Patent Publication Number: US-2015077222-A1

Title: Parking management and billing

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is being filed in the United States Patent Office as a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/295,093 filed on Nov. 13, 2011 as a bypass application under 35 USC 111 and as described in MPEP 1895, and as a continuation-in-part application, claims priority to the International Application that was filed on May 11, 2010 and assigned International Application Number PCT/IB2010/052096 and published as WO 2010/131206 A2, which application claims priority to the United States Provisional Application for Patent that was filed on May 12, 2009 and assigned Ser. No. 61/177,288. All of these applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to parking management and billing systems and methods and, more particularly, but not exclusively to networked parking management and billing system and method. 
     Current parking management and billing methods and systems are based on “stand-alone” technology. In this respect, the term stand-alone technology refers to parking instruments that are operative irrespectively of each other or any central control. Such parking instruments are: coin-operated or token-operated parking meters, scratch-cards, parking payment stations issuing parking receipts, prepaid electronic parking payment devices, etc. 
     However, current parking management systems do not support varying parking fees. 
     There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, a networked parking management and billing system and method devoid of the above limitations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a mobile parking management device including: a processor, a memory module connected to the processor, a user interface module connected to the processor, and a first communication interface module connected to the processor; wherein the processor is operative to communicate, via the first communication interface module, and a first network, with a remote server; and wherein the processor is additionally operative to send a parking management device identification data to the remote server; and wherein the processor is additionally operative to report parking status to the remote server. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a mobile parking management device additionally including a second communication interface module connected to the processor; wherein the processor is operative to communicate, via the second communication interface module, and a second network, with a parking area control device; and wherein the processor is additionally operative to receive a parking area identification data from the parking area control device; and wherein the processor is additionally operative to report the parking area identification data to the remote server. 
     According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a mobile parking management device wherein the processor is additionally operative to receive, from the remote server, a parking permit code associated with the parking management device identification data and the parking area identification data. 
     According to still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a parking management server including: a processor, a memory module connected to the processor, a first communication interface module connected to the processor; wherein the processor is operative to communicate, via the first communication interface module, and a first network, with a parking management device mounted in a parked vehicle; wherein the processor is additionally operative to receive a parking management device identification data from the parking management device; and wherein the processor is additionally operative receive parking status from the parking management device. 
     Further according to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a parking management server wherein the processor is additionally operative to send, to the parking management device: a parking permit code associated with the parking management device identification data, and the parking area identification data. 
     Still further according to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a portable parking control device comprising: a processor; a memory module connected to said processor; a user interface module connected to said processor; and a first communication interface module connected to said processor; wherein said processor is operative to communicate, via said first communication interface module, and a first network, with a remote server; wherein said processor is additionally operative to send a parking management device identification data to said remote server; and wherein said processor is additionally operative to report parking status to said remote server. 
     Even further according to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a mobile parking management device additionally including an interface for communicating with a portable personal identification device that identifies a billing account of a user of the mobile parking management device. 
     Additionally, according to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a parking area control devices including a processor, a memory module connected to the processor, a communication interface module connected to the processor, a proximity sensing device for sensing the presence of a car parked in a parking space, where the processor is operative to communicate to a remote server, via said communication interface module, the occupancy status of the parking place. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The materials, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. Except to the extend necessary or inherent in the processes themselves, no particular order to steps or stages of methods and processes described in this disclosure, including the figures, is intended or implied. In many cases the order of process steps may varied without changing the purpose or effect of the methods described. 
     Implementation of the method and system of the present invention involves performing or completing certain selected tasks or steps manually, automatically, or any combination thereof. Moreover, according to actual instrumentation and equipment of preferred embodiments of the method and system of the present invention, several selected steps could be implemented by hardware or by software on any operating system of any firmware or any combination thereof. For example, as hardware, selected steps of the invention could be implemented as a chip or a circuit. As software, selected steps of the invention could be implemented as a plurality of software instructions being executed by a computer using any suitable operating system. In any case, selected steps of the method and system of the invention could be described as being performed by a data processor, such as a computing platform for executing a plurality of instructions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in order to provide what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified illustration of a metropolitan car parking system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified flow chart of a parking management process within the metropolitan car parking system; 
         FIG. 3  is a simplified flow chart of an advertising process within the metropolitan car parking system; 
         FIG. 4  is a simplified block diagram of the metropolitan car parking system  10 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a simplified illustration of a smart key; 
         FIG. 6  is a simplified block diagram of the smart key of  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  are simplified illustrations of a front view and a side cut, respectively, of a smart lock compatible with the smart key of  FIGS. 5 and 6   
         FIG. 8  is a simplified illustration of a lock adapter for use with a parking management device; 
         FIG. 9  is a simplified block diagram of the lock adapter; and 
         FIG. 10  is a simplified illustration of the lock adapter connected to a parking management device with a smart key inserted. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The principles and operation of a system and a method for managing and billing metropolitan car parking according to the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and accompanying description. 
     Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     It is also appreciated that the concept of managing and billing metropolitan car parking described herein by example, also applies for other types of car parking. 
     In this document, an element of a drawing that is not described within the scope of the drawing and is labeled with a numeral that has been described in a previous drawing has the same use and description as in the previous drawings. Similarly, an element that is identified in the text by a numeral that does not appear in the drawing described by the text, has the same use and description as in the previous drawings where it was described. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 1 , which is a simplified illustration of a metropolitan car parking system  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the metropolitan car parking system  10  preferably includes the following elements: 
     a server  11 , preferably a network server; 
     a plurality of parking area control devices  12  and  13 ; 
     a plurality of parking management devices  14 ; and 
     a plurality of portable parking control devices  15 . 
     The server  11  is preferably connected to a communication network  16 . The network  16  is preferably, at least partially, a wireless network. The wireless network is preferably a public land mobile network (such as a cellular network GSM network 3G network, 4G network, LTE, etc.), or a metropolitan wireless access network, such as WiMAX (IEEE802.16). Typically, the network  16  contains at least one base station  17 . The base station  17  provides radio communication with the parking management device  14  and optionally also with the parking area control devices  12  and/or with the portable parking control devices  15 . 
     The server  11  is preferably connected to a communication network  18 . The network  16  is preferably a public communication network. Preferably, The network  16  is a data communication network  19 , such as the Internet, connecting the server  11  to data terminals and/or computers  20 ; and/or a telephone communication network  21  connecting the server  11  to telephone terminals  22 . 
     The parking area control devices  12  and/or  13  are typically distributed within parking areas, such as streets and parking lots (e.g. car parks) where parking is controlled. The parking area control devices  12  are and/or  13  preferably equipped with proximity sensors that enable the detection if a car is parked in a parking space or that the parking space is available for parking. The parking area control devices  12  and/or  13  preferably communicate with the server  11  via a communication network such as communication network  16  and/or a communication network  18 . Preferably, parking area control devices  13  operate as car sensing devices, communicate with parking area control devices  12 , which communicate with the server  11 . 
     The parking management devices  14  are mounted in vehicles, particularly in parking vehicles, such as car  23 . 
     The portable parking control devices  15  are typically carried by parking attendants  24 . 
     The parking area control devices  12  and/or  13  preferably includes 
     a processor and a memory module connected to the processor, 
     a first wireless communication interface module connected to the processor for communicating with the server  11 ; 
     a second wireless communication interface module connected to the processor for communicating with parking management devices  14  and/or portable parking control devices  15 ; and 
     a proximity sensing device operative to sense the presence of a car parked in a particular parking space. 
     Thus, the parking area control devices  12  and/or  13  are therefore operative to communicate to the remote server  11  the occupancy status of a parking place. 
     Preferably, the parking area control devices  12  and/or  13  communicate via a wireless network with the parking management devices  14 , when in the specific parking management device  14  is within the communication range of the specific parking area control device  12 . Therefore, the parking area control devices  12  preferably use a wireless local area network, such as WiFi (IEEE802.11), having a limited range. 
     The parking area control devices  12  and/or  13  are preferably powered by electric batteries to eliminate the need to connect the parking area control devices  12  and/or  13  to electric network. Preferably, the batteries are rechargeable batteries and the parking area control devices  12  and/or  13  include solar cells to charge the rechargeable batteries. Preferably, The parking area control devices  13  are installed in the sidewalk or in the road according to marked parking spaces, as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Preferably, the portable parking control devices  15  communicate via a wireless network with the parking management devices  14 , when in the specific parking management device  14  is within the communication range of the specific portable parking control devices  15 . Therefore, the portable parking control devices  15  preferably use a wireless personal area network, such as Bluetooth (IEEE802.15.1), RFID, secure NFC, etc., having a short range. 
     It is appreciated that the three networks described above (connecting the parking management device  14  with the server  11 , with the parking area control devices  12  and  13 , and with the portable parking control device  15 ) can use the same wireless technology (e.g. 3G, 4G, LTE, WiMAX), by using high, medium and low transmission power, respectively, to control the range of the communication. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 2 , which is a simplified flow chart of a parking management process  25  within the metropolitan car parking system  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  parking management process  25  preferably starts with a registration sub-process  26 . Preferably followed by repeated parking sub-processes  27  (of which only one is shown in  FIG. 2 ). 
     Preferably, as a part of the registration process  26 , a user, preferably a driver, registers a parking management device  14  at the server  11 . Preferably, the user uses the parking management device  14  to send to the server  11  registration information. 28  In response to the registration information  28  the server  11  sends to the parking management device  14  device identification code  29  uniquely identifying the parking management device  14 . 
     Typically, the registration information  28  includes account memberships and/or billing information enabling the server to charge parking fee to an account of the user, such as a bank account or a credit card account. 
     Alternatively, the user buys a prepaid parking permit and charges the parking management device  14 . Preferably, by entering a prepaying code uniquely associated with the prepaid parking permit into the parking management device  14 . The prepaying code can serve as the device identification code, thus the registration sub-process may not be mandatory. It is appreciated that the prepaid arrangement may be based on a prepaid total parking time (e.g. parking minutes), with or without a limitation on the validity period, or, alternatively, a flat rate for a limited period (e.g. one month). 
     The parking sub-process  27  preferably starts with the parking management device  14  sending an area code request  30  to the nearest area control device  12 . In response to the area code request  30  the area control device  12  sends to the parking management device  14  an area code  31 . Preferably, the area code  31  is uniquely identified with the area associated with the specific area control device  12 . Preferably, the area code  31  is also uniquely identified with the specific parking management device  14 . 
     After receiving the area code  31  the parking management device  14 .sends parking registration information  32  to the server  11 . The parking registration information  32  preferably contains the device identification code  29  (or the prepayment code) and the area code  31 . In response to the parking registration information  32  the server  11  sends to the parking management device  14  a parking code  33 . The parking code is preferably uniquely associated with the parking registration information  32 , for example, with the device identification code  29  (or the prepayment code) and the area code  31 , and optionally with the date and time of the parking request. 
     At the end of the parking period  34  the user uses the parking management device  14  to send an end of parking notification  35  to the server  11 . The server  11  then process billing  36  of the user&#39;s account according to the appropriate parking fee. Alternatively, such as in the case of a prepaid parking permit, the parking management device  14  processes the billing  37  by deducting the appropriate payment fee from the remainder of the prepayment. Preferably, the parking management device  14  processes the billing  37  in accordance with fee instruction included in the parking code  33  information. 
     It is appreciated that the server  11  can be programmed to associate different parking fees with different locations and/or with different time of day, day of the week, holidays, etc. Optionally, the server  11  can calculate different parking fee according to the parking period. For example: a short parking period (e.g. less than 10 minutes) can be free of charge; a long parking period (e.g. over three hours) can have a lower, or a much higher, per hour fee. Preferably, the server  11  sends the parking fee details to the parking management device  14 , preferably as a part of the parking code  33  information, preferably to be presented to the user by the parking management device  14 . 
     As the parking attendant  24  passes along a parked vehicle  23  the parking attendant  24  uses the portable parking control devices  15  to send a control data request to the parking management device  14  in the vehicle  23 . In response to the control data  38  the parking management device  14  sends a parking control data  39  to the portable parking control devices  15 . Preferably, the parking control data  39  contains the parking code  33 . Preferably, the portable parking control devices  15  can authenticate the validity of the parking control data  39  according to the parking code  33 . 
     If parking control data  39  is not received, or if the parking control data  39  is invalid, the parking attendant  24  preferably uses the portable parking control devices  15  to issue a parking fine report  40 . 
     Preferably, if the parking attendant  24  passes by an unused parking space the parking attendant  24  can use the portable parking control devices  15  to report the available parking space ( 41 ) to the server  11 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 3 , which is a simplified flow chart of an advertising process  42  within the metropolitan car parking system  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The advertising process  42  preferably starts when a user, preferably the driver of a vehicle, approaches the area where the vehicle should be parked. The user then uses the parking management device  14  to send a parking request  43  to the server  11 . The parking request  43  preferably contains information regarding the current location of the vehicle. Preferably, the current location is acquired from a near-by parking area control device  12 . In response to the parking request  43 , the server  11  preferably sends parking information  44 , preferably detailing locations of available parking space. 
     Following the parking information  44  the server  11  preferably sends advertising  45  preferably pertaining to the target locality. Particularly, the server  11  preferably sends advertising pertaining to stores and other commercial establishments that offer at least partial parking payment refund. 
     The process of sending parking request  43  and receiving parking information  44  and optionally also advertising  45  may repeat until the user selects the parking space. 
     When the user visits a store or any other type of commercial establishment offering parking payment refund the user can request parking payment refund. The store (any other type of commercial establishment) can then use a telephone, a data terminal or a computer, such as telephone  22  or data terminal/computer  20  of  FIG. 1  to communicate with the server  11 . Preferably, the store sends a complementary parking data  46  to the server  11 . If the telephone  22  is used the complementary parking data  46  is conveyed to the server  11  preferably via an interactive voice response system (IVR) and/or a smartphone application. The server then processes the billing  36  in accordance with the complementary parking data  46 . The complementary parking data  46  preferably contains an identification of the store, an identification of the parking management device  14  and the value of the refund (not necessarily the entire parking payment). 
     It is appreciated that location information can be acquired using triangulation methods based on signals received from two or more base stations  17 , or from two or more by parking area control devices  12 , or from a global positioning system (GPS). 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 4 , which is a simplified block diagram of the metropolitan car parking system  10  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The metropolitan car parking system  10  shown in  FIG. 4  preferably includes the following elements:
         the server  11 , preferably a network server;   the parking area control device  12 ;   the parking management device  14 ; and   the portable parking control device  15 .       

     The server  11  preferably includes:
         a processor  47 ,   a memory and/or a storage device  48 ;   a user interface  49 ;   a wireless network interface  50 , and   a fixed network interface  51 .       

     Preferably, the wireless network interface provides communication with the parking management device  14 ; and optionally also with the parking area control device  12  and/or the portable parking control device  15 . 
     The parking management device  14  preferably includes:
         a processor  52 ,   a memory and/or a storage device  53 , optionally including a portable storage device such as a smart card,   a user interface  54 ,   three wireless network interfaces  55 ,  56  and  57  providing metropolitan (e.g. 4G, WiMAX, etc.), local (e.g. WiFi) and short range communications (e.g. Bluetooth, and/or Zigbee, and/or RFID and/or secure NFC (near field communication)) respectively, and   power source  58 , such as a battery or a power supply connected to the car battery.       

     It is appreciated that the three network interfaces can be implemented as a single network interface. 
     the parking area control device  12  (or  13 ) preferably includes:
         a processor  59 ,   a memory and/or a storage device  60 , optionally including a portable storage device such as a smart card,   a user interface  61 ,   a wireless network interfaces  62  providing short range communication (e.g. Bluetooth) and optionally also local and metropolitan communication,   a wireless network interfaces  63  providing long range and/or metropolitan communication (such as Internet, 3G, 4G, WiMAX, etc.) and optionally also local communication,   optionally, a sensing device  64  for detecting the presence of a car parked in a particular parking place; and   power source  65 , such as a battery.       

     The portable parking control device  15  preferably containing:
         a processor  66 ,   a memory and/or a storage device  67 ,   a wireless network interfaces  68  providing local communication (e.g. using 4G, WiFi, or short-range communications such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, RFID or secure NFC) and optionally also short range and metropolitan communication.   power source  69 , such as a power supply.       

     Reference is now made to  FIG. 5 , which is a simplified illustration of a smart key  70  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     As seen in  FIG. 5 , the smart key  70  preferably includes a handle part  71 , an inserted part  72  and a USB connector  73 . The USB connector  73  is preferably mounted on the handle part  71 , opposite to the inserted part  72 . The inserted part  72  preferably includes a mechanical key code part  74  and a smartcard chip  75 , preferably electronically connected to the handle part  71 . A biometric authentication sensor  76  is preferably mounted on the handle part  71 . Preferably, the biometric authentication sensor  76  is a finger-print sensor. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 6 , which is a simplified block diagram of the smart key  70  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The smart key  70  is a portable personal identification device. As seen in  FIG. 6 , the smart key  70  preferably includes a processor  77 , flash memory  78 , USB driver  79  preferably connected to the USB connector  73 , the smart card chip  75  and the biometric authentication sensor  76 , (fingerprint, iris recognition, face recognition, etc.) all preferably connected over a bus  80 . Preferably, the authentication data is stored in the smart card chip  75 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 7A and 7B , which are simplified illustrations of a front view and a side cut, respectively, of a smart lock  81  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     As seen in  FIG. 7A , the smart lock  81  includes a receptacle part  82  into which the inserted part  72  of the smart key  70  can be inserted. 
     As seen in  FIG. 7B , the smart lock  81  includes a mechanical part  83  and an electronic and electrical part  84  preferably mounted on the receptacle part  82 . 
     The mechanical part  83  is preferably operative to decode the mechanical coding of the mechanical key code part  74  and to enable the user to open and/or to lock the smart lock  81  by rotating the smart key  70  inside the receptacle part  82 . This is an optional fallback use of the smart lock  81  and smart key  70 , for example, when there is a loss of electricity or another electrical or electronic failure. 
     The electronic and electrical part  84  is operative to communicate with the smart-card chip  75  of the smart key  70  when the inserted part  72  is inserted into the receptacle part  82  and to electrically rotate open or close the smart lock  81 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , the smart-card chip  75  communicates with the electronic and electrical part  84  via electrical connectors, however, it is also possible to use wireless connectivity, such as infra-red communication technology or RF communication technology, such as RFID or secure NFC. 
     Preferably, the smart lock  81  provides electrical power to the smart key  70  via the connectors of the smart-card chip  75 . When power is applied to the smart key  70  the processor  77  uses the biometric authentication sensor  76  to authenticate the user holding the handle part  71  and touching the biometric authentication sensor  76 . Only if the user is authenticated the processor  77  instructs the smart-card chip  75  to instruct the electronic and electrical part  84  to lock or unlock the smart lock  81 . 
     It is appreciated that the processor  77  can be the processor of the smart-card chip  75 . 
     While the smart lock  81  shown in  FIG. 7B  is shaped for a door, the smart lock  81  can be shaped for a car or other uses of a lock. Additionally, the smart key  70  can be used for applications requiring user authentications, such as physical access control, computer access control, attendance monitoring, electronic purse and electronic payments, etc. 
     Particularly, the smart-card chip  75  of the smart key  70  can be used for applications of electronic purse and electronic payments such as traffic management, including toll road payments and parking payments. Preferably, the smart key  70  can be inserted into the parking management device  14  of  FIG. 1 . When inserted into the parking management device  14 , the smart key  70  identifies the user via the biometric authentication sensor  76  and optionally also executes payment using pre-paid account stored in the smart-card chip  75 . 
     Similarly, the USB connector  73  of the smart key  70  can be inserted into a USB connector of a computing device such as a computer, for example, to make the flash memory  78 , or the contents of the flash memory  78 , available to the computing device. When power is applied to the smart key  70  via the USB connector  73 , the processor  77  uses the biometric authentication sensor  76  to authenticate the user holding the handle part  71  and touching the biometric authentication sensor  76 . Only if the user is authenticated the processor  77  instructs the USB driver  79  to provide communications with the computing device and/or to enable access to the flash memory  78 . 
     Preferably, the flash memory  78  contains an encryption-decryption software program. This software program preferably executes the following tasks: 
     If, simultaneously, an encrypted file, a decryption key and a user identification code are presented to the flash memory, and a user is authenticated via the biometric authentication sensor  76  to be associated with the user identification code, the software program preferably decrypts the file and present it at the USB connector  73 , for downloading into the computing device. 
     If, simultaneously, a file and a user identification code are presented to the flash memory, and a user is authenticated (for example by means of fingerprint, iris recognition, face recognition, etc.) via the biometric authentication sensor  76  to be associated with the user identification code, the software program preferably encrypts the file and presents it, with a decryption key, at the USB connector  73 , for downloading into the computing device. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 8 , which is a simplified illustration of a lock adapter  85  and to  FIG. 9 , which is a simplified block diagram of the lock adapter  85  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the lock adapter  85  is similar the smart lock  81  as it is equipped to interface with the smart key  70 . However, the lock adapter  85  also includes an interface  86  to a computational device such as the parking management device  14 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 10 , which is a simplified illustration of the lock adapter  85  connected to a computational device such as the parking management device  14  with the smart key  70  inserted into the lock adapter  85 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The lock adapter  85  is therefore operative as an interface between the parking management device  14  and the smart key  70 . 
     It is appreciated that alternatively, the smart key  70  can be connected to the parking management device  14  directly by means of the USB connector  73  or by means of any short-range communication such as RFID, NFC, etc. 
     It is appreciated that the smart key  70  identifies the user to the mobile parking management device  14 , and particularly the billing account of the user. 
     It is expected that during the life of this patent many relevant communication technologies will be developed, and the scope of the terms herein, such as WiFi, WiMAX, 3G, 4G, secure NFC, RFID, Zigbee, and Bluetooth, is intended to include all such new technologies a priori. 
     It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination. 
     Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention.