Fast auto-focus in imaging
First Claim
1. A method for automatically focusing multiple images of one or more objects on a substrate, the method comprising:
- a) obtaining, by one or more processing devices, a representative focal distance for a first location on the substrate based on a set of focal distances at known locations on the substrate;
b) acquiring, by an image acquisition device, a set of at least two images of the first location based on the representative focal distance, wherein the set of images comprises at least a first image that is acquired under illumination of a first color, and at least a second image that is acquired under illumination of a second color that is different from the first color, and wherein each of one or more images under a particular color is acquired using a focal distance at a corresponding offset from the representative focal distance;
c) estimating, by the one or more processing devices, an ideal focal distance based on the acquired set of images; and
d) storing the estimated ideal focal distance and the first location in the set of focal distances at known locations.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosure relates to methods and systems for automatically focusing multiple images of one or more objects on a substrate. The methods include obtaining, by a processor, a representative focal distance for a first location on the substrate based on a set of focal distances at known locations on the substrate. The methods also include acquiring, by an image acquisition device, a set of at least two images of the first location. The images are each acquired using a different focal distance at an offset from the representative focal distance. The methods further include estimating, by a processor, an ideal focal distance corresponding to the first location based on comparing a quality of focus for each of the images, and storing the estimated ideal focal distance and the first location in the set of focal distances at known locations.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A method for automatically focusing multiple images of one or more objects on a substrate, the method comprising:
-
a) obtaining, by one or more processing devices, a representative focal distance for a first location on the substrate based on a set of focal distances at known locations on the substrate; b) acquiring, by an image acquisition device, a set of at least two images of the first location based on the representative focal distance, wherein the set of images comprises at least a first image that is acquired under illumination of a first color, and at least a second image that is acquired under illumination of a second color that is different from the first color, and wherein each of one or more images under a particular color is acquired using a focal distance at a corresponding offset from the representative focal distance; c) estimating, by the one or more processing devices, an ideal focal distance based on the acquired set of images; and d) storing the estimated ideal focal distance and the first location in the set of focal distances at known locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A system comprising:
-
an image acquisition device configured to acquire a set of at least two images of the first location based on a representative focal distance, wherein the set of images comprises at least a first image that is acquired under illumination of a first color, and at least a second image that is acquired under illumination of a second color that is different from the first color, and wherein each of one or more images under each a particular color is acquired using a focal distance at a corresponding offset from the representative focal distance; and one or more processing devices, connected to the image acquisition device, the one or more processing devices configured to; obtain the representative focal distance for a first location on the substrate based on a set of focal distances at known locations on the substrate, estimate an ideal focal distance based on the acquired set of images, and store the estimated ideal focal distance and the first location in the set of focal distances at known locations. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A non-transitory computer readable storage device, having encoded thereon computer readable instructions that causes one or more processing devices to execute operations comprising:
-
obtaining a representative focal distance for a first location on the substrate based on a set of focal distances at known locations on the substrate; obtaining a set of at least two images of the first location based on the representative focal distance, wherein the set of images comprises at least a first image that is acquired under illumination of a first color, and at least a second image that is acquired under illumination of a second color that is different from the first color, and wherein each of one or more images under a particular color is acquired using a focal distance at a corresponding offset from the representative focal distance; estimating an ideal focal distance based on the acquired set of images; and storing the estimated ideal focal distance and the first location in the set of focal distances at known locations. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
Specification