APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING DEFECTS IN GLASS BOTTLES USING EVENT PROXIMITY

An apparatus and a method for identifying defects in objects, such as glass bottles, utilizing data signals generated from a photodiode camera and light source. Event signals are generated when the magnitudes of adjacent data signals differ by an amount which exceeds a threshold level. Signals are also generated to identify the location of each event signal with respect to a corresponding photodiode and to identify during which vertical sweep of the object the event signal was generated to associate the event signal with a point on the object. The event signals are processed to identify defects. Events in proximity in the same sweep are identified as a string. Event magnitudes and totals in a string are compared with predetermined values to identify defects. Strings in proximity are identified as a blob. Event magnitudes and totals and blob width are compared with predetermined values to identify defects.