Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to memory devices having enhanced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The memory device includes a plurality of first leads, a plurality of second leads, and a plurality of memory cells having a plurality of magnetic layers and a tunneling barrier layer. An interfacial layer is incorporated in each memory cell between one of the magnetic layers and the tunneling barrier layer to enhance perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, while preserving high tunneling magnetoresistance.

Field of the Disclosure
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to magnetic memory devices having enhanced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.
Description of the Related Art
Magnetic memory devices in which the magnetic moment is orientated approximately perpendicular to the magnetic layer can achieve smaller device dimensions and greater overall storage capacity than memory devices where the magnetic moment is orientated in the plane of the magnetic layer. In order to effectively operate, memory devices require thermal stability of the perpendicular magnetic moment orientation. Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) is critical in maintaining the thermal stability of the data stored in magnetic memory devices. Traditionally, magnetic memory cells consist of a fixed magnetic reference layer, a tunneling layer, and a free magnetic layer. The magnetic moment of the fixed layer is typically pinned by an adjacent antiferromagnetic layer. As the magnetic magnetization direction of the free layer changes relative to the reference layer, this change is detectable as a change in electrical resistance of the device, known as the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR). The interfaces with the tunneling layer, in some configurations (Fe/MgO/Fe or FeCo/MgO/FeCo), can provide some PMA for the memory cell. However, the presence of disorder and crystallinity mismatch at the interface of the ferromagnetic and tunneling layers can lead to reduced PMA and poor TMR. Furthermore, there is an interest towards the production of smaller memory devices so that higher storage capacity can be achieved. These smaller memory devices will require greater PMA in order to maintain thermal stability of the magnetic moments.
The addition of layers consisting of heavy nonmagnetic elements or layers, which increase the moment on the free layer, has been proposed to promote PMA. However, these additional layers increase the critical current necessary to flip the magnetization and result in decreased device performance and increased energy consumption during writing and erasing operations.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a memory cell having enhanced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

Magnetoresistive effect devices having enhanced magnetic anisotropy


The present invention is directed to a composition comprising glyphosate and at least one taurate salt. This composition can further comprise a water-immiscible phase comprising a triazolinone herbicide and one or more aromatic solvents with an aqueous phase comprising the glyphosate and an emulsifier comprising the at least one taurate salt. The glyphosate and emulsifier of the present invention can be advantageously mixed with the triazolinone herbicide and one or more aromatic solvents to produce compositions that are chemically and physically stable.

To enable the efficient elimination or controlling of unwanted plants in agriculture and related endeavors, it is desirable to use effective chemical herbicides on these unwanted plants. Compositions containing multiple herbicides are desirable in agricultural and related endeavors due to broadening the spectrum or range of unwanted plant species killed or controlled and varying the onset of visual symptomology.
Due to the desirability of having a composition with the above mentioned properties, the combination of a triazolinone herbicide and glyphosate salt has been disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,905, U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,958, U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,318, PCT Publication WO 00/78139, PCT Publication WO 02/063955 and PCT Publication WO 01/70024. The combination of a triazolinone herbicide and glyphosate salt has been thought to exhibit a herbicidal effect against a very broad spectrum of unwanted plant species and a triazolinone herbicide is known to have fast onset of herbicidal activity as seen from visual symptomology, while glyphosate salt is considered to be slower with onset occurring just after typical triazolinone herbicides. This has the potential to be a very effective combination. However, a problem in the art of formulating the triazolinone herbicide and glyphosate salt mixture is in successfully achieving both chemical and physical stability in the composition over significant periods of time.
In general, a relatively small amount of the triazolinone herbicide has been used in conjunction with glyphosate. Chemical stability is most important in this type of composition to ensure the small amount of the triazolinone herbicide is fully effective. Typically, less than one percent is used commercially to keep the cost of the composition low, while still yielding spectrum and onset of visual symptomology benefits. Examples of problematic chemical degradation include hydrolysis, oxidation, dehalogenation and bond cleavage. The chemical and physical stability of a glyphosate and triazolinone herbicide composition is a key objective in the art.


When generating a color conversion table for converting a device independent color into a device color, a conversion target color of the device independent color corresponding to a lattice point of the color conversion table is set based on color reproduction information indicating the relationship between the device color and device independent color. The conversion target color is changed to generate a plurality of neighbor colors of the conversion target color. The conversion target color and the plurality of neighbor colors are converted into device colors based on the color reproduction information, and the device color corresponding to the conversion target color is calculated from the conversion results.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to color processing for generating a color conversion table for gamut mapping.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with the prevalence of personal computers and work stations, desktop publishing (DTP) and computer-aided design (CAD) have been widely used in general. Along with this, a color reproduction technique of matching a color reproduced on a monitor with a color reproduced on a printing medium using colorants is becoming increasingly important. For example, DTP operates in a workflow of executing creation, editing, modification, and the like of a color image on a monitor and then causing a color printer to output the color image. In this workflow, a user strongly demands that the color appearance of a color image (to be referred to as a monitor image) on the monitor matches that of an output image (to be referred to as a print image) of the printer.
However, it is difficult to match the appearances of a monitor image and print image in the color reproduction technique. This difficulty arises due to the following reasons.
A color monitor presents a color image by emitting light with a particular wavelength by using, e.g., phosphors. On the other hand, a color printer presents a color image by absorbing light with a particular wavelength by a colorant such as inks and using the residual reflected light. The color gamut of the color monitor is greatly different from that of the color printer because of the difference of the image display mode. Furthermore, even in a color monitor, the color gamut of a liquid crystal monitor which displays the three primary colors by using a color filter is different from that of a CRT which displays the three primary colors by using electron guns and phosphors. Of course, the color gamut of a color printer changes due to the difference of the paper quality, composition of the colorants, and the like.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are views showing a monitor gamut (FIG. 1A) and a printer gamut (FIG. 1B) as an example of a color gamut. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a color gamut greatly differs in each device. Therefore, it is impossible to completely match the colors of a monitor image and printer image, those of printer images output by a plurality of types of devices, or those of printer images output on a plurality of kinds of papers, in the calorimetric meaning.
As a technique of matching the appearances of color images by absorbing the difference of the color gamut between output media with different color gamuts, a gamut mapping technique of mapping a given color gamut onto another color gamut in a Lab space or JCH space is available. An example of the gamut mapping technique is a method of compressing and mapping a wide color gamut onto a narrow color gamut by using, e.g., a point on the lightness axis as a convergence point. According to such a mapping method, near the gamut boundary, color change is steep and image deterioration such as pseudo contour may occur. For example, FIG. 1A shows a monitor gamut and tone characteristics of the cyan hue. When performing gamut mapping, the tone characteristics may become distorted as represented by the solid lines in FIG. 1B. Particularly, in a region indicated by the circle in FIG. 1B, color change is steep and tone characteristics contort. Note that the dotted line in FIG. 1B represents a printer gamut.
In addition, as an element technique of a color matching technique, a color interconversion technique of a device independent color and device color is important. Color conversion from a device independent color into a device color in the color interconversion technique is used to accurately reproduce the mapping result by an actual device (e.g., a printer). In order to attain satisfactory tone reproduction, image deterioration such as an unnatural tone jump by this color conversion must be prevented as much as possible. However, this color conversion results in an optimization problem and often requires technically complex processing, e.g., use of a nonlinear programming to implement the conversion. It is difficult to keep satisfactory tone character in any case.
This problem is translated into a technical problem of how to correct the color conversion with poor tone reproduction. That is, a color interconversion technique which solves this technical problem and attains satisfactory tone reproduction is demanded. It is also demanded to achieve satisfactory color reproduction in various color conversions such as color conversion by mapping, color conversion from a device independent color into a device color, and the like.


A process is modeled by resolving the process into a plurality of process stages, including at least a first process stage and a second process stage, and developing a plurality of models, each model corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of process stages, wherein the model corresponding to each process stage is developed using data from one or more runs of that process stage and output quality data relating to the one or more runs of that process stage and wherein the model corresponding to each process stage is adapted to produce an output quality prediction associated with that process stage, and wherein the output quality prediction produced by the model of a first one of the process stages is used to develop the model of a second one of the process stages.

Process control systems, like those used in chemical, petroleum or other processes, typically include one or more process controllers and input/output (I/O) devices communicatively coupled to at least one host or operator workstation and to one or more field devices via analog, digital or combined analog/digital buses. The field devices, which may be, for example, valves, valve positioners, switches and transmitters (e.g., temperature, pressure and flow rate sensors), perform process control functions within the process such as opening or closing valves and measuring process control parameters. The process controllers receive signals indicative of process measurements made by the field devices, process this information to implement a control routine, and generate control signals that are sent over the buses or other communication lines to the field devices to control the operation of the process. In this manner, the process controllers may execute and coordinate control strategies using the field devices via the buses and/or other communication links.
Process information from the field devices and the controllers may be made available to one or more applications (i.e., software routines, programs, etc.) executed by the operator workstation (e.g., a processor-based system) to enable an operator to perform desired functions with respect to the process, such as viewing the current state of the process (e.g., via a graphical user interface), evaluating the process, modifying the operation of the process (e.g., via a visual object diagram), etc. Many process control systems also include one or more application stations (e.g., workstations) which are typically implemented using a personal computer, laptop, or the like and which are communicatively coupled to the controllers, operator workstations, and other systems within the process control system via a local area network (LAN). Each application station may include a graphical user interface that displays the process control information including values of process variables, values of quality parameters associated with the process, process fault detection information, and/or process status information.
Typically, displaying process information in the graphical user interface is limited to the display of a value of each process variable associated with the process. Additionally, some process control systems may characterize simple relationships between some process variables to determine quality metrics associated with the process. However, in cases where a resultant product of the process does not conform to predefined quality control metrics, the process and/other process variables can only be analyzed after the completion of a batch, a process, and/or an assembly of the resulting product. While viewing the process and/or quality variables upon the completion of the process enables improvements to be implemented to the manufacturing or the processing of subsequent products, these improvements are not able to remediate the current completed products, which are out-of-spec.
This problem is particularly acute in batch processes, that is, in batch process control systems that implement batch processes. As is known, batch processes typically operate to process a common set of raw materials together as a "batch" through various numbers of stages or steps, to produce a product. Multiple stages or steps of a batch process may be performed in the same equipment, such as in a tank, while others of the stages or steps may be performed in other equipment. Because the same raw materials are being processed differently over time in the different stages or steps of the batch process, in many cases within a common piece of equipment, it is difficult to accurately determine, during any stage or step of the batch process, whether the material within the batch is being processed in a manner that will likely result in the production of the end product that has desired or sufficient quality metrics. That is, because the temperature, pressure, consistency, pH, or other parameters of the materials being processed changes over time during the operation of the batch, many times while the material remains in the same location, it is difficult to determine whether the batch processes is operating at any particular time during the batch run in a manner that is this likely to produce an end product with the desired quality metrics.
One known method of determining whether a currently operating batch is progressing normally or within desired specifications (and is thus likely to result in a final product having desired quality metrics) compares various process variable measurements made during the operation of the on-going batch with similar measurements taken during the operation of a "golden batch." In this case, a golden batch is a predetermined, previously run batch selected as a batch run that represents the normal or expected operation of the batch and that results in an end product with desired quality metrics. However, batch runs of a process typically vary in temporal length, i.e., vary in the time that it takes to complete the batch, making it difficult to know which time, within the golden batch, is most applicable to the currently measured parameters of the on-going batch. Moreover, in many cases, batch process variables can vary widely during the batch operation, as compared to those of a selected golden batch, without a significant degradation in quality of the final product. As a result, it is often difficult, if not practically impossible, to identify a particular batch run that is capable of being used in all cases as the golden batch to which all other batch runs should be compared.
A method of analyzing the results of on-going batch processes that overcomes one of the problems of using a golden batch involves creating a statistical model for the batch. This technique involves collecting data for each of a set of process variables (batch parameters) from a number of different batch runs of a batch process and identifying or measuring quality metrics for each of those batch runs. Thereafter, the collected batch parameters and quality data is used to create a statistical model of the batch, with the statistical model representing the "normal" operation of the batch that results in desired quality metrics. This statistical model of the batch can then be used to analyze how different process variable measurements made during a particular batch run statistically relate to the same measurements within the batch runs used to develop the model. For example, this statistical model may be used to provide an average or a median value of each measured process variable, and a standard deviation associated with each measured process variable at any particular time during the batch run to which the currently measured process variables can be compared. Moreover, this statistical model, may be used to predict how the current state of the batch will effect or relate to the ultimate quality of the batch product produced at the end of the batch.
Generally speaking, this type of batch modeling requires huge amounts of data to be collected from various sources such as transmitters, control loops, analyzers, virtual sensors, calculation blocks and manual entries. Most of the data is stored in continuous data historians. However, significant amounts of data and, in particular, manual entries, are usually associated with process management systems. Data extraction from both of these types of systems must be merged to satisfy model building requirements. Moreover, as noted above, a batch process normally undergoes several significantly different stages, steps or phases, from a technology and modeling standpoint. Therefore, a batch process is typically sub-divided with respect to the phases, and a model may be constructed for each phase. In this case, data for the same phase or stage, from many batch runs, is grouped to develop the statistical model for that phase or stage. The purpose of such a data arrangement is to remove or alleviate process non-linearities. Another reason to develop separate batch models on a stage, phase or other basis is that, at various different stages of a batch, different process parameters are active and are used for modeling. As a result, a stage model can be constructed with a specific set of parameters relevant for each particular stage to accommodate or take into account only the process parameters relevant at each batch stage. For example at a certain stage, additives may be added to the main batch load, and process parameters pertaining to those additives do not need to be considered in any preceding batch stage, but are relevant to the batch stage at which the additives are added.
However in creating this statistical batch model, it is still necessary to deal with the fact that different batch runs typically span different lengths of time. This phenomena is based on a number of factors such as, for example, different wait times associated with operators taking manual actions within the batch runs, different ambient conditions that require longer or shorter heating or other processing times, variations in raw material compositions that lead to longer or shorter processing times during a batch run, etc. In fact, it is normal that the data trend for a particular process variable spans a different length of time in different batch runs, and therefore that common batch landmarks in the different batch process runs have time shifted locations with respect to one another. To create a valid statistical model, however, the data for each stage, operation, or phase of a batch must be aligned with comparable data from the same stage, operation or phase of the other batches used to create the model. Thus, prior to using data measured during runs of a batch process to create a statistical model for use in modeling and analyzing the batch process, it is necessary to align the batch data from the different batch runs to a common time frame. Techniques for performing such alignment of batch data are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/784,689, entitled "On-Line Alignment Of A Process Analytical Model With Actual Batch Operation," filed May 21, 2010, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Once aligned, the batch data may be used in conjunction with analytic tools such as principal component analysis (PCA) and projection to latent structures (PLS) to develop models of the batch process that may be used to model and analyze further runs of the batch process.
The on-line use of analytic tools such as PCA and PLS techniques for fault detection and prediction of quality parameters has, in many instances, been limited to continuous processes in which a single product is produced. In such instances, the process is often treated as a single unit with a fixed set of measurements and lab analysis. For these types of processes, a single PCA or PLS model may be developed and applied in an on-line environment. However, to address the requirements of continuous or batch processes in which multiple products are produced using one or more pieces of plant equipment, each having its own set of instrumentation and quality parameters, a more general approach must be taken in developing a model off-line and in thereafter applying on-line analytics.
Applying on-line analytic tools to continuous and batch processes involves several challenges. First, in a batch operating environment, a product may be produced using numerous pieces of equipment that may be run in series, in parallel, or in a hybrid configuration having some equipment run in series and some in parallel. The equipment used in manufacturing and the associated process operating conditions depend on the product that is manufactured. Different lab and field measurements may be used at various points in the manufacturing process for one way of manufacturing a product versus another, or for manufacturing different products, which complicates model development. Similarly, a continuous operating environment also may involve multiple major pieces of equipment arranged in different configurations. The processing associated with each piece of equipment, and associated process measurements and control, in some cases, may vary as processing conditions change with throughput or with the product that is being processed.
Thus, tools designed to support on-line analytics for process modeling must take account of the product being produced, the equipment arrangements that may be used to make the product, and the different operating conditions and associated field and lab measurement needed to manufacture the product. Prior modeling approaches employed a single aggregate model for a process which did not allow for changing operating conditions and associated field and lab measurements needed in connection with modeling processes employing multiple pieces of equipment or producing multiple different products.


The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising: (i) at least 10 mg/mL of a Factor VII polypeptide; (ii) a buffering agent suitable for keeping pH in the range of from about 5.0 to about 9.0; (iii) at least one aromatic preservative in a concentration of at least 0.1 mg/mL; and (iv) at least one antioxidant in a concentration of at least 0.1 mg/mL; the composition optionally comprising further components, with the proviso that such further components are not Factor VII polypeptide stabilizing agents selected from (a) metal-containing agents, wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of first transition series metals of oxidation state +II, except zinc; and (b) stabilizing agents comprising a —C(═N—Z1-R1)-NH—Z2-R2 motif.

Factor VII, which is involved in the clotting cascade, has proven to be a useful therapeutic agent to treat a variety of pathological conditions. Accordingly, there is an increasing need for formulations comprising activated Factor VII polypeptides that are pharmaceutically acceptable and exhibit a uniform and predetermined clinical efficacy.
The current commercially available, recombinantly-made Factor VII polypeptide composition NovoSeven® (Novo Nordisk A/S, Denmark), is, e.g., presented as a vial (about 3.0 mL container volume) containing 1.2 mg recombinant human Factor VIIa, 5.84 mg NaCl, 2.94 mg CaCl2, 2H2O, 2.64 mg GlyGly, 0.14 mg polysorbate 80, and 60.0 mg mannitol. This product is reconstituted to pH 5.5 by 2.0 mL water for injection (WFI) prior to use, thus yielding a concentration of the Factor VII polypeptide of about 0.6 mg/mL.
For therapeutic applications where administration of larger amounts (e.g. 10-20 mg) of an activated Factor VII polypeptide (e.g. rhFVIIa) is necessary, it is inconvenient to utilize a formulation like the NovoSeven® composition, because a fairly large volume (e.g. 15-30 mL) needs to be administered, typically by injection.
Thus, there is a need for liquid pharmaceutical products comprising an activated Factor VII polypeptide in a relatively high concentration.
Liquid formulations of Factor VII polypeptides are subject to degradation by autolysis. This is particularly acute for high concentration formulations and limits the liquid stability. Liquid formulations of Factor VII polypeptides containing Factor VII inhibitors/stabilizers have previously been described. However, these Factor VII inhibitors/stabilizers must be injected together with the Factor VII polypeptide molecule, and the effect of the Factor VII inhibitors/stabilizers on humans is generally not known.
WO 2005/002615 A1 discloses a liquid, aqueous pharmaceutical composition comprising a Factor VII polypeptide; a buffering agent suitable for keeping pH in the range of from about 5.0 to about 9.0; at least one metal-containing agent, wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of first transition series metals of oxidation state +II, except zinc; and a non-ionic surfactant. Some ions of this class, e.g. cupper, have known toxicity, which can make some formulations of this type unsuitable for administration to humans.
WO 2005/016365 A1 discloses a liquid, aqueous pharmaceutical composition comprising at least 0.01 mg/mL of a Factor VII polypeptide (i); a buffering agent (ii) suitable for keeping pH in the range of from about 5.0 to about 9.0; and at least one stabilising agent (iii) comprising a —C(═N—Z1—R1)—NH—Z2—R2 motif (e.g. a benzamidine or an arginine). Some compounds of this class, e.g. L-arginine, are known to have a blood pressure lowering effect, which can make some formulations of this type unsuitable for administration to humans.
Liquid formulations are advantageous for injectable pharmaceutical products. If several injection dosages are retrieved from the same vial, a preservative is often a requirement from the regulatory authorities. A number of different compounds have been used as preservatives in injectable products (S, Nema, N. R. Washkuhn and R. J. Brendel: Excipients and their use in injectable products, PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology 51 (4), 166-171).
"Et studie af mikrotiterpladers anvendelse i formuleringsscreening af proteiner-med rFVIIa som modelstof" by Catharina Margrethe Lerche and Charlotte Petersen (Pharmaceutical University of Denmark, 2004) discloses formulations containing 1 mg/mL activated Factor VII and 2 mg/mL meta-cresol, but no antioxidant. These authors surprisingly found that in the presence of meta-cresol, about 30% of the protein molecules are oxidised after 4 weeks of incubation at 25° C., suggesting that a formulation with preservatives is highly detrimental to the stability of the protein.

High concentration factor VII polypeptide formulations comprising an aromatic preservative and an antioxidant


In a multiplex communication system for transmitting and receiving data between a master station and a plurality of slave stations, the master station comprises a discriminator for collating an important switch information data transmitted from each slave station for reliability improvement. That is, two or more bit switch data transmitted by the slave station are compared with those stored in the master station and determined to be correct on the basis of a perfect bit level match or a bit level majority decision. Further, it is also possible to compare first data transmitted by the slave station with second data transmitted again by the slave station immediately after the first data transmission. Furthermore, it is preferable to change the access sequence from the master station to the slave stations according to power supply modes determined by ignition key switch positions for providing a higher response speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multiplex communication system, and in particular to a time division multiplex communication system for an automotive vehicle which can activate a plurality of loads (e.g. headlamps, power window motors, air conditioner, audio apparatus, etc.) by a plurality of switches, respectively via as small a number of transmission lines as possible.
2. Description of Prior Art
In a multiplex communication system for transmitting and receiving data between a master station and a plurality of slave stations via a single transmission line, various loads (lamps, motors, etc.) and switches are distributed in the slave stations, and these loads in the slave stations are activated respectively, whenever the corresponding switches in the slave stations are depressed. In the prior-art system, however, since the switch on-off conditions are read once for each access cycle for all the slave stations, in case a reading error occurs due to noise for instance, there exists a problem in that the load (motor, lamp, etc.) is activated erroneously on the basis of an erroneous data for one access cycle duration.
Further, in the case where the number of slave stations is large, it is preferable to classify the slave stations into a few groups according to power supply modes, that is, according to the ignition key switch positions (BAT, ACC and IGN modes) in the case of an automotive vehicle, in order to improve the response speed. Conventionally, however, since the loads are simply and mechanically allocated to the nearest possible slave stations, even if the slave stations including switches and loads to be activated only in the ACC and IGN modes are not accessed in the BAT mode, there still exists a problem in that many slave stations must be accessed in the BAT mode and therefore the response speed is low. In other words, it is preferable to change the switches and loads to be included in the respective slave stations according to the power supply mode, in order to minimize the response speed.
Further, in the conventional multiplex communication system, the format of the communication protocol is composed of one type of bit length (e.g. 16 bits), there exists a problem in that each item of communication data is long in bit length, so that the transmission efficiency is low; the cost is high; and soft error tends to occur in the IC chip because the communication speed becomes high.
The problems involved in the conventional multiplex communication system will be explained in further detail hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings under DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS.


Predictive multi-stage modelling for complex semiconductor device manufacturing process control is provided. In one aspect, a method of predictive multi-stage modelling for controlling a complex semiconductor device manufacturing process includes: collecting geometrical data from metrology measurements made at select stages of the manufacturing process; and making an outcome probability prediction at each of the select stages using a multiplicative kernel Gaussian process, wherein the outcome probability prediction is a function of a current stage and all prior stages. Machine-learning models can be trained for each of the select stages of the manufacturing process using the multiplicative kernel Gaussian process. The machine-learning models can be used to provide probabilistic predictions for a final outcome in real-time for production wafers. The probabilistic predictions can then be used to select production wafers for rework, sort, scrap or disposition.

Semiconductor device manufacturing often involves a complex multi-stage fabrication process with many intermediate stages. While complex-highly coupled multi-stage process modules predicative modelling for yield outcomes is highly desired in manufacturing environments such as semiconductor fabrication, doing so has been difficult to implement and as such not currently practiced. By coupled, it is meant that stack description (i.e., structural measurements) stage (n+1) are dependent (and determined partially) on parameters from stage (n).
Thus, conventional methods for semiconductor device process control and disposition typically focus on single, individual stages of the manufacturing process. Such an approach, however, has some notable drawbacks. For instance, with complex multi-stage processes the metrology outcome may or may not be available for all of the intermediate stages. Further, the process model for complex coupled multi-stage processes can be either insufficient for accurate prediction of the outcome or contains too many variables for computational tractability.
Thus, single stage disposition is not sufficient for complex coupled multistep processes where the outcomes are not 'revealed' until significant processing has been performed. For example, the single stage disposition of a downstream step may reveal an outcome which is outside the process specification. However, this outcome may be detected too late for meaningful intervention, and the product has to be either re-worked or scrapped.
Therefore, predictive multistep modelling techniques for complex semiconductor device manufacturing process control would be desirable.

Predictive multi-stage modelling for complex process control

International Business Machines Corporation


A beam splitter and a 3D image acquisition apparatus including the beam splitter are provided. The beam splitter includes a light incident surface on which light having a first wavelength and light having a second wavelength are incident; a beam splitting surface which is inclined to the light incident surface and reflects the light having the first wavelength and transmits the light having the second wavelength; a first light exit surface through which the light having the first wavelength reflected from the beam splitting surface exits; a first reflective surface which reflects the light having the second wavelength transmitted by the beam splitting surface; a second reflective surface which reflects the light having the second wavelength reflected from the first reflective surface; and a second light exit surface through which the light having the second wavelength reflected from the second reflective surface exits.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a beam splitter for a 3D camera, and a 3D image acquisition apparatus such as a 3D camera, wherein the beam splitter is capable of separating a color image and a depth image, which are incident via a same incident surface, to proceed along different paths, and wherein the 3D image acquisition apparatus is capable of simultaneously capturing a color image and a depth image by using one lens and the beam splitter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the development and increase in use of 3D display apparatuses, the development of 3D content has become important. Thus, research has been conducted into providing a 3D camera which allows a user to directly produce 3D content. A 3D camera may also be referred to as a RGBD image camera since it requires not only typical two-dimensional (2D) RGB color image information but also depth information (D).
The depth information is information about a distance between the 3D camera and surfaces of an object, and may be obtained by using a stereo vision method involving the use of two cameras, or by using a triangulation method involving structured light and a camera. However, according to the aforementioned methods, the accuracy of the distance information deteriorates as the distance between the 3D camera and the object becomes great. Also, it is difficult to obtain accurate distance information using the aforementioned methods because they are dependent upon a status of the surfaces of the object in question.
In order to solve this problem, a Time-of-Flight (TOF) technique has been introduced. The TOF technique irradiates a laser beam to an object, and then measures a travel time of the laser beam that is reflected from the object and is received by a light receiving unit. According to the TOF technique, light having a particular wavelength (e.g., near infrared rays having a wavelength of about 850 nm) is irradiated to the object by using a light emitting diode (LED) or a laser diode (LD), a light receiving unit receives the light that has the same wavelength and is reflected from the object, and a processing procedure is performed so as to extract depth information by modulating the received light using a modulator having a known gain wavelength. Various TOF techniques are available using various processing procedures.
A 3D camera used in conjunction with a TOF technique includes an optical system structure enabling it to simultaneously acquire a color image including general image information, and a depth image including depth information. For example, the 3D camera may respectively capture the color image and the depth image by using separate optical modules. However, in such a case, a mismatch may occur between the color image and the depth image due to a mismatch between an optical axis of an optical system used to obtain the color image, and an optical axis of an optical system used to obtain the depth image. Also, such a setup requires two object lenses in order to separately capture the color image and the depth image.
In this regard, in order to secure a match between a color image and a depth image and to simultaneously capture the color image and the depth image by using one object lens, an optical system structure in which a color image and a depth image may share one object lens is proposed. For example, in a color/depth image shared-type optical system, a color image and a depth image that are provided via a single object lens may be split by using a beam splitter, and the separate color image and depth image may be captured using separate image sensors, respectively. Thus, a/depth image shared-type optical system may have one object lens, one beam splitter, and two image sensors. A 3D camera employing this optical system structure may secure a match between two images, thereby acquiring a high-quality 3D image and achieving an excellent result with respect to form.
In order to extract distance information by using a TOF technique, it is necessary to arrange a modulator so as to modulate light that is reflected from the object. The modulator may be broadly classified as a reflection-type modulator or a transmittance-type modulator. Reflection-type modulators are more easily embodied are more frequently used. However, in a case in which a reflection-type modulator is used, a huge amount of light loss may occur in a beam splitter, and this light loss may decrease a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) so that the light loss may deteriorate the accuracy of the depth information.

Beam splitter for 3D camera, and 3D image acquisition apparatus employing the beam splitter


A battery selection circuit for dual battery packs discharges the batteries in a stable way without regard to voltage differences. Also, if one of the batteries is installed, the battery is effectively selected to prolong battery life. When this circuit is adopted in a notebook computer, battery usage time is substantially increased. The battery selection circuit includes a battery detector for sensing the existence of the first and second battery packs and for producing the detect signals corresponding thereto. These detect signals are provided to a microcontroller to produce first and second battery discharge enable signals. In response to the first and second battery discharge enable signals, first and second electronic switches respectively connect each power supply line from the first and second batteries to a power supply circuit of the device. Reverse current blocking diodes are provided in series with the first and second switches, and a low resistive current path circuit is provided in parallel with the reverse current blocking diodes. The first switch and second switch as well as the low resistive current path circuit may include MOS FET transistors. Advantageously, a control circuit including logic gates is provided for opening the low resistive current path circuit when both the first and second batteries are detected, and for closing the corresponding low resistive current path circuit when one of the first and second batteries is detected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to battery selection circuits for dual batteries used in battery powered electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, portable or notebook computers have become a popular alternative to traditional desktop computers. These portable computers are typically powered by rechargeable batteries or alternatively by a power adapter which can be connected to an AC outlet. Often, it is desirable to operate the portable computers for lengthy periods of time in environments where AC power is unavailable. An earlier power supply system used in the portable computer includes a rechargeable battery and an AC adapter connected to a power supply circuit of a notebook computer, for example. The power supply circuit includes a reverse current blocking circuit having diodes and a DC-DC converter for receiving DC output voltages from the battery and the AC adapter, and for producing required DC output voltages to be supplied to electronic circuits.
In such a portable computer, the battery is usually formed into a pack including a plurality of battery cells and can be housed in a detachable way. Furthermore, only one battery pack is accommodated for the sake of mobility and convenience. Although the battery pack is composed of a longer-life battery, e.g., Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) or Lithium ion (Li-ion) electrolytes, the limited battery life can be a severe constraint on the effective portable use of a device.
One known way to extend battery life is to carry extra charged batteries. When AC power is not available, and when the battery expires, it can be replaced with another freshly charged one. However, this method can be inconvenient in swapping the batteries, and when the battery is changed, it may require powering off the device which causes a suspension of works proceeding in the computer.
In order to solve this problem, an effort has been made to install multiple battery packs in the portable computer to extend battery life. For example, an extra charged battery can be inserted into the portable computer so that 3.5" floppy disk drive is replaced by the extra battery. This method is based on the fact that the floppy disk drive is hardly used during the execution of word processing programs, for example. Of course, the package of the extra battery must have the same footprint as the floppy disk drive. Thus, a floppy disk drive receiving space of the portable computer can be used by an extra battery pack to increase total battery capacity.
However, in this case, problems arise when the characteristics of two battery packs are different. For example, differences in number of cells and voltages per cell between two battery packs results in a difference of output voltage level. Therefore, the discharging of two batteries is performed at the higher voltage level, that will be substantially ineffective for extending battery life. Further, the battery of a higher voltage level is liable to be discharged excessively and thus this will affect battery life by itself.
The patent to Eguchi et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,775 entitled Circuit For Preventing overcharge And Overdischarge Of Secondary Batteries, discloses a circuit for preventing overcharge and overdischarge of two secondary batteries.
The patent to Stockstad, U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,503 entitled Method For Balancing Power Sources And Structure Therefor, discloses a method of balancing the discharge from two battery cells.
The following patents each disclose features in common with the present invention but are not as pertinent as the two patents discussed in detail above: U.S. Patent No. The Staarman et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,337 entitled Over-Discharge Protection For Rechargeable Batteries, the Morita et al patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,499 entitled Power Supply Apparatus To Provide Power To Electrical Equipment From A Plurality Of Battery Packs And Its Method Of Power Supply, the Tamai patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,124 entitled Circuit To Prevent Excessive Rechargeable Battery Discharge, the Willis patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,041 entitled Efficient Fault Tolerant Switching Circuit For Redundant D.C. Power Supplies, the Allen et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,123 to Allen et al, entitled Connection Multiple Batteries To Battery Powered Devices, the Nanno et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,294 entitled Portable Computer Powered By Rechargeable Batteries, and the Allen et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,301 entitled Connecting Multiple Batteries To Battery Powered Devices.

Selection circuit for dual batteries in a battery powered electronic device


The present invention relates to a novel animal model for amyloidopathies, especially Alzheimer' disease overexpressing human BACE and human APP London. This novel animal model exhibits several aspects of amyloidopathy. The present invention also relates to a method for producing the double transgenic animals, to cells and cell lines derived from these animals and to a kit comprising these cells. Moreover, a method for the evaluation of the in vivo effects of beta-secretase activity on A-beta peptide generation, amyloidosis, neurodegeneration and AD pathology in these animals is provided.

The present invention relates to novel double transgenic non-human animals useful to model diseases involving amyloidopathies, in particular Alzheimer's disease. Such transgenic animals will have utility in developping specific and general therapies for the treatment of amyloidopathies and in screening methods to identify novel anti-amyloidogenic compounds. The present invention is further directed to a method for the generation of such transgenic animals, to the evaluation of the in vivo effects of beta-secretase activity on amyloid peptide generation, amyloidosis, neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's pathology through the use of such novel transgenic animals.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease which is characterized by memory loss and decline of cognitive functions (McKhann G, Drachman D, Folstein M, Katzman R, Price D, Stadlan E M. Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: report of the NINCDS-ADRDA Work Group under the auspices of Department of Health and Human Services Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease. Neurology. 1984.34:939–44). The prevalence of AD approximately doubles with every five years over the age of 65. Overall, approximately 5 to 10% of those over 65 are affected (Scorer C A. Preclinical and clinical challenges in the development of disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer's disease. DDT. 2001.6: 1207–1219). The clinical diagnosis of AD remains an exclusion diagnosis. Only post-mortem microscopic examination of the brain offers a definitive diagnosis based on the presence of extracellular plaques containing fibrils of amyloid-beta (A-beta) peptide and intracellular tangles containing polymerized phosphorylated Tau protein (Glenner G G, Wong C W. Alzheimer's disease and Down's syndrome: sharing of a unique cerebrovascular amyloid fibril protein. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1984. 22:1131–5; Spillantini M G, Goedert M, Jakes R, Klug A. Different configurational states of beta-amyloid and their distributions relative to plaques and tangles in Alzheimer disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990. 87:3947–51). In most of the cases, AD occurs late in onset and sporadically. The early onset familial AD represents a minority of the cases, but they have been extremely important for the progression in the understanding of the disease mechanisms. Mutations in three genes have been shown to cause early-onset familial AD (FAD): Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) (Chartier-Harlin M C, Crawford F, Houlden H, Warren A, Hughes D, Fidani L, Goate A, Rossor M, Roques P, Hardy J, et al. Early-onset Alzheimer's disease caused by mutations at codon 717 of the beta-amyloid precursor protein gene. Nature. 1991. 353: 844–6; Goate A, Chartier-Harlin M C, Mullan M, Brown J, Crawford F, Fidani L, Giuffra L, Haynes A, Irving N, James L, et al. Segregation of a missense mutation in the amyloid precursor protein gene with familial Alzheimer's disease. Nature. 1991.349:704–6; Murrell J, Farlow M, Ghetti B, Benson M D. A mutation in the amyloid precursor protein associated with hereditary Alzheimer's disease. Science. 1991. 254: 7–9; Mullan M, Houlden H, Windelspecht M, Fidani L, Lombardi C, Diaz P, Rossor M, Crook R, Hardy J, Duff K, et al. A locus for familial early-onset Alzheimer's disease on the long arm of chromosome 14, proximal to the alpha 1-antichymotrypsin gene. Nat Genet. 1992. 2: 340–2), PresenilinI (Psenl) (Sherrington R, Rogaev E I, Liang Y, Rogaeva E A, Levesque G, Ikeda M, Chi H, Lin C, Li G, Holman K, et al. Cloning of a gene bearing missense mutations in early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease. Nature. 1995. 375:754–60), and Presenilin 2 (Psen2) (Levy-Lahad E, Wijsman E M, Nemens E, Anderson L, Goddard K A, Weber J L, Bird T D, Schellenberg G D. A familial Alzheimer's disease locus on chromosome 1. Science. 1995. 269:970–3). Known missense mutations affect codon 717 of APP (altering V717*1, V717+G and V717+F in the polypeptide), while codons 670/671 (altering K670+N and M671+L in the polypeptide, hereinafter referred to as the Swedish mutation) are altered in the APP gene of a Swedish AD pedigree (numbers according to APP770). All these mutations affect the proteolytic processing of APP yielding more amyloidogenic peptides. APP can be processed by at least 3 secretases: alpha-, beta-, and gamma-secretases. Beta-secretase initiates A-beta peptide generation by cleaving APP after Methionine 671 (APP770 numbering) leading to a 12 kd retained membrane carboxyterminal fragment (Citron M, Teplow D B, Selkoe D J. Generation of amyloid beta protein from its precursor is sequence specific. Neuron. 1995. 14:661–70). The 12 kd fragment may then undergo gamma-secretase cleavage within the hydrophobic transmembrane domain to release the 40, 42, or 43 residue A-beta peptides (Seubert P, Vigo-Pelfrey C, Esch F, Lee M, Dovey H, Davis D, Sinha S, Schlossmacher M, Whaley J, Swindlehurst C. Isolation and quantification of soluble Alzheimer's beta-peptide from biological fluids. Nature. 1992.359: 325–7).
Current treatments for AD provide only modest symptomatic relief. There is a real need for disease modifying agents that slow the course of the disease and prevent or delay the disease in susceptible individuals. The development of such agents requires, among others, progress in the understanding of the molecular basis of the disease and in the development of animal models.
The strategies used to reproduce the disease in animal models mainly reflects the divergent causes of AD: aging, APP and Psen FAD mutations.
A number of transgenic mouse lines overexpressing either human wildtype APP, or human APP with FAD mutations at the beta-secretase cleavage site (APP Swedish mutant; Hsiao K, Chapman P, Nilsen S, Eckman C, Harigaya Y, Younkin S, Yang F, Cole G. Correlative memory deficits, Abeta elevation, and amyloid plaques in transgenic mice. Science. 1996. 274:99–102) and/or at the gamma-secretase cleavage site (APP London mutant; Games D, Adams D, Alessandrini R, Barbour R, Berthelette P, Blackwell C, Carr T, Clemens J, Donaldson T, Gillespie F. Alzheimer-type neuropathology in transgenic mice overexpressing V717F beta-amyloid precursor protein. Nature. 1995. 373:523–27) have been generated. These transgenic mouse lines have been crossed with transgenic lines overexpressing human Psen1 or Psen2 (gamma secretase activity) FAD mutants. Double transgenic mice show increased amyloid load but do not recapitulate all the aspects of the disease (for review see Van Leuven F. Single and multiple transgenic mice as models for Alzheimer's Disease. Progress in Neurobiology. 2000. 61, 305–312; Emilien G, Maloteaux J. M, Beyreuther K, and Masters C. L. Alzheimer Disease. Mouse models pave the way for therapeutic opportunities. Arch. Neurol. 2001. 57, 176).
Despite the fact that no FAD has up to now, been associated with mutation in human BACE (beta secretase activity) (Cruts M, Dermaut B, Rademakers R, Roks G, Van den Broeck M, Munteanu G, van Duij C M, Van Broeckhoven C. Amyloid beta secretase gene (BACE) is neither mutated in nor associated with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Lett. 2001. 313:105–7), BACE remains an attractive key player in the AD pathology. As a matter of fact, mice deficient in BACE (Cai H, Wang Y, Mc Carthy D, Wen H, Borchelt D. R, Price D. L, and Wong P. C. BACE1 is the major beta-secretase for generation of A-beta peptides by neurons. Nat. Neuroscience 2001. 4, 233; Luo Y, Bolon B, Kahn S, Bennett B D, Babu-Khan S, Denis P, Fan W, Kha H, Zhang J, Gong Y, Martin L, Louis J C, Yan Q, Richards W G, Citron M, Vassar R. Mice deficient in BACE1, the Alzheimer's beta-secretase, have normal phenotype and abolished beta-amyloid generation. Nat Neurosci. 2001. 3:231–2; Roberds SL, Anderson J, Basi G, Bienkowski M J, Branstetter D G, Chen K S, Freedman S B, Frigon N L, Games D, Hu K, Johnson-Wood K, Kappenman K E, Kawabe T T, Kola I, Kuehn R, Lee M, Liu W, Motter R, Nichols N F, Power M, Robertson D W, Schenk D, Schoor M, Shopp G M, Shuck M E, Sinha S, Svensson K A, Tatsuno G, Tintrup H, Wijsman J, Wright S, McConlogue L. BACE knockout mice are healthy despite lacking the primary beta-secretase activity in brain: implications for Alzheimer's disease therapeutics. Hum Mol Genet. 2001. 10:1317–24) have been shown to lack A-beta peptides in the brain demonstrating the absolute need of BACE for the cleavage of APP. These findings also increase the validity of BACE as a drug target for AD.
Recently mice overexpressing human APP with FAD mutation at the beta-secretase site (APP Swedish) and overexpressing human BACE (beta secretase activity) have been reported (Chiocco M J and Lamb B T. Generation and characterization of genomic-based beta-secretase transgenic mice. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. No. 13647. 2001. 27; Bodendorf U, Sturchler-Pierrat C, Christnacher A, Sommer B, Staufenbiel M, and Paganetti P. Mice transgenic for human BACE show increased beta-secretase activity in vivo. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. No. 13445. 2001. 27).
The overexpression of BACE together with APP Swedish is redundant in the sense that both proteins target the same metabolic step of APP. As a matter of fact, it has been shown that BACE overexpression results in increased beta-secretase cleavage of both wild-type APP and Swedish APP but increased secretion of amyloid peptides is only observed with the wild-type, but not with the Swedish APP suggesting that gamma-secretase level is inadequate to process the amount of C99 fragment produced in case of APP Swedish mutant (Vassar R, Bennett B D, Babu-Khan S, Kahn S, Mendiaz E A, Denis P, Teplow D B, Ross S, Amarante P, LoeloffR, Luo Y, Fisher S, Fuller J, Edenson S, Lile J, Jarosinski M A, Biere A L, Curran E, Burgess T, Louis J C, Collins F, Treanor J, Rogers G, Citron M. Beta-secretase cleavage of Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein by the transmembrane aspartic protease BACE. Science. Oct. 22, 1999;286(5440):735–41).

Double transgenic mice overexressing human beta secretase and human APP-London


The present invention relates to an interspecific tree and more particularly to a new and distinct variety broadly characterized by a small size, weakly vigorous, hardy, and productive tree. Being self-unfruitful, the present variety requires cross pollination from an apricot, interspecific, or plum that blooms during the mid to late season. The present variety produces a heavy bloom with an abundant amount of pollen to entice good bee activity to facilitate pollination. The fruit matures under the ecological conditions described during mid October, with first picking on Oct. 10, 2013, and can hang on the tree for up to two weeks. The fruit is medium in size, black in skin color, clingstone in type, globose in shape, orange in flesh color, firm in texture, and excellent flavor in flavor.

In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, we, the inventors, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. We also grow a lesser number of open pollinated seeds of each of these fruits. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of interspecific tree which has been denominated varietally as 'Blackred XX'.
During a typical blooming season we isolate as seed parents both individual and groups of different plum trees by covering them with screen houses. A hive of bees is placed inside each such house, and bouquets to provide pollen from different plum, apricot, and interspecific hybrid trees are placed in buckets near the trees approximately every two days for the duration of the bloom. During 2007 one such house containing 'September Yummy' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,220) plum tree was crossed by us in this manner. To pollinate this plum, we selected bouquets from several sources of apricot and interspecific trees without keeping specific written details. Upon reaching maturity the fruit from this plum tree was harvested and the seeds were removed, cracked, stratified and germinated as a group with the label "H12". They were grown as seedlings on their own root in our greenhouse and upon reaching dormancy transplanted to a cultivated area of our experimental orchard located near Le Grand, Calif. in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). During the summer of 2010 the claimed variety was selected by us as a single plant from the group of seedlings described above. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of interspecific tree, we asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of 'Nemaguard' (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is similar to its seed parent, 'September Yummy' plum (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,220), by being self-unfruitful, by blooming in the mid season, and by producing fruit that is firm and juicy, but is distinguished therefrom by producing fruit that is much sweeter in flavor, that is black instead of red in skin color, and that matures about thirty days later.
The present variety is most similar to 'Blackred XII' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,892) interspecific tree, by being self-unfruitful, by being much less vigorous, and by producing fruit that is full black in skin color, nearly globose in shape, firm in texture, juicy and very sweet, but is distinguished therefrom by being less vigorous, by blooming about four days earlier and by producing fruit that is full orange in flesh color instead of red, that is smaller in size, and that matures about two weeks later.


A gaming machine 10 includes a simulation system for simulating the playing of a game, the simulation system enabling predetermined starting parameters to be set. A comparator compares an end condition of a simulation run by the simulation system using the starting parameters with a pre-calculated desired outcome of the game. A comparator of a processor of the gaming machine 10 adjusts the starting parameters such that the end condition of the simulation coincides with that of the desired outcome of the game.

Conventional electronic gaming machines work in the following manner. Each game has a set of rules, known as a combination, and a set of winning and non-winning outcomes. A player makes a wager and starts the game and the machine determines the result of the bet. This determination involves a random number generator (RNG) being used to select one of the winning or non-winning outcomes, of which there could be millions of possibilities, and the game then displaying this outcome in some fashion.
An example of the above would be a video spinning reel game. Once the player presses a "Bet" button, the RNG is used to select a "stopping position" for each of the reels. These are the final positions of the spinning reels, to be displayed at the end of the game. The game software does not immediately display these stopping positions. Rather, it first starts the reels spinning from the previous stopping positions and continues to spin the reels until each of the RNG derived stopping positions comes into view on screen. As each stopping position reaches the correct point on screen, the reels are stopped. Thus, the player gets the impression that the derivation of the final position of each reel was done at the end of the reel spin rather than at the beginning.
The reason why game outcomes should be known before the game cycle finishes is that, in the event of a failure of a machine during the game cycle, it is important that the machine does not alter its behaviour. By predetermining and storing the outcome in non-volatile memory, the machine can ensure that if power is lost during a game cycle then, upon resumption of power, the game can continue to the same conclusion.
Another approach to a predetermined outcome would be to model a physical system using software within the gaming machine. In the example of a keno or bingo game, the previous predetermined method would be for the software to select a ball which is going to be produced from the on-screen cage, and then display an animation of this outcome occurring. The problem with this method is that, unless a large number of animations are stored, it quickly becomes apparent that this is not an accurate simulation of a keno game. Modelling the physical system using software would mean, in the case of keno, starting all of the 40 or so virtual "balls" at random positions within a virtual "cage". The simulation software would then simulate the effects of gravity, collisions and all the other forces which would cause the balls to move around randomly within the cage. As the simulation progressed, it would be represented on the gaming machine's screen. At the end of the simulation one of the balls would be "picked" by the simulation which displays a graphical representation of a mechanical arm picking the ball in an analogous way to the way conventional physical lottery machines work.
This approach has some advantages. It would produce a much more realistic looking display of a keno game and would appear to the player to be far more random. Unfortunately, this very randomness would also make it far more difficult for the game software to accurately know which ball is going to be selected, since selection takes place at the end, not the beginning, of the simulation. It would therefore be up to the gaming machine manufacturer to try and prove that the physical system being modelled was sufficiently random in its outcome and, more importantly, free of bias.
Modelling physical processes is relatively straightforward, but the interactions are such that, although it is easy to model from a starting position to derive an ending position—so it is easy to model a ball being dropped on a roulette wheel and then run the simulation through till the ball stops and see where it stops, it is much more difficult to start with an end position and try to derive the starting position that lead to the end position. In the case of roulette this would be akin to trying to derive a starting position, velocity and acceleration for a roulette ball in the croupier's hand from an end position that was at rest and in one of the numbered slots on the roulette wheel. Clearly, this would be an exceptionally difficult task.
Also, roulette is a good example of the problem of bias. Casinos must guard against any charge of bias by using roulette wheels that are made to the highest quality and checked on a regular basis. Any attempt at accurately modelling a roulette wheel system using a computer would also suffer from this need to ensure that the software would not tend to favour any of the possible outcomes for the game. Since gaming machines are heavily regulated, it would be necessary for a gaming machine manufacturer using a physical simulation game to prove that no bias was present to regulators before such a machine could be authorised for sale. Given the complexity of any non-trivial physical simulation, this proof would be hard to furnish.

Real time physical system modelling with predetermined outcomes

Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd


A valve timing controller has a driving rotor, a driven rotor, and a planet gear engaged with the driving rotor and the driven rotor to control a rotation phase of the driven rotor relative to the driving rotor by carrying out planet movement. The driven rotor has a contact surface in contact with a tip end of a chamfering portion of a camshaft, and a feed port passing through the driven rotor in an axial direction to introduce lubricant supplied from the camshaft into the driving rotor. The feed port has an outer edge part located on a radially outer side. The outer edge part, on a side adjacent to the contact surface, is located on a radially outer side of the tip end of the chamfering portion and is located on a radially inner side of an outer circumference part of the journal portion.

A valve timing controller is attached to an internal combustion engine to control a valve timing of valve opened and closed by a camshaft. JP 5240309 B2 (US 2010/0180845 A1) describes a valve timing controller equipped with a driving rotor supported by a journal portion from a radially inner side to rotate with a crankshaft, a driven rotor rotating with a camshaft inside of the driving rotor, and a planet gear engaged with the driving rotor and the driven rotor to control a rotation phase of the driven rotor relative to the driving rotor by carrying out planet movement. The driven rotor has a contact surface in contact with a tip end of a chamfering portion, and a feed port passing through the driven rotor in an axial direction to introduce lubricant supplied from the camshaft into the driving rotor.
In the contact surface of the driven rotor in contact with the camshaft, the outer edge part of the feed port is located at the radially same position as the outer circumference part of the journal portion, or is positioned on the radially outer side of the outer circumference part. In these cases, the lubricant lubricating the interface of the journal portion may decrease.
The camshaft may have a chamfering portion at which the diameter is decreased as extending from the journal portion toward the tip end, in consideration of the workability and safety for a worker at the assembling time. However, at the feed port, if the outer edge part of the chamfering portion is located on the radially inner side of the tip end of the camshaft, introduction of the lubricant may be affected.


A hybrid roller/silent chain of the present invention has the wear resistance of a roller chain combined with the noise performance of a silent chain. This is accomplished with the use of transverse load-bearing elements that allow increased bearing area for the articulating members of the chain by allowing load to be transmitted through both the inside and outside diameter of the element in the same plane. In some embodiments, the transverse load-bearing elements are bushings. In other embodiments, the elements are projections extending from non-guide row inside links.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of silent chains. More particularly, the invention pertains to an improvement over a commonly available silent chain. Yet more particularly, the invention pertains to an improvement over a commonly available silent chain having transverse load-bearing elements that permit increased bearing area for articulating members of the chain.
2. Description of Related Art
Roller chains and silent chains are known in the art. Both types of chains have known applications in the automobile industry.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,911 teaches a peripheral surface of a silent chain including a number of interleaved rows of link plates articulately connected together by joint pins. Each of the link plates has a pair of teeth and a pair of pin holes. The link plate further has a tubular portion protruding continuously from one surface of the link plate and defining a peripheral surface of each of the pin holes. The tubular portion has a height substantially equal to the thickness of the link plate. The tubular portion increases the contact area between the plate and the joint pin and thus suppresses wear on the joint pin. Further, the tubular portion allows the plate to retain sufficient rigidity and strength without narrowing the web width between each pin hole and the outside flank or the inside flank of the corresponding tooth. The silent chain as a whole is relatively light in weight. The peripheral surface of U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,911, however, has disadvantages including increased width of each strand of chain. Further, it would inherently require more elaborate manufacturing procedure to produce the chain links.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,385 teaches three structural components jointly constituting a single guide link of a silent chain. Two guide plates, at least one guide link plate disposed between the guide plates, and two round connector pins press-fitted in the guide plates are constructed to satisfy the expression (Pm+Dm−Dp′)−Pg′=0. Pm is the link plate pitch represented by the distance between pin hole centers in the guide link plate. Dm is the inside diameter of the pin holes in the guide link plate. Dp′ is the outside diameter between the round connector pins press-fitted in each guide plate. Pg′ is the post-press-fitting guide plate pitch represented by the distance between pin hole centers in each guide plate press-fitted with the round connector pins. In the assembled silent chain, each round connector pin extends has its outer peripheral surface in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the mating pin hole of the guide link plate and articular links. The articular links move relative to the pin and create the bearing area. The pin outer peripheral surface being in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the mating pin hole of the guide link plate and the articular links, however, has disadvantages, including the restriction of the bearing surface area to the above-described contact.
The chain industry is continually searching for better performance in silent chains. There is a need in the art for a silent chain with an increased contact or bearing surface of the articulating components of a chain.
A cross sectional view of a bush type roller chain is shown in FIG. 1. Roller chains typically have very good wear properties due to the full length bearing between the pin (14) and the bushing (12). As the pin (14) rotates within the bushing (12), the pin (14) is well supported along the entire length of the bushing (12). The close fit between the pin (14) and bushing (12) provides good wear resistance. The roller chain further includes two types of links (16) and links (18). One type (16) is known as a bush row link. The other type of link (18) is known as a pin row link.
Noise generated by chain drives comes from a variety of sources. In roller chain drives, the noise is caused, in part, by the impact between the chain and the sprocket at the onset of meshing. The loudness or the noise level of the impact is affected by, among other things, the impact velocity between the chain and the sprocket engaging the chain. The mass of chain rollers contacting the sprocket at a particular moment or time increment affects the noise level as well.
Much effort has been made to decrease the overall noise level and pitch frequency noise distribution in automotive chain drives thereby to minimize the objectionable effects of the pure sonic tones. Silent chains are typically used in automotive applications where noise generation is to be minimized. Modifications of the link flank shape and profile are known to reduce noise levels significantly.
Roller chains are used in automotive applications. Roller chains are usually limited, however, to applications where noise generation is not of a primary concern. Roller chains are characterized by the resistance to wear exhibited by their components.
A typical silent chain is shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. The silent chain includes guide link rows and non-guide link rows alternately connected together in an endless fashion. Typically, the guide link rows each have a pair of guide plates (15) and at least one inside link plate (13) disposed between the guide plates. The guide plates (15) and the inside link plate (13) each have a pair of pin holes or apertures (19) spaced in the direction of travel of the silent chain. The non-guide link rows typically have two or more inside link plates (11). The non-guide row inside link plates (11), like the guide plates (15) and the guide row inside link plates (13), each have a pair of spaced pin holes (19). The guide plates (15), the guide row inside link plates (13) and the non-guide row inside link plates (11) are articulately connected together by a connector pin (17) inserted through the laterally-aligned pin holes (19) of the non-guide row inside link plates (11) and guide row inside link plates (13). The connector pin (17) may be a round pin or a pair of rocker joint pins.
Silent chains generally have poor wear performance due to the relatively short and poor-quality bearing area between the non-guide row inside link plates and the pin. The available bearing length is significantly less than in a roller chain having the same total width. Further, in silent chains, the bearing surface is typically made up of several inside link apertures, rather than the continuous bushing bore used in a roller chain.
One exemplified usage of a silent chain is in transmitting power between a driving sprocket and a driven sprocket through the meshing engagement of the chain with the sprockets. By way of a practical example, the silent chain is wound around a crankshaft sprocket and a camshaft sprocket of an automobile engine, or around the sprockets of a transfer unit. When the silent chain starts to mesh with the sprocket, noises occur due to such occurrences as collision between the flank surface of each link plate and the tooth flank of the sprocket.
One of the known advantages of a silent chain is the improved NVH (noise-vibration-harshness) characteristics due to the engagement of the silent chain tooth flank on the sprocket. On the other hand, roller chains have their own advantageous characteristics as well, as discussed previously. As can be appreciated, it is desirable to combine the useful characteristics of a roller chain and a silent chain in a unique manner to provide an improved silent chain, so that the wear characteristics of a roller chain and the NVH characteristics of a silent chain are combined. Further, it is desirable to provide superior wear characteristics to a roller chain by providing increased total bearing area between the articulating components of the chain.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A system and method for ESA quadrant mechanical reconfiguration functions to shift some of the complexity from algorithmic manipulation of received radar data to mechanical transformation of a simple panel structure to achieve desired performance in a desired ESA boresight. The system receives a rotation trigger based on an external event such as altitude and mission and causes two or more simple ESA panels to rotate from a first azimuthal position to a second common azimuthal position without stopping at an intermediate azimuth. Once positioned, each individual rotational ESA panel is combined to function as a single aggregate ESA enabling desired performance in field of view, resolution, and range along a common boresight.

Beamforming may be complex on angled, multi panel electronically scanned array (ESA) surfaces requiring signal delays as well as return signal integration across varying sets of quadrants. These multi panel ESA configurations may be considerably expensive compared to the supporting hardware and mechanical fixtures. In an angled multi panel design, an apparent aperture size may reduce as the directed beam moves away from boresight which results in lower gain, lower range and increased interference.
Traditional multi-axis rotation system may require heavy and power consuming alignment hardware. These complex mechanical scanning systems may continuously drive the ESA in azimuth or elevation and require algorithmically complex and power consuming computers to process the received radar signals.
Therefore, a need remains for a system and related method which may overcome these limitations and provide a novel solution to simply mechanically rotating a portion or an entirety of two or more ESA panels and electrically combining the rotated ESA panels to form a single aggregate ESA.


The present invention concerns the use as anti-viral agents of isolated fractions from berry juice of the plant genus Vaccinium. Two specific fractions are provided: (a) polymeric material having a molecular weight≧12,000; and (b) proanthocyanidins-containing fraction.

Myxoviridae
Influenza viruses belong to a broad family of RNA viruses, the Orthomyxoviridae (myxo=mucus) viruses. Orthomyxoviridae viruses as well as the closely related family or RNA viruses, Paramyxoviridae viruses, are characterized by a negative-stranded RNA genome (segmented or non-segmented, respectively), having, an inner ribonucleoprotein (RNP) core surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane from which spikes protrude. The spikes are of three kinds: a hemagglutinin (HA) which agglutinates erythrocytes, an enzyme neuraminidase (NA) which releases the virus from cells and a small number of copies of the M2 protein that serves as an ion channel. These spikes in influenza (in Parmyxoviridae virus these are HN and F) are involved in hemagglutination, hemolysis of erythrocytes etc. and cleavage of the receptor (on the cell) anti-receptor (on the virus) bond, and reflect the ability of the virus to enter the nucleoprotein core into cells.
Influenza is a highly communicable acute respiratory disease that predisposes to a number of complications, resulting in a severe world-wide economic burden. Prevention and control of both the annual influenza epidemics and its infrequent but severe pandemic outbreaks are hitherto achieved by the use of vaccines and newly emerging antiviral drugs.
Unfortunately, the vaccines provide sometimes lower than desirable protection, particularly in the immuno-compromised and the elderly, the two most susceptible subpopulations (Keren. G., et al. J. Med. Virol. 25:85-89 (1988); Admon, D., et al. Vaccine 15:1518-1522 (1997)). Furthermore, the vaccines currently available are designated for intramuscular injection, resulting mainly in serum antibodies.
As to antiviral drugs, two classes of antiviral drugs are used:
(i) Anti-M2 inhibitors amantadine and rimantadine, effective against A strains only (World Health Organization, WHO Org. Rep. Ser., Geneva. 642:1-63 (1980)). A reduction in the severity and duration of the signs and symptoms is recorded when they are administered within 48 hrs of disease onset (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1996. Prevention and control of influenza: Recommendation of the advisory committee on immunization practices (ACIP). MMWR45(RR-5), 1-24);
(ii) Neuraminadase inhibitors, effective against both A and B viruses. As prophylactics, these inhibitors are 70-90% effective and may shorten the duration of illness by 1.5 days when used within the first 48 hr (Treanor, J., Falsey, A., Antiviral Res. 44:79-102 (1999)).
Vaccinium Genus
Vaccinium is a genus of evergreen or deciduous berry-bearing ericaceous shrubs including the various kinds of blueberries and the true cranberries.
Physicians have long recommended consumption of cranberry juice to avoid urinary tract infections. It was hypothesized that the prevention of bacterial infections is due to the inhibition of E. coli adhesion to uroepithelial cells by cranberry constituents (Ofek et al., 1991, ibid.). Studies have shown that cranberries contain high and low molecular weight constituents [nondialyzable material (NDM) and proanthocyanidins, respectively], which act in vitro to inhibit the adhesion of diverse microbial species (Ahuja et al., 1998 ibid.; Burger et al., 2000, ibid.; Foo et al., 2000a, ibid.; Weiss et al., 1998 ibid.; Zafriri et al., 1998, ibid). It has been suggested that cranberry proanthocyanidins are one of the active anti-adhesion agents (Foo et al., 2000a, ibid.).

Methods of treating viral infections using berry juice fractions

Abstract: Thus, the invention provides methods of treating a subject against a viral infection; the method comprises providing said subject with at least one of the above isolated fractions in an amount effective to prevent production of a viral infection in said subject.

Abstract: A specific and preferred viral infection according to the invention is an influenza virus infection.


A apparatus and method for driving a liquid crystal display that minimizes the generation of electromagnetic interference (EMI) in a cost effective manner includes a gate control signal generator that generates a gate control signal using a externally inputted synchronizing signal, a data control signal generator that generates a data control signal using the synchronizing signal, a data aligner that re-aligns externally inputted video data, a plurality of buffers at output terminals of the gate control signal generator, the data control signal generator and the data aligner, and a control unit that applies control signals to the buffers to control current values of signals outputted by the buffers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to liquid crystal displays (LCDs). More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for driving LCDs that minimizes the generation of electromagnetic interference (EMI) in a cost efficient manner.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, LCDs display pictures by controlling light transmittance characteristics of liquid crystal cells in accordance with received video signals. Active matrix type LCDs include switching devices (usually a thin film transistor (TFT)) coupled to liquid crystal cells. Such active matrix type LCDs are often used as monitors for computers, office equipment, cellular phones, and the like.
FIG. 1 illustrates a related art LCD driving apparatus.
Referring to FIG. 1, the related art LCD driving apparatus includes an LCD panel 2 having m×n liquid crystal cells Clc arranged in a matrix pattern, m data lines D1 to Dm, n gate lines G1 to Gn crossing the m data lines D1 to Dm, TFTs provided at the crossings of the data and gate lines, a data driver 4 for applying data signals to the data lines D1 to Dm, a gate driver 6 for applying scanning signals to the gate lines G1 to Gn, a gamma voltage supplier 8 for supplying the data driver 4 with gamma voltages, a timing controller 10 for controlling the data driver 4 and the gate driver 6 using synchronizing signals outputted from a system 20, a direct current to direct current (DC/DC) converter 14 for generating voltages supplied to the LCD panel 2 using a voltage outputted from a power supply 12, an inverter 16 for driving a back light 18, and a filter array 22 for minimizing the generation of electromagnetic interference (EMI).
The system 20 outputs vertical signals Vsync, horizontal signals Hsync, clock signals DCLK, a data enable signal DE, and R, G and B data to the timing controller 10.
The LCD panel 2 includes a plurality of liquid crystal cells Clc arranged in a matrix pattern at the crossings of the plurality of data lines D1 to Dm and the plurality of gate lines G1 to Gn. TFTs are provided at each liquid crystal cell Clc to apply data signals, transmitted by the data lines D1 to Dm, to corresponding liquid crystal cells Clc in response to scanning signals transmitted by gate lines G1 to Gn. Further, a storage capacitor Cst is provided either between a pixel electrode of each liquid crystal cell Clc and a pre-stage gate line or between the pixel electrode of each liquid crystal cell Clc and a common electrode line. The storage capacitor Cst functions to maintain a voltage charged within the liquid crystal cell Clc.
The gamma voltage supplier 8 applies a plurality of gamma voltages to the data driver 4.
The data driver 4 converts digital R, G and B video data into analog gamma voltages (i.e., data signals) having predetermined gray level values and applies the data signals to the data lines D1 to Dm in response to data control signals DCS outputted from the timing controller 10.
The gate driver 6 sequentially applies scanning pulses to the gate lines G1 to Gn in response to a gate control signal GCS outputted from the timing controller 10. Accordingly, the gate driver 6 selects horizontal lines of liquid crystal cells Clc within the LCD panel 2 that are supplied with data signals.
The DC/DC converter 14 generates a supply voltage for the LCD panel 2 by either boosting or dropping a voltage of 3.3V outputted from the power supply 12. The DC/DC converter 14 also generates a gamma reference voltage, a gate high voltage VGH, a gate low voltage VGL, a common voltage Vcom, etc.
The inverter 16 drives the backlight 18 by applying a driving voltage (or driving current) thereto. Upon receipt of the driving voltage (or driving current), the backlight 18 emits light to the LCD panel 2.
Using the vertical/horizontal synchronizing signals Vsync and Hsync and the clock signal DCLK outputted from the system 20, the timing controller 10 generates the gate and data control signals GCS and DCS, respectively, for controlling the gate and data drivers 6 and 4, respectively.
To this end, and with reference to FIG. 2, the related art timing controller 10 includes a gate control signal generator 30 for generating the gate control signals GCS which, in turn, control the gate driver 6, a data control signal generator 32 for generating the data control signals DCS which, in turn, control the data driver 4, a data aligner 34 for re-aligning the R, G and B data outputted by the system 20 and for applying the re-aligned R, G, and B data to the data driver 4, and a control unit 33 for controlling the gate signal generator 30, the data control signal generator 32, and the data aligner 34. Specifically, the control unit 33 controls the gate control signal generator 30 to generate gate control signals GCS (i.e., gate start pulse GSP, gate shift clock GCS, and gate output enable signal GOE), controls the data control signal generator 32 to generate data control signals DCS (i.e., source start pulse SSP, source shift clock SSC, source output enable signal SOE, and polarity signal POL); and controls the data aligner 34 to re-align externally inputted R, G and B data.
First, second, and third buffers 36, 37, and 38, respectively, are provided at respective outputs of the gate control signal generator 30, the data control signal generator 32, and the data aligner 34.
The first buffer 36 ensures that the current value of gate control signals GCS outputted from the gate control signal generator 30 are maintained at a predetermined value. Similarly, the second buffer 37 ensures that the current value of the data control signals DCS outputted from the data control signal generator 32 are maintained at a predetermined value. The predetermined current values of the gate and data control signals GCS and DCS are values sufficient to ensure that the gate and data control signals GCS and DCS are suitably applied to each integrated circuit within the gate and data drivers 6 and 4, respectively. The third buffer 38 ensures that the current value of the R, G and B data outputted from the data aligner 34 are maintained at a predetermined value, facilitating stable outputting of data.
The filter array 22 is provided between the timing controller 10 and the data and gate drivers 4 and 6, respectively, and controls waveforms of the gate control signal GCS, the data control signal DCS, and the R, G and B data outputted from the timing controller 10 to minimize the generation of electro-magnetic interference (EMI). To this end, the related art filter array 22 includes a first filter 22a connected to the first buffer 36 to filter waveforms of the gate control signals GCS, a second filter 22b connected to the second buffer 37 to filter waveforms of the data control signals DCS, and a third filter 22c connected to the third buffer 38 to filter waveforms of the R, G, and B data.
With specific reference to FIG. 3, the various signals outputted to the first, second, and third filters 22a, 22b, and 22c are characterized as having rectangular waveforms. After being filtered by the first to third filters 22a-c, however, the various signals are characterized as having sloped waveforms, experimentally determined to beneficially minimize the generation of electro-magnetic interference (EMI).
Use of the aforementioned related art LCD including the filter array 22 however, is disadvantageous because it can be very expensive to manufacture. Further, if the filter array 22 is mounted onto a printed circuit board (PCB), then design flexibility of the PCB may become unduly limited.

Apparatus and method for driving liquid crystal display


Language translation is accomplished by representing natural-language sentences in accordance with a constrained grammar and vocabulary structured to permit direct substitution of linguistic units in one language for corresponding linguistic units in another language. Preferably, the vocabulary is represented in a series of physically or logically distinct databases, each containing entries representing a form class as defined in the grammar. Translation involves direct lookup between the entries of a reference sentence and the corresponding entries in one or more target languages.

Since the time when improvements in transportation began to significantly reduce the inconvenience and cost of cross-border travel, the desirability of universal communication has been recognized. In the 1960s, for example, international efforts were made to promote Esperanto as a universal language. While that effort ultimately failed, the large number of fluent speakers--between 1 and 15 million worldwide--and the scope of the efforts illustrate the problem's importance. Esperanto did not succeed because it required acquisition of both a new grammar and a new vocabulary, the latter posing a far greater challenge for would-be speakers.
The improving ease and speed with which information can now be transmitted worldwide has augmented the need for universal communication. Current efforts have focused most heavily on automated translation among languages. Systems now in use generally store, in a source and a target language, millions of frequently used words, phrases and combinations, relying for accuracy and robustness on the occurrences in the text to be translated. Such systems are by definition incomplete, since no system can possibly store every possible word combination, and their usefulness varies with the linguistic idiosyncracies of their designers and users. It is almost always necessary for a human to check and modify the output translation. These systems also translate one word at a time (and so operate slowly), and require a separate database unique to each target language. Moreover, because they are programmed to recognize distinctive language characteristics and their unique mappings from one language to another, each translation must be done individually. In other words, the time required for multiple translations is the sum of the times for each translation performed individually.
Translation is difficult for numerous reasons, including the lack of one-to-one word correspondences among languages, the existence in every language of homonyms, and the fact that natural grammars are idiosyncratic; they do not conform to an exact set of rules that would facilitate direct, word-to-word substitution. It is toward a computational "understanding" of these idiosyncracies that many artificial-intelligence research efforts have been directed, and their limited success testifies to the complexity of the problem.

Method and apparatus for automated language translation


A particular arrangement of vortex generators for an airfoil is described. The vortex generators are provided in pairs, preferably on a wind turbine blade, wherein by arranging the vortex generators according to specified characteristics, a surprising improvement in blade performance is provided over the prior art systems.

In wind turbine blade aerodynamics, boundary layer separation occurs when an airfoil profile experiences a relatively high angle of attack, which can cause a separation of attached airflow from the suction side of the airfoil. Such boundary layer separation results in a reduction in lift generated by the airfoil.
Vortex generators are used on wind turbine blades in order to induce turbulent airflow vortices as the aerodynamic profile of the blade is impacted upon by an incident airflow. The creation of these vortices acts to delay separation of the attached airflow from the aerodynamic profile, thereby improving blade performance for a wide range of angles of attack.
A 2006 paper by Godard et al. [G. Godard & M. Stanislas; Control of a decelerating boundary layer. Part 1: Optimization of passive vortex generators; Aerospace Science and Technology 10 (2006) 181-191] presents the optimum arrangement for a series of vortex generator pairs on an airfoil, and has been taken as the defined standard arrangement scheme.
With reference to FIG. 4, Godard describes an array of pairs of triangular vortex generators or VGs 100 for use on an airfoil, e.g. a wind turbine blade. The pairs of VGs are arranged on the suction side of the airfoil, extending along at least a portion of the airfoil in the longitudinal direction. Each pair of VGs comprises a first vortex generator 102 and a second vortex generator 104 provided adjacent one another. The individual VGs 102,104 have a first end 102a,104a arranged towards a leading edge of the airfoil and a second end 102b,104b arranged towards a trailing edge of the airfoil.
The VGs 102,104 have a right-angled triangle profile, a first leg of said triangular profile forming the base of the VG attached to the surface of the airfoil and a second leg of said triangular profile projecting from the base at the said second end of the VG. The hypotenuse of said profile extends from the first end of the VG at the base to the distal point of the second end of the VG.
The VGs 102,104 of each pair 100 are skewed from the direction of the incident flow (indicated by arrow A) on the airfoil by an angle β, measured from the respective first ends towards the second ends, such that the first ends of the adjacent VGs form a narrow, relatively convergent end of the VG pair, and that the second ends of the adjacent VGs form a wider, divergent end of the VG pair.
In the Godard study, where:                l is the length of the base of the VGs;        s is the distance between the respective second ends of first and second VGs in a VG pair;        h is the height of the second end of the VGs in a VG pair; and        z is the distance between the nominal centre lines between the first and second VGs of adjacent VG pairs,the optimum performance for an airfoil having an array of VG pairs was found to have the following conditions:        l/h=2        s/h=2.5        z/h=6        β=18 degrees.
The Godard configuration of VG pairs has been accepted as the state of the art arrangement for vortex generator pairs on an airfoil.

Vortex generator arrangement for an airfoil