Patent · US Expired

Circuit for machine-vision system

US6603103B1 · kind B1 · utility

47Cited by
45References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 8, 1999
Grant dateAug 5, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 8, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06V2201/06
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Manufacturing lines include inspection systems for monitoring the quality of parts produced. Manufacturing lines for making semiconductor devices generally inspect each fabricated part. The information obtained is used to fix manufacturing problems in the semiconductor fab plant. A machine-vision system for inspecting devices includes a light source for propagating light to the device and an image detector that receives light from the device. Also included is a light sensor assembly for receiving a portion of the light from the light source. The light sensor assembly produces an output signal responsive to the intensity of the light received at the light sensor assembly. A controller controls the amount of light received by the image detector to a desired intensity range in response to the output from the light sensor. The image detector may include an array of imaging pixels. The imaging system may also include a memory device which stores correction values for at least one of the pixels in the array of imaging pixels. To minimize or control thermal drift of signals output from an array of imaging pixels, the machine-vision system may also include a cooling element attached to the…

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