Patent ID: 7822262
Filing Date: 2010-10-26
Classification: G01N,G06T

Abstract:
1. An outer surface-inspecting method using an outer surface inspecting apparatus for inspecting an outer surface of an inspection area having repeated patterns through comparison with a predetermined master pattern, said method comprising: dividing said inspection area having a rectangular shape into a plurality of matrix-like view areas; classifying a master pattern, according to respective different edge shapes of said inspection area, into nine standard pattern portions involving four corner pattern portions each of which is applied to a respective corner portion of the inspection area and has two perpendicular edges defining the respective corner portion and an L-shaped outer area surrounding the perpendicular edges, four side pattern portions each of which is applied to a respective side of the inspection area and has a straight edge portion defining a vertical edge or a horizontal edge and an outer edge portion of the straight edge portion, and a central pattern portion without having an edge portion of the inspection area; moving each of the side pattern portions relative to the inspection view areas along a peripheral portion of the inspection area having the repeated patterns between respective corner pattern portions, so as to be applied to respective matching inspection view areas of the peripheral portion; applying the single central pattern portion to matching of each of the inspection view areas at a central portion for the central portion surrounded by each of the peripheral portions; and inspecting the outer surface of the inspection area by comparing the standard pattern portions to the view areas corresponding to the classified standard pattern portions.