Abstract: In order to provide a method of detecting protrusion of an inspection object from a palette improved to be capable of making highly precise detection and reducing a socket breakage ratio, an inspection object is introduced into each of a plurality of pockets provided on the surface of a palette, which in turn is transported. A reflection level of the inspection object stored in each of the plurality of pockets is measured every palette with a reflection type photoelectric sensor. The maximum value and the minimum value of the reflection level are obtained from data of every palette, for calculating a dispersion width defined by the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value. The dispersion width is compared with a previously set determination threshold, for determining whether or not the dispersion width is greater than the determination threshold.

Abstract: A pattern matching method comprising the steps of: computing matching scores while shifting a template picture in increments of four pixels so as to find a pixel corresponding to a maximum matching score; performing, starting from the pixel of the maximum matching score obtained in the matching score computing step, matching computations on each of an upper, a lower, a left-hand and a right-hand pixel surrounding the starting pixel in order to reach a pixel having a higher matching score than any other surrounding pixel; coming to a stop when the pixel with the highest matching score is reached; and adding to the highest matching score obtained in the computation performing step a correction value which takes into account the matching scores of the pixels adjacent to the highest matching score pixel, whereby matching score allowances due to dislocated pixels are corrected.

Abstract: A notch inspection method based on shading pattern matching for inspecting notches on semiconductor packages or like objects. A template is created to characteristically express brightness gradations of a notch edge in a picture, i.e., to represent the notch edge in pixels constituting contiguous bright and dark portions of the edge. The template may be created on the basis of notch size information or notch size measurements. The template is checked against pictures under inspection in shading pattern matching whereby presence of a notch is determined. Computations of shading pattern matching are omitted regarding portions of the notch edge where brightness remains unchanged.

Abstract: In order to provide a method of detecting protrusion of an inspection object from a palette improved to be capable of making highly precise detection and reducing a socket breakage ratio, an inspection object is introduced into each of a plurality of pockets provided on the surface of a palette, which in turn is transported. A reflection level of the inspection object stored in each of the plurality of pockets is measured every palette with a reflection type photoelectric sensor. The maximum value and the minimum value of the reflection level are obtained from data of every palette, for calculating a dispersion width defined by the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value. The dispersion width is compared with a previously set determination threshold, for determining whether or not the dispersion width is greater than the determination threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting characteristics of semiconductor chips has a loading device for loading semiconductor chips onto a testing tray positioned by a servo motor, a CCD camera, an upper contact fixture controlled in X, Y, and .THETA. directions, and a lower contacting fixture driven by a cylinder. Positioning of the contact probe pins is accurately achieved by pattern processing and fully automated inspection is made possible. The apparatus is equipped with the same number of contact probe pins as the number of inspection points of a semiconductor chip; hence, all the cells of a semiconductor chip can be inspected as a unit. Therefore, the inspection can be made in a mode similar to practical conditions that occur after final assembly of the semiconductor chip.