Image inspection apparatus, image inspection method and computer program

An image inspection apparatus, comprising:

• an image pickup device for acquiring a multi-valued image in an inspection object region;
• a first threshold setting device for setting as a first threshold a minimum luminance value to be detected in a detection object image;
• a labeling processing device for performing labeling processing for extracting a plurality of pixels having luminance values smaller than the first threshold from the multi-valued image acquired by the image pickup device, to specify blobs of the pixels based upon connectedness of the luminance values of the extracted plurality of pixels;
• a second threshold setting device for setting a second threshold smaller than the first threshold with respect to the blobs of the pixels which are specified by the labeling processing device;
• and
• a deletion device for deleting the blob of the pixels which is made up solely of luminance values larger than the second threshold set by the second threshold setting device.

An image inspection method, comprising:

• an image acquiring process for acquiring a multi-valued image by picking up an image in an inspection object region;
• a first threshold setting process for setting as a first threshold a minimum luminance value to be detected in a detection object image;
• a labeling processing process for performing labeling processing for extracting a plurality of pixels having luminance values larger than the first threshold from the multi-valued image acquired by the image acquiring process, to specify blobs of the pixels based upon connectedness of the luminance values of the extracted plurality of pixels;
• a second threshold setting process for setting a second threshold larger than the first threshold with respect to the blobs of the pixels which are specified by the labeling processing process;
• and
• a deletion process for deleting the blob of the pixels which is made up solely of luminance values smaller than the second threshold set by the second threshold setting process.

An image inspection method, comprising:

• an image acquiring process for acquiring a multi-valued image by picking up an image in an inspection object region;
• a first threshold setting process for setting as a first threshold a minimum luminance value to be detected in a detection object image;
• a labeling processing process for performing labeling processing for extracting a plurality of pixels having luminance values smaller than the first threshold from the multi-valued image acquired by the image acquiring process, to specify blobs of the pixels based upon connectedness of the luminance values of the extracted plurality of pixels;
• a second threshold setting process for setting a second threshold smaller than the first threshold with respect to the blobs of the pixels which are specified by the labeling processing process;
• and
• a deletion process for deleting the blob of the pixels which is made up solely of luminance values larger than the second threshold set by the second threshold setting process.

A computer program causing a computer to execute:

• image acquiring processing for picking up an image in an inspection object region to acquire a multi-valued image;
• first threshold setting processing for setting as a first threshold a minimum luminance value to be detected in a detection object image;
• labeling processing for extracting a plurality of pixels having luminance values larger than the first threshold from the multi-valued image acquired by the image acquiring processing, to specify blobs of the pixels based upon connectedness of the luminance values of the extracted plurality of pixels;
• first determination processing for determining, after the performance of the labeling processing, whether or not a request has been made for a change in setting of the first threshold;
• first threshold re-setting processing for re-setting the first threshold upon determination by the first determination processing that the request has been made for a change in setting of the first threshold;
• first branch processing for branching the processing to the labeling processing in the case of the first threshold re-setting processing being performed;
• second threshold setting processing for setting a second threshold larger than the first threshold with respect to the blobs of the pixels which are specified by the labeling processing;
• deletion processing for deleting the blob of the pixels which is made up solely of luminance values smaller than the second threshold set by the second threshold setting processing;
• second determination processing for determining, after the performance of the deletion processing, whether or not a request has been made for a change in setting of the second threshold;
• second threshold re-setting processing for re-setting the second threshold upon determination by the second determination processing that the request has been made for a change in setting of the second threshold;
• and
• second branch processing for branching the processing to the deletion processing in the case of the second threshold re-setting processing being performed.

A computer program causing a computer to execute:

• image acquiring processing for picking up an image in an inspection object region to acquire a multi-valued image;
• first threshold setting processing for setting as a first threshold a maximum luminance value to be detected in a detection object image;
• labeling processing for extracting a plurality of pixels having luminance values smaller than the first threshold from the multi-valued image acquired by the image acquiring processing, to specify blobs of the pixels based upon connectedness of the luminance values of the extracted plurality of pixels;
• first determination processing for determining, after the performance of the labeling processing, whether or not a request has been made for a change in setting of the first threshold;
• first threshold re-setting processing for re-setting the first threshold upon determination by the first determination processing that the request has been made for a change in setting of the first threshold;
• first branch processing for branching the processing to the labeling processing in the case of the first threshold re-setting processing being performed;
• second threshold setting processing for setting a second threshold smaller than the first threshold with respect to the blobs of the pixels which are specified by the labeling processing;
• deletion processing for deleting the blob of the pixels which is made up solely of luminance values larger than the second threshold set by the second threshold setting processing;
• second determination processing for determining, after the performance of the deletion processing, whether or not a request has been made for a change in setting of the second threshold;
• second threshold re-setting processing for re-setting the second threshold upon determination by the second determination processing that the request has been made for a change in setting of the second threshold;
• and
• second branch processing for branching the processing to the deletion processing in the case of the second threshold re-setting processing being performed.