JP2009211410A - Image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus that makes it possible to display a list of a plurality of processes for use in inspection or measurement, while using common attributes, thereby making it easy to understand processes that constitute a project. <P>SOLUTION: The image processing apparatus 10 includes a processing unit 13 for inspecting or measuring a target image of a target imaged by an imaging device 20, by combining a plurality of processes. Regarding a project of inspection or measurement, a classification unit 14 uses the attributes of the processes as classification items, hierarchizes the processes according to the classification items, and displays the names of the processes in the form of a tree on the screen of a monitor device 22. Once any of the names of the processes displayed on the screen of the monitor device 22 is selected, the classification unit 14 displays a setting window on the screen of the monitor device 22 for setting parameters about the process. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that performs inspection and measurement using an image of an object.

  Conventionally, an image processing apparatus that performs inspection and measurement of an object using an image obtained by imaging the object (hereinafter referred to as “target image”) (hereinafter, a series of inspection and measurement is referred to as “project”). There has been provided an image processing apparatus that is capable of combining a plurality of types of processes prepared in advance and has improved versatility. In other words, the image processing apparatus has a computer as a main component, and selects and combines necessary programs from a library of programs for performing various processes (position correction, position recognition, edge detection, etc.), thereby performing a desired inspection or Measurement is made possible.

  When actually combining the processes, it is necessary to set the processing target area, the inspection condition, and the determination condition as parameters for each process. For example, in the process of converting a grayscale image into a binary image, it is necessary to set a density threshold for binarization as a parameter.

  To set such parameters, a setting window W1 as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the screen of the monitor device connected to the image processing apparatus, and a numerical value is displayed in the field F provided for each item of the setting window W1. The method of inputting the or selecting the condition is adopted. In the illustrated example, the tags T1 to T3 of “area setting”, “inspection condition”, and “judgment condition” are provided in the setting window W1, and the tags T1 to T3 are selected with a pointing device such as a mouse (for mouse clicks) The screen including the field F for setting the region, the inspection condition, and the determination condition is displayed. After setting parameters in the fields F of the setting window W1, the parameters are determined by selecting the button B1.

  By the way, the setting window W1 is displayed for each process, and it is necessary to set parameters for a plurality of setting windows W1 even with only one type of inspection or measurement. Furthermore, when a plurality of types of inspections and measurements are performed on one object, or when the same inspection is performed at a plurality of locations for one object, a large number of setting windows W1 are required for one target image. become. Similarly, when performing inspection and measurement on a plurality of target images obtained by imaging a single target with a plurality of imaging devices (cameras), a large number of setting windows W1 are required for the single target. . In short, one project needs to set parameters in a plurality of setting windows W1.

  As described above, even when one kind of inspection or measurement is performed, a plurality of setting windows W1 are required for each process related to the inspection or the measurement, and parameters must be set in the plurality of setting windows W1. Since inspection and measurement cannot be performed, there is a problem that it takes time to set and change parameters.

On the other hand, when setting conditions for various items, a menu that lists items is displayed and the menu is hierarchized so that conditions can be set for many items while limiting the number of items displayed at one time. It is generally done. In such a hierarchical menu, multiple operations are required to reach the target item, and the operation becomes complicated. Therefore, the entire items for which conditions can be set include the hierarchical structure. A list display is also considered (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-109281 (paragraph 0012, FIG. 2)

  Since the technique described in Patent Document 1 displays a list of setting items, it can be considered that each field F of the setting window W1 can be displayed as a list when applied to the setting window W1 shown in FIG. However, since the setting window W1 has a relatively large display area, and it is necessary to switch the screen by the tags T1 to T3 among the setting windows W1, it is possible to display a list of a plurality of setting windows W1 for one project. There is no sex.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above reasons, and its purpose is to make it possible to display a list using attributes common to a plurality of processes used for inspection and measurement, and to grasp the processes constituting the project. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus that facilitates the above.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, in an image processing apparatus that performs inspection or measurement by combining a plurality of processes with respect to a target image obtained by capturing an object, each classification item is classified on the screen of the monitor device with the attribute of each process as a classification item And a classification unit for hierarchically displaying process names and displaying them in a tree shape.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the classification unit associates a name of each process displayed on the screen of the monitor device with a setting window for setting parameters of the process. A setting window related to the processing is displayed on the screen of the monitor device by selecting the name of the monitor.

  According to the configuration of the first aspect of the invention, attention is paid to the attributes of the process, and the classification items are classified, and the process names are hierarchized for each classification item and displayed in a tree shape. can do. Moreover, since the hierarchical relationship of each process is displayed in a tree shape, the hierarchical relationship can be understood at a glance.

  According to the configuration of the invention of claim 2, since the setting window related to the processing is displayed on the screen of the monitor device by selecting the processing name displayed on the screen of the monitor device, the hierarchical structure of the processing is arranged in a tree shape. Since the setting window can be displayed and parameters can be set simply by selecting a process in the displayed state, the parameter setting can be changed quickly. In particular, since the same types of processes are displayed together, even if there are many types of processes, it is not necessary to individually search for the same type of processes and change the parameter settings, and the parameter changing operation is facilitated.

  In the embodiment described below, an example in which an appearance inspection of an object is performed by performing image processing using an image (grayscale image) obtained by imaging the object as a target image will be described. Therefore, an inspection area is set at a site to be subjected to appearance inspection.

  An image processing apparatus that performs image processing on a target image includes a microcomputer as a main component, and is loaded with programs for performing various image processing such as position correction processing, position recognition processing, and edge detection processing. The program is independent for each process, and the user can select and combine the programs. In order to obtain target information from an object, it is necessary not only to select and combine programs, but also to give parameters specifying operating conditions to individual programs.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as “computer”) 21 can be connected to the image processing apparatus for selecting and combining programs, setting parameters, setting inspection regions, and the like. A connection port is provided. Further, the image processing apparatus 10 is provided with a connection port for connecting a TV camera as the imaging device 20 for imaging an object and a connection port for connecting the monitor device 22. A plurality of (four in the illustrated example) imaging devices 20 can be connected to the image processing device 10, and an image of each imaging device 20 can be selected and displayed on the screen of the monitor device 22 or all imaging can be performed. The image of the device 20 can be displayed simultaneously by dividing the screen.

  The image processing apparatus 10 includes an image memory 11 that temporarily stores a target image captured by the imaging apparatus 20 and a storage device 12 that stores the target image. The storage device 12 stores a system program and a program for performing various processes on the target image (in many cases, only a program for a necessary process is selected and stored), setting values for attributes of each process, and the like. At least a part of the storage device 12 is a semiconductor memory (RAM), and provides a work area when processing a target image. In the illustrated example, a work area and a function for performing various processes are represented as a processing unit 13. That is, the processing unit 13 is configured by a storage device, a microprocessor, and the like that include an area for storing a program for performing processing and setting values related to processing attributes and a work area. Interfaces 15 and 16 for connecting the computer 21 and the monitor device 22 are also provided in the image processing apparatus 10.

  By the way, in this embodiment, the classification | category part 14 which classifies a process paying attention to the attribute in each process used by the process part 13 is provided. In other words, the processing executed by the processing unit 13 has a plurality of types as described in the background art, but each processing may have the same type of attribute. In particular, when a plurality of types of appearance inspections are performed on one target image, or when inspection areas are set at a plurality of locations, a plurality of target images obtained by capturing one target with a plurality of imaging devices 20. When performing an appearance inspection or the like, since a large number of processes are included, it is meaningful to pay attention to the attributes of the processes.

  Therefore, the classification unit 14 classifies the plurality of processes used for a series of examinations (hereinafter referred to as “projects”) for each common attribute, and the monitoring device 22 is arranged in a tree form for each classification. It is displayed on the screen. Here, in this embodiment, the types of the imaging device 20 (“camera”), the position correction process (“position correction”), and the matching process (“registered pattern”) are used as attributes.

  “Camera” is a classification item regarding which of the four imaging devices 20 is used, and “position correction” is a classification item regarding the type of position correction processing used in each process. "Is a classification item related to the type of pattern matching used in each process. Here, three types of attributes are used for classification items, but it goes without saying that other attributes may be used for classification items. It is also possible to combine a plurality of attributes into classification items.

  FIG. 2 shows a display example hierarchized in a tree shape. FIG. 2A shows an example in which projects are displayed in a hierarchical manner according to processing without classification by attribute. In the illustrated example, there are classification items such as inspection processing, position correction processing, and region adjustment processing, and specific processing names (hereinafter referred to as “processing names”) are displayed in the lower hierarchy for each classification item.

  FIGS. 2B, 2C, and 2D show a state in which processing is classified using the attribute as a classification item as described above, and when a camera is a classification item as shown in FIG. The camera is classified as a higher-level classification item, and the inspection process, position correction process, and area adjustment process are classified below.

  As can be seen by comparing FIG. 2 (b) with FIG. 2 (a), in the classification for each process, the project is composed of three types of inspection processes. Are classified by camera, the target image captured by the first imaging device 20 (camera No. 1) is two types of inspection processing, and the target image captured by the second imaging device 20 (camera No. 2) is one type. It can be seen that the inspection process is performed. Similarly, when position correction processing is a classification item, it becomes obvious at a glance which position correction processing is used for which inspection processing. When registered pattern is a classification item, which registration pattern is which inspection It will be obvious at a glance whether it will be used in processing.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 2, when processing is displayed in a tree shape for each classification item, a click box CB is provided at a branch point of each hierarchy of the classification item. The click box CB is selected by a pointing device (corresponding to a click with a mouse), thereby switching whether to display (expand) or hide the contents of a lower layer having the click box CB as a branch point. Can do. That is, when the contents of the lower hierarchy are displayed, the symbol “-” is displayed in the click box CB. At this time, the lower hierarchy can be hidden by selecting the click box CB. When the lower layer is hidden, a “+” symbol is displayed in the click box CB. At this time, when the click box CB is selected, a lower hierarchy is displayed.

  Further, a setting window W1 (see FIG. 3) is associated with each specific process name in the lower hierarchy, and the setting window W1 is displayed on the screen of the monitor device 22 by selecting the process name. The parameters can be set. Therefore, it is possible to immediately shift from the state where the hierarchy for each classification item is displayed to the state where the parameter is set for each process.

  By classifying the processes for each attribute as described above, the process names of the same type of processes are displayed together in one place, so even if the setting window W1 is opened for each process, each process The setting window W1 can be easily accessed from the tree-like display state indicating the hierarchy without searching for the setting window W1 corresponding to. As a result, it is possible to set parameters of the same type of processing collectively, and the workability in the parameter setting work is improved. In addition, for the same type of processing, it may be required to change the processing itself at once. Even in this case, by changing the processing from the tree-like display state shown in FIG. Work can be done easily. Note that a new process can be easily performed in a tree-like display state.

It is a block diagram which shows embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a display in the same as the above. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of a setting window.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image processing apparatus 11 Image memory 12 Storage apparatus 13 Processing part 14 Classification part 15 Interface 16 Interface 20 Imaging apparatus 21 Computer 22 Monitor apparatus

Claims (2)

  In an image processing apparatus that performs inspection or measurement by combining a plurality of processes on a target image obtained by capturing an object, the process name is hierarchized for each classification item on the screen of the monitor device with each process attribute as a classification item. An image processing apparatus comprising a classification unit that displays a tree shape.   The classification unit associates the name of each process displayed on the screen of the monitor device with a setting window for setting parameters of the process, and monitors the setting window related to the process by selecting the name of the process. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is displayed on a screen of the apparatus.

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