JPH10104164A - Grain evaluating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to perform labelling by simple processing by holding a plurality of grains in the line pattern under the one-layer state at a unit grain width, and evaluating the quality by the respective image of each grain labelled based on the photographed image information. SOLUTION: On the lower side of a grain holder 1, an illuminating light source 2 as the illuminating means, which projects the illuminating light on the predetermined presence part of rice grains K, is provided under the state of upward illuminting light. At the upper side of the grain holder 1, a black-and- white CCD camera 3 in the downward imaging direction having an imagery lens 3a and a CCD imaging element 3b is provided. The illuminating light source 2 comprises a white lamp 2a, which emits the light having the wavelengths in the wide range. Based on the photographed image information of the CCD camera 3, which has photographed the image of the linear rice-grain layer held with the grain holder 1, the labeling means, which labels the regions in correspondence with each rice grain K respectively in the linear rice-grain layer, is constituted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to illuminating means for projecting illuminating light to a location where a grain is expected to exist, and to capture an image of the grain at the location where the grain is illuminated by the illumination means. The present invention relates to a grain evaluation device provided with an imaging unit and a quality evaluation unit for evaluating the quality of a grain based on image information captured by the imaging unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the above-described grain evaluation apparatus, for example, a plurality of rice grains (brown rice, etc.), which are examples of grains to be evaluated, are spaced apart from each other at predetermined locations on a transparent glass plate. Holding a rice grain by using a plate member capable of holding one rice grain and having a large number of concave grooves (corresponding to expected locations) having light transmitting holes in the center and the like,
In the transmitted image when the rice grain layer held at the expected location is illuminated with illumination light of a specific wavelength, a region corresponding to each rice grain is subjected to labeling processing. Was determined.

[0003]

However, in the prior art described above, in the former method, the grains are simply placed on a glass plate and the grains are easily held, but a plurality of grains are placed at random positions. Because of the distribution, there is a drawback that the labeling process for separating the image area corresponding to each grain is complicated, while in the latter, the labeling process is simple because the position of each kernel is determined by the position of the groove. On the other hand, however, there is a disadvantage in that the trouble of holding the grains in all the grooves is troublesome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to relatively easily hold a grain at a place where a grain is to be present, in order to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art. And the labeling process is performed by a simple process.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of grains are kept in a single layer at a portion where a grain is to be present, and a grain layer arranged in a row with a unit grain width is held. The region corresponding to each grain in the row-shaped grain layer is labeled based on the captured image information of the row-shaped grain layer on which the illumination light is projected, and the labeling is performed. The quality of the grain is evaluated by the image of each grain.

Therefore, if a plurality of grains are arranged in a row with a unit grain width in a single layer, the position of each grain in the row direction can be random. By holding a plurality of grains as a row-shaped grain layer in the row-shaped grooves, it is easier to hold the grains than in the conventional case where the grains are held one by one in each groove. At the same time, in the direction intersecting in the row direction, the position of each grain is separated by a row interval, so that, unlike the conventional method, it is randomly distributed at the expected location. This eliminates the need for labeling in a direction intersecting with the column direction, thereby simplifying the labeling process.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the illumination light corresponds to each of the grains in the row of grain layers based on transmission image information transmitted through the row of grain layers. The regions are labeled, and the quality of the kernel is evaluated by the image of each of the labeled kernels.

Accordingly, since the area corresponding to each grain is labeled by the transmission image and the quality of each grain is evaluated, for example, the quality is evaluated by the reflection image obtained by imaging the reflected light from the grain. As described above, there is no possibility that the quality evaluation of the grain becomes inappropriate due to the influence of the unevenness state of the grain surface or the like, and the quality evaluation such as the quality of the grain can be appropriately performed. Is obtained.

According to the configuration of claim 3, claim 1 or 2
In a state in which a pair of plate members connected to both sides in the short direction of the long groove-shaped holding portion are inclined upward with respect to the long groove-shaped holding portion, a plurality of grains are thrown in from above. Next, the pair of plate members are swung so as to be in a horizontal state at substantially the same height with respect to the longitudinal groove-shaped holding portion, and the longitudinal groove-shaped holding portion is formed in a row with a unit kernel width. Retain the grain layer.

[0010] Therefore, with a simple structure in which the pair of plate members is simply swung between a horizontal state and an upwardly inclined state, it is possible to hold the row-shaped grain layers,
Advantageous measures of claim 1 or 2 are obtained.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the imaging direction is set such that one of the screen coordinate axes of the imaging means coincides with the column direction of the grain layer,
At each position on the screen coordinate axis along the column direction of the grain layer,
The image information at each scanning line along the screen coordinate axis intersecting with the column direction of the grain layer detects a boundary position between grains in the column direction of the grain layer, and labels an area corresponding to each grain. You.

Therefore, for example, when the screen coordinate axis of the imaging means is set independently of the column direction of the grain layer, the column direction of the grain layer is oblique to any of the two screen coordinate axes of the imaging means. It is necessary to label each grain whose position moves on the image information in each scanning line along any of the two screen coordinate axes, and the position on the image moves. On the other hand, in claim 4, since the position of the kernel does not move in the image information on each scanning line along the screen coordinate axis intersecting in the column direction of the kernel layer, the labeling process for each kernel whose position is fixed Can be further simplified, and the preferable means according to any one of claims 1 to 3 can be obtained.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a grain evaluation apparatus according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which rice grains are an example of grains.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a grain holding means for holding a grain layer in which a plurality of rice grains k are arranged in a single layer and in a unit grain width at a location where the rice grains k are expected to exist. A longitudinal groove-shaped holding portion 1a capable of holding a row of grain layers with a unit grain width, and the longitudinal groove-shaped holding portion 1
and a pair of plate members 1b that are connected to both sides in the short direction of a and that are swingable between a horizontal state having substantially the same height as the holding portion 1a and an inclined state inclined upward or downward. A grain holding device 1 is provided. In the figure, the holding unit 1
and a plurality of sets of plate members 1b are provided, the elongated groove-shaped holding portions 1a correspond to the locations where rice grains are to be present, and the bottom of the groove at the center in the width direction of each holding portion 1a has illumination light from below. In order to transmit the light, a slit s for light transmission is formed along the longitudinal direction with a width smaller than the unit grain width of the rice grain k (for example, about 1/3 of the unit grain width).

An illumination light source 2 is provided below the grain holding device 1 as illumination means for projecting illumination light to a portion where the rice grain k is expected to be present in the state of upward illumination light. Above 1, a black-and-white CCD camera 3 having an imaging lens 3 a and a CCD imaging device 3 b in a downward imaging direction is provided. As described above, the imaging unit that captures an image of the rice grain k at the above-described expected location illuminated by the illumination light source 2, that is, a transmission image when the illumination light passes through the expected existence location via the slit s, is a CCD. The camera 3 is configured.

The illumination light source 2 includes a white lamp 2a that emits light of a wide range of wavelengths. And
A color filter 8 that allows only the light of a specific wavelength component of the emission wavelength of the white lamp 2a to pass therethrough and is switchable to a state in which the CCD camera 3 receives the light is transmitted from the illumination light source 2 to the CC
In the light path to the D camera 3 (specifically, the CCD
(The position facing the camera 3).

The color filter 8 has a wavelength of 400 nm to 500 n.
The disk provided with the filter unit 8a that transmits each light of the first specific wavelength component (around 450 nm) included in the range of m and the second specific wavelength component (around 650 nm) of the range of 630 nm to 680 nm is formed. Rotated by the filter switching motor M2, each filter section 8a is positioned in front of the imaging lens 3a. The color filter 8 is configured so as to be freely inserted into and retracted from a light path from the illumination light source 2 to the CCD camera 3. That is, when the light from the white lamp 2a is used as it is, the cutout portion where the filter portion 8a is not formed is connected so that the color filter 8 is moved out of the light path from the illumination light source 2 to the CCD camera 3. The filter switching motor M2 operates so as to be located in front of the image lens 3a.

The structure and operation of the grain holding device 1 for aligning and holding the rice grains k in the holding portion 1a will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. In order to swing one of the inner plate members 1b around an axis along the longitudinal direction between a horizontal state and a state inclined left and right, a first end is provided at one end of the plate member 1b. The disk 4A is fixed, and a disk rotating motor M1 for rotating the first disk 4A is provided. A similar second disk 4B is also fixed to the other end of the plate member 1b.
The disk 4B rotates with the swing of the plate member 1b. In the figure,
6 depends on the rotational position of the second disk 4B (for example,
This is a horizontal position detection sensor that detects the horizontal state of the plate member 1b by, for example, detecting a cutout portion provided in the peripheral portion in a light transmitting manner. The other end of each holding portion 1a is connected to the link 5A while the other end of each holding portion 1a is pivotally supported at every other end of the first link 5A. Are alternately pivotally supported by the quadrangular second link 5B at positions deviated from the joint.

When each plate member 1b is horizontal (when power is turned on, each plate member 1a is reset to a horizontal state), a predetermined number of rice grains k are sprayed thereon, When the manual start switch 7 (see FIG. 5) is pressed from the horizontal state to drive the disk rotating motor M1 and rotate the first disk 4A rightward by a set angle (for example, 45 degrees), FIG. As shown in ()), every other plate member 1b is inclined in the opposite direction, and every other holding portion 1a is located above and below. Next, when the start switch 7 is pressed to rotate the first disk 4A to the left in the opposite direction by twice the set angle, as shown in FIG.
Is inclined in the opposite direction to the above case, and the holding portion 1a located above is lowered, and the holding portion 1a positioned below is
Operates so as to be located above. In the above operation, when each of the holding portions 1a is positioned above, a transmission image is taken of a plurality of rice grains k held in a row there, and the sample is evaluated. The sample after completion of the evaluation is removed with a brush or the like.

The control structure will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, a control device 10 using a microcomputer is provided. The control device 10 includes an image signal picked up by the CCD camera 3 and a sensor 6 for detecting the horizontal position. , And a command signal from a manual start switch 7 for giving an operation command. On the other hand, the control device 10 outputs a drive signal for the disk rotation motor M1 and the filter switching motor M2, and an image signal for the television monitor 9 for displaying various information as described later. .

The control device 10 is used to image the row of rice grain layers held by the grain holding device 1.
A labeling processing means 100 for labeling a region corresponding to each rice grain k in the row of rice grain layers based on the image information captured by the CD camera 3 is configured. Specifically, in a state in which the color filter 8 is retracted from the light path between the illumination light source 2 and the CCD camera 3, a transmission image of the rice grain layer on the holding unit 1a is captured, and in the captured image, When the amount of transmitted light is smaller than a set value, labeling is performed by discriminating the region as rice grain k. The area of each of the labeled rice grains k is referred to as the TV monitor 9.
Will be displayed on the screen.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the CCD camera 3 has one of its screen coordinate axes (in FIG.
The imaging direction is set so that the (axial direction) coincides with the row direction of the rice grain layer (longitudinal direction of the holding unit 1a), and the labeling processing means 100 sets a screen coordinate axis (Y axis) along the row direction of the grain layer. At each of the above positions, the boundary position between grains in the column direction of the grain layer is detected by image information on each scanning line along the screen coordinate axis (X axis) intersecting in the column direction of the grain layer. The region corresponding to each of the rice grains k is configured to be labeled.

That is, when the CCD image pickup device 3b of the CCD camera 3 is driven to scan along the X direction on each scanning line along the Y direction, an output waveform for each pixel p is obtained as shown in FIG. In the figure, since the illumination light is transmitted only through the slit s, a transmitted image of the rice grain k appears only at a position determined in the X direction. In FIG. 6, as a criterion for determining the level of the transmitted light, x0 is the light amount level of the transmitted light in a portion where the rice grain k does not exist, and x1 is the determination of the presence or absence of the rice grain when it is determined that the transmitted light amount is smaller than this. The image area in which the pixels p having the light amount level which is smaller than the light amount level x1 for determining the presence or absence of the rice grain is continued is an area corresponding to each rice grain k. However, as shown in FIG.
Of the three rice grains k arranged in the column direction, the upper two rice grains are close in position and have overlapping regions, and in order to eliminate such overlap, each region is set as shown by a dotted line in the figure. Each region is separated by performing a process of shrinking to the inner side.
Note that x2 indicates a light amount level at which it is determined that a defective substance such as colored rice or a foreign substance that is not a normal rice grain k exists if the transmitted light amount is smaller than this.

Further, by utilizing the control device 10, the C
A quality evaluation unit 200 that evaluates the quality of the rice grain by the image of each rice grain k labeled by the labeling processing unit 100 based on the captured image information of the CD camera 3, that is, the transmission image transmitted through the expected location. It is configured. Specifically, in the region corresponding to each rice grain k, as shown in FIG. 7, the X direction is the width of the slit s, and the Y direction is the width of the unit rice grain including the central portion of the rice grain k, and is equal to 1 unit.
The evaluation target range h for the light of at least one wavelength component of the light of the first and second specific wavelength components is a rectangular range set to about / 3 as the evaluation target range ht.
The quality of the rice grain k is evaluated based on the amount of transmitted light of each pixel p within t.

In practice, the magnitude of the amount of transmitted light is determined based on the transmittance. That is, the level of the amount of transmitted light in a state where the rice grain k is present is expressed as a percentage based on the amount of transmitted light in a state where the rice grain k is not present. As specific contents of the evaluation, first, the transmittance for the light of the first and second specific wavelength components (meaning the average value of the transmittance at each pixel p within the evaluation target range ht) is set to the set value. A rice grain larger than this is determined as a good product, and a rice grain whose transmittance is smaller than the set value is determined as a defective product. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the transmittance of good rice a and b is about 40% to 60% for light of the first specific wavelength component (around 450 nm), The transmittance of rice c, d, e is about 25%
Since the transmittance is about 33%, if the set value is determined to be about 33%, the quality of rice grains can be determined, and the second specific wavelength component (6
For light having a wavelength of around 50 nm, the transmittance of good rice a and b is between about 75% and 86%, whereas the transmittance of defective rice c, d and e is about 52% to 28%. %, It is possible to judge the quality of rice grains by determining the set value at about 63% transmittance.

Next, the difference between the transmittance of the first specific wavelength component or the second specific wavelength component for light is used to distinguish good-quality rice and immature rice from non-defective products, and transmission of the second specific wavelength component for light. The rate distinguishes dead rice from defective and colored rice and damaged rice. That is, FIG.
As shown in the figure, the transmittance of good quality rice a for light of the first specific wavelength component (around 450 nm) is about 57%, the transmittance of immature rice b is about 44%, and the second specific wavelength component (650).
The transmittance of good quality rice a is about 85% and the transmittance of immature rice b is about 75% with respect to light having a wavelength of around nm). Much larger than the second specific wavelength component (650 n
m), the transmittance of dead rice e is about 28%, while the transmittance of colored rice d and damaged rice c is 47%.
It can be distinguished because it is much larger, about 52%.

The quality of the rice grain k is evaluated based on the variation in the amount of transmitted light of each pixel p within the evaluation target range ht. That is, since the average value of the transmittance of each pixel p within the evaluation target range ht is determined as described above, the variation of the transmitted light amount is determined based on the standard deviation with respect to the average value. Specifically, regarding the damaged rice and the colored rice in the defective rice, since the standard deviation of the damaged rice is larger than the standard deviation of the colored rice, the damaged rice and the colored rice in the defective rice can be distinguished.

The control device 10 discriminates between good rice and bad rice by changing the evaluation results of the above rice grains on the screen of the television monitor 9 by, for example, changing the color. Display while distinguishing rice of various qualities.

[Alternative Embodiment] A kernel holding means for holding a grain layer arranged in a row at a unit grain width in a single layer at a place where a plurality of kernels k are expected to exist is provided in the above embodiment. As in the example, the structure is not limited to the combination of the long groove-shaped holding portion 1a and the swinging plate member 1b. For example,
Holding means for holding a grain in a row in the longitudinal groove using a plate member having a groove corresponding to the size of the unit grain width and having a longitudinal groove formed as an expected location of the grain. May be. Further, the above-mentioned longitudinal groove-shaped holding portion 1a and plate member 1b
It is not necessary to provide a plurality of holding portions 1a also in the case of the combination of the above, and one long groove-shaped holding portion 1a and a pair of plate members 1b connected to both sides thereof may be used.

In the above embodiment, the illuminating means 2 is composed of the wide-wavelength light source 2a that emits light of a wide range of wavelengths, and passes only light of a specific wavelength component of the emission wavelength of the wide-wavelength light source 2a. Although the illumination light of the specific wavelength component is generated by switching with the color filter 8 so as to perform the above operation, a single-wavelength light source such as an LED that emits light of the specific wavelength component may be used. In addition, the specific wavelength component is not limited to the first specific wavelength component near 450 nm and the second specific wavelength component near 650 nm as in the above-described embodiment, but also depends on the type of grain to be evaluated. An appropriate wavelength component can be set.

In the above embodiment, the image pickup means 3 is constituted by a CCD camera (black and white type). However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an image pickup tube type television camera may be used. or,
Instead of a black-and-white type imaging unit, a color type imaging unit (such as a color CCD camera) may be used.
Is composed of a wide-wavelength light source 2a that emits light of a wide range of wavelengths, and the color filter 8 becomes unnecessary.

In the above embodiment, the quality of the grain is evaluated by the transmission image in which the illumination light has passed through the portion where the grain is expected to exist. However, the quality of the grain may be evaluated by the reflection image.

In the above embodiment, the evaluation target range ht including the center of the grain existence area on the image is formed in a rectangular shape for evaluating the quality of the grain, but may be formed in a circular shape. , Its width in the vertical and horizontal directions is also 1/3 of the unit grain width
Not limited.

In the above embodiment, the evaluation device is configured to display the position of each grain determined based on the captured image information and the result of the quality evaluation of each grain on the television monitor 9. , There is no need to display on the TV monitor 9, for example, by displaying the evaluation results in numbers,
Alternatively, it may be printed out.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a grain evaluation device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a main part of the grain holding device.

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the operation of the grain holding device.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control configuration.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a captured image of a grain;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a labeling process of a grain;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of quality evaluation of rice grains.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Grain holding | maintenance means 1a Holding part 1b Plate member 2 Illumination means 3 Imaging means 100 Labeling processing means 200 Quality evaluation means

Claims (4)

[Claims] An illumination unit (2) for projecting illumination light to an expected location of a grain, and an image of a grain at the expected location illuminated by the illumination unit (2) is captured. A grain evaluation device, comprising: an imaging unit (3); and a quality evaluation unit (200) that evaluates the quality of a grain based on image information captured by the imaging unit (3). A grain holding means (1) for holding a grain layer in which a plurality of grains are in a single layer at a location and arranged in a row with a unit grain width, and held by the grain holding means (1); A labeling processing means (100) for labeling regions corresponding to each of the grains in the row-shaped grain layer based on the captured image information of the imaging means (3) which has captured the row-shaped grain layer thus obtained. The quality evaluation means (200) is provided with the labeling process. A kernel evaluation device configured to perform quality evaluation of the kernel based on an image of each kernel labeled by the means (100). 2. The quality evaluation unit (200), wherein the imaging unit (3) is configured to capture a transmission image when the illumination light from the illumination unit (2) passes through the expected location. The grain evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the grain evaluation device is configured to perform quality evaluation of the grain by the transmission image. 3. The grain holding means (1) has a longitudinal groove-shaped holding portion (1a) capable of holding a row of grain layers with a unit grain width, and the longitudinal groove-shaped holding portion. A pair of plate members (1b) connected to both sides in the short direction of (1a) and swingable between a horizontal state having substantially the same height with respect to the holding portion (1a) and an inclined state inclined upward. The grain evaluation device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: 4. The image pickup means (3) has an image pickup direction set such that one of the screen coordinate axes coincides with the column direction of the grain layer, and the labeling processing means (100) comprises: At each position on the screen coordinate axis along the column direction, the image information at each scanning line along the screen coordinate axis intersecting with the column direction of the grain layer, the boundary position between the grains in the column direction of the grain layer The kernel evaluation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the kernel evaluation device is configured to detect a region and label an area corresponding to each of the kernels.