Foreign Substance Inspection Using Pixel Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foreign substance inspection apparatuses struggle to detect foreign substances accurately over a wide range, especially when the alignment accuracy of the inspected object is low, often misidentifying frames as foreign substances and excluding regions near the frame from inspection.
Innovation Solution
A foreign substance inspection apparatus that uses a sensor to illuminate the object and output images, with a processor that detects foreign substances by excluding a non-inspection region image from the inspection region image, identifying continuous pixel values to specify the non-inspection region and thereby enhancing detection accuracy across a broader area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the inspection target region is set to be sufficiently away from the inner edge of the frame in accordance with alignment accuracy, then false detection of frames as foreign substances is prevented, but the inspection coverage area is reduced and foreign substances near the frame cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The image is segmented into multiple regions: a first non-inspection region (the frame itself), a second non-inspection region (area excluded due to alignment accuracy), and an inspection region (area between the frame and the excluded region). This segmentation allows the system to process different regions with different criteria, enabling detection in the inspection region while excluding the frame region through pixel value continuity analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
Different processing approaches are applied to different regions of the image. The first non-inspection region (frame) is identified and excluded based on pixel value continuity, while the inspection region undergoes foreign substance detection. This local differentiation allows the system to maintain high detection accuracy in the inspection region without false positives from the frame.
2Ease of operation
If the alignment accuracy is low, then the original can be conveyed and positioned, but frames are detected as foreign substances and regions near the frame are excluded from inspection
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of the frame and determination of non-inspection regions before conducting foreign substance detection. By预先 identifying the first non-inspection region through pixel value continuity and establishing the inspection region boundaries, the system prepares the detection framework in advance, allowing accurate detection even when alignment accuracy is low.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection region acts as an intermediary zone between the frame (first non-inspection region) and the excluded area (second non-inspection region). This intermediary region is where foreign substance detection is performed, serving as a buffer that allows the system to maintain detection capability while excluding problematic areas due to alignment issues.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the detection of foreign substances over a wider range even with low alignment accuracy, preventing false positives from frame structures and ensuring thorough inspection by defining inspection and non-inspection regions based on pixel value continuity.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor configured to illuminate the inspected object and output, as an image, a result acquired by detecting light from a region including the inspection region
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus inspects the presence/absence of foreign substance on object having inspection region and non-inspection region arranged outside the inspection region. The apparatus includes sensor for illuminating the object and output, as image, result acquired by detecting light from region including the inspection region, and processor for detecting foreign substance based on inspection region image acquired by excluding non-inspection region image, which is image of the non-inspection region, from the image output from the sensor. The non-inspection region image includes first part generated by light from predetermined part of the non-inspection region of the inspected object and second part whose pixel value is continuous from pixel value of the first part and the processor specifies the second part based on fact that the pixel value of the second part is continuous from that of the first part.