Abstract: An improved method and system for capturing and displaying a series of successive video images using at least first and second different exposure times, so that first video images captured using said first exposure time occur alternately in said series with second video images captured using said second exposure time. The method employs a digital computer and a software program for generating and storing digital data representative of said first and second video images, and utilizing that digital data to selectively display (a) side-by-side reproductions of said first and second images or (b) reproductions of only said first or said second video images or (c) composite images derived from the first and second video images digital data.

Abstract: The invention provides for capturing and displaying video images by (1) creating a video signal comprising a succession of video fields or frames containing optical image video data representing the captured optical image, with a plurality of first video fields or frames representing the optical image at a first exposure level and a plurality of second video fields or frames representing the optical image at a second exposure level different from the first exposure level, with the first field or frames being interspersed among said second fields or frames, and (2) utilizing that video signal to (a) generate a video display of the image represented by said first video fields or frames or the image represented by said second video fields or frames, or (b) concurrently generate a first video display of the image represented by said first video fields or frames and a second video display of the image represented by said second video fields or frames.

Abstract: A serial data image processing system is described whereby interconnect artwork for electronic component manufacturing is scanned by a 1.times.n CCD image pickup element and converted into serial digital data. The serial digital data representing the original image is processed by a programmable serial image processor to detect flaws in the original image artwork. The serial data digital image processor is comprised of a plurality of pipe elements, the configuration of which can be arranged for parallel or serial processing. Each pipe element contains a plurality of 4.times.5 pixel neighborhood array processing blocks, each of which can be programmed to perform one of a number of neighborhood image enhancement techniques. The 4.times.5 pixel neighborhood provides single-pass thinning and trimming algorithms which in turn allows for more efficient processing to be performed in the serial pipeline combination of a plurality of transformation neighborhoods.