Patents by Inventor Atsuko Yamaguchi
Atsuko Yamaguchi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20110188695Abstract: A microphone-unit supporting structure comprises a microphone unit and a holder. The microphone unit includes a substantially-cylindrical microphone element, a printed circuit board fixed to a back of the microphone element, and at least two projections extending radially outward from the printed circuit board and being circumferentially spaced at such an angular interval that when one of the projections is assumed to be on a reference line for line symmetry, the other projection or projections are off the reference line. The holder includes a microphone-unit supporting portion for supporting the microphone unit. The holder has a first groove for receiving first one of the projections, and a second groove for receiving second one of the projections. The first groove is open in a backward direction. The second groove is open in a frontward direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2011Publication date: August 4, 2011Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KENWOODInventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Keita Shimizu
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Publication number: 20110176718Abstract: A measurement tool apparatus for evaluating degradation of pattern features in a semiconductor device manufacturing process. The measurement tool apparatus detects variations in the patterns from SEM images thereof and extracts pattern edge points along the circumference of each pattern. The measurement tool apparatus compares the pattern edge points to corresponding edge points of an ideal shape so as to determine deviation of the patterns. Metrics are derived from analysis of the deviations. The measurement tool apparatus uses the metrics in calculating an index representative of the geometry of edge spokes of the pattern, an indicator of the orientation of the edge spokes, and/or anticipated effects of the edge spokes on device performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2010Publication date: July 21, 2011Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Yoshinori MOMONOI, Atsuko YAMAGUCHI, Taro OSABE
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Patent number: 7684937Abstract: Equipment extracts components of spatial frequency that need to be evaluated in manufacturing a device or in analyzing a material or process out of edge roughness on fine line patterns and displays them as indexes. The equipment acquires data of edge roughness over a sufficiently long area, integrates components corresponding to a spatial frequency region being set on a power spectrum by the operator, and displays them on a length measuring SEM. Alternatively, the equipment divides the edge roughness data of the sufficiently long area, computes long-period roughness and short-period roughness that correspond to an arbitrary inspection area by performing statistical processing and fitting based on theoretical calculation, and displays them on the length measuring SEM.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2008Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Fukuda, Hiroki Kawada, Tatsuya Maeda
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Patent number: 7619751Abstract: A quantity (or dispersion value) of a distribution of edge position due to random noise is expected to be reduced statistically to 1/N when N edge position data items are averaged. Using this property, the single page image is averaged in a vertical direction with various values of parameter S, and then the edge roughness index is calculated. The S-dependence of the edge roughness index is analyzed and a term of a dispersion value directly proportional to 1/S is determined as being due to noise.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2008Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Fukuda, Osamu Komuro, Hiroki Kawada
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Publication number: 20090263024Abstract: Edge points are extracted by specifying a height (values indicating a distance from a substrate) on a pattern when edges of the pattern are extracted from a CD-SEM image. Further, LER values obtained by the extraction or a Fourier spectrum of the LER are obtained. When the same sample is previously observed with the AFM and the CD-SEM, a size of the LER obtained by specifying a height, an auto-correlation distance of the LER, or an index called the spectrum is obtained from results of the AFM observation. Further, theses indices obtained by specifying image processing conditions for detecting the edge points from the CD-SEM observation result are obtained. Also, it is determined that heights providing values when the values are matched correspond to the image processing conditions and then, the edge points are extracted from the CD-SEM IMAGE instead of the AFM observation by using the image processing conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2009Publication date: October 22, 2009Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Atsuko YAMAGUCHI, Hiroki KAWADA
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Publication number: 20090046896Abstract: Disclosed herewith is a length measurement system, which obtains a value closer to its true one when figuring out the size and edge roughness of a pattern from a noise-included pattern image. Among plural band-like regions representing a portion around an edge in an image respectively, the system calculates the dependency of the edge point position on the image processing parameter at each of a narrow width band-like portion and a wide width band-like portion to calculate an image processing condition that calculates each measured value closer to its true value or estimates the true value itself.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2008Publication date: February 19, 2009Inventors: Atsuko YAMAGUCHI, Jiro YAMAMOTO, Hiroki KAWADA
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Patent number: 7451857Abstract: A brake caliper support structure and a brake caliper structure for a saddle-ride type all terrain vehicle can attain a reduction in size and weight of a disc brake and can scrape off mud and snow accumulated within a wheel. A distance from a point which represents the center of a front wheel to each of points which represent the axes of bolts located at the same positions as the caliper support portions or the first and second mounting portions of the caliper bracket is set longer than the distance from the point to a point which represents the center of a piston. A brake hose is to be prevented from undergoing an excessively large deflection during steering or during vehicular vibration.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2005Date of Patent: November 18, 2008Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yosuke Hasegawa, Makoto Toda, Yuji Maki, Masahiro Inoue, Hiroaki Tomita, Akio Handa, Atsuko Yamaguchi
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Publication number: 20080226177Abstract: A quantity (or dispersion value) of a distribution of edge position due to random noise is expected to be reduced statistically to 1/N when N edge position data items are averaged. Using this property, the single page image is averaged in a vertical direction with various values of parameter S, and then the edge roughness index is calculated. The S-dependence of the edge roughness index is analyzed and a term of a dispersion value directly proportional to 1/S is determined as being due to noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2008Publication date: September 18, 2008Inventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Fukuda, Osamu Komuro, Hiroki Kawada
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Publication number: 20080215274Abstract: Equipment extracts components of spatial frequency that need to be evaluated in manufacturing a device or in analyzing a material or process out of edge roughness on fine line patterns and displays them as indexes. The equipment acquires data of edge roughness over a sufficiently long area, integrates a components corresponding to a spatial frequency region being set on a power spectrum by the operator, and displays them on a length measuring SEM. Alternatively, the equipment divides the edge roughness data of the sufficiently long area, computes long-period roughness and short-period roughness that correspond to an arbitrary inspection area by performing statistical processing and fitting based on theoretical calculation, and displays them on the length measuring SEM.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2008Publication date: September 4, 2008Inventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Fukuda, Hiroki Kawada, Tatsuya Maeda
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Patent number: 7405835Abstract: A quantity (or dispersion value) of a distribution of edge position due to random noise is expected to be reduced statistically to 1/N when N edge position data items are averaged. Using this property, the single page image is averaged in a vertical direction with various values of parameter S, and then the edge roughness index is calculated. The S-dependence of the edge roughness index is analyzed and a term of a dispersion value directly proportional to 1/S is determined as being due to noise.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2007Date of Patent: July 29, 2008Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Fukuda, Osamu Komuro, Hiroki Kawada
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Patent number: 7369703Abstract: A system for measuring a pattern on a sample, including: a data processing system that processes a set of two-dimensional distribution data of intensities from the sample, to calculate: a set of edge points indicative of position of edges of the pattern in a two-dimensional plane from the two-dimensional distribution data; an approximation edge indicative of the edge of the pattern; an edge fluctuation data by calculating a difference between the set of edge points and the approximation edge; and a correlation between a first portion of the edge fluctuation data and a second portion of the edge fluctuation data.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2006Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Tsuneo Terasawa, Tadashi Otaka, Takashi Iizumi, Osamu Komuro
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Patent number: 7366620Abstract: Equipment extracts components of spatial frequency that need to be evaluated in manufacturing a device or in analyzing a material or process out of edge roughness on fine line patterns and displays them as indexes. The equipment acquires data of edge roughness over a sufficiently long area, integrates a components corresponding to a spatial frequency region being set on a power spectrum by the operator, and displays them on a length measuring SEM. Alternatively, the equipment divides the edge roughness data of the sufficiently long area, computes long-period roughness and short-period roughness that correspond to an arbitrary inspection area by performing statistical processing and fitting based on theoretical calculation, and displays them on the length measuring SEM.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2005Date of Patent: April 29, 2008Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Fukuda, Hiroki Kawada, Tatsuya Maeda
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Patent number: 7290838Abstract: A vehicle wheel comprises a rim (172) and a disk section (171) separate from the rim. Since the disk section is separate from the rim, the freedom of designing the disk section is improved. The rim comprises an outer rim (178) and an inner rim (181) separate from the outer rim. The outer and inner rims are attached to the outer periphery of the disk section at the same place by welding.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2003Date of Patent: November 6, 2007Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Zeniya Aluminum Engineering, Limited, Daido Kogyo Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akio Handa, Atsuko Yamaguchi, Yuji Maki, Takashi Nishizaka, Shoji Suzuki, Kiyoshi Amaki, Toshio Nishimoto
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Publication number: 20070242885Abstract: A quantity (or dispersion value) of a distribution of edge position due to random noise is expected to be reduced statistically to 1/N when N edge position data items are averaged. Using this property, the single page image is averaged in a vertical direction with various values of parameter S, and then the edge roughness index is calculated. The S-dependence of the edge roughness index is analyzed and a term of a dispersion value directly proportional to 1/S is determined as being due to noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2007Publication date: October 18, 2007Inventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Fukuda, Osamu Komuro, Hiroki Kawada
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Patent number: 7230723Abstract: A quantity (or dispersion value) of a distribution of edge position due to random noise is expected to be reduced statistically to 1/N when N edge position data items are averaged. Using this property, the single page image is averaged in a vertical direction with various values of parameter S, and then the edge roughness index is calculated. The S-dependence of the edge roughness index is analyzed and a term of a dispersion value directly proportional to 1/S is determined as being due to noise.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2006Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Fukuda, Osamu Komuro, Hiroki Kawada
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Publication number: 20060269121Abstract: A system for measuring a pattern on a sample, including: a data processing system that processes a set of two-dimensional distribution data of intensities from the sample, to calculate: a set of edge points indicative of position of edges of said pattern in a two-dimensional plane from said two-dimensional distribution data; an approximation edge indicative of the edge of the pattern; an edge roughness data by calculating a difference between the set of edge points and said approximation edge; and a correlation between a first portion of the edge roughness data and a second portion of the edge roughness data.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2006Publication date: November 30, 2006Inventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Tsuneo Terasawa, Tadashi Otaka, Takashi Iizumi, Osamu Komuro
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Patent number: 7095884Abstract: The present invention provides a circuit pattern edge inspection method of finding out a failure in a fabricating process and image distortion in an observing apparatus by analyzing, by a non-destructive inspection, the shape of an edge of a line of a fine pattern in which characteristics of the material, process, and an exposure optical system in a semiconductor fabricating process appear, and performing analysis quantitatively. The method includes a step of detecting a set of edge points indicative of positions of edges of the pattern in a two-dimensional plane by a threshold method; a step of obtaining an approximation line for the set of edge points detected; and a step of obtaining an edge roughness shape and a characteristic by calculating the difference between the set of the edge points and the approximation line. A plurality of values are used as thresholds used for the threshold method.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2002Date of Patent: August 22, 2006Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Tsuneo Terasawa, Tadashi Otaka, Takashi Iizumi, Osamu Komuro
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Publication number: 20060145076Abstract: A quantity (or dispersion value) of a distribution of edge position due to random noise is expected to be reduced statistically to 1/N when N edge position data items are averaged. Using this property, the single page image is averaged in a vertical direction with various values of parameter S, and then the edge roughness index is calculated. The S-dependence of the edge roughness index is analyzed and a term of a dispersion value directly proportional to 1/S is determined as being due to noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2006Publication date: July 6, 2006Inventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Fukuda, Osamu Komuro, Hiroki Kawada
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Patent number: 7049589Abstract: The present invention may include a pattern inspection method of extracting a pattern edge shape from an image obtained by a scanning microscope and inspecting the pattern. A control section and a computer of the scanning microscope process the intensity distribution of reflected electrons or secondary electrons, find the distribution of gate lengths in a single gate from data about edge positions, estimate the transistor performance by assuming a finally fabricated transistor to be a parallel connection of a plurality of transistors having various gate lengths, and determine the pattern quality and grade based on an estimated result. In this manner, it is possible to highly, accurately and quickly estimate an effect of edge roughness on the device performance and highly accurately and efficiently inspect patterns in accordance with device specifications.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2004Date of Patent: May 23, 2006Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Atsuko Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Fukuda, Ryuta Tsuchiya, Hiroki Kawada, Shozo Yoneda
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Publication number: 20060049006Abstract: A brake caliper support structure and a brake caliper structure for a saddle-ride type all terrain vehicle can attain a reduction in size and weight of a disc brake and can scrape off mud and snow accumulated within a wheel. A distance from a point which represents the center of a front wheel to each of points which represent the axes of bolts located at the same positions as the caliper support portions or the first and second mounting portions of the caliper bracket is set longer than the distance from the point to a point which represents the center of a piston. A brake hose is to be prevented from undergoing an excessively large deflection during steering or during vehicular vibration.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2005Publication date: March 9, 2006Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Yosuke Hasegawa, Makoto Toda, Yuji Maki, Masahiro Inoue, Hiroaki Tomita, Akio Handa, Atsuko Yamaguchi