Abstract: An image position measuring apparatus is provided with a photographing unit including an image pickup device and/or a lens to measure a position of a reference mark formed on a work and a correcting unit for correcting distortion(s) of the image pickup device and/or the lens. An exposure apparatus is provided with an image position measuring apparatus and an exposure unit for exposing the work based on image data corrected based on positional information of the reference mark photographed by the image position measuring apparatus. Influences of the distortions of the image pickup device and the lens can be eliminated and accuracy of measurement of the position of the reference mark provided to the work can be improved.

Abstract: A liquid application apparatus applies application liquid onto a band-shaped base material that is conveyed continuously.

Abstract: The intermittent application method of intermittently applying an application liquid to a continuously conveyed band-shaped or cut-sheet-shaped supporting body, includes the step of causing a lower surface of the supporting body, and a circumferential surface of an application cylinder which takes up the application liquid from an application liquid reservoir by rotation, to make contact with each other and separate from each other in a relative manner by means of a cam mechanism in such a manner that an application section where the application liquid is applied, and a non-application section where the application liquid is not applied, are formed on the lower surface of the supporting body.

Abstract: A printing apparatus prints by scanning a print head having the first nozzle array of a plurality of nozzles corresponding to the first dot size and the second nozzle array of a plurality of nozzles corresponding to the second dot size different from the first dot size. Each nozzle array has a plurality of groups each formed from a plurality of nozzles. The printing apparatus includes a print buffer for holding multi-valued data. A predetermined number of multi-valued data in the scanning direction of the print head are read out for each group from the print buffer. Dot data corresponding to a nozzle included in each nozzle array is generated from readout multi-valued data. The generated dot data is transferred to the print head.

Abstract: A calibration method for an image rendering device is provided which calibrates offset in the direction around an optical axis of an alignment camera and enables improvement of the accuracy of correction of image rendering offset relative to an image rendering medium. A calibration reference mark is photographed by an alignment camera and the amount of rotation of the alignment camera around its optical axis is calculated using coordinate data for the calibration reference mark in the camera field of view. Based on the calculated data, the readings taken by the alignment camera during alignment are corrected.

Abstract: A liquid application apparatus includes: a roller member which is driven so as to rotate in a rotational direction; an application liquid supply device which supplies an application liquid onto a portion of the roller member while the roller member is rotating; a blade member which is arranged so as to abut against a circumferential surface of the roller member at an abutment position that is on a downstream side of the application liquid supply device in terms of the rotational direction of the roller member, the blade member wiping away an excess of the supplied application liquid on the roller member; a substitute fluid spray device which is arranged on a downstream side of the abutment position of the blade member in terms of the rotational direction of the roller member, the substitute fluid spray device spraying a substitute fluid onto a region of the circumferential surface of the roller member so as to remove the application liquid on the region of the circumferential surface of the roller member afte

Abstract: A work position information obtaining apparatus capable of obtaining a position of a work with respect to a table with high accuracy. Moving a table with a work placed thereon relative to an imaging section. Obtaining work position information representing a position of the work with respect to the table based on imaged information obtained by imaging table and work reference marks by the imaging section and moving direction positions of the table at the time of imaging the table and work reference marks. Obtaining the positional deviations of the table at the time of imaging the table and work reference marks, with reference to a positional deviation of the table obtained in advance in association with each of the moving direction positions of the table. Then, eliminating an error included in the work position information arising from the difference between each imaged positional deviation.

Abstract: An image plotting apparatus capable of minimizing displacement between each partial image plotted sequentially. While a table (14) with a work (12) placed thereon is moved relative to an image plotting means (30) such that an image plotting error arising from displacement of the table (14) when an image pattern is plotted by the image plotting means (30) on the work (12) placed on the table (14) is eliminated using image plotting position deviation information, obtained in advance, representing an image plotting position deviation, which indicates displacement of the table (14) with respect to the image plotting means (30) that occurs in the movement of the table (14), in association with each of the moving direction positions of the table (14), partial images, each corresponding to each moving direction position of the table (14) with respect to the image plotting means (30), are plotted on the work (12) placed on the table (14), thereby a predetermined image pattern is plotted on the work (12).

Abstract: A digital exposure apparatus for forming a pattern on a topside surface of a substrate has an alignment unit, which detects a position of the substrate from image data obtained through a camera from a reference mark provided on the topside surface of the substrate. The alignment unit further has a Z-direction sensor to measure a fluctuation amount ? of the topside surface of the substrate from a predetermined focal plane of the camera. Depending upon the measured amount ?, a set of distortion correction data is selected from or calculated on the basis of previously stored distortion correction data. The image data of the reference mark is corrected with the selected or calculated distortion correction data, so that errors induced by the fluctuation from the focal plane are corrected without adjusting the position of the substrate in the direction of an optical axis of the camera of the alignment unit.

Abstract: The amusing game system makes the best use of the characteristics of the game cards. Base character data are read out to generate a base character image; when a first code is read out, a first part data corresponding to the first code is read from a data memory means, and a part of the base character data is changed by the first part data read out; when a second code is read in, one of a plurality of second base data, corresponding to the second code, and another part of the base character image is changed by the selected second part data; when a second code is read in again, one of a plurality of second part data other than the second part data selected by the second part changing means is selected and read out, and another part of the base character image is changed by the second part data. Based on thus changed character data, a character image is generated.

Abstract: A pattern forming apparatus as exposure apparatus includes first and second movable stages for respectively supporting first and second boards placed thereon, and for transporting each board back and forth on a transport path. A pattern forming unit with DMD and laser forms a pattern on the board according to pattern data while the board moves into and out of a pattern forming region. A controller controls the pattern forming unit, and in a first period, moves a first board in a first direction on the transport path among plural boards, to form the pattern, and in a second period, moves a second board in the first direction on the transport path among the plural boards, to form the pattern. The pattern forming unit is disposed in a middle of the transport path, and is passed by the movable stages, for pattern forming selectively on the first and second boards.

Abstract: A light source unit (100A) for alignment is provided with a camera (30), a lighting apparatus (102), and furthermore, a changing section (110), an image processing section (112), an extracting section (114) and a setting section (116). The changing section (110) controls drive of a shifting mechanism (118) based on information from the setting section (116), and the lighting apparatus (102) is shifted to a desired position. The image processing section (112) acquires a quantitative data relating to an alignment mark (50) and contrast of its peripheral part (104), based on image pickup information from the camera (30). The extracting section (114) extracts an interval wherein the contrast is optimized as an optimum interval, based on the quantitative data. The setting section (116) gives information to the changing section (110) so that the interval between the lighting apparatus (102) and the alignment mark (50) is the optimum interval.

Abstract: When transfer of a data frame from a host computer delays during image printing using data transferred from the host computer, a sequence controller (203) determines that generation of print data does not catch up with image printing and a time delay is generated in image printing. A data processor (201) divides a data frame (DF) transmitted immediately before generation of the time delay into overlapping data c and the remaining data a. The data processor further divides the overlapping data c into two overlapping data c1 and c2. The data c2 is extracted from the data frame (DF), held by an overlapping data holding unit (205), and added to the start of the first data frame (DI) transmitted after generation of the time delay. In this manner, when data transfer is left undone during image printing and a printing time difference is generated in image printing, part (c2) of image printing before generation of the time delay is performed after the time delay, suppressing image degradation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for efficiently manufacturing a titanium oxide-containing slag from a material including titanium oxide and iron oxide, wherein a reduction of titanium dioxide is suppressed and the electric power consumption is minimized. The method includes the steps of: heating a raw material mixture including titanium oxide, iron oxide, and a carbonaceous reductant, or the raw material mixture further including a calcium oxide source, in a reducing furnace; reducing the iron oxide in the mixture to form reduced iron; feeding the resultant mixture to a heating melting furnace; heating the resultant mixture in the heating melting furnace to melt the reduced iron and separate the reduced iron from a titanium oxide-containing slag; and discharging and recovering the titanium oxide-containing slag out of the furnace.

Abstract: A recording apparatus performs recording with a recording head having a number of recording elements divided into blocks. The recording apparatus includes a signal generation unit to generate first enabling signals based on inclination information associated with each of the blocks of the recording elements. The first enabling signals are used to enable a data generating unit to generate recording data on a block-by-block basis. The signal generation unit further generates second enabling signals that correspond to the respective first enabling signals delayed by a time interval and enable the recording elements to be driven on a block-by-block basis.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image recording apparatus configured with: a first camera, mounted via a movement adjusting mechanism on one face side portion of a base member of an alignment unit for capturing a first mark provided on a recording medium; and a second camera, mounted via a movement adjusting mechanism on the other face side portion of the base member of the alignment unit for capturing the position of a second mark for positioning that, relative to the direction along the conveying direction, has been shifted by a predetermined small distance in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction relative to the first mark provided on the recording medium. Further, an alignment unit that may be used in the apparatus is disclosed.

Abstract: A method and device for forming external electrodes on opposing surfaces of an electronic chip. A plurality of chips are arrayed on a plate and held at a first end faces by a silicon rubber provided on the plate. The plate is brought close to a coating bed so that second end faces of the chips are immersed in an electrically conductive paste formed on the coating bed. The second end faces of the chips are coated with the conductive paste which forms first electrodes after drying step. Subsequently, the plate is inverted and brought toward a sheet with a foamable and releasable adhesive layer for allowing the chips to be pressed against the foamable and releasable adhesive and held thereby. The chips are transferred from the plate to the sheet. Next, second electrodes are formed on the first end faces.

Abstract: A detection signal of sound or vibration detected at an evaluation point is filtered so that an evaluation waveform signal is extracted. Then, a mother wavelet is derived using this. On the other hand, each of detection signals of sound or vibration detected at a plurality of candidate points is filtered so that each candidate waveform signal is extracted. These candidate waveform signals are processed by wavelet transformation using the derived mother wavelet. Then, on the basis of the result, instantaneous correlation is calculated between each candidate waveform signal and the mother wavelet. Then, on the basis of mutual comparison of the calculated instantaneous correlation, a generation source of the sound or vibration that appears at the evaluation point is identified.

Abstract: A noise detection signal detected at an evaluation point is filtered by a low pass filter, so that an evaluation waveform signal is extracted. A real signal mother wavelet of complex type is derived from the extracted evaluation waveform signal. Using this mother wavelet, an abnormal waveform signal stored in advance is processed by wavelet transformation. Then, a correlation value is calculated between the abnormal waveform signal and the mother wavelet. The correlation value is compared with a predetermined criterion, so that the presence or absence of abnormality in a sound source or vibration source corresponding to each abnormal waveform signal is determined.

Abstract: In a connection form of PC-printer-digital camera, for example, to enable a printing function from a PC to a printer, a direct printing function from a digital camera to a printer, and a function of directly transferring image data on a memory card of the digital camera to storage means on the PC, without changing the connection of each device, a printer comprises a virtual USB function which receives data from a PC directly connected via a communication line, a USB host which requests a digital camera also directly connected via the communication line for a data transfer and obtains data, a USB function capable of inputting and outputting the data received by the virtual USB function and the data obtained by the USB host, respectively, and a virtual USB function which transfers the data obtained from the digital camera to the PC.