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:
Dec. 06, 1994
Filed:
Jan. 17, 1992
Antonie J Engel, Boulton, MA (US);
William M Silver, Medfield, MA (US);
Cognex Corporation, Natick, MA (US);
Abstract
The invention provides methods and apparatus for inspecting a surface mounted device to estimate its position. The methods and apparatus provide for storing a description of the component to be inspected; devising a plan for inspecting features of the surface mounted device to determine their characteristics arid, from them, to estimate a position of the device itself; generating an image of at least a portion of the component being inspected; and estimating the component's position by inspecting successive features in accord with the plan. A resulting output signal provides that estimate, for example, to placement equipment which can make final adjustments in placement. According to one aspect of the invention, that plan is intended to reduce with inspection of each successive feature any uncertainty in the estimation of the position of the component.