Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. An image sensing apparatus comprising an image sensing unit which converts an optical image of an object into an electric image signal, an interface capable of communicating with an external processing apparatus, and a control unit which transfers said image signal to said external processing apparatus to process the same,
wherein said control unit comprises:
a determination unit which determines whether control relation between the image sensing apparatus and the external processing apparatus is a first type in which a memory in the image sensing apparatus can be accessed directly from said external processing apparatus, or a second type in which processing in said external processing apparatus can be controlled by a controller of the image sensing apparatus, by communication with said external processing apparatus via said interface; and
a processing controller which changes a processing procedure for processing an image in said image sensing apparatus by said external processing apparatus based on the result of the determination.
2. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, the external processing apparatus is controlled based on a predetermined file or command from said image sensing apparatus.
3. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, a display unit of said image sensing apparatus is switched to an energy-saving mode.
4. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, the processing of the image from said image sensing apparatus can be started based on an operation of a switch provided in the external processing apparatus.
5. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, the external processing apparatus can start the processing of the image from said image sensing apparatus in response to an operation of a switch provided in the image sensing apparatus.
6. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, the external processing apparatus comprises a display unit which displays the image from said image sensing apparatus.
7. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said external processing apparatus is a printing apparatus, which prints the image from said image sensing apparatus.
8. An processing apparatus communicating with an image sensing apparatus which converts an optical image of an object into an electric image signal and comprises an interface capable of communicating with the processing apparatus, comprising:
a determination unit which determines whether control relation between the image sensing apparatus and the processing apparatus is a first type in which a memory in the image sensing apparatus can be accessed directly-from said processing apparatus, or a second type in which processing in said processing apparatus can be controlled by the image sensing apparatus, by communication with said image sensing apparatus via said interface; and
a processing controller which changes a processing procedure for processing an image in said image sensing apparatus by said processing apparatus based on the result of the determination.
9. The processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, said processing apparatus can be controlled based on a predetermined file or command from said image sensing apparatus.
10. The processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, the processing of the image from said image sensing apparatus can be started in response to an operation of a switch provided in said processing apparatus.
11. The processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, said processing apparatus can start the processing of the image from said image sensing apparatus by an operation of a switch provided in said image sensing apparatus.
12. The processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a display unit which displays the image from said image sensing apparatus.
13. The processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processing apparatus prints the image from said image sensing apparatus.
14. A control method for an image sensing apparatus comprising an image sensing unit which converts an optical image of an object into an electric image signal, an interface capable of communicating with an external processing apparatus, and a control unit which transfers said image signal to said external processing apparatus to process the same, said control method comprising:
determining whether control relation between the image sensing apparatus and the external processing apparatus is a first type in which a memory in the image sensing apparatus can be accessed directly from said external processing apparatus, or a second type in which processing in said external processing apparatus can be controlled by a controller of the image sensing apparatus, by communication with said external processing apparatus via said interface; and
changing a processing procedure for processing an image in said image sensing apparatus by said external processing apparatus based on the result of the determination.
15. The control method according to claim 14, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, the external processing apparatus is controlled based on a predetermined file or command from said image sensing apparatus.
16. The control method according to claim 14, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, a display unit of the image sensing apparatus is switched to an energy-saving mode.
17. The control method according to claim 14, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, the processing of the image from said image sensing apparatus can be started in response to an operation of a switch provided in the external processing apparatus.
18. The control method according to claim 14, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, the external processing apparatus can start the processing of the image from said image sensing apparatus in response to an operation of a switch provided in the image sensing apparatus.
19. The control method according to claim 14, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, the external processing apparatus comprises a display unit which displays the image from said image sensing apparatus.
20. The control method according to claim 14, wherein said external processing apparatus is a printing apparatus, which prints the image from said image sensing apparatus.
21. A control method for an processing apparatus communicating with an image sensing apparatus which converts an optical image of an object into an electric image signal and comprises an interface capable of communicating with the processing apparatus, comprising:
determining whether control relation between the image sensing apparatus and the processing apparatus is a first type in which a memory in the image sensing apparatus can be accessed directly from said processing apparatus, or a second type in which processing in said processing apparatus can be controlled by the image sensing apparatus, by communication with said image sensing apparatus via said interface; and
changing a processing procedure for processing the image in said image sensing apparatus by said processing apparatus based on the result of the determination.
22. The control method according to claim 21, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, said processing apparatus can be controlled based on a predetermined file or command from said image sensing apparatus.
23. The control method according to claim 21, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, the processing of the image from said image sensing apparatus can be started in response to an operation of a switch provided in said processing apparatus.
24. The control method according to claim 21, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, said processing apparatus can start the processing of the image from said image sensing apparatus in response to an operation of a switch provided in said image sensing apparatus.
25. The control method according to claim 21, wherein the image from said image sensing apparatus is printed.
26. An image storage apparatus comprising a storage unit which stores an electric image signal, an interface capable of communicating with an external image processing apparatus, and a control unit which transfers said image signal to said external image processing apparatus to process the same, wherein said control unit comprises:
a determination unit which determines whether control relation between the image sensing apparatus and the external image processing apparatus is a first type in which said storage unit in the image storage apparatus can be accessed directly from said external image processing apparatus, or a second type in which processing in said external image processing apparatus can be controlled by a controller of the image storage apparatus, by communication with said external image processing apparatus via said interface; and
a processing controller which changes a processing procedure for processing an image in said image storage apparatus by said external image processing apparatus based on the result of the determination.
27. The image storage apparatus according to claim 26, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, the external image processing apparatus is controlled based on a predetermined file or command from said image storage apparatus.
28. The image storage apparatus according to claim 26, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, a display unit of said image storage apparatus is switched to an energy-saving mode.
29. The image storage apparatus according to claim 26, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, the processing of the image from said image storage apparatus can be started based on an operation of a switch provided in the external image processing apparatus.
30. The image storage apparatus according to claim 26, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, the external image processing apparatus can start the processing of the image from said image storage apparatus in response to an operation of a switch provided in the image storage apparatus.
31. The image storage apparatus according to claim 26, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, the external image processing apparatus comprises a display unit which displays the image from said image storage apparatus.
32. The image storage apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said external image processing apparatus is a printing apparatus, which prints the image from said image storage apparatus.
33. An image processing apparatus communicating with an image storage apparatus which stores an electric image signal and comprises an interface capable of communicating with the image processing apparatus, comprising:
a determination unit which determines whether control relation between the image storage apparatus and the image processing apparatus is a first type in which a memory in the image storage apparatus can be accessed directly from said image processing apparatus, or a second type in which processing in said image processing apparatus can be controlled by the image storage apparatus, by communication with said image storage apparatus via said interface; and
a processing controller which changes a processing procedure for processing an image in said image storage apparatus by said image processing apparatus based on the result of the determination.
34. The image processing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, said image processing apparatus can be controlled based on a predetermined file or command from said image storage apparatus.
35. The image processing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, the processing of the image from said image storage apparatus can be started in response to an operation of a switch provided in said image processing apparatus.
36. The image processing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, said image processing apparatus can start the processing of the image from said image storage apparatus by an operation of a switch provided in said image storage apparatus.
37. The image processing apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising a display unit which displays the image from said image storage apparatus.
38. The image processing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the image processing apparatus prints the image from said image storage apparatus.
39. A control method for an image storage apparatus comprising a storage unit which stores an electric image signal, an interface capable of communicating with an external image processing apparatus, and a control unit which transfers said image signal to said external image processing apparatus to process the same, said method comprising:
determining whether control relation between the image storage apparatus and the external image processing apparatus is a first type in which a memory in the image storage apparatus can be accessed directly from said external image processing apparatus, or a second type in which processing in said external image processing apparatus can be controlled by a controller of the image storage apparatus, by communication with said external image processing apparatus via said interface; and
changing a processing procedure for processing an image in said image storage apparatus by said external image processing apparatus based on the result of the determination.
40. The control method according to claim 39, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, the external image processing apparatus is controlled based on a predetermined file or command from said image storage apparatus.
41. The control method according to claim 39, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, a display unit of the image storage apparatus is switched to an energy-saving mode.
42. The control method according to claim 39, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, the processing of the image from said image storage apparatus can be started in response to an operation of a switch provided in the external image processing apparatus.
43. The control method according to claim 39, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, the external image processing apparatus can start the processing of the image from said image storage apparatus in response to an operation of a switch provided in the image storage apparatus.
44. The control method according to claim 39, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, the external image processing apparatus comprises a display unit which displays the image from said image storage apparatus.
45. The control method according to claim 39, wherein said external image processing apparatus is a printing apparatus, which prints the image from said image storage apparatus.
46. A control method for an image processing apparatus communicating with an image storage apparatus which stores an electric image signal and comprises an interface capable of communicating with the image processing apparatus, said method comprising:
determining whether control relation between the image storage apparatus and the image processing apparatus is a first type in which a memory in the image storage apparatus can be accessed directly from said image processing apparatus, or a second type in which processing in said image processing apparatus can be controlled by the image storage apparatus, by communication with said image storage apparatus via said interface; and
changing a processing procedure for processing the image in said image storage apparatus by said image processing apparatus based on the result of the determination.
47. The control method according to claim 46, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, said image processing apparatus can be controlled based on a predetermined file or command from said image storage apparatus.
48. The control method according to claim 46, wherein in the case where the control relation is said first type, the processing of the image from said image storage apparatus can be started in response to an operation of a switch provided in said image processing apparatus.
49. The control method according to claim 46, wherein in the case where the control relation is said second type, said image processing apparatus can start the processing of the image from said image storage apparatus in response to an operation of a switch provided in said image storage apparatus.
50. The control method according to claim 46, wherein the image from said image storage apparatus is printed.
51. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for implementing the control method described in claim 14.
52. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for implementing the control method described in claim 21.
53. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for implementing the control method described in claim 39.
54. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for implementing the control method described in claim 46.

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. A truefalse determining apparatus comprising:
a radiating unit adapted to radiate coherent light onto a surface of an object;
a detecting unit adapted to detect reflected light of said coherent light reflected by said object;
a selection unit adapted to select a part to be used as a pattern sample from intensity distribution of said reflected light detected by said detecting unit;
a pattern data generating unit adapted to generate pattern data from the intensity distribution of said reflected light in the part selected by said selection unit; and
a matching unit adapted to match the pattern data generated by said pattern data generating unit against reference pattern data.
2. A truefalse determining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selection unit performs binarizing processing on the intensity distribution of said detected reflected light, and selects a part to be used as said pattern sample based on the intensity distribution of said reflected light on which said binarizing processing has been performed.
3. A truefalse determining apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said selection unit selects a high-level part of the intensity distribution of said reflected light on which said binarizing processing has been performed as the part to be used as said pattern sample.
4. A truefalse determining apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a conveying unit adapted to convey said object at a regular rate.
5. A truefalse determining apparatus comprising:
a radiating unit adapted to radiate coherent light onto a surface of an object;
a detecting unit adapted to detect reflected light of said coherent light reflected by said object;
a selection unit adapted to select a part to be used as a pattern sample from intensity distribution of said reflected light detected by said detecting unit;
a first pattern data generating unit adapted to generate first pattern data from the intensity distribution of said reflected light on the part selected by said selection unit;
a first matching unit adapted to match the first pattern data generated by said first pattern data generating unit against first reference pattern data;
a second pattern data generating unit adapted to generate second pattern data from intensity distribution of said reflected light on a part selected by said selection unit depending on a matching result in said first matching unit; and
a second matching unit adapted to match the second pattern data generated by said second pattern data generating unit against second reference pattern data.
6. A truefalse determining apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said selection unit performs binarizing processing on the intensity distribution of said detected reflected light, and selects a part to be used as said pattern sample based on the intensity distribution of said reflected light on which said binarizing processing has been performed.
7. A truefalse determining apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said selection unit selects a high-level part of the intensity distribution of said reflected light on which said binarizing processing has been performed as the part to be used as said pattern sample.
8. A truefalse determining apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said second pattern data generating unit generates said second pattern data if said first pattern data is determined to match said first reference pattern data, as a result of the matching in said first matching unit.
9. A truefalse determining apparatus according to claim 5 comprising a conveying unit adapted to convey said object at a regular rate.
10. An image forming apparatus comprising the truefalse determining apparatus according to claim 1.
11. A truefalse determining method comprising:
a radiating step of radiating coherent light onto a surface of an object;
a detecting step of detecting reflected light of said coherent light reflected by said object;
a selection step of selecting a part to be used as a pattern sample from intensity distribution of said reflected light detected in said detecting step;
a pattern data generating step of generating pattern data from the intensity distribution of said reflected light in the part selected in said selection step; and
a matching step of matching the pattern data generated in said pattern data generating step against reference pattern data.
12. A truefalse determining method according to claim 11, wherein said selection step includes performing binarizing processing on the intensity distribution of said detected reflected light, and selecting a part to be used as said pattern sample based on the intensity distribution of said reflected light on which said binarizing processing has been performed.
13. A truefalse determining method according to claim 12, wherein said selection step includes selecting a high-level part of the intensity distribution of said reflected light on which said binarizing processing has been performed as the part to be used as said pattern sample.
14. A truefalse determining method according to claim 11 comprising a conveying step of conveying said object at a regular rate.
15. A truefalse determining method comprising:
a radiating step of radiating coherent light onto a surface of an object;
a detecting step of detecting reflected light of said coherent light reflected by said object;
a selection step of selecting a part to be used as a pattern sample from intensity distribution of said reflected light detected in said detecting step;
a first pattern data generating step of generating pattern data from the intensity distribution of said reflected light in the part selected in said selection step;
a first matching step of matching the first pattern data generated in said first pattern data generating step against first reference pattern data;
a second pattern data generating step of generating second pattern data from intensity distribution of said reflected light on the part selected in said selection step depending on a matching result in said first matching step; and
a second matching step of matching the second pattern data generated in said second pattern data generating step against second reference pattern data.
16. A truefalse determining method according to claim 15, wherein said selection step includes performing binarizing processing on the intensity distribution of said detected reflected light, and selecting a part to be used as said pattern sample based on the intensity distribution of said reflected light on which said binarizing processing has been performed.
17. A truefalse determining method according to claim 16, wherein said selection step includes selecting a high-level part of the intensity distribution of said reflected light on which said binarizing processing has been performed as the part to be used as said pattern sample.
18. A truefalse determining method according to claim 15, wherein said second pattern data generating step includes generating said second pattern data if said first pattern data is determined to match said first reference pattern data, as a result of the matching in said first matching step.
19. A truefalse determining method according to claim 15 comprising a conveying step of conveying said object at a regular rate.
20. An image forming method of executing the truefalse determining method according to claim 11.

1. A method for fabricating a fuse of a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
forming a barrier metal layer and a metal layer over a first insulating film;
patterning the metal layer and the barrier metal layer to form a fuse pattern;
etching sidewalls of the patterned barrier metal layer to form an undercut;
forming a protective film that fills the undercut;
forming a second insulating film over the protective film, the fuse pattern and the barrier metal; and
selectively etching the first insulating film and the second insulating film to form a fuse open region.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating film and the second insulating film comprise oxide films.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the protective film comprises an oxide film.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the barrier metal layer comprises one selected from the group consisting of a titanium (Ti) film and a titanium nitride (TiN) film.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal layer comprises aluminum.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the width of the undercut ranges from about 40 \u212b to about 60 \u212b.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the forming-a-protective-film comprises forming a protective film over the fuse pattern including the first insulating film and the undercut.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the forming-a-fuse-open-region comprises etching the protective film with the fuse pattern as a barrier so that the protective film remains on the undercut.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a passivation layer is further comprised over the second insulating film.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the passivation layer comprises one selected from the group consisting of an oxide film and a nitride film.
11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising etching the upper portion of the fuse pattern.
12. A fuse of a semiconductor device comprising:
a fuse pattern including an undercut; and
a protective film filled in the undercut.
13. The fuse according to claim 12, wherein the fuse pattern comprises a metal layer and a barrier metal layer.
14. The fuse according to claim 13, wherein the metal layer comprises aluminum.
15. The fuse according to claim 13, wherein the barrier metal layer comprises one selected from the group consisting of a titanium (Ti) film and a titanium nitride (TiN) film.
16. The fuse according to claim 12, wherein the width of the undercut ranges from about 40 \u212b to about 60 \u212b.
17. The fuse according to claim 13, wherein the undercut is formed in the barrier metal layer.
18. The fuse according to claim 12, wherein the protective film comprises an oxide film.

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. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:
performing a first ion implanting process for implanting an n-type impurity with a first dose on a surface of a semiconductor wafer to form an n-type impurity layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer;
coating resist on the surface of the side where the n-type impurity layer is formed in the semiconductor wafer;
exposing the semiconductor wafer selectively to pattern the resist; and
performing a second ion implanting process for implanting a p-type impurity with a second dose greater than the first dose using the remaining part of the resist as a mask to form a p-type impurity layer in the interior of the n-type impurity layer.
2. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the second ion implanting process is split into two or more times and is performed until the dose of the p-type impurity reaches the second dose, and wherein each dose of the ion implanting processes split into two or more times is less than the second dose.
3. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein Rp1, \u0394Rp1, Rp2, and \u0394Rp2 are defined as the projected range of the n-type impurity in the first ion implanting process, the standard deviation of the projected range Rp1, the projected range of the p-type impurity in the second ion implanting process, and the standard deviation of the projected range Rp2, respectively, and wherein the following equation 1 is satisfied as:
Rp2+3\xb7\u0394Rp2\u2267Rp1+3\u0394Rp1 \u2003\u2003(1)
4. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the method further includes heat treatment to activate the n-type impurity layer and the p-type impurity layer after the second ion implanting process, and wherein N1, N2, xj1, and xj2 are defined as the first dose, the second dose, the diffusion depth of the n-type impurity layer after heat treatment, and the diffusion depth of p-type impurity layer after heat treatment, respectively, wherein the following equation 2 is satisfied as:
N2>N1\xb7(xj2xj1) \u2003\u2003(2)
5. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the second dose of the p-type impurity layer is equal to or greater than 1.0\xd71015 cm\u22122.
6. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the method further includes a thinning process grinding a principal surface of the semiconductor wafer to reduce the thickness of the semiconductor wafer before the first ion implanting process, wherein the thinning process allows the thickness of the semiconductor wafer to be reduced to 200 \u03bcm or less, and wherein the first ion implanting process implants the n-type impurity on the surface of the semiconductor wafer which has been ground.
7. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein Rp1, \u0394Rp1, Rp2, and \u0394Rp2 are defined as the projected range of the n-type impurity in the first ion implanting process, the standard deviation of the projected range Rp1, the projected range of the p-type impurity in the second ion implanting process, and the standard deviation of the projected range Rp2, respectively, and wherein the following equation 1 is satisfied as:
Rp2+3\xb7\u0394Rp2\u2267Rp1+3\u0394Rp1 \u2003\u2003(1)
8. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the method further includes heat treatment to activate the n-type impurity layer and the p-type impurity layer after the second ion implanting process, and wherein N1, N2, xj1, and xj2 are defined as the first dose, the second dose, the diffusion depth of the n-type impurity layer after heat treatment, and the diffusion depth of p-type impurity layer after heat treatment, respectively, wherein the following equation 2 is satisfied as:
N2>N1\xb7(xj2xj1) \u2003\u2003(2)
9. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein the method further includes heat treatment to activate the n-type impurity layer and the p-type impurity layer after the second ion implanting process, and wherein N1, N2, xj1, and xj2 are defined as the first dose, the second dose, the diffusion depth of the n-type impurity layer after heat treatment, and the diffusion depth of p-type impurity layer after heat treatment, respectively, wherein the following equation 2 is satisfied as:
N2>N1\xb7(xj2xj1) \u2003\u2003(2)
10. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the second dose of the p-type impurity layer is equal to or greater than 1.0\xd71015 cm\u22122.
11. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein the second dose of the p-type impurity layer is equal to or greater than 1.0\xd71015 cm\u22122.
12. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the second dose of the p-type impurity layer is equal to or greater than 1.0\xd71015 cm\u22122.
13. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the method further includes a thinning process grinding a principal surface of the semiconductor wafer to reduce the thickness of the semiconductor wafer before the first ion implanting process, wherein the thinning process allows the thickness of the semiconductor wafer to be reduced to 200 \u03bcm or less, and wherein the first ion implanting process implants the n-type impurity on the surface of the semiconductor wafer which has been ground.
14. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein the method further includes a thinning process grinding a principal surface of the semiconductor wafer to reduce the thickness of the semiconductor wafer before the first ion implanting process, wherein the thinning process allows the thickness of the semiconductor wafer to be reduced to 200 \u03bcm or less, and wherein the first ion implanting process implants the n-type impurity on the surface of the semiconductor wafer which has been ground.
15. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the method further includes a thinning process grinding a principal surface of the semiconductor wafer to reduce the thickness of the semiconductor wafer before the first ion implanting process, wherein the thinning process allows the thickness of the semiconductor wafer to be reduced to 200 \u03bcm or less, and wherein the first ion implanting process implants the n-type impurity on the surface of the semiconductor wafer which has been ground.
16. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the method further includes a thinning process grinding a principal surface of the semiconductor wafer to reduce the thickness of the semiconductor wafer before the first ion implanting process, wherein the thinning process allows the thickness of the semiconductor wafer to be reduced to 200 \u03bcm or less, and wherein the first ion implanting process implants the n-type impurity on the surface of the semiconductor wafer which has been ground.