Abstract:
A lift system including a visual indicator device (for example, an LED indicator light) in data communication with travel limit switches so that tripping of the travel limit switches (or at least the travel limit switches that are manually set by a human assembler) will cause the visual indictor device to make a visual indication that can be readily observed by the human assembler. The visual indication of the present indication can helpfully replace the conventional method of listening for a click during the step of setting the location of the travel limit switch when the lift system is initially set up by a human assembler. Instead of listening for a click, the assembler can watch for a visual indication by the visual indicator device, such as the lighting of an LED. this can make the assembler&#39;s job easier and can facilitate quicker and more reliable setting of the location of travel limit switches in the lift system. Also, the correspondence between travel limit switches and indicator lights makes it much less likely that the installer will miswire the indicator lights.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/034,568, filed on Mar. 7, 2008; all of the foregoing patent-related document(s) are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their respective entirety(ies). 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to lift systems (see DEFINITIONS section) and more particularly to lift systems for theatrical applications. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Indicator lights are known. One example of this is U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,294 (“Lafontaine”) which discloses a power operated door that includes: (i) a limit switch that is tripped to enable field adjustment of a safety mechanism; and (ii) an indicator light indicating when the limit switch is activated. Lafontaine does not disclose or otherwise contemplate any sort of lift system. 
         [0006]    Lift systems having indicator light(s) to indicate certain conditions are known. One example of this is U.S. Pat. No. 7,243,870 (“Pook”) which discloses a portable studio hoist system including a remote pendant including a power indicator light. 
         [0007]    Lift systems having travel limit switches are known. Publications that may show travel limit switches include: (i) US patent application (“USPA”) 2004/0238804 (“Revi”); (ii) U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,565 (“Bayer”); U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,485 (“Soot”); (iii) U.S. Pat. No. 7,410150 (“Falls”); (iv) U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,537 (“Crider”); and (v) U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,439 (“Crawford”). 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a conventional lift system  100  having travel limit switches. Lift system  100  includes: lift hardware  102 ; lift controls  104 ; striker member  106 ; primary lower travel limit switch  108 ; primary lower travel limit switch  109 ; primary upper travel limit switch  110 ; secondary upper travel limit switch  111 ; load  120 ; loft blocking sub-system  122 ; and cable  124 . Installer  101  installs lift system  100 , typically in a theatre. For example, load  120  may be a batten that should only be allowed to travel in direction D 1  between upper travel limit U and lower travel limit L in order to prevent physical interference with other objects such as rafters, floors, people, etc. 
         [0009]    Lift hardware  102  includes a rotating drum around which cable  124  is would and unwound to raise and lower load  120 . Lift hardware may include other hardware such as a motor to rotate the drum, a gear train, a brake, a head block sub-system and any other lift related hardware. The lift controls  104  may be as simple as a hand crank (for a manually powered lift). Alternatively, the lift controls may be manual controls for controlling lift motion in the context of a powered lift with a motor. Alternatively, the lift controls may include automatic software and/or hardware control and/or remote control using machine readable instructions (for example, lift motion control over a computer network). 
         [0010]    During normal operations of the lift striker member  106  moves back and forth along direction D 2  as the cable is wound and unwound, thereby raising and lowering the load in direction D 1 . For example, in lifts where the drum translates along the direction of its central axis to maintain a constant fleet angle, the striker member may be constrained to translate with the linear translation on the drum. As another example, in lifts where a head block sub-system translates linearly to maintain a constant fleet angle, the striker member may be constrained to translate with the linear translation on the drum. Still other ways of moving the striker member are possible. For example, it may be possible to have a rotating striker member whose rotation is correlated with rotation of the drum and/or rotation of a head block pulley or roller. The exact mechanism for moving the striker member and/or the particular motion vectors of the striker member are not important for present purposes. The important thing about the striker member is that it moves in a way that is correlated with the motion of the load. 
         [0011]    During normal operations of the lift system, the lift motion should be controlled so that the striker member remains between primary lower travel limit switch  108  and primary upper travel limit switch  110 . The position of primary lower travel limit switch  108  correlates to a load position where the bottom of the load is at lower travel limit L. The position of primary upper travel limit switch  110  correlates to a load position where the top of the load is at upper travel limit U. By maintaining the striker member in between switches  108  and  110  as it moves back and forth in direction D 2 , it can be assured that load  120  remains in its safe travel range between limits U and L. 
         [0012]    Sometimes a problem may arise so that the load is raised above upper limit U or lower limit L. To name some examples, there may be a mechanical problem with the lift hardware, an error by a person controlling manual control, or an error in the machine readable instructions performing automatic motion control. If the load is lowered below lower limit L then striker member  106  strikes switch  108  and the lift controls  104  take appropriate corrective action. Such appropriate corrective actions may include, but are not necessarily limited to: stopping all lift motion, raising the lift, sounding an alarm, sending out notification of the malfunction out to a master controller computer, turning on a lift brake, etc. For present purposes, the exact nature of the corrective action is not important. What is important is that the interaction of the striker member  106  and switch  108  effectively detects a problem and signals the existence of the problem to the lift controls  104 . Similarly, the striker member  106  and switch  110  effectively detect that the load has been raised above its upper travel limit U and signal the existence of this kind of malfunction to the lift controls for appropriate corrective action. 
         [0013]    Although in system  100  the switches are shown to be switches that operate by mechanical movement, other types of switches may be possible such as magnetically operated switches, electrically operated switches, optically operated switches, thermally operated switches, etc. Depending on the type of switch, physical contact between the striker member and the switch may not always be required to actuate the switch. The degree and kind of contact, proximity and/or alignment required for a striker member to operate a particular kind of switch will generically be referred to herein as an “switch-tripping connection.” Although in system  100  the switches are stationary and the striker member moves in a manner correlated to the motion of the load, it is probably possible to design a lift system where: (i) the limit switch(es) move along direction D 2  in a manner correlated with the motion of the load in direction D 1 ; (ii) the striker is in the form of a striker assembly having a stationary striker member for the lower limit and another stationary striker member for the upper member; and (iii) the moving limit switch(es) is/are tripped when the motion in direction them D 2  causes them to establish a switch-tripping connection with one of the striker members. 
         [0014]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , secondary lower travel limit switch  109  and secondary upper travel limit switch  111  are placed outside of their respective primary switches in the direction D 2 . Secondary lower travel limit switch  109  and secondary upper travel limit switch  111  are a sort of fail safe mechanism in case: (i) the primary switches malfunction; or (ii) the corrective action caused by the signaling provided by the primary switches is insufficient to stop the overtravel that is occurring. The corrective actions taken when the secondary switches are tripped may or may not be the same as the corrective action taken when the primary travel limit switches are tripped. 
         [0015]    In order to use the travel limit switches  108 ,  109 ,  110 ,  111  of lift system, the system has to be set up first. Part of this set up is the physical location of the travel limit switches  108 ,  109 ,  110 ,  111 . Generally speaking, these must be set into a relatively precise physical location along direction D 2  for each installation. The location along D 2  will depend primarily upon the location of the upper and lower limits U and D, but may also depend upon other factors like location of the lift hardware  102 , location of the loft blocking assembly  122 , the cable thickness and so on. For these reasons, travel limit switches are manually located in the D 2  direction by a human assembler  101  for each installation (for example, each theatrical production). 
         [0016]    The human assembler  101  sets the D 2  direction location of the primary limit switches by the following steps: (i) placing the primary limit switches  108  and  110  at locations that are estimated to be correct; (ii) checking the placement of the primary switches  108 ,  110  by raising and lowering load  120  to the upper and lower limits U, L using lift hardware  102  and lift controls  104 ; (iii) adjusting the location of primary travel limit switches  108 ,  110  as necessary based on observations at step (ii); and (iv) repeating step (ii) and step (iii), as needed, until the primary travel limit switches are in correct locations along direction D 2 ; (v) ensuring the precisely located travel limit switches are in the untripped position; and (vi) putting the precisely located primary travel limit switches into data communication with lift controls  104  so that the lift controls will take appropriate corrective action upon tripping of the primary travel limit switch. After the location of the primary limit switches are set, the secondary limit switches can be placed just a bit outside of the primaries in the D 2  direction. 
         [0017]    As stated above, step (ii) involves checking the placement of the primary switches by raising and lowering load. More specifically, the location of the load is visually observed by the assembler. However, the primary limit switches are generally not visually observable by the assembler while she is controlling and observing the lifting and lowering of the load, primarily because the location of the primary travel limit switches is visually obscured by the lift hardware  102  and/or lift controls  104 . Moreover, even if a lift system is designed so that the primary travel limit switches were in a line of sight of the assembler, they would still be difficult to see due to small size and distance. Therefore, instead of trying to visually observe the relative locations of the striker member  106  and the primary limit switches  108 ,  110  at step (ii), the assembler instead listens for a click sound that occurs when a limit switch is tripped. This conventional method has long been thought to be a sufficient and optimal way to set travel limit switches, especially in theatrical lift applications. 
         [0018]    Other prior art publications which may be of interest may include: (i) USPA 2005/0271469 (“Zebryk”); and (ii) USPA 2004/0099853 (“Verakis”). 
         [0019]    Description Of the Related Art Section Disclaimer: To the extent that specific publications are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section, these discussions should not be taken as an admission that the discussed publications (for example, published patents) are prior art for patent law purposes. For example, some or all of the discussed publications may not be sufficiently early in time, may not reflect subject matter developed early enough in time and/or may not be sufficiently enabling so as to amount to prior art for patent law purposes. To the extent that specific publications are discussed above in this Description of the Related Art Section, they are all hereby incorporated by reference into this document in their respective entirety(ies). 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    The present inventions recognizes that there are potential problems and/or disadvantages in the above-discussed way of setting travel limit switches in lift systems and especially in theatrical lift systems. One potential problem is that the click sound used to check the location of the travel limit switch is soft in sound volume and difficult to hear, especially amidst the chaotic and high volume noise of the setup of a theatrical production or other construction site. A related potential problem is that other ambient noises can be mistaken for a click, causing the operator to (temporarily until investigating) think that a travel limit switch undergoing set up has been tripped when it has, in fact, not been tripped. Another problem is that some mechanical switches are subject to being broken and/or dislodged if the striker member pushes them too far. What this means is that if an assembler misses the click sound and, as a result, continues to move the load and correlated striker in anticipation of the missed click sound, then the switch and/or switch mounting hardware may break. Still another potential disadvantage is that listening for the click, in the din of a construction site, becomes something of a learned skill that requires experience and training. Also, it means that people with less than perfect hearing cannot set travel limit switches during lift system set up. 
         [0021]    Another potential problem recognized by the present invention is that limit switches can be mixed up when they are set into position along the D 2  direction. For example, the primary upper limit switch may be placed at the lower limit position and the primary lower limit switch may be placed to the upper limit position. This is a serious problem, especially when the corrective action taken by the lift controls upon striking the upper limit switch is different than the corrective action taken by the lift controls upon striking the lower limit switch. 
         [0022]    Various embodiments of the present invention may be advantageous in that they may solve or reduce one or more of the potential problems and/or disadvantages discussed above in the previous two paragraphs. At least some embodiments of the present invention can make the assembler&#39;s job easier and can facilitate quicker and more reliable setting of the location of travel limit switches in the lift system, especially for noisy theatrical applications where it is difficult to hear the click of the travel limit switch being set into position. Also, miswiring problems can be more readily identified because the “wrong” light will light up if the travel limit switches have been mixed up. In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, different colored indicator lights are used for the different travel limit switches so that the color, as well as the position of the light, makes it clear to the installer which travel limit switch has been tripped at any given time during the installation process. 
         [0023]    The present invention is directed to a lift system including a visual indicator device (for example, an LED indicator light) in data communication with the travel limit switches so that tripping of the travel limit switches (or at least the travel limit switches that are manually set by a human assembler) will cause the visual indictor device to make a visual indication that can be readily observed by the human assembler. The visual indication of the present indication can helpfully replace the conventional method of listening for the click. the present invention is further directed to a method of setting up a lift system including the use of a visual indication to help set the location of at least one of the travel limit switches. 
         [0024]    According to one aspect of the present invention, a lift system for lifting and lowering a load includes lift hardware, a striker member, a first travel limit switch and a visual indicator device. The hardware is structured to raise and lower the load. The striker member is structured and/or mechanically connected to the lift hardware so that the striker member moves along a path in correlation with the lifting and lowering of the load. The first travel limit switch is in the form of mechanical switch. the first travel limit switch is located at least partially on the path. The first travel limit switch is structured so that it will trip when the striker member makes contact with it. The visual indicator device is in data communication with the first travel limit switch. The visual indicator device is structured and/or programmed to give a first visual indication when the first travel limit switch is tripped. 
         [0025]    According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method of setting up a lift system, the method includes the following steps (not necessarily in the following order except as indicated): (a) installing a lift system sub-assembly, including lift hardware and a striker member, in or onto a structure; (b) connecting a load to the lift hardware; (c) approximately locating a travel limit switch at an approximate position; (d) putting the travel limit switch in data communication with a visual indication device; (e) subsequent to steps (d), (c), (b) and (a), moving the load, by the lift hardware, to a location in proximity to a desired travel limit for the load; (f) during step (e), observing, by a human operator, a visual indication, by the visual indication device, corresponding to the tripping of the travel limit switch; and (g) during steps (e) and/or (f), stopping, by the human operator, the motion of the load based on the observing of step (f). 
         [0026]    According to a further aspect of the present invention, a lift system for lifting and lowering a load, the system includes lift hardware, a striker module, a travel limit switch and a visual indicator device. The lift hardware structured to raise and lower the load The visual indicator device is in data communication with the first travel limit switch. The visual indicator device is structured and/or programmed to give a visual indication when the travel limit switch is tripped. The travel limit switch and/or the striker module are structured and/or mechanically connected to move relative to each other in correlation with the lifting and lowering of the load. The travel limit switch and/or the striker module are structured so that the striker module may form a switch tripping connection with the first travel limit switch depending upon the relative positions of the travel limit switch and the striker module. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]    The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0028]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a conventional lift system (including travel limit switches); 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a first embodiment of a lift system (including travel limit switches and associated indicator lights) according to the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is an orthographic side view of a second embodiment of a lift system according to the present invention; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is an orthographic opposite (relative to  FIG. 3 ) side view of the second embodiment lift system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0032]      FIG. 2  shows lift system  200  according to the present invention including: lift hardware  202 ; lift controls  204 ; striker member  206 ; primary lower travel limit switch  208 ; primary lower travel limit switch  209 ; primary upper travel limit switch  210 ; secondary upper travel limit switch  211 ; lower limit indicator light  212 ; upper limit indicator light  214 ; load  220 ; loft blocking sub-system  222 ; and cable  224 . 
         [0033]    Primary lower travel limit switch  209  is in data communication with lower limit indicator light  212  through lift controls  204 . Primary upper travel limit switch  210  is in data communication with lower limit indicator light  214  through lift controls  204 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , when striker member  206  moves, in a manner correlated with the lifting of load  220  so that it comes into contact with a rotatable member built into switch  210 , then the striker member forms a switch tripping connection with switch  210  and thereby trips switch  210 . Indicator light  214  receives data effectively communicating that switch  210  has been tripped and, as shown in  FIG. 2 , turns on. 
         [0034]    The turning on of light  214  is a form of visual indication that communicates to the assembler  201  that the upper limit switch  214  has been tripped due to the lifting of the load. Based on his observation of the load  220  position and the visual indication of light  214 , assembler  201  determines if the primary upper travel limit switch  214  has been correctly placed. For example, in  FIG. 2 , the primary upper travel limit switch has not been correctly placed because load  220  is nowhere near upper limit U. This means that the assembler would reposition upper travel limit switches  210 ,  211  to a revised location further toward the right hand side of  FIG. 2  in the direction D 2 . 
         [0035]    On the other hand, if indicator light  214  turned on when load  220  was just reaching upper limit U, then assembler  201  would know that upper travel switches  210  and  211  were correctly placed and would move on to test the tentative placement of the lower travel limit switches  208 ,  209  by lowering load  220  and observing indicator light  212 . When all the switches are correctly placed, the assembler would then connect the switches to the lift controls  204  so that further tripping of the switches would trigger corrective action (of any type now known or to be developed in the future) by the lift controls. 
         [0036]    The lights  212 ,  214  are preferably in the form of LEDs, but any other type of visual indication, now known or to be developed in the future, could be used. For example, a visual indication corresponding to each of the switches  208 ,  210  could be presented on a display screen such as an LCD display screen. The visual indication(s) of the present invention are preferably located on the lift controls so that assembler  201  can easily see them while simultaneously controlling lifting and/or lowering of the lift. Although lift controls will often be built into a single assembly with the lift hardware, as shown in the example of  FIG. 2 , this is not required. For example, the lift controls could be located in whole, or in part, at a location remote from the lift hardware. 
         [0037]    As an exemplary method of setting up lift system  200  includes the following steps performed by human assembler(s)  201  (not necessarily in the following order): (i) placing the primary limit switches  208 ,  210  at locations that are estimated to be correct; (ii) connecting primary limit switches  208 ,  210  into data communication with respective indicator lights  212 ,  214 ; (iii) checking the placement of the switches  208 ,  210  by raising and lowering load  220  to the upper and lower limits U, L while simultaneously watching the indicator lights to determine which load  220  positions will trip the switches  208 ,  210 ; (iv) adjusting the location of switches  208 ,  210  as necessary based on observations at step (iii); and (v) repeating step (iii) and step (iv), as needed, until the primary travel limit switches are in correct locations along direction D 2 ; (vi) ensuring the precisely located switches  208 ,  210  are in the untripped position; and (vii) putting the precisely located switches into data communication with a corrective action module (for example corrective action control circuitry (not shown) built into the lift controls). After the location of the primary limit switches are set, the secondary limit switches  209 ,  211  can be placed just a bit outside of the primaries in the D 2  direction. 
         [0038]    Some other possible variations on system  200  include: (i) connecting both primary limit switches to the same indicator light; (ii) mounting the indicator lights somewhere other than the lift controls; (iii) having moving switch(es) and a stationary striker member; (iv) having additional indicator lights for the secondary travel limit switches; (v) other types of mechanical travel limit switches; (vi) non-mechanical travel limit switches; and/or (vii) wireless data communications (for example, wireless connection between travel limit switches and indicator lights, wireless data communication between travel limit switches and corrective action module). 
         [0039]      FIGS. 3 and 4  show lift system  300  according to the present invention, system  300  including: lift controls  304 ; lower limit indicator light  312 ; upper limit indicator light  314 ; backbone  320 ; multiple line head block assembly  322 ; electric motor  324 ; gear train assembly  326 ; multiple line drum  328 ; and striker/limit switch assembly  330 . During lift operations, drum  328  slides along direction D 2  relative to the backbone  320 , head block assembly  322  and motor  324  in order to maintain a constant (and preferably zero) fleet angle. The hardware for building such a lift system is described in more detail in U.S. published patent application 2006/0163548 published Jul. 27, 2006 and herein incorporated by reference. 
         [0040]    In lift system  300 , the striker/limit switch assembly  330  includes a striker (not separately designated) that moves back and forth in the D 2  direction along with drum  328 . During lift setup, and as explained in connection with system  200 , the striker actuates the primary limit switches and lights corresponding indicator lights  312 ,  314  to assist in precisely locating the primary travel limit switches along the D 2  direction. 
         [0041]    In other preferred embodiments of the present invention, there are three travel limit lights, with each indicator light preferably taking the form of a 24 VDC LED indicators, each respectively wired into the three limit circuits of a winch. Preferably, a blue LED is used to indicate the health of the upper limit circuit (blue=sky=up). Preferably, a green LED is used to indicate the health of the down limit circuit (green=grass=down). Preferably, red LED is used to indicate the health of the overtravel limits circuit (red=emergency). Preferably, when a limit is struck, the corresponding LED is extinguished (rather than vice versa). Preferably, the limits are wired in parallel with the control circuit input, so they are a reliable indicator of the status of that circuit. 
         [0042]    When setting the location of the limit switches, the installer runs the winch to the point where a limit switch is struck, then adjusts the position of the limit switch, as explained above, so that it is actuated at the proper position. If the system has been mis-wired (such that the upper limit switch stops downward motion), the installer has no readily available feedback about this condition, leading to significant delays in diagnosis and startup. The visual limit indicators according to the present invention can help reduce or eliminate these potential problems. 
       DEFINITIONS 
       [0043]    The following definitions are provided to facilitate claim interpretation: 
         [0044]    Present invention: means at least some embodiments of the present invention; references to various feature(s) of the “present invention” throughout this document do not mean that all claimed embodiments or methods include the referenced feature(s). 
         [0045]    First, second, third, etc. (“ordinals”): Unless otherwise noted, ordinals only serve to distinguish or identify (e.g., various members of a group); the mere use of ordinals implies neither a consecutive numerical limit nor a serial limitation. 
         [0046]    Electrically Connected: means either directly electrically connected, or indirectly electrically connected, such that intervening elements are present; in an indirect electrical connection, the intervening elements may include inductors and/or transformers. 
         [0047]    Mechanically connected: Includes both direct mechanical connections, and indirect mechanical connections made through intermediate components; includes rigid mechanical connections as well as mechanical connection that allows for relative motion between the mechanically connected components; includes, but is not limited, to welded connections, solder connections, connections by fasteners (for example, nails, bolts, screws, nuts, hook-and-loop fasteners, knots, rivets, force fit connections, friction fit connections, connections secured by engagement added by gravitational forces, quick-release connections, pivoting or rotatable connections, slidable mechanical connections, latches and/or magnetic connections). 
         [0048]    Data communication: any sort of data communication scheme now known or to be developed in the future, including wireless communication, wired communication and communication routes that have wireless and wired portions; data communication is not necessarily limited to: (i) direct data communication; (ii) indirect data communication; and/or (iii) data communication where the format, packetization status, medium, encryption status and/or protocol remains constant over the entire course of the data communication. 
         [0049]    Receive/provide/send/input/output: unless otherwise explicitly specified, these words should not be taken to imply: (i) any particular degree of directness with respect to the relationship between their objects and subjects; and/or (ii) absence of intermediate components, actions and/or things interposed between their objects and subjects. 
         [0050]    lift hardware: includes at least a rotatable drum (for example, a cylindrical drum with cable engaging ridges), and a flexible elongated member (for example, a cable or rope) partially wound around the drum so that rotation of the drum can serve to wind or unwind the flexible elongated member and thereby lift or lower a load mechanically connected to the flexible elongated member; lift hardware may or my not include: (i) hardware for driving the drum to rotate (or example, an electrical motor); (ii) a head block sub-system; (iii) a backbone; and/or (iv) other lift related hardware (for example, a brake). 
         [0051]    To the extent that the definitions provided above are consistent with ordinary, plain, and accustomed meanings (as generally shown by documents such as dictionaries and/or technical lexicons), the above definitions shall be considered supplemental in nature. To the extent that the definitions provided above are inconsistent with ordinary, plain, and accustomed meanings (as generally shown by documents such as dictionaries and/or technical lexicons), the above definitions shall control. If the definitions provided above are broader than the ordinary, plain, and accustomed meanings in some aspect, then the above definitions shall be considered to broaden the claim accordingly. 
         [0052]    To the extent that a patentee may act as its own lexicographer under applicable law, it is hereby further directed that all words appearing in the claims section, except for the above-defined words, shall take on their ordinary, plain, and accustomed meanings (as generally shown by documents such as dictionaries and/or technical lexicons), and shall not be considered to be specially defined in this specification. In the situation where a word or term used in the claims has more than one alternative ordinary, plain and accustomed meaning, the broadest definition that is consistent with technological feasibility and not directly inconsistent with the specification shall control. 
         [0053]    Unless otherwise explicitly provided in the claim language, steps in method steps or process claims need only be performed in the same time order as the order the steps are recited in the claim only to the extent that impossibility or extreme feasibility problems dictate that the recited step order (or portion of the recited step order) be used. This broad interpretation with respect to step order is to be used regardless of whether the alternative time ordering(s) of the claimed steps is particularly mentioned or discussed in this document.