Automated imaging system and method for concrete quality analysis
First Claim
1. A system operable to substantially automatically perform an evaluation of a sample of a material according to an established standard, wherein the system comprises:
- a microscope operable to magnify the sample;
a light source operable to illuminate the sample, wherein the illumination is provided at a grazing angle so as to enhance surface contrast of the sample;
a stage associated with the microscope and operable to move and position the sample under the microscope for viewing;
an image capturing mechanism operable to capture an image of the sample through the microscope; and
a computing device operable to control magnification by the microscope, control illumination by the light source, receive images from the image capturing device, control movement of the stage, and store and execute a computer program operable to substantially automatically conduct an analysis of the image and to generate a report setting forth a result of the analysis.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and a method using image processing and pattern recognition techniques to substantially automatically analyze a captured image in order to accurately estimate a variety of microscopical properties of a prepared sample of a material in accordance with an established standard. Where the material is Portland cement concrete and the standard is ASTM C457-90, the analysis is operable to calculate estimates of sixteen characteristics to detect voids in the concrete, while discriminating against other components and features of the concrete. The preferred system broadly comprises a microscope; a high-precision stage; an image capturing mechanism; and a computing device. Analysis techniques applied to the image include color segmentation and recognition; shape feature segmentation and analysis; and intensity profile segmentation and recognition; the results of which are integrated to provide a final result wherefrom quality of the material may be determined.
13 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A system operable to substantially automatically perform an evaluation of a sample of a material according to an established standard, wherein the system comprises:
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a microscope operable to magnify the sample;
a light source operable to illuminate the sample, wherein the illumination is provided at a grazing angle so as to enhance surface contrast of the sample;
a stage associated with the microscope and operable to move and position the sample under the microscope for viewing;
an image capturing mechanism operable to capture an image of the sample through the microscope; and
a computing device operable to control magnification by the microscope, control illumination by the light source, receive images from the image capturing device, control movement of the stage, and store and execute a computer program operable to substantially automatically conduct an analysis of the image and to generate a report setting forth a result of the analysis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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14. A system operable to substantially automatically perform an evaluation of a prepared sample of a material according to an established standard, wherein the system comprises:
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a microscope operable to magnify the prepared sample;
a light source operable to illuminate the prepared sample, wherein the illumination is provided at a grazing angle so as to enhance surface contrast of the sample;
a high-precision two-dimensional stage associated with the microscope and operable to move and position the prepared sample under the microscope for viewing;
a CCD camera operable to capture an image of the prepared sample through the microscope; and
a computing device operable to control magnification by the microscope, control illumination by the light source, receive images from the image capturing device, control movement of the high-precision of the two-dimensional stage so as to avoid overlapping fields-of-view, and store and execute a computer program operable to substantially automatically conduct an analysis of the image, wherein the analysis includes— a color segmentation and recognition technique operable to facilitate identification and classification of an object in the image, and to differentiate the object from other objects in the image, a shape feature segmentation and analysis technique operable to extract the object from the image and to characterize a shape of the object, and a intensity profile segmentation and recognition technique operable to identify a unique characteristic of a profile of the object.
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23. A method of substantially automatically performing an evaluation of a sample of a material according to an established standard, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
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(a) magnifying and illuminating the sample, wherein the illumination is provided at a grazing angle so as to enhance surface contrast of the sample;
(b) capturing an image of the magnified and illuminated sample;
(c) controlling magnification and illumination of the sample and capturing of the image substantially automatically, using a computing device; and
(d) performing an analysis of the image substantially automatically, using a computing device, to allow for the evaluation of the sample in accordance with the established standard.
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34. A method of substantially automatically performing an evaluation of a sample of a material according to an established standard, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
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(a) preparing the sample in a manner consistent with the established standard in order to facilitate analyzing the sample;
(b) magnifying and illuminating the sample, wherein the illumination is provided at a grazing angle so as to enhance surface contrast of the sample;
(c) capturing an image of the magnified and illuminated sample;
(d) controlling magnification and illumination of the sample and capturing of the image substantially automatically, using a computing device; and
(e) performing an analysis of the image substantially automatically, using a computing device, to allow for the evaluation of the sample in accordance with the established standard, wherein the analysis includes— (e1) facilitating identification and classification of an object in the image and differentiating the object from other objects in the image using a color segmentation and recognition technique, (e2) extracting the object from the image and characterizing a shape of the object using a shape feature segmentation and analysis technique, and (e3) analyzing individual scans across the image to identify a unique characteristic of a profile of the object using a intensity profile segmentation and recognition technique.
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Specification