An inspection method with which a separator having improved quality can be efficiently obtained is provided. The inspection method is a method for inspecting a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator that includes a polyolefin porous film. The inspection method includes a step of detecting a defect in the polyolefin porous film with the use of a color camera.

A device for detecting or evaluating articles or products, irradiated by a laser beam, for generation of Raman or fluorescence radiation on surfaces of them, and generated radiation is directed to a detector array designed for locally resolved detection of the radiation. Monochromatic electromagnetic radiation with no influence on Raman or fluorescence radiation is directed at the articles or products. Detectors detect radiation reflected or scattered by articles or products in a locally resolved manner. An optical filter or beam splitter is arranged between articles or products and detector array. Irradiation and detection are carried out during relative movement between articles or products, focal range of the laser beam, diodes emitting electromagnetic radiation and detectors of the detector array. Detectors are connected to an electronic evaluation unit designed for locally and spectrally resolved evaluation of detected intensities of Raman or fluorescence radiation and for image analysis.

The invention includes a pulse oscillated light source, an illumination unit that guides light output from the light source to a sample, a scanning unit that controls a position at which the sample is scanned by the illumination unit, a light converging unit that converges light reflected from the sample, a first photoelectric conversion unit that outputs an electric signal corresponding to the light converged by the light converging unit, an AD conversion unit that converts the electric signal output from the first photoelectric conversion unit into a digital signal in synchronization with pulse oscillation of the light source, a linear restoration unit that processes a digital signal converted by the AD conversion unit in synchronization with a pulse oscillation output by the AD conversion unit and corrects nonlinearity of the first photoelectric conversion unit, a defect detection unit that detects a defect of the sample based on an output of the linear restoration unit, and a processing unit that obtains and outputs a position and a size of the defect detected by the defect detection unit.

Systems and methods for thermal radiation detection utilizing a thermal radiation detection system are provided. The thermal radiation detection system includes one or more mercury-cadmium-telluride (HgCdTe)-based photodiode infrared detectors or Indium Arsenide (InAr)-based photodiode infrared detectors and a temperature sensing circuit. The temperature sensing circuit is configured to generate signals correlated to the temperatures of one or more of the plurality of infrared sensor elements. The thermal radiation detection system also includes a signal processing circuit.

A process for detecting foreign objects in a food-containing product stream comprises: forwarding the product stream, illuminating the product stream, generating raw data based on electromagnetic energy reflected from the product stream using a camera, and processing the raw data to generate classified image data corresponding with food product, foreign object(s), and background. A system for detecting foreign objects in the product stream comprises a forwarding device, an illuminator, a camera, and instructions in memory that form image data and classify the data as corresponding with food product, foreign objects, and background.

A process for detecting foreign objects in a food-containing product stream comprises: forwarding the product stream, illuminating the product stream, generating raw data based on electromagnetic energy reflected from the product stream using a camera, and processing the raw data to generate classified image data corresponding with food product, foreign object(s), and background. A system for detecting foreign objects in the product stream comprises a forwarding device, an illuminator, a camera, and instructions in memory that form image data and classify the data as corresponding with food product, foreign objects, and background.

System and methods used to inspect a moving web (112) include a plurality of image capturing devices (113) that image a portion of the web at an imaging area. The image data captured by each of the image capturing devices at the respective imaging areas is combined to form a virtual camera data array (105) that represents an alignment of the image data associated with each of the imaging areas to the corresponding physical positioning of the imaging areas relative to the web. The image output signals generated by each of the plurality of image capturing devices may be processed by a single image processor, or a number of image processors (114) that is less than the number of image capturing devices. The processor or processors are arranged to generate the image data forming the virtual camera array.

An apparatus and method for inspecting a glass substrate. The apparatus for inspecting a glass substrate includes a stage configured to support the glass substrate, a first light source for irradiating light onto a surface of the glass substrate at a first angle, a first camera for capturing scattered light of the light irradiated from the first light source, a second light source for irradiating light onto the surface of the glass substrate at a second angle greater than the first angle, a second camera for capturing reflected light and scattered light of the light irradiated from the second light source, and a defect detection unit for detecting a defect of the glass substrate using a first image provided by the first camera and a second image provided by the second camera.

The invention relates to a method, a computer program product and a machine vision system (30), comprising at least one lighting device (34), at least one image sensor (31 a-c) and a data processing device (32), the system in a first mode illuminating a first object (35) using a first type of illumination and capturing images of the first object at a first image capturing frequency, when the first object (35) is on a second object (33), transmitting the captured image data to the data processing device for analysis, and changing the system for monitoring the second object in a second mode, if absence of the first object on the second object is detected from the image data, wherein said at least one image sensor (31 a-c) is reconfigured to capture images at a second image capturing frequency from the second object.

A device and a method for monitoring and/or inspecting moving material webs. The method includes taking a first picture of a first portion of a material web at a first point in time with a camera, which has a matrix chip with a binning function, and taking a second picture of a second portion of the material web at a second point in time with the camera. A first binning step level is used for the first picture and a second binning step level is used for the second picture. The first number of pixels which are in each case grouped together is higher or lower than the second number of pixels which are in each case grouped together, as a result of which a physical zoom function is achieved for the second picture.