Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a part mounting device for efficiently performing mounting operations by eliminating an amount of time required for moving and stoppage intended for recognizing an image of a part. In the part mounting device according to the present invention, an image recognizing device included in a working tower together with a mounting head comprises an optical fiber, a beam splitter arranged at the top of the optical fiber, and an image recognizing camera arranged at the top of the beam splitter. The image recognizing device further comprises an illumination light source at the side of the beam splitter. A nozzle shaft of the mounting head is arranged by being loosely inserted into a lower portion of the optical fiber. An irradiation light from the illumination light source irradiates a part which is picked up by the picking-up nozzle attached to the tip of the nozzle shaft via the beam splitter and the optical fiber.

Abstract: A digital non-contact blade position detection apparatus is provided for use on a wafer dicing machine for blade position detection so as to correct the position of the cutting blade.

Abstract: A bead disposition is imaged while performing illumination by reflection illumination or penetration illumination so that a peak point of brightness brighter than the outside of a bead is observed in the inside of the bead and the circumferential portion of the bead is darker than the outside of the bead. A peak point of brightness in the inside of a bead is detected from the image data and adjacent pixels are successively painted with the peak point of brightness as a starting point, wherein the adjacent pixels have a brightness level of t2 or greater. Then, the image data is binarized. A space filling percentage of beads is calculated from the number of white or black pixels of an obtained binary image. Alternatively, binarization can also be performed after detecting a circle or circular arc pattern corresponding to a dark portion in the circumferential portion of bead from the image data by a pattern matching method and painting the inside of the circle or circular arc.

Abstract: A process for obtaining image coordinates of pixels of a digital image scanned from an original image on photographic film that has at least two fiducial marks on the photographic film associated with the original includes the steps of scanning an area of the photographic film, including the original image and the fiducial marks, with an original scan resolution to form an original digital image. The dimensional position of the fiducial marks in the original digital image is detected, and the dimensional distance between pairs of the fiducial marks is determined. The number of pixels in the original digital image between the pairs of fiducial marks is determined, and image coordinates of a location of a selected pixel of the original digital image are referenced with respect to the fiducial marks.

Abstract: A device for adjusting the lateral position of at least one part of a moving machine for constructing a structure on a terrain includes a measuring device, at least one sensor, a positioning system and a computer adapted to determine theoretical and actual transverse positions of the part of the machine and to command the positioning system in such manner as to render the theoretical and actual transverse positions coincident.

Abstract: A system (10) for capturing an image of a piece of jewelry (17) contains a camera (14) surrounded by a dark reflector (16). The camera (14) attaches to a computer (15) that is operable to analyze an image captured by the camera (14). The camera (14) focusses on a piece of jewelry (17) held by an auto-tracing jewelry holder (12). The auto-trace jewelry holder (12) consists of a base support (22), a support member (24), an upper arm (26), and a moveable stage (28). The piece of jewelry (17) is held between the stage (28) and the upper arms (26). A reflective element (30) covers the top of the stage (28) and the upper arm (26). The reflective element (30) reflects the image of the dark reflector (16) directly back to the camera (14). The piece of jewelry (17) reflects only a small portion of the dark reflector (16) back to the camera (14). The image at the camera (14) is of the piece of jewelry (17) on a dark background. The computer (15) can then easily process this image.

Abstract: A main image pickup section for picking up a main image and two or more subsidiary image pickup sections for picking up subsidiary images are used to shoot a subject. A 3-D object on which a predetermined pattern is drawn is also shot by the same image pickup sections, and parameters representing relative positions and attitudes of the image pickup sections are obtained using the images of the 3-D object. Feature points are extracted from each of the main image and the subsidiary images, and 3-D coordinates corresponding to each feature point in the main image are determined using the parameters and the feature points in the subsidiary images. Subsequently, judgment is executed and each of the feature points in the main image is accepted if the 3-D coordinates is within a designated 3-D space domain. Subsequently, subject outline points are extracted from the accepted feature points. Then, part of the main image which is surrounded by the subject outline points is extracted as the subject image.

Abstract: A ball grid array inspection and location method and apparatus includes a raw feature finding processor which uses a feature finding algorithm to find ball features (irrespective of number) and generate a list of raw features as an X and Y location for each feature located. An angle estimation processor receives the list of raw features, a user estimated orientation angle, and ball-to-ball pitch information and determines an estimated grid angle. An on-grid check processor receives the estimated grid angle, the list of raw features and the ball-to-ball pitch information and produces a set or list of on-grid features in the form of a list X and Y translation parameters for each feature/ball found on-grid.

Abstract: A printed circuit board inspection apparatus having upper and lower jigs with the former moveable horizontally and the latter movable vertically and with a camera mounted on the former. Reference holes are provided on the upper jig and on a positioning plate mounted on the lower jig and, in accordance with the method of the invention, photographs are taken of the reference marks simultaneously with the positioning plate engaging the upper jig. Reference mark alignment is calculated from the photographs and the upper jig is moved horizontally to correct misalignment.

Abstract: A bead disposition is imaged while performing illumination by reflection illumination or penetration illumination so that a peak point of brightness brighter than the outside of a bead is observed in the inside of the bead and the circumferential portion of the bead is darker than the outside of the bead. A peak point of brightness in the inside of a bead is detected from the image data and adjacent pixels are successively painted with the peak point of brightness as a starting point, wherein the adjacent pixels have a brightness level of t2 or greater. Then, the image data is binarized. A space filling percentage of beads is calculated from the number of white or black pixels of an obtained binary image. Alternatively, binarization can also be performed after detecting a circle or circular arc pattern corresponding to a dark portion in the circumferential portion of bead from the image data by a pattern matching method and painting the inside of the circle or circular arc.

Abstract: The system comprises a high resolution camera (1) mounted above a conveyor plane (4) along which objects are displaced, thereby enabling the top face of each object to be observed. The camera (1) is fitted with an objective lens system (5) having a motor-driven focusing system that operates in association with a pickup (8) that produces a signal (S) representative of the vertical profile of the top face of each object relative to the conveyor plane. The profile signal serves to produce positioning references (C) for the focusing mechanism in order to take account of variations in the height of the top face of each object while that object is moving beneath the objective lens system of the camera. Such an image acquisition system is employed to read addresses automatically from postal packets for the purpose of performing automatic sorting.

Abstract: The method herein images an object repeatedly moving about an axis. The mod uses signals to track the object's position with respect to the axis while a camera views the object. A reflection is cast from the object toward the camera in such a way that the camera scans both the reflection and the object. The camera outputs representations of video lines, which depict parts of the object and the reflection. These video lines have known positions relative to a reference plane, which passes through the image plane of the camera. Certain of the video lines are selected. The selected lines come from a chosen position relative to the reference plane and occur within a chosen time of the position signals. The selected video lines are arrayed according to their particular position signals and are used to compile a planar composite image representing the object's outer periphery. The composite image is conformed to a shape resembling the periphery, thereby creating a three dimensional representation of the object.

Abstract: A three dimensional inspection apparatus for ball array devices, where the ball array device is positioned in a fixed optical system. An illumination apparatus is positioned for illuminating the ball array device. A first camera is disposed in a fixed focus position relative to the ball array device for taking a first image of the ball array device to obtain a characteristic circular doughnut shape image from a ball. A second camera is disposed in a fixed focus position relative to the ball array device for taking a second image of the ball array device to obtain a top surface image of the ball. A processor applies triangulation calculations on related measurements of the first image and the second image to calculate a three dimensional position of the ball with reference to a pre-calculated calibration plane.

Abstract: The invention provides a tracking apparatus and a tracking method by which an imaging object can be set without any special manual operation by a user. An imaged image is supplied to an imaging object setting section via an imaging object processing section. In the imaging object setting section, a motion detection section calculates a difference value between images of successive two frames and detects a motion of an image based on the difference value. Then, a portion of the image from which the motion is detected is set as an imaging object to be tracked.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for forming an image of the periphery of an object with a camera having optics disposed at a working distance that is significantly less than the focal length of the optics, without introducing image distortion. The invention provides an image formation apparatus having a reduced effective profile height by exploiting a folded optical path to provide reduced working distance between a camera and an object of interest, such as a semiconductor wafer, as compared with direct viewing of the object. In a preferred embodiment, the invention includes two reflecting substrates, a first reflecting substrate and a second reflecting substrate. The distance between the first and second reflecting substrates determines the number of times the light rays that form the image will bounce therebetween, and consequently, the number of images of an object periphery that will appear in the field of view (FOV) of the camera.

Abstract: The present invention stores digital data of a scanner and includes a component information database for storing information as data of components to be inserted in the printed circuit board and a non-insertion inspection database for storing data of lead wire clinching directions inserted in each hole from predetermined numeric control data. A control section collects hole information as data from the digital data of the scanner, reads the clinching directions of the components inserted in each hole from the non-insertion inspection database, and judges insertion states of the components according to whether or not brightness exists by inspecting a brightness change in the clinching direction around a hole.

Abstract: A probe needle alignment device supports a probe card assembly with probe needles extending upward. A microscope includes a first eyepiece aligned with the probe needles in its field of view. A first video camera is positioned in optical alignment with the first eyepiece to view probe needles through the first eyepiece. An overdriver includes a transparent planar plate movably disposed between the microscope and the probe needles to displace contact tips of the probe needles through an overdrive distance. A mask plate has a plurality of spots located at positions corresponding precisely to positions of contact pads of an integrated circuit to be probe tested. A second video camera includes the spots within its field of view.

Abstract: The process of combining various sets of measured data is carried out by first selecting a section of the test surface and its data set as the starting point and comparing the regions of overlap with adjacent sections of the test sample. All pixels containing an invalid data point in at least one of the data sets of each overlapping region are eliminated from consideration and the remaining valid pixels are counted. Then the adjacent section having an overlapping region with the largest number of valid pixels is selected for combination with the first section and their data sets are fitted according to a predetermined procedure, thereby producing an enlarged composite set of corrected data. The process is then repeated by comparing the overlapping regions of all sets adjacent to the composite section to determine the one having the largest number of pixels with valid data points. That set is then fitted to the existing composite profile to produce a new composite set of corrected data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a stereoscopic display comprising an indicator for teaching to a user the position where a stereoscopic image is viewed. The stereoscopic display for separating light beams from a left eye image and a right eye image which are displayed on a display panel into left image light beams and right image light beams and supplying the left image light beams and the right image light beams to a viewer comprises a light emitting unit composed of a green light emitting diode and a red light emitting diode and a barrier plate arranged in front of the light emitting unit on the side of the viewer and having a slit through which part of the light beams from the light emitting diode are passed toward the viewer.

Abstract: An input section of a color sense measuring device includes a solid-state camera image-sensing an object to be measured and a frame memory storing output information from the solid-state camera. The output information of the solid-state camera read out of the frame memory is fed to a hue/saturation/lightness transform part in a color sense measuring section for transformation into hue image information, saturation image information and lightness image information for use in measuring the color sense of the object to be measured. Based on the image information output from the color sense measuring section, a feature extract/quantification section extracts a feature value for measuring the color sense of the object and a color sense analysis section judges the color sense of the material of the object on the basis of the feature information output from the feature extract/quantification section, while at the same time the feature information is supplied to an image processing/display part for display.

Abstract: The front end position of the leads of a leaded part can be accurately detected even from image data having a noise signal mixed therein.

Abstract: An image of the object remains in the field of view of the camera, thereby generating a continuously changing image signal. The images are captured and digitized in a continual sequence S of discrete images of the scenes at a respective sequence T of points in time. During this capture sequence, a first plurality of reference signals are established corresponding to a plurality of respective captured images. In this manner, a plurality of reference images are generated on-line, during movement of the object or cameras. A second plurality of detected signals corresponding to a second plurality of captured images, are individually correlated with the respective next previous reference signal of the sequence, thereby establishing a relative position of the object or camera, for each detected signal. The absolute position of the camera or object, is determined by accumulating these relative positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of arbitrating bus conflicts is disclosed. The system can use information about the status of a data stream to switch between more or less restrictive prioritization schemes. In one particular embodiment, the arbitration system can also be programmed by causing it to store information on overall system requirements for data which the arbitration system can then use to set a current prioritization scheme.

Abstract: A method for determining degrees of freedom of an object, and in particular, to a device for determining up to six degrees of freedom of a head mount display and a handle. A first camera is attached to a head mount display and senses an optically modulated target. The first camera's video output signal is processed with a digital computer to determine the position and orientation of the head mount display. A second camera is attached to a head mount display and senses an optically modulated target attached to a handle. The second camera's video output signal is processed with a digital computer to determine the position and orientation of the handle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically determining the dimension of part surfaces. Particular embodiments describe optical triangulation based coordinate measurement machines capable of accurate measurement of complex surfaces, such as gear teeth and turbine blades. Other embodiments provide highly useful sensors for robot guidance and related purposes. Up to 5 axis sensing capability is provided on surfaces of widely varying form.

Abstract: A monitor device for monitoring an object to be tested is provided in a test apparatus which includes a test section for testing the electrical characteristics of the object, a storage section for storing the object, and a transfer section for conveying the object between the storage section and the test section. This monitor device includes an imaging device used in alignment of the object in the test section, a sensor for sensing the position of the object in the transfer section, and a display panel for displaying an image of the interior of the test apparatus and displaying the alignment state in the test section and the position information of the object in the transfer section in the image of the test apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically determining the dimension of part surfaces. Particular embodiments describe optical triangulation based coordinate measurement machines capable of accurate measurement of complex surfaces, such as gear teeth and turbine blades. Other embodiments provide highly useful sensors for robot guidance and related purposes. Up to 5 axis sensing capability is provided on surfaces of widely varying form.

Abstract: The position of a hole is measured by image-sensing a holed portion formed in a workpiece and then measuring the central position of the holed portion based on an image of the holed portion on a screen of an image sensing apparatus. A plurality of hole edge points which coincide with a hole edge of the image of the holed portion are picked up. A regression ellipse which represents the image of the holed portion from coordinates of the hole edge points is calculated. The central position of the holed portion is obtained from coordinates of the center of the regression ellipse.

Abstract: A machine vision system for identifying the locations of bonding pads on an integrated circuit mounted in a lead frame. The system involves locating the bonding pads by searching an image with suitably rotated corner templates. A set of possible candidate bonding pads is created from the location of corner templates found during the search. The set is then scored utilizing matching criteria. The best candidate is selected from the set based upon the candidates' scores. The location of the bonding pad is then generated from the best candidate's corner template locations. The invention can be beneficially applied to locate bonding pads during wire bonding, as well as other machine vision applications.

Abstract: An improved method for inspecting assembled circuit boards utilizes an existing programmable placement machine having an associated downward looking camera, illumination source, and monitor. After assembling a first circuit board of a series with electrical components according to a program which is particular to that series, and prior to removing the assembled board from the machine, an inspection is performed by: (i) automatically repositioning the relative position of the camera and the assembled circuit board, according to a portion of that same particular program, in order to address each placement position in turn; (ii) automatically acquiring an image of each placement position when it is addressed, and furnishing the image to the monitor in order to provide a magnified image on the monitor screen; (iii) visually inspecting the magnified image on the monitor screen in order to ascertain the presence or absence of the component at each placement position, the deviation in X, Y, and .theta.

Abstract: An analog sampling circuit of a signal electrode driver of a matrix type liquid crystal device includes two pairs of FETs. During a first half of a select period of a scanning electrode, a first pair of serially connected FETs are deactuated while actuating one FET of the second pair of FETs to provide a signal voltage to a signal electrode of the display device. On the other hand, during the latter half of the select period, the first pair of FETs are actuated to provide an image signal voltage to the signal electrode.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided which is capable of a high-speed process for obtaining a projection histogram. A digitizing unit subjects a video signal, obtained by acquiring an image of a target mark with a camera, to horizontal scanning and slicing to obtain a binary signal. A window signal output unit, coupled to the digitizing unit, outputs a window signal in accordance with a preset window area. An in-window signal output unit is connected to the outputs of the digital unit and the window signal output unit to perform a logical AND operation on the binary signal and the window signal and outputs an in-window binary signal. A histogram creating unit is coupled to the output of the in-window signal output unit to create a projection histogram by successively counting the high- and low-level states of the in-window binary signal generated as the horizontal scanning progresses.

Abstract: A method is provided for aligning a silicon wafer (20) in a fabrication tool (37) having a stage (22) involving the steps of producing a digital image of a portion of wafer (20) in a scope-of-view window (48), converting the digital image to image primitives, comparing the image primitives to grammar template primitives to locate a known intersection on wafer (20); and moving the stage (22) to align wafer (20). A method and apparatus are disclosed for determining the misregistration of two layers of a wafer (20) by converting targets (158, 160) to primitives and determining the relative displacement in symbolic space. The misregistration apparatus involves a camera (34), a video-to-digital converter (32), a computer (28), and a stage adjuster (24).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically determining the dimension of part surfaces. Particular embodiments describe optical triangulation based coordinate measurement machines capable of accurate measurement of complex surfaces, such as gear teeth and turbine blades. Other embodiments provide highly useful sensors for robot guidance and related purposes. Up to 5 axis sensing capability is provided on surfaces of widely varying form.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically determining the dimension of part surfaces. Particular embodiments describe optical triangulation based coordinate measurement machines capable of accurate measurement of complex surfaces, such as gear teeth and turbine blades. Other embodiments provide highly useful sensors for robot guidance and related purposes. Up to 5 axis sensing capability is provided on surfaces of widely varying form.

Abstract: A dynamic behavior test system of a vehicle includes a circumferential driving road, a vehicle support for placing a test vehicle thereover, the test vehicle being marked with at least two reference points defining a reference line, a driving member for rotating the vehicle support along the circumferential driving road, a device for detecting changes in the positions of the at least two reference points when the vehicle support with the test vehicle placed thereover is rotated along the circumferential driving road, and a device for calculating a value representing dynamic behaviors of the test vehicle based on detected changes in the positions of the at least two reference points.

Abstract: An arrangement for high-resolution scanning of large image formats with exact geometrical correspondence is described. It is applied in photogrammetry and in optoelectronic scanners with high requirements regarding exact geometrical correspondence. Metric image contractions of large image formats are obtained without dimension-embodying auxiliary means by employing a CCD matrix which is exactly dimensioned to pixel sensitivity distribution. This CCD matrix is used as an absolute dimensional embodiment, from which only one active pixel area determined as a function of the memory area of the frame grabber is adopted into the frame grabber while ensuring an image contraction which is absolutely synchronous with the pixels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficient registration of a pair of digitized images is provided that obtains a registration metric value based upon a Sum of Absolute Differences registration metric computation for each of a plurality of neighboring-pixel relative displacements, and, for example, iteratively selects a new initial relative displacement from among the plurality of neighboring-pixel relative displacements such that each succeeding new initial relative displacement is associated with a smaller registration metric value, until an initial relative displacement that is associated with a minimum registration metric value is reached. In general, the relative displacement that is associated with the minimum registration metric value is located using a two-dimensional numerical optimization analysis. The invention is especially useful for flaw and defect analysis, such as Golden Template Analysis, third optical inspection, as well as for pair-wise comparison of die images on a semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A marker is provided outside the probe arrangement region of the lower surface of a probe card. In identifying positions of probes, the marker is recognized by a camera before the distal end of a reference probe is recognized. The camera is then moved from the position of the marker based on information about the relative position stored in advance to recognize the distal end of the reference probe. The camera is moved complementarily to make a reference point in the view of the camera and the distal end of the reference probe align with each other. Furthermore, where the same operation is performed for another reference probe, a deviation of the probes in the .theta. direction is calculated as .theta. correction data.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a CCD camera comprising those sequential processes comprises steps of shifting a spot light source held by a positioning device, in front of a fixed CCD camera between two remote points on a visual line in order that light beam in the center of the light source can be incident upon predetermined picture element of a solid sensor built in the CCD camera, computing angles between a plurality of visual lines generated by shifting the light source and the optical axis of the CCD camera based on position data related to the positioning device, and calibrating the corresponding relationship between the angle of light beam incident upon the CCD camera and the predetermined picture elements built in the solid sensor.

Abstract: A slider is associated with a carrier for transferring a vehicle body through a magnet and an air cylinder. An amount or a distance of movement of the slider transferred together with movement of the carrier is detected with a rotary encoder and it is computed as an amount or a distance of movement of the carrier. When the carrier is transferred in a predetermined amount or distance, an image of the vehicle body is fetched by an investigating robot. The fetching does not undergo any adverse influence due to a deviation of the position of the investigating robot relative to the position of the carrier.

Abstract: A device for reading identification marks on an electrical cable (1), including at least one group of signs written longitudinally one after the other on the external surface of a longitudinal portion of the sheath (4) of the cable, includes a lighting assembly (30) and a camera (25) which are capable of forming the image of a longitudinal line of the external surface of the longitudinal sheath portion in order to form, longitudinal line by longitudinal line, the complete peripheral image of the external surface of the longitudinal sheath portion.

Abstract: A 3D printer and method which uses a beamsplitter or a mirror to form a reflected image which is a mirror image of the actual image exposed on the print material. A CCD detector array is placed on the reflected image plane to monitor the key-subject registration. The beamsplitter or mirror is physically linked to the print material cassette so that the CCD detector array shares the same projected image that is exposed on the print material regardless of the printing position. With such an approach, the CCD detector array can directly detect any off-alignment due to mechanical errors or distortion/aberration by the projection lens.

Abstract: A focus detecting method includes the step of projecting the real image of an observation object including a plurality of object patterns onto an image pickup device through an optical system and producing image data from an output of the image pickup device, the step of calculating correlation values of the image data of each of the plurality of object patterns and the image data of a prestored reference pattern while varying the relative positional relation among the image pickup device, the optical system and the observation object in the direction of the optical axis of the optical system, and the step of judging a relative positional relation giving the maximum correlation value as an in-focus state. An apparatus is provided for carrying out the above-described focus detecting method.

Abstract: In an article handling system that functions to make article discrimination-identification determinations, the possible article orientations A, B, C . . . are stored and compared to establish maximum pixel difference numbers and identification of longitudinal window position along the article where such maximum difference occurs. Each of the possible orientations is compared with all other possible orientations so that a small number of windows is identified as part of a setting procedure. When operating, the work articles are scanned and only the data at window locations are used to make article orientation identifications to reduce time and memory requirements for data processing.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for automatically inspecting two- or three-dimensional objects or subjects. A detector and the object are moved relative to each other. In one form, a detector, such as a camera or radiation receiver, moves around an object, which is supported to be rotatable such that the detector may receive electromagnetic energy signals from the object from a variety of angles. The energy may be directed as a beam at and reflected from the object, as for visible light, or passed through the object, as for x-ray radiation. Alternatively, the detector passively receives energy from the object, as in an infrared detector. The detector generates analog image signals resulting from the detected radiation, and an electronic computer process and analyzes the analog signals and generates digital codes, which may be stored or employed to control a display.

Abstract: A plurality of video cameras (7a-d) are mounted on a table which is adapted support a workpiece or other object to be measured, and the mounting of each camera to the table provides for controlled universal orientation of each camera via an articulating head having provision for selective rotation about each of two orthogonally related axes. The table is provided with vibration damping, whereby both the measured object, and the cameras which provide triangulation data for each measurement, can operate from the same rigid base, isolated from external sources of mechanical shock. The video signals of the cameras are fed, along with instantaneous optical-axis orientation data for each camera, to the computer of a coordinate-measuring machine.