Information search and retrieval system

• US 20030018631A1
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Sinha, Pawan, Lipson, Pamela R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,721,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30141 Printed circuit board [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30148 Semiconductor; IC; Wafer
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30152 Solder
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0006 using a design-rule based approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/001 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/754 involving a deformation of the sample pattern or of the reference pattern; Elastic matching
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/06 Recognition of objects for industrial automation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

An image search and retrieval system and method of operation within such a system are disclosed. The image search and retrieval system includes a search engine coupled to an image analyzer, an input system, an output system and an image database. The image search and retrieval system includes one or more feature modules which define particular regions of an image and particular measurements to make on pixels within the defined image region as well as the measurements to make on neighboring pixels in neighboring image regions for a given application and communicate this application specific information to the image analyzer thereby allowing rapid comparisons of images.

Claims

1. An image processing system comprising:

(a) a search engine;

(b) an image analyzer coupled to said search engine, said image analyzer for comparing first and second images provided thereto from said search engine; and

(c) one or more feature modules coupled to one of said search engine and said image analyzer, each of said feature modules for providing to said image analyzer information specific to a particular application.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an input system coupled to one of said search engine and said image analyzer, said input system comprising at least one of:

a graphical user interface;

a facsimile system;

a camera system;

a scanner;

a network connection; and

a video system.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein each of said one or more feature modules defines at least one particular region of an image and at least one particular measurement to make on pixels within each of the at least one particular image region.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein each of said one or more feature modules defines at least one measurement to make on one or more pixels in an image region neighboring the one particular image region.

5. The system of claim 3 further comprising a storage device having at least one iamge stored therein coupled to one of said a search engine, said image analyzer and said feature module.

6. A process for comparing two images comprising the steps of:

(a) aligning a target image and a selected image each of the target and selected image having at least one property;

(b) dividing the selected image into a plurality of image regions each of the image regions having at least one property;

(c) combining properties in predetermined ones of the plurality of image regions;

(d) selecting a primary image region within the selected image;

(e) selecting a target image region; and

(f) comparing one or more properties of the primary image region within the selected image to a corresponding one or more properties in the target image region.

7. The process of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

(g) assigning a score indicating the difference between the one or more properties in the primary image region within the selected image and the corresponding one or more properties in the target image region;

(h) selecting a next region in the target image;

(i) comparing one or more properties of the primary image region within the selected image to a corresponding one or more properties in the next target image region; and

(j) assigning a score indicating the difference between the one or more properties in the primary image region within the selected image and the corresponding one or more properties in the next target image region.

8. The process of claim 7 further comprising the step of repeating steps (h)-(j) for each of a predetermined number of regions in the target image.

9. The process of claim 8 further comprising the step of finding the best match between the primary image region and one of the predetermined regions in the target image.

10. The process of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a next primary image region in the selected image; and

repeating steps (h)-(j) for each desired primary image region.

11. A method of manufacturing a printed circuit board comprising the steps of:

(a) performing a manufacturing operation on a printed circuit board; and

(b) inspecting the result of the manufacturing operation by comparing an image of the actual operation being performed to a target image of the manufacturing operation being inspected.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said inspection step comprises the steps of:

capturing an image of a portion of the printed circuit board wherein said captured image portion includes an image of the printed circuit board having the manufacturing operation applied thereto;

selecting a region of the captured image;

aligning a target image and the selected region of the captured wherein the target image corresponds to an image corresponds to an image of a printed circuit board which has been properly manufactured in during that particular portion of the manufacturing process and wherein each of the target and selected images has at least one property;

dividing the selected image into a plurality of image regions each of the image regions having at least one property;

combining properties in predetermined ones of the plurality of image regions;

selecting a primary image region within the selected image;

selecting a target image region; and

comparing one or more properties of the primary image region within the selected image to a corresponding one or more properties in the target image region.

13. The process of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

assigning a score indicating the difference between the one or more properties in the primary image region within the selected image and the corresponding one or more properties in the target image region;

selecting a next region in the target image;

comparing one or more properties of the primary image region within the selected image to a corresponding one or more properties in the next target image region; and

assigning a score indicating the difference between the one or more properties in the primary image region within the selected image and the corresponding one or more properties in the next target image region.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein for each of a predetermined number of regions in the target image the method further comprises the step of repeating the steps of:

(a) selecting a next region in the target image;

(b) comparing one or more properties of the primary image region within the selected image to a corresponding one or more properties in the next target image region; and

(c) assigning a score indicating the difference between the one or more properties in the primary image region within the selected image and the corresponding one or more properties in the next target image region.

15. The process of claim 14 further comprising the step of finding the best match between the primary image region and one of the predetermined regions in the target image.

16. The process of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a next primary image region in the selected image; and

for each desired primary image region repeating the steps of;

(a) selecting a next region in the target image;

(b) comparing one or more properties of the primary image region within the selected image to a corresponding one or more properties in the next target image region; and

(c) assigning a score indicating the difference between the one or more properties in the primary image region within the selected image and the corresponding one or more properties in the next target image region.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein the manufacturing operation corresponds to a solder paste application step.

18. The process of claim 16 wherein said manufacturing operation corresponds to a component placement operation.

19. The process of claim 16 wherein said manufacturing operation corresponds to a solder reflow operation.

20. The process of claim 16 wherein said manufacturing operation corresponds to a solder joint inspection operation.