Method and apparatus for improved inspection and classification of attributes of a workpiece

A method for generating a model of a workpiece, comprising:

• reading signals from a computer readable memory, the signals being representative of at least one physical characteristic of a first section of a workpiece;
• reading a first workpiece section identifier from the computer readable memory, wherein the first workpiece section identifier specifically identifies the first workpiece section associated with the signals;
• associating the signals for the first workpiece section to a first workpiece processing thread after receiving the associated workpiece section identifier;
• generating a second workpiece processing thread for receiving signals from a second workpiece section;
• and
• prior to the processing of the signals in the second workpiece processing thread, processing the signals in the first workpiece processing thread to generate a data model of the first workpiece section.

A computer readable medium containing a data set representative of a model of a workpiece and defects associated with the workpiece, wherein the data set is generated by the steps comprising:

• reading signals from a computer readable memory, the signals being representative of at least one physical characteristic of a first section of a workpiece;
• reading a first workpiece section identifier from the computer readable memory, wherein the first workpiece section identifier specifically identifies the first workpiece section associated with the signals;
• associating the signals for the first workpiece section to a first workpiece processing thread after receiving the associated workpiece section identifier;
• generating a second workpiece processing thread for receiving signals from a second workpiece section;
• prior to the processing of the signals in the second workpiece processing thread, processing the signals in the first workpiece processing thread to generate a data set representative of a model of the first workpiece section and defects associated with the first workpiece section;
• and
• saving the data set on the computer readable medium.

A computer readable medium containing a data set representative of a model of a workpiece and defects associated with the workpiece, wherein the data set is generated by the steps comprising:

• sensing a first section of the workpiece with a sensor system to produce signals corresponding to at least one physical characteristic of the first section of the workpiece;
• storing the first workpiece section signals from the sensor system to a computer readable memory;
• generating a workpiece data model of the first section of the workpiece with a computer using the first workpiece section signals from the computer readable memory;
• generating a first defect assembler data subscription request with a defect assembler;
• transmitting the first workpiece data model to a producer thread program contained within a computer which, in response to the receipt of the first workpiece data model, receives the first data subscription request from the defect assembler and transmits the first workpiece data model from the computer to the defect assembler via a first producer thread;
• sensing a second section of the workpiece with the sensor system to produce signals corresponding to at least one physical characteristic of the second section of the workpiece;
• storing the second workpiece section signals from the sensor system to the computer readable memory;
• generating a second producer thread in response to storage of the second set of signals in the computer readable memory;
• generating a workpiece data model of the second section of the workpiece with the computer using the second workpiece section signals from the computer readable memory;
• generating a second defect assembler data subscription request with the defect assembler;
• transmitting the second workpiece data model to the producer thread program which, in response to the receipt of the second workpiece data model, receives the second data subscription request from the defect assembler and transmits the second workpiece data model from the computer to the defect assembler;
• within the defect assembler, generating a data set representative of a model of the workpiece and defects associated with the workpiece using the first and second workpiece data models;
• and
• saving the data set on the computer readable medium.