All The Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing meetings comprises the steps of:
entering a meeting definition of a future meeting as meeting definition data in data fields of a database;
generating and sending a meeting definition document notifying meeting members identified by the data about a future meeting described by the meeting definition data; and
generating and sending meeting reminders to the meeting members and to a meeting host identified by the meeting definition data.
2. A computer implemented method as in claim 1, and further comprising the step of:
generating the meeting definition document as an encrypted and read only electronic document for viewing by the meeting members.
3. A computer implemented method as in claim 1, and further comprising the steps of:
scheduling an adjusted date for sending a meeting reminder to the host; and
scheduling an adjusted date for sending meeting reminders to the meeting members.
4. A computer implemented method as in claim 1, and further comprising the steps of:
recording meeting efficiency measurement data in corresponding data fields of the database, and generating one or more graphs of the meeting efficiency data.
5. A computer implemented method as in claim 1, and further comprising the step of:
recording action requests and their due dates in respective data fields of the database as part of the meeting definition data.
6. A computer implemented method as in claim 1, and further comprising the step of:
entering encrypted, read only electronic attachments in an attachment data field of the database as part of the meeting definition data.
7. A computer implemented method as in claim 1, and further comprising the steps of:
recording action requests and their due dates as action request data in respective data fields of the database;
recording owners of the action requests as owner data in respective owner data fields of the database; and
including the action request data and the owner data in the meeting definition data.
8. A computer implemented method as in claim 1, and further comprising the steps of:
recording action request data and their due date data in respective data fields of the database;
recording respective owners of the action requests who are to view attachments as respective owner data in respective owner data fields of the of the database;
entering encrypted, read only electronic attachments intended for viewing solely by the respective owners as attachment data in respective attachment data fields of the database;
including the respective owner data as part of the meeting definition data; and
including the attachment data as part of the meeting definition data solely for the respective owners.
9. A computer implemented method as in claim 1, and further comprising the step of:
entering meeting minutes of a meeting as data in a respective data field of the database as part of the meeting definition data.
10. A computer implemented method as in claim 1, and further comprising the steps of:
scheduling an adjusted date for sending the meeting minutes to the meeting host; and
scheduling an adjusted date for sending the meeting definition document, including the meeting minutes, to the meeting members.
11. A computer implemented system for managing meetings comprising:
a database having data fields for entering a meeting definition of a future meeting as meeting definition data in the data fields;
a computer memory storing the data for retrieval by the database; and
an auto-mailer sending an encrypted and read only meeting definition document and meeting reminders that are generated by the database and that notify meeting members identified by the data about a future meeting described by the data.
12. A computer implemented system for managing meetings as in claim 11, and further comprising:
a meeting definition interface generated by the database, the interface having data fields for the meeting definition data.
13. A computer implemented system for managing meetings as in claim 11, and further comprising:
a data field in the meeting definition interface for attaching encrypted, read only attachments that are part of the meeting definition data.
14. A computer implemented system for managing meetings as in claim 11, and further comprising:
a meeting reminder interface scheduling when to generate and send a meeting definition document and when to generate and send a meeting reminder.
15. A computer implemented system for managing meetings as in claim 11, and further comprising:
action request data fields and due date data fields of the database recording action requests and their due dates as part of the meeting definition data.
16. A computer implemented system for managing meetings as in claim 11, and further comprising:
action request data fields and due date data fields of the database recording action requests and their due dates as part of the meeting definition data;
respective owner data fields of the database recording owners of the action requests as part of the meeting definition data.
17. A computer implemented system for managing meetings as in claim 11, and further comprising:
action request data fields and due date data fields of the database recording action requests and their due dates as part of the meeting definition data;
respective owner data fields of the of the database recording respective owners of the action requests who are to view attachments as part of the meeting definition data;
respective attachment data fields of the database recording encrypted, read only electronic attachments intended for viewing solely by the respective owners as part of the meeting definition data solely for the respective owners.
18. A computer implemented system for managing meetings as in claim 11, and further comprising:
a respective data field of the database entering meeting minutes of a meeting as part of the meeting definition data.
19. A computer implemented system for managing meetings as in claim 11, and further comprising:
a respective data field of the data base scheduling an adjusted date for sending the meeting minutes to the meeting host; and
a respective data field of the data base scheduling an adjusted date for sending the meeting definition document, including the meeting minutes, to the meeting members.
20. A computer implemented system for managing meetings as in claim 11, and further comprising:
corresponding data fields of the database recording meeting efficiency data for one or more graphs of the meeting efficiency data.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An air conditioner, comprising:
a heat exchange unit configured to be coupled to an interior space to be heated or cooled, the heat exchange unit comprising:
a housing;
a fan that generates air flow through the housing;
a first shroud that guides the air flow generated by the fan to an outside of the housing; and
a second shroud coupled to an downstream end of the first shroud, wherein the second shroud has a substantially straight vertical outer wall with curved end so as to stabilize air flow generated by the fan.
2. The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of the transverse section of the second shroud is substantially circular.
3. The air conditioner of claim 1, further comprising:
a coupling device that is integrally formed with the first shroud and the second shroud so as to couple the first shroud and the second shroud, wherein a portion of the coupling device near an area where the first shroud and the second shroud are joined to each other is curved.
4. The air conditioner of claim 1, further comprising:
a guide member that extends outward from the second shroud, wherein the guide member is configured to couple the housing and the second shroud, wherein a portion of the guide member in an area where the guide member and the second shroud are coupled to each other is curved.
5. The air conditioner of claim 4, further comprising:
a reinforcement device that supports the first shroud and the guide member.
6. The air conditioner of claim 5, wherein the reinforcement device also supports the second shroud.
7. The air conditioner of claim 5, further comprising:
at least one reinforcement rib that extends between a bending part provided at one end of the guide member to a rear surface of the guide member.
8. The air conditioner of claim 1, further comprising:
a reinforcement ring that surrounds an outer periphery of the first shroud.
9. An air conditioner, comprising:
a first unit configured to provide climate controlled air to a predetermined space; and
a second unit separate from and coupled to the first unit, wherein the second unit conducts a heat exchange operation with air outside of the predetermined space, the second unit comprising:
a housing;
at least one heat exchanger provided in the housing;
a fan that draws outside air into the housing and across the at least one heat exchanger, and that discharges heat exchanged air from the housing; and
a multi-staged shroud that is coupled to the housing, wherein the shroud surrounds the fan so as to direct the heat exchanged air out of the housing, wherein an interior contour of the multi-staged shroud is curved so as to correspond to an air flow pattern generated by the fan.
10. The air conditioner of claim 9, wherein the multi-staged shroud comprises:
a first shroud having a first end thereof that defines an outlet through which the heat exchanged air is discharged from the housing, and a second end opposite the first end thereof; and
a second shroud having a first end thereof coupled to the second end of the first shroud, and a second end opposite the first end thereof, wherein the second end of the second shroud defines an inlet into which heat exchanged air is introduced into the fan.
11. The air conditioner of claim 10, wherein the multi-staged shroud further comprises:
a curved first connecting portion that extends between the second end of the first shroud and the first end of the second shroud such that the interior contour of the multi-staged shroud is continuously curved.
12. The air conditioner of claim 11, wherein the interior contour of the multi-staged shroud is spaced apart from distal ends of a plurality of blades of the fan and curved so as to correspond to a rotation path of the distal ends of the plurality of blades so as to stabilize air flow generated by the fan.
13. The air conditioner of claim 11, wherein the multi-staged shroud further comprises:
a second connecting portion provided at the second end of the second shroud, wherein the second connecting portion couples the multi-staged shroud to an interior of the housing.
14. The air conditioner of claim 11, wherein the multi-staged shroud further comprises:
a guide member coupled to the second end of the second shroud, wherein the guide member couples the multi-staged shroud to an interior of the housing; and
a reinforcement device that reinforces the first and second shrouds.
15. The air conditioner of claim 14, wherein the reinforcement device comprises a reinforcement ring that extends around an outer periphery of either the first shroud or the second shroud.
16. The air conditioner of claim 14, wherein the reinforcement device comprises:
at least one reinforcement plate that extends between the first and second shrouds and the guide member so as to reinforce the first and second shrouds; and
a plurality of reinforcement ribs that extend between an outer peripheral edge of the guide member and a rear surface of the guide member so as to reinforce the guide member.
17. The air conditioner of claim 11, wherein the multi-staged shroud further comprises:
a storage member that extends downward from an area at which the second end of the first shroud and the first connecting portion are joined, wherein a gap is formed between the storage member and an interior surface of the second shroud, wherein unstable air generated by rotation of the fan is trapped within the gap so as to stabilize air flow through the multi-staged shroud.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming on a substrate an electrode having a structure with at least two layers, the method comprising:
a first step of forming a first resist layer on the substrate, the first resist layer having a first opening therein;
a second step of forming a second resist layer on the first resist layer;
a third step of forming a second opening in the second resist layer, the second opening having a larger area than the first opening and being located in the vicinity of the first opening;
a fourth step of forming a first conductor layer on inner surfaces of the first and second openings and on surfaces of the first and second resist layers;
a fifth step of forming a second conductor layer on the first conductor layer in a region other than the inner peripheral surface of the second opening;
a sixth step of removing, by etching, the first conductor layer that lies at a portion that is not covered by the second conductor layer within the second opening;
a seventh step of removing, by a lift-off process, the second resist layer and the first and second conductor layers which are above the second resist layer; and
an eighth step of removing the first resist layer by ashing.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in the first step, the first opening is formed in the first resist layer by photolithography.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in the third step, the second opening is formed in the second resist layer by photolithography.
4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in the third step, the second opening is formed to have an inverted-tapered cross-sectional shape.
5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in the fourth step, the first conductor layer is formed by sputtering.
6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in the fifth step, the second conductor layer is formed by deposition.
7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in the sixth step, the first conductor layer is removed by plasma etching with a gas mixture of CF4 or CHF3 and oxygen.
8. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first conductor layer is formed by sputtering in the fourth step; the second conductor layer is formed by deposition in the fifth step; the first conductor layer is removed by dry etching in the sixth step; and the fourth and fifth steps are sequentially performed using a multi-chamber vacuum apparatus.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the sixth step is also performed with said multi-chamber vacuum apparatus.
10. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first resist layer is formed to have a thickness less than the second resist layer.
11. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a step of heat-treating the first resist layer between the first and second steps, such that the edge of the open end of the first opening is thermally deformed and chamfered.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said heat-treating step hardens the first resist layer.
13. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electrode is a gate electrode for a field effect transistor and the substrate is a semiconductor substrate.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first conductor layer comprises a high-melting-point metal.
15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the second conductor layer has a multilayer structure, the layers each comprising metal and at least one of the layers comprising gold.
16. A field effect transistor comprising:
a gate electrode formed by the method according to claim 13;
a source electrode; and
a drain electrode,
said source and drain electrodes being disposed on said semiconductor substrate.
17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an etching step which forms a recess in a portion of the substrate that is exposed to the first opening.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said fourth step further forms said first conductor layer in said recess.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A high temperature oxidation resistant carbonaceous molding comprising:
a parent material made of carbon material and having an exterior surface;
a metallic carbide containing layer which is formed such that a metal is diffused to the exterior surface of the parent material and metal carbide is formed thereon and having cracks, wherein the metal is at least one of chromium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, molybdenum, and tungsten;
a vitreous member composed of a vitreous material filled in the cracks; and
a vitreous material layer formed on a surface of the metallic carbide containing layer;
wherein the vitreous member and the vitreous material layer are integrated and cover the exterior surface of the parent material.
2. A high temperature oxidation resistant carbonaceous molding as set forth in claim 1, wherein the metallic carbide containing layer is more than 65 wt % carbide.
3. A high temperature oxidation resistant carbonaceous molding as set forth in claim 1, wherein the metallic carbide containing layer has thickness of from 10 to 50 \u03bcm.
4. A high temperature oxidation resistant carbonaceous molding as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cracks are like wedges from a surface of the metallic carbide containing layer toward the parent material.