Cognex Corporation

Gilbert Chiang

Ben R Carey

Yukang Liu

David J Michael

Hongwei Zhu

Nitin M Vaidya

Daniel Moreno

Nickolas James Mullan

Andrew Parrett

E John McGarry

Robert Tremblay

Fariborz Rostami

Bill Lepior

This invention provides a system and method for using an area scan sensor of a vision system, in conjunction with an encoder or other knowledge of motion, to capture an accurate measurement of an object larger than a single field of view (FOV) of the sensor. It identifies features/edges of the object, which are tracked from image to image, thereby providing a lightweight way to process the overall extents of the object for dimensioning purposes. Logic automatically determines if the object is longer than the FOV, and thereby causes a sequence of image acquisition snapshots to occur while the moving/conveyed object remains within the FOV until the object is no longer present in the FOV. At that point, acquisition ceases and the individual images are combined as segments in an overall image. These images can be processed to derive overall dimensions of the object based on input application details.

System and method for three-dimensional scan of moving objects longer than the field of view

A system and method for estimating dimensions of an approximately cuboidal object from a 3D image of the object acquired by an image sensor of the vision system processor is provided. An identification module, associated with the vision system processor, automatically identifies a 3D region in the 3D image that contains the cuboidal object. A selection module, associated with the vision system processor, automatically selects 3D image data from the 3D image that corresponds to approximate faces or boundaries of the cuboidal object. An analysis module statistically analyzes, and generates statistics for, the selected 3D image data that correspond to approximate cuboidal object faces or boundaries. A refinement module chooses statistics that correspond to improved cuboidal dimensions from among cuboidal object length, width and height. The improved cuboidal dimensions are provided as dimensions for the object. A user interface displays a plurality of interface screens for setup and runtime operation.

System and method for refining dimensions of a generally cuboidal 3D object imaged by 3D vision system and controls for the same

A system and method for detecting and/or determining the existence of displacement of a substrate with respect to a surrounding object uses a laser line that is free of contact with the object and that is received by an image sensor. A processor reads the line information in a series of image frames, and generates a range image with height information. The height information is provided to a 2D map. Differences between adjacent height measurements, and averages, are computed. Vision system tools are used to accurately locate features in the image and these are aligned with the height information. The height differences are interpreted, with missing height data due, for example, to specularity in the image being approximated. The height differences are compared to predetermined height parameters relative to identified locations, for example, wells, in the object to determine whether a substrate is displaced.

System and method for determining a displaced substrate with a vision system

An apparatus is provided for forming an image of the periphery of an object with a camera having optics disposed at a working distance that is significantly less than the focal length of the optics, without introducing image distortion. The invention provides an image formation apparatus having a reduced effective profile height by exploiting a folded optical path to provide reduced working distance between a camera and an object of interest, such as a semiconductor wafer, as compared with direct viewing of the object. In a preferred embodiment, the invention includes two reflecting substrates, a first reflecting substrate and a second reflecting substrate. The distance between the first and second reflecting substrates determines the number of times the light rays that form the image will bounce therebetween, and consequently, the number of images of an object periphery that will appear in the field of view (FOV) of the camera. The invention provides an image formation system that can operate within the small or narrow enclosures of some existing wafer fabrication equipment. The invention also provides reduced camera vibration.

Low-profile image formation apparatus

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Natick, MA, United States of America

Gilbert Chiang