Method and apparatus for detecting Mura defects
AssigneePhoton Dynamics, Inc.
InventorsWilliam K. Pratt, Sunil S. Sawkar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for locating blobs in an image, includes the steps of: forming a blob reference mask from the image, the blob reference mask including a portion indicating a portion of the image containing a first blob, if any, and forming a reference image from the image, the reference image corresponding to the image. The method also includes the steps of forming a modified image from the image by replacing the portion of the image containing the first blob, if any, with a portion of the reference image corresponding to the portion of the image, and locating a second blob in the image in response to the modified image.
Claims38
A method for locating blobs in an image, the method comprising:
- forming a blob reference mask from the image, the blob reference mask including a portion indicating a portion of the image containing a first blob, if any;
- forming a reference image from the image, the reference image corresponding to the image;
- forming a modified image from the image by replacing the portion of the image containing the first blob, if any, with a portion of the reference image corresponding to the portion of the image;
- and
- locating a second blob in the image in response to the modified image.
A method for forming an image having reduced contrast blobs, the method comprising:
- locating a blob at a portion of a first image, the blob having a first contrast relative to the first image;
- forming a reference image from the first image, the reference image having a portion corresponding to the portion of the first image;
- and
- forming a second image from the first image by replacing the portion of the first image with the portion of the reference image.
A system for locating blobs in an image, the system comprising:
- an image masking unit for forming a blob reference mask from the image, the blob reference mask including a portion indicating a portion of the image containing a first blob, if any;
- a reference unit for forming a reference image from the image, the reference image corresponding to the image;
- a modifying unit for forming a modified image from the image by replacing the portion of the image containing the first blob, if any, with a portion of the reference image corresponding to the portion of the image;
- and
- a locating unit for locating a second blob in the image in response to the modified image.
A computer program product for a system including a plurality of processors for locating blobs in an image, each of the plurality of processors configurable into more than one group of processors, the computer system comprising:
- a computer-readable memory including:
- code that directs a first group of processors to form a blob reference mask from the image, the blob reference mask including a portion indicating a portion of the image containing a first blob, if any;
- code that directs a second group of processors to form a reference image from the image, the reference image corresponding to the image;
- code that directs a third group of processors to form a modified image from the image by replacing the portion of the image containing the first blob, if any, with a portion of the reference image corresponding to the portion of the image;
- and
- code that directs a fourth group of processors to locate a second blob in the image in response to the modified image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.