Vision system for analyzing solid-of-revolution radius profile
First Claim
1. A machine vision method for estimating both a longitudinal position and a radius of a circular cross-section of a solid of revolution, the method comprising the steps of:
- acquiring an image of a circumferential feature of the solid of revolution using a camera having a focal length and disposed at a position characterized by a plurality of position parameters;
finding a set of points along the image of the circumferential feature;
determining an equation of an ellipse that substantially fits the set of points to provide a plurality of ellipse parameters; and
computing the longitudinal position and the radius of the circular cross-section of the solid of revolution using the focal length, the plurality of position parameters, and the plurality of ellipse parameters.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a method for visually monitoring the radius of an item which is rotating about a fixed axis and which has a trackable contour known to lie in a plane normal to the rotation, such as a part turned on a lathe. The present invention can also estimate the cross-sectional diameter of a growing crystal, and the height of the cross-section above the melt surface. In addition, the height and radius of the meniscus at the crystal/melt interface can be tracked by the system of the invention. The present makes it possible to further automate crystal growing processes in a manner that increases manufacturing efficiency, consistency, and overall quality. In general, the invention provides a machine vision method for estimating both a longitudinal position and a radius of a circular cross-sectional feature of a solid of revolution. The method includes the steps of acquiring an image of a circumferential feature of the solid of revolution using a camera having a focal length and disposed at a position characterized by a plurality of position parameters, and then finding a set of points along the image of the circumferential feature. The next step is determining an equation of an ellipse that substantially fits the set of points to provide a plurality of ellipse parameters, and then computing the longitudinal position and the radius of the circular cross-section of the solid of revolution using the focal length, the plurality of position parameters, and the plurality of ellipse parameters.
43 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A machine vision method for estimating both a longitudinal position and a radius of a circular cross-section of a solid of revolution, the method comprising the steps of:
- acquiring an image of a circumferential feature of the solid of revolution using a camera having a focal length and disposed at a position characterized by a plurality of position parameters;
finding a set of points along the image of the circumferential feature; determining an equation of an ellipse that substantially fits the set of points to provide a plurality of ellipse parameters; and computing the longitudinal position and the radius of the circular cross-section of the solid of revolution using the focal length, the plurality of position parameters, and the plurality of ellipse parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9)
- acquiring an image of a circumferential feature of the solid of revolution using a camera having a focal length and disposed at a position characterized by a plurality of position parameters;
-
8. A machine vision method for estimating both a longitudinal position and a radius of a circular cross-section of a solid of revolution, the method comprising the steps of:
-
acquiring an image of a circumferential feature of the solid of revolution using a camera having a focal length and disposed at a position characterized by a plurality of position parameters; finding a set of points along the image of the circumferential feature; determining an equation of an ellipse that substantially fits the set of points to provide a plurality of ellipse parameters; computing the longitudinal position and the radius of the circular cross-section of the solid of revolution using the focal length, the plurality of position parameters, and the plurality of ellipse parameters; repeating the previous steps to provide a plurality of recent longitudinal position values and radius values;
averaging the plurality of recent longitudinal position values and radius values to provide an average recent longitudinal position value and the average recent radius value; andperiodically reporting the average recent longitudinal position value and the average recent radius value of the solid of revolution.
-
-
10. A machine vision method for estimating both a melt level and a radius of a circular cross-section of a growing semiconductor crystal, the method comprising the steps of:
-
acquiring an image of a circumferential feature of the growing semiconductor crystal using a camera having a focal length and disposed at a position characterized by a plurality of position parameters; finding a set of points along the image of the circumferential feature; determining an equation of an ellipse that substantially fits the set of points to provide a plurality of ellipse parameters; and computing the longitudinal position and the radius of the circular cross-section of the semiconductor crystal using the focal length, the plurality of position parameters, and the plurality of ellipse parameters. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A machine vision method for estimating both a longitudinal position and a radius of a circular cross-section of a solid of revolution, the method comprising the steps of:
-
acquiring an image of a circumferential feature of the solid of revolution using a camera having a focal length and disposed at a position characterized by a plurality of position parameters; finding a set of points along the image of the circumferential feature; determining an equation of an ellipse that substantially fits the set of points to provide a plurality of ellipse parameters; computing the longitudinal position and the radius of the circular cross-section of the solid of revolution using the focal length, the plurality of position parameters, and the plurality of ellipse parameters; repeating the previous steps to provide a plurality of recent longitudinal position values and radius values; averaging the plurality of recent longitudinal position values and radius values to provide an average recent longitudinal position value and the average recent radius value; and periodically reporting the average recent longitudinal position value and the average recent radius value of the solid of revolution. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
Specification