POLAR-REGION SHIP NAVIGATION SIMULATION SYSTEM
20250371214 ยท 2025-12-04
Assignee
Inventors
- Yanzhuo XUE (Harbin, CN)
- Yingfei ZAN (Harbin, CN)
- Chuanyue XU (Harbin, CN)
- Yicheng ZHANG (Harbin, CN)
- Ruinan Guo (Harbin, CN)
- Tongqi YANG (Harbin, CN)
- Zhongming LI (Harbin, CN)
- Duanfeng HAN (Harbin, CN)
Cpc classification
B63B2211/06
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
Abstract
It provides the following solutions: the system includes subsystems such as an integrated management and evaluation subsystem, and constructs a ship six-degree-of-freedom motion model. A thrust calculation model is built for the problem of propeller thrust affected by broken ice during the propulsion process. By treating broken ice as independent moving objects, the motion of broken ice is solved to obtain the relative motion speed between the ship and broken ice. The influence of broken ice on propeller performance is considered by incorporating the relative speed between the ship and broken ice into the propeller modeling process, which acts on the aforementioned model. The annular crack method is used to determine the breaking shape of level ice, and the generated broken ice is close to real-world conditions.
Claims
1. A polar-region ship navigation simulation system, wherein the polar-region ship navigation simulation system comprises a comprehensive management and evaluation subsystem, a ship sailing control simulation subsystem, a polar-region working environment simulation subsystem, a polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem and a polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem; the comprehensive management and evaluation subsystem comprises trainer software and electronic chart software, wherein the trainer software is used for providing input conditions of polar-region environment and ice layer distribution for the polar-region working environment simulation subsystem; and the electronic chart software is used for providing an initial position of a ship and a route plan for the polar-region ship motion simulation subsystem in real time, and controlling a simulation process of the simulation system at the same time; the ship real-time motion simulation subsystem comprises a thruster operation module, a steering engine operation module and a sailing and navigation control module; and is used for providing a rotating speed of a propeller, a rudder angle and a fault control instruction of a thruster for the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem, and used for simulating ship navigation control; the polar-region working environment simulation subsystem comprises a wind speed module, a wave field module, a flow speed module and an ice field module; and calculates a polar-region environment load, an ice load, and data of ice breaking and motion by constructing a ship-flat ice collision model and a ship-broken ice collision model; the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem comprises a propeller module, a rudder module and a ship module, and calculates a ship motion considering influences of wind, wave, current and ice loads by constructing a ship six-degree-of-freedom motion simulation model; and the polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem receives the data of ice breaking and motion calculated by the polar-region working environment simulation subsystem and data of the ship motion calculated by the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem, and is used for displaying and updating scenes of polar-region navigation, atmosphere, ocean and ice field in real time.
2. The polar-region ship navigation simulation system according to claim 1, wherein the polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem comprises a polar-region ship motion simulation driving module, a sea ice motion simulation driving module, a polar-region environment simulation module and a polar-region navigation auxiliary information display module; the polar-region ship motion simulation driving module is configured for receiving and updating a motion posture in polar-region ship navigation in real time; the sea ice motion simulation driving module is configured for receiving and updating distribution of floating ice in a ship navigation area in real time; the polar-region environment simulation module is configured for synchronously updating a polar-region environment according to a trainer instruction; and the polar-region navigation auxiliary information display module is configured for dynamically displaying an ice layer thickness and an interference distance in vision.
3. A polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method, wherein the polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method is implemented by the system according to any claim 1, and the polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method comprises the following steps: first step: setting environment conditions, sea ice conditions, the initial position of the ship and an expected navigation trajectory through the trainer software and the electronic chart software of the comprehensive management and evaluation subsystem, and issuing a simulation task; second step: according to the simulation task issued in the first step, calculating, by the polar-region environment simulation subsystem, wind, wave and current loads through the wind speed module, the wave field module and the flow speed module according to the set environment conditions, traversing a ship waterplane boundary point and nearby flat ice and broken ice boundary points by a multi-thread parallel programming method, and detecting a ship-ice contact situation; third step: on the basis of detecting the ship-ice contact situation in the second step, when the ship-ice contact is detected, calculating, by the ice field module, breaking of flat ice, a motion of broken ice, and total loads of the flat ice and the broken ice based on the ship-flat ice collision model and the ship-broken ice collision model according to distribution of sea ice, an ice layer thickness and a material property; fourth step: taking, by the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem, the wind load, the wave load, a relative speed between the ship and an ocean current, the total load of the flat ice and the total load of the broken ice calculated by the polar-region environment simulation subsystem as environment load inputs, taking the rotating speed and the rudder angle provided by the polar-region ship sailing control simulation subsystem as control instruction inputs, and constructing a propeller model, a rudder model and a polar-region ship six-degree-of-freedom motion simulation model respectively; and fifth step: generating, by the polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem, a three-dimensional scene according to a navigation sea area, and wind, wave and current environmental conditions issued by the trainer software, updating distribution of the flat ice and the broken ice according to data of the breaking characteristic of the flat ice and data of the motion of the broken ice calculated by the polar-region environment simulation subsystem, and updating a polar-region ship navigation simulation three-dimensional scene according to data of the ship navigation motion calculated by the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem.
4. The polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method according to claim 3, wherein the third step further comprises a step of calculating a ship-ice contact area, a compression force and friction force between the ship and the ice, and a bending failure load of the flat ice respectively, judging a breaking situation of the flat ice, and expressing shape characteristics of the broken ice falling off after the flat ice is broken through a radius of the broken ice falling off and an opening angle of an ice wedge.
5. The polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method according to claim 4, wherein the calculating the ship-ice contact area, the compression force and friction force between the ship and the ice, and the bending failure load of the flat ice, judging the breaking situation of the flat ice, and expressing the shape characteristics of the broken ice falling off after the flat ice is broken through the radius of the broken ice falling off and the opening angle of the ice wedge in the third step, specifically comprises the following steps: S31: firstly, judging a shape of a ship-ice contact part through the ice layer thickness h.sub.i, an included angle between a normal direction outside the ship and a downward vertical axis at the ship-ice contact part, and a compression depth L.sub.d, and calculating a ship-flat ice contact area A.sub.c, by the ship-flat ice collision model as follows:
6. The polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method according to claim 3, wherein the, when the ship-ice contact is detected, calculating, by the ice field module, the breaking of the flat ice, the motion of the broken ice, and the total loads of the flat ice and the broken ice based on the ship-flat ice collision model and the ship-broken ice collision model according to the distribution of sea ice, the ice layer thickness and the material property in the third step, is implemented by a method comprising: S311: firstly, constructing a dynamic model of each piece of broken ice in the ship navigation area:
7. The polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method according to claim 3, wherein the taking the rotating speed and the rudder angle provided by the polar-region ship sailing control simulation subsystem as the control instructions to calculate a propeller thrust affected by the ice in the fourth step, that is, the calculation of the propeller thrust .sub.P affected by the broken ice, is implemented by a method as follows:
8. The polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method according to claim 3, wherein the constructing the ship six-degree-of-freedom motion simulation model in the fourth step, is implemented by a method as follows:
9. The polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method according to claim 3, wherein the generating, by the polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem, the three-dimensional scene according to the navigation sea area, and the wind, wave and current environmental conditions issued by the trainer software in the fifth step, is implemented by a method comprising: simulating, by the polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem, the three-dimensional scene based on a three-dimensional engine, loading the initial position of the ship and the initial distribution of the flat ice and the broken ice through the navigation sea area and the wind, wave and current environmental conditions issued by the trainer software in the simulation process, and driving the three-dimensional engine to render a three-dimensional model of marine environment, atmospheric environment, an ice area and the ship to generate the three-dimensional scene.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0064]
[0065]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0066] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of embodiments of the present application more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be illustrated clearly and completely hereinafter with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Apparently, the embodiments described are merely some but not all of the embodiments of the present application.
[0067] First embodiment: this embodiment provides a polar-region ship navigation simulation system, wherein the polar-region ship navigation simulation system comprises a comprehensive management and evaluation subsystem, a ship sailing control simulation subsystem, a polar-region working environment simulation subsystem, a polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem and a polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem; [0068] the comprehensive management and evaluation subsystem comprises trainer software and electronic chart software, wherein the trainer software is used for providing input conditions of polar-region environment and ice layer distribution for the polar-region working environment simulation subsystem; and the electronic chart software is used for providing an initial position of a ship and a route plan for the polar-region ship motion simulation subsystem in real time, and controlling a simulation process of the simulation system at the same time; [0069] the ship real-time motion simulation subsystem comprises a thruster operation module, a steering engine operation module and a sailing and navigation control module; and is used for providing a rotating speed of a propeller, a rudder angle and a fault control instruction of a thruster for the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem, and used for simulating ship navigation control; [0070] the polar-region working environment simulation subsystem comprises a wind speed module, a wave field module, a flow speed module and an ice field module; and a ship-flat ice collision model and calculates a polar-region environment load, an ice load, and data of ice breaking and motion by constructing a ship-broken ice collision model; [0071] the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem comprises a propeller module, a rudder module and a ship module, and calculates a ship motion considering influences of wind, wave, current and ice loads by constructing a ship six-degree-of-freedom motion simulation model; and [0072] the polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem receives the data of ice breaking and motion calculated by the polar-region working environment simulation subsystem and data of the ship motion calculated by the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem, and is used for displaying and updating scenes of polar-region navigation, atmosphere, ocean and ice field in real time.
[0073] This embodiment is illustrated with reference to
[0074] The comprehensive management and evaluation subsystem and the polar-region ship sailing control simulation subsystem provide environmental conditions such as a reference height, a wind speed, a frequency, a significant wave height, a period, a water depth, a tide flow speed and a flow direction, and sea ice conditions such as distribution of sea ice, an ice layer thickness and a material property in a navigation sea area, set simulation working conditions such as an initial position of a ship and an expected navigation trajectory, and realize a function of inputting a rotating speed of a propeller, a rudder angle and a fault control instruction of a thruster.
[0075] The polar-region environment simulation subsystem and the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem provide wind, wave, current and ice loads, and breaking of flat ice and a motion of broken ice, consider the propeller thrust and the rudder force affected by the broken ice, and consider a function of calculating a polar-region ship navigation motion affected by the wind, wave, current and ice loads.
[0076] Second Embodiment: this embodiment further defines the polar-region ship navigation simulation system in First embodiment, wherein the polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem comprises a polar-region ship motion simulation driving module, a sea ice motion simulation driving module, a polar-region environment simulation module and a polar-region navigation auxiliary information display module; [0077] the polar-region ship motion simulation driving module is configured for receiving and updating a motion posture in polar-region ship navigation in real time; [0078] the sea ice motion simulation driving module is configured for receiving and updating distribution of floating ice in a ship navigation area in real time; [0079] the polar-region environment simulation module is configured for synchronously updating a polar-region environment according to a trainer instruction; and [0080] the polar-region navigation auxiliary information display module is configured for dynamically displaying an ice layer thickness and an interference distance in vision.
[0081] The polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem in this embodiment updates a polar-region ship navigation simulation scene in real time according to a position and a posture of the ship calculated by the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem, assists an operator to judge an ice area navigation state of the ship, and divides a polar-region three-dimensional scene into two sea ice driving modes, comprising flat ice area ice-breaking navigation and broken ice area ice-breaking navigation. In the simulation of the flat ice area ice-breaking navigation, the distribution of the flat ice and the broken ice in the navigation area is updated according to the ice crack and the motion of the broken ice calculated by the ship-ice collision simulation model. In the simulation of the broken ice area ice-breaking navigation, a geometrical shape of floating ice in a shipping route is randomly generated, a position of the floating ice is updated according to data of the motion of the broken ice, and illumination, ice and wave effects are simulated according to environmental conditions of the navigation sea area issued by the comprehensive management and evaluation subsystem.
[0082] Third Embodiment: this embodiment provides a polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method, wherein the polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method is implemented by the system according to any one of First Embodiment to Second Embodiment, and the polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method comprises the following steps: [0083] first step: setting environment conditions, sea ice conditions, the initial position of the ship and an expected navigation trajectory through the trainer software and the electronic chart software of the comprehensive management and evaluation subsystem, and issuing a simulation task; [0084] second step: according to the simulation task issued in the first step, calculating, by the polar-region environment simulation subsystem, wind, wave and current loads through the wind speed module, the wave field module and the flow speed module according to the set environment conditions, traversing a ship waterplane boundary point and nearby flat ice and broken ice boundary points by a multi-thread parallel programming method, and detecting a ship-ice contact situation; [0085] third step: on the basis of detecting the ship-ice contact situation in the second step, when the ship-ice contact is detected, calculating, by the ice field module, breaking of flat ice, a motion of broken ice, and total loads of the flat ice and the broken ice based on the ship-flat ice collision model and the ship-broken ice collision model according to distribution of sea ice, an ice layer thickness and a material property; [0086] fourth step: taking, by the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem, the wind load, the wave load, a relative speed between the ship and an ocean current, the total load of the flat ice and the total load of the broken ice calculated by the polar-region environment simulation subsystem as environment load inputs, taking the rotating speed and the rudder angle provided by the polar-region ship sailing control simulation subsystem as control instruction inputs, and constructing a propeller model, a rudder model and a polar-region ship six-degree-of-freedom motion simulation model respectively; and [0087] fifth step: generating, by the polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem, a three-dimensional scene according to a navigation sea area, and wind, wave and current environmental conditions issued by the trainer software, updating distribution of the flat ice and the broken ice according to data of the breaking characteristic of the flat ice and data of the motion of the broken ice calculated by the polar-region environment simulation subsystem, and updating a polar-region ship navigation simulation three-dimensional scene according to data of the ship navigation motion calculated by the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem.
[0088] Fourth Embodiment: this embodiment further defines the polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method according to Third Embodiment, wherein the third step further comprises a step of calculating a ship-ice contact area, a compression force and friction force between the ship and the ice, and a bending failure load of the flat ice respectively, judging a breaking situation of the flat ice, and expressing shape characteristics of the broken ice falling off after the flat ice is broken through a radius of the broken ice falling off and an opening angle of an ice wedge.
[0089] Fifth Embodiment: this embodiment further defines the polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method according to Fourth Embodiment, wherein the calculating the ship-ice contact area, the compression force and friction force between the ship and the ice, and the bending failure load of the flat ice respectively, judging the breaking situation of the flat ice, and expressing the shape characteristics of the broken ice falling off after the flat ice is broken through the radius of the broken ice falling off and the opening angle of the ice wedge in the third step, specifically comprises the following steps: [0090] S31: firstly, judging a shape of a ship-ice contact part through the ice layer thickness h.sub.i, an included angle between a normal direction outside the ship and a downward vertical axis at the ship-ice contact part, and a compression depth L.sub.d, and calculating a ship-flat ice contact area A.sub.c by the ship-flat ice collision model as follows:
[0102] Sixth Embodiment: this embodiment further defines the polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method according to Third Embodiment, wherein the, when the ship-ice contact is detected, calculating, by the ice field module, the breaking of the flat ice, the motion of the broken ice, and the total loads of the flat ice and the broken ice based on the ship-flat ice collision model and the ship-broken ice collision model according to the distribution of sea ice, the ice layer thickness and the material property in the third step, is implemented by a method comprising:
[0103] S311: firstly, constructing a dynamic model of each piece of broken ice in the ship navigation area:
[0110] Seventh Embodiment: this embodiment further defines the polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method according to Third Embodiment, wherein the taking the rotating speed and the rudder angle provided by the polar-region ship sailing control simulation subsystem as the control instructions to calculate a propeller thrust affected by the ice in the fourth step, that is, the calculation of the propeller thrust T.sub.P affected by the broken ice, is implemented by a method as follows:
[0112] Eighth Embodiment: this embodiment further defines the polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method according to Third Embodiment, wherein the constructing the ship six-degree-of-freedom motion simulation model in the fourth step, is implemented by a method as follows:
[0115] Ninth Embodiment, this embodiment further defines the polar-region ship navigation simulation modeling method according to Third Embodiment, wherein the generating, by the polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem, the three-dimensional scene according to the navigation sea area, and the wind, wave and current environmental conditions issued by the trainer software in the fifth step, is implemented by a method comprising: simulating, by the polar-region ship navigation vision simulation subsystem, the three-dimensional scene based on a three-dimensional engine, loading the initial position of the ship and the initial distribution of the flat ice and the broken ice through the navigation sea area and the wind, wave and current environmental conditions issued by the trainer software in the simulation process, and driving the three-dimensional engine to render a three-dimensional model of marine environment, atmospheric environment, an ice area and the ship to generate the three-dimensional scene.
[0116] Tenth Embodiment: this embodiment is illustrated with reference to
[0117] In order to verify the effectiveness and effect of the method described in this embodiment, taking a case that a simulated sea area of initial ship navigation only contains the flat ice as an example, an example of the polar-region ship navigation simulation system and modeling method comprises the following steps.
[0118] In first step: the comprehensive management and evaluation subsystem is started, environmental conditions such as a reference height, a wind speed, a frequency, a significant wave height, a period, a water depth, a tide flow speed and a flow direction, and sea ice conditions such as distribution of the flat ice, an ice layer thickness, an ice elastic modulus and a seawater density in a navigation sea area are set by the trainer software, an initial position of the ship and an expected navigation trajectory are set by the electronic chart software, and a simulation task is issued.
[0119] In second step: the polar-region environment simulation subsystem carries out the following steps according to the current environmental conditions and sea ice conditions: [0120] S21: generating, by the wind speed module, a wind spectrum according to the reference height of the navigation sea area, a one-hour average wind speed and the frequency at the reference height issued by the trainer software, calculating a wind speed distribution time calendar, and calculating the wind load by using a wind load coefficient according to a height on a water surface; [0121] S22: generating, by the wave field module, a wave spectrum and a direction spectrum according to the significant wave height, a characteristic period and a direction spread function issued by the trainer software, calculating a wave elevation time calendar, and calculating the wave load by using a response amplitude operator; [0122] S23: calculating, by the flow speed module, a wind speed-induced flow speed component according to a wind speed and sea conditions, and calculating a flow speed distribution time calendar according to the water depth and the tide flow speed issued by the trainer software to obtain the relative speed between the ship and the ocean current; and [0123] S24: discretizing a waterplane of the ship into boundary points, traversing the ship waterplane boundary point and the nearby flat ice boundary point by the multi-thread parallel programming method, and if an ice boundary point exists in a ship waterplane boundary, indicating a ship-ice contact.
[0124] In third step: when ship-ice collision is detected, the ice field module of the polar-region environment simulation subsystem calculates the breaking of the flat ice and the motion of the broken ice falling off, and the total loads of the flat ice and the broken ice falling off based on ship-flat ice collision according to the sea ice conditions such as the distribution of sea ice, the ice layer thickness, the ice elastic modulus and the sea water density issued by the trainer software: [0125] the ship-flat ice collision simulation model is constructed through the ice field module, the ship-ice contact area, the compression force and friction force between the ship and the ice, and the bending failure load of the flat ice are calculated respectively by steps, the breaking situation of the flat ice is judged, and the shape characteristics of the broken ice falling off after the flat ice is broken is expressed through the radius of the broken ice falling off and the opening angle of the ice wedge. This step specifically comprises the following steps: [0126] S31: firstly, judging a shape of a ship-ice contact part through the ice layer thickness h.sub.i, an included angle between a normal direction outside the ship and a downward vertical axis at the ship-ice contact part, and a compression depth La, and calculating a ship-flat ice contact area A.sub.c wherein a calculation model is as follows:
[0138] After the broken ice is generated by fracturing the flat ice, the broken ice moves as an independent object, and when there is ship-broken ice collision, the ship-broken ice collision simulation model is constructed through the ice field module, ship-broken ice, broken ice-broken ice, broken ice-flat ice solid surface contact forces are calculated respectively by steps, and a motion of each piece of independent broken ice in the ship navigation area under influences of wind, wave and current, and collision is calculated. This step specifically comprises the following steps: [0139] S311: firstly, constructing a dynamic model of each piece of broken ice in the ship navigation area:
[0146] In fourth step: the polar-region ship sailing control simulation subsystem configures a fault situation of the thruster of the ship through the sailing and navigation control module according to the navigation task issued by the trainer software, and provides rotating speed and rudder angle control instructions for the propeller module and the rudder module of the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem by operating a thruster simulation control handle and a steering engine simulation control handle, so as to sail the ship in different directions.
[0147] In fifth step: the polar-region ship real-time motion simulation subsystem takes the wind load, the wave load, and the relative speed between the ship and the ocean current calculated in the S21 to the S23, the total load of the flat ice calculated in the S313, and the total load of the broken ice calculated in the S333 by the polar-region environment simulation subsystem as the environment load inputs, takes the rotating speed and the rudder angle provided by the polar-region ship sailing control simulation subsystem in the fourth step as the control instruction inputs, constructs the propeller model, the rudder model and the polar-region ship six-degree-of-freedom motion simulation model respectively by steps, and calculates the polar-region data of the ship navigation motion under influences of the wind, wave, current and ice loads. This step specifically comprises the following steps:
[0148] S51: taking, by the propeller module, the relative speed between the ship and the broken ice into account by constructing the propeller model of the ship, considering an influence of the broken ice on a performance of the propeller, and calculating the propeller thrust considering the influence of the ice according to a rotating speed instruction of the propeller provided by the polar-region ship sailing control simulation subsystem; wherein a calculation model for the propeller thrust affected by the broken ice is as follows:
[0157] In sixth step: the polar ship navigation vision simulation subsystem carries out three-dimensional scene simulation based on a three-dimensional engine Unreal Engine, the initial position of the ship and the initial distribution of the flat ice and the broken ice are loaded according to the navigation sea area and the wind, wave and current environmental conditions issued by the trainer software in the simulation process, and the three-dimensional engine is driven to render the three-dimensional model of the marine environment, the atmospheric environment, the ice area and the ship to generate the three-dimensional scene; the boundary and shape of the flat ice in the three-dimensional scene are updated according to characteristic data of the breaking of the flat ice (the breaking radius and the opening angle of the ice wedge at the ship-ice contact part) calculated in the third step; and the distribution of the broken ice in the three-dimensional scene is updated according to data of the motion of the broken ice (the displacement and rotation of each piece of broken ice), and a posture of ship navigation in the three-dimensional scene is updated according to data of the posture of the ship motion calculated in the fifth step.
[0158] Any process or method described in the flow charts in
[0159] It can be understood by those skilled in the art that the above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the features described in various embodiments and/or claims of the present disclosure may be combined or integrated in various ways, even if such combinations or integrations are not explicitly described in the present disclosure, which are not used to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, it is still possible for those skilled in the art to modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or to substitute some technical features by equivalents. Any modification, equivalent substitution, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0160] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art can make additional changes and modifications to these embodiments once they know the basic inventive concepts. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as comprising the preferred embodiments and all the changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the present invention. Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, if these modifications and variations of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, the present invention is also intended to comprise these modifications and variations.