Patent · US Expired

Machine vision methods and apparatus for machine vision illumination of an object

US5953130A · kind A · utility

21Cited by
133References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 6, 1997
Grant dateSep 14, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 6, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/8901
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The invention provides methods and apparatus for machine vision illumination by moving a non-diffuse light beam over selected points on the object so that each is illuminated at substantially the same angle by multiple rays during acquisition of an image frame. An apparatus for illuminating an object to facilitate its being imaged by an image acquisition device, e.g., a camera, includes a radiation source that generates and transmits to a region of the a non-diffuse beam of imaging radiation having a non-point cross-section. A dithering element moves the beam so that at least a region of the object is illuminated at substantially the same angle by multiple rays during an image acquisition period.

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