1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
a hardware resource that includes at least one of an image forming unit, a read unit, and a display unit;
a control layer;
an external API (application program interface) program; and
an application group including one or more application programs stored in an application layer,
wherein the hardware resource, the control layer, the external API program and the application group are arranged in such a hierarchical architecture that the control layer is superordinate to the hardware resource, and
the application group including the one or more application programs and the external API program are superordinate to the control layer,
the control layer includes a first API for receiving, with use of a predefined function, a first request relating to image processing from the external API program and a second request relating to image processing from the one or more application programs, and controls, on receiving either of the first and second requests, the hardware resource to perform image processing based on the received request, and
the external API program includes a second API for receiving a third request relating to image processing from an external source, converts the received third request to a command supported by the first API, and passes the command as the first request to the control layer, bypassing the one or more application programs of the application group stored in the application layer;
wherein commands, parameters, and syntax for controlling the hardware resource are released to the public for incorporation by external users into software supported by the second API.
2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control layer passes the received first request to the one or more application programs if the first request is directed to the one or more application programs.
3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third request is data expressed in an XML.
4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the external API program further includes: a first converting unit for extracting predetermined information from the received XML data; and a second converting unit for converting the extracted information to the command supported by the first API.
5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein upon receiving a request relating to execution of a print job, the control layer controls the image forming unit to perform the print job.
6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein upon receiving a request relating to execution of a scan job, the control layer controls the read unit to perform the scan job.
7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second API includes a function callable by the external source, wherein the function calls a plurality of functions that are predefined by the control layer.
8. An image processing apparatus comprising:
a hardware resource including at least one of an image forming unit, a read unit, and a display unit;
a control layer;
an external API (application program interface) program; and
an application group including one or more application programs stored in an application layer,
wherein the hardware resource, the control layer, the application group and the external API program are arranged in such a hierarchical architecture that the control layer is superordinate to the hardware resource, and the application group including the one or more application programs and the external API program are superordinate to the control layer,
the control layer includes a first API for receiving, with use of a predefined function, a first request relating to image processing from the external API program, and controls the hardware resource to perform image processing based on the received first request, and
the external API program includes a second API for receiving a second request relating to image processing from an external source and a third request relating to image processing from the one or more application programs, converts, on receiving either of the second and third requests, the received request to a command supported by the first API, and passes the command as the first request to the control layer, bypassing the one or more application programs of the application group stored in the application layer;
wherein commands, parameters, and syntax for controlling the hardware resource are released to the public for incorporation by external users into software supported by the second API.
9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the external API program passes the received second request to the one or more application programs if the second request is directed to the one or more application programs.
10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second request is data expressed in an XML.
11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the external API program further includes: a first converting unit for extracting predetermined information from the received XML data; and a second converting unit for converting the extracted information to the command supported by the first API.
12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein upon receiving a request relating to execution of a print job, the control layer controls the image forming unit to perform the print job.
13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein upon receiving a request relating to execution of a scan job, the control layer controls the read unit to perform the scan job.
14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second API includes a function callable by the external source, wherein the function calls a plurality of functions that are predefined by the control layer.
15. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a hardware resource including at least one of an image forming unit, a read unit, and a display unit; a control layer; an external API (application program interface) program; and an application group including one or more application programs stored in an application layer, wherein the control layer is arranged between the hardware resource and the application group including the one or more application programs, and the external API program is arranged superordinate to the one or more application programs in the application group in a hierarchical architecture, the control layer includes a first API for receiving, with use of a predefined function, a first request relating to image processing from the external API program and a second request relating to image processing from the one or more application programs, and controls, on receiving either of the first and second requests, the hardware resource to perform image processing based on the received request, the external API program includes a second API for receiving a third request relating to image processing from an external source, converts the received third request to a command supported by the first API, and passes the command to an appropriate one of the control layer, and the one or more application programs, depending on the requested processing, the command passed to the control layer serving as the first request, wherein commands, parameters, and syntax for controlling the hardware resource are released to the public for incorporation by external users into software supported by the second API, wherein the third request is data expressed in an XML, and wherein the external API program further includes: a first converting unit for extracting predetermined information from the received XML data; and a second converting unit for converting the extracted information to the command supported by the first API.
16. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a hardware resource including at least one of an image forming unit, a read unit, and a display unit; a control layer; an external API (application program interface) program; and an application group including one or more application programs stored in an application layer, wherein the control layer is arranged between the hardware resource and the application group including the one or more application programs, and the external API program is arranged superordinate to the one or more application programs in the application group in a hierarchical architecture, the control layer includes a first API for receiving, with use of a predefined function, a first request relating to image processing from the external API program and a second request relating to image processing from the one or more application programs, and controls, on receiving either of the first and second requests, the hardware resource to perform image processing based on the received request, the external API program includes a second API for receiving a third request relating to image processing from an external source, converts the received third request to a command supported by the first API, and passes the command to an appropriate one of the control layer, and the one or more application programs, depending on the requested processing, the command passed to the control layer serving as the first request, wherein commands, parameters, and syntax for controlling the hardware resource are released to the public for incorporation by external users into software supported by the second API, wherein the second API includes a function callable by the external source, wherein the function that calls a plurality of functions that are predefined by the control layer.
17. An image processing apparatus comprising:
a hardware resource that includes at least one of an image forming unit, a read unit, and a display unit;
a control layer;
an external API (application program interface) program; and
an application group including one or more application programs stored in an application layer,
wherein the hardware resource and the programs are arranged in such a hierarchical architecture that the control layer is superordinate to the hardware resource, and the one or more application programs and the external API program are superordinate to the control layer,
the control layer includes a first API for receiving a first request relating to image processing from the external API program and a second request relating to image processing from the one or more application programs, and controls, on receiving either of the first and second requests, the hardware resource to perform image processing based on the received request, and
the external API program includes a second API for receiving a third request relating to image processing from an external source, converts the received third request to a command supported by the first API, and passes the command as the first request to the control layer, bypassing one or more application programs of the application group stored in the application layer;
wherein commands, parameters, and syntax for controlling the hardware resource are released to the public for incorporation by external users into software supported by the second API,
wherein the software is used to control the hardware resource to perform processing that is not executable by the hardware resource under control of any of the one or more application programs.
18. The image processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the second API is an external API for controlling operations of the hardware resource according to requests received from an external device.
19. The image processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the second API includes a function callable by the external source, wherein the function calls a plurality of functions that are predefined by the control layer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An ion beam irradiation apparatus comprising:
a plasma generation chamber in the interior of which a plasma is generated;
a process chamber connected with said plasma generation chamber;
a plurality of grids disposed between said plasma generation chamber and said process chamber to extract ions in said plasma from said plasma generation chamber to said process chamber, each of said grids having a number of small holes; and
an insulating spacer disposed between said grids for preventing said grids from being in electrical contact with each other;
wherein a groove portion that is represented in a cross section taken along an axial direction of said insulating spacer as a recess formed in a direction different from the direction in which said ion beam is extracted is formed on a surface of said insulating spacer that is different from the surfaces abutting said grids, all along the circumference of said insulating spacer.
2. An ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said groove portion is represented in the cross section of said insulating spacer as a recess that is formed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which said ion beam is extracted.
3. An ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an edge portion of said groove portion that defines an opening of said recess is chamfered.
4. An ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said insulating spacer has a cylindrical shape, and said groove portion is formed on the side surface of said cylindrical shape.
5. An ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the opening of said recess to the depth of said recess is equal to or larger than 1.
6. An ion milling apparatus comprising:
an ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 1; and
a holder disposed in said process chamber, for holding an article to be processed at a position at which it is irradiated with said extracted ions.
7. An insulating spacer to be used in an ion beam irradiation apparatus including a plasma generation chamber in the interior of which a plasma is generated, a process chamber connected with said plasma generation chamber, and a plurality of grids disposed between said plasma generation chamber and said process chamber for extracting ions in said plasma, each of said grids having a number of small holes, said insulating spacer being disposed between said plurality of grids to prevent said grids from being in electrical contact with each other, wherein a groove portion that is represented in a cross section taken along an axial direction of said insulating spacer as a recess formed in a direction different from the direction in which said ion beam is extracted is formed on a surface of said insulating spacer that is different from the surfaces abutting said grids, all along the circumference of said insulating spacer.
8. An insulating spacer according to claim 7, wherein said groove portion is represented in the cross section of said insulating spacer as a recess that is formed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which said ion beam is extracted.
9. An insulating spacer according to claim 8, wherein an edge portion of said groove portion that defines an opening of said recess is chamfered.
10. An insulating spacer according to claim 7, wherein said insulating spacer has a cylindrical shape, and said groove portion is formed on the side surface of said cylindrical shape.
11. An insulating spacer according to claim 7, wherein the ratio of the opening of said recess to the depth of said recess is equal to or larger than 1.
12. An ion beam irradiation apparatus comprising:
a plasma generation chamber in the interior of which a plasma is generated;
a process chamber connected with said plasma generation chamber;
a plurality of grids disposed between said plasma generation chamber and said process chamber to extract ions in said plasma from said plasma generation chamber to said process chamber, each of said grids having a number of small holes; and
an insulating spacer disposed between said grids for preventing said grids from being in electrical contact with each other;
wherein said insulating spacer has a disk-like shape having top and bottom surfaces and a through hole passing through said top and bottom surfaces, said through hole has an inner diameter equal to or slightly larger than the small hole of the grids, and the outer diameter of said disk-like shape is of such a size that said insulating spacer does not affect the ions that pass through the small holes adjacent to the small hole on which said insulating spacer is fixed.
13. An ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a groove portion that is represented in a cross section taken along an axial direction of said insulating spacer as a recess formed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which said ion beam is extracted is formed all along the side surface of said insulating spacer.
14. An ion milling apparatus comprising:
an ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 12;
a process chamber into which ions extracted from said ion beam irradiation apparatus is to be introduced; and
a holder disposed in said process chamber, for holding an article to be processed at a position at which it is irradiated with said extracted ions.
15. An insulating spacer to be used in an ion beam irradiation apparatus including a plasma generation chamber in the interior of which a plasma is generated, a process chamber connected with said plasma generation chamber, and a plurality of grids disposed between said plasma generation chamber and said process chamber for extracting ions in said plasma, each of said grids having a number of small holes, said insulating spacer being disposed between said plurality of grids to prevent said grids from being in electrical contact with each other, wherein said insulating spacer has a disk-like shape having top and bottom surfaces and a through hole passing through said top and bottom surfaces, said through hole has an inner diameter equal to or slightly larger than the small hole of the grids, and the outer diameter of said disk-like shape is of such a size that said insulating spacer does not affect the ions that pass through the small holes adjacent to the small hole on which said insulating spacer is fixed.
16. An insulating spacer for an ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a groove portion that is represented in a cross section taken along an axial direction of said insulating spacer as a recess formed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which said ion beam is extracted is formed all along the side surface of said insulating spacer.
17. An ion beam irradiation apparatus adapted to extract ions contained in a plasma generated in a plasma generation chamber through small holes formed on a plurality of grids to generate an ion beam, comprising:
an insulating member disposed between said plurality of grids or the plasma generation chamber side surface of the grid that is adjacent to the plasma generation chamber and on a portion of the grids that corresponds to the area over which the irradiation ion beam is extracted,
wherein said small holes are arranged on said plurality of grids in such a way as to be aligned in a predetermined direction, and said insulating member has a shape that does not interfere with the alignment of said small holes when the insulating member is set.
18. An ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the insulating member disposed between said grids comprises a sheet-like member having small holes aligned with the small holes of said grids, said insulating member adjusting the electric capacitance between the plurality of grids to a predetermined value.
19. An ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said insulating member has a substantially disk-like shape corresponding to said grids.
20. An ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the insulating member disposed on said plasma generation chamber side surface of said grid adjacent to said plasma generation chamber comprises a sheet-like member having small holes aligned with the small holes on said grid, and the insulating member forms a flat ion sheath by self-bias.
21. An ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said insulating member has a substantially disk-like shape corresponding to said grid.
22. An ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the insulating member disposed on said plasma generation chamber side surface of said grid adjacent to said plasma generation chamber is disposed at a position corresponding to the area in which the quantity of ions in the extracted ion beam in the state in which said insulating member is not set is small.
23. An ion milling apparatus comprising:
an ion beam irradiation apparatus according to claim 17;
a process chamber into which ions extracted from said ion beam irradiation apparatus is to be introduced; and
a holder disposed in said process chamber, for holding an article to be processed at a position at which it is irradiated with said extracted ions.