JPH05316293A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To hold the temperature of a fluorescent lamp itself nearly constant, to drastically suppress the variation of illuminance at the time of fetching reflected images and to provide stable image processing by always lighting a light source for the reflected images except for a period for lighting the light source for silhouette images by a light source driving means for the reflected images. CONSTITUTION:Since an image processing instruction signal is supplies to a lighting control part 8 in a state for which a part is positioned on a translucent board 2 by moving on a parts carrier truck 1, an EL surface emitter 3 is lighted for a prescribed time by an EL surface emitter driving part 82, the silhouette image obtained by the light is fetched by an image detection part 6, binarization processing and feature value extracting processing, etc., are performed by an image signal processing part 7 and the kind of the part is identified. When it is discriminated that front/rear discrimination or the like are required, since an image processing signal for instructing processing based on the reflected image is supplied to the lighting control part 8, the lighting of a fluorescent lamp 4 is continued without lighting the EL surface emitter 3, the reflected image obtained by the light from the fluorescent lamp 4 is fetched by the image detection part 6, the same processing or the like are performed by the image signal processing part 7 and the front/rear of the part are discriminated and so on.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing device,
More specifically, the present invention relates to an image processing device that detects light including information about a state, a shape, and the like of an object with a light source turned on by an image detection unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a component feeder having a bowl feeder as a main part, instead of providing a mechanical component aligning mechanism to align the components, the component transport provided around the bowl for storing the components. A predetermined area of the truck is illuminated by an illuminating device, an image of the area illuminated by the illuminating device is detected by an image detection device such as a CCD camera, and the type, position, etc. of the parts are identified based on the detected image, and identification is performed. There is proposed a structure in which a desired component is supplied to a desired position by operating an industrial robot or the like based on the result. However, in order to ensure the component identification by the image detection device, the white component is selected as the target component and the component transport truck is painted black to make the contrast clear. "Parts supply system used", Hitachi, Ltd., Production Technology Laboratory, Michio Takahashi,
(Refer to Jan. 29, 1988, 62nd Research Presentation, Automatic Assembly Special Committee, Japan Society for Precision Engineering).

If such a structure is adopted, since the image on the component conveying track is captured by the image detecting device in a state where the contrast is clear, the type of the component can be accurately identified, and the desired component can be used as the industrial robot. Can be taken out by.

[0004]

When the component supply device having the above-mentioned configuration is adopted, there is no guarantee that the components are made of a white material depending on the product to which the components are applied, so that the contrast is not clear. However, because it has the disadvantage that the component identification accuracy decreases, and because reflected light is taken into the image detection device because it is illuminated by the illumination device from above the component transport track, it is caused by the material of the component. There is a disadvantage that the state of the reflected light changes depending on the surface state, and the component identification accuracy greatly changes. Therefore, the types of applicable components are significantly limited. Further, since the illumination device and the image detection device are arranged above the component transport truck, there is a disadvantage that interference with an industrial robot that takes out components is likely to occur. In order to eliminate this inconvenience, the illuminating device and the image detecting device must be arranged at extremely high positions, which makes the support of these devices unstable and tries to prevent the unstable support. In that case, it becomes necessary to strengthen the support portion, which leads to an increase in cost.

In order to eliminate such inconvenience, the inventors of the present invention form an opening at a predetermined position of the component transporting track, and provide a transparent plate in the opening. An illumination device is arranged above and below, respectively, and an image detection device including a CCD camera or the like is provided at a predetermined position capable of capturing reflected light caused by the illumination device below and transmitted light caused by the illumination device above. We considered a component supply device with the configuration arranged.

In the case of the component supplying device of this structure, only the upper illuminating device is turned on, the silhouette image is captured by the image detecting device and binarization processing is performed, so that the influence of the material, color and surface condition of the component is exerted. It is possible to obtain an image in which only the silhouette image alone is used to perform accurate identification by obtaining only the silhouette image and illuminating only the lower illuminating device and capturing the reflected image by the image detecting device. An image can be obtained showing the surface condition of the part as a seed for parts that cannot be achieved. Therefore, it is possible to achieve highly accurate identification of the parts based on only the silhouette image or based on the silhouette image and the reflection image.

In addition, regarding the illuminating device used in the component supply device considered by the present inventors, for example, a ring-shaped fluorescent lamp is adopted as the lower illuminating device, and an EL (electroluminescence) is used as the upper illuminating device. ) Adopting a surface light emitter such as a light emitter so that the surface light emitter functions as a background when capturing a reflected image, and only when capturing a silhouette image, the surface light emitter is turned on, and only when capturing a reflected image. The ring-shaped fluorescent lamp is turned on.

However, the surface illuminator and the ring-shaped fluorescent lamp are turned on only for a period necessary to capture the corresponding image, and the silhouette image and the reflected image of the component on the transparent plate are detected. As for the silhouette image, the silhouette image obtained by binarizing many parts of the same type at a relatively short time interval was almost constant, but for the reflection image, a relatively short time interval. However, the reflection images obtained by binarizing a large number of parts of the same type vary considerably, and there is a disadvantage that the parts cannot be identified with extremely high accuracy.

Although only the case where the invention is applied to the component supply device has been described above, even in a device other than the component supply device, the silhouette image and the reflection image are captured by the image detection device and binarized. When a fluorescent lamp is used as the illuminating device for the reflected image, the same problem occurs.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems and is capable of detecting not only a reflected image but also a silhouette image, and a reflected image when a fluorescent lamp is used as an illumination device for the reflected image. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing device capable of significantly reducing the variation of

[0011]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an image processing apparatus according to claim 1 has light sources arranged above and below a light-transmissive plate, and an image is provided at a predetermined position. The detecting means is arranged so that the reflected image of the object on the light-transmitting plate is detected by the image detecting means with one light source turned on, and the light-transmitting property with the other light source turned on. An image processing apparatus for detecting a silhouette image of an object on a plate with an image detecting means, wherein the light source for the reflection image is a fluorescent lamp, and the light source for the silhouette image is excluded except for a period in which the light source is turned on. It includes a reflection image light source driving means for constantly turning on the light source.

According to another aspect of the image detecting device of the present invention, the light sources are arranged above and below the transparent plate and the image detecting means is arranged at a predetermined position, and one of the light sources is turned on. The reflected image of the object on the transparent plate is detected by the image detecting means, and the silhouette image of the object on the transparent plate is detected by the image detecting means while the other light source is turned on. In the image processing apparatus for detection, the light source for the reflected image is a fluorescent lamp, and the fluorescent lamp heating means is arranged at a predetermined position close to the fluorescent lamp.

[0013]

According to the image detecting apparatus of the first aspect, the light sources are arranged above and below the transparent plate, and
A state in which the image detection means is arranged at a predetermined position, one of the light sources is turned on, the reflected image of the object on the transparent plate is detected by the image detection means, and the other light source is turned on. The silhouette image of the object on the transparent plate can be detected by the image detecting means. In this case, since the light source for the reflected image is a fluorescent lamp, if the fluorescent lamp is turned on for a period necessary to detect the reflected image, the illuminance fluctuates due to the influence of the ambient temperature and the number of blinks. Since the reflected image after the binarization process varies, stable image processing cannot be achieved. However, in the present invention, the light source for reflected image is always turned on by the light source driving means for reflected image except the period in which the light source for silhouette image is turned on. It can be held almost constant, and it is possible to achieve stable image processing by greatly suppressing variations in illuminance when capturing a reflected image.

According to another aspect of the image detecting device of the present invention, the light sources are arranged above and below the transparent plate and the image detecting means is arranged at a predetermined position, and one of the light sources is turned on. The reflected image of the object on the transparent plate is detected by the image detecting means while the other light source is turned on, and the silhouette image of the object on the transparent plate is detected by the image detection means. It can be detected by means. In this case, since the light source for the reflected image is a fluorescent lamp, if the fluorescent lamp is turned on for a period necessary to detect the reflected image, the illuminance fluctuates due to the influence of the ambient temperature and the number of blinks. Since the reflected image after the binarization process varies, stable image processing cannot be achieved. However, in this invention, since the fluorescent lamp is heated by the fluorescent lamp heating means, the temperature of the fluorescent lamp itself can be kept substantially constant, and the variation in illuminance at the time of capturing the reflected image can be significantly suppressed. And stable image processing can be achieved.

[0015]

Embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings showing embodiments. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing a main part of a component supply device as an embodiment of the image processing device of the present invention, in which a transparent acrylic plate or the like provided at a predetermined position of a component transport track 1 is transparent. An EL surface light emitter 3 as a surface light emitter that functions as a background when capturing a reflected image is arranged above the transparent plate 2, and a ring-shaped fluorescent lamp 4 is arranged below the light transmissive plate 2. And a half mirror 5 is arranged between the translucent plate 2 and the fluorescent lamp 4, and a CCD camera or the like is provided at a predetermined position in the optical path of the light reflected by the half mirror 5. Image detection unit 6 consisting of
Has been placed. Further, it has an image signal processing unit 7 that performs image processing such as binarization processing by using the image signal from the image detection unit 6 as input, and also receives the image processing instruction signal as input and the EL surface light emitter 3 and the fluorescent lamp. The lighting control unit 8 controls the lighting of the No. 4 lighting device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the lighting control unit 8 in detail. Whether the image processing instruction signal is a signal instructing processing based on a silhouette image or a signal instructing processing based on a reflected image. In response to the discrimination signal from the processing type discriminating unit 81 for discriminating and the processing type discriminating unit 81 indicating that the process is based on the silhouette image, the EL surface emission is performed only for the time required to capture the silhouette image. Body 3
It has an EL surface light emitter drive section 82 for turning on the LED lamp, and a fluorescent lamp drive section 83 for turning off the fluorescent lamp 4 for the time when the EL surface light emitter 3 is turned on in response to the discrimination signal.

The operation of the image processing apparatus having the above configuration is as follows. In the state where the component is located on the translucent plate 2 by moving on the component transport track 1, first, an image processing instruction signal for instructing that the processing based on the silhouette image should be performed is given to the lighting control unit 8. Since it is supplied, the EL surface light emitter drive unit 82 lights the EL surface light emitter 3 for a predetermined time, the silhouette image obtained by the light from the EL surface light emitter 3 is captured by the image detection unit 6, and the image signal processing unit 7 is supplied. By this, binarization processing, characteristic value extraction processing, etc. are performed to identify the type of component. The fluorescent lamp 4 is turned off by the fluorescent lamp driving section 83 while the EL surface light-emitting body 3 is turned on so that the light from the fluorescent lamp 4 does not affect the silhouette image. Then, as a result of this discrimination, for example, when it is discriminated that front / back discrimination or the like is necessary, an image processing signal instructing that processing based on the reflected image should be performed is supplied to the lighting control section 8. The lighting of the fluorescent lamp 4 is continued without turning on the light-emitting body 3, the reflected image obtained by the light from the fluorescent lamp 4 is captured by the image processing unit 6, and the image signal processing unit 7 performs the binarization processing and the feature value. Extraction processing and the like are performed to determine the front and back of parts.

As is clear from the above description, when the processing based on the silhouette image is carried out, there is no influence of the material and surface condition of the parts, so that the range of applicable parts can be remarkably expanded. Only when the processing based on the silhouette image is insufficient, the processing based on the reflected light is performed to achieve front / back discrimination, so even if the outer shapes are the same, the recesses, holes, protrusions, bending directions, etc. are different. Can be reliably identified, and the component identification accuracy can be significantly improved.

Further, the fluorescent lamp 4 is designed so that the radiation efficiency of light of a predetermined wavelength is maximized when the tube wall temperature is about 40 ° C., and the ambient temperature is 20 ° C.
It is obtained by lighting in still air at -25 ° C. Therefore, if the fluorescent lamp 4 is turned on only when the processing based on the reflected light is required, the tube wall temperature does not rise sufficiently, so that the emission efficiency of the light of the predetermined wavelength becomes low, and the fluorescent lamp 4 blinks. By repeating the above, even if the fluorescent lamp 4 is initially turned on continuously and the tube wall temperature is sufficiently increased, the tube wall temperature gradually decreases with the repetition of blinking, and the binarization process is performed. The reflection image obtained by this is changing. However, in this embodiment, since the fluorescent lamp 4 is simply turned off while the EL surface light-emitting body 3 is turned on, the lighting is continued for the remaining period.
Almost no decrease in the temperature of the tube wall can be achieved, and almost no variation in the reflection image obtained by performing the binarization process can be achieved, and accurate front / back discrimination based on the reflection image can be achieved.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing changes in the illuminance of the fluorescent lamp 4 with respect to the ambient temperature. When the fluorescent lamp 4 is continuously lit,
The cases where the lighting time of the fluorescent lamp 4 is 0.7 seconds and the time intervals from lighting to lighting are 6.5, 15, 30, and 60 seconds are shown in A to E in FIG. 3, respectively. The change in illuminance of the EL surface light-emitting body is shown in F in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a case where the lighting time of the fluorescent lamp 4 is set to 0.7 seconds and the extinguishing time is set to 6.5 seconds when the ambient temperature is 17.0 ° C. {see FIG. 4 (A)} and the fluorescent lamp. When the lighting time of No. 4 is set to 5.7 seconds and the extinction time is set to 1.5 seconds {Fig. 4
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the illuminance fluctuation of the fluorescent lamp 4 in (B), FIG. 5 shows that the lighting time of the fluorescent lamp 4 is set to 0.7 seconds and the turn-off time is set to 6.5 seconds when the ambient temperature is 12.7 ° C. If you do {Fig. 5
FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the illuminance variation of the fluorescent lamp 4 when the lighting time of the fluorescent lamp 4 is set to 5.7 seconds and the turn-off time is set to 1.5 seconds (see FIG. 5B). By setting the lighting time that is sufficiently long for the off time,
It can be seen that the illuminance variation of the fluorescent lamp 4 can be significantly reduced.

As is clear from these figures, the fluorescent lamp 4
If you turn on and off for a long time to blink, the illuminance sharply decreases with a decrease in ambient temperature, but if you continue to turn on, if you turn on and off the light significantly,
It can be seen that the illuminance does not decrease so much even when the ambient temperature decreases. Therefore, if the above-mentioned embodiment is adopted, it can be seen that accurate front / back discrimination based on the reflected image can be achieved with almost no fluctuation of the reflected image obtained by performing the binarization process. Since the EL surface light-emitting body 3 has better responsiveness in rising than the fluorescent lamp 4 and less variation in illuminance depending on the change in ambient temperature, the EL surface light-emitting body 3 is turned on only in the space required for the processing based on the silhouette image. But there is no inconvenience.

[0023]

[Embodiment 2] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing the main part of another embodiment of the image processing apparatus of the present invention. The difference from the above embodiment is that a heating element 41 is provided on the lower surface of the fluorescent lamp 4. Only points. However, the lighting control unit 8 may have the same configuration as that of the above-described embodiment, but the fluorescent lamp 4 may be turned on only for the time required to perform the process based on the reflected light.

Therefore, in this embodiment, since the tube wall temperature of the fluorescent lamp 4 can be maintained at about 40 ° C. regardless of the ambient temperature, the illuminance fluctuation of the fluorescent lamp 4 can be greatly suppressed and the binarization processing can be performed. It is possible to achieve accurate discrimination between the front and back sides based on the reflected image by making almost no fluctuation of the reflected image obtained by applying the above. FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view schematically showing a modified example of this embodiment, in which the fluorescent lamp 4 is surrounded by a heating element 42. However,
At least the portion corresponding to the upper half of the fluorescent lamp 4 is made transparent. Specifically, it is preferable that the entire heating element 42 is gel-like and transparent or white. Therefore, in this case, the entire range of the tube wall of the fluorescent lamp 4 can be maintained at about 40 ° C., and fluctuations in illuminance of the fluorescent lamp 4 can be further significantly suppressed.

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view schematically showing another modified example of this embodiment, in which the fluorescent lamp 4 is housed in a casing 43 having a translucent property at least in the center of the upper surface thereof. It contains the heating element 44. Therefore, also in this case, the entire range of the tube wall of the fluorescent lamp 4 can be maintained at about 40 ° C., and the illuminance fluctuation of the fluorescent lamp 4 can be further significantly suppressed.
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be applied to applications other than component identification in a component supply device, for example, and various design changes can be made without changing the gist of the present invention. Is possible.

[0026]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, the light source for reflected image is constantly turned on by the light source driving means for reflected image except the period in which the light source for silhouette image is turned on. Therefore, the temperature of the fluorescent lamp itself can be kept substantially constant, and the unique effect that stable image processing can be achieved by greatly suppressing the variation in illuminance at the time of capturing a reflected image is achieved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the fluorescent lamp is heated by the fluorescent lamp heating means, the temperature of the fluorescent lamp itself can be maintained substantially constant, and the variation in illuminance at the time of capturing the reflected image is large. It has a unique effect that stable image processing can be achieved by suppressing the above.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing a main part of a component supply device as an embodiment of an image processing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a lighting control unit in detail.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a change in illuminance of a fluorescent lamp with respect to an ambient temperature.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a variation in illuminance of a fluorescent lamp in a state in which blinking cycles are equal and a ratio of lighting time and extinction time is set substantially opposite.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a change in illuminance of a fluorescent lamp in a state in which blinking periods are equal and a ratio of lighting time and extinguishing time is set substantially opposite.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing a main part of another embodiment of the image processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view schematically showing a modification of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view schematically showing another modification of the embodiment of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Translucent Plate 3 EL Surface Emitting Body 4 Fluorescent Lamp 6 Image Detecting Section 41, 42, 44 Heating Element 83
Fluorescent light drive

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Light sources (3) and (4) are arranged above and below a transparent plate (2), and image detecting means (6) is arranged at a predetermined position. The image detecting means (6) detects the reflection image of the object on the transparent plate (2) with the light source (4) turned on, and the other image with the other light source (3) turned on. Light-sensitive board (2)
An image processing device for detecting a silhouette image of an upper object by an image detection means (6), the light source (4) for a reflection image.
Is a fluorescent lamp (4), and includes a reflection image light source driving means (83) for constantly turning on the reflection image light source (4) except during a period when the silhouette image light source (3) is turned on. An image processing device characterized by. 2. A light source (3) (4) is arranged above and below a transparent plate (2), and an image detecting means (6) is arranged at a predetermined position. The image detecting means (6) detects the reflection image of the object on the transparent plate (2) with the light source (4) turned on, and the other image with the other light source (3) turned on. Light-sensitive board (2)
An image processing device for detecting a silhouette image of an upper object by an image detection means (6), the light source (4) for a reflection image.
Is a fluorescent lamp (4), and the fluorescent lamp heating means (41) (42) (44) are arranged at predetermined positions close to the fluorescent lamp (4).