Patent ID: 6983066
Filing Date: 2006-01-03
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An illumination unit for a machine vision system, the illumination unit comprising: means for illuminating a target with monochrome illumination for sufficient time for a camera to capture a monochrome image, means for subsequently illuminating the target with a different monochrome illumination at substantially the same angle for sufficient time for a camera to capture a different monochrome image of the same target whereby the sequentially captured monochrome images are superimposed by an image processor to provide a colour or near colour image, wherein each monochrome illumination means comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes of the same wavelength, wherein the diodes are arranged in a ring, and wherein the diodes of different monochrome illumination means are distributed to provide a similar illumination intensity and distribution for each monochrome image.