All The Claims

1. A method for controlling a monitor, the monitor capable of being selectively set in or out of an operative state, the monitor having a switch and storing a first display parameter and a second display parameter, the method comprising steps of:
setting the monitor in the operative state for displaying a video signal according to the first display parameter;
the monitor displaying the video signal according to the second display parameter when detecting the switch being triggered for less than a predetermined time period; and
setting the monitor out of the operative state when detecting the switch being triggered for more than the predetermined time period.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the monitor displaying the video signal brighter when the monitor displaying the video signal according to the second display parameter, and displaying the video signal darker when the monitor displaying the video signal according to the first display parameter.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising step of:
the monitor displaying the video signal according to the first display parameter when the monitor is displaying the video signal according to the second display parameter and simultaneously detects the switch being triggered for less than the predetermined time period.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the monitor is capable of detecting whether a computer system connected to the monitor is powered on, the monitor capable of being selectively set in an off state, a power-saving state, or the operative state, the method further comprising step of:
setting the monitor from the off state to the power-saving state when detecting the computer system not being powered on and the switch being simultaneously triggered.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the monitor is capable of detecting whether a computer system connected to the monitor is powered on, the monitor capable of being selectively set in an off state, a power-saving state, or the operative state, the method further comprising step of:
setting the monitor from the off state or the power-saving state to the operative state when detecting the computer system being powered on and the switch being simultaneously triggered.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the monitor is capable of detecting whether a computer system connected to the monitor is powered on, the monitor capable of being selectively set in an off state, a power-saving state, or the operative state, the method further comprising step of:
setting the monitor from the operative state to the off state when detecting the computer system being powered on and the switch being simultaneously triggered for more than the predetermined time period.
7. A method for controlling power and display parameters of a monitor capable of being selectively set in or out of an operative state, the monitor having a switch and storing a first display parameter and an adjustment value, the method comprising steps of:
setting the monitor in the operative state for displaying a video signal according to the first display parameter;
when the monitor detects the switch being triggered for less than a predetermined time period, generating a second display parameter by adding the adjustment value to the first display parameter and displaying the video signal according to the second display parameter; and
setting the monitor out of the operative state when detecting the switch being triggered for more than the predetermined time period.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the difference between the second display parameter and the first display parameter adjusts either the brightness or the contrast of the video signal shown on the monitor.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising steps of:
when the monitor displaying the video signal according to the second display parameter and simultaneously detecting the switch being triggered for less than the predetermined time period, generating a third display parameter by adding the adjustment to the second display parameter and displaying the video signal according to the third display parameter.
10. The method of claim 7 wherein the monitor is capable of detecting whether a computer system connected to the monitor is powered on, the monitor capable of being selectively set in an off state, a power-saving state, or the operative state, the method further comprising step of:
setting the monitor from the off state to the power-saving state when detecting the computer system not being powered on and simultaneously the switch being triggered.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein the monitor is capable of detecting whether a computer system connected to the monitor is powered on, the monitor capable of being selectively set in an off state, a power-saving state, or the operative state, the method further comprising step of:
setting the monitor from the off state or the power-saving state to the operative state when detecting the computer system being powered on and the switch being simultaneously triggered.
12. The method of claim 7 wherein the monitor is capable of detecting whether a computer system connected to the monitor is powered on, the monitor capable of being selectively set in an off state, a power-saving state, or the operative state, the method further comprising step of:
setting the monitor from the operative state to the off state when detecting the computer system being powered on and the switch being simultaneously triggered for more than the predetermined time period.
13. A monitor capable of being selectively set in or out of an operative state, comprising:
a storage device storing a first display parameter and a second display parameter, the monitor being capable of displaying a video signal selectively according to the first display parameter or to the second display parameter when in the operative state;
a switch capable of being selectively triggered; and
a control unit electrically coupled with the switch for detecting whether the switch is triggered;
wherein when the control unit detects the switch being triggered for less than a predetermined time period, the control unit controls the monitor from displaying the video signal according to the first display parameter to displaying the video signal according to the second display parameter;
wherein when the control unit detects the switch being triggered for more than the predetermined time period, the control unit sets the monitor out of the operative state.
14. The monitor of claim 13 wherein the control unit is for changing the brightness of the monitor when the switch is triggered for less than the predetermined time period, the monitor displaying the video signal with different brightness according to the second display parameter from displaying the video signal according to the first display parameter.
15. The monitor of claim 13 wherein the control unit is for controlling the monitor to display the video signal according to the first display parameter when the monitor is displaying the video signal according to the second display parameter and simultaneously detects the switch being triggered for less than the predetermined time period.
16. The monitor of claim 13 wherein the control unit is further for detecting whether a computer system connected to the monitor is powered on, the monitor capable of being selectively set in an off state, a power-saving state, or the operative state, the control unit setting the monitor from the off state to the power-saving state when detecting the computer system not being powered on and the switch being simultaneously triggered.
17. The monitor of claim 13 wherein the control unit is further for detecting whether a computer system connected to the monitor is powered on, the monitor capable of being selectively set in an off state, a power-saving state, or the operative state, the control unit setting the monitor from the off state or the power-saving state to the operative state when detecting the computer system being powered on and the switch being simultaneously triggered.
18. The monitor of claim 13 wherein the control unit is further for detecting whether a computer system connected to the monitor is powered on, the monitor capable of being selectively set in an off state, a power-saving state, or the operative state, the control unit setting the monitor from the operative state to the off state when detecting the computer system being powered on and the switch being simultaneously triggered for more than the predetermined time period.
19. A monitor capable of being selectively set in or out of an operative state, comprising:
a storage device storing a first display parameter and an adjustment value, the first display parameter being updated by adding the adjustment value to the first display parameter, the monitor being capable of displaying a video signal selectively according to the first display parameter or to the updated first display parameter when in the operative state;
a switch capable of being selectively triggered; and
a control unit electrically coupled with the switch for detecting whether the switch is triggered;
wherein when the control unit detects the switch being triggered for less than a predetermined time period, the control unit controls the monitor from displaying the video signal according to the first display parameter to displaying the video signal according to the updated first display parameter;
wherein when the control unit detects the switch being triggered for more than the predetermined time period, the control unit sets the monitor out of the operative state.
20. The monitor of claim 19 wherein the control unit is for controlling the monitor to further increase the updated first display parameter by adding the adjustment value once when the monitor is displaying the video signal and simultaneously detecting the switch being triggered for less than the predetermined time period.
21. The monitor of claim 19 wherein when the sum of the updated first display parameter and the adjustment value is more than a maximum value, then the control unit updates the updated first display parameter back to the first display parameter, so allowing for changing the display parameters in loop.

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 of annotating an image of an object located in a predetermined world space of an image processing system adapted to estimate at least a location of the object in the world space, the image processing system including a monitor for displaying the image, the method comprising the steps of:
defining an annotation of the object relative to at least the estimated location of the object, the annotation being defined in a world coordinate system of the world space;
piece-wise mapping the annotation into an image space corresponding to the image of the object; and
displaying the annotation on the monitor in conjunction with the image.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of defining an annotation of the object comprises any one or more of:
defining an envelope in the world coordinate system encompassing the estimated location of the object in the world space;
defining an indicator positioned at the estimated location of the object in the world space;
defining text information at a predetermined position relative to the estimated location of the object in the world space; and
defining a wire-frame drawing tracing at least a portion of an outline of the object in the world space.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of defining an envelope comprises a step of defining either one of a polygon and an ellipsoid surrounding the estimated location of the object in the world space.
4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the image processing system is further adapted to estimate at an orientation of the object in the world space, and wherein the step of defining an envelope further comprises a step of defining an orientation of the envelope to approximate the estimated orientation of the object in the world space.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of piece-wise mapping the annotation comprises steps of:
segregating the annotation into a plurality of local elements;
mapping each of the local elements into the image space; and
desegregating the local elements within the image space.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the annotation comprises either one of:
mapping the annotation into an overlay buffer associated with the monitor; and
mapping the annotation directly into a display buffer of the monitor.

1. A charged particle lithography system comprising a preparation unit, the preparation unit comprising:
a housing having a first load port for loading andor unloading a substrate into or out of the housing;
a substrate transfer unit for locating the substrate onto a substrate support structure within the housing; and
a second load port for loading andor unloading the substrate support structure supporting the substrate.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a lithography apparatus for performing a lithographic process on the substrate in a substrate processing compartment, the preparation unit further comprising an energy discharge system for removing energy accumulated in the substrate support structure as a result of the lithographic process, after removal of the substrate support structure from the substrate processing compartment.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein said preparation unit is provided with connections for discharge and supply of an energy transport medium for the energy discharge system.
4. The system of claim 2, wherein said energy discharge system comprises an electrically driven thermoelectric cooling element.
5-8. (canceled)
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the preparation unit is further configured to clamp the substrate on a surface of the substrate support structure by means of a capillary liquid layer.
10. The system of claim 3, wherein said energy transport medium comprises a liquid and is used at least partly for a capillary liquid layer for clamping the substrate on a surface of the substrate support structure.
11. The system of claim 9, wherein an energy transport medium is provided for said capillary liquid layer in excess of the amount of liquid required for clamping the substrate.
12. The system of claim 9, wherein said preparation unit further comprises a liquid dispenser for dispensing liquid on a surface of the substrate support structure to form the capillary liquid layer.
13. The system of claim 9, wherein the pressure within the housing can be lowered to a pressure substantially equal to the vapor pressure of the liquid in the capillary layer.
14. The system of claim 1, wherein said substrate transfer unit comprises support pins for lowering the substrate onto the substrate support structure.
15. The system of claim 1, wherein the preparation unit further comprises one or more gas connectors connectable to the substrate support structure for providing gas to andor removing gas from the surface of the substrate support structure.
16. The system of claim 1, wherein the preparation unit further comprises one or more liquid connectors connectable to the substrate support structure for providing liquid to andor removing liquid from the surface of the substrate support structure.
17. The system of claim 1, the preparation unit further comprising:
a liquid dispenser for dispensing liquid on a surface of a substrate support structure;
one or more gas connectors for providing gas to andor removing gas from the surface of the substrate support structure; and
one or more liquid connectors for providing liquid to andor removing liquid from the surface of the substrate support structure;
wherein the substrate support structure is connectable and disconnectable from the one or more gas connectors, and the one or more liquid connectors.
18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of lithographic apparatus, each lithographic apparatus comprising a radiation system to provide a patterned beam of radiation, a substrate support structure to support a substrate, and an optical system to project the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate, and wherein the preparation unit is configured to provide a substrate clamped to a substrate support structure for each of the plurality of lithographic apparatus.
19. A method for preparing a substrate for lithographic processing, the method comprising:
providing a controlled pressure environment in a housing;
loading the substrate into the housing;
providing the substrate support structure in the housing;
clamping the substrate on a surface of the substrate support structure by means of a capillary layer.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising dispensing a liquid on a surface of a substrate support structure to form the capillary layer and lowering the substrate onto the dispensed liquid.
21. (canceled)
22. The method of claim 19, further comprising connecting one or more gas connectors to the substrate support structure and providing gas to andor removing gas from the surface of the substrate support structure.
23. The method of claim 19, further comprising connecting one or more liquid connectors to the substrate support structure and providing liquid to andor removing liquid from the surface of the substrate support structure.
24. The method of claim 19, further comprising lowering the pressure within the housing to a pressure substantially equal to the vapor pressure of the liquid in the capillary layer.
25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
dispensing a liquid on a surface of a substrate support structure;
connecting one or more gas connectors to the substrate support structure and providing gas to andor removing gas from the surface of the substrate support structure; and
connecting one or more liquid connectors to the substrate support structure and providing liquid to andor removing liquid from the surface of the substrate support structure; and
disconnecting the one or more gas connectors and the one or more liquid connectors from the substrate support structure.
26. (canceled)
27. The method of claim 19, further comprising conditioning the substrate support structure before clamping the substrate on a surface of the substrate support structure by actively removing energy accumulated in the substrate support structure as a result of a previous lithographic process.
28. (canceled)
29. The method of claim 27, wherein conditioning the substrate support structure comprises exposing the substrate support structure to an energy transport medium for removing the stored energy.
30. The method of claim 27, wherein conditioning the substrate support structure comprises placing the substrate support structure in thermal contact with an electrically driven thermoelectric cooling element.

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 tile comprising:
a base comprising a downward-facing surface that is to oppose an underlying surface on which the tile is to rest, the base being formed from a material comprising a combination of crumb rubber and rice hull material;
a plurality of feet extending in a downwardly direction from the downward-facing surface to contact the underlying surface on which the tile is to rest and separate the downward-facing surface from the underlying surface; and
a cap coupled to a surface of the base opposite the downward-facing surface comprising the feet.
2. The tile of claim 1, wherein the feet are integrally formed as part of a monolithic unit with the base.
3. The tile of claim 1, wherein the feet define channels extending along the downward-facing surface through which a liquid can flow between the downward-facing surface and the underlying surface.
4. The tile of claim 3 further comprising a connection member that is compatible to cooperate with the feet to couple the tile adjacent to a neighboring tile.
5. The tile of claim 1, wherein the cap comprises an overhanging portion and the base comprises a protruding portion.