Object inspection device, object inspection system and method for adjusting inspection position

An object inspection system comprising a plurality of object inspection devices each configured to inspect a surface of an object using image data of the object, wherein

• a first object inspection device includes:
• a first camera configured to acquire the image data;
• a first robot configured to relatively position the object and the first camera at a first inspection position where the surface is to be inspected;
• a first index object configured to be gripped by the first robot at a predetermined first gripping position and moved with respect to the first camera by the first robot to be imaged by the first camera, the first index object including a first index configured for representing a position of the first index with respect to the first camera in a first image coordinate system of the first camera;
• and
• a first controller configured to control the first camera and the first robot, the first controller being configured to:
• control the first robot so as to position the first index object and the first camera at a first relative position;
• and
• cause the first camera to image the first index on the first index object positioned at the first relative position to acquire imaged data of the first index in the first image coordinate system, and store the imaged data as coordinate data of an index reference point, wherein
• a second object inspection device includes:
• a second camera configured to acquire the image data;
• a second robot configured to relatively position the object and the second camera at a second inspection position where the surface is to be inspected, the second inspection position corresponding to the first inspection position;
• a second index object configured to be gripped by the second robot at a predetermined second gripping position and moved with respect to the second camera by the second robot to be imaged by the second camera, the second index object including a second index configured for representing a position of the second index with respect to the second camera in a second image coordinate system of the second camera, the second image coordinate system corresponding to the first image coordinate system, the position of the second index with respect to the second robot when the second robot grips the second index object at the second gripping position being the same as that of the first index with respect to the first robot when the first robot grips the first index object at the first gripping position;
• and
• a second controller configured to control the second camera and the second robot, the second controller being configured to:
• control the second robot so as to position the second index object and the second camera at a second relative position corresponding to the first relative position;
• cause the second camera to image the second index on the second index object positioned at the second relative position to acquire imaged data of the second index in the second image coordinate system;
• based on the imaged data of the second index and the coordinate data of the index reference point stored in the first controller, hold the second robot at a position where the second index is disposed at the index reference point in the second image coordinate system;
• and
• adjust the second inspection position using the position of the second robot when the second index is disposed at the index reference point.

An object inspection system comprising a plurality of object inspection devices each configured to inspect a surface of an object using image data of the object, wherein

• a first object inspection device includes:
• a first camera configured to acquire the image data;
• a first robot configured to relatively position the object and the first camera at a first inspection position where the surface is to be inspected;
• a first index configured to be positioned with respect to the first camera by the first robot and imaged by the first camera, the first index being configured for representing a position of the first index with respect to the first camera in a first image coordinate system of the first camera;
• and
• a first controller configured to control the first camera and the first robot, the first controller being configured to:
• control the first robot so as to position the first index and the first camera at a first relative position;
• and
• cause the first camera to image the first index positioned at the first relative position to acquire imaged data of the first index in the first image coordinate system, and store the imaged data as coordinate data of an index reference point, wherein
• a second object inspection device includes:
• a second camera configured to acquire the image data;
• a second robot configured to relatively position the object and the second camera at a second inspection position where the surface is to be inspected, the second inspection position corresponding to the first inspection position;
• second index configured to be positioned with respect to the second camera by the second robot and imaged by the second camera, the second index being configured for representing a position of the second index with respect to the second camera in a second image coordinate system of the second camera, the second image coordinate system corresponding to the first image coordinate system;
• and
• a second controller configured to control the second camera and the second robot, the second controller being configured to:
• control the second robot so as to position the second index and the second camera at a second relative position corresponding to the first relative position;
• cause the second camera to image the second index positioned at the second relative position to acquire imaged data of the second index in the second image coordinate system;
• based on the imaged data of the second index and the coordinate data of the index reference point stored in the first controller, hold the second robot at a position where the second index is disposed at the index reference point in the second image coordinate system;
• and
• adjust the second inspection position using the position of the second robot when the second index is disposed at the index reference point,
• wherein the first controller is configured to cause the first camera to image the object at the first inspection position to acquire imaged data of the object in the first image coordinate system, and acquire and store an inspection parameter set as various conditions for the inspection carried out based on the imaged data of the object,
• wherein the second controller is configured to obtain the inspection parameter from the first controller,
• wherein the second controller is configured to cause the second camera to image the object at the second inspection position to acquire imaged data of the object in the second image coordinate system, and acquire and store a new inspection parameter reset by adjusting the inspection parameter based on the imaged data of the object imaged by the second camera, and
• wherein the first controller is configured to obtain the new inspection parameter from the second controller to update the inspection parameter.

A method of adjusting an inspection position, where a surface of an object is to be inspected, in an object inspection device for inspecting the surface using image data of the object, wherein

• the object inspection device comprises:
• a camera configured to acquire the image data;
• a robot configured to relatively position the object and the camera at an inspection position where the surface is to be inspected;
• and
• an index object configured to be gripped by the robot at a predetermined gripping position and moved with respect to the camera by the robot be imaged by the camera, the index object including an index configured for representing a position or the index with respect to the camera in an image coordinate system of the camera, wherein
• the method comprises:
• acquiring, as coordinate data of an index reference point, imaged data of another index object in another image coordinate system of another camera, the imaged data of the other index object being imaged by the other camera having the other image coordinate system when another robot grips the index object at another predetermined gripping position at a first relative position;
• controlling the robot to position the index object and the camera at a second relative position, the position of the another index with respect to the another robot when the another robot grips the another index object at the another predetermined gripping position being the same as that of the index with respect to the robot when the robot grips the index object at the gripping position;
• causing the camera to image the index on the index object positioned at the second relative position to acquire imaged data of the index in the image coordinate system;
• based on the imaged data of the index and the coordinate data of the index reference point, holding the robot at a position where the index is disposed at the index reference point in the mage coordinate system;
• and
• adjusting the inspection position using the position of the robot when the index is disposed at the index reference point.

A method of adjusting an inspection position, where a surface of an object is to be inspected, in an object inspection system comprising a plurality of object inspection devices each configured to inspect the surface using image data of the object, wherein

• a first object inspection device includes:
• a first camera configured to acquire the image data;
• a first robot configured to relatively position the object and the first camera at a first inspection position where the surface is to be inspected;
• and
• a first index object configured to be gripped by the first robot at a predetermined first gripping position and moved with respect to the first camera by the first robot to be imaged by the first camera, the first index object including a first index configured for representing a position of the first index with respect to the first camera in a first image coordinate system of the first camera, wherein
• a second object inspection device includes:
• a second camera configured to acquire a second robot configured to the image data;
• a second robot configured to relatively position the object and the second camera at a second inspection position where the surface is to be inspected, the second inspection position corresponding to the first inspection position;
• and
• a second index object configured to be gripped by the second robot at a predetermined second gripping position and moved with respect to the second camera by the second robot to be imaged by the second camera, the second index object including a second index being configured for representing a position of the second index with respect to the second camera in a second image coordinate system of the second camera, the second image coordinate system corresponding to the first image coordinate system, the position of the second index with respect to the second robot when the second robot grips the second index object at the second gripping position being the same as that of the first index with respect to the first robot when the first robot grips the first index object at the first gripping position, wherein
• the method comprises:
• controlling the first robot so as to position the first index object and the first camera at a first relative position;
• causing the first camera to image the first index object positioned at the first relative position to acquire imaged data of the first index in the first image coordinate system, and store the imaged data as coordinate data of an index reference point;
• controlling the second robot so as to position the second index object and the second camera at a second relative position corresponding to the first relative position;
• causing the second camera to image the second index object positioned at the second relative position to acquire imaged data of the second index in the second image coordinate system;
• based on the imaged data of the second index and the stored coordinate data of the index reference point, holding the second robot at a position where the second index is disposed at the index reference point in the second image coordinate system;
• and
• adjusting the second inspection position using the position of the second robot when the second index is disposed at the index reference point.