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. 08, 2000
Filed:
May. 15, 1997
Andrew Wooster, Raleigh, NC (US);
Shantanu Deo, Durham, NC (US);
Panasonic Technologies, Inc., Durham, NC (US);
Abstract
Methods, apparatus and computer program products for automated visual inspection of regions of interest of a product utilizing an automated visual inspection device having a constrained viewing area are provided according to the present invention. Particularly, inspection of regions of interest on a product utilizing a constrained viewing area characterized as a view minimization problem is minimized by translating the view minimization problem into a set-covering problem and a traveling salesman problem. Known heuristics are applied to the set-covering problem and the traveling salesman problem to minimize the number of views required to view the regions of interest and to minimize the distance of travel between the views. Apparatus and computer programs products are also provided which minimize inspection time in a like manner.