Drug inspection assistance device, drug identification device, image processing device, image processing method, and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020151490-A1
Application number	US-202016744661-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 16, 2020
Priority date	Aug 22, 2017
Publication date	May 14, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A image processing device which can reduce information such as a pattern, a scar and the like on a surface of a drug which are other than an engraved mark, to accurately extract the engraved mark. The image processing device includes: an obtaining unit configured to obtain a plurality of images of a drug having an engraved mark on a surface of the drug, with emitting directions of light to the surface different from each other; an edge image generating unit configured to apply respectively to the plurality of images, edge extracting filters in directions in conformity with the emitting directions, the edge extracting filters having a size in conformity with a width of a groove of the engraved mark, and generate a plurality of edge images; and an image composing unit configured to compose the plurality of edge images and generate a composite image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image processing device, comprising:
an obtaining unit configured to obtain a plurality of images of a drug having an engraved mark on a surface of the drug, with emitting directions of light to the surface different from each other; an edge image generating unit configured to apply respectively to the plurality of images, edge extracting filters in directions in conformity with the emitting directions, the edge extracting filters having a size in conformity with a width of a groove of the engraved mark, and generate a plurality of edge images; and an image composing unit configured to compose the plurality of edge images and generate a composite image.

2 . The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the edge image generating unit applies the edge extracting filters having a larger size than half the width of the groove of the engraved mark, to generate the plurality of edge images.

3 . The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the directions in conformity with the emitting directions include a direction of an emitting direction in plan view of the surface.

4 . The image processing device according to claim 3 , wherein the directions in conformity with the emitting directions include a direction inclined by 45 degrees from the direction of the emitting direction in plan view of the surface, and a direction inclined by −45 degrees from the direction of the emitting direction in plan view of the surface.

5 . The image processing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the obtaining unit obtains four images of the drug, with the emitting directions of light to the surface being a first direction, a second direction, a third direction and a fourth direction, and the second direction is a direction opposite to the first direction in plan view of the surface, the third direction is a direction orthogonal to the first direction in plan view of the surface, and the fourth direction is a direction opposite to the third direction in plan view of the surface.

6 . A drug identification device, comprising:
a stage configured to place a drug thereon, the drug having an engraved mark on a surface of the drug; an irradiating unit configured to include a plurality of light sources with emitting directions of light to the surface different from each other; an imaging unit configured to obtain a plurality of images taken by imaging the drug with the surface irradiated with light by the light sources; an edge image generating unit configured to apply respectively to the plurality of images, edge extracting filters in directions in conformity with the emitting directions, the edge extracting filters having a size in conformity with a width of a groove of the engraved mark, and generate a plurality of edge images; and an image composing unit configured to compose the plurality of edge images and generate a composite image.

7 . The drug identification device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the irradiating unit comprises a first light source configured to emit light in a first direction, a second light source configured to emit light in a second direction, a third light source configured to emit light in a third direction, and a fourth light source configured to emit light in a fourth direction, and the second direction is a direction opposite to the first direction in plan view of the surface, the third direction is a direction orthogonal to the first direction in plan view of the surface, and the fourth direction is a direction opposite to the third direction in plan view of the surface.

8 . The drug identification device according to claim 7 ,
wherein the irradiating unit comprises a fifth light source configured to emit light in a fifth direction, a sixth light source configured to emit light in a sixth direction, a seventh light source configured to emit light in a seventh direction, and an eighth light source configured to emit light in an eighth direction, the sixth direction is a direction opposite to the fifth direction in plan view of the surface, the seventh direction is a direction orthogonal to the fifth direction in plan view of the surface and the eighth direction is a direction opposite to the seventh direction in plan view of the surface, the stage is made of a material having a light transparency, the first light source, the second light source, the third light source and the fourth light source are disposed on one surface side of the stage, and the fifth light source, the sixth light source, the seventh light source and the eighth light source are disposed on another surface side of the stage, the another surface side being different from the one surface side.

9 . An image processing method, comprising:
an obtaining step of obtaining a plurality of images of a drug having an engraved mark on a surface of the drug, with emitting directions of light to the surface different from each other; an edge image generating step of applying respectively to the plurality of images, edge extracting filters in directions in conformity with the emitting directions, the edge extracting filters having a size in conformity with a width of a groove of the engraved mark, to generate a plurality of edge images; and an image composing step of composing the plurality of edge images to generate a composite image.

10 . A non-transitory and computer-readable recording medium wherein when an instruction stored in the recording medium is read by a computer, the instruction causes the computer to execute:
an obtaining function of obtaining a plurality of images of a drug having an engraved mark on a surface of the drug, with emitting directions of light to the surface different from each other; an edge image generating function of respectively applying to the plurality of images, edge extracting filters in directions in conformity with the emitting directions, the edge extracting filters having a size in conformity with a width of a groove of the engraved mark, to generate a plurality of edge images; and an image composing function of composing the plurality of edge images to generate a composite image.

11 . An drug inspection assistance device which inspects a drug, comprising:
a drug discriminating unit configured to collate drug master images of drugs from a drug database including drug master images, with taken images obtained by imaging drugs to be inspected, and discriminate which drugs the drugs present in the taken images are; and a list creating unit configured to create a list table of the drugs to be inspected, the list table representing drug master images of the drugs and drug area images discriminated to correspond to respective drugs in the taken images, with positions of the drug master images being aligned to positions of the drug area images, and engraved mark portions or printed character portions being enhanced.

12 . An drug inspection assistance method, comprising:
a drug discriminating step of collating drug master images of drugs from a drug database including drug master images, with taken images obtained by imaging drugs to be inspected, and discriminating which drugs the drugs present in the taken images are; and a list creating step of creating a list table of the drugs to be inspected, the list table representing drug master images of the drugs and drug area images discriminated to correspond to respective drugs in the taken images, with positions of the drug master images being aligned to positions of the drug area images, and engraved mark portions or printed character portions being enhanced.

13 . An drug inspection assistance method according to claim

Assignees

• Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co Ltd

Inventors

• Iwami Kazuchika

Classifications

• G16H70/40

  relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage · CPC title

• A61J3/007

  Marking tablets or the like (apparatus for printing on tablets or the like B41F17/36) · CPC title

• G06T2207/20221

  Image fusion; Image merging · CPC title

• G06T7/13

  Edge detection · CPC title

• G06T5/50

  using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction · CPC title