# US 12,112,491 B2 · Spectrometry method, spectrometry system, and computer program

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- Number: US 12,112,491 B2
- Document ID: US12112491B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/556,202
- Filed: 2021-12-20
- Published: 2022-06-23
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2020-12-22
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Nozomu Hirokubo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112491B2

## CPC

- G06T 7/33: using feature-based methods
- G01J 3/0208: {using focussing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or mirrors; performing aberration correction}
- G01J 3/0264: {Electrical interface; User interface}
- G01J 3/027: {Control of working procedures of a spectrometer; Failure detection; Bandwidth calculation}
- G01J 3/0283: {using a charging unit}
- G01J 3/10: Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry
- G01J 3/26: using multiple reflection, e.g. Fabry-Perot interferometer, variable interference filters
- G01J 3/2823: {Imaging spectrometer}
- G06T 7/37: using transform domain methods
- G06T 7/73: using feature-based methods
- G06V 10/58: relating to hyperspectral data
- G06T 2207/10016: Video; Image sequence
- G06T 2207/10152: Varying illumination
- G06T 2207/30148: Semiconductor; IC; Wafer
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING

## Abstract

Provided is a spectrometry method that includes (a) identifying a common feature between a first spectral image and at least one second spectral image other than the first spectral image of a plurality of spectral images acquired by an imaging element, (b) detecting a relative position shift amount between the first spectral image and the second spectral image, and (c) aligning the first spectral image and the second spectral image based on the relative position shift amount being detected. The aligning of (c) includes correcting a position of the second spectral image with respect to a position of the first spectral image based on the common feature.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A spectrometry method in a spectrometer which includes
a spectral element configured to change a wavelength of light to be selected and configured to disperse light from a target object, and
an imaging element configured to receive light dispersed into a plurality of wavelengths by the spectral element to acquire a plurality of spectral images, the spectrometry method comprising:
(a) identifying a common feature between a first spectral image and a second spectral image other than the first spectral image of the plurality of spectral images acquired by the imaging element;
(b) detecting a relative position shift amount between the first spectral image and the second spectral image; and
(c) aligning the first spectral image and the second spectral image based on the relative position shift amount being detected, wherein
the alignment of (c) includes correcting a position of the second spectral image with respect to a position of the first spectral image based on the common feature, and
an interval between a center wavelength of a first transmission peak of light corresponding to the first spectral image and a center wavelength of a second transmission peak of light corresponding to the second spectral image is no more than twice a first full width at half maximum of the first transmission peak or a second full width at half maximum of the second transmission peak.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The spectrometry method according to claim 1, wherein the correction includes any or all of the position, rotation, and scaling.

### Claim 3

A spectrometry system, comprising:
a spectral element configured to change a wavelength of light to be selected and configured to disperse light from a target object;
an imaging element configured to receive light dispersed into a plurality of wavelengths by the spectral element to acquire a plurality of spectral images; and
one or a plurality of processors configured to:
(a) identify a common feature between a first spectral image and a second spectral image other than the first spectral image of the plurality of spectral images acquired by the imaging element;
(b) detect a relative position shift amount between the first spectral image and the second spectral image; and
(c) align the first spectral image and the second spectral image based on the relative position shift amount being detected, wherein
the alignment of (c) includes correcting a position of the second spectral image with respect to a position of the first spectral image based on the common feature, and
an interval between a center wavelength of a first transmission peak of light corresponding to the first spectral image and a center wavelength of a second transmission peak of light corresponding to the second spectral image is no more than twice a first full width at half maximum of the first transmission peak or a second full width at half maximum of the second transmission peak.

### Claim 4

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or a plurality of processors to execute a spectrometry method including:
a spectral element configured to change a wavelength of light to be selected and configured to disperse light from a target object, and
an imaging element configured to receive light dispersed into a plurality of wavelengths by the spectral element to acquire a plurality of spectral images,
the spectrometry method comprising:
(a) identifying a common feature between a first spectral image and a second spectral image other than the first spectral image of the plurality of spectral images acquired by the imaging element;
(b) detecting a relative position shift amount between the first spectral image and the second spectral image; and
(c) aligning the first spectral image and the second spectral image based on the relative position shift amount being detected, wherein
the alignment of (c) includes correcting a position of the second spectral image with respect to a position of the first spectral image based on the common feature, and
an interval between a center wavelength of a first transmission peak of light corresponding to the first spectral image and a center wavelength of a second transmission peak of light corresponding to the second spectral image is no more than twice a first full width at half maximum of the first transmission peak or a second full width at half maximum of the second transmission peak.