Patent Publication Number: US-2013240673-A1

Title: Enabling multiple autonomous cargo deliveries in a single mission

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/605,539, filed Mar. 1, 2012, bearing Attorney Docket No. L0562.70116US00, titled “Multiple Autonomous Cargo Deliveries,” the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Manned convoys and cargo delivery via manned aircraft can be expensive and dangerous. As such, unmanned vehicles are sometimes employed to deliver cargo. 
     SUMMARY 
     Conventional unmanned vehicles are limited to delivering a single load of cargo within a particular mission. For example, to deliver separate cargo loads to multiple destinations, a conventional unmanned aircraft picks up a first load for delivery at a base location, then travels to a first destination to drop off the first load, then returns to the base location to pick up a second load, then travels to a second destination to drop off the second load, then returns to the base location to pick up a third load for delivery, and so on. 
     Some embodiments of the invention provide a system which enables multiple unmanned cargo deliveries in a single mission. In some embodiments of the invention, a carousel assembly having multiple hooks may be coupled to an unmanned vehicle (e.g., a helicopter or other suitable transport vehicle) via a cable. Prior to a delivery mission, each of multiple cargo loads may be loaded on to a pallet and wrapped within a cargo delivery net which may then be attached to one of the hooks on the carousel assembly. Prior to or during the delivery mission, a ground controller may program the unmanned vehicle to deliver the cargo loads to separate locations. The unmanned delivery vehicle may navigate to a first delivery location, and perform delivery of a first load by releasing the hook on the carousel assembly which corresponds to the first load. After delivering the first load, the unmanned vehicle may autonomously exit the first location and navigate to a second delivery location, where a second load may be delivered via release of a hook on the carousel assembly which corresponds to the second load. After delivering the second load, the unmanned vehicle may (e.g., if more than two loads are to be delivered) exit the second location and travel to a third delivery location to deliver a third load by releasing a corresponding hook on the carousel assembly, and so on until all loads are delivered to corresponding locations, whereupon the unmanned vehicle may return to base, or travel to any other suitable location. 
     The ability to perform multiple unmanned cargo deliveries in a single mission may provide a number of benefits. For example, because the unmanned vehicle need not return to a base location after each cargo load is delivered to pick up additional cargo, fuel savings may be realized. 
     In addition, the delivery timeline for some cargo loads may be reduced. In this respect, the inventors contemplate that some embodiments of the invention may be deployed in a combat setting, in which military personnel may await delivery of cargo such as ammunition, weapons, blood plasma, etc. Use of a system which does not require a delivery vehicle to return to a base location after each cargo load is delivered may mean that cargo loads scheduled for delivery after a first cargo “drop” may arrive more quickly than when conventional approaches are used, since the delivery vehicle may travel directly to the delivery locations for those loads rather than having to return first to a base location. In certain circumstances, a quicker cargo delivery timeline may increase the probability of a combat mission&#39;s success, and/or save lives. 
     Additionally, some embodiments of the invention may reduce costs associated with maintaining a delivery vehicle. In this respect, an aircraft delivery vehicle typically is restricted to a finite number of startups and shutdowns (which usually correspond to a takeoff and landing) before the vehicle&#39;s engine is overhauled. Use of a system which enables cargo to be delivered to multiple locations, without a takeoff and landing at any location, before the vehicle returns to base means less startups and shutdowns, thereby increasing the number of delivery missions a vehicle may accomplish before its engine is overhauled. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an example system for performing multiple unmanned autonomous cargo deliveries in a single delivery mission, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  depicts an example apparatus used to attach a carousel assembly to an unmanned delivery vehicle, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  depicts an example carousel assembly which may be used to haul multiple cargo loads to different locations in a single delivery mission, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart of an example process for performing multiple cargo deliveries to different locations in a single delivery mission, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram depicting an example computer which may be used to implement some aspects of embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Some embodiments of the invention provide a system which enables multiple unmanned cargo deliveries to be performed in a single mission. In some embodiments, a carousel assembly having multiple hooks, or other suitable implement(s) for holding items, is attached to an unmanned vehicle (e.g., a helicopter or other suitable transport vehicle) via a cable known to those skilled in the art as a “long line.” Prior to a delivery mission, multiple cargo loads may each be loaded on to a different pallet, and each pallet may be enclosed within its own cargo delivery net. Each cargo net may then be attached to one of the hooks on the carousel assembly. For example, each cargo net may be attached to a different hook on the carousel assembly. The unmanned vehicle may be programmed to navigate to a first location to which a first load is to be delivered, descend to an altitude at which cargo touches the ground, deliver the first load by releasing a hook on the carousel assembly corresponding to the first load, ascend and travel directly to a second location at which a second load is to be delivered without returning to a base location, descend at the second location and deliver a second load by releasing a hook on the carousel assembly corresponding to the second load, and so on until deliveries are made at all desired locations. After all cargo loads have been delivered, the unmanned vehicle may return to a base location, or travel to any other suitable location, as desired. 
       FIG. 1  shows an example system  100  for performing multiple unmanned cargo deliveries in a single mission. Example system  100  includes ground control station (GCS)  105 , which may, for example, comprise a computing device operated by a user on the ground at a delivery location. For example, GCS  105  may enable personnel on the ground at a delivery location (e.g., a soldier, and/or other personnel) to issue instructions to an unmanned vehicle relating to cargo delivery. For example, when the user determines that the unmanned delivery vehicle (e.g., a helicopter) is in a proper location to descend, he/she may actuate a mechanism on GCS  105  to issue instructions to the unmanned vehicle to descend. 
     Of course, GCS  105  need not be operated by a user at a delivery location. For example, GCS  105  may be operated by a user at a base location to program a flight path for an unmanned delivery vehicle. GCS  105  may be used in any suitable location, and may have any of numerous uses. 
     In example system  100 , GCS  105  communicates with mission management computer (MMC)  115 , which resides on the unmanned vehicle, via link  110 . Link  110  may comprise any one or more suitable communications links, employing any suitable infrastructure, technique(s) and/or protocol(s). In one example implementation, link  110  comprises multiple radio frequency (RF) data links, comprising one via a line of sight between GCS  105  and the unmanned vehicle, and one not requiring a line of sight (e.g., a satellite communication system). Any suitable configuration may be employed, as embodiments of the invention are not limited in this respect. 
     In addition to enabling GCS  105  to issue instructions to MMC  115 , link  110  may, in some embodiments, enable MMC  115  to communicate various types of information to GCS  105 . For example, MMC  115  may send to GCS  105  information relating to a state of the unmanned vehicle, its status, its location, and/or any other suitable type of information. 
     Upon receiving an instruction from GCS  105  via link  110 , MMC  115  may route one or more instructions to one or more components of example system  110  to effect flight and/or delivery behavior. For example, MMC  115  may send information descriptive of a flight plan to flight control computer (FCC)  120 , which may use the information to navigate the unmanned vehicle to a delivery location. 
     MMC  115  may also issue instructions to FCC  120  relating to delivery of cargo at a particular location. For example, upon receiving an instruction to descend from a user operating GCS  105  at a delivery location, MMC  115  may pass an instruction to FCC  120  to descend until a determination is made that the cargo carried by the carousel assembly is on the ground. This determination may, for example, be made using a strain gauge to identify when the cargo&#39;s weight is no longer borne by a long line attached to the vehicle. MMC  115  may issue an instruction to FCC  120  to cause a hook corresponding to a cargo load destined for the location to release the cargo load. FCC  120  may send a signal via miscellaneous relay box  125 , carousel relay box  130  and umbilical line  135  to carousel assembly  140  to instruct carousel assembly  140  to cause the hook to release a cargo load. After the hook releases the cargo load and the cargo is delivered, MMC  115  may instruct FCC  120  to cause the unmanned vehicle to ascend and proceed to a next delivery location without first returning to a base location. 
     Example system  100  includes selector switch  145  and release controller  150 . In this respect, some embodiments of the invention contemplate configuring a vehicle for both unmanned and manned operation. As such, selector switch  145  and release controller  150  may enable an operator of the vehicle to select a particular cargo load for release, and to release a hook corresponding to that cargo load, by issuing commands to carousel  140  via carousel relay box  130  and umbilical line  135 . 
     Example system  100  includes power distribution unit (PDU) relay box  155 , which distributes power to various components shown in  FIG. 1 , via miscellaneous relay boxes  125  and  160 , which may comprise junction boxes that also route control signals to various components. Example system  100  also includes surge suppression  162 , which ensures that, for example, a power surge does not cause carousel relay box  130  to issue an erroneous instruction to carousel assembly  140  to release a hook corresponding to a cargo load. 
     In example system  100 , each of MMC  115  and FCC  120  comprises one or more general-purpose computers, although any suitable configuration of components may be employed. For example, in some embodiments, FCC  120  may include more than one general-purpose computer, to provide redundancy in case one of the computers fails during operation. In other embodiments, MMC  115  and FCC  120  may be implemented using a single general-purpose computer, one or more special-purpose computers, or any other suitable combination of components. 
       FIG. 2  depicts an example mechanism  200  for attaching a carousel assembly to a delivery vehicle. Example mechanism  200  includes an umbilical line  215 , which in some embodiments may run the length of a long line used conventionally to attach a cargo hook to an unmanned vehicle. Connector plug  220  connects umbilical line  215  to connector  225 , which in some embodiments may pass through hull  205  of the vehicle, allowing for power and control signals originating from within hull  205  (e.g., from components of example system  100 ,  FIG. 1 ) to be transmitted to carousel assembly  210 . Breakaway connector  230  enables slack in umbilical line  215  between connector  225  and connector  230 , so that umbilical line  215  need not be taut. Breakaway connector  230  also allows umbilical line  215  to break away if circumstances dictate, such as if umbilical line  215  becomes entangled with an object on or rooted in the ground, or if hauled cargo otherwise endangers the vehicle and needs to be jettisoned. Swivel  235  allows carousel assembly  210  to swing and rotate, so that line  215  does not become tangled or twisted during use. 
       FIG. 3  depicts an example carousel assembly  300  onto which multiple independent cargo loads may be loaded. In the example shown, carousel assembly  300  includes four independent hooks for carrying four independent cargo loads. It should be appreciated, however, that embodiments of the invention are not limited to the particular implementation shown in  FIG. 3 . For example, a carousel assembly implemented in accordance with embodiments of the invention need not employ hooks to carry cargo loads, as any suitable mechanism may be used. If hooks are used, then any suitable number of hooks may be employed, and each hook may be adapted to carry any suitable number of cargo loads. Further, it should be appreciated that an assembly onto which multiple independent cargo loads are loaded need not take the form of a carousel, as any suitable structure(s) may alternatively be used, each of which may arrange attachment mechanisms (e.g., hooks) in any suitable manner. 
     Example carousel assembly  300  includes connector  305 , which attaches example carousel assembly  300  to an unmanned vehicle, such as via example mechanism  200  ( FIG. 2 ) and/or a long line. Three of the four arms (i.e., arms  310 A,  310 B and  310 C) of example mechanism  300  are shown in  FIG. 3 , and each arm  310  extends from connector  305  to a respective hook. For example, arm  310 A extends from connector  305  to hook  315 A, arm  310 B extends from connector  305  to hook  315 B, and arm  310 C extends from connector  305  to hook  315 C. In some implementations, a cargo net (not shown) may enclose a cargo load and be attached to one of hooks  315 . When a cargo load attached to a particular hook reaches its destination, a control signal may be issued to cause the hook may be retracted or to otherwise release the load, causing the cargo to be delivered. 
     It should be appreciated that embodiments of the invention are not limited to delivering cargo by releasing a hook when the cargo sits on the ground. For example, some embodiments of the invention may be adapted to drop a cargo load from a particular height, with the cargo load being equipped (e.g., via one or more parachutes) to descend gently. Any of numerous release arrangements may be envisioned by those skilled in the art. 
       FIG. 4  depicts an example process  400  for performing multiple unmanned deliveries in a single mission. At the start of example process  400 , an unmanned delivery vehicle is navigated to a first delivery location and delivery of a first cargo load is effected in act  405 . After act  405  is completed, example process  400  proceeds to act  410 , wherein the unmanned delivery vehicle is navigated to a next delivery location, without first returning to base, and delivery of a next cargo load is effected. For example, an unmanned delivery vehicle may travel directly from the first delivery location to a second delivery location, and deliver cargo at the second delivery location. When act  410  is completed, example process  400  proceeds to act  415 , wherein a determination is made whether one or more additional deliveries are to be performed. If a determination is made in act  415  that at least one other delivery is to be performed, then example process  400  returns to act  410 , and proceeds as described above. If it is determined that no more deliveries are to be performed, then example process  400  completes. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an example of a suitable computing system  500  which may be used to implement aspects of the invention. The computing system  500  is only one example of a suitable computing system, and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the invention. Neither should the computing system  500  be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary system  500 . 
     The invention is operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the invention include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. 
     The computing environment may execute computer-executable instructions, such as program modules. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , an exemplary system for implementing the invention includes a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer  510 . Components of computer  510  may include, but are not limited to, a processing unit  520 , a system memory  530 , and a system bus  521  that couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit  520 . The system bus  521  may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus also known as Mezzanine bus. 
     Computer  510  typically includes a variety of computer readable media. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by computer  510  and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by computer  510 . Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of the any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer readable media. 
     The system memory  530  includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM)  531  and random access memory (RAM)  532 . A basic input/output system  533  (BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer  510 , such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM  531 . RAM  532  typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by processing unit  520 . By way of example, and not limitation,  FIG. 5  illustrates operating system  534 , application programs  535 , other program modules  536 , and program data  537 . 
     The computer  510  may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. By way of example only,  FIG. 5  illustrates a hard disk drive  541  that reads from or writes to non-removable, nonvolatile magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive  551  that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk  552 , and an optical disk drive  555  that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile optical disk  556  such as a CD ROM or other optical media. Other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media that can be used in the exemplary operating environment include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, digital video tape, solid state RAM, solid state ROM, and the like. The hard disk drive  541  is typically connected to the system bus  521  through an non-removable memory interface such as interface  540 , and magnetic disk drive  551  and optical disk drive  555  are typically connected to the system bus  521  by a removable memory interface, such as interface  550 . 
     The drives and their associated computer storage media discussed above and illustrated in  FIG. 5 , provide storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer  510 . In  FIG. 5 , for example, hard disk drive  541  is illustrated as storing operating system  544 , application programs  545 , other program modules  546 , and program data  547 . Note that these components can either be the same as or different from operating system  534 , application programs  535 , other program modules  536 , and program data  537 . Operating system  544 , application programs  545 , other program modules  546 , and program data  547  are given different numbers here to illustrate that, at a minimum, they are different copies. A user may enter commands and information into the computer  510  through input devices such as a keyboard  562  and pointing device  561 , commonly referred to as a mouse, trackball or touch pad. Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit  520  through a user input interface  560  that is coupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor  591  or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus  521  via an interface, such as a video interface  590 . In addition to the monitor, computers may also include other peripheral output devices such as speakers  597  and printer  596 , which may be connected through a output peripheral interface  595 . 
     The computer  510  may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer  580 . The remote computer  580  may be a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer  510 , although only a memory storage device  581  has been illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The logical connections depicted in  FIG. 5  include a local area network (LAN)  571  and a wide area network (WAN)  573 , but may also include other networks. Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet. 
     When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer  510  is connected to the LAN  571  through a network interface or adapter  570 . When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer  510  typically includes a modem  572  or other means for establishing communications over the WAN  573 , such as the Internet. The modem  572 , which may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus  521  via the user input interface  560 , or other appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer  510 , or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. By way of example, and not limitation,  FIG. 5  illustrates remote application programs  585  as residing on memory device  581 . It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used. 
     Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated that various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. 
     Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, though advantages of the present invention are indicated, it should be appreciated that not every embodiment of the invention will include every described advantage. Some embodiments may not implement any features described as advantageous herein. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in any of numerous ways. For example, embodiments of the invention may be implemented using hardware, software or a combination thereof. When implemented in software, the software code can be executed on any suitable processor or collection of processors, whether provided in a single computer or distributed among multiple computers. Such processors may be implemented as integrated circuits, with one or more processors in an integrated circuit component, or using circuitry in any other suitable format. 
     Further, it should be appreciated that a computer may be embodied in any of a number of forms, such as a rack-mounted computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a tablet computer. Additionally, a computer may be embedded in a device not generally regarded as a computer but with suitable processing capabilities, including a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a smart phone or any other suitable portable or fixed electronic device. 
     Also, a computer may have one or more input and output devices. These devices can be used, among other things, to present a user interface. Examples of output devices that can be used to provide a user interface include printers or display screens for visual presentation of output and speakers or other sound generating devices for audible presentation of output. Examples of input devices that can be used for a user interface include keyboards, and pointing devices, such as mice, touch pads, and digitizing tablets. As another example, a computer may receive input information through speech recognition or in other audible format. 
     Such computers may be interconnected by one or more networks in any suitable form, including as a local area network or a wide area network, such as an enterprise network or the Internet. Such networks may be based on any suitable technology and may operate according to any suitable protocol and may include wireless networks, wired networks or fiber optic networks. 
     Also, the various methods or processes outlined herein may be coded as software that is executable on one or more processors that employ any one of a variety of operating systems or platforms. Additionally, such software may be written using any of a number of suitable programming languages and/or programming or scripting tools, and also may be compiled as executable machine language code or intermediate code that is executed on a framework or virtual machine. 
     In this respect, the invention may be embodied as a computer readable storage medium (or multiple computer readable media) (e.g., a computer memory, one or more floppy discs, compact discs (CD), optical discs, digital video disks (DVD), magnetic tapes, flash memories, circuit configurations in Field Programmable Gate Arrays or other semiconductor devices, or other tangible computer storage medium) encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or more computers or other processors, perform methods that implement the various embodiments of the invention discussed above. As is apparent from the foregoing examples, a computer readable storage medium may retain information for a sufficient time to provide computer-executable instructions in a non-transitory form. Such a computer readable storage medium or media can be transportable, such that the program or programs stored thereon can be loaded onto one or more different computers or other processors to implement various aspects of the present invention as discussed above. As used herein, the term “computer-readable storage medium” encompasses only a computer-readable medium that can be considered to be a manufacture (i.e., article of manufacture) or a machine. Alternatively or additionally, the invention may be embodied as a computer readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium, such as a propagating signal. 
     The terms “program” or “software” are used herein in a generic sense to refer to any type of computer code or set of computer-executable instructions that can be employed to program a computer or other processor to implement various aspects of the present invention as discussed above. Additionally, it should be appreciated that according to one aspect of this embodiment, one or more computer programs that when executed perform methods of the present invention need not reside on a single computer or processor, but may be distributed in a modular fashion amongst a number of different computers or processors to implement various aspects of the present invention. 
     Computer-executable instructions may be in many forms, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. 
     Also, data structures may be stored in computer-readable media in any suitable form. For simplicity of illustration, data structures may be shown to have fields that are related through location in the data structure. Such relationships may likewise be achieved by assigning storage for the fields with locations in a computer-readable medium that conveys relationship between the fields. However, any suitable mechanism may be used to establish a relationship between information in fields of a data structure, including through the use of pointers, tags or other mechanisms that establish relationship between data elements. 
     Various aspects of the present invention may be used alone, in combination, or in a variety of arrangements not specifically discussed in the embodiments described in the foregoing and is therefore not limited in its application to the details and arrangement of components set forth in the foregoing description or illustrated in the drawings. For example, aspects described in one embodiment may be combined in any manner with aspects described in other embodiments. 
     Also, the invention may be embodied as a method, an example of which has been described. The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously, even though shown as sequential acts in illustrative embodiments. 
     Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements. 
     Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.