Electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus, electrical characteristic parameter inspection method, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12429447-B2
Application number	US-202318184200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2023
Priority date	Mar 31, 2022
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

An electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus includes multiple sensors to be arranged on or over an object and a hardware processor. The hardware processor selects multiple predetermined selection patterns, each of the selection patterns including a sensor pair, the sensor pair including two or more sensors among the multiple sensors; measures electrical characteristic parameters for the respective selection patterns, the electrical characteristic parameters being output from the sensors included in the selection patterns; and analyzes the electrical characteristic parameters measured for the respective selection patterns.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus comprising:
multiple sensors to be arranged on or over an object; and
a hardware processor that
selects multiple predetermined selection patterns, each of the multiple predetermined selection patterns including a sensor pair, the sensor pair including two or more sensors among the multiple sensors;
brings the sensor pair into contact with or close to the object and measures electrical characteristic parameters for the each of the multiple predetermined selection patterns, the electrical characteristic parameters being output from the sensors included in the each of multiple predetermined selection patterns; and
analyzes the electrical characteristic parameters measured for the each of the multiple predetermined selection patterns.

2. An electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus comprising:
multiple electrode terminals to be arranged on or over a front surface and/or a back surface of an object; and
a hardware processor that
forms an electrode, the electrode including at least two element electrodes, each of the element electrodes including at least one electrode terminal among the multiple electrode terminals, and forms selection patterns each of which includes multiple electrodes;
outputs a predetermined electric signal;
brings the electrodes included in each of the selection patterns into contact with or close to the object, applies the output electric signal to the electrodes, and measures an electrical characteristic parameter; and
analyzes electrical characteristic parameters measured for the respective selection patterns.

3. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
based on an electrical characteristic of the object, the hardware processor determines a measurement target region of the object as an element area, the element area corresponding to the electrode, and measures the electrical characteristic parameter of the element area.

4. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
a size of the electrode is equal to or smaller than the element area in consideration of a spread of an electric field created in the object by the element electrodes constituting the electrode, and
the hardware processor changes the size of the electrode depending on the object.

5. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
each of the element electrodes constituting the electrode includes one or more electrode terminals, and
the hardware processor changes a size and a shape of the electrode by selecting the one or more electrode terminals.

6. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
each of the electrode terminals constituting the electrode has a flat shape, a block shape, a film shape, a needle shape, or a flexible shape corresponding to a shape of the object.

7. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the multiple electrodes included in the selection pattern are connected in parallel and are connected to the hardware processor.

8. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the multiple electrodes included in the selection pattern are connected in series and are connected to the hardware processor.

9. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
between the electrodes constituting the selection pattern, a shielding area is provided to reduce or prevent electrical interference between the electrodes.

10. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the shielding area is formed by a second element electrode around a first element electrode that constitutes the electrode.

11. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the second element electrode is connected to a ground.

12. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
each of the selection patterns forms a predetermined two-dimensional pattern.

13. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein
the selection patterns are orthogonal to each other in a two-dimensional plane.

14. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the hardware processor changes the selection pattern,
the hardware processor measures electrical characteristic parameters for the respective selection patterns, and
the hardware processor analyzes the measured electrical characteristic parameters.

15. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the electric signal is an AC signal, and
the hardware processor controls a frequency and/or an amplitude of the AC signal to be output and measures an impedance or an admittance as the electrical characteristic parameter.

16. The electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the electric signal is a DC signal, and
the hardware processor controls a voltage and/or a current of the DC signal to be output and measures an electrical resistance as the electrical characteristic parameter.

17. An electrical characteristic parameter inspection method comprising:
arranging two or more sensors on or over an object in a predetermined selection pattern among multiple selection patterns;
bringing the sensors arranged in the predetermined selection pattern into contact with or close to the object;
measuring an electrical characteristic parameter output from the sensors arranged in the predetermined selection pattern; and
analyzing the measured electrical characteristic parameter, wherein
the measuring measures the electrical characteristic parameter for each of the multiple selection patterns, and
the analyzing analyzes electrical characteristic parameters measured for the multiple selection patterns.

18. An electrical characteristic parameter inspection method comprising:
arranging an electrode pair on or over a front surface and/or a back surface of an object in a predetermined selection pattern among multiple selection patterns;
measuring an electrical characteristic parameter by bringing electrodes included in the predetermined selection pattern into contact with or close to the object and by applying a predetermined electric signal to the object; and
analyzing the measured electrical characteristic parameter, wherein
the measuring measures the electrical characteristic parameter for each of the multiple selection patterns, and
the analyzing analyzes electrical characteristic parameters measured for the multiple selection patterns.

19. A nontransitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for a computer of an electrical characteristic parameter inspection apparatus that includes multiple sensors to be arranged on or over an object, the program causing the computer to:
select multiple predetermined selection patterns, each of the multiple predetermined selection patterns including two or more sensor pairs among the multiple sensors;
bring the two or more sensor pairs in the each of the multiple predetermined selection patterns into contact or close to the object, and measure electrical characteristic parameters for the each of the multiple predetermined select

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Takada Makoto
• Jono Junichi
• Fuse Masaru

Classifications

• G01N27/026 Primary

  Dielectric impedance spectroscopy (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for measuring corrosion G01N17/02) · CPC title

• G01N33/383

  Concrete or cement · CPC title

• G01R31/00

  Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere ({measuring superconductive properties G01R33/1238;} testing line transmission systems H04B3/46; testing or measuring semiconductors or solid state devices during manufacture {H10P74/00}) · CPC title

• G01N27/00

  Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means (G01N3/00 – G01N25/00 take precedence; measurement or testing of electric or magnetic variables or of electric or magnetic properties of materials G01R) · CPC title

• G01N27/041 Primary

  of a solid body · CPC title