Abstract: A system and method for performing a transportation robot control operation. In various embodiments, the transportation robot control operation includes placing a transportation robot control device in a location of a manufacturing facility, the transportation robot control device comprising a transportation robot summoning portion; actuating the transportation summoning portion; transmitting a summoning command to the transportation robot; and, causing the transportation robot to travel to the location within the manufacturing facility corresponding to the transportation robot control device.

Abstract: A method of detecting defects (14, 16, 17, 44, 47, 49, and 51) in objects is presented. A first grey level image (18) of a first object (10) is formed and a second grey level image (19) of a second object (12) is formed. The first (18) and second (19) grey level images are converted to a first (21) and a second (22) edge feature image, respectively. The first edge feature image is dilated (26) and the second edge feature image is skeletonized (27). The dilated (26) and skeletonized images (27) are compared. An alternate method includes forming a grey level image (40) of an object. A principal axis of the grey level image is identified, and a shifted grey level image is formed by shifting the grey level image a distance along the principal axis. The grey level image (40) is then compared to the shifted grey level image.

Abstract: An inspection system (20) has an image capture device (10) that is mounted onto a wafer prober (15) for the electrical verification of electronic components (60) having an emissive display (61). The image capture device (10) includes a lens (31) that collects the image generated by the emissive display (61). The image is passed to mirrors (36,37) which redirect a portion of the image into a pickup device (41). The emissive display (61) is partitioned into subregions (62-65) to facilitate the capturing of the image. As the image of each of the subregions (62-65) is collected by image capture device (10), the other subregions (62-65) are deactivated.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of determining the coplanarity of leads of a semiconductor device is provided. The apparatus comprises a base (24) for placing the semiconductor device, and a plurality of mirrors (38) and (36) surrounding the base. The mirrors reflect an image of the leads of the semiconductor device to a camera. The camera records an image from which the lead coplanarity is determined. The base contains an optical datum (34) which provides a reference plane from which to measure coplanarity. The mirrors can be placed such that an off-axis image of the leads is reflected to the camera. The off-axis image improves the apparent sensitivity of the coplanarity measurement.

Abstract: A method of detecting defects (14, 16, 17, 44, 47, 49, and 51) in objects is presented. A first grey level image (18) of a first object (10) is formed and a second grey level image (19) of a second object (12) is formed. The first (18) and second (19) grey level images are converted to a first (21) and a second (22) edge feature image, respectively. The first edge feature image is dilated (26) and the second edge feature image is skeletonized (27). The dilated (26) and skeletonized images (27) are compared. An alternate method includes forming a grey level image (40) of an object. A principal axis of the grey level image is identified, and a shifted grey level image is formed by shifting the grey level image a distance along the principal axis. The grey level image (40) is then compared to the shifted grey level image.

Abstract: A bond inspection technique which determines the integrity of a plurality of package leads (13) bonded to a plurality of contact areas (12) on a semiconductor chip (11). A bonding process heats each package lead (13) bonded to each contact area (12). A camera (16) forms an infra-red intensity image at a predetermined time of the semiconductor chip (11) and ports image data to a computer (18). Infra-red intensity radiated from each bond on the semiconductor chip (11) is compared by the computer (18) with infra-red intensity data of known good and bad bonds. The comparison of each bond determines bond integrity of the semiconductor chip (11).

Abstract: Light (19) is projected at an incidence angle (29) onto a plurality of leads (12, 13). The light (19) is simultaneously reflected from each of the plurality of leads (12, 13). The light that is simultaneously reflected (24, 26) from each lead (12, 13) is detected. A cotangent function of the incidence angle (29) is utilized to detect an amount of displacement (32) of at least one of the plurality of leads.

Abstract: A method of image processing for visually inspecting a workpiece. The method compares the brightness (15) at each location within an image of the workpiece to the equivalent location within an image of an idealized workpiece. The inspection depends only on local brightness differences between the two images. The method can detect defects which have no distinct edges. Finally this method can detect defects which are small enough that the resolution of the image will show these small defects only as a single point of light (12) or dark (27).

Abstract: A non-destructive method for testing quality of at least one bond which physically and electrically couples a package lead to an integrated circuit. A thermal gradient is created across the at least one bond which causes heat transfer thru the at least one bond. Heat transfer is measured which is proportional to area at a bond interface. The measured heat transfer thru the at least one bond is compared with heat transfer data taken under substantially equal conditions of known good bonds thereby determining quality of the at least one bond. The heat transfer is indirectly measured by creating a mechanical vibration at an input area and by measuring the time it takes the mechanical vibration to reach an output area after the mechanical vibration has traveled through the at least one bond.

Abstract: A real time automatic visual semiconductor package inspection method is provided wherein a direction edge enhancement is performed on an image of the package. The direction edge enhanced image is dilated and correlated to a stored direction edge shape to identify all shapes of interest in a package under inspection. Also, anomalous shapes and uncorrelated direction edge shapes are identified and dilated. The dilated direction edge shape is analyzed using relatively simple mathematic techniques such as counting the number of shapes of a particular type, transforming shapes of interest to identify points of interest, and measuring relative position between the points of interest to determine acceptability of the semiconductor package. Also, size and location of anomalous shapes are calculated to determine acceptability of the package.

Abstract: An automatic integrated circuit inspection method is provided wherein an image of an integrated circuit is obtained and a direction edge enhancement is performed. An image of an integrated circuit under inspection is then obtained and the direction edge enhancement performed. The second edge enhanced image is then logically compared to the first edge enhanced image. Preferably, the first edge enhanced image is dilated while the second edge enhanced image is skeletonized to improve robustness of the system allowing for magnification and rotation errors in either the sample image or the image under inspection. Further, defects which are located are then classified by obtaining a plurality of images of the defect while changing light conditions. The plurality of defect images are combined to form a feature matrix which is then compared against an expert system database having a large number of feature matrices associated with defect classifications.

Abstract: A visual lead-finger inspection method is provided comprising obtaining an image of a semiconductor package and enhancing an image of lead-fingers which are a part of the package. In a first embodiment the image enhancement comprises morphological opening, and in an alternate embodiment comprises direction edge enhancement. A logical AND operation is performed with the enhanced lead-finger image and a frame image which is placed through the lead-finger image, resulting in a data set of only a few hundred bytes which describes position, alignment and lead count of all of the lead-fingers on the package. The data set is compared to a stored data set to determine acceptability of the semiconductor package.

Abstract: A light diffuser is described having a body with an opening therethrough defined by an inner wall. Light conducting paths are disposed through the body and couple to the opening. The inner wall is sloped at an angle to reflect the light onto a workpiece. The size of the opening and the height of the diffuser above the workpiece determine the angle of the inner wall.