Apparatus and method for automated visual inspection of objects
US6061086A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 11, 1997 |
| Grant date | May 9, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 11, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/8851
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the automated inspection of objects for the presence of visual anomalies. The apparatus includes a first wide angle camera for acquiring an image of the object, a processor for detecting targets and generating target location from the image of the object, a two axis post-objective scanner associated with a high resolution camera for directing target image to the high resolution camera. The scanner provides a mechanism for saccadic emulation in combination with a high resolution video camera, which can be synchronized to the frame rate of the video camera for rapid high resolution examination of an object. The method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: capturing an image of at least a portion of an object; identifying visual anomalies as targets and detecting any targets on the object; generating location data for a detected target; emulating saccadic movement to selectively capture a high resolution image of a target; and generating an output for analysis. The apparatus and method are particularly suited for the automated detection of defects, in particular parasites, in fish fillets. It is an advan…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.