Programming apparatus of a visual inspection program

• US 20020122582A1
• Filed: 03/27/2002
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works Ltd (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Masuda, Tsuyoshi, Shirasawa, Mitsuru
• Granted Patent: US 6,922,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/141
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/88 Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/93 Detection standards; Calibrating baseline adjustment, drift correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/95684 Patterns showing highly reflecting parts, e.g. metallic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30108 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection

Abstract

A programming apparatus supports a user to program a visual inspection program used in a visual inspection apparatus. A plurality of standard inspection flows corresponding to kinds of products to be inspected, a plurality of image processing algorithms and a plurality of inspection parameters used in the visual inspection of the product are previously memorized. The user prepares a plurality of image data of defective units and non-defective units of the product which he wishes to inspect, and programs a provisional visual inspection program configured by the standard inspection flow corresponding to the kind of the product which is selected by the user, the image processing algorithms and the inspection parameters selected by following a guidance of the standard inspection flow. The provisional visual inspection program is evaluated by using the sample image data whether it is proper or improper for inspecting the product.

Claims

1. A programming apparatus of a visual inspection program comprising:

an image data memory for memorizing a plurality of sample image data of defective units and non-defective units of an object to be inspected which are previously prepared by a user;

an algorithm memory for memorizing a plurality of image processing algorithms with respect to each inspection item;

a standard flow memory for memorizing at least one standard inspection flow and a plurality of inspection parameters with respect to each kind of object to be inspected;

a display unit having a monitor display for displaying at least a guidance of programming steps;

an input unit by which a user inputs or selects a kind of an object which he wished to inspect, and selects at least one image processing algorithm and at least one inspection parameter; and

an inspection processor for displaying the guidance of the programming steps, automatically selecting a standard inspection flow from the standard flow memory corresponding to the input or selection of the kind of the object by the user, reading at least one image processing algorithm from the algorithm memory and at least one inspection parameter from the standard flow memory corresponding to the selection by the user, programming a provisional visual inspection program by using the standard inspection flow, the image processing algorithm(s) and the inspection parameter(s), processing the sample image data of defective units and non-defective units by following the provisional visual inspection program, executing the visual inspection whether an appearance of the object with respect to each sample image data is defective or non-defective using processed image data, displaying results of the visual inspection of the sample image data on the monitor display of the display unit, requiring the user whether the provisional visual inspection program is proper or improper, and outputting the provisional visual inspection program as a final visual inspection program when the user judges the provisional visual inspection program is proper.

2. The programming apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the inspection processor further requires the user to change at least one image processing algorithm and/or at least one inspection parameter when the user judges the provisional visual inspection program is improper.

3. The programming apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein the inspection processor repeats to require the user to change at least one image processing algorithm and/or at least one inspection parameter until the provisional visual inspection program is judged proper.

4. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the image data memory memorizes with each sample image data of the defective units with an information of a cause of defect.

5. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sample image data of the defective units and non-defective units are respectively sorted in the image data memory corresponding to degree of defect and degree of quality.

6. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sample image data of the defective units and non-defective units are sorted in the image data memory corresponding to illumination methods or condition when the sample image data are taken.

7. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the standard flow memory memorizes the standard inspection flow with at least one inspection parameter corresponding to a surface nature or a material of the object.

8. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the standard flow memory memorizes the standard inspection flow with at least one inspection parameter corresponding to a surface color of the object.

9. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the standard flow memory memorizes a combination of a standard inspection flow, at least one image processing algorithm and at least one inspection parameter recommended by an expert with respect to each kind of the object.

10. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the standard flow memory memorizes a combination of a standard inspection flow, a plurality of image processing algorithms and at least one inspection parameter with precedence of the image processing algorithm recommended by an expert with respect to each kind of the object.

11. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the standard flow memory memorizes a combination of a standard inspection flow, at least one image processing algorithm and a plurality of inspection parameters with precedence of the inspection parameters recommended by an expert with respect to each kind of the object.

12. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the standard flow memory memorizes an initial value of each inspection parameter, a width and directions for changing the value of each inspection parameter, and an upper limit and a lower limit of a region in which the value of each inspection parameter is varied.

13. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 12, the inspection processor compares the result of the visual inspection with respect to each sample image data with defective or non-defective of the sample image data used in the visual inspection, counts a number of the result of the inspection coinciding with the defective or non-defective of the sample image data, and repeats the visual inspection of the sample image data with changing the inspection parameter(s) until the counted number reaches to a predetermined value.

14. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 13, the inspection processor repeatedly requires the user to change the inspection parameter(s) until the number reaches to a predetermined value.

15. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the inspection processor further displays at least one image using a sample image data on the monitor display of the display unit.

16. The programming apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein a region to be inspected on a surface of the object is selected by pointing at least two points by using the input unit while the image of the object is displayed on the monitor display of the display unit.

17. The programming apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein the inspection processor displays images before and after the image processing of each sample image data on the monitor display of the display unit.

18. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the inspection processor further displays a table for showing the visual inspection results with respect to all the sample image data on the monitor display of the display unit.

19. The programming apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the inspection processor displays images before and after the image processing of a sample image data with the table on the monitor display of the display unit when the user selects a point on the monitor display corresponding to the sample data he selects.

20. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 19, further comprising a data communication unit for outputting the visual inspection program to an external visual inspection apparatus.

21. The programming apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 19, further comprising a recording apparatus for recording the visual inspection program in a recording medium.

22. The programming apparatus in accordance with claim 1 to 21, further comprising an image acquisition apparatus for taking the sample image data.

23. A visual inspection apparatus comprising:

an image acquisition unit for taking an image data of an object conveyed on a manufacturing line thereof;

an visual inspection unit for processing predetermined image processing to the image data taken by the image acquisition unit and for judging whether an appearance of the object is defective or non-defective by following a visual inspection program;

a removing unit for removing the object or for instructing to remove the object judged defective from the manufacturing line; and

a visual inspection programming unit for programming a visual inspection program suitable for inspecting the object, wherein

the visual inspection programming unit further comprising;

an image data memory for memorizing a plurality of sample image data of defective units and non-defective units of the object to be inspected which are previously prepared by a user;

an algorithm memory for memorizing a plurality of image processing algorithms with respect to each inspection item;

a standard flow memory for memorizing at least one standard inspection flow and a plurality of inspection parameters with respect to each kind of the object to be inspected;

a display unit having a monitor display for displaying at least a guidance of programming steps;

an input unit by which a user inputs or selects a kind of an object which he wished to inspect, and selects at least one image processing algorithm and at least one inspection parameter; and

an inspection processor for displaying the guidance of the programming steps, automatically selecting a standard inspection flow from the standard flow memory corresponding to the input or selection of the kind of the object by the user, reading at least one image processing algorithm from the algorithm memory and at least one inspection parameter from the standard flow memory corresponding to the input or selection by the user, programming a provisional visual inspection program by using the standard inspection flow, the image processing algorithm(s) and the inspection parameter(s), processing the sample image data of defective units and non-defective units by following the provisional visual inspection program, executing the visual inspection whether an appearance of the object with respect to each sample image data is defective or non-defective using processed image data, displaying results of the visual inspection of the sample image data on the monitor display of the display unit, requiring the user whether the provisional visual inspection program is proper or improper, and outputting the provisional visual inspection program as a final visual inspection program when the user judges the provisional visual inspection program is proper.

24. A method for programming a visual inspection program comprising the steps of:

memorizing a plurality of image processing algorithm with respect to each inspection item, at least one standard inspection flow and a plurality of inspection parameters with respect to each kind of object to be inspected which are previously prepared by a vendor of a visual inspection apparatus;

requiring the user to input or to select a kind of the object to be inspected;

requiring the user to input a plurality of sample image data of defective units and non-defective units of the object to be inspected;

automatically selecting a standard inspection flow corresponding to the kind of the object among the previously memorized standard inspection flows;

requiring the user to select at least one image processing algorithms and at least one inspection parameter among the previously memorized image processing algorithms and the inspection parameters by following the selected standard inspection flow;

programming a provisional visual inspection program using the selected standard inspection flow, the image processing algorithm(s) and the inspection parameter(s);

reading out the sample image data one by one;

executing visual inspection of the sample image data by following the provisional visual inspection program;

executing the visual inspection with respect to each sample image data whether an appearance of the object is defective or non-defective; and

displaying the result of the judgment of the visual inspection of the sample image data on a monitor display.

25. A program for programming the visual inspection program comprising the steps of:

requiring a user to input or to select a kind of an object to be inspected;

automatically selecting a standard inspection flow among a plurality of standard inspection flows previously inputted corresponding to the input or selection of the kind of the object by the user;

requiring the user to input at plurality of sample image data of the object including at least one defective unit and at least one non-defective unit;

requiring the user to select at least one image processing algorithm and at least one inspection parameter among a plurality of image processing algorithms and a plurality of inspection parameters previously inputted;

programming a provisional visual inspection program using the selected standard inspection flow, the image processing algorithm(s) and the inspection parameter(s);

reading the sample image data one by one;

executing the visual inspection with each sample image data by following the provisional visual inspection program;

judging whether the sample image data is defective or non-defective; and

displaying the result of the judgment with respect to all the sample image data on a monitor display.

26. A recording medium memorizing at least one standard inspection flow with respect to each kind of object to be inspected, a plurality of image processing algorithm with respect to each inspection item, a plurality inspection parameters and a program for programming a visual inspection program, wherein the program comprises the steps of:

requiring a user to input or to select a kind of the object to be inspected;

requiring the user to input a plurality of sample image data of defective units and non-defective units of objects to be inspected which are previously prepared by a user;

automatically selecting a standard inspection flow corresponding to the kind of the object among the previously memorized standard inspection flows;

requiring the user to select at least one image processing algorithms and at least one inspection parameter among the previously memorized image processing algorithms and the inspection parameters by following the selected standard inspection flow;

programming a provisional visual inspection program using the selected standard inspection flow, the image processing algorithm(s) and the inspection parameter(s);

reading out the sample image data one by one for executing visual inspection by following a provisional visual inspection program configured by the elected standard inspection flow, the image processing algorithm(s) and the inspection parameter(s);

executing the visual inspection with respect to each sample image data whether an appearance of the object is defective or non-defective by following the provisional visual inspection program; and

displaying the result of the judgment of the visual inspection of the sample image data on the monitor display.