Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Hirai Engineering Corporation

Kabushiki Kaisha Meidensha

Shimizu Construction Co., Ltd.

Yoshio Kaneko

Takashi Saitoh

Yukio Sakano

Michiyoshi Tachikawa

Takeshi Ukai

Toshiya Hikita

Shigeo Kurotaka

Kyoji Omi

Hiromi Okubo

Kouji Ishigaki

Hiroshi Takahashi

Hiroshi Tanaka

Masaaki Imaizumi

Shigeyuki Uzawa

Shinji Yamakawa

Kazuo Murai

Takashi Mama

Noburu Takakura

Akiya Nakai

Midori Aida

Tadato Hashiguchi

Takashi Hirai

Kenichirou Asada

Hiroyasu Sumida

Takanobu Fujioka

Haruhiko Fukuda

Akira Yamamoto

Shinji Kobayashi

Nobuyuki Sato

Shuichi Yamazaki

Takeshi Yamakawa

Koji Oshikiri

Masaaki Kogure

Keiichi Shiraishi

Shigeru Akiyama

Masaaki Okabe

An aligning method suitably usable in a semiconductor device manufacturing exposure apparatus of step-and-repeat type, for sequentially positioning regions on a wafer to an exposure position. In one preferred form, the marks provided on selected regions of the wafer are detected to obtain corresponding mark signals and then respective positional data related to the positions or positional errors of the selected regions are measured, on the basis of the mark signals. Then, the reliability of each measured positional data of a corresponding selected region is detected, on the basis of the state of a corresponding mark signal or the state of that measured positional data and by using fuzzy reasoning, for example. Corrected positional data related to the disposition of all the regions on the wafer is then prepared by using the measured positional data of the selected regions, wherein, for preparation of the corrected positional data, each measured positional data is weighted in accordance with the detected reliability thereof such that measured positional data having higher reliability is more influential to determine of the corrected positional data. For sequential positioning of the regions on the wafer to the exposure position, the wafer movement is controlled on the basis of the prepared corrected positional data, whereby high-precision alignment of each region is assured.

Aligning method

An original image comprises a printed region on which a predetermined printed matter is realized and a background region on which no printed matter is realized. The shape of a peripheral zone in the original image comprises the shape of the background region, which shape exists particularly at the peripheral region of said original image. It is determined whether or not the original image comprises the special document by detecting the peripheral zone. Further, the original image has an outer-frame region, having a predetermined shape at the peripheral region of the original image. The determination is carried out using a result of measuring the width of the outer-frame region. Further, the width of the outer-frame region comprises a width along a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction extending along the outline of the original image.

Original-discrimination system for discriminating special document, and image forming apparatus, image processing apparatus and duplicator using the original-discrimination system

An aligning method suitably usable in a semiconductor device manufacturing exposure apparatus of step-and-repeat type, for sequentially positioning regions on a wafer to an exposure position. In one preferred form, the marks provided on selected regions of the wafer are detected to obtain corresponding mark signals and then respective positional data related to the positions or positional errors of the selected regions are measured, on the basis of the mark signals. Then, the reliability of each measured positional data of a corresponding selected region is detected, on the basis of the state of a corresponding mark signal or the state of that measured positional data and by using fuzzy reasoning, for example. Corrected positional data related to the disposition of all the regions on the wafer is then prepared by using the measured positional data of the selected regions, wherein, for preparation of the corrected positional data, each measured positional data is weighted in accordance with the detected reliability thereof such that measured positional data having higher reliability is more influential to determine the corrected positional data. For sequential positioning of the regions on the wafer to the exposure position, the wafer movement is controlled on the basis of the prepared corrected positional data, whereby high-precision alignment of each region is assured.

An original image comprises a printed region on which a predetermined printed matter is realized and a background region on which no printed matter is realized. The shape of a peripheral zone in the original image comprises the shape of the background region, which shape exists particularly at the peripheral region of said original image. It is determined whether or not the original image comprises the special document by detecting the peripheral zone. Further, the original image has an outer-frame region, having a predetermined shape, at the peripheral region of the original image. The determination is carried out using a result of measuring the width of the outer-frame region. Further, the width of the outer-frame region comprises a width along a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction extending along the outline of the original image.

Original-discrimination system for discriminating special document, and

The present invention relates to a special-document discriminating apparatus used for providing a counterfeit preventing function to a digital copy machine and the like, and to a managing system for an image forming apparatus having a special-document discriminating function. The special-document discriminating apparatus is provided with a ROM for discriminating a special-document such as paper money, which ROM is detachably attached to a controlling circuit board. Data used for determination may be learned from test pattern data input from the image forming apparatus, or the data may be input from an external unit via a communication line. The managing system for an image forming apparatus comprises an image forming apparatus and a managing apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus. Either the image forming apparatus or the managing apparatus has a special-document discriminating function. Additional information is sent from the image forming apparatus together with determination result information or detected data. Information used as reference for determination may be sent from the managing apparatus to the image forming apparatus.

Special-document discriminating apparatus and managing system for image

A data transfer device for transferring data in a color digital copier, color printer or similar image forming apparatus of the type using a plurality of different kinds of data. A sending unit assigns other data to a predetermined number of bits of multilevel data to thereby send a plurality of kinds of data over common data lines. A receiving unit receives and separates the plurality of kinds of data. The device reduces the number of signal lines required for data transfer when a plurality of different kinds of data are not transferred at the same time.

Data transfer device for an image forming apparatus

An aligning method suitably usable in a semiconductor device manufacturing exposure apparatus of step-and-repeat type, for sequentially positioning regions on a wafer to an exposure position. In one preferred form, the marks provided on selected regions of the wafer are detected to obtain corresponding mark signals and then respective positional data related to the positions or positional errors of the selected regions are measured, on the basis of the mark signals. Then, the reliability of each measured positional data of a corresponding selected region is detected, on the basis of the state of a corresponding mark signal or the state of that measured positional data and by using fuzzy reasoning, for example. Corrected positional data related to the disposition of all the regions on the wafer is then prepared by using the measured positional data of the selected regions, wherein, for preparation of the corrected positional data, each measured positional data is weighted in accordance with the detected reliability thereof such that measured positional data having higher reliability is more influential to determine the corrected positional data.

Aligning method utilizing reliability weighting coefficients

An electromagnetic compatibility simulating apparatus for an automobile including an electromagnetically shielded cell having a wall dividing the interior of the cell into a first chamber for the automobile and a second chamber. Road simulator units are mounted within the second chamber. Dynamometers are mounted within the second chamber in driving relation with the road simulator units. The wall has windows for allowing driving contact of the road simulator units with the road wheels, and blower openings for allowing air feed from blowers. Electromagnetic wave absorbers and reflecting wall portions are disposed on the windows. Expanded metals cover the blower openings or metal pipes are disposed between the blower and the blower openings. The wall has inspection windows with shutters on which electromagnetic shielding net is disposed. A controller is disposed outside the first and second chambers. Conductors connect the controller with the dynamometers and blowers. First and second filters are disposed in the conductors.

Apparatus for electromagnetically isolating an automobile

A roof mounted light transmitting frame has a pair of longitudinal sash members. A light-transmitting sheet support sash member is mounted obliquely along the inner surface of each longitudinal sash member such that the distance between its front end and the lower edge of the longitudinal sash member is larger than the distance between its rear end and the lower edge of the longitudinal sash member. A lower horizontal sash member with a vertical support member is mounted between front ends of the light-transmitting sheet support sash members. An upper horizontal sash member is mounted between rear ends of the light-transmitting sheet support sash members. A light-transmitting sheet is mounted between the light-transmitting sheet support sash members, and the upper and lower horizontal sash members. A recess is longitudinally formed on the lower horizontal sash member to receive an upper horizontal sash member of the next frame.

Roof mounted light transmitting frame

Image forming apparatus which adds identification information to

Roof

A multistory building comprising a plurality of units which are disposed connectedly and side by side and stand along a horizontal standard line, is disclosed. The units comprise two groups, wherein one of the two groups is tilted in one direction and the other of the two groups is tilted in the opposite direction so that the moments according to the weights of the two groups of units cancel each other.

Multistory building

A multi-beam detecting apparatus adapted to an optical system in which a recording medium is scanned by a plurality of light beams emitted from respective light sources, includes a photodetector, a light interrupting member, and a control circuit. The photodetector produces detection signals when the corresponding light beams come to a predetermined position. The light interrupting member is interposed between the light sources and the light detecting member, and has transparent portions related to the respective light beams. A controlling circuit controls ON/OFF states of the light source in accordance with the respective detection signals related to the corresponding light beams passing through the respective transparent portions in the light interrupting member.

Light beam scanning apparatus

An electrophotographic copier, facsimile machine, laser printer or similar image forming apparatus for reproducing an image on a paper sheet by transforming an image signal representative of the image into an image forming signal by pulse width modulation, causing a spot beam in the form of a laser beam which is modulated by the image forming signal to scan a photoconductive element to form an electrostatic latent image thereon, developing the latent image to render it visible, and transferring the visible image to a paper sheet. The laser beam output, the set pulse widths of the image forming signal (beam turn-on times) and the bias voltage for development are changed in association with the deterioration of the laser beam power and the sensitivity of the photoconductive element.

Image forming apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Yoshio Kaneko