JP2006227950A - Information collecting device using code notation and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide technology for collecting information, when collected using a code notation, together with information for a position hardly adapted to the code notation. <P>SOLUTION: The device for collecting information from an object to which the code notation is fixed comprises an imaging means for imaging the object, a reading means for reading information which the code notation describes, a position specifying means for specifying the fixed position of the code notation in the object in accordance with the image of the code notation in a picture imaged by the imaging means, and an information storing means for storing the information read by the reading means and the fixed position specified by the position specifying means in a pair. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for fixing a code notation to an object and collecting object information from the code notation fixed to the object.

Code notation such as bar codes and two-dimensional codes can be read by a reading device, and is therefore applied to production sites of industrial products. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technique that uses a barcode in an inspection process of an automobile production line. In this technique, a barcode describing vehicle identification information is attached to a vehicle, and the barcode is read by a barcode reader, thereby collecting the identification information of the vehicle to be inspected. By making the task of collecting automobile identification information mechanized, human error is prevented.
JP-A-1-306379

Conventional information collection techniques that use code notation focus on reading the information indicated by the code, and it is necessary to code the information to be collected in advance. Therefore, for information that is not familiar with code notation, it is often not a good idea to collect information using code notation.
For example, in the inspection process of industrial products, in addition to collecting and storing type information of manufacturing defects occurring in a product, it is required to collect and store information regarding the location of manufacturing defects. For example, regarding manufacturing defects that occur locally in a product, such as a coating defect on a painted surface, it is required to collect and store both information relating to the type of manufacturing defect and information relating to the position where the defect occurs. That is, in the case of a coating defect, it is required to collect and store type information such as “contamination of foreign matter”, “paint reservoir”, “paint baldness”, and information on the occurrence position. In this case, the former type information is easy to code. On the other hand, in order to code the occurrence position of the coating defect, it is necessary to measure the occurrence position quantitatively, and it is difficult to code the code. For this reason, conventionally, the position where a coating defect occurs or the like is left on the recording sheet by the operator, and time and man-hours are required for the information processing and information storage process.
The present invention solves the above problems. In the present invention, when collecting information using code notation, there is provided a technique for collecting information on positions that are difficult to be familiar with code notation.

The present invention can be embodied in an apparatus that collects information from an object to which a code notation is fixed. The information collecting apparatus includes: an imaging unit that images an object; a reading unit that reads information described by a code notation; and an image of a code notation in a captured image captured by the imaging unit. Position specifying means for specifying the fixed position of the code notation, information storage means for storing the information read by the reading means and the fixed position specified by the position specifying means in pairs are provided.
Code notation here refers to information that can be read by reading means, such as barcodes and two-dimensional codes. When using a handwritten digit recognition device, handwritten digits are also code notation. It is a kind of.

According to this information collecting apparatus, information described by the code notation and the position information of the code notation in the object can be collected as a pair.
For example, when collecting information on coating defects on the surface of an object, if you prepare a code notation that describes the type of coating defect and paste the code notation at the position where the coating defect occurs, this information collection device It is possible to collect the types of paint defects and their occurrence positions in pairs. Since it is sufficient to attach the code notation to the position where the coating defect occurs, it is not necessary to measure the position where the coating defect occurs.
According to this information collecting apparatus, when collecting information including information related to a position, it is not necessary to code information related to a position that is troublesome to code. Information about the position can be collected directly from the position of the code notation and stored.

In the above information collecting apparatus, it is preferable that a storage unit for shape data describing the shape of the object is added. In this case, the position specifying unit specifies the fixed position of the code notation in the object by superimposing the shape data stored in the storage unit on the area of the object image in the captured image captured by the imaging unit. It becomes possible to do.
Even when the position of the image of the object varies in the captured image, the fixed position of the code notation in the object can be accurately specified.

In the case of the above information collecting device, the reading means for reading the information described by the code notation is described by the code notation based on the image of the code notation in the captured image captured by the image capturing means for capturing the object. It is preferable to read the information.
Thereby, the imaging means can also be used as the reading means. A dedicated code reading device such as a bar code reader can be eliminated.

The technique of the present invention is also embodied in a method for collecting information from an object to which a code notation is fixed. This information collection method is based on an imaging process for imaging an object, a reading process for reading information described by a code notation, and an image of a code notation in a captured image captured in the imaging process. A position specifying step for specifying the fixed position of the code notation and an information storing step for storing the information read in the reading step and the fixed position specified in the position specifying step in pairs are provided.
According to this method, when collecting information using a code notation, it is not necessary to code information related to the position where it is difficult to code, and it is possible to collect information related to the position while still. it can.

  The present invention can collect information related to the position by using the position of the code notation simultaneously with reading the encoded information from the code notation. As a result, it is possible to collect information regarding positions where code notation is difficult without code notation.

First, main forms of the embodiments described below are listed.
(Mode 1) The image processing apparatus includes a barcode reading unit that reads information described by a barcode from a barcode image captured in the captured image.
(Mode 2) The image processing apparatus includes a device that stores shape data describing the shape of a workpiece.
(Mode 3) The image processing apparatus can specify the area of the workpiece image in the captured image and the area of the barcode image in the captured image.
(Form 4) The image processing apparatus superimposes the shape information of the work described by the shape data on the area of the work image in the captured image, thereby describing the correspondence between the position in the captured image and the position in the work A correspondence map can be created.

Example 1
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to an automobile production line.
FIG. 1 shows a part of the automobile production line of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the automobile production line of the present embodiment includes a painting process A, an inspection process B, a recording process C, a repair process D, a confirmation process E, and the like. The first coating (primary coating) is performed on the surface of the workpiece (automobile body) W by the coating process A to the confirmation process E. In addition, the automobile production line of the present embodiment also includes a process of performing the second coating (intermediate coating) and the third coating (top coating). The process of performing the second coating or the third coating is also composed of the same processes as the coating process A to the confirmation process E.
The production line of the automobile includes a transfer device 50 that transfers the workpiece W to each process. The transfer device 50 includes a transfer bed 54 on which the workpiece W is placed, a transfer drive unit 52 that moves the transfer bed 54, and a control unit 56 that adjusts the operation of the transfer drive unit 52. The control unit 56 adjusts the operation of the transport driving unit 52 and controls the flow of each transport bed 54. Thereby, the flow of the workpiece W is controlled.

In the painting process A, a painting operation for applying a paint to the workpiece (automobile body) W is performed. The coating material is applied by the coating device 4. The painted workpiece W is transported to the inspection process B by the transport device 50.
In the inspection process B, an operation of inspecting the painted surface of the workpiece W after painting is performed. On the painted surface of the workpiece W, for example, coating defects such as “foreign matter contamination”, “paint reservoir”, and “coating baldness” may occur. The worker H1 inspects the painted surface of the workpiece W by visual inspection or palpation, and detects a coating defect occurring on the painted surface of the workpiece W. When a coating defect is detected on the painted surface of the workpiece W, the worker H1 attaches the barcode label T1 corresponding to the type of the coating defect to the position where the coating defect occurs (P1 in the drawing). The barcode label T1 is issued by the barcode label issuing machine 6 prepared in the inspection process B.

The bar code label issuing machine 6 issues a bar code label T that describes a code corresponding to the type of coating defect (for example, “foreign matter contamination”). On the touch panel 6 a of the bar code label issuing machine 6, operation buttons such as “contamination of foreign matter”, “paint reservoir”, and “paint baldness” are displayed. For example, when a “foreign matter mixed” button is operated, the barcode label issuing machine 6 issues a barcode label T describing a code corresponding to “foreign matter mixed”.
The barcode label issuing machine 6 is set with a plurality of colors of barcode label base paper, and the barcode label issuing machine 6 can issue a barcode T by changing the color of the sticker base paper. On the touch panel 6a, operation buttons such as “dark color system”, “light color system”, and “white system” indicating the paint color of the workpiece W are displayed. For example, when a “dark color” button is operated, the barcode label issuing machine 6 issues a barcode label T using a sticker base paper (for example, white base paper) whose hue is significantly different from that of the “dark color”.
When the worker H1 in the inspection process B detects a coating defect in the workpiece W, the operator H1 operates the touch panel 6a of the barcode label issuing machine 6 to issue the barcode label T. Next, the issued barcode label T is affixed to the position where the coating defect occurs. At this time, the barcode label T may be affixed on the coating defect, or may be affixed at a position offset by a predetermined distance (for example, 1 cm) in a predetermined direction (for example, the downward direction) from the position where the coating defect has occurred. The operator H1 does not need to record the type and occurrence position of the detected coating defect on a recording sheet or the like. In particular, since it is not necessary to sketch or measure the occurrence position of the coating defect, the worker H1 can quickly perform the inspection work. The inspected work W is transported to the recording process C by the transport device 50.

In the recording process C, a process of recording the coating defect detected by the worker H1 in the inspection process B is performed. In the recording process C, an information collecting device 2 that collects information on coating defects is prepared. In the recording process C, an operator or the like is not directly involved.
The coating defect information collection device 2 includes a camera group 14, an image processing device 10, a data storage device 20, a storage storage device 30, and the like. The storage device 30 is connected to a network server 40 prepared on the production line. A plurality of display devices 42 a, 42 b, 42 c... Are connected to the network server 40. Each of the display devices 42a, 42b, 42c,... Is disposed in each process of the production line, for example, the display device 42b is disposed in the confirmation process E.

The camera group 14 is a so-called digital camera, and creates image data obtained by converting a video (optical signal) into electronic information. As shown in FIG. 2, the camera group 14 includes a plurality of cameras 14U, 14F, 14B, 14L, and 14R. The camera 14U images the workpiece W from above. The camera 14F images the workpiece W from the front. The camera 14B images the workpiece W from behind. The camera 14L images the work W from the left. The camera 14R images the workpiece W from the right side. By using the plurality of cameras 14U, 14F, 14B, 14L, and 14R, almost the entire painted surface of the workpiece W is imaged.
The image information processing apparatus 10 can execute known image processing such as binarization processing and contour enhancement processing. The image information processing apparatus 10 includes a barcode reading unit 11. The barcode reading unit 11 performs processing for reading information described by the barcode from the barcode image captured in the image.

The data storage device 20 stores electronic data used by the image processing device 10. In the data storage device 20, for example, a vehicle shape database 22 and a barcode database 24 are stored.
As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle shape database 22 includes a plurality of vehicle shape data 22a, 22b, 22c,. Each vehicle shape data 22a, 22b, 22c,... Describes the shape of the vehicle body (work W) of each vehicle type α, β, γ,. Each vehicle shape data 22a, 22b, 22c,... Describes, for example, the surface position P: (x, y, z) of the automobile body in the xyz coordinate system. For each shape data 22a, 22b, 22c,..., CAD data or the like can be used.
The barcode database 24 describes the code information of the barcode label T issued by the barcode label issuing machine 6 and the type of coating defect in association with each other.
The accumulation storage device 30 accumulates and stores information taught from the image information processing device 10. Information stored in the storage device 30 can be acquired from the display devices 42a, 42b, 42c,... Via the network server 40.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the paint defect information collecting apparatus 2. The operation of the information collection device 2 will be described along the flow shown in FIG.
Until the work W is carried into the recording process C, the information collecting device 2 is on standby (step S2). When the workpiece W is carried into the recording process C, the process proceeds to step S4. In order to detect that the workpiece W has been carried in, it may be detected using, for example, a photoelectric tube sensor or the like, or may be detected by receiving an instruction from the control unit 56 of the transport device 50.
In step S4, the camera group 14 images the workpiece W. FIG. 5 illustrates a captured image F1 of the camera 14R that captures the workpiece W from the right side. As shown in FIG. 5, an image Wf (work image Wf) of the workpiece W and an image (barcode label image) Tf1 of the barcode label T1 attached to the workpiece W are captured in the captured image F1. . A captured image group captured by the camera group 14 is input to the image processing apparatus 10.

The processes in steps S6 to S20 are mainly executed by the image processing apparatus 10. The image processing apparatus 10 performs the process of each step on each of the captured images captured by the cameras 14U, 14F, 14B, 14L, and 14R. Therefore, in the following description, processing for the captured image F1 of the camera 14R will be described as an example, and processing for images captured by the other cameras 14U, 14F, 14B, and 14L will be omitted.
In step S6, the image processing apparatus 10 specifies the imaging region of the work image Wf or barcode label image Tf1 captured in the captured image F1. For example, an object other than the workpiece W such as the transfer bed 54 is reflected in the captured image F1 (not shown in FIG. 5). In the process of step S6, the noise is removed and the contour of the imaging area of the workpiece image Wf and the barcode label image Tf1 is defined. For this purpose, the image processing apparatus 10 executes a well-known binarization process and a contour enhancement process on the captured image F1, thereby creating a contour enhanced image F2 illustrated in FIG. In the contour emphasis image F2, noise is removed and the contour portion Rw of the workpiece image Wf and the contour portion Rt1 of the barcode label image Tf1 are emphasized. By creating the outline-enhanced image F2, the imaging region of the work image Wf and the barcode label image Tf1 can be accurately specified without being affected by noise or the like included in the captured image F1. As described above, sticker base paper having a coating color and a hue that are significantly different from each other is used for the barcode label T1. As a result, the outline Rt1 of the barcode label image Tf1 is correctly extracted.
In step S8, the barcode reading unit 11 of the image processing apparatus 10 reads information described by the barcode T1 from the barcode label image Tf1 captured in the captured image F1. The barcode reading unit 11 executes a process of reading code information for the imaging region of the barcode label image Tf1 specified in step S8. The bar code reading unit 11 refers to the bar code database 24 for the read code information to identify the type of coating defect occurring in the workpiece W.

In step S10, the image processing apparatus 10 specifies the position of the barcode label image Tf1 in the captured image F1. Also in this process, the image processing apparatus 10 uses the outline enhanced image F2. The image processing apparatus 10 calculates the center position Pf1: (m1, n1) of the barcode label image Tf1 from the contour portion Rt1 of the barcode label image Tf1 of the contour-enhanced image F2 (see FIG. 6).
In step S12, the image processing apparatus 10 queries the vehicle shape database 22, and selects vehicle shape data that matches the shape of the workpiece image Wf of the contour emphasis image F2. Here, for example, it is assumed that the vehicle shape data 22a of the vehicle type α shown in FIG. 3 is selected. Instead of specifying the vehicle type of the workpiece W by the image processing device 10, the vehicle type of the workpiece W may be taught to the image processing device 10 via the network server 40.
In step S14, the image processing apparatus 10 creates the position correspondence map M illustrated in FIG. 7 by superimposing the vehicle shape data 22a selected in step S12 on the work image Wf of the captured image F1 (or the contour emphasis image F2). To do. In the position correspondence map M, the position (for example, Pf1: (m1, n1)) in the captured image F1 (or the contour-enhanced image F2) and the position in the workpiece W (for example, P1: (x, y, z)) are associated with each other. Is described.
In step S16, the image processing apparatus 10 determines from the center position Pf1: (m1, n1) of the barcode label image Tf1 specified in step S10 and the position correspondence map M, the fixed position P1: of the barcode label T1 in the workpiece W. (X1, y1, z1) is specified (see FIG. 7). By the process of step S16, the occurrence position P1: (x1, y1, z1) of the coating defect in the workpiece W is specified. In the inspection process B, when the barcode label T1 is offset from the position where the coating defect occurs, the position where the coating defect occurs is specified by taking the offset amount into consideration.

In step S18, the type of coating defect identified in step S8 and the occurrence position P1 of the coating defect identified in step S16 are taught to the control unit 56 of the transport device 50. The conveyance device 50 conveys the workpiece W in which the coating defect has occurred to the repair process D, and conveys the workpiece W having no coating defect to the confirmation process E. At this time, even if the workpiece W has a coating defect, it may be transferred to the confirmation process E if it is determined that the repair can be performed in the confirmation process E from the type and location of the coating defect.
In step S20, the type of coating defect identified in step S8 and the occurrence position P1 of the coating defect identified in step S16 are stored in the storage device 30. The storage device 30 stores the taught types of paint defects and occurrence positions P1 in pairs. At this time, for example, the recording date and time, the type of the work W (vehicle type), the worker ID, the product ID, and the like may be stored in the storage device 30 together. Such information can be taught to the storage device 30 via the network server 40, for example.
The coating defect information collecting apparatus 2 repeatedly executes the above processing flow for each work W conveyed to the recording process C.

In the repairing process D, a coating defect repairing operation is performed on the workpiece W that has been loaded. The painting defect repair work is performed by the worker H2. The worker H2 can easily identify the position P1 of the coating defect by using the bar code label T1 attached to the workpiece W as a mark. The worker H2 removes the barcode label T1 and repairs the coating defect. The repaired workpiece W is conveyed to the confirmation process E.
In the confirmation step E, the quality of the painted surface of the workpiece W is confirmed. The check operation of the painted surface is performed by the worker H3. It is difficult to specify the repair position (that is, the position where the coating defect occurs) P1 repaired in the repair process D even by observing the painted surface after the repair. In the production line of the present embodiment, the type and occurrence position of the coating defect recorded in the recording process C are displayed on the display device 42b. Since the type and position of the coating defect that has occurred in the workpiece W are accurately displayed on the display device 42b, the operator H3 can accurately confirm the repair position of the coating defect.

  The accumulation storage device 30 accumulates and stores the types and occurrence positions of the coating defects generated on the painted surface of the workpiece W, and creates accurate data regarding the types and occurrence positions of the coating defects. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the types and occurrence positions of the coating defects accumulated and stored can be displayed together with the workpiece W on the display device 42 a or the like. By analyzing the correlation between the types of paint defects and the location of occurrence, it is possible to accurately identify the cause of paint defects, and to take appropriate measures to prevent paint defects in advance. Become.

Specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, but these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples illustrated above.
In the above embodiment, a bar code label is used, but other code notation can also be used. It is only necessary to be able to write a code corresponding to the type information of the coating defect, and a code notation that describes the code using various symbols and colors can be used.
The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical usefulness alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. In addition, the technology illustrated in the present specification or the drawings achieves a plurality of objects at the same time, and has technical utility by achieving one of the objects.

The figure which shows typically a part of production line of an Example. The figure which shows the structure of a camera group. The figure which shows the structure of vehicle shape data. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of operation of the recording apparatus. The figure which shows an example of a captured image. The figure which shows an example of an outline emphasis image. The figure which shows an example of a position corresponding | compatible map. The figure which shows the example of a display of the information regarding the accumulated coating defect.

Explanation of symbols

2. Recording device 4 Coating device 6 Bar code label issuing machine 14 Camera group 10 Image processing device 11 Bar code reading unit 20 Data storage device 22 Vehicle shape database 24 -Barcode database 30-Storage storage device 40-Network servers 42a, 42b, 42c-Display device W-Work T, T1-Barcode label Wf-Work image Tf1-Barcode image

Claims (4)

A device that collects information from an object to which code notation is fixed,
Imaging means for imaging an object;
Reading means for reading the information described by the code notation,
Position specifying means for specifying the fixed position of the code notation in the object based on the image of the code notation in the captured image captured by the image pickup means;
Information storage means for storing the information read by the reading means and the fixed position specified by the position specifying means in pairs;
An information collecting apparatus comprising: A storage means for shape data describing the shape of the object is added,
2. The information collection according to claim 1, wherein the position specifying unit specifies a fixed position of the code notation in the object by superimposing the shape data on a region of the image of the object in the captured image. apparatus.   3. The information collecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reading unit reads information described by the code notation based on an image of the code notation in the captured image. A method of collecting information from an object with a fixed code notation,
An imaging process for imaging an object;
A reading process for reading the information described by the code notation,
A position identifying step for identifying a fixed position of the code notation in the object based on the image of the code notation in the captured image captured in the imaging step;
An information storage process for storing the information read in the reading process and the fixed position specified in the position specifying process in pairs;
An information collecting method comprising:

Images