JP7294463B2 - program, recording medium - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to technology for managing image sensors used in production lines of factories.

2. Description of the Related Art In factory production lines, a system called an image sensor is frequently used for automating or labor-saving inspection and management of products. In the past, it was common to connect a camera and an image processing device with a cable (see Patent Document 1). Processing-integrated image sensors have also appeared. Such integrated processing image sensors are also called "smart cameras", and some of them integrate lighting and lenses.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-214682

In order to perform stable inspection with an image sensor, it is desirable to optimize the models (types), specifications, and performance of lighting, lenses, and imaging devices according to the imaging environment, inspection target, and purpose. Manufacturers of smart cameras have traditionally offered a wide variety of products with slightly different models (types) such as lighting, lenses, and image sensors, as well as specifications and performance, so that users can select the one with the optimal specifications. I was doing

However, with the acceleration of IoT in factories, the scope of application of smart cameras is expanding, and it is becoming difficult to provide product variations that cover diversifying user needs. In addition, in order to differentiate from competitors in product competition, we will expand the provision of mass customization and seasonal products that match the tastes of each customer, and shorten the product life cycle of digital devices such as smartphones. There is also an increasing need to partially change the lighting, lenses, etc. so that the inspection target can be changed in a short cycle so that it is optimal for the inspection. Therefore, in recent years, so-called smart cameras with a modular structure have appeared, in which lighting, lenses, and image sensors are modularized so that users can freely combine lighting, lenses, and image sensors. For example, if the manufacturer provides 5 types of lighting modules, lens modules, and image sensor modules, 125 combinations are possible, and the user can select the combination that matches the required specifications.

The modular structure has the advantage of reducing product variations for manufacturers and expanding choices and freedom for users. On the other hand, however, there are concerns about the following demerits. In the past, it was enough to manage the equipment for each image sensor for troubleshooting and maintenance at the factory. It consists of a combination of modules, and there is an increasing demand to understand what kind of module (date of manufacture, time of introduction, usage time, history of diversion from other equipment, detailed specifications, etc.) for each module. It is foreseen that it will continue to increase, and there is a risk that the management and maintenance of facilities will become complicated. Normally, a large number of image sensors are installed in a factory (for example, in a large-scale factory, there are hundreds to thousands of sensors), so the increase in management and maintenance work is a serious problem. becomes. For example, when installing a new copy line with the same configuration as the production line in operation, conventionally it would have been sufficient to check the type of each image sensor installed in the production line in operation. If sensors are used, the effort is multiplied by the need to individually verify the type of modules assembled in each image sensor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique for facilitating management of a modular image sensor.

A first aspect of the present invention is a sensor system having a plurality of image sensors and an information processing device connected to the plurality of image sensors via a network, wherein the image sensors include a plurality of modularized wherein each of the plurality of components has a non-volatile memory that stores unique information about the component, and the information processing an information acquisition unit configured to acquire, via a network, information stored in the memory of the components constituting the image sensor from each image sensor in a group of image sensors installed within a target range; an information generating unit configured to generate configuration list information indicating a combination of components for each image sensor for the group of image sensors installed within the target range, based on the information acquired by the information acquiring unit. To provide a sensor system characterized by:

According to this configuration, each component is provided with a non-volatile memory, and unique information about the component is stored in the memory. can be linked and handled. Then, the information processing device acquires information from each image sensor via a network, and based on the information, generates configuration list information indicating a combination of components of each image sensor installed within the target range. This makes it easy to collect accurate information about the components of each of the multiple image sensors installed within the target range. Such configuration list information is useful when grasping, managing, and inspecting the configuration of each image sensor installed within the target range. Here, the "target range" is a range for which information such as configuration list information is generated. The target range may be set to include all image sensors of the sensor system, or may be set to include only some of the image sensors.

Preferably, the information generating unit performs totalization for each type of component for the group of image sensors installed within the target range, and generates total information indicating the quantity for each type of component. Such aggregated information is useful when grasping and managing the quantity of each type of component used in the group of image sensors installed within the target range. Aggregated information can also be used, for example, for the purpose of understanding facility costs within the target range.

The information generating unit generates order information for ordering components necessary for preparing a new group of image sensors having the same configuration as the group of image sensors installed within the target range. It may be generated based on the information. According to this configuration, preparation (purchase of components, etc.) of a new image sensor group having the same configuration as the image sensor group installed within the target range is facilitated. The order information may be a paper document (such as an order slip) or electronic information (such as order data).

It is preferable to have a range designation unit that accepts designation of the target range by a user. Such a configuration allows the user to specify any target range. The target range may be, for example, a factory, a production line in the factory, or a process in the production line. With such a configuration, for example, it is possible to obtain the configuration of all image sensors in a factory, or to acquire the configuration of image sensors for each manufacturing line or manufacturing process, which is highly convenient.

the configuration list information of the image sensor group installed within the target range, and the configuration list information of a second image sensor group installed within a comparison range that is a range different from the target range; by comparing the image sensor group installed within the target range and the second image sensor group installed within the comparison range. According to this configuration, it is possible to easily check the difference between the image sensor group within the target range and the second image sensor group within the comparison range. For example, when a copy line is installed, a configuration comparison between the original line and the copy line can be made to easily find image sensors with different types of components assembled.

The plurality of components may include an illumination section that illuminates a subject, a lens section that forms an optical image of the subject, and an imaging section that generates an image based on the optical image. This is because image sensors with various specifications can be configured by changing the combination of the illumination unit, lens unit, and imaging unit.

A second aspect of the present invention is an information processing device connected to a plurality of image sensors via a network, wherein the image sensor is a modular type configured by combining a plurality of modularized components. an image sensor, wherein each of the plurality of components has a non-volatile memory that stores unique information about the component, and the information processing device is an image sensor installed within a target range; an information acquisition unit for acquiring, from each image sensor in the group, information stored in the memory of the component constituting the image sensor via a network; and based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit, the and an information generating unit that generates configuration list information indicating a combination of constituent elements for each image sensor for the group of image sensors installed within a target range.

According to this configuration, the information processing device acquires information from each image sensor via the network, and based on the information, the configuration list indicating the combination of the components of each image sensor installed within the target range. configured to generate information; Therefore, it is possible to easily collect accurate information about the components of each of the plurality of image sensors installed within the target range. Such configuration list information is useful when grasping, managing, and inspecting the configuration of each image sensor installed within the target range.

A third aspect of the present invention is a production line provided with a plurality of modular image sensors configured by combining a plurality of modularized components, and an information processing device for managing the plurality of image sensors. A method, wherein each of a plurality of components of each image sensor is provided with a non-volatile memory for storing unique information about that component, and wherein the image sensor is positioned within a range of interest by the information processing device. From each image sensor in the group, the information stored in the memory of the component constituting the image sensor is acquired via a network, and the information processing device determines the target range based on the acquired information. The present invention provides a sensor management method characterized by generating configuration list information indicating a combination of constituent elements for each image sensor for the group of image sensors installed in an image sensor.

According to this configuration, the information processing device can easily collect accurate information about the constituent elements of each of the plurality of image sensors installed within the target range. Such information is useful when grasping, managing, and inspecting the configuration of each image sensor installed within the target range.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique for facilitating management of an image sensor having a modular structure.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the overall configuration of a sensor system. FIG. 2A is a perspective view schematically showing the appearance of the image sensor, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view schematically showing an exploded state of the image sensor. FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the image sensor. FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the information processing device. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of collection of module configuration information. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of processing for generating configuration list information. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an output example of configuration list information. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of processing for generating total information. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an output example of total information and an order slip. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of configuration comparison processing. 11A and 11B are diagrams showing output examples of the result of configuration comparison processing.

<Application example>
First, an example of a scene to which the present invention is applied will be described. FIG. 1 shows an example of the overall configuration of a sensor system according to an embodiment of the invention. 2A and 2B schematically show an example of an image sensor according to an embodiment of the invention.

A sensor system 1 of the present embodiment is a system for inspecting and managing products 11 in a manufacturing line or the like, and includes a plurality of image sensors 2 and an information processing device 10 . The information processing device 10 is connected to the image sensors 2 via an industrial network 12 such as EtherCAT, and can transmit and receive data to and from each image sensor 2 via the network 12 . In the example of FIG. 1, three image sensors 2 are installed to image the product 11 flowing on the conveyor 13 . However, the number of image sensors 3 is not limited to three, and a large factory may have several tens to hundreds of image sensors or even more.

The image sensor 2 of this embodiment is a processing-integrated image sensor having a so-called modular structure. The illumination unit 20, the lens unit 21, and the imaging unit 22, which are components of the imaging system, are each modularized, and the user can arbitrarily combine each module according to the purpose of the image sensor 2. can. Nonvolatile memories 200, 210, and 220 for storing unique information about the modules are provided in each module (illumination section 20, lens section 21, imaging section 22). Specific information about the module includes, for example, information for specifying the format of the module, information for specifying the individual module, information indicating the specification of the module, information indicating the performance of the module, information indicating the function of the module, information for determining when to replace the module or when to perform maintenance.

The information processing apparatus 10 can acquire, via the network 12, information stored in the memories 200, 210, and 220 of each module from each of the plurality of image sensors 2 installed within the target range. Based on the acquired information, the information processing apparatus 10 can create configuration list information indicating a combination of modules for each image sensor 2 with respect to the image sensor group installed within the target range. In addition, based on the acquired information, the information processing apparatus 10 aggregates the image sensors installed within the target range for each module type, and generates aggregation information indicating the quantity for each module type. good too.

In this way, by providing a nonvolatile memory for each module and storing and referring to unique information about the module in the memory, the information processing device 10 can be used to control a plurality of image sensors installed in the manufacturing line. 2 module configurations and their details can be collected accurately and easily. The configuration list information as described above is useful when grasping, managing, and inspecting the configuration of each image sensor 2 installed within the target range. Aggregated information is also useful when grasping and managing the number of each type of module used in the group of image sensors installed within the target range. Aggregated information can also be used, for example, for the purpose of understanding facility costs. Aggregate information is also used to create order information for purchasing necessary equipment (image sensors and their modules, etc.) when building a new production line with the same configuration as an existing production line. be able to.

<Configuration of image sensor>
An image sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 3. FIG. FIG. 2A is a perspective view schematically showing the appearance of the image sensor, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view schematically showing an exploded state of the image sensor. FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the image sensor.

The image sensor 2 is a device that is installed, for example, in a manufacturing line of a factory and used for various processes using images. The image sensor 2 is also called a vision sensor, a vision system, or the like. The image sensor 2 of the present embodiment is a processing-integrated image sensor (so-called smart camera) in which an imaging system and a processing system are integrated.

The image sensor 2 includes an illumination section 20, a lens section 21, and an imaging section 22 as an imaging system. The illumination unit 20 is a device that illuminates a subject (inspection target, etc.) within the field of view of the image sensor 2 , and is composed of, for example, a plurality of light emitting elements (LEDs, etc.) arranged around the lens unit 21 . The lens unit 21 is an optical system that forms an optical image of a subject on the imaging unit 22, and for example, an optical system having functions such as focus adjustment, diaphragm, and zoom is used. The imaging unit 22 is a device that generates and outputs image data by photoelectric conversion, and is configured by an imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS, for example.

The image sensor 2 also includes a processing unit 24 and an input/output I/F 25 as a processing system. The processing unit 24 performs image processing (e.g., preprocessing, feature amount extraction, etc.) on image data captured from the imaging system, various types of processing (e.g., inspection, character recognition, individual identification, etc.) based on the results of image processing, input It is a device that performs data transmission/reception with an external device via the output I/F 25, generation of data to be output to the external device, processing of data received from the external device, control of the imaging system and the input/output I/F 25, and the like. The processing unit 24 is composed of, for example, a processor and a memory, and various types of processing described above are realized by the processor reading and executing a program stored in the memory. Some or all of the functions of the processing unit 24 may be realized by an ASIC, FPGA, or the like, or may be provided by an external device. The input/output I/F 25 is a communication interface that transmits and receives data to and from an external device. For example, the input/output I/F 25 may include a network interface for connecting with the PLC and the information processing device 10, a parallel interface for connecting with other sensors and controllers, and the like.

The image sensor 2 of this embodiment has a modular structure, and as shown in FIG. It has a structure that selects and assembles. It is also possible to use the lighting unit without selecting it. Each module is fixed to the sensor main body 26 by screw fastening, for example, and the user can freely attach/detach the module.

As the illumination unit (illumination module) 20, there are a plurality of types, for example, those with different wavelengths of illumination light such as white illumination/red illumination/infrared illumination, and those with different arrangement of light emitting elements, different light amounts, and different light emission patterns. module is provided. In addition, by providing multiple types of light sources (LEDs, etc.) such as red, blue, green, and infrared in one module and controlling the light emission of each light source, light with wavelengths other than red, blue, green, and infrared A lighting module capable of emitting (eg, white, purple, pink, etc.) may be used. This type of illumination is called multicolor illumination or the like. As the lens unit (lens module) 21, for example, a module having a function of automatically adjusting the focus using manual operation or an actuator, a module with different fields of view such as a narrow field of view/wide field of view, a module with a zoom function, and the like. , multiple types of modules are prepared. In addition, as the imaging unit (imaging module) 22, for example, a plurality of types of modules with different numbers of pixels, frame rates, shutter methods (rolling shutter/global shutter), etc. are prepared. A user can appropriately combine appropriate modules according to the application and required specifications of the image sensor 2 .

Each module contains a non-volatile memory. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, an illumination module memory 200 is incorporated in the illumination section 20, a lens module memory 210 is incorporated in the lens section 21, and an imaging module memory 220 is incorporated in the imaging section 22. . Hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as "module memory". As the module memory, for example, EPROM, EEPROM, FeRAM, MRAM, etc. can be used, and the data capacity is arbitrary. In this embodiment, an EEPROM having a capacity of several kilobytes to several tens of megabytes is used.

It is preferable that the module memory is provided with two write areas, a "maker area" and a "user area". The maker area is an area in which the maker writes data when the module is shipped. The user can read the data in the maker area, but cannot rewrite or delete the data in the maker area. The maker area stores, for example, module format information (model name, model number, etc.) and individual information (serial number, lot number, hardware version, etc.). The module memory may also store set values and correction parameters for driving the module, and module individual variation information (for example, data measured during factory shipment inspection). For example, in the case of the lighting unit, it stores lighting control setting values (control method, voltage, duty, delay, block lighting method, etc.), variations in brightness and color for each light source, and optical axis information. may In the case of the lens unit, the lens/focus setting value (focus initial reference value, etc.), the presence/absence of the AF function, the focal length, the angle of view, the F value, the amount of distortion, the optical axis information, etc. may be stored. good. In the case of an image pickup unit, camera setting values (such as initial setting values of an image sensor), pixel defect correction data, vertical stripe correction data, white balance initial values, and the like may be stored. On the other hand, the user area is a user-rewritable area. The user can freely use the user area. For example, any kind of information may be stored, such as information specifying the installation location (factory, production line) of the image sensor, information on the date of purchase or maintenance of the module, and the usage status of the module. It should be noted that what is given here is merely an example, and any data may be stored in the module memory as long as it is information that is useful for management and operation of the image sensor 2 .

The image sensor 2 can be used for various purposes. For example, recording of images to be inspected, recognition of shapes, detection of edges, measurement of width and number of lines, measurement of areas, acquisition of color features, labeling and segmentation, object recognition, reading of barcodes and two-dimensional codes, OCR, Examples include individual identification. FIG. 1 shows an example in which an image of a product 11 flowing on a conveyor 13 is imaged by an image sensor 2 and an appearance inspection of the product 11 is performed.

<Configuration of information processing device>
FIG. 4 schematically shows the configuration of the information processing device 10. As shown in FIG.

The information processing device 10 is a management device for managing the image sensor 2, and has an information acquisition unit 40, an information generation unit 41, a range designation unit 42, a comparison unit 43, and an information output unit 44 as main components. The information acquisition unit 40 acquires information stored in the module memory of each module constituting the image sensor 2 from the image sensor 2 existing on the network via the network. The information acquisition unit 40 may collectively acquire information in the module memory, or may selectively acquire only necessary information. The information generation unit 41 uses the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 40 to perform processing for generating information regarding the module configuration of the image sensor group installed within the target range. The range specifying unit 42 performs a process of accepting specification of a target range by the user. The target range is the target range for information generation. For example, it is preferable that the target range can be specified in units such as a factory, a production line in the factory, and a process in the production line. The comparison unit 43 compares the configuration list information of the first image sensor group installed within the target range and the configuration list information of the second image sensor group installed within a range different from the target range (referred to as a comparison range). A process of comparing the configuration list information and extracting the difference between the first image sensor group and the second image sensor group is performed. The information output unit 44 performs processing for outputting the information generated by the information generation unit 41 . The information output unit 44 may display information on a display device, may transmit information to other equipment (PLC, controller, sensor, actuator, production equipment, etc.) on the production line via a network, Messages may be sent to user terminals (for example, production line managers or maintenance personnel's terminals) through the network, information may be sent to other computers or the cloud through the network, or information may be output to a printer. You may A specific example of the processing of the information processing apparatus 10 will be described later.

The information processing apparatus 10 described above includes, for example, a CPU (processor), a main storage device (memory), an auxiliary storage device (large-capacity storage such as a hard disk or a solid state drive), a communication I/F, an input device (keyboard, pointing device, etc.). etc.), it can be configured by installing the necessary programs in a computer having a display device or the like. In this case, the information acquisition unit 40, the information generation unit 41, the range designation unit 42, the comparison unit 43, and the information output unit 44 described above develop programs stored in the auxiliary storage device into the main storage device by the CPU and execute them. It will be realized by Some or all of the functions provided by the information processing apparatus 10 may be realized by circuits such as ASICs and FPGAs. Alternatively, some of these functions may be distributed by other computers or executed by a cloud server.

<Example of management processing using module memory>
In the image sensor 2 of the present embodiment, each module (component) has a non-volatile memory, so unique information about each module can be stored in the module's own memory. This makes it possible to handle modules (hardware) and their unique information (software) in a linked manner. Then, the processing unit 24 of the image sensor 2 and the information processing device 10 refer to the information in the memory of each module to easily acquire accurate information about the modules attached to the image sensor 2 using software. be able to. Therefore, management (including operation, maintenance, and maintenance) of many image sensors 2 present in the production line can be facilitated. Some examples of management processing using the module memory are given below.

(1) Collection of Module Configurations As shown in FIG. Information is read out from the memory 210 of the lens unit 21 and the memory 220 of the imaging unit 22, respectively, and based on the information, module configuration information representing a combination of modules assembled in the sensor body 26 is generated, and the processing unit 24 memory. The processing unit 24 transmits the module configuration information to the information processing device 10 or the user terminal 50 spontaneously (periodically) or in response to a request from the information processing device 10 or the user terminal 50 . Alternatively, if the image sensor 2 has a display, the processing section 24 may display the module configuration information on the display.

The user terminal 50 is a portable computer used by a user (equipment manager, maintenance person, etc.), and communicates with the image sensor 2 via a network (or directly by short-range wireless communication, etc.). It is possible. As the user terminal 50, for example, a mobile PC, a smart phone, a tablet terminal, a wearable terminal, etc. can be used.

By using such a module configuration collection function, the user can easily collect and understand the module configuration of the image sensor 2 in operation. In addition, the information processing apparatus 10 can automatically collect module configuration information of many image sensors 2 installed in a manufacturing line or a factory, and can easily centrally manage the information. Such a function becomes more useful as the number of installed image sensors 2 increases and as the variation in the module configuration of the image sensors installed in the manufacturing line or factory increases.

(2) Generation of configuration list information FIG. 6 is an example of configuration list information generation processing executed by the information processing apparatus 10, and FIG. 7 is an example of configuration list information output by the information processing apparatus 10. .

In step S60, the range specifying unit 42 sets a target range for generating configuration list information. For example, the range specifying unit 42 may display target ranges such as "factory F1/factory F2/factory F3/..." or "line L1/line L2/line L3/..." on the screen of the information processing apparatus 10. It is preferable to display the candidates (choices) of and let the user select the desired target range. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that "line L2 of factory F1" is selected as the target range in the following description.

In step S61, the information acquisition unit 40 acquires module configuration information from all the image sensors 2 installed on the line L2 of the factory F1, which is the target range. The method of acquiring the module configuration information is as described above. If the information processing apparatus 10 stores the module configuration information acquired in the past in the database, the module configuration information may be read from the database instead of the process of step S61.

In step S62, the information generator 41 uses the module configuration information collected in step S61 to generate configuration list information indicating the module configurations of all the image sensors 2 installed on the line L2 of the factory F1. In step S63, the information output unit 44 outputs the configuration list information to the display device. FIG. 7 is a display example of configuration list information. In this example, combinations of modules of image sensors L20, L21, L22, . Such configuration list information is useful when grasping, managing, and inspecting the configuration of each image sensor installed within the target range. For example, when inspecting modules of individual image sensors L20, L21, L22, . . . installed on line L2, the configuration list information may be used as a checklist. Further, when a problem occurs in the line L2, the configuration list information can be referred to for investigating the cause and planning countermeasures. Furthermore, when a copy line for line L2 is newly established, the configuration list information for line L2 may be used as a design document for the copy line.

(3) Generation of aggregate information FIG. 8 shows an example of aggregate information generation processing executed by the information processing device 10. FIG. This is an example of order information (in this example, an order slip).

The processing of steps S80 to S81 is the same as the processing of steps S60 to S61 in FIG. 6, so the description thereof is omitted.

In steps S82 and S83, the information generation unit 41 uses the module configuration information collected in step S81 to aggregate all the image sensors 2 installed on the line L2 for each module type, and obtains the aggregate information. Generate and output. The total information is information indicating the quantity of each module type. In the example of FIG. 9, 20 image sensors 2 are installed on the line L2 of the factory F1, and 10 white lights, 8 red lights, and 2 infrared lights are used as lighting modules. , 15 narrow-field lenses and 5 wide-field lenses are used as lens modules, and 8 high-resolution modules and 12 low-resolution modules are used as imaging modules. Such aggregated information is useful when grasping and managing the quantity of each type of module used in the group of image sensors installed within the target range. Aggregated information can also be used, for example, for the purpose of understanding facility costs within the target range.

In steps S84 and S85, the information generation unit 41 generates and outputs an order slip based on the aggregated information. The lower part of FIG. 9 is an example of an ordering slip. This ordering slip can be used for purchasing equipment when installing a new copy line having the same configuration as the line L2. Such a slip issuing function greatly reduces the time and effort required to prepare equipment for the copy line.

(4) Comparison of Module Configurations FIG. 10 is an example of configuration comparison processing executed by the information processing apparatus 10, and FIGS. 11A and 11B are examples of display results of the configuration comparison processing. An example of comparing the module configuration of line L2 with the module configuration of line L3, which is a copy line of line L2, will be described below.

In step S100, the range specifying unit 42 allows the user to specify the target range. Here, it is assumed that line L3, which is a copy line, is selected as the target range. Next, in step S101, the range specifying unit 42 allows the user to specify a comparison range. Here, it is assumed that line L2, which is the original line, is selected as the comparison range.

In step S102, the information acquisition unit 40 reads configuration list information for each of the target range (line L3) and comparison range (line L2) from the database. Instead of reading the configuration list information from the database, the information acquisition section 40 may collect the module configuration information from the image sensors 2 installed on the line L3 and the line L2, and generate the configuration list information.

In step S103, the comparison unit 43 compares the configuration list information of the target range (line L3) and the configuration list information of the comparison range (line L2), and determines the module configuration of the image sensor group of line L3 and the image sensor of line L2. Check the difference with the module configuration of the group. In step S104, when the module configurations of line L2 and line L3 match, the information output unit 44 displays the result (FIG. 11(A)). On the other hand, when the module configurations of line L2 and line L3 are different, information specifying image sensors with different module configurations, information indicating different module configurations, and the like are displayed (see FIG. 11). (B)). According to this configuration, it is possible to easily check the difference between the image sensor group within the target range and the second image sensor group within the comparison range. For example, when a copy line is installed, it is possible to compare the configurations of the original line and the copy line and easily find the image sensor 2 with a different type of module installed.

<Others>
The above-described embodiment is merely an example of the configuration of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the specific forms described above, and various modifications are possible within the technical scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the three modules of the illumination section, the lens section, and the imaging section were illustrated, but the components to be attached to the image sensor are not limited to these. For example, an optical filter, an input/output I/F, a processing unit (processor or memory), a display, and the like may be modularized. Also, any information may be stored in the module memory. There are two ways to provide smart cameras (delivery forms): modules are individually provided and assembled by the user, and a lighting module and lens module are provided in the sensor body. In the case of the latter form of provision, there is no need for the user to adjust optical conditions, etc., so there is an advantage that an image sensor can be introduced more easily.

<Appendix>
(1) A sensor system comprising a plurality of image sensors (2) and an information processing device (10) connected to the plurality of image sensors (2) via a network,
The image sensor (2) is a modular image sensor configured by combining a plurality of modularized components (20, 21, 22),
each of the plurality of components (20, 21, 22) has a nonvolatile memory (200, 210, 220) that stores unique information about the component;
The information processing device (10)
Information stored in the memory of the constituent elements (20, 21, 22) constituting the image sensor (2) is transferred from each image sensor (2) in the image sensor group installed within the target range to the network. an information acquisition unit (40) that acquires via
A combination of components (20, 21, 22) for each image sensor (2) is shown for the image sensor group installed within the target range based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit (40). and an information generator (41) for generating configuration list information.

(2) An information processing device (10) connected to a plurality of image sensors (2) via a network,
The image sensor (2) is a modular image sensor configured by combining a plurality of modularized components (20, 21, 22),
each of the plurality of components (20, 21, 22) has a nonvolatile memory (200, 210, 220) that stores unique information about the component;
The information processing device (10)
Information stored in the memories (200, 210, 220) of the components constituting the image sensor is transmitted from each image sensor (2) in the image sensor group installed within the target range via the network. an information acquisition unit (40) to acquire;
Information for generating configuration list information indicating a combination of components for each image sensor (2) for the image sensor group installed within the target range based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit (40) An information processing apparatus comprising: a generator (41).

(3) In a production line provided with a plurality of modular image sensors (2) configured by combining a plurality of modularized components (20, 21, 22), the information processing device (10) A method for managing an image sensor (2) of
providing each of the plurality of components (20, 21, 22) of each image sensor with a non-volatile memory (200, 210, 220) for storing unique information about that component;
The memory (200, 210, 220) of the components constituting the image sensor (2) is selected from each image sensor (2) in the image sensor group installed within the target range by the information processing device (10). ) through the network,
The information processing device (10) generates configuration list information indicating a combination of components for each image sensor (2) for the image sensor group installed within the target range based on the acquired information. A sensor management method characterized by:

1: Sensor system 10: Information processing device 11: Product 12: Network 13: Conveyor 2: Image sensor 20: Lighting unit 21: Lens unit 22: Imaging unit 24: Processing unit 25: Input/output I/F
26: Sensor body 200: Illumination module memory 210: Lens module memory 220: Imaging module memory 40: Information acquisition unit 41: Information generation unit 42: Range designation unit 43: Comparison unit 44: Information output unit 50: User terminal

Claims (6)

A plurality of modular image sensors configured by combining a plurality of modularized components, each of the plurality of components having a non-volatile memory for storing unique information about the component. A program for causing a computer to execute management processing of a plurality of image sensors in a production line,
From each image sensor in a group of image sensors installed in a factory, a production line in the factory, or a process in the production line set as the target range, the components constituting the image sensor an obtaining step of obtaining the information stored in the memory via a network;
a generation step of generating, based on the information acquired by the acquisition step, configuration list information indicating a combination of components for each image sensor for the group of image sensors installed within the target range;
a receiving step of receiving specification of the target range by a user;
The image installed within the target range by comparing the configuration list information of the image sensor group installed within the target range and the configuration list information of the second image sensor group. a comparing step of extracting differences between a group of sensors and the second group of image sensors;
A program characterized by causing the execution of In the generating step, for the image sensor group installed within the target range, totaling is performed for each type of component, and total information indicating the quantity of each type of component is generated. Item 1. The program according to item 1. In the generating step, order information for ordering components necessary for preparing a new image sensor group having the same configuration as the image sensor group installed within the target range is added to the aggregate information. 3. The program according to claim 2, wherein the program is generated based on. 4. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the second image sensor group is installed within a comparison range that is a range different from the target range. 3. The plurality of components include an illumination unit that illuminates a subject, a lens unit that forms an optical image of the subject, and an imaging unit that generates an image based on the optical image. 5. The program according to any one of 1 to 4 . A computer-readable recording medium storing the program according to any one of claims 1 to 5 .

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