Smart digital cameras for product quality inspection

This paper describes two examples of state of the art digital video cameras which provide features which can enhance the ease and/or accuracy of product quality inspection. One camera incorporates a progressive scan CCD and a built-in frame store allowing capture of high resolution still images of fast moving objects without the need for a strobe light, mechanical shutter, or external frame grabber. The second camera incorporates digital signal processing for improved dynamic range, color balance, and detail enhancement to allow more accurate determination of color or contrast attributes of objects being inspected. Video cameras can be used with visual monitors and/or computers with frame grabbers to overcome human visual limitations such as inability to freeze motion of fast moving objects or to see well in dim light or they can reduce the need for human interaction by providing visual data for pattern recognition. Video cameras have also traditionally had limitations relative to the human observer or film cameras with respect to dynamic range and color tracking.