JP6748941B2 - Grain appearance measuring device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a grain appearance measuring device that inspects grains and the like in grain units.

Conventionally, buyers such as agricultural cooperatives (JA) who purchase post-harvested rice or brown rice (hereinafter referred to as “raw rice”) from farmers collect samples from the raw rice and include it in the sample. The quality of the sized, immature or colored grains is inspected, and the mixing rate of each quality is determined, and the purchase price of the raw rice is determined with reference to this mixing rate.

When performing the quality inspection of the sample, the purchaser uses the grain appearance measuring device to reduce the inspection work. As this grain appearance measuring device, for example, the one described in Patent Document 1 is known, and in this device, the grain of the sample of interest (hereinafter referred to as “rice grain”) is imaged, and this image information ( Based on the received light data), a grain image of the rice grain to be displayed on the display unit is created, the grade of each grain is discriminated, and the mixing ratio of grades such as sized and immature grains is calculated, A grain image of a rice grain, a determination result of the quality of the grain image, and a mixing ratio thereof are displayed on the display unit.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-046741

However, in the determination method of the quality inspection described in Patent Document 1, rice grains having a white opaque portion (white immature portion) may be included in the determined sized particles. Here, "“Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries/Inspection Planning of Brown Rice”, [online], Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, [June 27, 2016 search], Internet, <URL: http://www.maff.go.jp /j/seisan/
syoryu/kensa/kome/k_kikaku/index.html>” and ““Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries/Explanation of inspection terms”, [online], Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, [June 27, 2016 search], internet, <URL: http://www.maff.go.jp/j/seisan/syoryu/kensa/kome/k_kikaku/
k_kaisetsu/>” described in “Quality of paddy rice Uruchi brown rice and paddy rice mochi brown rice” and “Explanation of damaged grain, dead rice, colored grain, immature grain” , A grain excluding foreign grains and foreign substances." Further, as immature grains having a white opaque portion, (1) opalescent grains are those in which the white opaque portion has a ring shape in the cross section of the endosperm portion. 2) or more, "(2) Heart white grains (other than brown rice for brewing) have a white opaque part in the center, and the size of the white opaque part is 2 minutes of the grain plane. 1) or more", (3) immature grains at the base are "the size of the white opaque portion of the base is one-fifth or more of the grain length", (4) immature grains at the belly The size of the white opaque part is two-thirds or more of the grain length and one-third or more of the grain width.” (5) Back white grains are the size of the white opaque part of the back Is one-third or more of the grain length and one-third or more of the grain width”. As described above, if there is a white opaque portion but the size thereof is less than the size defined by each of the immature grains (1) to (5) (hereinafter, referred to as “white immature grain”), it is regarded as sized. The current situation is that it has been determined.

By the way, for example, the raw rice A produced under conditions where white opaque parts are likely to occur, such as abnormal weather, and the raw rice B produced under conditions where there is no problem such as abnormal weather, are measured with a grain appearance measuring device, respectively. In this case, the sizing of the raw material rice A has more white opaque parts than the sizing of the raw material rice B, even if the proportion of the rice grains judged to be the sizing is both 70%. It is very likely that a large number of grains will be included. However, according to the above-described quality inspection determination method, the white opaque portion, which is included in the rice grains determined to be sized and causes a deterioration in the taste of rice, has not been evaluated. ) Was desired.

Therefore, in view of the above problems, it is a technical object of the present invention to provide a grain appearance measuring device with improved discrimination evaluation of white immature grains such as milky grains.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image capturing unit that captures an image of a sample composed of a plurality of grains, an image processing unit that creates a grain image of each grain from image information captured by the image capturing unit, In the grain appearance measuring device comprising a quality determination unit that determines the quality of each grain from the grain image created by the image processing unit, and a display unit that displays the result determined by the quality determination unit, the quality determination Part, the white opaque portion projected area of the white opaque portion is obtained for each grain from the grain image, and the white opaque portion projection area is obtained by integrating the number of grains of all the grains contained in the sample for the white opaque portion projected area. A technical means of displaying the integrated area value on the display unit is adopted.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2, the white opaque part measuring unit obtains the outer shape projected area of the whole grain for each grain from the grain image, and calculates the outer shape projected area of all the grains included in the sample. The total number of particles is integrated to calculate an integrated external projection area value, and an area ratio between the external projection area integrated value and the white opaque projected area integrated value is obtained and displayed on the display unit.

According to the grain appearance measuring apparatus of the present invention, for each grain of the sample to be inspected, the white opaque portion projected area of the white opaque portion is obtained, and all the grains contained in the sample for the white opaque portion projected area. Since the number of grains is integrated to obtain the integrated value of the projected area of the white opaque portion and the digitized value is displayed on the display unit, it is less than half that is a factor that deteriorates the taste of sized particles contained in the sample. The area (quantity) of the white opaque part can be evaluated by the buyer such as the agricultural cooperative (JA). For this reason, it is possible to perform high-quality discrimination taking into consideration the evaluation of the taste analysis regardless of whether or not it is a sample of raw rice produced under conditions where white opaque parts are likely to occur (eg abnormal weather). Therefore, the purchaser can perform high-quality evaluation of immature grains such as opalescent grains based on the area (amount) in addition to the conventional evaluation method based on the mixing ratio of sizing and immature grains.

According to the invention of claim 2, the quality determination unit obtains the outer shape projected area for each grain of the sample to be inspected, and for the outer shape projected area, obtains the number of grains of all the grains included in the sample. The integrated value is calculated by integrating the external projection area integrated value, and the area ratio between the external projection area integrated value and the white opaque portion projected area integrated value is obtained and displayed on the display unit. Therefore, even if the number of rice grains used for the sample is not constant and, for example, a sample of 500 grains and a sample of 1000 grains are inspected, the number of rice grains is affected by the number of grains if the area ratio is the same. Instead, the buyer can make an evaluation. In addition, compared to rice grains of standard variety, the grain size of large grain rice grains tends to have a large integrated value of the projected area of the white opaque part, and the grain size of small grain grains tends to be small. The buyer can make an evaluation without being affected by the grain size due to.

It is a perspective view of a grain appearance measuring device concerning the present invention. It is a control block diagram of a grain appearance measuring device concerning the present invention. It shows the procedure of the inspection method of the grain appearance measuring apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the grain image of the grain appearance measuring apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows the inspection result in the grain appearance measuring apparatus which concerns on this invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a grain appearance measuring apparatus 1 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the grain appearance measuring device 1 is configured to include a computer 2 and a color scanner 3 as an imaging unit connected to the computer 2. FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the grain appearance measuring device 1.

The computer 2 includes a control unit 14a centered on a CPU (central processing unit) or a substrate, an input port 4f for inputting image information obtained by capturing an image with the color scanner 3, and an output port for outputting data to a printer or the like. (Not shown), a read-only element (hereinafter referred to as “ROM”) 4d that stores a relational expression, a program, and the like, and a read/write storage element (hereinafter, referred to as “RAM”) that stores an image processing application, image data, and the like. ) 4e, a memory 4g for storing image data captured by the color scanner 3, a display unit 16 for displaying quality determination results, an input unit 18 for inputting setting conditions, and measurement results and image information. It has functions such as distribution via a network.

The control unit 14a includes an image processing unit 10 that creates a grain image, and a quality determination unit 11 that performs quality determination and that determines an outer shape projected area of a rice grain and a white opaque area projected area. Further, the display unit 16 displays a grain image and the quality of the grain image.

The color scanner 3 is composed of a scanner body 5 having an image reading surface 4 on the upper end surface thereof, and a cover 6 for covering the image reading surface 4 of the scanner body 5 during measurement.

The image reading surface 4 is made of glass and is provided on the upper surface of the scanner body 5. The image reading surface 4 is not limited to a glass plate, and an acrylic plate may be used, or a plate material made of a transparent material other than those may be used. The sample tray 20 is placed on the image reading surface 4 having the above-described configuration during measurement.

A scanning device is provided in the scanner body 5, and the scanning device includes a light irradiation unit (light source) that irradiates the bottom surface of the sample tray 20 with light and a grain irradiated by the light irradiation unit. The light receiving section receives the reflected light reflected by the grain surface.

The light receiving portion of the scanning device is composed of a color CCD or the like, and receives reflected light from the grain placed on the image reading surface 4 for each light of three colors of RGB (red, green and blue). Then, the image information obtained by receiving the light is output to the computer 2.

Since one side of the cover 6 is hinged to one side of the upper end of the scanner body 5, the cover 6 can be rotated by the hinge. Therefore, at the time of measurement, the image reading surface 4 of the scanner body 5 can be covered by the cover 6, and stray light from the outside can be prevented from entering. A general scanner can be used as the color scanner 3.

Next, the sample tray 20 of the grain appearance measuring device 1 of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in the drawing, the sample tray 20 is formed in a rectangular frame shape in a plan view, and has a bottom plate 21, a side wall that is raised upward from the peripheral portion of the bottom plate 21, and two side walls. It is configured by a grip portion provided so as to be easy. The bottom plate 21 is a transparent plate and is made of, for example, acrylic resin. Further, when the sample tray 20 is placed on the upper surface of the image reading surface 4, the bottom surface 21 is placed in contact with the upper surface of the image reading surface 4.

A reference plate 22 may be provided on a part of the upper surface of the bottom plate 21 surrounded by the side wall. The reference plate 22 is for acquiring image information for correcting the measurement value of the color scanner 3. The position at which the reference plate 22 is arranged is not particularly limited as long as it is on the upper surface, and may be arranged at a location convenient for design. Further, the shape is not particularly limited, but a rectangular shape is desirable in designing. In the present embodiment, the reference plate 22 has a rectangular shape, and one end of the reference plate 22 in the longitudinal direction is arranged so as to contact the side wall. Further, the reference plate 22 is not limited to being formed of only one color, but it is desirable to be configured by combining reference plates of two colors such as white and black.

Since the sample tray 20 is measured by the color scanner 3, it is conceivable that the reflected light from the main body of the sample tray 20 affects the measurement. Therefore, it is preferable that at least the surface is not glossy, and it is desirable to form the sample tray 20 with a black body or a material close to a black body.

The operation and effect of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the case where the grain to be inspected is brown rice will be described. FIG. 3 shows the procedure of the inspection method of the grain appearance measuring device 1.

(1) Imaging process (step S1)
First, about 1,000 grains of brown rice 7 are put on the bottom surface 21 of the sample tray 20 so that the grains do not overlap each other. After loading, the sample tray 20 is placed on the image reading surface 4 of the color scanner 3 as shown in FIG. At the time of measurement by the color scanner 3, the bottom surface 21 of the sample tray 20 serves as an optical path, and therefore it is not preferable that the bottom surface 21 comes into contact with a finger or the like and stains adhere to the bottom surface 21. The number of grains measured in one measurement is not particularly limited, and may be freely increased or decreased within the range of the number that can be placed on the bottom surface of the sample tray.

After the sample tray 20 is placed, the cover 6 covers the upper surface of the sample tray 20 and the color scanner 3 is used to capture an image of the brown rice 7. Specifically, the scanning device of the scanner body 5 is moved (two-dimensional scanning) along the bottom surface of the image reading surface 4. At this time, light is emitted from the light irradiation unit of the scanning device to the brown rice 7, and the reflected light reflected by the brown rice 7 is received by the light receiving unit of the scanning device. The received signal is output to the computer 2 as RGB image information. The brown rice 7 imaged by the color scanner 3 is imaged on the surface in contact with the bottom surface 21, that is, the lower side of the grain.

(2) Grain image creation process (step S2)
The image information is sent to the image processing unit 10 of the computer 2 via the input port 14f and processed by the image processing unit 10. In the processing, the outer shape is determined for each rice grain, and based on this outer shape, a grain image for each grain is created from the image information in which a plurality of rice grains are imaged together. FIG. 4 shows an example of the grain image. The grid-shaped sections in FIG. 4 indicate the pixels 51 of the image sensor.

(3) Step of calculating integrated value of projected area of white opaque portion (step S3)
When the grain image is obtained, the quality determining unit 11 can obtain the area of the rice grain from the number of pixels inside the contour of the rice grain. In the grain image 50 shown in FIG. 4, the dotted line 53 indicates the white opaque portion of the rice grain. Therefore, the projected area of the white opaque portion can be obtained by the number of each pixel 51 inside the contour represented by the dotted line 53. Here, the area of the white opaque portion of the rice grain shown in FIG. 4 is 292 in terms of the number of pixels. Similarly, for each rice grain of the sample, the area of the white opaque portion is obtained, and these are integrated to calculate the integrated value of the white opaque area. Then, this white opaque area integrated value may be displayed on the display unit 16 as a value for evaluating the sample as needed.

(4) Step of calculating integrated value of outer shape projected area (step S3B)
In the present invention, the quality discriminating unit 11 also calculates the integrated value of the outer shape projected area, if necessary. In the grain image 50, the solid line 52 shows the outline of the rice grain. Therefore, the outer shape projected area can be obtained by the number of each pixel 51 inside the contour represented by the solid line 52. Here, the outer shape projected area of the rice grain shown in FIG. 4 is 521 in terms of the number of pixels. Similarly, for each rice grain of the sample, the outer shape projected area is obtained, and these are integrated to calculate the outer shape projected area integrated value. Then, the external projection area integrated value may be displayed on the display unit 16 as a value for evaluating the sample as needed.

(5) Area ratio calculation step (step S4)
The area ratio calculated by the present invention is the white opaque part area integrated value obtained in the step of calculating the integrated value of the white opaque portion projected area (step S3) and the outline calculated in the step of calculating the integrated value of the outline projected area (step S3B). It is represented by the ratio with the projected area integrated value. Here, if the white opaque part area integrated value is 2499 and the white opaque part area integrated value is 20840, the area ratio is 2499/20840 (12%). This value is displayed on the display unit 16.

(6) Quality determination process (step S5)
The grain appearance measuring apparatus 1 uses the grain image created in the grain image creating step (step S2) to determine the quality such as the outer shape, the length, the width, the color, and the carcass of each rice grain in the quality determination unit. Relevant information is obtained, and the information is compared with a threshold value set in advance to determine the quality of each rice grain (sized rice, crushed rice, dead rice, colored rice, immature rice, pest-damaged rice, etc.). Then, as the determination result, the number of grains of each grade and the mixing rate are displayed on the display unit 16.

(7) Display process (step S6)
The grain image and values obtained in steps S2 to S5 can be displayed on the display unit 16. FIG. 5 shows an example thereof. Although FIG. 5 shows two grades of rice grains, the regulated number of grains of rice grains and the opalescent grains, it is not limited to these two grades and rice grains of other grades can also be displayed. .. Further, the outer shape area shown in FIG. 5 is the outer shape projected area integrated value, and the white opaque portion area is the white opaque portion area integrated value. A purchaser such as an agricultural cooperative (JA) can evaluate the raw rice of the inspected sample based on the information shown in this figure. By the way, the above-mentioned area ratio can be used also at the time of discrimination of the "trait" performed by comparison with the inspection standard product.

Moreover, if an image of a grain can be acquired in a grain unit, it can be used as the image pickup apparatus of the present invention, and for example, as described in JP 2006-200945 A, grain by grain The present invention can also be implemented by an apparatus that conveys and images grains.

The grain appearance measuring device of the present invention can inspect not only grains but also beans. Also, any granular material such as resin pellets can be used for inspection.

1 Grain Appearance Measuring Device 2 Computer 3 Color Scanner 4 Image Reading Surface 5 Scanner Main Body 6 Cover 7 Brown Rice 25 Outer Frame 10 Image Processing Section 11 Quality Determination Section 16 Display Section 18 Input Section 20 Sample Tray 21 Bottom Plate 22 Reference Plate 50 Grain Image 51 pixels 52 rice grains 53 white opaque area

Claims (2)

An imaging unit for imaging a sample composed of a plurality of grains,
An image processing unit that creates a grain image of each grain from image information captured by the image capturing unit,
A quality determination unit that determines the quality of each grain from the grain image created by the image processing unit,
A display unit that displays the result of the determination performed by the quality determination unit;
In a grain appearance measuring device equipped with,
The quality determination unit obtains a white opaque portion projected area of a white opaque portion for each grain from the grain image, and displays a white opaque portion projected area integrated value obtained by integrating the white opaque portion projected areas on the display unit. A grain appearance measuring device characterized by the above. The quality determination unit further calculates the outer shape projected area of the whole grain for each grain from the grain image, calculates the outer shape projected area integrated value by integrating the outer shape projected area of all the grains of the sample, The grain appearance measuring device according to claim 1, wherein an area ratio between the integrated value of the outer shape projected area and the integrated value of the projected area of the white opaque portion is obtained and displayed on the display unit.

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