Measuring device, measuring method and method for calibrating measuring device

Abstract

To improve the measurement accuracy of a measuring device.SOLUTION: A measuring device 100 includes a photographing part 10 for photographing crawl test paper 1 to generate image information, and a controller 20 for processing the image information generated by the photographing part 10, the controller 20 includes a color information acquisition part 21 for acquiring information of the hue, saturation and lightness of color in the crawl test paper 1 from the image information, a storage part 23 for storing reference color information being information of predetermined reference color, and a coloration degree determination part 22 for calculating color difference between reference color and color of the crawl test paper 1 on the basis of the reference color information stored in the storage part 23 and the information acquired by the color information acquisition part 21, and determining the degree of coloration of the crawl test paper 1 on the basis of the color difference, and the reference color information is information of the hue, saturation and lightness of color having the largest saturation among colors that can be provided within a measurement range by the crawl test paper 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a measurement device, a measurement method, and a method for calibrating a measurement device. [Background technology]

[0002] In the analysis of specific substances such as disinfectants, test strips that react with the specific substance and change color are sometimes used. The degree of color change on the test strip varies depending on the concentration of the specific substance, so the concentration of the specific substance can be estimated by comparing the test strip after color change with a pre-prepared standard color chart.

[0003] When comparing the colored test piece with a standard color chart by visual inspection, there is a risk that the concentration will be estimated differently due to individual differences. For this reason, a measuring device for measuring the degree of coloration of a test piece has been proposed (Patent Document 1).

[0004] The measuring device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a detection unit that detects the hue, saturation, and lightness of a test piece, and an information processing unit that processes the hue, saturation, and lightness information detected by the detection unit. The information processing unit pre-stores information on the hue, saturation, and lightness of white as a reference color, calculates the color difference between the color of the test piece and the reference color (white), and determines the degree of color development based on the color difference. The color difference is calculated as the distance between two points in a cylindrical coordinate system that represents hue, saturation, and lightness. In the cylindrical coordinate system, the central axis of the cylinder is the lightness axis, which indicates lightness, the angle around the lightness axis represents hue, and the distance from the lightness axis represents saturation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-285988 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the measurement device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the hue, saturation, and brightness detected by the detection unit change due to deterioration of the detection unit over time, etc. In order to improve measurement accuracy, it is effective to detect a reference color with the detection unit and calibrate the measurement device. In Patent Document 1, white is used as the reference color, so white is used for calibration.

[0007] However, in a cylindrical coordinate system, ideal white is located on the lightness axis (on the central axis of the cylinder). Generating ideal white is difficult due to factors such as lighting conditions, and the detection unit detects the white used for calibration as a color that is shifted from the lightness axis. Even if the shift from the lightness axis is slight, the hue can be a value in the range of 0° to 360°. In other words, the hue of the white used as the reference color varies within the range of 0° to 360° with each calibration. Therefore, it is difficult to further improve the measurement accuracy of the measurement device disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to improve the measurement accuracy of a measurement device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention is a measuring device that measures the degree of coloration of a test piece in reaction with a specific substance, and comprises: an imaging unit that images the test piece and generates image information; and a controller that processes the image information generated by the imaging unit. The controller comprises: a color information acquisition unit that acquires information on the hue, saturation, and lightness of the color of the test piece from the image information; a memory unit that stores reference color information, which is information on a predetermined reference color; and a coloration degree determination unit that calculates the color difference between the reference color and the color of the test piece based on the reference color information stored in the memory unit and the information acquired by the color information acquisition unit, and determines the degree of coloration of the test piece based on the color difference. The reference color information is information on the hue, saturation, and lightness of the color with the greatest saturation among the colors that the test piece can exhibit within the measurement range.

[0010] The present invention also provides a measurement method for measuring the degree of coloration of a test piece using a measuring device, the measurement device comprising: an imaging unit that photographs the test piece and generates image information; and a controller that processes the image information generated by the imaging unit. The measurement method comprises: a coloration step in which the test piece is colored by reacting it with a specific substance; a color information acquisition step in which the test piece after the coloration step is photographed using the imaging unit to generate image information, and information on the hue, saturation, and lightness of the color of the test piece is acquired from the generated image information using the controller; and a coloration degree determination step in which the controller is used to calculate the color difference between the reference color and the color of the test piece based on reference color information, which is information on a predetermined reference color, and the information acquired in the color information acquisition step, and the controller is used to determine the degree of coloration of the test piece based on the color difference. The reference color information is information on the hue, saturation, and lightness of the color with the greatest saturation among the colors that the test piece can exhibit within the measurement range.

[0011] The present invention also provides a method for calibrating a measuring device that analyzes a specific substance using a test strip that reacts with the specific substance to change color, the measuring device comprising: an imaging unit that images the test strip and generates image information; and a controller that processes the image information generated by the imaging unit. The controller comprises: a color information acquisition unit that acquires information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color of the test strip from the image information; a memory unit that stores reference color information that is information on a predetermined reference color; and a color change calculation unit that calculates a color difference between the reference color and the color of the test strip based on the reference color information stored in the memory unit and the information acquired by the color information acquisition unit, and determines the degree of color change of the test strip based on the color difference. and a degree determination unit, wherein the reference color information is information on the hue, saturation, and lightness of the color with the greatest saturation among the colors that the test piece can exhibit within the measurement range, and the calibration method comprises a coloring step in which the test piece is immersed in a solution containing a specific substance and the test piece is colored until the saturation becomes the greatest within the measurement range, a color information acquisition step in which the test piece obtained in the coloring step is photographed using an imaging unit to generate image information and information on the hue, saturation, and lightness of the color of the test piece is obtained from the generated image information using a color information acquisition unit, and a correction step in which the reference color information stored in the memory unit is corrected based on the information acquired in the color information acquisition step.

[0012] The present invention also provides a method for calibrating a measuring device that analyzes a specific substance using a test strip that reacts with the specific substance to produce a color, the measuring device comprising: an imaging unit that images the test strip and generates image information; and a controller that processes the image information generated by the imaging unit; the controller comprising: a color information acquisition unit that acquires information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color of the test strip from the image information; a memory unit that stores reference color information that is information on a predetermined reference color; and the controller calculates a color difference between the reference color and the color of the test strip based on the reference color information stored in the memory unit and the information acquired by the color information acquisition unit, and determines the degree of color development of the test strip based on the color difference. the reference color information is information on the hue, saturation, and lightness of the color with the greatest saturation among the colors that the test piece can exhibit within the measurement range, and the calibration method comprises a step of preparing a color bar that exhibits the color with the greatest saturation among the colors that the test piece can exhibit within the measurement range, a color information acquisition step of photographing the color bar using an imaging unit to generate image information and acquiring information on the hue, saturation, and lightness of the colors in the color bar from the generated image information using a color information acquisition unit, and a correction step of correcting the reference color information stored in the memory unit based on the information acquired in the color information acquisition step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, the measurement accuracy of the measurement device can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overview of a measurement device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1A is a schematic diagram showing an RGB color space, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing an HSV color space. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a measurement device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an example showing the relationship between the saturation of a chlorine test paper for measuring hypochlorous acid concentration, which has a measurement range of effective chlorine concentration of 0 to 10 ppm, and the hypochlorous acid concentration. [Figure 5] 2 is an example of a determination result displayed on the display unit shown in FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, a measuring device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for measuring the degree of coloration of a test piece that changes color upon reaction with a specific substance, and a method for calibrating the measuring device 100 will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] Here, the specific substance is hypochlorous acid, which is used as a disinfectant, and the test strip is chlorine test paper 1, which changes color when it reacts with hypochlorous acid. The chlorine test paper 1 is white before reacting with hypochlorous acid, and changes color to blue when it reacts with hypochlorous acid. The higher the concentration of hypochlorous acid, the deeper the blue the chlorine test paper 1 changes to. Typically, the chlorine test paper 1 is used to test the available chlorine concentration in tap water or hypochlorous acid preparation solutions.

[0017] In sterilization using hypochlorous acid, the hypochlorous acid is sprayed onto the area to be sterilized. The Clor test paper 1 is used to determine whether sterilization of the area to be sterilized is complete. Specifically, the Clor test paper 1 is placed within the area to be sterilized before the hypochlorous acid is sprayed. When the hypochlorous acid is sprayed onto the area to be sterilized, the hypochlorous acid also falls on the Clor test paper 1. If the Clor test paper 1 is a dark blue color that meets or exceeds the predetermined sterilization judgment standard, it is determined that the hypochlorous acid has been sufficiently sprayed into the area to be sterilized and sterilization has been completed. If the Clor test paper 1 is a light blue color that is below the sterilization judgment standard, it is determined that the hypochlorous acid has not been sufficiently sprayed onto the area to be sterilized and sterilization has not been completed.

[0018] The measuring device 100 is used to determine whether the Kroll test paper 1 exhibits a deep blue color that meets or exceeds the sterilization judgment standard. The measuring device 100 can also be applied to a sterilization judgment system that determines whether sterilization has been completed based on the color of the Kroll test paper 1.

[0019] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a measuring device 100. As shown in Fig. 1, the measuring device 100 includes an imaging unit 10 that captures an image of a crawl test strip 1 and generates image information, and a controller 20 that processes the image information generated by the imaging unit 10. The imaging unit 10 and the controller 20 can communicate with each other via wire or wirelessly.

[0020] The photographing unit 10 transmits the image information generated by photographing to the controller 20. The photographing unit 10 is, for example, an optical camera. The photographing unit 10 is preferably an optical camera that can photograph the crawl test strip 1 under uniform light conditions.

[0021] The controller 20 is a microcomputer that includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a control program, a ROM (Read-Only Memory) that stores the control program executed by the CPU, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that stores the results of CPU calculations, etc. The controller 20 may be configured with one microcomputer or multiple microcomputers. The microcomputer may be portable or may be installed.

[0022] The controller 20 is provided with a display unit 30. The display unit 30 displays the results of information processing by the controller 20. The display unit 30 may be separate from the controller 20.

[0023] The controller 20 processes image information using the concept of a color space, which represents colors using coordinates. The RGB color space and the HSV color space, which are representative color spaces, will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2(a) is a schematic diagram showing the RGB color space, and Fig. 2(b) is a schematic diagram showing the HSV color space.

[0024] The RGB color space is a color space that uses the three primary colors of light as parameters. As shown in Figure 2(a), in the RGB color space, color is represented by a cube and is defined by the red, green, and blue elements along the three mutually perpendicular sides. The larger the red, green, and blue elements, the closer the color is to white, and the smaller the red, green, and blue elements, the closer the color is to black.

[0025] The HSV color space is a color space that uses three color attributes as parameters. As shown in Figure 2(b), in the HSV color space, colors are represented by a cylinder, with hue along the circumference of the cylinder, saturation along the radius of the cylinder, and lightness along the height of the cylinder. Hue indicates the color tone, such as blue, red, or green. Saturation indicates the intensity or vividness of a color; the higher the saturation, the darker the color; and the lower the saturation, the lighter the color. Lightness indicates the brightness of a color; the higher the lightness, the closer the color is to white, and the lower the lightness, the closer the color is to black. Hue is a value between 0° and 360°, saturation is a value between 0 and 1, and lightness is a value between 0 and 1.

[0026] In the RGB color space, lightness is included in each of the red, green, and blue elements, so it is sometimes impossible to respond to changes in brightness and to properly recognize colors. On the other hand, the HSV color space has lightness as a parameter, so it can respond to changes in brightness and properly recognize colors. For these reasons, in this embodiment, the HSV color space is used in the processing of image information by the controller 20.

[0027] Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the controller 20. As shown in Fig. 3, the controller 20 functionally includes a color information acquisition unit 21, a coloration degree determination unit 22, a storage unit 23, and a judgment unit 24. The color information acquisition unit 21, the coloration degree determination unit 22, the storage unit 23, the judgment unit 24, and the mode selection unit 25 are virtual units that represent the functions of the controller 20. The storage unit 23 may be provided on a network (not shown).

[0028] The color information acquisition unit 21 acquires information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color of the crawl test paper 1 from the image information generated by the photographing unit 10.

[0029] When the image capturing unit 10 generates information in the HSV color space, i.e., information on hue, saturation, and lightness, the color information acquisition unit 21 directly uses the information transmitted from the image capturing unit 10. When the image capturing unit 10 outputs information in a color space other than the HSV color space, for example, information in the RGB color space, the color information acquisition unit 21 converts the information in the RGB color space transmitted from the image capturing unit 10 into information in the HSV color space, and acquires the information on hue, saturation, and lightness. A known method can be used to convert information in the RGB color space into information in the HSV color space.

[0030] If the image capturing unit 10 generates information in another color space, such as the CIE Lab color space or the YCbCr color space, the color information acquiring unit 21 converts the information in the CIE Lab color space or the YCbCr color space transmitted from the image capturing unit 10 into information in the HSV color space, and acquires information on hue, saturation, and lightness. Known methods can also be used to convert information in the CIE Lab color space or the YCbCr color space into information in the HSV color space.

[0031] The coloration degree determination unit 22 calculates the color difference between the reference color and the crawl test paper 1 based on reference color information, which is information on a predetermined reference color for calculating the coloration degree, and the information acquired by the color information acquisition unit 21, and determines the coloration degree of the crawl test paper 1. The color difference is calculated as the distance between two points in the HSV color space. Specifically, when the hue, saturation, and lightness acquired by the color information acquisition unit 21 are H, S, and V, and the hue, saturation, and lightness of the reference color for calculating the coloration degree are Hc, Sc, and Vc, the color difference Dc is calculated by the following formula:

[0032]

number

[0033] The relationship between the color difference Dc and the color degree is determined in advance by experiment, etc. The color degree determination unit 22 determines the color degree from the calculated color difference Dc using the relationship between the color difference Dc and the color degree. Information on the color degree calculation reference color and the relationship between the color difference Dc and the color degree are stored in advance in the storage unit 23.

[0034] Incidentally, the hue, saturation, and brightness information generated by the imaging unit 10 changes depending on the surrounding environment at the time of imaging and on deterioration over time of the imaging unit 10, even when the same color is imaged. In order to improve the measurement accuracy of the measuring device 100, it is effective to calibrate the measuring device 100. In calibrating the measuring device 100, the reference color for calculating the coloration degree is imaged by the imaging unit 10, color information is generated, and the reference color for calculating the coloration degree stored in the memory unit 23 is corrected.

[0035] When the reference color for calculating the coloration degree is white, in the HSV color space, the reference color for calculating the coloration degree is located on the lightness axis (the central axis of the cylinder). Capturing an ideal white color is extremely difficult due to factors such as lighting conditions, and the image capture unit 10 detects the white color used as the reference color for calculating the coloration degree as a color that is shifted from the lightness axis. Even if the shift from the lightness axis is slight, the hue can fall within a range of 0° to 360°. In other words, the hue of the white color used as the reference color for calculating the coloration degree varies within the range of 0° to 360° with each calibration. This makes it difficult to further improve measurement accuracy.

[0036] Therefore, in this embodiment, the reference color for calculating the color degree is the color with the highest saturation among the colors that the crawl test paper 1 can exhibit within the measurement range, and the color degree determination unit 22 uses information on the hue, saturation, and lightness of this color as reference color information. Therefore, the range of hues of colors detected during calibration of the measurement device 100 is narrower than when calibration is performed using white. Therefore, the measurement device 100 can be appropriately calibrated, and the measurement accuracy of the measurement device 100 can be improved.

[0037] For example, when measuring the color degree of a chlorine test paper 1 whose measurement range of hypochlorous acid concentration is from 0 to 10 ppm of effective chlorine concentration, the color of the chlorine test paper 1 that has reacted with hypochlorous acid having an effective chlorine concentration of 10 ppm is used as the reference color for calculating the color degree.

[0038] The most saturated color that can be exhibited within the measurement range of the Kroll test paper 1 can be obtained by immersing the Kroll test paper 1 in a solution containing hypochlorous acid to cause color development. If the measurement range of the Kroll test paper 1 for measuring hypochlorous acid concentration is an available chlorine concentration of 0 to 10 ppm, the Kroll test paper 1 can be immersed in a hypochlorous acid solution with an available chlorine concentration of 10 ppm to cause color development.

[0039] The calibration method for the measuring device 100 using the Kroll test paper 1 includes a coloring step in which the Kroll test paper 1 is immersed in a solution and the Kroll test paper 1 is colored until the saturation is greatest within the measurement range, a color information acquisition step in which the Kroll test paper 1 obtained in the coloring step is photographed by the photographing unit 10 and color information is acquired by the color information acquisition unit 21, and a correction step in which the basic color information stored in the memory unit 23 is corrected based on the information acquired in the color information acquisition step.

[0040] In the calibration method using the Croll test paper 1, the Croll test paper 1 is photographed in the color information acquisition step, so the photographing conditions during calibration are substantially the same as those during measurement. This allows the measurement device 100 to be calibrated more accurately, and the measurement accuracy of the measurement device 100 can be further improved.

[0041] The color of the color bar attached to the Kroll test paper 1 may be used as the most saturated color that the Kroll test paper 1 can exhibit within the measurement range. Such a color bar may be provided by the manufacturer of the Kroll test paper 1.

[0042] The calibration method for the measuring device 100 using a color bar includes a color information acquisition step of photographing the color bar with the photographing unit 10 and acquiring color information using the color information acquisition unit 21, and a correction step of correcting the basic color information stored in the memory unit 23 based on the information acquired in the color information acquisition step.

[0043] In the calibration method using a color bar, the color bar is photographed in the color information acquisition step, which eliminates the need to immerse the Kroll test paper 1 in a solution to cause the Kroll test paper 1 to develop color. This makes it easier to calibrate the measurement device 100.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows an example of the relationship between the saturation of the Kroll test paper 1 for measuring hypochlorous acid concentrations in a measurement range of 0 to 10 ppm effective chlorine concentration and the hypochlorous acid concentration. As shown in FIG. 4, when the hypochlorous acid concentration is within the measurement range, i.e., when the effective chlorine concentration is 0 to 10 ppm, the hypochlorous acid concentration and the saturation are roughly proportional. When the hypochlorous acid concentration exceeds 10 ppm effective chlorine concentration, which is outside the measurement range, the hypochlorous acid concentration and the saturation no longer exhibit a proportional relationship within the measurement range. Therefore, if the color that the Kroll test paper 1 can exhibit outside the measurement range is used as the reference color for calculating the color development degree, it would be inappropriate for calibrating the measurement device 100. For this reason, the measurement device 100 uses the color that the Kroll test paper 1 can exhibit within the measurement range as the reference color for calculating the color development degree.

[0045] 3, the memory unit 23 stores the information acquired by the color information acquisition unit 21. Therefore, color information of the crawl test strip 1 is accumulated in the memory unit 23. Therefore, the acquired information can be organized into a database, and multiple crawl test strips 1 photographed in the past can be checked and compared.

[0046] In particular, the color of the color-developed Crawl test paper 1 changes over time. By storing color information in the memory unit 23, it is possible to retain color information of the Crawl test paper 1 at the time of photographing.

[0047] The determination unit 24 determines whether the degree of coloration determined by the degree-of-coloration determination unit 22 is equal to or higher than a predetermined degree of coloration. Here, the case of determining by classifying the degree of coloration into three categories will be described. Specifically, when the degree of coloration is less than C1, the determination unit 24 determines that disinfection has not been performed, assuming that hypochlorous acid has not been sprayed. When the degree of coloration is equal to or higher than C1 and less than C2 (where C1 < C2), the determination unit 24 determines that semi-disinfection has been performed, assuming that although hypochlorous acid has been sprayed, the concentration of hypochlorous acid has not reached a concentration capable of disinfection. When the degree of coloration is equal to or higher than C2, the determination unit 24 determines that disinfection has been completed, assuming that hypochlorous acid at a concentration capable of disinfection has been sprayed.

[0048] The display unit 30 displays the result of the determination by the determination unit 24. FIG. 5 is an example of the determination result displayed on the display unit 30. As shown in FIG. 5, the display unit 30 displays a reference bar 31 indicating the determination criteria and a result bar 32 indicating the determination result. The length of the result bar 32 changes according to the magnitude of the degree of coloration determined by the degree-of-coloration determination unit 22. That is, the smaller the degree of coloration, the shorter the result bar 32, and the larger the degree of coloration, the longer the result bar 32.

[0049] FIG. 5(a) shows an example in which the degree of coloration is less than C1 and it is determined that disinfection has not been performed. FIG. 5(b) shows an example in which the degree of coloration is equal to or higher than C1 and less than C2 and it is determined that semi-disinfection has been performed. FIG. 5(c) shows an example in which the degree of coloration is equal to or higher than C2 and it is determined that disinfection has been completed.

[0050] Although detailed description is omitted, the controller 20 may estimate the concentration of hypochlorous acid based on the degree of coloration determined by the degree-of-coloration determination unit 22. For estimating the concentration of hypochlorous acid, the relationship between the degree of coloration of the chlorine test paper 1 obtained in advance by experiments or the like and the concentration of hypochlorous acid can be used.

[0051] According to the above embodiment, the following operational effects are achieved.

[0052] In this embodiment, the reference color information is information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color with the highest saturation among the colors that the crawl test strip 1 can exhibit within the measurement range. Therefore, the range of hues of colors detected when calibrating the measurement device 100 is narrower than when calibrating using white. Therefore, the measurement device 100 can be appropriately calibrated, and the measurement accuracy of the measurement device 100 can be improved.

[0053] In this embodiment, the memory unit 23 stores the information acquired by the color information acquisition unit 21. Therefore, color information of the crawl test strip 1 is accumulated in the memory unit 23. Therefore, the acquired information can be organized into a database, and multiple crawl test strips 1 photographed in the past can be checked and compared.

[0054] In this embodiment, the controller 20 further includes a determination unit 24 that determines whether sterilization is complete based on the degree of coloration determined by the coloration degree determination unit 22. Therefore, whether sterilization is complete is determined without visual inspection. Therefore, the completion of sterilization can be determined quickly and with a certain degree of accuracy.

[0055] The calibration method according to this embodiment includes a coloring step in which the Kroll test paper 1 is immersed in a solution containing hypochlorous acid and the Kroll test paper 1 is colored until the saturation reaches its maximum within the measurement range; a color information acquisition step in which the Kroll test paper 1 obtained in the coloring step is photographed using the photographing unit 10 to generate image information, and information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color of the Kroll test paper 1 is acquired from the generated image information using the color information acquisition unit 21; and a correction step in which the reference color information stored in the memory unit 23 is corrected based on the information acquired in the color information acquisition step. Therefore, the photographing conditions during calibration are substantially the same as the photographing conditions during measurement. This allows the measurement device 100 to be calibrated more accurately, thereby further improving the measurement accuracy of the measurement device 100.

[0056] The calibration method according to this embodiment includes the steps of: preparing a color bar that exhibits the highest saturation of the colors that the Croll test strip 1 can exhibit within the measurement range; photographing the color bar using the photographing unit 10 to generate image information; acquiring color information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color in the color bar from the generated image information using the color information acquiring unit 21; and correcting the reference color information stored in the memory unit 23 based on the information acquired in the color information acquiring step. Photographing the color bar eliminates the need for immersing the Croll test strip 1 in a solution to cause the Croll test strip 1 to exhibit color. This makes it easier to calibrate the measurement device 100.

[0057] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments merely illustrate some of the application examples of the present invention, and it is not intended that the technical scope of the present invention be limited to the specific configurations of the above embodiments.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the specific substance is hypochlorous acid and the test strip is Kroll test paper 1, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the specific substance may be an ozone oxidizer and the test strip may be an ozone test paper. Ozone oxidizers are known to have sterilizing and deodorizing effects, and the present invention can also be applied to determining whether sterilization and deodorization using an ozone oxidizer has been completed.

[0059] The ozone test paper is reddish purple before reacting with the ozone oxidizer, and turns white after reacting with the ozone oxidizer. The color with the highest saturation among the colors that the ozone test paper can exhibit within the measurement range is reddish purple, the color before reacting with the ozone oxidizer. Therefore, the reddish purple color before reacting with the ozone oxidizer is used as the reference color.

[0060] The present invention can be applied to a system for determining whether medicines, cosmetics, foods, medical devices, etc. have been disinfected or sterilized. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 100 Measuring device 1. Kroll test paper (test piece) 10. Photography Department 20 Controller 21...Color information acquisition section 22...Coloring degree determining section 23...Storage section 24... Judgment section 30...Display section 31. Reference bar 32 Results Bar

Claims

1. A measuring device that measures the degree of coloration of a test piece by reacting with a specific substance, an imaging unit that captures an image of the test piece and generates image information; a controller that processes the image information generated by the imaging unit, The controller a color information acquisition unit that acquires information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color of the test piece from the image information; a storage unit that stores reference color information that is information on predetermined reference colors; a coloration degree determination unit that calculates a color difference between the reference color and the color of the test piece based on the reference color information stored in the storage unit and the information acquired by the color information acquisition unit, and determines a coloration degree of the test piece based on the color difference; The reference color information is information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color with the greatest saturation among the colors that the test piece can exhibit within the measurement range. Measuring equipment.

2. the storage unit stores the information acquired by the color information acquisition unit; The measuring device according to claim 1 .

3. the specific substance is a disinfectant, The controller further includes a determination unit that determines whether sterilization is completed based on the coloration degree determined by the coloration degree determination unit. The measuring device according to claim 1 .

4. A measurement method for measuring the color development degree of a test piece using a measurement device, comprising: The measuring device is an imaging unit that captures an image of the test piece and generates image information; a controller that processes the image information generated by the imaging unit, The measurement method is a coloring step in which the test piece is reacted with a specific substance to develop a color; a color information acquisition step of capturing an image of the test piece after the coloring step using the image capturing unit to generate the image information, and acquiring information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color of the test piece from the generated image information using the controller; a coloration degree determining step of calculating a color difference between the reference color and the color of the test piece using the controller based on reference color information, which is information about a predetermined reference color, and the information acquired in the color information acquiring step, and determining a coloration degree of the test piece using the controller based on the color difference, The reference color information is information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color with the greatest saturation among the colors that the test piece can exhibit within the measurement range. Measurement method.

5. 1. A method for calibrating a measuring device that analyzes a specific substance using a test strip that reacts with the specific substance to produce a color, comprising: The measuring device is an imaging unit that captures an image of the test piece and generates image information; a controller that processes the image information generated by the imaging unit, The controller a color information acquisition unit that acquires information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color of the test piece from the image information; a storage unit that stores reference color information that is information on predetermined reference colors; a coloration degree determination unit that calculates a color difference between the reference color and the color of the test piece based on the reference color information stored in the storage unit and the information acquired by the color information acquisition unit, and determines a coloration degree of the test piece based on the color difference; the reference color information is information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color with the greatest saturation among the colors that the test piece can exhibit within the measurement range; The calibration method is a coloring step of immersing the test piece in a solution containing the specific substance and causing the test piece to change color until the saturation becomes the largest within a measurement range; a color information acquisition step of photographing the test piece obtained in the color development step using the photographing unit to generate the image information, and acquiring information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color of the test piece from the generated image information using the color information acquisition unit; a correction step of correcting the reference color information stored in the storage unit based on the information acquired in the color information acquisition step. Calibration method.

6. 1. A method for calibrating a measuring device that analyzes a specific substance using a test strip that reacts with the specific substance to produce a color, comprising: The measuring device is an imaging unit that captures an image of the test piece and generates image information; a controller that processes the image information generated by the imaging unit, The controller a color information acquisition unit that acquires information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color of the test piece from the image information; a storage unit that stores reference color information that is information on predetermined reference colors; a coloration degree determination unit that calculates a color difference between the reference color and the color of the test piece based on the reference color information stored in the storage unit and the information acquired by the color information acquisition unit, and determines a coloration degree of the test piece based on the color difference; the reference color information is information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the color with the greatest saturation among the colors that the test piece can exhibit within the measurement range; The calibration method is preparing a color bar that exhibits the most saturated color among the colors that the test piece can exhibit within the measurement range; a color information acquisition step of capturing an image of the color bar using the image capturing unit to generate the image information, and acquiring information on the hue, saturation, and brightness of the colors in the color bar from the generated image information using the color information acquisition unit; a correction step of correcting the reference color information stored in the storage unit based on the information acquired in the color information acquisition step. Calibration method.

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