US 11,080,836 B2 · Appearance inspection system, image processing device, imaging device, and inspection method

Abstract

An appearance inspection system includes a setting part, a movement mechanism, and a control part. The setting part sets a route passing through a plurality of imaging positions in order. The setting part sets the route so that a first time necessary for the movement mechanism to move an imaging device from a first imaging position to a second imaging position among the plurality of imaging positions is longer than a second time necessary for a process of changing a first imaging condition corresponding to the first imaging position to a second imaging condition corresponding to the second imaging position by the control part. The control part starts the process of changing the first imaging condition to the second imaging condition earlier by the second time or more than a scheduled time at which the imaging device arrives at the second imaging position.

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Claims18

Dependent claims

An appearance inspection system that performs appearance inspection by imaging a target at a plurality of imaging positions set for the target, the appearance inspection system comprising:

an imaging device, comprising at least an image sensor and a communication interface, and configured to capture an image of the target when arriving at each of the plurality of imaging positions so as to generate an image data;
a processor, configured to set an imaging condition of the imaging device and to set a route passing through the plurality of imaging positions in order;
and
a movement mechanism, being controlled by the processor and configured to move a relative position of the imaging device with respect to the target along the route, wherein the imaging device is located on the movement mechanism, the imaging device generates the image data based on an amount of charge accumulated in the image sensor and transmits the image data to the processor via the communication interface coupled between the image sensor and the processor, and the processor performs an image processing on the image data acquired from the imaging device at each of the plurality of imaging positions to determine a quality of an appearance of the target,
wherein the processor sets the route so that a first time necessary for the movement mechanism to move the imaging device from a first imaging position to a second imaging position among the plurality of imaging positions is longer than a second time necessary for a process of changing a first imaging condition corresponding to the first imaging position to a second imaging condition corresponding to the second imaging position by the processor, and
wherein the processor starts the process of changing the first imaging condition to the second imaging condition via outputting a condition changing instruction to the communication interface of the imaging device earlier by the second time or more than a scheduled time at which the imaging device arrives at the second imaging position when the movement mechanism moves the imaging device from the first imaging position to the second imaging position, the processor is configured to change the image condition of the image device from the first image condition to the second image condition imaging device before the imaging device is moved to the second imaging position by the movement mechanism, and the imaging device is configured to instantly capture an image of the target under the second imaging condition upon arrival at the second imaging position.

3 more elements

An inspection method of performing appearance inspection by imaging a target at a plurality of imaging positions set for the target using an imaging device while moving the imaging device using a movement mechanism,

wherein the imaging device is located on the movement mechanism and comprises at least an image sensor and a communication interface,
wherein the inspection method comprises:
setting a route passing through the plurality of imaging positions in order;
controlling the imaging device to capture an image of the target when arriving at each of the plurality of imaging positions so as to generate an image data while controlling the movement mechanism to move a relative position of the imaging device with respect to the target along the route, wherein the image data is generated based on an amount of charge accumulated in the image sensor;
controlling an imaging condition of the imaging device;
acquiring the image data generated by the imaging device via the communication interface of the imaging device;
and
performing an image processing on the image data generated by the imaging device at each of the plurality of imaging positions to determine a quality of an appearance of the target,
wherein, in the setting of the route, the route is set so that a first time necessary for moving the imaging device from a first imaging position to a second imaging position among the plurality of imaging positions is longer than a second time necessary for a process of changing a first imaging condition corresponding to the first imaging position to a second imaging condition corresponding to the second imaging position, and
wherein, in the controlling of the imaging condition, the process of changing the first imaging condition to the second imaging condition via outputting a condition changing instruction to the communication interface of the imaging device starts earlier by the second time or more than a scheduled time at which the imaging device arrives at the second imaging position, so as to change the imaging condition of the imaging device from the first imaging condition to the second imaging condition before the imaging device is moved to the second imaging position by the movement mechanism and to enable imaging device to instantly capture an image of the target under the second imaging condition upon arrival at the second imaging position.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description13,125 words

Summary804 words

#This application claims the priority of Japan patent application serial no. 2018-044035, filed on Mar. 12, 2018. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

#The disclosure relates to an appearance inspection system inspecting a target using a captured image and an image processing device, an imaging device, and an inspection method used in the appearance inspection system.

#Many appearance inspection systems inspecting targets such as resins, metals, and the like using image processing technologies have been proposed.

Brief description of the drawings17 figures

#FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating an overview of an appearance inspection system according to an embodiment.

#FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of an imaging device.

#FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a designation route set by an information processing device.

Detailed description12,017 words

#An objective of the disclosure is to provide an appearance inspection system capable of shortening an inspection time at the time of imaging of a target from a plurality of imaging positions and an image processing device, an imaging device, and an inspection method used in the appearance inspection system.

#According to the example of the disclosure, when the imaging device arrives at the imaging position, the imaging condition of the imaging device is changed to the imaging condition corresponding to the imaging position simultaneously or before the arrival. Therefore, when the imaging device arrives at the imaging position, the imaging by the imaging device can be performed instantly. As a result, it is possible to shorten the inspection time when the target is imaged from the plurality of imaging positions.

#According to the above-described example of the disclosure, the appearance inspection system may further include an estimation part that estimates the second time based on pre-decided information indicating a correlation between an imaging condition before a change and an imaging condition after the change, and a time necessary for a process of changing the imaging condition before the change to the imaging condition after the change. According to the example of the disclosure, it is possible to easily estimate the second time based on the information indicating the correlation.

Facts

Application

16/251,093Filed 18 Jan 2019

Priority

JP JP2018-04403512 Mar 2018

Published

US 2019/0279351 A112 Sep 2019

Granted

3 Aug 2021

Term ends

13 Apr 2039

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 85 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification15 codes

G06T 7/0002
Image analysis: inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
B25J 9/1602
Program controls: characterised by the control system, structure, architecture
B25J 9/1664
Characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators: characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning
B25J 9/1679
Program controls: characterised by the tasks executed

Timeline

12 Mar 2018Priority claimedJP JP2018-044035
18 Jan 2019Application filedUS 16/251,093
8 Mar 2019Assigned to Omron Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
12 Sep 2019PublishedUS 2019/0279351 A1
3 Aug 2021GrantedUS 11,080,836 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
13 Apr 2039Term endsEstimated, includes 85 days of adjustment

Appearance inspection system, image processing device, imaging device, and inspection method

Life of this patent

Appearance inspection system, image processing device, imaging device, and inspection method

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims18

Description13,125 words

Drawings

Classification15 codes

Life of this patent

Description13,125 words