Pill Inspection Using Parallel Light for Translucent Outline Clarity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pill inspection methods struggle to accurately detect translucent pills due to variations in permeation rates and illumination angles, leading to unclear outlines and difficulty in distinguishing them from the background, especially when the pills are not directly below the imaging position.
Innovation Solution
A pill inspection apparatus that uses a light emitting portion emitting diffusion light, with a parallel light converting portion between the light emitting and collecting portions, and a domical illumination portion, to ensure a uniform outline of translucent pills is obtained irrespective of the shooting position, using a convex or Fresnel lens for light collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If diffusion light is used for illumination, then the illumination area is large and the setup is simple, but the outline of translucent pills becomes unclear and they cannot be distinguished from the background
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the illumination parameter from diffusion light to parallel light, which fundamentally alters how light interacts with translucent pills. Parallel light creates a uniform illumination pattern that produces clear brightness differences between pill centers and peripheries, enabling precise outline detection while maintaining adequate illumination coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a parallel light converting portion as an intermediary component between the light source and the pills. This component transforms diffusion light into parallel light, solving the contradiction by providing the beneficial properties of parallel illumination without requiring a completely different lighting system.
2Measurement precision
If parallel light is used for illumination, then the outline of translucent pills becomes clear, but the outline becomes non-uniform when pills are not directly below the imaging position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different illumination characteristics to different regions of the imaging area. The domical illumination portion creates a specific light distribution pattern that compensates for positional variations, ensuring uniform outline quality across the entire field of view regardless of pill position.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a simple linear illumination approach to a domical (three-dimensional curved) illumination structure. This dimensional change allows the light to reach pills at various positions and angles, creating uniform illumination and consistent outline clarity across the entire imaging area.
3Productivity
If simple binarization is used for image processing, then the process is fast and simple, but it cannot accurately detect translucent pills with varying brightness values
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary image processing operations (smoothing and gradient calculation) before the final detection step. By pre-processing the image to enhance edge information and reduce noise, the subsequent threshold-based detection becomes more accurate, allowing simple fast processing to achieve precise results.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex multi-threshold or machine learning-based detection methods with a simplified gradient-based detection approach. By using image gradient information to identify pill boundaries, the system achieves high accuracy with computationally efficient operations that maintain fast processing speed.
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
This approach allows for precise detection of translucent pills by maintaining a uniform brightness difference between the center and periphery, enabling clear distinction from the background and accurate counting regardless of the pill's position relative to the imaging system.
Implementation Method 1
a light-collecting portion for collecting the light is provided between the light emitting portion and the medical envelope
Implementation Method 2
a parallel light converting portion for converting the diffusion light into parallel light is provided between the light emitting portion and the light-collecting portion
Implementation Method 3
a translucent pill 22 through which light can pass... Permeation rates of the translucent pills vary depending upon their kinds
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
A pill inspection apparatus of the present invention includes: an illumination portion 30 for irradiating light to a medical envelope 20 in which at least a translucent pill 22 is enclosed; an imaging portion 11 for acquiring a transmission image of the irradiated medical envelope 20; and an image processing portion 12 for detecting, as the translucent pill 22, a pill having a brightness value of its outer periphery lower than that of its center using the transmission image, the illumination portion 30 includes a light emitting portion 31, and a light-collecting portion 33 for collecting light is provided between the light emitting portion 31 and the medical envelope 20. By obtaining a uniform outline of the translucent pill 22 irrespective of a shooting position, it is possible to inspect the translucent pill 22 irrespective of a permeation rate.