate assembly  600  comprising one or more centering plates  602   a - h  as shown in  FIG. 8 . Each centering plate  602   a - h  is aligned with one fluid coupling  502   a - h ,  504   a - h  such that each centering plate  602   a - h  is in between one upper fluid coupling  502   a - h  and its respective lower fluid coupling  504   a - h . Each centering plate  602   a - h  comprises a notch  604  defined by a pair of notch arms  606   a ,  606   b  (only two notch arms are labeled for the sake of clarity, but each centering plate has notch arms as shown, which are all characteristically the same). The notch arms  606   a - p  may be connected at one end and open at the opposite end forming a “U”-shaped or “V”-shaped notch. The opening of the notches of each center plate  602   a - h  and the opening of each slot  402   a - h  of the shuttle plate  400  face each other. Each notch  604   a - h  of the centering plate  600  is aligned with one slot  402   a - h  of the shuttle plate  400  such that when the shuttle plate  400  is moved horizontally towards the centering plate  600  to its second position, the shuttle plate  400  slides adjacent to the centering plates  602   a - h  such that the separated filters  12  seated in the slots  402   a - h  get trapped between the slot arms  404   a - p  and the corresponding notch arms  606   a ,  606   b.    
     If filters were not intended for a particular assay, the centering plate assembly  600  may be retracted to avoid interference with the coupling of the upper fluid coupling  502   a - h  to the lower fluid coupling  504   a - h . The centering plates  602   a - h  may be attached to a centering plate bar  612 . In the preferred embodiment, the centering plate bar  612  accommodates 6 to 8 centering plates  602   a - h . The centering plate bar  612  is mounted on two linear actuators  614 ,  616  that allow the centering plate bar  612  to move from a fully extended position to a fully retracted position. The fully extended position is used when attaching a filter to the fluid coupling as shown in  FIG. 8 . The fully retracted position is used when no filter is desired. A sensor  622 ,  624  may be provided on a support wall  613  to detect when the centering plate bar  612  is in its fully retracted position, abutting the support wall  613 . In the example shown in  FIG. 8 , the sensors  622 ,  624  are mechanical switches that can be closed when the centering plate bar  612  is in a retracted position. Compressing the switches closes a circuit to notify the computer  1000  that the centering plate bar  612  is in the retracted position. In some embodiments, the sensor  622 ,  624  may detect when the centering plate bar  612  is in its fully extended position. The actuator for the centering plate movement may use a motor  618 ,  620 , such as a stepper motor variety with 0.5 inch stroke. 
     In some embodiments, a switch may be operatively connected to the shuttle plate  400  and/or the centering plate  600  so as to detect when the filter is in the proper position to connect with the fluid coupler  500 . For example, the switch can be a pressure sensitive switch, an optical switch, and the like. In some embodiments, a switch may be actuated when the shuttle plate  400  traps the separated filter  12   a  against the centering plate assembly  600 . In some embodiments, an optical switch may be used to detect when a filter has been misaligned along the vertical axis. In some embodiments, the process may be dependent on timing, since it can be determined how long each step takes. 
     For ease of description, the following description of one slot, one notch and one filter is applicable to all of the slots and their corresponding notches and filters. With reference to  FIG. 9D , the centering plate  602   a  is positioned so that when the shuttle plate  400  presses the separated filter  12   a  against the notch arms  606 ,  608 , the inlet  14  and outlet  16  of the separated filter  12   a  is aligned with the vertical axis B of the fluid couplings  502   a ,  504   a  to allow the lower fluid coupling  504   a  and the upper fluid coupling  502   a  to attach to the separated filter  12   a  to complete a fluidic path as shown in  FIG. 9E . For example, the centering plates  602   a  may be slightly below the shuttle plate  400 . Thus, as the shuttle plate  400  approaches the centering plate  602   a , the outlet  16  (or inlet  14 ) of the filter  12   a  abuts against the notch arms  606 ,  608  of the centering plates  602   a . Due to the “V” or “U”-shaped configuration, the outlet  16  (or inlet  14 ) of the filter  12   a  is pushed into the center of the notch  604   a  as the slot arms  404   a ,  404   b  of the shuttle plate  400  traps the outlet  16  (or inlet  14 ) against the notch arms  606   a ,  606   b  of the centering plate  602   a . Preferably, the filters have a smooth, non-threaded major portion on the outside diameter of the outlet (or inlet) portion of the filter to ensure proper centering. In addition, the centering plate  602   a  may be spring-loaded  610  to push and center the separated filter to a known and repeatable position that is adequate for connecting to the fluid coupling. 
     Upon completion of the filtering process, the upper and lower fluid couplings  502   a - h ,  504   a - h  move away from each other back into their original positions to decouple from the separated filter  12   a  or from each other as shown in  FIG. 9F . The shuttle plate  400  can move in a second horizontal direction opposite the first horizontal direction, back to the first position to catch more separated filters and repeat the process. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9G , during this process, the shuttle plate  400  may overshoot the first position to a third position for discarding the separated filter  12   a  from the shuttle plate  400 . Adjacent to the shuttle plate  400  may be a discard bar  422 . There is a clearance between the shuttle plate  400  and the discard bar  422  so that the shuttle plate  400  can slide under or over the discard bar  422 ; however, the clearance is small enough so that any separated filter  12   a  seated on the shuttle plate  400  will abut against the discard bar  422 . The discard bar  422  remains fixed while the shuttle plate  400  continues to slide causing the separated filter  12   a  to move along the slot arms  404   a ,  404   b . Once the separated filter  12   a  reaches the opening  402   a - h  of the slot arm  404   a ,  404   b , the separated filter  12   a  slides off the shuttle plate  400  and falls into a bin  116  for recovery. Alternatively, the shuttle plate  400  may remain in the first position and the discard bar  422  may move across the shuttle plate  400  to push the filters  12   a  off the shuttle plate  400 . 
     Various other means for discarding the separated filter  12  from the shuttle plate  400  can also be used. For example, the shuttle plate  400  may be able to tilt downwardly so that the separated filters  12  can slide of the slot arms by the force of gravity. In another embodiment, an ejector may be positioned below shuttle plate  400  to pop the separated filter  12  out of the slot  402   a - h  vertically. In another embodiment, the slot arms  404   a - p  may be moveable in a lateral direction so that the slot arms  404   a - p  move away from each other increasing the width of the slot  402   a - h  until it becomes larger than the diameter of the filter body  18  causing the filter body  18  to fall through the enlarged slot. 
     In certain times, it may be desired to collect a sample without the need for filtering the sample prior to collection. The shuttle plate  400  may be placed in the third position offset from the filter stacks  10  and away from the center plate assembly  600  to allow the released filter to drop below the shuttle plate  400 . Alternatively, the rollers  402 ,  404  may temporarily stop so that no filters are discharged. In some embodiments, the separated filters  12  may drop into the shuttle plate  400 , but the shuttle plate  400  may be temporarily disabled so as not to move the filter to the fluid coupler  500 . In some embodiments, it may be desirous to have some fluidic paths to contain filters while others do not. Therefore, in some embodiments, each slot may be independent of the other and may move filters into and out of the fluid coupler  500  accordingly. 
     In some embodiments, the filters  12  may be reused. For example, it may be desirable to collect a sample of fluid with filtration, then collect another sample of the same fluid without filtration, and then collect the third sample of the same fluid with filtration again. In this instance, since the same fluid is being sampled, the filters  12  may be reused. For such a use, the filters  12  can be coupled to the fluid couplings  502   a - h ,  504   a - h  as discussed above. Upon completion of obtaining a filtered sample, the fluid couplings  502   a - h ,  504   a - h  can be disconnected from the filters  12  and the filters  12  can be moved away from the fluid couplings  502   a - h ,  504   a - h  to allow the fluid couplings  502   a - h ,  504   a - h  to connect to itself. Upon completion of obtaining a non-filtered sample, the fluid couplings  502   a - h ,  504   a - h  can disconnect themselves and the filters  12  can move back into position so that the fluid couplings  502   a - h ,  504   a - h  can connect with the filters  12  again. In some embodiments, when the system is collecting a non-filtered sample, the shuttle plate  400  may move the filters  12  to the first position or the third position so as to hold the filters  12  without discarding them for the purpose of using them at a later time. When ready to reuse, the shuttle plate  400  will move the filter  12  back into position in between the fluid couplings  502 ,  504 . 
     To assure proper functioning and full automation, one or more sensors may be utilized to detect a proper positioning of the filters  12 , the shuttle plate  400 , the centering plate  600 , the fluid couplings  500 , and the like. Fail safe mechanisms may be put into place to stop the system in the event one or more component is not in its proper position. Sensors may be provided to verify all intended filters have been loaded on the shuttle plate, and preferably, in the fluid coupling position. If, for example, a sensor detects that a filter is missing, or a filter is in the wrong orientation, then the shuttle plate  400  will be programmed to discard the filters  12 . The shuttle plate  400  will then return to its first position for loading of new filters. In the preferred embodiment, the cycle may happen up to two times before the unit stops and an error message is displayed. 
     All components requiring movement may utilize a motor. In the preferred embodiment, all motion, except for the centering plate, may be driven by a  200  step/rev., 12 V stepper motor. The motors may have programmable speed and acceleration profiles. The motor current may be programmable for various torque requirements. The motors for the shuttle plate and the fluid coupling may have encoders mounted to them. 
     To minimize or avoid corrosion, all components in the device, such as tubing, fluid couplers, and the like, may be made of corrosion resistant material such as plastic, rubber, and the like. In addition, a fan may be attached to the housing to keep the components cool; however, to reduce the fumes inside the housing, the fan is configured to exhaust the air out of the housing. Furthermore, any lead screws used to move the various components may have a protective coating. 
     In use, the automatic filter changer  100  can be programmed to operate with a filter  12  in place, operate without a filter  12  in place, and change the filter  12  based on a predetermined condition. The automatic filter changer  100  may be set up in two different configurations, a pull through configuration or a push through configuration. In the pull through configuration, the filters  12  are upstream of the pump and the pump action pulls the fluid through the filters. In the push through configuration the filters  12  are downstream of the pump and the pump action pushes the fluid through the filters. 
     The user creates a stack of filters  10  by inserting one end of the first filter into the second end of a second filter. For example, the user may insert the outlet  16  of one filter  12   a  into the inlet  14  of the second filter  12   a ′. This process continues until the user has a desired number of filters in one stack. For example, one filter stack  10  may contain 25 individual filters. Once a stack of filters  10  is created, the user can insert the filter stack  10  into a filter tube  216  of a filter stack block  200 . Generally, the filter stack block  200  has 6 to 8 holes to receive 6 to 8 filter stacks. In some embodiments, a filter manufacturer may sell pre-stacked filters. Therefore, a user may simply open a package of pre-stacked filters  10  and insert them into the filter tubes  216   a - h . The filter stacks  10   a - h  will fall through the filter tubes  216   a - h  and through the holes  214   a - h  of the filter stack block  200  until the lead filter  12  lands on the filter separator  300  to begin the process described herein. 
     Due to the modular and self-contained nature of the automatic filter changer  100 , the automatic filter changer  100  can be used with other existing devices, such as existing dissolution systems. The user needs only to hook up the fluid coupler with the tubing of the dissolution system and a collection device or measuring device. 
     Once the connections and filters are in place, the user can access the graphic user interface generally located on the front side of the automatic filter changer  100 . From there, the user can program the automatic filter changer  100  to run according to specified instructions. These instructions can be saved for later use. In some embodiments, a predetermined set of instructions may be stored in memory of the automatic filter changer  100 . The user will be able to access any predetermined set of instructions and run any of those sets of instructions accordingly. 
     If the program has been set to utilize filters  12 , the rollers  302 ,  304  will begin rotating about their respective longitudinal axes L 1 , L 2  in opposite directions. When one of the matching indentation pairs reaches the top side  310  of the rollers  302 ,  304 , the filter body  18  of the lead filter  12   a  will drop into the matching indentation pair  316   a ,  318   a . As the rollers  302 ,  304  continue to rotate, the matching indentation pair  316   a ,  318   a  will enter into the gap  306  creating an enlarged gap defined by the indentations  316   a ,  318   a  of the two rollers  302 ,  304 . Since the filter  12   a  resides within the indentations  316   a .  318   a , the filter  12   a  is able to pass in between the rollers  302 ,  304 . In the meanwhile, the remainder of the filter stack  10   a  continues to sit on top of the two rollers  302 ,  304  because the filter body  18  is too wide to the pass through the gap  306  defined by the two rollers  302 ,  304  when the matching indentation pair  316   a ,  318   a  is not available. Furthermore, due to the angular offset of the other matching indentation pairs, the lead filters  12  of each of the other filter stacks  10   a - h  remain on top of the roller pairs  302 ,  304  until the first lead filter  12  has been completely separated from its respective filter stack  10 . 
     As the matching indentation pairs  316   a ,  318   a  for the lead filter  12  reaches the bottom side  312  of the rollers  302 ,  304 , the first lead filter  12  is separated from the stack  10  and dropped onto the shuttle plate  400  located directly below the rollers  302 ,  304 . In this example, the outlet  16  or inlet  14  falls through the slot  402  of the shuttle plate  400  and the body  18  rests on the top surface of the shuttle plate  400 . In the meanwhile, the other lead filters  12  are being separated from their filter stacks  10   b - h  in sequential order. Therefore, each lead filter  12  will eventually fall onto the shuttle plate  400 , but one at a time. 
     The shuttle plate  400  may pause for a few seconds (e.g. less than five seconds) to allow the separated filters  12  to stabilize on the shuttle plate  400 . In some embodiments, the shuttle plate  400  may jiggle to force the separated filters  12  to settle into the shuttle plate  400 . Sensors will be put into place to assure that a filter has dropped from each filter stack and that the separated filters are properly seated on the shuttle plate  400 . If there is an error in the seating of the separated filters, the shuttle plate  400  will move from its first position (the load position) to its third position (the discard position) to force all of the separated filters  12  off the shuttle plate  400 . The shuttle plate  400  will then revert back to its first position and new filters will be loaded onto the shuttle plate  400 . 
     By way of example only, to detect whether each filter has been properly seated, the underside of the shuttle plate  400  may have an alignment bar  424 . The alignment bar  424  spans substantially the full length of the shuttle plate  400  and is within the same horizontal plane defined by the centering plates  602 . Thus, if the shuttle plate  400  moved horizontally to the centering plate assembly  600  without stopping, the centering plate assembly  600  would abut against the alignment bar  424  of the shuttle plate  400 . 
     The dimensions of the slot  402  and the dimensions of the notch  604  are precisely configured so that when the inlet  14  of the filter  12  is trapped in between the slot  402  and the notch  604 , a gap exists between the centering plate  602  and the alignment bar  424  due to the thickness of the inlet  14  as shown in  FIGS. 9D-9F . 
     If, on the other hand, a filter  12  is not seated in the slot  402 , then since there is nothing obstructing the path between the shuttle plate  400  and the centering plate assembly  600 , the alignment bar  424  will press against the notch arms  606 ,  608  as shown in  FIG. 9H . The centering plate  600  and the shuttle plate  400  are both electrically conductive. When the alignment bar  424  presses against the notch arms  606 ,  608 , this closes a circuit and sends a signal to the computer to indicate an improper alignment or a missing filter  12  on the shuttle plate  400 . 
     Similarly, as shown in  FIG. 9I , if the outlet  16 , instead of the inlet  14 , has fallen through the slot  402 , the notch  604  in the slot  602  are configured such that the notch arms  606 ,  608  will abut against the alignment bar  424  before the outlet  16  is trapped in between the notch arms  606 ,  608  and the slot arms  404  because the outlet  16  has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the inlet  14 . Contact between the alignment bar  424  and the notch arms  606 ,  608  again closes a circuit, and sends a signal to the computer to indicate that there has been a misalignment of the filter. Similar function can be achieved with optical sensors, switches, and the like. 
     Once all separated filters  12   a - h  have been properly seated on the shuttle plate  400 , the shuttle plate  400  advances to its second position towards the back of the housing  102  for coupling with the fluid couplers  500 . Eventually, the shuttle plate  400  will slide adjacent to the centering plate assembly  600 . As the shuttle plate  400  slides adjacent to the centering plate  600 , the shuttle plate  400  presses the filter  12  into the notch  604   a  of the centering plate  602   a , thereby trapping the filter  12  in between the shuttle plate  400  and centering plate  602   a . Preferably, the portion of the filter  12  projecting below the shuttle plate  400  (i.e. the outlet or the inlet of the filter) is caught between the slot  402   a  of the shuttle plate  400  and the notch  604   a  of the centering plate  602   a.    
     The positioning of centering plate  602   a  is such that when the filter  12  is caught between the shuttle plate  400  and the centering plate  602   a  as described above, the inlet  14  and outlet  16  of the filter  12  aligns with the fluid coupler  500 , which comprises a first fluid coupling  502   a  and a second fluid coupling  504   a . The first and second fluid couplings  502   a ,  504   a  then move toward each other until the fluid couplings  502   a ,  504   a  are fitted with the inlet  14  and the outlet  16  of the filter  12 . 
     A pump generates a force through the tubes causing the fluid to move from the dissolution apparatus through the filters  12  and to the collection device or the measurement device. When collection of the fluid sample is complete, the filters  12  may be left in place waiting for another sample or the first and second fluid coupling  502   a ,  504   a  move away from each other releasing themselves from the filter  12 . The shuttle plate  400  then moves towards the third position. In doing so, a discard bar  422  knocks the filters  12  off of the shuttle plate  400 . The shuttle plate  400  can then return to its first position to load a new set of clean filters. 
     In embodiments in which a filter is not necessary, the separator  300  or the shuttle plate  400  can be stopped. The centering plate assembly  600  may retract to create any clearance necessary to allow the first fluid coupling and the second fluid coupling  502   a ,  504   a  to move towards each other and couple to each other to complete the fluidic path and allow fluid flow from the dissolution apparatus to the collection or measuring device without having been filtered. 
     The automated filter changer may further comprise a computer to control and program various protocols for collecting samples with or without filters. The computer is programmable to execute instructions for moving the various components described above to automatically provide and remove filters from a fluidic path. The computer system may comprise a monitor to display a graphic user interface to receive and transmit information. 
     In various embodiments, the method steps described herein, including the method steps described in the figures, may be performed in an order different from the particular order described or shown. In other embodiments, other steps may be provided, or steps may be eliminated, from the described methods. 
     The computer  1000  comprises a processor  1010  operatively coupled to a data storage device  1020  and memory  1030 . The processor  1010  controls the overall operation of computer by executing computer program instructions that define such operations. The computer program instructions may be stored in data storage device  1020 , or other non-transitory computer readable medium, and loaded into memory  1030  when execution of the computer program instructions is desired. Thus, the method steps can be defined by the computer program instructions stored in memory  1030  and/or data storage device  1020  and controlled by processor  1010  executing the computer program instructions. 
     For example, the computer program instructions can be implemented as computer executable code programmed by one skilled in the art to perform an algorithm defined by the method steps. The computer  1000  may also include one or more network interfaces  1040  for communicating with other devices via a network. The computer  1000  may also include one or more input/output devices  1050  that enable user interaction with computer (e.g., display, keyboard, touchpad, mouse, speakers, buttons, etc.). 
     The processor  1010  can include, among others, special purpose processors with software instructions incorporated in the processor design and general purpose processors with instructions in storage device or memory, to control the processor, and may be the sole processor or one of multiple processors of computer. The processor  1010  may be a self-contained computing system, containing multiple cores or processors, a bus, memory controller, cache, etc. A multi-core processor may be symmetric or asymmetric. The processor  1010 , data storage device  1020 , and/or memory  1030  may include, be supplemented by, or incorporated in, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and/or one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). It can be appreciated that the disclosure may operate on a computer with one or more processors or on a group or cluster of computers networked together to provide greater processing capability. 
     Data storage device  1020  and memory  1030  each comprise a tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium. By way of example, and not limitation, such non-transitory computer-readable storage medium can include random access memory (RAM), high-speed random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDRRAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc read-only memory (DVD-ROM) disks, or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions, data structures, or processor chip design. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or combination thereof) to a computer, the computer properly views the connection as a computer-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of the computer-readable media. 
     In some embodiments, a network/communication interface  1040  enables the computer  1000  to communicate with networks, such as the Internet, also referred to as the World Wide Web (WWW), an intranet and/or a wireless network, such as a cellular telephone network, a wireless local area network (LAN) and/or a metropolitan area network (MAN), and other devices using any suitable communications standards, protocols, and technologies. By way of example, and not limitation, such suitable communications standards, protocols, and technologies can include Ethernet, Wi-Fi (e.g., IEEE 802.11), Wi-MAX (e.g., 802.16), Bluetooth, near field communications (“NEC”), radio frequency systems, infrared, GSM, EDGE, HS-DPA, CDMA, TDMA, quadband, VoIP, IMAP, POP, XMPP, SIMPLE, IMPS, SMS, or any other suitable communications protocols. By way of example, and not limitation, the network interface  1040  enables the computer  1000  to transfer data, synchronize information, update software, or any other suitable operation. 
     Input/output devices  1050  may include peripherals, such as a printer, scanner, monitor, etc. Input/output devices  1050  may also include parts of a computing device, such as a smartphone having a touchscreen, speakers, and buttons. For example, input/output devices  1050  may include a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor for displaying information to the user, a keyboard and mouse by which the user can provide input to the computer, or a touchscreen for both input and output. 
     Any or all of the systems and apparatus discussed herein, including personal computers, tablet computers, hand-held devices, cellular telephones, servers, database, cloud-computing environments, and components thereof, may be implemented using a computer. 
     One skilled in the art will recognize that an implementation of an actual computer or computer system may have other structures and may contain other components as well. 
     The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims appended hereto.