Method for recognizing a pellet pattern

A method for recognizing a pellet pattern, comprising the steps of:

• (a) registering a good-pellet pattern, as a reference pattern, on a reference pattern table;
• (b) setting a pellet pattern recognition range on the pellets in an array;
• (c) effecting shape identification and position detection of each of the pellets present within the pellet pattern recognition range;
• (d) effecting calculation with respect to a pellet array on the basis of the results of the shape identification and position detection of the pellets within the pellet pattern recognition range and reference data of the reference pattern table to find an array state indicating which pellets within the pellet patern recognition range are good pellets;
• (e) picking up a good pellet from among the pellets present within the pellet pattern recognition range, according to data of a pick-up priority order table;
• (f) registering the coordinate values of another good pellet other than the picked-up pellet on a pellet memory table during the pick-up of the good pellet;
• (g) registering each of the good pellets, other than the picked-up good pellet, within the pellet pattern recognition range on a position memory table as a positional shift of it away from the position of the picked-up pellet;
• and
• (h) sequentially picking up only the good pellets, while referring to the pick-up priority order table, pellet memory table and position memory table.