Method and apparatus for direct probe sensing

A method for imaging a plurality of contact electrodes, the method comprising:

• acquiring an image of the plurality of contact electrodes using a first level of magnification;
• acquiring an image of each of the plurality of contact electrodes using a second level of magnification;
• automatically adjusting a light level to distinguish between a plurality of pixels of each of the plurality of contact electrodes and a plurality of pixels of a background;
• automatically focusing the image to determine the shape of each of the plurality of contact electrodes;
• and
• fitting a representative shape to the shape of each of the plurality of contact electrodes and determining a centroid for each representative shape.

A method for accurately positioning a plurality of contact electrodes and a plurality of pads relative to each other, the method comprising:

• fitting a shape representative of a contact electrode surface to each of a plurality of contact electrodes;
• determining a centroid of the fitted shape for each of the plurality of contact electrodes to determine a plurality of centroids corresponding to a plurality of pads;
• determining a plurality of distances relative to a position associated with each of the plurality of centroids and a plurality of boundaries of each of the plurality of pads;
• maximizing a minimum distance of the plurality of distances;
• moving at least one of the plurality of pads and the plurality of contact electrodes relative to each other to a position for contact between the plurality of contact electrodes and the plurality of pads.

A computer readable medium storing executable computer program instructions which, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method comprising:

• locating a pattern of contact electrodes at a first location using a first image of a plurality of contact electrodes;
• fitting a shape representative of a contact electrode surface to at least one of the plurality of contact electrodes and determining a centroid of said shape;
• comparing the position of the centroid to a position of at least one of a plurality of pads;
• moving at least one of the plurality of pads and the plurality of contact electrodes relative to each other to a position for contact between the plurality of contact electrodes and the plurality of pads.

A computer readable medium storing executable computer program instructions which, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method comprising:

• acquiring an image of a plurality of contact electrodes using a first level of magnification;
• acquiring an image of each of the plurality of contact electrodes using a second level of magnification;
• automatically adjusting a light level to distinguish between a plurality of pixels of each of the plurality of contact electrodes and a plurality of pixels of a background;
• automatically focusing the image to determine the shape of each of the plurality of contact electrodes;
• fitting a representative shape to the shape of each of the plurality of contact electrodes and determining a centroid for each representative shape.

A computer readable medium storing executable computer program instructions which, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method comprising:

• fitting a shape representative of a contact electrode surface to each of a plurality of contact electrodes;
• determining a centroid of the fitted shape for each of the plurality of contact electrodes to determine a plurality of centroids corresponding to a plurality of pads;
• determining a plurality of distances relative to a position associated with each of the plurality of centroids and a plurality of boundaries of each of a plurality of pads;
• maximizing a minimum distance of the plurality of distances;
• moving at least one of the plurality of pads and the plurality of contact electrodes relative to each other to a position for contact between the plurality of contact electrodes and the plurality of pads.