US3887762A — Inspection equipment for detecting and extracting…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 122 words

Inspection equipment for detecting and extracting small portions in a pattern comprising: a. input means for sequentially scanning a pattern to be inspected and converting said pattern into an electrical video signal; b. means for sampling said video signal at a predetermined sampling time interval corresponding to one picture element of said pattern to be inspected and converting said video signal into a binary coded video signal; c. a two-dimension image extracting means for rearranging the one-dimensionally arranged output from said sampling and binary coding means into a two-dimensionally arranged signal; and d. small portion processing means for extracting a desired video signal from said video signal stored in said two-dimensional image extracting means, thereby extracting a small portion from said pattern.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 122 words

Inspection equipment for detecting and extracting small portions in a pattern comprising: a. input means for sequentially scanning a pattern to be inspected and converting said pattern into an electrical video signal; b. means for sampling said video signal at a predetermined sampling time interval corresponding to one picture element of said pattern to be inspected and converting said video signal into a binary coded video signal; c. a two-dimension image extracting means for rearranging the one-dimensionally arranged output from said sampling and binary coding means into a two-dimensionally arranged signal; and d. small portion processing means for extracting a desired video signal from said video signal stored in said two-dimensional image extracting means, thereby extracting a small portion from said pattern.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 122 words

Inspection equipment for detecting and extracting small portions in a pattern comprising: a. input means for sequentially scanning a pattern to be inspected and converting said pattern into an electrical video signal; b. means for sampling said video signal at a predetermined sampling time interval corresponding to one picture element of said pattern to be inspected and converting said video signal into a binary coded video signal; c. a two-dimension image extracting means for rearranging the one-dimensionally arranged output from said sampling and binary coding means into a two-dimensionally arranged signal; and d. small portion processing means for extracting a desired video signal from said video signal stored in said two-dimensional image extracting means, thereby extracting a small portion from said pattern.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 122 words

Inspection equipment for detecting and extracting small portions in a pattern comprising: a. input means for sequentially scanning a pattern to be inspected and converting said pattern into an electrical video signal; b. means for sampling said video signal at a predetermined sampling time interval corresponding to one picture element of said pattern to be inspected and converting said video signal into a binary coded video signal; c. a two-dimension image extracting means for rearranging the one-dimensionally arranged output from said sampling and binary coding means into a two-dimensionally arranged signal; and d. small portion processing means for extracting a desired video signal from said video signal stored in said two-dimensional image extracting means, thereby extracting a small portion from said pattern.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 139 words

Inspection equipment as defined in claim 1 wherein said two-dimensional image extracting means (c) comprises: i. first memory means, in which are connected in series, one or a plurality of elements for storing the pattern information per one scanning line obtained by said sequential scanning and for shifting said stored pattern information in response to the shift of the scanning point of said pattern information which is made in response to a sync signal in synchronism with a scanning signal, and ii. second memory means for storing the input information applied to the first element in said first memory means and the outputs of all of said elements in said first memory means and for shifting said stored information in response to said sync signal, so that the information stored in any of said elements may be derived arbitrarily.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 95 words

Inspection equipment as defined in claim 1, wherein said means (b) for converting said video signal into a binary coded video signal comprises: i. means for subtracting from said video signal a predetermined signal level; ii. means for reducing the amplitude of the output from said subtracting means and for smoothing the reduced output; iii. means for adding said predetermined signal level to the output of said reducing and smoothing means; and iv. means for converting said video signal into a binary coded video signal with the output of said adder means as a threshold.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 160 words

Inspection equipment as defined in claim 3, wherein said small portion processing means (d) comprises: i. a small portion extracting circuit for providing an output when the number of the binary coded signals representing one of the two states of a plurality of picture elements included in any of a plurality of continuous patterns passing through a predetermined picture element in a plurality of directions is less than a predetermined number; ii. a boundary portion extracting circuit for providing an output when the binary signals representing the binary states of two local areas which are selected in a plurality of directions with an insensitive region, including said predetermined picture element being interposed between said two local areas, are different from each other; and iii. a comparator for receiving the outputs of said small portion extracting circuit and said boundary portion extracting circuit and for generating an output when and only when said boundary extracting circuit does not generate an output.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 56 words

Inspection equipment as defined in claim 3, wherein said small portion processing means includes first processing means comprising: i. means for compressing and then expanding the binary coded video signal in one state; and ii. means connected to said compressing and expanding means for expanding and then compressing said binary coded video signal in one state.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 52 words

Inspection equipment as defined in claim 5, wherein said small portion processing means further includes: second processing means for comparing an original pattern with a pattern which is obtained by said first processing means and in which a small portion is eliminated and extracting said small portion included in said original pattern.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 164 words

An inspection apparatus for detecting and removing relatively small portions from a pattern comprising: first means for scanning a pattern to be inspected and for generating a first video signal representative of the pattern scanned; second means, connected to said first means, for sampling said video signal over a prescribed sampling time interval corresponding to an individual element of an image of the pattern and for encoding said video signal into a binary coded video signal; third means, connected to said second means, for storing the output of said second means in n-dimensions, where n is an integer of at least two, so as to provide an n-dimensional encoded representation of said pattern and providing a second video signal corresponding to said n-dimensional representation; and fourth means, responsive to said stored n-dimensional representation of said pattern in said third means, for modifying a prescribed portion of said second video signal, to thereby effect the removal of a prescribed relatively small portion of said pattern.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 164 words

An inspection apparatus for detecting and removing relatively small portions from a pattern comprising: first means for scanning a pattern to be inspected and for generating a first video signal representative of the pattern scanned; second means, connected to said first means, for sampling said video signal over a prescribed sampling time interval corresponding to an individual element of an image of the pattern and for encoding said video signal into a binary coded video signal; third means, connected to said second means, for storing the output of said second means in n-dimensions, where n is an integer of at least two, so as to provide an n-dimensional encoded representation of said pattern and providing a second video signal corresponding to said n-dimensional representation; and fourth means, responsive to said stored n-dimensional representation of said pattern in said third means, for modifying a prescribed portion of said second video signal, to thereby effect the removal of a prescribed relatively small portion of said pattern.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 138 words

An inspection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second means comprises: means for providing a signal level corresponding to a predetermined threshold; means, connected to said first means and said signal level providing means, for generating a difference signal representative of the difference between the level of said first video signal and the level of said threshold, means, responsive to the output of said difference signal generating means, for reducing and smoothing the output thereof, means, connected to the output of said reducing and smoothing means and the output of said signal level providing means, for adding the outputs thereof; and means, responsive to said first video signal and the output of said adding means, for generating a binary signal in accordance with the difference between said first video signal and the output of said adding means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 52 words

An inspection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said fourth means comprises means, responsive to a predetermined number of segments of said n-dimensionally encoded representation, having a predetermined binary state, exceeding a preselectEd number, for generating and storing a further video signal representative of the states of said predetermined number of segments.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 63 words

An inspection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said fourth means comprises means, responsive to the portion of said second video signal, corresponding to each prescribed segment surrounding a preselected portion of said n-dimensionally encoded representative of said pattern, for generating a further video signal representative of whether at least one of said prescribed segments of said pattern has the same binary state.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 49 words

An inspection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said third means comprises an array of shift registers connected to the output of said second means for storing and sequentially shifting said sampled binary coded signal therethrough to said fourth means as said pattern is scanned by said first means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 56 words

An inspection apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said second means comprises an arrangement of analog storage elements connected to the output of said first means, means for sampling the contents of said analog storage elements, and a plurality of quantizing units connecting the outputs of said sampling means to a corresponding plurality of shift registers.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 53 words

An inspection apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said second means comprises means for sampling and quantizing the output of said first means and gate means connected thereto for selectively gating the output of said second means to the shift registers of said array in accordance with the scanning of said first means.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 134 words

An inspection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said fourth means comprises small portion extraction means, responsive to said second video signal, for providing a signal representative of the existence of a prescribed portion of said pattern having a binary state different from that of a surrounding portion of said pattern, boundary extraction means, responsive to said second video signal, for providing a signal representative of the boundary of said pattern where the binary state of said pattern changes from one state to another, and comparing means, responsive to the outputs of said small portion extraction means and said boundary extraction means, for combining the outputs thereof with each other, so as to effect the removal from the said second video signal any component representative of a prescribed relatively small portion of said pattern.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 45 words

An inspection apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said small portion extraction means and said boundary extraction means comprise respective prescribed logic circits connected to selected portions of said third means from which said second video signal corresponding to said n-dimensional encoded representation is provided.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 112 words

An inspection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said fourth means comprises: first sequential means responsive to said second video signal, for effecting a sequential enlargement and reduction of the n-dimensional encoded representation of said pattern, second sequential means, responsive to said second video signal, for effecting a sequential reduction and enlargement of the n-dimensional encoded representation of said pattern; means, responsive to said second video signal and said first and second sequential means, for combining said second video signal with each of said first and second sequential means, so as to effect the removal from said second video signal any component representative of a prescribed relatively small portion of said pattern.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 98 words

An inspection apparatus according to claim 16, wherein each of said first and second sequential means comprises an array of OR gates, the inputs of which are connected to selected portions of said third means in which said n-dimensional encoded representation of said pattern is stored, a first array of storage elements connected to respective selected ones of said OR gates, an array of AND gates, the inputs of which are connected to selected onEs of the storage elements of said first array, and a second array of storage elements connected to selected ones of said AND gates.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-06-02	1978-12-02	1979-06-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-06-02	1982-12-02	1983-06-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-06-02	1986-12-02	1987-06-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Inspection equipment for detecting and extracting small portion included in pattern

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