The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 11, 1986
Filed:
May. 26, 1983
Heinz Baier, Sindelfingen, DE;
Peter Kopp, Schoenbuch, DE;
Martin Schneiderhan, Stuttgart, DE;
Hans-Peter Reimann, Sindelfingen, DE;
Hans Rosch, Reutlingen-Sondelfingen, DE;
Erwin Pfeffer, Holzgerlingen, DE;
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Method and apparatus for automatic optical inspection of a substantially two-dimensional pattern using digital image processing techniques are described. In a first processing step, all regions of a digitized stored image derived from the two-dimensional pattern are scanned for edges or lines, that is, transitions between regions having optically different characteristics. The scanned edge regions are marked in the image storage. In a subsequent second processing step all non-marked regions of the image storage are scanned and tested for the presence of permissible grey levels. A meander-shaped scanning track is used for scanning the edge or lined regions. The apparatus for implementing this method includes special latch circuitry for eliminating the further processing of marked regions, thus increasing the overall speed at which the two-dimensional pattern can be optically inspected.