JPH09259187A - Method and device for automatic inspection - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and device for automatic inspection with which inspected data can be changed corresponding to a user level. SOLUTION: A knowledge data base 31 composed of the inspected data hierarchized corresponding to the user levels and a processing library 32 for actuating the control program of one client machine 20 for executing inspection processing at least are registered in one server machine 11 for managing a data base. User information is inputted from the client machine 20 through a communication line 12 to the server machine 11. Then, at the server machine 11, the user level is judged based on this user information and corresponding to the decided result, the change of hierarchized inspected data in the knowledge data base 31 is limited.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic inspection method and apparatus for automatically inspecting an inspection object based on inspection data such as preset inspection items and inspection standards.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an automatic inspection apparatus using image processing is controlled by a computer program (hereinafter, simply referred to as a program), and a dedicated program is prepared for each inspection purpose. Therefore, the inspection data such as the inspection item and the inspection standard is fixed in the program. Therefore, for example, when the inspection target is changed, the program itself is largely rewritten. Further, when a trouble or the like occurs when the inspection process is actually executed, it is dealt with by correcting the program itself.

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional automatic inspection apparatus, since inspection data such as inspection items and inspection standards are incorporated in the program as a part of the algorithm, the program is changed (rewritten). In case of making modifications, etc.), a wide range of specialized knowledge is required over the entire automatic inspection device. However, since the end user who is the user of the automatic inspection device and the device developer are often not the same, it is often the case that the device developer cannot actually deal with the change of the program, and the end user alone can change the program. It is almost impossible to do. For this reason, there is a problem that the device developer needs to visit the site when changing the program on the site, which is troublesome.

Further, various changes are required in the inspection itself due to a change in the specifications of the product to be inspected, etc., but there is also a problem that the automatic inspection device that cannot cope with the change at that time must be discarded. . In addition, when multiple stand-alone type automatic inspection devices are installed for the same inspection purpose, exactly the same program change work is required for each automatic inspection device when changing the program, There was a problem that efficient operation was not possible.

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic inspection method and an apparatus therefor capable of changing inspection data according to a user level.

[0006]

According to the present invention, the above object is to provide a knowledge database composed of inspection data hierarchized corresponding to a user level and an inspection process on one server machine which manages the database. A processing library for starting a control program of at least one client machine to be executed is registered, user information is input from the client machine to the server machine via a communication line, and the user information is stored in the server machine. It is achieved by determining the user level based on the above, and limiting the change of the hierarchical inspection data of the knowledge database in the server machine according to the determination result.

According to the above configuration, when the server machine activates the control program of each client machine by the processing library based on each inspection data of the knowledge database, each client machine executes the predetermined inspection processing. Has become. Here, when the inspection data needs to be changed, the user inputs the user information from the client machine. As a result, the server machine determines the user level and restricts the change of the inspection data of the hierarchy according to the user level.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present invention,
Although various technically preferred limitations are given, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these forms unless otherwise specified in the following description.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic inspection apparatus according to the present invention. This automatic inspection device 10
A device for inspecting, for example, by image-processing a magnetic head as an inspection target, in which a host computer 11 as a server machine and a plurality of inspection systems 20 as client machines are connected to each other by a communication line 12. Has become. Here, the communication line 12
Constructs a so-called local area network (LAN) by using, for example, Ethernet. As a result, the host computer 11 and each inspection system 20 have unique identification numbers, and are capable of mutually activating process execution processes and exchanging data.

As shown in FIG. 2, the host computer 11 is actually a control computer such as a workstation or personal computer. In the case shown, the main body 11a, monitor 11b, keyboard 11c.
And a mouse 11d. As shown in FIG. 3, each inspection system 20 is a CCD that captures an image of a magnetic head mounted on a work table 21 via an optical microscope 22.
(Solid-state image sensor) It is composed of an image processing device 24 for inputting image signals from the camera 23 and the CCD camera 23.

The CCD camera 23 photoelectrically converts the image of the magnetic head mounted on the work table 21 positioned within the field of view of the optical microscope 22 and outputs it as an image signal. As shown in FIG. 4, the image processing device 24 converts the image signal input to the image input unit into A /
A digital video signal is generated by the D converter 24a and is stored in the frame memory 24b as image data. Here, the frame memory 24b is, for example, 51
The one in which four 2 × 480 × 8-bit frame memories are mounted is used, but any size and capacity can be used. Further, the image processing device 24 is a processor 24 dedicated to image processing for performing a specific process at high speed.
c is provided so that relatively versatile processing can be executed. However, the image processing dedicated processor 24c may be omitted for cost reduction.

Further, the image processing apparatus 24 is adapted to execute other processing based on the software 24e read by the CPU (central processing unit) of the system controller 24d. The other processing is sub-routine-registered as a library, and is executed based on the library according to an instruction from the system controller 24d. Here, the software 24e of the system controller 24d receives the instruction from the host computer 11 and executes the inspection process,
The inspection result is simply returned to the host computer 11, and the judgment on the inspection result is left to the host computer 11. The image data thus stored in the frame memory 24b can be read and written at random, and is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 24f if necessary, and displayed on the screen of the monitor 11b.

The system program running on the host computer 11 is constructed as shown in FIG. The system program 30 includes a knowledge database 31 containing various data necessary for inspection processing, an image processing library 32 for controlling an image processing procedure, and a communication library 33 mediating between the knowledge database 31 and the image processing library 32.
And a control program 34 for performing minimum control for system initialization and the like. The system program 30 may further include a user interface unit to make the contents of the knowledge database 31 easier to understand.

The knowledge database 31 has a hierarchical data structure corresponding to the user level. As shown in FIG. 6, the data structure in this case is divided into three layers, that is, in order from the top, into concept levels such as class, object, and slot. It is assigned. The data in the lowermost layer is composed of data (name) representing the data attribute and the value itself (initial value). Further, the inspection object may be assigned to a superclass, which is a higher conceptual level, but another knowledge database may be introduced and different knowledge databases may be used for different inspection objects.

On the other hand, the rule for starting the process is classified into variables, conditions and process elements, and is created so that the state of the variable is determined by the conditional statement set in the condition and the process is executed. It Here, the condition is a general evaluation expression, the variable is a variable that reflects the result of the evaluation expression, and the processing is processing executed when the variable is true, such as variable assignment or external process. There is a run of. By describing variables as conditions, it is possible to set correlations between rules so that processing is performed in a chain reaction.

The system program 30 of the automatic inspection apparatus 10 is configured as described above, and the inspection process of the magnetic head to be inspected is executed as shown in FIG.
The control program 34 instructs the reading of the knowledge database 31 by initializing the system and setting the inspection conditions. In response to this, the knowledge database 31
Reads and sets inspection data such as an inspection target and inspection items input from an input unit such as a keyboard 11c and a mouse 11d of the host computer 11. Then, the control program 34 supplies the magnetic head and activates the read rule.

As a result, the knowledge database 31 starts the evaluation and instructs the image processing library 32 to perform the processing. In response to this, the image processing library 3
2 acquires the parameter read from the knowledge database 31, executes the process, and returns the return value to the knowledge database 31. The knowledge database 31 evaluates the result based on this return value and instructs the next process based on the result. Again, the image processing library 32 executes the processing based on this instruction and returns the return value to the knowledge database 31.

By repeating the above procedure, the knowledge database 31 determines whether the magnetic head is good or bad after the processing is executed for all the inspection items. And
The control program 34 makes an end determination based on this determination, and ejects the magnetic head from the work table 21. This completes the inspection of the magnetic head.

On the other hand, the inspection data accumulated in the knowledge database 31 is changed as shown in FIG. Here, in the automatic inspection apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 8, the inspection system 20 is the main body 11a of the host computer 11.
The main body 11a has a knowledge database 31 and an image processing library 32, which are inspection data layered according to the user level, that is, an inspection item database 31a, an inspection reference value database 31b, and an inspection method database 31c. Is stored.

The host computer 11 uses the control program 34 to check the inspection item database 31a, the inspection reference value database 31b, and the inspection method database 31 according to the level of the user who operates each inspection system 20.
Controlled to limit changes to c. That is, in the case of an end user, only the inspection item database 31a of the knowledge database 31 can be changed, and in the case of the inspection manager, the knowledge database 31 includes the inspection item database 31a and the inspection reference value database. 31
If only b is allowed to change, and if you are a device developer,
The entire knowledge database 31 can be changed.

When the user operating the inspection system 20 wants to change the inspection data, the inspection system 20 logs in to the host computer 11. As a result, the inspection system 20 displays the login screen as shown in FIG. 10, and the user inputs the user name and password (step ST1). Then, the host computer 11 determines the user level (step ST2), and in the case of an unauthorized user, terminates without permitting login. On the other hand, in the case of a registered user, the user level, that is, the end user, the inspection manager, and the device developer are determined (step ST3).

Then, the host computer 11 determines, based on the judgments of the end user, the person in charge of inspection, and the device developer.
Processes according to the end user, inspection manager, and device developer, respectively (steps ST4, ST5, ST
6). As a result, the inspection system 20 displays a dedicated screen (step ST7). That is, for the end user, only the inspection item selection screen as shown in FIG. 11 is displayed. In the case of the inspection manager, an inspection item selection screen and an inspection reference value change screen as shown in FIG. 12 are displayed. Further, in the case of the device developer, in addition to the inspection item selection screen and the inspection reference value change screen as shown in FIG. 13, an inspection method change screen is also displayed.

Here, the user changes the predetermined inspection data (step ST8). This change can be made by the user clicking the change contents with the mouse or key inputting a numerical value or the like from the keyboard while looking at the screen 20a of the inspection system 20. After that, the host computer 11 confirms the change permission (step ST
9) If the change cannot be permitted, a warning is displayed (step ST10), and the screen returns to the change screen. On the other hand, if the change can be permitted, the changed inspection data is registered in the knowledge database 31 or the image processing library 32 (step ST11).

As described above, regarding the inspection of the magnetic head, the inspection items are turned on / off, the inspection reference value is changed, and the inspection method is changed by appropriately changing the data accumulated in the knowledge database 31 according to the user level. , Will be done without changing the program.

In the knowledge database 31 described above, each of the databases 31a, 31b, 31c is set as shown in FIG. 14, for example, in the case of inspection by image processing of the magnetic head. Inspection item database 31a
Is assigned as a check item such as a chip, a crack, a size, and a stain, and all users can turn it on and off for each item. In the inspection reference value database 31b, reference values are set for the cracks and cracks in the inspection item database 31a. That is, with regard to chipping, as a defect standard, a width of 100 μm, a height of 50 μm,
Area glass, the first standard of less than 200 pixels area,
The second standard is set to have a width of 200 μm, a height of 100 μm, a region ferrite, and an area of 500 pixels or less. Further, with respect to cracks, a first standard of 0.5 μm in width and 10 μm or less in length and a region glass, and a second standard of 1 μm in width, 20 μm or less in length and a region ferrite are set. .

Further, the inspection method database 31c is
Regarding chipping, binarization, region division, horizontal projection, and vertical projection are set as inspection methods, and regarding binarization, threshold 1 (10
0), the threshold value 2 (130), and the method p-tile are set, and regarding area division, the number of areas is 4, the brightness difference 1 (20), the brightness difference 2 (20),
The minimum area 100 is set. Further, regarding cracks, expansion, contraction, inter-image calculation, and binarization are set as inspection methods. Further, regarding expansion, size 5 is an inspection parameter, and regarding contraction, size 5 is an inspection parameter, and inter-image calculation is performed. In regard to (2), as the inspection parameter, calculation (BA) is performed. For binarization, threshold 1 (auto), threshold 2 (255), method auto.
Are set respectively.

As a result, the end user can change the data regarding only the on / off of the inspection items (chips, cracks, dimensions, dirt) in the inspection item database 31a.
In addition to the inspection item on / off of the inspection item database 31a, the inspection person in charge also has the inspection reference value database 3
It is possible to change the data of the inspection reference value of 1b (for example, defective defect standard, defective defect standard, etc.). Further, the device developer can change the inspection method and the inspection parameter of the inspection method database 31c in addition to turning on / off the inspection item and changing the inspection reference value.

As described above, the end user can change the on / off of the inspection items necessary for the inspection processing on site by the inspection system 20 at hand. Further, the inspection manager can change the inspection reference value, which is required as a normal change operation in the inspection process on the site. The device developer can change all information independent of the hardware of the inspection system 20. As a result, the device developer can deal with the change of the inspection method and the inspection parameter, which had to be changed by the conventional program, only by changing the knowledge database 31 in the host computer 11.

Here, since various changing operations corresponding to the user level described above are performed by changing the inspection data of the knowledge database in the server machine, even if the apparatus developer needs to make a change, one change operation is required. It can be changed on the client machine or the server machine.
Further, since all kinds of change operations are performed by changing the inspection data in the knowledge database of the server machine, the automatic inspection apparatus itself has high versatility and the applicable range is dramatically expanded.

In the above-described embodiment, the automatic inspection device 10 for the inspection by the image processing of the magnetic head has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the automatic inspection for an arbitrary inspection object is also possible.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the inspection data can be changed according to the user level, the changing work can be performed easily and efficiently.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of an automatic inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a server machine in the automatic inspection device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a client machine in the automatic inspection device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing apparatus in the client machine shown in FIG.

5 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a system program in the server machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a structure of hierarchical data of a knowledge database in the server machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the automatic inspection device shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the automatic inspection apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with one client machine as a reference.

9 is a flowchart showing an operation when data is changed by the configuration of FIG.

10 is a diagram showing a screen display at the time of login in the configuration of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a data change screen for end users in the configuration of FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a data change screen for an inspection manager in the configuration of FIG. 8;

13 is a diagram showing a data change screen for device developers in the configuration of FIG.

14 is a diagram showing a detailed setting example of a knowledge database in the configuration of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Automatic inspection device, 11 ... Host computer (server machine), 11a ... Main body, 11b ...
Monitor, 11c ... keyboard, 11d ... mouse, 12 ... communication line, 20 ... inspection system (client machine), 21 ... work table, 22 ...
Optical microscope, 23 ... CCD camera, 24 ... Image processing device, 30 ... System program, 31 ...
Knowledge database, 32 ... Image processing library, 3
3 ... communication library, 34 ... control program

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. To start a knowledge database composed of inspection data hierarchically corresponding to a user level and a control program of at least one client machine for executing inspection processing on one server machine that manages the database. Processing library is registered, user information is input from the client machine to the server machine via a communication line, the server machine determines a user level based on the user information, and the server machine An automatic inspection method, characterized in that the change of hierarchical inspection data in the knowledge database is restricted according to the determination result. 2. The hierarchical inspection data of the knowledge database corresponds to a conceptual level of a hierarchy of superclass, class, object, and slot, and an inspection target is the superclass, an inspection item is the class, and an inspection method. The automatic inspection method according to claim 1, wherein the inspection standard is classified as the object, and the inspection parameter is classified as the slot. 3. At least one client machine for executing inspection processing, a knowledge database composed of inspection data layered corresponding to a user level, and a processing library for activating a control program of the client machine. , A server machine that manages a database, and a communication line that connects the client machine and the server machine to each other, and sets a user level based on user information input by the user from the client machine to the server machine. An automatic inspection apparatus, characterized by making a judgment and limiting the change of hierarchical inspection data of the knowledge database according to the judgment result. 4. The hierarchical inspection data of the knowledge database corresponds to a conceptual level of a hierarchy of superclass, class, object, and slot, and an inspection target is the superclass, an inspection item is the class, and an inspection method. The automatic inspection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the inspection standard is classified as the object, and the inspection parameter is classified as the slot.