Systems and method for vision inspection with multiple types of light
AssigneeCognex Corporation
InventorsTorsten Kempf, Jens Rütten, Michael Haardt, Laurens Nunnink
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for acquiring images of objects. Light of different types (e.g., different polarization orientations) can be directed onto an object from different respective directions (e.g., from different sides of the object). A single image acquisition can be executed in order to acquire different sub-images corresponding to the different light types. An image of a surface of the object, including representation of surface features of the surface, can be generated based on the sub-images.
Claims20
A method of acquiring images of surface features of a surface of an object, the method comprising:
- simultaneously illuminating the surface with at least three types of light from at least three directions, each of the types of light illuminating the surface from a different one of the at least three directions;
- executing a single image acquisition of the illuminated surface, including acquiring at least three sub-images, each of the at least three sub-images being acquired using a different one of the at least three types of light and at least partly excluding the at least two other types of light;
- and
- generating an image of the surface for three dimensional inspection, including the surface features, based on the at least three sub-images.
An imaging system for acquiring images of surface features of a surface of an object, the imaging system comprising:
- one or more light sources that are configured to simultaneously illuminate the surface with at least three types of light from at least three directions, each of the at least three types of light being different from the others of the at least three types of light and illuminating the surface from a different one of the at least three directions;
- one or more imaging sensors that are configured to execute a single image acquisition of the illuminated surface, including acquiring at least three sub-images, each of the at least three sub-images being acquired using a different one of the at least three types of light and at least partly excluding the at least two other types of light;
- and
- one or more processor devices that are configured to generate an image of the surface, including the surface features, based on the at least three sub-images, the image representing differences in surface slope of the surface features as differences in grey values in the image.
An imaging system for analyzing surface features of an object, the imaging system comprising:
- a lens arrangement that defines an optical axis for image acquisition;
- one or more imaging sensors aligned with the lens arrangement and the optical axis;
- a lighting system having a first lighting array on a first side of the optical axis, a second lighting array on a second side of the optical axis, and a third lighting array on a third side of the optical axis;
- and
- one or more processor devices that are configured to analyze the surface features by:
- controlling the lighting system to simultaneously cause the first lighting array to illuminate the object with a first type of light, cause the second lighting array to illuminate the object with a second type of light, and cause the third lighting array to illuminate the object with a third type of light, each of the first, second, and third types of light being different from the others of the first, second, and third types of light;
- receiving first sub-image data, second sub-image data, and third sub-image data from the one or more imaging sensors, wherein the first, second, and third sub-image data are acquired by the one or more imaging sensors using a respective one of the first, second, and third types of light, and at least partly excluding one or more of the respective others of the first, second, or third types of light;
- and
- collectively analyzing the first, second and third sub-image data to analyze the surface features.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.