Mark detecting system using image pickup device
First Claim
1. A mark detecting system for detecting a light reflective mark provided on an object, comprising:
- image pickup means for producing a two-dimensional image of said object on its imaging plane and for scanning said imaging plane to deliver a sequential image signal;
illuminating means for illuminating the field of view of said image pickup means with light of a specified wavelength, said illuminating means including a metal vapor discharge tube and a driving circuit for causing the discharge of said discharge tube by an alternate current which is in synchronism with the scanning of said imaging plane by said image pickup means;
filter means for preventing light of wavelengths other than said specified wavelength from impinging upon said image pickup means; and
a data processing section for processing said image signal to detect a pattern corresponding to said mark.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a mark detecting system using an image pickup device such as a TV camera in which a mark in the form of a regressive reflector is provided on an object, the field of view of the image pickup device is illuminated with light of a specified wavelength from an illuminating device placed in the vicinity of the image pickup device. The reflected light is introduced on the image pickup device through a filter capable of cutting off light having wavelengths other than the specified wavelength. Since the mark forms a bright pattern on an image produced within the field of view of the image pickup device, the position of the mark can be easily detected by means of a data processor which processes image signals.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A mark detecting system for detecting a light reflective mark provided on an object, comprising:
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image pickup means for producing a two-dimensional image of said object on its imaging plane and for scanning said imaging plane to deliver a sequential image signal; illuminating means for illuminating the field of view of said image pickup means with light of a specified wavelength, said illuminating means including a metal vapor discharge tube and a driving circuit for causing the discharge of said discharge tube by an alternate current which is in synchronism with the scanning of said imaging plane by said image pickup means; filter means for preventing light of wavelengths other than said specified wavelength from impinging upon said image pickup means; and a data processing section for processing said image signal to detect a pattern corresponding to said mark. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A mark detecting system for detecting a light reflective mark provided on an object, said mark including at least one reflector which regressively reflects light in a direction of incidence thereof, comprising:
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image pickup means for producing a two-dimensional image of said object on its imaging plane and for scanning said imaging plane to deliver a sequential image signal; illuminating means for illuminating the field of view of said image pickup means with light of a specified wavelength, said illuminating means being placed in the vicinity of said image pickup means so that said light of said specified wavelength is reflected from said mark toward said image pickup means; filter means for preventing light of wavelengths other than said specified wavelength from impinging upon said image pickup means; and a data processing section for processing said image signal to detect a pattern corresponding to said mark. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An automatic position control system for locating a movable body provided with a first light reflective mark, at a target position provided with a second light reflective mark, comprising:
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image pickup means for producing on its imaging plane a two-dimensional image of its field of view containing therein said marks and for scanning said imaging plane to deliver an image signal; illuminating means for illuminating said field of view of said image pickup means with light of a specified wavelength, said illuminating means including a metal vapor discharge tube and a driving circuit for causing the discharge of said discharge tube by an alternate current which is in synchronism with the scanning of said imaging plane by said image pickup means; filter means for preventing light of wavelengths other than said specified wavelength from impinging upon said image pickup means; and a data processing section for processing said image signal to detect patterns corresponding to said first and second marks and to deliver a movable body control signal in accordance with a positional relation between said patterns. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An automatic position control system for locating a movable body provided with a first light reflective mark, at a target position provided with a second light reflective mark, each of said first and second marks including at least one reflector which regressively reflects light in a direction of incidence thereof, comprising:
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image pickup means for producing on its imaging plane a two-dimensional image of its field of view containing therein said marks and for scanning said imaging plane to deliver an image signal; illuminating means for illuminating said field of view of said image pickup means with light of a specified wavelength, said illuminating means being placed in the vicinity of said image pickup means so that said light of said specified wavelength is reflected from said each of said first and second marks toward said image pickup means; filter means for preventing light of wavelengths other than said specified wavelength from impinging upon said image pickup means; and a data processing section for processing said image signal to detect patterns corresponding to said first and second marks and to deliver a movable body control signal in accordance with a positional relation between said patterns. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A mark detecting system for detecting a light reflective mark provided on an object, said mark including a combination of a plurality of characteristic patterns arranged in a predetermined positional relation and having the same characteristic, comprising:
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image pickup means for producing a two-dimensional image of said object on its imaging plane and for scanning said imaging plane to deliver an image signal; illuminating means for illuminating the field of view of said image pickup means with light of a specified wavelength; filter means for preventing light of wavelengths other than said specified wavelength from impinging upon said image pickup means; and a data processing section for processing said image signal to detect a pattern corresponding to said mark, said data processing section including means for delivering position data indicative of positions on the image on said imaging plane in synchronism with the scanning of said imaging plane by said image pickup means, means for controlling the turn-on and turn-off of said illuminating means, means for processing said image signal from said image pickup means to extract said characteristic patterns, memory means for storing said position data in response to the extraction of said characteristic patterns during a period when said illuminating means is in at least one of the turn-on and turn-off states, and means for comparing the position data stored in said memory means during the period in said at least one state of said illuminating means with the position data obtained in correspondence with the extraction of said characteristic patterns during a period in the other state of said illuminating means to select, from inconsistent data between both the position data, a combination of data satisfying said predetermined positional relation, so that the position of said mark is detected. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. An automatic position control system for locating a movable body provided with a first light reflective mark, at a target position provided with a second light reflective mark, said first mark including a combination of a plurality of characteristic patterns arranged in a first predetermined positional relation and having the same characteristic, said second mark includes a combination of a plurality of characteristic patterns arranged in a second predetermined positional relation different from said first predetermined positional relation and having said same characteristic, comprising:
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image pickup means for producing on its imaging plane a two-dimensional image of its field of view containing therein said marks and for scanning said imaging plane to deliver an image signal; illuminating means for illuminating said field of view of said image pickup means with light of a specified wavelength; filter means for preventing light of wavelengths other than said specified wavelength from impinging upon said image pickup means; and a data processing section for processing said image signal to detect patterns corresponding to said first and second marks and to deliver a movable body control signal in accordance with a positional relation between said patterns, said data processing section including means for delivering position data indicative of positions on the image on said imaging planes in synchronism with the scanning of said imaging plane by said image pickup means, means for controlling the turn-on and turn-off of said illuminating means, means for processing said image signal from said image pickup means to extract said characteristic patterns, memory means for storing said position data in response to the extraction of said characteristic patterns during a period when said illuminating means is in at least one of the turn-on and turn-off states, and means for comparing the position data stored in said memory means during the period in said at least one state of said illuminating means with the position data obtained in correspondence with the extraction of said characteristic patterns during a period in the other state of said illuminating means to select, from inconsistent data between both the position data, respective combinations of data satisfying said first and second predetermined positional relations, so that the positions of said first and second marks are detected. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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Specification