Abstract: According to an embodiment, a degradation estimation method includes detecting a stop interval of a battery control apparatus having a function to calculate a state of charge of a battery, acquiring degradation information corresponding to a calculated state of charge calculated from the battery and a detection temperature detected from the battery or degradation information corresponding to the calculated state of charge and an ambient temperature based on a first degradation information database showing degradation of the battery in accordance with a set state of charge and a set temperature, and estimating the degradation of the battery in the stop interval based on the degradation information acquired.

Abstract: A first execution program for outputting coverage data during execution is output by compiling a first source code. Coverage data is output by executing the output first execution program. A code block not executed at all included in the first source code is commented out or deleted according to the output coverage data to generate a second source code. A second execution program is output by compiling the generated second source code.

Abstract: A candidate pixel generating unit searches a path-undetermined adjacent pixel j which is adjacent around a parent pixel i, and, with respect to the searched adjacent pixel j, generates a candidate pixel having data {j(i,|Wij|)} in which the parent pixel i and magnitude |Wij| of a phase difference Wij in which phase skip between the pixels is corrected are combined. The registration control unit registers the pixel to a heap having a function of ordering the registration order, and order the pixel, if the weight |Wij| is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value TH; and registers the pixel to a queue not having the function of ordering the registration order if it is less than the threshold value TH. A path determination unit prioritizes the queue to retrieve and eliminate one candidate pixel, and determines a path between the eliminated candidate pixel and the parent pixel.

Abstract: A reference-height calculating unit calculates an original height of a distortion detecting mirror when a distortion detecting mirror and a reference mirror are set in parallel to each other. A height measuring unit measures mirror heights when the distortion detecting mirror is tilted in directions of an X axis and a Y axis. A contour-line calculating unit calculates a pair of contour lines based on the mirror heights. An intersection calculating unit calculates an intersection of the contour lines. A storing unit stores coordinates to which height of predetermined coordinates are moved by distortion in a correction table. A distortion correcting unit corrects the distortion based on the correction table.

Abstract: A candidate pixel generating unit searches a path-undetermined adjacent pixel j which is adjacent around a parent pixel i, and, with respect to the searched adjacent pixel j, generates a candidate pixel having data {j(i,|Wij|)} in which the parent pixel i and magnitude |Wij| of a phase difference Wij in which phase skip between the pixels is corrected are combined. The registration control unit registers the pixel to a heap having a function of ordering the registration order, and order the pixel, if the weight |Wij| is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value TH; and registers the pixel to a queue not having the function of ordering the registration order if it is less than the threshold value TH. A path determination unit prioritizes the queue to retrieve and eliminate one candidate pixel, and determines a path between the eliminated candidate pixel and the parent pixel.

Abstract: A reference-height calculating unit calculates an original height of a distortion detecting mirror when a distortion detecting mirror and a reference mirror are set in parallel to each other. A height measuring unit measures mirror heights when the distortion detecting mirror is tilted in directions of an X axis and a Y axis. A contour-line calculating unit calculates a pair of contour lines based on the mirror heights. An intersection calculating unit calculates an intersection of the contour lines. A storing unit stores coordinates to which height of predetermined coordinates are moved by distortion in a correction table. A distortion correcting unit corrects the distortion based on the correction table.

Abstract: A method of inspecting bumps provided on a surface of an object to be inspected includes the steps of: (a) irradiating a first irradiation beam on said object in an oblique direction and (b) imaging a first reflected beam from said object so as to obtain a first reflection image including a first reflection region and a height data of said bump corresponding to said first regular reflection region produced by a part of the first reflected beam reflected near an apex of the bump. The method further includes the steps of (c) shifting a position of said first regular reflection region in said first reflection image in accordance with a value derived from said height data and said predetermined angle, (d) extracting said first regular reflection region within a predetermined region from said first reflection image after said step c), and (e) detecting a height of said bump based on said height data corresponding to the extracted first regular reflection region.

Abstract: The bump height is measure din a sample area on a wafer, the bump height distribution on the wafer is estimated on the bases of the measured value, the portion where the estimated height distribution is out of a predetermined range is determined as an inspection area, and the bump height is measured in the inspection area, and a chip area having a bump height out of a predetermined range is judged to be defective. Data of the inspection areas and inspection results are accumulated, and the inspection density is renewed on the basis of the accumulated data. In another method, the inspection area is divided into rectangular blocks so that each block has a width of approximately equal to a light beam scanning length and a distance between any adjacent bumps in the feeding direction is less than a predetermined value, feeding path being perpendicular to the scanning direction.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a height measurement device that can accurately measure the height of an object to be measured, and that can easily and precisely adjust the focal point of an optical system.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for inspecting height, scanning the surface of a subject item having zones of different reflectance with incident light of a prescribed intensity, causing the reflected light from the surface to be imaged with means for detecting light spot positions, and detecting the height of said surface from the light spot position which was imaged, said method comprising: a step of scanning, in a second zone with low reflectance surrounding a first zone with high reflectance with a first intensity of incident light, which is low to the degree that said means for detecting light spot positions is not saturated even with said high reflectance; and a step of scanning, if it is detected that the quantity of light of the imaged light of said reflected light exceeds a prescribed threshold value, with an appropriate second intensity of incident light found from said intensity of incident light and said detected quantity of light at the time of the preceding scan.

Abstract: An optical system of inspecting bonding wires on a semiconductor by using a camera, focal length and depth adjusting unit, and an illumination device for irradiating brilliantly a desired portion of an inspection object with an illumination light. The focal length and depth adjusting means comprises a plurality of glass plates each having a different focal length and depth, and each bonding wire is inspected at a plurality of levels at a height position of the wire and at a plurality of portions thereof in its longitudinal direction to make a comparison between focal point evaluation quantities or feature quantities at each detected position so that wiring defects can be detected.

Abstract: A method of measuring a wire-shaped object comprises a scanning step of scanning a light beam on the surface of the wire-shaped object, a detection step of detecting a reflected light reflected from the surface of the wire-shaped object by a plurality of optical sensor cells, the optical sensor cells being mounted on an inner wall of a reflected light detection unit located over the wire-shaped object; and a measurement step of measuring a three-dimensional configuration of the wire-shaped object in accordance with output signals from the plurality of optical sensor cells, whereby, the three-dimensional configuration of the wire-shaped object is automatically measured in a short time.

Abstract: An optical system for detecting the shape of a three-dimensional object comprising a collimating lens for converting a laser beam to a parallel beam of light, a scanning optical system which moves the parallel beam incident on the object in a direction normal to the object thereby to scan the object with a scanning beam, a mirror which is located in the vicinity of the scanning beam at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the object, to reflect the beam reflected by the object in a predetermined direction as a reflection beam, an image forming lens which converges the reflection beam to a point and thereby producing an image of the object, and a first optical detector located at the point at which the reflection beam is converged to detect the converged beam spot.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pattern matching method and apparatus, in which an object pattern is collated with a master pattern using pattern matching. As a first step, an area corresponding to a master pattern size is sequentially extracted from a master sample image for forming the master pattern, each extracted pattern is collated and the other patterns in the master sample image. An extracted pattern which has a minimum similarity to all the other patterns, and, as a result, shows the most distinctive pattern, is used for the master pattern. Using the present method and apparatus, pattern matching having a higher recognition rate can be performed. Further, using the present pattern matching method, an apparatus can be obtained for positioning the object to be recognized with a highest positioning accuracy.

Abstract: A pattern recognition apparatus includes an image input device for inputting an object pattern, an analog-digital converter for converting an analog image signal from the image input device to a binary signal, a frame memory for storing the binary signal, a pattern matching circuit which compares the signal stored in the frame memory with a template memory, a template matching circuit which compares character and image patterns in the template memory, and a featured template forming circuit which automatically forms mismatched portions of the character and image patterns as a featured template and registers the same therein.

Abstract: A pattern recognition apparatus and method, the apparatus comprising a correlation calculating circuit for calculating first correlations between each part of a image pattern data and a reference pattern data, the first correlation being expressed as R(X), where X is a variable factor representing a region storing the part of the image pattern data, and also comprising a second correlation calculating circuit for recognizing the position of a pattern most identical to the reference pattern by emphasizing the maximum value of the first correlations by converting each of the first correlations R(X) into a second correlation expressed as [R(X)-R(X-.alpha.)]-[R(X+.alpha.)-R(X)], where .alpha. is a predetermined value determined in accordance with the size of the reference pattern data.