International Business Machines Corporation

Peter J Yablonsky

Norman E Rittenhouse

Todd C Fellows

Donald H Canfield

Vincent Charles Conzola

Timothy L Braun

Earle W Gillis

Vincent Caiozza

Jeffrey M Solomon

Beverly M Fassett

Thomas J Toomey

A method and system for generating a plurality of concurrent solutions for a corresponding plurality of service requests each having one or more service types. The method comprises the steps of defining a set of said service types and a sequence of activities for each said service type; and for each said service request, configuring a workflow of said activities from said service types in each said service request. The method comprises the further steps of defining owners of said activities in each said workflow and a schedule for performing said activities whereby said owner and schedule are defined using load balancing; and performing said activities and monitoring completion of said activities and said load balancing.

Configurable application integrating service request and fulfillment process

A dual mode illumination system for optical inspection of products for surface defects and defects in holes in the product includes a first light source for providing illumination along an axis of one or more holes in the product to be inspected, the first light source being positioned on a first side of the product, a second light source providing illumination of the surface of the second side of the product to be inspected, a beam splitter for redirecting light from the second light source to a light sensor while passing light from the first light source to the light sensor. The second light source may be located adjacent to a second side of the product to be tested with the axis of illumination parallel to a major plane of the product. The light sensor may be a video camera connected to a data processing and display system.

Dual mode illumination system for optical inspection

An optical inspection system is provided in which the background video component of an analog video source which limits imaging integrity is removed enhancing the system's ability to process a wider range of image sources with increase digitizing sensitivity. The overall effects of background and background variations are nulled stabilizing the effective signal to noise ratio, thereby increasing inspection capability of the system and improving the system's process window for effective and efficient inspection.

Analog video processing apparatus and method for eliminating background

An optical imaging surface inspection system and method are provided. The system comprises an illumination source for illuminating an image pattern on a surface to be inspected, a video camera for detecting a portion of the light reflected from the surface and outputting an analog video signal, a dynamic thresholding circuit for converting the analog video signal into a digital representation of the image pattern, and means to compare a known accurate digital representation of the image pattern to the digital representation provided by the dynamic thresholding circuit. The method includes the steps of illuminating the surface, scanning the surface with the video camera, separating the video signal into a black level signal component and a white level signal component, detecting successive peak levels in the white level signal component and outputting a corresponding variable peak voltage. A variable threshold voltage is determined by selecting a percentage of the variable peak voltage. This variable threshold voltage is then compared with a delayed portion of the analog video signal to provide the digital representation of an image pattern on the surface being inspected.

Optical inspection system utilizing dynamic analog-to-digital

The illumination system as a part of an optical inspection system, the total inspection system itself, and the method of illuminating and inspecting a workpiece. The illumination system is computer controlled as to a level of intensity and adjustable as to angle of incidence. The illumination system includes illumination control electronics, a quad quartz halogen lamp array light source, a fiber optic line converter and an illumination collection system, having a collimator lens array and a focusing/field coverage lens. As a result of the present invention, determinations of false defects on the PCB are minimized. Human contact with the PCB is also minimized and the rate of inspections performable is increased.

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Apalachin, NY, United States of America

Peter J Yablonsky