Abstract: A probe card on which micro probe needles are arranged at high density and with high precision with neither the need of a complicated structure or variation in needle height. A probe card 1 installed in a wafer tester comprises a board 2 having a wiring pattern for transmitting a test signal to be impressed on a wafer under test, a built-up board 10 formed on the surface of the board 2, a comb-shaped silicon-made probe needle 20 arranged on the built-up board 10 and connected to the surface wiring pattern 11, and a flat portion 12 formed by plating on the surface wiring pattern 11 on the built-up board 10 and having a surface flattened by polishing. The probe needle 20 is loaded on the flat portion 12 and thus mounted on the board 2.

Abstract: A drive circuit that supplies electric power to an electric load from a DC electric source includes a pair of series-connected first and second MOSFETS of the same conduction type, a pair of clamp circuits respectively connected between the drains and gates of the first and second MOSFETS, a series circuit of a first resistor and a switch, a first test terminal; a second test terminal connected to a joint of the first and second MOSFETS, a third test terminal for operating the switch, a fourth test terminal connected a joint of the first resistor and the switch; and a second resistor connected between the gate of the second MOSFET and the first test terminal. The switch and the first resistor are connected between the gate and the source of the first MOSFET to close when the drive circuit is normally operated and to open when it is given a high voltage test.

Abstract: The invention relates to the data transfer method, the image processing method, the data transfer system and the image data processor for transferring digital data, especially for transferring image data. The invention has an object to provide the data transfer method, the image processing method, the data transfer system and the image data processor, wherein the compression ratio is changed corresponding to the transfer rate between connecting devices and the lack of image is avoided. The detecting means detects the data transfer capability of the transmission channel and the transfer end, and the control means changes the compression ratio of the digital data corresponding to the data transfer capability. Subsequently, the compressing means compresses the digital data based on the changed compression ratio and the transfer means transfers the compressed digital data to the transfer end.

Abstract: The invention relates to the image processing, and more particularly to the image processing method, the image processing apparatus, and the image processing system that compress color data. In order to extract the representative color from a small region on the color image in order to approximate to the color image, the invention performs the calculating of an average and a variance of color data of the small region, the color of which the variance is the largest is determined as a target color. According to the average of the target color, the small region is divided into two sections. After calculating the region information of the two sections and each representative color of section, judging whether the obtained number of representative colors is more than the requested number of colors, if the obtained number is more than the required number of colors, the dividing is completed. If not, the dividing is repeated again.

Abstract: A constant voltage supplying circuit including an output transistor is connected to a power source line and an output terminal. A base-emitter voltage of the output transistor is detected by a voltage detecting circuit composed of a transistor. A current-outputting circuit for supplying a current determined based on the voltage detected by the voltage detector to a reference voltage supplying circuit is used in the constant voltage supplying circuit. The reference voltage is supplied to a base of the output transistor to cancel a base-emitter voltage of the output transistor and to equalize the output voltage to a voltage generated in a reference voltage generating element included in the reference voltage supplying circuit. In this manner, the output voltage is kept constant notwithstanding variation of output current.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for automatically improving the contrast of an input image that is obtained from a digital camera or the like, and obtaining a sharper and clearing image. A contrast improvement unit (11) performs a contrast improvement process on the input image by comparing an object pixel in the input image with pixels in the surrounding area. An image combination unit (12) combines the enhanced image obtained by the contrast improvement process with the input image. The combined image is then output to a desired device such as a printer by an image output unit (13).

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to quickly and accurately detect disorder or abnormality of a process state which occurs in a plant and to appropriately perform an operation for normalizing disorder or abnormality of the process without depending on experience or skill of an operator. A control system of the plant is divided into groups having relation, such as, the plant, processes, or steps, and a monitor picture is created for each of them. When an alarm is raised, the alarm is displayed on a picture associated with the alarm. A guidance picture for supporting how to deal with the alarm is provided.

Abstract: An image processing method and image processing apparatus in which the densities around the object pixel are integrated and re-allocated. Level division means divides an original image belonging to a scanning window into specific division levels or divides re-allocated image data and inputted image data into specific division levels. Means for calculation of allocation values by levels finds the sum of re-allocation values by division levels and adds a multi-leveling error in case of specific levels. Furthermore, the means finds an allocation number and residual by dividing the sum thus obtained by the maximum value within the division level. Means for re-allocation by levels allocates, by division levels, the maximum values and residuals within the respective division levels in the allocation number according to the rank order obtained by ranking means and stores the data in storage means for re-allocation by levels.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a user even at a place away from a racecourse with computer graphic horses having existing past data therein, and also with real time data, and thereby a hitting ratio of simulated finishing orders of racing horses is drastically improved. The racing horses to start a horse race are expressed by means of computer graphics, the existing past data associated with the racing horses is retrieved into the computer graphic horses, and a virtual horse race is started on a display screen, so that a finishing order of the horse race can be predicted according to an action and a result of the virtual horse race.

Abstract: Each copy elements of data being an object to be monitored such as printing data or reading data including at least one kind of copy elements is monitored according to at least one kind of copy inhibition information stored in inhibition information storage means and capable of being updated. By the monitoring, when one of the copy elements is judged to agree with the kind of coy inhibition information, input or output of the data being monitored is inhibited. Secrecy management information is given to the copy inhibition information, and a secrecy management level of a user is assigned to each user. In such a way, when the secrecy management level is higher than that of secrecy management information, the inhibition of the input or output is canceled. An ID for tracing a device which has copied a printed matter is given to the copied printed matter so as to prevent unauthorized copies form diffusing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of selectively producing adamantanes in a production apparatus made of an inexpensive material, not having any negative influence on the natural environment. The method for producing adamantanes includes isomerizing a tricyclic saturated hydrocarbon having at least 10 carbon atoms in the presence of a metal-carrying solid acid catalyst, wherein water and/or alcohol is made to coexist along with the catalyst during the isomerization.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of selectively producing adamantanes in a production apparatus made of an inexpensive material, not having any negative influence on the natural environment. The method for producing adamantanes includes isomerizing a tricyclic saturated hydrocarbon having at least 10 carbon atoms in the presence of a metal-carrying solid acid catalyst, wherein an unsaturated bond-having compound is made to coexist along with the catalyst during the isomerization.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for removing block distortion comprises an area specifying unit 103 for specifying a block distortion area to remove the block distortion therefrom in a reconstructed image decoded from a compressed data, and a block distortion area noise removing unit 104 for removing the noise from the block distortion area.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide solder bumps sufficiently satisfying the expected functions and having a small diameter which conventional methods cannot attain, a semiconductor device on which these bumps are mounted, and a bump transferring sheet. The present invention provides a method for forming the bumps, which includes forming a solder alloy material layer and flux material layer one by one on an intermediate metallic layer formed on an external electrode pad in a semiconductor device, and then fusing these layers, wherein each of the solder alloy material layer and flux material layer is formed by a liquid spraying method (e.g., ink jetting method).

Abstract: A series-regulator type of power supply circuit is provided. In the circuit, the emitter and collector of a transistor are connected to power input/output terminals. A control circuit controls a base current of the transistor based on the output voltage detected at the power output terminal and a given target voltage. A resistor circuit connects the base and the collector of the transistor. A bypass circuit connects the emitter and the base of the transistor and passes a bypass current. The accepting circuit connected to the power output terminal accepts (absorbs) current from an output current. An amount of the acceptance current is equal to or larger than an amount of the bypass current and a product of the bypass current and a resistance value of the resistance circuit is equal to or more than a difference between a voltage at the power input terminal and the target voltage.

Abstract: A image processing apparatus that adjusts an input color image in natural color and performs the color adjustment at high speed according to the desires of the operator and within an arbitrary adjustment range, and comprises: a chromaticity value curve selection unit that sets a target chromaticity value surface inside a three-dimensional space expressed by one lightness value and two chromaticity values, and selects a target chromaticity value curve on the surface; a target chromaticity value display unit that displays the curve; a target chromaticity value generation unit that uses the curve to find target chromaticity values according to the input lightness value of an input color image signal; a color adjustment coefficient generation unit that generates a color adjustment coefficient from the target chromaticity value; and a color adjustment unit that uses the coefficient to bring the input chromaticity values close to the target chromaticity values.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for performing filter processing on a decoded image that is obtained by decoding compressed data obtained by coding a multi-valued image by the block of M×N pixels so as to eliminate noises and generating a reconstructed image, the image processing apparatus comprising: a differential value calculation unit operable to calculate a differential value between a pixel value of a current pixel and each one of pixel values of peripheral pixels in a filter processing area that is predetermined for each pixel that forms the decoded image, a distribution coefficient calculation unit operable to calculate distribution coefficients as to the pixel values of the pixels, a filter coefficient calculation unit operable to calculate the filter coefficients as to the peripheral pixels based on the differential values calculated by the differential value calculation unit and the distribution coefficients calculated by the distribution coefficient calculation unit, a filter processing unit o

Abstract: An image processing method for sporting events including golf and ski jump, in which an event parameter or variable or the athlete is to reach a predetermined position, wherein electronically processed marker images including lines, drawings, symbols, and colors are overlaid on the original image at a point close to said predetermined position or at multiple points, each distant from said position. This allows TV viewers to see, for example in a golf match, how far the ball is driven and how close the ball is to the cup on the green, as well as the flight of the ball.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to quickly and accurately detect disorder or abnormality of a process state which occurs in a plant and to appropriately perform an operation for normalizing disorder or abnormality of the process without depending on experience or skill of an operator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of selectively producing adamantanes in a production apparatus made of an inexpensive material, not having any negative influence on the natural environment. The method for producing adamantanes includes isomerizing a tricyclic saturated hydrocarbon having at least 10 carbon atoms in the presence of a metal-carrying solid acid catalyst, wherein an unsaturated bond-having compound is made to coexist along with the catalyst during the isomerization.