JP7067774B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, and in particular, it is possible to acquire a good photographed image capable of accurately recognizing the feature points of print information arranged on a curved surface of an image pickup target while reducing the cost with a simple configuration. Regarding an image pickup device.

Some ethical drugs, such as psychotropic drugs and narcotics, are required by law to be strictly controlled, and handling such drugs is a business or psychological task for healthcare professionals who are obliged to handle such drugs. It is a burden.

As one of the prior arts for constructing a drug management method for the purpose of reducing the burden on the medical staff, for example, there is a drug audit device disclosed in Patent Document 1. This drug inspection device optically recognizes the printed characters on the label affixed to the curved surface of the body of the drug container, for example, an ampoule, and determines the type, name, expiration date, etc. of the drug from the printed characters. be able to. Therefore, for example, when an injectable drug is transferred from a wholesaler to a hospital, when it is discharged from the hospital's pharmacy department to a ward or operating room, and when it is returned or discarded from the payout destination to the pharmacy department. The device recognizes the printed characters on the label affixed to the ampoule of the injectable drug. This makes it possible for the drug audit device to determine and manage the injectable drug, such as a psychotropic drug or a medical drug, which is required by law to be strictly controlled from the recognized characters. The burden on medical staff can be reduced.

By the way, when the label has gloss, in the conventional drug inspection device, the illumination light emitted when recognizing the printed character is specularly reflected (regularly reflected) on the surface of the label, and the reflected light is the image sensor of the camera (the image sensor of the camera (normal reflection). By incident on the image pickup element), the influence of reflected light, so-called shine, may occur in the captured image. When the shine occurs, the recognition accuracy of the characters is lowered, and the printed characters on the label cannot be recognized accurately from the captured image.

In order to deal with the decrease in character recognition accuracy due to the generation of shine, for example, if the illumination optical element disclosed in Patent Document 2 is used in combination with a conventional drug audit device, the decrease in recognition accuracy can be reduced. It will be possible to suppress it.

Japanese Patent No. 48577768 Japanese Patent No. 6136117

By the way, in the conventional drug audit device, it is necessary to rotate a container (imaging target) of a drug such as an ampoule in order to acquire a photographed image used for recognizing printed characters, and a rotation mechanism such as a roller for rotating the container is provided. As a result, the cost increased and the configuration was complicated.

Further, when the label has gloss, the conventional drug auditing apparatus of Patent Document 1 uses the conventional illumination optical element of Patent Document 2 in combination in order to reduce the occurrence of shine that lowers the recognition accuracy of printed characters. You can, but the cost of adding it increases.

In recent years, a technique has been developed for recognizing feature points from captured images of printed information such as characters (printed characters) and marks printed on labels, etc., and determining individual differences in the printed information based on the recognized feature points. Has been done. However, even in this case, there is a similar problem in acquiring a captured image for recognizing a feature point.

In view of the above problems, the present invention can acquire a good photographed image that can accurately recognize the feature points of the print information arranged on the curved surface of the image pickup target while reducing the cost with a simple configuration. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image pickup apparatus.

The image pickup apparatus according to the present invention is a container holding portion provided with a camera unit for photographing an image pickup target, an insertion hole for rotatably holding the inserted image pickup target, and an opening slit communicating with the insertion hole. The camera unit is characterized in that the image pickup target inserted into the insertion hole of the container holding portion is photographed through the opening of the slit.

According to the image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to acquire a good photographed image capable of accurately recognizing the feature points of the print information arranged on the curved surface of the image pickup target while reducing the cost with a simple configuration. It becomes possible to provide an image pickup device.

It is an external view of the image pickup apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the guard member of an image pickup apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the container support member and the movable member of the container holding part of an image pickup apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the suppression of blurring of an image-taking object by a movable member. It is a figure for demonstrating the optical system of the camera unit of an image pickup apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the arrangement method of the LED of the camera unit for avoiding the specular reflection light from an image pickup object. It is a figure which shows the specific example of the LED arrangement in a camera unit.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an external view of an image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1A, the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a camera unit 10, a container holding portion 20, and a camera holder stand 30. The camera unit 10 includes an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, and continuously drives the image sensor to acquire an image to be imaged at a predetermined frame rate and output the acquired image to the outside. This output is performed via a communication interface (not shown) such as USB provided in the camera unit 10. Therefore, when the camera unit 10 is connected to a device such as a personal computer (PC) having an image processing function by a communication cable such as USB, the acquired (photographed) image (photographed image) of the camera unit 10 is obtained. It can be imported into a device such as a PC as needed. The container holding unit 20 rotatably holds a container of a ethical drug such as an ampoule to be imaged. The camera holder stand 30 is fixed in a predetermined position while accommodating the camera unit 10 in a detachable manner. The container holding portion 20 is assembled at a position below the camera unit 10 fixed to the camera holder stand 30.

When photographing an image pickup target, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), in the image pickup apparatus 1, an image pickup target, for example, an ampoule 2 is set in the insertion hole 21a provided in the container support member 21 of the container holding portion 20. Insert so that the head 2a is at the beginning. In the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, not only an unused ampoule containing an injectable drug but also a used ampoule is targeted for imaging. Therefore, in the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the container holding portion 20 is provided with a guard member 23 having a communication hole 23a that communicates with the insertion hole 21a of the container support member 21.

When an unused ampoule to be imaged is inserted into the insertion hole 21a of the container support member 21, the head 2a of the ampoule 2 is outside the guard member 23 from the communication hole 23a of the guard member 23 as shown in FIG. It sticks out and is exposed to the outside. In this case, when the ampoule 2 is pushed into the insertion hole 21a, the outer edge (shoulder) portion 2b of the body portion, which has a larger diameter than the head portion 2a from the neck to the body portion, has a smaller diameter. The guard member 23 comes into contact with the communication hole 23a at a predetermined position. By this contact, the ampoule 2 is prevented from being pushed further, and the movement of the ampoule in the longitudinal direction (rotational axis direction) is stopped. In this case, the ampoule 2 is in a state in which the head portion 2a of the ampoule 2 protrudes from the communication hole 23a to the outside of the guard member 23 and is exposed to the outside in a state where the movement is stopped.

On the other hand, used ampoules usually have their heads broken and lost, and may have sharp protrusions on the neck after the breaks. In this case, the sharp protrusions can injure the fingers of the healthcare professional. Therefore, in the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, when an ampoule used as an image pickup target is inserted into the insertion hole 21a of the container support member 21, the sharp protrusion thereof extends from the communication hole 23a to the outside of the guard member 23. It is designed not to be exposed. That is, when the ampoule is pushed into the insertion hole 21a and its shoulder portion (2b) comes into contact with the communication hole 23a of the guard member 23 at a predetermined position as described above, the ampoule is in the longitudinal direction (rotational axis direction). The movement is stopped. In the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the action of the guard member 23 prevents the sharp protrusions from being exposed to the outside and prevents the occurrence of an accident.

Further, in the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to acquire a good photographed image capable of accurately recognizing the feature points of print information (printed characters, etc.) arranged on a curved surface such as the body of an ampoule to be imaged. Therefore, the container support member 21 of the container holding portion 20 that holds the image pickup target is devised as follows.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the upper part of the container support member 21 has an opening that communicates with the insertion hole 21a along the insertion direction of the image pickup target into the insertion hole 21a (direction of the rotation axis of the image pickup target). Slit 21b is formed. In the image pickup apparatus 1, the image pickup target inserted into the insertion hole 21a can be photographed by the camera unit 10 fixed above the slit 21b through the opening of the slit 21b. Further, the insertion hole 21a of the container support member 21 is provided with a movable member 22 in a lower portion thereof. As shown in FIG. 3B, the movable member 22 is the circumference of a curved surface on which the printed characters to be imaged are arranged on the upper surface portion of the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 21a. It has a concave portion 22a formed in a curved surface shape so as to match the curvature of the above. A spring (not shown) is provided on the bottom side of the movable member 22, and the movable member 22 is urged by the elastic force of this spring and operates so as to protrude upward toward the center of the insertion hole 21a. It is said that it is possible to do so. Therefore, when the image pickup target is inserted into the insertion hole 21a and rotated, the movable member 22 protrudes upward. For example, if the image pickup target is an ampoule, the curved surface of the body of the movable member 22 is the movable member 22. It is pressed against the upper inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 21a while abutting on the curved surface of the recess 22a. The ampoule is rotated by a medical worker picking a portion on the tail side of the ampoule that has not been inserted into the insertion hole 21a of the container support member 21 with his / her fingers and rotating the ampoule around its rotation axis.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the amplifier 2 to be imaged is rotated by the action of the movable member 22 as described above, the rotational operation R around the rotation axis shown in FIG. 4A is allowed. , Vertical (vertical) movement (blur) V that can occur in the main body of the ample 2 shown in FIG. 4 (b), and left-right (horizontal) blur that can occur in the main body of the ample 2 shown in FIG. 4 (c). H is suppressed. Therefore, in the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the distance between the camera unit 10 and the imaged surface I of the image pickup target (here, ampoule 2) can be kept constant, so that the image pickup device 1 is arranged on the curved surface of the image pickup target. It is possible to acquire a good photographed image that can accurately recognize the feature points of the print information.

As shown in FIG. 3B, a tapered portion 22b having a shape that expands in diameter from the back toward the insertion port side is formed at the end portion of the movable member 22 on the side that becomes the insertion port of the image pickup target. There is. When the image pickup target is inserted into the insertion hole 21a of the container support member 21, the image is taken at the boundary between the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 21a and the end portion of the movable member 22 on the side that becomes the insertion port of the image pickup target. The edge of the cut-out label attached to the target may get caught. As a result, the label may be peeled off or the image pickup target may not be inserted smoothly. In the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the tapered portion 22b is formed at the end (edge) of the movable member 22 on the side to be the insertion port so as to increase the diameter toward the insertion port side. Can be avoided from being caught in the cut-out label at the boundary portion when the insertion hole 21a is inserted into the insertion hole 21a.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the curved surface of the concave portion 22a of the movable member 22 has a plurality of convex portions 22c of point-shaped protrusions along the rotation axis direction on both sides of the rotation axis to be imaged. It is formed. In the example of FIG. 3B, one convex portion 22c is formed at each of the upper and lower positions on both sides of the rotation axis, for a total of four. When the imaging target is inserted into the insertion hole 21a and rotated, the convex portion 22c of the curved surface of the concave portion 22a abuts on the curved surface of the imaging target, so that the imaging target is compared with the case where the convex portion 22c is not formed. The contact resistance at the contact between the curved surface of the recess 22a and the curved surface of the recess 22a is significantly reduced. Therefore, in the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the image pickup target can be easily rotated with a small force.

The number and shape of the convex portions formed on the curved surface of the concave portion 22a of the movable member 22 are not limited to this. For example, the number of convex portions of the point-shaped protrusions to be formed may be three on each side of the rotation axis to be imaged, for a total of six. In this case, it is preferable to arrange the convex portions of the point-shaped protrusions on both side portions at equal intervals along the direction of the rotation axis. Further, for example, the shape of the convex portion may be a rib shape, and in this case, rib-shaped convex portions extending along the rotation axis direction are formed on both sides of the rotation axis to be imaged. It is preferable to arrange one for each.

By the way, as described above, if the label has gloss when the printed characters of the label attached to the image pickup target are photographed, the specular reflected light (regular reflected light) from the label surface is included in the photographed image. ) May cause shine. In the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the optical system of the camera unit 10 is devised as follows to acquire a good photographed image capable of accurately recognizing the feature points of the print information arranged on the curved surface of the image pickup target. It is possible.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the optical system of the camera unit 10. As shown in FIG. 5A, the camera unit 10 diffusely shapes the single focus lens 11 as an image pickup lens, the LED 12 as a light source for illumination, and the illumination light from the LED 12 as components of the optical system. A diffuser plate 13 for suppressing uneven illumination of illumination light with respect to an image pickup target is provided. The LED 12 preferably emits white light. As the diffuser plate 13, a general-purpose and low-cost diffuser plate 13 can be used. However, the diffuser plate 13 is not essential as a component of the image pickup apparatus and can be omitted.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, the camera unit 10 is provided with a diaphragm-shaped hood 14 having a diameter smaller toward the side of the image pickup target placed below the camera unit 10. The above-mentioned components of the optical system included in the camera unit 10 are covered by the hood 14. The camera unit 10 is inserted into the insertion hole 21a of the container support member 21 below the photographing window 14a as an opening formed at the tip of the hood 14 on the narrowed (reduced) side. The object can be photographed while irradiating the illumination light. On the inner wall of the hood 14, small irregularities are formed over substantially the entire wall surface in order to reflect the illumination light after diffusion shaping by the diffusion plate 13 as diffuse reflection light, and white paint (white paint) is formed therein. (Painting) is applied. The white inner wall surface on which the unevenness of the hood 14 is formed corresponds to the diffuse reflection surface of the present invention. In the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the aperture shape of the hood 14 and the white diffuse reflection surface enhance the light collection efficiency of the illumination light for the image pickup target.

Further, the tip of the hood 14 on which the photographing window 14a is formed has a flat shape around the photographing window 14a. As a result, the tip of the flat hood 14 can be brought into close contact with the upper portion of the container support member 21 arranged below the flat hood 14 in which the slit 21b is formed. In the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the camera unit 10 and the container support member 21 of the container holding portion 20 are arranged so that the opening of the photographing window 14a at the tip of the hood 14 and the opening of the slit 21b of the container support member 21 are aligned with each other. And are arranged.

Here, a method of arranging the LEDs in the camera unit will be described with reference to FIG. Note that FIG. 6 shows the configuration in the case of the old camera unit 10'which does not consider the specular reflected light due to the illumination. The basic configuration of the camera unit 10'is the same as that of the camera unit 10 of the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, but in the figure, for convenience of explanation, the LEDs and the diffuser plate excluding the single focus lens 11'are shown. Illustration is omitted. As for the arrangement method, when the LED is arranged in the range of A shown in FIG. 6, specular reflected light due to illumination is likely to occur. Then, since the curved surface of the image pickup target and the surface of the label attached to the curved surface are not necessarily a uniform flat surface, it is avoided when considering the component of the specularly reflected light from the curved surface. Do not arrange the LED within the range of B in the figure including the margin for this. Therefore, in the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the LED 12 is arranged in the range of C, which is outside the range of B in the drawing.

That is, in the image pickup apparatus 1, the LED 12 is arranged so that its light emitting surface faces the imaged surface I side to be imaged and surrounds the optical axis of the single focus lens 11 included in the camera unit 10. As shown in 7 (a), when the LED 12 is arranged and illuminated in the range B including the above margin, there is a possibility that positively reflected light from the image pickup target is generated. Therefore, in order to avoid this, in the image pickup apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 7B, the LED 12 is arranged at a position outside the range B including the margin portion (range C in FIG. 6). ing. By arranging the LED 12 as a light source for illumination in such an arrangement, in the image pickup apparatus 1, specular reflected light is generated from the label surface even when the label attached to the curved surface of the image pickup target has gloss. As a result, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of shine in the captured image.

As described above, in the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, a special illumination optical element as shown in the cited document 2 and a rotation mechanism such as a roller for rotating the image pickup target in the apparatus of the cited document 1 (therefore). (Including the control program of) etc. is not required. Further, the operation of the movable member 22 provided in the insertion hole 21a of the container support member 21 suppresses the blurring that may occur in the image pickup target main body even when the image pickup target inserted in the insertion hole 21a is rotated. That is, since the blurring is suppressed when the image pickup target is rotated, the distance between the camera unit 10 and the imaged surface I of the image pickup target can be kept constant, so that there is no blurring and the print information can be printed. It is possible to acquire a good photographed image that can accurately recognize the feature points. Then, by devising a method of arranging the LED 12 as a light source for illumination, even when the printed characters arranged on the glossy curved surface of the image pickup target are photographed while being illuminated, the photographed image may be shiny. Be avoided.

Therefore, in the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to acquire a good photographed image capable of accurately recognizing the feature points of the print information arranged on the curved surface of the image pickup target while reducing the cost with a simple configuration. ..

The diffuser plate 13 in FIG. 5 shows an example as an embodiment, and the shape, the arrangement position in the camera unit, and the number of the diffuser plates 13 are not limited to the example shown in FIG. .. That is, the shape and arrangement position of the diffuser plate and the number of the diffuser plates are appropriately designed based on the experimental results and the like so as to be suitable for suppressing the illumination unevenness of the illumination light. In that case, it is advisable to consider selecting a material suitable for suppressing uneven lighting as the material of the diffuser plate.

Further, each range of A, B, and C shown in FIG. 6 is determined by an experiment or the like.

1 Imaging device 2 Ampoule (an example of imaging target)
10 Camera unit 20 Container holder 21 Container support member 21a Insertion hole 21b Slit 22 Movable member 23 Guard member 12 LED
13 Diffusing plate 14 Hood 14a Shooting window

Claims (1)

A camera unit that shoots the image to be imaged, and
An insertion hole that rotatably holds the inserted image pickup target, and a container holding portion provided with an opening slit that communicates with the insertion hole.
Equipped with
The camera unit photographs the image pickup target inserted into the insertion hole of the container holding portion through the opening of the slit.
The container holding portion is arranged below the camera unit.
In the container holding portion, a part of the inner peripheral wall of the insertion hole is formed in the lower portion of the insertion hole, and an arc-shaped recess corresponding to the shape of the curved surface of the image pickup target is formed in the upper portion. Further formed movable members are provided,
This movable member operates so as to project toward the center of the insertion hole by the elastic force of the spring.
The upper surface of the concave portion of the movable member is characterized in that convex portions are provided along the direction of the rotation axis on both sides of the rotation axis to be imaged to be inserted into the insertion hole. Imaging device.

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