A non-transitory computer readable storage medium has instructions executed by a processor to supply text from a court decision. Indicia of the number of subsequent citations to the court decision are provided adjacent to the text. The indicia include at least one of a case citation count and associated visualization, a page citation count and associated visualization and page rank indicia.

Computerized legal research tools typically supply a list of case citations in response to a query. The case citations are typically listed by relevance to the query and include accompanying text snippets.
Such a paradigm makes it difficult for a user to understand relationships between cases, the relative significance of individual cases independent of the query and overall trends associated with an individual legal concept implicated by a query.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a new paradigm for supplying results to a legal query. More particularly, it would be desirable to provide techniques for informing a reader about subsequent references to text in a legal decision.

Apparatus and method for subsequent reference informed legal research


TFTP server address, configuration file name and relay agent address contained in a DHCPACK are recorded; the TFTP server address is overwritten with the relay agent address before forwarding.

Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specifications ("DOCSIS") has been established by cable television network operators to facilitate transporting data traffic, primarily internet traffic, over existing community antenna television ("CATV") networks. In addition to transporting data traffic as well as television content signals over a CATV network, multiple services operators ("MSO") also use their CATV network infrastructure for carrying voice, video on demand ("VoD") and video conferencing traffic signals, among other types.
As with any providing of goods and/or services, the service of providing information over a broadband connection is unfortunately the target of fraud and theft. Since the providing of broadband services costs a certain amount, and the more bandwidth resources provided incurs an increasingly proportional amount of cost, unscrupulous users who subscribe to a certain amount of bandwidth resources often attempt to obtain a higher level of service without paying for it.
There are a number of methods by which theft of service occurs, including replaying a different, but valid, cable modem configuration file corresponding to higher service than the legitimate one associated with the subscriber's lower subscribed-to service level. Another method is for a hacker to generate a configuration file and use it to register the cable modem ("CM"). The hacker can generate a file if they discover the shared secret key that an MSO uses to generate a configuration file.
Thus, there is a need for a method and system for assuring that a cable modem downloads configuration information from the correct file on the correct server, and that the configuration information is not altered before a registration request is generated.

Method and system for using a transfer agent for translating a configuration file

Abstract: Upon receipt of a TFTP request, a transfer identifier is selected from a pool of available port values, and the source address/port pair and relay agent's address are associated therewith. The relay agent's address and the transfer identifier replace the source address/port pair, and a check is made to determine whether the cable modem is requesting the correct configuration file. Action may be taken if the CM requests an incorrect filename, or if configuration TLVs are incorrect.

Abstract: The relay agent retrieves the TFTP server's address/port pair from the first TFTP data packet received, and associates these with the transfer identifier before returning it to the available pool. The transfer identifier is used to lookup the CM address/port pair.


A method for enhancing the absorbency, hand-feel, or both of an article made from fibers having a spin finish thereon, where the spin finish decreases the hand-feel desirability and decreases the absorbency of the article. The method involves subjecting the article to corona treatment for a period of time sufficient to enhance the absorbency, hand-feel, or both of the article. The article produced by subjecting a substrate made of fibers having a finish thereon to corona treatment for a period of time sufficient to enhance the absorbency, hand-feel, or both of the substrate. A method of disposing of such articles by contacting the articles with a hot liquid, such as water, for a period of time sufficient to disperse or dissolve the article. Hot water soluble, cold water insoluble poly(vinyl) alcohol is one suitable fiber material.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of fabrics and, particularly, to absorbent fabrics of improved absorbency and hand-feel.
II. Background of the Invention
Hospital patient care generates considerable quantities of infectious medical waste in primary and acute care facilities. Such facilities have a need to provide various textile products to be used by physicians and other professionals, as well as for bedding, draperies, towels, and similar items.
At one time, virtually all textiles used in such environments were reusable. Reusable textiles, were primarily made from woven fabrics of yams and the yams were composed of cotton or other natural fibers. However, synthetics were later developed which included fibers such as nylon, rayon and polyester. These synthetics were primarily spun from staple fibers and very little texturized synthetic filaments were in use at that time.
Approximately thirty years ago, disposable garments, covers, linens and drapes were introduced to the medical environment. When compared to the reusable garments, the disposables offered many cost- and time-saving features. For instance, hospitals were able to reduce or entirely eliminate their laundry facilities and the hospital had, for the first time, garments that exhibited significant barrier protection. Barrier protection is important in hospitals to prevent unwanted contact of the wearer to harmful liquids, infections agents, and other bodily fluids.
Another significant drawback to reusable textiles was that they could not provide liquid barrier capabilities, especially after only a few laundry cycles. However, the average lifetime of a hospital reusable was approximately 18 laundry cycles.
Current disposables are generally non-woven in composition. For instance, carded stock is often chemically bonded into fabrics. Such carded webs are treated with adhesives or bonding agents and are then calendared to form "paper-light" materials. Carded webs have recently been replaced by thermobond materials, which have a softer "hand," but which have reduced cross-directional strength.
Further current disposables are produced from air-entangled and hydroentangled fibers which produce suitable fabrics. Such non-wovens are composed mostly of polypropylene fibers or from a polyester staple with cellulose wood pulp. These hydroentangled webs display the most textile-like hand, as well as a high degree of dimensional or cross-directional strength. Non-wovens of this class, such as SONTARA.RTM. by Du Pont, are widely accepted for use in medical gowns and drapes.
Recently, the medical industry has begun reverting to the use of reusable items. This trend arose because the disposable items produced significant infectious waste products. Originally, disposables were favored because they promoted anti-septic patient contact and decreased the potential for cross-infections between patients, a significant problem with cleanable, reusable textiles. However, various federal and state regulations have subsequently reclassified much of the disposable product as "infectious," thereby making desirable the minimization of their use.
An average hospital patient produces 55 lbs. of medical waste per day. Approximately 20% of that waste is classified as "infectious." The American Hospital Association and the Centers for Disease Control recommend immediate disposal of medical waste. Medical waste is considered an occupational hazard for health care workers, but is not considered an environmental safety problem. The most preferable way to contain infectious medical waste is to disinfect it at the point of generation and dispose of the treated medical waste with minimum handling and storage on premises.
The need for an effective way to dispose of medical waste has been highlighted by the amendment made to 29 C.F.R. .sctn. 1910.1030 which provides for the federal regulation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. .sctn. 655, 657 (the "Act") to control blood borne pathogens. Specifically, the Act calls for the establishment of an exposure control plan, the containment of specimens of blood or other potentially infectious materials and the general tightening of precautionary measures to minimize the spread of disease. A safe and effective way to dispose of hospital waste is, Therefore, highly desirable because it would facilitate compliance with the Act.
As a result, consumption of medical disposable woven or non-woven products has been growing at a rate of approximately 10% a year. In 1988, sales totaled approximately 1.155 billion dollars. As of the end of 1996, sales of medical disposable non-woven products are believed to have exceeded two and a half billion dollars. In the United States, there are at least 30 million surgical procedures performed each year. After each surgical procedure, it is necessary that the operating theater be disinfected before a new procedure is performed to minimize any exposure the patients may bring to other patients or staff. This is particularly important in light of today's increasingly stringent regulations regarding occupational exposure to blood and bodily fluids.
Towels, sponges, and gauze have been in use since the first days of surgical procedures. They are used either to manipulate tissue, absorb blood and other oxidants of the wound site, as well as being used to clean hands and assist in cleaning certain utensils used in various surgical procedures. Traditionally, towels, sponges, and gauze have been made from cotton fibers, though in recent years attempts have been made to provide replacements from other fibers including polyesters, rayon and other staple materials. These fibers were chosen because of their relative availability and cleanliness as main-made materials. Cotton, on the other hand, is an agricultural material having volatile price and availability fluctuations. It has been noted that cotton replacements have, by and large, been unsatisfactory, although many attempts have been made to mimic the appearance of cotton.
Hospitals generally discard gauze, sponges and towels after each surgical use. Disposal takes place in either a landfill or by incineration. In either case, the handling of such articles after use promotes the exposure of certain blood borne diseases to those employees who are charged with the responsibility for bagging and introducing such materials into the disposal process.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide suitable towels, sponges, gauze, as well as non-woven textiles capable of being disposed of after use while avoiding additional burdens being placed upon landfills and other disposal sites. It is yet a further object to provide suitable such articles which, after use, can be solubilized and substantially sterilized in a single operation.

Increased absorbency and hand-feel fabrics


The purpose of the present invention is to provide a corneal-ablation-data determining apparatus and a corneal-ablation-data determining program capable of controlling corneal ablation amount distribution and expanding ablation applicability. In the present invention, the corneal-ablation-data determining apparatus for use in keratorefractive surgery for ablating a corneal surface to correct a refractive error has input means for inputting measurement data on any one of wavefront aberration distribution and refractive power distribution of a patient's eye, decentering means for decentering a reference axis being a calculation reference for a corneal ablation amount, and calculation means for obtaining the corneal ablation amount based on the measurement data and data on eccentricity of the reference axis.

There is known keratorefractive surgery for ablating a corneal surface with a laser beam in an ultraviolet wavelength range and changing its shape to correct a refractive error of a patient's eye. In a case where even aberration of the eye is to be corrected by the surgery, mainly two methods are used for calculation of a corneal ablation amount.
The first one is a method of obtaining the corneal ablation amount based on measurement data on wavefront aberration in a wide area of the patient's eye. In this method, the corneal ablation amount may be obtained using Expression 1 being an approximate expression which is conventionally known as a processing technique for an optical component.
                              [Expression  1]                                                                    P          ≈                                    δ                                                                                W                                      n              -              1
In Expression 1, δW is wavefront aberration, n is a refractive index of an optical component to be corrected, P is a correction amount for a surface.
The second one is, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,075 (Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. Hei11-342152) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,204, a method of obtaining the corneal ablation amount using measurement data on objective refractive power distribution or that on wavefront aberration distribution in the wide area of the patient's eye, and data on a pre-operative corneal shape.
The corneal ablation amount is obtained by these conventional calculation methods as an ablation amount where the patient's eye is emmetropia with no aberration in a measurement optical axis direction established at the time of the measurement of the objective refractive power distribution or the wavefront aberration distribution (or a non-aberration eye which has particular refractive power in the measurement optical axis direction). However, a human eye is an eccentric optical system comprised of refractive elements such as the cornea and a crystalline lens, and the corneal shape is generally asymmetrical with respect to a visual axis. Therefore, in the conventional calculation methods for the corneal ablation amount, there is a problem that the ablation amount becomes eccentric.
In addition, in the case of additional ablation performed for correcting the patient's eye after the ablation through axial-deviated irradiation of the laser beam, there is a case where a proper corneal ablation amount cannot be obtained with the conventional calculation method for the corneal ablation amount.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and has an object to overcome the above problems and to provide a corneal-ablation-data determining apparatus and a corneal-ablation-data determining program capable of controlling corneal ablation amount distribution and expanding ablation applicability.

Keratectomy data determining device and keratectomy data determining program


A dual carbon monoxide detection system is provided including a gas furnace having a heat exchanger with a supply air duct for delivering heated air and a return air duct for receiving air to be heated. The gas furnace further has a gas input line for receiving gas from a gas supply line for heating purposes. A first carbon monoxide detector is situated within the supply air duct for generating an activation signal upon the detection of more than a predetermined amount of carbon monoxide. Associated therewith is a second carbon monoxide detector situated within the return air duct for generating the activation signal upon the detection of more than a predetermined amount of carbon monoxide. A gas valve is coupled between the gas input line and the gas supply line. The gas valve is adapted to preclude the flow of gas through the gas input line only upon the receipt of power. Connected to the gas valve is a relay for delivering power thereto upon the receipt of the activation signal. Finally, a controller is adapted to continuously transmit the activation signal to the relay upon the receipt thereof from at least one of the carbon monoxide detectors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dual carbon monoxide detection system with gas cut off and alarm capabilities and more particularly pertains to employing a pair of carbon monoxide detector units to prevent exposure to dangerous carbon monoxide gas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of carbon monoxide sensors is known in the prior art. More specifically, carbon monoxide sensors heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of detecting various levels of carbon monoxide are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,434; U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,816; U.S. Pat. Des. 350,300; U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,113; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,242.
In this respect, the dual carbon monoxide detection system with gas cut off and alarm capabilities according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of employing a pair of carbon monoxide detector units to prevent exposure to dangerous carbon monoxide gas.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved dual carbon monoxide detection system with gas cut off and alarm capabilities which can be used for employing a pair of carbon monoxide detector units to prevent exposure to dangerous carbon monoxide gas. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

Dual carbon monoxide detection system with gas cut off and alarm capabilities


An outboard motor includes an engine holder, an engine disposed above the engine holder in an installed state of the outboard motor, a flywheel magnet device disposed above the engine, an oil filter disposed on a side portion of the engine, an electric equipment box, an air suction device, an exhaust device and a fuel supply device, these electric equipment box, suction device, exhaust device and fuel supply device being arranged around the engine, and an engine cover covering the engine. The air suction device is composed of a throttle body, a surge tank and an intake manifold including a plurality of branch members extending from the surge tank, the intake manifold is disposed vertically, in the installed state, on one side of the engine so that the intake manifold is located between the flywheel magnet device and the oil filter as viewed from a side portion thereof and the intake manifold has at least a portion superposed on the flywheel magnet device and the oil filter as viewed in a plan view. The electric equipment box and the exhaust device are disposed on another side of the engine opposing to the side on which the intake manifold is disposed.

The present invention relates to an outboard motor particularly having an improved air suction device such as aspirator therefor.
There is known an outboard motor including a multi-cylinder engine in which carburetors are continuously arranged in a vertical direction, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. HEI 3-172570, for example.
Further, there is also known an outboard motor in which a fuel injector is disposed at a downstream portion of each manifold extending from a single throttle body, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. HEI 6-16187, for example.
However, in the case of the suction device or intake device in which the carburetors are continuously arranged in a vertical direction, the structure becomes complicated, and positional layouts of the highest carburetor and the lowest carburetor are limited by a rotational surface of a flywheel and a lower cover section of an engine cover, respectively. As a result, the suction device is disposed so as to project outward from an engine, which prevents the engine from being reduced in size.
In the case of the suction device including the fuel injector, the idle revolution number of the engine is adjusted using a bypass air screw mounted to the throttle body. However, if the engine is to be reduced in size, the throttle body comes inside the engine and is surrounded by other parts, which makes it difficult to operate the bypass air screw is difficult.


An image projecting apparatus includes an image projecting unit configured to project received original image data on an image projection surface; an area identifying unit configured to identify an obstruction area in which different content is displayed as compared to a normal projection surface to be projected based on the original image data; and a layout modifying unit configured to modify a layout of an object included in the original image data that is projected, on the basis of the object and the obstruction area on the image projection surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image projecting apparatus, an image processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the advent of multimedization in recent years, projectors are being used in various situations as image projecting apparatuses that are capable of projecting images on large screens. For example, while giving presentations during company meetings, projectors capable of projecting images of various information materials are being increasingly used.
Consider a case in which, while a projector is projecting an image on a whiteboard, one wants to write down some new content on the whiteboard by hand. In that case, if the projector is projecting the image over the entire whiteboard, then sometimes there is no space to write anything down by hand. In that regard, a technology has been disclosed that allows specification of an area in which content can be written by hand, and the specified area is secured either by not displaying an image portion of the specified area or by displaying a thumbnail of that image portion on the outside of the specified area (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-146086).
However, in a typical projector that enables securing of an area for handwriting, because of the fact that the area for handwriting is secured on the projection surface on which an image is projected by the projector, either some portion of the image projected by the projector is not displayed or the entire projected image is displayed in a scaled-down form. That results in a decline in the visibility. As a result, it may not be possible to correctly convey the information that the person who prepared the information material wishes to communicate.
Therefore, there is a need for an image projecting apparatus, an image processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium that make it possible to correctly convey the information that a user wishes to communicate using projected images.

Image projecting apparatus, image processing method, and computer-readable storage medium


A distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named xe2x80x98Red Kingxe2x80x99, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; durable dark green leaves; red-colored spathes with pale yellow-colored spadices that are positioned above and beyond the foliage on strong and erect spapes; freely flowering habit; and good inflorescence longevity.

Botanical classification: Anthurium andreanum.
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Red Kingxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium andreanum, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Red Kingxe2x80x99.
The new Anthurium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands. The objective of the program is to create and develop new freely clumping and freely flowering Anthurium cultivars with strong roots, dark green leaves, attractive spathe color, and good inflorescence longevity.
The new Anthurium originated from a cross by the Inventor on or about Nov. 11, 1997 of the Inventor""s proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number 96-003 as the female, or seed, parent with the Inventor""s proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number 90-090 as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Red King was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Schipluiden, The Netherlands in 2000.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by meristem culture in a laboratory in Belgium has shown that the unique features of this new Anthurium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.
The new Anthurium has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the cultivar Red King. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Red Kingxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Durable dark green leaves.
3. Red-colored spathes with pale yellow-colored spadices that are positioned above and beyond the foliage on strong and erect scapes.
4. Freely flowering habit.
5. Good inflorescence longevity.
Plants of the new Anthurium can be compared to plants of the female parent, the selection 96-003. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the selection 96-003 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Anthurium had larger leaves than plants of the selection 96-003.
2. Plants of the new Anthurium had larger spathes than plants of the selction 96-003.
3. Spathe color of plants of the new Anthuriums was red whereas spathe color of plants of the selection 96-003 was pink.
Plants of the new Anthurium can be compared to plants of the male parent, the selection 90-090. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the selection 90-090 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Anthurium had more durable leaves than plants of the selection 90-090.
2. Plants of the new Anthurium had more durable spathes than plants of the selection 90-090.
Plants of the new Anthurium can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Red Queen, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,813. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the cultivar Red Queen in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Anthurium had more durable leaves than plants of the cultivar Red Queen.
2. Plants of the new Anthurium had thicker and flatter spathes than plants of the cultivar Red Queen.


The present invention provides a retractable dual-purpose file folder, including a retractable chamber with a front panel, a rear panel, a retractable bottom wall, two retractable side walls and an accommodation space. A plurality of three-sided sealed spacers is arranged at intervals into the accommodation space of the retractable chamber, the bottom of which is coupled onto the retractable bottom wall. There is a multi-section locator, including first and second locators. The first locator is arranged onto the front panel, and the second locator arranged on the rear panel. The invention includes positioning bands, each with a positioning end located securely on the front panel and a moveable end with a mating portion mated securely with the first and second locators. The retractable dual-purpose file folder can be accommodated into the brief case and placed uprightly on the table for meeting the diversified customer requirements with better applicability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a retractable file folder, and more particularly to an innovative one which can be accommodated into brief case and placed vertically on the table.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
A file folder is currently a best-selling product that is extensively used for accommodating papers and files. In response to diversified customer requirements, novel file folders of various patterns, textures and structural types have been developed in this industry.
The structure of the file folder is considered from different aspects, such as functionality, structural strength, value, user-friendliness, portability and functional classification.
However, some shortcomings of the typical file folder still exist. The file folder can be stretched for accessing the files, or the bottom area of the file folder can be expanded for placing it vertically on the table, but it is difficult to make it smaller or thinner and to place it easily into the brief case due to its inflexibility.
Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved structure that can significantly improve efficacy.
Therefore, the inventor has provided the present invention of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on years of experience in the production, development and design of related products.


The absence assistance system for at least one multimedia-enabled communication system comprising a plurality of packet-oriented client communication systems, in which the packet-oriented client communication systems support at least in part different multimedia services and at least one multimedia service of a packet-oriented client communication system is in each case assigned to at least one communication subscriber, has in each case at least one absence assistance unit per packet-oriented client communication system, the packet-oriented client communication systems being connected to one another via a peer-to-peer transmission protocol. The absence assistance units manage, in the absence of a communication subscriber, the communication connections directed to the absent communication subscriber via the at least one assigned multimedia service.

Absence assistance systems to date have a central absence assistance unit, for example a voicemail server unit arranged centrally within a communication system, by way of which media-specific management takes place, for example by voice services, of the multimedia communication connections received in the absence of the communication subscriber in question. Such central solutions are however technically complex and require cost-intensive server units, which can develop a performance-limiting bottleneck due to their central arrangement in the communication system.
Multimedia-enabled communication systems respectively support one or more multimedia services, which allow multimedia communication, i.e. the setting up of multimedia communication connections by way of different media transmission channels. Examples of such multimedia services that should be mentioned here are voice services, data services, audio services, video services, information services and program communication services.
The different multimedia services are generally implemented with the aid of specific communication protocols. The provision of such multimedia services places high demands on the performance capacity of the corresponding communication facilities, in particular their absence assistance systems, due to the high data throughput rates and required storage capacities.
Peer-to-peer communication networks are also known, in which data communication takes place according to the peer-to-peer transmission protocol. In contrast to client/server architectures, in a communication network based on peer-to-peer technology every computer can be a peer that can function as client and server at the same time. A peer-to-peer communication network can be one of two types—a pure or hybrid peer-to-peer communication network. The pure variant has no centralized entities, while with the hybrid solution one (or a small number of linked) directory server unit(s) is/are provided in the communication system, providing an additional network service.

Absence assistance system for multimedia-enabled communication systems

Siemens Enterprise Communications GmbH & Co. KG


An input device includes a first input detector and a second input detector adjacent to each other. The first input detector includes: a first electrode unit coupled to a first signal line; and a second electrode unit coupled to a second signal line. The second input detector includes: a first electrode unit coupled to the first signal line; and a third electrode unit coupled to a third signal line. The first input detector and the second input detector are arranged in one of a state in which the first electrode unit of the first input detector and the first electrode unit of the second input detector are adjacent to each other and a state in which the second electrode unit of the first input detector and the third electrode unit of the second input detector are adjacent to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input device provided with a plurality of input buttons.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of an input device provided with a plurality of input buttons include an electrostatic capacitance touch panel. The electrostatic capacitance touch panel is designed to perform a button operation by utilizing a change in an electrostatic capacity caused when an input object contacts or approaches an input button. In such a touch panel, one or more electrodes are provided for each input button. Each electrode is connected to a corresponding one of signal lines each for outputting an output value, so that an increase in the number of input buttons tends to increase the number of signal lines. However, since complexity of routing increases with increase in the number of signal lines, the number of signal lines is preferably small.
In light of this situation, there is known an input device in which two types of electrodes, namely, a first electrode and a second electrode constitute one input button. The input device is provided with a plurality of input buttons each as the one input button, and the first electrodes of input buttons adjacent to each other are connected to the same signal line. This design can reduce the number of signal lines. It is noted that, in the input device in which two types of electrodes constitute one input button, a button operation is performed by utilizing a combination of the first electrode and the second electrode whose electrostatic capacities have been changed.


The present invention relates to methods of inhibiting Tat trans-activation in a cell and methods of assaying for inhibitors of Tat trans-activation.

The human immunodeficiency virus encodes a highly conserved transcriptional trans-activator Tat, which is expressed early in the viral life cycle and is essential for viral replication and progression to disease (Cullen et al., Cell 73:417-20 (1993); Jones et al., Annu. Rev. Biochem. 63:717-743 (1994)). Tat binds to the trans-activation response (TAR) RNA stem-loop located from positions +1 to +60 in the viral 5' long terminal repeat (LTR). Interactions between Tat and TAR are absolutely required for the increased processivity of RNA polymerase II (pol II) and the production of full-length viral transcripts (Kao et al., Nature (London) 330:489-493 (1987); Laspia et al., Cell 59:283-292 (1989); Marciniak et al., EMBO J. 10:4189-4196 (1991); Kato et al., Genes Dev. 6:655-666 (1992)). Tat is unique because it is the only eukaryotic transcription factor known to function via RNA (Madore et al., Virology 206:1150-1154 (1995)). Although the mechanism by which Tat increases transcription elongation rates is unknown, common regulatory themes must exist between viral and cellular genes since Tat can relieve pol II pausing when artificially targeted to the c-myc promoter (Wright et al., J. Mol. Biol. 243:568-573 (1994)).
Tat can be divided into two functional domains. The activation domain contains 48 N-terminal amino acids and interacts with the cellular transcriptional machinery. A 10 amino acid basic domain is required for the binding of Tat to TAR (Jones et al., Annu. Rev. Biochem. 63:717-743 (1994)). Cellular proteins are clearly required for the function of Tat (Carroll et al., J. Virol. 66:2000-2007 (1992); Madore et al., J. Virol. 67:3703-3711 (1993)). At least one protein, encoded by the human chromosome 12, is required for the efficient binding of Tat to TAR (Hart et al., Science 246:488-491 (1989); Alonso et al., J. Virol. 66:4617-4621 (1992)). Numerous other proteins have been postulated to interact with the activation domain of Tat. These include general transcription factors (GTFs) such as the core pol II (Mavankal et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:2089-2094 (1996)), the TATA box-binding protein (TBP) (Kashanchi et al., Nature (London) 367:295-299 (1994); Veschambre et al., J. Mol. Biol. 250:169-180 (1995)), the TBP-associated factor TAF.sub.II55 (Chiang et al., Nature (London) 267:531-536 (1995)) and TFIIH (Blau et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 16:2044-2055 (1996); Parada et al., Nature (London) 384:375-378 (1996)). Upstream DNA bound activators such as Sp1 have also been identified as possible co-activators of Tat (Jeang et al., J. Virol. 67:6224-6233 (1993)). In addition, a wide variety of other proteins that interact with Tat but whose role in transcription is somewhat unclear have also been identified (Nelbock et al., Science 248:1650-1653 (1990); Desai et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:8875-8879 (1991); Zhou et al., Science 274:605-610 (1996)).
Recently, Tat has been demonstrated to interact with the pol II holoenzyme (Cujec et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 17:1817-1823 (1997)). This large mega-dalton complex consists of core pol II, a subset of general transcription factors (TFIIE, TFIIF, TFIIH), human SRBs (suppressors of mutations in polymerase B), which confer the ability of the pol II holoenzyme to respond to activators, and proteins involved in chromatin remodeling (SWI/SNF) and nucleotide repair (Kim et al., Cell 77:599-608 (1994); Ossipow et al., Cell 83:137-146 (1995); Chao et al., Nature (London) 380:82-85 (1996); Maldonado et al., Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 7:352-361 (1995); Wilson et al., Cell 84:235-244 (1996)). One component of the pol II holoenzyme, TFIIH, contains nine polypeptides (ERCC3, ERCC2, p62, p54, p44, CDK7 (MO15), cyclin H, MAT 1, and p34) (Drapkin et al., Trends Biochem. Sci. 19:504-508 (1994); Hoeijmakers et al., Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev. 6:26-33 (1996)).
TFIIH also contains a kinase activity that can phosphorylate the C-terminal domain (CTD) of core pol II (Feaver et al., Cell 67:1223-1230 (1991); Lu et al., Nature 358:641-645 (1992)). The kinase activity resides in the cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) polypeptide (Feaver et al., Cell 79:1103-1109 (1994); Roy et al., Cell 79:1093-1101 (1994); Serizawa et al., Nature (London) 374:280-282 (1995); Shiekhattar et al., Nature (London) 374:283-287 (1995)). In association with cyclin H, CDK7 forms the CDK-activating kinase (CAK) complex, which phosphorylates cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) involved in the regulation of the cell cycle. Association of MAT 1 with the CAK dimer stabilizes the complex and allows for the activation of CAK independent of the phosphorylation of CDK7 on the threonine at position 170 (Fisher et al., Cell 78:713-724 (1994); Fisher et al., Cell 83:47-57 (1995)). Moreover, the CAK trimer is much more efficient at phosphorylating the CTD than the CAK dimer (Rossignol et al., EMBO J. 16:1628-1637 (1997); Yankulov et al., EMBO J. 16:1638-1646 (1997)). The tripartite CAK can exist in three distinct complexes in cells. The majority is present as free CAK. However, CAK can also exist as a CAK-ERCC2 complex as well as in association with the core TFIIH (ERCC3, p62, p54, p44 and p34) (Drapkin et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:6488-6493 (1996); Reardon et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:6482-6487 (1996)). The association of CAK with TFIIH confers kinase activity to TFIIH and renders it transcriptionally competent. Interestingly, the yeast homologue of CDK7, Kin28 is found only in a complex with TFIIH and is devoid of CAK activity (Cismowski et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 15:2983-2992 (1995)). Instead, CAK activity resides in a novel protein called Civ1 or CAK1p (Kladis et al., Cell 86:553-564 (1996); Thuret et al., Cell 86:565-576 (1996)).
The eukaryotic pol II is unique among polymerases in that it contains multiple heptapeptide repeats of the sequence (YSPTSPS) at the C-terminal end of the protein, which comprise the CTD (Dahmus, Prog. Nucleic Acid Res. Mol. Biol. 48:143-179 (1994); Dahmus, Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1261:171-182 (1995)). A large number of kinases capable of phosphorylating the CTD in vitro have been identified. However, the functional relevance of these kinases remains unclear. To date, CDK7/cyclin H (TFIIH) and CDK8/cyclin C (human homologues of the yeast SRB10/SRB11) are the major kinases associated with transcription factors that can phosphorylate the CTD (Liao et al., Nature (London) 374:193-196 (1995); Serizawa et al., Nature (London) 374:280-282 (1995); Shiekhattar et al., Nature (London) 374:283-287 (1995)).
Pol II enters into the assembling transcription complex with its CTD unphosphorylated (IIA form). However, the CTD of elongating polymerases is highly phosphorylated (IIO form), primarily on its serine and threonine residues (Uchiumi et al., J Biol Chem 265:89-95 (1990); Laybourn et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265:13165-13173 (1990)). This observation led to the suggestion that the phosphorylation of the CTD is important for promoter clearance and for the processivity of pol II. Numerous additional observations support this contention: 1) the CTD of polymerases paused on the Drosophila hsp 70 promoter prior to heat shock activation are hypophosphorylated (IIA) while those of actively elongating polymerases are hyperphosphorylated (IIO) (O'Brien et al., Nature (London) 370:75-77 (1994)), 2) inhibitors of CTD kinases inhibit promoter clearance and elongation of pol II in vitro (Yankulov et al., J. Biol. Chem. 270:23922-23925 (1995); Yankulov et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 16:3291-3299 (1996)), 3) the kinase activity of TFIIH is required for the clearance of the DHFR promoter but not for the initiation of its transcription (Akoulitchev et al., Nature (London) 377:557-560 (1995)), and 4) mutations in the yeast pol II CTD, the yeast homologue of CDK7 (Kin 28), or SRB2, a subunit of the pol II holoenzyme, each inhibit the processivity of pol II in vivo (Akhtar et al., EMBO J. 15:4654-4664 (1996)). The identification of CTD-binding proteins with homology to serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins suggest that the phosphorylation of the CTD might also provide a mechanism for coupling transcription and pre-mRNA processing (Yuryev et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:6975-6980 (1996)).
Recently, it has been demonstrated that the CTD is absolutely required for the production of long transcripts from the HIV LTR in vitro and in vivo (Chun et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271:27888-27894 (1996); Okamoto et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:11575-11579 (1996); Parada et al., Nature (London) 384:375-378 (1996); Yang et al., J. Virol. 70:4576-4584 (1996)). In contrast, basal transcription and the production of short transcripts from the HIV LTR is independent of the CTD. Because TFIIH kinase activity is involved with CTD phosphorylation and Tat trans-activation, there is a need to identify the specific interactions between TAT and TFIIH, in order to develop inhibitors of Tat trans-activation of HIV transcription. Such inhibitors are needed to develop HIV therapeutics.

HIV trans-activator Tat binding to CDK7 and activation of CTD phosphorylation

The Regents of the University of California


A method of sequencing a DNA molecule is disclosed. This method comprises the step of exposing the molecule to a mixture of dITP/dGTP in a sequencing elongation reaction whereby compression artifacts are reduced.

The development of dependable methods for sequence analysis of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) has lead to the success of recombinant DNA methodologies and the field of genetic engineering. DNA sequencing is generally accomplished by the method of Sanger, et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463-5467, 1977) and involves the in vitro enzymatic synthesis of single-stranded DNA starting from either a single- or double-stranded DNA template. In the original embodiment of the protocol, a primer, usually a synthetic oligonucleotide 15 to 30 bases in length, is first annealed to its complementary sequence on the template of the single-stranded DNA to be sequenced. The 3'-end of this primer is extended by the Klenow fragment of E. coli DNA polymerase I in the presence of 2'-deoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphates (dNTPs), one of which contains a radiolabel.
Four separate sequencing reactions are performed, each buffered reaction containing all four dNTPs (2'-deoxyadenosine 5'-triphosphate (dATP), 2'-deoxycytidine 5'-triphosphate (dCTP), 2'-deoxyguanosine 5'-triphosphate (dGTP), and 2'-deoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate (dTTP), and a small amount of one specific 2', 3'-dideoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphate chain-terminating agent (either ddATP, ddCTP, ddGTP, or ddTTP; or, in general, ddNTP).
By varying the ratio of the specific chain-terminating ddNTP to its dNTP analog in a particular reaction, the polymerase generates a population of fragments where a specific ddNTP is substituted at every possible position along the DNA template where the corresponding dNTP would have been incorporated. Once the one-step labelling and termination step has been completed, an excess of all four dNTPs are added to each reaction to "chase" all fragments not terminated by a specific ddNTP into higher molecular weight DNA.
The products of the four separate reactions are then fractionated and visualized in adjacent lanes on a high resolution denaturing polyacrylamide gel system.
In 1987 Tabor and Richardson (Tabor, S. and C. C. Richardson, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4767-4771, 1987) described a modification of the basic Sanger protocol for use with T7 DNA polymerase which separated the labelling from the termination step, or a two-step sequencing protocol. T7 DNA polymerase and a limiting amount of all four dNTPs, one of which was radiolabeled, were added to an annealed template and primer. During a short incubation step at a suboptimal polymerization temperature (e.g., room temperature) the polymerase added one to several hundred dNTPs to the 3'-end of the primer, while also incorporating the radiolabeled dNTP in all of the extended fragments. At the end of the labelling step, the mixture was allocated equally into four separate termination reactions. Each termination reaction contained nonlimiting concentrations of all four dNTPs and one specific ddNTP.
Following a second short incubation step at the optimal polymerization temperature for the DNA polymerase (DNAP) (e.g., 37.degree. C.), detection of the DNA fragments was as outlined for the Sanger protocol. The final process in both of the radiolabeled sequencing protocols described above included reading the autoradiogram to generate an ordered DNA sequence and then manual entry of this sequence into a data base for subsequent manipulations.
In 1989 Murray (Murray, V., Nucl. Acids Res. 17:8889, 1989) described a novel method for sequence generation from DNA templates using ddNTP termination of the DNA fragments. Murray applied a variation of the polymerase chain reaction (Mullis, K. B., et al., Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 51:263-273, 1986; Saike, R. K., et al., Science 230:1350-1354, 1985) which has become known as "cycle sequencing". Cycle sequencing has the advantage of using smaller amounts of template DNA than those sequencing methods described previously.
Since the mid-1980's commercially available DNA sequencing instruments have automated the gel electrophoresis, data collection, sequence generation and data entry steps involved with the radiolabeled methods described above. In addition, particular automated instruments have taken advantage of certain dyes that emit photon energy when excited with a laser, eliminating the need to use radioactivity to detect the separated DNA fragments. All of the instruments incorporate a high resolution polyacrylamide gel system for separation of the labelled DNA fragments. Each instrument also contains some form of detection system at a fixed point across the length of the gel near its bottom to detect the fluorescent-labelled fragments as they migrate during electrophoresis.
There are at present commercially available automated instruments based upon the detection technologies of: (1) single fluorescent-labelled primers or dNTPs with the sequencing reactions run and detected in separate lanes of a gel (Ansorge, W., et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 15:4593-4602, 1987), (2) primers labelled with four separate fluors (Smith, L., et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 13:2399-2412, 1985; Smith, L., et al., Nature 321:674-679, 1986) allowing all four reactions to be run and detected in one lane on a gel, or (3) the same strategy as in (2), above, except with the substitution of four different fluorescent-labelled ddNTPs for the labelled primers (Prober, J., et al., Science 238:336-341, 1987).
One problem encountered by all sequencing methodologies is sequence compression caused by DNA secondary structure during electrophoresis. The relatively short DNA fragments produced in the sequencing reaction fold back upon themselves, forming tight interstrand loops and hairpin turns. Some of these structures have sufficient strength that they are not completely denatured by heating or electrophoresis through 7-8M urea. The incompletely denatured fragments, which may result from either A:T or G:C base pairs, migrate faster through the gel matrix than surrounding fragments of similar length, causing fragments that should differ by one to a few nucleotides to comigrate and appear as overlapping peaks (see FIG. 1, arrow). Unambiguous sequence determination is impossible in areas where compression artifacts occur. One typical way to resolve the sequence in an area of a compression is to sequence the opposite DNA strand (Davies, R. W., Gel Electrophoresis of Nucleic Acids, A Practical Approach IRL Press, pp. 148-149, 1985).
Due to the cost involved with opposite strand sequencing various other strategies have evolved to combat compressions. These alternate strategies include running the sequencing gels at elevated temperatures and/or substituting modified dNTPs into the sequencing mixes. Two of these modified dNTPs usually are dATP and dGTP where the nitrogen molecule at position 7 on the base moiety has been changed to a carbon atom (c.sup.7 dATP and c.sup.7 dGTP, respectively). Both c.sup.7 dATP and c.sup.7 dGTP decrease by one the number of hydrogen bonds formed during base pairing of these molecules with their respective dNTP counterparts. The overall effect is to lower the melting temperature between DNA strands where the c.sup.7 dNTPs are incorporated allowing more efficient strand denaturation, and thus decreasing the number of compressions affecting the sequence data. One drawback with this method is the high cost of these modified molecules.
Another tactic used in an attempt to lower the melting temperature between DNA strands is the use of 2'-deoxyinosine-5'-triphosphate (dITP) in place of dGTP. However, dITP is not an ideal substrate for DNA polymerases and the results can be strong stops throughout the data, i.e., where one peak should appear from a fragment of specific size, three or more may be found co-migrating together. (See Barr P. J. et al., Bio Techniques 4(5):428-32, 1986.)
Needed in the art of DNA sequence analysis is an improved method that helps avoid DNA secondary structure artifacts during electrophoresis.


A communication system includes a first storage section for storing a plurality of pieces of contents information, a second storage section for storing a plurality of pieces of contents information, a control section for accessing the contents information stored in the first storage section and the second storage section based on a single set of management information for managing the contents information stored in the first storage section and the second storage section, a communication section for interconnecting the first storage section, the second storage section and the control section for communication, and an accounting setting section for setting an amount of money to be imposed on a predetermined user in response to use of the first storage section or the second storage section.

This invention relates to a communication system, a communication method, a distribution apparatus, a distribution method and a terminal apparatus for principally distributing audio data such as, for example, music data.
In recent years, a data distribution service called EMD (Electronic Music Distribution) which makes use of a network such as, for example, the Internet or satellite broadcasting has been proposed and started.
In a system for the EMD, for example, the distribution undertaker side provides a server for storing audio data of tunes as contents data for distribution. Meanwhile, a personal user owns a recording medium or a personal terminal apparatus which functions as a playback apparatus having a built-in recording medium. The personal user typically concludes a purchasing contract of desired contents data with the server side and issues a downloading request to the server. In response to the downloading request, the server side performs accounting setting and performs uploading of the contents data of an object of the request. Finally, the tune data is recorded onto the recording medium owned by the user or onto the recording medium built in the personal terminal apparatus. In other words, as viewed from the user side, the purchased contents data is actually acquired successfully.
As things stand, the form of the purchasing contract of contents data in the EMD is so-called "purchase per download" wherein, when contents data is purchased (downloaded) in a unit of a tune, the purchase is established and no more contract remains. In other words, for example, if a user purchases and downloads certain contents data of only one tune, then a trade regarding provision of the contents data through downloading is performed. It is to be noted that, in the form of "purchase per download", the number of playback times, the playback period or the like is sometimes restricted depending upon the intention of the proprietor of the copyright or the like.
In the EMD in the form of "purchase per download" described above, accounting setting is performed, for example, for downloading of one contents data performed once by a user, and also the server side performs data management and user management in conformity with such a contract form as described above. Therefore, for example, such a disadvantage may possibly occur.
It is assumed that, for example, a user erases contents data purchased by downloading once by some operation miss or for some convenience' sake.
According to the form of the "purchase per download" described above, such a miss of the user side as just described is irrevocable. Accordingly, if the user wants the contents data erased once in this manner, then the user must purchase and download the contents data once again.
More particularly, it is assumed that, for example, although the user side downloads many contents data, since the capacity of a storage medium or a storage apparatus owned by the user is small, there remains no room in the capacity to store and keep downloaded contents data any more.
In this instance, the user cannot download new contents data unless the user selectively erases some of the downloaded and stored contents data. In other words, the user is urged to select the contents data downloaded by the user him/herself. Then, if the contents data erased at this time is required once again, then the user must still conclude a purchasing contract and download the contents data again.
In this manner, the form of the "purchase per download" at present provides a kind of inconvenience to users.

Communication system, communication method, distribution apparatus, distribution method and terminal apparatus


Apparatus (10) permits injection of solid well treatment pellets into a producing well (25) having a positive well pressure. The apparatus (10) includes a water storage tank (12) connected to the input of a high pressure pump (14). The pump (14) generates a pressurized flow of water at a pressure greater than well pressure through a conduit (24) and/or through a container (30) holding the pellets to be injected. The pellets are entrained within the pressurized flow of water for well injection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with improved apparatus and methods for the injection of solid treatment pellets into producing oil and gas wells. More particularly, the invention is concerned with such apparatus and methods which make use of high pressure liquid flow serving to entrain solid pellets from a source thereof, for ultimate delivery to the producing well. The apparatus may advantageously be truck-mounted so that pellets of the desired type may be easily injected at the well head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Oil and gas wells sometimes require the periodic addition of treatment agents, such as scale and corrosion inhibitors, in order to facilitate smooth, trouble-free operations. Such agents are often in liquid form, and are commonly added into the annular space between the well sidewall and the internal well casing. Well operators use a number of expedients for such additions, such as introduction through a side arm flush associated with the well fluid removal system. Because conventional treating agents tend to float on the well fluid, it is a common practice to add excess well fluid after addition of the treatment agent in order to drive the agent downwardly to a subterranean level adjacent the lower end of the well casing. As can be appreciated, this practice largely or completely shuts down well production, and it is not uncommon to thereby lose an entire day's production during the treatment process.
Solid treatment composites in the form of pellets or the like have also been utilized to provide a method for downhole treatment. For example, mold inhibitors such as the commercial product Iconol NP-100 Pastille FD (a nonylphenol ethoxylate available from BASF Corp.) have been mixed with active ingredients (such as corrosion inhibitors or bactericides) and formed into pellets. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,207 describes solid, self-sustaining well-injection pellets which can be formulated as corrosion and/or scale inhibitors, bactericides, or foaming agents. Pellets of this type have been commercialized by Jacam Chemical Company 2013, LLC, of Sterling, Kans.
Injection of solid treatment pellets can present a problem during the operation of a producing well. This is because these wells are often of relatively high pressure, ranging anywhere from 1,000-10,000 psi or above. Attempts have been made to simply dump treatment pellets into an above ground tank or sump for well fluids, but, in many instances, this expedient is unsuccessful because the pellets must be injected in a way to overcome the existing well pressures.
Pump arrangements have been devised for propelling pellets into wells, see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 2,790,500. The '500 patent discloses a pump arrangement wherein spherical treatment balls are mechanically propelled into a flow line using a spring-loaded piston assembly. This type of device is not suitable for elongated pellets, which are commonly produced today, and moreover does not generate adequate forces for very high pressure wells.
There is accordingly a need in the art for improved apparatus and methods for the injection of solid well treatment pellets of any type, and which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.

Pressurized injection apparatus for downhole treatment pellets


A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for presenting terrain along a route on an aircraft display. A display is presented of a top view, a side view, and a transverse vertical profile view of terrain data along the route on the aircraft display. A plurality of graphical indicators of distance along the route is overlaid such that a graphical indicator in the plurality of graphical indicators in the top view corresponds to a same distance to a second graphical indicator in the side view and a third graphical indicator in the transverse vertical profile view.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to an improved data processing system for use in displaying information in a vehicle and in particular to a method and apparatus for displaying information related to an aircraft. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program code for displaying terrain information for an aircraft.
2. Background
Controlled flight into terrain is an event where an airworthy aircraft under the control of the pilot inadvertently flies into terrain, an obstacle, or water. In these types of accidents, the pilots are generally unaware of the danger until it is too late to avoid the terrain. Pilots with any level of experience, even highly experienced professionals, may be involved in these types of events in which a controlled flight into terrain occurs.
Factors that may cause these types of events include, for example, pilot fatigue. Further, many accidents often involve impact with significantly raised terrain such as hills or mountains. Other times, cloudy, foggy, or other reduced visibility conditions may cause this type of accident.
A controlled flight into terrain also may occur due to equipment malfunction. For example, if a malfunction occurs in navigation equipment, the navigation equipment may mislead the crew into guiding the aircraft into the terrain, despite other information received from properly functioning equipment.
After studies of these types of accidents, terrain warning and display systems have been implemented in aircraft to enhance flight safety. By providing displays of terrain, improved situational awareness, and reduced pilot workload occurs, allowing the pilot and other flight crew to focus on flying the aircraft. The information about the terrain includes elevation information about the terrain. The information is referred to as terrain elevation information.
Typical systems employed in aircraft graphically display terrain on panel displays that depict elevations surrounding the aircraft position. In other words, the currently available displays show the terrain surrounding the aircraft. These types of displays are typically referred to as side views or longitudinal route profile view displays. With these types of systems, pilots and flight crew have improved situational awareness of the terrain around the aircraft. These types of displays, however, do not always provide as much information as may be desired. Thus, the different advantageous embodiments provide a method and apparatus to overcome the above described problems.

Transverse vertical profile display for aeronautical routes


A wood flooring product for assembly into a wood floor is disclosed. The flooring product includes a top, decorative layer, an intermediate layer bonded to the top layer, and a base layer bonded to the intermediate layer. The top, intermediate and base layers are bonded in registration to define a laminated elongate wood flooring strip. A tongue and a groove are formed on respective side edges of the flooring strip. The tongue and groove extend along the length of the flooring strip, and lock adjacent flooring strips together side-to-side to form an assembled wood floor. The base layer has a multiplicity of closely spaced-apart scores cut transverse to the length of the flooring strip along substantially the entire length of the flooring strip. The scores relieve stress and increase flexibility in the wood strip for more closely adhering to irregularities of a sub-floor.

This invention relates to a laminated wood flooring product, and a wood floor assembled from strips of the laminated wood flooring product. The flooring product which is the subject of this invention relates generally to products which are intended to simulated far more expensive solid wood flooring, such as oak, maple or ash. The desire to create a flooring product simulating solid wood flooring is apparent for reasons other than cost. For example, when a solid wood flooring panel is subjected to moisture, the width of the panel expands by as much as 11%. Because of this expansion, a stable solid wood floor can be difficult to maintain.
Width expansion and instability of wood is a result of the wood's hydroscopic nature. One way to stabilize an otherwise unstable wood product is to make it out of plywood. A piece of plywood is made by peeling a log to create thin wood strips. These strips are glued together and turned ninety degrees from the adjacent strips. This effectively stabilizes the unstable widthwise direction of the wood panel, thereby resulting in a more stable wood product.
In order to achieve a solid wood appearance without moisture expansion problems, a laminated wood flooring product was produced. This flooring product has a top, relatively thin veneer layer of oak, maple, ash or some other wood. The top layer is the exposed surface of the laminated wood floor when the floor is laid. When properly installed, the floor appears to be a solid wood floor, when in fact the floor is far less expensive than a solid wood floor. This lower cost is principally due to the use of less slow-growing hardwoods in favor of cheaper, faster-growing softwoods such as lauan or the like. Since laminated wood flooring products expand and contract in the presence of moisture by less than 2%, they provide a more stable floor.
Laminated wood floors are known in the art, but they are subject to a number of problems. For example, some laminated wood floors are specified as only being suitable for installation over certain types of subfloors. In other instances, subfloors must be removed because of poor condition, or because of irregularities in the surface which prevent proper installation. This is a particular problem since many older flooring materials contain asbestos, and are therefore expensive and potentially dangerous to remove. Prior art laminated wood floors are often subject to warping twisting and cupping, thereby requiring replacement or sanding to refurbish. In addition, a laminated wood floor which does not adhere to the subfloor at all points will create a hollow sound, and will flex slightly when walked on, clearly indicating that the floor is not a solid floor. Prior art laminated wood flooring strips are relatively stiff, thereby requiring a strong adhesive, such as a chlorinated solvent adhesive, to bond the floor to the subfloor. This is particularly true of subfloors which may have irregularities in the surface.
The chlorinated solvent adhesive used to bond the laminated wood flooring to the concrete had to be very rubbery, because despite the lamination, the flooring moved slightly through the years. This rubbery adhesive creates difficulties in installation. Furthermore, methyl chloroform is typically a principle ingredient in chlorinated solvent adhesives. Vapors emitted from this chemical are not only an environmental threat, but are also potentially damaging to household appliances, such as hot water heaters and furnaces. Regardless, even with a very strong adhesive, bowing, sideways sliding and similar problems are common.
In addition prior art laminated wood flooring strips have tongue and groove locking edges on both ends and side edges. This prevents pieces from being cut to length except on the periphery of the floor being laid. The presence of tongue and groove locking edges on the side edges and ends of the strips means that each flooring strip, as installed, must be shifted both sideways and endways to lock the tongue and groove locking members with the mating members of the end and side adjacent strips. The presence of tongue and groove locking edges o the side edges and ends of the strips also creates a problem known as "overwood," meaning that the respective surfaces of adjacent strips, when installed, are not exactly flush.
A prior attempt has been made to correct these problems. The Hartco "Pattern-Plus" laminated wood floor is a two-piece laminated floor, which has small wooden "slats" glued to the back side of the wooden flooring strips to create a "slatted" appearance, with small spaces between each flat to add additional flexibility to the floor, and to permit conformation to slight irregularities in the subfloor. This product has tongue and groove locking edges on both ends and side edges. As is apparent, gluing numerous small pieces of wood to the back of the flooring strips is a costly and time-consuming process.
The invention according to this application solves these problems in an inexpensive and efficient manner.

Laminated wood flooring product and wood floor


A foldable lighting system may include a light housing having a light source. The foldable lighting system may also include a base panel, a back panel, and two side panels. The back panel may be pivotally coupled to the light housing and foldable relative to the light housing. Each of the two side panels may have at least two sections, a first section pivotally coupled to the light housing, and a second section pivotally coupled to the base panel. The first section and the second section of each of the side panels may be pivotally coupled to each other.

E-commerce over the Internet has increased significantly over the past few years. Part of e-commerce enables users/customers to buy and/or sell products on online stores. Selling products at online stores often requires users to take photos of their products and upload the photos to the online stores. Currently available consumer digital cameras with photo editing software make it possible for individuals and/or small business owners to take digital photographs of products without the expense or need of a professional photographer.
However, in order to take beautiful photos of photo objects, sufficient and substantially uniform lighting must be provided to the products during photographing. Individuals and/or small business owners often lack the facilities that a photo studio has to provide sufficient and substantially uniform lighting to the photo objects.
One method for providing a studio lighting environment is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,976 (the '976 patent) issued to Blanford. The '976 patent describes a collapsible tabletop lighting apparatus consisting of a box-like structure and a detachable single circular fluorescent lighting unit. Although the system of the '976 patent may provide a lighting system for providing lighting for taking photographs of objects, it employs a two-piece design, in which an independent lighting unit is installed on a box-like structure. A user has to assemble the lighting unit onto the box-like structure every time when the user uses the system. Assembling the system is time consuming and inconvenient.
The disclosed system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.


One aspect of the present invention relates to optionally substituted halogenated benzyl halides and the like. These compounds are useful as halogenated benzyl ether-based protecting groups for a variety of functional groups. Another aspect of the present invention relates to use of said protecting groups in an orthogonal protecting group strategy for the synthesis of complex molecules that comprise a number of suitable functional groups. Another aspect of the present invention relates to saccharides bearing various arrays of protecting groups of the present invention. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of synthesizing an oligosaccharide or glycoconjugate, comprising the steps of: using a saccharide bearing at least one protecting group of the present invention to glycosylate a second molecule to give a product comprising said saccharide; and removing a protecting group of the present invention from said product.

The differential protection of functional groups of similar reactivity is a major challenge for the synthesis of complex natural products. The task of distinguishing specific hydroxyl and amino functionalities becomes particularly daunting in carbohydrate chemistry when highly branched structures call for several selectively removable masking groups. Over the years a host of protecting groups has been introduced, each making use of the unique reactivity of the particular masking moiety. Greene, T. W.; Wuts, P. G. M. Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis; John Wiley & Sons; New York, 1999. Traditionally, benzyl ethers have been employed for 'permanent' protection and are removed during the late stages of the synthesis, while ester moieties and silyl ethers are used to 'temporarily' mask hydroxyl groups to be unveiled during the synthesis. Orthogonality of protecting groups, or the ability to remove one particular masking entity without affecting the others, is a key issue for synthetic planning and experimental execution.
The reactivity of benzyl ethers has been tuned by using substituted benzyl ether protecting groups which could be selectively removed in the presence of unsubstituted benzyl ethers. These substituted benzyl ethers were generally less stable to reaction conditions than unsubstituted benzyl ethers. Greene, T. W.; Wuts, P. G. M. Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis; John Wiley & Sons; New York, 1999, p 86–113. The 4-O-methoxy benzyl group (PMB) has found frequent applications in natural product synthesis since it can be cleaved oxidatively thus sparing most other protective groups. Greene, T. W.; Wuts, P. G. M. Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis; John Wiley & Sons; New York, 1999, p 86–91. The acid sensitivity of this group has somewhat restricted its synthetic utility. More recently, other 4-O-substituted benzyl ethers containing acetate and silyl substituents have been reported. Jobron, L.; Hindsgaul, O. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 5835–5836. While these benzyl ether groups do not require palladium catalyzed hydrogenation for their removal, they necessitate treatment with base or fluoride respectively, followed by oxidative cleavage. These deprotection protocols forfeit compatibility of these 4-substituted benzyl ethers with ester, silyl, or PMB protecting groups.

Protecting groups useful in the synthesis of polysaccharides, natural products, and combinatorial libraries


A power generation system for propelling, and generating electrical power in, an aircraft, having a gas turbine engine in an engine compartment in the aircraft with an air inlet in the aircraft that is curved along its extent in leading to an air compressor in the gas turbine engine having a compressor air transfer duct extending therefrom to an internal combustion engine provided as an intermittent combustion engine at an air intake thereof. An inlet duct manifold is positioned against the duct wall of the inlet duct to cover a perforated portion thereof on the air compressor side of a curve therein with the inlet duct manifold having an inlet air transfer duct extending therefrom that is coupled to the intermittent combustion engine air intake.

The present invention relates to gas turbine engines for aircraft and, more particularly, to gas turbine engines each coupled to a corresponding auxiliary engine.
Gas turbine engines as continuous combustion, open Brayton cycle internal combustion engines have come to dominate as the power plants for larger, faster aircraft to essentially the exclusion of reciprocating engines, or internal, intermittent combustion engines, earlier used as power plants for these kinds of aircraft. This is largely because of the greater power-to-weight ratio of gas turbine engines versus internal combustion engines, especially in large horsepower engines, or, more appropriately, large thrust engines in which those large thrusts are provided with a relatively small, and so smaller drag, frontal area engine structures relative to reciprocating engines. Gas turbine engines generate such large thrusts for propulsion, or horsepower for engines with an output shaft, by combining large volumes of air with large amounts of fuel, and thereby form a jet of large velocity leading to the capability to provide desired speedy flights.
In addition to providing thrust, such gas turbine engines have operated integrated drive generators to generate electricity for the aircraft and for the engine electronic controls. The amount of electricity needed for these purposes in the past has tended to be relatively modest typically in the range of a few hundred kilowatts of electrical power but, with recently arriving new aircraft, exceeding a megawatt of power. However, there are some aircraft, usually for military uses, that have come to have needs for much larger amounts of electrical power either on a relative basis, the electrical power needed relative to the capability of the gas turbine engine available, or on an absolute basis with power needs significantly exceeding a megawatt. Furthermore, such demands for electrical power in military aircraft often occur at relatively high altitudes and often occur unevenly over relatively long time durations of use, that is, large peaks repeatedly occur in electrical power demand in the course of those long use durations.
Corresponding attempts to obtain the added power from the typical aircraft propulsive system, the gas turbine engine, that are needed to operate the concomitant much larger capacity electrical generators, either on a relative or absolute basis, will subtract significantly from the thrust output of the available turbine or turbines. Making up that thrust loss in these circumstances by operating such available turbine engines so as to increase the thrust output thereof causes the already relatively low fuel use efficiency during flight to decrease significantly, which can severely limit the length of otherwise long duration uses, and also brings those engines closer to becoming operationally unstable.
One alternative to using the gas turbine engine as the sole source of power to operate an electrical power generator is to add in the aircraft a further intermittent combustion internal combustion engine, such as gasoline engines operating on the any of the Diesel, Miller, Otto or Wankel cycles. Such engines can operate with a fuel efficiency on the order of seventy percent (70%) better than that of a continuous combustion (Brayton cycle) internal combustion gas turbine engine. At high altitudes, internal combustion engines of all kinds face the problem of limited power output because of the relatively small air pressures there limiting the chemical reactions of oxygen with hydrogen and oxygen with carbon in the burning the engine fuel in the engine combustion chamber or chambers. This can be solved for gas turbine engines by providing therein very large air flows through use, typically, of axial flow compressors usually in two stages with both a low compression compressor followed along the fluid flow path through the engine by a high compression compressor. This arrangement provides at least enough compressed air to the subsequent combustor to sustain the desired combustion process therein and a mass of airflow sufficient to combine with enough fuel to provide the energy needed to overcome the aircraft drag at the speed and altitude intended for operation.
However, such compressors can provide considerably more compressed air than the minimum needed for this purpose thereby allowing some of this compressed air to be delivered through an air transport duct to the air intake of an intermittent combustion internal combustion engine so that, in effect, the compressors of the gas turbine engine serve as a very capable supercharger for that intermittent combustion engine. Thus, this intermittent combustion engine can be operated at the same relatively high altitudes at which the gas turbine engine propelling the aircraft operates while this turbine engine is also supplying compressed air to that intermittent combustion engine. There, depending on the values selected for the peak air intake pressure and engine compression ratio, the intermittent combustion engine can be used as a power source for an electrical power generator that can generate much greater amounts of electrical power than can one powered by a gas turbine engine.
Some kinds of aircraft have the gas turbine engine used therein positioned within walls thereabout of a duct with the inlet side of that duct forming an inlet duct curved to follow a sinuous path to hide the front of that engine from impinging electromagnetic radiation at various wavelengths such as in a stealth type military aircraft (several kinds of which are unmanned aircraft). Typically, much of the inlet duct portion has a cross sectional area more closely approximating an elliptical shape rather than round so that the desired curves in the duct along its extent can be completed over a shorter extent distance, and then the duct cross section changes to being more round at the gas turbine engine location to accommodate that engine. The amount, or sharpness, of the curvature of the inlet portion of the duct, reflected in the curvature of the curve of cross sectional symmetry of that duct along its extent, resulting from the need to achieve the desired hiding of the front of the gas turbine engine depends on the space available for the duct in the aircraft and the size of that engine. That is, the length, L, of the duct curve of cross sectional symmetry from the duct opening to the atmosphere, on one end thereof, to the front of the gas turbine engine on the other end, and the diameter, D, of the front of that engine provide in their ratio L/D a parameter indicative of the curvature of the inlet portion of the duct, and so the compactness of this convoluted duct part and how extreme must be the resulting directional turning of airflows therethrough.
Relatively slow aircraft speeds at which there is little ram effect forcing air into the inlet duct portion such as occur after takeoff of the aircraft from a runway, followed by relatively sharp climb angles with respect to the aircraft flight direction, and the like, lead to separation or separations of the air flows in this inlet duct from the walls of that duct at locations therein just past the relatively sharp curves occurring in this duct in the direction of extent thereof. Regions of such flow separations from the duct walls extending to the gas turbine engine can lead to stalling of the engine fan or cause individual fan blades to flutter and then structurally fail before the aircraft reaches speeds sufficient for the air entering the inlet duct portion to reach such ram pressures as to prevent these separations. Different ratios L/D for the inlet duct portion in aircraft having engines positioned in a duct will lead to different duct path turning angles and turning radii occurring therealong especially at those duct locations just before and past relatively sharp curves in the duct path. Air flow separations locations inwardly just past these curves will be less likely with less duct curvature along the duct path but reducing curvature may also negatively affect the positioning of the gas turbine engine in the aircraft. Thus, such duct curvature may nevertheless be required along with any of the likely air flow separations at these locations having to be tolerated thereby leading to a desire to prevent same.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Aircraft combination engines inlet airflow control system


A biatrial triple-chamber cardiac pacemaker has at least one sensing unit for sense events of a first atrium and a ventricle of a heart and at least one stimulation unit which is adapted to produce stimulation pulses to a second atrium and the ventricle, and a control which is connected to the sensing unit and the stimulation unit and is adapted to evaluate at least the atrial sense events (AR-Sense) associated with the first atrium and the ventricular sense events (V-Sense) associated with the ventricle, for actuation of the stimulation unit, which is actuated so that the delivery of a left-atrial stimulation pulse is suppressed if previously a ventricular sense event occurs in a crosstalk window which adjoins a postatrial ventricular blanking time and at the same time the distance in respect of time to the last ventricular event ascertained outside a crosstalk window, to the next possible ventricular stimulation event, is greater than a predetermined maximum value.

Triple-chamber cardiac pacemakers of that kind are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,514,161 and 5,584,867. These patents provide structures with which it is possible to prevent conduction of an atrial tachycardia to the ventricle of a heart by means of the cardiac pacemaker.
Many of the per se known dual- and triple-chamber cardiac pacemakers are so-called demand cardiac pacemakers which are so designed that stimulation pulses to a chamber of a heart are triggered only if no natural heart action is detected within a predetermined time window. In connection with ventricular cardiac pacemakers for example reference is made to a ventricular escape interval or an AV-time which is triggered with a stimulation or a natural event in the right atrium of the heart and at the end of which a ventricular stimulation pulse is produced if that is not inhibited because, during the ventricular escape interval, an event was detected in the heart ventricle to be stimulated.
Such a detected event (V-sense) can be caused by a natural contraction of the ventricle. Similar electrical signals as occur upon the natural contraction of a ventricle can however also be produced by crosstalk of signals produced in the atrium of a heart, for example an atrial stimulation, to the ventricle. In order to blank out the detection of such signals originating from the atrium in the ventricle pacemakers usually have a blanking time which is triggered for example with the application of a stimulation pulse to the right atrium of a heart and lasts for example 100 ms. During that blanking time no ventricular sense events are detected so that potentials which possibly occur in that blanking time in the ventricle do not result in inhibition of the delivery of a ventricular stimulation pulse.
In general terms there is a wish for the blanking time to be selected to be as short as possible in order more specifically to prevent crosstalk of atrial stimulation pulses into the sensing channel for ventricular events, but at the same time to detect natural ventricular events, in particular premature ventricular contractions (PVC). Detecting and taking account of such premature ventricular contractions is also desirable for the reason that they can suppress the delivery of a ventricular stimulation pulse. Otherwise, in the worst case scenario, a ventricular stimulation pulse could be triggered in such a way that it occurs in the so-called vulnerable phase after a ventricular contraction.
The above-outlined problems are countered in various different ways in dual-chamber cardiac pacemakers. Reference may be made here to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,776,167 and 4,825,870. The cardiac pacemaker in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,870 counters the above-outlined problems by the provision of a variable blanking time and a subsequent crosstalk window, during which ventricular events are detected and identified as crosstalk events.
The state of the art does not indicate hitherto that, in the case of a triple-chamber cardiac pacemaker, crosstalk on the basis of atrial stimulation can be attributed not only to stimulation of the right atrium (as is known in the case of dual-chamber cardiac pacemakers) but stimulation of the left atrium. The invention already starts with the realisation that stimulation of the left atrium occurs in respect of time after stimulation of the right atrium, more specifically after an atrial conduction time, so that crosstalk from the left atrium to the (right) ventricle can only occur markedly after the crosstalk of a right-atrial stimulation pulse.

Biatrial triple-chamber cardiac pacemaker with multi-conditional inhibition of second atrial stimulation


A make-up composition in the form of water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsion comprising an acidic anti-active dissolved in the aqueous phase and a pigment or mixture of pigments dispersed in the oil phase. The make-up composition exhibits anti-effectiveness and product and color stability.

A foundation composition can be applied to the face and other parts of the body to even skin tone and texture and to hide pores, imperfections, fine lines and the like. A foundation composition is also applied to moisturize the skin, to balance the oil level of the skin and to provide protection against the adverse effects of sunlight, wind and the harsh environment.
Make-up compositions are generally available in the form of liquid or cream suspensions, emulsions, gels, pressed powders or anhydrous oil and wax compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,291 discloses a method of filling and camouflaging skin cavities by applying a composition which includes 65 to 75 parts by weight of a microcrystalline wax and about 25 to 35 parts of a mineral oil. The composition includes a colourant, preferably a coal tar dye, for example, D&C Red No. 17, which matches the colour of the user's skin.
A spreadable, flowable and greaseless cosmetic cover-up composition is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,405. That composition is characterized by the presence of a first and a second alkoxylated surfactant present in substantially the same concentration.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,532 recites a facial cosmetic powder which utilizes crystalline silica in much lower concentration than that employed in the then prior art compositions. This powder, used as a blush or a facial coating, is said to be effective in hiding skin wrinkles, lines and pores. The composition is a mixture of a colour phase and a diluent phase. The colour phase is formed by blending crystalline silica with colourants. The resultant colour phase is mixed with the diluent phase, essentially formed from nacreous materials such as talc and mica, to form the composition.
The use of a foundation composition which has a significantly high concentration of nacreous material is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,207. This foundation, a pressed powder composition, is characterized by the presence of a nacreous material such as mica and a binder oil which provides a frosted pearl effect, that is, a lustrous look. The colour of this foundation is provided by the nacreous material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,562 discloses a cosmetic make-up composition which includes, as a binding agent therefore, an intimate mixture of from 5 to 95 weight percent of a mixture of finely divided silica and about 5 to 95 weight percent of finely divided polyethylene fibres. The composition is recited to maintain its uniformity over the areas of the skin to which it is applied. That is, it is said to be "creaseproof". The composition of the '562 patent includes colourant in admixture with nacreous agents.
Nakamura et al., Preprints of the XIVth I.F.S.C.C. Congress, Barcelona, 1986, Vol. I, 51-63 (1986) describes a novel make-up composition utilizing spherical silica and polydimethyl siloxane. This combination is recited to provide a foundation which reduces wrinkle visibility to a greater extent than make-up foundations with which it was compared. This reduction in wrinkle visibility is caused by optical blurring enhanced by the novel use of spherical silica and polydimethyl siloxane.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,722 discloses a cosmetic make-up composition comprising water-in-oil emulsions comprising pigment coated with polysiloxane, a silicone phase, a water phase and a polydiorganosiloxane-polyoxyalkylene copolymeric surfactant.
Foundations in the form of water-in-oil emulsions are well known and provide good coverage and good skin feel, wear and appearance. At the same time, it would be desirable to provide a foundation composition having topical anti-acne activity. There are many compounds which are known to exhibit anti-acne properties when applied topically to the skin. A commonly used keratolytic agent having anti-acne activity is salicylic acid. As salicylic acid is virtually insoluble in water it is difficult to incorporate into the aqueous phase of an emulsion composition. Delivery of salicylic acid from the pigment-containing oil phase of an emulsion foundation composition can, however, lead to discolouration of the composition due to interaction between the salicylic acid and pigments, especially of the iron oxide type. It would therefore be desirable to deliver the salicylic acid in soluble form from the aqueous phase.
Polyvinylpyrrolidone is known for use as a solubilizing/complexing agent in a variety of compositions.
GB-A-2,041,963 discloses an aqueous detergent composition for cleansing oily skin comprising a water-soluble salt of an N-acyl ester of sarcosine, a polyvinylpyrrolidone cosolubilizer and a protein and/or protein hydrolysate. The composition can also contain salicylic acid as a keratolytic agent and a buffer such as citric acid/citrate. There is no disclosure, however, of cosmetic compositions containing solubilized acidic anti-acne actives in fully protonated form as specified herein.
Since acidic anti-acne agents are most active at low pH (when a high concentration of free acid is present in solution) it would be desirable to deliver the agent from an aqueous phase at a pH at which it exists significantly in protonated form. It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide a cosmetic composition comprising a low pH aqueous solution of an anti-acne active.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a cosmetic composition having improved anti-acne activity and stability.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a cosmetic composition in the form of an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion having improved colour stability and pigment/anti-acne active compatibility.


An ST-MRAM structure, a method for fabricating the ST-MRAM structure and a method for operating an ST-MRAM device that results from the ST-MRAM structure each utilize a spin Hall effect base layer that contacts a magnetic free layer and effects a magnetic moment switching within the magnetic free layer as a result of a lateral switching current within the spin Hall effect base layer. This resulting ST-MRAM device uses an independent sense current and sense voltage through a magnetoresistive stack that includes a pinned layer, a non-magnetic spacer layer and the magnetic free layer which contacts the spin Hall effect base layer. Desirable non-magnetic conductor materials for the spin Hall effect base layer include certain types of tantalum materials and tungsten materials that have a spin diffusion length no greater than about five times the thickness of the spin Hall effect base layer and a spin Hall angle at least about 0.05.

Field of the Invention
Embodiments relate generally to magnetic memory devices, such as but not limited to magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices. More specifically, embodiments relate to magnetic memory devices, such as but not limited to magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices, with enhanced performance.
Description of the Related Art
Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices comprise a class of non-volatile, fast and energy-efficient data storage devices that are expected to be capable of achieving very high levels of magnetic data density. Each MRAM cell stores one binary bit of data. A central component of an MRAM device cell is a thin film magnetoresistive element, which is a combination of thin film materials whose electrical resistance depends upon the relative magnetic orientation of two or more, but generally only two, thin film ferromagnetic material layers. One of the thin film ferromagnetic material layers typically has a fixed magnetic orientation and is referred to as a pinned layer (PL), while the other of the thin film ferromagnetic material layers has a switchable magnetic orientation and is referred to as a free layer (FL).
A further sub-category of MRAM devices is spin-torque MRAM (ST-MRAM) devices. In comparison with more conventional MRAM devices, ST-MRAM devices utilize a spin torque generated by an electrical current (i.e., rather than a magnetic field generated by an electrical current) to switch the relative magnetic orientation of a free layer (FL) with respect to a pinned layer (PL).
As integrated circuit device dimensions have decreased and integrated circuit device density has increased, it has become desirable to provide more efficient and more reliable MRAM structures including ST-MRAM structures, as well as methods for fabrication thereof and operation thereof for the more efficient and more reliable MRAM structures including the ST-MRAM structures.

Spin hall effect magnetic apparatus, method and applications