Inspection Apparatus Motion-Responsive Image Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial inspection apparatuses face challenges in maintaining high-quality image data due to varying light conditions and movement, leading to low signal-to-noise ratios and image blur, especially in environments with limited light and stressful conditions.
Innovation Solution
The inspection apparatus processes image data to determine motion parameters, selectively outputs noise-reduced frames only when stationary, and applies non-uniform digital gain and offset parameters to enhance image quality, avoiding frame averaging during motion to prevent image smearing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If gain is applied to compensate for reduction in received light, then brightness is improved, but noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple frames captured during motion into a composite image, merging the signal information while averaging out the noise. This allows the system to achieve adequate brightness without applying excessive gain that would amplify noise, as the composite image is formed from multiple exposures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously captures frames during motion and accumulates them over time to build the composite image. This continuous accumulation of useful signal information allows for proper brightness levels without relying on gain amplification that would introduce noise.
2Illumination intensity
If exposure period is increased to compensate for reduction in received light, then brightness is improved, but image blur occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic frame accumulation where multiple short-exposure frames captured during motion are combined. Rather than using a single long exposure that would cause blur, the system dynamically accumulates multiple shorter exposures, achieving adequate brightness while maintaining sharpness through the merging process.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If frame averaging is applied during motion, then noise is reduced, but image smearing occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses motion detection feedback to determine when to accumulate frames and when to stop. By detecting motion between frames, the system can identify when motion has occurred and prevent smearing by stopping the accumulation process, while still benefiting from noise reduction during stationary periods.
4Stability of the object's composition
If small aperture is used to achieve reasonable depth of field, then depth of field is improved, but light reception is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system compensates for the reduced light reception from small apertures by continuously accumulating multiple frames over time. This continuous accumulation of light information allows the use of small apertures for adequate depth of field while maintaining sufficient brightness through temporal integration of multiple exposures.
Data Source
AI summary
An inspection apparatus can process image data of one or more frames. In one aspect processing of image data can include processing for determination of a motion parameter. In one aspect an inspection apparatus can be controlled responsively to the processing of image data for determination of a motion parameter.