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US 10,309,908 B2Granted
Light field illumination container inspection system
AssigneeApplied Vision Company, LLC
InventorsMichael Leo Kress, Bryan Murdoch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described herein are various technologies pertaining to an automated light field illumination container inspection. The container inspection system includes a plurality of cameras that capture images of a container when the container is illuminated by way of light field illumination. Bands in images that include reflections in the exterior surface of the sidewall are identified, and a determination is made as to whether the container is defective based upon the identified bands.
Claims20
A container inspection system comprising:
- an inspection dome, wherein an interior surface of the inspection dome is reflective, and further wherein the inspection dome comprises an entry aperture and an exit aperture, wherein a conveyor transports a metal container into the inspection dome through the entry aperture, and further wherein the conveyor transports the metal container out of the inspection dome through the exit aperture;
- a light source configured to diffusely emit light in the inspection dome, such that an exterior surface of a sidewall of the metal container is illuminated by light field illumination when the metal container is in the inspection dome;
- a first camera configured to capture a first image of a first portion of the exterior surface of the sidewall of the metal container when the exterior surface is illuminated by light field illumination;
- a second camera configured to capture a second image of a second portion of the exterior surface of the sidewall of the metal container when the exterior surface is illuminated by light field illumination, wherein the first portion and second portion are partially overlapping;
- and
- a computing system in communication with the first camera and the second camera, wherein the computing system is configured to:
- identify a band at a first predetermined location in the first image, wherein the first predetermined location of the band is based upon a position of the first camera relative to the metal container when the first image of the metal container was captured by the first camera, wherein the band depicts a reflection in the exterior surface of the sidewall of the metal container;
- replace the band of the first image with a second band from the second image to generate a modified image, wherein the second band is at a second predetermined location in the second image, and further wherein the second predetermined location is based upon a position of the second camera relative to the metal container when the second image of the metal container was captured by the second camera;
- and
- output an indication as to whether the metal container is defective based upon the modified image.
7 more elements
A method executed by a computing device of a container inspection system, the method comprising:
- receiving, from a first camera, a first image of an exterior surface of a sidewall of a container, wherein the first camera captures the first image as the container is transported through an inspection region of the container inspection system by a conveyor;
- receiving, from a second camera, a second image of the exterior surface of the sidewall of the container, wherein the second camera captures the second image simultaneously with the first camera capturing the first image;
- responsive to receiving the first image and the second image, modifying the first image by replacing a first band of the first image with a second band from the second image, wherein the first band is at a first predetermined location in the first image and the second band is at a second predetermined location in the second image, wherein the first predetermined location is based upon a position of the first camera relative to the container when the first camera captures the first image, and further wherein the second predetermined location is based upon a position of the second camera relative to the container when the second camera captures the second image;
- responsive to modifying the first image, determining whether the container is defective based upon the first image;
- and
- outputting an indication as to whether the container is defective responsive to determining whether the container is defective.
3 more elements
A container inspection system comprising:
- an inspection dome, wherein an interior surface of the inspection dome is reflective, and further wherein the inspection dome comprises an entry aperture and an exit aperture, wherein a conveyor transports a container into the inspection dome through the entry aperture, and further wherein the conveyor transports the container out of the inspection dome through the exit aperture;
- a light source configured to diffusely emit light in the inspection dome, such that an exterior surface of a sidewall of the container is illuminated by light field illumination when the container is in the inspection dome;
- a first camera configured to generate a first image of a first portion of the exterior surface of the sidewall of the container when the exterior surface is illuminated by the light source;
- a second camera configured to generate a second image of a second portion of the exterior surface of the sidewall of the container when the exterior surface is illuminated by the light source, wherein the first portion and the second portion partially overlap;
- and
- a computing system in communication with the first camera and the second camera, wherein the computing system is configured to:
- identify a band at a first predetermined location in the first image, wherein the first predetermined location is known prior to the first camera generating the first image, the first predetermined location is based upon a position of the first camera relative to the container when the first image of the container was generated by first camera, wherein the band depicts a reflection in the exterior surface of the sidewall of the container;
- replace the band of the first image with a second band from the second image to generate a modified image, wherein the second from the second image is at a second predetermined location in the second image, and further wherein the second predetermined location is known prior to the second camera generating the second image;
- and
- output an indication as to whether the container is defective based upon the modified image.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.