Abstract: In a system for observing the ground based on various data items measured at one or more observation points by at least one measuring instrument, the measured data items are collected in a collection center, it is determined whether at least one of the measured data items is abnormal based on expert knowledge, a re-measurement instruction is given to the measuring instrument in a case where at least one of the measured data items is abnormal, and the measured data items are edited according to contract conditions for each user to generate measurement data for users in a case where it is determines that the measuring instrument does not malfunction as a result of re-measurement. Thus, the measurement data satisfying users' demands can be generated with good quality and high reliability, based on the measurement data items obtained at one or more observation points.

Abstract: A light-and-shade inspection apparatus and method therefor include an image pick-up device for picking up an image of an object across a dimension (e.g., width) thereof to produce an image data, a projection operational portion for calculating a projection data by adding together a predetermined number of the image data, the image data being produced at each scan of the image pick-up device at a predetermined position along the width of the object, a background lightness operational portion for calculating, based on the projection data produced by the projection operational portion, a background lightness of the object across its width, and a difference operational portion for subtracting the background lightness produced by the background lightness operational portion from the image data produced by the image pick-up device, thereby substantially eliminating variations of the background lightness across the width of the object from the image data.

Abstract: A light-and-shade inspecting apparatus and method therefor, includes an image pick-up device for picking up an image of the object to output an image data, an integrated image calculating portion for dividing the image data outputted from the image pick-up device into a mesh pattern of meshes and then adding together the image data within each of the divided meshes to obtain an integrated image, a differentiated image calculating portion for performing a difference operation between each pair of meshes separated by a predetermined interval from each other with respect to their corresponding two integrated images obtained through the integrated image calculating portion, a defect detecting portion for comparing a value obtained through the differentiated image calculating portion with a predetermined value to detect as a defect portion which is partially different in luminance from the other portions on the object, an average value calculating portion for calculating an average value of the integrated image ob

Abstract: A defect integrated processing apparatus and method for performing a processing in an integrated fashion of various kinds of edfect and then detecting the accurate number, positions, sizes, etc. of the defects in detail, includes detecting light-and-shade defects based on an image data obtained by picking up an object to be inspected. Edges and minute defect on the object are detected by performing a differential processing of the image data, low contrast light-and-shade defects are detected by performing an integral processing of the image data obtained through the image pick-up device and then a differential processing of an obtained integrated image, and an integrated information of defects is obtained by performing a processing in an integrated fashion of detected defects.

Abstract: A plurality of sensing units are buried at suitable intervals in an area of ground or a snow accumulation section to be observed. Each of the sensing units includes a gyro-sensor for, when external force acts on it as a result of the displacement of the ground or the snow accumulation section, sensing impulsive acceleration from the magnitude and direction of the displacement and the inclination of the sensing unit itself, and a transmission section for transmitting the sense data by radio. A base station acquires the sense data transferred from the sensing units, processes the sense data for each measuring point in real time, determines the movement of the ground and/or the snow accumulation section, and judges a state of the ground and/or the snow accumulation section on the basis of the movement.

Abstract: A gas turbine system comprises an alarm signal calculation circuit, a shutdown calculation circuit and a flashback-error signal prevention calculation circuit. The alarm signal calculation circuit, the shutdown calculation circuit and the flashback-error signal prevention calculation circuit are integrated in a combustion monitoring device for monitoring combustion condition of combustion gas in a gas turbine-combustor.

Abstract: In a system for observing the ground based on various data items measured at one or more observation points by at least one measuring instrument, the measured data items are collected in a collection center, it is determined whether at least one of the measured data items is abnormal based on expert knowledge, a re-measurement instruction is given to the measuring instrument in a case where at least one of the measured data items is abnormal, and the measured data items are edited according to contract conditions for each user to generate measurement data for users in a case where it is determines that the measuring instrument does not malfunction as a result of re-measurement. Thus, the measurement data satisfying users' demands can be generated with good quality and high reliability, based on the measurement data items obtained at one or more observation points.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for inspecting a streak on a sheet object to be inspected are provided. The apparatus includes a micro-filtering unit for enlarging a width of defect data and an unevenness filtering unit connected to the micro-filtering unit in series, for detecting the defect data having a certain measure of width. Inputting image data, which has been taken by a line sensor camera, through an image input unit, the micro-filtering unit outputs data of a microscopic streak with low contrast to the unevenness filtering unit while enlarging the width of the streak.

Abstract: A maintenance of a suppression pool or spent fuel storage pool in a reactor primary containment vessel of a nuclear power plant includes a cleaning step of a water in the suppression pool and a decontamination step of an interior of the suppression pool, and in the maintenance, the coated film applied on an inner surface of a wall portion of the suppression pool is inspected. These cleaning, decontaminating and inspecting steps are performed by divers while maintaining a water level in the suppression pool.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus of inspecting a surface of an object article capable of precisely detecting stains or miniature defects present in the object surface. Specifically, the invention provides a method of inspecting surface irregularity of an object article having a surface of uniform or regular brightness, which comprises the steps of: gaining brightness informations for a plurality of two-dimensionally distributed pixels by taking a picture of the article surface; finding stains on the article surface in response to each information obtained in the brightness information gaining step to produce a first output; finding miniature defects smaller in size than a unit pixel in response to each information obtained in the brightness information gaining step to generate a second output; switching the first output and the second output into appropriate electrical signals in an controlled manner; and displaying the switched electrical signals on a display in a viewable condition.

Abstract: A laser maintaining and repairing apparatus including a laser oscillator 7, beam guiding apparatus 8 connected to guide a laser beam of the laser oscillator 7, and emitting head 12 for converging the laser beam from the beam guiding apparatus 8 and emitting the beam to a portion to be processed. The beam guiding apparatus 8 includes liquid-tight tubular beam guiding members 9a to 9h. The beam guiding members 9a to 9h are provided with reflecting members 13a, 13b and at least one of mechanisms 10a, 10b and 11a, 11b for providing horizontal turning, horizontal extending, vertical turning and vertical extending operations at the beam guiding members 9a to 9h. With the laser maintaining and repairing apparatus of the noted structure, a laser beam of high energy density can be utilized and processing by the laser beam can be facilitated or the applying range can be increased.

Abstract: In a contact lens visual inspection method and apparatus, a contact lens insertion portion of a container is first imaged by an image pickup device and then an area which locates on the container and is unnecessary for the visual inspection of a contact lens is extracted from the image of the contact lens insertion portion to form a mask image. Thereafter, a system containing the contact lens insertion portion of the container, the preservation liquid filled in the contact lens insertion portion and the contact lens placed in the contact lens insertion portion is imaged as an inspection object by the imaging device to obtain an inspection object image, the inspection object image is overlapped with the mask image, and the mask image is subtracted from the inspection object image to set as a visual inspection area the area corresponding to a subtracting image obtained by said subtracting step. The defects of the contact lens such as soil, foreign matter, scratch, breakage, peripheral damage, etc.

Abstract: A plurality of sensing units are buried at suitable intervals in an area of ground or a snow accumulation section to be observed. Each of the sensing units includes a gyro-sensor for, when external force acts on it as a result of the displacement of the ground or the snow accumulation section, sensing impulsive acceleration from the magnitude and direction of the displacement and the inclination of the sensing unit itself, and a transmission section for transmitting the sense data by radio. A base station acquires the sense data transferred from the sensing units, processes the sense data for each measuring point in real time, determines the movement of the ground and/or the snow accumulation section, and judges a state of the ground and/or the snow accumulation section on the basis of the movement.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus of inspecting a surface of an object article capable of precisely detecting strains or miniature defects present in the object surface. Specifically, the invention provides a method of inspecting surface irregularity of an object article having a surface of uniform or regular brightness, which comprises the steps of: gaining brightness information for a plurality of two-dimensionally distributed pixels by taking a picture of the article surface; finding stains on the article surface in response to each information obtained in the brightness information gaining step to produce a first output; finding miniature defects smaller in size than a unit pixel in response to each information obtained in the brightness information gaining step to generate a second output; switching the first output and the second output into appropriate electrical signals in an controlled manner; and displaying the switched electrical signals on a display in a viewable condition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus of inspecting a surface of an object article capable of precisely detecting stains or miniature defects present in the object surface. Specifically, the invention provides a method of inspecting surface irregularity of an object article having a surface of uniform or regular brightness, which comprises the steps of: gaining brightness informations for a plurality of two-dimensionally distributed pixels by taking a picture of the article surface; finding stains on the article surface in response to each information obtained in the brightness information gaining step to produce a first output; finding miniature defects smaller in size than a unit pixel in response to each information obtained in the brightness information gaining step to generate a second output; switching the first output and the second output into appropriate electrical signals in an controlled manner; and displaying the switched electrical signals on a display in a viewable condition.

Abstract: To exercise control so that, when power is restored in the case of there having been a prower cut, the motor does not run simultaneously with other devices which reqire large amounts of power when starting to run. This invention there is provided improved freezer control unit, which exercise to ccntrol by providing power cut detector 10, which detects that the power source which drives freezer 5 has undergone a power cut, and stopping the signal of signal holding circuit 4, which outputs the `Run` signal, by the signal of this power cut detector 10 when a power cut occurs so that freezer 5 does not restart automatically when power is restored.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically inspecting abnormalities in the external surface of cylindrical objects. The apparatus inspects the appearance of a cylindrical object using image processing. The apparatus includes a transporter and a CCD camera. The transporter rotates the cylindrical object about an axis of the cylindrical object. The CCD camera picks up images showing the appearance of the inspected cylindrical object. The images include picture elements, and each picture element has a corresponding luminance. The apparatus further includes a controller. The controller generates at least one masking window to mask at least one predetermined portion of at least one image; generates at least one luminance sum for each image by adding, for each image, the luminance of a predetermined number of picture elements in unmasked portions of the image; compares each luminance sum to a predetermined threshold; and judges whether the cylindrical object includes a defect based on a result of each comparison.