JP2017090248A - Detection device and detection system of liquid or granule - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect, from the outside, liquid included in an object that cannot be visually recognized from the outside.SOLUTION: A detection unit 111 acquires a plurality of linear images taken at different time points by an imaging apparatus 4. The images taken by the imaging apparatus 4 are obtained by imaging the object that cannot be visually recognized from the outside using an electromagnetic wave such as X rays. The detection unit 111 extracts a feature point from the plurality of obtained linear images, and detects, from the plurality of extracted feature points, as a feature point indicating a point on a liquid surface, a feature point having a specific movement direction compared with many other feature points.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for inspecting an object that cannot be visually recognized from the outside.

There is a need to inspect whether a dangerous object is included in an object that cannot be visually recognized from the outside, such as the contents of baggage, for the purpose of preventing a passenger from bringing dangerous goods into a transportation means. For example, Patent Documents 1 to 3 disclose techniques for inspecting whether or not a dangerous object is included in an object that cannot be visually recognized from the outside.
In Patent Document 1, an imaging unit is provided so that a fluoroscopic image can be obtained from a vertical direction and a horizontal direction with respect to an inspection object, and the inside of the inspection object is obtained from the vertical direction image and the horizontal direction image. There is described a dangerous object detection device that obtains an X-ray absorption coefficient of an object and determines whether or not a dangerous object is contained in an inspection object from the X-ray absorption coefficient.

Patent Document 2 describes a method and apparatus for performing a safety inspection on a liquid object by dual energy CT.
Patent Document 3 describes a baggage scanning system that calculates a corrected mass using an average erosion density of an object and classifies the object as to whether it poses a threat compared to a mass threshold.

JP 2004-177138 A JP 2009-92658 A JP 2005-43357 A

  Liquid dangerous substances such as nitroglycerin and gasoline have high volatility, and there is a risk of causing a major accident even if the container is unintentionally damaged. There are also liquids that produce highly toxic gases through chemical reactions. Therefore, there is a need to inspect from the outside whether a liquid is contained in an object that cannot be visually recognized from the outside, such as baggage.

  Many explosives are granular. In addition, there are many powdered narcotics that are not dangerous goods but are prohibited from possession. Therefore, there is a need to inspect from the outside whether or not a granular material is included in an object that cannot be visually recognized from the outside, such as baggage.

  An object of this invention is to provide the means which makes it possible to detect the liquid or the granular material contained in the target object which cannot be visually recognized from the outside from the outside.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention has a unique moving direction from among a plurality of feature points included in an image including the object picked up by electromagnetic waves at different time points with respect to the object that cannot be visually recognized from the outside. An apparatus for detecting a liquid or granular material is provided as a first aspect, which includes a detecting means for detecting a characteristic point as a characteristic point indicating a point on the upper surface of the liquid or granular material.

  According to the detection device of the first aspect, it is possible to detect a liquid or a granular material contained in an object that cannot be visually recognized from the outside.

  In the detection device of the first aspect, the second configuration is configured to include an image generation unit that generates an image for displaying a feature point having a unique moving direction detected by the detection unit in a mode different from other feature points. You may employ | adopt as an aspect.

  According to the detection device of the second aspect, the user can visually recognize the feature points indicating the points on the upper surface of the liquid or the granular material separately from other feature points.

  In the detection device according to the second aspect, the image generation means includes a feature point whose moving direction detected by the detection means is not a unique feature point among a plurality of feature points included in the image captured by the electromagnetic wave. A configuration in which an image obtained by superimposing a plurality of images taken at each of the different time points is generated so that the positions match or approach each other may be adopted as the third aspect.

  According to the detection device of the third aspect, the user can easily know the relative movement of the feature point indicating the point on the upper surface of the liquid or the granular material with respect to the other feature point.

  In the detection device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the amount of liquid or granular material included in the object is specified based on positions of a plurality of feature points included in the image captured by the electromagnetic wave. A configuration including a quantity specifying unit may be adopted as the fourth aspect.

  According to the detection device of the fourth aspect, the amount of liquid or granular material contained in the object is specified.

  In the detection device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the viscosity value of the liquid or the granular material included in the object is calculated based on the movement amount of the feature point having a unique movement direction detected by the detection unit. A configuration including a viscosity value specifying means for specifying may be adopted as the fifth aspect.

  According to the detection device of the fifth aspect, the viscosity value of the liquid or granular material contained in the object is specified.

  In the detection device of the fifth aspect, a configuration may be adopted as a sixth aspect that includes association means for associating the viscosity value specified by the viscosity value specifying means with the temperature of the object.

  According to the detection device of the sixth aspect, the viscosity value of the liquid or granular material contained in the object is associated with the temperature of the object.

  Moreover, this invention provides the detection system of the above-mentioned detection apparatus and the speed change apparatus which changes the moving speed of the horizontal direction of the said target object as a 7th aspect.

  According to the detection system of the seventh aspect, when the object that cannot be visually recognized from the outside contains a liquid or a granular material, the liquid or the powder is compared with the case where the moving speed in the horizontal direction of the object does not change. Since the upper surface of the granular material is greatly deformed, the liquid or the granular material contained in the object is detected with high accuracy.

  Moreover, this invention provides the detection system of the above-mentioned detection apparatus and the angle change apparatus which changes the angle with respect to the perpendicular direction of the said target object as an 8th aspect.

  According to the detection system of the eighth aspect, when the object that cannot be visually recognized from the outside contains a liquid or a granular material, the liquid or the granular material is compared with the case where the angle of the object with respect to the vertical direction does not change. Since the position of the upper surface of the body changes greatly, detection of the liquid or granular material contained in the object is performed with high accuracy.

The figure which shows the main structures of the detection system which concerns on one Embodiment. The figure which shows the structure of the detection apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. The figure which shows the functional structure of the detection apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the process in which the detection apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment detects the feature point which shows the point on the upper surface of a liquid or a granular material. The figure which showed the two-dimensional image obtained by arranging the linear image imaged in the detection system which concerns on one Embodiment. The figure which shows the main structures of the detection system in one modification. The figure which showed a mode that the upper surface of the liquid or granular material contained in the target object conveyed by the conveying apparatus in one modification is deformed. The figure which shows the image obtained by superimposing two images of the target object conveyed by the conveying apparatus in one modification. The figure which shows the state which looked at the conveying apparatus in one modification in the horizontal direction. The figure which showed a mode that the position of the upper surface of the liquid or granular material contained in the target object conveyed by the conveying apparatus in one modification changes. The figure which shows the image obtained by superimposing two images of the target object conveyed by the conveying apparatus in one modification.

1. Embodiment 1-1. Overall Configuration of Detection System Hereinafter, a detection system 9 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the detection system 9, a liquid or a granular material is included in contents (hereinafter referred to as “object C”) that are not visible from the outside, which is accommodated in a container such as a bag (hereinafter referred to as “object J”). A system for detecting the liquid or the granular material. In addition, in this application, a granular material should just be a solid aggregate which shows the same or similar behavior as a liquid as an aggregate, and is not limited by the shape, size, substance, etc. of each powder or granule.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the main configuration of the detection system 9. The detection system 9 includes the object J and the object C accommodated in the object J (hereinafter, the object J and the object J accommodated in the object J when it is not necessary to distinguish between the object J and the object C accommodated in the object J). A transport device 3 that transports the object C simply as “object J” in the transport direction D1, an irradiation device 2 that irradiates the transported object J with electromagnetic waves in a predetermined frequency band, and an object irradiated with the electromagnetic waves. An imaging device 4 that captures an image of J, and a detection device 1 that detects a liquid or a granular material contained in the object C that cannot be visually recognized from the outside housed in the object J using the captured image. Have
The transport device 3 may transport the object J by any method such as a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor.

  The irradiation device 2 irradiates electromagnetic waves in a substantially horizontal direction that intersects the transport direction D1 in which the transport device 3 transports the object J. The electromagnetic wave irradiated by the irradiation device 2 may be an electromagnetic wave having a frequency band that transmits through the object J and has different transmittance depending on the type of the substance that constitutes the object J and its accommodation, for example, X-rays. The object J receives this electromagnetic wave during conveyance by the conveyance device 3. The shielding plate S shields the electromagnetic wave irradiated from the irradiation device 2 so that the electromagnetic wave is not irradiated to a passerby or the like near the imaging device 4.

  The imaging device 4 is a one-dimensional image sensor, and includes an electromagnetic wave sensor such as a photodiode arranged on a straight line along a scanning direction D0 that is substantially vertical as shown in FIG. The imaging device 4 senses the intensity of light emitted from a phosphor such as gadolinium sulfate that emits light when irradiated with the electromagnetic wave irradiated from the irradiation device 2 and transmitted through the object J by these electromagnetic wave sensors. And the imaging device 4 outputs a linear image according to the intensity | strength of the electromagnetic waves sensed by each electromagnetic wave sensor. The imaging device 4 generates a two-dimensional image of the object J by continuously imaging the object J transported by the transport device 3.

1-2. Configuration of Detection Device FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the components included in the detection system 9 and the configuration of the detection device 1. The detection device 1 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a display unit 13, an operation unit 14, and a communication unit 16 connected to a bus 19.
Note that the temperature measuring unit 15 indicated by a broken line in FIG. 2 is a component included in the detection device 1 in a modified example described later, and the detection device 1 according to the present embodiment does not include the temperature measurement unit 15. Moreover, the speed change unit 31 and the angle change unit 32 indicated by broken lines in FIG. 2 are components included in the transfer device 3 in a modification described later, and the transfer device 3 according to the present embodiment includes the speed change unit 31 and the angle change. The part 32 is not provided.

  The control unit 11 is means for controlling the operation of each unit of the detection apparatus 1. The control unit 11 includes an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and performs various types of information processing according to programs stored in these storage devices. Execute.

  The control unit 11 is communicably connected to the irradiation device 2, the transport device 3, and the imaging device 4, and instructs the devices to operate. The irradiation device 2 receives an instruction from the control unit 11 of the detection device 1 and irradiates the imaging device 4 with electromagnetic waves. The transport device 3 transports the object J in the transport direction D1 in response to an instruction from the control unit 11 of the detection device 1. The imaging device 4 receives an instruction from the control unit 11 of the detection device 1 and generates an image represented by the electromagnetic wave transmitted through the object J.

  The storage unit 12 includes a device (for example, a hard disk device) that continuously stores data, and stores programs executed by the control unit 11 and various data.

  The display unit 13 displays information such as an image generated by the detection device 1. The operation unit 14 includes an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse for the user to operate the detection device 1. The communication unit 16 is an interface for the detection device 1 to communicate with an external device.

1-3. Functional Configuration of Detection Device FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the detection device 1. The control unit 11 functions as the detection unit 111, the image generation unit 112, and the amount specifying unit 113 by executing the above-described program.
Note that the viscosity value specifying unit 114 and the associating unit 115 indicated by broken lines in FIG. 3 are components included in the detection device 1 in a modified example described later, and the detection device 1 according to the present embodiment includes the viscosity value specifying unit 114 and The association part 115 is not provided.

The detection unit 111 acquires a plurality of linear images captured at different time points by the imaging device 4. Then, the detection unit 111 extracts feature points from the acquired linear images, and the moving direction of the extracted feature points with time is compared with other feature points among the extracted feature points. To extract.
The object J is imaged by the imaging device 4 while receiving vibrations generated during conveyance. When the target object C accommodated in the object J contains a liquid or a granular material, the upper surface (the liquid level in the case of a liquid) of the liquid or the granular material is deformed by vibration. Therefore, in the image picked up by the image pickup device 4, the feature point indicating the point on the upper surface of the liquid or the granular material moves in a direction different from other feature points (for example, a point on the wall surface of the container). To do.
Therefore, the detection unit 111 detects a feature point having a unique movement direction as compared to the other feature points described above as a feature point indicating a point on the upper surface of the liquid or the granular material.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a process in which the detection unit 111 detects a feature point indicating a point on the upper surface of the liquid or granular material. The object J shown in FIG. 4 is conveyed by the conveying device 3 at the speed v1 in the conveying direction D1. In the object J, the book C1, the electronic device C2, the bottle C3, and the liquid C4 stored in the bottle C3 are stored as the target C.

  The imaging device 4 generates a linear image represented by the electromagnetic wave transmitted through the line L facing the electromagnetic wave sensor arranged along the scanning direction D0 in the object J. Since the object J, the bottle C3, the liquid C4, and the like are different materials, the transmittance when electromagnetic waves pass through them is different. Therefore, in the linear image captured by the imaging device 4, the point P1 indicating the upper point of the object J on the line L, the point P2 indicating the upper point of the bottle C3 on the line L, and the liquid on the line L The concentration changes discontinuously at a point P3 indicating the liquid level of C4, a point P4 indicating the lower point of the object J on the line L (and the lower point of the bottle C3), and the like. The detection unit 111 extracts points at which these densities change discontinuously as feature points.

  When transporting the object J in the transport direction D1, the transport device 3 vibrates the object J and the object C in a direction different from the transport direction D1 (a direction including a vertical direction component) due to, for example, undulation generated on the transport belt. give. Solid portions (for example, the book C1, the electronic device C2, and the bottle C3 in FIG. 4) of the object J and the target C move following this vibration. On the other hand, the liquid or the granular material (for example, the liquid C4 in FIG. 4) included in the object C is subjected to vibration and its upper surface is deformed. For this reason, the liquid surface of the liquid or the upper surface of the granular material does not necessarily follow the vibration received from the transfer device 3.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a two-dimensional image obtained by arranging linear images captured by the imaging device 4 in the transport direction D1. This two-dimensional image is generated by the image generation unit 112 of the control unit 11. When connecting two linear images that are adjacent on the time axis, the image generation unit 112 is based on the position in the vertical direction of a plurality of feature points extracted from each image, and between feature points extracted from different images. Perform matching. For example, points P1 to P4 (see FIG. 4) extracted from the image captured at the first time and points P1 to P1 extracted from the image captured at the second time subsequent to the first time. The point P4 is associated as a point where the points in the vertical direction that are close to each other indicate the same object. For example, correction of the position in the vertical direction of the image captured at the second time is performed so that many pairs of the points P1 to P4 thus associated have the same position in the vertical direction. . As a result, the two-dimensional image generated by the image generation unit 112 is an image from which noise due to movement in the vertical direction following the vibration that the object J and the target C receive from the transport device 3 is removed.

  However, from the two-dimensional image generated by the image generation unit 112, noise due to vertical movement that does not follow the vibration that the object J and the object C receive from the transport device 3, that is, the upper surface of the liquid or the granular material is deformed. Therefore, noise due to vertical movement of a point on the upper surface (point P3 in FIG. 4) that is generated is not removed. The image Q1 in FIG. 5 shows the locus of the point P3 in FIG. 4, and it can be seen that the image Q1 moves violently in the vertical direction due to noise that is not removed. This is because the movement direction of the point P3 is unique compared to the movement directions of other feature points (for example, the points P1, P2, and P4).

  The detection unit 111 detects, for example, a feature point that moves in the vertical direction as time elapses, such as a feature point whose movement distance differs from a movement distance of many other feature points by a predetermined threshold value or more. It is detected as a feature point indicating a point on the upper surface of. In the example of FIG. 4, the point P3 is detected as a feature point indicated as a point on the upper surface of the liquid or powder.

  When the image generation unit 112 generates the two-dimensional image shown in FIG. 5, the feature points indicating the points on the upper surface of the liquid or powder detected by the detection unit 111 are displayed in a manner different from other feature points. A two-dimensional image is generated as follows. The two-dimensional image generated by the image generation unit 112 is displayed by the display unit 13. As a result, the two-dimensional image shown in FIG. 5 is displayed in a state where the image Q1 is highlighted in red or the like, for example.

  The amount specifying unit 113 specifies the amount of liquid or granular material included in the object C based on the positions of a plurality of feature points included in an image captured by electromagnetic waves. For example, the amount specifying unit 113 obtains the height H of the liquid surface (or the upper surface of the granular material) by averaging the vertical positions of the points P2 indicated by the image Q1 in FIG. Then, the amount of the liquid C4 is specified based on the height H and the shape of the bottle C3.

  In addition, since the image produced | generated by the image generation part 112 is a two-dimensional image, the length of the depth direction of the liquid C4 cannot be specified from a two-dimensional image. Accordingly, the amount specifying unit 113 specifies the volume of the liquid C4 on the assumption that the length in the left-right direction and the length in the depth direction of the bottle C3 are the same, for example. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the height from the bottom of the bottle C3 to the liquid level of the liquid C4 is H and the length (width) in the left-right direction of the bottle C3 is W, the quantity specifying unit 113 Specifies, for example, the volume V calculated by V = H × W × W as the volume of the liquid C4.

  The amount of the liquid C4 specified by the amount specifying unit 113 is combined with the two-dimensional image shown in FIG. 5 by the image generating unit 112, for example, and output to the display unit 13. Therefore, the user can grasp the amount of the liquid or granular material detected by the detection device 1.

  The configuration, shape, size, arrangement relationship, and the like of the devices in the above-described embodiments are merely schematically shown to the extent that the present invention can be understood and implemented, and may be variously changed.

2. Modifications The above-described embodiment can be variously modified. Examples of such modifications are shown below. Two or more modifications shown below may be combined as appropriate.

2-1. Modification 1
The imaging device 4 may be a two-dimensional image sensor. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a main configuration of the detection system 9 in this modification. In the detection system 9 shown in FIG. 6, the imaging device 4 is a two-dimensional image sensor. Therefore, the imaging device 4 generates a two-dimensional image represented by the electromagnetic wave irradiated from the irradiation device 2 and transmitted through the object J at a certain time. In this modification, the detection unit 111 extracts feature points moving in a unique direction as compared to many other feature points extracted from a plurality of two-dimensional images taken at different times. . The feature points so extracted represent a line indicating the upper surface of the liquid or powder.

2-2. Modification 2
The transport device 3 may have a vibration mechanism that intentionally vibrates in the direction including the component in the scanning direction D0 (vertical direction) when transporting the object J. The transport device 3 transports the object J in the transport direction D1 by vibrating the object J, for example, at a constant cycle or at random. The imaging device 4 images the object J that is vibrated by the vibration mechanism.

  In the case of the first modification described above, the imaging device 4 is a two-dimensional image sensor, and thus the object J does not necessarily have to be transported. In this case, the detection system 9 may include a vibration device that vibrates the object J instead of the transport device 3.

  According to this modified example, when the object C includes a liquid or a granular material, the upper surface of the liquid or the granular material is greatly deformed as compared with the case in the above-described embodiment. Detection of powder particles is performed.

2-3. Modification 3
The transport device 3 may function as a speed changing device that changes the moving speed of the object in the horizontal direction. In this case, the transport device 3 includes a speed changing unit 31 (see FIG. 2) that changes the transport speed of the object J in the transport direction D1. When the speed changing unit 31 receives an instruction to change the moving speed from the control unit 11, the speed changing unit 31 controls a drive mechanism (not shown) that drives the transport belt and the like to change the transport speed of the object J according to the instruction. .

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state where the upper surface of the liquid or the granular material is deformed when the transport speed is changed by the transport device 3. In FIG. 7, the illustration of the object J that accommodates the bottle C3 and the other object C that is accommodated in the object J (for example, the book C1 and the electronic device C2 illustrated in FIG. 4) is omitted. The bottle C3 and the liquid C4 shown in FIG. 7A are transported by the transport device 3 in the transport direction D1 at the speed v1. If the vertical vibration received by the bottle C3 and the liquid C4 from the transfer device 3 is negligibly small and the transfer speed is long and constant at the speed v1, the upper surface of the liquid C4 is kept substantially horizontal.

  When the speed changing unit 31 of the transport device 3 changes the transport speed from the speed v1 to the speed v2 (v1> v2 in the example of FIG. 7) according to an instruction from the control unit 11, the solid bottle C3 is transported. It follows the speed and moves at speed v2. On the other hand, the liquid C4 is deformed by an inertial force, and a large deformation is generated on the upper surface thereof as shown in FIG.

  According to this modification, when the object C includes a liquid or a granular material, the upper surface of the liquid or the granular material undulates compared with the case in the above-described embodiment, so that the liquid or the powder can be obtained with higher accuracy. Particle detection is performed.

2-4. Modification 4
In the above-described modification 2-1, the image generation unit 112 is detected by the detection unit 111 among a plurality of feature points included in the two-dimensional image captured by the electromagnetic wave irradiated by the irradiation device 2 toward the object C. Alternatively, an image obtained by superimposing a plurality of two-dimensional images captured at different time points may be generated so that the positions of feature points that are not unique feature points match or approach each other.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a superimposed image in this modification. Note that the image shown in FIG. 8 is an image obtained by superimposing the image shown in FIG. 7A and the image shown in FIG. The positions of the bottle C3 and the liquid C4 included in the image shown in FIG. 7B in the transport direction D1 are moved forward from the bottle C3 and the liquid C4 included in the image shown in FIG. For example, the image generation unit 112 changes the horizontal position of the bottle C3 and the liquid C4 included in the image of FIG. 7A so as to cancel the forward movement in the transport direction D1, and then performs two images. Are superimposed. For example, the image generation unit 112 generates an image representing a region R surrounded by two lines shifted from each other in two superimposed images in a manner different from other regions, and outputs the generated image to the display unit 13. As a result, the image shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the display unit 13 with the region R highlighted in red or the like, for example. Therefore, the user can easily confirm that the object C contains a liquid or a granular material.

  Moreover, the detection part 111 may calculate the area of the area | region R, and may determine whether a target object is a liquid or a granular material based on the calculated area. In addition, the detection unit 111 calculates the maximum length in the vertical direction of the region R (the maximum value of the shift between the two lines shifted from each other), and the object is a liquid or a granular material based on the calculated length. It may be determined whether or not there is.

2-5. Modification 5
The conveyance device 3 may function as an angle changing device that changes the angle of the object J and the object C accommodated in the object J with respect to the vertical direction. In this case, the transport apparatus 3 includes an angle changing unit 32 (see FIG. 2) that changes the angles of the object J and the target C with respect to the vertical direction. The angle changing unit 32 controls an adjustment mechanism (not shown) that adjusts the angle of the conveyance belt or the like in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 11 to change the angles of the object J and the object C with respect to the vertical direction.

  The conveyance path through which the conveyance device 3 conveys the object J may be configured to be inclined at different angles depending on the position. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the transport device 3 in this modification is viewed in the horizontal direction. In this modification, the transport path of the transport device 3 has different angles with respect to the vertical direction in the upstream region and the downstream region in the transport direction. In other words, the transport path transports the object J in the transport direction D1a inclined upward in the upstream region, and transports the object J in the transport direction D1b tilted downward in the downstream region.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the behavior of the upper surface of the liquid C4 contained in the object C when the angle with respect to the vertical direction is changed in this modification. FIG. 10A shows the state of the bottle C3 and the liquid C4 transported in the transport direction D1a in the upstream region of the transport path, and FIG. 10B illustrates transport in the transport direction D1b in the downstream region of the transport path. The state of the bottle C3 and the liquid C4 to be performed is shown. The angle θ1 shown in FIG. 10A indicates the elevation angle of the conveyance path in the upstream area, and the angle θ2 (θ2 ≠ θ1) shown in FIG. 10B indicates the elevation angle of the conveyance path in the downstream area. Indicates. In FIG. 10, θ1> 0 and θ2 <0. However, as long as θ1 ≠ θ2, both positive and negative of θ1 and θ2 may be used.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an image obtained by combining the second modification described above and the two two-dimensional images shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B by combining this modification. The image of the bottle C3 included in the image of FIG. 10A and the image of the bottle C3 included in the image of FIG. The image generating unit 112 superimposes two images so as to align the angles, and extracts a different part of the two images. The image generation unit 112 generates a superimposed image for displaying the region R surrounded by the two lines shifted from each other extracted as a different part of the two in a manner different from the other regions, and displays the image on the display unit 13. Output. As a result, the image shown in FIG. 11 is displayed on the display unit 13 with the region R highlighted in red or the like, for example. Therefore, the user can easily confirm that the object C contains a liquid or a granular material.

  Moreover, the detection part 111 may calculate the area of the area | region R, and may determine whether a target object is a liquid or a granular material based on the calculated area. In addition, the detection unit 111 calculates the maximum length in the vertical direction of the region R (the maximum value of the shift between the two lines shifted from each other), and the object is a liquid or a granular material based on the calculated length. It may be determined whether or not there is.

  According to this modification, when the object C includes a liquid or a granular material, the liquid or powder for a portion that is not the liquid or the granular material included in the object C compared to the case in the above-described embodiment. Since the angle of the upper surface of the granule changes greatly, the liquid or the granular material is detected with higher accuracy.

2-6. Modification 6
The detection device 1 includes a viscosity value specifying unit that specifies the viscosity value of the liquid or the granular material included in the object C based on the amount of movement of the feature point whose movement direction is unique detected by the detection unit 111. Also good. In this case, the control unit 11 of the detection apparatus 1 includes a viscosity value specifying unit 114 (see FIG. 3). Based on the image generated by the image generation unit 112, the viscosity value specifying unit 114 specifies the amount of movement per unit time of the feature point having a specific movement direction, and deforms the liquid or the granular material included in the object C. Calculate the speed of. Thus, the deformation speed of the liquid or granular material specified by the viscosity value specifying unit 114 is an index value indicating the magnitude of the viscosity of the liquid or granular material. In the present application, an index value indicating the magnitude of viscosity is referred to as a viscosity value. The viscosity value is a concept including viscosity. The viscosity value specifying unit 114 may, for example, read data indicating the correspondence between the deformation speed of the liquid or the granular material and the viscosity from the storage unit 12 and specify the viscosity according to the calculated deformation speed. . The viscosity value specified by the viscosity value specifying unit 114 is used for specifying the type of the detected liquid or powder, for example.

  The viscosity value of the liquid or granular material may vary depending on the temperature of the liquid. Therefore, when the viscosity value specified by the viscosity value specifying unit 114 is used to specify the type of liquid or granular material, it is convenient to specify the temperature of the liquid or granular material in addition to the viscosity value. Therefore, the detection apparatus 1 may include a temperature measuring unit 15 (see FIG. 2) that measures the temperature of the liquid or the granular material. In addition, the control unit 11 may include an association unit 115 (see FIG. 3) that associates the viscosity value specified by the viscosity value specifying unit 114 and the temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 15. The temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 15 may be an estimated value of the temperature of the liquid or the granular material. For example, the temperature of the space in which the detection system 9 is placed is measured by the temperature measuring unit 15, and the object C May be used as an estimated value of the temperature of the liquid or granular material contained in.

2-7. Modification 7
After the detection unit 111 identifies feature points whose movement directions are different from those of many other feature points as points on the upper surface of the liquid or the granular material, those identified feature points (the movement direction has many other feature points). It may be determined whether or not the object contains a liquid or a granular material based on the number of feature points different from the above. According to this modification, it is possible to avoid an inconvenience that an object that has moved in the object J due to vibration or the like is not a point on the upper surface of the liquid or powder and is erroneously determined as a liquid or powder. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Detection apparatus, 11 ... Control part, 111 ... Detection part, 112 ... Image generation part, 113 ... Quantity specification part, 114 ... Viscosity value specification part, 115 ... Association part, 12 ... Memory | storage part, 13 ... Display part, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 ... Operation part, 15 ... Temperature measuring part, 16 ... Communication part, 19 ... Bus, 2 ... Irradiation apparatus, 3 ... Conveyance apparatus, 31 ... Speed change part, 32 ... Angle change part, 4 ... Imaging apparatus, 9 ... Detection system

Claims (8)

A feature point whose movement direction is unique among a plurality of feature points included in an image including the target object picked up by electromagnetic waves at different time points with respect to a target object that cannot be visually recognized from the outside is displayed on the upper surface of the liquid or the granular material. A device for detecting a liquid or a granular material, comprising detection means for detecting the point as a feature point. The detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image generation unit configured to generate an image that displays a feature point having a unique moving direction detected by the detection unit in a manner different from other feature points. The image generation unit is configured such that, among the plurality of feature points included in the image captured by the electromagnetic wave, the position of the feature point that is not a unique feature point in the moving direction detected by the detection unit matches or approaches. The detection device according to claim 2, wherein an image obtained by superimposing a plurality of images captured at each of the different time points is generated. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an amount specifying unit that specifies an amount of a liquid or a granular material included in the object based on positions of a plurality of feature points included in an image captured by the electromagnetic wave. The detection device according to 1. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: a viscosity value specifying unit that specifies a viscosity value of a liquid or a granular material contained in the object based on a moving amount of a feature point having a unique moving direction detected by the detecting unit. The detection device according to claim 1. The detection apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising an association unit that associates the viscosity value specified by the viscosity value specifying unit with the temperature of the object. The detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A speed changing device for changing a moving speed of the object in the horizontal direction;
A liquid or particulate detection system comprising: The detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
An angle changing device for changing an angle of the object with respect to a vertical direction;
A liquid or particulate detection system comprising:

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