Method and apparatus for inspection for under-resolved features in digital images
US6718074B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 2, 2000 |
| Grant date | Apr 6, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 11, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T7/0004
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A machine vision inspection system and method that increase the resolution of object image-data without physically manipulating the physical optics of cameras used during inspection. The exemplary embodiment of the invention provides a system and method that perform what may be characterized as a digital zoom. Using this digital zoom, the resolution of object image-data provided by a camera may be artificially increased. Moreover, in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the invention, a determination may be made regarding whether portions of the object image-data are under-resolved, and based on that determination, a local digital zoom may be performed on that under-resolved portion of object image-data to increase the resolution of that portion of object image-data. Additionally, the resulting portion of the object image-data with increased image resolution may be scaled-back, such that the portion of increased resolution object image-data may be combined with the other object image-data to provide a faithful, scaled representation of the original sample-object and/or sample-object feature.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.