System and method for locating solder bumps on semiconductor chips or chip carriers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A pattern recognition system comprising:
- means for generating at least one reference pattern with a defined nominal location formed of individual features, wherein a minimum distance between any adjacent two individual features is defined as PMIN within a number of individual non-colinear features greater than two,means for storing a representation of said at least one reference pattern;
means for capturing an image of an actual pattern to obtain a representation of an imaged pattern; and
means for comparing said representation of said imaged pattern with said representation of said at least one reference pattern; and
means for identifying a deviation of said imaged pattern from said reference pattern, said deviation being determined even if the individual features in said imaged pattern have been translated by more than one half PMIN.
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Abstract
An automated vision system for identifying patterns, such as the solder bump patterns or leads of electronic components. The system is capable of correctly identifying the deviations of an imaged pattern from the nominal location of a reference pattern even if the imaged features are displaced more than half the minimum distance between any two adjacent features of the reference pattern. Further, the system is not limited to identifying patterns that have been merely translated relative to the reference pattern, but can be used if the imaged pattern has been rotated more than 45° relative to the reference pattern depending on the symmetry of the pattern.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A pattern recognition system comprising:
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means for generating at least one reference pattern with a defined nominal location formed of individual features, wherein a minimum distance between any adjacent two individual features is defined as PMIN within a number of individual non-colinear features greater than two, means for storing a representation of said at least one reference pattern; means for capturing an image of an actual pattern to obtain a representation of an imaged pattern; and means for comparing said representation of said imaged pattern with said representation of said at least one reference pattern; and means for identifying a deviation of said imaged pattern from said reference pattern, said deviation being determined even if the individual features in said imaged pattern have been translated by more than one half PMIN. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, 21)
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14. A method of recognizing a pattern, comprising the steps of:
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generating at least one reference pattern formed of individual features, wherein a minimum distance between any adjacent two individual features is defined as PMIN within a number of individual non-colinear features greater than two; storing a representation of said at least one reference pattern; capturing an image of an actual pattern to obtain a representation of an imaged pattern; and comparing said representation of said imaged pattern with said representation of said at least one reference pattern; identifying a deviation of said imaged pattern from said reference pattern, wherein said deviation can be determined even if the individual features in said imaged pattern have been translated by more than one half PMIN. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22)
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Specification