# US 2014/0152983 A1 · Apparatus, system, and method of estimating spectrum of object > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152983 A1 - Document ID: US20140152983A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/083,979 - Filed: 2013-11-19 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Kensuke MASUDA; Go Maruyama; Yuji Yamanaka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152983A1 ## CPC - G01J 3/513: {having fixed filter-detector pairs} - G01J 3/462: {Computing operations in or between colour spaces; Colour management systems} - G01J 3/51: using colour filters - G01J 2003/467: {Colour computing} - 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) ## Abstract An apparatus or system of estimating a spectrum of an object includes a plurality of filters or a plurality of filter areas that respectively have spectral characteristics different from one another, wherein at least two filters or filter areas have transmittance greater than a predetermined value throughout a wavelength range subject for estimation. The image capturing apparatus or system estimates a line spectrum of an object using spectral images of the at least two filters or filter areas having transmittance greater than the predetermined value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image capturing apparatus, comprising: an optical system configured to focus lights from an object to generate optical information; filtering means including a plurality of filters or a plurality of filter areas that respectively have spectral characteristics different from one another, wherein at least two filters or filter areas of the filtering means are configured to have transmittance greater than a predetermined value throughout a wavelength range subject for estimation; a sensor configured to form a plurality of types of spectral image based on the optical information; and a processor configured to estimate a line spectrum of the object using spectral images of the at least two filters or filter areas having transmittance greater than the predetermined value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor estimates the line spectrum of the object using a ratio in output intensity between or among the spectral images of the at least two filters or filter areas having transmittance greater than the predetermined value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image capturing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the predetermined value is 0%. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The image capturing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the predetermined value is 5%. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to switch between a continuous spectrum mode and a line spectrum mode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image capturing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the filtering means includes at least three filters or filter areas, and when the processor determines that at least one spectral image of at least three spectral images corresponding to the at least three filters or filter areas of the filtering means is not output, the processor switches to the line spectrum mode to estimate the line spectrum of the object. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The image capturing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the filtering means includes m items of filters or filter areas with m being greater than 3, and n items of filters or filter areas of the m items of filters or filter areas have transmittance greater than the predetermined value with n being greater than 2, and the processor determines to switch to the line spectrum mode, when there is no output of spectral image for (m-n) items of spectral images. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical system includes: a first optical system, wherein the filtering means is provided near a diaphragm position of the first optical system; and a second optical system provided between the first optical system and the sensor and configured to have a plurality of lenses being arranged in a substantially parallel in a direction of a two-dimensional surface of the sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor estimates a reflection spectral image or an illumination spectral image of the object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A color inspection system, comprising: the image capturing apparatus of claims 1; and an information processing apparatus configured to obtain spectral data indicating the estimated line spectrum of the object from the image capturing apparatus, and to inspect color of the object based on the spectral data. ### Claim 11 An image capturing system, comprising: an image capturing apparatus including: an optical system configured to focus lights from an object to generate optical information; filtering means including a plurality of filters or a plurality of filter areas that respectively have spectral characteristics different from one another, wherein at least two filters or filter areas of the filtering means are configured to have transmittance greater than a predetermined value throughout a wavelength range subject for estimation; and a sensor configured to form a plurality of types of spectral image based on the optical information; and an information processing apparatus including a processor, the processor being configured to estimate a line spectrum of the object using spectral images of the at least two filters or filter areas having transmittance greater than the predetermined value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image capturing system of claim 11, wherein the processor of the information processing apparatus estimates the line spectrum of the object using a ratio in output intensity between or among the spectral images of the at least two filters or filter areas having transmittance greater than the predetermined value. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The image capturing system of claim 11, wherein the processor of the information processing apparatus is further configured to switch between a continuous spectrum mode and a line spectrum mode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The image capturing system of claim 11, wherein the filtering means includes at least three filters or filter areas, and when the processor determines that at least one spectral image of at least three spectral images corresponding to the at least three filters or filter areas of the filtering means is not output, the processor switches to the line spectrum mode to estimate the line spectrum of the object. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The image capturing system of claim 11, wherein the filtering means includes m items of filters or filter areas with m being greater than 3, and n items of filters or filter areas of the m items of filters or filter areas have transmittance greater than the predetermined value with n being greater than 2, and the processor determines to switch to the line spectrum mode, when there is no output of spectral image for (m-n) items of spectral images. ### Claim 16 A method of estimating a spectrum of an object, comprising: obtaining a plurality of types of spectral image, the plurality of types of spectral image being generated by passing lights through filtering means having m items of filters or filter areas that respectively have spectral characteristics different from one another, wherein at least n items of filters or filter areas of the filtering means are configured to have transmittance greater than a predetermine value throughout a wavelength range subject for estimation; determining whether there is no output of spectral image for (m-n) items of spectral images; switching to a line spectrum mode when the determining determines that there is no output of spectral image for (m-n) items of spectral images; and estimating a line spectrum of the object using spectral images of the at least n items of filters or filter areas having transmittance greater than the predetermined value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: Inspecting color of the object based no spectral data, the spectral data indicating the estimated line spectrum of the object.