Abstract: In order to measure a thickness of a surface to be polished of a material to be polished for a short time, two-dimensional images are obtained from a light reflected from the surface to be polished of the material to be polished, a location at which a thickness is to be observed is specified by the obtained two-dimensional images, and thickness measurement is carried out.

Abstract: An apparatus control system controls the operation of an industrial apparatus while the apparatus is operating in order to achieve operating efficiency without stopping the apparatus. The apparatus control system sets parameters for operating the industrial apparatus, inspects the results of operating the apparatus according to the parameters thus set, evaluates the operating results according to a first parameter value and a second parameter value different from the first parameter value, determines new parameter values, revises the first and second parameters to the newly determined values, and continues to operate the industrial apparatuses according to the revised parameter values.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle which executes an automatic stop control of an engine on the basis of a stop condition, and executes a restart control of the engine on the basis of a start condition. The vehicle includes an engagement element which freely interrupts and establishes power transmission between an output of the engine and a drive wheel, a hydraulic servo which freely operates an engagement state of the engagement element and a control unit which executes a feedback control for bringing a hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic servo into a state immediately before the frictional engagement element is engaged, on the basis of the engagement state of the engagement element wherein the control unit starts the feedback control after the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic servo is controlled to a predetermined hydraulic pressure when the restart control of the engine is executed.

Abstract: When a driver depresses an accelerator pedal to request a shift such as a downshift or the like, a maximum shift target changing rate (shift speed) of a CVT having a belt-type continuously variable shift apparatus is set based on the shift inertia of the CVT and the like. An assist torque is set by subtracting the normal torque of an internal combustion engine from a torque needed to achieve the maximum shift target changing rate. The assist torque and the torque outputtable from an electric motor based on the characteristic of the motor are compared. If the assist torque is greater than the motor torque, the target changing rate is restricted by an assist possible rate based on the ratio between the assist torque and the motor torque. The shift of the CVT is controlled by the target changing rate (shift speed).

Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle, by which the starting movement of the vehicle by the motor is like that of the prior art gasoline engine vehicles. The hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine 2 and a motor connected to the engine. The control system comprises: engine torque estimating means MCP for estimating the engine torque mgTorque_eg of the internal combustion engine while being fed with fuel after the fuel feed to the internal combustion engine had been interrupted; and motor driving torque calculating means for calculating motor driving torque mgTorque for driving the motor, on the basis of the estimated engine torque determined by the engine torque estimating means. The motor is driven to follow the estimated engine torque. Even if the hybrid vehicle is started by the motor, therefore, a torque demanded by the driver can be fed to the side of a transmission 5 so that the starting movement can be as if the vehicle were started by the engine 2.

Abstract: A position detector suitable for an exposure apparatus includes a reticle stage on which is provided a reticle-stage reference mark constituted by a substrate that exhibits a transmitting property with respect to alignment light. In alignment measurement, the relative position of the reticle-stage reference mark and a wafer alignment mark is detected. The relative position of a reticle reference mark and reticle alignment mark is measured beforehand using a separate detection mechanism, and the relative position of a reticle and wafer is decided from the relative position of the reticle-stage reference mark and wafer alignment mark.

Abstract: A reticle stage reference mark 3 of material having high reflectivity to alignment illumination light is provided on a reticle 5, and a chuck mark 8 of material having high reflectivity to the alignment illumination light is provided on a wafer chuck 11. A relative position of the reticle stage reference mark 3 to the chuck mark 8 is detected by using a first position detection optical system 1 and a first illumination optical system 2, and relative alignment is performed between the reticle 5 and a wafer 10.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle drive controller, to improve driving comfort during running control, that detects the position of the vehicle and road-condition information, calculates a required deceleration, an optimal speed-change stage, and an adjustable torque. The invention includes, transmission to change the vehicle's speed on the basis of the vehicle position, road-condition information and optimal speed-change stage, and a torque control processor for driving a drive motor that generates the adjustable torque. A regenerative torque is calculated and generated on the basis of the required deceleration and the deceleration corresponding to the optimal speed-change stage.

Abstract: If a torque reduction request is outputted during a speed shift, the amount of motor torque reduction achieved by a motor-generator, of a requested amount of torque reduction, is set to a greatest-possible amount, and the amount of engine torque reduction achieved by an engine is set to a smallest-possible amount. The amount of motor torque reduction is set based on the amount of charges stored (SOC) in a battery device. If SOC≦SOC1, the amount of motor torque reduction is set to a maximum value regardless of the value of SOC. If SOC1<SIC≦SOC2, the amount of motor torque reduction is set in accordance with SOC. If SOC2<SOC, the amount of motor torque reduction is set to zero. Thus, the amount of motor torque reduction is set to a greatest-possible value in accordance with the amount of charges stored (SOC).

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.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drive control apparatus for driving an electric oil pump by supplying it with a predetermined operating voltage so as to decrease a load on the electric oil pump. The drive control apparatus detects a clutch hydraulic pressure supplied to the hydraulic control apparatus for the automatic transmission and drives the electric oil pump so that a required hydraulic pressure is maintained. In this case, the drive control apparatus detects an oil temperature of the hydraulic control apparatus for the automatic transmission, controls the operating voltage of the electric oil pump based on the oil temperature, and supplies the operating voltage to th electric oil pump. Accordingly, the hydraulic pressure supplied from the electric oil pump maintains the hydraulic pressure required for the hydraulic control of the automatic transmission and prevents supply of a greater hydraulic pressure than is required.

Abstract: An apparatus for exposing a wafer to ultraviolet light with a constant intensity emitted from a super-high pressure mercury lamp along an exposure beam path. A shutter opens and closes the exposure beam path. When the mercury lamp cannot be turned off during non-exposure, the mercury lamp is driven to maintain the intensity of the ultraviolet light constant when the shutter is open, and the mercury lamp is driven to maintain current, voltage or power for driving the mercury lamp constant when the shutter is closed, thereby decreasing deterioration in the mercury lamp.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, image forming device for forming a toner image on the image bearing member, the image forming device including a charging member for electrically charging the image bearing member, an intermediary transfer member, voltage applying device for applying a voltage to send intermediary transfer member to electrically transfer the toner image on the image bearing member formed by the image forming device onto the intermediary transfer member, wherein the toner image on the intermediary transfer member is transferred onto a transfer material, and a controller for controlling the voltage applied to send intermediary transfer member by the voltage applying device in accordance with the voltage applied to the charging member when the voltage applied to the charging member is controlled to change a surface potential of the image bearing member.

Abstract: When a driver depresses an accelerator pedal to request a shift such as a downshift or the like, a maximum shift target changing rate (shift speed) of a CVT having a belt-type continuously variable shift apparatus is set based on the shift inertia of the CVT and the like. An assist torque is set by subtracting the normal torque of an internal combustion engine from a torque needed to achieve the maximum shift target changing rate. The assist torque and the torque outputtable from an electric motor based on the characteristic of the motor are compared. If the assist torque is greater than the motor torque, the target changing rate is restricted by an assist possible rate based on the ratio between the assist torque and the motor torque. The shift of the CVT is controlled by the target changing rate (shift speed).

Abstract: An apparatus for exposing a wafer to ultraviolet light with a constant intensity emitted from a super-high pressure mercury lamp along an exposure beam path. A shutter opens and closes the exposure beam path. When the mercury lamp cannot be turned off during non-exposure, the mercury lamp is driven to maintain the intensity of the ultraviolet light constant when the shutter is open, and the mercury lamp is driven to maintain current, voltage or power for driving the mercury lamp constant when the shutter is closed, thereby decreasing deterioration in the mercury lamp.

Abstract: Disclosed is a position detecting method and position detecting system for measuring a position of a pattern formed on an object to be observed, for use in an exposure apparatus. The method includes providing incoherence-transformed illumination light for illuminating the pattern surface of the object by use of coherent light, and incoherence-transformed reference light, changing the quantity of the reference light in accordance with a reflection factor of the pattern surface, and imaging reflection light from the pattern surface and reference light reflected by a conjugate mirror, together, upon a photoelectric converting element, and measuring the position of the pattern on the basis of an interference image signal obtainable by the imaging.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; image forming means for sequentially forming toner images of different colors on said image bearing member, said image forming means including a charging member for electrically charging said image bearing member to a polarity which is the same as a polarity of regular toner; an intermediary transfer member having a volume resistivity of 1010-1016 &OHgr;cm; image transferring means for applying a voltage to said intermediary transfer member to transfer electrostatically, sequentially and superimposedly the toner images of the different colors formed on said image bearing member by said image forming means onto said intermediary transfer member at a first transfer position, wherein toner images on said intermediary transfer member are transferred onto a transfer material at a second transfer position; and control means for controlling a voltage applied to said charging member, said control means controlling the voltage applied to said intermediary tr

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an image forming device for sequentially forming toner images of different colors on the image bearing member, the image forming device including a charging member for electrically charging the image bearing member to a polarity which is the same as a regular charging polarity of the toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member, an intermediary member and a voltage applicator to electrostatically to transfer the toner image from the image bearing member onto the intermediary transfer member and then transfer the image onto a transfer material. The apparatus is operable selectively in a first mode in which toner images of different colors are sequentially and superposedly transferred from the image bearing member onto the intermediary transfer member by the voltage application, and in a second mode in which only a toner image of a first color of the different colors is transferred onto the intermediary transfer member from the image bearing member. An absolute value of the voltage applied to the intermediary transfer member by the voltage applicator is larger when the second mode is selected than when the first mode is selected, when the toner image of the first color is transferred from the image bearing member onto the intermediary transfer member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image bearing member for bearing an image, and a movable member which is abutted against the image bearing member and onto which the image on the image bearing member is transferred. The movable member includes a substrate, a sheet-like member, and an elastic layer disposed between the substrate and the sheet-like member and compressed to a predetermined thickness before the movable member is abutted against the image bearing member.