A system and method for executing a plurality of pre-determined signal processing tasks includes an energy source for powering a signal processing system. The energy source supplies an amount of energy that varies over the service life of the energy source. The signal processing system determines an amount of energy available from the energy source and selects for execution a specific one of the pre-determined signal processing tasks in dependence on the amount determined.

As an example of an energy source that makes available energy in amounts that vary over the service life of the energy source, consider an energy scavenger combined with an energy storage that stores the scavenged energy. The expressions "energy scavenging" and "energy harvesting" refer to technologies, known in the art, for converting ambient, stray energy from external sources into electricity. For example, a piezoelectric crystal can be used to convert mechanical energy from vibrations into electric energy. As another example, a temperature difference between two different electrical conductors can be used to generate a voltage across, or current through, the junction of the conductors. As still another example, consider a magnet that is made to move past a coil as a result of the vibratory or cyclic motion of a mass to which the magnet is attached. The moving magnet generates a change of magnetic flux in the coil, and induces an electromotive force on the coil. Accordingly, a plurality of technologies is available for extracting energy from the environment. A component, which extracts stray energy from its environment and makes the extracted energy available for consumption, is referred to as an energy scavenger.
For completeness, the terms "vary" and "varying" as used herein in order to qualify the energy source discussed above, cover the scenarios wherein the amount of energy made available varies over a range, and also cover the scenario of a complete lack of energy.
The extracted energy may be stored in an energy storage device, such as a (rechargeable) battery, a capacitor or a supercapacitor. A supercapacitor is also known as an electric double-layer capacitor. A supercapacitor is an electrochemical capacitor that has a much higher energy density than a conventional capacitor, owing to the use of a layer of nano-porous material that dramatically increases the layer's surface area, allowing many more charge carriers to be stored in any given volume.
A typical application of using an energy scavenger is the powering of small autonomous electronic devices, e.g., sensors, or actuators. These devices are small and require little power. Their applications are limited by the reliance on electric power. Scavenging energy from ambient vibrations, wind, heat or light, enables to replenish the energy consumed by the electronic device and enables the device to continue functioning over a time span that is long enough compared to the intended application. Such devices can be exploited in, e.g., condition monitoring applications.
US patent application publication 2008/0047363 discloses a device that can be attached to a structure or live subject and that can harvest energy from its environment to power sensing, storing and transmitting data about the structure or live subject. The known device comprises an energy harvester and an energy storage device for storing the energy harvested. The known devices also comprises sensors, conditioners for conditioning the sensor signals, a processor for processing data representative of the conditioned sensor signals, data storage and a data transmitter. The known device comprises a microcontroller that controls the power consumed by the sensors, signal conditioning, processing, and transmission components of the energy harvesting wireless sensing device. The power consumed by all of the known device's components (sensor, conditioner, processor, data storage, and data transmission) must be compatible with the amount of energy harvested. Minimizing the power required to collect and transmit data correspondingly reduces the demand on the power source. Reduced power consumption is inherently beneficial to the performance of systems using harvested energy. A reduction in power consumption can be realized through the use of embedded software in the microcontroller that controls the power consumed by the sensors, signal conditioning, processing, and transmission components of the energy harvesting wireless sensing device. By adjusting the time these components are on, for example, power consumed can be reduced. In addition the microcontroller can be programmed to process and store sensed information, rather than immediately transmit the sensed information, so as to reduce the frequency of data transmission events. The microcontroller is programmed to go into sleep mode and turn power to other components off. The microcontroller drains a small amount of energy in the sleep mode to keep a timer running. When it is time to wake up, the microcontroller assesses the level of the energy available at the energy storage device. If the level is too low, the microcontroller goes back into sleep mode. If the level is okay, the microcontroller restores power to the other components, performs a predetermined task and goes back to sleep again.

System and method for selecting and executing a task based upon a measured amount of energy


A forging method for upsetting end portions of a raw material as diameter expansion scheduled portions includes: providing an upsetting apparatus having a fixing die, guides each having an insertion passage for inserting and holding an end portion of the raw material in a buckling preventing state, and punches each for axially pressing the end portion of the raw material inserted in and held by the insertion passage; inserting end portions of the raw material with the end portions protruded from the fixing die into the insertion passages; and moving the guides in direction opposite to moving direction of the punches such that length of exposed portion of the raw material becomes equal to or less than buckling limit length at cross-sectional area of the exposed portion of the raw material while simultaneously axially pressing the end portions of the raw material with the punches.

Generally, swaging is processing for forming an enlarged diameter portion at a prescribed portion of a raw material by pressing the raw material in the axial direction thereof. In the swaging processing, if the raw material is buckled during the swaging processing, the obtained product becomes poor in shape (wrinkled or laps), deteriorating the value as a product. In order to prevent the occurrence of such buckling, conventionally, the following swaging method is known (see Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. S48-62646, pages 1-2, FIGS. 1-4).
In this method, a pressing die is fitted in a forming dented portion of a female die, and a raw material is Inserted in the forming dented portion via a penetrated hole formed in the pressing die. Then, a male die is inserted in the penetrated hole to forcibly press the raw material toward the forming dented portion to thereby fill the forming dented portion with the raw material while moving the pressing die backward to obtain a product having a prescribed shape.
According to the aforementioned conventional processing method, the peripheral surface of the raw material pressed in the forming dented portion of the female die is restrained by the female die during the processing. Accordingly, the conventional processing method can be classified into a restrain swaging method. The restrain swaging method, however, has such a drawback that higher forming pressure is generally required. Thus, in the conventional processing method, it is required to prepare a forging apparatus capable of generating higher forming pressure, causing higher cost to employ such a forging apparatus. Furthermore, since larger load will be applied to the forming dented portion of the female die at the time of the swaging processing, resulting in a shortened life of the female die.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.

Forging method, forged product and forging apparatus


An image processing device includes an extraction unit, a judgment unit, a restoration unit and a specification unit. The extraction unit specifies a first same-color area having a color similar to a color of a pointer in a pre-pointed image of a subject not overlapped by the pointer to extract a pointer portion from a being-pointed image of the subject overlapped by the pointer on the basis of the first same-color area. The restoration unit restores a dividing portion of the pointer portion using a surrounding image of the dividing portion when the judgment unit judges that the pointer portion is divided. The specification unit specifies a pointed position pointed with the pointer on the subject on the basis of a shape of the restored pointer portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method and a computer readable storage medium.
2. Description of Related Art
Hitherto there has been known a projection device such as a projector by which a particular area in a projected image is highlighted by selecting the area using a pointer such as a laser pointer, which is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-121181. In order to carry out such highlighting, a projected image is photographed, and predetermined image processing is performed on the photographed image to specify a pointed portion pointed with the pointer, whereby the selected area is recognized. When the pointed portion pointed with the pointer is specified by image processing, the pointer is detected from the photographed image on the basis of a color of the pointer. If the pointer is a finger or a pointing stick (rod), the whole finger or pointing stick, namely, the pointer itself, functions as the pointer. If the pointer is a laser pointer, a laser beam projected on an image functions as the pointer.

Image processing device, image processing method and computer readable storage medium


An antenna system for use in transmitting and/or receiving at least two signals, whereby a first one of said signals is generated in a first operator frequency band by a first operator and a second one of said signals is generated in a second operator frequency band by a second operator wherein the antenna system comprises an antenna assembly having an adjustable angle of electrical tilt, and including a plurality of antenna elements (E1–En) for transmitting and/or receiving said signals, wherein the antenna elements are mounted upon an antenna carrier and are arranged in at least two sub-arrays, each sub-array including one or more of said elements, a control means for controlling electrically the phase of signals transmitted and/or received by said antenna assembly, thereby to control the angle of electrical tilt of said antenna assembly and a combiner means for enabling said antenna assembly to transmit and/or receive substantially simultaneously a first one of said signals at a first angle of electrical tilt and a second one of said signals at a second angle of electrical tilt.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna system and particularly, but not exclusively, to a phased array antenna system having a plurality of antenna elements arranged in at least two sub-arrays. The antenna system is suitable for use in many telecommunications systems but finds particular application in cellular mobile radio networks, commonly referred to as mobile telephone networks. More specifically, the antenna system of the present invention may be used with third generation (3G) mobile telephone networks and the Universal Mobile Telephone System (UMTS). The invention also relates to a phase compensation apparatus for use in an antenna system.
(2) Description of the Art
Operators of cellular mobile radio networks generally employ their own base-stations, each of which includes one or more antennas. In a cellular mobile radio network, the antennas define the desired coverage area which is generally divided into a number of overlapping cells, each associated with a respective antenna and base station. Each cell contains a fixed-location base station which maintains radio communication with all of the mobile radios in that cell. The base stations themselves are interconnected by other means of communication, usually fixed land-lines arranged in a grid or meshed structure, allowing mobile radios throughout the cell coverage area to communicate with each other as well as with the public telephone network outside the cellular mobile radio network.
The antennas used in such networks are often composite devices known as phased array antennas which comprise a plurality (usually eight or more), or array, of individual antenna elements or dipoles. The direction of maximum sensitivity of the antenna, i.e. the direction of the main radiation beam or "boresight" of the antenna pattern, can be altered by adjusting the phase relationship between the signals fed to the antenna elements. This has the effect of allowing the beam to be steered to modify the coverage area of the antenna.
In particular, operators of phased array antennas in cellular mobile radio networks have a requirement to adjust the vertical radiation pattern (VRP), so as to alter the vertical angle of the main beam, also known as the "tilt", since this has a significant effect on the coverage area of the antenna. Adjustment of the coverage area may be required, for example, owing to changes in the network structure or the addition or removal of other base stations or antennas in the cell.
The adjustment of the angle of tilt of an antenna is known and is conventionally achieved by mechanical means, electrical means, or both. When the angle of tilt of the antenna is adjusted mechanically, for example by mechanically moving the antenna elements themselves or by mechanically moving the housing (or "radome") for the elements, this is known as adjusting the angle of "mechanical tilt". When the angle of tilt of the antenna is adjusted electrically, for example by changing the time delay or phase of signals fed to each element (or group of elements) in the array without physically moving either the housing for the elements, the antenna elements themselves or any other part of the antenna radome, this is commonly referred to as adjusting the angle of "electrical tilt".
The effect of adjusting either the angle of mechanical tilt or the angle of electrical tilt is to reposition the boresight so that it points either above or below the boresight established by conventional mechanical or electrical tilt mechanisms, and hence increases or decreases the coverage area of the antenna.
Heretofore, adjustment of the mechanical or electrical tilt of a cellular radio antenna has been possible only by manually adjusting the angle of tilt at the antenna itself, for example by physically moving the antenna housing or radome in the case of mechanical tilt adjustment or by adjusting mechanical devices for applying variable amounts of delay to the elements in the antenna in the case of electrical tilt adjustment.
One disadvantage of employing such mechanical or electrical tilt adjustment methods is that the methods are difficult and time consuming to perform. Additionally, such adjustment methods result in the direction of the boresight being fixed at the adjusted angle of tilt for all transmitted or received signals, until such time as the angle of tilt is adjusted again. Consequently, the antenna cannot be shared by more than one operator unless the tilt required by each operator is identical. In practice this is rare and, in general, operators require an individual angle of tilt in order to optimise the cell coverage of the antenna for their particular deployment of base stations.
In any event, although the sharing of base stations, antennas and facilities is desirable, there are problems involved in doing so. In the United Kingdom, respective transmit/receive frequency bands are allocated to five 3G operators for transmission between mobile radios and base stations. The five transmit bands, or operator frequency bands, are contiguous, as are the five receive bands, i.e. there are no gaps between adjacent frequency bands. Consequently, unless complex and accurate filtering of signals is employed by the transmitting and receiving apparatus associated with the antenna, the resulting overlapping and interference of signals has a deleterious effect on system performance.
One known base station architecture provides separate transmit and receive antennas whilst another common system employs a duplexer to allow a single antenna to be used for both transmission and reception. These arrangements are adequate when only one operator is required to use the base station and antenna but when more than one operator wishes to use the system there are difficulties.
One known solution for base station sharing is for each operator to use a different antenna. In practice, this is achieved by the use of a shared antenna mast supporting a number of antennas, one for each operator. However, in order to avoid mutual interference, the antennas require adequate separation and the height of the mast may need to be increased, or a stronger structure may need to be used, to enable the mast to withstand high winds. This increases the weight of the mast which, in turn, increases mast cost. Furthermore, sites which can accommodate a larger mast are difficult to obtain and planning permission or zoning problems may be encountered. Larger masts are also environmentally obtrusive and unsightly.
As a consequence, many operators of mobile cellular radio networks employ their own base stations with their associated masts and antennas. There is little sharing of sites and any sharing that does occur is limited to the sharing of the mast only and not the antennas. The introduction of the so-called third generation (3G) mobile radio system will demand an increased number of base station sites. Thus, there are likely to be difficulties in acquiring the necessary real estate, and site sharing will become an increasingly attractive option.


A magnetic functional device allowing magnetization switching at a high speed even if the size of a magnetic substance is made finer on the sub-micron order. The magnetic functional device includes an information carrier layer formed by a magnetic substance; and a strain-imparting layer (such as piezoelectric layer) formed below the information layer and operably configured to impart a drive force to change the direction of a magnetization vector lying in a first plane of the information carrier thereby processing binary or more information by magnetization directions of the information carrier layer; wherein the drive force is applied in pulse to the information carrier layer in a direction nearly perpendicular to the first plane in which lies the magnetization vector of the information carrier layer when the magnetization vector is in an initial state before the application of the drive force. An effective field derived from a magnetic anisotropy or exchange interaction is used as the drive force.

The present invention relates to a magnetization drive method, a magnetic functional device, and a magnetic apparatus, which are typically suitable to be used for solid-state magnetic memories.
As compared with semiconductor devices, magnetic devices using magnetic substances have the following merits. First, since components of a magnetic device can be made from metals having high carrier densities and low resistances, such a magnetic device may be suitable for realizing a very fine-structure of the magnetic device, such as a structure having sub-micron dimensions. Second, since a magnetic substance exhibits bi-stable magnetization directions, the magnetization state of the magnetic substance can be stably kept even when external energy is not given to the magnetic substance, with a result that such a magnetic substance is suitable for realizing a non-volatile memory function. Third, if a magnetic field having a sufficient strength is applied externally to a magnetic substance of a magnetic device, a magnetization direction of the magnetic substance can be changed into the field direction for a time being as short as about 1 ns, and accordingly, the magnetic device can realize very fast switching of the magnetization direction.
Magnetic devices using magnetic substances, which have the above-described merits, may be applied to high integration solid-stage memories operated at high speeds to realize energy-saving.
However, the benefit associated with high speed operation of magnetic devices tends to be lost along with the progress of the degree of fineness of fine-structures of the magnetic devices due to the following causes:
One of the causes is that, as described in the earlier application by the present applicant, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 10-130711, as wires become thinner along with the progress of fineness of a finer-structure of a magnetic device, the amount of a current flowing through the wires tends to be restricted, thereby making it impossible to generate a magnetic field having a sufficient strength. The stronger the magnetic field applied to the magnetic device, the faster the magnetization switching speed thereof. Accordingly, the restriction of the applied magnetic field limits the switching speed of the magnetic device.
Another cause is that as the size of a magnetic substance whose magnetization direction is to be switched becomes small, a damping force applied to damp the movement of a magnetization vector of the magnetic substance becomes small. If the damping force becomes excessively small, the magnetization vector continuously rounds around the field direction, with a result that it takes a lot of time for the magnetization vector to be converged in the field direction.
The reason why the damping force applied to damp the movement of a magnetization vector of a magnetic substance becomes small with a reduction in size of the magnetic substance will be described below. In a magnetic metal thin film used for a solid-state magnetic memory such as a magnetic random access memory (MRAM), during movement of magnetization, an eddy current flow in the direction in which the eddy current obstructs the movement of the magnetization. A Joule heat generated by the eddy current is the dominant part of the loss in movement of magnetization. An eddy current loss density per volume, p(W/m3) is approximately proportional to the cross-section of the magnetic thin film, that is, a magnetic substance. That is to say, as the size of a magnetic substance becomes small, the strength of a damping force applied to damp a magnetization vector of the magnetic substance becomes small approximately in proportion to the square of the size of the magnetic substance.
An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic functional device including a magnetic substance, which allows magnetization switching at a high speed even if the size of the magnetic substance is made finer on the sub-micron order, a magnetization drive method for the magnetic functional device, and a magnetic apparatus using the magnetic functional device.
First, a general theory concerned with the movement of a magnetization vector will be described.
An equation of a magnetic moment is given, for example, by Landau and Lifshits as follows:
dM/dt=xe2x88x92xcex3xc2x7(Mxc3x97H)xe2x88x92(xcex1xc2x7xcex3/Ms)xc2x7{Mxc3x97(Mxc3x97H)}xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
where M is a magnetization vector, H is a vector of a magnetic field, xcex3 is a gyromagnetic constant, and a is xcex1 damping factor. If xcex1 is significantly larger than 1, the magnetization vector is slowly converged to the direction of an external magnetic field. For example, when a magnetic field in the xe2x88x92x direction is applied to a magnetization vector directed nearly in the +x direction within an xy plane, if the damping is large, the magnetization vector slowly rounds within the xy plane to be converged in the field direction, to attain the magnetization reversal. This state is shown in FIG. 1A. As shown in this figure, the magnetization vector rounds in the order of arrows 0 (initial state)xe2x86x921xe2x86x922xe2x86x923xe2x86x924xe2x86x925, to be finally converged in the xe2x88x92x direction by relaxation.
On the contrary, if xcex1 is significantly smaller than 1 and thereby the first term of the equation (1) becomes dominant, the change in magnetization vector with time, that is, dM/dt is usually perpendicular to the direction from M to H. Accordingly, the magnetization vector M undergoes precession rounding around the field vector H with an angle from the field vector H kept constant.
In the case of a magnetic substance in which xcex1 contributes to movement of a magnetization vector although the value of xcex1 is small, when a magnetic field in the xe2x88x92x direction to a magnetization vector directed in the + direction, the magnetization vector undergoes the precession rounding around the x-axis with an open angle from the x-axis gradually increased, and is finally relaxed to the field direction. A first half of a spiral locus of the termination of the magnetization vector is shown in FIG. 1B.
The magnetization reversal caused by a magnetic field directed in the direction reversed 180xc2x0 to the magnetization vector in the initial state is generally intermediate between the above-described magnetization reversal with an extremely large damping factor xcex1 and the magnetization reversal with an extremely small damping factor xcex1. The time required for magnetization reversal is important as a parameter determining the operational speed of a magnetic device. If the damping factor xcex1 is extremely large, the movement of the magnetization vector depicts a locus nearly along the shortest distance; however, the movement is slow and thereby the reversal time is long. On the contrary, if the damping factor a is significantly small, the movement of the magnetization vector is quick; however, it depicts a spiral locus and thereby the time required for the magnetization vector to be converged to the final state is long. The quickest magnetization reversal is obtained with the damping factor set at 1 (xcex1=1). Such a damping state allowing the quickest response is called xe2x80x9ca critical damping statexe2x80x9d.
For example, in the case of Permalloy (Ni"THgr"Fe alloy) often used for a magnetic functional device such as an MRAM, the critical damping appears when the size of the device is about 1 xcexcm, and accordingly, the design of most of MRAMs having the size of about 1 xcexcm, which have been extensively developed at present, is advantageous in making effective use of the material characteristic, that is, the critical damping of Permalloy. The damping, however, is nearly proportional to the square of the size of a magnetic device as described above, so that if a magnetic device has a fine structure, the degree of fineness of which is on the order of sub-micron, such a device causes a problem that the speed of magnetization reversal becomes slow because of the insufficient damping.
The quick switching of magnetization of a magnetic device using a magnetic substance, which has a fine-structure and thereby has an insufficient damping, is attained by the following drive method.
As shown in FIG. 1C, a magnetic field or an effective field equivalent thereto, which is derived by a magnetic anisotropy or exchange interaction, is applied in the direction (z-direction in the figure) perpendicular to the magnetization vector xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d in the initial state, which is directed in the +x direction. In this case, since it is assumed that the damping is small, the magnetization vector is not moved to the field direction but undergoes the precession around the z-axis.
To be more specific, as shown in FIG. 1C, the magnetization vector is turned nearly within the xy-plane in the order of the arrows 12345. On halfway of the precession motion, the drive force in the z-direction is cut off at the moment when the magnetization vector is nearly directed to the xe2x88x92x direction, that is, reaches the state shown by the arrow xe2x80x9c4xe2x80x9d in FIG. 1C. At this time, the magnetization remains in the xe2x88x92x direction, to be reversed from the initial state by 180xc2x0. The time required for this magnetization reversal is nearly equivalent to a half of one cycle of the precession motion. With this drive method, even if the damping factor xcex1 is significantly small, it is possible to realize magnetization reversal quicker than the magnetization reversal via the precession motion repeated by several times as shown in FIG. 1B.
Such a method for driving magnetization reversal shown in FIG. 1C is hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cswing-by switchingxe2x80x9d. This wording expresses a feature of the present invention in which a magnetization vector is moved toward a drive force but is moved toward a final state while passing by the drive force.
Results of numerical examination of such a swing-by switching will be described below.
The process of magnetization reversal of a magnetic substance performed by swing-by switching is numerically calculated on the basis of the equation (1), and the results thereof are shown in FIG. 2. An effective field used for calculation contains not only an external magnetic field but also effects of an uniaxial magnetic anisotropy and demagnetization field. A single magnetic domain Permalloy thin film is used as the magnetic substance. A saturation magnetization Ms is set at 800 emu/cm3. An easy axis of magnetization of the uniaxial induced magnetic anisotropy is set to correspond to the x-axis. An anisotropy field HK is set at 4 Oe. The damping factor xcex1 is set at 0.01. A magnetization vector in the initial state is set in the +x direction, and a magnetic field of 1 kOe is applied in the +z direction for a time of 0.2 ns. Under these conditions, the process of magnetization reversal performed by the swing-by switching is examined.
In FIG. 2, the abscissa indicates a time (ns), and the ordinate indicates an azimuth angle (xc2x0) representing the direction of the magnetization vector, which angle is measured within the xy-plane with respect to the +x direction. It should be noted that the magnetization vector has a component in the z direction; however, in the case of the thin film sample, the rise of the magnetization in the z direction perpendicular to the film surface is obstructed by the demagnetization field, and therefore, the component is negligible.
As shown in FIG. 2, the azimuth angle of the magnetization vector is linearly increased after application of the magnetic field, and after an elapse of 0.2 ns, the azimuth angle exceeds 160xc2x0. At this time, since the application of the magnetic field is stopped, the magnetization vector undergoes the anisotropic magnetic field and the demagnetization field. That is to say, since the direction of the effective field is changed from that during application of the external magnetic field, the axis of the precession motion is instantly changed, and thereby the rate of change of the azimuth angle becomes discontinuous. However, since the magnetization vector is already separated from the initial state by 90xc2x0 or more and is within a range of an attractive force toward an easy axis of magnetization directed in the xe2x88x92x direction, the magnetization vector is oscillatingly relaxed in the 180xc2x0 direction to be thus converged to the final state. It takes only 0.2 ns to drive the magnetization vector toward the final state.
A result of calculating the process of magnetization reversal of a comparative example, in which a magnetic field of 5 Oe is applied to a magnetization vector directed in the + direction in the initial state, is shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, it takes a lot of time for the magnetization vector to be separated from the +x direction.
The function of changing the direction of a magnetization vector by 90xc2x0 or 180xc2x0 is called a magnetization switching function. This function may be assembled with another function, to produce a magnetic device exhibiting various functions. For example, the composite of the magnetization switching function and a spin valve structure, in which writing is performed by the magnetization switching function and the magnetization state is read out by the spin valve, is applied to a memory, and further, since a current flowing in an output circuit can be controlled by the same configuration, such a composite structure can be applied to a switching device replaced from a transistor, and to a logic device by combination of the switching devices.
A general theory associated with the precession and relaxation of a turning magnetization vector has been reported by S. Chikazumi, Physics of ferromagnetism, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1964.
It has been already pointed out by a document (xe2x80x9cEngineering of Magnetic Thin Filmxe2x80x9d edited by Ryouta Sakurai, paragraph 4.2.2, Maruzen, 1977) and a paper cited in the document (D. O. Smith, J. Appl. Phys. 29, 264 (1958)) that the magnetization switching for a uniaxial anisotropic magnetic thin film becomes faster by adding a field component perpendicular to an easy axis of magnetization.
A paper recently published (R. L. Stamps, and B. Hillebrands, Appl. Phys. Lett. 75, 1143 (1999) has described that, upon reversal of a magnetization vector directed in an easy axis of magnetization by applying a magnetic field in the reversed direction to the magnetization vector, the rise of the magnetization reversal can be effectively accelerated by adding a small bias magnetic field in the direction perpendicular to the easy axis of magnetization. The content of this document is common to that of the above document by D. O. Smith.
In recent years, there has been reported an experiment performed by making a high speed pulse electron beam penetrate a perpendicular magnetization film, to generate a magnetic flux caused in the shape of concentric circle around the beam, and causing magnetization reversal by a combination of the easy axis of magnetization in the vertical direction and a magnetic field due to the magnetic flux thus generated within a plane of the film (C. H. Back, D. Weller, J. Heidmann, D. Mauri, D. Guarisco, E. L. Garwin, and H. C. Siegmann, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 3251 (1998)).
In this way, the effect of a magnetic field in the direction perpendicular to a magnetization vector exerted on magnetization reversal has been studied for a long time as a natural phenomenon.
However, the contents of the above-described documents, the paper by D. O. Smith, the handbook by Sakurai, and the paper by R. L. Stamps, and B. Hillebrands are characterized in that the main field component is opposed to the magnetization vector in the initial state, and the field component perpendicular to the magnetization vector is small and only functions as a supplementary field component. These documents do not teach even the possibility that the vertical or perpendicular field is used as a main drive force for driving the magnetization reversal like the present invention.
The above-described report by C. H. Back, et al. has experimentarily showed that magnetization reversal occurs by a pulse field perpendicular to the magnetization direction; however, they have made the experiment on a large scale by making an electron beam penetrate the magnetic thin film placed in vacuum, and have not described the application of the technique to practical information storage apparatuses such as a hard disk drive mainly used at present for magnetic recording, or a small-sized solid-state magnetic memory. Further, the arrangement disclosed in this document is limited to application of the magnetic field directed in the direction within the plane of the film to the perpendicular magnetization film.
To solve the above problems, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a magnetization drive method including the step of: changing the direction of a magnetization vector of a magnetic substance by applying a drive force to the magnetic substance; wherein the drive force is applied in pulse to the magnetic substance in the direction nearly perpendicular to the magnetization vector of the magnetic substance in the initial state before the application of the drive force.
According to a second embodiment, there is provided a magnetic functional device including: an information carrier formed by a magnetic substance; and drive force applying means for changing the direction of a magnetization vector of the information carrier, thereby processing binary or more information by magnetization directions of the information carrier; wherein the drive force is applied in pulse to the information carrier in the direction nearly perpendicular to the magnetization vector of the information carrier in the initial state before the application of the drive force.
In the above second embodiment, the information carrier and the drive force applying means may be integrally assembled on a substrate, to function as a solid-state device. An effective magnetic field derived from a magnetic anisotropy or an effective magnetic field derived from an exchange interaction applied from a different magnetic substrate coupled to the information carrier may be used as the drive force. A magnetic substance having a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy may be used as the magnetic substance constituting the information carrier, and binary information be processed by normal and reversal magnetization directions along an easy axis of magnetization of the magnetic substance; and a drive force for reversal of magnetization be applied in the direction nearly perpendicular to the easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier.
According to a third embodiment, there is provided a magnetic functional device including: an information carrier formed by a magnetic substance having a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy; and drive force applying means for applying a drive force, which is used for reversing the direction of a magnetization vector of the information carrier, in pulse to the information carrier in the direction nearly perpendicular to an easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier in a static state, thereby processing binary information by magnetization directions of the information carrier; wherein the drive force is obtained by generating a magnetic anisotropy having an easy axis of magnetization directed in the direction nearly perpendicular to the easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier in the static state.
In the above third embodiment, the magnetic anisotropy functioning as the drive force may be a stress-induced magnetic anisotropy. The information carrier may be formed by a magnetic thin film having a magnetic anisotropy changed sensitively to a strain (or stress), the magnetic thin film being stacked to a piezoelectric layer; and a voltage be applied in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric layer, to generate the stress-induced magnetic anisotropy. The information carrier may be formed by a magnetic thin film having a magnetic anisotropy changed sensitively to a strain, the magnetic thin film being stacked to a strain imparting layer; and a uniaxial strain be imparted to the strain imparting layer in a specific direction within a plane of the strain imparting layer, to generate the stress-induced magnetic anisotropy having an easy axis of magnetization directed in the specific direction. The information carrier may be formed by a perpendicular magnetization film having the easy axis of magnetization in the static state which is directed in the direction perpendicular to a plane of the perpendicular magnetization film; and the drive force be applied in the direction nearly parallel to the plane of the information carrier. In addition, the strain used for generating a stress-induced magnetic anisotropy is not limited to an uniaxial strain but may be a strain being isotropic in a plane.
According to a fourth embodiment, there is provided a magnetic functional device including: an information carrier formed by a magnetic substance having a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy; and drive force applying means for applying a drive force, which is used for reversing the direction of a magnetization vector of the information carrier, in pulse to the information carrier in the direction nearly perpendicular to an easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier in a static state, thereby processing binary information by magnetization directions of the information carrier; wherein the drive force is generated by an exchange interaction applied from a different magnetic substance provided adjacently to the information carrier.
In the above fourth embodiment, the information carrier may be formed by a thin film or a flat magnetic substance having the easy axis of magnetization in the static state within a plane of the magnetic substance; and the drive force be applied in the direction nearly perpendicular to the plane of the information carrier. A magnetic layer to be controlled, which constitutes the information carrier, may be stacked on a fixed magnetization layer via an intermediate layer; and the strength of an exchange interaction between the magnetic layer to be controlled and the fixed magnetization layer be changed by the effect of the intermediate layer. The information carrier may be formed by a perpendicular magnetization film having the easy axis of magnetization in the static state which is directed in the direction perpendicular to a plane of the perpendicular magnetization film; and the drive force be applied in the direction nearly parallel to the plane of the information carrier. A magnetic layer to be controlled, which is formed by the perpendicular magnetization film constituting the information carrier, may be stacked on a fixed magnetization layer via a connection control layer; and the strength of an exchange interaction between the magnetic layer to be controlled and the fixed magnetization layer be changed by the effect of the connection control layer.
According to a fifth embodiment, there is provided a magnetic functional device including: an information carrier formed by a magnetic substance having a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy; and drive force applying means for applying a drive force, which is used for reversing the direction of a magnetization vector of the information carrier, in pulse to the information carrier in the direction nearly perpendicular to an easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier in a static state, thereby processing binary information by magnetization directions of the information carrier; wherein the drive force is derived from a magnetic field applied to the information carrier from external.
According to a sixth embodiment, there is provided a magnetic functional device including: an information carrier formed by a magnetic substance having a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy; and drive force applying means for applying a drive force, which is used for reversing the direction of a magnetization vector of the information carrier, in pulse to the information carrier in the direction nearly perpendicular to an easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier in a static state, thereby processing binary information by magnetization directions of the information carrier; wherein the information carrier has a composite structure in which two or more magnetic substance layers are stacked to each other.
In the above sixth embodiment, the two or more magnetic substance layers constituting the information carrier may include a magnetic substance layer having an easy axis of magnetization directed in the direction nearly perpendicular to a plane of the magnetic layer. The two or more magnetic substance layers constituting the information carrier may be composed of an anisotropy imparting layer and a magnetic thin film having a magnetic anisotropy changed sensitively to a strain. The information carrier may have a structure in which a strain imparting layer, the magnetic thin film, and the anisotropy imparting layer are sequentially stacked to each other. The information carrier may have a structure in which the magnetic thin film, the anisotropy imparting layer, a connection control layer, and a fixed magnetization layer are sequentially stacked to each other. The information carrier may have a structure in which a strain imparting layer, the magnetic thin film, the anisotropy imparting layer, a connection control layer, and a fixed magnetization layer are sequentially stacked to each other.
According to a seventh embodiment, there is provided a magnetic functional device including: an information carrier formed by a magnetic substance having a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy; and drive force applying means for applying a drive force, which is used for reversing the direction of a magnetization vector of the information carrier, in pulse to the information carrier in the direction nearly perpendicular to an easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier in a static state, thereby processing binary information by magnetization directions of the information carrier; wherein the magnetization vector in the static state of the information carrier is tilted by a specific angle with respect to the easy axis of magnetization in the static state.
According to an eighth embodiment, there is provided a magnetic apparatus including: (A) a magnetic functional device including: an information carrier formed by a magnetic substance; and drive force applying means for changing the direction of a magnetization vector of the information carrier, thereby processing binary or more information by magnetization directions of the information carrier; wherein the drive force is applied in pulse to the information carrier in the direction nearly perpendicular to the magnetization vector of the information carrier in the initial state before the application of the drive force; and (B) means for reading out a magnetization direction of the information carrier of the magnetic function device by a Hall effect or magneto-resistance effect.
According to a ninth embodiment, there is provided a magnetic apparatus including: (A) a magnetic functional device including: an information carrier formed by a magnetic substance having a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy; and drive force applying means for applying a drive force, which is used for reversing the direction of a magnetization vector of the information carrier, in pulse to the information carrier in the direction nearly perpendicular to an easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier in a static state, thereby processing binary information by magnetization directions of the information carrier; wherein the drive force is obtained by generating a magnetic anisotropy having an easy axis of magnetization directed in the direction nearly perpendicular to the easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier in the static state; and (B) means for reading out a magnetization direction of the information carrier of the magnetic function device by a Hall effect or magneto-resistance effect.
According to a tenth embodiment, there is provided a magnetic apparatus including: (A) a magnetic functional device including: an information carrier formed by a magnetic substance having a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy; and drive force applying means for applying a drive force, which is used for reversing the direction of a magnetization vector of the information carrier, in pulse to the information carrier in the direction nearly perpendicular to an easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier in a static state, thereby processing binary information by magnetization directions of the information carrier; wherein the drive force is generated by an exchange interaction applied from a different magnetic substance provided adjacently to the information carrier; and (B) means for reading out a magnetization direction of the information carrier of the magnetic function device by a Hall effect or magneto-resistance effect.
According to an eleventh embodiment, there is provided a magnetic apparatus including: (A) a magnetic functional device including: an information carrier formed by a magnetic substance having a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy; and drive force applying means for applying a drive force, which is used for reversing the direction of a magnetization vector of the information carrier, in pulse to the information carrier in the direction nearly perpendicular to an easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier in a static state, thereby processing binary information by magnetization directions of the information carrier; wherein the drive force is derived from a magnetic field applied to the information carrier from external; and (B) means for reading out a magnetization direction of the information carrier of the magnetic function device by a Hall effect or magneto-resistance effect.
According to a twelfth embodiment, there is provided a magnetic apparatus including: (A) a magnetic functional device including: an information carrier formed by a magnetic substance having a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy; and drive force applying means for applying a drive force, which is used for reversing the direction of a magnetization vector of the information carrier, in pulse to the information carrier in the direction nearly perpendicular to an easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier in a static state, thereby processing binary information by magnetization directions of the information carrier; wherein the information carrier has a composite structure in which two or more magnetic substance layers are stacked to each other; and (B) means for reading out a magnetization direction of the information carrier of the magnetic function device by a Hall effect or magneto-resistance effect.
According to a thirteenth embodiment, there is provided a magnetic apparatus including: (A) a magnetic functional device including: an information carrier formed by a magnetic substance having a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy; and drive force applying means for applying a drive force, which is used for reversing the direction of a magnetization vector of the information carrier, in pulse to the information carrier in the direction nearly perpendicular to an easy axis of magnetization of the information carrier in a static state, thereby processing binary information by magnetization directions of the information carrier; wherein the magnetization vector in the static state of the information carrier is tilted by a specific angle with respect to the easy axis of magnetization in the static state; and (B) means for reading out a magnetization direction of the information carrier of the magnetic function device by a Hall effect or magneto-resistance effect.
The examples of the above-described magnetic apparatuses may include various kinds of functional apparatuses such as a magnetic recording apparatus, a current switching device, a voltage switching device, a logic device, and a magnetic base type computer.
According to the present invention, the size of a magnetic substance or an information carrier of the magnetic functional device of the present invention may be determined as needed, and in particular, if a fine-structure of the magnetic functional device is intended to be made finer, the length of the maximum side of the device may be on the order of sub-micron, more specifically, be selected in a range of 500 nm or less.
The magnetic functional device of the present invention can be applied not only to a magnetic storage apparatus but to various apparatuses making use of the magnetization switching, for example, a current control device.
According to the present invention configured as described above, since the direction of a magnetization vector of a magnetic substance or information carrier of the magnetic functional device is reversed by applying, in pulse, a drive force derived from a magnetic anisotropy or exchange interaction in the direction nearly perpendicular to an easy axis of magnetization of the magnetic substance or information carrier in the static state, that is, the swing-by switching operation is performed, even if the size of the magnetic substance or information carrier, particularly the size of the maximum side thereof is made finer on the order of sub-micron and further deep sub-micron, a significantly displacement of the magnetization starts directly after application of the drive force without being affected by an insufficient damping to the magnetization vector, with a result that it is possible to reverse the direction of the magnetization vector without depicting an useless locus, and hence to carry out the swing-by switching operation at a high speed.

Magnetization drive method, magnetic functional device, and magnetic apparatus


Provided herein are methods for alleviating symptoms in a subject having Rett syndrome, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of an isolated binding molecule which specifically binds to semaphorin-4D (SEMA4D).

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is mostly caused by mutations in the X-linked gene Methyl CpG-binding Protein 2 (MECP2). Rett syndrome predominantly affects girls and is the second most common cause of severe intellectual disability after Down syndrome, with an incident of 1:10,000 live births. Patients suffer from cognitive and physical disabilities, with most of them wheel chair bound and requiring full time care. There is no cure to date, however, the late onset from 6-18 months of life provides a valuable window of opportunity for therapeutic intervention. An experimental model, Mecp2-deficient mice, is available for preclinical research. A significant contribution to research in RTT is the proof of concept demonstration that re-expression of MeCP2 in Mecp2-deficient mice, preferentially in astrocytes, significantly improved locomotion and anxiety levels, restored respiratory abnormalities to a normal pattern, and greatly prolonged lifespan compared to globally null mice. These studies showed that glia, like neurons, are integral components of the neuropathology of RTT. (Lioy et al., Nature, 475(7357):497-500 (2012)) This landmark achievement, whereby Mecp2 expression was restored in the mutant mice, leading to a dramatic recovery from their "Rett-like phenotype," has increased the motivation to find a cure. However, there remains a need for treatments for Rett syndrome that alleviate the symptoms associated with the disorder.

Use of semaphorin-4D binding molecules for the treatment of Rett syndrome


A lawn mower including a deck having an inner surface forming a cutting chamber, a cutting blade disposed within the cutting chamber, a drive motor for rotating the cutting blade within the cutting chamber, and a separate wear-resistant liner removably attached to the deck and covering at least a portion of the inner surface of the deck. The liner conforms to the shape of the deck and is formed of a wear-resistant plastic material which substantially increases the life of the deck under abrasive conditions such as sandy soil. Other embodiments are disclosed wherein an integral layer of wear-resistant plastic is formed directly on the inner surface of the deck and wherein a separate rigid liner having an integral layer of wear-resistant plastic formed directly thereon is removably attached to the inner surface of the deck. The wear-resistant plastic is preferably a urethane polymer or a polyurethane elastomer.

The present invention generally relates to lawn mowers and, more specifically, to lawn mowers having wear-resistant decks.
Lawn mowers typically have a housing or deck in which a cutting blade cuts the lawn. The lawn mower decks rapidly wear out in areas having lawns with sand intermixed in the soil. The sand or other material is thrown from the cutting blades against the interior surface of the decks and tends to abrade or "sand-blast" the decks until holes are worn completely through the decks. In areas having little or no sand in the soil, such as Midwest portions of the U.S., mower decks can be used for about 800 or more hours without wearing out. In areas having sand in the soil, the life of the deck depends on the sand type, the amount of sand in the soil, and the density of the lawn. In some areas of South Carolina, mower decks wear out after about 230 hours. In some areas of Florida, mower decks wear out in as little as 60-150 hours resulting in replacement of the decks as many as two times per year. Accordingly, there is a need for increasing the life of mower decks.


A sub-amount for mounting a light emitting device and a light emitting device package using the sub-mount are disclosed. The light emitting device package includes a package body having a mount for mounting a light emitting device, and through holes, electrodes formed on the package body, and a reflective layer arranged on one of the electrodes formed on an upper surface of the package body. The reflective layer has openings for enabling the light emitting device to be coupled to the electrodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sub-mount for mounting a light emitting device and a light emitting device package, and more particularly, to a sub-mount for mounting a light emitting device which enables emission of light having a uniform intensity of illumination from the light emitting device, and a light emitting device package which is capable of having uniform brightness, using the sub-mount.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are well known as semiconductor light emitting devices that convert current to light. A red LED using GaAsP compound semiconductor has been commercially available since 1962, and together with a GaP:N-based green LED, has been a light source in electronic apparatuses, such as image displays.
A wavelength of light emitted from such an LED depends on a semiconductor material used to fabricate the LED. This is because the wavelength of the emitted light depends on a band gap of the semiconductor material representing energy difference between valence-band electrons and conduction-band electrons.
Gallium nitride (GaN) compound semiconductor has been highlighted in the field of high-power electronic devices because it exhibits a high thermal stability and a wide band gap of 0.8 to 6.2 eV. One of the reasons why GaN compound semiconductor has been highlighted is that it is possible to fabricate a semiconductor layer capable of emitting green, blue, or white light, using GaN in combination with other elements, for example, indium (In), aluminum (Al), etc.
That is, it is possible to adjust the wavelength of light to be emitted, using GaN in combination with other appropriate elements. For example, it is possible to fabricate a blue LED useful for optical recording or a white LED to replace a glow lamp.
By virtue of the recent success of growth of InGaN thin film, it has been possible to fabricate high-luminescent green LEDs. In contrast, initially-developed green LEDs were fabricated using GaP. Because GaP is an indirect transition material, there is degradation in efficiency. Thus, the green LEDs fabricated using this material could not practically produce a pure green light.
By virtue of the above-mentioned advantages and other advantages of GaN-based LEDs, the GaN-based LED market has rapidly grown. Also, techniques associated with GaN-based electro-optic devices have rapidly developed since the GaN-based LEDs became commercially available in 1994.
GaN-based LEDs have been developed to exhibit light emission efficiency superior over that of glow lamps. Currently, the efficiency of GaN-based LEDs is substantially equal to that of fluorescent lamps. Thus, it is expected that the GaN-based LED market will grow significantly.
Such an LED is packaged together with other elements. An example of an LED package is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.
The illustrated LED package includes a silicon sub-mount 2, on which an LED 1 is mounted, an aluminum slug 3, a printed circuit board (PCB) 4, and an aluminum heat sink 5.
The silicon sub-mount 2 has metal lines formed on a flat silicon surface, for electrical connection with the LED 1.
The LED 1 is bonded to the sub-mount 2 using a flip chip bonding process. The sub-mount 2 is bonded to a mirror surface of the aluminum slug 3 using an adhesive.
Leads 6a are fixedly mounted to a package body 6. The leads are electrically connected to electrode metal portions of the sub-mount 2 via conductive wires 7, respectively.
The PCB 4 is bonded to the package body 6 using an adhesive, and includes metal lines 4a to which the leads 6a are attached using a welding process. The aluminum heat sink 5 is attached to the PCB 4, in order to allow heat from the PCB 4 to be outwardly discharged via the aluminum heat sink 5.

Sub-mount for mounting light emitting device and light emitting device package


The present invention relates to a DNA vaccine for developing tumor-specific immunity. Specifically, the invention relates to a DNA vaccine comprising antigens recognized by CD4+ helper T cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, respectively. Preferably, the antigen recognized by CD4+ helper T cells is a molecule identified by the SEREX method and that recognized by CD8+ cytotoxic T cells is a tumor-specific antigen, tumor-associated antigen or cell-associated antigen. Furthermore, so that the antigens recognized by CD4+ helper T cells and CD8+ CTL are expressed and presented on the same cell, the expression vectors preferably are immobilized on the same gold particle and administered into the cell by gene gun; however, this invention is not restricted thereto. The vaccine can also be used as a pharmaceutical agent.

For the past several years, cancer has been the leading cause of death in Japan. In addition to surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, immunotherapy is the fourth option for cancer therapy. An in vivo system for immune response is utilized in immunotherapy. The immune response is elicited and controlled by the interaction amongst B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, antibodies and antigen presenting cells (APC). First, an exogenous antigen is processed in the APC, and then it is presented in a form bound to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class 1 or class 2 to helper T cells. Upon the recognition by helper T cells of this exogenous antigen, T cells are activated and cytokines are secreted. The secreted cytokines help differentiation of antigen-stimulated B cells into antibody-forming cells and at the same time promote the differentiation of killer T cells. Finally, cells presenting antigens are eliminated by the secreted antibodies and by the activated killer T cells. This is how cellular and humoral responses operate in order to eliminate exogenous antigens.
The elimination process of antigen expressing cells by T cells can be broadly classified in three groups: 1) humoral immunity (activated helper T cell stimulates proliferation/differentiation of specific B cell clones, antibodies are produced and the antibodies recognize and eliminate antigens); 2) specific cellular immunity (activated helper T cells induce cytotoxic T cells (CTL) that react on specific antigens and the CTL directly reacts to the target); and 3) non-specific cellular immunity (activated helper T cells induce non-specific natural killer cells, activated macrophages, etc. and these cells function to eliminate antigens). As described above, T cells play a central role for recognizing target antigens to elicit immune response.
Regarding tumor rejection, antitumor immune responses in host cells have been known to be induced by appropriate immunization using syngeneic or self-derived tumor cells or fractions thereof (L. Gross, Cancer Res. 3: 326-333 (1943); E. J. Foley, Cancer Res. 13: 835-837 (1953); R. T. Prehn and J. M. Main, J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 18: 769-778 (1957); G. Klein et al., Cancer Res. 20: 1561-1572 (1980); L. Old et al., Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 101: 80-106 (1962); A. Globerson and M. Feldman, J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 32: 1229-1243 (1964)). The role of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in these tumor systems has been of enormous interest (R. J. North, Adv. Immunol. 35: 89-155 (1984); P. D. Greenberg, Adv. Immunol. 49: 281-355 (1991); D. M. Pardoll and S. L. Topalian, Curr. Opin. Immunol. 10: 588-594 (1998)). CD8+ T cells from specifically immunized mice are reported to be capable of destroying tumor target cells in vitro (H. Wagner et al., Adv. Cancer Res. 31: 77-124 (1980)). Furthermore, it has been reported that adoptive transfer of CD8+ T cells from immunized donors confers resistance to tumor transplants to naive mice (R. J. North, Adv. Immunol. 35: 89-155 (1984); P. D. Greenberg, Adv. Immunol. 49: 281-355 (1991); C. J. M. Melief, Adv. Cancer Res. 58: 143-175 (1992)). In addition, anti-CD8+ antibodies are known to abolish resistance to tumor transplantation in preimmunized mice (E. Nakayama and A. Uenaka, J. Exp. Med. 161: 345-355 (1985); X. G. Gu et al., Cancer Res., 58: 3385-3390 (1998); Y. Noguchi et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92: 2219-2223 (1994)). Over the past decade, MHC class I binding peptides derived from tumor cells of mice and human that are recognized by CD8+ T cells have been reported (T. Boon et al., Annu. Rev. Immunol. 12: 337-368 (1994); S. A. Rosenberg, Immunity 10: 281-287 (1999)).
Two forms exist for tumor antigens (target molecules on tumor cells). These are: (1) tumor peptide presented by MHC class I molecules, the target molecule of CD8+ CTL that is the leading character of cellular immunity; and (2) the target molecule of humoral immunity (antibody) that is expressed on the cell membrane of tumors is called tumor-associated antigen. Since a human tumor antigen recognized by a T cell has been defined at the genetic level, various human tumor rejection antigens have been discovered. Vaccination therapy is defined as a specific immunotherapy that uses a tumor rejection antigen and evident antitumor effect has been confirmed for the therapy. Furthermore, potentiation of immunotherapeutic effect by the combined use of cytokines and dendritic cells pulsed with antigenic peptides, or introduced with antigen genes has been attempted. Moreover, recently, DNA vaccines have been tested in the art.
A number of approaches to augment the helper action of CD4+ T cells have been attempted (D. Pardoll and S. L. Topalian, Curr. Opin. Immunol. 10: 588-594 (1998); R. F. Wang, Trends Immunol. 5: 269-276 (2001)). Earlier methods fall into one of three categories. One method involves modification of immunizing antigens itself. For example, haptenizing the antigen (Y. Mizushima et al., J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 74: 1269-1273 (1985)), linking heterologous immunogenic peptides directly onto the antigen (R. W. Chesnut et al., Vaccine Design, eds. M. F. Powell and M. J. Newman (Plenum, New York) 847-874 (1995); J. Rice et al., J. Immunol. 167: 1558-1565 (2001)), etc. The second is co-immunization with tumor antigens and molecules with strong helper determinants (R. Romieu et al., J. Immunol. 161: 5133-5137 (1998); N. Casares et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 31: 1780-1789 (2001)), such as viral vectors encoding tumor antigens (M. Wang et al., J. Immunol. 154: 4685-4692 (1995)). The third method utilizes molecular signals such as CD40 ligand (J. P. Ridge et al., Nature (London) 393: 474-478 (1998); S. R. M. Bennett et al., Nature (London) 393: 478-480 (1998); S. P. Schoenberg et al., Nature (London) 393: 480-483 (1998)) and other stimulatory/co-stimulatory signals (A. Porgador et al., J. Exp. Med. 188: 1075-1082 (1998)) involved in the helper function of CD4+ T cells and in modulating the interaction of APCs with CD4+ T cells. The discovery of such signals appears to provide methods to augment the response of CD8+ T cells.
Antibodies have been generally relegated to a minor role in antitumor effector functions. However, tumor antigens like NY-ESO-1 elicits a strong integrated immune response involving both cellular and humoral immunities (Y.-T. Chen et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94: 1914-1918 (1997); E. Jager et al., J. Exp. Med. 187: 625-630 (2000); E. Jager et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97: 12198-12203 (2000)). Recently, M. Pfreundschuh and his colleagues developed a method called SEREX (Y.-T. Chen et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94: 1914-1918 (1997)) to identify tumor-associated antigens that may serve as vaccines against tumors. This method involves screening of cDNA expression libraries of human tumors with human sera. More than 1800 kinds of genes identified by SEREX are registered in the SEREX database on the internet (www.licr.org/SEREX.html).
However, there are still unsolved problems. Some of the problems include the kind of adjuvant or APC to be used for effectively inducing tumor-specific immunity with the identified antigenic peptides/DNAs to finally achieve complete recovery from tumor; or dealing with the escape of tumors from the immune system.
Helper T cells are often reported to be necessary for quantitative/qualitative amplification of CTL. However, the characteristics of antigen molecules recognized by these T cells and their functional impact on antitumor immune responses are still largely unknown (P. D. Greenberg, Adv. Immunol. 49: 281-355 (1991); D. M. Pardoll and S. L. Topalian, Curr. Opin. Immunol. 10: 588-594 (1998); S. R. Bennett et al., J. Exp. Med. 186: 65-70 (1997); R. F. Wang, Trends Immunol. 5: 269-276 (2001); C. Fayolle et al., J. Immunol. 147: 4069-4073 (1991); M. Shiral et al., J. Immunol. 152: 1549-1556 (1994); K. Hung et al., J. Exp. Med. 188: 2357-2368 (1998); F. Ossendorp et al., J. Exp. Med. 187: 693-702 (1998); Y. Shen and S. Fujimoto, Cancer Res. 56: 5005-5011 (1996); T. Nishimura et al., J. Exp. Med. 190: 617-627 (1999); D. R. Surman et al., J. Immunol. 164: 562-565 (2000); A. Franco et al., Nat. Immunol. 1: 145-150 (2000); C. N. Baxevanis et al., J. Immunol. 164: 3902-3912 (2000); F. Fallarino et al., J. Immunol. 165: 5495-5501 (2000); A. L. Marzo et al., Cancer Res. 59: 1071-3390 (1999); A. L. Marzo et al., J. Immunol. 165: 6047-6055 (2000)). The current hypothesis for serial intercellular interaction amongst helper T cells, CTLs and APCs points to the possibility that helper T cells related to antitumor immune response can recognize diverse antigens of a wide range (J. P. Ridge et al., Nature 393: 474-478 (1998); S. R. M. Bennett et al., Nature 393: 478-480 (1998); S. P. Schoenberger et al., Nature 393: 480-483 (1998); Z. Lu et al., J. Exp. Med. 191: 541-550 (2000)).
Great progress is being made in the analysis of humoral immune response in human and murine tumors by the above-described SEREX method (Y.-T. Chen et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94: 1914-1918 (1997); E. Jager et al., J. Exp. Med. 187: 625-630 (2000); E. Jager et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97: 12198-12203 (2000); U. Sahin et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92: 11810-11813 (1995); L. J. Old and Y.-T. Chen, J. Exp. Med. 187: 1163-1167 (1998); Y.-T. Chen, "Principle and Practice of the Biologic Therapy of Cancer", ed. S. A. Rosenberg (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia) 557-570 (2000); T. Ono et al., Int. J. Cancer 88: 845-851 (2000)). Complete sequence determination of SEREX-defined genes show that many of them share the same sequence with the wild-type sequence, i.e., there are no amino acid substitutions included (L. J. Old and Y.-T. Chen, J. Exp. Med. 187: 1163-1167 (1998); Y.-T. Chen, "Principle and Practice of the Biologic Therapy of Cancer", ed. S. A. Rosenberg (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia) 557-570 (2000)). Therefore, these molecules do not exhibit immunogenicity due to mutations. Furthermore, although some SEREX antigens show restricted tumor expression in normal tissues (e.g., cancer/testis antigens, melanocyte differentiation antigens, etc.), most of the SEREX-defined antigens are ubiquitously expressed. However, high-titered antibodies to these wild-type molecules are present more in serum samples of associated and non-associated cancer patients compared to normal healthy subjects. The current hypothesis is that amplified expression of these tumor products serves as the immunogenic stimulus for eliciting humoral immunity. Since all of these molecules are detected by antibodies of the IgG class, these wild-type molecules imply recognition by CD4+ helper T cells. With regard to the above information, the present inventor examined in the present invention whether tumor-specific CD8+ CTL can be amplified by activating CD4+ helper T cells via immunogenic wild-type molecules of tumor cells. Namely, examined the involvement of the molecules in antitumor immune response.
DNA vaccines are demonstrated to induce both humoral and cellular immune responses upon intramuscular administration of naked DNA. The precise mechanism of induction of immune response by DNA vaccines is obscure (see, Pardoll et al., Immunity 3: 165-169 (1995)). However, its effectiveness is indicated by the induction of humoral and cellular immunities. This result indicates the expression of naked DNA following administration of a DNA vaccine, and that peptide products of the naked DNA are presented as antigens with both the MHC class I and class II proteins.
A T cell receptor on CTL recognizes an exogenous peptide derived from virus, bacteria, etc., bound to MHC class I and/or class II molecules as an antigen. Then, reactions such as production of various lymophokines and cell proliferation are known to be promoted to finally kill cells infected with the virus, bacteria, etc. Irrespective of their location in the original pathogen, these antigenic peptides are processed fragments that were intracellularly imported into APC or other cells. Known methods for artificial generation of CTL response include those using replication vectors that produce protein antigens in cells (J. R. Bennink and J. W. Yewdell, Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 163: 153 (1990); C. K. Stover et al., Nature 351: 456 (1991); A. Aldovini and R. A. Young, Nature 351: 479 (1991); R. Schfer et al., J. Immunol. 149: 53 (1992); C. S. Hahn et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89: 2679 (1992)) and methods wherein peptides are introduced into the cytosol (F. R. Carbone and M. J. Bevan, J. Exp. Med. 169: 603 (1989); K. Deres et al., Nature 342: 561 (1989); H. Takahashi et al., Nature 344: 873 (1990); D. S. Collins et al., J. Immunol. 148: 3336 (1992); M. J. Newman et al., J. Immunol. 148: 2357 (1992)).
Furthermore, a method for inoculating a vertebrate with naked polynucleotide as a vaccine has been discussed (WO90/11092 (Oct. 4, 1990)). Calcium chloride-precipitated DNA is known to be expressed via intravenous or intramuscular administration (N. Benvenisty and L. Reshef, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83: 9551-9555 (1986)). Moreover, in mice it was shown that DNA expression vector is incorporated into myocytes and expressed in the cell upon intramuscular injection of the vector (J. A. Wolff et al., Science 247: 1465 (1990); G. Ascadi et al., Nature 352: 815 (1991)). According to this method, the vector was sustained as an episome and did not replicate. However, permanent expression of the vector was observed following injection into the skeletal muscle of rat, fish and primate, as well as cardiac muscle of rat (H. Lin et al., Circulation 82: 2217 (1990); R. N. Kitsis et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88: 4138 (1991); E. Hansen et al., FEBS Lett. 290: 73 (1991); S. Jiao et al., Hum. Gene Therapy 3: 21 (1992); J. A. Wolff et al., Human Mol. Genet. 1: 363 (1992)). It was further reported that presentation of epitopes by B7 and MHC on the surface of APC play similar roles in the activation of CTL during tumor elimination (Edington, Biotechnology 11: 1117-1119 (1993)). When a MHC molecule on the surface of APC presents an epitope to a T cell receptor, a B7 expressed on the surface of the same APC binds to CTLA-4 or CD28 and functions as the second signal. As a result, CD4+ helper T cells that emit signals for increasing APC destroying CD8+ T cells rapidly proliferate.
For immunization with DNAs, the DNAs do not necessary have to be administered intramuscularly. For example, Tang et al. demonstrate that anti-bovine growth hormone (BGH) antibodies are produced in mice following administration of BGH-coated gold particles into the skin (Tang et al., Nature 356: 152-154 (1992)). Apart from skin, it is reported that muscular, adipose and mammary gland tissues of live animals can be transfected with DNAs (Furth et al., Analytical Biochemistry 205: 365-368 (1992)). Various methods for introducing nucleic acids are also reviewed (T. Friedman, Science 244: 1275-1281 (1989)). WO93/17706 describes a method of vaccine inoculation of an animal against a virus that comprises the steps of coating a carrier particle with a gene construct, and then administering the coated particle into a cell of the animal. Furthermore, DNA immunization against herpes virus (Cox et al., J. Virol. 67: 5664-5667 (1993)) has been reported. In addition, DNA vaccines and methods for producing and administering them are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050, U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,466, and WO94/16737.

Vaccine comprising a polynucleotide encoding an antigen recognized by a CD4


The invention provides an effectorless immunoglobulin Fc protein, fusions of the effectorless Fc protein to a Flt3 ligand, and methods of using the same.

Numerous studies support the importance of the differential presence of immune system components in cancer progression (Jochems and Schlom, Exp Biol Med, 236(5): 567-579 (2011)). Clinical data suggest that high densities of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are linked to improved clinical outcome (Mlecnik et al., Cancer Metastasis Rev.; 30: 5-12, (2011)). Tumor immune infiltrates include macrophages, dendritic cells (DC), mast cells, natural killer (NK) cells, nave and memory lymphocytes, B cells and effector T cells (T lymphocytes), primarily responsible for the recognition of antigens expressed by tumor cells and subsequent destruction of the tumor cells by T cells.
Despite presentation of antigens by cancer cells and the presence of immune cells that could potentially react against tumor cells, in many cases the immune system does not get activated or is affirmatively suppressed. Tumors develop a number of immunomodulatory mechanisms to evade antitumor immune responses. The overall result is impaired T-cell responses and induction of apoptosis or reduced anti-tumor immune capacity of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. Inhibition of antigen-presenting functions and dendritic cell (DC) additionally contributes to the evasion of anti-tumor immunity (Gerlini et al. Am. J. Pathol. 165(6), 1853-1863 (2004).
Additionally, the local immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment can lead to the escape of cancer cell subpopulations that do not express the target antigens. Thus, finding an approach that would promote the preservation and/or restoration of anti-tumor activities of the immune system would be of considerable therapeutic benefit.
Immune checkpoints have been implicated in the tumor-mediated downregulation of anti-tumor immunity. It has been demonstrated that T cell dysfunction occurs concurrently with an induced expression of the inhibitory receptors, CTLA-4 and programmed death 1 polypeptide (PD-1), members of the CD28 family receptors. Nevertheless, despite extensive research in recent years, the success of immunotherapy in a clinical setting has been limited. Few therapeutic agents have been approved by regulatory authorities, and among those, the benefit is not experienced by a majority of patients. In recent years, immune checkpoints have been implicated in the downregulation of anti-tumor immunity and used as therapeutic targets. These observations highlight the need for development of novel therapeutic approaches for harnessing the immune system against cancer.
Human Flt3L (Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand), a type I transmembrane protein that stimulates the proliferation of bone marrow cells, was cloned for in 1994 (Lyman et al., 1994). The use of soluble hFlt3L has been explored in various preclinical and clinical settings including stem cell mobilization in preparation for bone marrow transplantation, cancer immunotherapy such as expansion of dendritic cells, as well as an vaccine adjuvant. Yet no pharmaceutical composition based on Flt3L has progressed past Phase 2 in the clinic.
One challenge is to optimize exposure to the Flt3L ligand and identify an optimal dosing regimen while minimizing adverse side effects or potential unfavorable immunologic effects. Modulating exposure can be done, for example, by varying dosing regimens, varying dosing amounts, or changing the pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamics properties of the therapeutic molecule. Provided herein is a Flt3L-Fc fusion protein having beneficial PK/PD properties beneficial for enhancing immunotherapy for cancer patients.

FLT3 ligand fusion proteins and methods of use


A solar battery according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a rear electrode formed on a substrate and separated by a first through-hole; a light absorbing layer formed on the rear electrode including the first through-hole; a second through-hole exposing the rear electrode through the light absorbing layer; a buffer layer formed on the upper surface and the side surface of the light absorbing layer; a front electrode layer formed on the buffer layer; and a connection wiring extending from the front electrode layer and formed within the second through-hole.

1. Technical Field
The embodiment of the present invention relates to a solar battery and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, as demand for energy increases, a solar battery for converting solar-light energy into electric energy has been developed.
In particular, CIGS-base solar that is a hetero junction device of a of structure of substrate including a metal-back-electrode layer, a p-type CIGS-base-light absorbing layer, a buffer layer, a n-type window layer has widely been used.
The rear electrode layer and the n-type window layer may be connected through a through-hole formed in the light absorbing layer and the buffer layer.
Since the through-hole is formed by a mechanical and laser patterning process, there keep particle in the through-hole, thereby providing a possibility of generation of a leakage current.
In addition, the light absorbing layer is formed at high temperatures, so that a rigid substrate which can withstand a high-temperature process is used. Therefore, the substrate may have a limitation in use.
The embodiment of the present invention provides a solar battery and a method of manufacturing the same.

Battery and solar method for manufacturing the same


A projecting apparatus includes a projecting device, an image-capturing device and a processing device. The projecting device projects a reversible structured light code onto a surface. The image-capturing device captures the reversible structured light code projected onto the surface and obtains image data. The processing device is coupled to the projecting device and the image-capturing device. The processing device receives the image data, generates three-dimensional point cloud information by performing decoding on the image data, and obtains scanning shift information corresponding to the projecting device according to the three-dimensional point cloud information and three-dimensional information corresponding to the surface.

With the development of technology, structured-light 3D scanners are gradually being adopted by users. In general, the cost of a structured-light 3D scanner mainly depends on the projector that is installed in the structured-light 3D scanner. Currently, in terms of what is available on the consumer market, the projector used in a structured-light 3D scanner may be a digital light processing (DLP) projector or a micro electro mechanical systems scanning mirror (MEMS scanning mirror) projector, or something similar.
The cost of a MEMS scanning mirror projector is less than the cost of a DLP projector. However, although the cost of a MEMS scanning mirror projector is low, scanning shift of projector may occur with the digital light generated by a MEMS scanning mirror projector, deforming the projected image from the MEMS scanning mirror projector, and affecting the accuracy of the 3D point cloud that is generated. Therefore, how to effectively improve the quality of the point cloud information and decrease the cost of the hardware has become an important issue.

Projecting apparatus and projecting calibration method

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A system, method and computer program product for scanning an executable file for malware presence, the method comprising: (a) detecting an attempt to execute a file on a computer; (b) identifying whether the file is known or unknown; (c) if the file is a known file, performing a signature malware check; (d) if the file is an unknown file, performing risk analysis and risk assessment for the file; (e) based on the risk analysis and the risk assessment, identifying which malware detection algorithms need to be used for the file, in addition to signature detection; (f) performing the malware detection algorithms on the file; and (g) if no malware is detected, permitting execution of the file. The risk analysis is based on file source, file origin, file path, file size, whether the file is digitally signed, whether the file is a download utility, whether the file is packed, whether the file was received from a CDROM.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to anti-malware technology, and more particularly, to balancing relatively quick (but less thorough) anti-malware checks with more thorough, but also more time-consuming, anti-malware checks.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the problems in the field of anti-virus software is the fact that many users are unwilling to wait for a long time for the anti-virus software to do its work. As a practical matter, most users are willing to wait a fraction of a second, perhaps a second or two, when starting an application, but are rarely willing to wait substantially longer than that. On the other hand, in such a relatively short period of time, only the more rudimentary anti-virus checks are possible. This presents a problem for the anti-virus software vendor, because the need to check the executable file being launched for viruses must be balanced against the amount of time that a thorough anti-virus check would take.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a system and method for a more effective antivirus check of new programs that carry a higher risk of virus infection.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for antimalware scanning with variable scan settings


A semiconductor device that optimally controls a current supply of internal power supply voltage generation circuits in accordance with the number of banks that are simultaneously activated. A control circuit adjusts the activated number of internal power supply voltage generation circuits in response to activation signals of the banks.

The present invention relates to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to an internal power supply voltage generation circuit.
A semiconductor memory device, such as a clock synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), has a circuit for generating internal power supply voltage, such as step-up voltage supplied to word lines or negative voltage supplied to a substrate. To answer the recent demand for lower power consumptions of semiconductor memory devices, the voltages of an external power supply and an internal power supply must be decreased. Thus, there is a need for an internal voltage generation circuit that stably supplies a predetermined internal voltage from an external power supply, which voltage is relatively low.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an SDRAM 50 having four banks. The SDRAM 50 includes step-up voltage generation circuits 2a-2h and control circuits 1a-1d, which control the step-up voltage generation circuits 2a-2h. The control circuits 1a-1d are each associated with one of the banks. Two of the step-up voltage generation circuits 2a-2h are connected to each control circuit 1a-1d. When the banks are activated, the associated control circuits 1a-1d are respectively provided with activation signals A0-A3. In response to the activation signals A0-A3, the control circuits 1a-1d generate the associated step-up voltage generation circuits 2a-2h. The activated step-up voltage generation circuits 2a-2h perform a pumping operation based on a clock signal to generate a step-up power supply voltage Vpp. The step-up power supply voltage Vpp is supplied to, for example, the word lines of the associated bank through a common output terminal.
A RAS cycle time (tRC) of the SDRAM 50 is defined by a period that starts when a certain word line is activated and ends when that word line is deactivated and returned to a standby state in which activation of the next word line is enabled. When a word line is activated, read, write, or refresh operations are performed.
The amount of charge consumed during a single RAS cycle time period is substantially constant in the conventional SDRAM 50. Thus, a shorter RAS cycle time tRC causes the power supply voltage Vpp to consume more current. In other words, the current consumption relative to the power supply voltage Vpp is maximal when the SDRAM is operated in the minimum RAS cycle time tRC of a predetermined guaranteed operation range.
Accordingly, the step-up voltage generation circuits 2a-2h each have a sufficient current supply capacity for supplying the associated bank with the maximum current consumption. For example, the step-up voltage generation circuits 2a, 2b are operated in response to the activation of the first bank to provide the first bank with the power supply voltage Vpp. When the first, second, third, and fourth banks are simultaneously activated, the step-up voltage generation circuits 2a-2h are simultaneously activated to provide each of the first to fourth banks with the power supply voltage Vpp. Such operation activates the step-up voltage generation circuits, the number of which corresponds to the number of activated banks, and stably supplies current in correspondence with the current consumption of the activated banks. The power supply voltage Vpp generated by each of the step-up voltage generation circuits 2a-2h may be supplied through a power supply line formed independently for each bank.
However, in the conventional SDRAM 50, the current supplied by the step-up voltage generation circuits becomes excessive as the number of simultaneously activated banks increases.
In FIG. 2, ACT denotes an activation command of an arbitrary bank, and PRE denotes a deactivation command of that bank. The time between one ACT and the next ACT is the RAS cycle time. For example, in FIG. 2, which indicates the operation of an SDRAM operated at a frequency of 100 MHz, the minimum RAS cycle time tRC of the banks is 60 ns. Accordingly, each of the step-up voltage generation circuits has the current supply capacity to supply sufficient current consumption when the associated bank is operated at the RAS cycle time tRC of 60 ns.
In the first line of FIG. 2, a single bank B0 is activated. In the second line, two banks, B0, B1 are continuously activated. In the first and second lines, each bank is operated in the minimum cycle tRC.
In the third line, three banks B0, B1, B2 are continuously activated. In this case, the operational frequency of each bank decreases due to device operation rules and extends the RAS cycle time tRC to 70 ns.
In this manner, as the number of simultaneously activated banks increases, the current supplied by the step-up voltage generation circuits 2a-2h becomes excessive, and the pumping operation of the step-up voltage generation circuits 2a-2h cause the voltage of the power supply voltage Vpp to become unstable.
A stabilization circuit may be incorporated in the SDRAM to detect and stabilize the power supply voltage Vpp. However, this would increase the circuit area of the SDRAM and the production cost of the SDRAM.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an internal power supply voltage generation circuit for generating an optimal amount of current supply in accordance with the power consumption of banks.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a semiconductor device including a plurality of banks, a plurality of internal power supply voltage generation circuits for generating an internal power supply voltage that is provided to the banks, and at least one control circuit connected to the internal power supply voltage generation circuits for controlling the internal power supply voltage generation circuits. The control circuit adjusts a current supply amount of the internal power supply voltage generation circuits in accordance with a current consumption of at least one of activated ones of the banks.
The present invention also provides a method for generating an internal power supply voltage of a semiconductor device having a plurality of banks and a plurality of internal power supply voltage generation circuits. The plurality of banks include a first bank and a second bank located in the vicinity of the first bank. The plurality of internal power supply voltage generation circuits include at least one internal power supply voltage generation circuit associated with the first bank and at least one second internal power supply voltage generation circuit associated with the second bank. The method includes determining the number of internal power supply voltage generation circuits that are to be activated in accordance with a current consumption of at least one of activated ones of the banks, and providing the at least one of activated ones of the banks with an internal power supply voltage by activating the determined number of internal power supply voltage generation circuits. When the first bank is activated, at least one of the first internal power supply voltage generation circuits and at least one of the second internal power supply voltage generation circuits are activated.
The present invention further provides a method for generating an internal power supply voltage of a semiconductor device having a plurality of banks that include a first bank and a second bank located in the vicinity of the first bank. The method includes assigning a plurality of internal power supply voltage generation circuits to each of the banks. The internal power supply voltage generation circuits generate internal power supply voltage provided to the banks. A current supply capacity of each of the internal power supply voltage generation circuits is equal to or less than a current consumption of when one of the banks is activated. The method further includes activating at least one of the internal power supply voltage generation circuits assigned to the first and second banks when the first bank is activated.
The present invention further provides a method for generating an internal power supply voltage having a plurality of banks and a plurality of internal power supply voltage generation circuits for generating an internal power supply that is provided to the banks. The method includes detecting a number M of the activated ones of the banks, and determining a number X of the internal power supply voltage generation circuits that are to activated in accordance with the number M. The number X of the internal power supply voltage circuits that are to be activated is expressed by X less than Nxc3x97M, where N represents the number of internal power supply voltage generation circuits that are activated when only one of the banks is activated.
The present invention further provides a semiconductor device including a plurality of banks, a plurality of internal power supply voltage generation circuits connected to the banks for generating an internal power supply voltage when activated that is provided to the banks, and a control circuit connected to the internal power supply voltage generation circuits for controlling the internal power supply voltage generation circuits. The control circuit selectively activates the internal power supply voltage generation circuits in accordance with the number of activated ones of the banks.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.

Semiconductor device and method for generating internal power supply voltage