GRAPHICAL PROGRAMMING INTERFACE FOR PROGRAMMING A SAMPLE INSPECTION PROCESS, AND RELATED PROGRAMMING METHOD

Abstract

A graphical programming interface for programming an inspection process of samples. The inspection process is a recognition process, based on images, of defects of samples. A graphical programming interface includes at least one image input type block including an input into a memory of a multiplicity of images of at least one sample, a multiplicity of operation type blocks. Each operation type block includes at least one operation which processes images, a multiplicity of sorting type blocks. The graphical programming interface allows at least one image input type block to be selected if more than one input type block is provided for, at least one operation type block among the multiplicity of operation type blocks, and at least one sorting type block among the multiplicity of sorting type blocks.

Description

Claims

1. A graphical programming interface for programming an inspection process of samples, wherein said graphical programming interface is implemented on a computer comprising at least one processor and at least one memory,wherein said inspection process is suitable for controlling an inspection machine, wherein said inspection process is a recognition process, based on images, of defects of samples wherein said inspection process comprises at least one operation which processes images depicting samples and/or regions thereof,wherein the graphical programming interface comprises at least one image input type block comprising an input into said at least one memory of a multiplicity of images of at least one sample,a multiplicity of operation type blocks wherein each operation type block comprises at least one operation which processes images,a multiplicity of sorting type blocks,wherein the graphical programming interface allows at least one image input type block, if more than one input type block is provided for, at least one operation type block among said multiplicity of operation type blocks, and at least one sorting type block among said multiplicity of sorting type blocks, to be selected,wherein the graphical programming interface simulates the inspection process under programming, thereby implementing a simulated inspection process,wherein said simulated inspection process implemented through the graphical programming interface comprises an execution on the computer ofsaid at least one preselected image input type block,said at least one preselected operation type block of said multiplicity of operation type blocks, wherein said at least one operation type block performs at least one operation which processes said multiplicity of images of said at least one preselected image input type block, computes and displays at least one time period required to carry out said at least one operation,said at least one preselected sorting type block of said multiplicity of sorting type blocks which comprises a sorting operation suitable for controlling the inspection machine to reject samples which comprise at least one defect.

2. Graphical The graphical programming interface according to claim 1, wherein said at least one operation type block comprises at least one operation parameter for configuring at least one operation performed by said at least one operation type block and/or said at least one sorting type block comprises at least one sorting parameter for configuring at least one operation performed by said at least one sorting type block, wherein said graphical programming interface allows said at least one operation parameter and/or said at least one sorting parameter to be configured.

3. Graphical The graphical programming interface according to claim 2, wherein by allowing to select whether to display said at least one operation parameter and/or said at least one sorting parameter in said simulated inspection process, and/or in a computer program implemented through said graphical programming interface, or programmed sample inspection process, or not.

4. Graphical The graphical programming interface according to claim 2, wherein by allowing to select whether to activate said at least one sorting parameter in said simulated inspection process and/or in a computer program implemented through said graphical programming interface, or programmed sample inspection process, so that if said at least one sorting parameter is activated, said at least one sorting type block which comprises said at least one sorting parameter uses said at least one sorting parameter.

5. Graphical The graphical programming interface according to claim 1, characterized wherein by comprising a multiplicity of feedback type blocks, wherein each feedback type block of said multiplicity of feedback type blocks is suitable to be applied at an output of any operation type block and/or of any sorting type block, displaying results of the operation provided for in said any operation type block and/or of said any preselected sorting type block,wherein the graphical programming interface allows at least one feedback type block to be selected among said multiplicity of feedback type blocks, and to be applied at the output of a respective preselected operation type block and/or of a respective preselected sorting type block,wherein said simulated inspection process implemented through the graphical programming interface comprises an execution on the computer of said at least one preselected feedback type block of said multiplicity of feedback type blocks.

6. The graphical programming interface according to claim 1, wherein said at least one operation type block computes and displays a minimum time period and/or a maximum time period and/or an average time period required to carry out said at least one operation on a multiplicity of images provided by said at least one preselected image input type block.

7. Graphical The graphical programming interface according to claim 1, characterized wherein by computing and displaying a total time interval required to implement said simulated inspection process.

8. Graphical The graphical programming interface according to claim 1, wherein said images are portions of images of said samples.

9. Graphical The graphical programming interface according to claim 1, wherein said at least one image input type block only comprises output ports, in that said operation type blocks comprise input and output ports, in that said sorting type blocks comprise at least one input port.

10. Graphical The graphical programming interface according to claim 5, characterized in that wherein feedback type blocks only comprise input ports.

11. Graphical The graphical programming interface according to claim 1, wherein operation type blocks compute at least one feature once at least one input is provided at the input port.

12. Graphical The graphical programming interface according to claim 1, wherein operation type blocks comprise at least one operation applied to images and/or to selected regions of images and/or to scalars derived by an analysis of said images and/or regions thereof by the operation type block or by the analysis of parameters of the operation by the operation type block, said at least one operation being preferably selected from the group consisting of a filtering operation, an operation for selecting a region of the image, a processing operation through logic operators or blur or crop or resize or threshold or dilation or erosion or intersection or union or sum or subtraction or average or median or inverse or other analogous operations which are known and used for comparing or merging plural images and/or regions thereof with each other or other analogous operations which are known for processing images and/or regions thereof, an operation for computing geometric features or coordinates, an operation for tracking a trajectory, an operation for computing parameters of images and/or regions thereof, wherein said parameters of images are comprised in a list which comprises size, roundness, axis x, y, and/or in that operation type blocks comprise at least one artificial intelligence module.

13. A computer program implemented through a graphical programming interface according to claim 1, wherein said program is loadable in a memory of a computer, comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by the computer, implement an inspection process.