METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PARTS MANIPULATION, INSPECTION, AND REPLACEMENT
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Abstract
Improved method and apparatus for machine vision. One embodiment provides automated imaging and analysis, optionally including Scheimpflug'"'"'s condition on the pattern projector, telecentric imaging and projecting, an IR filter, a mask to constrain observed illumination, and/or a sine-wave projection pattern for more accurate results. Another embodiment provides circuitry for a machine-vision system. Another embodiment provides a machine-vision system, optionally including accommodation of random orientation of parts in trays, irregular location of features being inspected, crossed pattern projectors and detectors for shadow reduction, detection of substrate warpage as well as ball-top coplanarity, two discrete shutters (or flash brightnesses) interleaved (long shutter for dark features, short shutter for bright features). Another embodiment provides parts inspection, optionally including a tray elevator that lifts trays to an inspection surface, moves trays in short tray dimension, provides first tray inspection at a major surface of the elevator, and/or provides a tray flipper.
89 Citations
40 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A machine-vision system comprising:
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a first inspection station configured to perform a machine-vision inspection of a plurality of devices held in a tray, the tray being one of a plurality of trays that are successively inspected at the first inspection station; a tray-moving mechanism; and a plurality of output elevators including a first output elevator and a second output elevator, wherein the first output elevator is configured to hold a plurality of trays and to receive a tray to a top tray position of the first output elevator and to then move the plurality of trays held at the first output elevator to lower positions of the first output elevator, wherein the second output elevator is configured to hold a plurality of trays and to receive a tray to a top tray position of the second output elevator and to then move the plurality of trays held at the second output elevator to lower positions of the second output elevator, and wherein the tray-moving mechanism is configured to successively move each of the plurality of trays from the first inspection station to the top position of one of the plurality of output elevators and such that a first subset of the plurality of trays is moved to the first elevator and a second subset of the plurality of trays is moved to the second elevator. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A machine-vision method comprising:
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providing a first inspection station; performing a machine-vision inspection of a plurality of devices held in a tray, the tray being one of a plurality of trays that are successively inspected at the first inspection station; providing a plurality of output elevators including a first output elevator and a second output elevator, wherein the first output elevator is configured to hold a plurality of trays and to receive a tray to a top position of the first output elevator and to then move the plurality of trays held at the first output elevator to lower positions of the first output elevator, and wherein the second output elevator is configured to hold a plurality of trays and to receive a tray to a top position of the second output elevator and to then move the plurality of trays held at the second output elevator to lower positions of the second output elevator; and successively moving each of the plurality of trays from the first inspection station to the top position of one of the plurality of output elevators and such that a first subset of the plurality of trays is moved to the first elevator and a second subset of the plurality of trays is moved to the second elevator. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A machine-vision system comprising:
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means for performing a machine-vision inspection of a plurality of devices held in a tray, the tray being one of a plurality of trays that are successively inspected to create an already-inspected plurality of trays; and a plurality of elevator means, including a first elevator means and a second elevator means, for outputting each of the already-inspected plurality of trays to a top tray position of one of the elevator means and such that a first subset of the already-inspected plurality of trays is moved to the first elevator means and a second subset of the already-inspected plurality of trays is moved to the second elevator means. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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Specification