US 6,205,238 B1Granted

Apparatus and method for inspecting leads of an IC

AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

InventorYeon Soo Ma

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Abstract

Disclosed are apparatus and method for inspecting leads of an IC placed on a setting table. The apparatus comprises an optical image recognition part for scanning the setting table, a device for moving the recognition palt with respect to the setting table, a position detection palt for detecting a position of the recognition part on the basis of an output signal thereof, and a control part for controlling the device on the basis of a signal of the position detection pait so that the recognition part is positioned at an optimal position above the setting table. The setting table is scanned stepwise, and the optimal position is a position that the value of the output signal is maximized. The recognition pall is positioned at the optimal position. The arrangement and the status of the leads of the IC are inspected automatically in a short period of time, and productivity increases.

Claims9

Dependent claims

An apparatus for inspecting leads of an IC, said apparatus comprising:

a setting table on which IC's are placed;
an optical image recognition part disposed above said setting table, said optical image recognition part including a beam source for projecting a scan beam onto said setting table, and a single sensing element disposed adjacent to the beam source for receiving me light beam reflected from the setting table;
a driving means for moving said optical image recognition part with respect to said setting table for scanning a plurality of leads;
a position detection part for detecting a position of said optical image recognition part above the setting table on the basis of an output signal of said optical image recognition part;
a control part for controlling said driving means on the basis of a detection signal of said position detection part so that said optical image recognition part is positioned at an optimal position above said setting table, whereby the reflected light beam received by the sensing element during scanning provides an optimum signal pattern representing a shape of the leads when the optimal position is achieved;
and
a comparing part for comparing the optimum signal pattern with a reference value representing a normal shape of the leads.

4 more elements

A method for inspecting leads of a plurality of ICs placed on a setting table, said method comprising the steps of:

A. placing the plurality of ICs on the setting table below an optical recognition part which includes a light beam source and a single sensing element for receiving a reflected light beam;
B. scanning the table by emitting a light beam from the light beam source toward the table and receiving the light beam with the sensing element after it reflects back toward the optical recognition part, and emitting a signal in accordance with the received light beam;
C. scanning a plurality of leads by producing relative movement between the table and the optical recognition part during step B;
D. determining, on the basis of the signals emitted during scanning, an optimal position of the optical recognition part above the table for producing an optimal IC image;
E. positioning the optical image recognition part at the optimal position;
F. repeating steps B and C for successively scanning the ICs on the table and providing an optimal signal pattern representing the shape of the leads;
and
G. comparing the optimum signal patterns with a reference value representing a normal shape of the leads.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.