Position detection system and method

A method for detecting a position of a check object using image processing, comprising the steps of:

• (1) picking up an image of the check object so as to prepare a check image of the check object;
• (2) preparing a correct solution image having a reference image of the check object;
• (3) compressing the check image and the correct solution image at a given compression rate by an average compression processing which calculates an average value of a brightness in a predetermined area and adopts the average value as a brightness of one pixel of the compressed check image and the compressed correct solution image, wherein said predetermined area comprises more than one pixel;
• (4) displacing the compressed correct solution image;
• (5) comparing the compressed check image and the compressed/displaced correct solution image so as to detect a rough position of the check object;
• (6) compressing the check image and the correct solution image after detecting the rough position at a compression rate more moderate than the previous compression rate by the average compression processing;
• (7) displacing the compressed correct solution image in a proximity of the rough position;
• (8) comparing the compressed check image and the compressed/displaced correct solution image so as to detect a more precise position than the rough position of the check object;
• and
• (9) repeating (3) to (8) steps while moderating the compression rate in multiple steps so as to detect the precise position of the check object.

A system for detecting a position of a check object using image processing, comprising:

• means for picking up an image of the check object so as to prepare a check image of the check object;
• means for smoothing said check image of the check object by removing noise associated with said image;
• means for preparing a reference template having a reference image of the check object;
• means for preparing a plurality of collation templates by rotating the reference template at various rotation angles;
• means for collating the collation templates with the check image so as to evaluate a correlation degree therebetween;
• means for acknowledging a rotation angle of the reference template for preparing the collation template, which matches with the check image most exactly, as a rotation angle of the check object, and
• means for compressing the check image and the collation templates at a given compression rate by an average compression processing which calculates an average value of a brightness in a predetermined area and adopts the average value as a brightness of one pixel of the compressed check image and the collation templates, wherein said predetermined area comprises more than one pixel.

A system for detecting a position of a check object using image processing, comprising:

• means for picking up an image of the check object so as to prepare a check image of the check object;
• means for preparing a correct solution image having a reference image of the check object;
• means for compressing the check image and the correct solution image at a given compression rate by an average compression processing which calculates an average value of a brightness in a predetermined area and adopts the average value as a brightness of one pixel of the compressed check image and the compressed correct solution image, wherein said predetermined area comprises more than one pixel;
• and
• means for comparing the compressed check image and the compressed correct solution image so as to detect a rough position of the check object,
• wherein said compressing means compresses the check image and the correct solution image at a compression rate more moderate than the previous compression rate by the average compression processing after detecting the rough position,
• said comparing means compares the compressed correct solution means and the compressed check image in a proximity of the rough position so as to detect a more precise position than the rough position of the check object, and
• said compressing and comparing means repeat compressing and comparing steps while moderating the compression rate in multiple steps so as to detect the precise position of the check object.