Apparatus for inspecting solder portion of a circuit board

Claim 1

An apparatus for inspecting a circuit board provided with at least one solder portion, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting a beam of light; means for applying the light beam to a surface of the circuit board; means for allowing the light beam to scan the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving height data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the height data representing a height of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for accumulatively adding the height data for the solder portion; means for calculating a variation in the height data; means for executing and suspending the accumulatively adding by the adding means in response to the calculated variation in the height data; and means for deciding whether the solder portion is acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of a result of the accumulatively adding by the adding means.

Claim 2

An apparatus for inspecting a circuit board provided with at least one solder portion, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting a beam of light; means for applying the light beam to a surface of the circuit board; means for allowing the light beam to scan the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving height data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the height data representing a height of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for accumulatively adding the height data for the solder portion; means for calculating a variation in the height data; means for executing and suspending the accumulatively adding by the adding means in response to the calculated variation in the height data; and means for deciding whether the solder portion is acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of a result of the accumulatively adding by the adding means.

Claim 4

An apparatus for inspecting a circuit board provided with at least one solder portion, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting a beam of light; means for applying the light beam to a surface of the circuit board; means for allowing the light beam to scan the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving height data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the height data representing a height of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for calculating a differential of the height data for the solder portion; and means for deciding whether the solder portion is acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of the calculated differential of the height data.

Claim 5

An apparatus for inspecting a circuit board provided with at least one solder portion, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting a beam of light; means for applying the light beam to a surface of the circuit board; means for allowing the light beam to scan the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving height data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the height data representing a height of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for calculating a differential of the height data for the solder portion; and means for deciding whether the solder portion is acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of the calculated differential of the height data.

Claim 8

An apparatus for inspecting a circuit board provided with at least one solder portion, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting a beam of light; means for applying the light beam to a surface of the circuit board; means for allowing the light beam to scan the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving height data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the height data representing a height of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for calculating a differential of the height data, and generating differential data representing the calculated differential of the height data, wherein differential data and corresponding height data compose general data; means for calculating a first number of the general data lying in a predetermined acceptable two-dimensional region for the solder portion, the acceptable region being defined by a first predetermined height range and a first predetermined differential range; means for calculating a second number of the general data lying in a predetermined unacceptable two-dimensional region for the solder portion, the unacceptable region being defined by a second predetermined height range and a second predetermined differential range; and means for deciding whether the solder portion is acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of the calculated first and second numbers.

Claim 9

An apparatus for inspecting a circuit board provided with at least one solder portion, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting a beam of light; means for applying the light beam to a surface of the circuit board; means for allowing the light beam to scan the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving height data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the height data representing a height of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for calculating a differential of the height data, and generating differential data representing the calculated differential of the height data, wherein differential data and corresponding height data compose general data; means for calculating a first number of the general data lying in a predetermined acceptable two-dimensional region for the solder portion, the acceptable region being defined by a first predetermined height range and a first predetermined differential range; means for calculating a second number of the general data lying in a predetermined unacceptable two-dimensional region for the solder portion, the unacceptable region being defined by a second predetermined height range and a second predetermined differential range; and means for deciding whether the solder portion is acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of the calculated first and second numbers.

Claim 10

An apparatus for inspecting a circuit board provided with at least one solder portion, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting a beam of light; means for applying the light beam to a surface of the circuit board; means for allowing the light beam to scan the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving height data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the height data representing a height of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for calculating a differential of the height data, and generating differential data representing the calculated differential of the height data, wherein differential data and corresponding height data compose general data; means for calculating a first number of the general data lying in a predetermined acceptable two-dimensional region for the solder portion, the acceptable region being defined by a first predetermined height range and a first predetermined differential range; means for calculating a second number of the general data lying in a predetermined unacceptable two-dimensional region for the solder portion, the unacceptable region being defined by a second predetermined height range and a second predetermined differential range; first adding means for accumulatively adding the height data corresponding to general data lying in the acceptable region; second adding means for accumulatively adding the height data corresponding to general data lying in the unacceptable region; and means for deciding whether the solder portion is acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of the calculated first and second numbers, and results of the accumulatively adding by the first and second adding means.

Claim 11

An apparatus for inspecting a circuit board provided with at least one solder portion, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting a beam of light; means for applying the light beam to a surface of the circuit board; means for allowing the light beam to scan the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving height data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the height data representing a height of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for calculating a differential of the height data, and generating differential data representing the calculated differential of the height data, wherein differential data and corresponding height data compose general data; means for calculating a first number of the general data lying in a predetermined acceptable two-dimensional region for the solder portion, the acceptable region being defined by a first predetermined height range and a first predetermined differential range; means for calculating a second number of the general data lying in a predetermined unacceptable two-dimensional region for the solder portion, the unacceptable region being defined by a second predetermined height range and a second predetermined differential range; first adding means for accumulatively adding the height data corresponding to general data lying in the acceptable region; second adding means for accumulatively adding the height data corresponding to general data lying in the unacceptable region; and means for deciding whether the solder portion is acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of the calculated first and second numbers, and results of the accumulatively adding by the first and second adding means.

Claim 12

An apparatus for inspecting a circuit board provided with at least one solder portion, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting a beam of light; means for applying the light beam to a surface of the circuit board; means for allowing the light beam to scan the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving height data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the height data representing a height of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving luminance data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the luminance data representing a luminance of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for accumulatively adding the luminance data for the solder portion; means for calculating a variation in the height data; means for executing and suspending the accumulatively adding by the adding means in response to the calculated variation in the height data; and means for deciding whether the solder portion is acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of a result of the accumulatively adding by the adding means.

Claim 13

An apparatus for inspecting a circuit board provided with at least one solder portion, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting a beam of light; means for applying the light beam to a surface of the circuit board; means for allowing the light beam to scan the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving height data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the height data representing a height of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving luminance data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the luminance data representing a luminance of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for accumulatively adding the luminance data for the solder portion; means for calculating a variation in the height data; means for executing and suspending the accumulatively adding by the adding means in response to the calculated variation in the height data; and means for deciding whether the solder portion is acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of a result of the accumulatively adding by the adding means.

Claim 14

An apparatus for inspecting a circuit board provided with at least one solder portion, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting a beam of light; means for applying the light beam to a surface of the circuit board; means for allowing the light beam to scan the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving height data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the height data representing a height of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for calculating a differential of the height data, and generating differential data representing the calculated differential of the height data, wherein differential data and corresponding height data compose general data; first detecting means for detecting the general data which lies in a predetermined acceptable two-dimensional region, the acceptable region being defined by a first predetermined height range and a first predetermined differential range; second detecting means for detecting the general data which lies in a predetermined unacceptable two-dimensional region, the unacceptable region being defined by a second predetermined height range and a second predetermined differential range; first adding means responsive to the first detecting means for accumulatively adding the luminance data corresponding to general data lying in the acceptable region for the solder portion; second adding means responsive to the second detecting means for accumulatively adding the luminance data corresponding to general data lying in the unacceptable region for the solder portion; and means for deciding whether the solder portion is acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of results of the accumulatively adding by the first adding means and the second adding means.

Claim 15

An apparatus for inspecting a circuit board provided with at least one solder portion, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting a beam of light; means for applying the light beam to a surface of the circuit board; means for allowing the light beam to scan the surface of the circuit board; means for deriving height data from a portion of the light beam which is scattered at the surface of the circuit board, the height data representing a height of a currently-scanned point of the surface of the circuit board; means for calculating a differential of the height data, and generating differential data representing the calculated differential of the height data, wherein differential data and corresponding height data compose general data; first detecting means for detecting the general data which lies in a predetermined acceptable two-dimensional region, the acceptable region being defined by a first predetermined height range and a first predetermined differential range; second detecting means for detecting the general data which lies in a predetermined unacceptable two-dimensional region, the unacceptable region being defined by a second predetermined height range and a second predetermined differential range; first adding means responsive to the first detecting means for accumulatively adding the luminance data corresponding to general data lying in the acceptable region for the solder portion; second adding means responsive to the second detecting means for accumulatively adding the luminance data corresponding to general data lying in the unacceptable region for the solder portion; and means for deciding whether the solder portion is acceptable or unacceptable on the basis of results of the accumulatively adding by the first adding means and the second adding means.