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US 5,517,235 AGranted
Method and apparatus for inspecting printed circuit boards at different magnifications
AssigneeControl Automation, Inc.
InventorHarold Wasserman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeControl Automation, Inc.
InventorHarold Wasserman
Estimating the term…
A printed circuit board inspection system acquires images for purposes of inspection from viewing fields defined along the surface of the printed circuit board to be inspected which can be varied in size to accommodate the density and tolerance of components associated with the printed circuit board under inspection. To this end, the cameras of the inspection head associated with the printed circuit board inspection system are provided with zoom lenses, which are capable of controlled operation responsive to the existing microprocessor systems of the printed circuit board inspection system. This allows the magnification of images acquired by the cameras to be varied, as desired, in turn varying the size of the viewing fields defined for inspection purposes. The inspection head is then operated at a rate commensurate with the size of the viewing fields which have been selected. Such operations can be varied automatically, by the printed circuit board inspection system, to effectively inspect printed circuit boards of different type and configuration. The printed circuit board inspection system can also perform successive inspections of a printed circuit board, at different magnifications.
A method for automatically inspecting a printed circuit board with an apparatus including video camera means, and means for conveying the camera means across a surface of the printed circuit board, wherein the conveying means is operative to convey the camera means to and between a plurality of viewing fields defined along the surface of the printed circuit board, and wherein the method comprises the steps of:
In an apparatus for automatically inspecting a printed circuit board, including video camera means, and means for conveying the camera means across a surface of the printed circuit board, wherein the conveying means is operative to convey the camera means to and between a plurality of viewing fields defined along the surface of the printed circuit board, the improvement which comprises:
An apparatus for automatically inspecting a printed circuit board, including video camera means, and means for conveying the camera means across a surface of the printed circuit board, wherein the camera means is coupled with a zoom lens for adjusting magnification of the camera means to define a field of view appropriate for inspecting the viewing fields of the printed circuit board, wherein the conveying means is operative to convey the camera means to and between the plurality of viewing fields defined along the surface of the printed circuit board, and wherein the apparatus further includes processor means for automatically inspecting the viewing fields at the adjusted magnification, including means for acquiring images from the camera means which correspond to the inspected viewing fields at the adjusted magnification, and means for automatically comparing the acquired images with a reference standard corresponding to a correctly assembled printed circuit board.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.