Abstract: An acoustic-propagation-time measuring apparatus includes an acoustic transmitting and receiving section having an acoustic element capable of transmitting and receiving acoustic waves, an A/D converter which converts an echo signal reflected from a target object to be measured into a digital signal, an inverse-analysis section that converts the digital echo signal into an impulse signal through inverse analysis where the digital echo signal is multiplied by an inverse matrix, a calculating section that measures an acoustic propagation time and a time difference based on the digital echo signal converted to the impulse signal, and a display section which displays the acoustic propagation time and time difference calculated by the calculating section.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus having a plural-color image print mode for successively forming images of plural colors, and a single-color image print mode for forming an image of a single color, is capable of forming, in the plural-color image print mode, a frame of single-color image, and thereafter superimposing and forming an image of the next color on the single-color image. The apparatus includes a fixing apparatus for fixing an image on a recording medium on which an image of plural colors or a single color has been formed, and a temperature controlling portion for controlling the temperature of the fixing apparatus so as to become a target temperature. The fixing apparatus has a heating member and a pressure member and transports the recording medium to a nip part constituted by the heating member and the pressure member.

Abstract: A method of detecting relative position of a reflecting-type reticle and a substrate with the reticle having an alignment mark thereon. The method includes a holding step of holding the reticle on a reticle stage which has a reference mark, and a detection step of detecting position of the alignment mark on the reticle based on alignment light reflected from the alignment mark and detecting relative position between the reference mark on the reticle stage and the alignment mark.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus performs AGA measurement by using a predetermined sample shot group formed on a wafer, and decides an alignment parameter. The exposure apparatus executes wafer alignment processing and exposure processing by using the alignment parameter. The exposure apparatus notifies a central processing unit (4) of AGA measurement results and the alignment parameter. An overlay inspection apparatus measures an actual exposure position on the exposed wafer, and notifies the central processing unit of the measurement result. The central processing unit (4) optimizes alignment processing on the basis of the AGA measurement results, alignment parameter, and actually measured exposure position.

Abstract: An exposure method for projecting a pattern formed on a reflection plate onto a substrate, via a projection optical system, using extreme ultraviolet light. The method includes a detection step of detecting a relative position between a second mark formed on a plate holding unit for holding the reflection plate and a third mark formed on the reflection plate. The detection step includes sub-steps of (i) detecting light reflected from the second mark with a detector, (ii) detecting light reflected from the third mark with the detector, and (iii) changing a relative position between the plate holding unit and the detector between sub-steps (i) and (ii).

Abstract: A method of determining relative position between a reflective reticle and a substrate includes a detection step of detecting relative position between a transmissive reference mark on a reticle stage and a substrate alignment mark on a substrate stage through a reflective optical system which projects a pattern of the reflective reticle onto the substrate with extreme ultraviolet light, and a determination step of determining relative position between the reflective reticle and the substrate based on the detection result in the detection step.

Abstract: An alignment apparatus for aligning a reflective reticle includes a light source for emitting alignment light, an optical alignment mark provided on the reticle, and a reference mark provided on a reticle stage that holds the reticle. A detecting unit detects the alignment light reflected from the alignment mark and the reference mark, and the reticle is aligned on the basis of the result of detection by the detection unit.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus in which at least one temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of a fixing film and at least one temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of a heat generating element are included, and which controls the heat generating element on the basis of the temperature of the fixing film detected by the temperature detecting element and thus achieves temperature controlling of the fixing film, and an image forming apparatus to which the fixing apparatus is applied are disclosed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image heating apparatus having a flexible sleeve of an excellent durability. To this end, an image heating apparatus according to the present invention includes: a flexible sleeve; a driving roller contacting an external periphery surface of the sleeve and serving to rotate the sleeve; a sliding member contacting an internal periphery surface of the sleeve to form a nip portion in cooperation with the driving roller; and a restricting member for restricting a movement of the sleeve in a generatrix direction of the sleeve, wherein, within an edge face of the sleeve in a mounted state on the apparatus, equally bisected by an imaginary plane substantially parallel to a nip plane of the nip portion into a first area closer to the nip portion and a second area farther from the nip portion, the restricting member executes a restricting action only on the second area.

Abstract: A color printer has multiple developing-agent-containing cartridges each having storage units, and a cartridge holding unit for rotatably holding the developing-agent-containing cartridges. With one of the multiple developing-agent-containing cartridges positioned at an image formation position, a latent image on an image carrying member is developed by the developing agent contained in the developing-agent-containing cartridge. An access position where the storage units of the developing-agent-containing cartridges are accessed is a position other than the image formation position. This provides an image formation device and a control method thereof whereby storage units provided to developing-agent-containing cartridges can be accessed in a precise manner.

Abstract: A color printer has multiple developing-agent-containing cartridges each having storage units, and a cartridge holding unit for rotatably holding the developing-agent-containing cartridges. With one of the multiple developing-agent-containing cartridges positioned at an image formation position, a latent image on an image carrying member is developed by the developing agent contained in the developing-agent-containing cartridge. An access position where the storage units of the developing-agent-containing cartridges are accessed is a position other than the image formation position. This provides an image formation device and a control method thereof whereby storage units provided to developing-agent-containing cartridges can be accessed in a precise manner.

Abstract: A management apparatus which manages a parameter for an industrial device acquires AGA measurement results obtained by operating the industrial device with an operation job parameter value and non-operation job parameter value. An inspection apparatus acquires an “inspection result” obtained by inspecting the result of operating the industrial device in the operation job. A change in inspection result upon a change in parameter value is estimated on the basis of the AGA measurement result and inspection result. A variable which minimizes (extreme) both or at least one of the sensitivity (slope) of the inspection result upon a change in parameter value and variations (3?) in inspection result between objects to be processed (e.g., wafers) is set as an optimal parameter.

Abstract: A position detecting method for detecting a position of an object to be detected using a signal from an image of an alignment mark which consists of plural mark elements formed on the object, comprising the steps of acquiring first position information indicating a center position approximated from a form of the all signals, acquiring plural second position information indicating a center position in the alignment mark calculated from whole inflection points of the signal, and selecting the second position information as a center position in the alignment mark which is in a predetermined distance based on the first position from the plural second position information.

Abstract: There is provided a position detecting method for detecting a position of an object, on which an alignment mark including plural mark elements is formed. The method includes the steps of obtaining positional information indicative of each position of the plural mark elements, selecting positional information that has predetermined precision among plural pieces of positional information obtained by the obtaining step, and calculating the position of the object using the positional information that has the predetermined precision selected by the selecting step.

Abstract: An acoustic-propagation-time measuring apparatus includes an acoustic transmitting and receiving section having an acoustic element capable of transmitting and receiving acoustic waves, an A/D converter which converts an echo signal reflected from a target object to be measured into a digital signal, an inverse-analysis section that converts the digital echo signal into an impulse signal through inverse analysis where the digital echo signal is multiplied by an inverse matrix, a calculating section that measures an acoustic propagation time and a time difference based on the digital echo signal converted to the impulse signal, and a display section which displays the acoustic propagation time and time difference calculated by the calculating section.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus in which at least one temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of a fixing film and at least one temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of a heat generating element are included, and which controls the heat generating element on the basis of the temperature of the fixing film detected by the temperature detecting element and thus achieves temperature controlling of the fixing film, and an image forming apparatus to which the fixing apparatus is applied are disclosed.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus including an engine, an automatic transmission, a hydraulic servo, a mechanical oil pump, an electric oil pump and a controller that controls driving of the electric oil pump and generates a standby pressure supplied to the hydraulic servo based upon a driving state of the mechanical oil pump, wherein the standby pressure is set less than a line pressure generated based upon driving the mechanical oil pump during idling and equal to or greater than an engagement starting pressure by which the friction engagement element starts transmitting a torque.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus management system includes a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus which operates in accordance with a parameter, an obtaining device for obtaining evaluation values of an operation result of the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus corresponding to a plurality of parameter values of the parameter, a holding device for holding the evaluation values obtained by the obtaining device for each object to be processed by the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus, and an optimization device for analyzing the evaluation values held by the holding device. The optimization device optimizes the parameter on the basis of at least one of a sensitivity representing a change degree of the evaluation values upon the change in the parameter, and a variation amount of the evaluation values for each object to be processed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising image carrying means and an intermediate transfer body in an endless shape movable and receivable of toner images from said image carrying means at first and second transfer positions. The following formula is satisfied where a distance from said first transfer position to said second transfer position along the moving direction of said intermediate transfer body is denoted as Lab, a circumstance of said intermediate transfer in the moving direction is denoted as Lr, and a length of said toner image formed on said intermediate transfer body is denoted as Lm: Lr−Lm>Lab.

Abstract: The clutch oil pressure (PC1) supplied to a hydraulic controller of an automatic transmission is detected. If it is detected that the clutch oil pressure (PC1) is less than or equal to a first threshold value PA when a first oil pump cooperative with a drive power source is to stop, the second oil pump is driven. Therefore, after the oil pressure (for example, PY) remaining from the first oil pump has decreased, the second oil pump is driven, and an oil pressure (PX) needed for the hydraulic control of friction engagement elements is maintained. If it is detected that the clutch oil pressure (PC1) is greater than or equal to a second threshold value (PB) when the first oil pump is to be driven, the second oil pump is stopped. Therefore, the second oil pump is stopped when the oil pressure provided by the first oil pump rises to such a level that the oil pressure (PX) can be secured. Thus, the load on the second oil pump is reduced so as to allow it to be reduced in size.