Patent · US Expired

Machine vision system and method for analyzing illumination lines in an image to determine characteristics of an object being inspected

US6665066B2 · kind B2 · utility

20Cited by
13References
37Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 27, 2001
Grant dateDec 16, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 31, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/8806
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A machine vision system and method for performing illumination line analysis on an image of an object to detect defects in the object. The method may comprise projecting a pattern of lines on a surface of the object, and then generating an image of the surface of the object. The analysis method tracks left and right edges of each of the illumination lines to determine width and curvature of each of the lines, preferably using a bi-directional edge detection technique applied to a path perpendicular to the current orientation of the line. Information regarding the left and right edges of the line may be used to determine local widths and local orientations of the line. This information may be used to determine if a thinning or blooming of the line occurs, or if a change in curvature of the line occurs, which may indicate a possible defect in the object.

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