Methods and apparatus for optical product inspection
First Claim
1. Apparatus for determining whether or not a product has predetermined optically detectable properties including first and second optically detectable straight line segments respectively having first and second predetermined intersecting orientations in a predetermined object plane comprising:
- means for forming first and second one-dimensional images of said object plane for said product such that all straight line segments having said first predetermined orientation in said object plane are respectively integrated to points in said first one-dimensional image, and such that all straight line segments having said second predetermined orientation in said object plane are respectively integrated to points in said second one-dimensional image;
means for monitoring said first and second one-dimensional images to determine whether or not said one-dimensional images respectively include points having the image intensities that would result if said object plane for said product included said first and second straight line segments respectively having said first and second predetermined orientations; and
means for producing an output indicative of whether or not said product has said predetermined optically detectable properties based on whether or not said first and second one-dimensional images respectively include points having said image intensities;
wherein said means for forming said first and second one-dimensional images comprises;
a single computer generated hologram for forming said first and second one-dimensional images at respective, spaced, first and second lines.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Products having optically detectable straight line segments are inspected for acceptability by forming one or more one-dimensional images of the product in which properly aligned straight line segments are respectively focused to points in the image. Such parameters as the location and image intensity of these one-dimensional image points are used to determine whether or not the product is acceptable. An optical Hough transform underlies these product inspection techniques.
46 Citations
34 Claims
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1. Apparatus for determining whether or not a product has predetermined optically detectable properties including first and second optically detectable straight line segments respectively having first and second predetermined intersecting orientations in a predetermined object plane comprising:
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means for forming first and second one-dimensional images of said object plane for said product such that all straight line segments having said first predetermined orientation in said object plane are respectively integrated to points in said first one-dimensional image, and such that all straight line segments having said second predetermined orientation in said object plane are respectively integrated to points in said second one-dimensional image; means for monitoring said first and second one-dimensional images to determine whether or not said one-dimensional images respectively include points having the image intensities that would result if said object plane for said product included said first and second straight line segments respectively having said first and second predetermined orientations; and means for producing an output indicative of whether or not said product has said predetermined optically detectable properties based on whether or not said first and second one-dimensional images respectively include points having said image intensities; wherein said means for forming said first and second one-dimensional images comprises; a single computer generated hologram for forming said first and second one-dimensional images at respective, spaced, first and second lines. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. Apparatus for determining whether or not a product has predetermined optically detectable properties including first and second optically detectable straight line segments respectively having first and second predetermined intersecting orientations in a predetermined object plane comprising:
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means for forming first and second one-dimensional images of said object plane for said product such that all straight line segments having said first predetermined orientation in said object plane are respectively integrated to points in said first one-dimensional image, and such that all straight line segments having said second predetermined orientation in said object plane are respectively integrated to points in said second one-dimensional image; means for monitoring said first and second one-dimensional images to determine whether or not said one-dimensional images respectively include points having the image intensities that would result if said object plane for said product included said first and second straight line segments respectively having said first and second predetermined orientations; and means for producing an output indicative of whether or not said product has said predetermined optically detectable properties based on whether or not said first and second one-dimensional images respectively include points having said image intensities; wherein said means for forming said first and second one-dimensional images comprises; first and second computer generated hologram means respectively forming said first and second one-dimensional images; deflector means for successively deflecting light from said object plane to said first and second computer generated hologram means; and means for focusing light from both of said computer generated hologram means to a single line. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. Apparatus for determining whether or not a product has predetermined optically detectable properties including at least one optically detectable straight line segment parallel to each of a plurality of different predetermined orientations in a predetermined object plane comprising:
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a plurality of computer generated holograms; deflector means for selectively deflecting light from said object plane to any one of said computer generated holograms, said one of said holograms responding by producing a plurality of one-dimensional images of said object plane, each of said one-dimensional images having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to a respective one of a corresponding plurality of said predetermined orientations, the one-dimensional images produced by each hologram being respectively disposed in a plurality of parallel, laterally spaced lines; and a plurality of detector means, each detecting the light received at a respective one of said parallel, laterally spaced lines.
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6. Apparatus for determining whether or not a product has predetermined optically detectable properties including an optically detectable straight line segment parallel to a predetermined orientation in a predetermined object plane comprising:
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means for forming a one-dimensional image of said object plane for said product such that all straight line segments parallel to said predetermined orientation in said object plane are respectively integrated to points in said one-dimensional image; means for monitoring said one-dimensional image to determine whether or not said one-dimensional image includes a point having the image intensity that would result if said object plane for said product included said straight line segment parallel to said predetermined orientation; and means for producing an output indicative of whether or not said product has said predetermined optically detectable properties based on whether or not said one-dimensional image includes a point having said image intensity; said means for forming a one-dimensional image including; spatial light modulator means for receiving light from said object plane for said product and for modulating the reflectivity of an output surface in accordance with said light; a light source for directing light to said output surface so that it will be reflected from said output surface in accordance with the reflectivity of said output surface; and means for focusing the light reflected from said output surface to said one-dimensional image. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for determining whether or not a product has predetermined optically detectable properties including an optically detectable straight line segment parallel to a predetermined orientation in a predetermined object plane comprising:
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means for forming a one-dimensional image of said object plane for said product such that all straight line segments parallel to said predetermined orientation in said object plane are respectively integrated to points in said one-dimensional image; means for monitoring said one-dimensional image to determine whether or not said one-dimensional image includes a point having the image intensity that would result if said object plane for said product included said straight line segment parallel to said predetermined orientation; and means for producing an output indicative of whether or not said product has said predetermined optically detectable properties based on whether or not said one-dimensional image includes a point having said image intensity; said means for forming a one-dimensional image comprising; means for scanning said object plane to produce an output signal sequentially representative of the intensity of the image at each point in said object plane; a light source; means for modulating the intensity of the light from said light source in accordance with said scanning means output signal; and deflector means for selectively deflecting the modulated light from said light source to selected ones of a plurality of points on a one-dimensional image line based on a predetermined mapping function between the points in said object plane and the points on said one-dimensional image line. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Apparatus for determining whether or not a product has predetermined optically detectable properties including an optically detectable straight line segment in a predetermined object plane comprising:
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means for forming a plurality of one-dimensional images of said object plane for said product, each one-dimensional image having a different angle of orientation parallel to said object plane; means for separately integrating corresponding portions of all of said one-dimensional images to produce a respective projected value for each portion of said integrated one-dimensional images; and means for analyzing said projected values to determine whether or not said values include a predetermined value that would result if said object plane for said product included said straight line segment. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. Apparatus for determining whether or not a product has predetermined optically detectable properties including an optically detectable straight line segment in a predetermined object plane comprising:
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means for forming a plurality of one-dimensional images of said object plane for said product, each one-dimensional image having a different angle of orientation parallel to said object plane, and each one-dimensional image including a plurality of image segments spaced along the longitudinal axis of said one-dimensional image; means for separately integrating the image segment at each position along the longitudinal axis of a given one-dimensional image with the correspondingly positioned image segments in all of the other one-dimensional images to produce a projected value for each image segment position; and means for analyzing said projected values to determine whether or not said projected values include a predetermined value that would result if said object plane for said product included said straight line segment. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. Apparatus for determining whether or not a product has predetermined optically detectable properties including two parallel, optically detectable straight line segments in a predetermined object plane, said straight line segments being spaced from one another by a predetermined perpendicular distance, comprising:
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means for forming a plurality of one-dimensional images of said object plane for said product, each one-dimensional image having a different angle of orientation parallel to said object plane, and each one-dimensional image including a plurality of image segments spaced along the longitudinal axis of said one-dimensional image; means for separately integrating the image segment at each position along the longitudinal axis of a given one-dimensional image with the correspondingly positioned image segments in all of the other one-dimensional images to produce a projected value for each image segment position; and means for analyzing said projected values to determine whether or not said projected values include two predetermined values separated by a predetermined image segment position difference that would result if said object plane for said product included said two straight line segments.
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28. Apparatus for determining whether or not an object plane of a product has predetermined optically detectable properties comprising:
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means for detecting the image intensity of a plurality of points in said object plane to produce image intensity data regarding said object plane; Hough transform means for transforming said image intensity data to Hough array data such that optically detectable straight line segments having a plurality of nonparallel orientations in said object plane are transformed to points in said Hough array data, each possible straight line segment in said object plane being represented in said Hough array data by first, second, and third Hough array coordinates, said first coordinate being representative of the distance of said straight line segment from an origin point in said object plane, said second coordinate being representative of the angle of inclination of said straight line segment in said object plane, and said third coordinate being representative of the amount of optical information in said straight line segment; and means for analyzing said Hough array data to determine whether or not said Hough array data includes at least one point that would result in said Hough array data if said object plane included said predetermined optically detectable properties, said means for analyzing comprising; means for projecting said Hough array data parallel to one of said first and second coordinates to produce projected Hough array data; and means for analyzing said projected Hough array data to determine whether or not said projected Hough array data includes at least one point that would result in said projected Hough array data if said object plane included said predetermined optically detectable properties. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. Apparatus for determining whether or not an object plane of a product has predetermined optically detectable properties comprising:
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means for detecting the image intensity of a plurality of points in said object plane to produce image intensity data regarding said object plane; Hough transform means for transforming said image intensity data to Hough array data such that optically detectable straight line segments in said object plane are transformed to points in said Hough array data, each possible straight line segment in said object plane being represented in said Hough array data by first, second, and third Hough array coordinates, said first coordinate being representative of the distance of said straight line segment from an origin point in said object plane, said second coordinate being representative of the angle of inclination of said straight line segment in said object plane, and said third coordinate being representative of the amount of optical information in said straight line segment; and means for analyzing said Hough array data to determine whether or not said Hough array data includes at least one point that would result in said Hough array data if said object plane included said predetermined optically detectable properties, wherein said object plane has at least one degree of freedom with respect to its positioning relative to said means for detecting, and wherein said means for analyzing comprises; means for comparing selected portions of said Hough array data to corresponding data for a product which is properly positioned relative to said means for detecting; and means responsive to said means for comparing for correcting said Hough array data to reverse any effect on said Hough array data due to motion of said product as a result of said at least one degree of freedom. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. Apparatus for determining whether or not an object plane of a product has predetermined optically detectable properties comprising:
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means for detecting the image intensity of a plurality of points in said object plane to produce image intensity data regarding said object plane, said means for detecting including means for rendering said image intensity data in polar coordinate form; Hough transform means for transforming said image intensity data to Hough array data such that optically detectable straight line segments in said object plane are transformed to points in said Hough array data, said Hough array data having one angular coordinate; and means for analyzing said Hough array data to determine whether or not said Hough array data includes at least one point that would result in said Hough array data if said object plane included said predetermined optically detectable properties; wherein said Hough transform means comprises; a plurality of light sources each producing light having intensity proportional to said image intensity data at a respective one of a plurality of radius values in said polar coordinate form image intensity data; a plurality of acousto-optic deflector means; means for directing light from each of said light sources to a respective one of said acousto-optic deflector means; means for applying a signal which is a sinusoidal function of said angular coordinate to each of said acousto-optic deflector means; a plurality of photodetectors; and means for focusing light from all of said acousto-optic deflector means to said photodetectors.
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33. Apparatus for determining whether or not an object plane of a product has predetermined optically detectable properties comprising:
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means for detecting the image intensity of a plurality of points in said object plane to produce image intensity data regarding said object plane; Hough transform means for transforming said image intensity data to Hough array data such that optically detectable straight line segments in said object plane are transformed to points in said Hough array data; and means for analyzing said Hough array data to determine whether or not said Hough array data includes at least one point that would result in said Hough array data if said object plane included said predetermined optically detectable properties; wherein said object plane has at least one degree of freedom with respect to its positioning relative to said means for detecting, and wherein said means for analyzing comprises; means for processing said Hough array data to determine the amount by which said Hough array data is shifted relative to the corresponding data for a product which does not have said at least one degree of freedom; wherein said means for processing comprises; a plurality of light sources each of which produced light having intensity proportional to a respective one of a plurality of samples of said Hough array data; acousto-optic deflector means; means for applying light from said light sources to said acousto-optic deflector means; means for applying to said acousto-optic deflector means a signal serially representative of said plurality of samples of said corresponding data; photodetector means; means for directing light from said acousto-optic deflector means to said photodetector means; and means for detecting a maximum in said photodetector means output to indicate a correlation between said samples of said Hough array data and said samples of said corresponding data. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification