Inspection system with vibration resistant video capture
AssigneeCyberOptics Corporation
InventorsTimothy A. Skunes, David Fishbaine
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Abstract
Methods and an apparatus are disclosed for providing enhanced vibration immunity in a solder paste inspection system, although they are usable in any number of industries that require rapid acquisition of several images. The method includes capturing at least three images on a frame transfer CCD array before any data is sequentially read from the array. The present method is extendable to a larger number of images. Additionally, the masked memory area can be larger than the image area of the frame transfer CCD array.
Claims16
A method of acquiring at least two images with a single frame transfer CCD array, the method comprising:
- a) illuminating an object, and acquiring a first image on an image area of the array;
- b) shifting at least a portion of the first image into a memory area of the array;
- c) resetting the image area of the array;
- and
- d) illuminating the object and acquiring a second image on the image area of the array, while the first image is in the memory area of the single frame transfer CCD array;
- and
- wherein the at least two images are acquired within about 1 millisecond.
A method of acquiring at least three fringe pattern images on a surface feature, the method comprising:
- successively acquiring at least first, second, and third fringe pattern images with a single frame transfer CCD array;
- wherein all images are acquired before any data is read from the CCD array;
- and
- wherein all images are acquired within about 1 millisecond.
A method of acquiring three fringe pattern images of a feature with a single frame transfer CCD array having an image area with a width W and a height H, and a memory area, the method comprising:
- a) exposing the feature with a first fringe pattern, and acquiring a first image thereof on the image area;
- b) shifting the first image by a distance corresponding to a length of H/2;
- c) resetting the image area of the array;
- d) exposing the feature with a second fringe pattern, and acquiring a second image thereof on the image area;
- e) shifting the second image by a distance corresponding to a length of H/2;
- f) resetting the image area of the array;
- g) exposing the feature with a third fringe pattern, and acquiring a third image thereof on the image area;
- and
- h) shifting the first, second and third images out of the array.
A method of capturing at least three video images on a surface feature with a single frame transfer CCD array having an image area and a memory area, the method comprising:
- a) energizing an illumination source to project illumination on the surface feature;
- b) acquiring an image in the image area;
- c) transferring contents of the image area and the memory area by an amount equal to a fraction of the height of the image area;
- d) resetting the image area of the CCD array;
- e) repeating steps a) through c) a number of times equal to the inverse of the fraction and executing step d) between each iteration of steps a) through c);
- and
- wherein the inverse of the fraction is an integer greater than one.
A method of acquiring three fringe pattern images of a feature with a single frame transfer CCD array having an image area with a width W and a height H and a memory area having a width W and a height 2H, the method comprising:
- a) exposing the feature with a first fringe pattern of light, and acquiring a first image thereof on the image area;
- b) shifting the first image completely into the memory area;
- c) exposing the feature with a second fringe pattern of light, and acquiring a second image thereof on the image area;
- d) shifting the second image completely into the memory area,
- e) exposing the feature with a third fringe pattern of light, and acquiring a third image thereof on the image area;
- and
- f) shifting the first, second and third images out of the array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.