A method of detecting the position of an object pattern in an image

Claim 1

A method of detecting the position of an object pattern in an image, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a reference pattern which has a pattern and a background which are composed of one or more pixels each having a value regarding the brightness, the shape of said pattern corresponding to said object pattern, the value of each pixel of said pattern being different from that of each pixel of said background; (b) dividing said image into a plurality of sections; (c) selecting arbitrarily an area having two or more of said sections, the shape of said area corresponding to that of said reference pattern; (d) obtaining the brightness data from each of said sections; (e) obtaining a sum of products of the value of each pixel and the brightness data of each section corresponding to the pixel; (f) moving said area to another position in said image; (g) repeating steps (d) to (f); and (h) deciding that the area from which the sum having an extreme value is obtained is the one containing said object pattern.

Claim 2

A method of detecting the position of an object pattern in an image, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a reference pattern which has a pattern and a background which are composed of one or more pixels each having a value regarding the brightness, the shape of said pattern corresponding to said object pattern, the value of each pixel of said pattern being different from that of each pixel of said background; (b) dividing said image into a plurality of sections; (c) selecting arbitrarily an area having two or more of said sections, the shape of said area corresponding to that of said reference pattern; (d) obtaining the brightness data from each of said sections; (e) obtaining a sum of products of the value of each pixel and the brightness data of each section corresponding to the pixel; (f) moving said area to another position in said image; (g) repeating steps (d) to (f); and (h) deciding that the area from which the sum having an extreme value is obtained is the one containing said object pattern.

Claim 6

A method of detecting the position of an object pattern in an image, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing two or more reference patterns which have a pattern and a background, said pattern and background being composed of one or more pixels each having a value regarding the brightness, the shape obtained from said patterns when said reference patterns are arranged in a predetermined geometical or positional relationship corresponding to said object pattern, the value of each pixel of said pattern being different from that of each pixel of said background, a portion of each of said reference patterns being designated as a specific portion; (b) storing said positional relationship; (c) dividing said image into a plurality of sections; (d) selecting arbitrarily an area having two or more of said sections, the shape of said area corresponding to that of said reference pattern; (e) obtaining brightness data from each of said sections; (f) obtaining a sum of products of the value of each pixel of both said reference pattern and other reference patterns and the brightness data of each section corresponding to the pixel; (g) moving said area to another position in said image; (h) repeating steps (e) to (g); (i) selecting two or more portions from which the sum having an extreme value or a value adjacent to said extreme value is obtained, for both said reference pattern and other reference patterns; (j) obtaining the position in each of said selected portions which corresponds to said specific part or said other specific part; (k) obtaining the positional relationships in each pair of said obtained positions; (l) obtaining the pair having the positional relationship which is closest to said stored positional relationship; and (m) deciding that the area which corresponds to said obtained pair is the one containing said object pattern.

Claim 7

A method of detecting the position of an object pattern in an image, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing two or more reference patterns which have a pattern and a background, said pattern and background being composed of one or more pixels each having a value regarding the brightness, the shape obtained from said patterns when said reference patterns are arranged in a predetermined geometical or positional relationship corresponding to said object pattern, the value of each pixel of said pattern being different from that of each pixel of said background, a portion of each of said reference patterns being designated as a specific portion; (b) storing said positional relationship; (c) dividing said image into a plurality of sections; (d) selecting arbitrarily an area having two or more of said sections, the shape of said area corresponding to that of said reference pattern; (e) obtaining brightness data from each of said sections; (f) obtaining a sum of products of the value of each pixel of both said reference pattern and other reference patterns and the brightness data of each section corresponding to the pixel; (g) moving said area to another position in said image; (h) repeating steps (e) to (g); (i) selecting two or more portions from which the sum having an extreme value or a value adjacent to said extreme value is obtained, for both said reference pattern and other reference patterns; (j) obtaining the position in each of said selected portions which corresponds to said specific part or said other specific part; (k) obtaining the positional relationships in each pair of said obtained positions; (l) obtaining the pair having the positional relationship which is closest to said stored positional relationship; and (m) deciding that the area which corresponds to said obtained pair is the one containing said object pattern.