JPH0524264B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a color identification device used to detect, for example, a marker placed as a mark of a flaw in a fabric.

[Prior Art] When forming a sewn product using a woven or knitted fabric, it is necessary to perform sewing using a portion of the woven or knitted fabric from which flaws are removed. As a means to remove the flaws from the sewing area, before sending the fabric such as the above-mentioned fabric to the spreading machine,
Markers such as seal ink are applied to this fabric to indicate flaws, and when the fabric is spread in a spreading machine, the markers are detected. When a marker is detected, for example, the operation of the spreading machine is stopped. There are means to prevent the flawed portion from being used for sewing by, for example, stopping the sewing machine.

By the way, especially when ink is used as the marker as described above, it is necessary to detect the marker by identifying its color. Traditionally, as a means of identifying colors,
Generally, electronic beam scanning type vidicon cameras
A detection method using a CCD image sensor or the like is known. It is also conceivable to use a color sensor as a means for identifying colors.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the above-mentioned method of detecting a vine on a vidicon camera requires a large space for installing the camera, etc., and the marker must be detected while scanning the screen. There was a problem in that it had to be moved at a fairly low speed, which took time. In addition, since image sensors identify the color to be detected by the amount of reflection and brightness of the wavelength of that color, for example, when detecting objects with uneven surfaces such as woven or knitted materials, the angle of the detection position may vary. The shade changes depending on the difference,
There was a problem that accurate detection was not possible. Furthermore, since color sensors can only identify specific colors, if the color they are trying to detect changes, they must be replaced with another color sensor that is compatible with that color, which is cumbersome and adds up to the total cost. There was also the problem that it was expensive.

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and does not require a large installation space.
Color identification allows objects to be detected, such as cloth, to be moved at higher speeds than conventional methods, the color to be detected can be easily changed, and colors can be accurately identified regardless of the object to be detected. The purpose is to provide equipment.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, a color identification device according to the present invention includes: an RGB detection section that detects an RGB mixture amount and outputs a signal according to each mixture amount; A detection ratio setting section that multiplies each output signal of the section by an arbitrary ratio to obtain a comparison signal, and compares the comparison signal output from this detection ratio setting section and detects the difference between the maximum value and minimum value of these comparison signals. The device is characterized by comprising a comparison detection section, a comparator that determines whether the detection value of the comparison detection section is within a predetermined range, and a detection signal output section that is driven based on the determination result of the comparator. .

[Function] According to the color identification device of the present invention, the RGB detection section detects the RGB mixture amount, outputs a signal corresponding to each mixture amount, and multiplies each output signal of the RGB detection section by an arbitrary ratio. When the level difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of these comparison signals is within a predetermined range, the color is identified as the desired color, which not only allows accurate color identification, but also The color to be identified can be easily changed by simply adjusting the ratio when forming the comparison signal. Further, a large space for installing a camera is not required, and there is no need for scanning by a vidicon or the like.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram of a color identification device according to an embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an RGB detection section, and this RGB detection section 1 includes three color sensor elements 1a, 1b, and 1c. Each color sensor element 1a, 1b, 1c detects the mixture amount of each of the three primary colors RGB, that is, red, green, and blue in colors detected at predetermined intervals, for example, every few nm.
This color sensor 1 is configured to output voltages corresponding to the ratio of the mixing amounts.

The output of this color sensor 1 is sent to a detection ratio setting section 3 via an amplifier circuit 2. This detection ratio setting section 3 is a section that weights each voltage output by the color sensor 1, and has input terminals r, g, and b corresponding to RGB, respectively, and has the same input terminals r, g, and b. It is formed by connecting volumes 3a, 3b, and 3c having resistance values. These volumes 3a, 3b, and 3c output, as comparison signals, voltages multiplied by a percentage of the reciprocal of the RGB mixing ratio of the color to be identified detected in advance to their output terminals r', g', and b'. is set to
For example, the RGB mixing ratio of the color to be identified is 2:5:
3, each input voltage is multiplied by a percentage of 1/2:1/5:1/3 to obtain a comparison signal. The comparison signal output from the detection ratio setting section 3 is sent to the comparison detection section 4.

The comparison detection unit 4 includes, for example, a subtraction circuit 4a that calculates the difference between the comparison signal values of green G and red R, a subtraction circuit 4b that calculates the difference between the comparison signal values of blue B and green G, and red R.
It is provided with a subtraction circuit 4c that calculates the difference between the comparison signals of and blue B, and a differential pressure detection circuit 4d that compares the absolute values of the differences between these subtraction circuits 4a, 4b, and 4c and extracts the maximum value. Therefore, the output of the differential pressure detection circuit 4d is the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of each of the comparison signals, and this is outputted from the comparator 5 as a comparison detection value.

The comparator 5 determines whether the level difference between the comparison signals is within a predetermined range by determining whether the comparison detection value outputted by the comparison detection section 4 is larger than a reference value. This determination result is sent to the detection signal output section 6.

The detection signal output section 6 generates a detection signal indicating that the desired color has been detected when the determination result by the comparator 5 is that the level difference of the comparison signals is within a predetermined range.

With the color identification device constructed as described above, colors can be identified in the following manner.

First, the RGB mixing ratio of the color to be identified is detected, and the percentage of the reciprocal of each RGB mixing ratio is determined. Then, the volumes 3a, 3b, 3c of the detection ratio setting section 3 are set so that the comparison signal voltages output to the output terminals r', g', b' are equal to the signal voltages applied to the input terminals r, g, b. The voltage is set to be the product of each of the above percentages. That is, for example, as mentioned above, the RGB mixing ratio to be identified is 2:
When the ratio is 5:3, its reciprocal is 1/2:1/5:
Since it is 1/3, the percentage of these reciprocals is 15/
31:6/31:10/31. Therefore, the volumes 3a, 3b, 3c are connected to the input terminals r, g,
When the signal voltage applied to b is 5V, 2V, 6V, output terminals r', g', b' are 5×15/31V, 2×
It is set to output 6/31V, 6×10/31V.

In this state, the color sensor 1 detects the color of the object to be detected. Through this detection, the color sensor 1 outputs three voltage signals corresponding to the amounts of the three primary colors RGB detected by each color sensor element 1a, 1b, 1c.

Next, these voltage signals are sent to the detection ratio setting unit 3 via the amplifier circuit 2, and then multiplied by the percentage of the reciprocal of the RGB mixing ratio as described above in the detection ratio setting unit 3, and the voltage signals corresponding to each of RGB are Use as a comparison signal.

Next, the comparison detection section 4 detects the level difference between these comparison signals. That is, the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of each comparison signal is detected and sent to the comparator 5. At this time, the color sensor 1
When the color to be identified is detected, the signal levels of the comparison signals are all equal.

The comparator 5 compares the level difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of each comparison signal with a reference value, and determines whether or not the level difference is within the reference value. When the color to be identified is detected by the color sensor 1 and the signal levels of the respective comparison signals are all equal, the level difference between the maximum value and the minimum value becomes 0, and it is naturally determined that it is within the reference value. be done.
However, due to detection errors and calculation errors in the circuit, the level difference between the maximum and minimum values may not become 0 even though the color to be identified is detected, so please use an appropriate reference value. It is preferable to set an error tolerance range.

As described above, when the comparator 5 determines that the level difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of each comparison signal is within the reference value, the detection signal output section 6 outputs a detection signal. However, the detection signal output section 6 may be configured to generate a detection signal when a color other than the color to be identified is detected.

If the desired color is identified from the object to be detected using the procedure described above, arranging multiple color sensors 1 in parallel will eliminate the need for scanning with a vidicon, etc. A desired color can be detected while moving at high speed.

Further, according to the color identification device as described above, when changing the color to be identified, it is only necessary to adjust the volumes 3a, 3b, and 3c of the detection ratio setting section 3, so that the color to be identified is changed. There is no need to go through the trouble of replacing the sensor every time it changes.

In the above embodiment, when the level difference between the comparison signals is within a predetermined range, the detection signal is generated as if the color to be identified has been detected, but only when the level difference is 0. A detection signal may also be generated. Furthermore, in the apparatus of the above embodiment, the comparison detection section 4 compares all the RGB comparison signals using a subtraction circuit, but if the configuration is such that the level difference between each comparison signal can be detected,
This is not necessarily limited to the examples.

Furthermore, it goes without saying that the device of the present invention described above is not necessarily used only for detecting markers that indicate flaws in knitted fabrics, etc., as described above, but can be employed for all kinds of applications that detect colors. do not have.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the color identification device of the present invention,
Since colors are identified based on the amount of the three primary colors, colors can be accurately identified even in objects to be detected that have uneven surfaces, such as woven or knitted fabrics.

In addition, by simply adjusting the ratio by which the signal detected by the RGB detection section is multiplied in the detection ratio setting section, different colors can be easily detected without replacing the sensor itself, significantly reducing the total cost of the device. can be reduced.

Further, by arranging a plurality of detection points in parallel in the horizontal direction, there is no need for scanning by a vidicon or the like, so the detection speed can be increased.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram of a color identification device. 1...RGB detection section, 3...detection ratio setting section, 4...
Comparison detection section, 5... Comparator, 6... Detection signal output section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An RGB detection section that detects the amount of RGB mixture and outputs a signal according to the amount of mixture thereof, and a detection ratio that multiplies each output signal of this RGB detection section by an arbitrary ratio to obtain a comparison signal. a setting section; a comparison detection section that compares the comparison signals outputted by the detection ratio setting section and detects a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of these comparison signals; and a detection value of the comparison detection section that is within a predetermined range. What is claimed is: 1. A color identification device comprising: a comparator that determines whether or not the present invention is true; and a detection signal output section that is driven based on the determination result of the comparator.