Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090245679 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus calculates an absolute difference in pixel values between each pixel (target pixel) of the image and each of neighboring pixels of the target pixel, and a sum of the absolute differences with respect to the target pixel, calculates a threshold using the sum of the absolute differences with respect to the target pixel and a weight previously determined, the threshold being used as a reference for determining whether the pixel values of the neighboring pixels are used in a smoothing process for the target pixel, and performing a smoothing process by means of an edge-preserving smoothing filter, based on whether the absolute difference in pixel values between the target pixel and each of the neighboring pixels of the target pixel exceeds the threshold. | 10-01-2009 |
20110181593 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, 3D DISPLAY APPARATUS, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - According to an embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a setting unit, a transform unit and a generation unit. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire a parallax value of each pixel of a plurality of images having a parallax. The setting unit is configured to set at least one reference range within a range of the parallax value. The transform unit is configured to apply transform to the parallax value of each pixel so as not to change a parallax value belonging to the reference range but to change a parallax value that does not belong to the reference range without changing a magnitude relationship between the parallax values of the pixels. The generation unit is configured to generate a parallax image from the image based on the parallax values after applying the transform. | 07-28-2011 |
20110216175 | DISPLAY DEVICE, SYSTEM AND GLASSES FOR THE DEVICE - According to one embodiment, a stereoscopic display device is for three-dimensionally displaying a display image to enable a viewer to view the display image by means of glasses. The device includes a receiving unit, a display memory unit, a controller unit, an adjusting unit, and a display unit. The receiving unit receives, from the glasses, glasses information used to identify an attribute of the glasses. The display memory unit stores parameter information corresponding to the received glasses information and used to control a quality of the display image when the display image is displayed. The controller unit generates image control information in accordance with the parameter information. The adjusting unit adjusts the display image based on the image control information to generate an adjusted display image. The display unit displays the adjusted display image. | 09-08-2011 |
20110221875 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a three-dimensional image display apparatus according to the present embodiments includes an acquisition unit, a selection unit, a generation unit, a display unit. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire attribute information related to attribute of one or more images to be displayed. The selection unit is configured to set parameter information based on the attribute information to control 3D effect for displaying the images and the parameter information includes at least parallax. The generation unit is configured to generate the images adjusted the 3D effect in accordance with the parameter information. The display unit is configured to display the adjusted images. | 09-15-2011 |
20110242280 | PARALLAX IMAGE GENERATING APPARATUS AND METHOD - According to one embodiment, a parallax image generating apparatus is for generating, using a first image, a parallax images with a parallax therebetween. The apparatus includes following units. The first estimation unit estimates distribution information items indicating distributions of first depths in the first image by using first methods. The distribution information items falls within a depth range to be reproduced. The first combination unit combines the distribution information items to generate first depth information. The second calculation unit calculates second depth information indicating relative unevenness of an object in the first image. The third combination unit combines the first depth information and the second depth information by using a method different from the first methods, to generate third depth information. The generation unit generates the parallax images based on the third depth information and the first image. | 10-06-2011 |
20120002862 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GENERATING DEPTH SIGNAL - According to one embodiment, a depth signal generating apparatus includes following units. The calculating unit is configured to calculate a statistic value for pixel values for each of predefined areas in the first image, and calculate, for each of predetermined base depth models, a first evaluation value based on the calculated statistic value. The correcting unit is configured to correct, based on a second evaluation value previously derived for the second image and a first degree of similarity indicating a similarity between the predetermined base depth models, the first evaluation value to derive second evaluation values for the predetermined base depth models. The selecting unit is configured to select a base depth model having the highest second evaluation value from the predetermined base depth models. The generating unit is configured to generate a depth signal based on the selected base depth model. | 01-05-2012 |
20120008855 | STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE GENERATION APPARATUS AND METHOD - According to embodiments, a stereoscopic image generation apparatus for generating a disparity image based on at least one image and depth information corresponding to the at least one image is provided. The apparatus includes a calculator, selector and generator. The calculator calculates, based on the depth information, evaluation values that assume larger values with increasing hidden surface regions generated upon generation of disparity images for respective viewpoint sets each including two or more viewpoints. The selector selects one of the viewpoint sets based on the evaluation values calculated for the viewpoint sets. The generator generates, from the at least one image and the depth information, the disparity image at a viewpoint corresponding to the one of the viewpoint sets selected by the selector. | 01-12-2012 |
20120069009 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - A detecting unit detects an object in an input image. A depth map generating unit selects a depth template corresponding to a type of the object and places a selected depth template on a depth map in accordance with a position of the object to generate the depth map having a depth value for each pixel. A correcting unit calculates a weight of at least one interested pixel and a weight of a peripheral pixel based on a relationship between pixel values to the interested pixel and the peripheral pixel and corrects the depth value of the interested pixel based on a weighted sum of the respective depth values corresponding to the interested pixel and the peripheral pixel. An image generating unit generates parallax images based on the corrected depth map and the input image. | 03-22-2012 |
20120113094 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT THEREOF - According to an embodiment, an image processing apparatus creates a depth map representing distribution of depths of pixels in an image. The apparatus includes an area detecting unit configured to detect an area of a vertical object included in an image; a base depth adding unit configured to add a base depth to the image, the base depth being a basic distribution of depths of pixels in the image; and, a depth map creating unit configured to acquire at least one depth of a vicinity of a ground contact position of the vertical object from the base depth added to the image, and create the depth map by setting the acquired depth onto the base depth as a depth of the area of the vertical object. | 05-10-2012 |
20120113117 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT THEREOF - According to an embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a detecting unit configured to detect at least one object included in an image; a selecting unit configured to select a depth model to be a base of information about depth of the object in accordance with a property of the object; a segment unit configured to segment an area of the object detected from the image; and a depth map creating unit configured to create a depth map representing a depth of the image. The depth map creating unit arranges the depth model at a position on the depth map corresponding to a position of the segmented area of the object in the image, compares an area of the depth model and the area of the object, and gives a corrected depth value to a position not superimposed on other. | 05-10-2012 |
20120162223 | PARALLAX IMAGE GENERATING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a parallax image generating apparatus includes a deriving unit, a generating unit, a first calculating unit, a setting unit, a searching unit, and an interpolating unit. The deriving unit derives a parallax vector corresponding to a first pixel from the input image and depth information associated with the first pixel. The generating unit generates an intermediate image. The first calculating unit calculates first weights for respective pixels of a parallax image. The setting unit sets one or more candidate blocks near a shade-forming-area pixel of the intermediate image, and sets a reference block among one or more candidate blocks. The searching unit searches a target block similar to the reference block in the input image and/or the intermediate image. The interpolating unit interpolates a pixel value of the shade-forming-area pixel. | 06-28-2012 |
20120169844 | IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS - An image processing method for creating a disparity image for 3D display from a 2D video image includes detecting based on a first image of the 2D video image in a time and a second image in a time different from the first image, motion vectors between the first and second images for each block of the first image, detecting from the motion vectors, a most backward vector of a portion whose depth is on the back side, calculating differential vectors between each motion vector and the most backward vector and giving a depth on a close to the block of the first image corresponding to the motion vector having the larger differential vector and creating one or more disparity images from the first image and the depth. | 07-05-2012 |
20120182292 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING STEREOSCOPIC IMAGES - According to an embodiment, a stereoscopic image displaying apparatus is configured to display a multi-viewpoint image. An acquirer acquires person data including a position of each of at least one person viewing a stereoscopic image, a calculator calculates a weight from (1) the person data and (2) display parameters, the weight representing a stereoscopic degree inferred, for each of the at least one person, from a multi-viewpoint image to be displayed in accordance with the display parameters, a determiner selects the display parameter based on the weights, and generates a multi-viewpoint image that accords with the display parameters selected, and a displaying device displays the generated image. | 07-19-2012 |
20120268455 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An image processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a displaying device, a receiver, a calculator, and a controller. The displaying device can display a stereoscopic image. The receiver receives a start signal used for starting setting a viewing zone in which the stereoscopic image can be viewed by a viewer. The calculator calculates, on the basis of position information of the viewer, viewing zone information representing a position of the viewing zone when the start signal is received. The controller controls the displaying device so as to set the viewing zone corresponding to the viewing zone information. | 10-25-2012 |
20120293640 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL VIDEO DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD - According to one embodiment, a three-dimensional video display apparatus includes a display, a calculator and a generator. The display displays a plurality of images with different viewpoints by using a plurality of light beam control elements to control light beams from pixels. The calculator calculates a quality of view for each of viewing positions with respect to the display based on a number of the light beam control elements causing pseudoscopy at each of the viewing positions. The generator generates a map indicating the quality of view for each of the viewing positions. | 11-22-2012 |
20130050303 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR IMAGE PROCESSING AND AUTOSTEREOSCOPIC IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS - According to an embodiment, an image processing device includes a specifying unit configured to specify, from among a plurality of parallax images each having a mutually different parallax, a pixel area containing at least a single pixel; and a modifying unit configured to, depending on a positional relationship between each pixel in the pixel area specified from among the parallax images and a viewpoint position of a viewer, modify the pixel area into a modified pixel area that contains a pixel which is supposed to be viewed from the viewpoint position. | 02-28-2013 |
20130121560 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, METHOD OF PROCESSING IMAGE, AND IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS - According to an embodiment, an image processing device includes: a first acquiring unit, a second acquiring unit, a first setting unit, a second setting unit, a first calculating unit, and a second calculating unit. The first acquiring unit acquires a plurality of captured images by imaging a target object from a plurality of positions. The second acquiring unit acquires a provisional three-dimensional position and a provisional size. The first setting unit sets at least one search candidate point near the provisional three-dimensional position. The second setting unit sets a search window for each projection position where the search candidate point is projected, the search window having a size. The first calculating unit calculates an evaluation value that represents whether or not the target object is included inside the search window. The second calculating unit calculates a three-dimensional position of the target object based on the evaluation value. | 05-16-2013 |
20130155051 | IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT, AND IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE - According to one embodiment, an image display apparatus includes a displaying device capable of displaying a three-dimensional image; a detector configured to detect a viewer; an obtaining device configured to obtain, on the basis of a detection result from the detector, a second position of the viewer in a second coordinate system fixed to the detector; a first calculator configured to calculate a difference between a first position in a first coordinate system fixed to the displaying device and the second position; and a second calculator configured to calculate a correction value for at least one of a set position of a viewing zone in which the viewer can view the three-dimensional image and the second position so as to compensate for the difference. | 06-20-2013 |
20130229336 | STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE, STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE DISPLAY METHOD, AND CONTROL DEVICE - According to one embodiment, a stereoscopic image display device includes a display element in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix topology, an optical element coupled to the display element, the optical element having variable optical characteristics. The device also includes an acquirer, calculator, and controller. The acquirer is configured to acquire person's information including a position of each of at least one person viewing a stereoscopic image. The calculator is configured to calculate, based on the person's information, a weight representing a quality of stereoscopic viewing for each person. The controller is configured to select optical characteristic parameters corresponding to the weight, and control the optical characteristics of the optical element based on the optical characteristic parameters. | 09-05-2013 |
20130336539 | POSITION ESTIMATION DEVICE, POSITION ESTIMATION METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - According to an embodiment, a position estimation device includes first and second obtaining units, first and second calculators, and an estimating unit. The first obtaining unit is configured to obtain first data about a size and a position of an object in a first image. The second obtaining unit is configured to obtain second data about a distance to or a position of the object in a second image. The first calculator is configured to calculate, based on the first and second data, weights for first and second actual sizes of the object estimated respectively from the first and second data. The second calculator is configured to calculate a third actual size of the object by using the first and second actual sizes and the weights. The estimating unit is configured to estimate a three-dimensional position of the object by using the third actual size. | 12-19-2013 |
20140002448 | MEASUREMENT SUPPORT DEVICE, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT | 01-02-2014 |
20140049540 | Image Processing Device, Method, Computer Program Product, and Stereoscopic Image Display Device - According to one embodiment, an image processing device includes an observing unit and a generating unit. The observing unit obtains an observation image by observing a viewer which views a display unit. The generating unit generates a presentation image in which visible area is superimposed on the observation image. The visible area is an area within which the viewer is able to view the stereoscopic image. A display form of the visible area changes based on a position of the viewer in a perpendicular direction to the display unit. | 02-20-2014 |
20140098222 | AREA IDENTIFYING DEVICE, AREA IDENTIFYING METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - According to an embodiment, an area identifying device includes a projecting unit, an image capturing unit, a calculating unit, and an identifying unit. The projecting unit is configured to project a pattern so that the pattern performs a predetermined movement. The image capturing unit is configured to capture, in sequential order, multiple images of an area on which the pattern is projected, the image having a plurality of areas. The calculating unit is configured to calculate an amount of change of pattern appearances for each region in the multiple images. The identifying unit is configured to identify, as a reflective area, at least one area having a different amount of change of the pattern appearances from a reference amount of change of the pattern appearances based on the predetermined movement, among the amounts of change of the pattern appearances that are calculated by the calculating unit. | 04-10-2014 |
20140100814 | MEASURING DEVICE, MEASURING METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - According to an embodiment, a measuring device includes a generating unit, an updating unit, and a calculating unit. The generating unit is configured to generate first position and orientation of an observing unit for observing a space containing a target object, an error model indicating a theoretical precision of observation, and three-dimensional shape data of the target object. The updating unit is configured to update space information that indicates a probability of the presence of the target object at each coordinate within the space, using the first position and the three-dimensional shape data. The calculating unit is configured to calculate a measurement quality increment for second position and orientation of a search area within the space using the error model and the space information, and set third position and orientation for which the calculated measurement quality increment satisfies a predetermined condition as new position and orientation, respectively. | 04-10-2014 |
20140104386 | OBSERVATION SUPPORT DEVICE, OBSERVATION SUPPORT METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - According to an embodiment, an observation support device includes an acquiring unit, a determining unit, and a generating unit. The acquiring unit is configured to acquire observation information capable of identifying an observing direction vector indicating an observing direction of an observing unit that observes an object for which a three-dimensional model is to be generated. The determining unit is configured to determine whether or not observation of the object in a direction indicated by an observed direction vector in which at least part of the object can be observed is completed based on a degree of coincidence of the observing direction vector and the observed direction vector. The generating unit is configured to generate completion information indicating whether or not observation of the object in the direction indicated by the observed direction vector is completed. | 04-17-2014 |
20140111097 | IDENTIFICATION DEVICE, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - According to an embodiment, an identification device includes a controller, an acquiring unit, and an identifying unit. The controller controls turning on/off of a plurality of light emitting apparatuses via a network individually by using pieces of identification information of their respective light emitting apparatuses. The acquiring unit acquires images of the light emitting apparatuses in time-series. The identifying unit determines an installation position of each of the light emitting apparatuses by using the on/off control on the light emitting apparatuses and the images, and identifies each of the light emitting apparatuses determined by the installation positions corresponding to each of the light emitting apparatuses identified by the pieces of identification information with each other. | 04-24-2014 |
20140125781 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT, AND IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE - According to an embodiment, an image processing device includes an obtaining unit, a first determining unit, and a detecting unit. The obtaining unit is configured to obtain an input image. The first determining unit is configured to determine a detection order that indicates an order of performing a detection operation for detecting whether an object is present with respect to partitioned areas into which the input image are divided, according to an existence probability that is set in advance for each of the partitioned areas and indicates a probability at which an object exists. The detecting unit is configured to perform, according to the detection order, the detection operation to detect whether the object is present in an area corresponding to a partitioned area subjected to the detection order in the input image. | 05-08-2014 |
20140132600 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODEL GENERATING DEVICE - An example three-dimensional model generating device includes an emitting unit that emits a laser light and a first deflector that deflects laser light, whose emission direction rotates in a first rotation range, within a first scan plane. A second deflector deflects laser light, whose emission direction rotates in a second rotation range, within a second scan plane intersecting with the first scan plane. The detector detects a reflected light when laser light deflected from the first deflector is reflected from the target object or detects a reflected light when laser light deflected from the second deflector is reflected from the target object. The measuring unit measures a distance to the target object on the basis of the time taken since emission of the laser light to detection of the reflected light. The generating unit generates a three-dimensional model of the target object by using the measurement result. | 05-15-2014 |
20140132759 | MEASURING DEVICE, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - According to an embodiment, a measuring device includes a measuring unit, a capturing unit, an estimation unit, a calculator, and a detector. The estimation unit estimates, for each irradiated point, an estimated projection position on the image, using a direction and a distance of the irradiated point and calibration information based on calibration of a measuring unit and a capturing unit. The calculator calculates, for each irradiated point, an amount of change in reflection intensity and obtains a reflection intensity change point. The calculator calculates, for each estimated projection position, an amount of change in brightness and obtains a brightness change point. The detector detects a calibration shift between the measuring unit and the capturing unit by comparing the reflection intensity change point and the brightness change point. | 05-15-2014 |
20140139427 | DISPLAY DEVICE - A portable display device includes a display unit, a first capturing unit, and a second capturing unit. The display unit includes a rectangular display screen for displaying an image. The first capturing unit is configured to capture an image of an object. The first capturing unit is arranged in a region, corresponding to a first side of the display screen, which is a part of a peripheral region of the display unit other than the display screen. The second capturing unit is configured to capture an image of the object. The second capturing unit is arranged in a region, corresponding to a second side adjacent to the first side, which is a part of the peripheral region. | 05-22-2014 |
20140168394 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE DISPLAY, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - According to an embodiment, an image processing device includes an acquirer, a calculator, and a display controller. The acquirer is configured to acquire a three-dimensional coordinate value that indicates a position of a viewer. The calculator is configured to, using the three-dimensional coordinate value, calculate a reference coordinate value that indicates a position of the viewer in a reference plane that includes a visible area within which the viewer is able to view a stereoscopic image. The display controller is configured to control a display, which displays the stereoscopic image for which the visible area is different for each different height, so as to display information corresponding to the reference coordinate value. | 06-19-2014 |
20140192168 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, METHOD, AND STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE - According to an embodiment, an image processing device provides a stereoscopic image to be displayed on a display and includes an acquisition unit, first and second calculators, a selector, and a determiner. The acquisition unit acquires observer information. The first calculator calculates, a viewpoint vector pointing from one to another of the observer position of each observer and the display, and an eye vector pointing from one to another eye of the observer, based on the observer information. The second calculator calculates a weight indicating a degree of desirability of stereoscopic viewing for each observer when the stereoscopic image according to one of display parameters is displayed on the display) by using the viewpoint vector and the eye vector of the observer. The selector selects one display parameter based on the weight. The determiner determines the stereoscopic image according to the selected display parameter. | 07-10-2014 |
20140247329 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - According to an embodiment, there is provided an image processing device that displays a stereoscopic image on a display device having a panel and an optical aperture, including: a parallax image acquiring unit, a viewer position acquiring unit and an image generating unit. The parallax image acquiring unit acquires at least one parallax image, the parallax image being an image for one viewpoint. The viewer position acquiring unit acquires a position of a viewer. The image generating unit corrects a parameter for correspondence relationship between the panel and the optical aperture based on the position of the viewer relative to the display device, and generates an image, based on the corrected parameter, to which each pixel of the parallax image is allocated such that the stereoscopic image is visible to the viewer when the image is displayed on the display device. | 09-04-2014 |
20140362194 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE - According to an embodiment, an image processing device includes a first detector, a calculator, and a determiner. The first detector is configured to detect a position of a viewer. The calculator is configured to calculate a position variation probability that indicates a probability of the viewer making a movement, based on positions detected at different times. The determiner is configured to determine a visible area within which stereoscopic images to be displayed on a display are visible, based on the position variation probability. | 12-11-2014 |
20150015484 | DISPLAY DEVICE - A portable display device includes a display unit, a first capturing unit, and a second capturing unit. The display unit includes a rectangular display screen for displaying an image. The first capturing unit is configured to capture an image of an object. The first capturing unit is arranged in a region, corresponding to a first side of the display screen, which is a part of a peripheral region of the display unit other than the display screen. The second capturing unit is configured to capture an image of the object. The second capturing unit is arranged in a region, corresponding to a second side adjacent to the first side, which is a part or the peripheral region. | 01-15-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110180412 | PLATING METHOD AND PLATING APPARATUS - A plating method can fill a plated metal into interconnect recesses at a higher rate without forming voids in the plated metal embedded in the interconnect recesses. The plating method includes: preparing a substrate having interconnect recesses in a surface; carrying out first pretreatment of the substrate by immersing the substrate in a first pretreatment solution containing an accelerator, a metal ion and an acid; carrying out second pretreatment of the substrate by immersing the substrate in a second pretreatment solution containing an additive which inhibits the effect of the accelerator contained in the first pretreatment solution, and not containing an accelerator; and then carrying out electroplating of the substrate surface by using a plating solution containing at least a metal ion, an acid and a suppressor, and not containing an accelerator, thereby filling the plated metal into the interconnect recesses. | 07-28-2011 |
20120152749 | ELECTROPLATING METHOD - An electroplating method can securely and efficiently fill a plated metal into deep high-aspect ratio vias in a bottom-up manner without producing defects in the plated metal. The electroplating method includes: immersing a substrate, having vias formed in a surface, and an anode in a plating solution in a plating tank, the anode being disposed opposite the surface of the substrate; and intermittently passing a plating current at a constant current value between the substrate and the anode in such a manner that the supply and the stop of the plating current are repeated, and that the proportion of a current supply time during which the plating current is supplied increases with the progress of plating, thereby filling a plated metal into the vias. | 06-21-2012 |
20130306483 | PLATING APPARATUS AND PLATING SOLUTION MANAGEMENT METHOD - A plating apparatus plates a substrate with Sn alloy to form an Sn alloy film on a surface of the substrate. The apparatus includes: a plating bath for retaining a plating solution therein, the substrate being immersed in the plating solution in a position opposite to an insoluble anode; a plating solution dialysis line for extracting the plating solution from the plating bath and returning the plating solution to the plating bath; a dialysis cell provided in the plating solution dialysis line and configured to remove a free acid from the plating solution by dialysis using an anion exchange membrane; a free acid concentration analyzer; and a controller for controlling a flow rate of the plating solution flowing through the plating solution dialysis line based on the concentration of the free acid measured by the free acid concentration analyzer. | 11-21-2013 |
20140020720 | PLATING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CLEANING SUBSTRATE HOLDER - A plating apparatus includes: a plating bath configured to store a plating solution therein; a substrate transport device configured to remove a substrate before plating from a substrate cassette and return the substrate after plating to the substrate cassette; a substrate holder configured to detachably hold the substrate with a sealing member sealing a peripheral portion of the substrate and immerse the substrate in the plating solution in the plating bath; a dummy substrate arranged in a position accessible by the substrate transport device; and a substrate holder cleaning bath configured to immerse the substrate holder in a cleaning liquid to clean the substrate holder when holding the dummy substrate with the sealing member sealing a peripheral portion of the dummy substrate. | 01-23-2014 |
20140042032 | ELECTROPLATING METHOD AND ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS FOR THROUGH-HOLE - There is provided an electroplating method for a through-hole. The method includes: a first plating process, a second plating process, and a third plating process. The first plating process is a plating process of forming a metal film with a uniform thickness in the through-hole to reduce a diameter of the through-hole, the second plating process is a plating process of blocking up a central portion of the through-hole with the metal film using a PR pulsed current, and the third plating process is a plating process of completely filling the through-hole with the metal film using the plating current whose value is equal to or larger than a forward-current value of the PR pulsed current used in the second plating process. | 02-13-2014 |
20140166492 | Sn ALLOY PLATING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An Sn alloy plating apparatus includes: a plating bath having a cathode chamber for holding therein an Sn alloy plating solution in which the substrate is to be immersed and an anode chamber for holding therein an anolyte containing Sn ions and an acid; an Sn anode located in the anode chamber; and an electrolytic solution supply line configured to supply an electrolytic solution containing the acid into the anode chamber such that a Sn ion concentration of the anolyte in the anode chamber is kept not less than a predetermined value and a concentration of the acid in the anolyte is kept not less than a predetermined acceptable value. The electrolytic solution supply line supplies the electrolytic solution into the anode chamber to increase an amount of the anolyte in the anode chamber and supply the anolyte into the Sn alloy plating solution by the increased amount. | 06-19-2014 |
20140332393 | Sn ALLOY PLATING APPARATUS AND Sn ALLOY PLATING METHOD - An Sn alloy plating apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plating bath configured to store an Sn alloy plating solution therein with an insoluble anode and a substrate immersed in the Sn alloy plating solution, an Sn dissolving having an anion exchange membrane therein which isolates an anode chamber, in which an Sn anode is disposed, and a cathode chamber, in which a cathode is disposed, from each other, a pure water supply structure configured to supply pure water to the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, a methanesulfonic acid solution supply structure configured to supply a methanesulfonic acid solution, containing a methanesulfonic acid, to the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, and an Sn replenisher supply structure configured to supply an Sn replenisher, produced in the anode chamber and containing Sn ions and a methanesulfonic acid, to the plating bath. | 11-13-2014 |
20150136609 | Sn ALLOY PLATING APPARATUS AND Sn ALLOY PLATING METHOD - An Sn alloy plating apparatus is disclosed which can relatively easily perform control of an Sn alloy plating solution, including control of the Sn ion concentration and the acid concentration of the plating solution. The Sn alloy plating apparatus includes: a plating bath configured to hold therein an Sn alloy plating solution in which an insoluble anode a the substrate are to be disposed opposite each other; a plating-solution circulation line configured to circulate the Sn alloy plating solution in the plating bath; an Sn supply reservoir configured to draw a part of the Sn alloy plating solution from the plating-solution circulation line, perform electrolysis in a presence of the Sn alloy plating solution to replenish the Sn alloy plating solution with Sn ions and an acid that stabilizes Sn ions, and return the Sn alloy plating solution that has been replenished with the Sn ions to the plating bath; and a dialysis unit configured to draw a part of the Sn alloy plating solution from the plating-solution circulation line, remove the acid from the Sn alloy plating solution, and then return the Sn alloy plating solution to the plating bath. | 05-21-2015 |
20150267302 | ELECTROLESS PLATING METHOD - An electroless plating method which can prevent stoppage of a plating reaction and a decrease in a plating rate is disclosed. This method includes: circulating a plating solution through a plating bath while heating the plating solution; immersing the substrate in the plating solution in the plating bath; forming a first electroless plating film on the substrate while circulating the plating solution at a first flow rate during a period from when the substrate is immersed in the plating solution until a predetermined time elapses; and forming a second electroless plating film on the first electroless plating film while circulating the plating solution at a second flow rate that is lower than the first flow rate after the predetermined time has elapsed. | 09-24-2015 |