An inspection apparatus includes an illumination device capable of emitting first light in a first wavelength band and reference light in a reference wavelength band overlapping with the first wavelength band, an imaging device that images an inspection body and outputs a pixel signal, and an image processing device. The illumination device emits the first light and the reference light to the inspection body at different timings in one imaging time. The image processing device calculates a first reflectance that is a reflectance in the first wavelength band of the object based on the pixel signal, and determines physical properties of the object based on the first reflectance.

An optical inspection system includes at least one lighting module, a plurality of image-sensing units, and an editing and computing unit. Each lighting module is configured to generate a light beam for illuminating an object; each image-sensing unit is configured to capture an inspecting image of the object, wherein two adjacent inspecting images of the object has a repeated image; the editing and computing unit receiving the inspecting images captured by the image-sensing unit is configured to position the inspecting images in accordance with the repeated images and then recombinant the inspecting images for creating a full inspecting image.

A method for detection of distinctive features in a web being transported in a moving direction during a web manufacturing process including the steps of: a) acquiring an image of the web, including a plurality of pixels P i with i{1; . . . ; p}, b) identifying a plurality of regions of interest each corresponding to a distinctive feature by processing the plurality of pixels P i by: c) selecting a local pixel unit including a subset P j with jS{1; . . . ; p} of the plurality of pixels, the subset i) being representative of a subregion of the digital image, and ii) different from previously selected local pixel units, d) deciding whether the local pixel unit is of interest or not, i) if the local pixel unit is of interest, 1) identifying whether the local pixel unit is located within an impact area A k of a previously identified region of interest R k with kA.Math.{1; . . . ; n}, 2) if the local pixel unit is not located within any impact area A k of any previously identified region of interest R k with kA.Math.{1; . . . ; n), or no regions of interest have previously been identified, (a) identifying the local pixel unit as a new region R n+1 of interest; (b) initializing an impact area A n+1 for the new region R n+1 of interest; (c) incrementing a counter n representative of the number of previously identified regions of interest; if the local pixel unit is located within an impact area A k 0 of a previously identified region of interest R k 0, (a) merging, depending on a merging condition, the local pixel unit with the previously identified region of interest R k 0, (b) if the merging condition is fulfilled, updating the impact area A k 0 of the region of interest R k 0; ii) preferably, if the local pixel unit is not of interest, identifying whether the local pixel unit is located within an impact area A k of a previously identified region of interest R k with k{1; . . . ; n}, if the local pixel unit is located within an impact area A k 0 of a previously identified region of interest R k 0, updating the impact area A k 0; e) repeating steps b) through d) until at least essentially all pixels of the image have been processed.

An image capturing system (10), and a corresponding method, for determining the position of an embossed structure (30) on a sheet element (4) moved though a viewing area (18). It includes a camera (12) adapted for capturing a line image of the surface of the sheet element (4) in the viewing area (18), and an illumination unit (14) with a plurality of light sources (20, 21, . . . ) each adapted for illuminating the viewing area (18). The light sources (20, 21, . . . ) are arranged at different inclinations with respect to the viewing area (18). An image evaluation unit (16) determines an inclination-related parameter for the surface of the sheet element (4) in the viewing area (18) across the viewing area (18).

A glass sheet optical inspection system installed online in a glass sheet processing system includes an apparatus for measuring small optical or obstructive defects in a first selected area of the glass sheet by acquiring and developing a first set of image data, and an apparatus for measuring transmitted optical distortion in a second selected area of the glass sheet by acquiring and developing a second set of image data. The system may also include a glass sheet part identifier and a programmable control including logic for analyzing acquired image data and identifying the glass sheet as one of a set of known part types and thereafter securing and positioning the glass sheet based upon the part-shape analysis.

The invention relates to a method, comprising capturing an image of an object to be monitored at a first image capturing frequency by an image sensor of a machine vision system, transmitting said captured image data to an image data processing device and analysing said received image data by said image data processing device, and wherein if the image data is detected to comprise a deviation, a trigger signal is transmitted for triggering an image sensor for reconfiguring it to capture an image burst and for transmitting the captured image burst data to said image data processing device for further analysis. The invention further relates to a machine vision system and a computer program product performing the method.

A method for monitoring a surface of an object via at least one optical camera including the steps: (i) image capture of a predetermined surface segment of the object by a camera at a first point in time, (ii) inspection of the predetermined surface segment of the object such that the surface of the object is acted on, and (iii) image capture of the predetermined surface segment of the object by a camera at a second point in time, which takes place after the first point in time, wherein the image data of the predetermined surface segment of the images of step (i) and step (iii) is sent to an evaluation means and then evaluated by this evaluation means and compared to each other, wherein, if a surface flaw detected in the image capture of step (iii), both in terms of its shape or its position on the surface of the object, coincides with a surface flaw detected in the image capture of step (i), then this surface flaw is classified as an actual surface flaw of the object.

An optical detection device and a detection method thereof are provided. A linear light source provides a light curtain formed by multiple light beams, the light curtain is located on a transportation path of transporting an object to be detected. A sensor set senses the part of light beams not interrupted by the object to be detected, so as to generate a sensing signal with various strengths. A control circuit determines a physical characteristic, moving speed and position of the object to be detected according to the strength of the sensing signal.

A system that visually indicates the position of a characteristic-of-interest of a machine conveyable material. The visual indication comprising direct, indirect and combinations thereof.

An inspection apparatus includes an illumination device capable of emitting first light in a first wavelength band and reference light in a reference wavelength band overlapping with the first wavelength band, an imaging device that images an inspection body and outputs a pixel signal, and an image processing device. The illumination device emits the first light and the reference light to the inspection body at different timings in one imaging time. The image processing device calculates a first reflectance that is a reflectance in the first wavelength band of the object based on the pixel signal, and determines physical properties of the object based on the first reflectance.