Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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FOOD CONTAINER AND
DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ATTRACTING ENHANCED ATTENTION
Technical Field
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a food container suitable for
both liquid and solid food products.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to devices and methods for
attracting enhanced attention. More specifically, the present invention
relates to
beacons for sustaining enhanced interest/attention, as well as to beacons with
symbolic importance.
Background of the Invention
a) Food Container
The packaging industry is well developed throughout the industrialised
world and is subject to general norms and practices. On the whole, in the case
of
food or beverage packaging, this needs to be able to hold food or beverages in
a
food safe and hygienic condition, and to withstand storage and transportation;
specifically to provide physical and barrier protection to the contents, to
prevent
contamination and agglomeration, to provide security including tamper control,
and
to be convenient. In recent years, there have been moves to reduce the amount
of packaging material used and also to focus on more environmentally friendly
packaging, such as by use of recyclable and biodegradable materials.
Lightweighting is a concept that has been prevalent in the industry for some
time,
which aims to reduce the amount of packaging material utilised, its weight and
also the energy required for its manufacture.
In the case of packaging for liquid or other flowable materials, it is common
to use bottles, cans, cartons, bags and the like. Generally, such packaging
has
either a generally cylindrical form, such as a drinks can or bottle, or a
cuboidal
form, such as milk or juice cartons of the type commonly sold under the
ElopakTM
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or Tetra PakTM brands. This packaging is typically constituted by a smooth
walled
structure, often of multi-layered form, which minimises surface area and
optimises
the usable volume of the packaging. The contents of the packaging are often
relied upon to maintain the form and integrity of the packaging, particularly
during
transportation and storage. For instance, a beverage container will often rely
on
the pressure of the beverage within the container to keep the container in its
original shape. This enables the walls of the container to be made very thin,
to the
point that often once the container has been opened the walls become flimsy
and
are easy to collapse.
Food products are often sold in multiple units, such as cans and bottles, in
which case it is common to tie these together with additional packaging, such
as a
sleeve, ring or yoke. This additional packaging also serves to stop individual
packages from falling loose during transportation or storage, thereby reducing
spoilage. However, such additional packaging adds further cost, both monetary
and environmental.
The smooth nature of such packaging reduces a person's grip and it is not
uncommon, particularly for large packages, for a person to struggle to handle
the
package without squashing it and causing spillage of the contents. This is
particularly the case with large plastics drinks bottles.
DE 10004386 discloses a container for food or drinks with a cylindrical
container having walls shaped to allow interlocking of a plurality of such
containers.
b) Devices and Methods for Attracting Enhanced Attention
In the prior art, signal indicators and beacons are typically based upon
color,
brightness, periodic flashing frequency, rotational pattern, and motion, but
not
fractal dimension.
WO 95/17854 discloses a trophotropic response system comprising: a
control module for providing a visual signal and an aural signal, wherein the
aural
signal includes at least a digitally generated ocean signal component and a
binaural beat signal component; an audio unit for receiving the aural signal
from
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the control module; and a visual unit for receiving the visual signal from the
control
module wherein the visual signal is provided having a frequency corresponding
to
the frequency of the binaural beat signal component of the aural signal.
Both cognitive studies and simulations of the brain's limbo-thalamocortical
system via artificial neural nets have shown that original ideas produced
within the
brain's stream of consciousness occur at a specific rhythm, typically near 4
hertz
and a fractal dimension of approximately 1/2 (see Literature References below:
Thaler, 1997b, 2013, 2014, 2016a, b, 2017b). An interval of 300 ms (-4 Hz) has
been referred to as the "speed of thought" (Tovoe 1994).
In the referenced body of theoretical work of Thaler, the brain's thalamic
reticular nucleus (TRN) is modeled as a constantly adapting auto-associative
neural net (i.e., an anomaly or novelty detector), for which such ideational
rhythms
are the most noticeable due to their sporadic and unpredictable nature.
Essentially, neural activation patterns within the cortex are thought to emit
a
telltale 'beacon to the thalamus when they are generated within a stream
having
the above said frequency and fractal signature. Furthermore, these sporadic
cognitive streams generally correspond to novel pattern formation and are
considered the signature of inventive ideation.
It was also shown (Thaler 2016a) that the TRN's behavior as an anomaly
detector was linked to creative thinking and enhanced attention in forming
useful
ideational patterns as stated in the following passage: In the former case,
creative
achievements are the result of convergent thinking processes, requiring the
attention of critic nets on the lookout for sporadic activations within the
cortex that
signal the formation of novel and potentially useful ideational patterns
[3].With non-
linear stimulus streams present in the external environment (i.e., sporadic
events
such as the two audible clicks used in EEG studies to measure so-called P50
response), the attention of critic nets selectively shifts to these sporadic
external
event streams [3,14] dominating within cortex, rather than mining the weaker,
internally seeded stream of consciousness for seminal thought."
In another publication (Thaler 2016b), frequency and fractal dimension were
shown to be indicative of the relation between attention, ideation novelty,
and such
thought-process characteristics: The search for a suitable affordance to guide
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such attention has revealed that the rhythm of pattern generation by
synaptically
perturbed neural nets is a quantitative indicator of the novelty of their
conceptual
output, that cadence in turn characterized by a frequency and a corresponding
temporal clustering that is discernible through fractal dimension."
Regarding human response to light modulation, the Color Usage Lab of the
NASA Ames Research Center published related information dealing with
"Blinking,
Flashing, and Temporal Response"
(https://colorusage.arc.nasa.gov/flashing_2.php), stating the following: The
rate of
flashing has a powerful influence on the salience of flashing elements. The
human
eye is most sensitive to frequencies of 4-8 Hz (cycles/second). Very slow and
very
fast blinking are less attention-demanding than rates near that peak."
A proposed approach based on the effects of fractal flickering of light
stimuli
was previously published (Zueva 2013). Fractal flickering exhibits scale
invariance
with time on the evoked responses of the retina and visual cortex in normal
and
neurodegenerative disorders. In the proposed approach, standard stimuli are
presented to patients who adapt to a flickering background with "specific
chaotic
interval variabilities between flashes (dynamic light fractal)." It was
hypothesized
that such an approach could be applied to facilitate adaptation to non-linear
flickering with fractal dimensions in electrophysiological diagnostics.
Finally, in an article (Williams 2017) entitled, "Why Fractals Are So
Soothing," related to fractal patterns in the paintings of Jackson Pollock,
the
physiological response to viewing images with fractal geometries having a
fractal
dimension of between 1.3 and 1.5 was suggested to be an "economical" means for
the eye-tracking mechanism of the human visual system to simplify processing
image content.
The ability to exploit fractal flickering for visual evoked responses (as in
the
approach described in Zueva 2013), or to detect a visually fractal image (as
in the
studies in Williams 2017) relate to visual and image processing.
It would be desirable to have devices and methods for attracting enhanced
attention. Such devices and methods would, inter alia, provide unique
advantages
over the prior art mentioned above.
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Summary of the Present Invention
a) Food Container
5 This aspect of the present invention seeks to provide an improved
container
for food products. The invention is particularly suitable for, but not limited
to,
containers for liquids, such as beverages, and other flowable products.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a food or
beverage container comprising:
a generally cylindrical wall defining an internal chamber of the container,
the
wall having interior and exterior surfaces and being of uniform thickness;
a top and a base either end of the generally cylindrical wall;
wherein the wall has a fractal profile with corresponding convex and
concave fractal elements on corresponding ones of the interior and exterior
surfaces;
wherein the convex and concave fractal elements form pits and bulges in
the profile of the wall;
wherein the wall of the container is flexible, permitting flexing of the
fractal
profile thereof;
the fractal profile of the wall permits coupling by inter-engagement of a
plurality of said containers together; and the flexibility of the wall permits
disengagement of said or any coupling of a plurality of said containers.
The present invention provides a food or beverage container having a
container wall of different form than known in the art. The form taught herein
.. provides a number of practical advantages over known packaging products.
Preferably, at least some of said pits and bulges have heads of a greater
width than bases thereof.
The feature of the fractal profile of the wall permits coupling by inter-
engagement of a plurality of said containers together. This feature can
provide a
number of practical advantages, including being able to do away with separate
and additional tie elements to hold together a plurality of containers, as is
necessary with currently available packages that rely on sleeves or yokes.
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The flexibility of the wall permits disengagement of containers coupled
together, by appropriate squashing of one or more of the containers to alter
the
fractal shape of the containers at the point of inter-engagement.
Advantageously, the corresponding convex and concave fractal elements
provide for increased surface area of both the interior and exterior surfaces
of the
container relative to a volume of the chamber. An increased surface area can
assist in the transfer of heat into and out of the container, for example for
heating
or cooling the contents thereof.
The container wall may be formed of metal, plastics, elastomeric material or
glass. It may also be made from flexible or potentially flexible food
products.
The fractal form of the container wall can also contribute to improved
holding of the container, whereas known packages with a smooth surface can be
slippery particularly when wet such as when condensation forms on the outside
as
a result of the contents being cold.
b) Devices and Methods for Attracting Enhanced Attention
This aspect of the present invention seeks to provide devices and methods
for attracting enhanced attention.
It is noted that the term "exemplary" is used herein to refer to examples of
embodiments and/or implementations, and is not meant to necessarily convey a
more-desirable use-case. Similarly, the terms "alternative" and
"alternatively" are
used herein to refer to an example out of an assortment of contemplated
embodiments and/or implementations, and is not meant to necessarily convey a
more-desirable use-case. Therefore, it is understood from the above that
"exemplary" and "alternative" may be applied herein to multiple embodiments
and/or implementations. Various combinations of such alternative and/or
exemplary embodiments are also contemplated herein.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for producing and
providing a pulse train to an LED or lamp at a frequency and fractal dimension
that
is highly noticeable to humans, being the same rhythm with which original
ideas
are formed and recognized in both the brain and advanced Creativity Machines.
A
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light source driven in such a manner may serve as an emergency beacon within
environments filled with distracting light sources that are flickering
randomly or
periodically. Ease of detection may be improved using auto-associative neural
nets as anomaly detectors within a machine-vision algorithm.
Thus, using TRN behavior as an anomaly filter in sustained creative activity
and mental focus as detailed above in the context of the works of Thaler, the
present invention exploits such a concept by embodying the same requisite
characteristics (i.e., frequency and fractal dimension) in a signaling device
in order
to trigger the brain's innate ability to filter sensory information by
"highlighting"
certain portions in order to make those portions more noticeable to the brain.
That is, a single light-emitting element flashing at such a prescribed
frequency is highly noticeable when viewed through anomaly detectors built
from
artificial neural networks. The sporadic nature of such pulse streams defeats
the
anomaly filter's ability to both learn and anticipate their rhythm, making
said light
pulses visible as anomalies. Additionally, in contrast to pulse trains, having
fractal
dimensions less than 1/2, the prescribed rhythms have sufficient frequency to
catch
the attention of a roving attention window, as when humans are shifting their
attention across widely separated portions of a scene. If the detection system
can
calculate the fractal dimension of the anomalous light sources within the
filtered
scene, the "neural flame" may be used as an emergency beacon that
discriminates itself from other alternating light sources within the
environment.
Even to the naked eye, and without the use of an anomaly detector, fractal
dimension 1/2 pulse streams preferentially attract the attention of human test
subjects. The most attention-grabbing aspect of such streams is that the
'holes or
lacunarity between pulses occur as anomalies in what would otherwise be a
linear
stream of events. In other words, the pattern is frequently broken, such
anomalous
behavior possibly being detected by the TRN within the human brain as
inconsistencies in the established arrival trend of visual stimuli. In
contrast, should
fractal dimension drop significantly below 1/2, the frequency of anomalous
pulses
drops, making them less noticeable to humans should either attention or gaze
be
wandering.
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The incorporation of a "fractal rhythm" into a signal beacon, having a spatial
fractal dimension near zero and a temporal delivery of a fractal dimension
near 1/2,
relates to exploiting the understanding of TRN behavior, thereby avoiding
aspects
of visual and image processing as contributing elements.
Embodiments of the present invention further provide a symbol celebrating
the unique tempo by which creative cognition occurs. The algorithmically-
driven
neural flame may be incorporated within one or more structures that resemble
candles or altar fixtures, for instance, to accentuate the light's spiritual
significance. It is noted that that the light source or beacon can incorporate
any
type of light-emitting device.
Such embodiments stem from the notion of one perceiving neural net
monitoring another imagining net, the so-called "Creativity Machine Paradigm"
(Thaler 2013), which has been proposed as the basis of an "adjunct" religion
wherein cosmic consciousness, tantamount to a deity, spontaneously forms as
regions of space topologically pinch off from one another to form similar
ideating
and perceiving pairs, each consisting of mere inorganic matter and energy.
Ironically, this very neural paradigm has itself proposed an alternative use
for such
a flicker rate, namely a religious object that integrates features of more
traditional
spiritual symbols such as candles and torches.
Moreover, in a theory of how cosmic consciousness may form from
inorganic matter and energy (Thaler, 1997a, 2010, 2017), the same attentional
beacons may be at work between different regions of spacetime. Thus, neuron-
like, flashing elements may be used as philosophical, spiritual, or religious
symbols, especially when mounted atop candle- or torch-like fixtures,
celebrating
what may be considered deified cosmic consciousness. Such a light source may
also serve as a beacon to that very cosmic consciousness most likely operating
via the same neuronal signaling mechanism.
Therefore, according to aspects of the present invention, there is provided
for the first time a device for attracting enhanced attention, the device
comprising:
(a) an input signal of a lacunar pulse train having characteristics of a
pulse frequency of approximately four Hertz and a pulse-train fractal
dimension of
approximately one-half generated from a random walk over successive 300
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millisecond intervals, each step being of equal magnitude and representative
of a
pulse train satisfying a fractal dimension equation of In(number of intercepts
of a
neuron's net input with a firing threshold)/In(the total number of 300 ms
intervals
sampled); and
(b) at least one controllable light source configured to be pulsatingly
operated by said input signal;
wherein a neural flame is emitted from said at least one controllable light
source as a result of said lacunar pulse train.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided for
the first time a device for attracting enhanced attention, the device
including: (a) an
input signal of a lacunar pulse train having characteristics of a pulse
frequency of
approximately four Hertz and a pulse-train fractal dimension of approximately
one-
half; and (b) at least one controllable light source configured to be
pulsatingly
operated by the input signal; wherein a neural flame emitted from at least one
controllable light source as a result of the lacunar pulse train is adapted to
serve
as a uniquely-identifiable signal beacon over potentially-competing attention
sources by selectively triggering human or artificial anomaly-detection
filters,
thereby attracting enhanced attention.
Preferably, the device further includes: (c) a processor for supplying the
input signal of the lacunar pulse train having the characteristics; and (d) a
digital-
to-analog (D/A) converter for transmitting the input signal to at least one
controllable light source.
Advantageously, the D/A converter is an onboard module of the processor,
and wherein the module is embodied in at least one form selected from the
group
consisting of: hardware, software, and firmware.
Preferably, the processor includes a thresholding unit for monitoring a
random-walk trace for trace-axis crossings of a firing threshold of the
thresholding
unit, and wherein the trace-axis crossings result in activation transitions to
generate pulse-activation sequences of the lacunar pulse train.
Advantageously, candidates of the pulse-activation sequences are filtered
based on a zeroset dimension, and wherein the candidates are filled into a
buffer
of selected sequences having a fractal dimension of approximately one-half.
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Preferably, filtered patterns are randomly withdrawn from the selected
sequences in the buffer, and wherein the filtered patterns are configured to
serve
as the input signal to the D/A converter for transmitting to at least one
controllable
light source.
5 Advantageously, the filtered patterns are generated onboard the
processor.
The uniquely-identifiable signal beacon can reduce distraction by providing
a preferential alert over the potentially-competing attention sources.
The neural flame can serve as an object of contemplative focus embodying
symbolic meaning of varying significance.
10 According to another aspects of the present invention, there is provided
for
the first time a method for attracting enhanced attention, the method
comprising
the steps of:
(a) generating a lacunar pulse train having characteristics of a
pulse
frequency of approximately four Hertz and a pulse-train fractal dimension of
approximately one-half generated from a random walk over successive 300
millisecond intervals, each step being of equal magnitude and representative
of a
pulse train satisfying a fractal dimension equation of In(number of intercepts
of a
neuron's net input with a firing threshold)/In(the total number of 300 ms
intervals
sampled);
(b) transmitting said input signal to at least one controllable light
source;
and
(c) pulsatingly operating said at least one controllable light
source to
produce a neural flame emitted from said at least one controllable light
source as a
result of said lacunar pulse train.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided for
the first time a method for attracting enhanced attention, the method
including the
steps of: (a) generating a lacunar pulse train having characteristics of a
pulse
frequency of approximately four Hertz and a pulse-train fractal dimension of
approximately one-half; (b) transmitting the input signal to at least one
controllable
light source; and (c) pulsatingly operating at least one controllable light
source to
produce a neural flame emitted from at least one controllable light source as
a
result of the lacunar pulse train is adapted to serve as a uniquely-
identifiable signal
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beacon over potentially-competing attention sources by selectively triggering
human or artificial anomaly-detection filters, thereby attracting enhanced
attention.
Preferably, the method further includes the step of: (d) monitoring a
random-walk trace for trace-axis crossings of a firing threshold, and wherein
the
trace-axis crossings result in activation transitions to generate pulse-
activation
sequences of the lacunar pulse train.
Advantageously, the method further includes the steps of: (e) filtering
candidates of the pulse-activation sequences based on a zeroset dimension; and
(f) filling the candidates into a buffer of selected sequences having a
fractal
dimension of approximately one-half.
Preferably, the method further includes the steps of: (g) randomly
withdrawing filtered patterns from the selected sequences in the buffer; and
(h)
using the filtered patterns as the input signal.
Advantageously, uniquely-identifiable signal beacon reduces distraction by
providing a preferential alert over the potentially-competing attention
sources.
Preferably, neural flame serves as an object of contemplative focus
embodying symbolic meaning of varying significance.
These and further embodiments will be apparent from the detailed
description and examples that follow.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Embodiments of the present invention are described below, by way of
example only, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic view in axial cross-section of a container according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figures 2 and 3 are schematic axial partial cross-sectional views of an
embodiment of two fractal containers in the process of being coupled together;
Figures 4 and 5 are schematic axial partial perspective views of the two
fractal containers of Figures 2 and 3 in the process of being coupled
together;
Figure 6 shows various views of another embodiment of fractal container;
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Figures 7 to 9 show the coupling and uncoupling of two containers as per
the embodiment of Figure 6;
Figures 10 and 11 show, respectively, the coupling together of two further
embodiments of fractal container;
Figure 12 is a simplified high-level schematic diagram depicting a neural-
flame device for attracting enhanced attention, according to embodiments of
the
present invention;
Figure 13 is a simplified flowchart of the major process steps for operating
the neural-flame device of Figure 12, according to embodiments of the present
invention;
Figure 14 depicts a trace of the time evolution of input to a neuron-like
thresholding unit of the neural-flame device of Figure 12, according to
embodiments of the present invention; and
Figure 15 depicts a video stream for detecting fractal beacons within a
generalized scene from the neural-flame device of Figure 12, according to
embodiments of the present invention.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
a) Food Container
The description that follows and its accompanying drawings disclose in
broad terms the teachings herein. Elements that are common in the art are
omitted for the sake of clarity, such as but not limited to the specific
materials that
the container may be made of, typical volumes for the container and so on.
Furthermore, the drawings are not to scale.
The concept disclosed herein makes use of a fractal profile for the wall of
the container, which has been found to provide a number of advantageous
characteristics when applied to a container particularly for food and beverage
products. The skilled person will appreciate that the profile of the wall will
not be
of pure fractal form but will have a form dictated by practical considerations
such
as the minimum practical or desirable size of its fractal components.
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Nevertheless, the relationship between elements of the profile is fractal in
nature.
In practical embodiments, the fractal container may exhibit a fractal
interpretation
over two or more size scales.
Referring to Figure 1, this shows in schematic form a transverse cross-
sectional view of an embodiment of container 10 for use, for example, for
beverages. The container has a wall 12 with an external surface 14 and an
internal surface 16. The wall 12 has a substantially uniform thickness.
As with known containers, especially for food products, the wall 12 is
preferably made of a food safe material or otherwise provided with a food safe
inner lining. For this purpose, and as known in the art, the wall may be a
single
layer material or may be made as a laminate of different materials. The wall
may
be made of or comprise a plastics material, a metal or metal alloy or an
elastomeric material. It is also envisaged that in some embodiments the wall
may
be made from flexible or potentially flexible food product (for example pasta,
dough, licorice and so on).
The wall 12 has a fractal profile which provides a series of fractal elements
18-28 on the interior and exterior surfaces 14, 16. It is to be understood
that these
fractal elements 18-28 have fractal characteristics within practical
considerations
determined for example by the limits of the chosen manufacturing/forming
.. process, the material chosen for wall, the thickness the wall and so on. In
practice, the fractal elements 18-28 will typically reach a minimum practical
dimension determined by such constraints.
The fractal elements 18-28 of the wall create, as a result of the wall 12
having a generally uniform thickness, a series of pits 40 and bulges 42 in the
profile of the wall, in which a pit 40 as seen from one of the exterior or
interior
surfaces 12, 14 forms a corresponding bulge 42 on the other of the exterior or
interior surfaces 12, 14, and vice versa. This characteristic is exhibited
both on a
large scale, for instance with the pits 40 and bulges 42 identified by the
reference
numerals in Figure 1, but also with the smaller ones of the fractal elements
18-28.
The pits 40 and bulges 42 could be described as opposite images of one another
on the exterior 14 and interior 16 sides of the walls 12. Repeating features
(for
instance pits and bulges) across a variety of scales creates the fractal form
or
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profile on the container surfaces. The fractal profile may extend across the
entire
area of the container surfaces or only over selected surfaces or surface
portions.
Thus, the fractal profile may in some embodiments extend over the entire
container, while in other embodiments the majority of the container can be
smooth
with only the contact areas between containers having fractal formations.
It will be appreciated that Figure 1 is an axial cross-sectional view only.
The fractal elements 18-28 may in some embodiments extend in linear fashion
along the length of the wall 12, but in other embodiments the elements 18-28
may
be of pure fractal form of a type akin, so to speak, to cauliflower or
broccoli florets,
so as to create an array of distinct nodules, both circumferentially and also
longitudinally along the wall 12.
The container 10 may be of generally cylindrical form, such that the
cross-section shown in Figure 1 extends into and/or out of the plane of the
paper.
In such embodiments, the container 10 will include a top and a base, typically
of
any type known in the art.
The container 10 of this embodiment, and of the other embodiments
described and contemplated herein, provides a number of practical advantages.
One such advantage can be seen with reference to the embodiment shown in
Figures 2 to 5.
Referring first to Figures 2 and 3, these are axial cross-sectional views of
two containers 100, 110 similar to the view of Figure 1 but in which only a
part of
the circumference of the wall of each container can be seen. Each container
100,
110 has, as with the embodiment of Figure 1, a wall 12 having exterior 14 and
interior 16 surfaces and fractal elements 18-28 formed in the wall and present
in
the exterior and interior surfaces 14, 16.
The containers 100,110 have the same shapes and fractal profiles, which
are also symmetrical as will be apparent from the Figures. This correspondence
in
shapes enables the pits 40 and corresponding bulges 42 in the walls of the two
containers 100, 110 to engage into one another so as to interlock along a
portion
of their circumferences, as can be seen in particular in Figure 3. In this
embodiment, the pits 40 and bulges 42 have the same, but opposite, shapes such
that they are able to fit snugly into one another. This can be achieved, in
some
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embodiments, by creating two identical fractal sheets and curving them in
opposite
directions such that one surface of one the sheet becomes the outer surface of
one container and the same surface of the other sheet becomes the inner
surface
of the other container.
5 Furthermore, in the embodiments of Figure 1 to 3, the pits 40 and bulges
42
have what could be described as enlarged heads with narrower neck portions, in
which the fractal elements extend to a smaller width or diameter d at or close
to
their bases compared to a larger width or dimeter D further from their bases.
This
characteristic of enlarged heads may be prevalent in all of the pits 40 and
bulges
10 42 but in other embodiments may be exhibited in only a portion of the
fractal
formations in the wall 12.
As can be seen in Figure 3 in particular, the coupling of the two containers
100, 110 occurs, in this example, because the containers have a generally
curving
or rounded form, in which case the containers will only touch, and inter-
engage, at
15 their tangents.
In other embodiments that have different general overall shapes, such as
square or polygonal, the coupling of the fractal formations of two containers
may
occur across an entire side wall or a portion of one or more of the side walls
of the
containers.
When used for packaging, this characteristic enables multiple containers to
be coupled together without the need for any other tie mechanism of the types
commonly used in the art. In other words, two or more containers 100, 110 may
be joined together solely by inter-engagement of some of the fractal
formations of
the container walls 12. The containers need not have tessellating shapes, as
it is
only necessary for one or more of the fractal formations of each of the
containers
to inter-engage in order to achieve coupling.
Figures 4 and 5 show a view of another embodiment similar to that of
Figures 2 and 3, in which the fractal formations of the containers 100, 110
extend
generally linearly for at least a short distance longitudinally, in other
words in two-
dimensional manner rather than in a three-dimensional manner as a floret
would.
In this embodiment, the same fractal elements of the containers 100, 110 shown
in
Figures 4 and 5 will inter-engage longitudinally along their length, and if
they
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extend along the entire length of the containers they will then inter-engage
equally
along the length of the containers. In the case of three-dimensional fractal
elements, of what could be described as floret form, inter-engagement of two
or
more containers along a tangent thereof will involve the coupling of multiple
fractal
formations along the lengths of the containers.
The containers can be uncoupled by squeezing the containers 100, 110, for
example from either side of the coupling zone, to cause the engaged pits 40
and
bulges 42 to deform and open out. A user can in this manner separate the
containers 100, 110 with relative ease.
Referring now to Figure 6, this shows another embodiment of fractal
container 200 having a fractal form similar to that of the embodiments of
Figures 1
to 5. In this embodiment, the fractal formations extend in linear manner along
the
length of the container 200, as can be seen in particular in the perspective
view of
Figure 6. The container 200 can have any of the characteristics described
elsewhere herein.
With reference to Figure 7, in this embodiment the pits 240 and bulges 242
are not the same shape or size to fit one within the other precisely, as is
the case
with the embodiments shown in Figures 2 to 5. Nevertheless, the pits 240 and
bulges 242 are still able to engage partially, as will be apparent in the
Figure. The
two containers can be tied to one another by adhesive posited into the
interstice or
pocket 244 between the partially engaged pits 240 and bulges 242. More than
two
containers may be coupled together in this manner, in a fully or partially
tessellating manner depending upon the shapes of the containers.
The containers 200 can be separated from one another by applying
pressure to one or both of the containers, as shown In Figure 8. In the
example
shown in this Figure, the pressure may be applied diametrically opposite the
adhesive coupling 244, as per the arrow in the Figure. This pressure will
cause
deformation of the walls 12 of the containers and, as a consequence, apply
shear
stress (and typically also compressive and tensile forces) to the adhesive in
the
pocket 244, which will break or loosen. It will be appreciated that the
containers
could be squeezed from other directions and achieve the same result.
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Once the adhesive coupling has been released, the containers 200 can be
separate from one another as shown in Figure 9.
Referring now to Figure 10, this shows in schematic form partial wall
profiles of two fractal containers 300, 300' according to another embodiment
of the
present invention. In this embodiment, the wall has what could be described as
a
fractal random walk profile, with zig-zag wall elements of different lengths
lid,.
The two container profiles 300, 300' preferably have substantially identical
reversed or replicated profiles in at least a part of their extent, such that
they can
couple together in a precise nesting arrangement, as shown in Figure 10B. The
two fractal elements 300, 300' can thus be coupled together, typically by a
combination of mechanical inter-engagement and friction. The skilled person
will
appreciate that in this embodiment, as with the following embodiment shown in
Figure 11, the profile does not include any fractal elements having bulges or
pits
with enlarged heads, as occurs with the embodiments of Figures 1 to 9,
although it
is not excluded that in some embodiments they may have such characteristics.
Figure 11 shows another example, in which the profiles of the two
containers 400, 400' only partially nest one into the other. It will be
appreciated
that the degree of coupling of the containers together can be altered by
adjusting
the fractal profiles of the two inter-engaging surfaces to one another.
In the preferred embodiments, the lengths lid, of the zig-zag wall elements
are advantageously determined as statistical fractals whose dimensions may be
tuned via random walk parameters to optimize the interlocking of two or more
fractal containers. Bonding between containers can be relatively strong with
an
increased number and size of capture points and weaker with fewer capture
points.
In the embodiments of Figures 10 and 11, inter-engagement can be
provided by the profiles themselves and optionally, as per the above described
embodiments, assisted by the use of adhesive between adjacent containers.
The forms of container disclosed herein provide a number of other
advantages in addition to an increased ability to couple multiple containers
together.
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First, the fractal nature of the outer surface of the container provides a
better grip of the container compared to a container having a smooth outer
surface. This can be advantageous particularly with larger or heavier
containers,
in respect of which a good grip can be obtained with less holding pressure on
the
container wall.
Moreover, the corresponding convex and concave fractal elements provide
for increased surface area of both the interior and exterior surfaces of the
container relative to a volume of the chamber. This can be useful in
increasing the
heat transfer characteristics of the container, for instance to cool or heat
its
contents.
The skilled person will appreciate that the teachings herein can provide
other advantages and characteristics not exhibited in containers known in the
art.
b) Devices and Methods for Attracting Enhanced Attention.
The present invention relates to devices and methods for attracting
enhanced attention. The principles and operation for providing such devices
and
methods, according to aspects of the present invention, may be better
understood
with reference to the accompanying description and the drawings.
Referring to the drawings, Figure 12 is a simplified high-level schematic
diagram depicting a neural-flame device for attracting enhanced attention,
according to embodiments of the present invention. A neural-flame device 2
includes a support 4 serving as a beacon or an imitation candle, which may be
configured to accommodate the needs of the application (regarding physical
dimensions) such as an emergency alert or as an object of contemplative focus
embodying varying significance.
Neural-flame device 2 has a controllable light source 6 (e.g., an LED
component) with an optional translucent cover 8, which can be shaped like a
neuron's cell body or soma. Controllable light source 6 can incorporate any
type of
.. light-emitting device. Neural-flame device 2 includes a base 10 housing an
optional digital-to-analog (D/A) converter (D/A module 12) and an input
connector
14 for supplying a digital input signal for driving controllable light source
6 with the
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required voltage sequence at a frequency corresponding to approximately 4 Hz
and a fractal dimension near 1/2. It is noted that D/A module 12 can be
implemented as hardware, software, and/or firmware as an integral component of
a dedicated processor for neural-flame device 2.
Figure 13 is a simplified flowchart of the major process steps for operating
the neural-flame device of Figure 12, according to embodiments of the present
invention. The process starts with the system generating pulse trains having a
frequency of approximately 4 Hz and a fractal dimension of near 1/2 (Step 20).
A
system buffer is then filled with these special lacunar pulse trains (Step
22). These
pulse trains are then sequentially withdrawn from the buffer, and then
transmitted
to controllable light source 6 via input connector 14 (Step 24).
Optionally, pulse trains may be randomly removed from the buffer prior to
transmitting the signal to controllable light source 6 (Step 26). Such aspects
are
elaborated on in greater detail with regard to Figure 14.
Figure 14 depicts a trace of the time evolution of input to a neuron-like
thresholding unit of the neural-flame device of Figure 12, according to
embodiments of the present invention. The trace represents the output of a
random-walk algorithm carried out on a computer or processor that is in turn
applied to a neuron-like thresholding unit resulting in a series of activation
transitions as the trace crosses (i.e., intersects) the "neuron's" firing
threshold. The
arrival patterns of these activation transitions are then filtered by an
algorithm that
calculates fractal dimension (i.e., zeroset dimension of the trace), and fills
a buffer
with those transition patterns having an approximate fractal dimension of 1/2.
These
filtered patterns are then withdrawn from the buffer, and transmitted to drive
the
controllable light source.
The algorithm may be generated in an onboard processor and power
supply all within base 10 of neural-flame device 2. It is noted that not only
do such
pulse patterns represent the desired 4 Hz, fractal dimension 1/2 pulse trains,
but
they largely differ from one another, thus preventing any anomaly detection
filter,
biological or not, from adapting to repeating activation streams.
The neuron-activation stream is generated by inputting a form of random
walk of equal-sized steps to the neuron, with each such step being a notional
'coin
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flip' to determine whether the step is positive or negative in sign. As the
random
input crosses the neuron's firing threshold (as depicted in Figure 14), a
pulse is
triggered by the algorithm, the source of analog input to drive controllable
light
source 6 of neural-flame device 2.
5 Returning to optional Step 26 of Figure 13, the resulting stream of the
lacunar pulse train can be used as a set of candidate activation sequences
that
are then randomly withdrawn from the buffer, and transmitted to drive
controllable
light source 6.
The random walk may be started repeatedly from zero in a series of trials,
10 calculating fractal dimension for each, and then accumulating a library
(i.e., a
buffer) of just those short pulse sequences having the required fractal
dimension
near 1/2. Step 26 may be accomplished in nanoseconds, and the sequences
computationally slowed to near 300-ms timescales prior to being transmitted to
controllable light source 6.
15 Other techniques may be employed as well to mitigate such effects, as
known in the art. However, randomly withdrawing short pulse trains from the
buffer
has an advantage in that it adds another layer of randomness to the pulse
train,
allowing it to stand out when viewed through an anomaly detector, either in
the
brain or an artificial neural network-based novelty filter. With small pulse-
train
20 libraries, there is a chance of repetition as the short pulse trains are
appended to
each other, making it easier for the anomaly filter to adapt to them.
Such a "baseline reset" has been described (Thaler 2014). The fractal
signature of the random walk is determined largely by its step size. In the
case of
the neural flame, the random walk is tuned to provide a trace (i.e., a wiggly
line)
that has a fractal dimension of 1.5. Sampling the crossings (i.e.,
intersections) of
that trace with a baseline that is purposely introduced mid-channel yields a
zeroset
dimension of one less than that of the trace's fractal dimension, namely 0.5.
It is noted that the rigorous fractal dimension calculation (i.e., Mandelbrot
Measures) is immune to the regions in which the trace departs from the
baseline.
Without directly viewing the trace, the zeroset dimension may be verified by
waiting until the trace resumes its baseline crossings again, and then
calculating
how these intersections scale with time.
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In Thaler 2014, the reset involves seeking the nearest memory to the
network's current output pattern and using that as a new reference to measure
how far that vector has walked. The equivalent of a single neuron's activation
crisscrossing a baseline, the output pattern oscillates through a point in a
multidimensional space.
Figure 15 depicts a video stream for detecting fractal beacons within a
generalized scene from the neural-flame device of Figure 12, according to
embodiments of the present invention. Using a machine vision system, the video
stream is propagated through an adaptive auto-associative neural net used as
an
anomaly filter. With periodic, random, and fractally-tuned beacons (as
depicted in
(a) "raw scene" of Figure 15), the anomaly filter (as in (b) of Figure 15) can
block
out the anomalies representing the periodic source (as in (c) of Figure 15).
Subsequent algorithmic steps (as in (d) of Figure 15) calculate the fractal
dimension of each anomaly's activation stream, enabling separation of any
.. random source from that having a tuned fractal dimension (as in (e) of
Figure 15).
Thus, the use of fractal dimension at frequencies close to the clock cycle of
the
human brain, around 250-300 milliseconds, serves to enhance attention over
other
potentially-competing attention sources by selectively triggering the
physiological
anomaly-detection filtering of the brain.
To generate pulse trains to drive neural-flame device 2, input to a
computational neuron takes the form of a random walk over successive 300-
millisecond intervals, each step being of equal magnitude (Figure 14). The
aggregate intersections with the time axis represent the zeroset, with each of
these points ultimately representing a pulse within the sequence driving
neural-
flame device 2.
As these candidate pulse trains are generated, they are assessed for their
zeroset (or fractal) dimension, Do, which is approximated as: Do =
In(No)/In(N),
wherein N is the total number of 300 millisecond intervals sampled, and No is
the
total number of intercepts of the neuron's net input with the firing
threshold. As any
new firing pattern is assessed with a fractal dimension near 1/2, the pattern
is
stored within a memory buffer or array. Subsequently, such pulse trains are
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randomly accessed and transmitted to D/A module 12 where they are converted to
analog voltages to drive the neural flames of controllable light source 6.
Alternatively, use of a storage buffer may be sidestepped by using an
optimization algorithm that varies the step size of input variations to the
neuron
until the average fractal dimension of the pulse trains evaluate to the
desired
fractal dimension.
For use as a signal beacon, humans may search with or without the aid of a
camera and machine-vision system. In the latter case, the camera's video
stream
may be viewed through an anomaly detector, the preferred embodiment being an
adaptive auto-associative net that calculates the difference vector between
the
filter's input and output patterns, AP = P P
- in - out, thus producing a map of
anomalies within the camera's field of view. Subsequent filters then calculate
the
fractal dimension of anomalies appearing in this filtered view. Using such a
methodology, not only can fractal dimension 1/2 sources be identified, but a
range
of prespecified fractal dimensions in the range (0, 1), opening a whole new
approach to secure signaling and communication.
Furthermore, aspects of the present invention provide an object of
contemplative focus embodying symbolic meaning of varying significance (e.g.,
philosophical/religious) due to the fact that the unique fractal rhythms used
are
those thought to: (1) be exploited by the brain to detect idea formation, and
(2)
have grandiose meaning as the temporal signature of creative cognition,
whether
in extraterrestrial intelligence or cosmic consciousness.
While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited
number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations,
modifications,
equivalent structural elements, combinations, sub-combinations, and other
applications of the present invention may be made.
The disclosures in European patent application numbers EP18275163.6
and EP18275174.3, from which this application claims priority, and in the
abstract
accompanying this application are incorporated in their entirety by reference.
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