Mv Research Limited

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Cathx Research Ltd

Xsil Technology Limited

Reflective Measurement Systems Ltd

James Mahon

Peter Conlon

Adrian Boyle

Mark Douglas Owen

John Milroy

Niall Dorr

Xuemei Zhang

Izhak Baharav

S Jeffrey Rosner

Michael Flynn

Mohsen Abdollahi

Joseph O'Keeffe

William Diggin

Kevin Godden

Sean Michael O'Neill

Niall Burke

Karl Stanley

Brian Farrell

Padraig Butler

Kevin Keane

A retroreflectivity measurement system comprises a light source arranged to project light across a traffic lane during a measurement run, the light being limited to a particular portion of the visible light spectrum. A camera is selectively sensitive to this light to provide first filtered images and separately selectively sensitive to light at a portion of the spectrum not including the particular portion to provide second filtered images. A controller obtains sequences of first and second filtered images during the measurement run, and identifies within the sequences of images an illuminated road marking; determines a first intensity of the marking from a first filtered image, and a further intensity of the marking from the second filtered images; estimates an ambient intensity of the marking, by applying a scaling factor to the further intensity; and determines a retroreflectivity of the marking as a function of the first and estimated ambient intensities.

Retroreflectivity measurement system

The present invention relates to an underwater method and system for gathering range and dimensional information of subsea objects, the system comprising a camera module suitable for capturing images of sub-sea scenes; and a reference projection light source that, in use, projects a structured light beam onto a target. The structured light beam is preferably generated by a laser and may comprise spots, lines, grids and the like.

Gathering range and dimensional information for underwater surveys

A machine vision system () has two laser sources () to illuminate a solder deposit from both sides for comprehensive coverage without occlusion. The camera () has an FGPA () programmed to define a subset of the sensor array () as a region of interest to be processed for each laser source (). This reduces the amount of data transfer and processing required. The image line () is dynamically maintained in the region of interest by adjustement of camara Z position according to warp of the substrate (S).

Machine vision system for measuring heights of items

A display for use in a printed circuit board inspection system for inspecting objects on a printed circuit board is capable of displaying a greater-than-two dimensional image of the shape of the surface of an object resident on the printed circuit board in at least two dimensions. The image of the object is generated based on optical imaging of the object under different illumination configurations.

Optical inspection system and method for displaying imaged objects in greater than two dimensions

An illumination head () for machine vision has an annular support () with first, second, third, and fourth illumination sections (and). The third section () has three sets of LEDs () arranged in a pattern so that each set illuminates at approximately the same angle. Each set is driven in succession so that a series of three monochrome images at the same angle are captured. These are superimposed by an image processor to provide a color image, although the camera is monochrome. More information can be obtained in such a color image and the high resolution and robustness of monochrome cameras is availed of.

Machine vision

Electronic circuits such as IC packages, circuit boards, of flex circuits are singulated by laser cutting of adjoining laminated material. The laser beam has a wavelength of less than 400 nm, and either a minimum energy density of 100 J/cm2 or a minimum power density of 1GW/cm2. The method avoids the need for cleaning and intermediate handling, and there is a greatly improved throughput.

Circuit singulation system and method

A system has a projection lens directing on-axis light and low level LEDs directing light to blind microvias. A high resolution camera captures blind microvia images and an image processor recognizes defects according to classifications according to reflected light area and centroid position. The lens is telecentric for particularly effective image capture in blind microvias. The system also has an array of 6000 back lighting LEDs providing illumination for capture of images by a camera. These images are analyzed by the image processor to detect defects such as blocked through microvias.

Microvia inspection system

A measurement system ( ) has a camera with a lens ( ) and a separate sensor ( ) mounted so that their planes ( ) intersect at an object plane ( ) according to the Scheimpflug principle. A reference camera( ) is normal and provides a 2D normal image which is used by an image processor ( ) to determine a calibration image. This allows the image processor to determine height of the object ( ). A single image capture provides an image of the full object, such as a ball grid array (BGA).

Measurement system having a camera with a lens and a separate sensor

A closed loop controller ( ) has a measurement server ( ) which captures measurement data from a measurement machine ( ) via a link ( ). It also receives production data indicating which placement machine parts were involved in depositing inspected items, via links ( ). The server ( ) correlates this data and transmits it via a link ( ) to a closed loop client ( ), which generates process engineer displays of the correlated data and generates a control signal for the placement machine ( ). These are fed back via a link ( ) for automatic closed loop control.

Circuit production method

A measurement system (1) has robotic system (3) mounted over a base plate (2) which provides a vertical height reference. In the optical head (8), a CCD camera (17) is adjustable to be pre-set in height. The optical head (8) also has an upper light source (18) comprising LEDs and a lower light source (25) comprising a white fluorescent lamp (26) for lateral component illumination. An air flow system (45) directs cooling air in a swirling motion around the tube. An image analysis computer (10) automatically performs various tests to co-ordinate optical and mechanical operation.

Growing community of inventors

Dublin, Ireland

James Mahon