Abstract: A camera image data processor provides scan conversion at extremely high speed while allowing static and dynamic correction of image data particularly for a high data output rate CCD image transducer in a confocal imaging system for automated optical inspection in manufacturing processes. Scan conversion and data collation is accomplished at bit rates in excess of 1 Gigabyte by accessing a double buffer memory with different sequences of addresses covering a field of an image corresponding to a field in the memory during read and write operations. Highly parallel output is provided for confocal height data in a raster line by providing a delay equal to an integral multiple of the access time for a field for each confocally imaged height within a sample.

Abstract: An image data processing circuit achieves high speed by storing precomputed values for each combination of pairs or groups of inputs at each of a normalization, parabola fitting, arbitration, selection and anti-aliasing stages. Normalization of input values, possibly together with data truncation, as a first stage permits the use of small memories having identical contents in each stage of the processor.

Abstract: An apparatus and method electronically registers or aligns ideal raster data to real raster data for subsequent processes such as inspection systems and image processing systems. The electronic image registration system receives ideal and real images in scrolling buffers wide enough to hold the width of the image and high enough to hold the difference in a skewed image. In other words, the real and ideal upper corners must be contained within the buffers for any possible kind of misalignment or distortion. Each buffer has a selector to randomly access frames of image in the vertical direction. Each buffer image frame is moved horizontally out of its lower swath and into its new position in the next upper swath. Horizontal movement of each buffer is independent, such that adjustable sequential access in the horizontal direction is available.

Abstract: An image processing system including a plurality of sections disposed in an array. Under control of a control register, the function of a plurality of interconnected function generators is selected to process image data. By reason of the control register and the array structure, the number of different and unique image processing functions which can be produced is very large.