MACHINE VISION SYSTEMS, ILLUMINATION SOURCES FOR USE IN MACHINE VISION SYSTEMS, AND COMPONENTS FOR USE IN THE ILLUMINATION SOURCES

• US 20200134773A1
• Filed: 10/26/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward Brandel, Gilbert Pinter, Jeremy Brodersen
• Original Assignee: Edward Brandel, Gilbert Pinter, Jeremy Brodersen
• Inventors: Pinter, Gilbert, Brandel, Edward, Brodersen, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 11,328,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/25 by projecting a pattern, e.g. one or more lines, moiré fringes on the object G01B11/255 takes precedence ; image analysis for depth or shape recovery G06T7/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/28 by measuring the variations of parameters of electromagnetic or acoustic waves applied directly to the liquid or fluent solid material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8829 Shadow projection or structured background, e.g. for deflectometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8848 Polarisation of light
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/55 Specular reflectivity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/88 Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8806 Specially adapted optical and illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0014 Image feed-back for automatic industrial control, e.g. robot with camera robots B25J19/023
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10152 Varying illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20056 Discrete and fast Fourier transform, [DFT, FFT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30121 CRT, LCD or plasma display
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0006 using a design-rule based approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/514 from specularities
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/521 from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/586 from multiple light sources, e.g. photometric stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to machine vision systems, illumination sources for use in machine vision systems, and components for use in the illumination sources. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to machine vision systems incorporating multi-function illumination sources, multi-function illumination sources, and components for use in multi-function illumination sources.

Claims

1. A machine vision system, comprising:

at least one patterned area light source;

at least one digital camera oriented at a first angle relative to surface of an object to be inspected, wherein the at least one patterned area light source is oriented at a second angle relative to the surface of the object to be inspected such that a field of view of the at least one digital camera encompasses reflection of at least a portion of light emitted by the at least one patterned area light source from the surface of the object to be inspected;

a digital image data receiving module stored on a memory of a computing device that, when executed by a processor of the computing device, causes the processor to receive digital image data from the at least one digital camera, wherein the digital image data is representative of the reflection of at least a portion of light emitted by the at least one patterned area light source from the surface of the object to be inspected; and

.

a phase measuring deflectometry module stored on the memory of the computing device that, when executed by the processor of the computing device, causes the processor to determine whether the surface of the object to be inspected includes a defect based on the digital image data.

2. The machine vision system of claim 1, wherein the surface of the object to be inspected is a specular surface, and wherein the processor further executes the phase measuring deflectometry module to identify defects associated with the specular surface.

3. The machine vision system of claim 2, wherein the specular surface is a painted surface, and wherein the processor further executes the phase measuring deflectometry module to identify an orange-peel effect on the painted surface.

4. The machine vision system of claim 2, wherein the specular surface is a surface of screen of a cellular telephone and wherein the processor further executes the phase measuring deflectometry module to identify chip in the surface.

5. The machine vision system of claim 1, wherein the processor further executes the phase measuring deflectometry module to identify at least one of:

a shape on the surface, surface variations, a scratch on the surface, or a pit in the surface, and wherein the digital image data is representative of a single image acquisition from the at least one digital camera.

6. The machine vision system of claim 1, wherein light emitted from the at least one patterned area light source defines at least one pattern selected from:

a pattern including at least two lines, a pattern including at least one circle, a pattern including at least one square, a checkerboard pattern, or a pattern including at least two zigzag lines.

7. The machine vision system of claim 1, wherein the at least one patterned area light source includes a backlight diffuser, and wherein patterns are printed directly on a surface of the backlight diffuser.

8. The machine vision system of claim 1, wherein the surface is either flat or curved.

9. A machine vision system, comprising:

at least one patterned area light source oriented to emit light toward an object to be inspected;

at least one digital camera with a field of view oriented toward the object to be inspected, wherein the field of view of the at least one digital camera encompasses at least a portion of light emitted by the at least one patterned area light source;

a digital image data receiving module stored on a memory of a computing device that, when executed by a processor of the computing device, causes the processor to receive digital image data from the at least one digital camera, wherein the digital image data is representative of at least a portion of light emitted by the at least one patterned area light source; and

a phase measuring deflectometry module stored on the memory of the computing device that, when executed by the processor of the computing device, causes the processor to determine whether the object to he inspected includes a defect based on the digital image data.

10. The machine vision system of claim 9, wherein the object to be inspected is at least partially transparent.

11. The machine vision system of claim 9, wherein, when light emitted by the at least one patterned area light source passes through a defect in the object, light is deflected or refracted at an angle out of phase with an incident light ray angle.

12. The machine vision system of claim 9, wherein the at least one camera is a single camera defining a monoscopic system.

13. A machine vision system, comprising:

at least one patterned area light source oriented to emit light toward an object to be inspected;

at least one digital camera with a field of view oriented toward the object to be inspected, wherein the field of view of the at least one digital camera encompasses at least a portion of light emitted by the at least one patterned area light source;

a digital image data receiving module stored on a memory of a computing device that, when executed by a processor of the computing device, causes the processor to receive digital image data from the at least one digital camera, wherein the digital image data is representative of at least a portion of light emitted by the at least one patterned area light source or light emitted by the at least one patterned area light source that is reflected from a surface of the object to be inspected; and

a phase measuring deflectometry module stored on the memory of the computing device that, when executed by the processor of the computing device, causes the processor to determine whether the object to be inspected includes a defect based on the digital image data.

14. The machine vision system of claim 13, wherein the at least one patterned area light source defines a backlight with respect to the object to be inspected and the at least one digital camera.

15. The machine vision system of claim 13, comprising at least two digital cameras defining a stereoscopic system.

16. The machine vision system of claim 13, wherein the at least one patterned area light source emits a high-contrast pattern.

15-1. The machine vision system of claim 13, wherein the digital image data is representative of light that is refracted by the object.

16-1. The machine vision system of claim 13, wherein the processor further executes the phase measuring deflectometry module to cause the processor to detect at least one defect based on mathematical relations of light reflection and surface shape.

17. The machine vision system of claim 16, wherein the digital image data is representative of an amount of phase shift based on a divergence of a surface of the object.

18. The machine vision system of claim 13 including a single digital camera and a single patterned area light source, wherein the digital image data is representative of a two-dimensional image of at least a portion of the object.

19. The machine vision system of claim 13 including at least two digital cameras, wherein the digital image data is representative of a three-dimensional image of at least a portion of the object.

20. The machine vision system of claim 13, including at least two digital cameras and at least two patterned area light sources, and wherein the digital image data is representative of a three-dimensional image of at least a portion of the object.