Abstract: A two-dimensional focal plane array (FPA) is divided into sub-arrays of rows and columns of pixels, each sub-array being responsive to light energy from a target object which has been separated by a spectral filter or other spectrum dividing element into a predetermined number of spectral bands. There is preferably one sub-array on the FPA for each predetermined spectral band. Each sub-array has its own read out channel to allow parallel and simultaneous readout of all sub-arrays of the array. The scene is scanned onto the array for simultaneous imaging of the terrain in many spectral bands. Time Delay and Integrate (TDI) techniques are used as a clocking mechanism within the sub-arrays to increase the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the detected image. Additionally, the TDI length (i.e., number of rows of integration during the exposure) within each sub-array is adjustable to optimize and normalize the response of the photosensitive substrate to each spectral band.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for expanding the dynamic range of an optical imager, comprising individually controlling the integration time of each pixel of a sensor array, and providing a corresponding scaling factor for the electrical output of each individual pixel during the frame time. The integration time of each pixel is controlled as a function of light intensity received by each individual pixel, by resetting the pixel after a predetermined threshold for the output signal, has been reached.

Abstract: Many electrical sensing devices include an array of transducer elements for converting external stimuli to electrical indications. Novel technologies to realize improvements in low power consumption, low noise, and analog output path which occupies minimal die area while maintaining certain data rates are disclosed. A two stage pipeline architecture of the invention in the analog output path maintains fast pixel rates with minimal ADC (analog digital converter) arrangement. A novel power supply and the use of differential amplifiers in connection with a black signal level as a reference voltage are also described.

Abstract: A solid-state, two-dimensional image sensing device having a matrix of pixels each of which employs a photosensor that generates a photocurrent and a MOS circuit which outputs a signal proportional to the logarithm of the integral over time of the photocurrent. The sensor includes an integration control switching device so that all pixels in the array have equal integration time. The sensor integrates the signal for each pixel for a period of time and stores the integrated signal in a pixel signal storage location. The sensor further accumulates signal in a MOS transistor pn-junction during a time that the integrated pixel signal is being read out so image information can be collected continuously even while the integrated pixel signal for each pixel is being read.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes color separating filters for separating incident light representative of a scene into color components. Photosensitive cells are arranged in rows and columns each for receiving a particular color component and outputting a corresponding signal charge. The photosensitive cells are classified into a first and a second group respectively having first sensitivity and second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity. The photosensitive cells of the first group adjoin the photosensitive cells of the second group with their geometric centers being shifted from those of the photosensitive cells of the second group by one half of a pitch with respect to arrangement in the direction of rows and/or the direction of columns. A first transfer path extends in the direction of columns between each nearby photosensitive cells of the first group adjoining each other in the direction of rows for transferring signal charges output from the photosensitive cells.

Abstract: An image pickup unit for changing an orientation of an image pickup field by constructing a common portion as a unit. The image pickup unit preferably has an image pickup medium, an optical system through which an image of an object is formed, a reflecting member which is disposed at the position nearer the side of the object than that of the optical system, a reflecting member driver for driving the reflecting member, an interface for enabling communication with an apparatus main body which (i) has therein the image pickup unit and (ii) generates a signal to control an operation of the image pickup unit, and a microcomputer which (i) transmits information on the side of the image pickup unit to the apparatus main body and (ii) controls the reflecting member driver on the basis of the signal received from the apparatus main body. Preferably, the reflecting member driver drives the reflecting member, thereby changing the orientation of the image pickup field of the image pickup medium.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and a method are disclosed in which images picked up on a plurality of image pickup planes having different distances to a lens are processed. The apparatus and method include: an acquiring element or step for acquiring a plurality of images of a target object picked up on the plurality of image pickup planes; a first computing element or step for computing weights of the plurality of images acquired by the acquiring element; a second computing element or step for computing averages of the plurality of images acquired by the acquiring element; and an image creating element or step for creating an optimum image of the target object by obtaining a weighted average based on the weights computed by the first computing element and on the averages of the plurality of images computed by the second computing element.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a shutter for intercepting light incident to the image sensor. A controller determines a first exposure value based on the incident light and a second exposure value that effects lower exposure than the first exposure value. The optical image is photoelectrically converted over an exposure time that consists of a first and a second period of time corresponding to the first and second exposure values, respectively. At the end of the exposure time, the shutter intercepts the incident light to thereby end the second period of time following the first period of time. After the image sensor has output the first signal corresponding to signal charges generated by the photosensitive cells during the first period of time, the image sensor outputs a second signal corresponding to signal charges generated by the photosensitive cells during the second period of time. An exposure amount ratio is calculated between the first and second signals.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide an image pickup apparatus capable of suitable appropriate exposure control even when objects having extremely different luminance contrasts exist at the same field angle. The invention provides an image pickup apparatus including an integral circuit and a control circuit. The integral circuit calculates an average value a1 of photometry luminance integral data of all of m×n divided photometry frames, and an average value a2 of photometry luminance integral data of x divided photometry frames sampled in descending order of luminances from the m×n divided photometry frames. When the difference between the average values a1 and a2 exceeds a predetermined threshold value z, the control circuit performs correction of decreasing an appropriate target value of exposure control in accordance with the value of (a2−a1).

Abstract: The present invention provides a surveillance camera with rotary camera lens comprising a body having a pair of opposed and spaced pivot supports with a receiving space formed therebetween, a pivotable lens seat having two ends and a pivot portion at each of these two ends, and a pivot assembly connected between one of the pair of pivot supports of the body and the pivot portion of the pivotable lens seat so that the pivotable lens seat may be pivotably connected to the body within the receiving space and stopped at any desired pivoting position.

Abstract: A card slot door locking mechanism including a pair of doors, each of the pair of doors being rotatable between a closed position and an open position, and being biased to the closed position; a pair of open guide surfaces which are formed on each respective door of the pair of doors so that the pair of doors concurrently rotate to the open position when the pair of open guide surfaces are concurrently pushed by the removable card; and a pair of barrier surfaces which are formed on each respective door of the pair of doors so that at least one of the pair doors is prevented from rotating toward the open position when at least one of the pair of barrier surfaces is pushed by an object other than the removable card without pushing the pair of open guide surfaces concurrently.

Abstract: A deployable monitoring apparatus is provided comprising an ovate housing and a video capturing device operably engaged therewith. The housing has a base and an opposed end disposed along an axis. The housing is further configured to have a center of gravity disposed about the base so as to be self-righting along the axis such that the opposed end extends substantially upwardly from the base. The video capturing device is operably engaged with the housing and is configured to capture video data of a scene external to the housing. In some instances, the video data of the scene may be transmitted by a transceiver module to a station disposed remotely from the scene, wherein the station is configured to process the video data so as to provide a remote visual depiction of the scene. The housing may also include other devices such as, for example, a light source, a motion sensor, an audio sensor, and a chemical sensor functioning independently of or in conjunction with the video capturing device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a video processor which has a simple circuit configuration and can scale up and down image resolution freely. A video signal processor includes a plurality of line memories, each storing one horizontal scanning line of video data series, a controller for controlling writing and reading operations of input video data series in the line memories for every horizontal scanning line, and an arithmetical unit for generating a new horizontal scanning line of video data series based on video data series from two line memories. The controller selects the vertical scaling power of the resolution, and generates a horizontal scanning synchronizing signal having a period depending on the selected scaling power. The arithmetical unit is triggered by the horizontal scanning synchronizing signal and generates a new video data series.

Abstract: A method of optimizing the display of an up-converted interlaced video frame signal from a received progressive video frame signal (11) comprises the steps of receiving a progressive video frame signal, decoding (12) the progressive video frame signal using an interpolation function (18) to provide an interpolated interlaced video signal, deinterlacing (14) the interpolated interlaced video signal, and de-interpolating (16) the deinterlaced interpolated interlaced video signal to provide an optimized progressive video frame signal (17).

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for identifying a signal transmitting source detects a switching of a signal on the reception side thereby to prevent a transmission error from occurring when a signal is switched. The apparatus for identifying a signal transmitting source comprises a transmitting source identifying code extracting circuit for extracting a transmitting source identifying code provided in a SDDI format header of a received signal, a preceding transmitting source identifying code holding circuit for detecting a change of the transmitting source identifying code, and a transmitting source identifying code comparing circuit for detecting a switching of a transmitted signal based on the transmitting source identifying code thus changed, thereby detecting a switching of the transmitting source.

Abstract: A method for storing pages of a teletext service, with at least one page being received by a storage circuit of a television receiver, is provided. The storage circuit includes a data memory for storing the at least one received page. The method includes extracting a reference number from the at least one received page, checking whether the at least one received page is a requested page, and evaluating contents of the data memory to decide whether the at least one received page is to be stored as a function of free space in the data memory and an importance of the at least one received page. The method also includes storing the at least one received page if it is decided that the at least one received page is to be stored.

Abstract: An improved video production architecture adds an additional transition element for controlling external devices in synchronism with a given transition so that the transition is treated like a simple mix or wipe. The additional transition element is a “Trigger” function that has a value indicating when during the given transition the external device is activated. The trigger function, device controlled and trigger value are set up during preconfiguration of an effect in an effects memory. When the effect is recalled, if the Trigger function is activated on a switcher control panel, then the external device is activated at the time during the given transition specified by the trigger value.

Abstract: The television tuner 15a has a reference frequency for each channel number of television radio wave, and can be tuned to a television radio wave of a channel number on the basis of a reference frequency of the channel number, when setting the channel number. The television tuner 15a includes a booster 31 for boosting the television radio wave to be fed to an RF amplifier, inhibiter 29 for inhibiting the operation of the booster 31 by an external operation, and a memory 30 for memorizing an operation state of the inhibiter 29 corresponding to the channel number when setting the tuning frequency as the frequency of the channel number. When the channel number is selected, the inhibiter 29 is placed in the operation state memorized by the memory 30 corresponding to the channel number.

Abstract: When light from a reflection image display element is incident on a polarization split surface at an angle other than 45°, leakage light that decreases the contrast of an image is produced.

Abstract: In an liquid crystal panel, a microlens having first and second lens surfaces is placed corresponding to each pixel aperture. The focal position of the second lens surface substantially coincides with the principal point of the first lens surface, and the focal position of the entire microlens substantially coincides with the pixel aperture. In the liquid crystal panel, when incident light having a divergence angle component with respect to the optical axis emerges from the microlens, the divergence angle component is removed.

Abstract: As a structure capable of housing a recording/reproducing unit within a thin type image display apparatus without damaging the characteristic of the thin-type image display apparatus such as a wall-hung TV when using the unit, there is provided an image display apparatus having a flat display panel and a casing that supports the display panel wherein a recording/reproducing unit that houses a storage medium therein and conducts the writing or reading with respect to the storage medium is supported substantially in parallel with the display panel within the casing. The image display apparatus is capable of changing the arrangement direction of the storage medium, suppressing an interference of the storage medium with a peripheral device at the time of projecting the storage medium, and housing the storage medium so as not to be superimposed on the display panel.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel is arranged such that a reflection member overlaps a light-shielding wiring pattern such that apertures are left unmasked. This prevents light use efficiency from being decreased due to a light-shielding wiring pattern having memory wiring layers. An array substrate includes a transparent electrode which applies a field to a liquid crystal layer, a light-shielding wiring pattern having one or more apertures which allow transmission of light incident on the liquid crystal layer from the reverse side of the array substrate, and a reflection member which reflects incident light applied from a counter substrate side through the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: An image sensor array includes image sensors having photo TFTs to generate photocurrent in response to received images. The photo TFTs each have their respective gate electrodes shorted to source electrodes to increase generated photocurrent. Each photo TFT is coupled to a reference TFT to compensate for dark current in a corresponding photo TFT. Storage capacitors are coupled to each photo TFT and discharged upon generation of a photocurrent. Each storage capacitor is coupled to a readout TFT that passes a current from the storage capacitor to a data line. Data lines indicate location of the received image on the image sensor array.

Abstract: Disclosed is an LCD device for performing bi-directional display. The LCD device includes first and second display units, and a light supplying unit. The first display unit includes an LCD panel and a transflective film that is disposed under the LCD panel and has layers in which first and second layers having different refractivity indexes are alternately stacked. The transflective film partially reflects and transmits light incident onto the film. The light supplying unit is disposed between the first and second display units, and provide the first and second display units with light generated from a lamp by dividing the light, to thereby regulate a contrast ratio of a luminance between the first and second display units. Therefore, the structure of an LCD panel for performing bi-directional image display can be simplified, and the light loss in the transmission mode can be reduced.

Abstract: A display comprising a substrate, transparent first conductors, second conductors, a layer of polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal material disposed between the first and second conductors, and at least one layer of ultraviolet blocking material in a binder disposed to block ultraviolet radiation from striking said polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal material is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method for making such a display.

Abstract: A polarizing plate having excellent moisture durability and a liquid crystal display using the same are disclosed. The polarizing plate is produced by covering all surfaces and sides of a polarizer with low moisture-permeable layers having moisture permeability of 310 g/m2·24 h or less. The rate of change in dimension of the polarizer in the uniaxially stretched direction is ±0.1% or less after left at a temperature of 60° C. and humidity of 95% for 100 hours.

Abstract: Disclosed are a protective diffusion film, which does not scratch a lens film and a liquid crystal display device, does not become a refuse source or the like, and also has a suitable level of concealment effect, a process for producing the same, a surface light source device, and a liquid crystal display device. This protective diffusion film is used in a surface light source device provided with a lens film wherein the protective diffusion film is provided on a light outgoing surface of the lens film, and comprises: a transparent substrate layer; and a protective diffusion layer which is provided on the transparent substrate layer in its surface at least on the lens film side, has fine concaves and convexes on its surface, protects members which come into contact with the protective diffusion film, and is light diffusive.

Abstract: A semi-transmission type liquid crystal display that maximizes the luminance in reflection mode and transmission mode. The liquid crystal display comprises a lower substrate with thin film transistors, an opposite substrate facing the lower substrate, a liquid crystal layer between the lower substrate and the opposite substrate, a reflection electrode formed in a reflection area of the lower substrate, a transparent electrode formed in a transparent area of the lower substrate, a common electrode formed on the opposite substrate, and a drive circuit for applying a voltage between the reflection electrode and the transparent electrode and the common electrode. The potential difference between a drive voltage applied to that surface of the lower substrate which contacts the liquid crystal layer and a drive voltage applied to that surface of the opposite substrate which contacts the liquid crystal layer is lower in the transparent area than in the reflection area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reflective liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal material (30) contained between two parallel substrates (20, 40) provided with aligning means on the electrodes to orient the liquid crystal and enable at least two alternative distinct textures that are stable or metastable in the absence of a field to be obtained, means for applying electrical signals to the liquid crystal to perform switching by enabling anchoring on at least one of the two substrates to be broken, a polarizer (10) associated with the front face of the device and oriented at an angle lying in the range 15° to 75° relative to the director of the liquid crystal on the front face of the device, and a specular or diffusing reflective element (50) placed at the rear face of the liquid crystal.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device has a configuration including substrates 200 and 300 bonded to each other with a sealant 110 and a liquid crystal 160 enclosed in the gap therebetween. Common electrodes 214 are provided on the inner face of the substrate 200, whereas an underlying film 301, a reflective film 302 composed of a silver alloy, a protective film 303 covering the reflective film 302, and segment electrodes 314 are provided on the inner face of the backside substrate 300. Since the protective film 303 suppresses the crystal grain growth of the reflective film 302 at a high-temperature treatment, a decrease in reflectance is avoided. A lead 350 comprises a laminate of a reflective conductive film 352 having a crystal grain size which is larger than that of the reflective film 302 and a transparent conductive film 354 which is formed by patterning the same layer as the segment electrode 314.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) device mainly includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer provided between the inner-surfaces of the first and the second substrates. The first substrate has a plurality of pixel regions arranged in a matrix, wherein each of the pixel regions is provided with a switching element (e.g., TFT), a reflection electrode (as an ambient light reflector) and a transmission electrode (as a backlight transmitter). The second substrate is provided with color filter elements for displaying colors and a common electrode. The LCD according to the present invention is characterized by having an extra color filter layer provided in each of the pixel regions of the first substrate for improving the color saturation in the transmissive mode.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transmissive and reflective type LCD. In the LCD, a second substrate faces a first substrate. A liquid crystal layer is formed between the first substrate and the second substrate. A first polarizing plate is formed on an outer surface of the first substrate. A second polarizing plate is formed on an outer surface of the second substrate. A backlight is arranged for irradiating incident light onto the polarizing plate. A transparent transflective film is arranged between the first polarizing plate and the backlight for partially reflecting and partially transmitting the incident light. The transparent transflective film includes at least a first layer and a second layer, the first and second layers having different refractivity indexes from each other and are alternatively stacked.

Abstract: A color liquid crystal display using reflective color filters using layers of cholesteric liquid crystals is disclosed. The reflective color filters have two different center wavelengths and bandwidths per layer and are stacked in two layers to provide colored light for displays. With various numbers of layers in the stack, different polarization levels are provided. The pixels in the display of the invention are arranged such that multiple adjacent sub-pixels in a layer with the same color makes the color filters easier to manufacture.

Abstract: The invention provides a transflective color liquid crystal display that provides a light transmissive display and reduces power consumption without reducing the brightness of the reflective display. In the liquid crystal display with a liquid crystal layer disposed between a pair of substrates, a reflective display unit and a transmissive display unit are formed in one pixel, and a retardation layer including a polymer liquid crystal and having a retardation of roughly ¼ wavelength is formed in the transmissive display unit.

Abstract: An optical compensation film for liquid crystal displays comprises first and second optically anisotropic layers containing positively birefringent material disposed on a substrate, wherein the optic axis, thickness, and retardation of these layers are within prescribed limitations.

Abstract: A liquid-crystal device is provided which is free from short-circuiting between adjacent electrodes, which presents a high yield in the manufacturing process, and which facilitates the measurement of a wiring gap. The liquid-crystal device includes a plurality of color material layers arranged on a substrate, a light-shielding layer surrounding each of the color material layers, a protective layer covering the color material layers and the light-shielding layer, and a plurality of electrode strips arranged on the protective layer and extending from a formation region of the protective layer to an unformed region of the protective layer. The electrode width of the electrode strip on a step portion of the protective layer is set to be narrower than the electrode width of the electrode strip on the protective layer in an effective region of the liquid-crystal device.

Abstract: An active matrix liquid crystal display device having first and second substrates, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates, plural image signal lines and scan signal lines being formed on the substrate and each pixel region being formed by adjacent image signal lines and adjacent scan signal lines having at least an active device. At least a pixel electrode is connected to the active device and at least a counter electrode in each pixel, and the pixel electrode and the counter electrode are provided on the first substrate. A first alignment film is formed over the pixel electrode and counter electrode on the first substrate at least in a pixel forming region, and a second alignment film is formed on the second substrate at least in the pixel forming region. Rubbing directions of the first and second alignment films are substantially parallel to each other.

Abstract: A display element comprising a pair of substrates; a display layer provided between the substrates for performing a display operation; and a looped seal member provided between the substrates for enclosing the display layer between the substrates; the substrates having different linear expansion coefficients; the looped seal member comprising a plurality of resin layers stacked from an inner side to an outer side, at least one of the resin layers being composed of a thermosetting resin, the rest of the resin layers being composed of a UV curable resin.

Abstract: In a liquid crystal display panel, by adhering the TFT substrate 1 to the color filter (CF) substrate 2 such that the repeating direction of thickness distribution or irregularity distribution of the TFT substrate 1 becomes orthogonal to the repeating direction of thickness distribution or irregularity distribution of the CF substrate 2, a distance between a point at which the thick portion of the TFT substrate 1 overlaps on the thick portion of the CF substrate 2 and a point at which the thin portion of the TFT substrate 1 and the thin portion of the CF substrate 2 are overlapped becomes larger than that in a case where the substrates are adhered each other with the repeating directions thereof being trued up. Therefore, the factor defective of the liquid crystal display panel caused by the overlapping of the thick portions and the overlapping of the thin portions of the substrates, that is, the factor defective of the liquid crystal display panel caused by variation of display, can be reduced.

Abstract: A display device comprises a first plastic substrate, a first adhesion layer formed in a first region of the first plastic substrate, the first region being a region where a pixel region is to be formed thereon, a second adhesion layer formed in a peripheral region outside of the first region of the first plastic substrate, a first thin glass layer formed on the first and second adhesion layers, a plurality of active elements formed on the first thin glass layer in one-to-one relation with a plurality of pixels, a display part formed on the first thin glass layer, the display part corresponding to the pixel region and being driven by the plurality of active elements, and an opposing substrate formed over the display part.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a nonlinear element capable further improving nonlinearity of a nonlinear element, an electrooptic device, and electronic apparatus. In forming an element substrate of a liquid crystal device, an underlying layer is formed on the surface of the element substrate in the underlying layer forming step (a), and then a first metal film having a metal film containing at least Ta is formed in the first metal film forming step (b). Then, in the insulating film forming step (c), the first metal film is annealed under high pressure in an atmosphere containing water vapor to form an insulating film on the first metal film. Then, in the second metal film forming step, a second metal film is formed on the surface of the insulating film to produce a nonlinear element.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a clapper device and method for synchronizing the auditory and visual elements in motion picture film production. The device has a standard clapper, a means of receiving timecode from an audio recorder (by wireless transmission or by cable or by some other means), a visual display for indicating a machine readable code indicating the stage of the filming process, onboard processing and storage, and a data entry means. The timecode information and machine code displayed corresponding to the point of time when the clapper is closed are used to synchronize the auditory and visual elements after digitization of the same.

Abstract: An optical magnification adjustment system being capable of minutely correcting magnification. A first lens 1 of plano-convex is installed on the side of an object surface 5, and a second lens 2 of concave-plano is installed on the side of a formed image surface 7. By controlling the center space d between the first lens and the second lens, the image is enlarged or reduced. The radii of curvature R2 and R3 of the convex surface of the first lens and the concave surface of the second lens are respectively set according to the following equations. R2=(1−n1)/&phgr;2 R3=(n2−1)/&phgr;3 where, &phgr;2 and &phgr;3 represent optical power, and n1 and n2 represent refraction indexes, respectively.

Abstract: A projection optical system, which forms a reduced image of a first surface onto a second surface, has excellent optical performance without substantially being affected by birefringence despite the use of optical material having intrinsic birefringence. This is done by suitably arranging certain crystal axes of radiation transmissive members that make up the projection optical system relative to the optical axis of the projection optical system, and by suitably arranging the certain crystal axes of the radiation transmissive members relative to the crystal axes of other radiation transmissive members in the projection optical system.

Abstract: A printer comprises for forming an image on a surface of a recording medium includes a preprocessing means for preprocessing the surface of the recording media to form an image on the surface of the recording media; post-processing device for post-processing the surface of the recording medium preprocessed by the preprocessing device; a recording medium feed path formed between the preprocessing means and the post-processing means; a first feed device arranged on an upstream side of the recording medium feed path; and a second feed device arranged on a downstream side of the recording medium feed path. The first feed device and the second feed device are made different in driving control from each other. For printing a plurality of recording medium successively, no large-scale arrangements are provided for printing processes to meet a required printing accuracy and to shorten a processing time.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for quantitative hemoglobin determination in undiluted, unhemolyzed whole blood comprising the steps of: providing a disposable, capillary, which has an optical path length of less than 1 mm; filling said cuvette with a sample of unaltered whole blood; performing a first absorption measurement at a wavelength in the range 490-520 nm directly on the sample in the cuvette, and further conducting a second absorption measurement, and processing results of the first and second absorption measurements to determine the concentration of hemoglobin in the sample, wherein the step of processing comprises compensating for scattering in the sample, said compensating being dependent on the result of the second absorption measurement. A system for implementing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detection of a particular material, such as photo-resist material, on a sample surface. A narrow beam of light is projected onto the sample surface and the fluoresced and/or reflected light intensity at a particular wavelength band is measured by a light detector. The light intensity is converted to a numerical value and transmitted electronically to a logic circuit which determines the proper disposition of the sample. The logic circuit controls a sample-handling robotic device which sequentially transfers samples to and from a stage for testing and subsequent disposition. The method is particularly useful for detecting photo-resist material on the surface of a semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: The analytical method having both flow cytometery and cytodiagnosis functions comprises the steps of: preparing a sample containing particulate substances such as cells and viruses; injecting the sample into a plate-like sample container; centrifuging the sample container; and using the sample container in which a distribution of the particulate substances has been formed as a preparation for analysis. The preparation is scanned with a laser beam to obtain analytical data. An analytical device for this method is also provided.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for compensating for static and dynamic inaccuracies in an optical scanner used in a typical surface inspection system, the scanner may have a scanning axis and a cross-scanning axis. A surface of an inspection article is scanned along a scanning axis and a scanning axis signal is output at predetermined distances along this axis. The scanning axis signal may be used to determine a speed of relative movement between the scanner and the inspection article. A jitter signal may be output whenever the scanner deviates from the scanning axis, and this signal may be used to calculate the amount of deviation. Information, such as the speed of relative movement, scan line resolution, and a scanning axis static position error may be used to generate a scan line. A generated scan line may be shifted to compensate for a cross-scanning axis error.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pattern defect inspecting apparatus wherein an amount-of-light monitor unit detects a variation in the amount of ultraviolet laser light during inspection to thereby determine the presence or absence of an influence thereof exerted on the inspection and detects the prediction of the life of a light source and a malfunction thereof, and the interior of an optical system is cleaned up to thereby ensure the prolongation of the life of each optical part and long-term reliability thereof, and a method thereof.