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US 4,972,093 AGranted
Inspection lighting system
AssigneePressco, Inc.
InventorsDon W. Cochran, James R. Austin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An engineered lighting system for use in an inspection system is comprised of an array of light emitting diodes. A specimen is brought into the viewing area, and a current pulse is provided to the diodes of the array to selectively flash all or a portion of the diodes of the array. Reflected light from the specimen is sensed and a digitized image is generated therefrom. An illumination level of the digitized image is adjustable, in whole or in part, by varying the effective lighting intensity of one or more of the diodes of the array during a flash period. The digitized image of the specimen is compared to data indicative of acceptability of the specimen, and acceptance or rejection of the specimen is decided on a basis of a comparison therebetween.
Claims34
An engineered inspection lighting system comprising:
- a plurality of directed lighting elements;
- securing means for securing the plurality of lighting elements to be directed to a light field;
- the securing means including means for securing the lighting elements in a preselected array arrangement to form a lighting array;
- means adapted for directing light from the lighting elements to the light field so as to light an associated specimen disposed therein substantially solely by specular illumination;
- and
- supply means for selectively providing current to lighting elements of the lighting array to provide a single illumination period to the associated specimen disposed in the light field.
3 more elements
An engineered inspection lighting system comprising:
- a plurality of directed lighting elements;
- means for securing the plurality of lighting elements to be directed to a light field;
- the securing means including means for securing the lighting elements in a preselected array arrangement to form a lighting array;
- means adapted for directing light from the lighting elements to the light field;
- supply means for selectively providing current to lighting elements of the lighting array to provide a single illumination period to an associated specimen disposed in the light field;
- light sensitive transducer means for generating an electrical signal in accordance with light exposed thereto;
- lens means for focusing light onto the light sensitive transducer means, which light was generated as a result of current provided to the selected lighting elements of the array by the supply means, after exposure thereof to the associated specimen;
- means for generating an image data signal representative of light focused onto the light sensitive transducer means by the lens means;
- and
- means for altering the supply means in accordance with the image data signal.
7 more elements
An engineered video inspection system comprising:
- a plurality of directed lighting elements;
- means for securing the plurality of lighting elements to be directed to a light field;
- means for securing the lighting elements in a preselected array arrangement to form a lighting array;
- means adapted for directing light from the lighting elements to the light field;
- supply means for selectively providing current to lighting elements of the lighting array to provide a single illumination period to each of a series of associated specimens sequentially disposed in the light field;
- transducer means for generating an electrical signal in accordance with light exposed thereto;
- a lens means for focusing light onto the light sensitive transducer, which light was generated as a result of current provided to the selected lighting elements of the array by the supply means, after exposure thereof to each of the series of associated specimens;
- means for generating a series of image data signals, representative of light from each of the series of associated specimens, focused onto the light sensitive transducer by the lens means;
- and
- means for accumulating acceptability data representative of acceptability of future associated specimens from at least a portion of the series of image data signals.
7 more elements
A method of automated video inspection comprising the steps of:
- sequentially conveying a sequence of specimens to a light field;
- sequentially activating a lighting array to provide a single illumination period for each of the sequence of specimens to the light field therewith;
- focusing light on a light sensitive transducer after each exposure thereof to each of the sequence of specimens;
- generating a sequence of image data signals corresponding to each of the sequence of specimens;
- comparing each of image data signals to data representative of acceptability of specimens;
- and
- selectively rejecting specimens in accordance with the step of comparing.
4 more elements
An apparatus adapted for automated video inspection with an associated lighting array comprising:
- means for sequentially conveying a sequence of specimens to a light field;
- means for sequentially activating a lighting array to provide a single illumination period for each of the sequence of specimens in the light field;
- means for focusing light on a light sensitive transducer after each exposure thereof to each of the sequence of specimens;
- means for generating a sequence of image data signals corresponding to each of the sequence of specimens;
- means for comparing each of the image data signals to data representative of acceptability of specimens;
- and
- means for selectively rejecting specimens in accordance with an output of the means for comparing each of the image data signals.
4 more elements
An apparatus adapted for automated video inspection with an associated lighting array comprising:
- means for sequentially conveying a sequence of specimens to a light field with a continuous relative motion between the sequence of specimens and a single video camera;
- means for sequentially activating a lighting array comprised of a plurality of light emitting diodes to provide a single illumination period for each of the sequence of specimens in the light field;
- means for focusing light from the lighting array on the single video camera after each exposure thereof to each of the sequence of specimens;
- means for generating a sequence of image data signals corresponding to each of the sequence of specimens;
- means for comparing each of the image data signals to data representative of acceptability of specimens;
- and
- means for selectively rejecting specimens in accordance with an output of the means for comparing each of the image data signals;
- wherein the lighting array includes a primary array portion of the plurality of light emitting diodes and a secondary array portion of the plurality of light emitting diodes, the primary and secondary array portions differing such that an angle of propagation of light from light emitting diodes of the primary array portion to the light field is different from an angle of propagation of light from elements of the secondary to the light field.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.