Surface analysis system and method

Claim 1

A method for analyzing a surface of an optical fiber end face, comprising the steps of: (a) producing a digitized image of said optical fiber end face, said image having a plurality of pixels; (b) searching for discontinuities in said image by successively analyzing a plurality of contiguous pixels, said analysis at each said pixel including examining a pixel structure corresponding with each said pixel to determine whether a discontinuity resides at each said pixel, said pixel structure including a plurality of pixels that were previously analyzed: (c) analyzing structure memory elements that are contiguous and that are situated contiguous with a pixel that is currently analyzed, and referred to hereafter as a structure working element; (d) analyzing satellite elements that are contiguous with at least one of said memory elements and that are noncontiguous with respect to said structure working element; (e) determining whether said structure working element is a local gradient and a directional gradient based upon said analyses of said satellite elements and said structure memory elements, wherein: said local gradient is a pixel having an intensity that differs by at least a first predefined amount from intensities associated with surrounding pixels, wherein said local gradient corresponds with a surface texture discontinuity said directional gradient is a plurality of pixels having intensities that differ by at least a second predefined amount from intensities associated with pixels situated about said directional gradient, wherein said directional gradient corresponds with a scratch; (f) combining intensities of said satellite elements to derive a satellite element average; (g) comparing said satellite element average to said structure working element; (h) when said average is unequivalent to said structure working element within a first predefined threshold, then identifying said structure working element as a tentative gradient and performing the following steps: (1) comparing each said structure memory element to said structure working element; (2) when said structure memory element is equivalent to said structure working element as defined by a second predefined threshold, then identifying said structure working element as a directional gradient and identifying said structure memory element as a directional gradient if not already identified as such; (3) when said structure memory element is unequivalent to said structure working element as defined by said second predefined threshold, then identifying said tentative local gradient as a local gradient; and (i) when said average is equivalent to said structure working element as defined by said first predefined threshold, then identifying said structure working element as a nongradient.

Claim 2

A method for analyzing a surface of an optical fiber end face, comprising the steps of: (a) producing a digitized image of said optical fiber end face, said image having a plurality of pixels; (b) searching for discontinuities in said image by successively analyzing a plurality of contiguous pixels, said analysis at each said pixel including examining a pixel structure corresponding with each said pixel to determine whether a discontinuity resides at each said pixel, said pixel structure including a plurality of pixels that were previously analyzed: (c) analyzing structure memory elements that are contiguous and that are situated contiguous with a pixel that is currently analyzed, and referred to hereafter as a structure working element; (d) analyzing satellite elements that are contiguous with at least one of said memory elements and that are noncontiguous with respect to said structure working element; (e) determining whether said structure working element is a local gradient and a directional gradient based upon said analyses of said satellite elements and said structure memory elements, wherein: said local gradient is a pixel having an intensity that differs by at least a first predefined amount from intensities associated with surrounding pixels, wherein said local gradient corresponds with a surface texture discontinuity said directional gradient is a plurality of pixels having intensities that differ by at least a second predefined amount from intensities associated with pixels situated about said directional gradient, wherein said directional gradient corresponds with a scratch; (f) combining intensities of said satellite elements to derive a satellite element average; (g) comparing said satellite element average to said structure working element; (h) when said average is unequivalent to said structure working element within a first predefined threshold, then identifying said structure working element as a tentative gradient and performing the following steps: (1) comparing each said structure memory element to said structure working element; (2) when said structure memory element is equivalent to said structure working element as defined by a second predefined threshold, then identifying said structure working element as a directional gradient and identifying said structure memory element as a directional gradient if not already identified as such; (3) when said structure memory element is unequivalent to said structure working element as defined by said second predefined threshold, then identifying said tentative local gradient as a local gradient; and (i) when said average is equivalent to said structure working element as defined by said first predefined threshold, then identifying said structure working element as a nongradient.