Control means and method for optical inspection system
First Claim
1. An object inspection system, comprising:
- first imaging means for generating electrical signal data representative of the appearance of each inspected object;
second imaging means for receiving said signal data and generating a visual image of the object;
third imaging means for receiving and generating a transform image from said visual image of the object;
signature generating means for sampling light from different spatial domains of said transform image and generating electrical signal data representative thereof and collectively defining a characteristic signature of said transform image and thus of the inspected object;
and control means for automatically controlling and coordinating operation of each of said imaging means and said signature generating means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Operation of system components is automatically monitored, controlled and coordinated. The presence at an inspection station of each successive one of the objects to be inspected is automatically detected. Inspection of each such object commences in response to its detection when the monitoring of other system components indicates that they are ready for commencement of the new inspection cycle. The inspection system includes a rotatable disk having mask apertures that move into the line of sight of a light detector. Signals produced by scanning of timing marks upon the disk reflect which one of the plurality of masks is present in the optical path, and determine the intensity of the transform image sampled by said mask means.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An object inspection system, comprising:
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first imaging means for generating electrical signal data representative of the appearance of each inspected object; second imaging means for receiving said signal data and generating a visual image of the object; third imaging means for receiving and generating a transform image from said visual image of the object; signature generating means for sampling light from different spatial domains of said transform image and generating electrical signal data representative thereof and collectively defining a characteristic signature of said transform image and thus of the inspected object; and control means for automatically controlling and coordinating operation of each of said imaging means and said signature generating means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An object inspection system, comprising:
- object sensing means for sensing the presence of an object at a predetermined location, and for generating first signal data indicative thereof;
stroboscopic lighting means for illuminating the object at said location; camera means for generating second electrical signal data representative of the appearance of the object at said location; means for generating a coherent beam of light; imaging means for receiving said second electrical signal data and utilizing the same to produce a visual image of said object, said light beam extending through said visual image and having said visual image impressed thereon; lens means for generating a transform image of said object from said visual image thereof; signature generating means for sampling light from different spatial domains of said transform image, and for generating third electrical signal data representative of each domain thereof and collectively defining a characteristic signature of said transform image; and control means for initiating operation of said stroboscopic lighting means and the transfer of said second-mentioned signal data from said camera means to said imaging means in response to said first signal data generated by said object sensing means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- object sensing means for sensing the presence of an object at a predetermined location, and for generating first signal data indicative thereof;
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20. An object inspection system, comprising:
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camera means for generating electrical signal data representative of an image of the object; means for generating a coherent beam of light; spatial light modulator means for utilizing said electrical signal data to produce a visual image of said object, and for impressing said image upon said coherent beam of light; transform imaging means for generating a transform image of said object from said first-mentioned image thereof; signature generating means for sampling light from different spatial domains of said transform image, and for generating electrical signal data representative of each domain thereof and collectively defining a characteristic signature of said transform image; and control means for coordinating operation of said light modulator means and said signature generating means.
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21. A method of object inspection, comprising:
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generating electrical signal data representative of the appearance of an object to be inspected; utilizing the signal data to generate a visual image of the object; generating a transform image from the visual image of the object; sampling light from different spatial domains of the transform image and generating electrical signal data representative of different domains thereof and collectively defining a characteristic signature of the transform image and thus of the object; and automatically controlling and coordinating the steps of generating the visual image of the object sampling light from different spatial domains of the transform image and generating electrical signal data representative thereof. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification