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.

Date of Patent:
Oct. 15, 2002

Filed:

Jul. 31, 2000
Applicant:
Inventors:

Robert G Gann, Bellvue, CO (US);

Kurt E. Spears, Fort Collins, CO (US);

Assignee:

Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 2/188 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 2/188 ;
Abstract

Multiple scans of the same object are obtained, where for any given line on the object to be scanned, the angle of the illumination is different for each scan. The different scans are obtained from different rows of photosensors that are separated. Because the angles of illumination are different, the resulting shadows in each scan are different. The multiple scans may be combined into a single composite color image. In a composite image, a dust particle may generate a series of overlapping shadows, where each shadow is a different color. Searching the composite image for the unique pattern of colors may identify artifacts or defects. Alternatively, the data for one scanned image may be compared to the data for another scanned image, and any differences may be due to shadows, which may indicate defects.


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