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A guide wire formed with a distal tapered segment and having a distal-end coil carried over a portion of the tapered segment. The strand forming the helical wrappings of the coil is reduced in thickness in the region of proximal attachment to the wire, to reduce the difference in diameter between the wire and the coil. Also disclosed is a method of producing the coil.
1. A wire device comprising a flexible, torqueable wire having a proximal end and a distal-end segment terminating at a distal tip region, and a spring coil (i) formed by helical wrappings of a wire strand and (ii) attached to the wire at the wire's distal tip region and in a zone of substantially constant or continuously decreasing diameter within the distal end region of the wire, wherein the improvement comprises
the strand forming the coil having a substantially fixed thickness cross section in a portion of the coil extending between the wire's distal end segment and said zone of coil attachment, and having a progressively reduced-thickness cross-section extending proximally along said zone, such that the difference between the diameter of the wire and the diameter of the coil in said zone is progressively reduced along said zone in a proximal direction.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the progressively reduced-thickness cross-section of the strand in said zone provides progressively greater surface contact between the strand and the wire, and the coil is attached to the wire by a bonding material in said zone of attachment.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the distal-end segment of the wire is a tapered segment having a length between about 3-50 cm.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein the wire has a proximal non-tapered portion which has a diameter of between about 8-40 mils and the minimum diameter of the wire, in the tapered region, is between about 1-5 mils.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the coil strand has a circular cross section of between about 2-10 mils, and a minimum reduced-thickness cross-sectional thickness of between about 25-50% of the fixed-thickness cross section.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the coil strand is a platinum, gold, or tungsten wire strand.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the distal end segment is tapered along said zone of attachment, and the reduction in the wall thickness of the coil along this zone corresponds approximately to the change in wire diameter along the zone.
8. A spring coil formed by helical wrappings of a wire strand and characterized by
(a) an inner diameter which is dimensioned to allow the coil to be placed on and encase a distal portion of a distal-end segment of a guide wire having a zone of constant or continuously decreasing diameter,
(b) a relatively long distal region in which the strand forming said wrappings has a substantially fixed-thickness cross section, and
(c) a relatively short proximal region in which the strand forming said wrappings has a progressively reduced-thickness cross section progressing proximally along the region of the coil, such that the wall thickness of the coil in said proximal region is progressively reduced along said region in a proximal direction.
9. The coil of claim 8, wherein the coil strand has a circular cross section of between about 2-10 mils, and a minimum reduced-thickness cross-section of the strand is between about 25-50% of the fixed cross-sectional thickness.
10. The coil of claim 8, wherein the coil strand is a platinum, gold, or tungsten wire strand.
The present invention relates to guide wires with distal-end coils, to improved coils for use with guide wires, and to methods of producing such coils.
Flexible wires which can be guided by torquing into small-vessel sites in the body, such as along vascular pathways or ducts, have a number of uses in medicine. One important use is as a catheter guide wire. In this application, the wire typically is fed through the catheter lumen and the catheter and wire are guided as a unit, by wire torquing, toward the target site. If the target site is deep within a soft-tissue, and can be accessed only along a tortuous,,.small-vessel path, it is usually necessary to alternately advance the more flexible guide wire ahead of the catheter, then thread the catheter along the advanced portion of the wire. By first preshaping (curving) the guide wire tip, and by torquing the guide wire during catheter placement, the wire can be directed into side-branching vessels and the catheter can then be advanced over the wire into the branching vessel. When the target site is reached, the wire can be withdrawn to allow fluid material to be injected through the catheter.
The wire may also be used as a radio-opaque probe for use in localizing sites of pathology, such as tumor regions, within the body. Here the wire, equipped with a radio-opaque probe, is guided to the site of interest by radiographic imaging. Once the probe is in place, its location can be used for guiding the delivery of drugs into or focusing radiation at the site, or as a site marker for surgical excision. The probe may also be used as a microwave antenna, for producing localized heating at the probe site in response to microwaves directed at the probe. A wire of this type may also be used for dislodging or puncturing plaque deposit material in a vessel, or for purposes of making the vessel accessible to catheter entry and/or balloon placement in the region of plaque.
Torqueable wires which can be guided into small-vessel sites, along tortuous vessel paths, have been proposed heretofore. Typically, these wires are formed of flexible, torqueable filament material, such as stainless steel, and have preferred diameters between about 8-40 mils (thousandths of an inch). The wire may be provided with a bent distal tip, or a bent spring coil tip which can be oriented, by torquing the opposite end of the wire, to follow a desired pathway at a vessel branching. Ideally, torque transmission should be controlled, such that a selected amount of torquing produces a desired amount of wire rotation at the bent distal tip.
In order to achieve both good torqueability along the wire and good flexibility at the distal end region of the wire, for movement through tortuous, small-vessel pathways, guide wires having relatively large-diameter body portions and tapered distal end regions have been proposed, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,390. Typically in this type of wire, the body portion is up to 200 cm or more in length, and the tapered region, 5-50 cm or longer. The relatively large diameter of the body portion wire, e.g., 14-40 mils, reduces the possibility of wire twisting, shearing and/or deformation in response to a torque applied to the wire. At the same the relatively greater flexibility in the tapered segment facilitates wire movement through sharp-bend regions in small-vessel pathways.
The wire construction just described preferably includes a coil spring which encases a major portion of the tapered end region, typically terminating at the end of the wire. In this construction, the core wire serves to transmit torque to the guide wire tip for wire steering into side-branching vessels, to transmit axial forces, and to support the catheter. The coil functions to provide column strength to the guide wire tip, and to increase the surface area of the tip region, to reduce the stress of the wire tip in contact with a vessel wall. Where the coil is formed of platinum or gold or tungsten, the coil also serves to enhance the radio-opacity of the wire tip. The coil also presents a soft end to prevent vessel trauma. The coil is typically attached as by brazing or soldering to the wire at the wire's distal tip and at the proximal end of the coil. It can be appreciated that the point of attachment of the spring coil to the wire, at the coil's proximal end, creates a step in the axial profile of the tapered wire region. Potentially this step creates a source of roughness which can injure vessel lining, and also become caught at the distal opening of the catheter, as the guide wire is withdrawn from the catheter. The latter may cause the coil to be pulled off the wire, particularly since the attachment of the coil to the wire at the step tends to be weak for lack of common bonding area between the coil and wire. The difference in coil and wire diameter at the coil end can be reduced by forming a reduced-diameter step in the wire, to accommodate the added thickness of the coil. However, the step in the wire creates a zone of poor torque transmission, and also allows sharp wire bending to occur.
It is one object of the invention to provide, in a flexible wire with an end coil, an improved spring coil which largely solves or avoids problems encountered with prior art guide-wire coils.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide such a coil which substantially reduces the difference between the diameter of the wire and the diameter the coil at the point of attachment of the coil to the wire.
Another specific object of the invention is to provide such a coil having increased surface contact with the wire at the point of proximal attachment.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a method of producing such coil which allows high-volume production.
The present invention is an improvement on a wire device composed of a torqueable wire having a distal-end segment terminating at a distal tip region, and a spring coil attached to and encasing a portion of the distal end segment. The coil is composed of helical wrappings of a wire strand, and is attached to the wire at the wire's distal tip region, and in a zone of substantially constant diameter or continuously decreasing taper within the distal-end segment. In the improvement, the strand forming the coil has a substantially fixed-dimension cross section in the portion of the coil extending between the wire's distal end and the zone of coil attachment, and a progressively reduced-diameter cross-section on extending proximally along this zone. The difference between the diameter of the wire and the diameter of the coil in the coil-attachment zone is thus progressively reduced along the zone in a proximal direction.
Preferably, the total wire length is between about 50-300 cm, the distal-end segment is tapered along its length, the total length of the distal segment is between about 5-50 cm, and the zone of attachment of the coil to the wire is in a tapered portion of the distal tip region. The strand material making up the coil is preferably a platinum or stainless steel wire having a circular cross section of between about 2-10 mils, and the wire thickness, at the most reduced-thickness portion of the coil, is less than about 25-50% of the normal circular cross section.
In one embodiment, the reduced-thickness coil strand is progressively more flattened on its inner surface (the surface in contact with the wire), or on both its inner and outer surfaces. The flattened cross-sections of the strand in the zone of attachment provides progressively greater surface contact between the strand and the wire. Therefore, where the coil is attached to the wire by a bonding material, such as brazing or solder, the bonding between the wire and coil is increased.
Also forming part of the invention is the improved coil having flattened strand windings in a proximal region thereof, such that the wall thickness of the coil is reduced on progressing along the proximal region toward the proximal end of the coil.
In another aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a helical coil designed for attachment, at one coil end, to a zone of substantially constant diameter or continuous taper within the distal-end segment of the flexible, torqueable wire. The method includes wrapping a wire strand helically on a rotating mandrel. At the end region of the coil adjacent said one coil end, the strand being wrapped is progressively reduced in thickness, preferably by progressive flattening, on progressing toward this end.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent when the following detailed description of the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing opposite end regions of a wire device constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 shows the coil in the FIG. 1 wire device;
FIG. 3 shows the distal end region of a wire device having a coil formed according to another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 shows the distal end region of a wire device having a coil formed according to still another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5 illustrates the method of the invention used for producing a coil of the type shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the mandrel and coils being formed on the mandrel in the FIG. 5 method;
FIGS. 7A and 7B show top and side views of a pair of rollers use in a device for flattening coil strands in the method illustrated in FIG. 5; and
FIG. 8 shows a pair of rollers used in a device for producing the coil illustrated in FIG. 3.
A. Guide Wire Device
FIG. 1 shows a wire device 10 constructed according to the invention. The device includes a flexible, torqueable core wire 14, and a coil 16 which is carried on and encases a distal end portion of the wire.
In one general embodiment, the wire device is used as a catheter guide wire for accessing a target site which is reached typically by wire movement along a tortuous, narrow-vessel path, for example, through a soft tissue region which contains the target site. Such a wire device can be used for guiding a catheter to the site, or for probing the target site, for example, for localizing the target site radiographically, or for heat generation at the target site in response to microwaves. Although the device which will be detailed herein is constructed specifically for movement through a small-vessel tortuous vessel pathway, it will be understood that wire devices constructed for applications in which different flexibility or column-strength characteristics are required can be similarly constructed.
Wire 14 is a flexible torqueable guide wire having a total length between about 50-300 cm, and a maximum diameter of the wire between about 8-40 mils (thousandths of an inch). The wire has a relatively long, body portion 18 which terminates at a proximal end 20, and a relatively short distal-end portion or segment 22 which terminates at a distal end 24. The body portion preferably has a substantially constant diameter along its length, but may contain regions of wire taper. The distal end portion is preferably tapered along its entire length. The boundary between the two wire portions is indicated at 28.
The distal portion of the wire contains a zone 26 of substantially continuous taper where the proximal end of the coil is attached to the wire. This zone is typically located between boundary 28 and distal end 24, and preferably in a tapered region of the distal portion. Alternatively, zone 26 may be directly adjacent the body portion, and/or in a constant diameter region of the distal portion.
In a preferred embodiment of the device, the tapered distal portion is between about 5-50 cm in length, and preferably about 15-20 cm in length, with the body portion making up the remainder of the wire length. It will be appreciated that only a small part of the body portion is shown in the figure. In a preferred embodiment, the distal-end segment has a continuous taper along its length, and the taper is preferably such as to reduce the wire diameter in the wire from about 8-40 mils at boundary 28 to a minimum diameter of typically 1-5 mils at the distal wire end.
The guide wire may be formed from flexible metal wire having a length typically between about 50-300 cm and a selected diameter between about 8-40 mils. Stainless steel wire of this type are commercially available, such as from Wytech and National Standard.
The distal end segment of the wire may be tapered by wire grinding, drawing, or etching techniques. The advantages of the grinding method are accurate control over the depth of cut along the wire, and the ability to produce the continuous taper at any region along the length of the wire.
Etching techniques for etching stainless steel substrates are known. In forming the guide wire of the invention, the region or regions to be tapered are submerged in a chemical etching bath. The wire is gradually withdrawn from the bath at a rate which exposes submerged portions of the wire to greater etching add therefore greater reduction in wire diameter. The rate of wire removal can be adjusted to produce linear, concave, or convex tapers. The etching method has the advantage that many wires can be processed in single batch. Also, complex machining and or wire processing devices are avoided.
Wire drawing, in which a heated wire is drawn under tension to a desired diameter, can also be used to produce long regions of continuous taper in the wire. In this method, the selected region of wire is heated, for example within a firing oven, and drawn out at a preselected tension when a selected wire temperature is reached. By careful monitoring of wire temperature and temperature uniformity in the heated wire region, and rate of wire drawing, accurate continuous taper can be produced.
As indicated above, the wire device is designed primarily for use as a catheter guide wire, either for use alone in accessing a internal body site or, more commonly, in combination with a catheter for use in catheter placement at a target site. To this end, the wire may be equipped with a proximal guide member (not shown) for applying torque to the wire as it is being guided to a target site. Such guide members may include a torquing arm fixed to the guide wire, or a torquing wheel which limits the extent of rotational movement which can be applied.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, coil 16 is formed by helical wrappings of a wire strand 30. As seen in FIG. 1, the coil is attached at its proximal end 34 to the wire along zone 26, and adjacent its distal end 36, to the distal end of the wire. Preferably the coil terminates at the distal end of the wire device, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The coil length can range from a few cm up to the entire length of the distal-end portion, which may be 40 cm or more. Typically, the coil is between about 3-15 cm in length.
The inner diameter of the coil is such as to allow the coil to encase a selected portion of the wire's distal end region, as shown in FIG. 1. Typical the coil has an inner diameter of between about 5-20 mils. Alternatively, the inner diameter of the coil may be tapered, for example, to match the taper in the encased portion of the guide wire.
According to an important feature of the invention, the strand forming the coil has a substantially fixed-thickness, cross-section along a distal portion of its length, and a progressively reduced-thickness cross-section on extending proximally along the wire region corresponding to the zone of attachment. Typically the distal portion is longer than the proximal portion containing the progressively reduced thickness wire. The progressive thickness reduction of the wire is such as to progressively reduce the wall thickness of the coil on progressing toward the coil's proximal end, i.e., progressively reduce the difference between the diameter of the wire and the outer diameter of the coil, in the zone of coil attachment to the wire. As can be appreciated from FIG. 1, this feature significantly reduces the step in wire diameter at the proximal end of the coil.
The strand forming the coil is preferably a platinum, gold or tungsten wire having a circular cross-sectional diameter of between about 21-10 mils and a maximally reduced thickness, at the coil's proximal end, of between about 0.5-2.5 mils, i.e., between about 25-50% of the coil's normal circular thickness. Likewise, the width of the coil strand increases progressively, as seen best in FIG. 2. Methods for forming the coil, according to one aspect of the invention will be described below.
Attachment of the coil to the wire is by two or three solder or weld joints, including a proximal joint 38 in the zone of attachment of the wire, a rounded distal joint 40, and optionally, an intermediate joint (not present in the FIG. 1 embodiment) which may be about 1-3 cm from the distal end of the wire and coil. The intermediate joint can serve to transmit torque in the wire to the coil, to cause the end region of the coil (and wire) to bend slightly at the solder joint, allowing the wire to be guided in a selected direction in a vessel network by torquing the proximal end of the wire.
Considering the proximal joint, it can be appreciated from FIG. 1 that the flattening in the coil windings acts both to (a) increase the number of helical windings which are in contact with the wire, without distorting the inner diameter of the coil, and (b) increase the surface contact between the windings and the wire. As a consequence, the bonding between the coil and wire in the zone of attachment is improved over the bonding possible in a conventional coil.
FIG. 3 shows the distal end region of a wire device 42 formed according to a second embodiment of the invention. A wire core 44 in the device has a tapered distal region 46, and a coil 50 which is attached to the wire at a zone of attachment 52 in the distal region. Like coil 16, the coil in the present embodiment has a major proximal section formed of a fixed-thickness strand having a circular cross-section, and a shorter distal region in which the strand is progressively flattened toward its proximal end. The coil differs from coil 16 in that the strand is flattened on its inner side only, giving a cap-shaped cross-section to the strands. The coil strand have a planar inner surface in their flattened region, providing greater surface contact between the coil and core wire in the zone of attachment.
FIG. 4 shows the distal end region of a wire device 54 formed according to still another embodiment of the invention. A wire core 56 in the device has a tapered distal region 58, and a coil 60 which is attached to the wire at a zone of attachment 62 in the distal region. The coil in the present embodiment has a major proximal section formed of a fixed-thickness strand having a circular cross-section, and a shorter distal region in which the strand is progressively flattened toward its proximal end, similar to above coils 16 and 50. The coil differs from these coils in that the reduced thickness in that the strand forming the coil is produced by thinning the wire with stretching, rather than by wire flattening. Thus the coil strand maintains its substantially circular cross-section throughout the coil, but has a gradual reduction in diameter progressing toward the coil's proximal end.
B. Method of Forming the Coil
FIG. 5 illustrates a system 70 for forming a coil, such as coil 16, according to the method of the invention. The system generally includes two relatively movable subsystems. The first subsystem supports a wire mandrel 72 on which the coil is wrapped. Thus the mandrel has the same diameter as the desired inner diameter of the coil. The mandrel is supported for rotation about its long axis, and may be stabilized along its length by a series of posts (not shown) which confine the mandrel to a substantially linear axis, while allowing free wire rotation. One end of the mandrel is secured in a chuck or the like for rotation at a speed preferably between about 50-500 rpm.
The second subsystem is mounted for movement along the axis of the mandrel at a controlled translational speed which is determined by the rotational speed (wrapping speed) of the mandrel and the desired helical pitch of the coil. A conventional worm drive or stepper motor device may be used for advancing the subsystem at the required speed.
The second subsystem includes a spool 74 containing the coil strand material, and a pair of rollers 76, 78 which serve as a guide for the strand during coil formation, and also function to flatten the wire progressively at selected intervals during the wrapping operation. As seen in FIG. 5, the two rollers are mounted for rotation about parallel axes 76a, 78a, respectively, which are also parallel to the mandrel's long axis. In the embodiment illustrated in this figure, the rotational axis of roller 76 is fixed, while that of roller 78 is mounted on the piston end of a cylinder 80. This cylinder is operable to place position the roller a selected distance from roller 76. Preferably one of the rollers, such as roller 76, is driven for rotation at a speed which advances the strand through the rollers at the same rate that the coil strand is wrapped on the mandrel.
The operation of the chuck which rotates the wire, the drive system which advances the second system, the motor(s) which rotates one or both of the rollers for feeding the strand, and cylinder 80 which determines the clearance between two rollers is controlled by a microprocessor or the like whose operation will be apparent from the following description of the functioning of the coil-forming system.
Initially the second subsystem, and more specifically, the strand-feed region defined between the two rollers, is moved to a desired initial wrapping position along the mandrel. The coil strand is fed through the rollers, which are spaced to contact, but not deform the strand as it is advanced through the rollers. With the strand fastened to the mandrel, the mandrel is now rotated to begin the wrapping of the strand on the wire. At the same time, the second subsystem begins to advance slowly along the mandrel to produce a desired helical spacing of the strand wrapping on the mandrel. Alternatively, the second subsystem may be stationary, and the mandrel may be advanced slowly with the first subsystem. Preferably the coil is formed under wrapping conditions which produce a close-pack coil spacing in which the adjacent helical windings are in contact or nearly in contact with one another, as illustrated in FIG. 2.
When the length of the wrapped coil reaches a specified length (which is shorter than the final length of a coil) cylinder 80 is actuated to reduce the clearance between the two rollers progressively, to cause progressive flattening of the strand as it moves through the rollers. The point of initial strand compression on the mandrel is indicated at bi in FIG. 6. This progressive flattening is continued until a maximum coil flattening is achieved, typically within 2-5 coil windings of when strand flattening first begins. At this point, the cylinder is actuated to place the two rollers at their initial position which relieves the compression on the coil strand. This point, which corresponds to the beginning of the next-in-series coil on the mandrel, is indicated at ai+1 in FIG. 6. The wrapping is continued under non-compression conditions until the tapered region of this next coil is reached (bi+1), at which point the cylinder is again actuated for strand flattening. This procedure is repeated until a suitable wrapping length along the mandrel is reached.
With continued reference to FIG. 6, the individual coils are formed by cutting the winding at the point at or adjacent the point of maximum strand flattening (points aj), and removing the coils from the mandrel.
FIGS. 7A and 7B show top and side views, respectively, of a pair of rollers 84, 86 for use with the system illustrated in FIG. 5. The two rollers are mounted for rotation about fixed rotational axes at the centers of the rollers, such as the center 86a of roller 86. In this embodiment, the strand compression action of the rollers is produced by a cam surface 88 formed on a portion of the outer surface of the roller. This cam surface extends over a radial angle a and has a progressively greater diameter on extending from surface points a0 to a1 which define angle a. This angle is typically between about 10-90 degrees. The difference between the radial projection of the cam surface and the circular profile of the roller defines the extent of flattening of the circular cross section of the strand. One of the two rollers, such as roller 84, may be driven for rotation at a speed corresponding to the wrapping speed of the strand on the mandrel, as above. Tee two rollers are held in fixed relative positions by annular rings 89, 91 on either end of roller 86, as shown.
In a typical operation used in forming coils, according to this embodiment of the invention, the wire strand is fed between the two rollers, where the wire is engaged, but not flattened by the rollers. The wire is now fed onto the rotating mandrel, with translation of the two roller and the strand spool on the second subsystem forming a helical coil on the mandrel. Over the surface portion of roller 86 which is outside of points a0, a1, the coil strand is fed onto the mandrel without wire compression, forming the portion of the coil which is proximal to its flattened portion. As the strand is fed over the cammed portion of roller 86, the strand is progressively compressed between the two roller surface, producing the flattened portion of the coil. Immediately after the coil has been maximally flattened, the wire is out of contact with the cammed surface, and the strand again assumes the circular cross section which will mark the beginning of the next-in-series coil being formed on the mandrel.
The resultant coil winding has the appearance of the winding shown in FIG. 6, where the coil windings between each aj and the corresponding (left adjacent) bj points are produced during coil passage through the non-cammed surface of the rollers, and the flattendd region, by passage through the cammed region of the rollers. The individual coils are formed by cutting the windings at each point aj as above. The coils are attached to the tapered end regions of core wires, by brazing, soldering, or the like, as detailed above.
FIG. 8 shows a pair of rollers 90, 92 which are used in place of rollers 76, 78 in the system shown in FIG. 5 for producing coils like coil 50 seen in FIG. 3. Roller 92 includes an annular groove 94 which is dimensioned to accommodate an outer surface portion of the wire being fed between the rollers, with the wire's inner surface being pressed against the cylindrical surface of roller 90. The rollers preferably are formed of or coated with tungsten carbide. As the two rollers are moved closer to one another, the coil strand's inner surface is progressively flattened, with little or no deformation of the outer surface. The operation and control of the rollers is substantially as described with reference to FIG. 5.
Methods for producing the wire thinning or stretching, in a system for producing a coil like coil 60 seen in FIG. 4, are available. In one method, the coil strand is wound on the mandrel under tension, with intermittent heating being used to stretch or thin the portions of the strand used to form the reduced-thickness region of the coils. In another method, the coil strand is prestretched under tension at regular intervals along its length, corresponding to those sections of the strand which will form the reduced-thickness regions of the coils.
From the foregoing, it can be appreciated how various objects and features of the invention are met. The novel wire device construction described herein provides the known advantages of a soft guidable tip, and enhanced column strength in a tapered guide wire. In addition, the present construction avoids the sharp step at the proximal end of the coil, and the potential problems of vessel trauma, and wire snagging in a catheter which are associated with a coil step. Another advantage of the invention is the increased area of contact of the coil with the wire at the proximal coil end, allowing an improved weld or bonding in this region. The improved bonding also cooperates with the reduced coil step to prevent the coil from being detached at its proximal joint by snagging.
The coil is easily formed, according to another aspect of the invention, by a continuous winding method which intermittently produces relatively short stretches of flattened-strand windings. Alternatively, a length of coil strand may be prestretched or flattened at selected intervals along its length, for producing the coils by simple coil winding methods.
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein, it will be recognized that a variety of changes and modifications can be made without departing from the invention.
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Before last year, the newest residence hall on the University of Washington's main campus had opened when Richard Nixon was president and "American Pie" by Don McLean was one of the year's top radio hits.
Over the next 40 years, as the school's undergraduate population grew, space became increasingly tight in the dorms. Waiting lists grew longer. And even the newest hall, Mercer, began showing its age.
Now all that is changing.
The UW is in the midst of a $201 million residence-hall building boom that is remaking the southwest side of campus. The work is bringing thousands of new dorm-style rooms and apartments, a grocery store and a fitness center, and eventually even a 3/4-acre urban farm.

subset: commoncrawl


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Read 'em and weep, Financial Social Media Buffs. The Google Google Trends Market Predictor pointed up, the market tanked.
The Predictor has been in happy land for 7 straight weeks. Mostly, so has the market.
It may be time for a trip to the garage for the GTP. It may be stuck on happy.
What would Click and Clack do? Look under the hood, maybe put it on a lift.
These tests have been based on a simplified Trend data process, lacking an API or labor to pull the full complement of data
Opening up the hood, and taking a closer look at the Trends data for "debt". Here's the chart for the last month -
What do we see here? There's a definite day-of-the-week pattern. With drops on weekends to low levels that don't show up in the history. The current "spot value" for the trend is Zero, tagged a from Saturday. Nothing for Sunday, the day the forecasts have been made. While there was a good range of values, it's not a bad guess that the data could be sporadic on weekends. Smoothing out the trends in trends, shown with the red line does show something new, the current "hump" on the right reverses the smoothed signal.
For this week, the new improved Google Trends Market Predictor, with full Ouija Compatibility (watch for the app), shows a down signal.
As usual, stay tuned. And if you happen to have a good Trends API to feed the machine, there's a free lunch with your name on it.
{Due to a tech error, this post, which was to have appeared on Monday was delayed till Tuesday. The data, as usual, are from Sunday evening.]


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Title: Distributorship
He works in Bankruptcy law (Creditors Rights), Litigation (including appellate practice, civil procedure, mediation, arbitration, international commercial litigation, arbitration, succesions), mainly on commercial and civil areas: distribution breach of contract, banking litigation, consumer banking, commercial credit, judicial collections and credit recovery, civil liability and torts, architectural law, aviation liability etc.
Languages: Spanish, French and English.
Areas of Practice
Litigation Percentage 95%
Professional Career
Significant Accomplishments
Private Asistant to the President of the Association of Federal Judges (1990/1991).
Bar Admission
Colegio Publico de Abogados de la Capital Federal.
Universidad de Buenos Aires (Lawyer, 1997).


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Prep's Woodson picks Memphis, not Marshall
HUNTINGTON -- Former Huntington Prep center and Baylor signee Dominic Woodson has committed to Memphis, he said through text message on Wednesday evening.
Woodson, the 6-10, 280-pound center who was released from his commitment to Baylor last week, had been choosing from several schools, including Marshall, but opted to commit with Memphis coach Josh Pastner instead.
On Wednesday evening, reports began circulating that Woodson's mentor, Kevin Robinson, had said Woodson had committed to Memphis.
Woodson initially denied having committed to Memphis upon first contact about the report prior to 8 p.m. on Wednesday evening, but at 8:33 p.m., he offered that "I was going to wait to commit, but Kevin told people already."
Woodson joins a Memphis team who features post player Shaw Goodwin down low and is bringing in talented power forward Austin Nichols from the Class of 2013.
When it was announced that Woodson was released from his commitment to Baylor on May 20, he said he liked Memphis because they "didn't have a true No. 5 (center)."
Memphis, a former rival of Marshall's in Conference USA, is moving to the American Athletic Conference, which is made up primarily of former Big East teams and fellow defectors of Conference USA.
The Herald-Dispatch welcomes your comments on this article, but please be civil. Avoid profanity, obscenity, personal attacks, accusations of criminal activity, name-calling or insults to the other posters. Herald-dispatch.com does not control or monitor comments as they are posted, but if you find a comment offensive or uncivil, hover your mouse over the comment and click the X that appears in the upper right of the comment. If you do not want your comment to post to your personal Facebook page, uncheck the box below the comment.


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Thank you. If a matching email exists we will send you an email in a few minutes with instructions on how to reset your password.
Don't forget to check your spam folder if you cannot find the email. For further assistance please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com .Okay
Madera Home
Approximately 200 years old, this restored antique hand-carved piece is from the late Qing Dynasty. Top left eve of an old temple.
Madera Home transforms aged barn doors, panels from antique armoires, and weathered beams from forgotten temples into exquisite new masterpieces. The furniture is made using only reclaimed wood, material that would otherwise find itself in a landfill as China races to modernize. Each piece is meticulously hand-finished using a multistep process and is colored with vegetable dyes to create a soulful patina.


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Oakland Raiders v New Orleans Saints
Charles Woodson of the Oakland Raiders participates in warm-ups prior... News PhotoAmerican Football - Sport,Charles Woodson,Former,Gulf Coast States,Louisiana Superdome,Match - Sport,NFL,New Orleans,Oakland Raiders,Pre-Season,Sport,Stadium,USA,Vertical,Waist Up,Warming UpPhotographer Stacy RevereCollection: Getty Images Sport 2013 Stacy RevereNEW ORLEANS, LA - AUGUST 16: Charles Woodson #24 of the Oakland Raiders participates in warm-ups prior to a preseason game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 16, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints won 28-20. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)


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Jean-Pierre Delord , the mayor of Bugarach gives a press conference... News PhotoAude,Bugarach,Close-up,France,Giving,Horizontal,Mayor,Politics,Portrait,Press Conference,Profile View,ReligionPhotographer ERIC CABANISCollection: AFP 2013 AFPJean-Pierre Delord (R), the mayor of Bugarach gives a press conference on December 20, 2012 in Bugarach. French authorities have pleaded with New Age fanatics, sightseers and media crews not to converge on the tiny village some believe will be one of the few places spared when the world supposedly ends on December 21, 2012. 'I am making an appeal to the world -- do not come to Bugarach,' said mayor Jean-Pierre Delord two days ago, echoing calls from regional officials who noted that police will from Wednesday block access to the southwestern village of 200 residents. AFP PHOTO / ERIC CABANIS (Photo credit should read ERIC CABANIS/AFP/Getty Images)


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Because of Hurricane Sandy I lost income and my Vehicle was 100% loss
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Dear Sirs: I am seeking capital to restart my business. Thanks, Sincerely, Douglas Eaton
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You won't be able to dismiss this by usual means (escape or click button), but you can close it programatically based on user choices or actions.
"My fiancé and I loved this Save the Date! It gave a quick and fun snapshot of the story of our love and the clean and bright design matched our aesthetic well. Got so many compliments from friends and family as they received them in the mail. Not your typical save the date and exactly what we wanted!"
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A collection system using a CD ROM computer system wherein the collection items (or more specifically their unlocking keys) are contained in various floppy disks. With the disks inserted into the computer system, the icons of the collection items on the disks appear on the computer monitor. By (double) clicking on the icon, the unlocking key unlocks the corresponding collection item in the CD ROM program into the hard drive and at the same time the unlocking key is rendered inoperative. A generally reverse process can be used to lock the collection item relative to the hard drive and render the unlocking key operative. The user collects the collection items by unlocking, using a number of floppy disks, the locks in his CD ROM program, which contains the corresponding locks for all of the collection items in the set. When the entire set or a predetermined subset thereof has been collected, the CD ROM program allows the user to play an interactive game related to the collection items. The user can also enjoy a video and/or audio presentation contained in the disk and/or the CD ROM program associated with each of the keys (and thereby the corresponding collection items) by (single) clicking on the appropriate icons. That is, instead of the prior art system of trading paper cards or the like, the user herein trades floppy disks to collect the collection items, and can enjoy audio/visual presentations and interactive computer games also associated with the collected items.
1. A computer-based collection system, comprising:
a computer system including a disk drive, a hard drive, a user input and a display system;
a program loaded into said computer system, said program including different locked first and second collection items;
a first disk having a first coded key, said first disk after being inserted into said disk drive being capable of unlocking, using said first coded key, said first collection item into said hard drive; and
a second disk having a second coded key, said second disk after being inserted into said disk drive being capable of unlocking, using said second coded key, said second collection item into said hard drive;
wherein said first coded key after unlocking said first collection piece is rendered inoperative and incapable of unlocking a corresponding first collection item in a similar program.
2. The collection system of claim 1 wherein said program is capable, by actuation of said user input, after said first collection item has been unlocked into said hard drive, of relocking said first collection item relative to said hard drive and rendering said first coded key of said first disk operative and capable of again unlocking said first collection item.
3. The collection system of claim 2 wherein said first disk with said first coded key operative allows said first collection item to be fully displayed on said display system and said first disk with said first coded key inoperative is incapable of fully displaying said first collection item on said display system.
4. The collection system of claim 3 wherein said first collection item when prevented from being fully displayed is displayed with visually dimmer display than when fully displayed.
5. The collection system of claim 4 wherein said computer system, said disk drive and said hard drive define, respectively, a first computer system, a first disk drive and a first hard drive; and further comprising a second computer system including a second disk drive and a second hard drive, a second program similar to said first program and in said second computer system, and wherein said first disk with said first coded key having been rendered operative can be inserted into said second disk drive to unlock using said first coded key a similar first collection item into said second hard drive.
6. The collection system of claim 1 wherein said second coded key after unlocking said second collection piece is rendered inoperative and incapable of unlocking a similar second collection piece in a similar program.
7. The collection system of claim 1 wherein said computer system includes a CD ROM drive operatively connected to said hard drive, and said program is loaded into said computer system by a CD ROM disk into said CD ROM drive.
8. The collection system of claim 7 wherein said first disk includes a first disk program, which includes said first coded key, and which when activated initiates a display, separate from said CD ROM program, on said display system, said display being associated with said first collection item.
9. The collection system of claim 1 wherein said program includes a locked third collection item different from said first and second collection items, and said first disk includes a third coded key adapted to unlock said third collection item into said hard drive.
10. The collection system of claim 1 wherein said first disk includes an identifier on its disk case.
11. The collection system of claim 10 wherein said identifier is a hologram.
12. The collection system of claim 10 wherein said second disk includes a different identifier, different from said identifier of said first disk, on its disk case.
13. The collection system of claim 12 wherein said identifier and said different identifier comprise different serial numbers.
14. The collection system of claim 1 wherein said first and second items form part of a larger set of collection items included in said program.
15. The collection system of claim 1 wherein said user input includes a mouse and a keyboard both operatively connected to said hard drive.
16. The collection system of claim 1 wherein said display system includes a visual display monitor and at least one audio speaker, both operatively connected to said hard drive.
17. The collection system of claim 1 wherein said program includes first and second encryption/decryption algorithms corresponding to said first and second collection items, said first coded key is associated with a complementary first encryption/decryption algorithm complementary to said first encryption/decryption algorithm, and said second coded key is associated with a complementary second encryption/decryption algorithm complementary to said second encryption/decryption algorithm.
18. The collection system of claim 1 wherein said program includes an interactive computer game which a user can play using said user input only after said first and second collection items have been unlocked into said hard drive.
19. The collection system of claim 1 wherein said first disk includes a third coded key, and further comprising a third disk containing said third coded key but not said first and second coded keys.
20. A computer-based collection method, comprising the steps of:
providing a computer system including a disk drive, a hard drive, a CD ROM drive, a user input and a display system;
providing a CD ROM program loaded into said CD ROM drive, the program including different locked first and second collection items;
providing first and second disks having respective first and second coded keys;
inserting the first disk into the disk drive;
instructing the computer system via the user input to unlock the first collection item onto the hard drive using the first coded key of the inserted first disk;
inserting the second disk into the disk drive; and
instructing the computer system via the user input to unlock the second collection item, into the hard drive using the second coded key of the inserted second disk.
21. The collection method of claim 20 wherein the program includes an interactive computer game, and further comprising after said second instructing step and only after a specified series of collection items, including at least the first and second collection items, have been unlocked into the hard drive using respective coded keys contained on disks, playing the computer game using the user input.
22. The collection method of claim 21 wherein said playing includes playing the computer game on-line with another player.
23. The collection method of claim 20 further comprising inserting a third disk having therein a coded key into the disk drive; viewing on the display system a collection item associated with the coded key of the third disk; and without rendering the coded key inoperative, removing the third disk from the disk drive and trading it with another person for at least a fourth disk having a coded key therein.
24. The collection method of claim 20 wherein said first-mentioned instructing step renders the first coded key inoperative and incapable of unlocking a similar first collection piece in a similar program.
25. The collection method of claim 24 further comprising after said firstmentioned instructing step, removing the first disk from the disk drive, and thereafter inserting a disk having an inoperative first coded key into the disk drive, and instructing the computer system to relock the first collection item and render the inoperative first coded key operative and capable of subsequently unlocking the first collection item.
26. The collection method of claim 25 further comprising after said rendering the first coded key operative, inserting the disk into a different computer system and unlocking a corresponding first collection item therein.
27. The collection method of claim 20 further comprising after said second-mentioned instructing step, displaying the first and second collection items on the display system.
28. The collection method of claim 20 wherein said first-mentioned instructing step renders the first coded key inoperative and incapable of unlocking a similar first collection piece in a similar program.
29. The collection method of claim 20 wherein said instructing steps use public key encryption technology.
Through the years, people and especially children have enjoyed collecting various things as a game, a hobby, a competition, a lesson or for other reasons. In early times they collected stones, animal or plant parts or other things found in nature. Later it was also manufactured items such as marbles, toys, memorabilia, coins or stamps. More recently, collecting WACKY PACKS (cult stickers with humorous (sometimes ghoulish humor) corrupted pictures of common trademarked products) and POGS (a bottle cap type of game) have been popular. Over the past hundred or so years and continuing today, trading card collecting has been extremely popular and the more popular of them have been baseball trading cards sold in packs or in a package with another product typically bubble gum. The cards each have a baseball player pictured thereon with his playing statistics and a brief write-up on him. The collector, typically children, would seek to collect a desired set of cards, which could be all of the players on a certain team, his/her favorite players, or the more rare and desired and thus valuable cards. In fact, some cards are so desirable that they have sold for many tens of thousands of dollars.
To obtain the desired cards the collector can purchase them from the original source if still available and/or can trade his less desirable cards with other collectors for his desired cards. The negotiating and interactions with other collectors is a big attraction to the collection activity. While in the past and typically now the trading takes place informally with just two or a few people gathered together, large trading conventions attracting tens of thousands of people have been held to attempt to satisfy the growing trading interest, needs and demands. In other words, people are continually looking for different items to collect, and different more entertaining ways of trading and collecting, and this invention is directed to at least partially satisfying those needs.
Disclosed herein is a computer-based collection and trading system, providing a unique and flexible system for trading, displaying and enjoying collectible items. Instead of being contained on paper trading cards (or stamps or the like) as often found in the prior art, the collectible items of the present invention are contained on standard 31/2" floppy disks, and the children (or adults) then trade the floppies themselves instead of the paper cards. To view the collectible items on a floppy, and each floppy would typically have one or more and preferably six items therein, the floppy is inserted into a compatible personal computer and the floppy program run. For each collectible item, an associated audio/visual display on the computer would be available to be accessed and enjoyed if desired.
The collectible items can be "transferred" from the floppies to a CD ROM program on that computer for further display, collecting and interactive game playing. The CD ROM program is like an album for the cards, providing a neat, organized and fun method of storing and retrieving the cards and accompanying software. The game playing is preferably possible only after the entire set of collectible items or one or more predetermined subsets thereof have been collected, using the CD ROM program into the computer's hard drive. This provides a greater incentive to collect the entire set.
The collectible items are individually "transferred" from the floppies to the hard drive using a system of encryption/decryption algorithms. When transferred, the item is disabled from that floppy so that the floppy cannot be used again to transfer that item to another computer system (unless the item has been transferred back to it from the hard drive). The item can be transferred from the hard drive only to that floppy (or a similar disabled floppy having that algorithm), as when the user wants to trade the item on the floppy to another collector. As each collectible key or code is located on a floppy, it is selected by the user, locked and dimmed on that floppy, its key code updated to a preferences file on the host computer system and then unlocked on the companion collection CD ROM program. That is, the key has been dimmed from use on the floppy and lit on the CD ROM via the computer system. All remaining keys remain intact on the floppy disk, available for trading to another collector. Once all the cards in a particular series are collected (unlocked from the CD ROM to the hard drive), an interactive game is decrypted for the collector-user to play and enjoy.
As further protection and deterrence against unauthorized copying, each floppy disk case includes affixed thereon a unique hologram and a unique serial number.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of equipment used in a computer-based collection system of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a collection system and method of the present invention using the equipment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the lower left portion of the flow chart of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a first screen display of the present invention on the monitor shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a second screen display;
FIG. 6 is a third screen display;
FIG. 7 is a front view of one of the floppy disks of the system of FIG. 1, shown enlarged and in isolation;
FIG. 8 is a rear view of the disk of FIG. 7; and
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an alternative system of the present invention.
The computer equipment of the system shown generally at 30 are best illustrated in FIG. 1. The equipment includes a computer hard drive 32, a floppy disc drive 34, a display monitor 36, a keyboard 38, a mouse 40 and speakers 42, 44. The minimum equipment specifications and system software requirements 48 are MPC Level 2 or higher or MAC 68040 or higher. The requirements are itemized in detail later in this disclosure. Also, periodically throughout this disclosure prior art patents are referenced, and each of their entire disclosures is incorporated herein by reference.
A CD ROM program is installed in the CD ROM drive 52 using a CD ROM disk 54 in a conventional manner. The collection items and associated programs to interact with the CD ROM program are played and installed into the hard drive 32 by using floppy disks inserted individually into the disk drive. More than one floppy disk is preferably needed for this system and three are pictured in FIG. 1 at 56, 58, 60.
The CD ROM program includes all of the collectible items in the set of collectible items. However, they are all "locked" and cannot be accessed and unlocked into the hard drive 32 unless the unlocking "keys" are accessed and used. A separate key is provided for each of the locked items, and the keys are provided on the floppy disks 56, 58, 60. The number of items in the set of collectible items will be at least two and preferably and more likely many tens or hundreds, depending on the CD ROM program. Each floppy disk 56, 58, 60 will have at least one key and more likely a plurality such as six keys.
Although there can be floppies having identical keys, most floppies will have different groups of keys. For example, floppy 56 can have keys A, B, C, D, E and F (for corresponding collection items), floppy 58 can have keys D, E, F, G, H and I, and floppy 60 can have keys B, C, D, G, H and I. In this brief example, key A appearing on only one floppy may be the most valuable and thus most tradeable and key D appearing on all three floppies is the least valuable. The CD ROM program game (to be discussed later) may make certain keys more valuable even if more common due to the use of the corresponding item in the game. Also, certain keys may be more valuable because of the desirability of the associated item.
The "keys" on the floppy discs 56, 58, 60 unlock the "locks" of the CD ROM program and individually unlock the collection items onto the hard drive 32 using dualencryption code technology. More particularly, the CD ROM program contains the complete set of encryption/decryption algorithms or "private keys" as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 generally at 70 and the floppy contains a complementary set of encryption/decryption algorithms or "public keys", as shown generally at 72. (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,442,706 to Kung and 5,343,527 to Moore). The public and private keys 70, 72 are combined shown generally at 74 via standard multimedia computer equipment as depicted in FIG. 1 to unlock the private media and lock the public media. This is accomplished via an encryption/decryption algorithm which allows the user to effectively unlock media on the CD ROM drive 52 and lock the media on the floppy disks 56, 58, 60.
The system (30) is operated (or the game is played) referring to FIG. 2 as follows:
(1) the CD ROM program is loaded onto the CD ROM by inserting the CD ROM disk 54 into the CD ROM drive 52 in a conventional manner; at this time all of the collection items at this time are locked relative to the hard drive 32;
(2) the user acquires a (31/2") floppy disk 56 having a floppy disk program including at least one of the coded keys 72 (for unlocking the corresponding collection item(s)) and inserts it into the disk drive 34 as shown in the flow chart by step 80, and the disk appears on the desktop of the monitor 36, as shown by step 84;
(3) using the mouse 40 the user clicks twice to open the disk and reveal the program icon, as shown by step 88, and double clicks on the program icon to launch the application, as shown by step 92;
(4) alternatively, pursuant to another method, the floppy disk 56 instantly mounts and launches into an audio (via the speakers 42, 44) and visual (via the display monitor 36) opening presentation beginning with opening credits and resolving into an opening main screen display, as shown by step 100; the main screen 102 has "Main Menu" and "More Info" buttons 106, 108 which are depicted in FIG. 4;
(5) clicking on the "More Info" button 108 reveals a screen (not separately shown in the drawings) with explanatory information, and alternatively clicking on the "Main Menu" button 106 produces the graphical icon display, as Shown in FIG. 5 generally at 114, and having the six graphical icons 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130 (the six trading cards), a "Quit" button 134, a flashing "Make a Selection" message 136 and a title 138; this is shown by step 142 in FIG. 2;
(6) clicking on the Quit button 134, quits the application as shown by step 144 and results in an exit audio/visual display as shown by step 146;
(7) instead of step (6), clicking on the desired icon (trading card), as shown by step 148, produces the display 150 of FIG. 6, which is an enlarged view of the back side of that card with another picture 154 of the player, his name 156, his statistics 158 and a brief bio 160; the display 150 also includes a "Main Menu" button 166 (which when clicked on takes the user back to display 114 of FIG. 5), an "Add to Collection" button 168 and a title 170; the appearance of display 150 can be accompanied with an audio and/or audio/visual display as shown by step 180;
(8) clicking on the "Add to Collection" button 168, as shown by step 184, activates the unique code (or encryption/decryption algorithm) for that graphical icon (or trading card or collection item) as shown by step 188, and unlocks the first collection item from the CD ROM into the hard drive 32; in other words, before clicking on the "Add to Collection" button 168 the CD ROM program had not been accessed or even need be present; rather, the user can enjoy the audio and visual presentations of the screens 114 and 150 of FIGS. 5 and 6 simply through the programs on the floppies 56 (58, 60) when loaded into the computer;
(9) as the first collection item (120) is unlocked from the CD ROM into the hard drive 32, the first coded key 74 on the floppy 56 is rendered inoperative; that is, it is incapable of unlocking a corresponding first collection item in a similar CD ROM program; in the display 114 of FIG. 5 it is dimmed, as shown by the other five graphical icons;
(10) after step (9), by clicking on the dimmed icon button, the first collection item can be "transferred" back to the first floppy 56, as for example when the user wants to trade (or sell) the first collection item (or more specifically the first coded key, etc.) with another person; when it is transferred back, the first collection item is (re)locked relative to the hard drive 32 and the first coded key (74) is rendered operative, using the encryption/decryption code, and goes from dim to bright as in the display of FIG. 5; instead of transferring it back to that specific first floppy 56, it can be transferred to another floppy, such as 58 or 60, which has a similar inoperative first coded key; all subsequent steps outlined below will presume that the first collection item has not been relocked;
(11) other collection items are unlocked as desired using other corresponding coded keys on the first floppy disk 56 and the first floppy disk removed from the disk drive 34;
(12) second, third and so forth floppy disks (58, 60) are inserted in the disk drive 34, and further collection items unlocked using the coded keys thereon, as available and desired;
(13) the CD ROM program includes an interactive game 194 (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,258 to Wilson et al.), which can only be played after all or one or more specific subsets of the collection items have been unlocked as shown by the key library 196; that is and referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, all of the library keys 196 have been collected; to access this game, the CD ROM has its own interface which when presently mounted on the computer system shows a tally of the keys collected and the remaining keys to be collected before the game is activated; the user double clicks on the CD ROM icon or it mounts instantly, revealing a main screen which shows the tally and remaining keys; when the remaining keys have been collected an additional interface becomes active which allows access to the supporting interactive game within the collection series; the program can contain a number of games accessed when different collections, subsets or libraries of keys 196 have been collected or collection items unlocked;
(14) after playing the game 194, the user clicks on a quit button of that screen to return to the main screen 102, as shown by step 198, or return to their collection; and
(15) thereafter, other collection items can be unlocked or transferred back as described above, other games played as the program permits, and/or collection items (or their coded keys) traded with others by trading the floppy disks containing them (as shown in FIG. 9) by arrows 199.
In other words, when a disk 56 is inserted into the floppy disk drive 34, the information contained on the disk can be viewed but the software locked thereto cannot be removed or copied. The user must click (step 146) on the chosen cards (graphical icons) (120) to send their unique unlock code/key 74 to the companion CD ROM 72. That card is then dimmed (locked or rendered inoperative) on the floppy 56 as shown in FIG. 5 and lit (unlocked) on the CD ROM. A preferences file is created and housed on the hard drive 32, hidden within the system folder. This file tells the CD ROM which keys have been collected and which icons are effectively unlocked.
Referring to FIG. 3, the encryption/decryption system controls access to media assets. By controlling access, a game can be made of the acquisition and trading of access keys and the access to the media files. By collecting keys 196, media is unlocked on the system. Possibilities are available for having nested keys that once having been gathered can provide a composite key that will allow access to alternate media files or collector bonuses and allow for multi-stage collectible experiences.
More specifically, access keys are stored in two portions--one on a master media element, such as a CD ROM 72, and the other on copy-protected floppy diskettes 56. Both keys are required to unlock a media file 74. A lock may be moved from the floppy disk 56 to a table on a hard disk drive 32. The process physically removes the key portion from the floppy diskette 56 and places that encrypted key into the table 196, which is normally filled with encrypted dummy keys. The actual keys are hashed into the table using a proprietary algorithm. Also part of the key is based upon a defect table held in the FAT (File Allocation Table) of the floppy 56. This defect is required in order to transfer the key, which is stored in the bad section identified by the floppy defect. As an added protection, the LBE (Logical Block Entry) of the bad sector of the floppy 56 also is part of the key. Once the CD ROM public key 72 is matched with the floppy private key 74, the media asset becomes active and accessible.
Once keys are placed in the table they allow decryption of the media using PGP (pretty good protection) or a similar dual drive 34 key encryption system. The keys 72 on the CD ROM 72 work with a number of similar keys 74 placed on the floppies. In this way each floppy 56, even for the same media file, will have a unique key. The keys may be transferred to the original floppies 56 and removed from the hard disk 32. This process only allows original floppies to be used for removal of codes as the key is specific to that floppy.
Various prior art encryption systems for different uses are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,237,610 (Gammie et al.), 5,319,705 (Halter et al.), 5,343,524 (Mu et al.), 5,379,433 (Yamagishi), 5,412,717 (Fischer), 5,412,718 (Narasemhalu et al.), 5,416,850 (Cane et al.) and 5,440,631 (Akiyama et al.).
A description of a preferred baseball interactive game 194 and its various steps and options follow. Each Baseball Series disk contains statistical information that is unique to the baseball personality contained on the floppy card. This unique statistical information effects how that player performs in a typical baseball game (i.e., average RBI's, Batting averages, home runs, and so forth). The entire Baseball Game is contained on the companion CD ROM and the players are available to the user only as they have been collected via the floppies. Any player collected on a card may be added to a team file by clicking the "Add to Collection" button. Then via the dual encryption algorithm the player becomes available for play. Reversely a player may be returned to the floppy and encrypted on the CD ROM, thus making them available for trading with a friend. This key collection becomes a user's personalized all star team assembled and played against the computer CD ROM baseball game or with another collector's team via the on-line version of the game. The trading card game is enhanced when a companion CD ROM is used to facilitate the collection, allowing the players to compete. It is not necessary to have the CD ROM to participate in a collection series of baseball cards, they may be viewed and collected as they appear on the floppy.
The interactive game 194 can be played by the user alone or on-line with another computer system shown generally at 200 having a similar CD ROM program, as depicted in FIG. 9. Shown therein is the computer system 30 of FIG. 1 and another similar computer system shown generally at 30' operatively connected together via a telephone line 202 and telephone modems 204 and 206 (see U.S. Pat. No 5,273,288 to Teshima et al.). Components of system 30' corresponding to those of system 30 are assigned the same reference numeral followed by a prime designation.
Preferred collectible items of this invention are baseball cards, as previously described in detail. Of course other items can be adapted and collected, such as "cards" for other sports figures, for actors and actresses, or for historical figures. For example, one embodiment can be an educational game where the users collect and learn about former United States Presidents. Another educational game can comprise collecting former generals and admirals (possibly together with various weapon systems) and the interactive game could reenact famous battles, using the collected soldiers and weapons, either against the computer or on-line (See FIG. 9) against a fellow collector.
Another collection game 194 involves collecting "monster parts" and assembling them with different attributes or powers. One of the monster parts (or collection items) could be an "essence" card (or "live force vial") which is the part needed to bring the assembled monster to life. The "essence" cards could be the more rare, that is, provided on fewer floppies (56, 58, 60), and thus more desirable, valuable and tradeable. With the monster assembled and brought to life and the interactive game actuated, the player's (good) monster can be pitted against the game's (evil) monsters created by an evil doctor. The object of the game would be to access the evil doctor's laboratory and shut off the power. To help the user prevail some of the items collected from floppies can be "weapons," such as monster stitch desolver, iodine revealer for revealing invisible evil monsters, gauze bandages for tieing them up, golden daggers or things to increase the (good) monster's fighting capabilities such as invisibility cartridges or power bolts providing flying powers.
An adult version of the present collection system can be a take-off of the old video arcade peepshows, with the collection items being (pictures of) attractive women. The content played from the floppy on the CD ROM game itself can be audio/visual displays of the collected ladies performing a striptease.
The Multimedia PC Marketing Council, Inc. has developed a second-level multimedia computer specification to encourage the adoption of enhanced multimedia capabilities. This specification is a backwardly compatible superset of the MPC Level 1 Specification, which continues in effect. This Specification defines the minimum system functionality for Level 2 compliance but is not intended as a recommendation for a particular system configuration. The following minimum Multimedia PC Level 2 System requirements are applicable to the present invention:
I. Hardware:
25 MH 486 SX or compatible microprocessor
Four megabytes of RAM (Eight megabytes recommended)
3.5"Floppy drive
Hard drive (160 MB minimum)
Video display resolution of a least 640�480 with 65,536 (64K) colors
Two button mouse
101 key Keyboard (or functional equivalent)
CD-ROM Drive:
Double-speed with CD-DA outputs (Capable of sustained 300 KB/sec transfer rate)
No more than 40% of the CPU bandwidth may be consumed when maintaining a sustained transfer rate of 150 KB/sec
Average seek time of 400 milliseconds or less
10,000 hours MTBF
CD-ROM XA ready (mode 1 capable, mode 2 form 1 capable, mode 2 form 2 capable)
Multisession capable
MSCDEX 2.2 driver or equivalent that implements the extended audio APIs
Subchannel Q support (P, R-W optional)
Audio board:
16-bit DAC, Linear PCM sampling; 44.1, 22.05, and 11.025 kHz rate,
DMA/FIFO buffered transfer capability
16-bit ADC, Linear PCM sampling; 44.1, 22.05, and 11.025 kHz rate,
DMA/FIFO buffered transfer capability; microphone input
Music synthesizer
On-board analog audio mixing capabilities
CD-ROM XA audio capability is recommended
Support for the ImA adopted ADPCM software algorithm is recommended
Serial port
Parallel port
MIDI I/O port
Joystick port
Headphones or speakers connected to the computer system
II. System Software:
Binary compatibility with Windows 3.0 plus Multimedia Extensions or Windows 3.1.
CD-ROM/Sound Card Audio Cable Standard for MPC Components--Same cable standard as Level 1 (full systems upgrade kits are not required to observe this specification).
To deter copying fin the event the algorithm codes are uncovered) the houses or cases 210 of the floppies 56 are themselves made unique. As shown in FIG. 7, each has a hologram 212 affixed thereto by adhesive and unique artwork with product names 214 on the front side and a unique serial number 216 printed on the back side as shown in FIG. 8. Thus, to have the "bootleg" floppy identical to the genuine one, not only would the code keys and programs need to be discovered and copied but also the hologram and serial number. Maximum collectibility, resale value and protection of contents are thereby enhanced.
The floppy disks can be purchased through retail outlets or acquired by trading with fellow collectors. Alternatively, the Collector inserts a plain floppy disk into a kiosk assembly (not shown) which transforms it into a disk usable herein, that is with the program and coded keys. He can choose on the kiosk screen via a main menu the coded keys to be added, or it can be a random selection by the kiosk assembly. Preferably, he would first purchase a blank disk with the hologram and serial number on it. He would enter the serial number into the kiosk, insert the disk which would verify the serial number and write the algorithm, protect the disk and give the corresponding software or the software he chooses.
A "card" or collection item collected can deposit its key 74 into the system file via the encryption/decryption algorithm to await the addition of the companion CD ROM. This takes the chosen key out of circulation and leaves the remaining key (on the floppy disk) for trading purposes. The cards collected individually deposit their key into the system file awaiting the next key in succession to unlock its media. That key can be found on another floppy or the CD ROM. Floppy to floppy they are like a string of puzzle pieces, each floppy containing a portion of the entire puzzle. Keys can be collected in any order. The CD ROM programs can be run disk to disk, floppy to floppy. As the CD media increases its storage capacity, this invention can also be CD to CD, transferring their keys in the same manner as floppies to CD.
The concepts of this invention can be adapted by those skilled in the art for use by equipment other than CD-ROM--floppy disk computers. Examples of other equipment are game cartridges and recently-commercialized memory cards used with HP laptops for example but having no spinning disk to conserve electricity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,464 to Terasima et al shows a video entertainment system with a CD ROM and a pair of separate computer systems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,051 to Darling et al. shows an interfacing device for a computer game system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,280 to Wiedemer shows a per person use system with video game programming.
From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention which come within the province of those skilled in the art. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the claims appended hereto.
Patent Citations
Referenced by
Legal Events
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A four-year-old boy fell into a borewell on Monday while playing in Jagatpura village of Shahpura town of the district, nearly 40 kms from Jaipur.
Rescue operations have been started to take the boy Sahil out of the 250-300 ft deep borewell safely, officialssaid.
A team of doctors have also reached the spot, they said.


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All Students for Consent
All Students for Consent seeks to empower the Whitman College community to support survivors of sexual violence by having a broad knowledge of how sexual violence and rape culture affects the Whitman Community. Furthermore, we seek to prevent the rates of sexual violence and perpetuation of rape culture on campus through education of about sexual violence and tools such as sexual consent.
Mission Statement:
Promoting a safe and fun consent culture for all.
Vision Statement:
To promote a world in which asking for and giving enthusiastic, proactive consent is not only valued, it is commonplace.
Catch Phrase: Consent is Necessexy!
Website: www.facebook.com/whitmanASC
Contact People: Meredith Ruff (firstname.lastname@example.com) and Brynn Walund (firstname.lastname@example.com)
Adviser: Barbara Maxwell (email@example.com)


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American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, June 9, 2006 Afghan National Police thwarted an insurgent attack in Afghanistan Paktika province, while coalition forces collected and destroyed weapons across the country this week, military officials reported today.
Police successfully defended an attack on the Sarobi District Center in Paktika's Sabari district yesterday. ANP forces counterattacked and defeated the 15 insurgents while maintaining control of the center.
The mayor of Sarobi and three Afghan police members sustained minor shrapnel wounds during the battle. They were treated and released from a nearby coalition medical facility.
Following the attack, a combined force of U.S. and Afghan National Army soldiers responded to the district center area to provide more support. The insurgents retreated from the area prior to the team's arrival.
"The coalition continues to work closely with Afghan national security forces to ensure the people of Afghanistan are protected by their legitimate government," said Army Lt. Col. Paul Fitzpatrick, Combined Joint Task Force 76 spokesman. "Together with the Afghan people, we will stop these insurgents as they try to spread unrest and violence."
On June 6, Afghan and coalition forces collected and disarmed homemade bombs and other weapons across Afghanistan.
In the Shamsakheyl village, Mihtarlam district, Laghman province, Afghan children found a suspicious cable by the side of a road. An Afghan adult dug up the two roadside bombs that the cable was attached to and turned them in to coalition forces for destruction.
Afghan border police in the Khost district of Khost province discovered as many as 20 mortar rounds. They secured the weapons until a coalition explosives team arrived to dispose of them.
In the same region, an Afghan civilian turned in 15 anti-tank mine-arming devices to coalition authorities. A coalition explosives team also disposed of these devices.
"Landmines, IEDs and other munitions are incredibly dangerous and indiscriminate killers," Fitzpatrick said. "They can and do kill innocent people. The placement of these weapons in civilian areas only increases the chance they will maim or kill Afghan citizens who are simply going about their day-to-day lives."
(Compiled from Combined Forces Command Afghanistan news releases.)


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August 3, 2015
BOYD, Texas Eleven bears from a now-closed North Carolina animal park have a new home in Texas.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Monday that the six black bears, three grizzlies and two Asian black bears are adjusting at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary. The refuge has 50 acres in Boyd, about 30 miles northwest of Fort Worth.
Spokesman Richard Gilbreth says an anonymous donor provided $450,000 to build enclosures with trees, grass and more room to roam.
Gilbreth says the bears lived in concrete pits at the Chief Saunooke Bear Park. Federal regulators investigated complaints of inhumane conditions and in January suspended the license of the privately owned park.
Sanctuary board chairman Louis Dorfman says it's very touching and sweet to see the bears responding to a new, positive environment.
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Currently SPP is undergoing a conversion to a new Membership system. All online membership functions are currently unavailable due to the conversion.
We expect to have the new system online before the end of the year. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please call the help desk at (706) 733-7550 with any questions. Thank you!


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Don Savage
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1547)
Mary Hardin
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
(Phone: 818/354-0344)
Nancy G. Neal
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(Phone: 301/286-0039)
Ray Villard
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore
(Phone: 410/338-4514)
A dust storm of massive proportions is raging over almost the entire surface of Mars, as revealed by new images from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and Mars Global Surveyor to be released at a Space Science Update,Thursday, October 11. The briefing will begin at 1 p.m. EDT in the James E. Webb auditorium at NASA Headquarters, 300 E St., SW, Washington.
Such a global dust storm has not been seen on Mars for decades, and instruments on the two spacecraft have afforded scientists an unprecedented view of the storm. In addition, NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey is scheduled to enter orbit around Mars within two weeks.
Panelists will be:
Reporters may be able to cover the event from participating NASA Centers, which will have two-way question-and-answer capability with the panel at NASA Headquarters. However, media representatives wishing to participate in the briefing should contact their local NASA to determine accreditation procedures.


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UPDATE: $1 million Powerball ticket sold at E-Z Shop on U.S. 41-South in Henderson
Ticket was sold at the E-Z Shop #3 on U.S. 41-South at Clay St.
A ticket sold in Henderson for Wednesday night's (May 9) Powerball drawing matched the five white balls drawn but not the Powerball, winning the game's second prize of $1 million, the Kentucky Lottery announced.
The identity of the winning ticket holder isn't yet known.
The ticket was sold at the E-Z Shop #3, located at 301 U.S. 41-South in Henderson.
The winning ticket will have these white ball winning numbers, according to the lottery:
1 – 7 – 11 – 55 – 56
According to Kentucky Lottery Vice President of Communications Chip Polston, the winner will need to sign the back of their ticket and bring it to the lottery's Louisville headquarters to claim their prize.
The lottery headquarters is located at 1011 W. Main Street in downtown Louisville. The phone number is (502) 560-1500.
"We've seen a really nice stretch of winners of this second prize in Powerball recently," Polston said.
In the previous Powerball drawing on Saturday, two tickets sold in Kentucky won the $1 million second prize. "One of those players chose the additional $1 Power Play option when they bought their ticket, and yesterday they claimed their prize of $2 million," he said.


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Route Grade Votings
Total votes cast 6
Adjacent Routes
totaly diferant indeed. a steep tufa encrusted chimney. not to hard and with rests plus its nicely bolted. i would say 5.
too strenuous at the top for 5 - fantastically unusual recommended
the righthand arete is now bolted at 6b/c. topo at glaros bar.
Brilliant - really is different. Quite easy for grade. Best 5+ I did in a fortnight's climbing


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So you think you're an office whiz.
You're a dab hand at Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations. You've read Malcolm Gladwell and Charles Duhigg and you're adept at social media "strategy."
You know your "weighted average cost of capital" from your "net present value," and your SWOT analysis from your Five Forces.
But here's something they didn't teach in business class, and if you don't know it, you're toast.
Can you spot a sociopath in your office?
And if you can, do you know how to protect yourself against them?
I'm not exaggerating.
According to Harvard clinical psychologist Martha Stout, about 4% of Americans are medically defined as "sociopaths." Their brains do not function as those of normal people. They are not capable of feeling the same empathy. They lack conscience and compassion. In their extreme version, they are basically downright evil.
The Definitive Careers Guide From Forbes encompasses every aspect of the job hunt, from interview to promotion. Written by some of Forbes' best careers and leadership writers, it is available now for download.
Four percent is one person in twenty-five. And the picture's worse even than that.
Mathematically, if your office has just 17 people in it, the chances are better than 50% that one of them is a clinical "sociopath."
Seventeen. Yes, really. Go ahead and count up all the people in your office now.
Wondering why you are encountering pointless resistance for your project? Baffled that a boss or colleague seems to go out of their way to undermine you, or humiliate you, at every chance? Wondering why key documents have mysteriously gone missing from your desk or your briefcase?
Four percent of the population. One person in 17.
This isn't just something from "Game Of Thrones".
Look around you and see if you can spot the sociopath.
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Coming from Ottawa there is a bit of skepticism about Winnipeg's claim that it now has the longest skateway. Arriving to greet the weather in September we parked that conversation and enjoyed The Forks, a fine restoration along the river.
It is interesting that after years of neglect cities and towns across the country are reclaiming their waterways as a vital part of the community. We have seen some terrific examples in our travels. This work is often the result of vision from neighbourhood action, environmental, heritage and arts organizations, all part of the sector.
In Winnipeg, we met with representatives from the United Way of Winnipeg, Winnipeg Foundation, Manitoba Federation of Nonprofit Organizations, and an organization serving people with disabilities.
We have heard in many communities that the issues around attracting and retraining staff are a major challenge. We were reminded that for those organizations supporting persons with disabilities and other vulnerable populations this is a critical issue.
We also had a discussion about the important role that charities and nonprofits play in lives of the urban aboriginal and immigrant communities in Canada. Once again when you think about it, Canada would be a very different country without our charities and nonprofits.
Oh by the way, Winnipeg's skating rink may be a "bit" longer, but when it comes down to surface area for skaters, Ottawa trumps the Manitoba capital :)


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Click here for books.
Click here for articles.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a voluntary system of sharing materials between libraries. ILL provides access to items not currently available in our own library collection or not available in full-text through our online databases.
This service is available to all TMC students, faculty and staff who reside locally. Online Program students, Summer Institute Program students and Non TMC patrons, who hold a current TMC library card, should request ILL items through a local public library. International students may contact the Reference Librarian, Miss T., for other possible alternatives (firstname.lastname@example.com). Master's Seminary students must request ILL through The Master's Seminary Library.
Grace Kamffer can be contacted by email.
All ILL requests must be checked by the patron against TMC holdings prior to placing the request to verify that the item is unavailable from the TMC Library.
A limit of 5 ILL requests per day, per student will be submitted.
ILL forms can be accessed online on the TMC library home page. There is a separate form for books and one forperiodicals. Submitting an ILL form for periodicals indicates the patron has read the copyright statement and is willing to comply with all pertinent copyright laws. Periodical ILL requests will not be sent without it.
Although many libraries don't loan these materials, there are some libraries that do, so please do submit your requests anyway.
Requesting AV materials (videos, CDs, DVDs, tape cassettes, LPs, etc.)
If AV material is needed, especially music, search WorldCat through the FirstSearch database, find the item you want and enter your request through FirstSearch. This will make the process much easier for us and much quicker for you.
After submitting the request the average wait time is between 7 to 10 days and may take longer.
All ILL books must be picked up in the library. Patrons will be notified by email when the item is available. Books will not be sent to patrons by U.S.P.S. or by campus mail. Articles will be sent to patrons through campus mail.
There are no charges for borrowing books or copies of journal articles.
Loan periods are set by the lending libraries. Books are generally loaned for 2 to 4 weeks.
Renewals are at the discretion of the lending library. One renewal is usually available unless otherwise indicated on the item. Renewal requests must be made to the Interlibrary Loan Manager by email (firstname.lastname@example.com) on or before the due date. The ILL department will email the patron with the new due date.
ILLs cannot be renewed at the circulation desk. They must be renewed through the TMC ILL department. Renewals are not needed for copies of articles as they become the property of the patron.
Loans are made possible through the courtesy of another library. Respect their generosity by returning material on time.
Overdue material will incur fines and possible blocks on the patron record.
A fine of $1.00 per day per item will be charged for items not returned or renewed by the due date.
Overdues on any library items in excess of $25 will block future use of ILL until fines are paid.
Borrowers are responsible for lost or damaged books.
Last updated November 2012.