Classifying method, storage medium, inspection method, and inspection apparatus

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute each step of a classifying method of classifying an article into one of a plurality of groups based on an evaluation value for an image of the article, the method comprising the steps of:

• creating, based on sample images, which are images of a plurality of samples each of which has already been classified into one of the plurality of groups, a list of at least one image feature estimated to have been used to classify each sample;
• determining an evaluation method for obtaining the evaluation value, the evaluation method using a feature amount of the at least one image feature included in the list as a parameter;
• obtaining evaluation values for the sample images by the determined evaluation method;
• changing the evaluation method by changing in the list, so that an evaluation value of at least one sample image having a singular evaluation value among the sample images is changed, and a degree of dissimilarity in an evaluation value range for sample images between the plurality of groups is increased;
• and
• obtaining the evaluation value for the image of the article based on the changed evaluation method, and classifying the article into one of the plurality of groups based on the obtained evaluation value for the image of the article.

An inspection method of performing inspection of an article, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining an image of the article by capturing the article;
• and
• classifying the article into one of a plurality of groups using a classifying method,
• wherein the classifying method is a method of classifying the article into one of the plurality of groups based on an evaluation value for the image of the article, and includes the steps of:
• creating, based on sample images, which are images of a plurality of samples each of which has already been classified into one of the plurality of groups, a list of at least one image feature estimated to have been used to classify each sample;
• determining an evaluation method for obtaining the evaluation value, the evaluation method using a feature amount of the at least one image feature included in the list as a parameter;
• obtaining evaluation values for the sample images by the determined evaluation method;
• changing the evaluation method by changing in the list, so that an evaluation value of at least one sample image having a singular evaluation value among the sample images is changed, and a degree of dissimilarity in an evaluation value range for sample images between the plurality of groups is increased;
• and
• obtaining the evaluation value for the image of the article based on the changed evaluation method, and classifying the article into one of the plurality of groups based on the obtained evaluation value for the image of the article.

An inspection apparatus for performing inspection of an article, the apparatus comprising:

• an image capturing device configured to obtain an image of the article by capturing the article;
• and
• a processor configured to classify the article into one of a plurality of groups based on an evaluation value for the image of the article,
• wherein the processor is configured to:
• create, based on sample images, which are images of a plurality of samples each of which has already been classified into one of the plurality of groups, a list of at least one image feature estimated to have been used to classify each sample;
• determine an evaluation method for obtaining the evaluation value, the evaluation method using a feature amount of the at least one image feature included in the list as a parameter;
• obtain evaluation values for the sample images by the determined evaluation method,
• change the evaluation method by changing in the list, so that an evaluation value of at least one sample image having a singular evaluation value among the sample images is changed, and a degree of dissimilarity in an evaluation value range for sample images between the plurality of groups is increased;
• and
• obtain the evaluation value for the image of the article based on the changed evaluation method, and classifies the article into one of the plurality of groups based on the obtained evaluation value for the image of the article.