Method and apparatus for extracting measurement information and setting specifications using three dimensional visualization
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsRonald Shane Fazzio, Dean C Buck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for viewing a depiction of an object (for example a solder joint) in a multi-dimensional manner, morphing the object's depiction using a graphical user interface to upper and lower acceptable tolerance limits and storing the tolerance limits for use in a test/inspection apparatus. The invention relates to the translation of human visual inspection-analysis of an object into physical quantifiable parameters used in an inspection device via a graphical user interface.
Claims19
An apparatus for translating human visual inspection analysis of a physical object into parameters for use by an inspection device, said apparatus comprising:
- a display device for displaying a multi-dimensional depiction of said physical object;
- controls for manipulating and morphing said displayed multi-dimensional depiction of said physical object;
- a memory for storing parameters associated with said physical object, said parameters being extracted from a manipulated and morphed version of said displayed multi-dimensional depiction of said physical object, said parameters including maximum and minimum allowable dimension tolerances;
- and
- a test device which utilizes said parameters associated with said physical object when inspecting another physical object in real life to aid in the determination of whether said another physical object is within said parameters.
A method of setting tolerances using at least three dimensional visualization, said tolerances being utilized by an amorphously shaped physical object inspection apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:
- initializing a program which provides a graphical user interface;
- selecting an amorphously shaped depiction for which tolerances are to be set using said graphical user interface;
- displaying said amorphously shaped depiction on a display screen in at least a three dimensional manner;
- rotating said amorphously shaped depiction to a viewing angle;
- morphing a tolerance associated with said amorphously shaped depiction to an upper limit;
- saving upper limit data;
- morphing said tolerance associated with said selected amorphously shaped depiction to a lower limit;
- saving said lower limit data;
- and
- providing said upper limit data and said lower limit data to said amorphously shaped physical object inspection apparatus, wherein said apparatus further comprising a test device which utilizes said upper limit data and said lower limit data when inspecting another amorphously shaped depiction in real life to aid in the determination of whether said another amorphously shaped depiction is within said upper limit data and said lower limit data.
A three-dimensional display system enabling a user to view, set, and adjust acceptable tolerance data associated with an actual solder joint, said three-dimensional display system comprising:
- a display device for displaying a selected depiction of a stored solder joint image to a user, said selected depiction being displayed three-dimensionally;
- and
- a graphical user interface which enables a user to three-dimensionally view tolerance data associated with said stored solder joint image, said graphical user interface further adapted to enable a user to morph said selected solder joint image in order to adjust and save said tolerance data without necessarily having to physically enter numerical tolerance data, wherein said saved tolerance data includes maximum and minimum allowable dimension tolerances;
- and
- a test device which utilizes said saved tolerance data for said stored solder joint image when inspecting another solder joint image in real life to aid in the determination of whether said another solder joint image is within said saved tolerance data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.