Image analysis – Image transformation or preprocessing – General purpose image processor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-10
2001-10-30
Couso, Yon J. (Department: 2723)
Image analysis
Image transformation or preprocessing
General purpose image processor
C382S324000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06310987
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processor which recognizes a shape of an identifying-object based on an input image, which is composed of an identifying-object image and a background image, and a comparison image.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 13
shows a configuration of a conventional image processor. This conventional image processor performs image processing for recognizing a shape or a size of an identifying-object such as an industrial product or an agricultural product transmitted on a conveyor-belt. The operation of this conventional image processor will be briefly described below. A CCD (charge coupled device)
6
of a camera unit
1
inputs an input image
600
including an identifying-object image
610
, converts data of the input image
600
into analog signals based on specific high resolution, and outputs the signals as analog signals S
1
. A signal converter
2
converts the analog signals S
1
into digital signals and stores the digital signals in an internal memory (not shown). Then, when digital signals corresponding to one input image
600
are stored, data of the digital signals is output to an image data processing unit
5
as digital signals S
2
of non-processed-image.
In the image data processing unit
5
, the digital signals S
2
of non-processed-image is processed to be divided into two gradations represented by binary data at each dot of the CCD
6
. The image data processing unit
5
outputs the binary data and coordinate data for data indicating the identifying-object image
610
out of the binary data to an identification unit
3
as digital signals S
3
. The identification unit
3
recognizes the shape or the size of the identifying-object based on the digital signals S
3
, and obtains an identification result. The identification result is output to a control unit
4
as an identification result signal S
4
. The control unit
4
outputs control signals S
5
to actuators such as a selecting device based on the identification result signal S
4
. Then, the identifying-object is selected based on the shape or the size of the identifying-object image
610
.
As described above, because the input image
600
is converted into the analog signals S
1
and the analog signals S
1
are converted to digital signals S
2
, the image data processing unit
5
is provided for inputting the digital signals S
2
and converting the digital signals S
2
to binary data in the conventional image processor.
Namely, the amount of hardware and software of the conventional image processor is increased and it costs much because of the existence of the image data processing unit
5
. In addition, as the amount of non-processed-image digital signal S
2
of high resolution which is transmitted from the signal converter
2
to the image data processing unit
5
is very large, it takes much time to transmit the data. Since the process for recognizing the shape and others needs much time, it is difficult to constitute inexpensive circuits and to process the data at high speed.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems by providing an image processor in which circuits are constituted at low cost and processes for recognizing shapes and sizes of identifying-objects are performed at high speed.
According to one aspect of the image processor of the present invention, the image processor comprises:
(a) an image-signal-differential outputting unit which includes a group of receiving optics,
for inputting an input image composed of an identifying-object image, which is made by taking an image of an identifying-object, and a background image, in which no identifying-object image is shown, by using the group of receiving optics, and
for outputting an image-signal-differential between a standard receiving optic which is specifically defined and a receiving optic designated one after another in the group of receiving optics, with respect to each of the receiving optic designated one after another;
(b) a binary digit unit for inputting the image-signal-differential from the image-signal-differential outputting unit, converting the image-signal-differential to a value out of two values in binary digit indicating the identifying-object image and the background image, and outputting the value in the binary digit; and
(c) an identification unit for recognizing the identifying-object taken as the identifying-object image in the input image, based on the value in the binary digit from the binary digit unit.
According to another aspect of the image processor of the present invention, the image processor comprises:
(a) an image-signal-differential outputting unit which includes a group of receiving optics,
for inputting a comparison image composed of an identifying-object image, which is made by taking an image of an identifying-object, and a background image, in which no identifying-object image is shown, by using partial receiving optics out of the group of receiving optics,
for inputting a master image composed of a standard identifying-object image, which is made by taking an image of a standard identifying-object, and a background image, in which no standard identifying-object image is shown, by using a rest of receiving optics, which have not been used for inputting the comparison image, out of the group of receiving optics,
for designating a receiving optic one after another in the partial receiving optics used for inputting the comparison image, and a receiving optic, corresponding to the receiving optic used for the comparison image, in the rest of receiving optics used for inputting the master image, and
for outputting an image-signal-differential between the receiving optic used for inputting the comparison image and the receiving optic, corresponding to the receiving optic used for the comparison image, used for inputting the master image;
(b) a ternary digit unit for inputting the image-signal-differential from the image-signal-differential outputting unit,
for converting the image-signal-differential to a value out of three values in ternary digit indicating a case that the identifying-object image in the comparison image corresponds to the standard identifying-object image in the master image, a case that the master image has the standard identifying-object image and the comparison image has the background image, and a case that the master image has the background image and the comparison image has the identifying-object image, and for outputting the value in the ternary digit; and
(c) an identification unit for calculating an area differential between the standard identifying-object image in the master image and the identifying-object image in the comparison image based on the value in the ternary digit output from the ternary digit unit, and recognizing the identifying-object taken as the identifying-object image in the comparison image, based on the area differential.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for image processing comprises steps of:
taking an input image composed of an identifying-object image, which is made by taking an image of an identifying-object, and a background image, in which no identifying-object image is shown, by using a group of receiving optics;
calculating an image-signal-differential between a standard receiving optic which is specifically defined and a receiving optic designated one after another in the group of receiving optics, with respect to each of the receiving optic designated one after another;
converting the image-signal-differential to a value out of two values in binary digit indicating the identifying-object image and the background image; and
recognizing the identifying-object taken as the identifying-object image in the input image, based on the value in the binary digit.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for image processing comprises steps of:
taking a comparison image composed of an identifying-object image, which is made by taking an image of an identifying-obj
Burns Doane , Swecker, Mathis LLP
Couso Yon J.
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
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