Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090274361 | MACHINE VISION TECHNIQUE FOR MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR WAFERS - A vision system is provided to determine a positional relationship between a photovoltaic device wafer on a platen and a printing element, such as a printing screen, on a remote side of the photovoltaic device wafer from the platen. A source emits ultraviolet light along a path that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of an aperture through the platen, and a diffuser panel is located along that path. A reflector directs the light from the diffuser panel toward the aperture. A video camera is located along the longitudinal axis of the aperture and produces an image using light received from the platen aperture, wherein some of that received light was reflected by the wafer. A band-pass filter is placed in front of the camera to block ambient light. The use of diffused ultraviolet light enhances contrast in the image between the wafer and the printing element. | 11-05-2009 |
20100065757 | DIRECT ILLUMINATION MACHINE VISION TECHNIQUE FOR PROCESSING SEMICONDUCTOR WAFERS - A vision system is provided to determine a positional relationship between a semiconductor wafer on a platen and an element on a processing machine, such as a printing screen, on a remote side of the semiconductor wafer from the platen. A source directs ultraviolet light through an aperture in the platen to illuminate the semiconductor wafer and cast a shadow onto the element adjacent an edge of the semiconductor wafer. A video camera produces an image using light received from the platen aperture, wherein some of that received light was reflected by the wafer. The edge of the semiconductor wafer in the image is well defined by a dark/light transition. | 03-18-2010 |
20110157352 | INFRARED DIRECT ILLUMINATION MACHINE VISION TECHNIQUE FOR SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING EQUIPMENT - A vision system is provided to determine a positional relationship between a semiconductor wafer on a platen and an element on a processing machine, such as a printing screen, on a remote side of the semiconductor wafer from the platen. A source directs infrared light through an aperture in the platen to illuminate the semiconductor wafer and cast a shadow onto the element adjacent an edge of the semiconductor wafer. A video camera produces an image using light received from the platen aperture, wherein some of that received light was reflected by the wafer. The edge of the semiconductor wafer in the image is well defined by a dark/light transition. | 06-30-2011 |
20130044206 | System and Method for Aligning a Wafer for Fabrication - Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for aligning a wafer for fabrication. A first image of a first portion of a wafer is received from a first image capturing device. A second image of a second portion of the wafer is received from a second image capturing device, wherein an image capturing device transform defines a first relationship between the first image capturing device and the second image capturing device. A first fiducial pattern in the first image and a second fiducial pattern in the second image are identified, based on the image capturing device transform, a fiducial transform that defines, based on a specification for the wafer, a second relationship between the first fiducial pattern and the second fiducial pattern, and a threshold value configured to identify low contrast fiducial patterns on wafers. An alignment of the wafer is determined based on the identified first and second fiducial patterns. | 02-21-2013 |
20130308875 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SYNTHETIC GOLDEN TEMPLATE IMAGE FOR VISION SYSTEM INSPECTION OF MULTI-LAYER PATTERNS - A system and method for generating golden template images in a vision system to inspect an acquired runtime image of an object with a multi-layer printed pattern is provided. The system and method performs a registration process on runtime images using registration models each trained on respective canonical layer mask images, and outputting poses. Based upon the poses, warped layer masks are generated. Combination masks are computed based upon differing combinations of the warped layer masks. Intensity values for pixels of the foreground regions for the combination masks are estimated. The estimated intensity values are then blended associated with the combination masks to generate a golden template image. This golden template image can be used to compare with a runtime image. An exemplary application of this system and method is in print inspection on flat and non-flat surfaces. | 11-21-2013 |
20130313312 | CODE AND PART ASSOCIATING METHOD AND APPARATUS - An apparatus for associating codes on parts with part spaces on a conveyor wherein each part has a leading edge and a trailing edge that define a part space and each part is to be marked with at least one code, the apparatus comprising an area scan camera having a two dimensional field of view (FOV), the camera supported adjacent the conveyor so that parts conveyed by the conveyor pass through the FOV, a processor linked to the area scan camera, the processor programmed to perform the steps of receiving images from the area scan camera, identifying the locations of codes on parts in at least one of the images wherein a code located is a located code, identifying the locations of leading and trailing edges of parts wherein the leading and trailing edges define part spaces and associating each located code with a part space that includes the location of the located code. | 11-28-2013 |
20140240520 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CALIBRATION OF MACHINE VISION CAMERAS ALONG AT LEAST THREE DISCRETE PLANES - This invention provides a system and method for generating camera calibrations for a vision system camera along three discrete planes in a 3D volume space that uses at least two (e.g. parallel) object planes at different known heights. For any third (e.g. parallel) plane of a specified height, the system and method then automatically generates calibration data for the camera by interpolating/extrapolating from the first two calibrations. This alleviates the need to set the calibration object at more than two heights, speeding the calibration process and simplifying the user's calibration setup, and also allowing interpolation/extrapolation to heights that are space-constrained, and not readily accessible by a calibration object. The calibration plate can be calibrated at each height using a full 2D hand-eye calibration, or using a hand-eye calibration at the first height and then at a second height with translation to a known position along the height (e.g. Z) direction. | 08-28-2014 |
20140267681 | MACHINE VISION SYSTEM CALIBRATION USING INACCURATE CALIBRATION TARGETS - Described are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products for calibrating machine vision systems. A system includes: one or more cameras; a motion rendering device; and a calibration module. The calibration module is configured to acquire, from a first camera of the one or more cameras, a plurality of images of a calibration target comprising a calibration pattern that provides a plurality of calibration features; extract calibration features of the plurality of calibration features from the plurality of images, wherein physical positions of the plurality of calibration features are in a calibration target length unit associated with the calibration target; determine a ratio between the calibration target length unit and a motion rendering device length unit associated with the motion rendering device; and provide a first calibration for the first camera based on the ratio. | 09-18-2014 |