Anti-vibration technique

Abstract

A supporting apparatus includes a supporting member configured to support a movable member, an acceleration sensor configured to detect acceleration of the supporting member, an actuator configured to drive the supporting member, a memory configured to memorize offset data for the acceleration sensor, an offset unit configured to offset an output of the acceleration sensor in accordance with the offset data in the memory, a discrimination unit configured to discriminate whether the offset data should be renewed or not on the basis of an output of the acceleration sensor, and a renewing unit configured to renew the offset data on the basis of the result of the discrimination made by the discrimination unit.

1 - 15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . A supporting apparatus comprising: 
 a supporting member configured to support a movable member;    an acceleration sensor configured to detect acceleration of said supporting member;    an actuator configured to drive said supporting member;    a memory configured to memorize offset data for said acceleration sensor;    an offset unit configured to offset an output of said acceleration sensor in accordance with the offset data in said memory;    a discrimination unit configured to discriminate whether the offset data should be renewed or not on the basis of an output of said acceleration sensor; and    a renewing unit configured to renew the offset data on the basis of the result of the discrimination made by said discrimination unit.    
   
   
       17 . A supporting apparatus according to  claim 16 , further comprising a controller configured to produce a driving signal in relation to said actuator, on the basis of an output of said offset unit.  
   
   
       18 . A supporting apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said renewing unit operates while said movable member is held stationary.  
   
   
       19 . A supporting apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said discrimination unit makes the discrimination on the basis of data obtained by offsetting an output of said acceleration sensor with the offset data.  
   
   
       20 . A supporting apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said discrimination unit makes the discrimination on the basis of the output of said acceleration sensor and the offset data.  
   
   
       21 . A supporting apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said discrimination unit performs discrimination again to the offset data renewed by said renewing unit to verify the offset data.  
   
   
       22 . A device manufacturing method, comprising the steps of: 
 exposing a substrate to a pattern by use of an exposure apparatus as recited in  claim 16;  and    developing the exposed substrate.    
   
   
       23 . A supporting apparatus comprising: 
 a supporting member configured to support a movable member;    an acceleration sensor configured to detect acceleration of said supporting member;    an actuator configured to drive said supporting member;    a memory configured to memorize offset data for said acceleration sensor;    offset means for offsetting an output of said acceleration sensor in accordance with the offset data in said memory;    discrimination means for discriminating whether the offset data should be renewed or not on the basis of an output of said acceleration sensor; and    renewing means for renewing the offset data on the basis of the result of said discrimination means.    
   
   
       24 . A method of controlling a supporting system wherein acceleration of a supporting member is detected by use of an acceleration sensor and wherein the supporting member is driven by use of an actuator, said method comprising the steps of: 
 storing offset data related to the acceleration sensor;    discriminating whether the acceleration offset data should be renewed or not, on the basis of an output of the acceleration sensor;    renewing the offset data on the basis of the result of the discrimination; and    controlling the drive of the supporting member while reflecting the renewed offset data.    
   
   
       25 . A method of controlling a supporting system wherein acceleration of a supporting member is detected by use of an acceleration sensor and wherein the supporting member is driven by use of an actuator, said method comprising the steps of: 
 storing offset data related to the acceleration sensor;    discriminating whether the acceleration offset data should be renewed or not, on the basis of an output of the acceleration sensor;    repeating said discriminating step more than once; and    providing an alarm when the results of discriminations made in said discriminating step are all negative.