JPS5990171A - Discriminator for tire type - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To discriminate assuredly the type of a tire with no contact and a simple constitution by reading an identification pattern formed ruggedly on the outer wall surface of a tire after picking up it by a TV camera. CONSTITUTION:A tire 1 has an identification pattern showing each information which is formed with ruggedness on the tire surface. The pattern screen picked up by a TV camera 2 is divided into many frames, and the brightness of each frame is compared with a reference level signal sent from a reference level setter 4 through a comparator 3. A microcomputer 5 stores the signal supplied from the comparator 3 and showing the brightness of the frame in an RAM9 and then decides whether one of plural pattern information which is already stored in an ROM8 is coincident with the pattern information stored in the RAM 9 or not. Then a decision signal is delivered from an output interface 10.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Technical field △ Regarding.

Prior Art Traditionally, barcodes have been printed on various products to identify information such as the product number and price. are of the same single color. Even if a barcode is formed directly on the outer wall of the product, the contrast between the formed barcode and the area other than the barcode is low, making it difficult to read the barcode by contrast. could not.

Therefore, as mentioned above, when a barcode is formed by unevenness on the tire wall, it is necessary to read the barcode by touching the unevenness. There's nothing good about it,
Furthermore, it may be inconvenient that it cannot be read freely by the human eye, as a matter of course.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and includes:
The purpose of this is to divide the screen of identification patterns such as letters, which are formed by forming irregularities on the outer wall surface of the tire photographed by a television camera, into a large number of vertical and horizontal squares, and then divide the screen into a number of squares that are brighter than a standard level. By identifying the above-mentioned identification pattern formed on the outer wall surface of the tire from the pattern formed by the dark squares, a television camera is used to detect the uneven pattern formed on the outer wall surface of the tire in a non-contact manner. The objective is to make it possible to read the information using a simple device.

Example Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a tire identification device that reads identification patterns such as letters, symbols, or patterns formed by unevenness on the sidewall of a tire.

In Figure 1, 1 is a tire, 2 is a television camera, 3 is a comparator, 4 is a reference L/bevel determiner, 5 is a microcomputer, 6 is its input interface, and 7 is a central processing Device, 8 is ROM, 9 is RA, M, 1
0 is the output interface.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tire 1 has an identification pattern P such as a symbol, letter, or pattern representing various information regarding the sidewall 1aK and the tire J formed of irregularities.

The identification pattern P is imaged by the television camera 2.

The above pattern P imaged by the television camera 2
For example, as shown in Figure 3,
The comparator 3 calculates the brightness of each square, and outputs the reference level from the reference level setter 4. Comparing with the signal.

The reference level signal output from the reference level setter 4 can be set to be equal to, for example, 50% of the brightness of the entire screen imaged by the television camera 2.

The comparator 3 outputs a value of ``1'' when the brightness of the square is brighter than the brightness corresponding to the reference level signal described in ``2'', and when it is dark, it outputs a signal of rOJ to the microcomputer 50 input interface. Enter the information.

The microcomputer 5 stores in its RAM 9 a signal of "1" or "O" representing the brightness of the grid inputted from the comparator 3.

The above storing is performed in the same order as the order in which the brightness of the grids of the pattern P imaged by the television camera 2 is determined.

Therefore, the B.AM9 has a number of addresses at least equal to the number of squares 63 when the screen imaged by the television camera 2 is divided, and the pattern P imaged by the television camera 2 is, for example, If it is an Arabic numeral 1-6, then the memory contents of RAM 9 are, as shown in Figure 3, the square (address) indicated by diagonal lines is rJJ, and the other squares are "0". becomes.

On the other hand, all the identification pattern information formed on the sidewall 1a of the tire J is stored in the storage 0M13 of the microcomputer 5, and the microcomputer 5 stores the pattern information stored in the RAM 9 in
．． It is determined which of the l pattern information stored in 0M8 matches, and a determination signal is output from the output interface 10.

According to the tire discrimination device as described above, the pattern P formed in the uneven shape on the sidewall 1a of the tire 1 can be easily read without contact using the television camera 2, the microcomputer 5, the comparator 3, etc. .

In the above embodiment, when reading a pattern P consisting of a plurality of characters, for example, a start mark is attached to start reading the tire IK, the first character is read at that position, and thereafter, for example, 10m7n from the previous reading position.
By moving the television camera 2 or the tires 1 so that the next character is read one after another at the moved position, it is possible to automatically read a pattern consisting of a plurality of characters.

The reference level signal output from the reference level setter 4 may be freely adjusted depending on the contrast of the identification pattern P formed by the unevenness of the sidewall of the tire 1. It is also possible to change the reference 1 novel and check whether it matches the pattern information at any level.In addition, the outer stage can be set so that the sidewall 1a of the tire J shines abnormally depending on the angle of the light beam. What is necessary is to image the pattern P through a polarizing lens and perform Cc to increase the contrast of the pattern P.

The present invention is not limited to reading the Ii-specific pattern P formed on the sidewall 1a of the tire 1, but can also be used to read various identification patterns attached to products other than the tire J.

Effects of the Invention 2. As is clear from the detailed description, the present invention captures an image of an identification pattern formed by unevenly forming the outer wall surface of a tire with a television camera, and displays the screen on a large number of screens. The identification pattern on the tire is read from the pattern formed by the squares that are brighter and darker than the reference level by dividing the tire into sections, so it is possible to read the identification pattern placed on the tire by the unevenness without contact. The identification pattern can be reliably read and the type of rain/ear can be determined without being affected by the condition or shape of the unevenness forming the pattern. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a tire discrimination device having a simple configuration consisting of a television camera, a microcomputer, and the like.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the tire discrimination device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the tire, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the identification pattern stored in the box AM of the microphone 1-1 computer. I. Tire, 2. Television camera, 3. Comparator, 4. Reference level setter, 5. Microcomputer, 7. Central processing unit, 8°B.OM.9uAM1P.
identification pattern. Patent applicant Sumitomo Rubber Industries Co., Ltd. Representative Patent attorney Aoyama Aoyama and 2 others Figure 1 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) An identification pattern such as letters formed on the outer wall surface of a tire in an uneven shape is imaged by a television camera, and the screen imaged by the television camera is divided into many squares vertically and horizontally. The brightness of each square is compared with a reference level arbitrarily set in advance, and a pattern formed by brighter and darker squares than this reference level corresponds to the identification pattern formed on the outer wall surface. 2. A tire discriminating device characterized in that the pattern formed on the outer wall surface is read by detecting which of a plurality of pre-stored patterns it corresponds to.