JP2008054041A - Imaging device inspecting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging device inspection apparatus wherein a size of image data and the number of pieces of image data have no influence on other processing of the apparatus in image data storage processing. <P>SOLUTION: The imaging device inspection apparatus includes: an image processing module which receives image data obtained by driving an imaging device to be inspected and stores the image data in a memory and performs image processing of the data stored in the memory; and an image evaluation means which evaluates the imaging device on the basis of an image processing result of the image processing module. The imaging device inspection apparatus includes an image data storage device which acquires the image data from the image processing module and stores the image data and is operated in a process separate from the image processing module. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention receives image data obtained by driving an image sensor to be inspected, stores the image data in a memory, performs image processing on the memory stored data, and the image processing module based on the image processing result. The present invention relates to an image sensor inspection apparatus having image evaluation means for evaluating an image sensor.

  There is an image sensor inspection apparatus represented by an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional image sensor inspection apparatus.

  On the test head 1, a wafer 2 on which a plurality of imaging devices to be inspected are arranged in a sheet shape is mounted, and a plurality of inspections are performed simultaneously by a control signal from the inspection management means 31 of the imaging device inspection apparatus 3 to the test head 1. Selection of (for example, four) image sensors, power feeding to the selected image sensors, and light irradiation for inspection are performed.

  Image data from the four selected inspection target image sensors is input to the image processing modules 34 to 37 of the image sensor inspection apparatus 3. The configuration of each image processing module includes a data receiving unit 341, an image memory management unit 342, an image processing unit 343, and an image storage unit 344, if the image processing module 34 is shown as a representative.

  The data receiving unit 341 receives image data from the image sensor. The received image data is acquired by the image memory management means 342 and stored and managed in the memory. The image processing means 343 executes image processing using the image data in this memory. Further, the image data in this memory is transferred to the image storage means 344 and stored as a file.

  Information processed by the image processing unit 343 is passed to the image evaluation unit 32 of the image sensor inspection device 3 for analysis, and defect detection is performed based on a predetermined determination criterion, and the evaluation result is displayed on the display unit 33. To do.

  The operator monitors the display content of the display means 33 and executes PASS / FAIL determination of the image sensor. The inspection result analyzed in the image sensor inspection apparatus 3 is stored and managed as numerical data by the image evaluation means 32.

  Patent Document 1 describes a solid-state image sensor inspection system that executes image evaluation processing of a solid-state image sensor in parallel with the inspection processing of the solid-state image sensor.

JP 2006-203387 A

The configuration of the conventional image sensor inspection apparatus has the following problems.
(1) Since each processing function of the image sensor inspection apparatus 3 is executed by one CPU in one process, other processing cannot be performed while the image processing module stores image data. Image storage takes much time if the image data is large, and takes time depending on the number of images to be stored, which affects the tact time.

(2) Generally, only the numerical data analyzed in the image sensor inspection apparatus lacks information when re-inspecting, and there is a need to verify again using stored image data. This is because it is effective in confirming a detection omission after the image sensor is shipped to the market (in order to confirm whether inspection items are insufficient or parameter adjustment is correct). However, since this re-verification operation also affects the inspection time, this image data storage function cannot be used during mass production.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. In the image data storage process, the image data size and the number of image data do not affect other processes of the inspection apparatus. The purpose is to realize an element inspection device.

In order to achieve such a subject, the present invention has the following configuration.
(1) Image data obtained by driving an image sensor to be inspected is received and stored in memory, the image processing module that performs image processing on the memory stored data, and the imaging based on the image processing result of the image processing module In an image sensor inspection apparatus having an image evaluation means for evaluating an element,
An image sensor inspection device comprising: an image data storage device that acquires and stores the image data from the image processing module and operates in a process different from the image processing module.

(2) The image data storage device communicates with the image processing module via a network and acquires the image data from the image processing module via a dedicated cable. Image sensor inspection device.

(3) The image sensor storage device according to (1) or (2), wherein the image data storage device stores the image data based on a storage command given by communication from the image processing module. .

(4) The image sensor according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the image processing of the image processing module and the image data storage processing of the image data storage device are executed in parallel. Inspection device.

(5) The image data storage device includes image transfer means for transferring stored image data to the outside based on a transfer command given by communication from the image processing module. The imaging device inspection apparatus according to any one of 1) to (4).

(6) The image sensor inspection device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the image processing module is provided corresponding to the number of the image sensors to be inspected simultaneously.

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has the following effects.
(1) While performing the image inspection based on the image data from the image sensor to be inspected, the image data is obtained in a separate process in parallel without using the same resources as the image sensor inspection process. By providing the saving function, image data can be saved without affecting the tact time.

(2) Thereby, a verification operation for reconfirming the inspection result using the numerical data analyzed in the image sensor inspection apparatus and the image data stored in another process can be easily executed without affecting the tact time. It becomes possible.

  The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of an image sensor inspection apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The same elements as those in the conventional apparatus described with reference to FIG.

  The image sensor inspection device 3 includes image data storage devices 101 to 104 that operate in a separate process corresponding to the image processing modules 34 to 37. These image data storage devices 101 to 104 communicate with the image processing modules 34 to 37 via the network 4.

  By providing the image data storage devices 101 to 104 operating in a separate process, the image storage means (only 344 shown) of the image processing modules 34 to 37 can be unused or deleted.

  Image data received by the image processing modules 34 to 37 is input to the image data storage devices 101 to 104 via the dedicated cables 201 to 204 (only the dedicated cable 201 is shown) via an external transfer function provided in these image processing modules. Transferred to the board.

  As the dedicated cables 201 to 204, IEEE 1396 standard cables that support high-speed transmission of image data can be used.

  The functional configuration of the image data storage device 101 will be described below as a representative. Image data fetched from the image processing module 34 to the image input board 1011 via the dedicated cable 201 is transferred to the image memory management means 1013 via the data receiving means 1012 and managed.

  When an image storage command is sent from the image processing module 34 to the image storage unit 1014 via the network 4, the image storage unit 1014 takes out the image memory from the image memory management unit 1013, writes it in the image database 1015 such as a hard disk, and stores it. .

  While the image data storage device 101 is executing this storage process, the image processing means 343 of the image processing module 34 can execute the image processing as before in parallel.

  The image data storage device 101 includes an image transfer unit 1016 and can transfer an image to an external database via the network 4 in response to a command from the image sensor inspection device 3. With this function, numerical data obtained by the image sensor inspection device 3 and image data can be managed simultaneously.

  In the present invention, since the image data storage devices 101 to 104 operating in a separate process are completely different from the image sensor inspection device, another inspection using the stored image data is performed in parallel with the image sensor inspection. Can be executed.

It is a functional block diagram which shows one Embodiment of the image pick-up element test | inspection apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a functional block diagram which shows the structural example of the conventional image pick-up element test | inspection apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Test head 2 Wafer 3 Image pick-up element inspection apparatus 31 Inspection management means 32 Image evaluation means 33 Display means 34,35,36,37 Image processing module 341 Data receiving means 342 Image memory management means 343 Image processing means 344 Image storage means 4 Network 101, 102, 103, 104 Image data storage means 1011 Image input board 1012 Data reception means 1013 Image memory management means 1014 Image storage means 1015 Image database 1016 Image transfer means

Claims (6)

Image data obtained by driving an image sensor to be inspected is received and stored in memory, an image processing module that performs image processing on the data stored in the memory, and evaluation of the image sensor based on an image processing result of the image processing module In an image sensor inspection apparatus having image evaluation means for performing
An image sensor inspection device comprising: an image data storage device that acquires and stores the image data from the image processing module and operates in a process different from the image processing module.   The imaging device inspection according to claim 1, wherein the image data storage device communicates with the image processing module via a network and acquires the image data from the image processing module via a dedicated cable. apparatus.   The image sensor inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the image data storage device stores the image data based on a storage command given by communication from the image processing module.   The image sensor inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the image processing of the image processing module and the image data storage processing of the image data storage device are executed in parallel.   The image data storage device includes image transfer means for transferring stored image data to the outside based on a transfer command given by communication from the image processing module. 5. The image sensor inspection device according to any one of 4 above. The image sensor inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing module is provided corresponding to the number of the image sensors to be inspected at the same time.

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