Abstract: When a conventional semiconductor container opening/closing apparatus opens a lid of a semiconductor container, foreign particles enter into the container from outside through a gap between the container and a wall surface of the container opening/closing apparatus and adhere to a wafer in the container. A method is provided to reduce the number of foreign particles adhering to the wafer by preventing foreign particles from entering into the container at the time of opening the container by the opening/closing apparatus. To achieve this, a velocity-differential pressure ratio obtained by dividing the maximum velocity at the time of opening the lid of the container in a vertical direction to an opening of the container, by the differential pressure between the inside pressure and the outside pressure of said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, is set to be 0.06 ((m/s) Pa) or less.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which a latent image corresponding to image information is formed, a developing device for developing the latent image on said image bearing member with a developer including carrier and toner, a supplying device for supplying a developer to the developing device, a detector for detecting information corresponding to the magnetic permeability of the developer, and a selecting device for selecting modes on the basis of the information detected by the detecting device, wherein the selecting device can select a first control mode that controls the amount of the developer which is supplied to the developing device by the supplying device on the basis of the information detected by the detector, and a second control mode that controls the amount of the developer which is supplied to the developing device by the supplying device on the basis of the image information.

Abstract: A switch integrated type housing includes a housing body, a switch button sheet, a conductor and a cover sheet. The housing body is provided with a plurality of concave sections on an outer surface of the housing body. The switch button sheet is provided on the outer surface to cover the plurality of concave sections. The conductor has a dome shape downwardly projecting and is provided in each of the plurality of concave sections to contact the switch button sheet. The cover sheet is provided between the switch button sheet and the outer surface of the housing body in a portion of the outer surface of the housing body other than the plurality of concave sections and to cover a lower surface of the conductor in each of the plurality of concave sections.

Abstract: When a conventional semiconductor container opening/closing apparatus opens a lid of a semiconductor container, foreign particles enter into the container from outside through a gap between the container and a wall surface of the container opening/closing apparatus and adhere to a wafer in the container. A method is provided to reduce the number of foreign particles adhering to the wafer by preventing foreign particles from entering into the container at the time of opening the container by the opening/closing apparatus. To achieve this, a velocity-differential pressure ratio obtained by dividing the maximum velocity at the time of opening the lid of the container in a vertical direction to an opening of the container, by the differential pressure between the inside pressure and the outside pressure of said semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, is set to be 0.06 ((m/s) Pa) or less.

Abstract: Decreasing foreign materials adhering to a semiconductor substrate to improve a yield and decreasing handling errors for the semiconductor substrate to improve an operating ratio of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. A sealed type container accommodating a semiconductor substrate is positioned to a load port of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The semiconductor substrate is taken out of the container. An ionizer is used for static-eliminating the semiconductor substrates before and after process treatment in a transport area between the load port and a treatment section. The static-eliminated semiconductor substrate is accommodated in the container positioned to the load port. Thus, it is possible to decrease foreign materials adhering to the semiconductor substrate and errors in handling the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: In a pair of photometric sensors which receive an object light flux through a pair of the light-receiving lenses are formed on a semiconductor chip on which a pair of the sensor arrays are formed. Further, one of a pair of the photometric sensor performs photometry at an upper part of the footage, and the other photometric sensor carries out photometry at a lower part of the footage.

Abstract: To reduce processing time when predetermining a message to be applied to large amounts of process requestors such as several hundred thousand to several million by using an agent corresponding to the message. List information creation means creates list information on applicable process requesters as to an agent start cause event based on process requestor search information. Insertion and reading means selects a plurality of unselected process requestors as the ones to be inserted and read of the process requesters included in the list information, inserts the message into message queues related to the process requesters to be inserted and read and reads agents related to the process requestors to a cache memory, and agent instruction means instructs the agent related to the message queue having the message inserted therein to operate. Repetitive instruction means instructs the insertion and reading means to repeat the process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which a latent image corresponding to image information is formed, a developing device for developing the latent image on said image bearing member with a developer including carrier and toner, a supplying device for supplying a developer to the developing device, a detector for detecting information corresponding to the magnetic permeability of the developer, and a selecting device for selecting modes on the basis of the information detected by the detecting device, wherein the selecting device can select a first control mode that controls the amount of the developer which is supplied to the developing device by the supplying device on the basis of the information detected by the detector, and a second control mode that controls the amount of the developer which is supplied to the developing device by the supplying device on the basis of the image information.

Abstract: A line quality characteristic evaluation system for estimating a line quality characteristic under an interference environment including nonlinear interference for a wireless communication system including at least one interfering wireless line, including a line quality estimating unit estimating the line quality of a wireless communication line under a nonlinear interference wireless line in an area in which wireless communication lines and interfering wireless lines are present together based on nonlinear distortion included by all wireless lines and expressed by an intercept point input level (IIP), a reception equivalent band limitation expressed by attenuation of the intercept point input level (IIP), reception side thermal noise of the wireless communication lines, and leakage power from other interfering wireless lines leaking into the reception equivalent band.

Abstract: An interference measurement and evaluation system for accurately estimating an interference characteristic of a receiving side including nonlinear interference for a wireless communications system, having a transmission signal for wireless communication and an interference signal between a transmitting means and receiving means, provided with a nonlinear interfering means for giving an interference signal having a level unable to be neglected compared with the level of the modulated carrier transmitted from the transmitting means, and provided with an interference characteristic estimating means for estimating an interference characteristic including a nonlinear interference characteristic possessed by a receiving means in accordance with a received signal level and a received level when a nonlinear interference theoretical curve given in relation with the line quality satisfies a predetermined line quality.

Abstract: Shortening TAT for processing express lots without reducing the utilization rate of manufacturing apparatuses for semiconductor device. When the number of vacant ports LPOT of a manufacturing apparatus EQ3 used in a next step is only one at the of time of completing a process for a normal lot LA by a manufacturing apparatus EQ1 and when there is a possibility that processes for an express lot LB performed by a manufacturing apparatus EQ2 will be completed before a remaining processing time period for a lot LC performed by the manufacturing apparatus EQ3 reaches a predetermined set value, the lot LA is transferred to a lot stocker LS for securing a vacant port LPOT and as soon as the processes for the express lot LB performed by the manufacturing apparatus EQ2 are completed, the express lot LB is transferred to the vacant port LPOT in the manufacturing apparatus EQ3.

Abstract: In a pair of photometric sensors which receive an object light flux through a pair of the light-receiving lenses are formed on a semiconductor chip on which a pair of the sensor arrays are formed. Further, one of a pair of the photometric sensor performs photometry at an upper part of the footage, and the other photometric sensor carries out photometry at a lower part of the footage.

Abstract: A rail-guided transfer system, capable of preventing the reduction of the operation rate of manufacturing equipments on a manufacturing line such as a semiconductor manufacturing line etc., is provided. Two RGVs 11A and 11B are arranged in advance on one transfer rail 3 laid between two stockers BS1 and BS2. For example, when maintenance of the manufacturing equipment EQ8 provided between the stockers BS1 and BS2 is done, a transfer region MA1 of the RGV 11A is set from the stocker BS1 to the manufacturing equipment EQ7 and a transfer region MA2 of the RGV 11B is set from the stocker BS2 to the manufacturing equipment EQ9.

Abstract: Shortening TAT for processing express lots without reducing the utilization rate of manufacturing apparatuses for semiconductor device. When the number of vacant ports LPOT of a manufacturing apparatus EQ3 used in a next step is only one at the of time of completing a process for a normal lot LA by a manufacturing apparatus EQ1 and when there is a possibility that processes for an express lot LB performed by a manufacturing apparatus EQ2 will be completed before a remaining processing time period for a lot LC performed by the manufacturing apparatus EQ3 reaches a predetermined set value, the lot LA is transferred to a lot stocker LS for securing a vacant port LPOT and as soon as the processes for the express lot LB performed by the manufacturing apparatus EQ2 are completed, the express lot LB is transferred to the vacant port LPOT in the manufacturing apparatus EQ3.

Abstract: A specification-variable camera comprises a plurality of switches. A specification-change member renders a predetermined combination of the plurality of switches conductive. An operation member is used to select a mode of the camera. A detection switch serves to detect an operation on the operation member. A control means is compatible with a plurality of specifications. The control means sets a mode of the camera in correspondence with conducting states of the switches, when an output is supplied from the detection switch. The specification of the camera is changed by changing the combination of the conducting states of the switches.

Abstract: A camera is provided which enables the selection of a plurality of specifications in a simple structure and by a simple method. A first contact pattern, a second contact pattern, and a third contact pattern are provided at different positions, respectively. The mode of the camera can be optionally selected out of a derivative mode switch having a first mode setting button which enables conduction of the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern, and a derivative mode switch having a first mode setting button which enables conduction of the first contact pattern and the third contact pattern.

Abstract: With a camera, a photographing prohibition state can surely be recognized only by viewing a liquid crystal display. In the camera, an LCD with a variable transmissivity is disposed within a finder. A film is fed by a film feed section. When a film rewinding operation by the film feed section is completed, a CPU instructs an LCD drive section to lower the transmissivity of the LCD.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer container for containing a developer comprising magnetic carrier and non-magnetic toner produced through polymerization method; a developer carrying member, provided in an opening of the developer container, for carrying the developer; detecting means for detecting a toner content in the developer, the detecting means including a coil sensor and detecting the toner content using magnetic permeability of the developer.

Abstract: A camera includes a finder optical system. A transmissivity variable element is arranged in the finder optical system and changes the light transmissivity. A release signal outputting circuit outputs a release signal. A light exposure mechanism effects a light exposure operation in accordance with the release signal from the release signal outputting circuit. A control circuit effects control such that, after the outputting of the release signal but before the start of the light exposure operation by the light exposure mechanism, the transmissivity of the finder optical system is made lower by the transmissivity variable element.

Abstract: A toner image forming method by developing an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor to form a toner image employing a developer comprising toner, transferring the toner image onto an image forming material, and fixing the transferred toner image employing a fixing unit, is disclosed. The fixing unit is comprised of a heating roller and a pressure roller which is brought into contact with said heating roller, the heating roller is constituted of a cylinder having an interior diameter of from 10 to 70 mm and a wall thickness of from 0.1 to 2 mm comprised of a metal or a metal alloy, and a heating member being incorporated in the interior, a surface of the cylinder being covered with a fluorine resin at a thickness of from 10 to 500 &mgr;m, the pressure roller is constituted of a metal cylinder whose surface is covered with an elastic material having an Asker hardness C of less than 80 degrees at a thickness of 0.