Circuit for machine-vision system

A machine-vision system for inspecting a device, said machine-vision system comprising:

• a light source for propagating light to the device;
• an image detector that receives light from the device, wherein the image detector and the propagated light from the light source are maintained in a fixed relationship to one another and the image detector is moved relative to the device to obtain a plurality of images of each point being measured on the device, the plurality of images of said each point, when combined with one another, being useful to obtain a three-dimensional geometric measurement of said each point of the device;
• a computational device that derives the three-dimensional geometric measurement of said each point of the device from the plurality of images of said each point;
• a light sensor assembly receiving a portion of the light from the light source, said light sensor assembly producing an output responsive to the intensity of the light received at the light sensor assembly;
• a controller for controlling an amount of light output from the light source, said controller controlling the amount of light across the plurality of images within a desired range in response to the output from the light sensor assembly;
• and
• a power supply which supplies power to the light source, said controller controlling the amount of light received by the image detector by controlling the amount of power output from the power supply.

A method for acquiring physical three-dimensional geometric information associated with a device using a machine-vision station having a light source and having an image detector, said method comprising the steps of:

• projecting light from the light source to the device;
• receiving light reflected from the device into the image detector;
• maintaining the image detector and the projected light in a fixed relationship to one another;
• moving the image detector relative to the device to obtain a plurality of images of each point being measured on the device, the plurality of images of said each point when combined with one another being useful to obtain a three-dimensional geometric measurement of said each point of the device;
• sensing an intensity of light;
• deriving the three-dimensional geometric measurement of said each point of the device from the plurality of images of said each point;
• and
• controlling the amount of light received for each of the plurality of images at the image detector to a value within a desired range based on the sensed intensity of light.

A method for acquiring physical three-dimensional geometric information associated with a device using a machine-vision station having a light source and having an image detector, said method comprising the steps of:

• projecting light from the light source to the device;
• receiving light reflected from the device into the image detector;
• maintaining the image detector and the projected light in a fixed relationship to one another;
• moving the image detector-relative to the device to obtain a plurality of images of each point being measured on the device, the plurality of images useful to obtain a three-dimensional geometric measurement of the device;
• and
• controlling the amount of light projected for each of the plurality of images to a value within a desired range, wherein the step of controlling the amount of light received at the image detector further comprises the steps of:
• sensing the light projected from the light source and producing a value based on the sensed light;
• and
• controlling an amount of power input to the light source in response to the value produced by said sensing step.

A method for acquiring physical three-dimensional geometric information associated with a device using a machine-vision station having a light source and having an image detector, said method comprising the steps of:

• projecting light form the light source to the device;
• receiving light reflected from the device into the image detector;
• maintaining the image detector and the projected light in a fixed relationship to one another;
• moving the image detector relative to the device to obtain a plurality of images of each point being measured on the device, the plurality of images of said each point when combined with one another being useful to obtain a three-dimensional geometric measurement of said each point of the device;
• deriving the three-dimensional geometric measurement of said each point of the device from the plurality of images of said each point;
• and
• controlling the amount of light received for each of the plurality of images at the image detector to a value within a desired range,
• wherein the image detector further comprises an array of pixels which produce a signal dependent on the length of time the pixel is exposed to the reflected light, wherein the step of controlling the amount of light received at the image detector further comprises the steps of:
• sensing the light projected from the light source and producing a value based on the sensed light;
• and
• controlling the length of time the image detector is exposed to reflected light in response to the value produced by said sensing step.

A method for acquiring physical three-dimensional geometric information associated with a device using a machine-vision station having a light source and having an image detector, said method comprising the steps of:

• projecting light from the light source to the device;
• receiving light reflected from the device into the image detector;
• maintaining the image detector and the projected light in a fixed relationship to one another;
• moving the image detector relative to the device to obtain a plurality of images of each point being measured on the device, the plurality of images of said each point when combined with one another being useful to obtain a three-dimensional geometric measurement of said each point of the device;
• deriving the three-dimensional geometric measurement of said each point of the device from the plurality of images of said each point;
• and
• controlling the amount of light received for each of the plurality of images at the image detector to a value within a desired range,
• wherein the image detector further comprises an array of pixels which produce a signal dependent on the length of time the pixel is exposed to the reflected light, wherein the step of controlling the amount of light received at the image detector further comprises the steps of:
• producing a value based on the light that was reflected from the device;
• and
• controlling the length of time the image detector is exposed to reflected light in response to the value produced by said producing step.

A manufacturing system, comprising:

• a semiconductor part fabrication unit that fabricates a part for a semiconductor device;
• and
• an inspection station, the inspection station further comprising:
• (a) a first light source projecting light onto the device;
• (b) an image detector which receives light reflected from the device, the image detector including a plurality of lines of semiconductor imaging pixels, wherein the image detector and the propagated light from the first light source are maintained in a fixed relationship to one another and the image detector is moved relative to the device to obtain a plurality of images of each point being measured on the device, the plurality of images useful to, obtain a three-dimensional geometric measurement,of the device;
• (c) a light sensor assembly receiving a portion of the light from the first light source, said light sensor assembly producing an output responsive to the intensity of the light received at the light sensor assembly;
• and
• (d) a controller for controlling an amount of the propagated light received by the image detector, said controller controlling the amount of light within a desired range in response to the output from the light sensor assembly.

A method for acquiring physical three-dimensional geometric information associated with a device using a machine-vision station having a light source and having an image detector, said method comprising the steps of:

• projecting light from the light source to the device;
• receiving light reflected from the device into the image detector;
• maintaining the image detector and the projected light in a fixed relationship to one another;
• moving the image detector relative to the device to obtain a plurality of images of each point being measured on the device, the plurality of images of said each point when combined with one another being useful to obtain a three-dimensional geometric measurement of said each point of the device;
• deriving the three-dimensional geometric measurement of said each point of the device from the plurality of images of said each point;
• and
• controlling the amount of light received for each of the plurality of images at the image detector to a value within a desired range,
• wherein the plurality of images of said each point include an image value from a first predetermined pixel of the image detector, an image value from a second predetermined pixel of the image detector, and an image value from a third predetermined pixel of the image detector.