Inspection apparatus, control method therefor, print system, and storage medium with performing, based on number of feature points, alignment of read image with reference image

1. An inspection apparatus comprising:

a generating unit configured to generate a reference image based on an image obtained by reading an image of a conveyed sheet by a reading unit;

an extraction unit configured to extract, from the reference image, feature points to be used for alignment with the reference image;

an alignment unit configured to align, with the reference image, a read image obtained by reading an image of an inspection target sheet by the reading unit; and

an inspection unit configured to inspect the read image by comparing the aligned read image with the reference image,

wherein the alignment unit performs, based on a number of the feature points extracted by the extraction unit, any of a plurality of alignments that include (1) the alignment using positions of the feature points and (2) the alignment using positions of sheet vertices indicating a corner of the inspection target sheet.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a determination unit configured to determine, based on the number of feature points extracted by the extraction unit, which of the plurality of alignments is to be performed,

wherein the alignment unit aligns the read image with the reference image by performing any of the plurality of alignments in accordance with a determination result of the determination unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein if the number of feature points is not smaller than a predetermined number, the determination unit determines to perform the alignment using the positions of the feature points, and

wherein if the number of feature points is smaller than the predetermined number, the determination unit determines to perform the alignment using the positions of the sheet vertices.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the generating unit generates the reference image by (a) extracting the sheet vertices from the image obtained by the reading unit, and (b) deforming the image in conformance with a shape of a surface of the sheet based on the positions of the extracted sheet vertices and a print setting used for printing executed for the sheet.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein if the number of feature points extracted by the extraction unit is not smaller than a predetermined number, the apparatus saves the feature points as setting information for the alignment in association with the reference image, and

wherein if the number of feature points extracted by the extraction unit is smaller than the predetermined number, the apparatus saves the sheet vertices as the setting information in association with the reference image.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the alignment unit aligns the read image with the reference image in accordance with the saved setting information.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein if the positions of the feature points are used for the alignment of the read image with the reference image, the alignment unit performs the alignment by (a) obtaining the positions of the feature points, in the read image, indicated by the setting information, and (b) deforming the read image so that the positions of the feature points in the read image coincide with the positions of the feature points in the reference image.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein if the positions of the sheet vertices are used for the alignment of the read image with the reference image, the alignment unit performs the alignment by deforming the read image so that the positions of the sheet vertices extracted from the read image coincide with the positions of the sheet vertices in the reference image.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein based on the number of feature points extracted by the extraction unit from the reference image, the alignment unit performs any of the plurality of alignments that include (1) the alignment using the positions of the feature points, (2) the alignment using the positions of the sheet vertices, and (3) the alignment using both of the feature points and the sheet vertices.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein if the number of feature points is not smaller than a first threshold, the alignment unit performs the alignment using the positions of the feature points,

wherein if the number of feature points is smaller than a second threshold that is smaller than the first threshold, the alignment unit performs the alignment using the positions of the sheet vertices, and

wherein if the number of feature points is not smaller than the second threshold and is smaller than the first threshold, the alignment unit performs the alignment using both of the feature points and the sheet vertices.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit configured to perform discharge control of discharging, to different discharge destinations, a sheet determined not to be abnormal and a sheet determined to be abnormal, as a result of the inspection by the inspection unit.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reading unit includes (a) a first reading unit configured to read an image of a first surface of a conveyed sheet and (b) a second reading unit configured to read an image of a second surface on an opposite side of the first surface of the conveyed sheet,

wherein based on the number of feature points extracted from a reference image corresponding to the first surface, the alignment unit performs any of the plurality of alignments for the read image of the first surface obtained by the reading by the first reading unit, and

wherein the alignment unit performs the alignment using the positions of the sheet vertices for the read image of the second surface obtained by the reading by the second reading unit.

13. A print system comprising:

a print apparatus configured to print an image on a sheet; and

an inspection apparatus configured to inspect a sheet on which an image has been printed by the print apparatus and which has been conveyed through a conveyance path,

wherein the inspection apparatus comprises:

(A) a generating unit configured to generate a reference image based on an image obtained by reading an image of a conveyed sheet by a reading unit;

(B) an extraction unit configured to extract, from the reference image, feature points to be used for alignment with the reference image;

(C) an alignment unit configured to align, with the reference image, a read image obtained by reading an image of an inspection target sheet by the reading unit; and

(D) an inspection unit configured to inspect the read image by comparing the aligned read image with the reference image, and

wherein the alignment unit performs, based on a number of the feature points extracted by the extraction unit, any of a plurality of alignments that include (1) the alignment using positions of the feature points and (2) the alignment using positions of sheet vertices indicating a corner of the inspection target sheet.

14. A method for controlling an inspection apparatus, the method comprising:

generating a reference image based on an image obtained by reading an image of a conveyed sheet by a reading unit;

extracting, from the reference image, feature points to be used for alignment with the reference image;

aligning, with the reference image, a read image obtained by reading an image of an inspection target sheet by the reading unit; and

expecting the read image by comparing the aligned read image with the reference image,

wherein in the aligning, based on a number of the feature points extracted from the reference image, there is performed any of a plurality of alignments that include (1) the alignment using positions of the feature points and (2) the alignment using positions of sheet vertices indicating a corner of the inspection target sheet.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute a method for controlling an inspection apparatus, the method comprising:

generating a reference image based on an image obtained by reading an image of a conveyed sheet by a reading unit;

extracting, from the reference image, feature points to be used for alignment with the reference image;

aligning, with the reference image, a read image obtained by reading an image of an inspection target sheet by the reading unit; and

inspecting the read image by comparing the aligned read image with the reference image,

wherein in the aligning, based on a number of the feature points extracted from the reference image, there is performed any of a plurality of alignments that include (1) the alignment using positions of the feature points and (2) the alignment using positions of sheet vertices indicating a corner of the inspection target sheet.