Method for detecting the alignment of films for automated defect detection

1 . A method comprising:

acquiring an image of a display film or a mold with a camera;

transferring the image to a computer;

detecting an angle of alignment and/or a position of the display film or the mold from the image;

detecting coordinates of defects located in the display film or the mold; and

correcting the coordinates of the defects by compensating for the angle of alignment and/or the position of the display film or the mold.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising disposing the display film or the mold in a fixture in a sample holder.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting a fiducial mark in the image of the display film or the mold.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising cropping the fiducial marks from the image of the display film or the mold.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the correcting of the coordinates is accomplished by transferring coordinates of the defects to a system of universal coordinates.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting and correcting of the coordinates is automatically performed by an algorithm.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising highlighting some defects present in the image while eliminating other defects present in the image.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising filtering defects based on defect size.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising filtering defects based on intensity of light scattered from a defect.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising merging adjacent defects.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein characteristics of the defect as well as coordinates of the defect are recorded to a memory device.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the characteristics are size, aspect ratio, orientation, dimensionality or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing characteristics.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating an inspection report and a defect map.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising locating a source of the defects and eliminating the source.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold is flat, curvilinear or cylindrical

16 . An article employing the method of claim 1 .

17 . A method comprising:

disposing a display film or a mold in a fixture in a sample holder;

acquiring an image of a display film or a mold with a camera;

transferring the image to a computer;

detecting a fiducial mark in the image of the display film or the mold;

cropping the fiducial mark from the image of the display film or the mold;

detecting an angle of alignment and/or a position of the display film or the mold from the image;

detecting coordinates of defects located in the display film or the mold; and

correcting the coordinates of the defects by compensating for the angle of alignment and/or the position of the display film or the mold.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the correcting of the coordinates is accomplished by transferring coordinates of the defects to a system of universal coordinates.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the detecting and correcting of the coordinates is automatically performed by an algorithm.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising highlighting some defects present in the image while eliminating other defects present in the image.

21 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising filtering defects based on defect size and/or based on intensity of light scattered from a defect.

22 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising merging adjacent defects.

23 . The method of claim 17 , wherein characteristics of the defect as well as coordinates of the defect are recorded to a memory device.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the characteristics are size, aspect ratio, orientation, dimensionality, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing characteristics.

25 . An article employing the method of claim 1 .

26 . A method comprising:

disposing a display film or a mold in a fixture in a sample holder;

acquiring an image of the display film or the mold with a camera;

transferring the image to a computer;

detecting a fiducial mark in the image of the display film or the mold;

cropping the fiducial mark from the image of the display film or the mold;

detecting an angle of alignment and/or a position of the display film or the mold from the image;

detecting coordinates of a defect located in the display film or the mold;

correcting the coordinates of the defect by compensating for the angle of alignment and/or the position of the display film or the mold;

filtering a defect based on defect size; and

recording characteristics of a defect to a memory device.

27 . The method of claim 26 , further comprising merging adjacent defects into a single defect.

28 . An article employing the method of claim 26 .

29 . An automated inspection system comprising:

a control device;

a transmission light disposed below a sample holder for illuminating defects in a display film or a mold placed on the sample holder;

a reflection light disposed above the sample holder for illuminating defects in the display film or the mold; and

a low resolution camera in electrical communication with the control device; wherein the control device executes an algorithm that permits the automated inspection device to perform a method comprising:

acquiring an image of a display film or a mold with a camera;

transferring the image to a computer;

detecting an angle of alignment and/or a position of the display film or the mold from the image;

detecting coordinates of defects located in the display film or the mold; and

correcting the coordinates of the defects by compensating for the angle of alignment and/or the position of the display film or the mold.