In accordance with certain embodiments, the present invention provides a modular approach to a lubrication package. Certain components such as the filter and cooler are directly connected to a block that has connections to accept them and internal porting to establish the proper flow paths for circulation, cooling and filtration of the circulating lubricant. The block can accept one or more coolers and one or more filters. The isolation valving for redundant equipment can also be integrated into the block. Many connections that had been used in past designs for the piping network are integrated into the block. The block can also be close mounted to the reservoir while a submersible pump further saves space and piping connections. Indeed, having the ability to maintain mechanical equipment (e.g., remove and replace filters and coolers) without shutting down, allows for continuous process flow, which eliminates down-town scheduling, loss of product and/or redundant backup, all of which comes at a considerable cost.

The field of this invention is compressors packaged with lubrication systems that typically include a lubricant reservoir, circulation equipment, cooling equipment, filtration equipment and associated controls, for example.
Typically, compressors are packaged in one or more skids to reduce installation time in the field. A typical assembly for a multi-stage centrifugal compressor package will include the compressors and the intercoolers for the compressed gas, a lubrication system for the compressors, as well as a drive system and associated gearbox to drive the various stages, for example. These assemblies can also feature redundant equipment so that maintenance can go on with the compressor running. For example, in the lubrication system there can be dual circulation pumps, coolers, filters and associated controls. Even if prepackaged by the original equipment manufacturer, the lubrication system has literally hundreds of connections to complete the lubrication piping as well as the coolant piping and the associated instrumentation and control connections. Apart from the issue of the sheer number of connections is the question of how much space is taken up by various components. Frequently, because of shipping requirements to remote locations, the physical size and footprint of the overall package and its components are factors. Moreover, such concerns arise not only during transport but also because of space constraints at the ultimate destination. This is particularly the case in an offshore rig environment.
Some space saving advances have been made. FIG. 1 illustrates a prior design showing an oil tank 10 and two shell and tube oil coolers 12 and 14 and an oil pump 16. Just some of the interconnecting piping is shown in this view. While some space has been saved in more recent modules by replacing the shell and tube coolers with brazed plate designs that take up considerably less volume, the number of connections has not been markedly reduced, and opportunities exist to economize on space and reduce the number of connections.

Integrated lubrication module for compressors


A photochromic lens consists of a lens coated with an elastomeric film having a photochromic dye dispersed therein. The elastomeric provides abrasion resistance and some impact resistance to the lens. The photochromic lens is characterized by lower spectral transmission when activated, and shorter activation and deactivation times than previously known photochromic lenses. A method for making the photochromic lens consists of dissolving one or more photochromic dyes in an elastomeric pre-polymer solution, immersing the lens in the solution so that the lens becomes coated with the prepolymer solution, and treating the lens, for example, by heating, to cause said prepolymer to form an elastomeric film on the lens. Preferably, the pre-polymer solution is a polyurethane pre-polymer.

The invention relates to a novel process for coating one or both surfaces of a non-prescription, prescription, multifocal or progressive optical lens with an elastomeric film that contains a photochromic dye. The invention further provides photochromic lenses and eyeglasses produced by the method. The lens produced by this process has a high level of activation, and rapid activation and deactivation time. The present invention is applicable to all lens materials and is simple, quick and cost-effective.
Photochromism is a phenomenon in which a compound, upon exposure to light containing ultraviolet rays, changes color, and, upon removal from light irradiation, returns to its original color. The color changes that occur in photochromic compounds are generally reversible. Photochromic dyes can be utilized in lenses and eyeglasses in order to protect the eyes from the harmful effects of the sun""s ultraviolet radiation.
Photochromic dyes reversibly alter their color upon exposure to ultraviolet (xe2x80x9cUVxe2x80x9d) sources. These dyes respond to UV irradiation, such as sunlight, by changing in color. When the UV stimulus is removed, the dye returns to a partially or completely colorless state. Photochromic dyes are not reactive in the crystalline state, and need to be dissolved in a polymer or solvent to function.
The production of mineral glass lenses that are photochromic is well known in the art. These lenses, however, possess certain drawbacks. In addition to being too heavy in weight, photochromic mineral glass lenses possess a slow photochromic deactivation time. The photochromic deactivation time is the time it takes for the lens to change back to its normal color upon moving from exposure to an ultraviolet source to a darker indoors environment.
Lenses and eyeglasses are now frequently made of plastic and glass-plastic composites. Such plastics include acrylic, PPMA (a product of PPG-Pittsburgh Plate Glass) also known as CR-39(copyright), and Lexan(copyright) (a polycarbonate made by General Electric). Methods have been developed to render plastic lenses photochromic, although this has not been easy because of the chemistry involved in making plastic lenses.
Ethylene glycol diallyl dicarbonate is the most commonly used monomer for producing plastic optical or contact lenses. Generally, the lens is made by casting the monomer in a lens mold and polymerizing with a catalyst such as isopropyl percarbonate. This process, however, results in an inhibition of the photochromic dyes following polymerization of the organic material. This inhibition of the photochromic dyes is apparently caused by the catalyst used for polymerization. Thus, successful incorporation of photochromic dyes into the commonly used monomer ethylene glycol diallyl dicarbonate for the production of contact lenses from an organic material has not been achieved.
In addition, previously disclosed methods do not permit an optician or lens crafter to utilize simple stock lenses and provide an array of beneficial features such as photochromic properties, tinting, UV protection and scratch resistance. Furthermore, none of the previously disclosed methods result in producing a photochromic lens having rapid photochromic activation and deactivation times.
In addition to a plastic polymer, another type of polymer that can be utilized in the manufacturing of lenses is an elastomer. Elastomers have been utilized as film coatings on lenses to render them abrasion resistant and, to a certain extent, impact resistant. An elastomer is a polymer that is characterized by a high degree of resiliency and elasticity. Elastomers may be natural (rubber) or synthetic. Examples of synthetic elastomers include polyurethanes and polysiloxanes. An elastomer is capable of recovering its original shape after being stretched to a great extent. When stretched, the molecules of an elastomer are aligned and often take on aspects of a crystalline arrangement. Upon release, however, elastomers return to their natural disordered and entangled state. This return to their natural disordered state distinguishes elastomers from plastic polymers, which are normally glassy or crystalline and retain much of the shape to which they are deformed.
Elastomers have low glass transition temperatures. The glass transition temperature, Tg, is the temperature above which a polymer becomes soft and pliable, and below which it becomes hard and glassy. If an amorphous polymer has a Tg below room temperature, it is an elastomer. If an amorphous polymer has a Tg above room temperature, it will be a thermoplastic polymer and hard and glassy at room temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,698 (Kobayakawa, et al.) is directed to forming a lens having photochromic compounds dispersed throughout. Kobayakawa discloses use of a resin compound having at least one epoxy group in the molecule as the resin for forming the photochromic lens. Koboayakawa requires the presence of multiple types of photochromic compounds in combination and polymerization in a heat furnace for between 2 to 40 hours. Also, as seen in Table 1, the resins disclosed in Kobayakawa as useful for producing photochromic lenses possess an average fading time to xc2xd density of 3 minutes as measured after exposure to light for 60 seconds. Thus, the photochromic resin disclosed in Kobayakawa is produced by a time-consuming process and possesses a rather slow photochromic response time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,940 (Gupta et al.) discloses methods for making optical plastic lenses with photochromic additives. According to an embodiment of this invention, a casting resin having a low cross link density comprising polymerizable components (preferably including up to 50 wt % bisallyl carbonate) and photochromic additives, wherein all polymerizable components have a functionality not greater than two, is arranged between a mold and a lens preform, and then cured. Upon polymerization, the resin has a low crosslink density and forms a soft matrix that is unsuitable as the outer layer for photochromic lenses. Gupta et al. do not discuss photochromic reversal rates. The practical utility of the process disclosed by Gupta et al. is limited in that it is complex and time consuming. Furthermore, the photochromic material disclosed by Gupta et al. is described as being too soft for exposure to the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,696 (Kohan), which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a photochromic lens and a method for making it. The process disclosed in Kohan involves dipping a lens into a solution comprising a non-polar solvent containing a photochromic dye and a polar solvent. The lens is then removed, dried and exposed to very high temperatures to melt and spread the photochromic dye crystals on the lens surface. The solutions described in this patent do not include components that form elastomeric films.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,208 teaches coating of the convex side of an optical lens for blocking purposes by immersing the downwardly facing convex side in a liquid coating material in a can, upwardly withdrawing the lens above the level of the coating material but below the lip of the can, and spinning the lens about its vertically disposed axis to spread the coating material by centrifugal force as a uniformly thin film over the convex side, to create an edge buildup of coating material to form a thickened bead-like peripheral or rim portion at the periphery of the convex side, and to spin-off excess coating material against the inside of the can for reuse. This method requires complex apparatus and is not simple to carry out.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,228 also teaches the coating of a plastic ophthalmic lens with a scratch-resistant coating using a spin coating process.
None of the foregoing prior art patents, which are incorporated herein by reference, discloses a method for producing a photochromic lens having an elastomeric film coating, i.e., a lens coated with an elastomeric film dye or mixture of dyes dispersed therein.
The benefit of previously disclosed photochromic lenses is limited by slow activation and deactivation times, and limited activation levels. Slow deactivation times can result in impaired vision for a couple of minutes while the previously darkened lens returns to its clear, normal state, while slow activation times can cause inconvenience and/or harm to the eye due to a longer exposure time to UV sources. In addition, limited activation or darkening of the lens can result in inadequate protection from UV radiation and subsequent harm to the eyes.
A need thus exists for a simple and quick process for making a lens that can darken or activate to levels higher than that previously disclosed, and can deactivate rapidly so as to avoid impaired vision upon removal from exposure to an ultraviolet source. A need also exists for a lens that possesses such beneficial characteristics, while also containing an elastomeric film that allows for elasticity and impact resistance.
The present invention provides a novel process for producing a lens with an elastomeric film that contains a photochromic dye or a mixture of photochromic dyes. In accordance with the invention, a photochromic dye or mixture of dyes is dissolved in a solution containing the pre-polymer of an elastomer, which solution is then coated onto a lens, followed by treatment of the lens so as to form an elastomeric film containing the photochromic dye(s) dispersed therein on the lens. This process allows for the incorporation of photochromic dyes into elastomeric solutions and application of such elastomeric solutions onto a lens in order to form an elastomeric film and render such lens photochromic. The instant process enables any optometrist to easily and quickly produce a photochromic lens with an elastomeric film.
The presently claimed invention also provides photochromic lenses produced by the processes disclosed herein. The lenses produced by the inventive process have a darker activation and faster activation and deactivation times than previously known lenses, while also possessing the beneficial characteristic of impact and abrasion resistance due to the elastomeric film coating. The inventive process does not require time-consuming steps or expensive raw materials and can be carried out relatively simply. As such, the process of the instant invention is simple, quick and cost-effective. The present invention is well suited for fast, on-site custom lens production by, for example, an optometrist or optician, and is thus extremely commercially advantageous.
As used throughout this specification, xe2x80x9clensxe2x80x9d refers to optical or ophthalmic quality lenses or eyeglasses; xe2x80x9cactivationxe2x80x9d refers to the extent of darkening or change in color of a photochromic lens upon exposure to a UV source; xe2x80x9cactivation timexe2x80x9d refers to the time it takes for a photochromic lens to darken or change color upon exposure to a ultraviolet source; xe2x80x9cdeactivation timexe2x80x9d refers to the time it takes for a photochromic lens to change back to its normal color upon moving from exposure to an ultraviolet source to a darker indoors environment; xe2x80x9celastomerxe2x80x9d refers to a polymer that is characterized by a high degree of resiliency and elasticity and is capable of recovering its original shape after being stretched to great extents; xe2x80x9cpre-polymer of an elastomerxe2x80x9d refers to a pre- or partial polymer of an elastomer; xe2x80x9celastomeric filmxe2x80x9d refers to a lens film coating comprising an elastomer or commercially available cushion coat.
Lenses produced by the inventive process have higher or darker activation levels and faster activation and deactivation times than previously disclosed lenses. Upon exposure to UV sources, the lenses made by the inventive process typically darken up to levels allowing less than 40% spectral transmission (% T), as measured by a spectrocolorimeter. This darkening or activation occurs at rapid rates. Lenses produced by the present invention typically deactivate, i.e., return back to a nearly clear color upon removal from UV exposure, in less than 30 seconds to a state that allows more than 80% spectral transmission.
Although not wishing to be bound by any theory, it is believed that the elastomeric coating solutions used in the instant invention permit a greater concentration of photochromic dye resulting in darker lenses upon exposure to UV sources than prior art methods. It is also believed that the use of elastomers causes the photochromic molecules to open and close their aromatic rings at a faster rate resulting in the extremely rapid activation and deactivation times of the inventive lenses.
It is preferred that the lenses produced by the instant process have Shore A hardness values, as measured by a Shore A Durometer, in the range of about 30 to about 90 Shore A, preferably about 50 to about 70 Shore A, yet more preferably about 60 Shore A. Values above 90 Shore A are not preferred since a harder matrix would not allow for rapid activation and deactivation of photochromic molecules. It is preferred that the lenses produced by the inventive process exhibit % T values in the activated state of between about 10 to about 50% T, more preferably between about 20 to about 40% T, yet more preferably about 15 to about 30% T. Preferably, the lenses made by the instant invention exhibit % T values in the deactivated state of between about 75 to about 95% T, more preferably about 85 to about 95% T. Spectral transmission (% T) values were determined using a Hunter Laboratories spectrocolorimeter.
To produce the instantly claimed lenses, photochromic dye crystals are first fully dissolved in a solution containing a pre-polymer of an elastomer to form a completely homogenous solution. The process of the present invention allows for complete dissolution of the photochromic dye crystals into solution so that final lens product does not contain dye crystals melted or fused to its surface as occurs in the lenses produced according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,696. A preferred solution comprises a pre-polymer of an elastomer, preferably a polyurethane pre-polymer, a monomer and a solvent. In accordance with the preferred embodiments of the invention, a photochromic dye is dissolved in a solution containing a pre-polymer of an elastomer and a monomer; or in a solution containing a pre-polymer of an elastomer and a solvent; or in a solution containing a pre-polymer of an elastomer, a monomer and a solvent. More than one photochromic dye, more than one elastomer, more than one monomer and/or more than one solvent can be utilized in the solution. Suitable monomers include acrylates such as, for example, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. Suitable solvents include, but are not limited to, n-methyl pyrrolidone, tetrahydrofuran, glycol ether, and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether. The solution can be partially or wholly elastomeric in nature.
Clear elastomeric compositions commercially available from SDC Coatings, Inc., under the name xe2x80x9cCushion Coatings,xe2x80x9d which are commonly used to improve abrasion and/or impact resistance, can also be utilized for the solution in which the photochromic dye is dissolved. Cushion Coatings that can be used in the present invention include, for example, SDC XF-1135(copyright) and SDC XF-1144(copyright). SDC XF-1135(copyright) contains water in an amount of between 70-72% by weight, butoxy ethanol (xe2x80x9cEBxe2x80x9d) glycol ether in an amount of between 13-14% by weight, and n-methyl pyrrolidone solvent (xe2x80x9cNMPxe2x80x9d) in an amount of between 3-4% by weight. The water and EB glycol ether are present in SDC XF-1135(copyright) in a 5:1 ratio. SDC XF-1144(copyright) contains polypropylene glycol methyl ether (xe2x80x9cPM glycol etherxe2x80x9d) in an amount of up to between 22-26% by weight.
After the photochromic dye is dissolved in the solution containing a pre-polymer of an elastomer, the solution is filtered and allowed to degas. A lens is mounted in a dipping fixture or device, immersed into the solution and then slowly withdrawn. In accordance with the invention, the solution can be applied on the front, back or both surfaces of a lens. When a lens is immersed according to the present invention, it is preferred that the surface being coated does not come in contact with the fixture carrying the lens. For example, if the front surface is being coated, a rubber vacuum nozzle can be attached to the back surface of the lens. Preferably, however, the dipping fixture is used to hold only the edges of the lens even if only one surface is being coated. If both surfaces are being coated, it is especially preferred that the dipping fixture be used to hold only the edges of the lens.
Any non-prescription, prescription, multifocal or progressive lens or eyeglass known in the art may be used in the presently claimed invention. Depending on the lens diameter in millimeters, the lens is smoothly withdrawn from the elastomer solution at a rate in millimeters per second sufficient to produce the desired coating at the desired thickness. The lens is then treated as known in the art to form an elastomeric film containing a photochromic dye on the lens. Such treatment can include any suitable means of drying or evaporation such as, for example, air drying and/or vacuum drying, heating, UV, visible or infrared curing in order to form an elastomeric film with photochromic properties. Air drying of the lens subsequent to its withdrawal from solution is preferred. Additional drying or evaporation steps including heating, vacuum drying or curing by UV, visible or infrared radiation may be employed in accordance with the invention.
When air drying the lens, it is preferred to utilize a device which holds the lens by its sides in an upright position. This avoids the potential for the solution coating to flow during drying and form a darker rim around the edge of a lens drying convex side up or form a darker center in a lens drying concave side up. Air-drying the lens in an upright position allows for an evaporation of the solution coating evenly over the entire surface of the lens. The lens is preferably air-dried for between about 20 to about 40 minutes, more preferably about 30 minutes. When heat drying is used, the lens is preferably heat-dried for between about 20 to about 40 minutes, more preferably about 30 minutes.
Many different types of synthetic elastomers exist. One type is a thermoplastic elastomer. Thermoplastic elastomers have reversible crosslinks. While normal crosslinks are covalent and chemically bond the polymer chains into one molecule, reversible crosslinks utilize noncovalent or secondary interactions between the polymer chains to bind the chains together. These interactions include hydrogen and ionic bonding. The noncovalent interactions allow the reversible crosslinks to be broken upon heating. Upon cooling, the crosslinks reform. Reversible thermoplastic elastomers useful for the instant invention include, for example, ionomers, such as the sodium salt of poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid), and block copolymers.
Another type of elastomer is a copolyester elastomer. Copolyester elastomers are composed of hard segments, made of a butylene terephthalate chain, and soft segments consisting of a poly tetramethyleneoxide glycol chain. Copolyester elastomer ether resins possess thermal stability at the molding temperature and a short molding cycle in comparison with other thermoplastic elastomers such as styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers and polyurethane. Copolyester elastomers also have insensitivity to moisture and a good elasticity at low temperatures. Examples of copolyester elastomers include block copolymers comprising polyisobutylene (xe2x80x9cPIBxe2x80x9d) and any of the following: styrene, xcex1-methylstyrene, methylmethacrylate, ethylmethacrylate and/or hydroxyethyl methacrylate.
Preferred elastomers are those that, in addition to having a high degree of resiliency and elasticity, are transparent and/or allow transmission of light and do not adversely react with photochromic compounds. Any elastomer known to possess these qualities, including those described herein, can be utilized in the present invention. Preferred elastomers include, but are not limited to, silicones, polyurethanes, synthetic elastomers, copolyester elastomers, fluoroelastomers, and thermoplastic elastomers possessing the foregoing properties.
Preferred synthetic elastomers include, for example, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, fluoroelastomers, neoprene, polysulfide and polyurethane. One component polyurethane compositions such as, for example, a pre-polymer containing excess isocyanate groups and a pre-polymer in which the isocyanate groups are blocked by a phenol, and the alkyl-type coatings can be utilized in accordance with the invention. Two component polyurethanes such as, for example, one containing isocyanate-terminated prepolymers and a polyfunctional alcohol can also be utilized in the instant invention.
Elastomers such as, for example, polydimethylsiloxane (xe2x80x9cPDMSxe2x80x9d) and ethyl vinyl acetate (xe2x80x9cEVAxe2x80x9d), can also be used in accordance with the invention. Elastomeric compositions such as, for example, silicones or polyurethane pre-polymers and/or copolymers in combination with acrylates and/or methacrylates can also be used in the instant invention. Examples of such elastomeric compositions include silicone acrylate and polyurethane acrylate.
Although this invention is applicable to glass lenses, the use of plastic lenses is preferable due to their light weight and durability. Lenses that can be utilized in the instant invention include, but are not limited to, those made of diethylene glycol diallyl carbonate (xe2x80x9cDACxe2x80x9d), marketed by AKZO Chemicals, Inc. of Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. and PPG Industries, Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pa. under the trademarks NOURYSET 200(trademark) and CR-39(copyright), respectively. The presently claimed process can be applied to any other preformed xe2x80x9cplasticxe2x80x9d optical lens regardless of the composition or manner in which such lens was formed.
As used herein a xe2x80x9cplasticxe2x80x9d lens is one made from optical quality resin materials. Such materials include, for example, mixtures containing allyl diglycol carbonates (such as xe2x80x9cMasterCast 1xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cMasterCast 2xe2x80x9d which are trademarks of Vision Sciences, Monrovia, Cal.; and CR-39(copyright) which is commercially available from PPG Industries), allylic esters such as triallyl cyanurate, triallyl phosphate, triallyl citrate, diallylphenyl phosphonate, acrylic esters, acrylates, methyl, allyl and butyl methacrylates, polycarbonates, styrenics, LEXAN(copyright), polyesters such as those formed of ethylene glycol maleate, and other liquid monomer/polymer materials having high indices of refraction (such as HiRi which is a trademark of PPG Industries).
Preferred resin compositions include allyl diglycol carbonates, allylic esters, triallyl cyanurate, triallyl phosphate, triallyl citrate, diallyl phenyl phosphonate, acrylic esters, acrylates, methyl methacrylate, allyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, polycarbonates, styrenics, LEXAN(copyright), polyesters, high index plastics, medium index plastics, urethanes, epoxies and silicones.
Photochromic compounds that can be used in the present invention include any reversible photochromic compound employed in the art. Examples thereof include naphthopyran compounds and other photochromic compounds as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,458,815; 5,458,814; 5,466,398; 5,384,077; 5,451,344; 5,429,774; 5,411,679; 5,405,958; 5,381,193; 5,369,158; 5,340,857; 5,274,132; 5,244,602; 4,679,918; 4,556,605; and 4,498,919, the disclosures of these patents being incorporated herein by reference.
Preferred photochromic compounds are those reversible photochromic compounds contained within the generic spirooxazine, naphthopyran, chromene and spiroindolinonaphthoxazine compound classes. In accordance with the invention, one or more photochromic dye compound from one or more of the above generic compound classes may be utilized for a single lens. For example, a spirooxazine and a naphthopyran photochromic compound can be mixed together and utilized in the instant invention.
The elastomeric solution and/or photochromic dye can additionally contain an adhesion promoter, one or more tints, a UV absorber, and other components conventionally employed in the industry.
The present invention will now be further explained in the following examples, which further describe, but do not limit the scope of the invention.

Lens with photochromic elastomer film and method of making it


A method of implementing password level security is disclosed. According to the method, a system automatically determines a plurality of available user information entry devices in communication with the workstation. The system then determines predetermined user authorization methods each requiring data only from available user information entry devices. The user then selects one of the determined authorization methods for use in user authorization. Optionally, each authorization method is associated with a security level relating to user access to resources. Once the authorization method is selected, the user provides user authorization information in accordance with a determined user authorization method and registration proceeds. Once registration is complete, a password is passed from a password database to a password entry sub-system to provide access to that system.

Computer security is fast becoming an important issue. With the proliferation of computers and computer networks into all aspects of business and daily life—financial, medical, education, government, and communications—the concern over secure file access is growing. Using passwords is a common method of providing security. Password protection and/or combination type locks are employed for computer network security, automatic teller machines, telephone banking, calling cards, telephone answering services, houses, and safes. These systems generally require the knowledge of an entry code that has been selected by a user or has been preset.
Preset codes are often forgotten, as users have no reliable method of remembering them. Writing down the codes and storing them in close proximity to an access control device (i.e. the combination lock) results in a secure access control system with a very insecure code. Alternatively, the nuisance of trying several code variations renders the access control system more of a problem than a solution.
Password systems are known to suffer from other disadvantages. Usually, passwords are specified by a user. Most users, being unsophisticated users of security systems, choose passwords that are relatively insecure. As such, many systems protected by passwords are easily accessed through a simple trial and error process.
A security access system that provides substantially secure access and does not require a password or access code is a biometric identification system. A biometric identification system accepts unique biometric information from a user and identifies the user by matching the information against information belonging to registered users of the system. One such biometric identification system is a fingerprint recognition system.
In a fingerprint input transducer or sensor, the finger under investigation is usually pressed against a flat surface, such as a side of a glass plate; the ridge and valley pattern of the finger tip is sensed by a sensing means such as an interrogating light beam.
Various optical devices are known which employ prisms upon which a finger whose print is to be identified is placed. The prism has a first surface upon which a finger is placed, a second surface disposed at an acute angle to the first surface through which the fingerprint is viewed and a third illumination surface through which light is directed into the prism. In some cases, the illumination surface is at an acute angle to the first surface, as seen for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,187,482 and 5,187,748. In other cases, the illumination surface is parallel to the first surface, as seen for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,109,427 and 5,233,404. Fingerprint identification devices of this nature are generally used to control the building-access or information-access of individuals to buildings, rooms, and devices such as computer terminals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,056 in the name of Tsikos issued Oct. 5, 1982, discloses an alternative kind of fingerprint sensor that uses a capacitive sensing approach. The described sensor has a two dimensional, row and column, array of capacitors, each comprising a pair of spaced electrodes, carried in a sensing member and covered by an insulating film. The sensors rely upon deformation to the sensing member caused by a finger being placed thereon so as to vary locally the spacing between capacitor electrodes, according to the ridge/trough pattern of the fingerprint, and hence, the capacitance of the capacitors. In one arrangement, the capacitors of each column are connected in series with the columns of capacitors connected in parallel and a voltage is applied across the columns. In another arrangement, a voltage is applied to each individual capacitor in the array. Sensing in the respective two arrangements is accomplished by detecting the change of voltage distribution in the series connected capacitors or by measuring the voltage values of the individual capacitances resulting from local deformation. To achieve this, an individual connection is required from the detection circuit to each capacitor.
Before the advent of computers and imaging devices, research was conducted into fingerprint characterisation and identification. Today, much of the research focus in biometrics has been directed toward improving the input transducer and the quality of the biometric input data. Fingerprint characterisation is well known and can involve many aspects of fingerprint analysis. The analysis of fingerprints is discussed in the following references, which are hereby incorporated by reference:    Xiao Qinghan and Bian Zhaoqi,: An approach to Fingerprint Identification By Using the Attributes of Feature Lines of Fingerprint," IEEE Pattern Recognition, pp 663, 1986;    C. B. Shelman, "Fingerprint Classification—Theory and Application," Proc. 76 Carnahan Conference on Electronic Crime Countermeasures, 1976;    Feri Pernus, Stanko Kovacic, and Ludvik Gyergyek, "Minutaie Based Fingerprint Registration," IEEE Pattern Recognition, pp 1380, 1980;    J. A. Ratkovic, F. W. Blackwell, and H. H. Bailey, "Concepts for a Next Generation Automated Fingerprint System," Proc. 78 Carnahan Conference on Electronic Crime Countermeasures, 1978;    K. Millard, "An approach to the Automatic Retrieval of Latent Fingerprints," Proc. 75 Carnahan Conference on Electronic Crime Countermeasures, 1975;    Moayer and K. S. Fu, "A Syntactic Approach to Fingerprint Pattern Recognition," Memo Np. 73–18, Purdue University, School of Electrical Engineering, 1973;    Wegstein, An Automated Fingerprint Identification System, NBS special publication, U.S. Department of Commerce/National Bureau of Standards, ISSN 0083-1883; no. 500–89, 1982;    Moenssens, Andre A., Fingerprint Techniques, Chilton Book Co., 1971; and, Wegstein and J. F. Rafferty, The LX39 Latent Fingerprint Matcher, NBS special publication, U.S. Department of Commerce/National Bureau of Standards; no. 500–36, 1978.
Though biometric authentication is a secure means of identifying a user, it has not penetrated the marketplace sufficiently to be on most desktops. Further, since most forms of biometric authentication require specialised hardware, market penetration is slow and requires both acceptance of the new hardware and a pressing need.
Typical uses of user authentication include system access, user identification, and access to a secure key database. Often a secure key database is encrypted with a key that is accessible through user authentication or identification.
Key management systems are well known. One such system, by Entrust® Technologies Limited is currently commercially available. Unfortunately, current key management systems are designed for installation on a single computer for use with a single fixed user authorisation method and for portability between computers having a same configuration. As such, implementation of enhanced security through installation of biometric input devices is costly and greatly limits portability of key databases. Password based protection of key databases is undesirable because of the inherent insecure nature of most user selected passwords.
For example, when using Entrust® software to protect a key database, the database is portable on a smart card or on a floppy disk. The portable key database is a duplicate of the existing key database. User authentication for the portable key database is identical to that of the original key database. The implications of this are insignificant when password user authentication is employed; however, when biometric user authentication such as retinal scanning or fingerprint identification are used, the appropriate biometric identification system is required at each location wherein the portable key database is used. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. In order to avoid this problem, organisations employ password access throughout and thereby reduce overall security to facilitate portability.
Alternatively, members of an organisation are not permitted to travel with portable key databases and thereby have reduced mobility and are capable of performing fewer tasks while outside the office. This effectively counters many of the benefits available in the information age.
In the past, a system was provided with a single available security system. Typically, prior art systems require a password. Alternatively, a system could require a password and a biometric, or another predetermined combination of user authorisation information. Unfortunately, passwords are inherently insecure. Further, because of the limited number of workstations equipped with biometric scanners and so forth, it is difficult to implement a system secured with biometrics. It would be advantageous to provide a method of user authorisation that is flexible enough to work on different workstations and to accommodate user needs of different users and at different workstations.
Another known system includes a key server. A key server is a single system that provides keys to individuals upon identification or authorisation. Such a system is useful in large organisations since it permits changing of system access codes without requiring every user to provide their personal key data storage device. Because of the extreme problems associated with losing secure keys, it is essential that a key server be backed up appropriately. Further, it is necessary that the server be available at all times. This is achieved through duplication of servers. Unfortunately, key servers are costly and this makes their implementation problematic in some instances. For example, a company performing a trial of a new user access system such a fingerprint identification system often purchases and installs only a handful of "test" workstations. Thus, to try out fifty (50) fingerprint scanners with a key server configuration requires two robust key servers having full backup capabilities, a main key server and a duplicate key server, and 50 fingerprint imagers. Since a fingerprint imager is likely to cost less than 10% of the cost of the servers, the additional cost is extremely undesirable. Eliminating a need for a duplicate key server would be highly advantageous.

Flexible system and method of user authentication for password based system


The invention relates to fine emulsions comprising at least one W/O emulsifier and at least one hydrophilic component, and to a process for their preparation. The fine emulsions are obtainable by converting a W/O preemulsion comprising at least one W/O emulsifier into an O/W fine emulsion by adding at least one hydrophilic component and, where appropriate, changing the temperature. Suitable W/O emulsifiers are preferably sorbitol esters. The fine emulsions are preferably spray emulsions for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.

The invention relates to fine emulsions comprising sorbitol esters, and to a process for the preparation of such fine emulsions.
Fine emulsions or microemulsions are low-viscosity, optically transparent dispersions of two immiscible liquids which are stabilized by at least one ionic or nonionic surfactant. In the case of fine emulsions, the particle diameters are in the range from about 0.1 to 10 micrometers. The interfacial tension between the two phases is extremely low.
The viscosity of many fine emulsions of the O/W type is comparable with that of water.
In contrast to fine emulsions, xe2x80x9cmacroemulsionsxe2x80x9d have high viscosities and their particle diameter is in the range from about 10 to 100 micrometers. Macroemulsions are milky white in color and, upon heating, tend toward phase separation or toward sedimentation of the dispersed substances.
Sprayable emulsions call for low viscosities (about 100 mPas), as are realizable in the case of fine emulsions even at room temperature.
With regard to cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications, spray emulsions have decisive advantages over the classic emulsions formulated as lotions, creams or ointments. For example, spray emulsions impart a pleasant feel to the skin, can be readily dosed and are protected against contamination.
According to the prior art, fine emulsions can be prepared by the xe2x80x9chot/hot processxe2x80x9d. In the xe2x80x9chot/hot processxe2x80x9d, the fatty phase is heated to about 75xc2x0 C., melted completely and combined with the water phase, likewise at about 75xc2x0 C., using an extremely high input of mechanical energy in order to ensure rapid dispersion and to achieve high fineness of the system. This process requires high thermal and mechanical energy expenditure.
A second process, the xe2x80x9cphase inversion temperature (PIT) processxe2x80x9d makes it possible to dispense with intensive mechanical dispersion operations. The xe2x80x9cphase inversion temperature processxe2x80x9d is based on the fact that the O/W character of a hydrophilic, nonionic surfactant decreases with increasing temperature and converts to the W/O type at a certain conversion temperature. Upon cooling, conversion back to the O/W type takes place. The conversion temperature is referred to as the xe2x80x9cphase inversion temperature (PIT)xe2x80x9d. In the preparation of the emulsion, the procedure involves dissolving the actually hydrophilic emulsifier above its PIT in a preferably polar oil phase and emulsifying it with the water phase. Upon cooling, a transparent microemulsion is firstly traversed, then highly disperse, low-viscosity formulations form without a homogenization step.
A disadvantage of the PIT process is that it is limited to ethoxylated surfactants which display a sufficiently high temperature dependency of their hydrophilic/lipophilic properties.
The use of ethoxylated surfactants for cosmetic and pharmaceutical uses is, however, problematic since they are suspected of making the skin permeable to harmful substances and of forming undefined, possibly harmful substances under the action of UV.
Accordingly, it was an object of the invention to develop fine emulsions which can be prepared without the use of ethoxylated products and without high thermal and/or mechanical energy expenditure.
Surprisingly, it has been found that fine emulsions comprising at least one W/O emulsifier and at least one hydrophilic component can be prepared without the use of ethoxylated products and without high thermal and/or mechanical energy expenditure.
The invention thus provides fine emulsions comprising at least one W/O emulsifier and at least one hydrophilic component.
The particle size of the fine emulsions according to the invention is preferably in the range from 0.1 to 10 micrometers.
The fine emulsions preferably comprise 0.01 to 10% by weight, particularly preferably 0.1 to 8% by weight and especially preferably 0.2 to 4% by weight, of W/O emulsifiers.
The fine emulsions preferably comprise 0.01 to 10% by weight, particularly preferably 0.1 to 7% by weight and especially preferably 0.3 to 5% by weight, of hydrophilic components.
The nonaqueous fraction of the fine emulsions, which is largely composed of the W/O emulsifiers and the oily substance, is preferably 0.1 to 95% by weight and particularly preferably 0.5 to 45% by weight.
The fine emulsions are preferably those obtainable by converting a W/O preemulsion comprising at least one W/O emulsifier into an O/W fine emulsion by adding at least one hydrophilic component and, where appropriate, changing the temperature.
The conversion of the W/O preemulsion into the O/W fine emulsion preferably takes place without increasing the temperature.
As W/O emulsifiers, preference is given to using sorbitol esters, polyglycerol esters, sorbitan esters, fatty acid esters and/or dimethicone copolyols. Particularly preferred W/O emulsifiers are the sorbitol esters.
Preference is giving to using sorbitol esters obtainable by transesterifying sorbitol, optionally alkoxylated sorbitol, with fatty acid methyl esters or fatty acid triglycerides, the reaction products obtained by transesterification then optionally being alkoxylated. In the case of alkoxylated sorbitol as reaction product, this is preferably ethoxylated sorbitol. The content of ethoxylate groups is preferably 1 to 90 xe2x80x94CH2CH2Oxe2x80x94 groups per molecule of sorbitol. The alkoxylation of the sorbitol can be carried out by processes known to the person skilled in the art.
However, during the transesterification of sorbitol with fatty acid methyl esters, the procedure preferably involves firstly carrying out the transesterification with sorbitol and then alkoxylating the reaction product by known processes. The fatty acid radicals of fatty acid methyl esters and fatty acid triglycerides are preferably (C8-C22) radicals which are straight-chain and/or branched and saturated and/or unsaturated. Examples thereof are palmitic acid, stearic acid, lauric acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, isostearic acid or oleic acid. Examples of suitable fatty acid triglycerides are native animal or vegetable oils, fats and waxes, such as, for example, rapeseed oil, olive oil, palm kernel oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, linseed oil, castor oil, soybean oil, optionally also in refined or hydrogenated form. Since the natural fats, oils and waxes normally comprise mixtures of fatty acid radicals of varying chain length, this applies correspondingly also to the sorbitol esters prepared therefrom.
For cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications, sorbitol esters based on rapeseed oil are particularly suitable.
The preparation of the sorbitol esters from fatty acid methyl esters or fatty acid triglycerides can be carried out according to DE 197 27 950 and EP-A-1029586.
The reaction of sorbitol with the fatty acid triglycerides or methyl esters is preferably carried out in a one-pot process without solvents at temperatures of, preferably, 120-140xc2x0 C. in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. The molar ratio of sorbitol to fatty acid methyl ester is preferably 1:1 to 1:2. If fatty acid triglycerides are used, the molar ratio of sorbitol to fatty acid triglyceride is 1:3.5 to 1:4.5. The reaction time is preferably 12 to 13 hours.
If fatty acid methyl esters are used, the methanol which forms during the reaction is distilled off. Since sorbitol is usually commercially available as an aqueous solution, the water is advantageously removed prior to use by distillation at a maximum 120xc2x0 C. under reduced pressure.
As well as containing residual amounts of unreacted sorbitol, the reaction product of this transesterification reaction essentially consists of the sorbitol monofatty acid esters and the sorbitol difatty acid esters. The corresponding triesters are formed only in minor amounts. If fatty acid triglycerides are used as starting material, the reaction product also comprises mono- and difatty acid glyceride and unreacted triglyceride, depending on the molar ratio of the starting compounds chosen in each case.
The hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of the fine emulsion can be controlled through the choice of fatty acid component, where appropriate through the degree of ethoxylation and/or through the addition of neutralizing agent, but, in particular, through the choice of the hydrophilic component.
Suitable hydrophilic components are, preferably, surfactants, coemulsifiers, soil release polymers and/or acid/alkali components.
The surfactants used as hydrophilic components are anionic, cationic, zwitterionic, amphoteric and/or nonionic surfactants. Preference is given to using amphoteric surfactants.
Suitable anionic surfactants are, for example, (C10-C20)-alkyl and alkylene carboxylates, alkyl ether carboxylates, fatty alcohol sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, alkylamide sulfates and sulfonates, fatty acid alkylamide polyglycol ether sulfates, alkane sulfates, alkanesulfonates and hydroxyalkanesulfonates, olefinsulfonates, acyl esters of isethionates, xcex1-sulfo fatty acid esters, alkylbenzenesulfonates, alkylphenol glycol ether sulfonates, sulfosuccinates, sulfosuccinic monoesters and diesters, fatty alcohol ether phosphates, protein/fatty acid condensation products, alkyl monoglyceride sulfates and sulfonates, alkyl glyceride ether sulfonates, fatty acid methyltaurides, fatty acid sarcosinates, sulforicinoleates, amphoacetates or -glycinates and/or acyl glutamates. Said compounds or mixtures thereof are preferably used in the form of their water-soluble or water-dispersible salts, for example the sodium, potassium, magnesium, ammonium, mono-, di- and triethanolammonium and analogous alkylammonium salts.
Suitable cationic surfactants are, for example, quaternary ammonium salts, such as di-((C10-C24)-alkyl)dimethylammonium chloride and bromide, preferably di-((C12-C18)-alkyl)dimethylammonium chloride and bromide, ((C10-C24)-alkyl)dimethylethylammonium chloride and bromide; ((C10-C24)-alkyl)trimethylammonium chloride and bromide, preferably cetyltrimethylammonium chloride or bromide and ((C20-C22)-alkyl)trimethylammonium chloride and bromide; ((C10-C24)-alkyl)dimethylbenzylammonium chloride and bromide, preferably ((C12-C18)-alkyl)dimethylbenzylammonium chloride; N-((C10-C18)-alkyl)pyridinium chloride and bromide, preferably N-((C12-C16)-alkyl)pyridinium chloride and bromide; N-((C10-C18)-alkyl)isoquinolinium chloride, bromide and monoalkyl sulfate; N-((C12-C18)-alkyl)polyoylaminoformylmethylpyridinium chloride; N-((C12-C18)-alkyl)-N-methylmorpholinium chloride, bromide and monoalkyl sulfate; N-((C12-C18-alkyl)-N-ethylmorpholinium chloride, bromide and monoalkyl sulfate; ((C16-C18)-alkyl)pentaoxethylammonium chloride; diisobutylphenoxyethoxyethyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; salts of N,N-diethylaminoethylstearylamide and -oleylamide with hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid; N-acylaminoethyl-N,N-diethyl-N-methylammonium chloride, bromide and monoalkyl sulfate; and/or N-acylaminoethyl-N,N-diethyl-N-benzylammonium chloride, bromide or monoalkyl sulfate, where acyl is preferably stearyl or oleyl.
Suitable amphoteric surfactants are, preferably, N-((C12-C18)-alkyl)-xcex2-amino-propionates and N-((C12-C18)-alkyl)-xcex2-iminodipropionates as alkali metal and mono-, di- and trialkylammonium salts; N-acylaminoalkyl-N,N-dimethylacetobetaine, preferably N-(C8-C18-acyl)aminopropyl-N,N-dimethylacetobetaine; ((C12-C18)-alkyl)-dimethylsulfopropylbetaine; amphoteric surfactants based on imidazoline (Miranol(copyright), Steinapon(copyright)), preferably the sodium salt of 1-(xcex2-carboxymethyloxyethyl)-1-(carboxy-methyl)-2-laurylimidazolinium; and/or acylglutamates.
Particularly preferably suitable are the acylglutamates.
Suitable nonionic surfactants are, for example, fatty alcohol ethoxylates (alkyl polyethylene glycols); alkylphenol polyethylene glycols; alkyl mercaptan poly-ethylene glycol; fatty amine ethoxylates (alkylamino polyethylene glycols); fatty acid ethoxylates (acyl polyethylene glycols); polypropylene glycol ethoxylates (poloxamers); fatty acid amide polyethylene glycols; N-alkyl- and N-alkoxy-polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, in particular fatty acid N-methylglucamides; sucrose esters; polyglycol ethers; alkylpolyglycosides; phosphoric esters (mono-, di- and triphosphoric esters ethoxylated and nonethoxylated); and/or amine oxides, such as, for example, ((C12-C18)-alkyl)dimethylamine oxide and fatty acid amidoalkyldimethylamine oxide.
Suitable nonionogenic coemulsifiers are addition products of from 2 to 30 mol of ethylene oxide and/or 0 to 5 mol of propylene oxide with linear fatty alcohols having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, with fatty acids having 12 to 22 carbon atoms and with alkylphenols having 8 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl group; (C12-C18)-fatty mono- and diesters of addition products of from 1 to 30 mol of ethylene oxide with glycerol; glycerol mono- and diesters and sorbitan mono- and diesters of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids having 6 to 22 carbon atoms and ethylene oxide addition products thereof; addition products of from 15 to 60 mol of ethylene oxide with castor oil and/or hydrogenated castor oil; and/or polyol and, in particular, polyglycerol esters, such as, for example, polyglycerol polyricinoleate and polyglycerol poly-12-hydroxystearate.
The addition products of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with fatty alcohols; fatty acids, alkylphenols; glycerol mono- and diesters; sorbitan mono- and diesters of fatty acids; and castor oil are known commercially available products. These are homolog mixtures whose average degree of alkoxylation corresponds to the ratio of the quantitative amounts of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide and substrate with which the addition reaction is carried out.
Likewise suitable as hydrophilic component are the polymers referred to as soil release polymers. Preferably suitable are oligoesters obtained by polycondensation of from 40 to 52 mol %, preferably 45 to 50 mol %, of one or more dicarboxylic acids and/or esters thereof; 10 to 40 mol %, preferably 20 to 35 mol %, of ethylene glycol and/or propylene glycol; 3 to 20 mol %, preferably 10 to 15 mol %, of polyethylene glycol; 0 to 10 mol % of a water-soluble addition product of from 5 to 80 mol of an alkylene oxide with 1 mol of (C1-C24)-alcohols, (C6-C18)-alkylphenols or (C8-C24)-alkylamines; and 0 to 10 mol % of one or more polyols having 3 to 6 hydroxyl groups.
In the case of the acid/alkali component, the hydrophilic component consists of an acid subcomponent and an alkali subcomponent. The W/O preemulsion is converted into the O/W fine emulsion by adding the acid subcomponent and then neutralizing the acid subcomponent by adding the alkali subcomponent. Preferred acids and alkalis are ether carboxylic acids and salts thereof or phosphoric mono- and/or diesters and neutralized salts thereof.
Suitable oily substances for the fine emulsions are, preferably, Guerbet alcohols having 6 to 18, preferably 8 to 10, carbon atoms; esters of linear (C6-C13)-fatty acids with linear (C6-C20)-fatty alcohols; esters of branched (C6-C13)-carboxylic acids having linear (C6-C20)-fatty alcohols, esters of linear (C6-C18)-fatty acids with branched alcohols, in particular 2-ethylhexanol; esters of linear and/or branched fatty acids with polyhydric alcohols (such as, for example, dimerdiol or trimerdiol) and/or Guerbet alcohols; triglycerides based on (C6-C10)-fatty acids; vegetable oils; branched primary alcohols; substituted cyclohexanes; Guerbet carbonates; dialkyl ethers; and/or aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons.
As auxiliaries and additives, the fine emulsions may comprise, for example, superfatting agents; fats; waxes; stabilizers; biogenic active ingredients; light protection substances (UV light protection filters, pigments, micropigments), antioxidants; hydrotropic agents; solubilizers; bodying agents; cationic polymers; glycerol; preservatives; dispersants; protein derivatives, such as, for example, gelatins, collagen hydrolysates, natural- and synthetic-based polypeptides, egg yolk; lecithin; lanolin and lanolin derivatives; fatty alcohols; silicones; deodorizing agents; substances with keratolytic and keratoplastic action; enzymes; carrier substances; moisture-donating substances; antimicrobially active agents; and/or dyes and fragrances.
Suitable superfatting agents are, for example, polyethoxylated lanolin derivatives; lecithin derivatives, polyol fatty acid esters, monoglycerides and fatty acid alkanolamides, the latter also serving as foam stabilizers. Typical examples of fats are glycerides. Suitable waxes are, inter alia, beeswax, paraffin wax or microcrystalline waxes, optionally in combination with hydrophilic waxes, such as, for example, cetylstearyl alcohol.
Suitable UV filters are, for example, 4-aminobenzoic acid; 3-(4xe2x80x2-trimethylammonium)benzylidene-bornan-2-one methylsulfate; 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexyl salicylate; 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone; 2-phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonic acid and its potassium, sodium and triethanolamine salts; 3,3xe2x80x2-(1,4-phenylenedimethine)bis(7,7-dimethyl-2-oxo-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-1-methanesulfonic acid and its salts; 1-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propane-1,3-dione, 3-(4xe2x80x2-sulfo)benzylidenebornan-2-one and its salts; 2-ethylhexyl 2-cyano-3,3-diphenylacrylate; polymers of N-[2(and 4)-(2-oxo-born-3-ylidenemethyl)benzyl]acrylamide; 2-ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate; ethoxylated ethyl 4-aminobenzoate; isoamyl 4-methoxycinnamate; 2,4,6-tris[p-(2-ethylhexyloxycarbonyl)anilino]-1,3,5-triazine; 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-methyl-6-(2-methyl-3-(1,3,3,3-tetramethyl-1-(trimethyl-silyloxy)disiloxanyl)propyl)phenol; 4,4xe2x80x2-[(6-[4-((1,1-dimethylethyl)aminocarbonyl)phenylamino]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-yl)-diimino]bis(benzoic 2-ethylhexyl ester); 3-(4xe2x80x2-methylbenzylidene)-D,L-camphor; 3-benzylidenecamphor; 2-ethylhexyl salicylate; 2-ethylhexyl 4-dimethylaminobenzoate; hydroxy-4-methoxybenzo-phenone-5-sulfonic acid (sulisobenzone) and the sodium salt; and/or 4-isopropylbenzyl salicylate.
Pigments/micropigments which may be used are, for example, microfine titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.
Suitable antioxidants are, for example, superoxide dismutase, tocopherol (vitamin E) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
Stabilizers which may be used are metal salts of fatty acids, such as, for example, magnesium, aluminum and/or zinc stearate. Biogenic active ingredients are to be understood as meaning, for example, plant extracts and vitamin complexes.
Suitable preservatives are, for example, phenoxyethanol, formaldehyde solution, parabens, pentanediol or sorbic acid.
Dyes which can be used are the substances approved and suitable for cosmetic purposes.
Particularly suitable thickeners and dispersants are ethylene glycol esters of fatty acids having 14 to 22, particularly preferably 16 to 22, carbon atoms, in particular mono- and diethylene glycol stearate. Also preferably suitable are stearin monoethanolamide, stearin diethanolamide, stearin isopropanolamide, stearin monoethanolamide stearate, stearyl stearate, cetyl palmitate, glyceryl stearate, stearamide diethanolamide distearate, stearamide monoethanolamide stearate, N,N-dihydrocarbyl-(C12-C22)-amidobenzoic acid and soluble salts thereof, N,N-dihydrocarbyl-(C16-C18)-amidobenzoic acid and soluble salts thereof and N,N-di(C16-C18)-amidobenzoic acid and derivatives thereof. Also particularly suitable are polyacrylates and carbomers, in particular those of water-soluble or water-swellable copolymers based on acrylamidoalkylsulfonic acids and N-vinylcarboxamides.
Suitable solubilizers are, in principle, all mono- and polyhydric alcohols and ethoxylated alcohols. Preference is given to using alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, such as, for example, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol and iso-butanol, glycerol and mixtures thereof. Also preferred are polyethylene glycols with a relative molecular mass below 2000. Particular preference is given to polyethylene glycols with a relative molecular mass between 200 and 600 in amounts up to 45% by weight and polyethylene glycols with a relative molecular mass between 400 and 600 in amounts of from 0.5 to 15% by weight. Further suitable solvents are, for example, triacetin(glycerol triacetate) and 1-methoxy-2-propanol.
Suitable carrier materials are, for example, vegetable oils, natural and hydrogenated oils, waxes, fats, water, alcohols, polyols, glycerol, glycerides, liquid paraffins, liquid fatty alcohols, sterols, polyethylene glycols, cellulose and cellulose derivatives.
Suitable fungicidal active ingredients are, preferably, ketoconazole, oxiconazole, bifonazole, butoconazole, cloconazole, clotrimazole, econazole, enilconazole, fenticonazole, isoconazole, miconazole, sulconazole, tioconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, terconazole, naftifine and terbinafine, Zn pyrethion and octopyrox.
Deodorizing substances which can be used are, for example, allantoin and bisabolol in amounts by weight of from 0.0001% to 10%.
Suitable cationic polymers are, for example, cationic cellulose derivatives; cationic starch; copolymers of diallylammonium salts and acrylamides; quaternized vinylpyrrolidone/vinylimidazole polymers; condensation products of polyglycols and amines; quaternized collagen polypeptides; quaternized wheat polypeptides; polyethyleneimines; cationic silicone polymers, such as, for example, amido-methicones; copolymers of adipic acid and dimethylaminohydroxypropyl-diethylenetriamine; polyaminopolyamide and cationic chitin derivatives, such as, for example, chitosan.
Suitable silicone compounds are, for example, dimethylpolysiloxane, methylphenylpolysiloxane, cyclic silicones and amino-, fatty-acid-, alcohol-, polyether-, epoxy-, fluorine- and/or alkyl-modified silicone compounds, and polyalkylsiloxanes, polyalkylarylsiloxanes, polyethersiloxane copolymers, as described in U.S. Pat No. 5,104,645 and the publications cited therein, which may be liquid or in the form of a resin at room temperature.
The compositions according to the invention can be mixed with conventional ceramides, pseudoceramides, fatty acid N-alkylpolyhydroxyalkylamides, cholesterol, cholesterol fatty acid esters, fatty acids, triglycerides, cerebrosides, phospholipids and similar substances.
Moisture-donating substances which are available are, for example, isopropyl palmitate, glycerol and/or sorbitol, which can be used in the quantitative amounts 0.1 to 50%.
The total fraction of auxiliaries and additives is, based on the finished fine emulsions, preferably 1 to 10% by weight, particularly preferably 2 to 5% by weight.
With regard to the problem of ethoxylated products discussed at the outset, the fine emulsions according to the invention are advantageously free from ethoxylated components (W/O emulsifiers, hydrophilic components etc.).
The fine emulsions according to the invention are preferably cosmetic and pharmaceutical spray emulsions, e.g. those for skincare. Examples which may be mentioned are body lotions, aftersun lotions, sunscreen compositions, lotions comprising pharmaceutically active ingredients, deodorant sprays and lotions for the preparation of moisture-impregnated cleansing and care wipes.
The invention also provides a process for the preparation of fine emulsions, which comprises converting a W/O preemulsion comprising at least one W/O emulsifier into an O/W fine emulsion by adding at least one hydrophilic component and, where appropriate, changing the temperature.
The particle size of the fine emulsions is preferably in the range 0.1 to 10 micrometers.
The W/O preemulsion is preferably converted into the O/W fine emulsion without increasing the temperature.
The amount of W/O emulsifiers which the W/O preemulsion comprises is measured such that the finished O/W fine emulsion preferably comprises 0.01 to 10% by weight, particularly preferably 0.1 to 8% by weight and especially preferably 0.2 to 4% by weight, of W/O emulsifiers.
The amount of hydrophilic components which are added to the W/O preemulsion is measured such that the finished O/W fine emulsion preferably comprises 0.01 to 10% by weight, particularly preferably 0.1 to 7% by weight and especially preferably 0.3 to 5% by weight, of hydrophilic components.
The nonaqueous fraction of the fine emulsions, which is largely composed of the W/O emulsifiers and the oily substance, is preferably 0.1 to 95% and particularly preferably 0.5 to 45% by weight.
The W/O emulsifiers are preferably sorbitol esters, polyglycerol esters, sorbitan esters, fatty acid esters and/or dimethicone copolyols.
As W/O emulsifiers, particular preference is given to the sorbitol esters described above.
Preference is given especially to sorbitol esters based on rapeseed oil.
The hydrophilic components are preferably the surfactants, coemulsifiers, soil release polymers and/or acid/alkali components described above. Preference is given to amphoteric surfactants, in particular acylglutamates.
In the case of the acid/alkali component, the process is notable for the fact that the hydrophilic component consists of an acid subcomponent and an alkali subcomponent. The W/O preemulsion is converted into the O/W fine emulsion by adding the acid subcomponent and then neutralizing the acid subcomponent by adding the alkali subcomponent.
Where appropriate, the additives and auxiliaries described above are added to the W/O preemulsion and/or the O/W fine emulsion. The weight fraction of additives and auxiliaries is preferably, based on the finished fine emulsion, 0.1 to 10% by weight.
Advantageously, no ethoxylated components (W/O emulsifiers, hydrophilic components etc.) are added to the fine emulsions during the preparation. The examples below serve to illustrate the invention but without limiting it. The percentages are percentages by weight.


A method and apparatus for improving interfacial chemical reactions in electroless depositions of metals, in which the substrate to be plated is pre-heated prior to its immersion in the various processing solutions that require elevated temperatures, and especially before immersion in the electroless plating solution. The pre-heating is carried out to a temperature that is needed to bring about the desired chemical reaction at the substrate-solution interface, allowing the bath of that process step to operate significantly below the temperature that would have been needed if the panel had not been pre-heated, and below the solution temperature of current practice. According to another aspect of the present invention, the electroless plating apparatus for plating a workpiece operates in a vertical mode and it comprises a heating station, with the panel to be plated returning to the heating station as dictated by the temperature required for a given process step. Alternatively, the heating station is incorporated into the hoist system of such apparatus. In still another aspect of the present invention, the electroless plating apparatus operates in a horizontal mode and comprises at least one heating station.

The invention describes a method and apparatus for improving interfacial chemical reactions in electroless depositions of metals, and more particularly for producing a through-hole-plated Printed Circuit Board (PCB).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,279,948, 4,265,943, and 4,209,331, which are hereby referenced in their entirety, summarize the prior art of using electroless copper to prepare non-conductive through-hole walls for electrolytic copper plating, said through-hole walls predominantly consisting of electrically insulating glass-epoxy composites.
In this application the terms process tanks, process solutions, process steps and process stations are interchangeable. The term xe2x80x9csubstratexe2x80x9d is meant to denote workpiece, panel, board, PCB, with or without through-holes, these terms being interchangeable.
Indeed, the substrate, with its through holes, has to undergo a long, intricate sequence of process steps before the hole walls are electrically conductive and electroplatable. Many of these process steps require bath temperatures weal above ambient for the desired chemical reactions to take place. In current practice, the through-hole panels enter the process solutions mostly following cold water rinses, resulting in significant heat transfer time delays before the panel/solution interface reaches the xe2x80x9cthresholdxe2x80x9d temperature, below which, the desired reaction will not take place satisfactorily.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,532,518 and 3,011,920 are referenced herewith to show the crucial importance of adequate catalytic preparation of the polymer hole walls for electroless copper to take place on non-conductive substrates.
Perhaps the most critical step in the PCB production process, is the electroless copper bath, known also as chemical copper. In order to achieve complete, void-free coverage of the through-hole walls, the electroless copper bath must operate at a sufficiently elevated temperature to provide the necessary xe2x80x9cactivation energyxe2x80x9d for the reduction of cupric and/or cuprous ions in solution to metallic copper. Indeed, electroless copper deposition, whether obtained via formaldehyde, or via the environmentally friendlier hypophosphite as the main reducer, is understood to be the result of a complex sequence of intermediate reactions that take place at the interface of the Pd-catalyzed non-conducting polymer hole walls and the electroless Cu solution. Excessively low interfacial temperatures will retard copper initiation to a point where coverage will be incomplete, resulting in rejects.
More importantly, significant delays in chemical copper initiation are especially harmful in hypophosphite-reduced baths, because unlike formaldehyde baths, they are not autocatalytic, and Cu deposition is understood to essentially cease after the Pc layer over the hole wall surface is coated with a continuous coating of Cu. Contamination, or poisoning, of the Pd catalytic layer on the hole wall occasioned by slow initiation of copper deposition due to low interfacial temperature in the electroless copper bath may cause deposition of poorly conductive copper oxides, areas with no deposit at all, or a combination of both. Also, while formaldehyde type electroless copper baths operate at temperatures in the range of 25xc2x0 C., the recommended operating temperature of hypophosphite-based electroless copper systems is 70xc2x0 C., perceived by both equipment manufacturers and PCB producers as restrictive and not user-friendly.
A technical document entitled xe2x80x9cProcess Operating Guide, M systemxe2x80x9d by MacDermid Inc., is referenced herewith, as indicative of the elaborate process steps required for satisfactory PCB production, with some process steps using solutions that require elevated temperatures. With some few exceptions, PCB production facilities currently use automatic plating machines, wherein a computer-programmed hoist carries panels to be plated through the various process steps, with the panels mounted on vertical jigs, also called racks. The software that directs the movement of the hoist is called timeway. The jigs, with the mounted panels, enter and exit the process solutions in a vertical position.
Relatively recently, some PCB producers have changed to horizontal, conveyorized equipment, wherein PCB panels move through the process solutions in a horizontal, as opposed to vertical mode. Horizontal machines are gaining attention, principally because of reduction in labor expenses one such horizontal PCB machine is called Uniplate LB and can be obtained from Atotech.
A central consideration behind the present invention hinges on the fact that one deals mainly with interfacial chemical reactions, as opposed to predominantly bulk reactions, when practicing Pd activation and electroless depositions on a substrate. The prior art use of large bath volumes is in most cases superfluous, such that the reduction in bath volume in the present invention results in considerable savings due to reduction in waste disposal volumes and inherent environmental problems.
Thus, the present invention provides according to a first of its aspects, an improved method for manufacturing a PCB, wherein the board to be plated is pre-heated prior to its immersion in an electroless plating solution. The pre-heating is carried out at a temperature that is needed to bring about the desired chemical reaction at the panel-solution interface, allowing the bath of that process step to operate significantly below the temperature that would have been needed if the panel had not been pre-heated, and below the solution temperature of current practice.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the electroless plating apparatus for plating a workpiece, operates in a vertical mode and it comprises a heating station, with the panel to be plated returning to the heating station as dictated by the temperature required for a given process step. Alternatively, the heating station is incorporated into the hoist system of such apparatus.
In still another aspect of the present invention, the electroless plating apparatus operates in a horizontal mode and comprises at least one heating station. The station element where the preheating is to take place is stationary and the panel to be plated can only move in a forward direction, as dictated by conveyorized, moving belt type equipment. Preheating therefore needs to be limited to the most critical process steps such as for example activation or electroless plating.
In a preferred embodiment, a workpiece to be plated is preheated in an appropriate hot chemical solution, thus entering the subsequent process tank without the usual water rinses, as accepted in the industry. By enveloping the workpiece in a desirable, compatible hot liquid layer that will preferably participate in the reaction, one can greatly enhance the desired effect of a given process. This embodiment is referred to hereinbelow as Participant Liquid Layer (PLL) technology.
Thus, the method of the present invention provides an economical approach for interfacial chemical reactions, enabling a reduction in bath volume, and therefore a reduction in waste disposal volumes, which is environmentally desirable. The method can be used with both horizontal and vertical type plating apparatuses, so that it is easily and conveniently adaptable to current manufacturing practices. Use of the PLL technology, as stated, enhances the results of the process.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.
The preheating of the through-hole panel to be plated can be accomplished by numerous techniques, such as for example IR, thermal laser, hot air, high pressure steam, pressurized hot water spray, microwave, etc. With tine, new technologies will be available to impart the desired temperature to the copper-clad panel with the through-holes in it. Desirably, the heating should be focused or directed into the holes, in relation to the method chosen, reducing the heat sink effect of the copper cladding. Indeed, the elevated temperature is most needed at the hole-wall/solution interface, and not at the interface of the copper cladding/solution. A recently developed new technology by IBM, known as FLUID HEAD DRYER MANIFOLD, is a potential preferred heating mode of the through-holes in the laminate. The technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,639, referenced herewith.
The optimal surface temperature of the panel can be varied, and computer-controlled to suit the bath in a given process step. It should take into consideration the fact that the heated panel will undergo some cooling before and during its immersion in a given process bath, and therefore the surface temperature of the panel is likely to be raised considerably above the recommended bath temperature of a given process step. The upper limit of the surface temperature will be dependent on the dielectric material, to avoid degradation.
When the invention is practiced in a vertical, automatic hoist apparatus, one can envision a single heating station, with the panel to be plated returning to the heating station as dictated by the temperature required for a given process step. The circuit board to be plated will preferably be sandwiched between two rigid sliding/movable insulating polymer sheets mounted on the jig, that will minimize cooling of the heated surface to be plated, as it travels to the designated process station. As the panel to be plated enters the solution, the two insulating polymer sheets either slide/retract upwards, or they can be immersed together with the panel to be plated.
Another possibility to practice the invention involves incorporation of the heating mechanism into the hoist with the heating being done while the hoist travels between process tanks and additionally, while the racks are moving upwards vertically when exiting a given process tank, and also while moving vertically downwards to enter the next process tank, as dictated by design. Such arrangement results in greater through-put, thanks to optimal use of hoist time.
When the invention is practiced in a horizontal mode, the station/heating element where the preheating is to take place is stationary and the panel to be plated can only move in a forward direction, as dictated by conveyorized, moving belt type equipment. Preheating therefore needs to be limited to the most critical process steps, i.e. prior to electroless plating, and perhaps activation.
A further embodiment of the invention contemplates pre-heating of the workpiece to be plated in an appropriate hot chemical solution, and entering the subsequent process tank without the usual water rinses, as accepted in the prior art. By enveloping the workpiece in a desirable, compatible hot liquid layer that will preferably participate in the interfacial chemical reaction, one can greatly enhance the desired effect of a given process. Electroless deposition, whether copper or nickel, is illustrative of one such potential advantage of this invention. While the mechanism of electroless deposition is still not properly understood, its initial stages are known to be critical and will essentially determine the success or failure of the desired electroless coating. Hence, entering, by way of example, the electroless tank directly following immersion in a hot alkaline aqueous accelerator, and without the recommended water rinse, can often be beneficially practiced. Alkaline accelerators are taught by patents referenced in the background section of the application and are standard practice with hypophosphite-reduced electroless coppers. Indeed, electroless deposition reaction consumes hydroxyl ions, and supplying them in the form of a heated layer at the workpiece/electroless bath interface, will greatly increase the flexibility and parameters of the initial deposition process, also known as xe2x80x9cinitiationxe2x80x9d.
There are numerous other industrial applications where the method of the present invention will be beneficial. Specifically, the method of introducing a substrate into a process tank with a chemical layer of a solution at the appropriate temperature, thereby promoting its participation in the desired reaction, enhances the final, desired reaction result. Thus, a preferred embodiment of this invention envisions applying to a workpiece a Participant Liquid Layer (PLL). PLL is defined in this invention as a heated liquid layer that coats the workpiece as it enters a given process tank such as electroless copper, nickel and enhances the desired reaction. The temperature of that liquid layer should be at least 5xc2x0 C. above ambient, but in most cases will be significantly higher.
The practice of entering into a process tank with a preheated panel, with or without a heated PLL on the surface of said workpiece, offers many benefits, inter alia the following:
1. Maximization of initiation speed of chemical reactions at the PCB/solution interface, by eliminating or at least greatly reducing time delays due to heat transfer from the hot solution to the panel to be plated. Indeed, the invention allows the panel to enter the solution at the required temperature, which is especially beneficial for electroless deposition and also, though perhaps to a lesser degree, for adequate and speedy activation of the hole walls in the colloidal tin/palladium suspension.
2. Minimization of energy consumption, by affording solution operation at lower temperatures and making it unnecessary to keep the baths hot during idle machine time.
3. Improvement of bath stability, due to lower temperature of operation. This is especially true for formaldehyde-type electroless coppers. Indeed, because the solution can now be operated at temperatures of about 20xc2x0 C., bath decomposition and consumption due to the well-known Canizzaro reaction can be significantly lower. This is of special importance in horizontal equipment where even moderate bath decomposition requires periodic stripping of copper metal deposited on the walls and bottom of the copper tank, necessitating a complete shutdown of the line.
4. Minimization of cycle time, resulting in improved through-put.
5. Lower concentrations and reduced operating temperature of Pd-based activators are possible, because of the higher temperature at the panel/solution interface. Indeed, the tin/Pd catalyst suspensions disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,532,518 and 3,011,920 cannot sustain prolonged heating beyond 30-35xc2x0 C., or else they will decompose. Also, it is known tat Pd prices are, as of late, cost-prohibitive. Lower Pd concentrations in working bath are contemplated by this invention, with considerable cost savings.
In addition to above improvements, additional benefits and possibilities will evolve with time, as this invention becomes available to equipment designers, PCB manufacturers, electroless platers in general, and others.

Method and apparatus for improving interfacial chemical reactions in electroless depositions of metals


A computer implemented method of storing, manipulating, assessing, and displaying data and its relationships, and a computer system (with memory) programmed to implement such method. The data are stored as linked nodes, and can be visualized as a displayed sea of node representations. Interactions with the user organize the data from a defined, and then refined, point of view, with relevant data preferably brought to the user""s attention by smooth changes in the displayed appearance of the data. The data (stored as linked nodes) can be queried by establishing a first point of view and displaying representations of the nodes as a sea of node representations whose point of view is the first point of view, and responding to a command (which determines a query) by displaying a changed sea of node representations which emphasizes information having greater relevance, and deemphasizes information having less relevance, to the query.

The invention is a computer implemented method of storing, manipulating, accessing, and displaying data and its relationships, and a computer system (with memory containing data) programmed to implement such method.
Today""s GUI (graphical user interface) software requires a great deal of training for proficiency. They rarely show their context and rarely show internal data and control points. The actions of applications should be fast and easy to use, not confusing and restrictive.
Shortcomings of current technologies include the following:
Awkward Navigation: Navigating a current GUI is to learn how the programmers have organized the data and the control points. Today""s UI (user interface) relies on windows and pull-down menus which hide prior ones as the user makes selections, and an often-complex series of mouse selections to navigate to the desired control point. In performing an action after traversing a path of pull-down menus and button selections on different sub-windows, the user may be returned to the beginning, forced to retrace their steps if they wish to apply an action repeatedly. The UI does not shift from one state to another in a smooth way.
Relationships are Invisible: Current GUI""s with pop-up menus and layers of text-based windows. Today""s GUI""s suffer from a list mentality: rows of icons with little or no meaning in their position, no relationships readily-visible between themselves or to concepts which the user may be interested in or have knowledge of.
The standard GUI concept of a canvas with buttons and pull-downs-require reading and thinking about the meaning of text to, hopefully, grasp the model of control flow. Virtually no information is given outside of static text to help the user understand relationships and control points.
Access to Crucial Data is Confusing: Gaining access to fields or parameters in current applications can also be a challenge. For example, the Microsoft POP mail retrieval service uses a configuration profile defined by the user to access the mail server, and displays the name of that configuration when logging. Although one sees evidence of the existence of this configuration, how does one change it? The answer may not be obvious. An object-oriented system that implemented all actions on an object could also provide the mechanism of self-deletion, but this helps only if the object itself is visible and accessible via the GUI. This is what DataSea does. Windows technology is moving in this direction, by having many words in menus modifiable, but DataSea achieves this automatically by virtue of its design.
GUI Design is bug-prone: A complex GUI, such as a presentation and control system for database administration, today consists of many canvases and widgets which hopefully present, through multiple mouse clicks, all information that is available. Any data can be changed by any part of the program, and this leads to bugs if the programmer can not easily see these interactions. A DataSea presentation of data and control shows all the objects and their relationships, and thus shows immediately what nodes can affect changes to the data, reducing bugs. To turn a DataSea view into an xe2x80x9capplicationxe2x80x9d means to set internal parameters, create and link together application nodes, and add programmatic instructions to these nodes. DataSea will implement a means to invoke these instructions.
Interoperability Conflicts: DataSea can serve as the single source of data for any application. Any RDBMS (relational database management system) can do this, but DataSea is completely flexible in its data storage and linkage, guaranteeing forward compatibility by eliminating the risk of changes to database structure and entity-relationships of RDBs (Relational Databases).
Two separate DataSea databases can be joined, and automatic linkage routines will merge them without programmer effort. This is generally impossible in RDBs. This joining can occur by simply adding nodes and links from the two data sets, and adding together the contents of the master index, NameListObj. Or, the two data sets can be blended, merging their contents: taking two nodes with the same name from the two separate data sets, creating one node which has all the links from the two separate nodes.
In most storage systems, especially RDBMS""s, the user must know how information is stored in the computer and which parameter or parameters that the computer is using to store the data, as well as the proper range of values. This is often non-intuitive and may seem somewhat arbitrary for a non-technical user. Ideally, the computer would better mimic human associative memory, allowing the user to look for new information associated with that which is better known, such as a particular context, or a range of values without regard to parameterization, to specify the target of interest.
OLAP (online analytical processing) and data mining require both analytical models and custom code to apply these models to particular database structures. These customizations may be hard-coded, non-portable and irrelevant to the model. The DataSea API (application programming interface) provides access to all data while eliminating the need to worry about database structure such as tables, columns and foreign keys.
Shortcomings of more recent data presentation technologies include the following:
Non-linear Viewing: Up-coming non-linear presentation tools such as fish-eye or hyperbolic views do not address the difficult problem of how to lay out the data and their relationships before the viewing method is applied. These may be useful, but do not address the difficult issue of how the graph is laid out initially. Nor are they appropriate for highly linked data sets, because the plethora of links resembles a cobweb from a psychotic spider.
Virtual Reality: VR takes advantage of visual clues and spatial awareness, but only for data sets that may be appropriately mapped to a 3-dimensional space. Generally data is N-dimensional and thus, in general, virtual-reality which models information as physical objects in 3D space is inappropriate for viewing arbitrary data.
Voice Interface: even more than a GUI, voice control needs a smooth transition from state to state in response to commands so that the user can follow what is happening. GUIs hide previous states with new windows, while the present invention moves objects gradually and continuously in response to programmatic or user events.
The inventive method (referred to as xe2x80x9cDataSeaxe2x80x9d) is a method for storing, accessing, and visualizing information. Data is stored into nodes and visualized as a xe2x80x98seaxe2x80x99 of linked nodes. Nodes can contain anything such as documents, movies, telephone numbers, applications or words containing concepts. Interactions with the user organize the data from a defined, and then refined, point of view, with relevant data brought to their attention by smooth changes in the data""s appearance.
Essentially, a handful of nodes (which are typically selected by value) are linked to the point of view turning the web of data into a hierarchical network. Further order is imposed by the use of two types of commands: one which relies on the data values, the other on the links and types of the data nodes.
The user typically enters words into a computer programmed in accordance with DataSea and watches DataSea""s response. Individual nodes are rendered according to the sequence of nodes between themselves and the point of view, allowing different presentations of data. Applications may be stored into nodes and can be located and executed by DataSea. These applications can operate on and present information from DataSea in the conventional manner, with windows and menus, or by using the DataSea mechanisms of visualization, including the so-called virtual reality mode (xe2x80x9cVR-modexe2x80x9d) which supports deterministic data placement as needed in such things as forms and spread sheets.
Examples of use include:
1. Entering keywords and phrases selectively retrieves and emphasizes different data types such as loose notes and email, but these entered keywords and phrases need not match exactly the content of the resulting emphasized data.
2. Direct and specific information is retrieved: The user enters the name of xe2x80x9cJim Smithxe2x80x9d followed by an appropriate command such as xe2x80x9cbackxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9candxe2x80x9d along with the phrase xe2x80x9cPhone numberxe2x80x9d which refers to a pre-existing AN. Jim""s telephone number becomes obvious as it approaches the point of view, which in this case is xe2x80x9cJim Smithxe2x80x9d.
3. A manufacturing facility has test data from machines and 3-D models of those machines. These data sources are integrated and the user can visualize the facility from different points of view, e.g. a virtual reality mode, tabular presentation or the standard DataSea network connectivity display.

Method and apparatus for displaying data stored in linked nodes