Image inspection method, image inspection device, program, and image recording system

An image inspection device comprising:

• a first interface that acquires data of an inspection image obtained by capturing an image of a recorded matter recorded by an image recording system that comprises a plurality of image formation elements and performs a compensation process of compensating for a defect caused by a failure in the image formation element, using an imaging apparatus, wherein the first interface is formed by at least one of a data input terminal, a communication interface, or a media interface, or a plurality of combinations thereof;
• a second interface that acquires data of a reference image which is a reference for detecting a defect in the recorded matter, wherein the second interface is formed by at least one of a data input terminal, a communication interface, or a media interface, or a plurality of combinations thereof;
• and
• a detection circuit that compares the data of the inspection image with the data of the reference image to determine whether there is a defect at each position of the inspection image,
• wherein the detection circuit performs a process that makes defect detection performances different in a compensation application region and a compensation non-application region other than the compensation application region, on the basis of compensation position information of the failure in the image formation element to which the compensation process has been applied,
• wherein a plurality of defect detection methods with different detection performances are defined, and
• the detection circuit selects a defect detection method to be applied to determine whether there is a defect at each position from the plurality of defect detection methods on the basis of the compensation position information,
• wherein in a case in which a set of the compensation positions of the failure in the image formation element in the inspection image is a set T, a set of the compensation positions of the failure in the image formation element in the reference image is a set R, a set of positions that are included in the set T and the set R is a first position set, a set of positions that are included in the set T and are not included in the set R is a second position set, a set of positions that are not included in the set T and are included in the set R is a third position set, and a set of positions that are not included in the set T and the set R is a fourth position set, in the selection step, different defect detection methods are selected for at least the second position set and the fourth position set.

An image recording system comprising:

• a plurality of image formation elements;
• a processing circuit that performs a compensation process of compensating for a defect caused by a failure in the image formation element and reducing visibility of the defect;
• an imaging apparatus that captures an image of a recorded matter recorded by the image formation elements;
• a first interface that acquires data of an inspection image obtained by capturing the image of the recorded matter using the imaging apparatus, wherein the first interface is formed by at least one of a data input terminal, a communication interface, or a media interface, or a plurality of combinations thereof;
• a second interface that acquires data of a reference image which is a reference for detecting a defect in the recorded matter, wherein the second interface is formed by at least one of a data input terminal, a communication interface, or a media interface, or a plurality of combinations thereof;
• and
• a detection circuit that compares the data of the inspection image with the data of the reference image to determine whether there is a defect at each position of the inspection image,
• wherein the detection circuit performs a process that makes a defect detection performance different in a compensation application region and a compensation non-application region other than the compensation application region, on the basis of compensation position information of the failure in the image formation element to which the compensation process has been applied,
• wherein a plurality of defect detection methods with different detection performances are defined, and
• the detection circuit selects a defect detection method to be applied to determine whether there is a defect at each position from the plurality of defect detection methods on the basis of the compensation position information,
• wherein in a case in which a set of the compensation positions of the failure in the image formation element in the inspection image is a set T, a set of the compensation positions of the failure in the image formation element in the reference image is a set R, a set of positions that are included in the set T and the set R is a first position set, a set of positions that are included in the set T and are not included in the set R is a second position set, a set of positions that are not included in the set T and are included in the set R is a third position set, and a set of positions that are not included in the set T and the set R is a fourth position set, in the selection step, different defect detection methods are selected for at least the second position set and the fourth position set.

A non-transitory computer-readable tangible recording medium including a program that causes a computer to perform:

• an inspection image acquisition step of acquiring data of an inspection image obtained by capturing an image of a recorded matter recorded by an image recording system that comprises a plurality of image formation elements and performs a compensation process of compensating for a defect caused by a failure in the image formation element, using an imaging apparatus;
• a reference image acquisition step of acquiring data of a reference image which is a reference for detecting a defect in the recorded matter;
• and
• a defect detection step of comparing the data of the inspection image with the data of the reference image to determine whether there is a defect at each position of the inspection image,
• wherein the defect detection step includes a process that makes a defect detection performance different in a compensation application region and a compensation non-application region other than the compensation application region, on the basis of compensation position information of the failure in the image formation element to which the compensation process has been applied,
• wherein in the defect detection step, a plurality of defect detection methods with different detection performances are defined, and
• the defect detection step includes a selection step of selecting a defect detection method to be applied to determine whether there is a defect at each position from the plurality of defect detection methods on the basis of the compensation position information,
• wherein in a case in which a set of the compensation positions of the failure in the image formation element in the inspection image is a set T, a set of the compensation positions of the failure in the image formation element in the reference image is a set R, a set of positions that are included in the set T and the set R is a first position set, a set of positions that are included in the set T and are not included in the set R is a second position set, a set of positions that are not included in the set T and are included in the set R is a third position set, and a set of positions that are not included in the set T and the set R is a fourth position set, in the selection step, different defect detection methods are selected for at least the second position set and the fourth position set.