Patent · US Expired

Surface condition estimating apparatus

US4989973A · kind A · utility

39Cited by
4References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 2, 1989
Grant dateFeb 5, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 2, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2021/435
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus for estimating a surface condition of a plate object. The apparatus comprises a lighting unit for generating light toward the plate object. A light sensor is located out of paths of the light generated from the lighting unit for producing an electrical signal in response to light of diffused reflection from the plate object. The apparatus also includes a processing unit for processing the electrical signal fed thereto from the light sensor for producing an image including a defective portion reflective of the light of diffused reflection, and an estimating unit for estimating the surface condition of the plate object based on the defective portion of the produced image. In another aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises a lighting unit for generating light toward the plate object. A light sensor is provided for converting brightness variations of the light impinging on the plate object into an electrical signal. The apparatus also includes a processing unit for processing the electrical signal fed thereto from the light sensor for producing a plurality of image segments forming a full image of the surface of the plate object, and an estimating unit for estimat…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.