View Engineering, Inc.

Other

Kaijo Denki Co. Ltd.

Ralph M Weisner

Jack Sacks

Takashi Kamiharako

Valerie A Liudzius

Iwami Uramoto

This invention concerns an optical system for use with a television camera for detecting the surface location of an object. A preferred optical image having a distinct, unique, recognizable pattern is projected on a surface along a defined path that ultimately falls on an imaging sensor associated with a television camera. The optical configuration causes a maximum light pattern energy to fall on the image sensor when the focal point coincides exactly with the surface of the object being detected. The system is not an automatic focussing system, since best focus is normally considered to be that condition which produces an image of maximum detail and sharpness, and the present invention does not rely on detail or sharpness of image for its operation. The invention can be used as an automatic focussing device if desired, since best focus can be derived as a useful by-product of accurate surface detection. In operation the camera moves in the Z direction through the point of maximum light pattern energy. The Z-axis position of the energy peak value is a function of the optical design. An output signal from the camera is filtered and processed and calculated to the Z-axis height of the camera as a measure of the distance to the object surface being detected.

Z-axis measurement system

A semiconductor device inspection system capable of objectively accomplishing visual image inspection of a semiconductor device and minimizing error in the inspection, to thereby effectively carry out the inspection with high accuracy and at high speed. The system includes a low magnification image pickup mechanism which consists of a plurality of low magnification image pickup units each carrying out low magnification image pickup of a semiconductor device to generate an image signal. The system also includes a signal processing system for processing the image signal to judge the correctness of the semiconductor device. In the image pickup units, their light receptors are each arranged in parallel to an inspected surface of the semiconductor device and their central axes intersect together on the inspected surface. The system may also include a high magnification image pickup unit consisting of a high magnification image pickup mechanism and a light-permeable element retractably positioned between the unit and a semiconductor device to be inspected.

Semiconductor device inspection system

Z-axis height measurement system

An illumination system, particularly suitable for use with automatic vision systems employing an image sensing device or system, illuminates an object under analysis with the cone of light that may cover 360.degree. or only an arc segment about a part of the object under analysis. Light from a ring source is directed toward a curved parabolic surface on a light collector ring that substantially collimates the light and fans it out radially out toward a toroidal reflector surface on an encompassing ring, the relative position of which determines the angle of incidence of a cone of light formed to fall in the region of the object, so as to illuminate particular features with optimal efficiency. To change the angle of incidence while maintaining focus, a differential drive mechanism moves the parabolic collector ring and the toroidal angle generator ring in differential fashion concurrently.

Systems and methods for illuminating objects for vision systems

An integrating densitometer for comparing unknown values of an integrated color print with reference values of a standard to indicate changes in density and quality and quantity characteristics of color for correcting the values of the unknown to have substantially the values of the reference, the densitometer having a photopic filter before a light sensor, and a master control for biasing simultaneously individually adjustable color controls.

Growing community of inventors

Canoga Park, CA, United States of America

Ralph M Weisner