IP Library Granted Patent US 11,933,603
Granted Patent B2
US 11,933,603 · App. 16/935,935 · Granted Mar 19, 2024

Measurement apparatus, information processing apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable medium

Inventors: Takashi Hiramatsu (Kanagawa, JP); Jungo Harigai (Kanagawa, JP); Yoshitaka Kuwada (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP.
G01B11/26G01N21/8851H04N1/401G01S17/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,933,603
App. No.
16/935,935
Granted
Mar 19, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A measurement apparatus includes a light irradiator, a light receiver, and a processor. The light irradiator is able to apply light from multiple directions to a specific portion of a subject to be measured. The light receiver receives light reflected by the specific portion. The processor is configured to: cause the light irradiator to apply light to the specific portion sequentially from the multiple directions; and acquire information concerning a tilt of a surface of the specific portion, based on information on light received by the light receiver when light is applied to the specific portion from a first direction and information on light received by the light receiver when light is applied to the specific portion from a second direction. The multiple directions include the first and second directions.

Claims (64)

1. A measurement apparatus comprising:

a light irradiator that is able to apply light from a plurality of directions to a specific portion of a subject to be measured;

a light receiver that receives light reflected by the specific portion; and

a processor configured to

cause the light irradiator to apply light to the specific portion sequentially from the plurality of directions, and

acquire information concerning a tilt of a surface of the specific portion, based on information on light received by the light receiver when light is applied to the specific portion from a first direction and information on light received by the light receiver when light is applied to the specific portion from a second direction, the plurality of directions including the first and second directions, wherein

the light irradiator includes a plurality of light sources and a first light source of the plurality of light sources is linear, and

the processor is configured to cause the light irradiator to turn ON a part of the first light source and then to turn ON another part of the first light source and to apply light to the specific portion sequentially from the plurality of directions.

2. The measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a support plate that supports the subject, wherein

the light irradiator is configured to apply light to the specific portion from each of a plurality of regions located around a perpendicular line, the perpendicular line being perpendicular to the support plate and passing through the specific portion, an orientation in which each of the plurality of regions is seen along the perpendicular line being different from an orientation in which another one of the plurality of regions is seen along the perpendicular line, and

the processor is configured to cause the light irradiator to apply light to the specific portion sequentially from the plurality of regions.

3. The measurement apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:

the light irradiator is configured to apply light to the specific portion from a first region and a second region of the plurality of regions,

an angle between (i) the first region when viewed along the perpendicular line and (ii) the second region when viewed along the perpendicular line is greater than 90°; and

the processor is configured to cause the light irradiator to apply light to the specific portion sequentially from at least the first region and the second region.

4. The measurement apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:

the light irradiator is configured to apply light to the specific portion from a first region and a second region of the plurality of regions,

an angle between (i) the first region when viewed along the perpendicular line and (ii) the second region when viewed along the perpendicular line is 180°; and

the processor is configured to cause the light irradiator to apply light to the specific portion sequentially from at least the first region and the second region.

5. The measurement apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

(i) a first angle is an angle between the perpendicular line and an optical path through which light travels from the first region to the specific portion and (ii) a second angle is an angle between the perpendicular line and an optical path through which light travels from the second region to the specific portion, and

the first angle and the second angle are equal to each other.

6. The measurement apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

(i) a first angle is an angle between the perpendicular line and an optical path through which light travels from the first region to the specific portion and an (ii) a second angle is angle between the perpendicular line and an optical path through which light travels from the second region to the specific portion,

the first angle and the second angle are equal to each other.

7. The measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of light sources is disposed at different positions; and

the processor is configured to cause the light irradiator to sequentially and separately turn ON the plurality of light sources.

8. The measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the part of the first light source is at one end portion of the first light source in the longitudinal direction of the first light source and the other part of the first light source is at the other end portion of the first light source in the longitudinal direction of the first light source.

9. The measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a support plate that supports the subject,

wherein the plurality of directions are directions whose angles with respect to a perpendicular line are different from each other, the perpendicular line being perpendicular to the support plate and passing through the specific portion.

10. The measurement apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein:

the light irradiator applies light sequentially from at least first and second regions so as to apply light to the specific portion from the plurality of directions;

the processor causes the light irradiator to apply light to the specific portion sequentially from at least the first and second regions; and

an angle between (i) the first region when viewed along the perpendicular line and (ii) the second region when viewed along the perpendicular line is smaller than 90°.

11. The measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a support plate that supports the subject,

wherein the processor is configured to instruct a user to rotate the subject around a perpendicular line which is perpendicular to the support plate.

12. The measurement apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to instruct the user to rotate the subject around the perpendicular line by 90°.

13. The measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the light irradiator includes a second light source, the first light source being used for applying light to the specific portion from the first direction, the second light source being used for applying light to the specific portion from the second direction; and

based on information on light received by the light receiver when light is applied from the first light source to a common irradiation subject and information on light received by the light receiver when light is applied from the second light source to the common irradiation subject, the processor is configured to generate (i) correction information used for correcting shading information on light received by the light receiver when light is applied from the first light source to the specific portion and (ii) correction information used for correcting shading information on light received by the light receiver when light is applied from the second light source to the specific portion.

14. The measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

color information concerning a color of a subject to be measured by the measurement apparatus is output from the measurement apparatus in a predetermined format; and

the processor is configured to output tilt information in a predetermined format of the same type as the predetermined format used for outputting the color information, the tilt information being the information concerning the tilt of the surface of the specific portion.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process, the process comprising:

causing a light irradiator to apply light sequentially from a plurality of directions to a specific portion of a subject to be measured; and

acquiring information concerning a tilt of a surface of the specific portion, based on information on light received by a light receiver when light is applied to the specific portion from a first direction and information on light received by the light receiver when light is applied to the specific portion from a second direction, the plurality of directions including the first and second directions, wherein

the light irradiator includes a plurality of light sources and a first light source of the plurality of light sources is linear, and

the process further includes causing the light irradiator to turn ON a part of the first light source and then to turn ON another part of the first light source and applying light to the specific portion sequentially from the plurality of directions.

16. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to

process information output from a light receiver which receives light reflected by a specific portion of a subject to be measured, the light having been applied by a light irradiator to the specific portion sequentially from a plurality of directions, wherein

the processor is configured to

obtain first information, the first information being information on light received by the light receiver when light is applied to the specific portion from a first direction,

obtain second information, the second information being information on light received by the light receiver when light is applied to the specific portion from a second direction, and

acquire information concerning a tilt of a surface of the specific portion, based on the first information and the second information, wherein

the light irradiator includes a plurality of light sources and a first light source of the plurality of light sources is linear, and

the processor is further configured to cause the light irradiator to turn ON a part of the first light source and then to turn ON another part of the first light source and apply light to the specific portion sequentially from the plurality of directions.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to

obtain information concerning intensity of light received by the light receiver as each of the first information and the second information, and

acquire the information concerning the tilt of the surface of the specific portion, based on the information concerning the intensity of light obtained as the first information and the information concerning the intensity of light obtained as the second information.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 28, 2021
From: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
To: FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP.
Reel/Frame 056078/0098 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2020
From: HIRAMATSU, TAKASHI; HARIGAI, JUNGO; KUWADA, YOSHITAKA
To: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 053284/0123 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-058149 · Mar 27, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210302154A1 · Sep 30, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,500,987