AUTOMATIC FOCUSING SYSTEM

Abstract: This invention relates to an automatic focusing system which takes the picture of an inspection object by a camera (5) through an optical system (4), transfers a video signal converted photoelectrically by the camera (5) to a frame memory (9), performs image processing on the signal read out from the frame memory (9) to determine a focusing level evaluation value and controls the position of the optical system in a direction where this focusing level evaluation value approaches a maximum value. The position control operation of the optical system is made within a blanking time between the charge storage times of two sequential images on the camera.

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an automatic focus adjustment apparatus of an optical apparatus for use in assembly and inspection works in a fabrication process and so on of an electronic equipment. Further in detail, it relates to an improvement in an automatic focus adjustment apparatus which is constituted in a manner that an object to be inspected is picked up through an optical system, and a video signal which is opto-electronically converted with a camera is digitized and is transferred to a frame memory, then image processing of a signal read out from the frame memory is carried out and a focus adjustment evaluation quantity is produced, and position control of the aforementioned optical system is made in a direction that the focus adjustment evaluation quantity approaches the maximum. BACKGROUND ART Hitherto, an optical inspection apparatus as shown in FIG.1 is used in assembly and inspection works. An object 1 to be inspected is rested on a table 2, and a microscope 4 is installed on the table 2 with a slide table 3 therebetween so as to permit upward and downward movement. An industrial camera 5 using CCD for a solid-state image pickup device is mounted on the eyepiece part of the microscope 4, and the industrial camera 5 moves upward and downward together with the microscope 4. The slide table 3 is so configurated as to drive the microscope 4 to move up and down by a motor 6. The motor 6 is driven on the basis of an output signal of the industrial camera 5 as described hereafter and automatic focus adjustment is carried out, and an image of a focused point is issued from the output of an A/D converter 7 and is inputted in an inspection apparatus which is not shown in the figure, and is used for shape inspection of the object 1 to be inspected or for such as position control of the object 1 to be inspected on the table 2. The video signal of the industrial camera 5 is digitized by the A/D converter 7, and then is temporarily memorized alternately in a first, a second frame memories 9, 10 via a control part 8. Subsequently, in the control part 8, images of the first, the second frame memories 9, 10 are read out alternately and image processing is applied to the images and a focus adjustment evaluation quantity is calculated, then the control part 8 drives the motor 6 by one step in a direction that the focus adjustment evaluation quantity approaches the maximum through a drive circuit 11. Numeral 12 designates a clock generation circuit for generating a clock signal which is an operating reference of the control part 8. The fundamental operation of the control part 8 is shown in FIG.2--FIG.4. The fundamental operation is to transfer the microscope 4 little by little as shown in FIG.2, and the focus adjustment evaluation quantity Hi is calculated by such a method as calculating a differential coefficient or an integral value of a gradation levels on an edge part from an image data at the time, then when this Hi has taken the maximum value H max as that the position of the microscope 4 is on best focus, the slide table 3 is positioned at the position GZ₁. At this time, for every transfers of the microscope 4 by one step, it is necessary to carry out the respective processings of image-electric conversion, video transfer to the frame memory, calculation (image processing) of the focus adjustment evaluation quantity Hi and motor operation. In the conventional automatic focus adjustment apparatus, in order to shorten a time period of focusing, this consecutive processings are carried out in parallel and in synchronism with a camera clock as shown in FIG.3. Namely, a pulse interval T which is generated by the clock generation circuit 12 is set so as to be identical with the camera clock of the industrial camera 5, and by making synchronization with this clock the respective processings of the image-electric conversion, the video transfer to the frame memory, the image processing and motor operation are accomplished, and moreover, the respective processings are parallelly accomplished with a repeat periodic time of 2T in such a manner that while the video transfer is performed the subsequent motor operation is accomplished, and the subsequent image-electric conversion is accomplished while the image processing is performed. For that, the first and the second frame memories 11, 12 are used alternately. Moreover, in order to shorten a focusing time holding an accuracy of measurement after focus adjustment, the camera is used in noninterlace mode during the focusing, and after the focus adjustment, measurement is carried out by switching to 2:1 interlace mode. FIG.4 is that which show the above-mentioned operation in flow chart. However, in the above-mentioned configuration, there are two problems: that in switching operation from the noninterlace mode to 2:1 interlace mode, a time period of about 0.2 seconds is required until the image is stabilized and the portion is a waste of time; and that since a storage time of electric charge is different twice between noninterlace and 2:1 interlace, a brightness of an image in focusing time differs from a brightness of the image in measuring time after the focus adjustment, and inconvenience arises in image processing. The present invention is made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and is purposed to shorten the focusing time. Furthermore, it is purposed to provide an automatic focus adjustment apparatus in which there is no difference between brightness of images in focusing time and in measuring time after focus adjustment. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION An automatic focus adjustment apparatus and a method for automatic focus adjustment of the present invention are characterized by the features of claims 1 and 2, respectively. Subclaims 3 and 4 describe preferred developments of the inventive method. According to the configuration, since transfer of the optical system is carried out within the blanking time between the electric charge storage times of consecutive two images of the camera or within very short times before and after that, provided that an electric charge storage time of one image is T, apart from the conventional method wherein quiescence/movement are repeated with periodic time 2T, the quiescence/movement becomes to be repeated with a periodic time T in noninterlace mode, namely with a speed as twice high as that of the conventional method. Moreover, since mode conversion is not required even in the 2:1 interlace mode, a time loss is eliminated, and the brightness of the images in focusing time and in measuring time after the focus adjustment do not change. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG.1 is the block diagram of the optical inspection apparatus having the automatic focus adjustment apparatus, FIG.2 is the curve of the focus adjustment evaluation quantity versus a shift distance of the microscope in the same apparatus. FIG.3 is the timing chart of the process of the conventional automatic focus adjustment apparatus, FIG.4 is the flow chart of the process. FIG.5 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic focus adjustment apparatus in the present invention, FIG.6 is a timing chart of a process in the 2:1 interlace mode of the same apparatus, FIG.7 is a timing chart of a process in a noninterlace mode of the same apparatus. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereafter, an embodiment of the present invention is explained with reference to FIG.5--FIG.7. The optical inspection apparatus having an automatic focus adjustment apparatus of the present invention is fundamentally the same as the conventional example as shown in FIG.1, and only internal constitution of a control part 8 is unlike. However, in case of use in the 2:1 interlace mode, a second frame memory 10 is not necessary. First, configuration of the control part 8 is elucidated with reference to FIG.5. A video signal of a camera 5 using a CCD is, after being digitized by an A/D converter 7, temporarily stored in a frame memory 9 through write means 81. Subsequently, read means 82 reads out an image of the frame memory 9, and sends it to calculation means 83 for focus adjustment evaluation quantity, and the focus adjustment evaluation quantity is calculated by processing an image which is read out by the focus adjustment evaluation quantity calculating means 83. The calculated focus adjustment evaluation quantity is evaluated by the focus adjustment evaluation means 84, and a movement amount of the motor is calculated by a motor movement amount calculating means 85, and the motor 6 is driven by one step via a driver circuit 11 in a direction in which the focus adjustment evaluation quantity approaches the maximum. Besides, operation of the respective means of the control part 8 is made so as to be carried out during a blanking time between an electric charge storage time of a first image and an electric charge storage time of the next image by the CCD camera on the basis of a signal from a blanking time synchronous means 86 synchronizing with a clock signal from a clock signal generation circuit 12. Subsequently, fundamental operation of the control part 8 is elucidated dividing it to the case of 2:1 the interlace mode and the noninterlace mode. FIG.6 shows the operation in the 2:1 interlace mode, in which data of the odd field only is utilized for image processing, and in which data of the even field is not utilized. A video transfer B₁ of the first image B to the frame memory and calculation (image processing) B₂ of the focus adjustment evaluation quantity on the basis thereof are completed during the electric charge storage time of a second image C, and position control B₃ of the optical system based on the first image B is carried out during a blanking time between the electric charge storage times of the second image C and a third image D. Thereafter, in the same manner, when a transfer time of one field is T, the above-mentioned process is repeated with the periodic time of 2T. Even though the position control B₃ of the optical system based on the first image B is not completed within the blanking time and overlaps onto the electric charge storage time of the third image D, it is admissible if the overlap is slight and does not give any influence on an accuracy in calculation of the focus adjustment evaluation, namely, it is in such a range that a position GZ₁ of H max in FIG.2 does not vary. In the same manner, position control B₃ of the optical system may be started from just prior to the finish of the electric charge storage time of the second image C as far as in a range which does not give influence. As mentioned above, according to the present embodiment, by carrying out position control of the optical system during a storage blank time of the camera, focusing in the 2:1 interlace mode is completed in the same periodic time (2T) which is identical with the process of the conventional noninterlace, and a time decrease by about 0.2 seconds is realized since the switching from the noninterlace to 2:1 interlace is not required, and the brightness of the image is constant. Next, the fundamental operation of the control part 8 in the noninterlace case is shown in FIG.3 (sic). A video transfer A₁ of the first image A to a frame memory is carried out during the electric charge storage time of the second image B, image processing A₂ based on the first image A is carried out during the electric charge storage time of the third image C, and the video transfer B₁ of the second image B, and the position control A₃ of the optical system based on the result is carried out during a blanking time between the electric charge storage times of the third image C and a fourth image D. Thereafter, in the same manner, when the transfer time of one field is T, the process of the above-mentioned one are parallelly repeated with the periodic time T. As mentioned above, according to the present embodiment, by carrying out the position control of the optical system during the storage blank time of the camera, focusing can be performed with the speed as twice fast as that of the conventional speed in the noninterlace mode. Depending on the characteristic of the object to be inspected, in case the same measuring accuracy as in the 2:1 interlace is obtainable keeping the noninterlace, or in case a sufficient accuracy was obtained keeping the noninterlace, by keeping out the focusing and the measurement after focus completion in the noninterlace mode a fastest focusing can be performed. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As mentioned above, according to the present invention, since movement of the optical system is performed during a blanking time between electric charge storage times of consecutive two images or during very short time periods before and after thereof, the process for focusing is achieved with a twice periodic time in comparison with that which moves during a storage time of the subsequent image as the conventional one. Still more, it is possible to offer an automatic focus adjustment apparatus which brings a superior effect that the speed fairly increases in the 2:1 interlace than the conventional noninterlace one and the brightness of the image does not vary between focusing time and in measurement time after the focus completion.

Claims: An automatic focus adjustment apparatus for use in assembly and inspection works by periodically measuring a focus adjustment, comprising: a camera (5) comprising a solid state image pickup device as an opto-electronic converting means for picking up an image of an object to be inspected and opto-electronically converting it into a video signal; a motor (6) for adjusting the focus of said optical system; a driving circuit (11) for driving said motor (6); an A/D converting means (7) for digitizing said video signal; a frame memory (9); a control means (8) for position control of said optical system, said control means (8) comprising: write means (81) for transferring said digitized video signal to said frame memory (9); read means (82) for reading out a signal from said frame memory (9) and transmitting it to an image processing means (83) for carrying out image processing of said signal to obtain a focus adjustment evaluation quantity, said focus adjustment evaluation quantity being evaluated by a subsequent focus adjustment evaluating means (84) provided for outputting a signal to a motor movement quantity calculation means (85) for calculating a motor movement quantity; and a driving circuit (11) for driving said motor in a stepwise manner on the basis of said motor movement quantity from the motor movement quantity calculation means (85), characterized in that a position control operation of said optical system is carried out by said control means substantially during a blanking time between electric charge storage times of two consecutive images of said camera. A method for automatic focus adjustment in assembly and inspection works by periodically measuring a focus adjustment, comprising the following steps: picking up an image of an object to be inspected by means of an optical system, opto-electronically converting said image into a video signal; digitizing said video signal; writing said digital video signal into a frame memory (9); reading out a signal from said frame memory (9); calculating a focus adjustment evaluation quantity; evaluating said focus adjustment evaluation quantity in order to calculate a motor movement quantity; and driving a motor on the basis of said motor movement quantity, said operations of writing said digitized video signal into said frame memory and the following operations being timed by a clock generation circuit, characterized in that a position control operation of said optical system is carried out substantially during a blanking time between electric charge storage times of two consecutive images of said camera. A method for automatic focus adjustment according to claim 2, characterized in that one time period is divided into time fields, an odd number field and an even number field, only odd number fields and even number fields are used in this so-called 2:1 interlace mode, transfer of a first image to said frame memory (9) and calculation processing of a focus adjustment evaluation quantity based on the image is finished during an electric charge storage time of a second image, and position control of said optical system based on said first image is carried out substantially during a blanking time between electric charge storage times of the second image and a third image. A method for automatic focus adjustment according to claim 2, characterized in that transfer of a first image to an image memory in the noninterlace mode is carried out during said electric charge storage time of said second image, and calculation processing of a focus adjustment evaluation quantity based on said first image read out from said frame memory (9) is carried out during the electric charge storage time of said third image, and position control of said optical system based on the result is carried out substantially during a blanking time between electric charge storage times of the third image and a fourth image.

Inventors: KANATA YOSHIO, KANATA, YOSHIO
Applicants: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD, MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: H04N5, G02B21, G02B7