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US 10,095,046 B2Granted
Automated UV calibration, motorized optical target and automatic surface finder for optical alignment and assembly robot
AssigneeAutomation Engineering, Inc.
InventorsDan Tamasanis, Jonathan P. Berg, John Alden
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an optical components automatic alignment robot, a motorized target moves closer or further from a digital camera being tested or assembled. A light sensor is used to automatically calibrate an ultraviolet (UV) or other light source used for curing adhesive. An automatic surface finder is used to accurately and repeatably find a surface on which adhesive is to be dispensed.
Claims22
A system for actively testing a digital camera having a lens, the system comprising:
- a target having optically contrasting features;
- a robot configured to grasp the digital camera and orient the digital camera before the target, so as to image the target features by the digital camera;
- a drive assembly mechanically coupled to the target to move the target, thereby selectively adjusting spacing between the target and the digital camera;
- a measurement controller configured to acquire a plurality of time spaced-apart alignment data items, wherein each alignment data item of the plurality of time spaced-apart alignment data items:
- results from an optical signal, from the target features, that passed through the lens and was received by the digital camera;
- and
- contains data indicative of a degree of optical performance of the digital camera in capturing an image of the target features.
4 more elements
A system for actively aligning a lens to an image sensor of a digital camera, the system comprising:
- a target having optically contrasting features;
- a robot configured to grasp the image sensor and orient the image sensor such that the lens is intermediate the target and the digital camera, so as to image the target features onto the digital camera;
- a drive assembly mechanically coupled to the target to move the target, thereby selectively adjusting spacing between the target and the image sensor;
- a motion controller configured to:
- cause the robot to scan the image sensor along a trajectory from a starting location to an ending location;
- and
- while the robot scans the image sensor from the starting location to the ending location, store a plurality of time spaced-apart positions of the image sensor;
- a measurement controller configured, while the robot scans the image sensor from the starting location to the ending location, to:
- acquire a plurality of time spaced-apart alignment data items, wherein each alignment data item of the plurality of time spaced-apart alignment data items:
- results from an optical signal, from the target features, that passed through the lens and was received by the image sensor;
- and
- contains data indicative of a degree of optical performance of a combination of the lens and the image sensor in capturing an image of the target features;
- and
- an alignment processor configured to:
- estimate a desired alignment position, based at least in part on the plurality of time spaced-apart alignment data items and the plurality of time spaced-apart positions of the image sensor;
- and
- cause the robot to move the image sensor to the desired alignment position.
14 more elements
A system for aligning a lens to a digital image sensor, the system comprising:
- a robot configured to grasp the image sensor;
- an active alignment controller configured to:
- cause the robot to scan the image sensor along a trajectory, relative to the lens;
- acquire a plurality of time spaced-apart alignment data items along the trajectory;
- based on the alignment data items, estimate a desired alignment position for the image sensor;
- and cause the robot to move the image sensor to the desired alignment position;
- a light source radiating light of a wavelength selected to facilitate curing an adhesive to bond the lens to the image sensor in the desired alignment position;
- and
- a curing light calibrator comprising:
- a light sensor sensitive to the selected wavelength and a first indexer configured to position the light sensor, in one mode, proximate the light source and, in another mode, distant from the light source;
- wherein:
- the active alignment controller is further configured to receive data from the light sensor indicating intensity of the light source.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.