Patent ID: 8059151
Filing Date: 2011-11-15
Classification: G01N,G05B

Abstract:
1. A method of planning an inspection path for at least one optical picture-taking device for inspecting a three-dimensional object, wherein the at least one picture-taking device and the object are movable relative to each other using at least one displacement device, said method comprising: a) assigning at least one illumination device to said at least one optical picture-taking device; b) automatically determining at least one area on said surface of said three-dimensional object to be inspected, at least one other area on said surface of said three-dimensional object that is not to be inspected, and a respective manner in which said at least one area is to be inspected with an arithmetic logic unit based on design data in electronic form related to said three-dimensional object; c) planning an inspection path for said at least one optical picture-taking device for inspection of said three-dimensional object based on said at least one area to be inspected on said surface of said three-dimensional object determined in step b, based on said design data, and based on optical imaging characteristics of said at least one optical picture-taking device, stored in an electronic form; d) automatically determining said inspection path for said at least one optical picture-taking device by specifying a predetermined geometric relationship between said at least one optical picture-taking device, said at least one illumination device, and said surface on said three-dimensional object to be inspected by using said arithmetic logic unit so that said inspection path or an inspection time is as short as possible; e) determining a motion sequence for relative motion between said three-dimensional object and said at least one optical picture-taking device or said illumination device for the at least one optical picture-taking device from said inspection path; and f) assigning said at least one area on said surface of said three-dimensional object to be inspected to pictures that were actually taken with said at least one optical picture-taking device during an inspection with said optical picture-taking device.