Patent ID: 6262803
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A system for three-dimensional inspection of an article including a surface with a plurality of three-dimensional specular elements arranged with a predetermined pitch on said surface, said surface oriented generally in a plane, said system comprising:a patterned light projector having an optical axis disposed at an oblique angle with respect to said plane of said surface of said article, wherein said patterned light projector projects a light pattern on said surface of said article, said patterned light projector including:a light source, for generating light and projecting said light toward said article generally along said optical axis; anda light patterning member, disposed between said light source and said article surface and at an oblique angle with respect to said optical axis, for creating said light pattern as said light passes through said light patterning member, wherein said light patterning member includes a pattern of lines for creating said light pattern with lines of light spaced at a distance which is larger than said predetermined pitch of said specular elements on said surface, wherein said light pattern projected onto said article is in focus in a plane generally parallel to said plane of said surface of said article;a light pattern detector, for detecting said light pattern reflected from said at least one three-dimensional object on said surface of said article and for generating a detected light pattern image, said light pattern detector having an axis generally perpendicular to said plane of said surface of said article; andan image processor, for receiving said detected light pattern image generated by said light pattern detector, and for processing said detected light pattern image to determine three-dimensional information pertaining to at least said at least one three-dimensional object on said surface of said article.