1. An apparatus for inspection of an electronic component disposed in a measurement plane, comprising:
at least one light source provided for generating substantially homogeneous light and illuminating said measurement plane;
a camera;
a first light path between said camera and said measurement plane, said first light path having a first section between said measurement plane and a first optical element and a second section between said first optical element and a second optical element, said first section of said first light path being substantially perpendicular to said measurement plane; and
a second light path between said camera and said measurement plane, said second light path having a first section between said measurement plane and a third optical element and a second section between said third optical element and a fourth optical element
wherein said at least one light source comprises first and second light sources to produce light in non-overlapping wavelength ranges.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for subsequently switching onoff said first and second light sources.
3. The apparatus of anyone of claims 1 or 2 wherein said second optical element is a dichroic mirror.
4. The apparatus of anyone of claims 1 or 2 further comprising shutters for selectively opening and closing said first and second light paths.
5. The apparatus of anyone of claims 1 or 2 wherein at least one of said second, third and fourth optical elements is a semi-transparent mirror.
6. A method of inspecting an electronic component having a set of contact elements disposed in a measurement plane, comprising:
illuminating said measurement plane by means of a substantially homogeneous first and second light source;
forming a first light path between a camera and said measurement plane, said first light path having a first section between said measurement plane and a first optical element and a second section between said first optical element and a second optical element, said first section of said first light path being substantially perpendicular to said measurement plane; and
forming a second light path between said camera and said measurement plane, said second light path having a first section between said measurement plane and a third optical element and a second section between said third optical element and a fourth optical element;
forming a first image of said electronic component by means of said camera and by selectively opening said first light path;
forming a second image of said electronic component by means of said camera and by selectively opening said second light path; and
measuring a position of said contact elements of said electronic component by using said first and second image.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said first and second light source produce light with non-overlapping wavelength ranges.
8. The method of anyone of claims 6 or 7, wherein said first and second light path have a substantially equal average optical length.
9. The method of anyone of claims 6 or 7, wherein said first light source illuminates said measurement plane at an incident angle of at most 20.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for reading poker chips, the method comprising:
sending out an interrogation signal;
receiving responses from poker chips in response to the interrogation signal, each of the poker chips comprising a circuit and an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna even in the vicinity of the antenna; and
determining a value of the poker chips from which responses are received.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the poker chips are stacked.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF carrier wave must pass through an antenna of the at least one of the poker chips to reach the at least one other of the poker chips.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein a reader sending out the interrogation signal is near an exit.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein a reader sending out the interrogation signal is near a table.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein a reader sending out the interrogation signal is near a cage.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking a flow of the poker chips in and out of a tray of a table.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining at least one of a value of the poker chips on a table and a value of the poker chips in a tray of the table.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising alerting to either add poker chips to a tray of a table or remove poker chips from the tray.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing a value of a stack of the poker chips to a value of the stack of the poker chips generated by a visual chip count.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein each poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery being semi-transparent to an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein each poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery having a size smaller than a wavelength of an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.
13. A method for reading poker chips, the method comprising:
sending out an interrogation signal;
receiving responses from the poker chips; and
determining a value of the poker chips from which responses are received, wherein each of the poker chips comprises:
a circuit; and
an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna even in the vicinity of the antenna,
wherein the antenna has a sheet resistivity of at least about 1 \u03a9sq,
wherein at least 50% of the RF energy striking the antenna passes through the antenna.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least some of the poker chips are stacked.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the RF carrier wave must pass through an antenna of the at least one of the poker chips to reach the at least one other of the poker chips.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein a reader sending out the interrogation signal is near an exit.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein a reader sending out the interrogation signal is near a table.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein a reader sending out the interrogation signal is near a cage.
19. The method of claim 13, further comprising tracking a flow of the poker chips in and out of a tray of a table.
20. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining at least one of a value of the poker chips on a table and a value of the poker chips in a tray of the table.
21. The method of claim 13, further comprising alerting to either add poker chips to a tray of a table or remove poker chips from the tray.
22. The method of claim 13, further comprising comparing a value of a stack of the poker chips to a value of the stack of the poker chips generated by a visual chip count.
23. The method of claim 13, wherein each poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery being semi-transparent to an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.
24. The method of claim 13, wherein each poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery having a size smaller than a wavelength of an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.
25. A poker chip, comprising:
a circuit; and
an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna,
wherein the antenna has a sheet resistivity of at least about 1 \u03a9sq,
wherein at least 50% of the RF energy striking the antenna passes through the antenna.
26. The poker chip of claim 25, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery being semi-transparent to an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.
27. The poker chip of claim 25, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery having a size smaller than a wavelength of an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.
28. A method for reading poker chips, the method comprising:
using a reader positioned near an exit of a casino to detect a poker chip exiting the casino,
wherein the poker chip comprises:
a circuit; and
an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna even in the vicinity of the antenna.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery being semi-transparent to an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.
30. The method of claim 28, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery having a size smaller than a wavelength of an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.
31. A method for reading poker chips, the method comprising:
using a reader positioned near an exit of a casino to detect a poker chip exiting the casino,
wherein the poker chip comprises:
a circuit; and
an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna even in the vicinity of the antenna,
wherein the antenna has a sheet resistivity of at least about 1 \u03a9sq,
wherein at least 50% of the RF energy striking the antenna passes through the antenna.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery being semi-transparent to an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery having a size smaller than a wavelength of an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.
34. A poker chip, comprising:
a circuit on or within a substrate; and
an antenna coupled to the circuit, wherein the antenna minimally affects electromagnetic RF fields surrounding the antenna even in the vicinity of the antenna.
35. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the circuit has an input impedance greater than an impedance of the antenna.
36. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the antenna has a sheet resistivity of greater than about 1 \u03a9sq.
37. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the antenna has a sheet resistivity of greater than about 10 \u03a9sq.
38. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein a total impedance of the poker chip presented to the RF wave is greater than about 1000\u03a9.
39. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein a total impedance of the poker chip presented to the RF wave is greater than about 10 K\u03a9.
40. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein a total impedance of the poker chip presented to the RF wave is greater than about 100 K\u03a9.
41. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein a total impedance of the poker chip presented to the RF wave is greater than about 1000 K\u03a9.
42. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the antenna is non-resonant.
43. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein at least 50% of the RF energy striking the antenna passes through the antenna.
44. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the antenna is formed from a conducting polymer.
45. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the antenna is formed from a conductive paste having a sheet resistance of at least about 1 \u03a9sq.
46. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the antenna is formed from a metal having a sheet resistivity of at least about 1 \u03a9sq.
47. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the poker chip has an average thickness, defined between ends thereof adapted for abutting adjacent objects, of less than about 14 inch.
48. A system, comprising:
the poker chip of claim 34; and
a reader in communication with the poker chip.
49. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery being semi-transparent to an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.
50. The poker chip of claim 34, wherein the poker chip further comprises a battery coupled to the circuit, the battery having a size smaller than a wavelength of an RF carrier signal used in communications with the poker chip.