Fast auto-focus in imaging
First Claim
1. A method for automatically focusing multiple images of one or more objects on a substrate, the method comprising:
- a) obtaining, by a processor, a representative focal distance for a first location on the substrate based on a set of focal distances at known locations on the substrate, wherein the representative focal distance is estimated as a weighted average of at least two focal distances from the set of focal distances at known locations, wherein a weight for a given focal distance is calculated based on a distance of the corresponding location from the first location;
b) acquiring, by an image acquisition device, a set of images of the first location based on the representative focal distance;
c) estimating, by a processor, an ideal focal distance corresponding to the first location based on the acquired set of images; and
d) storing the estimated ideal focal distance and the first location in the set of focal distances at known locations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosure relates to methods and systems for automatically focusing multiple images of one or more objects on a substrate. The methods include obtaining, by a processor, a representative focal distance for a first location on the substrate based on a set of focal distances at known locations on the substrate. The methods also include acquiring, by an image acquisition device, a set of at least two images of the first location. The images are each acquired using a different focal distance at an offset from the representative focal distance. The methods further include estimating, by a processor, an ideal focal distance corresponding to the first location based on comparing a quality of focus for each of the images, and storing the estimated ideal focal distance and the first location in the set of focal distances at known locations.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for automatically focusing multiple images of one or more objects on a substrate, the method comprising:
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a) obtaining, by a processor, a representative focal distance for a first location on the substrate based on a set of focal distances at known locations on the substrate, wherein the representative focal distance is estimated as a weighted average of at least two focal distances from the set of focal distances at known locations, wherein a weight for a given focal distance is calculated based on a distance of the corresponding location from the first location; b) acquiring, by an image acquisition device, a set of images of the first location based on the representative focal distance; c) estimating, by a processor, an ideal focal distance corresponding to the first location based on the acquired set of images; and d) storing the estimated ideal focal distance and the first location in the set of focal distances at known locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system comprising:
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an image acquisition device configured to acquire a set of images of a first location on a substrate based on a representative focal distance; and one or more processing devices, connected to the image acquisition device, the one or more processing devices configured to; compute the representative focal distance for the first location based on a set of focal distances at known locations on the substrate, wherein the representative focal distance is estimated as a weighted average of at least two focal distances from the set of focal distances at known locations, wherein a weight for a given focal distance is calculated based on a distance of the corresponding location from the first location, estimate an ideal focal distance corresponding to the first location based on the acquired set of images, and store the estimated ideal focal distance and the first location in the set of focal distances at known locations. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A non-transitory computer readable storage device, having encoded thereon computer readable instructions that causes one or more processing devices to execute operations comprising:
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obtaining a representative focal distance for a first location on a substrate based on a set of focal distances at known locations on the substrate, wherein the representative focal distance is estimated as a weighted average of at least two focal distances from the set of focal distances at known locations, wherein a weight for a given focal distance is calculated based on a distance of the corresponding location from the first location estimating an ideal focal distance corresponding to the first location based on the acquired set of images, storing the estimated ideal focal distance and the first location in the set of focal distances at known locations, and providing the computed representative focal distance to an image acquisition device for the image acquisition device to acquire a set of images of the first location based on the representative focal distance. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification