JP2000331161A - Processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor which is constituted in such a way that the processor is not required to transfer NG image data and, as a result, can easily realize high-speed inspections. SOLUTION: The image processor 1 is provided with an image data memory 9 composed of a plurality of image storing areas A1, A2,... in which the image data of an object 22 to be inspected are updated after the data are temporarily stored and, at the same time, the image data of defective object 22 are stored. The memory 9 is constituted in such a way that the temporary storage and updating of image data fetched after the image data of the defective object 22 are stored in the image storing areas A1 and A2 of the preceding stage are executed in the image storing area A3 of the succeeding stage.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus used in an inspection process in a production line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a production line for a product filled in a container having a predetermined shape or a circuit board on which electronic components are mounted, for example, a label indicating the specification of the product is placed at a predetermined position on the container. Inspections such as whether or not the electronic components are correctly attached or not, and whether or not the electronic components are mounted in the correct positions are to be performed. In these inspection processes, methods such as template matching are used. Image processing apparatuses are used.

That is, in this image processing apparatus,
Image processing of image data obtained by photographing an inspection object, and comparing a coordinate position based on a predetermined determination criterion with an inspection object, for example, a coordinate position of a label attached to a container. It is determined whether or not a defect such as a positional displacement of the label has occurred, and if the defect has occurred, that is, if it is determined to be NG, the image data of the inspection object and the image Various inspection result data calculated based on the data are to be stored. When investigating the cause of the defect, the operator compares the image with the inspection result while displaying the image and the inspection result generated from the stored image data and inspection result data on a monitor. After that, the cause of the defect is determined.

[0004]

Although the conventional image processing apparatus is not shown in the drawings, the image data of the inspection object is temporarily stored and updated, and the image data is determined to be NG. In general, a frame memory for transferring and storing only image data (hereinafter referred to as NG image data) when the image data is stored in the RAM, that is, an image data memory including a single image storage area, is provided. The frame memory stores image data of the inspection object. That is, as long as image data determined to be OK without a defect has occurred,
The image data is updated without storing the image data in the AM, and only the NG image data is transferred to the RAM until the next image data is fetched.

However, in a normal production line, if an NG image in the frame memory taken in accordance with the line speed is taken into the frame memory before being transferred to the RAM, the NG image disappears. However, it is difficult to transfer the NG image data to the RAM while taking in the image data. In addition, not only the NG image data but also, for example, the same RAM as the inspection result data based on the NG image data and the time data when the NG is determined.
It may be saved with
In reality, it is increasingly difficult to realize high-speed inspection processing because the time required for transferring NG image data is further increased.

The present invention has been made in view of these inconveniences, and makes it unnecessary to transfer NG image data. As a result, image processing which can easily realize high-speed inspection processing is possible. It is intended to provide equipment.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus for temporarily storing image data of an inspection object and updating the image data. An image data memory including a plurality of image storage areas for storing and storing image data, that is, NG image data, is provided. The image data memory stores NG image data in the preceding image storage area. It is characterized in that temporary storage and update of image data taken in thereafter are executed in the next image storage area. With this configuration, NG image data is stored in each image storage area of the image data memory, and the entire NG image data is stored in the image data memory itself. As a result, there is no need to transfer the data to the server, so that the transfer process becomes unnecessary and the speed of the inspection process can be increased.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein an NG image data which is image data of an inspection object having a defect is stored in an image data memory. Each of the regions is characterized in that even the inspection result data calculated based on the NG image data is stored together. With this configuration, the NG image data and the inspection result data are stored in the same image storage area in an integrated state with each other, so that the corresponding images and inspection results are simultaneously displayed on the monitor, As a result, the advantage that the operator can easily find out the cause of the defect is secured.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an installation state of an image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image processing apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an internal configuration of an image data memory. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure of an image processing operation, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a template matching method, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a registration information map in an image data memory, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows a specific example. Note that reference numeral 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicates an image processing apparatus.

The image processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment utilizes a technique such as template matching, and is used in a production line for a product filled in a container having a predetermined shape or a circuit board on which electronic components are mounted. It is used in the inspection process. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the production line has a predetermined shape after being filled with a large number of bottle containers 21, that is, products such as liquids, and has an inspection object at a predetermined position. Label 22
A large number of bottle containers 21 with
There is a production line which is sequentially conveyed in this manner, and the image processing apparatus 1 used in an inspection process in this production line, for example, a process for inspecting the presence or absence of the label 22 or a positional shift, has a predetermined inspection. A photoelectric sensor 2 for detecting that the bottle container 21 has reached the position, and a CCD camera 3 for photographing the bottle container 21 having reached the inspection position and obtaining an image of a label 22 or the like to be inspected are provided. Have been. In addition, the code | symbol A in FIG.
Are shown.

In the present embodiment, an object to be inspected using the image processing apparatus 1, that is, an object to be inspected as to whether or not a defect has occurred is labeled with a label 22 affixed to the bottle container 21. And the defect that occurs is label 2
2, but other than the label 22, for example, a sealing plug (cap) 24 of the bottle container 21.
Inspection items may be used as inspection objects, and the amount of product to be filled, and the inspection items required for each of these inspection objects are diversified. Further, the inspection should not be limited to the bottle container 21 alone, and although not shown, a circuit board or the like on which electronic components are mounted may be used at all. Of course, the image processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can be used.

The image processing apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 2, constitutes a CCD camera 3, converts object light from the bottle 21 formed on the CCD surface into an electric signal, and outputs the electric signal. A CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 4, an A / D converter 5 that converts image signals output from the CCD 4 into digital signals and generates image data, and an LSI that controls the output timing of the image data captured from the CCD 4 It is provided with a camera / display controller 6 and a D / A converter 8 which converts image data output from the camera / display controller 6 into analog signals and outputs the analog signals to a monitor 7. Also, the image processing apparatus 1
Represents image data captured from the CCD camera 3 and output from the camera / display controller 6;
That is, the image data of the bottle container 21 including the label 22 to be inspected is temporarily stored and updated, and the image data is composed of a plurality of image storage areas in which only the NG image data is stored and stored. A data memory 9 is provided.

That is, the image data memory 9 stores N
Temporary storage and updating of the image data captured after the G image data is stored in the previous image storage area are executed in the next image storage area,
More specifically, as shown in FIG.
Are represented by..., And in each of the image storage areas A1, A2,..., As long as the image data is determined to be OK without any defect. While each of the data is temporarily stored and continuously updated, after the captured image data is stored in the preceding image storage area, for example, the image storage areas A1 and A2 as NG image data, Is to temporarily store and update the captured image data in the next image storage area A3.

Further, the image processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment controls the entire apparatus, executes image processing of image data in accordance with image processing calculation conditions registered in advance, and performs inspection processing on the image data. The CPU 10 that determines whether an object has a defect, that is, here, whether the label 22 is displaced, and the ROM 11 that stores an execution program of the CPU 10 are displaced. NG which is the image data of the label 22 determined to be
It includes a RAM 12 for storing and storing various inspection result data calculated by performing image processing on image data, and an I / O 13 as an input / output unit. Note that here, the RAM
Although the inspection result data is stored according to 12,
The configuration is not limited to such a configuration, and the image storage area A of the image data memory 9 in which the NG image data is stored is stored.
, A2,..., It is also possible to integrally store inspection result data, that is, inspection result data calculated based on NG image data.

Therefore, in this image processing apparatus 1,
The image processing operation according to the procedure shown in FIG. 4 is executed. That is, first, when an instruction to start an inspection is given via the I / O 13, an image obtained by photographing the entire bottle container 21 is taken in from the CCD 4, and
Is transferred to the image storage area of the area number designated for image capture, for example, the image storage area A1 of the image data memory 9 (step S1). Then, in the image storage area A1, as shown in FIG. 5, a search image 16 having a maximum matching degree in a search area (window) 15 specified in advance, for example, a search image 16 having a matching degree of 90%. Is found by a method such as template matching, and image data in the search area 15 is subjected to image processing to calculate various inspection result data, for example, inspection result data representing a numerical result such as a coordinate position. Is performed (step S2).

Subsequently, the calculated numerical result is compared with a judgment condition (step S3), and it is determined whether or not the search image 16 is displaced from a search image (not shown) set as a judgment reference in advance, that is, whether the search image 16 It is determined whether or not the label 22 as the target is NG as a result of the displacement (step S4). If the label 22 is determined to be NG, a defect has occurred in the inspection target. That is, it is determined that the label 22 is out of position. Unless an NG determination is made in step S4, the image data of the inspection object is temporarily stored in the image storage area A1 of the image data memory 9 and is continuously updated.

When it is determined that the image is NG, the NG image data which is the image data of the misaligned label 22 is stored in the image storage area A of the image data memory 9.
1, while various inspection result data calculated on the basis of the NG image data, for example, numerical results and determination results such as horizontal and vertical displacement amounts, and further, defects are generated. Inspection result data such as the time when it is determined that the registration is performed is stored in the RAM 12, and the area number designated as the registration destination is updated from 1 to 2 (step S).
5). Note that the inspection result data, that is, the inspection result data calculated based on the NG image data is stored in each of the image storage areas A1, A2,... In which the NG image data of the image data memory 9 is stored. In some cases, various inspection result data are also stored in the image storage area A1.

Thereafter, a new image is continuously stored in the CCD 4
The image data of the captured image is transferred to the image storage area A2 of the image data memory 9, and it is determined whether or not the image is NG. As long as the received image data is OK, the determination using the same image storage area A2 is repeatedly executed (S1 to S4). Then, if it is determined again that the label 22 as the inspection target is NG because the position of the label 22 is shifted, the NG image data and the inspection result data are stored in the image storage area A2 of the image data memory 9. After that, the area number designated as the registration destination is updated from 2 to 3 (step S5), and the above operation is repeatedly executed.

Therefore, the registration information map of the image data memory 9 under this condition is as shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 6 shows that the image data currently taken in by the image storage area AN of the area number N is stored. The state during the processing is shown. Further, an image and an inspection result are generated from each of the image data and the inspection result data stored according to the above-described procedure, and when investigating the cause of the defect, a state as shown in FIG. The operator investigates the cause of the defect while visually checking the image displayed on the monitor and the inspection result.

In the present embodiment, the label 22 affixed to the bottle container 21 is an object to be inspected, and the generated defect is a displacement of the label 22. For, the sealing plug 24, the filling amount of the product, and the like are also the inspection objects, and the inspection result data for each required inspection item for each of these inspection objects is calculated based on the NG image data,
In addition, monitor display is performed according to the same procedure as that described in the present embodiment. Although the NG image data and the inspection result data are stored in the present embodiment, the image data and the inspection result data of the inspection object determined to be OK may be stored for reference. Of course.

[0022]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention,
According to the image processing apparatus of the above, the NG image data is stored in each of the image storage areas of the image data memory, and the NG image data is entirely stored in the image data memory.
As a result of eliminating the need to transfer data to the AM, the effect is obtained that the speed of the inspection process can be increased without requiring transfer. According to the image processing apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, the NG image data and the inspection result data are stored in the same image storage area in a state where they are integrated with each other. The inspection results are displayed on the monitor at the same time, and as a result, it is possible to obtain an effect that it is easy for the operator to find out the cause of the defect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an installation state of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an internal configuration of an image data memory provided in the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of an image processing operation in the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a template matching method.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a registration information map of an image data memory;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of monitor display in the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus 9 Image data memory 22 Label (inspection object) A1 Image storage area A2 Image storage area A3 Image storage area

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on front page F term (reference) 2G051 AA65 AB20 CA03 CA04 DA01 DA06 EA12 EA14 FA10 5B057 AA01 AA04 BA02 BA11 CH11 DA03 DA04 DA16 DB02 DB09

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image comprising a plurality of image storage areas in which image data of an inspection object is temporarily stored and updated, and image data of an inspection object having a defect is stored and stored. The image data memory includes a data memory, which temporarily stores and updates image data captured after the image data of the inspection object having a defect is stored in the previous image storage area. An image processing apparatus characterized by being configured to be executed by a next-stage image storage area. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the image storage areas of the image data memory in which the image data of the inspection object having the defect is stored has An image processing apparatus having a configuration in which even inspection result data calculated based on image data is stored together.