Image Analysis of Hand-Object Position for Work Content Detection

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image analysis techniques struggle to accurately determine the work content at an image capturing time point, leading to inaccuracies in measuring work time and performance due to reliance on worker position, orientation, or background image differences.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus and method that detects a person's hand and a work target object from an image and determines the work content based on their relative position relation within the image.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If worker position and orientation are used to determine work content, then work time measurement can be performed, but accurate determination of work content cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvework content determination accuracyVSAvoidwork performance assessment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary element (tool or object being manipulated) between the worker and the work target. By detecting the worker's hand holding a tool and the tool's position relative to the work target, the system achieves more reliable work content determination. The tool acts as a mediator that provides additional contextual information about the actual work being performed, resolving the ambiguity of position-based detection alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical detection method (monitoring worker position and orientation) with an optical detection method (capturing images of worker's hand, tool, and work target). This substitution allows for more precise and reliable work content determination by directly observing the interaction between the worker's hand, tool, and work target through image analysis, rather than inferring work content from positional data alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If worker position and target object position are detected to determine work content, then work time can be measured, but false determination of work performance occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvework content determination accuracyVSAvoidwork performance information accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary element (tool or object being manipulated) between the worker and the work target. By detecting the worker's hand holding a tool and the tool's position relative to the work target, the system achieves more reliable work content determination. The tool acts as a mediator that provides additional contextual information about the actual work being performed, resolving the ambiguity of position-based detection alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical detection method (monitoring worker position and orientation) with an optical detection method (capturing images of worker's hand, tool, and work target). This substitution allows for more precise and reliable work content determination by directly observing the interaction between the worker's hand, tool, and work target through image analysis, rather than inferring work content from positional data alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If background image comparison is used to determine working state, then work time can be measured, but inaccurate work content determination occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvework content determination accuracyVSAvoidwork performance assessment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary element (tool or object being manipulated) between the worker and the work target. By detecting the worker's hand holding a tool and the tool's position relative to the work target, the system achieves more reliable work content determination. The tool acts as a mediator that provides additional contextual information about the actual work being performed, resolving the ambiguity of position-based detection alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical detection method (monitoring worker position and orientation) with an optical detection method (capturing images of worker's hand, tool, and work target). This substitution allows for more precise and reliable work content determination by directly observing the interaction between the worker's hand, tool, and work target through image analysis, rather than inferring work content from positional data alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12620255B2Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and non-transitory storage medium

Publication Date: 2026.05.05 NEC CORP

AI summary

To accurately determine a work content at an image capturing time point by an image analysis, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus 10 including an acquisition unit 11 that acquires an image, a detection unit 12 that detects a hand of a person and a work target object from the image, and a determination unit 13 that determines, based on a relative position relation within the image between the detected hand of the person and the detected work target object, a work content at a time point when the image is captured.