Printed Material Inspection Area Mapping for Front-Back Coincidence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional inspection systems for printed materials require manual setting and changing of inspection areas on both the front and back sides, leading to a heavy burden on operators.

Innovation Solution

An inspection system that allows for easy setting of inspection areas on both the front and back sides through automated generation and movement of target areas, reducing the operational burden on operators.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual setting of inspection areas is performed on both front and back sides, then inspection accuracy is maintained, but operator burden increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperator burdenVSAvoidsetting complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the copying principle by automatically generating the back side inspection area based on the front side inspection area setting. The system creates a copy of the front side area configuration and applies it to the corresponding back side, eliminating the need for manual separate setting while maintaining inspection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-generating the back side inspection area settings based on the front side configuration before the operator needs to use them. This automatic preliminary setup reduces the operator's workload significantly while ensuring consistent inspection coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If automated target area generation is implemented, then setting efficiency improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesetting efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies self-service by enabling automatic generation of inspection areas without requiring complex manual intervention. The system serves itself by automatically calculating and setting the back side inspection area based on the front side configuration, improving productivity while keeping the automation logic relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4708839A1Inspection system, and method of controlling the inspection system
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 CANON KK
  • EP4708839A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4708839A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4708839A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An inspection system obtains respective scanned images by reading a first side and a second side of a printed material, and inspects the printed material by comparing the respective obtained scanned images with reference images. In a case where a front and back coincidence inspection is set, the inspection system designates (S902) an inspection area to be subject to the front and back coincidence inspection, and switches (S903) between displaying a state in which a first inspection area of the first side to be subjected to the front and back coincidence inspection is selected and a state in which a second inspection area of the second side to be subjected to the front and back coincidence inspection is selected, in accordance with an operation of a user.