Patent EP0058028A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0058028A2
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EP
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Method and apparatus for detecting bounded regions of images, and method and apparatus for sorting articles and detecting flaws
Assignee: Lockwood Graders UK Ltd
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Filing: 1982-01-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-01-29
Abstract
Abstract Image processing apparatus for detecting a bounded region of an image, comprising mean (120) for scanning the image via a raster scan to produce a signal indicative of image intensity at a plurality of picture points, means (64,72) for comparing the image intensity at each of the said picture points with that of a neighbouring point in each of at least two directions to derive therefrom a difference value, means (66, 68, 74, 76) for labelling the picture points as corresponding to region boundaries whenever the difference values exceed a predetermined threshold value, means (126, 127, 128, 129) for exanding the region boundaries by labelling further picture points as region boundaries such that boundaries between neighbouring picture elements along a scan line are expanded to successive neighbouring picture elements along the said scan line and boundaries between neighbouring picture elements or neighbouring scan lines are expanded to neighbouring successive scan lines, and means (142, 144, 146) for delaying signals associated with different types of region boundanes by different amounts to superimpose those signals corresponding to picture points labelled as being included within a plurality of expanded boundaries. The apparatus is particularly useful for detecting flaws in articles such as potatoes, or in sheet material, for example plastic laminate or sheet material
Inventors
- 👤 Timothy James Dennis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 05:36
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/84; G01N21/88; B; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/34; B07C5/342; B07C5/3422; G06; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/0002; G06T7/0004; G06T2207/00; G06T2207/30; G06T2207/30108; G06T2207/30124; G06T2207/30128; G06T2207/30156; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S209/00; Y10S209/939
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
Apparatus for detecting the presence in an article or articles having predominantly a first value of reflectivity of regions having a second value of reflectivity substantially different from that of the j first value, which apparatus comprises means for scanning the article or articles to produce an image signal, and means for processing the image signal, to produce an output when the image signal indicates a surface feature in the scanned region having the said second value of reflectivity., whenever such feature lies wholly within an area having the first value of reflectivity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
Apparatus for detecting the presence in an article or articles having predominantly a first value of reflectivity of regions having a second value of reflectivity substantially different from that of the j first value, which apparatus comprises means for scanning the article or articles to produce an image signal, and means for processing the image signal, to produce an output when the image signal indicates a surface feature in the scanned region having the said second value of reflectivity., whenever such feature lies wholly within an area having the first value of reflectivity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
141 words
Article sorting apparatus comprising conveying means for conveying through an inspection region articles having predominantly a first value of surface reflectivity but bearing occasional surface features having a second value of reflectivity which is substantially different from the first value, means for illuminating each article in the inspection region, sensing means responsive to reflected radiation reflected from the article for scanning the inspection region to derive an image signal, means for processing the image signal to detect the presence of and to indicate the location of a surface feature having the second value of reflectivity whenever such feature lies, as viewed by the sensing means, wholly within an area having the first value of reflectivity, and deflection means responsive to such detection and indication of location to cause the article bearing such feature to be routed differently from the other articles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
141 words
Article sorting apparatus comprising conveying means for conveying through an inspection region articles having predominantly a first value of surface reflectivity but bearing occasional surface features having a second value of reflectivity which is substantially different from the first value, means for illuminating each article in the inspection region, sensing means responsive to reflected radiation reflected from the article for scanning the inspection region to derive an image signal, means for processing the image signal to detect the presence of and to indicate the location of a surface feature having the second value of reflectivity whenever such feature lies, as viewed by the sensing means, wholly within an area having the first value of reflectivity, and deflection means responsive to such detection and indication of location to cause the article bearing such feature to be routed differently from the other articles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 including storage means for storing digitally the value of the signal for each of an array of points and means for deriving difference values between neighbouring points in a plurality of directions to determine the presence of a closed boundary between an outer area corresponding to the first value of reflectivity and an inner area corresponding to the second value of reflectivity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, including means for labelling picture points according to whether or not they lie within a predetermined number of picture points in a specified direction of a region boundary and means for thereby determining which of the said picture points lie within a predetermined number of picture points of boundaries in each of the said plurality of directions, and therefore correspond to picture points lying within a bounded region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 4 for sorting rounded articles such as potatoes, wherein the conveying means comprises a roller table formed of a plurality of rotatable rollers, connected together for rotation and translational movement in the inspection area.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the deflector means comprises an array of deflector devices arranged across the path of the conveyor means downstream of the inspection area, and drive means for driving selected deflector devices, the selection of deflector devices actuated being controlled in dependence upon a first co-ordinate of a location in the scanned area and the timing of ; operation of the deflector devices being controlled in dependence upon a second co-ordinate of a location in the scanned area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus for detecting a bounded region of an image, which apparatus comprises means for scanning the image to produce a signal indicative of intensity at a plurality of picture points, means for deriving difference values between neighbouring points in a plurality of directions to determine the presence of region boundaries, and means for labelling a picture point as lying within a bounded region according to whether or not it is surrounded by such region boundaries.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus for detecting a bounded region of an image, which apparatus comprises means for scanning the image to produce a signal indicative of intensity at a plurality of picture points, means for deriving difference values between neighbouring points in a plurality of directions to determine the presence of region boundaries, and means for labelling a picture point as lying within a bounded region according to whether or not it is surrounded by such region boundaries.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 including means for labelling additional picture points as corresponding to region boundaries according to whether or not the picture point lies within a'predetermined number of picture points in a specified direction of a region boundary, and means for thereby determining which of the said picture points lie within a predetermined number of picture points of boundaries in each of the said plurality of directions, and therefore correspond to picture points lying within a bounded region.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
71 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8 including a computer programmed and arranged to allocate to each of an array of storage locations a value corresponding to the intensity of the signal image at a point on the image, and wherein the means for deriving difference values is arranged to derive difference values between values stored in locations of the said array corresponding to neighbouring points of the image.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 7 to 9 wherein the predetermined number of picture points is from 5 to 10.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the number of picture points is 7.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
174 words
Apparatus for detecting a bounded region of an image, which apparatus comprises means for scanning the image via a raster scan to produce a signal indicative of image intensity at a plurality of picture points, means for comparing the image intensity at each of the said picture points with that of a neighbouring point in each of at least two directions to derive therefrom a difference value, means for labelling the picture points as corresponding to region boundaries whenever the difference values exceed a predetermined threshold value, means for expanding the region boundaries by labelling further picture points as region boundaries such that boundaries between neighbouring picture elements along a scan line are expanded to successive neighbouring picture elements along the said scan line and boundaries between neighbouring picture elements on neighbouring scan lines are expanded to neighbouring successive scan lines, and means for delaying signals associated with different types of region boundaries by different amounts to superimpose those signals corresponding to picture points labelled as being included within a plurality of expanded boundaries.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
174 words
Apparatus for detecting a bounded region of an image, which apparatus comprises means for scanning the image via a raster scan to produce a signal indicative of image intensity at a plurality of picture points, means for comparing the image intensity at each of the said picture points with that of a neighbouring point in each of at least two directions to derive therefrom a difference value, means for labelling the picture points as corresponding to region boundaries whenever the difference values exceed a predetermined threshold value, means for expanding the region boundaries by labelling further picture points as region boundaries such that boundaries between neighbouring picture elements along a scan line are expanded to successive neighbouring picture elements along the said scan line and boundaries between neighbouring picture elements on neighbouring scan lines are expanded to neighbouring successive scan lines, and means for delaying signals associated with different types of region boundaries by different amounts to superimpose those signals corresponding to picture points labelled as being included within a plurality of expanded boundaries.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12 wherein the comparing means includes a delay element for delaying a signal for a period corresponding to an integral_ number of picture points, and a subtractor for comparing the delayed signal with a non-delayed signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 13, wherein the comparing means is arranged to compare alternate points in the vertical and horizontal directions of the raster scan.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 12 to 14 wherein the means for expanding the region boundaries includes a register for holding the value of the desired spreading distance, and a counter for decrementing the value of the desired spreading distance over the desired number of picture points.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the means for delaying signals is arranged to delay the respective signals by an amount approximately corresponding to the time interval on the raster scan between the picture points over which the boundaries are expanded.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of detecting the presence in an article or articles having predominantly a first value of reflectivity of regions having a second value of reflectivity substantially different fron that of the first value, which method comprises scanning the article or articles to produce an image signal, and processing the image signal to produce an output when the image signal indicates a surface feature in the_ scanned region having the said second value of reflectivity, whenever such feature lies wholly within an area having the first value of reflectivity.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of detecting the presence in an article or articles having predominantly a first value of reflectivity of regions having a second value of reflectivity substantially different fron that of the first value, which method comprises scanning the article or articles to produce an image signal, and processing the image signal to produce an output when the image signal indicates a surface feature in the_ scanned region having the said second value of reflectivity, whenever such feature lies wholly within an area having the first value of reflectivity.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
69 words
A method of detecting a bounded region of an image, which method comprises scanning the image to produce a signal indicative of intensity at a plurality of picture points, deriving difference values between neighbouring points in a plurality of directions to determine the presence of region boundaries, and labelling picture points as lying within a bounded region according to whether or not they are surrounded by such region boundaries.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
69 words
A method of detecting a bounded region of an image, which method comprises scanning the image to produce a signal indicative of intensity at a plurality of picture points, deriving difference values between neighbouring points in a plurality of directions to determine the presence of region boundaries, and labelling picture points as lying within a bounded region according to whether or not they are surrounded by such region boundaries.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
162 words
A method of detecting a bounded region of an image, which method comprises scanning the image via a raster scan to produce a signal indicative of image intensity at a plurality of picture points, comparing the image intensity at each of the said picture points with that of a neighbouring point in each of at least two directions to derive therefrom a difference value, labelling the picture points as corresponding to region boundaries whenever the difference values exceed a predetermined threshold value, expanding the region boundaries by labelling further picture points such that boundaries between neighbouring picture elements along a scan line are expanded to successive neighbouring picture elements along the said scan line and boundaries between neighbouring picture elements on neighbouring scan lines are expanded to neighbouring successive scan lines, and delaying signals associated with different types of region boundaries by different amounts to superimpose those signals corresponding to picture points labelled as being included within a plurality of expanded boundaries.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
162 words
A method of detecting a bounded region of an image, which method comprises scanning the image via a raster scan to produce a signal indicative of image intensity at a plurality of picture points, comparing the image intensity at each of the said picture points with that of a neighbouring point in each of at least two directions to derive therefrom a difference value, labelling the picture points as corresponding to region boundaries whenever the difference values exceed a predetermined threshold value, expanding the region boundaries by labelling further picture points such that boundaries between neighbouring picture elements along a scan line are expanded to successive neighbouring picture elements along the said scan line and boundaries between neighbouring picture elements on neighbouring scan lines are expanded to neighbouring successive scan lines, and delaying signals associated with different types of region boundaries by different amounts to superimpose those signals corresponding to picture points labelled as being included within a plurality of expanded boundaries.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the indication of whether the second region lies wholly within the first is made by a method as claimed in Claim 18.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of detecting a flaw in an area of sheet material which method includes a method of detecting a bounded area as defined in Claim 19.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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