System and method for enhancing visual inspection of an object

1. A method for inspecting an object to assist in determining whether the object has a surface defect, comprising:

moving the object in a first direction by a linear stage;

illuminating the object under ambient lighting conditions by at least one ambient illumination source;

capturing at least one image of the object under the ambient lighting conditions while the object moves in the first direction to provide a registration image by an optical sensor;

illuminating the object under object lighting conditions by at least one object illumination source;

capturing at least one image of the object under the object lighting conditions while the object moves in the first direction to provide at least one object image by the optical sensor;

selecting at least one object image having at least one indication of a possible defect to provide images having defect candidates by a controller;

comparing the defect candidates with previously defined characteristics associated with the defect to facilitate determination of whether a defect exists by the controller,

the method further comprising registering the registration image captured under the ambient lighting conditions with the at least one image of the object captured under the object lighting conditions based on position readings from the linear stage by the controller.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an indication of a possible defect includes determining whether the at least one object image has a bright or a shadow region.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an indication of a possible defect includes comparing the object image with the registration image.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of pruning stages are used to select the at least one object image.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the previously defined characteristics include length, width, thickness, orientation of a crack.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein illuminating the object under object lighting conditions includes operating a plurality of object illumination sources in accordance with a desired sequence or operating the object illumination sources simultaneously to provide the object lighting conditions.

7. A method for inspecting an object to assist in determining whether the object has a surface defect, comprising:

providing a linear stage to move the object in a first direction;

operating at least one ambient illumination source to illuminate the object under ambient lighting conditions;

providing an optical sensor to capture at least one image of the object under the ambient lighting conditions while the object moves in the first direction to provide a registration image;

operating at least one object illumination source to illuminate the object under object lighting conditions;

operating the optical sensor to capture at least one image of the object under the object lighting conditions while the object moves in the first direction to provide at least one object image;

selecting at least one object image having at least one indication of a possible defect to provide images having defect candidates by a controller;

comparing the defect candidates with previously defined characteristics associated with the defect to facilitate determination of whether a defect exists by the controller,

the method further comprising registering the registration image captured under the ambient lighting conditions with the at least one image of the object captured under the object lighting conditions based on position readings from the linear stage by the controller.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein an indication of a possible defect includes determining whether the at least one object image has a bright or a shadow region.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein an indication of a possible defect includes comparing the object image with the registration image.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein a plurality of pruning stages are used to select the at least one object image.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the previously defined characteristics include length, width, thickness, orientation of a crack.

12. The method according to claim 7 , wherein illuminating the object under object lighting conditions includes operating a plurality of object illumination sources in accordance with a desired sequence or operating the object illumination sources simultaneously to provide the object lighting conditions.

13. A system for inspecting an object to assist in determining whether the object has a surface defect, comprising:

a linear stage for moving the object in a first direction;

at least one ambient illumination source to illuminate the object under ambient lighting conditions;

an optical sensor to capture at least one image of the object under the ambient lighting conditions;

at least one object illumination source to illuminate the object under object lighting conditions; and

a controller for controlling the optical sensor and the ambient and objection illumination sources,

wherein the optical sensor captures at least one image of the object under the ambient lighting conditions to provide a registration image and at least one image of the object under the object lighting conditions while the object moves in the first direction,

wherein the controller selects at least one object image having at least one indication of a possible defect to provide images having defect candidates,

wherein the controller compares the defect candidates with previously defined characteristics associated with the defect to facilitate determination of whether a defect exists, and

wherein the controller registers the registration image captured under the ambient lighting conditions with the at least one image of the object captured under the object lighting conditions based on position readings from the linear stage.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the ambient and object illumination sources are light emitting diode (“LED”) strobe lights.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the ambient illumination source is an LED ring light.

16. The system according to claim 13 , wherein an indication of a possible defect includes determining whether the at least one object image has a bright or a shadow region.

17. The system according to claim 13 , wherein an indication of a possible defect includes comparing the object image with the registration image.

18. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the previously defined characteristics include length, width, thickness, orientation of a crack.