A bridge apparatus includes slave circuits connected to each other via a bus. Each of the slave circuits is connected to one of master apparatuses, function as a slave for the master apparatus connected thereto, and performs communication in accordance with a protocol in which the number of masters in a system is restricted. Addresses of memories are respectively set in the slave circuits, and the memories are connected to the master apparatuses to which the slave circuits are respectively connected. When a first master apparatus accesses a memory connected to a second master apparatus by specifying a first address of the memory, the bridge apparatus causes the first master apparatus and the second master apparatus to communicate via a first slave circuit, a second slave circuit in which an address corresponding to the first address is set, and the bus, based on the addresses of the memories.

As information processing systems advance in complexity and scale, information processing systems, each of which includes a plurality of system-on-chips (SoCs), have been proposed. As such an information processing system including a plurality of SoCs, there has been proposed a system in which a plurality of central processing units (CPUs) are connected to each other via a network and perform parallel processing, called a CPU cluster.
When a plurality of servers are connected to each other by using an Ethernet (registered trademark) switch, Peripheral Component Interconnect express (PCIe) has conventionally been used to reduce hardware of the Ethernet switch. In addition, a PCIe switch has conventionally been used to connect a plurality of processors and to enable one processor to access a memory connected to another processor. In addition, there has been proposed use of PCIe in place of Ethernet for communication between servers in a data center.
In the PCIe protocol, only a single master (referred to as a root complex) is allowed to be present in the system, and all the other devices need to be present as slaves (referred to as end points).
See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,480,303, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0067229, and International Publication Pamphlet No. 2013/136522.
As described above, in a protocol in which the number of masters in the system is restricted, such as in the PCIe protocol, it is difficult to directly connect devices (hereinafter referred to as master devices) such as personal computers (PCs) and CPUs having a master function. There is a method in which a plurality of master devices are connected via an Ethernet switch. However, in the case of an inexpensive Ethernet switch, there is a large delay including protocol overhead. For example, since the transmission source waits until the transmission source receives a response signal from a transmission destination to perform the next transmission, high-speed communication is not achieved.
Thus, the conventional techniques have a problem in that high-speed memory access between master devices is difficult.

Information processing system, information processing method, and semiconductor device


A display case includes separately formed components: (1) a casing which defines an internal cavity having an open end, and (2) a latching closure device with an integrated living hinge. The two components are made of different plastic materials, wherein the different materials have properties advantageously suited for each component. Preferably, the living hinge and closure device is made of a resilient plastic, while the casing is made of a substantially transparent plastic through which the interior of the casing and its contents can be viewed.

1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to plastic display cases, and more particularly concerns the advantageous combination of the particular characteristics of different plastic materials for use in constructing the main body and hinged closures of video cassette display cases, respectively. Such video cassette display cases frequently have a casing, as well as a hinged closure device that can be opened for the slidable insertion or withdrawal of a video cassette, and that can be closed for retention of a video cassette inside. The materials for these display cases also can be advantageously combined to enable the customers to view clearly the interior of the case and its contents through the casing, for example, the advertising jackets of prerecorded video cassettes, while other materials can add to the durability of the display case, such as at the hinge area. In certain embodiments particularly adapted for use with video cassettes, the casing is designed such that during the slidable withdrawal of a video cassette, the advertising jacket may be retained inside the display case. Retention of the advertising jacket inside the case helps keep the advertising jacket in good condition.
2. Brief Description Of The Prior Art
Reusable plastic cases have many applications for the storage of various items. When constructed of transparent plastic material, such cases display the contents while also protecting them. Video cassettes and their associated advertising jackets are commonly stored and displayed in such plastic display cases.
Commercial prerecorded video cassettes for rental and sale usually are accompanied by an advertising jacket designed to enhance their marketability. These advertising jackets often are placed on display in public areas of rental shops, stores, or libraries so that customers may browse through the selections. However, extensive handling of a bare advertising jacket may cause it to show the effects of wear, which diminishes a video cassette's resale value and its appeal to customers. Therefore, it is common practice for merchants or libraries to display such video cassettes together with their advertising jackets in individual translucent or transparent plastic display cases so that the printed information on the jacket can be seen by customers while protecting the jackets from handling wear. One such display case design is a plastic sleeve, open at one end of the sleeve, with a closure device mounted adjacent to the open end. The closure device may take the form of a cover which is connected to the case by means of a so-called "living hinge". Such display cases ordinarily are constructed of a single piece and a single type of material such as a single plastic.
There are at least two desirable characteristics for the material from which a video cassette display case is made: (1) transparency, so that the video cassette advertising jacket can be viewed clearly, and (2) resilience, so that the living hinge is durable and resistant to fatigue. Unfortunately, of the plastics commonly available that are economically suited to construction of the display cases, there currently is no single plastic which adequately exhibits both of these qualities. Therefore, either transparency or resilience, or both, are sacrificed in a display case of single-material design.
Among the types of transparent plastic commonly used for single material prior art display cases are (a) polystyrene, and (b) impact modified polymers of styrene, such as polymers of butadiene and styrene, including those currently sold by Phillips Petroleum Company under the trademark K-resin.RTM. (hereinafter collectively referred to as "butadiene-styrene"). These materials are used because their transparent quality allows the inside contents, such as a video cassette advertising jacket, to be seen clearly. However, polystyrene and butadiene-styrene also are relatively brittle in high-frequency living hinge applications. In a commercial environment, such as a video cassette rental business, display cases are likely to be opened and closed quite frequently, for example, during the insertion and removal of video cassettes. A living hinge made of such a material is likely to fatigue to the point of failure at a relatively early point in time, causing the hinged closure panel to fall off. Therefore, single-material polystyrene and butadiene-styrene display cases suffer from a relatively high rate of living hinge breakage, and therefore have a shorter useful life.
The living hinge failure problem can be solved by using a more resilient plastic such as polypropylene or impact modified polypropylene (collectively "polypropylene"), which also are used in single material prior art display cases. This material is more durable in a living hinge application, as it is relatively resistant to fatigue. However, polypropylene is not transparent as is butadiene-styrene or polystyrene; rather, polypropylene is relatively hazy in appearance. The hazy quality of polypropylene impairs a customer's view of the contents inside such a display case, for example, the advertising jacket for a video cassette, making the case less desirable from an aesthetic and marketing point of view.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved display case that overcomes the aforementioned problems in prior art display cases.
It is a specific object of this invention to provide such a display case having a more durable living hinge on which a closure panel is mounted while simultaneously clearly displaying the interior contents.
It is yet another object of certain embodiments of this invention to provide an economical video cassette display case that clearly displays a video cassette advertising jacket while having a more durable living hinge on which a closure panel is mounted.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a display case that economically utilizes the advantageous properties of two types of plastic.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a display case that protects a cassette advertising jacket from the effects of wear.
It is another object of this invention to provide a display case that retains the advertising jacket in the display case during the insertion and withdrawal of a cassette.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a display case that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use, and that conveniently stores a video cassette in its original advertising jacket in an attractive and functional manner.

Transparent display case with resilient long-life hinge


The error correction processing includes: data reproduction processing of reproducing recording data, constituted by a plurality of data units each made of a plurality of bits, from a recording medium sequentially; error correction processing of performing error correction in the row direction and error correction in the column direction at least once for an error correction code block that has the reproduced recording data arranged in the row direction over a plurality of rows; determination processing of determining whether uncorrectable data is left behind after execution of the error correction processing; and erasure correction processing of performing, when it is determined that uncorrectable data is left behind, column-direction error correction considering data constituting at least one row of the error correction code block as erasure data, even in cases where uncorrectable data in the error correction in the row direction is not left behind.

The present disclosure relates to an error correction method, and a data reproduction device, of performing error correction for recording data read from a recording medium.
In conventional optical disc reproduction devices, recording data read from an optical disc is stored into a buffer memory for error correction processing and transfer to a host computer. In such optical disc reproduction devices, the addresses of frames, sectors, and ECC blocks in the buffer memory are specified by detecting various types of sync patterns (sync patterns included in frames, frame sync codes indicating the heads of sectors, and IDs indicating head sectors of ECC blocks).
A data reproduction device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3459225 (Patent Document 1) reinforces interpolation of various types of sync patterns for preventing failure in correspondence between addresses and data in a buffer memory due to detection omission, false detection, abnormal interpolation, etc. of sync patterns that might occur from fingerprints, claws, etc. on an optical disc.
A data reproduction device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4143452 (Patent Document 2) is provided with an address generation means that, when a sync code is not detected for a predetermined number of times consecutively, interpolates frame addresses for a plurality of frames appearing during and after this non-detection time period, and performs PO erasure correction for a frame, out of the plurality of frames, in which the frame address generated by the interpolation does not match with a frame address calculated based on only the sync code.

Error correction method and data reproduction device

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A recording medium comprising a recording area, the recording area includes a first area and a second area, the first area includes a frame area, the frame area includes an area in which a second synchronization code sequence and at least a portion of data are to be recorded, and the second area includes an area in which a third synchronization code sequence and a fourth synchronization code sequence are to be recorded.

Recently, the recording density of optical disc media has been rapidly increasing. In the case of optical disc media allowing digital data recording, data recording, reproduction and management are generally performed in units of blocks, each block having a prescribed byte length. (Such a block will be referred to as a "data block".) Each data block is given address information. Data recording and reproduction are performed with reference to the address information.
For recording data on an optical disc medium, user data such as, for example, audio, video and computer data to be stored is provided with redundant data such as, for example, an error correction code (parity code) used for detecting or correcting a data error when the stored data is read. The user data provided with the redundant data is transformed in accordance with a modulation code system suitable to the characteristics of recording and reproduction signals for the optical disc medium. On the optical disc medium, the post-transformation data bit stream is recorded. One known modulation code system which is often used for optical disc media is run length limited code.
A run length limited code determines the post-transformation data bit stream so that the number of "0" bits interposed between two "1" bits in a bit sequence is limited to a prescribed number. The number of "0" bits interposed between "1" bits will be referred to as a "zero run". An interval (length) between one "1" bit to the next "1" bit in a data bit stream (code sequence) will be referred to as an "inversion interval". The limitation of the zero run determines the limits, i.e., the maximum value and the minimum value, of the inversion interval of a data bit stream. The maximum value will be referred to as a "maximum inversion interval k" and a "minimum inversion interval d".
In the case where a data bit stream is recorded on an optical disc medium by mark position recording (PPM: Pit Position Modulation), bit "1" of the data bit stream corresponds to a recording mark, and a zero run "0"s corresponds to a space. In the case where a data bit stream is recorded on an optical disc medium by mark length recording (PWM: Pulse Width Modulation), the recording state, i.e., whether a recording mark is to be recorded on the optical disc medium or a space is to be recorded, is switched when a "1" bit of the data bit stream occurs. In the case of mark length recording, the inversion interval corresponds to the length of a recording mark or the length of a space.
Accordingly, when, for example, the minimum value of the physical size of marks which can be formed on an optical disc medium (such a minimum value will be referred to as a "mark unit") is equal in the mark position recording and the mark length recording, mark position recording requires 3 mark units in order to record data of a minimum code length (3 bits "100" of a data bit stream), but the mark length recording requires only one mark unit.
When a run length limited code having a minimum inversion interval d=2 is used, the number of bits per unit length of track of the optical disc medium is larger in the case of the mark length recording than in the case of the mark position recording. Namely, the recording density is higher by the mark length recording than by the mark position recording.
In general, when a data bit stream transformed into a modulation code is recorded on an optical disc medium, a synchronization pattern is often inserted into the data bit stream at every prescribed cycle of the data bit stream. Such a synchronization pattern performs proper data synchronization when the data bit stream is read. According to one known technique for inserting the synchronization pattern, a synchronization pattern including a sequence which does not exist in a modulation code sequence is inserted at the start of an area, referred to as a frame area, having a prescribed byte length.
Among some data formats for recording-type optical disc media which have recently been put into practice, the DVD-RW data format will be briefly described.
In the DVD-RW data format, address information is arranged by pre-pits which are located in a land between two adjacent groove tracks in which data is to be recorded. Data is continuously recorded on the groove tracks. An ECC block, which is a minimum unit for data recording and reproduction, includes a plurality of areas, referred to as data frame areas, each having a fixed byte length. A data frame area includes a synchronization information area provided at the start thereof and a data area. Data recording or reproduction is begun and terminated in the data area in the data frame area which is located at the start of each ECC block. An operation for additionally recording data in an ECC block next to the ECC block which has data already recorded therein is referred to as "linking". A data frame area corresponding to a position at which data recording is begun and terminated is referred to as a "linking frame area".
FIG. 44 shows a data format of a linking position and the vicinity thereof of a conventional DVD-RW. In a DVD-RW, one ECC block includes 16 sectors, and one sector includes 26 frame areas. The minimum unit for data recording is one ECC block. Data recording is begun and terminated at a data area DATA of a leading frame area (linking frame area) of a leading sector S0 of one ECC block. FIG. 44 shows the position at which data recording is begun and terminated as "start position of data recording". In the example shown in FIG. 44, linking is performed so that the data recording is terminated at the 16th byte from the start of the linking frame area and the data recording is begun between the 15th byte and the 17th byte from the start of the linking frame area.
In the linking frame area in which the data recording is begun and terminated, data is recorded in a discontinuous manner. Therefore, data recorded from the linking beginning position (start position) to the next frame area cannot be read since accurate bit synchronization cannot be realized. Furthermore, when the low precision of linking causes the length of the frame area to be larger or smaller than the prescribed length, or when repeated linking recording in the same frame area degrades the signal in the frame area, signal reproduction systems for level-slicing, PLL or the like become unstable when the data recorded in and in the vicinity of the linking position is reproduced. In the worst case, there is a possibility that data cannot be read in several frame areas after the linking position. In such a case, error correction cannot be performed, which possibly generates a reading error. When the positioning accuracy when performing linking is less than one bit, the possibility of accurate data reading is increased. However, the tolerance of less than one bit is difficult to realize and thus is impractical as the recording density of data is increased.
The present invention, in light of the above-described problems, has an objective of providing a recording medium, a recording method, a reproduction method, a recording apparatus and a reproduction apparatus for allowing stable data recording and reproduction even at a beginning position and termination position of data recording.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Recording medium, recording method, reproduction method, recording apparatus and reproduction apparatus

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Light in an ultraviolet region is applied to a first sample of single-crystalline silicon substrate and a sample of silicon thin film to be evaluated respectively, to obtain wavelength dependency of a ratio (reflection intensity ratio) K(.lambda.) between reflection light intensity values of the samples. A straight line connecting points indicating reflection intensity values at wavelengths 235 nm and 320 nm is obtained to subtract an actual reflection intensity ratio Kr from a virtual reflection intensity ratio Ki provided by the straight line with respect to a wavelength of 270 nm, thereby obtaining an index .DELTA.Ks. In a similar manner, an index .DELTA.Ka is obtained as to a second sample of silicon which is composed of only true amorphous phases. The degree of non-crystallization of the silicon thin film to be obtained is evaluated by comparing the index .DELTA.Ks with the index .DELTA.Ka.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an evaluation technique in the field of the semiconductor fabrication, and more particularly, it relates to a technique for evaluating a crystal rate or crystallinity in steps of fabricating a silicon thin film.
2. Description of the Background Art
As to a thin film MOS transistor (hereinafter referred to as "TFT") which is obtained by converting an amorphous silicon thin film to a recrystallized film through solid-phase growth the, possibility of apply same to a liquid crystal display, memory or the like has recently been studied because of far superior electric characteristics as compared with a transistor comprising a polysilicon film formed by another method (T. Katoh, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, Vol. ED-35 (1988), p. 923, for example).
Improved electric characteristics of such a TFT may be obtained by increasing the recrystallized crystal size. It has been recognized that this improvement strongly depends on the amorphous state of the amorphous silicon thin film before solid phase growth. That is, the amorphous silicon of which has characteristics that are varied with deposition conditions, conceivably contains pure amorphous phases and crystal phases in a mixed state. In order to increase the crystal grain size through solid phase growth, in particular, it is necessary to properly control the density of nuclei of crystal phases (hereinafter referred to as "crystal nuclei") contained in the amorphous silicon. If the density of such crystal nuclei is too large, for example, the number of crystal grains is increased since the crystal grains are grown from the nuclei of these crystal phases during the solid phase growth, to reduce the grain size. If the amorphous silicon is completely composed of pure amorphous phases alone with no crystal nuclei, on the other hand, crystal grains are hardly grown therein.
It is possible to control the density of the crystal nuclei by ion-implanting highly concentrated Si atoms etc. into an amorphous silicon thin film or a polysilicon thin film (T. Ohshima, T. Noguchi and H. Hayashi: Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 25 (1986), L291).
If the crystal phases can be quantitatively evaluated in advance of solid phase growth, therefore, it is possible to effectively optimize process conditions so that the recrystallized crystal grain size is increased after solid phase growth. When such evaluation is carried out after recrystallization, it is possible to decide whether the recrystallized thin film is defective or not.
To this end, there have generally been proposed various evaluation methods such as Raman spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, Rutherford back scattering and transmission electron beam diffraction.
As to evaluation of amorphous silicon by the Raman spectrometry, Raman band strength of crystals is regarded as the measure for transition from amorphous phases to crystal phases. On the other hand in Raman spectroscopy, a Raman spectrum is separated into crystal phase components and amorphous phase components, to estimate the volume ratio of the crystal phases from integrated intensity values thereof. In "Raman-Scattering Studies of Silicon-Implanted Galluim Arsenide" by M. Holtz and R. Zallen, J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 59 (1986), p. 1946, it is assumed that peak intensity of scattered light obtained by Raman spectrometry correlates with crystallinity in consideration of a single substance, and the scattered peak intensity is reduced as crystallinity is deteriorated. Unfortunately, Raman spectrometry, measuring steps are complicated and a long time is required for measurement, while the measuring apparatus is increased in size.
Evaluation of crystallinity by the X-ray diffraction has problems similar to the above.
Rutherford back scattering is adapted to accelerate light atoms of ionized hydrogen or helium and introduce the same into a sample, to evaluate crystallinity of the sample by analyzing the energy of these ions which are scattered by atomic nuclei and jump out from the sample. As to evaluation of crystallinity, the area of a surface peak of an align spectrum is related to the density of atoms which are displaced from lattice positions, i.e., defective density, to quantify the crystallinity, as in "Back Scattering Spectrometry" by W. K. Chu, J. W. Mayer and M. A. Nicolet, Academic Press, New York, Chap. 2 (1978), In such Rutherford back scattering, however, a long time is required for measurement. On the other hand, transmission electron beam diffraction is adapted to introduce a highly accelerated electron beam into a sample to obtain the crystal grain size from an image of the transmitted electron beam, and hence the sample must be worked into an extremely small thickness, to be capable of transmitting the electron beam. Such working requires a long time, and a longer measuring time is required for transmission election beam diffraction as compared with the Rutherford back scattering. Further, such measurement cannot be carried out during fabrication steps, since this is a destructive test.
In addition, all these prior art methods require complicated and large-sized measuring apparatus, which must be operated by skilled personnel.

Method of and apparatus for evaluating crystal rate in silicon thin film


User equipment (UE) can detect a Radio Link Control (RLC) unrecoverable error and a Radio Link (RL) failure. The two errors are handled differently while the UE is in a dedicated channel (DCH) state. The RL failure leads to execution of Radio Access Bearer (RAB) release steps, characterized by utilizing respective timer values to determine if associated RABs should be released. The RLC unrecoverable error is not permitted to execute the RAB release steps. This prevents unnecessary dropping of services. The UTRAN can optionally include and set the indicators to command the UE to perform the indicated RLC re-establishmentprocedure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communications device. More particularly, the present invention relates to discriminating between the handling of a layer 2 unrecoverable error and a layer 1 radio link failure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications 3GPP TS 25.331 V3.11.0 (2002–06) "Radio Resource Control (RRC) Protocol Specification" and 3GPP TS 25.322 V3.11.0 (2002–06) "Radio Link Control (RLC) protocol specification", both of which are included herein by reference, provide technical description of a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). The UMTS discloses a device (typically a mobile device), termed user equipment (UE), in wireless communications with one or more base stations. These base stations (so-called Node Bs) with Radio Network Controllers (RNCs) are collectively termed the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network, or UTRAN for short.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a simple block diagram of a 3GPP wireless communications network 10. The wireless communications network 10 comprises a plurality of radio network subsystems (RNSs) 20 in communications with a core network (CN) 30. The CN 30 includes a packet switch (PS) domain 30p and a circuit switch (CS) domain 30c. The plurality of RNSs 20 form a UTRAN 20u. Each RNS 20 comprises one RNC 22 that is in communications with a plurality of Node Bs 24. Each Node B 24 is a transceiver, which is adapted to send and receive wireless signals, and which defines a cell region. A number of cells (i.e., a number of Node Bs 24) taken together defines a UTRAN Registration Area (URA). In particular, the wireless communications network 10 assigns a UE 40 to a particular RNS 20, which is then termed the serving RNS (SRNS) 20s of the UE 40. Data destined for the UE 40 is sent by the CN 30 (or UTRAN 20u) to the SRNS 20s. It is convenient to think of this data as being sent in the form of one or more packets that have a specific data structure, and which travel along one of a plurality of radio bearers (RBs) 28, 48. An RB 48 established on the UE 40 will have a corresponding RB 28 established on the UE SRNS 20s. The RBs are numbered consecutively, from RB0 to RBn. Typically, RB0 to RB4 are dedicated signaling RBs (SRBs), which are used for passing protocol signals between the UTRAN 20u and the UE 40, and will be described in some more detail below. RBs 28, 48 greater than four (i.e., RB5, RB6, etc.) are typically used to carry user data. The RNC 22 utilizes a Node B 24, which may be assigned to the UE 40 by way of a Cell Update procedure, to transmit data to, and receive data from, the UE 40. The Cell Update procedure is initiated by the UE 40 to change a cell as defined by a Node B 24. Selection of a new cell region will depend, for example, upon the location of the UE 40 within the domain of the SRNS 20s. The UE 40 sends data to the wireless communications network 10, which is then picked up by the SRNS 20s and forwarded to the CN 30. Occasionally, the UE 40 may move close to the domain of another RNS 20, which is termed a drift RNS (DRNS) 20d. A Node B 24 of the DRNS 20d may pick up the signal transmitted by the UE 40. The RNC 22 of the DRNS 20d forwards the received signal to the SRNS 20s. The SRNS 20s uses this forwarded signal from the DRNS 20d, plus the corresponding signals from its own Node Bs 24 to generate a combined signal that is then decoded and finally processed into packet data. The SRNS 20s then forwards the received data to the CN 30. Consequently, all communications between the UE 40 and the CN 30 must pass through the SRNS 20s.
Please refer to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a simple block diagram of a UMTS radio interface protocol architecture, as used by the communications network 10. Communications between the UE 40 and the UTRAN 20u is effected through a multi-layered communications protocol that includes a layer 1, a layer 2 and a layer 3, which together provide transport for a signaling plane (C-plane) 92 and a user plane (U-plane) 94. Layer 1 is the physical layer 60, and in the UTRAN 20u is responsible for combining signals received from the DRNS 20d and SRNS 20s. Layer 2 includes a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer 70, a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer 72, and a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer 74. Layer 3 includes a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer 80. The U-plane 94 handles user data transport between the UE 40 and the UTRAN 20u (RBs 28, 48 from five and upwards), whereas the C-plane 92 handles transport for signaling data between the UE 40 and the UTRAN 20u (RBs 28, 48 from zero to four). The RRC 80 sets up and configures all RBs 28, 48 between the UTRAN 20u and the UE 40. The PDCP layer 22 provides header compression for Service Data Units (SDUs) received from the U-plane 94. The RLC layer 72 provides segmentation of PDCP 70 SDUs and RRC 80 SDUs into RLC protocol data units (PDUs). The RLC layer 72 is composed of one or more RLC entities 76. Each RLC entity 76 is individually associated with an RB 28, 48. For an RB 28 on the UTRAN 20u side, there exists an RLC entity 76 dedicated solely to that RB 28. For the same RB 48 on the UE 40 side, there similarly exists a corresponding RLC entity 76. These two corresponding RLC entities 76 for the same RB 28, 48 are termed "RLC peer entities". Under acknowledged mode (AM) transfers, the RLC layer 72 can provide upper layers (such as the PDCP layer 70 or the RRC layer 80) with a confirmation that RLC PDUs have been successfully transmitted and received between the RLC peer entities 76 on the UTRAN 20u and the UE 40. The MAC layer 74 provides scheduling and multiplexing of RLC PDUs onto the transport channel, interfacing with the physical layer 60.
Please refer to FIG. 3 with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a state diagram of the RRC layer 80. The RRC layer 80 has two primary states: an idle mode 81 and a UTRA RRC Connected Mode 86. While in idle mode, the RRC layer 80 has no lines of communication open with its peer RRC layer 80. That is, there are no available SRBs 28, 48 that enable communications between peer entity RRC layers 80, except for RB0, which is a common channel available to all UEs 40 in the UTRAN 20u. Utilizing the UE 40 as an example platform, once the RRC layer 80 of the UE 40 establishes a connection (i.e., SRBs 28, 48 from one to four) with its peer RRC layer 80 on the UTRAN 20u, the RRC layer 80 of the UE 40 switches into the UTRA RRC Connected Mode 86. This connection is typically initiated along RB0, which is a shared channel. Internally, the UTRA RRC Connected Mode 86 has four unique states: CELL_DCH 82, CELL_FACH 83, CELL_PCH 84 and URA_PCH 85. The CELL_DCH state 82 is characterized in that a dedicated channel is allocated to the UE 40 for uplink (UE 40 to UTRAN 20u) and downlink (UTRAN 20u to UE 40) communications. The CELL_FACH state 83 is characterized in that no dedicated channel is allocated to the UE 40, but instead the UE 40 is assigned a default common or shared transport channel for uplink. The CELL_PCH state 84 is characterized in that no dedicated physical channel is allocated to the UE 40, no uplink activity is possible for the UE 40, and the position of the UE 40 is known by the UTRAN 20u on a cell level (i.e., a node B basis 24). The URA_PCH state 85 is characterized in that no dedicated physical channel is allocated to the UE 40, no uplink activity is possible for the UE 40, and the position of the UE 40 is known by the UTRAN 20u on a URA basis.
A number of reconfiguration procedures are available to the RRC layer 80 to setup and configure RBs 28, 48. These procedures involve the UTRAN 20u sending a specific message to the UE 40 along an RB 28, 48 in the C-plane 92, and the UE 40 responding in turn with a corresponding message, also along the C-plane 92. Typically, the message is sent along RB2. The messages include Radio Bearer Setup, Radio Bearer Reconfiguration, Radio Bearer Release, Transport Channel Reconfiguration and Physical Channel Reconfiguration, as indicated in the above-indicated 3GPP specification TS 25.331, subclause 8.2.2. For each of these reconfiguration messages, the UE 40 has a corresponding "Complete" or "Failure" response message indicating success or failure of the procedure on the UE 40 side, and which may provide the UTRAN 20u any necessary information for the UTRAN 20u to complete the procedure. The reconfiguration message and the response message may all carry optional information elements (IEs), which are fields of data that hold ancillary information. In addition to these reconfiguration procedures, there also exists a Cell Update procedure, which originates with a Cell Update message from the UE 40 and which is responded to by the UTRAN 20u. The Cell Update procedure is used by the UE 40 to indicate a change of cell location (i.e., Node B 24), of connection state 82, 83, 84, 85, and is also used to indicate radio link (RL) failures and RLC unrecoverable errors. An RL failure is a connection failure that occurs in the physical layer, i.e., in layer 160. An RLC unrecoverable error occurs in the RLC layer 72, and may have many causes.
For AM connections, when a sender RLC entity 76 detects one of the following situations, it shall senda RESET PDU to its peer RLC entity 76 to reset these two RLC peer entities 76:
1)"No_Discard after MaxDAT number of retransmissions" is configured and VT(DAT) equals the value MaxDAT (see subclause 184.108.40.206 of TS 25.322);
2)VT(MRW) equals the value MaxMRW;
3)A STATUS PDU including "erroneous Sequence Number" is received (see clause 10 of TS 25.322);                stop transmitting any AMD PDU or STATUS PDU;        increment VT(RST) by 1;        if VT(RST)=MaxRST:        the Sender may submit to the lower layer a RESET PDU;        perform the actions specified in subclause 11.4.4a of TS 25.322.        else (if VT(RST)<MaxRST):        submit a RESET PDU to the lower layer;        start the timer Timer_RST.
Please refer to subclause 11.4 of the above-indicated 3GPP specification TS 25.322 for more details. When the maximum number of attempts to send a RESET PDU is reached, the sender RLC entity 76 shall terminate the on-going RLC RESET procedure and indicate an unrecoverable error to the upper layer (RRC layer 80).Whenthe RRC layer 80 receives the indicated unrecoverable error from the AM RLC entity 76, the UE 40 shall perform a Cell Update procedure using the cause "RLC unrecoverable error", i.e. the UE 40 shall send a CELL UPDATE message with an IE "AM_RLC error indication (RB2, RB3 or RB4)" or "AM_RLC error indication (RB>4)" set to "TRUE" to indicate the RLC unrecoverable errorhasoccurred in control plane 92 or in the user plane 94. Please refer to TS 25.331, subclause 8.3.1 for more details of the Cell Update procedure, which is discussed briefly in the following.
For an RLC unrecoverable error in the user plane 94, after reception of a CELL UPDATE/URA UPDATE message from UE 40, the UTRAN20u should optionally include the IE "RLC re-establish indicator (RB5 and upwards)" in the CELL UPDATE CONFIRM message to request an RLC re-establishment procedure in the UE 40, in which case the corresponding RLC entities 76 should also be re-established in UTRAN 20u.
For an RLC unrecoverable error in the control plane 92, after reception of a CELL UPDATE/URA UPDATE message from UE 40, the UTRAN20u should optionally include the IE "RLC re-establish indicator (RB2, RB3 and RB4)" in the CELL UPDATE CONFIRM message to request an RLC re-establishment procedure in the UE 40, in which case the corresponding RLC entities 76 should also be re-established in UTRAN 20u, or initiate an RRC connection release procedure by transmitting an RRC CONNECTION RELEASE message on the downlink CCCH.
If an RL failure or an RLC unrecoverable errortakes place on a dedicated channel (i.e. the RRC layer 80 is in the CELL_DCH state 82), before sending a CELL UPDATE message, the UE 40 shouldperform radio access bearer (RAB) release steps, and then select a suitable cell 24. The RAB release steps release the RABs for which the associated timer T314/T315 is equal to zero.A RAB can comprise one or more RBs, but normally there is a one-to-one relationship between RABs and RBs. While performing the RLC re-establishment procedure, if eithertimer T314 or T315 expires, the UE 40 should also release the RABs associated with the expired timer. Instructions as given by subclause 184.108.40.206 of TS 25.331, as relates to the above, are provided below. All subclauses indicated in the steps below are from TS 25.331.
When initiating the URA update or cell update procedure, the UE shall:
1>stop timer T305;
1>if the UE isin CELL_DCH state:
2>Perform RAB release steps;
1>set the variables PROTOCOL_ERROR_INDICATOR, FAILURE_INDICATOR, UNSUPPORTED_CONFIGURATION and INVALID_CONFIGURATION to FALSE;
1>set the variable CELL_UPDATE_STARTED to TRUE;
1>if the UE is not already in CELL_FACH state:
2>move to CELL_FACH state;
2>select PRACH according to subclause 8.5.17;
2>select Secondary CCPCH according to subclause 8.5.19;
2>use the transport format set given in system information as specified in subclause 184.108.40.206.
1>if the UE performs cell re-selection:
2>clear the variable C_RNTI; and
2>stop using that C_RNTI just cleared from the variable C_RNTI in MAC.
1>set CFN in relation to SFN of current cell according to subclause 8.5.15;
1>in case of a cell update procedure:
2>set the contents of the CELL UPDATE message according to subclause 18.104.22.168;
2>submit the CELL UPDATE message for transmission on the uplink CCCH.
1>in case of a URA update procedure:
2>set the contents of the URA UPDATE message according to subclause 18.104.22.168;
2>submit the URA UPDATE message for transmission on the uplink CCCH.
1>set counter V302 to 1;
1>start timer T302 when the MAC layer indicates success or failure in transmitting the message.
The prior art RAB release steps are given below. Again, subclauses mentioned in the steps below are from TS 25.331.
For the RAB release steps, the UE shall:
2>in the variable RB_TIMER_INDICATOR, set the IE "T314 expired" and the IE "T315 expired" to FALSE;
2>if the stored values of the timer T314 and timer T315 are both equal to zero; or
2>if the stored value of the timer T314 is equal to zero and there are no radio bearers associated with any radio access bearers for which in the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS the value of the IE "Re-establishment timer" is set to "useT315":
3>release all its radio resources;
3>indicate release (abort) of the established signalling connections (as stored in the variable ESTABLISHED_SIGNALLING_CONNECTIONS) and established radio access bearers (as stored in the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS) to upper layers;
3>clear the variable ESTABLISHED_SIGNALLING_CONNECTIONS;
3>clear the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS;
3>enter idle mode;
3>perform other actions when entering idle mode from connected mode as specified in subclause 8.5.2;
3>and the procedure ends.
2>if the stored value of the timer T314 is equal to zero:
3>release all radio bearers, associated with any radio access bearers for which in the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS the value of the IE "Re-establishment timer" is set to "useT314";
3>in the variable RB_TIMER_INDICATOR set the IE "T314 expired" to TRUE.
2>if the stored value of the timer T315 is equal to zero:
3>release all radio bearers associated with any radio access bearers for which in the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS the value of the IE "Re-establishment timer" is set to "useT315";
3>in the variable RB_TIMER_INDICATOR set the IE "T315 expired" to TRUE.
2>if the stored value of the timer T314 is greater than zero:
3>if there are radio bearers associated with any radio access bearers for which in the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS the value of the IE "Re-establishment timer" is set to "useT314":
4>start timer T314.
3>if there are no radio bearers associated with any radio access bearers for which in the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS the value of the IE "Re-establishment timer" is set to "useT314" or "useT315":
4>start timer T314.
2>if the stored value of the timer T315 is greater than zero:
3>if there are radio bearers associated with any radio access bearers for which in the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS the value of the IE "Re-establishment timer" is set to "useT315":
4>start timer T315.
2>for the released radio bearer(s):
3>delete the information about the radio bearer from the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS;
3>when all radio bearers belonging to the same radio access bearer have been released:
4>indicate local end release of the radio access bearer to upper layers using the CN domain identity together with the RAB identity stored in the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS;
4>delete all information about the radio access bearer from the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS.
2>select a suitable UTRA cell according to [4];
2>set the variable ORDERED_RECONFIGURATION to FALSE.
For example, if the stored value of the timer T314 is equal to zero and the stored value of the timer T315 is greater than zero, then the UE 40 shouldrelease locally all radio bearers 48 which are associated with any radio access bearers for which in the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS the value of the IE "Re-establishment timer" is set to "useT314", andstart timer T315. If timer T315 expires, the UE 40 should also release locally all radio bearers 48 which are associated with any radio access bearers for which in the variable ESTABLISHED_RABS the value of the IE "Re-establishment timer" is set to "use T315", and enter idle mode 81.
The prior art UE40, as detailed in TS 25.331, subclause 18.104.22.168, treats the cases of both RL failure and RLC unrecoverable error while the RRC 80 is in theCELL_DCH state 82 inthe same manner. That is, both error conditions while in the CELL_DCH state 82 will lead to the execution of the RAB release steps. However, RL failures and RLC unrecoverable errors have some essential differences.For example, an RLC unrecoverable error can be potentially "fixed" by returning to initial conditions by way of an RLC re-establishment procedure.An RL failure cannot, however, be "fixed" by a re-establishment procedure, as it is fundamentally a physical problem with the radio connection. Therefore, the usage of the timers T314 and T315 for RLC unrecoverable errors(as performed by the RAB release steps) on a dedicated channel is unwarranted, and may lead to some normally-functioning RABs (i.e. services or applications) being released before the RLC is re-established if the timers T314/T315 are shorter than the time required to perform the RLC re-establishment procedure.
By way of example, consider the situation in which the UE 40 is in the CELL_DCH state 82, and has U-plane 94 RABs 6 to 10 that comprise RBs 486 to 10 with a one-to-one mapping. Furtherassume that the timer T314 is set to zero seconds, and that the timer T315 is set to 10 seconds, and that all RABs except RABs 6 and 7 are associated with T314. If an RLC unrecoverable error occurs only on RB 6, the UE 40 sends a CELL UPDATE message with the IE "AM_RLC error indication (RB>4)" set to "TRUE" to the UTRAN 20u. The UTRAN 20u responds with a CELL UPDATE CONFIRM message that includes the IE "RLC re-establish indicator (RB5 and upwards)" to request a RLC re-establishment for all RABs 6 to 10 in the UE 40. The RABs 8,9 and 10 (i.e. RB 8,9 and 10) that are running correctly will be released before re-establishment is completed, since the timer T314 (at zero seconds) is shorter than the time required to perform the RLC re-establishment procedure. The malfunctioning RB 6 (i.e. RAB 6)is restored to operational order after performing the RLC re-establishment procedure, but the correctly functioning RBs 8,9 and 10 (i.e. RABs 8,9,10) are released before performing the RLC re-establishment procedure. The unnecessary release of correctly functioning RABs (i.e. services or applications) by the RAB release steps leads to areduction in the radio utilization capacity, and increases the services drop rate, which is a great inconvenience to the user of the UE 40.
Finally, according to subclause 126.96.36.199 of TS 25.331, the UE 40 shall handle both the IE "RLC re-establish indicator (RB2, RB3 and RB4)" and IE "RLC re-establish indicator (RB5 and upwards)" if received in the CELL UPDATE CONFIRM message. However, according to subclause 184.108.40.206 of TS 25.331, the UTRAN 20u may only include the IE "RLC re-establish indicator (RB5 and upwards)" in the CELL UP-DATE CONFIRM message. Hence, the IE "RLC re-establish indicator (RB2, RB3 and RB4)" is actually a useless procedural indicator, as it is impossible to be included in the CELL UPDATE CONFIRM message by the UTRAN 20u.

Handling of an unrecoverable error on a dedicated channel


Compounds of formulae (I) and (II): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein: R1 is a nitrogen-containing 5 to 7-membered heteroaryl or heterocycle; R2 and R3 are each independently (LQ)mY, are described. The compounds are PI3K inhibitors and are useful for the treatment of cancer and immune-inflammatory diseases.

The phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) constitute a family of lipid kinases involved in the regulation of a network of signal transduction pathways that control a range of cellular processes. PI3Ks are classified into three distinct subfamilies, named class I, II, and III based upon their substrate specificities. Class IA PI3Ks possess a p110α, p110β, or p110δ catalytic subunit complexed with one of three regulatory subunits, p85α, p85β or p55δ. Class IA PI3Ks are activated by receptor tyrosine kinases, antigen receptors, G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), and cytokine receptors. The class IA PI3Ks primarily generate phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate (PI(3,4,5)P3), a second messenger that activates the downstream target AKT. The consequences of biological activation of AKT include tumour cell progression, proliferation, survival and growth, and there is significant evidence suggesting that the PI3K/AKT pathway is dysregulated in many human cancers. Additionally, PI3K activity has been implicated in endocrinology, cardiovascular disease, immune disorders and inflammation.
Compounds which are able to modulate PI3K activity have important therapeutic potential in cancer and immune and inflammatory disorders, notably organ transplant rejection.

Naphthridine derivatives as PI3K inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and immune-inflammatory disease


An automatic shutdown control apparatus for a vehicular internal combustion engine, which permits automatic shutdown of an internal combustion engine when a value indicative of vehicle driving history is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value. The control apparatus automatically shuts down the internal combustion engine when a predetermined shutdown condition including the automatic shutdown permission is satisfied while the internal combustion engine is operating. The control apparatus detects the degree of congestion of the road, and sets the reference value smaller when the degree of congestion is high.

The present invention relates to an automatic shutdown control apparatus for a vehicular internal combustion engine. Particularly, it relates to an automatic shutdown control apparatus and automatic shutdown control method for a vehicular internal combustion engine, which automatically shuts down the internal combustion engine in the case when the vehicle is standing still and the engine is in a predetermined operating state.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-257483 discloses an automatic shutdown control apparatus which automatically shuts down an internal combustion engine in the case where an automatic shutdown condition is satisfied after start-up of the internal combustion engine mounted on a vehicle, based on the operating states of the vehicle and internal combustion engine, and automatically starts the internal combustion engine by driving an electric motor in the case where an automatic start-up condition is satisfied. This apparatus inhibits automatic shutdown of the internal combustion engine in the case where the driving distance of the vehicle is less than a predetermined distance after the automatic start-up condition was satisfied and the internal combustion engine was automatically started up. The use of such a structure can prevent automatic start-up and automatic shutdown of the internal combustion engine from being repeated frequently due to traffic jams or the like and can reduce the battery power consumption to prevent draining the battery.
In the case where starting and stopping of a vehicle are repeated frequently due to traffic jams or the like, for example, the driving distance from the start-up of the vehicle to the standstill location becomes shorter. That is, it takes a long time for the driving distance after the start-up of the internal combustion engine to become equal to or greater than a predetermined distance. In the apparatus of the aforementioned publication, therefore, opportunity for automatic shutdown of the internal combustion engine decreases in a traffic jam such that fuel consumption cannot be improved.

Automatic shutdown control for vehicular internal combustion


A double-sided emissive LCD module includes a double-sided illumination plate, a first LCD panel disposed at the upper surface of the double-sided illumination plate, a second LCD panel disposed at the lower surface of the plate. The double-sided illumination plate includes a light source, a light guide plate, and a transflector. The transflector reflects a part of the light emitted from the lower surface of the light guide plate to the first LCD panel, while transmits the rest of the light to the second LCD panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to double-sided emissive liquid crystal display (LCD) modules, and more particularly, a double-sided emissive LCD module enabling effective use of light from a backlight.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, portable information terminals, such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants, and portable terminals with a cellular phone function and the capability of displaying a large number of messages, have become widely available. Portable information terminals often use transflective LCDs to save power. Under bright lighting conditions the transflective LCDs operate in a reflective mode, while under poor lighting conditions they operate using backlights, frontlights, and so on.
Among portable, information terminals, cellular phones usually have a primary display for displaying various information such as transmitted and received messages on the front face of a housing. Recently, a cellular phone that has an auxiliary display on the back face of the housing has become commercially available.
FIGS. 6A and 6B show external views of such a cellular phone. A cellular phone 301 consists of an upper housing 301a and a lower housing 301b that are connected with a hinge 301c enabling the phone to open and close freely. A double-sided emissive LCD module is built into the upper housing 301a and is composed of a primary display unit and an auxiliary display unit. The primary display unit has a primary display 301e exposed on an operation side 301d of the phone. The auxiliary display unit has an auxiliary display 301h exposed on a back housing 301g.
An operating side 301j on the lower housing 301b has a keyboard 301k for dialing and other operations.
FIG. 7 shows the detailed structure of the double-sided emissive LCD module. The double-sided emissive LCD module 302 is composed of a primary display unit 303 including the primary display 301e and an auxiliary display unit 304 having the auxiliary display 301h. The primary display unit 303 is composed of a transflective LCD panel 303a (hereinafter called a primary display panel) and a primary backlight 303b for illuminating the primary display panel 303a. The primary backlight 303b is composed of a light source 303c and a light guide plate 303d.
The auxiliary display unit 304 is composed of a transflective LCD panel 304a (hereinafter called an auxiliary display panel) smaller than the primary display panel 303a and an auxiliary backlight 304b for illuminating the auxiliary display panel 304a. The auxiliary backlight 304b is composed of a light source 304c and a light guide plate 304d.
The primary backlight 303b is larger than the auxiliary backlight 304b, but both of them consist of almost the same components (light sources 303c and 304c, and light guide plates 303d and 304d).
Even when the upper housing 301a and the lower housing 301b are folded together via the hinge 301c, the auxiliary display 301h is on the back of the upper housing 301a. Thus, various information of the cellular phone 301 can be seen without opening the upper housing 301a and the lower housing 301b.
However, the known cellular phone 301 has both the primary backlight 303b and the auxiliary backlight 304b. This has the drawback of requiring a large number of parts and a complicated internal structure, thus resulting in a thicker product.
In view of the fact that the primary backlight 303b and the auxiliary backlight 304b are composed of the same kind of components, a single backlight which combines the backlights for the primary display unit and the auxiliary display unit is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-338483.

Double-sided emissive liquid crystal display module containing double-sided illumination plate and multiple display panels


Sensors and a method for detecting an analyte are described. Sensors each have a volume of a hydrophilic medium that retains an amount of analyte proportionate to the concentration of analyte in a biological fluid, electrodes and a redox enzyme in contact with medium, and an electron transfer mediator. The fluid contacts sensors and at initially predetermined intervals intermittently applies a potential to electrode sufficient to oxidize the mediator and sensing current through electrode as a function of the duration of the applied potential. The applied mediator oxidizing applied potential is maintained for a period of time sufficient to determine the rate of change of current with time through electrode. The current flow is correlated with the current flow for known concentrations of the analyte in medium.

There has been a significant research and development effort directed to the development of electrochemical sensors capable of detecting the presence and/or quantity of biologically significant analytes. Many, if not most of such analyte sensing devices are in the form of a test strip comprising a test fluid containment space pretreated with an analyte-dependent detection composition and electrodes for contact with test fluid delivered into the test fluid containment space. Electrical conductors extend from the electrodes to an area on the test strip for connection to a hand held or table mounted preprogrammed sensor reading device. Typically a biological fluid is delivered to the sample fluid containment area or volume and the sensor reading device is programmed to apply a predetermined potential to the electrodes after a predetermined period of time following delivery of the fluid sample to the sample containment space. Current flow is then measured responsive to said applied potential to provide an indication of the presence and/or concentration of the target analyte.
Some of such electrochemical sensors are constructed to prevent direct contact of the sample fluid with the electrodes by covering the electrodes with a semipermeable membrane or gel matrix material, which is insoluble in the test medium and permeable at least to the analyte of interest when in contact with said test medium.
There is a continuing need for the development of commercially feasible, multi-/continuous-use sensors for biologically significant analytes. In particular, there is need for development of biological sensors capable of being implanted or injected into a patient for periods ranging from several hours up to several weeks, months, or years and designed to provide accurate results without removal or recalibration to compensate for changes in diffusional properties of membrane components or for losses of enzyme activity and/or electron mediator elements. Such sensors would find application as components of artificial organs, for example an artificial pancreas, requiring continuous and/or regular monitoring of patient glucose levels. Such devices could also find use as reusable sensors for measuring analyte concentrations in bodily fluids in vitro, such as the analytical situations encountered by commercial labs performing analysis on patient fluid samples.
There are unique problems presented by the design and construction of biological sensors capable of repeated use in vitro and/or continuous use in vivo. Indeed, inherent in such functional requirements is the condition that the functional chemical component of the sensor be confined, i.e. not released from the sensor into the sample fluid during repeated and/or continuous use. The retention of the "active" chemical/electrochemical components of the biosensor can be accomplished by one of several techniques, alone or in combination. Thus the active components can be immobilized, for example, by covalent bonding to non-leachable components of the biosensor or by confining the biologically/electrically active components in a testing zone or volume by means of a membrane permeable at least by the analyte, but not by the contained, optionally covalently bound, enzymes, coenzymes, and/or electron mediators.
The implantable and/or reusable biosensors in accordance with the present invention are designed to retain the active sensor-dependent chemical components, typically in a hydrophilic matrix in an analyte retention volume. The active electrochemical species that cooperate in the sensor responsive to an applied potential to provide a current flow signal proportionate to the concentration of analyte diffused into the retention volume can optionally be covalently bound to non-leachable components of the retention volume including, but not limited to, an electrode of an electrode system, a wall of the enclosure portion of the sensor for defining, at least in part, the retention volume, to microspheres or other microparticulate solids contained in the retention volume, to the retention volume contacting the side of a membrane, or to polymer components of the retention volume matrix. Alternatively the enzyme(s), the enzyme cofactor(s) and the electron mediator(s) can be selected to have a molecular weight sufficiently high to preclude any substantial diffusion of such components from the retention volume into the biological fluid being analyzed.
In one aspect of this invention the retention volume medium, alternatively denominated the "depletion volume medium" is in contact with the electrode system comprising an electrode capable of receiving electrons from or delivering electrons to the enzyme(s) via the electron mediator(s). Conductor elements extend from the electrode to a point on the device for allowing electrical communication of the electrode with a programmable controller. The controller can be programmed to apply a predetermined potential sequence to the electrode system including variable potential including either a mediator oxidizing potential or mediator reducing potential, variable pulse width and variable pulse intervals. The controller is also capable of sensing current flow responsive to applied potential(s) to the electrode system and comparing such data with control data previously obtained for said system to calculate and report analyte concentrations in the biological sample being analyzed and, optionally, to use such data to sense the performance status of the device and use such for modifying the then existing potential sequence protocol to optimize device function. Thus, for example, the sensor control can be modified periodically to adjust for differences in analyte diffusion efficiency across the membrane and/or changes in concentration of the active electron mediator and/or enzyme component(s) of the device without use of classical recalibration techniques.
In one embodiment of the invention the retention volume is defined or enclosed, at least in part, by an analyte-permeable membrane and the ratio of the retention volume to the surface area of the semipermeable membrane defining that volume, at least in part, is less than 2 mm, more preferably less than 1 mm. The low volume to surface area ratios are preferred in that they improve the rate of diffusional equilibrium between the fluid being tested and the retention volume medium, and thereby it works to minimize the refractory period (the recovery period) of the sensor.
In one preferred embodiment the enzyme component is selected so that it is substantially not capable of transferring electrons to or from any endogenous substance other than said analyte. Under such conditions the enzyme reaction responsible for providing a signal of analyte concentration cannot take place without a predetermined threshold potential being applied to the electrode system. The sensor can therefore be turned off to stop enzyme activity, optionally following a pulse of reducing potential to "deactivate" the mediator, and allow predictable concentration-gradient-based diffusion to work to rapidly "reset" the analyte concentration in the analyte detection/retention volume for the next programmed pulsed potential detection sequence.
In another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method for monitoring analyte concentration using the sensor of this invention by contacting the sensor with the biological fluid being analyzed. Initially at predetermined intervals a potential is applied intermittently to the electrode system sufficient to oxidize the electron mediator in the retention volume, and the current flow through the electrode is sensed as a function of the duration of the applied potential. The applied mediator oxidizing potential is maintained at least for a period of time sufficient to determine the rate of change of current through the electrode as a function of duration of the applied potential. Values for the sensed current are correlated with values of current flow for known concentrations of the analyte. Alternatively the sensing protocol can comprise adjusting the potential to establish a predetermined current flow and thereafter sensing the rate of change of potential required to maintain said current flow for a predetermined time period.
In another embodiment the analyte concentration in a biological sample is measured as a function of the time dependent concentration of analyte in the retention volume following analyte depleting potential pulses. The rate of recovery concentration in the retention/depletion volume can be readily correlated with analyte concentration in the biological fluid contacting the sensor. The "diffusion status" of the membrane can be checked by a preprogrammed sequence from time-to-time during sensor use and numerical values associated with the sensed status can be used as input to modify the preprogrammed pulse sequence algorithms for subsequent sensor operation.
These and other features of the invention are described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings and the best mode known for carrying out the invention.

Electrochemical sensor and method for continuous analyte monitoring


A combustor air bar grid for use within a fluidized bed reactor includes at least two main air collector bars in fluid communication with a source of fluidizing gas, a plurality of primary air bars that are transversal to the main air collector bars and arranged on the at least two main air collector bars such that the main air collector bars support them, and in fluid communication to at least two of the main air collector bars. The main air collector bars and the primary air bars define ash removal openings in the air bar grid and a plurality of fluidized nozzles are arranged to each of the primary air bars for fluidizing the bed reactor. A fluidized bed reactor includes such a combustor air bar grid.

Chemical reactions, such as combustion or gasification, are performed in a fluidized bed material layer of fluidized bed reactors, usually, so-called bubbling fluidized bed or circulating fluidized bed reactors. There, fluidizing gas, for example, air, is supplied in the reactor through the bed material layer, mainly comprising sand and fuel, in such a way that the bed turns to an easily moving fluidized state. However, in a fluidized bed reactor, material combusted is non-uniform and may be subject either to agglomeration or to having non-combustible material entrained.
Combustor air bar grids have been designed to allow air to flow up through the burning bed of material and to allow ash and non-combustible material to be removed from the bottom of the bed. The ash and non-combustible material, as well as bed material, pass through the spaces between the bars. This type of grate may have an air manifold that distributes air to individual bars connected to the manifold. Each air bar has air nozzles for dispersing fluidizing air into the bed material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,665 discloses an air bar grid for use within a fluidized bed reactor. The air bar grid comprises a main air collector in fluid communication with a source of pressurized air, and a grid of primary air bars perpendicular to the main air collector. Each of the primary air bars has an upper surface and is connected along its length for fluid communication with the main air collector. Intermediate air bars are arranged parallel to the main air collector and perpendicular to each of the primary air bars. The intermediate and primary air bars lie in the same plane and intersect each other at right angles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,197 discloses a grate assembly for a fluidized bed boiler having a water, steam, or air cooled sparge pipe grate. The cooled sparge pipes are supported at their ends by the pipes conducting water, steam, or air. The sparge pipes are mounted side by side in such a manner that between the adjacent sparge pipes remains a horizontal aperture extending in the longitudinal direction of the sparge pipes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,331 discloses a fluidized bed reactor having hollow spaced air bars disposed in the lower portion of the boiler for supporting a bed of particulate material including fuel and incombustible solids. The air bars are supported in the lower portion of the reactor by a plurality of water-cooled support tubes that continually transfer heat from the air bars to the water flowing in the pipes. The air bars extend perpendicular to, and in air flow communication with, a plenum chamber disposed externally of the hopper and adjacent the wall. Pressurized air is introduced into the chamber by conventional means.
Korean Patent Document No. 2009/132934 A discloses an air distributor system for a refuse derived fuel combustion system including a fluidized bed. The air distributor system comprises air supply pipes, a nozzle, and cooling water pipes. The air supply pipes are connected to air distributors in longitudinal and traverse directions. The air supply pipes comprise a nozzle connector in which a plurality of air supply ports are installed. The cooling water pipes are installed on the exterior of the air supply pipes and supply cooling water to prevent thermal corrosion of the air supply pipes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,824 discloses a gas distribution system employing an array of parallel gas inlet pipes and a pair of transverse gas inlet pipes located below the first group of pipes to fluidize a particulate bed in a reaction vessel and to remove non-fluidizable particles that may be introduced into or form in the bed.
Soviet Union Patent Document No. 1149105 discloses a furnace of a fluidized bed containing a combustion chamber with an air box placed underneath it, in which an ash hopper is installed. In the upper part of the ash hopper are air supply pipes connected to the box cavity by their ends, and one pipe connected to the cavity of the air supply pipes and the cavity of the air box.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/170582 A1 discloses a pipe grate for a fluidized bed boiler. Air is supplied to the fluidized bed boiler through several pipes. The active area of the grate, in which the supply of air, or the like, to the pipe grate takes place, is adjusted with pipe-specific control means that are included in at least some of the pipes of the pipe grate.

Combustor air bar grid for use within a fluidized bed reactor, and a fluidized bed reactor


A method of correcting for deadtime in an attenuation map generated by a nuclear medicine imaging system is provided. The imaging system includes a gamma ray detector that is rotatable about an object to be imaged. A region is defined on the imaging surface of the detector, such as the edge of the field of view of the detector, such that during a transmission scan of the object, the radiation shadow of the object is substantially less likely to fall upon the defined region than upon other regions of the imaging surface. A blank transmission scan is then performed, including recording the radiation intensity level detected in the region as a reference intensity level. A transmission scan of the object is then performed to acquire an attenuation map of the object, including recording a radiation intensity level detected in the first region during the transmission scan. A correction value is then determined as the ratio of the reference intensity level to the intensity level detected in the region during the transmission scan. The attenuation map is then corrected for deadtime based on the correction value.

In nuclear medicine, images of internal structures or functions of the body are acquired by using gamma cameras to detect radiation emitted by a radio-pharmaceutical that has been injected into the patient's body. A computer system controls the gamma camera to acquire data and then processes the acquired data to generate the images. Nuclear medicine imaging techniques include single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET). SPECT imaging is based on the detection of individual gamma rays emitted from the body, while PET imaging is based on the detection of gamma ray pairs emitted in coincidence in opposite directions due to electron-positron annihilations. Accordingly, PET imaging is sometimes referred to as coincidence imaging.
One factor which has an impact on image quality in nuclear medicine is non-uniform attenuation. Non-uniform attenuation refers to the attenuation of radiation within the body before the radiation can be detected. Such attenuation tends to degrade image quality. A technique which has been used to correct for non-uniform attenuation is transmission scanning. In transmission scanning, gamma radiation is transmitted through the patient to a scintillation detector and used to form a transmission image, i.e., an attenuation map. The attenuation map provides an indication of the amount of attenuation caused by various structures of the body and can, therefore, be used to correct for attenuation in the emission images.
Another factor which affects image quality is deadtime loss. Deadtime relates to the inability of a gamma camera system (the detector, the electronics, or both) to distinguish between two radiation-induced scintillation events occurring very close together in time. Deadtime loss can be defined as the difference between the true countrate (the "singles rate") and the measured countrate due to deadtime. In an ideal system, in which there is no deadtime loss, the measured countrate would equal the true countrate. In contrast, in a real system, which is subject to deadtime loss, the measured countrate is lower than the true countrate.
Some deadtime correction techniques rely upon approximations of deadtime losses and are therefore inherently subject to inaccuracies. In particular, deadtime losses are dependent, at least in part, upon the singles rate; as the singles rate increases, deadtime losses tend to increase. In transmission studies, because the singles rate varies spatially due to many factors, such as the size and shape of the patient, deadtime losses also tend to be spatially dependent. Correction techniques which rely upon approximations typically do not account for such variations. Another known technique for correcting for deadtime loss is to apply a single, global correction factor to the acquired data, assuming the detector is operating in a limited range of singles rates. The use of a global correction factor, however, has the same disadvantages as mentioned above, i.e., it fails to take into consideration the spatial dependency of deadtime losses. Other deadtime correction techniques rely upon precise calibration of the gamma camera system. However, calibration may be time consuming, subject to inaccuracies, and based on incorrect assumptions. Moreover, calibration also does not take into account differences in size and shape between patients. Hence, it is desirable to provide a deadtime correction technique which overcomes these and other disadvantages of the prior art.

Deadtime correction in a nuclear medicine imaging system


A composition includes at least one poly(aliphatic ester)-polycarbonate copolymer, a polysiloxane-polycarbonate copolymer, and glass fibers. The composition exhibits good flow, aesthetic, and impact properties.

The present disclosure relates generally to polycarbonate compositions that have good flow properties, high impact properties, and good aesthetic values. Also disclosed herein are methods for preparing and/or using the same.
Polycarbonates (PC) are synthetic engineering thermoplastic resins derived from bisphenols and phosgene, or their derivatives. They are linear polyesters of carbonic acid and can be formed from dihydroxy compounds and carbonate diesters or carbonyl halides, or by ester interchange. Polycarbonates are a useful class of polymers having many beneficial properties.
The consumer electronics market has grown significantly in recent years. Recent designs aim for slimness, with thinner walls and with wide and large display panels. Known compositions used for such mobile devices (e.g. mobile phones) may exhibit brittleness and/or cracking, unsightly surfaces, and/or poor flowability.
Due to various "critical to quality" requirements of customers, there is a need for polycarbonate compositions that have good flow properties, aesthetic properties, and impact properties combined with stiffness.


An alignment measuring system includes a focusing diode, a light source, an image sensor, first and second splitters, and a controller. The first splitter directs a portion of light from the light source toward a wafer, and directs light returned by the wafer to the second splitter. The second splitter directs a first portion of the light toward the image sensor, and a second portion of the light toward the focusing diode, and control the ratio of the first and second portions in response to a control signal from the controller. The image sensor receives the first portion of light and produces a detection signal. The controller receives the detection signal, determines an alignment state of the wafer, and controls a stage to align and position the wafer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an alignment measuring system in a photolithography process that is capable of enhancing a measurement precision for an alignment mark on a wafer.
2. Description
A photolithography process is provided to prescribe respective different pattern images that a plurality of reticles has on a wafer. The pattern images are sequentially transferred onto the wafer, to thus become a required circuit pattern through a process such as etching, film deposition, etc.
In this photolithography process, it is important that a design of a precise circuit pattern and each different pattern layer constituting a circuit pattern are precisely mutually aligned and overlaid.
At present, in managing the overlay there are many efforts to realize a more integrated and precise circuit pattern by revising the reticle pattern, changing the photoresist, etc.
Herewith, the size of the pattern is almost determined by the specifications of the equipment and the photoresist, but an improvement for the overlay of each pattern image is being successively required as a regular preventive maintenance or a development of a measuring system.
An ultimate purpose of overlay management is to exactly overlay the pattern layer of the transferred pattern image with an existing pattern layer(s), and to provide data for a continuous execution of a process involving developing or correcting misalignment of the existing pattern, and to provide a standard to determine whether or not rework should be performed through the measurement of the overlay.
Thus, in order to precisely align the pattern layers through exact detection data for an alignment state of a wafer and a reticle, it is required to exactly detect a position of an alignment mark that indicates an alignment state of the wafer.
A system for measuring a position of an alignment mark in aligning a wafer will be described as follows, referring to FIG. 1.
According to the prior art, with reference to FIG. 1, the alignment measuring system includes a light source 14, first and second splitters 16 and 20, a reference mirror 22, a focusing diode 18, and an image sensor 12.
The alignment measuring system operates with a stage 10 on which a wafer is positioned. The stage 10 is adapted to rotate by a given angle in a horizontal (X-axis) direction, and a vertical (Y-axis) direction, and to be ascendible and descendible with a height control in each direction, in response to a control signal of a controller (not shown).
The image sensor 12 is disposed above the stage 10, opposite and confronting the top surface of the stage 10 on which a wafer is mounted. The first and second splitters 16 and 20 are provided along a straight line between the stage 10 and the image sensor 12. The light source 14 is disposed at one side of the first splitter 16, and the reference mirror 22 is disposed at the other side. The focusing diode 18 is disposed along one side of the second splitter 20.
The alignment measuring system of FIG. 1 operates as follows. The light source 14 produces light and directs the light toward the first splitter 16. The first splitter 16 is adapted to direct a first part of the light emitted from the light source 14 toward the wafer on the stage 10, and a second part of the light emitted from the light source 14 toward the reference mirror part 22. The wafer receives the light from the splitter 16, and reflects and/or diffracts at least a portion of that light back toward the first splitter 16. The first splitter 16 passes the reflected and/or diffracted light from the wafer toward the second splitter 20. The second splitter 20 is adapted to direct a first portion of the reflected/diffracted light from the wafer toward the image sensor 12, and a second portion of the light toward the focusing diode 18. The image sensor 12 is adapted to detect light reflected vertically from the wafer, or diffracted therefrom.
The controller combines information provided through the reference mirror part 22, the focusing diode 18, and the image sensor 12 to detect a focus for a positional state of the wafer.
Subsequently, in a procedure of scanning an upper face of a wafer, the diffracted light from the wafer, namely, a light signal diffracted by an alignment mark on the wafer, is detected to check an aligned state of the wafer, thus the alignment position of the wafer is determined to control the alignment of the wafer on the stage 10.
Herewith, in the path of the light from the light source 14 to the image sensor 12, the light is dispersed toward the wafer and the reference mirror part 22 through the first splitter 16, and the light reflected from a surface of the wafer also becomes dispersed light toward the first splitter 16. The reflected light transmitted through the first splitter 16 is also dispersed toward the focusing diode 18 and the image sensor 12 through the second splitter 20.
Accordingly, the light level reaching the image sensor 12 is reduced through the many stages of dispersed light, as compared with the light first emitted by the light source 14, and this lowers the reliability of the detection of alignment position of the wafer.
An error of the alignment position causes an abnormal transfer of the pattern image, to bring about a great deal of process defects and an increased rework rate for the process, and degrades the working efficiency and productivity.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an alignment measuring system in a photolithography process to increase reliability in detecting an alignment position of a wafer and prevent a process defect, and to increase the productivity and working efficiency and enhance the product quality.
To achieve these objects, an alignment measuring system of a photolithography process includes a focusing diode, a light source, an image sensor, first and second splitters, and a controller. The light source is adapted to emit light. The first splitter is adapted to direct a portion of the light emitted from the light source toward a wafer disposed on a stage, and to direct in a first direction a part of reflected light from the wafer. The second splitter is adapted to receive the part of the reflected light from the first splitter, to direct a first portion of the received light toward the image sensor, to direct a second portion of the received light toward the focusing diode, and to control levels of the first and second portions of the received light in response to an applied control signal. The image sensor is adapted to receive the first portion of the light from the second splitter and to produce a detection signal therefrom. The controller is adapted to receive the detection signal from the image sensor to determine an alignment state of the wafer, to control the stage so as to align and position the wafer, and to apply the control signal to the second splitter.

Alignment measuring system and method of determining alignment in a photolithography process


Compositions containing certain organic solvents and a fluorine source are capable of removing photoresist and etching residue.

Numerous steps are involved in the fabrication of microelectronic structures. Within the manufacturing scheme of fabricating integrated circuits selective etching of semiconductor surfaces is sometimes required. Historically, a number of vastly different types of etching processes, to selectively remove material, have been successfully utilized to varying degrees. Moreover, the selective etching of different layers, within the microelectronic structure, is considered a critical and crucial step in the integrated circuit fabrication process.
Increasingly, reactive ion etching (RIE), is the process of choice for pattern transfer during via, metal line and trench formation. For instance, complex semi-conductor devices such as advanced DRAMS and microprocessors, which require multiple layers of back end of line interconnect wiring, utilize RIE to produce vias, metal lines and trench structures. Vias are used, through the interlayer dielectric, to provide contact between one level of silicon, silicide or metal wiring and the next level of wiring. Metal lines are conductive structures used as device interconnects. Trench structures are used in the formation of metal line structures. Vias, metal lines and trench structures typically expose metals and alloys such as Al, Al Cu, Cu, Ti, TiN, Ta, TaN, W, TiW, silicon or a silicide such as a silicide of tungsten, titanium or cobalt. The RIE process typically leaves a residue (of a complex mixture) that may include re-sputtered oxide material as well as possibly organic materials from photoresist and antireflective coating materials used to lithographically define the vias, metal lines and or trench structures.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a selective cleaning material and process capable of removing remaining photoresist as well as the residues caused by selective etching using plasmas in general and RIE specifically. Moreover, it would be desirable to provide a selective cleaning material and process, capable of removing the photoresist and etching residue, that exhibits high selectivity for the residue as compared to metal, silicon, silicide and/or interlevel dielectric materials such as deposited oxides that might also be exposed to the cleaning composition. It would be especially desirable to provide a composition that is compatible with and can be used with such sensitive low-k films as HSQ, MSQ, FOx, black diamond and TEOS (tetraethylsilicate).
Along these lines, fluoride-containing stripers are usually too aggressive toward sensitive films with low dielectric constant such as HSQ and porous MSQ films.
For example, even though formamide is a good protic solvent, it was found that formulations with formamide had decreased compatibility with FOx® films. See Parker, Advances in Organic Chemistry, 5, 1 (1965)

Compositions substrate for removing etching residue and use thereof


A novel set of serrated-planform lifting surfaces produce unexpectedly high lift coefficients at moderate to high angles-of-attack. Each serration, or tooth, is designed to shed a vortex. The interaction of the vortices greatly enhances the lifting capability over an extremely large operating range. Variations of the invention use serrated-planform lifting surfaces in planes different than that of a primary lifting surface. In an alternate embodiment, the individual teeth are controllably retractable and deployable to provide for active control of the vortex system and hence lift coefficient. Differential lift on multiple serrated-planform lifting surfaces provides an means for vehicle control. The important aerodynamic advantages of the serrated-planform lifting surfaces are not limited to aircraft applications but can be used to establish desirable performance characteristics for missiles, land vehicles, and/or watercraft.

1. Technical Field of Invention
This invention relates to aerodynamic lifting surfaces; in particular, surfaces having a serrated-planform shape.
2. Description of the Related Art
High-angle-of-attack aerodynamics is of great importance to modern peace-keeping aircraft where the ability to fly at stall and post-stall angles-of-attack can mean the difference between life and death. To efficiently fly an aircraft at stall and post-stall conditions, the aircraft should be capable of achieving exceedingly high lift and having exceptional handling capabilities over an extremely wide range of flight conditions.
Fighter aircraft often employ thin, highly swept wings with low aspect ratios to minimize wave drag at supersonic cruise and to enhance maneuverability at all speeds. The prototypical wing designs include variations of arrow-, delta-, and diamond-shaped planforms. On all of these wings, at positive angles-of-attack, the boundary layer on the pressure surface moves outward and separates as it goes around the leading edge. This process forms a free-shear layer that curves upward and then inboard, rolling into a wing vortex on the suction surface of the wing. The wing vortex contributes substantially to the total lifting force on the wing. The total lift coefficient for the wing is conveniently split into a sum of two distinct contributions, a first contribution that accounts for the ordinary potential-flow lift, and a second contribution, known as the vortex-induced lift. Out of context, the term "vortex-induced lift" can be misleading, since all lift is due to vorticity in the flow. Here we use the term "vortex-induced lift" to refer to the extra lift produced by the presence of one or more coherent vortex structures over the wing.
Various forebody devices, such as leading-edge extensions, strakes, and canards provide additional vortex-shedding surfaces that are known to be useful for further increasing the lift and improving aerodynamic characteristics. Each forebody typically produces one or more strong forebody vortices that often persist over a primary lifting surface or wing and contribute to the vortex-induced lift. As with the wing vortices, the forebody vortices energize the boundary layer on the suction surface of the primary wing, thus helping to keep the primary-wing boundary layer attached to the primary wing at higher angles-of-attack. The maintenance of an attached boundary layer over the primary wing, greatly increases the lift and the lift-to-drag efficiency of the aircraft.
As an example, Skow U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,762 (1993)! discloses strakes mounted forward and above the plane of the primary wing. The strakes reduce buffet on the wings and result in a more positive pitching moment and therefore better longitudinal stability at high angles of attack. These features allow for landings at higher angles-of-attack, with the resultant higher lift coefficient and decreased landing speed. The intended embodiment of the invention is for use on a T-38 aircraft. On this aircraft, the strakes are mounted on the engine nacelles, just forward of the wing leading edge, and at an elevation substantially above the plane of the wing. On the T-38, the patent claims that the invention performs better than leading-edge extensions.
In general, the vortex-induced lift acts only as long as the relevant vortex structures remain coherent and positioned near the wing surface. Unfortunately, at large angles-of-attack, both the wing and forebody vortices become unstable and burst into largely incoherent masses of turbulence. The further aft the breakdown occurs, the longer the extent of the region of vortex-induced lift. Lamar "Nonlinear lift control at high speed and high angle of attack using vortex flow technology," in AGARD Report 740 (1982), available from NTIS, 5285 Port Royal Rd, Springfield, Va. 22161! discusses a variety of methods used to delay the onset of vortex bursting. Lamar (1982) states that three particularly promising innovations for delaying vortex breakdown are: the fluid strake (a jet sheet formed by blowing through a series of in-line orifices on the fuselage ahead of the wing); spanwise blowing over the main wing; and vortex pumping through the use of suction on the primary wing. Note that he does not mention the use of additional lifting surfaces in his list of promising innovations.
Computations by Kern AIAA Paper 92-0411 (1992), available from AIAA, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024! suggest that minor changes in the geometry of a strake-wing junction can vastly alter the interaction of the strake vortex with the wing vortex. These geometry changes can be used to vary the vortex-breakdown position. Walters and Kern U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,591 (1994)! use these ideas to develop active vortex control for a high-performance wing. The invention comprises two slidably adjustable panels that can be arranged in various configurations during flight. The panels, when not in use, are retracted and stowed, thus resulting in a first strake/wing junction configuration that produces a strake vortex and a wing vortex. A second configuration produces a continuous transition from the strake to the wing. The second configuration results in a combined strong vortex that bursts closer to the apex of the wing, thus reducing the lift on the wing. A third configuration that employs a straight-line transition from the strake to the wing has an additional abrupt junction that produces a fillet vortex, which is weaker than the strake and wing vortices. The burst location of the vortices is further downstream compared to the first configuration. Finally, a fourth configuration provides a diamond-shaped fillet that adds yet another junction. The fillet vortex produced in this configuration is weaker than that of the third configuration. The vortex burst point is further delayed.
Because the highly nonlinear nature of vortex flows makes the behavior of the forebody vortices and the wing vortices very difficult to predict, another very useful approach for delaying vortex breakdown and dramatically increasing vortex-induced lift over a wide range of angles-of-attack has been overlooked by all prior innovators.

Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration