State determination apparatus, state determination method, and program product

Abstract

Provided is a state determination device, a state determination method, and a state determination program capable of determining the state of an inspection object. The state determination device (10) includes: an irradiation unit (12) that irradiates an inspection object with excitation light under a prescribed irradiation condition; a measurement unit (13) that measures luminescence data of luminescence from the inspection object that occurs in response to a delay in irradiation of the excitation light; and a determination unit (15) that determines the state of the inspection object by comparing the luminescence data with luminescence data of luminescence from an inspection object that is measured in a case where the excitation light is irradiated under an irradiation condition that is common to the luminescence data and that is based on the state of a substance that constitutes the inspection object.

Description

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-046932, filed on March 17, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to a state determination apparatus, a state determination method, and a state determination procedure. Background Technology

[0004] In the past, light was sometimes used to determine the substances constituting an object under examination. For example, absorption spectrophotometry uses light to illuminate the object and measure its absorption spectrum to determine the substances constituting it; laser-induced breakdown spectrophotometry uses laser ionization of the object to measure plasma light and determine the substances constituting it. Additionally, sometimes the object is irradiated with excitation light for a longer period (tens of seconds), and the resulting delayed fluorescence spectrum, fluorescence lifetime, and other physical properties are measured.

[0005] Regarding laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, for example, Patent Document 1 describes a substance determination system that measures scattered light by irradiating a laser with a first laser unit, extracts the range of the substance's presence from the measurement results, and measures the spectrum of plasma light by irradiating a laser with a second laser unit different from the first laser unit.

[0006] In addition, regarding the determination of fluorescence lifetime, for example, Patent Document 2 below describes a fluorescence lifetime measuring device, which places the fluorophore of the test object on a worktable and moves it at a certain speed, irradiates the fluorophore with excitation light, uses an image obtained by taking a picture of the afterglow of the fluorescence emitted by the excitation light, detects the elapsed time and the intensity of the afterglow, and calculates the fluorescence lifetime.

[0007] In addition, regarding the use of delayed fluorescence, for example, Patent Document 3 describes a device for determining the storability of flowers, which irradiates flowers with excitation light, captures the chlorophyll fluorescence and delayed fluorescence that occur, and determines the storability of flowers based on the correlation between the ratio of the amount of delayed fluorescence to the amount of chlorophyll fluorescence and the storability of flowers.

[0008] Existing technical documents

[0009] Patent documents

[0010] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2015 / 037643

[0011] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-164468

[0012] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-301638 Summary of the Invention

[0013] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0014] However, there is no research in the existing technology on using light to determine the state of the object being inspected.

[0015] Therefore, the present invention provides a state determination device, a state determination method, and a state determination procedure that can use light to determine the state of an object to be inspected.

[0016] Solutions for solving technical problems

[0017] One aspect of the present invention relates to a state determination apparatus comprising: an irradiation unit that irradiates an object to be inspected with excitation light under predetermined irradiation conditions; a measurement unit that measures emission data from the object to be inspected generated with respect to an irradiation delay of the excitation light; and a determination unit that compares the emission data with emission data from the object to be inspected measured under irradiation conditions common to the emission data, in the case where the excitation light is irradiated according to the state of the substances constituting the object to be inspected.

[0018] According to this method, excitation light can be irradiated onto the object under specified irradiation conditions, and the state of the object can be determined based on the emission data from the object relative to this delay.

[0019] In the above manner, the emission data from the object under examination is the emission data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object under examination, which are generated in response to the irradiation of the excitation light.

[0020] According to this method, an excitation light can be irradiated onto the object under specified irradiation conditions, and the state of the object can be determined based on the luminescence data of the delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object generated accordingly.

[0021] Alternatively, in the above-described manner, the measuring unit may include a high-speed camera that captures the emitted light at a frame rate of 100fps or higher.

[0022] According to this method, the luminescence intensity of light emitted immediately after being irradiated with excitation light decreases sharply. Only by using a high-speed camera can the time-decomposition image and the time-decomposition data (time-dependent data) of the luminescence intensity be acquired quickly and accurately. This allows for the high-precision measurement of the luminescence data specific to the state of the object under inspection.

[0023] In the above method, the determining unit may read reference luminescence data of the object to be inspected that has been stored in the storage unit in advance, and use the read reference luminescence data and the luminescence data measured by the measuring unit to determine the state of the object to be inspected.

[0024] According to this method, excitation light can be irradiated onto the object under specified irradiation conditions, and the state of the object under inspection can be determined using the luminescence data generated accordingly from the luminescence of the object under inspection and the reference luminescence data of the object under inspection that is stored in the storage unit in advance.

[0025] One aspect of the present invention relates to a state determination apparatus comprising: an irradiation unit that irradiates an object to be inspected with excitation light under predetermined irradiation conditions; a measurement unit that measures first emission data as emission data generated from the object to be inspected in response to the irradiation of the excitation light, and measures second emission data as emission data generated from the object to be inspected in response to the irradiation of the excitation light after a change in external factors of the object to be inspected; and a determination unit that determines a state of the object to be inspected based on the degree of change of the second emission data relative to the first emission data, indicating that the external factors of the object to be inspected have changed.

[0026] According to this method, excitation light can be irradiated onto the object to be inspected before and after treatment under specified irradiation conditions, and the state of the object to be inspected can be determined based on the change in the luminescence data of the object to be inspected after treatment relative to the luminescence data of the object to be inspected before treatment.

[0027] In the above method, the determining unit may compare the luminescence data of the deterioration degree of each of the inspected objects that is pre-stored in the storage unit with the luminescence data measured by the measuring unit, and determine the degree of deterioration of the inspected object as the state of the inspected object.

[0028] According to this method, excitation light can be irradiated onto the object under specified irradiation conditions, and the degree of degradation of the object can be determined based on the luminescence data generated from the object relative to this delay.

[0029] In the above method, the wavelength of the excitation light may also be 10 nm or higher.

[0030] According to this method, by using excitation light with a wavelength of 10 nm or more, compared with the case of using excitation light with a wavelength of less than 10 nm, not only can safety management be achieved when irradiating the object under inspection, but power control management can also be simplified, and the operating cost of the status determination device can be kept low.

[0031] In the above-described manner, the luminescence data may also include delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence luminescence data generated after the excitation light irradiation has ceased.

[0032] According to this method, the state of the object under inspection can be determined by measuring the delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission data specific to the state of the object.

[0033] One aspect of the present invention relates to a state determination method comprising: an irradiation step of irradiating an object under inspection with excitation light under prescribed irradiation conditions; a measurement step of measuring luminescence data of the object under inspection generated with respect to an irradiation delay of the excitation light; and a determination step of comparing the luminescence data with luminescence data of the object under inspection measured when the excitation light was irradiated in accordance with the state of the substances constituting the object under irradiation conditions common to the luminescence data, thereby determining the state of the object under inspection.

[0034] According to this method, excitation light can be irradiated onto the object under specified irradiation conditions, and the state of the object can be determined based on the emission data from the object relative to this delay.

[0035] In the above method, it is also possible that, in the determination process, reference luminescence data of the object to be inspected, which is pre-stored in the storage unit, is read out, and the read-out reference luminescence data and the measured luminescence data are used to determine the state of the object to be inspected.

[0036] According to this method, excitation light can be irradiated onto the object under specified irradiation conditions, and the state of the object under inspection can be determined using the luminescence data generated accordingly from the luminescence of the object under inspection and the reference luminescence data of the object under inspection that is stored in the storage unit in advance.

[0037] One aspect of the present invention relates to a state determination procedure that causes a computer to perform the following processes: irradiating an object under inspection with excitation light under prescribed irradiation conditions; measuring luminescence data from the object under inspection generated relative to an irradiation delay of the excitation light; and comparing the luminescence data with luminescence data from the object under irradiation conditions common to the luminescence data measured when the excitation light was irradiated according to the state of the substances constituting the object under the same irradiation conditions, to determine the state of the object under inspection.

[0038] According to this method, excitation light can be irradiated onto the object under specified irradiation conditions, and the state of the object can be determined based on the emission data from the object relative to this delay.

[0039] One aspect of the present invention relates to a state determination apparatus comprising: an irradiation unit that irradiates an object to be inspected with excitation light under predetermined irradiation conditions; a measurement unit that measures luminescence data related to luminescence of the object to be inspected generated with respect to an irradiation delay relative to the excitation light; and a determination unit that determines the state of the object to be inspected based on the luminescence data and the luminescence data related to luminescence generated with a delay in the irradiation of the excitation light under the predetermined irradiation conditions in accordance with the state of the substances constituting the object to be inspected.

[0040] According to this method, it is possible to irradiate the object under inspection with excitation light under specified irradiation conditions, and determine the state of the object under inspection based on luminescence data related to the luminescence generated relative to this delay.

[0041] Invention Effects

[0042] According to the present invention, light can be used to determine the state of the object being inspected. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the functional blocks of the state determination device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the physical structure of the state determination device according to the first embodiment.

[0045] Figure 3 This is a graph representing the luminescence data measured by the state determination device according to the first embodiment.

[0046] Figure 4 This is a graph representing the first interval of the luminescence data measured by the state determination device according to the first embodiment.

[0047] Figure 5 This is a graph showing the second interval of the luminescence data measured by the state determination device according to the first embodiment.

[0048] Figure 6 This is a graph illustrating an example of the time dependence of luminescence intensity when a substance is heated and cooled.

[0049] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing an example of luminescence data measured by the state determination device according to the first embodiment.

[0050] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing an example of luminescence data measured by the state determination device according to the first embodiment.

[0051] Figure 9This is a diagram showing an example of luminescence data measured by the state determination device according to the first embodiment.

[0052] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating the flow of the state determination process performed by the state determination device according to the first embodiment.

[0053] Figure 11 This is a graph illustrating an example of the changes in the intensity of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence, and the duration of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence, for each substance before and after heating.

[0054] Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating the flow of the state determination process performed by the state determination device according to the second embodiment.

[0055] Figure 13 This is a diagram showing the functional blocks of the state determination device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Figure 14 This is a graph representing an example of the time dependence of luminescence intensity.

[0057] Figure 15 This is a graph illustrating an example of the relationship between external factors (heating temperature) and the bonding strength of functional groups.

[0058] Figure 16 This is a graph illustrating an example of the relationship between external factors (heating time) and the degree of degradation.

[0059] Figure 17 This is a graph that illustrates an example of the relationship between durability in years and pixel value.

[0060] Figure 18 This is a diagram illustrating the flow of the state determination process performed by the state determination device according to the third embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0061] (First Implementation)

[0062] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of one aspect of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in the various figures, portions labeled with the same reference numerals have the same or identical structures.

[0063] Figure 1This diagram illustrates the functional blocks of the state determination apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The state determination apparatus 10 includes a setting unit 11, an irradiation unit 12, a measuring unit 13, a storage unit 14, and a determination unit 15. The state determination apparatus irradiates the object under inspection 100 with excitation light under arbitrary irradiation conditions, and determines the state of the substances constituting the object under inspection 100 based on the emission data of the corresponding delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence. The state of the substance changes by applying external factors to the object under inspection 100 in its untreated (original) state. The state of the substance may change once by applying external factors to the object under inspection 100 in its untreated state, or it may change by further applying external forces to the object under inspection 100.

[0064] The object to be inspected 100 can be an object composed of any substance, including gas, liquid, and solid, and can be inorganic or organic, such as paper, concrete, powder, resin, and plants. Regarding the state of the object to be inspected 100, external factors include, for example, the addition of moisture, different pH levels, the application of electromagnetic waves, heating, exposure to air, various gases, or fog, and the application of mechanical stress. Furthermore, combinations of these external factors are common in natural environments and can also be present. The state determination device 10 can determine the state of the object to be inspected 100 in a non-contact, non-destructive, and non-invasive manner based on pre-measured luminescence data according to the state of the substances constituting the object to be inspected 100.

[0065] The setting unit 11 sets the irradiation conditions of the excitation light. The irradiation conditions of the excitation light include at least one of the wavelength of the excitation light, the intensity of the excitation light, and the irradiation time of the excitation light. For example, the wavelength of the excitation light can be 200 nm to 400 nm in the ultraviolet region, less than 200 nm in the far ultraviolet region, or more than 400 nm in the visible light region. Furthermore, since there is a tendency that a shorter wavelength of excitation light (i.e., a higher energy intensity) delays the fluorescence and / or phosphorescence lifetime, the wavelength of the excitation light can be set to be relatively short when the lifetime is used to determine the state of matter. Similarly, since a stronger intensity of excitation light tends to delay the fluorescence and / or phosphorescence lifetime, the intensity of the excitation light can be set to be relatively strong when the lifetime is used to determine the state of matter. Finally, since a longer irradiation time of excitation light tends to delay the fluorescence and / or phosphorescence lifetime, the irradiation time of the excitation light can be set to be relatively long when the lifetime is used to determine the state of matter. However, even when the irradiation time of the excitation light is extended for a certain period, there are cases where the luminescence lifetime of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence remains unchanged. Therefore, the irradiation time of the excitation light can be set to the shortest time among the periods when the luminescence lifetime of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence approaches its maximum value. By setting irradiation conditions including at least one of the wavelength, intensity, and irradiation time of the excitation light, the luminescence data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence can be measured under various conditions. This allows for the determination of luminescence data specific to the state of a substance, enabling high-precision determination of the substance's state.

[0066] The irradiation unit 12 irradiates excitation light onto the object to be inspected 100 under irradiation conditions set by the setting unit 11. The irradiation unit 12 may be, for example, composed of an ultraviolet laser or an ultraviolet LED (Light Emitting Diode). Furthermore, the wavelength of the excitation light irradiated by the irradiation unit 12 can be 10 nm or more. By using excitation light with a wavelength of 10 nm or more, compared to using excitation light with a wavelength less than 10 nm, not only can safety management be achieved when irradiating the object to be inspected 100, but power control management can also be simplified, and the operating cost of the status determination device 10 can be kept lower.

[0067] The measuring unit 13 measures luminescence data related to the luminescence of the object under inspection 100 generated relative to the irradiation delay of the excitation light. More specifically, the measuring unit 13 measures luminescence data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object under inspection 100 generated in response to the irradiation of the excitation light. Furthermore, the luminescence of the object under inspection 100 generated relative to the irradiation delay of the excitation light includes not only delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence, but may also include other delayed luminescence, afterglow, or phosphorescence. In addition, in this specification, delayed fluorescence includes not only the phenomenon of continuous luminescence for a long time immediately after the excitation light irradiation stops, but also the phenomenon of a short luminescence lifetime of approximately a few nanoseconds immediately after the excitation light irradiation stops. Phosphorescence is the phenomenon of luminescence continuing for a certain period of time immediately after the excitation light irradiation stops, including luminescence lifetimes of 10... -3The measurement unit 13 includes a camera 13a and a resolution unit 13b. The camera 13a captures the delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object under inspection 100 generated in response to the irradiation of the excitation light. The camera 13a can be a high-speed camera that captures delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence at a frame rate of 100 fps or higher. The frame rate of the high-speed camera can also be 1000 fps or 10,000 fps or higher. By using a high-speed camera, the phenomenon of rapid attenuation of the luminescence intensity of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence immediately after irradiation with excitation light can be addressed by using a high-speed camera to acquire time-decomposition images and time-dependent data on luminescence intensity at high speed and with high precision, enabling high-precision measurement of the luminescence data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence specific to the substance. When capturing the delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object under inspection 100 using a high-speed camera, images after light multiplication by an image intensifier can also be captured. In addition, adjacent pixels can be processed as one pixel by a merging function to improve sensitivity when capturing images of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence. Furthermore, the exposure time can be dynamically varied according to the light intensity of the object under inspection 100. In this case, by setting a longer exposure time for the camera 13a, delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object under inspection 100 with lower luminescence intensity can be detected. Additionally, to ensure the high-speed imaging capability of the camera 13a, an upper limit can be set for the exposure time of the camera 13a (e.g., 10 ms). Furthermore, the captured image can be reduced or expanded to generate an image with an improved signal-to-noise ratio. Moreover, when using a high-speed camera to capture delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object under inspection 100, the intensity of the excitation light can be increased according to the frame rate. Furthermore, by using the camera 13a, delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object under inspection 100 in two-dimensional or three-dimensional coordinates can be measured. Thus, the coordinate positions can be determined at high resolution based on pixel arrangement, and the state of the substance constituting the object under inspection 100 can be determined based on each coordinate position. Therefore, compared to conventional fluorescence lifetime measurements, high-speed measurements are possible. Thus, the apparatus of the present invention has the following advantages: by irradiating the object 100 with excitation light for a short time (e.g., 0.01 ms to 500 ms), the time-dependent data of delayed fluorescence and phosphorescence intensity can be measured with high temporal resolution (e.g., every 0.01 ms to 10 ms). Furthermore, since the delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence are captured in a short exposure, the apparatus of the present invention has the following characteristics: it can be used even when the object 100 moves between shooting frames during long exposures, resulting in motion blur.

[0068] Furthermore, if the sensor of camera 13a or the substance being measured has deteriorated over time, it is considered difficult to determine the state of the substance at the time of deterioration unless the main cause of the deterioration is eliminated. Therefore, in order to process the brightness value of the image obtained by camera 13a as an absolute value (physical quantity), it is preferable to perform a calibration beforehand that allows for variation of the brightness value and physical quantity (e.g., illuminance) of camera 13a. For example, a correction parameter that takes into account the effects of deterioration can be set by combining a calibrated illuminance meter, a luminance meter, and a calibration plate of undeteriorated paper, and calibration can be performed based on correcting the brightness value of camera 13a using the set correction parameter.

[0069] The analysis unit 13b analyzes the delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission data of the object under inspection 100 based on the image captured by the camera 13a. Here, the emission data may include delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission data generated after the excitation light irradiation has ceased. Alternatively, the emission data may include delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission data generated during excitation light irradiation. By using only the delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission data generated after the excitation light irradiation has ceased, without using the delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission data generated during excitation light irradiation, the state of the substance can be determined.

[0070] Additionally, the luminescence data may include at least one of the time-dependent data of luminescence intensity derived from the brightness distribution of the image captured by camera 13a and the time-decay curve of luminescence intensity. Figures 3 to 8 Provide detailed examples of time-dependent data on luminescence intensity and examples of time-decay curves for luminescence intensity. Regarding delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence, by measuring at least one of the time-dependent data on luminescence intensity and time-decay curves for luminescence intensity to characterize the substance, the state of the substance can be determined with high precision.

[0071] Furthermore, the measuring unit 13 can also measure luminescence data, including data related to the fluorescence of the test object 100 generated under excitation light. That is, the measuring unit 13 measures not only the luminescence data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the test object 100, but also data related to normal fluorescence. In this case, the luminescence data includes data related to fluorescence and data related to delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence. Thus, by measuring not only delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence, but also luminescence data including data related to fluorescence, the state of the substance can be determined.

[0072] The storage unit 14 stores delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence luminescence data 14a, measured when the inspection object 100 is irradiated with excitation light under a certain irradiation condition, and delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence luminescence data 14b, measured according to various states of various substances when a known substance is irradiated with excitation light under one or more irradiation conditions. The luminescence data 14a and luminescence data 14b can be obtained from a new or untreated inspection object 100, or from an inspection object 100 to which external factors have been applied. For example, if luminescence data 14a is obtained from a new or untreated inspection object 100, the data obtained from the inspection object 100 to which external factors have been applied is used as luminescence data 14b. Examples of this include food manufacturing processes and parts manufacturing processes. Conversely, if luminescence data 14a is obtained from an inspection object 100 to which external factors have been applied, the data obtained from the new or untreated inspection object 100 is used as luminescence data 14b. Examples of this include the inspection of tunnels and bridges. Furthermore, when determining the state of the inspection object 100 to which external factors are applied in real time, data obtained from the inspection object 100 to which external factors are applied is used as luminescence data 14a, and data obtained from new or unprocessed inspection objects 100, or data previously obtained from inspection objects 100 to which external factors are applied, is used as luminescence data 14b. Examples of such applications include food manufacturing processes, parts manufacturing processes, and liquid / powder mixing processes.

[0073] The determining unit 15 determines the state of the substance constituting the object under inspection 100 based on luminescence data 14a measured when the object under inspection 100 is irradiated with excitation light under a certain irradiation condition, and delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence luminescence data 14b measured when a known substance is irradiated with excitation light under the same irradiation condition. More specifically, firstly, based on a specified category of the object under inspection 100, the luminescence data 14a measured when the object under inspection 100 is irradiated with excitation light under a certain irradiation condition is compared with the delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence luminescence data 14b measured when a substance of the specified category is irradiated with excitation light according to its state under the same irradiation condition, to determine the state of the substance constituting the object under inspection 100. Furthermore, the category refers to a label that broadly classifies the substances constituting the object under inspection 100, such as paper (category 1), resin (category 2), and concrete (category 3). The determination unit 15 determines the irradiation conditions set by the setting unit 11, and determines the luminescence data 14b of a known substance measured under irradiation conditions that are the same as or closest to those irradiation conditions. Then, the luminescence data 14a of the object under inspection 100 is compared with the determined luminescence data 14b of the known substance, and the state of the substance constituting the object under inspection 100 is determined based on the similarity of the luminescence data.

[0074] For example, when using delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission spectra to identify substances, the ratio of the peak width (e.g., half-value width) to the tail width (e.g., the width up to 0.1% of the peak intensity from the outside of the half-value width) of the spectrum measured for the test object 100 is calculated and compared with the ratio of the peak width to the tail width of the spectrum of known substances, thereby enabling the use of standardized emission data for robust controls.

[0075] The determining unit 15 can also calculate an approximation of the luminescence intensity decay curve based on the time decay curve of delayed fluorescence or phosphorescence obtained by irradiating the object under inspection 100 with excitation light of a specified wavelength. For example, the determining unit 15 can approximate the luminescence intensity decay curve as a function expressed by I(t) = I0exp(-t / τ), for example, by obtaining the coefficients I0 and τ as the function using the least squares method. Furthermore, I0 is a coefficient representing the luminescence intensity at the point of excitation cessation, and τ is a coefficient representing the luminescence lifetime of delayed fluorescence or phosphorescence. The determining unit 15 can also use the luminescence lifetime calculated from the luminescence intensity decay curve to determine the state of the substance constituting the object under inspection 100. Additionally, the determining unit 15 can also determine the state of the substance constituting the object under inspection 100 by comparing the luminescence half-life τ / 2 associated with the object under inspection 100 with the luminescence half-life associated with a known substance. Furthermore, the determining unit 15 can generally approximate the luminescence intensity decay curve as a function expressed by I(t) = Σ j =1 N Iexp(-t / τ j The function represented by ), for example, the coefficients of I obtained by the least squares method. j and τ j Here, N is an integer greater than or equal to 1. Thus, by superimposing multiple exponential functions, the time decay curve of luminous intensity can be approximated, thereby achieving a high-precision approximation of the time decay curve.

[0076] The determining unit 15 can also determine the state of the substance constituting the object 100 by calculating the ratio of the luminescence intensity of delayed fluorescence or phosphorescence at different wavelengths in relation to the emission spectrum of delayed fluorescence or phosphorescence obtained by irradiating the object 100 with excitation light of a single wavelength. That is, the determining unit 15 can also determine the state of the substance constituting the object 100 by using the relative values ​​of the luminescence intensity of delayed fluorescence or phosphorescence at different wavelengths. For example, the determining unit 15 can also determine the state of the substance constituting the object 100 by comparing the ratio of the luminescence intensity I(λ1) at a first wavelength λ1 to the luminescence intensity I(λ2) at a second wavelength λ2, I(λ1) / I(λ2), with the ratio of the luminescence intensity I(λ1) / I(λ2) measured for a known substance. Methods for obtaining the ratio of the luminescence intensity of delayed fluorescence or phosphorescence at different wavelengths include, for example, using RGB pixel values ​​acquired by a color camera as parameters obtained through a color filter, using pixel values ​​obtained by assembling a bandpass filter in a monochrome camera, and using a hyperspectral camera. Furthermore, the determining unit 15 can also calculate the difference in peak wavelengths and peak intensity ratios of the emission spectra obtained by irradiating different wavelengths of excitation light, and compare these with the difference in peak wavelengths and peak intensity ratios of the emission spectra of known substances, thereby determining the state of the substance constituting the test object 100. Additionally, when determining the state of a substance using the luminescence lifetime of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence, the determining unit 15 determines the intensity of the excitation light at which the luminescence lifetime saturates for the test object 100, and compares it with the intensity of the excitation light at which the luminescence lifetime saturates for known substances, thereby enabling a more robust comparison.

[0077] The determination unit 15 may also input the emission data 14a measured when the object under inspection 100 is irradiated with excitation light under certain irradiation conditions into a learning model such as a neural network, and determine, through the learning model, which state of the emission data 14b is similar to that of a known substance. In this case, the learning model can be generated by teacher-assisted learning using various emission data as learning data, or by unattended learning such as clustering. Here, the learning model, learning data, emission data 14a, and emission data 14b of the known substance need only be accessible via a communication network, and do not necessarily need to be stored in the storage unit of the state determination device 10.

[0078] Thus, according to the state determination apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, it is possible to irradiate the object 100 under any irradiation conditions based on a pre-specified category of the object 100, and determine the state of the substance based on the emission data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence generated accordingly, and the emission data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence measured under the same irradiation conditions for the pre-specified category of the substance.

[0079] For example, suppose the object under inspection 100 appears identical in visible light. Under such conditions, if the state of the substance constituting the object under inspection 100 is determined using fluorescence, visible light, and infrared light, there may be cases where the state of the substance cannot be determined. On the other hand, if the object under inspection 100 exhibits different characteristics according to its state in delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence luminescence phenomena, with different emission spectra and lifetimes of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence, then this information can be used to determine the state of the substance. For example, when a substance is moistened, the emission spectra and lifetime of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence may differ compared to before the moisture was added. Furthermore, when a substance is heated, the emission spectra and lifetime of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence may differ compared to before the heating. Additionally, when the properties of a substance deteriorate, the emission spectra and lifetime of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence may differ compared to before the deterioration. Incidentally, if FT-IR is used to analyze heated paper, the 1730 cm⁻¹ region originating from C=O bonding (C=O stretching) will show different characteristics. -1 The observation of absorption peaks nearby suggests oxidative degradation of the cellulose skeleton in the paper. Furthermore, while it also depends on the constituent materials of the substance under examination 100, absorptions originating from specific functional groups, such as -OH bonds, are known to be observed in degradation caused by hydrolysis, particularly in resins, where absorptions originating from -NH2 bonds and -COOH bonds are known. Therefore, degradation can be examined by focusing on the formation or increase of these bonds. Moreover, degradation refers to the discontinuous change in the properties of a substance due to continued application of external factors. Degradation generally indicates an irreversible change in the properties of a substance, but it can also include reversible changes.

[0080] Furthermore, according to the state determination apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, by irradiating the object 100 with excitation light, the state of the object 100 can be determined in a non-contact, non-destructive, and non-invasive manner. Therefore, for example, when transporting products with the same characteristics using a belt conveyor, the state determination apparatus 10 can detect products that mistakenly contain moisture as abnormal products. Additionally, for example, when heating products with the same characteristics in an oven, if uneven heat transfer occurs inside the oven, the state determination apparatus 10 can detect products with uneven heating as abnormal products.

[0081] Furthermore, according to the state determination device 10 of the first embodiment, the state of the object 100 can be detected even when the object 100 is moving. Therefore, the state determination device 10 can be used to perform inspections, for example, when a vehicle equipped with the state determination device 10 is in motion, by detecting anomalies in tunnels, bridges, etc. Furthermore, the state determination device 10 has high-speed image processing capability and robustness. Therefore, the state determination device 10 can also estimate the durability (lifespan) of structures by equipping the camera 13a with a telephoto lens, a wide-angle lens, etc., and observing the luminous images of distant structures such as dams, bridges, breakwaters, and tall buildings, either at a fixed point or by moving the observation.

[0082] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the physical structure of the state determination device 10 according to the first embodiment. The state determination device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10a (equivalent to an arithmetic unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory) 10b (equivalent to a storage unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) 10c (equivalent to a storage unit), a communication unit 10d, an input unit 10e, and a display unit 10f. These components are configured to transmit and receive data via a bus. Furthermore, in this example, the state determination device 10 is described as a single computer; however, the state determination device 10 can also be implemented by combining multiple computers. Figure 2 The structure shown is an example; the state determination device 10 may also have other structures, or may not have some of these structures.

[0083] CPU 10a is a control unit that performs control, data calculation, and processing related to the execution of programs stored in RAM 10b or ROM 10c. CPU 10a is a calculation unit that executes a program (state determination program) for determining a substance based on luminescence data. CPU 10a receives various data from input unit 10e and communication unit 10d, and displays the data calculation results on display unit 10f or stores them in RAM 10b or ROM 10c.

[0084] RAM 10b is a part of the storage unit capable of rewriting data, and may be composed of semiconductor memory elements, for example. RAM 10b may store state determination programs executed by CPU 10a, delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission data related to multiple substances, etc. Furthermore, these are just examples; RAM 10b may store data other than these, or may not store a portion of these data.

[0085] ROM10c is a data-readable part of the storage unit, and can be made of semiconductor storage elements, for example. ROM10c can store, for example, state-determining programs and data that is not to be modified.

[0086] The communication unit 10d is an interface for connecting the status determination device 10 to other devices. The communication unit 10d can be connected to communication networks such as the Internet.

[0087] The input unit 10e receives data input from the user, which may include, for example, a keyboard and a touch panel.

[0088] The display unit 10f visually displays the calculation results based on the CPU 10a, and may be composed of, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The display unit 10f can display the results of determining the substance and the measured luminescence data.

[0089] The status determination program can be provided by storing it in a computer-readable storage medium such as RAM 10b or ROM 10c, or by providing it via a communication network connected through the communication unit 10d. In the status determination device 10, the status determination program is executed by the CPU 10a to enable its use. Figure 1 The various actions described. Furthermore, these physical structures are examples and not necessarily independent structures. For instance, the state determination device 10 may also be an LSI (Large-Scale Integration) integrating the CPU 10a with RAM 10b and ROM 10c.

[0090] Figure 3This is a graph representing the luminescence data L measured by the state determination device 10 according to the first embodiment. The luminescence data L is as follows: ordinary paper, which is the object to be inspected 100, is irradiated for 500 ms with a laser of a specific wavelength as the excitation light. Images during and before and after irradiation are captured at 250 fps by a camera 13a (high-speed camera). The pixel value of the pixel whose center coordinates were irradiated by the excitation light is represented by 8 bits (0 to 255) based on the pixels captured in the image. The horizontal axis of this graph is the number of image frames. If the value of the horizontal axis is multiplied by 4, it can be converted into milliseconds (ms). The vertical axis of this graph is the pixel value at the irradiation position of the laser as the excitation light, which is equivalent to the brightness value.

[0091] According to the emission data L, the pixel value immediately reaches its maximum value (255) after the excitation light irradiation begins, remains at the maximum value during irradiation, and emits delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence after the excitation light irradiation ends, with the pixel value gradually decreasing from the maximum value to the minimum value. The following sections will explain in detail the first interval A, representing the change in pixel value before and after the excitation light irradiation begins, and the second interval B, representing the change in pixel value before and after the excitation light irradiation ends.

[0092] Figure 4 This is a graph showing the first interval A of the emission data L measured by the state determination device 10 according to the first embodiment. In this graph, the horizontal axis is also the number of image frames, and the vertical axis is also the pixel value at the laser irradiation position.

[0093] According to the first interval A of the luminescence data L, the pixel value reaches its maximum value in about 1 frame (4ms) from the start of the excitation light illumination, and then becomes constant.

[0094] Figure 5 This is a graph showing the second interval B of the emission data L measured by the state determination device 10 according to the first embodiment. In this graph, the horizontal axis is also the number of image frames, and the vertical axis is also the pixel value at the laser irradiation position.

[0095] The second interval B of the luminous data L includes an exponential decay interval B1 and a gradual decay interval B2. When the excitation light illumination ends, the exponential decay interval B1 begins immediately, and the pixel value decays exponentially. In this example, the exponential decay interval B1 lasts for approximately 5 frames (20ms) from the end of the excitation light illumination, during which time the pixel value decays by approximately 70% from its maximum value.

[0096] Following the exponential decay interval B1, the gradual decay interval B2 lasts for about 24 frames (96ms), during which the pixel value decays to its minimum value.

[0097] In this example, a single camera 13a captures an image after the object has been illuminated by excitation light at 250 fps. However, the measurement unit 13 may also include a camera that captures delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object 100 at a frame rate lower than 100 fps, and a high-speed camera. Alternatively, a high-speed camera can capture delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence during periods of rapid time change, and a camera can capture delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence during periods of slow time change. Here, a period of rapid time change is, for example, the exponential decay interval B1, and a period of slow time change is, for example, the decay interval B2. In this case, the high-speed camera can capture brightness changes on the order of 10 nm, i.e., at 10 nm... 8 Images are captured at approximately fps. This allows for the capture of continuous images with sufficient temporal resolution during both the periods of rapid and slow temporal changes in delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence, using both a high-speed and a relatively low-speed camera.

[0098] Furthermore, in this example, the excitation light irradiation time is set to 500 ms, but this value can be set arbitrarily. If the object to be inspected, 100, is ordinary paper, and the excitation light irradiation time is set to approximately 200 ms or more, there is a tendency for the lifetime of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence to saturate. Therefore, the irradiation time of the excitation light on the object to be inspected, 100, can be set to a time exceeding the lifetime saturation time of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence.

[0099] Figure 6 This is a graph illustrating an example of the time dependence of luminescence intensity when a substance is heated and cooled. (Example:) Figure 6As shown, at time t1, the substance is untreated, and its temperature is the same as room temperature. At time t2, the substance begins to heat up, and at time t4, the heating stops. At time t5, the substance begins to cool down, and at time t7, the cooling stops. During the period from time t0 to time t1, an output signal to turn on the excitation light is output. During the period from time t1 to time t2, the image capture signal from camera 13a is continuously output. Then, when the substance is untreated, based on the emission image of the substance immediately after being illuminated by the excitation light, the time dependence of the emission intensity is observed in a manner where the emission intensity gradually decreases from time t1. During the period from time t2 to time t3, an output signal to turn on the excitation light is output. During the period from time t3 to time t4, the image capture signal from camera 13a is continuously output. Then, when the substance heats up, based on the emission image of the substance immediately after being illuminated by the excitation light, the time dependence of the emission intensity is observed in a manner where the emission intensity gradually decreases from time t3. During the period from time t5 to time t6, an output signal is output to turn on the excitation light. During the period from time t6 to time t7, the image signal captured by camera 13a is continuously output. Then, when the substance cools down, based on the emission image of the substance immediately after being irradiated with the excitation light, the time dependence of the emission intensity is observed in such a way that the emission intensity gradually decreases from time t6. In this way, the state determination device 10 can determine the state of the substance in real time during heating and cooling. In addition, the state determination device 10 can also be applied to water absorption, stress application, etc.

[0100] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating an example of luminescence data measured by the state determination apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The luminescence data are time-dependent data on the intensity of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence measured after irradiating an excitation light onto a tissue, which is an example of the object to be inspected 100. In this diagram, the time-dependent data on the intensity of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence are shown for a state in which no moisture is added to the paper, a state in which moisture is added to the paper, and a state in which moisture is added to the paper and the paper is allowed to dry naturally.

[0101] The determining unit 15 uses, for example, the shape of the time-dependent data of luminescence intensity to determine the state of the substance constituting the object under inspection 100. In this example, when moisture is added to the paper, the luminescence intensity is lower than before the moisture is added. Furthermore, in this example, even after the paper is allowed to dry naturally after adding moisture, the luminescence intensity of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence does not return to the level before the moisture is added. The determining unit 15 extracts the characteristics of the shape of such time-dependent data of luminescence intensity and compares it with the characteristics of the shape of the time-dependent data of luminescence intensity of known substances to determine whether moisture has been added to the substance constituting the object under inspection 100.

[0102] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating an example of luminescence data measured by the state determination apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The luminescence data is time-dependent data on the intensity of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence measured after irradiating an excitation light onto a type of paper, which is an example of the object to be inspected 100. In this diagram, time-dependent data on the intensity of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence are shown in the state where neither of the two types of paper ("paper 1", "paper 2") has been heated, and in the state where both types of paper ("paper 1", "paper 2") have been heated for two different heating modes ("60 seconds", "120 seconds") respectively.

[0103] The determining unit 15 uses, for example, the shape of the time-dependent data of luminescence intensity to determine the state of the substance constituting the object of inspection 100. In this example, when both types of paper were heated, the luminescence intensity increased compared to before the heating of each type of paper. Furthermore, in this example, the longer the heating time of each type of paper, the stronger the luminescence intensity. The determining unit 15 determines whether the substance constituting the object of inspection 100 has been heated by extracting the characteristics of the shape of such time-dependent data of luminescence intensity and comparing it with the characteristics of the shape of the time-dependent data of luminescence intensity of known substances.

[0104] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating an example of luminescence data measured by the state determination apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The luminescence data are time-dependent data on the intensity of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence measured after irradiating paper, an example of the object to be inspected 100, with excitation light. In this diagram, the time-dependent data on the intensity of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence are shown for a state in which the paper is not heated, a state in which the paper is heated for a certain time (e.g., 60 seconds), and a state in which the paper is heated for a certain time and then allowed to dissipate heat naturally for a certain time (e.g., 30 minutes).

[0105] The determining unit 15 uses, for example, the shape of the time-dependent data of luminescence intensity to determine the state of the substance constituting the object under inspection 100. In this example, when paper is heated, the luminescence intensity increases compared to before heating. Conversely, in this example, if the paper is allowed to dissipate heat naturally for only a short time after heating, the luminescence intensity decreases to the level before heating. The determining unit 15 determines whether the substance constituting the object under inspection 100 has been heated and whether it was just after heating by extracting the shape characteristics of such time-dependent data of luminescence intensity and comparing it with the shape characteristics of the time-dependent data of luminescence intensity of known substances.

[0106] Figure 10 This is a flowchart of the state determination process performed by the state determination device 10 according to the first embodiment. First, the state determination device 10 specifies the category of the object to be inspected 100 (S10). Next, the state determination device 10 sets the irradiation conditions of the excitation light (S11). Then, the excitation light is irradiated onto the object to be inspected 100 according to the set irradiation conditions (S12).

[0107] The state determination device 10 uses camera 13a to capture delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object under inspection 100 generated in response to the irradiation of the excitation light (S13). Then, based on the captured image, the state determination device 10 analyzes the emission data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence (S14). Here, the emission data may include time-dependent data of emission intensity and time decay curve of emission intensity.

[0108] The state determination device 10 compares the obtained luminescence data with the luminescence data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence measured when excitation light is irradiated onto a pre-specified category of substances under the same irradiation conditions (S15). Then, the state determination device 10 determines the state of the substance constituting the inspection object 100 based on the similarity of the luminescence data (S16). The state determination process ends after the above.

[0109] (Second Implementation)

[0110] Hereinafter, a second embodiment of one aspect of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. The method for determining the state of the object to be inspected in the second embodiment differs from that in the first embodiment. Therefore, in the following description, the structures that differ from those in the first embodiment will be described in detail, and repeated descriptions of structures that are the same as or equivalent to those in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0111] The determining unit 15 of the second embodiment irradiates an inspection object 100 before and after a change in external factors under predetermined irradiation conditions with excitation light, and compares the luminescence data of the inspection object 100 generated in response to the irradiation with excitation light before and after the treatment to determine the state of the inspection object 100. External factors include, for example, a predetermined treatment performed on the inspection object 100. Prescribed treatments include, for example, adding moisture to the inspection object 100 or heating it. The determining unit 15 determines the state of the inspection object 100, for example, based on the amount of change in luminescence data of the inspected object 100 after treatment relative to the inspected object 100 before treatment. The inspected object 100 before treatment may be an untreated inspection object 100 or an inspection object 100 that has undergone predetermined treatment in the past. The determining unit 15 determines the state of the inspection object 100 based on the amount of change in luminescence data of the inspection object 100 before and after treatment, based on prior knowledge of the type of the inspection object 100 and the tendency of changes in luminescence data of the inspection object 100 before and after treatment. For example, if the object under inspection 100 shows a tendency for its luminescence data to increase due to heating, the determining unit 15 determines the state of the object under inspection 100 based on the increase in luminescence data before and after processing. For example, if the increase in luminescence data before and after processing is above a predetermined threshold, the determining unit 15 determines that the object under inspection 100 has deteriorated due to heating. The determining unit 15 may also quantitatively evaluate the degree of deterioration of the object under inspection 100 due to heating based on the increase in luminescence data before and after processing.

[0112] Figure 11This is a graph illustrating an example of the changes in the intensity and duration of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of each substance immediately after heating to 200°C. In this graph, for multiple substances (“Substance 1”, “Substance 2”, “Substance 3”, “Substance 4”, “Substance 5”, “Substance 6”, “Substance 7”), an example of the changes in the intensity and duration of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence immediately after heating to 200°C is shown. In this example, no significant change in fluorescence intensity was observed before and after heating for any substance. On the other hand, regarding the duration of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence, while changes were observed before and after heating for “Substance 1”, “Substance 2”, “Substance 3”, “Substance 4”, “Substance 5”, and “Substance 7”, no significant change was observed for “Substance 6”. Furthermore, the changes in the duration of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence before and after heating were different for each of “Substance 1”, “Substance 2”, “Substance 3”, “Substance 4”, “Substance 5”, and “Substance 7”.

[0113] The determining unit 15 determines the state of the test object 100 based on the change in the duration of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission before and after heating. The determining unit 15 specifies, for example, the category of the test object 100 from "Substance 1" to "Substance 7". Furthermore, for the specified category of test object 100, the determining unit 15 determines the state of the test object 100 based on the change in the duration of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission before and after heating. The determining unit 15 determines the state of the test object 100, for example, by comparing the change in the duration of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission of the test object 100 when heated under predetermined heating conditions with the change in the duration of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission of a specified category of substance when heated under the same heating conditions. The determining unit 15, for example, compares the change in the duration of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object 100 under predetermined heating conditions with a threshold corresponding to a specified category. If the change in the duration of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence is above the threshold, it determines that the object 100 has deteriorated due to heating.

[0114] Figure 12This is a flowchart of the state determination process performed by the state determination device 10 according to the second embodiment. First, the state determination device 10 specifies the category of the object to be inspected 100 (S20). Next, the state determination device 10 specifies the category of the treatment performed on the object to be inspected 100 (S21). Next, the state determination device 10 acquires the tendency of the change in the luminescence intensity of the object to be inspected 100 before and after the treatment (S22). For example, the state determination device 10 acquires whether the luminescence intensity of the object to be inspected 100 before and after the treatment tends to increase or decrease. Next, the state determination device 10 sets the irradiation conditions of the excitation light (S23). Next, the state determination device 10 irradiates the object to be inspected 100 before treatment with excitation light under the preset irradiation conditions (S24). The state determination device 10 uses a camera 13a to capture the delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object to be inspected 100 generated corresponding to the irradiation of the excitation light (S25). Then, the state determination device 10 analyzes the luminescence data of the delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence (first luminescence data) based on the captured images. Here, the first emission data may include time-dependent data of emission intensity and a time decay curve of emission intensity. Next, the state determination device 10 irradiates the processed object 100 with excitation light under preset irradiation conditions (S26). The state determination device 10 uses camera 13a to capture delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object 100 generated in response to the irradiation of the excitation light (S27). Then, based on the captured image, the state determination device 10 analyzes the second emission data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence. Here, the second emission data may include time-dependent data of emission intensity and a time decay curve of emission intensity. The state determination device 10 determines the state of the object 100 based on the change in emission intensity before and after processing (S28). The state determination process ends thereafter.

[0115] (Third Implementation)

[0116] Hereinafter, a third embodiment of one aspect of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. The method for determining the state of the object to be inspected in the third embodiment differs from that in the first embodiment. Therefore, in the following description, the structures that differ from those in the first embodiment will be described in detail, and repeated descriptions of structures that are the same as or equivalent to those in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0117] exist Figure 13 In the third embodiment, the storage unit 14 of the state determination device 10 includes a first storage unit 14A and a second storage unit 14B.

[0118] The first storage unit 14A stores delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission data 14Aa measured when the object under inspection 100 is irradiated with excitation light under a certain irradiation condition, and delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence emission data 14Ab measured under various states of various substances when known substances are irradiated with excitation light under one or more irradiation conditions.

[0119] The second storage unit 14B stores absorption spectrum data 14Ba measured when a known substance is irradiated with excitation light under one or more irradiation conditions, and degradation degree data 14Bb indicating the degree of degradation of the known substance as measured under one or more irradiation conditions. The absorption spectrum data 14Ba and degradation degree data 14Bb are established as a corresponding database based on the combination of the known substance type and the irradiation conditions of the excitation light. Furthermore, examples of absorption spectra include infrared absorption spectra and Raman spectra.

[0120] The determining unit 15 compares the absorption spectrum data 14Ba, representing the degree of deterioration of a substance according to a pre-specified category, with the absorption spectrum data of the test object 100 measured by the measuring unit 13 to determine the degree of deterioration of the test object 100. For example, the determining unit 15 calculates the absorption spectrum data of the test object 100 based on the emission data 14Aa measured by the measuring unit 13, and compares the calculated absorption spectrum data with the absorption spectrum data 14Ba, representing the known categories of substances, pre-stored in the second storage unit 14B. Then, the determining unit 15 establishes corresponding deterioration degree data 14Bb based on the compared absorption spectrum data 14Ba to determine the degree of deterioration of the test object 100.

[0121] Next, the process for determining the degree of deterioration of the inspected object 100 will be explained.

[0122] Figure 14 This is a graph illustrating an example of the time dependence of luminous intensity. In the example shown, the object under examination, 100, is paper, illustrating the correlation between luminous time and pixel values ​​immediately after the paper is heated. In this example, the brightness value representing the luminous intensity of the paper in the image frame is evaluated as the pixel value, and the number of image frames immediately after the paper is heated is evaluated as the luminous time. The heating temperature of the paper is categorized into four stages: RT (room temperature), T1, T2, and T3. The heating temperature satisfies the relationship RT < T1 < T2 < T3. This example shows that the higher the heating temperature of the paper, the smaller the attenuation of luminous intensity over time.

[0123] Figure 15This is a graph illustrating an example of the relationship between external factors and the magnitude of functional group bonds. In the example shown, the object under examination, 100, is paper, and the graph illustrates the correlation between the heating time of the paper and the magnitude of C=O bonds, an example of functional groups generated due to oxidative degradation of the paper. In this example, the 1730 cm⁻¹ value originating from C=O bonds when the heated paper is analyzed by FT-IR is shown. -1 The magnitude of the nearby absorption peaks is used to evaluate the strength of C=O bonds, and the heating temperature of the paper is classified into four stages: RT, T1, T2, and T3. In this example, it is shown that the higher the heating temperature of the paper, the more severe the oxidative degradation associated with heating.

[0124] Figure 16 This is a graph illustrating an example of the relationship between external factors and the degree of degradation. In the example shown, the object under inspection 100 is paper, and the graph illustrates the correlation between the heating time of the paper and the degree of degradation. In this example, [the graph will be accompanied by...]. Figure 15 The magnitude of C=O bonds in the heated paper is used to evaluate the degree of paper degradation, and the heating temperature is classified into four stages: RT, T1, T2, and T3. In this example, it is shown that the higher the heating temperature of the paper, the shorter the heating time before the paper reaches the degradation threshold.

[0125] Figure 17 This is a graph illustrating an example of the relationship between durability lifespan in years and pixel values. In this example, the object under inspection, 100, is paper, and the graph shows the correlation between the number of years since the paper was heated and the pixel values. In this example, the brightness value, representing the luminous intensity of the paper, is used as the pixel value for evaluation, and the heating temperature of the paper is categorized into four stages: RT, T1, T2, and T3. In this example, the origin of the horizontal axis of the graph represents the time point immediately after the paper was heated (e.g., 20 ms later), showing that the lower the pixel value since the paper was heated, the more progressive the degradation of the paper. Furthermore, this example shows that the higher the heating temperature of the paper, the faster the degradation of the paper progresses over the years since it was heated, and the shorter the number of years it takes for the luminous intensity of the paper to reach a threshold equivalent to the durability lifespan in years. The state determination device 10 calculates the deterioration prediction line of the paper based on the shift of pixel values ​​within a specified period from the start of heating the paper, and finds the intersection point of the deterioration prediction line and a threshold corresponding to the durability life, thereby estimating the durability life of the paper in years.

[0126] Figure 18This is a flowchart of the state determination process performed by the state determination device 10 according to the third embodiment. First, the state determination device 10 specifies the category of the object to be inspected 100 (S30). Next, the state determination device 10 sets the irradiation conditions of the excitation light (S31). Then, the excitation light is irradiated onto the object to be inspected 100 according to the set irradiation conditions (S32).

[0127] The state determination device 10 uses camera 13a to capture delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the object under inspection 100 generated in response to the irradiation of the excitation light (S33). Then, based on the captured image, the state determination device 10 analyzes the emission data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence (S34). Here, the emission data may include time-dependent data of emission intensity and time decay curve of emission intensity.

[0128] The state determination device 10 compares the obtained luminescence data with the luminescence data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence measured when excitation light is irradiated onto a pre-specified class of substances under the same irradiation conditions (S35).

[0129] The state determination device 10 compares the presence and size of specific bonded molecules (S36) with absorption spectrum measurement data of substances of a pre-specified category or absorption spectrum data read from a known database. Specific bonded molecules include, for example, specific functional groups such as C=O bonds, -OH bonds, -NH2 bonds, and -COOH bonds that are generated due to the deterioration of the test object 100.

[0130] Then, the state determination device 10 determines the degree of deterioration (deterioration degree) of the substance constituting the object under inspection 100 based on the presence or absence and size of the specific bonded molecules compared in the previous step S36 (S37). The state determination process ends thereafter.

[0131] The embodiments described above are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The elements, configurations, materials, conditions, shapes, and dimensions of the embodiments are not limited to the examples and can be appropriately modified. Furthermore, the structures shown in different embodiments can be partially interchanged or combined with each other.

[0132] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0133] 10…Status determination device; 10a…CPU; 10b…RAM; 10c…ROM; 10d…Communication unit; 10e…Input unit; 10f…Display unit; 11…Setting unit; 12…Illumination unit; 13…Measuring unit; 13a…Camera; 13b…Analysis unit; 14…Storage unit; 14A…First storage unit; 14B…Second storage unit; 14a, 14Aa, 14Ab…Luminescence data; 14b…Luminescence data of a known substance; 14Ba…Absorption spectrum data of a known substance; 14Bb…Deterioration degree (deterioration rate) data of a known substance; 15…Determination unit; 100…Object to be inspected.

Claims

1. A state determining apparatus comprising: an irradiation section that irradiates an excitation light to an inspection object under a prescribed irradiation condition; a measurement section that measures first luminescence data, the first luminescence data being luminescence data of luminescence from the inspection object that occurs in response to a delay in irradiation of the excitation light; and a determination section that determines a state of the inspection object by comparing the first luminescence data with second luminescence data, the second luminescence data being luminescence data of luminescence from the inspection object that is measured when the excitation light is irradiated under an irradiation condition that is common to the first luminescence data in terms of a state of a substance that constitutes the inspection object, the luminescence data including luminescence data of luminescence from the inspection object that occurs after irradiation of the excitation light is stopped, the second luminescence data being measured from a substance that constitutes the inspection object in a state that has changed due to an external factor in a case where the first luminescence data is measured from the inspection object in a state of a new product or an untreated state, the second luminescence data being measured from a substance that constitutes the inspection object in a state of a new product or an untreated state in a case where the first luminescence data is measured from the inspection object in a state that has changed due to an external factor, and the second luminescence data being measured from a substance that constitutes the inspection object in a state of a new product or an untreated state or in a state that has changed due to an external factor in the past in a case where the first luminescence data is measured from the inspection object in a state in which an external factor is applied.

2. The state determining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the luminescence data of luminescence from the inspection object is luminescence data of delayed fluorescence and / or phosphorescence of the inspection object that occurs in response to irradiation of the excitation light.

3. The state determining apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the measurement section includes a high-speed camera that captures luminescence at a frame rate of 100 fps or more.

4. The state determining apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination section reads out reference luminescence data of the inspection object that is previously stored in a storage section, and determines the state of the inspection object using the read-out reference luminescence data and the first luminescence data measured by the measurement section.

5. The state determining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination section compares luminescence data of a degree of deterioration of each of the inspection objects that is previously stored in a storage section with the first luminescence data measured by the measurement section, and determines the degree of deterioration of the inspection object as the state of the inspection object.

6. A state determining apparatus comprising: an irradiation section that irradiates an excitation light to an inspection object under a prescribed irradiation condition; ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ a measurement unit that measures, as luminescence data of luminescence from the inspection object that occurs in response to irradiation of the excitation light, pre-change luminescence data before a change in an external factor of the inspection object, and measures, as luminescence data of luminescence from the inspection object that occurs in response to irradiation of the excitation light, post-change luminescence data after the change in the external factor of the inspection object; a determination unit that determines, based on a degree of change in the post-change luminescence data with respect to the pre-change luminescence data, a state of the inspection object in which the external factor has changed based on the inspection object, the state of the inspection object in which the external factor has changed includes any one or a combination of a state in which moisture is added, a state in which pH is changed, a state in which an electromagnetic wave is applied to the inspection object, a state in which the inspection object is heated, a state in which the inspection object is exposed to various gases or fog, and a state in which a mechanical stress is applied to the inspection object.

7. The state determination apparatus according to claim 1 or 6, wherein the excitation light has a wavelength of 10 nm or more.

8. A state determination method comprising: a light irradiation process of irradiating an inspection object with excitation light under a prescribed irradiation condition; a measurement process of measuring first luminescence data that is luminescence data of luminescence from the inspection object that occurs in response to irradiation of the excitation light with a delay; and a determination process of determining a state of the inspection object by comparing the first luminescence data with second luminescence data that is luminescence data of luminescence from the inspection object that is measured when the excitation light is irradiated under an irradiation condition that is common to the first luminescence data and that is based on a state of a substance that constitutes the inspection object, the luminescence data includes luminescence data of luminescence from the inspection object that occurs after irradiation of the excitation light is stopped, in a case where the first luminescence data is measured from the inspection object in a new or untreated state, the second luminescence data is measured from a substance that constitutes the inspection object in a state that has changed due to an external factor being applied, in a case where the first luminescence data is measured from the inspection object in a state that has changed due to an external factor being applied, the second luminescence data is measured from a substance that constitutes the inspection object in a new or untreated state or in a state that has changed due to an external factor being applied in the past, in a case where the first luminescence data is measured from the inspection object in a state that has an external factor applied, the second luminescence data is measured from a substance that constitutes the inspection object in a new or untreated state or in a state that has changed due to an external factor being applied in the past.

9. The state determination method according to claim 8, wherein in the determination process, reference luminescence data of the inspection object that is stored in advance in a storage unit is read out, and the state of the inspection object is determined using the read-out reference luminescence data and the measured first luminescence data.

10. A program product including a state determination program that, when executed, causes a computer to implement the following process: irradiating the examination object with excitation light under prescribed irradiation conditions; measuring first luminescence data, which is luminescence data of luminescence from the examination object that occurs with a delay relative to irradiation of the excitation light; and determining a state of the examination object based on the first luminescence data and second luminescence data, which is luminescence data of luminescence that occurs with a delay in a case where the excitation light is irradiated under the prescribed irradiation conditions in accordance with a state of a substance constituting the examination object, the luminescence data includes luminescence data of luminescence from the examination object that occurs after irradiation of the excitation light is stopped, in a case where the first luminescence data is measured from the examination object in a new or untreated state, the second luminescence data is measured from a substance constituting the examination object in a state that has changed due to an external factor being applied, in a case where the first luminescence data is measured from the examination object in a state that has changed due to an external factor being applied, the second luminescence data is measured from a substance constituting the examination object in a new or untreated state, in a case where the first luminescence data is measured from the examination object in a state that an external factor is applied, the second luminescence data is measured from a substance constituting the examination object in a new or untreated state, or in a state that has changed due to an external factor being applied in the past.

11. A state determining apparatus comprising: an irradiation section that irradiates an examination object with excitation light under prescribed irradiation conditions; a measurement section that measures first luminescence data, which is luminescence data of luminescence from the examination object that occurs with a delay relative to irradiation of the excitation light; and a determination section that determines a state of the examination object based on the first luminescence data and second luminescence data, which is luminescence data of luminescence that occurs with a delay in a case where the excitation light is irradiated under the prescribed irradiation conditions in accordance with a state of a substance constituting the examination object, the luminescence data includes luminescence data of luminescence from the examination object that occurs after irradiation of the excitation light is stopped, in a case where the first luminescence data is measured from the examination object in a new or untreated state, the second luminescence data is measured from a substance constituting the examination object in a state that has changed due to an external factor being applied, in a case where the first luminescence data is measured from the examination object in a state that has changed due to an external factor being applied, the second luminescence data is measured from a substance constituting the examination object in a new or untreated state, in a case where the first luminescence data is measured from the examination object in a state that an external factor is applied, the second luminescence data is measured from a substance constituting the examination object in a new or untreated state, or in a state that has changed due to an external factor being applied in the past.

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