WO2006013563A2

WO2006013563A2 - A system for distributing objects

Info

Publication number: WO2006013563A2
Application number: PCT/IL2005/000827
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rafi Amit
Original assignee: Camtek Ltd.
Priority date: 2004-08-04
Filing date: 2005-08-03
Publication date: 2006-02-09
Also published as: WO2006013563A3; CN101147121A; JP2008509011A; CN101147121B

Abstract

A distributing system for distributing objects from an automatic optical inspection (AOI) system to one of a plurality of stations is disclosed. The disclosed distributing system is comprised of comprising a conveying means, capable to convey objects from AOI system to each of a plurality of stations and a controller that operative for receiving the object from the AOI system, receiving, sequentially, availability of each of the stations and controlling the conveying means to convey the object from the location to an available station.

Description

A System for Distributing Objects

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the

field of distributing objects from

plurality of locations to a plurality of

destinations. More specifically, the

present invention relates to a

distributing system that distributes

objects and capable to select a preferred

destination .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Automatic optical inspection (AOI)

systems use image processing and

dedicated algorithms to inspect the

surfaces of a PCB or a wafer in order to recognize defects on this surface. The

scanned images of the surfaces with

defects are transferred to a verification

system, in which operators visually check

the images to verify the automatic

determinations .

Some AOI systems have their own

verification station, but to efficient

the process the scanned objects, e.g. PCB

or wafer, are manually handled to one of

a plurality of verification stations.

Unfortunately, not all of the

verification stations are available and

some of them can be occupied while

verifying a previous object. Searching

manually for an available verification

station is very inefficient and wastes a

lot of time . Therefore it would be advantageous to

have a system that is capable to

automatically convey a scanned object to

an available verification station.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a

distributing system for distributing

objects from an automatic optical

inspection (AOI) system to one of a

plurality of stations.

According to the teachings of the

present invention there is provided a

distributing system for distributing

objects from an automatic optical

inspection (AOI) system, this

distributing system comprising:

a) a conveying means, capable to

convey objects from AOI system to

each of a plurality of stations;

and b) a controller that operative for:

i) receiving the object from the

AOI system;

ii) receiving, sequentially,

availability of each of the

stations; and

iii) controlling the conveying

means to convey the object from

the location to an available

station .

According to further features in a

preferred embodiment the distributing

system, according to the present

invention, is provided wherein the

controller is further operative to

receive information package regarding to

the object and transfers the information

package to the available station together

with the object. In another preferred embodiment, the

distributing system is provided wherein

the object is a scanned object with

suspected defects that was recognized by

the AOI system and wherein the stations

are verification stations.

In another preferred embodiment, the

distributing system is provided wherein

the convey means is a robot, the robot is

capable to transfer the object from the

AOI system and convey the object to a

station according to the controller

command.

In another preferred embodiment, the

distributing system is provided wherein

at least one of the stations is a buffer

station to which the convey means conveys

object in case that all the stations are

unavailable and convey the object from the buffer station to a station that

became available.

In another preferred embodiment, the

distributing system is provided wherein

al least one of the stations is an

unloader station to which the convey

means conveys object that have passed all

the required operations .

In another preferred embodiment, the

distributing system is provided wherein

the distribution is done from a plurality

of AOI systems .

By another aspect of the present

invention it is provided a distributing

system for distribute scanned objects,

with suspected defects, from at least one

automatic optical inspection (AOI) system. The distributing system

comprising :

a) a robot, capable to transfer

objects from each of the AOI

systems to each of a plurality of

verification stations; and

b) a controller operative for:

i) receiving plurality of the

scanned object from the AOI

systems;

ii) receiving information

packages concerning each of the

scanned object from the AOI

systems ;

iii) receiving, sequentially,

availability from each of the

verification stations;

iv) transferring each of the

scanned objects from its' locations and convey the

objects, each to an available

verification station;

v) transferring each of the

information package to the

verification station that the

concerning object is conveyed

to;

vi ) transferring each of the

verified objects from its'

locations and convey the

objects, each to an unloader;

and if necessary; and

vii) transferring each of the

original or updated information

package to any other system

that may need it for additional

operation.

In yet another preferred embodiment,

the distributing system shall be capable of marking the object to allow full

tracking of it throughout the process.

According to yet another aspect of

the present invention, the distributing

system is provided wherein the system is

integrated into- a comprehensive system,

together with as least one AOI system and

plurality of verification stations,

buffers and unloaders .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention is herein described, by

way of example only, with reference to

the accompanying drawings. With

specific reference now to the drawings

in detail, it is stressed that the

particulars shown are by way of example

and for purposes of illustrative

discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are

presented in the cause of providing what

is believed to be the most useful and

readily understood description of the

principles and conceptual aspects of the

invention. In this regard, no attempt

is made to show structural details of

the invention in more detail than is

necessary for a fundamental

understanding of the invention, the

description taken with the drawings

making apparent to those skilled in the

art how the several forms of the

invention may be embodied in practice.

In the figure:

Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram

of a preferred embodiment of the present

invention . DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is a

distributing system for distributes

objects from an automatic optical

inspection (AOI) system to a plurality of

verification stations, and from them on

to various other stations.

In a preferred embodiment of the

present invention there is a setup

comprised of AOI system, plurality of

verification stations, robot, and

controller .

The controller receives from the AOI

system a location of scanned object and

information package regarding this

object. The information package may

include an image of the object and/or images of the suspected defects,-

identifying information etc. The

controller is also updated sequentially

about the availability of each

verification station.

The controller commands the robot to

transfer the scanned object from the

received location and to convey the

object to one of the available

verification stations, for verifying the

suspected defects. To enable the

verification, the controller transfers

the information package to the available

verification station together with the

object, therefore, allowing automatic co¬

ordinates setup. If required, the

controller may transfer the original or

updated information to any additional

system that may require it . The distribution in this setup is

done automatically and efficiently. In

case that all of the verification

stations are unavailable, the controller

commands the robot to convey the object

to a waiting station, waiting for the

first verification station that will

become available.

Once the object has been verified,

the controller transfers the object to an

Unloader station

The principles and operation of the

distributing system according to the

present invention may be better

understood with reference to the drawing

and the accompanying description.

Referring now to the drawing, Figure

1 illustrates a block diagram of a

preferred embodiment of the present invention. The AOI system 11 is setup

with a plurality of verification stations

12. The scanned objects 13 are waiting

in the output of the AOI system 11 which

transfers to the controller 14 the

location and information package of each

object. The controller 14 is

sequentially updated about the

availability of each one of the

verification stations 12.

The controller 14 commands the robot

15 to move 17 to a specific object 16

in order to pick-up it. The controller 14

recognizes that one of the verification

stations 18 is available and commands

the robot 15 to move 19 in order to

convey the picked-up object 16 to the

available verification station 18. In the same time the controller 14 transfers

the information package concerning the

picked-up object 16 to the same

verification station 18 that the picked-

up object 16 is conveyed to.

In case that all the verification

stations 12 are unavailable, the

controller 14 commands the robot 15 to

convey the picked-up object 16 to a

buffer station 20 to wait until one of

the verification stations 12 will

become available, then the robot 15

conveys the object to this available

station.

Although the invention has been

described in conjunction with specific

embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and

variations will be apparent to those

skilled in the art, accordingly, it is

intended to embrace all such

alternatives, modifications and

variations that fall within the spirit

and broad scope of the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS;

1. A distributing system for

distributing objects from an

automatic optical inspection (AOI)

system, said distributing system

comprising :

a) a conveying means, capable to

convey objects from AOI system to

each of a plurality of stations and

from each plurality of verification

station to any other station; and

b) a controller, said controller

operative for:

i) receiving the object from said

AOI system;

ii ) receiving , sequentially,

availability of each of said

stations; and

iii) controlling said conveying

means to convey said object from said location to an

available station.

2. The distributing system of claim 1,

wherein said controller is further

operative to receive information

package regarding to said object and

transfers said information package to

said available station together with

said obj ect .

3. The distributing system of claim 1,

wherein said object is a scanned

object with suspected defects that

was recognized by said AOI system and

wherein said stations are

verification stations.

4. The distributing system of claim I₁

wherein said convey means is a robot,

said robot capable to transfer said

object from said AOI system and convey said object to a sta.tion according to

said controller command.

5'. The distributing system of

claim I₁ wherein at least one of

said stations is a buffer station

to which said convey means conveys

object in case that all said

stations are unavailable and

convey said object from said

buffer station to a station that

will become available.

6. The distributing system of claim 1,

wherein at least one of said

stations is an unloader station to

which said convey means conveys

object in case that all said

operations have been performed.

7. The distributing system of claim 1,

wherein said distribution is done from

a plurality of AOI systems.

8. A distributing system for distribute

scanned objects, with suspected

defects, from at least one automatic

optical inspection (AOI) system, said

distributing system comprising:

a) a robot, capable to transfer

objects from each of said AOI

systems to each of a plurality of

verification stations and from each

plurality of verification station

to any other station _/ and

b) a controller, said controller

operative for :

i) receiving plurality of said

scanned objects from said AOI

systems ; ii) receiving information packages

concerning each of said scanned

object from said AOI systems;

iii) receiving, sequentially,

availability from each of said

verification stations;

iv) if required, marking the object

for tracking capability,

controlling said robot to

transfer each of said scanned

objects from said locations and

convey said objects, each to an

available verification station;

v) transferring each of said

information package to the

verification station that the

cpncerning object is conveyed to;

and

vi) transferring each of the

verified objects from its' locations and convey the objects,

each to an unloader; and

vii) if necessary, transferring each

of the original or updated

information package to any other

system that may need it for

additional operation.

9. The distributing system of claim 8,

wherein one of said stations is a

buffer station to which said robot

conveys objects in case that all said

stations are unavailable and conveys

said objects from said buffer station

to a station that will become

avai1able .

The distributing system of claim

8, wherein said system is integrated

into a comprehensive system,

together with as least one AOI

system and plurality of

verification stations.