Abstract: A capacitance detection area sensor includes capacitance sensor elements arranged in a two-dimensional array, is shaped into an appropriate shape, and capacitively coupled to an external electrode. To the external electrode, a sensing signal having a potential difference is supplied. The first and second sensor output signals are acquired from a capacitance sensor element capacitively coupled to the external electrode, at the timing of the sensing signal being a first signal and being a second signal, respectively. A differential signal is generated from a difference between the acquired first and second sensor output signals, and an image indicating the shape of the external electrode is generated based on the level of the differential signal, in different colors or different tones.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection apparatus and an inspection method, capable of, when supplying an inspection signal to a circuit wiring, eliminating any need for a pin to be brought into contact with the circuit wiring and detecting any defects including an invisible microscopic defect. An inspection apparatus A for inspecting a circuit wiring of a circuit board 100 comprises a conductive member 1 adapted to be disposed on the side of one of surfaces of the circuit board 100 and to be supplied with an inspection signal, a signal source 2 for supplying the inspection signal to the conductive member 1, a sensor unit 3 including a plurality of cells 3a to be disposed the opposed to the conductive member 1 on the side of the other surface of the circuit board 100, and a computer 5 for acquiring each signal appearing at the cells 3a in response to the inspection signal supplied to the conductive member 1.

Abstract: Disclosed is a low-noise active RC signal processing circuit, which comprises a feedforward section operable responsive to an input signal to provide an output at a predetermined gain, and a feedback section operable responsive to the output of the forward circuit to negatively feed back the output to the input signal of the feedforward section while giving a predetermined transfer characteristic to the output, so as to allow the processing circuit to have a transfer impedance characteristic equal to or less than the predetermined gain over the entire frequency range. The feedforward section is composed of a current-controlled voltage output circuit which includes a common-base transistor for receiving and inverting the input signal, and an emitter-follower transistor for outputting voltage, and has a transfer impedance defining the predetermined gain. The current-controlled voltage output circuit may also be constructed using an operational amplifier.

Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit-pattern inspection apparatus for inspecting a comb-shaped pattern 20 having an edge region formed as a plurality of finger pattern segments and a base region formed as an integral connection pattern segment, and a plurality of discrete patterns 30 each disposed between the adjacent finger pattern segments in a non-connecting manner and being not in connecting with the remaining discrete patterns. The inspection apparatus comprises means for supplying an AC signal alternately to either one of the finger pattern segments and both the finger pattern segments and the discrete patterns while maintaining the other at a ground potential, and sensors 131, 132, 133 for detecting the AC signal disposed in the edge region. The inspection apparatus can reliably detect the presence of defects in a circuit board without any difficulties.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for inspecting a circuit board at a high speed. A PDP driver module 100 as an object to be inspected has an onboard PDP driving LSI 110. A plurality of circuit wirings 111 are connected to terminals of the LSI. An inspection apparatus 1 generates an LSI drive signal and sends it to input terminals 113 of the LSI 110. A sensor 2 is positioned opposedly to the circuit wirings 111 in a non-contact manner. The sensor 2 detects voltage values in circuit wirings 111 caused by driving the LSI 110, and the detected signals are analyzed by the inspection apparatus 1.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for inspecting electrical continuity of a circuit board, capable of decreasing the impedance in a current path as an inspection object to achieve enhanced SN ratio. A coupling capacitance is formed at one of terminals of a pattern wire on a board as an inspection object in a non-contact manner, and an inductance (450) and a lead wire are connected to this capacitance. An AC inspection signal is applied to the other terminal through the lead wire in a contact manner. A resonance circuit is defined by the capacitance, inductance and pattern wire, and thereby an output signal can be detected with lowering the impedance.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for used in a board inspection capable of an inspection of defect in a circuit board with high resolution over a wide range. The method is used for manufacturing a sensor probe comprising layers which include an electrode layer, a lead wire layer and a bridge layer (41). These layers are laminated on a base (30) in the form of a flat plate composed of silicon. The electrode layer is comprised of a set of sensor electrodes (40). The lead wire layer is comprised of a set of lead wires (50) for transferring a signal externally. The bridge layer couples between the electrode layer and the lead wire layer. The lead wire layer is formed by means of depositing aluminum in accordance with a first mask pattern. The bridge layer is formed by means of growing each of bridge wires (41) in the direction perpendicular to the base. The bridge wires extend in the direction perpendicular to the base and are connected to respective lead wires of the lead layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection unit capable of allowing a probe and other components to be positioned with a high degree of accuracy while preventing misalignment of the probe and to be arranged closer to each other. The inspection unit includes a probe 14a for supplying an inspection signal in contact with a circuit wiring, and a board 12 having an electrode 13 printed thereon to detect the supplied inspection signal to the circuit wiring in non-contact with the circuit wiring. The board 12 includes a bore 12a allowing the probe 14a to be penetratingly disposed therein. The bore 12a is adapted to guide the axial movement of the probe 14a. A circuit wiring having branch portions branched halfway therefrom can be inspected by using a less number of non-contact sensors.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for inspecting a circuit board at a high speed. An LCD driver module 100 as an object to be inspected has an onboard LCD driving LSI 110. One circuit-wiring group 111 is connected to SEG terminals, and another circuit-wiring group 112 is connected to COM terminals of the LSI 110. An inspection apparatus 1 generates an LSI drive signal and sends it to input terminals 113 of the LSI 110. A pair of sensors 2, 3 are positioned opposedly to the circuit-wiring groups 111, 112, respectively, in a non-contact manner. Each of the sensors 2, 3 detects voltage changes in the corresponding circuit-wiring group 111, 112 caused by driving the LSI 110, and the detected signals are analyzed by the inspection apparatus 1.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection apparatus and method capable of intuitively obtaining inspection results of circuit wirings. An inspection system 20 comprises a sensor chip 1 including plural sensor elements, a computer 21, probes 22 for supplying an inspection signal to circuit wirings 101, and a selector 23 for switching the supply of the inspection signal to the probes 22. The computer 21 receives the detected signals from the sensor chip 1, and generates an image data to display an image of the circuit wirings as an inspection subject on a display 21a. This make it possible to check the shape of the specific circuit wiring and to detect defects such as disconnection, short-circuit, and chipping in the circuit wiring 101 based on the generated image data and the design image data representing the design circuit wiring.