System and method for locating image features

• US 6,744,913 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2000
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Onto Innovation Inc.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Technologies & Instruments Incorporated (Onto Innovation Inc.)
• Inventors: Guest, Clyde Maxwell, Thornell, John Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayanti K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAWAN, SHEELA C
• Application Number:
  US09/551,106
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: 382/145, 382/149, 382/225, 382/190, 382/199, 382/218, 382/274, 348/126, 348/188, 356/394, 438/14, 438/33, 438/16
• US Class Current: 382/145
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30148 Semiconductor; IC; Wafer
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/001 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/443 by matching or filtering

Abstract

A system for locating features in image data is provided. The system includes a first component system. The first component system compares first component data, which can be pixel data of a first user-selected component of the feature, to first test image data, which can be selected by scanning image data of a device, such as a die cut from a silicon wafer. The system also includes second component system that is connected to the first component system, such as through data memory locations of a processor. The second component system compares second component data to second test image data if the first component system finds a match between the first component data and the first test image data. The second test image data is selected based upon the first test image data, such as by using a known coordinate relationship between pixels of the first component data and the second component data.

Claims

1. A method for locating areas of interest in a set of image data comprising:

identifying a feature that is expected to be present in each set of image data;

generating image data of the feature;

identifying a boundary of an inspection area;

determining a spatial relationship of the boundary to the feature;

receiving an inspection set of image data;

comparing the feature image data to a subset of the inspection image data;

incrementing the coordinates of the subset of the inspection image data if the feature image data does not match the subset of the inspection image data;

repeating the comparing and incrementing steps until a match is found;

using the spatial relationship to place the boundary of the inspection area in the inspection set of image data; and

using the boundary of the inspection area to select a subset of the inspection set of image data for subsequent analysis.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a second feature that is expected to be present in each set of image data;

generating image data of the second feature;

determining a spatial relationship of the first feature to the second feature;

using the spatial relationship of the first feature to the second feature to confirm the location of the boundary.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first feature is a section of a bond pad and the second feature is a different section of the bond pad.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein determining the spatial relationship of the first feature to the second feature comprises:

determining pixel coordinates for one or more pixels of the first feature;

determining pixel coordinates for one or more pixels of the second feature; and

determining the difference between the pixel coordinates for the one or more pixels of the first feature and the one or more pixels of the second feature.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the boundary of the inspection area is a boundary of a bond pad.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising identifying the boundary of each bond pad of a semiconductor die.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the feature is a section of a bond pad.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the spatial relationship of the boundary to the feature comprises:

determining pixel coordinates for one or more pixels of the feature;

determining pixel coordinates for one or more pixels of the boundary; and

determining the difference between the pixel coordinates for the one or more pixels of the feature and the one or more pixels of the boundary.

9. A system for locating areas of interest in sets of image data comprising

a selector test system comparing selector image data to a subset of test image data and generating first match data if a match is detected, otherwise incrementing the coordinates of the subset of test image data and repeating the comparison of the selector image to the subset of test image data until the match is detected;

a controller receiving the first march data and generating boundary data;

an image analysis system receiving the boundary data and selecting a set of pixel data for analysis; and

a verification test system receiving the first match data, comparing verification image data to the test image data based on a predetermined spatial relationship, and generating second match data, wherein the controller receives the first match data and the second match data and generates the boundary data.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising a selector image system receiving a user-selected selector image and storing the selector image for use in analyzing image data.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising a verification image system receiving a user-selected verification image and storing the verification image for use in analyzing image data.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising an image setup system receiving component data that includes boundary data.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising an image analysis system receiving the boundary data and generating a user-readable display that includes boundary marking data that allows an operator to see the boundary data.