Abstract: A probe apparatus includes an imaging unit imaging probes and a first and a second imaging unit imaging the wafer surface. The apparatus further includes a control unit obtaining positions of a mounting table at which focuses of the imaging unit and the first imaging unit are made to coincide with each other and then the focuses of the image unit and the second imaging unit are made to coincide with each other by moving the mounting table; obtaining positions of the mounting table at which the images of the wafer are sequentially taken by the first and the second imaging unit by moving the mounting table; obtaining a position of the mounting table at which the probes are imaged by the imaging unit, and calculating a position of the mounting table at which the wafer contacts with the probes based on the obtained positions of the mounting table.

Abstract: A prove apparatus includes a first and a second loading port for mounting therein two carriers facing each other, a wafer transfer mechanism having a rotation center between the loading ports, and a first and a second inspection unit being symmetrical to each other and disposed in accordance with the arrangement of the loading ports. In this configuration, wafers are directly transferred between the carrier and a wafer chuck of the inspection unit by the wafer transfer mechanism. The wafer transfer mechanism has three arms for unloading two wafers from the carrier. The prove apparatus has a compact size and achieves a high throughput.

Abstract: A method of checking communication-path data in a system, in which a router connecting first and second networks operating on different protocols is connected to a switch of the second network, includes the steps of changing the router and the switch from a normal mode to a test mode, checking consistency between router communication-path data controlled by the router and switch communication-path data controlled by the switch by sending the router communication-path data to the switch during the test mode, and checking communication between the router and the switch by sending cells from the router to the switch and returning the cells from the switch to the router during the test mode.

Abstract: A communication route monitoring system monitors a communication route in an ATM network with OAM loopback cells. The communication route monitoring system has a first OAM loopback cell delivering unit disposed in one of the communication devices which performs a network management function, a first returning and relaying unit disposed in each of the communication devices, and a communication route recognizing unit disposed in the communication device which performs the network management function. The first OAM loopback cell delivering unit delivers a first OAM loopback cell for confirming a communication route to a route terminal point. The first returning and relaying means returns the first OAM loopback cell upon reception of the first OAM loopback cell, together with its own location identification added thereto, to a source, and relays the received first OAM loopback cell to a next one of the communication devices.

Abstract: In an ATM switch, after a communication path is properly set up, a continuity test is performed by passing an OAM cell through the communication path before initiating the transmission of user cells. After the transmission of user cells is initiated, a loopback test is performed by periodically inserting an OAM cell in a user cell flow. When a fault condition is detected as a result of the OAM cell loopback test, a peak cell rate environment is created by adding OAM cells to the user cells for a limited period of time, and communication quality is measured under the thus created environment. When a point-to-multipoint connection with a plurality of leaf points is set up, correspondence between each leaf point and a physical connection point is recorded in a table.

Abstract: Dispersion strengthened metal matrix composites are produced by stirring a mixed solid-liquid phase slurry as a dispersing medium under a reduced pressure, adding a dispersion strengthening material to the dispersing medium, and continuing the stirring under the reduced pressure till the dispersion strengthening material is uniformly dispersed in the dispersing medium.

Abstract: A wiring structure for electric wirings in a vehicle or the like. A horizontal partition wall portion that is nearly horizontal is provided in a dashboard partitioning a car room from an engine room provided outside of that car room, and an end portion of an outdoor side harness within the engine room is positioned above the horizontal partition wall portion, while an end portion of an indoor side harness within the car room is positioned under the horizontal partition wall portion. And, one connector provided at the end portion of the indoor side harness and the other connector provided at the end portion of the outdoor side harness are joined with each other penetrating through the horizontal partition wall portion. The above-mentioned one connector is a waiting connector slidably supported from a connector guide mounted to the horizontal partition wall portion, and a nut directed in the sliding direction is fixed thereto.

Abstract: An ornament is disclosed, which is characterized in that a metallic alloy wire provided with a characteristic to show the superelastic effect at room temperature by making the metallic texture Austenite phase is overlapped on both ends and formed into an approximately circular ring shape to form a wound ring. A method of manufacturing the same claimed is that a prime wire of Ni--Ti type alloy is submitted to the cold processing rating from 20 to 50% to form a round or angular wire rod, said wire rod is wound up around a stick or pipe with a fixed outer diameter and submitted to the heat treatment at 300.degree. to 600.degree. C. under restraint of both ends of wire rod to form a wound ring of approximately circular ring shape and simultaneously the superelastic effect is given to said ring at room temperature by making the metallic texture thereof Austenite phase.

Abstract: For a sliding roof device (100) having a panel transfer mechanism (11, 12, 13b, 31, 33, 34, 7, 21) for moving a roof panel (2), which is adapted to open and close a roof opening (3a) of a roof (1), between a close position and an open position, a tilt-up mechanism (11, 12, 13a, 32, 33, 34, 7, 21) for moving the roof panel between the close position and a tilt-up position, and a reversible electric motor (51) for actuating the panel transfer mechanism and the tilt-up mechanism, there is provided a control circuit (50) including a first operation switch (58) for actuating the motor to thereby have the roof panel moved from the close position to the open position and the tilt-up position, and a second operation switch (57) for actuating the motor to thereby have the roof panel moved from the open position and the tilt-up position to the close position.