IP Library Granted Patent US 11,619,591
Granted Patent B2
US 11,619,591 · App. 16/247,598 · Granted Apr 4, 2023

Image inspection apparatus and image inspection method

Inventors: Yutaka Kato (Kyotanabe, JP); Shingo Inazumi (Amagasaki, JP)
Assignee: OMRON Corporation
G01N21/8806G01B11/2513G01B11/2527G01N21/47G01N21/8851G01N2021/4711G01N2021/8887
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,619,591
App. No.
16/247,598
Filed
Jan 15, 2019
Granted
Apr 4, 2023
Kind
B2
Examiner
AHMED, JAMIL
Art Unit
2877
USPC
356/141.1
Abstract

An image inspection apparatus includes: an image capturing unit which captures images of an object; a transparent illumination unit which has a light-emitting surface which radiates light to the object and is configured to be able to control a light-emitting position on the light-emitting surface and a radiation direction of the light; and a control unit which is configured to control the image capturing unit and the illumination unit. The control unit causes the illumination unit to change the light-emitting position and the radiation direction, causes the image capturing unit to capture images of the object, identifies a light-emitting position and a radiation direction of the illumination unit when a measurement point of the surface of the object is illuminated from images of the object, and calculates a distance to the measurement point on the basis of the identified light-emitting position and the identified radiation direction.

Claims (43)

1. An image inspection apparatus comprising:

a camera which captures images of an object;

a transparent illumination device which is disposed between the object and the camera, has a light-emitting surface which radiates light to the object and is configured to be able to control a light-emitting position on the light-emitting surface and a radiation direction of the light, wherein the transparent illumination device includes a surface light source; and

a processor which is configured to control the camera and the illumination unit,

wherein the processor causes the transparent illumination device to change the light-emitting position and the radiation direction, causes the camera to capture images of the object, identifies a light-emitting position and a radiation direction of the transparent illumination device when a measurement point of the surface of the object is illuminated from images of the object, and calculates a distance to the measurement point on the basis of the identified light-emitting position and the identified radiation direction,

wherein the transparent illumination device includes a plurality of illumination elements disposed in a matrix form,

wherein each of the plurality of illumination elements includes a plurality of organic electroluminescence arranged in a matrix form and configured to be able to selectively emit light, and an optical system configured to control a radiation direction of light emitted from each of the plurality of organic electroluminescence to be a direction corresponding to the position of each of the plurality of organic electroluminescence,

wherein the processor radiates light in a striped pattern to the object by controlling turning on and turning off of each of the plurality of illumination elements of the transparent illumination device and changes the light-emitting position by changing any of the phase of the striped pattern, the period of stripes of the striped pattern and the direction of the stripes, so as to generate a state equivalent to dynamically scanning the light in the striped pattern on the surface of the object, and

wherein the processor changes the radiation direction by controlling turning on and turning off of the plurality of organic electroluminescence of each of the plurality of illumination elements of the transparent illumination device.

2. The image inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the camera captures images of the object multiple times to generate a plurality of first captured images when the transparent illumination device illuminates the object while changing the light-emitting position,

the camera captures images of the object multiple times to generate a plurality of second captured images when the transparent illumination device illuminates the object while changing the radiation direction, and

the processor generates a first data array having information about the light-emitting position for illuminating the measurement point of the object from the plurality of first captured images,

the processor generates a second data array having information about the radiation direction for illuminating the measurement point of the object from the plurality of second captured images, and

the processor calculates the distance from the information on the light-emitting position included in the first data array and the information on the radiation direction included in the second data array.

3. The image inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical system includes a plurality of micro-lenses provided to face the plurality of organic electroluminescence.

4. The image inspection apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of micro-lenses are disposed such that optical axes of at least some of the micro-lenses deviate from optical axes of organic electroluminescence facing the at least some of the micro-lenses.

5. The image inspection apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein, in at least one of the plurality of illumination elements, the at least some micro-lenses are disposed at a pitch less than a pitch of the organic electroluminescence.

6. The image inspection apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of micro-lenses are disposed such that the optical axes of at least some of the plurality of micro-lenses are inclined with respect to the optical axes of organic electroluminescence facing the at least some of the micro-lenses.

7. The image inspection apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the transparent illumination device further includes a light-shielding material configured to shield light leaking from the edge of each of the plurality of micro-lenses among light emitted from the plurality of organic electroluminescence, wherein the light shielding material surrounds the edge of each of the plurality of micro-lenses.

8. An image inspection method performed by an image inspection apparatus including: a camera which captures images of an object; a transparent illumination device which is disposed between the object and the camera, has a light-emitting surface which radiates light to the object and is configured to be able to control a light-emitting position on the light-emitting surface and a radiation direction of the light, wherein the transparent illumination device includes a surface light source; and a processor which is configured to control the camera and the transparent illumination device, the image inspection method comprising:

a step in which the transparent illumination device changes the light-emitting position and the radiation direction and the camera captures images of the object;

a step of identifying a light-emitting position and a radiation direction of the transparent illumination device when a measurement point of the surface of the object is illuminated from images of the object acquired in the step of capturing images; and

a step of calculating a distance to the measurement point on the basis of the identified light-emitting position and the identified radiation direction,

wherein the transparent illumination device includes a plurality of illumination elements disposed in a matrix form,

wherein each of the plurality of illumination elements includes a plurality of organic electroluminescence arranged in a matrix form and configured to be able to selectively emit light, and an optical system configured to control a radiation direction of light emitted from each of the plurality of organic electroluminescence to be a direction corresponding to the position of each of the plurality of organic electroluminescence, and

wherein the step in which the transparent illumination device changes the light-emitting position and the radiation direction comprises:

a step of radiating light in a striped pattern to the object by controlling turning on and turning off of each of the plurality of illumination elements of the transparent illumination device and changing the light-emitting position by changing any of the phase of the striped pattern, the period of stripes of the striped pattern and the direction of the stripes, so as to generate a state equivalent to dynamically scanning the light in the striped pattern on the surface of the object; and

a step of changing the radiation direction by controlling turning on and turning off of the plurality of organic electroluminescence of each of the plurality of illumination elements of the transparent illumination device.

9. The image inspection method according to claim 8 , wherein the step of capturing images comprises:

a step of capturing images of the object multiple times to generate a plurality of first captured images when the transparent illumination device illuminates the object while changing the light-emitting position; and

a step of capturing images of the object multiple times to generate a plurality of second captured images when the transparent illumination device illuminates the object while changing the radiation direction, and

the step of identifying the light-emitting position and the radiation direction comprises:

a step of generating a first data array having information about the light-emitting position for illuminating the measurement point of the object from the plurality of first captured images; and

a step of generating a second data array having information about the radiation direction for illuminating the measurement point of the object from the plurality of second captured images, and

the step of calculating comprises a step of calculating the distance from the information on the light-emitting position included in the first data array and the information on the radiation direction included in the second data array.

10. The image inspection apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the transparent illumination device further includes a light-shielding material configured to shield light leaking from the edge of each of the plurality of micro-lenses among light emitted from the plurality of organic electroluminescence, wherein the light shielding material surrounds the edge of each of the plurality of micro-lenses.

11. The image inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the transparent illumination device further includes a light-shielding material configured to shield light leaking from the edge of each of the plurality of micro-lenses among light emitted from the plurality of organic electroluminescence, wherein the light shielding material surrounds the edge of each of the plurality of micro-lenses.

12. The image inspection apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the transparent illumination device further includes a light-shielding material configured to shield light leaking from the edge of each of the plurality of micro-lenses among light emitted from the plurality of organic electroluminescence, wherein the light shielding material surrounds the edge of each of the plurality of micro-lenses.

13. The image inspection method according to claim 9 , wherein the transparent illumination device includes a plurality of illumination elements disposed in a matrix form,

wherein each of the plurality of illumination elements includes a plurality of organic electroluminescence arranged in a matrix form and configured to be able to selectively emit light, and an optical system configured to control a radiation direction of light emitted from each of the plurality of organic electroluminescence to be a direction corresponding to the position of each of the plurality of organic electroluminescence, and

wherein the step in which the transparent illumination device changes the light-emitting position and the radiation direction comprises:

a step of radiating light in a striped pattern to the object by controlling turning on and turning off of each of the plurality of illumination elements of the transparent illumination device and changing the light-emitting position by changing any of the phase of the striped pattern, the period of stripes of the striped pattern and the direction of the stripes; and

a step of changing the radiation direction by controlling turning on and turning off of the plurality of organic electroluminescence of each of the plurality of illumination elements of the transparent illumination device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2019
From: KATO, YUTAKA; INAZUMI, SHINGO
To: OMRON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048038/0818 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-030931 · Feb 23, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190265171A1 · Aug 29, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,259,232