JP2008276466A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor allowing easy acquisition of a normal image in coping with fluctuation of brightness in time of photographing. <P>SOLUTION: An image approximate to the original normal image not affected by the fluctuation of the brightness of disturbance light or the like in photographing can be easily obtained from a plurality of images photographed as varying the shutter time to cope with the fluctuation of the brightness of the disturbance light or the like in photographing, since an imaging element 1 photographs a product P at designated photographing timing and with shutter times of a plurality of time widths different from each other sequentially a plurality of times. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that captures an image of a conveyed product with an image sensor and performs image processing on image data of the product.

  As shown in FIG. 1, conventionally, a product P is detected by a synchronous sensor S while a number of products P are moved one after another by a transport mechanism C such as a transport conveyor, and the input of this detection signal is used as an imaging timing. There is known an image processing apparatus that performs image processing on imaging data of a product P imaged by an imaging device (imaging camera) 1 such as an image sensor and determines, for example, whether the product P is good or bad.

  By the way, when the brightness with respect to the product P fluctuates at the time of photographing due to ambient light at the time of photographing, blinking of a fluorescent lamp, aging of the device when using an illumination device, etc., the inspection result of the product P is disturbed, There is a problem that the original image processing result cannot be obtained.

For this reason, it has been conventionally known that the shutter speed of the imaging camera is varied according to the brightness fluctuation. As a conventional technique, the brightness level of the imaging signal is detected, and the shutter speed is determined according to the detection result. It is known to vary (for example, Patent Document 1). It is also known that the level of the video signal is detected, and when the level is outside a certain range, the shutter speed is varied to perform control within the certain range (for example, Patent Document 2). In addition, it is also known that image processing is continuously performed multiple times for each work with an image sensor, and variation in image processing measurement values due to work shake is internally statistically processed (for example, Patent Document 3).
JP 2002-135650 A JP-A-8-168027 JP 2004-145504 A

  However, in the level detection circuit for detecting the level of the imaging signal in Patent Documents 1 and 2, since the average luminance of the image is output, the luminance partially changes, that is, the product has a sheet shape with a wrinkle on the surface, for example. Then, the specular reflection light may or may not enter depending on the wrinkle state, so that the luminance information of the target portion cannot be obtained accurately.

  Further, in Patent Document 3, since imaging is simply performed a predetermined number of times at a predetermined interval, it is not possible to deal with the case where the brightness at the time of shooting fluctuates due to ambient light or the like.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that can solve the above-described problems and can easily obtain a normal image corresponding to a variation in brightness at the time of photographing.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention shoots a product to be transported with an imaging device and performs image processing on imaging data of the product. A shooting control unit that causes the image sensor to shoot, and the shooting control unit stores in advance setting value storage means for storing shooting setting values including a plurality of different time widths for each shooting of the image sensor; And an imaging condition designating unit for designating a photographing timing for photographing and a shutter time of the stored different time width, and the imaging element is a product at the designated photographing timing and the shutter time of the different time width. Control is performed so that each image is continuously shot a plurality of times.

  According to this configuration, since the imaging device shoots the product continuously a plurality of times with the designated shooting timing and a plurality of shutter times having different time widths, that is, with different shutter times, the shutter time is set for each. Out of the multiple images taken with the variable, it is easy to obtain an image close to the original normal image that is not affected by fluctuations in brightness, such as ambient light, or changes in the product. It can cope with fluctuations in brightness such as light.

  Preferably, the set value storage means stores a reference shutter time unit that stores a reference shutter time that serves as a reference for the shutter time, a time increase / decrease unit that stores a time increase / decrease to be added to the reference shutter time, and a continuous shooting count. And a continuous shooting number section to be stored. Therefore, a plurality of shutter times can be easily stored.

  Preferably, the photographing timing designated by the photographing condition designation means is a timing at which a product detection signal is input from the synchronization sensor.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus includes an image sensor (imaging camera) 1 such as an image sensor that captures a product P to be conveyed, and a plurality (for 1 to n) of image memories 2 that store image data captured by the image sensor 1. The detection signal of the image processing unit 3 that performs image processing on the imaging data of the product P, the processing result output unit 4 that outputs the image processing result, and the synchronization sensor S (FIG. 1) that detects the product P being conveyed is input. And a synchronization input unit 8.

  The product P is food stored in a case, and the inspection target part of the product P is a product label on which characters such as the expiry date, the manufacturing location, and the manufacturing time of the food are printed on the case. The quality of the product P is judged by detecting characters such as the expiration date in the label and the positional deviation of the product label. Moreover, the length of the product P may be measured by this apparatus, and the average value of the measurement data may be obtained.

  This apparatus includes a photographing control unit 5 that causes the image sensor 1 to continuously photograph a plurality of times for each product P with different photographing setting values. The photographing control unit 5 photographs a setting value storage unit (setting value memory) 6 that stores in advance photographing setting values including a plurality of shutter times having different time widths for each photographing of the image sensor 1 and the product P. And imaging condition designating means 7 for designating the imaging timing and the stored shutter time of the different time width, and the image pickup device 1 is the product P at the specified imaging timing and the shutter time of the different time width. Control is performed so that each image is continuously shot a plurality of times.

  The set value memory 6 stores a reference shutter time unit 11 that stores a reference shutter time serving as a reference for the shutter time, a time increase / decrease unit 12 that stores a time increase / decrease to be added to the reference shutter time, and a number of continuous shootings. And a continuous photographing number section 13.

  The photographing timing designated by the photographing condition designating means 7 is designated based on the synchronization input from the synchronization input unit 8 to which the detection signal of the synchronization sensor S (FIG. 1) that has detected the product P being conveyed is inputted.

An example of the image processing operation in the apparatus having the above configuration will be described based on the time chart of FIG.
For example, the number of continuous photographing in the continuous photographing number section 13 in the setting value memory 6 is set to five. The reference shutter time of the reference shutter time unit 11 is set to S0, and the increase / decrease of the shutter time of the shutter time increase / decrease unit 12 is set to α, 2α. For example, the shutter time increase / decrease α is set to 5 to 10% with respect to the reference shutter time S0. The plurality of shutter times are set to five of S0, S1 (S0 + α), S2 (S0-α), S3 (S0 + 2α), and S4 (S0-2α) having different time widths. The shutter times S0 to S4 correspond to exposures 0 to 4 of the image sensor 1, respectively.

  In FIG. 3 a, the image sensor 1 starts photographing at the photographing timing based on the synchronization input from the synchronization input unit 8 when the product P is detected by the synchronization sensor S (FIG. 1). The image sensor 1 captures one product P continuously five times at this photographing timing.

First, in FIG. 3B and FIG. 3C, the product P is photographed with the shutter time S0 (exposure 0). This captured image is transferred to the first image in the image memory 2, and image processing 0 is performed by the image processing unit 3 in FIG. Next, in FIGS. 3b and 3c, the product P is photographed at the shutter time S1 (exposure 1). This captured image is transferred to the second image in the image memory 2, and in FIG. 3d, the image processing unit 3 performs image processing 1. Hereinafter, similarly, the product P is photographed at the shutter time S2 (exposure 2), the shutter time S3 (exposure 3), and the shutter time S4 (exposure 4), and these photographed images are for the third to fifth sheets in the image memory 2. In FIG. 3d, the image processing unit 3 performs image processing 2, 3, and 4.
In FIG. 3 e, the processing result output unit 4 outputs the processing results of the image processings 0 to 4.

  When disturbance light enters during shooting and the brightness fluctuates, for example, the shot image at the shutter time S2 (exposure 2) becomes close to the original normal image.

  In this way, in the present invention, the imaging device 1 shoots the product P a plurality of times continuously with the designated shooting timing and a plurality of shutter times having different time widths, that is, with different shutter times, and thus the shutter time. You can easily obtain an image close to the original normal image that is not affected by fluctuations in brightness such as ambient light during shooting from among multiple images that were shot with different settings, such as ambient light during shooting. Can cope with fluctuations in brightness.

  In this embodiment, the shooting timing specified by the shooting condition specifying means 7 is the timing at which the detection signal of the product P is input from the synchronization sensor S. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various synchronization input means can be used. Can be adopted.

It is a block diagram of the image processing apparatus provided with the image pick-up element, the conveyance conveyor, and the synchronous sensor. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a time chart showing the operation of the image processing apparatus of FIG. 2.

Explanation of symbols

1: Image sensor 3: Image processing unit 5: Shooting control unit 6: Setting value storage means (setting value memory)
7: Shooting condition designating means 8: Synchronization input unit 11: Reference shutter time unit 12: Shutter time increase / decrease unit 13: Continuous shooting number unit P: Product S: Synchronization sensor

Claims (3)

An image processing apparatus that images a product to be conveyed with an image sensor and performs image processing on image data of the product,
Each product is equipped with a shooting control unit that causes the image sensor to continuously take multiple shots.
The photographing control unit
A set value storage means for storing in advance shooting setting values including shutter times having different time widths for each shooting of the image sensor;
Photographing condition designating means for designating a photographing timing for photographing a product and a stored shutter time of the different time width,
An image processing apparatus that controls an image sensor to continuously shoot a plurality of times for each product at a specified shooting timing and a shutter time having a different time width. In claim 1,
The set value storage means stores a reference shutter time that is a reference of the shutter time, a time increase / decrease unit that stores a time increase / decrease to be added to the reference shutter time, and a continuous number of continuous shootings. An image processing apparatus having a photographing number section. In claim 1,
An image processing apparatus, wherein the photographing timing designated by the photographing condition designation means is a timing at which a product detection signal is input from a synchronous sensor.

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