Abstract: A method of estimating an eccentric position of an acceleration sensor for a double turntable-type acceleration generating apparatus includes the steps of mounting the acceleration sensor on an auxiliary rotating body; rotating the auxiliary rotating body at a constant frequency with a main rotating body held at a standstill; measuring an output signal from the acceleration sensor; determining an amount of eccentricity in an X-axis direction of the acceleration sensor from the frequency of the auxiliary rotating body and the output signal; and determining an amount of eccentricity in a Y-axis direction by using tangential acceleration generated by the rotation of the auxiliary rotating body in a state in which the amount of eccentricity in the X-direction is set to substantially zero.

Abstract: An image-autocrop method is employed to calculate and calibrate the image data of a quadrangle of a target object scanned by an image-input device so as to acquire four optimum vertexes for defining a better image-autocrop field. This method is applied to load firstly the coordinates of four vertexes scanned, then calculate and calibrate them to obtain an optimum rectangular image scope.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for monitoring a system in which a fluid flows and which is characterized by a change in the system with time in space. A preselected place in the system is monitored to collect data at two or more time points correlated to a system event. The data is indicative of a system parameter that varies with time as a function of at least two variables related to system wash-in and wash-out behavior. A calibration map is made on a calculated basis with each pixel or voxel representative of a color hue indicative of wash-out behavior and a color intensity indicative of wash-in behavior. When a satisfactory map is obtained, the collected data is processed on the basis of the map to obtain an image of the preselected place with each spatial unit thereof correlated with a color hue and a color intensity. Software and a data processing system are provided to develop the calibration map. The calibration map and image of the preselected place are also novel implementations.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for calibrating the position of a cassette indexer in a semiconductor process machine are described. The apparatus is constructed by a base plate, a top plate and at least two support members rigidly attaching the top plate to the base plate in a parallel relationship. On the bottom side of the top plate, is mounted at least two spaced-apart rows of distance sensors each having at least five sensors capable of sensing a distance in the cavity of the calibration apparatus. After a wafer blade is extended into the cavity of the apparatus, a sensor in the front row and a sensor in the back row can be used to sense a front-to-back tilt of the wafer blade, while two adjacent sensors in the same row can be used to sense a side-to-side tilt of the wafer blade.

Abstract: A measurement tool connects to an automatic inspection machine for measuring microscopic characteristics of features on a photographic mask. Widths of densely packed lines are measured for features having sizes of less than about the wavelength of the examining radiation. A simulated intensity profile is subtracted from the actual measured intensity profile to obtain an error profile. The error profile provides edge position corrections which adjust the originally estimated edge positions. A new, simulated intensity profile is created and the process is repeated until the error profile is deemed acceptable. The line width is measured by measuring between the estimated edge positions. The opacity of a feature is determined and used for correcting dimension measurements. A formula determines the opacity based upon the contrast, the measured dimension and the single data point. Width or height of an irregular feature is calculated accurately.

Abstract: A scan nonlinearity in scan microscopes is determined so as to take into consideration of a contribution of a nonlinearity of scans and a uniformity of a test object in a total, imaginary nonlinearity of image.

Abstract: In an apparatus for inspecting and analyzing a particle on a wafer, which causes defect of an integrated circuit, the invention aims to improve the precision of the coordinate of the particle to facilitate the analysis of the particle. As a result, the generation of the particle can be reduced and the yield of the integrated circuit can be increased. A coordinate modifying apparatus of the invention includes a parameter calculating unit 40 for calculating a coordinate modification parameter, a parameter memory 60 for storing the coordinate modification parameter, and a coordinate modifying unit 70 for correcting the coordinate using the coordinate modification parameter.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for scanning a vehicle wheel, wherein a location on the wheel is sensed by means of a light beam emitted by a light source and is reflected to a position-sensitive receiver. The spacing of the sensed location relative to a reference location is measured from the directions of the emitted beam and the reflected beam. The light source and the position-sensitive receiver are synchronously pivoted about a common axis by means of a rotary drive including a stepping motor for successive measurement steps. A rotary angle sensor supplies signals proportional to the rotary position of the stepping motor to an evaluation system.

Abstract: An eccentricity adjusting motor (83) is provided in eccentricity adjusting device (17) that adjusts an eccentricity in a work. A tilt adjusting motor (86) is also provided in tilt adjusting device (18) that adjusts a tilt of the work. A processor (2) computes the eccentricity and tilt of the work, based on which eccentricity/tilt compensating means (105, 106) control the motors (83, 86) to compensate the eccentricity and tilt of the work.

Abstract: A marking out system for use in computer aided manufacture, the system comprising a measurement system (8, 4, 6) and a marking out device (2), the measurement system storing CAD data of a part (12) to be marked out comprising at least one marking out location, the measurement system comprising sensor means (4) and a processing means (6) and being arranged to determine the position and orientation of the part with respect to the measurement system and to establish a co-ordinate frame of reference allowing the position and orientation of the part to be related to the stored CAD data, the measurement system being further arranged to determine the position and orientation of the marking out device relative to the part to enable the marking out device to be positioned in a predetermined position relative to the part such as to allow the part to be marked in a location corresponding to the at least one marking out location.

Abstract: A position determination system comprises a data processing system, a first measuring module, and a second measuring module. Both of the measuring modules are coupled to the data processing system. The first measuring module includes a first sensing device for obtaining positional data of a first testing target. A calibration sensing device is rigidly linked to the first sensing device. The positional relationship between the first sensing device and the calibration target is known. The system has a rotation mechanism for rotating the sensing device of the first sensing device. The second measuring module includes a second sensing device for obtaining positional data of a second testing target. A calibration target is rigidly linked to the second sensing device, and is used with the calibration sensing device to obtain a positional relationship between the calibration target and the calibration sensing device. The positional relationship between the second sensing device and the calibration target is known.

Abstract: A method of calibrating the offset of angle sensors, which determine an angle to be determined on the basis of a sine signal assigned to the angle and a cosine signal assigned to the angle. This method includes determining the sine signal and the cosine signal for at least three different angles to obtain at least three value pairs, each pair containing one sine signal value and one cosine signal value; displaying the at least three value pairs in an at least two-dimensional coordinate system that represents a sine signal-cosine signal plane and determining a point, representing the offset to be calibrated, in the coordinate system with regard to which point the at last three value pairs are located on an arc.

Abstract: There is provided an input device which is small, has good productivity, is inexpensive, and can be surface-mounted. In an input device of the present invention, a plurality of terminals of a metal material connected to deflection detecting elements are connected in a substrate portion of an operation member, and the terminal allows the input device to be surface-mounted on a print board. It is thus possible to provide the input device which is inexpensive and small without using a conventional, large flexible substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus evaluates the runability of a photomask inspection tool that inspects plural sets of die, each die having a standard simulated industrial device feature at plural technology nodes. A technology node size is determined for each feature at which inspection by the tool provides no false detection of faults. A sensitivity module included on a photomask test plate along with a runability module allows determination of inspection tool sensitivity and runability in a single test sequence.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic control circuit and method for calibrating a transmission shifter and compensating for temperature variations. The electronic control circuit includes a power supply circuit comprising a bias voltage supply and a voltage surge protection circuit; at least one position sensor that receives a surge-protected output bias voltage from the power supply circuit; and a microprocessor that receives one or more position values from the position sensor relating to the physical position of the transmission shifter. The power supply circuit provides a calibration reference signal to said microprocessor. The voltage surge protection circuit protects the calibration reference signal against a surge voltage condition.

Abstract: This invention converts a toolhead of a computer numerical controlled machine into a locating fence by installing a fence guard on the toolhead. Since there is an indexing program in a computer numerical controlled machine to monitor a real time location of a spindle relative to a worktable, the true location of the locating fence can be easily obtained by adding an offset value indicative of the characteristic of the fence guard to numerical data indicative of the real time location of the spindle.

Abstract: Methods for comparing three-dimensional space curves are provided. Such methods are particularly useful for map matching in in-vehicle navigation systems as well as for other applications that require accurate positioning of the vehicle with respect to the underlying map data referenced by the system. Additionally, they are useful in measuring and/or evaluating the accuracy of a geographic database. Two angles that define the angular orientation of a three dimensional space curve are determined at corresponding locations for each of a first space curve and a second space curve. The variance of the relationship between the angle pairs at corresponding locations along the first and second space curves is utilized to determine the similarity between the first and second space curves despite any spatial translation and angular rotation between the first and second space curves.

Abstract: A method for evaluating a head and trunk movement pattern of a subject includes configuring a plurality of markers to move together with the body of a subject. For each of the plurality of markers, a locus curve in three-dimensional space is detected as a function of time and the locus curve is stored as a data field of a measured data record that is common to the plurality of markers. The movement pattern of the body of the subject is characterized using characteristic variables derived from the measured data record. Reference variables are derived from a stored plurality of reference data records. Each of the characteristic variables is compared with the reference variables derived from the stored reference data records. Each of the characteristic variables is derived from a projection of the locus curve of at least one of the markers onto one of the three datum planes of a Cartesian coordinate system.

Abstract: A method for correcting errors on a work piece comprising the steps of defining a compensating rectangle, inputting the actual rectangle and obtaining and applying the compensating values that satisfy the actual coordinate system. A compensating rectangle is a rectangle inside a work piece with one side parallel to one axis of a machine coordinate, three or four points being required to define the compensating rectangle. An actual rectangle is a rectangle inside a work piece, the four corner points being the actual or estimate reading values obtained from inspection of the compensating rectangle. The coordinate system values are the numbers that can be applied to a point to move it from one location to a different location in one coordinate system. The corner points of the compensating rectangle are moved so that they best fit the corner points of the actual rectangle.

Abstract: A method and system for providing location based data services. The present invention relates generally to a method and system for generating, storing, manipulating and displaying location-based data and more particularly relates to a method and system for using a unique identifier of spatial location to enable a database to become “location smart”. The unique identifier comprises an identifier of location such as latitude and longitude as well as one other item of data such as a time-stamp or a sequence number. The unique identifier is used as a key in a database system and can be used to facilitate spatial analysis of data or to provide geographic context to data. The present invention also provides systems and methods that operate in mobile and wireless environments. The present invention allows end users to perform the functions of geographic information systems without having to provide sensitive data to GIS service providers or having to learn to use sophisticated GIS systems.

Abstract: A calibration system is provided for calibrating a sensor with respect to an external reference frame associated with manufacturing gauging station. A target calibration device is positioned at a vantage point to detect and calibrate its reference frame in relation to the external reference frame. A reference target having at least three non-coplanar reflective surfaces is illuminated by the structured light emanating from the sensor. In this way, the calibration system is able to determine the spatial location and orientation of the reference target in relation to the sensor. The calibration system further includes a coordinate transformation system for coordinating the measurement data from the target calibration device and from the feature sensor, whereby the feature sensor is calibrated with respect to the external reference frame.

Abstract: A method of estimating the position of a transmitter using angle-of-arrival values determined at each of a plurality of base stations. The method includes calculating a position estimation using the angle-of-arrival values from all of the base stations, calculating an error at each of the base station, and removing those base stations whose error exceeds a threshold from the calculation.

Abstract: A method for correcting misalignment between a reticle and a stage in a MICRASCAN step-and-repeat exposure system. In such a system, the reticle and the stage lie in parallel X-Y planes and there are at least two temperature sensors associated with the reticle, sensor 1 and sensor 2, sensor 1 having a sensor 1 temperature output and sensor 2 having a sensor 2 temperature output. The method comprises the steps of estimating an X shift and a Y shift of the reticle relative to the stage using the sensor 1 temperature output and sensor 2 temperature output and correcting misalignment between the reticle and the stage using the estimated X and Y shifts.

Abstract: In a method for classifying the driving style of a driver in a motor vehicle, measured variables indicative of driving style are recorded and driving-style classification figures are determined by a comparison with reference values, parameter settings corresponding to the driving-style classification figures being carried out to adapt the functioning of a regulation and control unit. In order to improve the handling of a motor vehicle with the aid of a driver classification, it is provided that presettings for the driving-style classification figures are stored in the regulation and control unit of the motor vehicle, it being possible to prescribe driving-style classification figures for a plurality of different driver reaction stages, and that the current driver is classified in a prescribed driver reaction stage in the motor vehicle by measuring classifying indicators, and driving-style classification figures corresponding to the driver reaction stage are activated in the regulation and control unit.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a scanning system comprising a machine and a measuring probe, includes the steps of error mapping the system statically and qualifying the stylus tip so that the system will provide accurate measurements, determining the positions of a number of datum points on the surface of an artefact with the probe stylus in contact with the workpiece and at zero deflection normal to the surface, scanning the surface through the datum points at a nominal stylus deflection and at the maximum speed which provides repeatable position measurements to make a second determination of the positions of the datum points, determining the errors attributable to the scanning process by subtracting the positions obtained in the first and second determinations, and storing the error values for correction of subsequent measurements of similar artefacts.

Abstract: A method and system senses the attitude of an accelerating object. Attitude sensing is accomplished by measuring acceleration in three orthogonal axes and measuring angular rate about each such axis to compute attitude accurately relative to a vertical axis. The system includes accelerometers and angular rate sensors for sensing the acceleration and the angular rate, respectively, of the object. A processor updates a quarternion representation of attitude based upon the angular rate of the object and a corrective rate signal to obtain the attitude of the object. Temperature compensation and frequency compensation may also be performed to update the quarternion.

Abstract: Offset compensation of two orthogonal sensor signals, which are supplied by two sensors and are preferably designed for angle measurements, occurs in dependence on the geometric arrangement of three pairs of test values of the sensor signals in a system of coordinates, the center of a circle on which the three pairs of test values are situated in the system of coordinates having center coordinates &Dgr;x and &Dgr;y relative to the origin of the system of coordinates, correction means are provided which perform a sign determination of the values &Dgr;x and &Dgr;y of the center coordinates of the circle in a repetitive cycle in each measuring cycle, while in each measuring cycle at least one of the pairs of test values differs from the pair of test values used in the preceding measuring cycle, and which means generate correction signals with which the sensor signals are complemented.

Abstract: A coordinate measuring machine (CMM) carries a probe and is controlled by a controller to drive the probe to take measurements on a workpiece. In order to reduce the effects of acceleration-induced deflections of the probe on the measurements made by the machine, accelerometers are provided to measure the accelerations of the probe and to produce signals indicative thereof. The acceleration signals (45) are passed to the controller (FIG. 2) where they are integrated (46) and filtered (48) before being passed as velocity signals (49) to a summing junction (50) from which they are fed to a velocity feedback control loop (34,35,36,37) which reduces any changes in the velocity (and hence deflection) of the probe due to the accelerations.

Abstract: A mechanical degree of freedom is provided between electrodes and sensors, thereby accomplishing both of the assurance of an arranging position precision of the sensors and the easiness of manufacturing. In a coordinates input apparatus for detecting a coordinates position on the basis of a delay time which is required until an elastic wave oscillation which propagates on an oscillation propagating plate arrives at an oscillation sensor, an oscillation sensor is fixed in a manner such that one electrode surface is come into contact with a conductive surface of an oscillation propagating plate. A contact member is positioned onto the other electrode surface of the oscillation sensor by an annular member by using an external shape of the sensor as a reference. An electrode unit includes a signal electrode and a ground electrode. The ground electrode is come into contact with the conductive surface so as to be electrically conductive thereto.

Abstract: Method and system for checking and verifying the positions of components on an object such as a circuit board using a position tracking device. A component of the object, positioned at a particular location on the object, is selected by the user using the position tracking device. Reference information about a correct component positioned at the location of the selected component is displayed or otherwise provided, and the displayed reference information is compared with the selected component to determine if the selected component is of the correct type and value. In one embodiment, the selecting is accomplished by moving a probe tip of a probe apparatus within a predetermined distance of the selected component and activating a control, such as a button. The user can initiate a verify signal or a failure signal depending on whether the selected component matches the reference information.

Abstract: A measurement tool connects to a microscope which may be an automatic inspection machine for identifying and measuring microscopic dimensions of features on a photographic mask such as opacity, area, diameter, width, height, line widths and corner radius. Dimensions of features having sizes of less than about twice the wavelength being used (less than 1 micron for visible light) are measured quickly and accurately in a production environment. The opacity of a feature is determined and used for correcting area or height measurements as well as helping to determine what the feature is made of. A contrast vs. diameter curve for known opaque features is used to determine opacity of unknown features. The curvature of the intensity profile of the feature is used in conjunction with a curvature-width lookup table in order to produce the width of the feature. Curvature-width lookup data is developed from the area and diameter of known round defects along with the curvature of the profile of the round defects.

Abstract: A measurement tool connects to a microscope for identifying and measuring microscopic dimensions of features on a photographic mask such as area, diameter and corner radius. Dimensions of features having sizes of less than about twice the wavelength being used (less than 1 micron for visible light) are measured quickly and accurately. The radius of curvature is also determined at submicron sizes using a flux measurement. Determination of the expected flux of a perfect comer aids in the measurement.

Abstract: An input pen includes a vibration generating element for generating a vibration, a vibration transmitting member for transmitting the vibration generated by the vibration generating element, and a pen tip member attached to a point of the vibration transmitting member and made of a material having viscoelasticity.

Abstract: A system for improving the accuracy of location coordinate determined in a survey of a chosen region. A grid of spaced apart points is imposed on the region, and a set of survey control points is provided. A “near set” of nearest survey control points is associated with each grid point, and the number of elements in this new set may vary with the grid point. Definition of a near set can vary from one grid point to the next. For each grid point, a transformation T from a first coordinate system to a second coordinate system is determined that minimizes a collective difference between coordinates of each survey control point in the near set and the corresponding coordinates of that survey control point under the transformation T. For one, two or three coordinates of each grid point, the difference(s) between the coordinate(s) of the grid point in the near set and the corresponding coordinate(s) of that grid point under the transformation T are computed.

Abstract: In a coordinates detecting apparatus including a tablet for detecting X and Y coordinates and a correcting circuit for correcting the X and Y coordinates detected from the tablet, a parameter used for correcting the X coordinate and a parameter used for correcting the Y coordinate are adjustable independent from each other. More specifically, time constant of a CR filter circuit for the X coordinate and time constant of the CR filter circuit for the Y coordinate can be adjusted independent from each other. Further, numbers of A/D conversion, threshold values, number of samples and so on for the X and Y coordinates can be set independent from each other. As a result, in the coordinates detecting apparatus, noises in X and Y coordinates can be optimally removed, allowing detection of X and Y coordinates with high accuracy.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for correcting the measuring results of a coordinate measuring apparatus wherein a workpiece is continuously scanned. The dynamic bending characteristic of the probe is determined or a multidimensional parameter field especially as a dynamic tensor (D). Corrective values are computed from the parameter field D while considering the acceleration of the probe ({right arrow over (b)}). Then, the measuring results are corrected with corrective values. To improve the accuracy of the method, the parameter field is the product of the static bending tensor (NT) of the probe and the mass tensor (MT+mE) of the probe and/or the parameter field describes the deviations normal to the workpiece surface by accelerating the probe.

Abstract: A method for regulating the attitude of a motor vehicle by measuring the characteristic angles of the wheels, includes the following operations: obtaining at least one pair of images of each moving wheel while the vehicle is being positioned on the measuring site; calculating for each image the ellipse resulting from the interpolation of a discrete number of points lying on the image; establishing a correspondence between the points identified in each pair of images, to uniquely determine the edge of the wheel rim and its spatial position; calculating the value of the characteristic attitude angles relative to the spatial position of the wheel rim.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for selfcalibration of a coordinate-measuring machine, in which the coordinates of structures on an uncalibrated reference object are measured in a plurality of rotary positions on the object table of the coordinate-measuring machine, the measured coordinates are rotated back into the initial position by means of rotation functions, and a correction function is determined such that the rotated-back coordinates agree in an optimum fashion with the coordinates of the initial orientation. Each reference object is rotated about only one axis in this process. Rotationally symmetrical linear combinations of the fit functions used to approximate the correction function are determined and left out of account in the approximation. The correction functions generated are systematically complete and include no undetermined or defective terms.

Abstract: A phase delay correction system for use in a shape measurement is capable of removing the distortion of a restored shape and the mechanical positional deviation caused by a phase delay occurring during signal processing, and enables a Fourier series processing procedure to be adopted as is. A detector performs a relative scan of an object to be measured at a constant speed. A signal processing unit converts a shape detection signal obtained by the scan to digital data, and processes the digital data.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for calibrating a computer-generated projected image to the displayed image viewed on the computer screen. Four or more calibration spots, at least three of which are collinear, arrayed in a predetermined pattern in both the displayed and the projected images, are optically imaged and electronically discriminated in the projected image, their coordinates ascertained and related to the predetermined pattern so as to derive transformation coefficients used in the process of converting a location on the projected image to the corresponding location in the displayed image.

Abstract: The photogrammetric measurement system is positioned at a vantage point to detect and calibrate its reference frame to the external reference frame demarcated by light-reflecting retroreflective target dot on a spherical target. A tetrahedron framework with the spherical target mounted on one of the vertices serves as a reference target that is placed in front of the non-contact sensor to be calibrated. The photogrammetric measurement system reads and calibrates the position of the retroreflective target dot (and thus the tetrahedron) while the structured light of the sensor is projected onto the framework of the reference target. The structured light intersects with and reflects from the reference target, providing the non-contact sensor with positional and orientation data. This data is correlated to map the coordinate system of the non-contact sensor to the coordinate system of the external reference frame.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically adjusting the blade of a motor grader to an operator programmed blade position. The method includes the steps of: providing an electronic controller and blade controls having position sensors; monitoring the output of the position sensors to ascertain the position of the blade controls; receiving a first input signal for setting a memory blade position; determining the memory blade position based on the output of the position sensors; receiving a second input signal for requesting the memory blade position; determining the present blade position based on the output of the position sensors; and producing a control signal for actuating the blade controls to move the blade from the present blade position to the memory blade position.

Abstract: An eccentricity adjusting motor (83) is provided in eccentricity adjusting device (17) that adjusts an eccentricity in a work. A tilt adjusting motor (86) is also provided in tilt adjusting device (18) that adjusts a tilt of the work. A processor (2) computes the eccentricity and tilt of the work, based on which eccentricity/tilt compensating means (105, 106) control the motors (83, 86) to compensate the eccentricity and tilt of the work.

Abstract: A measurement tool connects to a microscope which may be an automatic inspection machine for identifying and measuring microscopic dimensions of features on a photographic mask such as opacity, area, diameter, width, height, line widths and corner radius. Dimensions of features having sizes of less than about twice the wavelength being used (less than 1 micron for visible light) are measured quickly and accurately in a production environment. The opacity of a feature is determined and used for correcting area or height measurements as well as helping to determine what the feature is made of. A contrast vs. diameter curve for known opaque features is used to determine opacity of unknown features. The curvature of the intensity profile of the feature is used in conjunction with a curvature-width lookup table in order to produce the width of the feature. Curvature-width lookup data is developed from the area and diameter of known round defects along with the curvature of the profile of the round defects.

Abstract: Method and system for efficiently checking and verifying the positions of components on an object such as a circuit board using a probe apparatus. A component of the object, positioned at a particular location on the object, is selected by the user using the probe apparatus. Reference information about a correct component positioned at the location of the selected component is displayed or otherwise provided, and the displayed reference information is compared with the selected component to determine if the selected component is of the correct type and value. Preferably, the selecting is accomplished by moving a probe tip of the probe apparatus within a predetermined distance of the selected component and activating a control, such as a button. The user can initiate a verify signal or a failure signal depending on whether the selected component matches the reference information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating sensors of a tool positioning mechanism on a mobile machine are provided. The mobile machine includes a tool, a tool positioning mechanism having a plurality of sensors for providing signals indicative of the physical configuration of the mechanism, a satellite positioning system, and a plurality of positioning system antennas. One of the antennas is detachably mounted on the tool while an other antenna is mounted to a location on the machine other than on the tool. With the positioning mechanism configured so that the tool is at its maximum height, the satellite positioning system is operated to acquire real-time kinematic (RTK) data from the antennas and to process the RTK data to precisely determine the position of the tool. The sensors are then calibrated based on the precisely determined position of the tool.

Abstract: A position sensor is used in conjunction with one or more batons, each baton having a transmitter that transmits a distinct radio frequency signal at a position in space. The position sensor determines the current position of each baton transmitter in terms of X, Y, and Z coordinates. The position sensor includes a tablet having a flat support member, with at least two pairs of electrodes coupled to the flat support member. Each of the electrodes is a separate antenna. A first pair of the electrodes is shaped so that the amount of capacitive coupling between each baton transmitter and the first pair of electrodes corresponds to the position of the baton transmitter with respect to the X axis. A second pair of the electrodes is shaped so that the amount of capacitive coupling between each baton transmitter and the second pair of electrodes corresponds to the position of the baton transmitter with respect to the Y axis.

Abstract: A method of calibrating an automated placement machine having a robotic arm for picking up parts from a parts tray and a drawer for holding the parts tray therein. The method includes the acts of: positioning a calibration jig so that it is juxtapositioned at a corner of the drawer of the placement machine; positioning the robotic arm of the placement machine such that a portion of the robotic arm engages a portion of the calibration jig; determining a first set of spatial coordinates of the robotic arm when it is engaged with the calibration jig; and setting an origin point for the robotic arm such that the first set of spatial coordinates serves as the origin point from which movements of the robotic arm may be gauged.

Abstract: A calibration method for a shape measurement with a variable distance between the scanning probe datum point and the measuring point on the surface of a workpiece, is provided. Based on the measured distance between the scanning probe datum point and each of a plurality of measuring points on the surface of a calibration object, and on the position of a reference point on a motion system platform on which the scanning probe assembly is mounted, corresponding to the scanning probe being in a sensing position of each of the plurality of measuring points, the method provides the necessary data for calculating the coordinate of a measuring point of the workpiece from the measured distance between the scanning probe datum point and the measuring point, and from the position of the reference point corresponding to the to the scanning probe being in a sensing position of the measuring point.

Abstract: A pattern forming apparatus comprising a sample base for positioning a sample on the base and moving a drawing position of the sample, a position measuring unit for measuring a position of the sample base, a correcting unit for mutually independently correcting drawing positions at those respective areas into which a whole drawing section of the sample is divided, the drawing position being calculated by the position measuring unit at the respective area, and a drawing unit for drawing a pattern on the sample on the basis of the position of the sample base measured by the position measuring unit and drawing position of the respective area corrected by the correcting unit.