Abstract: Provided is an X-ray tube capable of obtaining a clear X-ray image by reducing unnecessary X-rays radiated from a holder shaft. The X-ray tube includes an electron source 12 for generating an electron beam B, an anode 13 for accelerating the electron beam B and having a hole 13a allowing the electron beam B to pass through, a cylindrical holder shaft 14 forming a passage for allowing the electron beam B to pass through a hole 13a of the anode 13, a magnetic lens 17 arranged around the holder shaft 14 and configured to converge the electron beam B, a target holder 15 connected to the holder shaft 14, a target 16 arranged in the target holder 15 so that the electron beam B collides with the target 16, and an irradiation window 15b arranged in the target holder 15 and configured to extract X-rays generated from the target 15 to the outside. The inner wall of the holder shaft 14 is made of a carbon material to reduce X-rays generated when the electron beam B hits the holder shaft 14.

Abstract: Provided is an X-ray tube capable of obtaining a clear X-ray image by reducing unnecessary X-rays radiated from a holder shaft. The X-ray tube includes an electron source 12 for generating an electron beam B, an anode 13 for accelerating the electron beam B and having a hole 13a allowing the electron beam B to pass through, a cylindrical holder shaft 14 forming a passage for allowing the electron beam B to pass through a hole 13a of the anode 13, a magnetic lens 17 arranged around the holder shaft 14 and configured to converge the electron beam B, a target holder 15 connected to the holder shaft 14, a target 16 arranged in the target holder 15 so that the electron beam B collides with the target 16, and an irradiation window 15b arranged in the target holder 15 and configured to extract X-rays generated from the target 15 to the outside. The inner wall of the holder shaft 14 is made of a carbon material to reduce X-rays generated when the electron beam B hits the holder shaft 14.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording image data of an inspection object and inspection data corresponding to inspection results outputted at their own respective timings from an inspection apparatus which judges quality by an image recognition process is equipped with a temporary storage portion for temporarily storing the image data and the inspection data, a storage device, and a control portion for synchronizing the image data and the inspection data and storing the synchronized image data and inspection data in the storage device based on relative position data from a prescribed signal sent from the inspection apparatus, wherein the control portion accesses the temporary storage portion to acquire previous data for at least the prescribed signal.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording image data of an inspection object and inspection data corresponding to inspection results outputted at their own respective timings from an inspection apparatus which judges quality by an image recognition process is equipped with a temporary storage portion for temporarily storing the image data and the inspection data, a storage device, and a control portion for synchronizing the image data and the inspection data and storing the synchronized image data and inspection data in the storage device based on relative position data from a prescribed signal sent from the inspection apparatus, wherein the control portion accesses the temporary storage portion to acquire previous data for at least the prescribed signal.

Abstract: An improved image pickup device or method and an improved image processing device or method which directly projects a region specifying image on an object to specify and focus the object within a predetermined region without employing any image display unit so as to take an image of the object and judge the quality of the taken image. An image pickup device (2) includes an image pickup means (22) for taking an image of an object (1) which is focused through a lens (21), and a projecting means (25) for projecting an image (27p) of a predetermined shape on the object. An image processing device (4) compares the image taken by the image pickup device (2) with a predetermined image stored beforehand to produce a result of such comparison.

Abstract: A picture processing system capable of processing a high resolution picture by a conventional picture processor, in which a picture converter is interposed between a camera producing a high resolution picture and a picture processor processing a general purpose picture signal, the picture processor applies coordinates (Xs, Ys) of a specific picture element and sampling intervals about picture element in X and Y axial directions to the picture converter upon the entry of the high resolution picture produced by the camera to the picture converter, the picture converter receives synchronizing signals and a horizontal blanking signal which are produced in the picture processor and subsequently extracts a predetermined picture element data based on the designated data in accordance with the timing of respective signals, and the extracted picture element data is converted to analog general purpose picture signal for application to the picture processor, which is processed by a conventional picture processing method

Abstract: An image obtained by imaging an object having a solid shape, such as that of a circular column or prism, develops a distribution in brightness since the angle of each portion of the surface of the object with respect to a lighting device and image pick-up device differs depending upon the location. The distribution of brightness is substantially uniform along the longitudinal direction of the object but varies transversely of the object. One line is designated on the captured image of the object in a direction that cuts across the object, and the distribution of brightness on this line is obtained. A two-dimensional shading pattern is obtained by expanding this brightness distribution in the longitudinal direction of the object. The shading pattern represents the distribution of the brightness in the image of the surface of the object.

Abstract: Input image data representing the image of a subject imaged by a video camera is applied from an A/D converter circuit 11 to a dither-image generating circuit 13, in which the image data is binarized in accordance with the error diffusion method, whereby dither image data represented by one bit per pixel is obtained. A plurality of small areas each comprising a plurality of pixels are set within a window caused to scan the dither image, and the dither image data is summed in each and every small area by an image restoration circuit 14, whereby gray-level image data, in which each small area serves as one pixel, is restored. A difference or correlation value between the restored image data and text data set in advance with regard to a standard image is calculated, for the window at each and every position, by an arithmetic circuit 15.

Abstract: Input image data representing the image of a subject imaged by a video camera 9 is applied from an A/D converter circuit 11 to a dither-image generating circuit 13, in which the image data is binarized in accordance with the error diffusion method, whereby dither image data represented by one bit per pixel is obtained. A plurality of small areas each comprising a plurality of pixels are set within a window caused to scan the dither image, and the dither image data is summed in each and every small area by an image restoration circuit 14, whereby gray-level image data, in which each small area serves as one pixel, is restored. Difference or correlation values between the restored image data and text data set in advance with regard to standard images which are different from one another are calculated, for the window at each and every position, by arithmetic circuits 15a.about.15k.

Abstract: The position and orientation of a geometric figure are detected by sequentially producing the coordinates with respect to an orthogonal coordinate system of pixels which make up an image of the geometric figure, by singling out from these sequentially produced coordinates of these pixels the coordinates of certain characteristic pixels of these pixels which make up an image of the geometric figure, and by comparing these coordinates of these certain characteristic pixels with stored information.

Abstract: A pattern outline tracking system provides the functions that include scanning an object to be recognized and providing a series of analog video signals, comparing a video signal level with the specific, variable threshold level and providing a binary signal consisting of a sequence of serial bits, holding the binary signal bits as the input image pattern in an image memory, deriving partial patterns sequentially from the serial binary signal bits, each of the partial patterns consisting of a matrix of vertical and horizontal lines each containing specific numbers of pixels, matching the partial patterns against the corresponding reference patterns containing the previously defined starting points to be tracked, holding the address in the image memory for the certain pixel within the partial pattern identified in the matching step as the possible point address for the tracking operation, and tracking the outline of the input image pattern on the image memory in accordance with the possible point address.

Abstract: A digital control color illumination system is disclosed for use in a visual system of an industrial robot or the like. This system comprises: image memories to store the color data regarding illumination patterns of three primary colors of red, green, and blue; video signal producing circuits each for reading out the data from the image memory and converting it to the video signal indicative of the illumination pattern; video projectors each for projecting the light of the illumination pattern represented by the video signal onto an object to be illuminated; and a color TV camera to pick up the object image. The image data picked up is processed by a computer system to produce the data which is stored into the image memories. With this illumination system, the scanning of the illumination patterns, and the change, adjustment, storage, and the like of the illumination patterns can be executed by software in accordance with programs preliminarily stored in the program memory in the computer system.