Image processing apparatus

• US 5,452,370 A
• Filed: 12/07/1993
• Issued: 09/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagata, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, David K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US08/163,404
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 382/8, 382/54, 382/41.1, 364/478, 364/559, 348/86, 348/92, 348/126, 348/95
• US Class Current: 382/153
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0014 Image feed-back for automatic industrial control, e.g. robot with camera robots B25J19/023

Abstract

An image processing apparatus calculates a feature of an object for recognition with a high degree of accuracy. Image information taken by a camera attached to a robot is first digitized and then stored into an image memory. A program in a robot program storage section includes instructions for operation of the robot and an instruction requesting an image processing CPU to extract a feature for recognition of an object being worked upon (e.g., a ring with a projection). In response to an instruction from a robot instruction analyzing and executing section, the image processing CPU determines a removal range for image information in the image memory, extracts a feature (e.g., a projection) of the object for recognition (e.g., a ring with a projection), executes a calculation regarding the feature (e.g., a moment calculation and so forth) and delivers a result of the calculation to the robot instruction analyzing and executing section. The robot grasps the object in accordance with the result of the calculation received.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus for imaging an object with an irregularly shaped area to be grasped by an operating end of a robot arm, comprising:

imaging means for producing image data of an image of the object for processing;

processing means receiving and storing the image data from the imaging means for determining a center of gravity of the object based upon the image data and including means for removing from the image data image information stored in said processing means;

means for delivering to said processing means a removing instruction specifying a position, a dimension and a profile of a predetermined area of said image information stored in said processing means for causing said processing means to remove from said image data received from said imaging means those data which correspond to said predetermined area at said position; and

moment value and path calculation means for calculating a moment value between said center of gravity and said irregularly shaped area and for calculating a path for movement of the robot arm based upon said moment value, whereby a center of the operating end of the robot arm substantially coincides with said position and said irregularly shaped area exhibits a predetermined angular relationship with said operating end of the robot arm.

2. An image processing apparatus for imaging an object with an irregularly shaped area to be grasped by an operating end of a robot arm, comprising:

imaging means for producing image data of an image of the object for processing;

imaging paint means operable in response to an instruction specifying a position, a dimension and a profile of a predetermined area of said image for painting into said image data received from said imaging means data which corresponds to said predetermined area at said position and producing corrected image data;

processing means for processing the corrected image data received from said image paint means to calculate a feature point describing said object;

means for delivering to said processing means a removing instruction for causing said processing means to use the feature point to remove predetermined image data stored in said processing means from said corrected image data; and

moment value and path calculation means for calculating a moment value between said feature point and said irregularly shaped area and for calculating a path for movement of the robot arm based upon said moment value, whereby a center of the operating end of the robot arm substantially coincides with said feature point and said irregularly shaped area exhibits a predetermined angular relationship with said operating end of the robot arm.

3. An image processing apparatus for imaging an object with an irregularly shaped area to be grasped by an operating end of a robot arm, comprising:

imaging means for producing image data of an image of the object for processing;

memory means receiving the image data from the imaging means for storing therein said image data of the object;

processing means for processing data received from said memory means to calculate a feature point describing said object, said processing means including means for removing a predetermined area stored therein from the image data at the calculated feature point upon receipt of a removing instruction;

means for providing the removing instruction to said processing means; and

moment value and path calculation means for calculating a moment value between said feature point and said irregularly shaped area and for calculating a path for movement of the robot arm based upon said moment value, whereby a center of the operating end of the robot arm substantially coincides with said feature point and said irregularly shaped area exhibits a predetermined angular relationship with said operating end of the robot arm.

4. An image processing apparatus for imaging an object with an irregularly shaped area to be grasped by an operating end of a robot arm, comprising:

imaging means for producing image data of an image of said object for processing;

memory means receiving the image data from the imaging means for storing therein said image data of the object;

image paint means operable in response to an instruction specifying a position, a dimension and a profile of a predetermined area of said image, for painting correction data into said image data stored at a portion of said memory means which corresponds to said predetermined area at said position, so that said image data of said object becomes complete image data;

processing means for processing the complete image data received from said image paint means to calculate a feature point describing said object;

means for delivering to said processing means a removing instruction for causing said processing means to remove predetermined image data stored in said processing means from said complete image data at said feature point; and

moment value and path calculation means for calculating a moment value between said feature point and said irregularly shaped area and for calculating a path for movement of the robot arm based upon said moment value, whereby a center of the operating end of the robot arm substantially coincides with said feature point and said irregularly shaped area exhibits a predetermined angular relationship with said Operating end of the robot arm.

5. An image processing apparatus for imaging an object with an irregularly shaped area to be grasped by an operating end of a robot arm, comprising:

imaging means for producing image data of an image of the object for processing;

binary digitizing means receiving the image data of the object from the imaging means for binary digitizing said image data of the object for processing;

run length coding means receiving the image data from the binary digitizing means for run length coding said image data;

run length code storage means receiving the run length coded image data from the run length coding means for storing therein the run length codes;

image processing means for determining a center of gravity of the object and being operable in response to a removal instruction specifying a predetermined area of said image for removing or reducing run length codes from said run length code storage means which correspond to a predetermined area positioned at the determined center of gravity, so that only run length codes which are outside the predetermined area remain;

instruction means for providing said removal instruction to said image processing means; and

moment value and path calculation means for calculating a moment value between said center of gravity and said irregularly shaped area and for calculating a path for movement of the robot arm based upon said moment value, whereby a center of the operating end of the robot arm substantially coincides with said center of gravity and said irregularly shaped area exhibits a predetermined angular relationship with said operating end of the robot arm.

6. An image processing apparatus for imaging an object with an irregularly shaped area to be grasped by an operating end of a robot arm, comprising:

imaging means for producing image data of an image of the object for processing;

binary digitizing means receiving the image data from the imaging means for binary digitizing said image data of the object for processing;

run length coding means receiving the image data from the binary digitizing means for run length coding the image data;

run length code storage means receiving the run length coded image data from the run length coding means for storing therein run length codes;

image paint means operable in response to an instruction specifying a position, a dimension and a profile of a predetermined area of said image for painting stored run length codes by lengthening a run length of the stored codes, the lengthened run length codes being stored in said run length code storage means;

processing means for processing data received from said run length code storage means to remove predetermined information describing said object stored in said run length code storage means; and

moment value and path calculation means for calculating a moment value between said position and said irregularly shaped area and for calculating a path for movement of the robot arm based upon said moment value, whereby a center of the operating end of the robot arm substantially coincides with said position and said irregularly shaped area exhibits a predetermined angular relationship with said operating end of the robot arm.