# US 6,718,233 B2 · Placement of an optical component on a substrate > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,718,233 B2 - Document ID: US6718233B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/112,161 - Filed: 2002-03-29 - Published: 2003-10-02 - Granted: 2004-04-06 - Earliest claimed: 2002-03-29 - Assignees: Nortel Networks Limited - Inventors: Farhang Sakhitab; Yakov Kogan; Michael R. Letsch; Mark A. Lykam - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6718233B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/1687: {Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement} - G05B 2219/40004: Window function, only a specific region is analyzed - G05B 2219/40082: Docking, align object on end effector with target - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract Apparatus for placement of an optical component on a substrate. The apparatus includes a machine vision system for locating the optical component on the substrate, a contact determiner for determining contact therebetween, and a robot for contacting the optical component and the substrate with one another, and for moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another under guidance from the machine vision system toward a desired position, wherein the optical component and the substrate contact one another for a portion of the movement. A method includes contacting the optical component with the substrate, locating the optical component on the substrate, and moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another toward a desired position of the optical component on the substrate, wherein the optical component and the substrate contact one another for a portion of the moving. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for precision placement of an optical component on a substrate and precision assembly thereof into a fiber optic telecommunication package, said apparatus comprising: a machine vision system for locating the optical component relative to a fiducial point on the substrate; contact determiner means for determining contact of the optical component and the substrate with one another; and a robot configured for contacting the optical component and the substrate with one another under guidance from said contact determiner means, said robot being further configured for moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another under guidance from said machine vision system toward a desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate; wherein the optical component and the substrate contact one another for at least a portion of the movement of the optical component and the substrate toward the desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said machine vision system locates the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate prior to moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another by said robot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said machine vision system and said robot are configured for performing at least two iterations of locating the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate and moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another, respectively. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said contact determiner means comprise a sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said sensor detects pressure between the optical component and the substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said contact determiner means comprise an auxiliary machine vision system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said auxiliary machine vision system analyzes a profile view between the optical component and the substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said contact determiner means comprise a pre-programmed geometry of the optical component relative to the substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said robot further comprises an arm having a first end for selectively moving the optical component, and further wherein the first end of said arm corresponds to said pre-programmed geometry of the optical component relative to the substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising attachment means for attaching the optical component and the substrate together with one another at the desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate. ### Claim 11 A method for precision placement of an optical component on a substrate and precision assembly thereof into a telecommunication package, said method comprising: providing apparatus for precision placement of the optical component on the substrate and precision assembly thereof into a fiber optic telecommunication package, said apparatus comprising: a machine vision system for locating the optical component relative to a fiducial point on the substrate; contact determiner means for determining contact of the optical component and the substrate with one another; and a robot configured for contacting the optical component and the substrate with one another under guidance from said contact determiner means, and said robot being further configured for moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another under guidance from said machine vision system toward a desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate; wherein the optical component and the substrate contact one another for at least a portion of the movement of the optical component and the substrate toward the desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate; determiner means; determining contact of the optical component and the substrate with one another; locating the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate with said robot under guidance from said machine vision system; and moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another with said robot under guidance from said machine vision system toward the desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate; wherein the optical component and the substrate contact one another for at least a portion of the step of moving the optical component and the substrate toward the desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of attaching the optical component and the substrate together at the desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate. ### Claim 13 A method for precision placement of an optical component on a substrate and precision assembly thereof into a telecommunication package, said method comprising: contacting the optical component and the substrate with one another; locating the optical component relative to a fiducial point on the substrate; and moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another toward a desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate; wherein the optical component and the substrate contact one another for at least a portion of the step of moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another toward the desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate; and wherein the steps of locating the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate and moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another toward the desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate are repeated in at least one repositioning iteration so as to more precisely reposition the optical component and the substrate with each repositioning iteration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A method according to claim 13 further comprising the step of attaching the optical component and the substrate together at the desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate.