CLAIMS
A particle measuring device comprising:
a stage on which a transparent substrate having an opaque fine particle sprayed
5 thereon is placed or the fine particle is directly sprayed;
a reflected light illuminating device that is disposed on a placement face side of
the stage and emits first light having a predetermined device light emitting face
luminance toward the stage;
a transmitted light illuminating device that is disposed on a side of the stage that
10 is opposite to the placement face and emits second light having predetermined device
light emitting face luminance toward the stage;
an illumination control device that individually controls the device light emitting
face luminance of the first light and the device light emitting face luminance of the
second light;
15 an imaging device that includes a transmitted light image generating unit that
generates a transmitted light image acquired by imaging the fine particle in a state being
controlled by the illumination control device such that the device light emitting face
luminance of the second light is predetermined luminance other than zero, and the device
light emitting face luminance of the first light is zero and a reflected light image
20 generating unit that generates a reflected light image acquired by imaging the fine
particle in a state being controlled by the illumination control device such that the device
light emitting face luminance of the second light is predetermined luminance set in
more conditions and the device light emitting face
uminance of the first light is predetermined luminance other than zero, and is disposed
the placement face side with respect to the stage; and
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an image processing device that , by comparing positions and sizes of one, two,
or more transmitted light particles that are identified as candidates for a captured image
of the fine particle within the transmitted light image and positions and sizes of one, two,
or more reflected light particles that are identified as candidates for a captured image of
5 the fine particle within the reflected light image, associates the transmitted light particle
and the reflected light particle having a difference between the positions and the sizes
within a predetermined range, calculates the position and the size of the transmitted light
particle as a position and a size of the fine particle, and calculates a representative
brightness level of the reflected light particles or the transmitted light particles as a
10 brightness level of the fine particle, based on a result of the association.
2. The particle measuring device according to claim 1,
wherein the image processing device includes:
a transmitted light particle detecting unit that specifies a pixel area in which
15 pixels having brightness levels lower than a predetermined brightness level are
aggregated in pixel coordinates of the transmitted light image as an area in which the
transmitted light particle is present based on an image brightness distribution that is
acquired by binarizing the transmitted light image using a predetermined brightness
threshold value and detects position coordinates of a pixel within the area in which the
20 transmitted light particle is present;
a transmitted light particle information calculating unit that calculates at least the
eflected light particle detecting unit that specifies a pixel area in which pixels
25 each having a brightness level differe
ansm :ed light particle based on a detection result of the
ransmitted light particle detecting uni
ce from a peripheral pixel that is a predetermined
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value or more are aggregated in pixel coordinates of the reflected light image as an area
in which the reflected light particle is present based on a brightness distribution of the
reflected light image and detects position coordinates of a pixel within the area in which
the reflected light particle is present;
5 a reflected light particle information calculating unit that calculates at least the
position and the size of the reflected light particle based on a detection result acquired by
the reflected light particle detecting unit;
an association processing unit that compares the position and the size of the
reflected light particle with the positions and the sizes of all the transmitted light particles
10 based on a. calculation result of the transmitted light particle information calculating unit
and a calculation result of the reflected light particle information calculating unit,
associates the transmitted light particle and the reflected light particle having differences
in the position and the size that are within predetermined ranges with each other, and
exclude the reflected light particle that is not associated with any one of the transmitted
15 light particles from a candidate for a captured image of the fine particle; and
a particle information calculating unit that calculates the position and the size of
the transmitted light particle as the position and the size of the fine particle, calculates the
representative brightness level of the reflected light particle that is associated with the
transmitted light particle as a brightness level of the fine particle, and calculates the
20 brightness level of the transmitted light particle that is not associated with any one of the
reflected light particles as a predetermined brightness level.
3. The particle measuring device according to claim 2,
wherein the reflected light image generating unit generates the reflected light
25 image in a state in which the device light emitting face luminance of the second light is
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set by the illumination control device such that the brightness level of a background of
the reflected light particle on the reflected light image is higher than a brightness
threshold value used for identifying a level of the brightness of a particle,
wherein the reflected light particle detecting unit specifies a pixel area in which
5 pixels having brightness levels lower than a predetermined brightness level are
aggregated in the pixel coordinates of the reflected light image as an area in which the
reflected light particle is present based on a brightness distribution of an image that is
acquired by binarizing the reflected light image using a brightness threshold value used
for identifying the level of the brightness of the particle and detects position coordinates
10 of the pixel located within the area in which the reflected light particle is present, and
wherein the particle information calculating unit identifies the fine particle
corresponding to the transmitted light particle that is associated with the reflected light
particle as a dark-color particle having a brightness lower than a brightness threshold
value used for identifying the level of brightness of the particle and identifies the fine
15 particle corresponding to the transmitted light particle that is not associated with any
reflected particle as a bright-color particle having a brightness level higher than the
brightness threshold value used for identifying the level of the brightness of the particle.
4. The particle measuring device according to claim 2,
20 wherein the reflected light image generating unit generates the reflected light
image in a state in which the device light emitting face luminance of the second light is
set by the illumination control device such that the brightness level of a background of
cle on the reflected light image is lower than a brightness
value used for identifying a level of the brightness of a particle,
the reflected light particle detecting unit specifies a pixel area in which
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pixels having brightness levels higher than a predetermined brightness level are
aggregated in the pixel coordinates of the reflected light image as an area in which the
reflected light particle is present based on a brightness distribution of an image that is
acquired by binarizing the reflected light image using the brightness threshold value used
5 for identifying the level of the brightness of the particle and detects position coordinates
of the pixel located within the area in which the reflected light particle is present, and
wherein the particle information calculating unit identifies the fine particle
corresponding to the transmitted light particle that is associated with the reflected light
particle as a bright-color particle having a brightness higher than the brightness threshold
10 value used for identifying the level of brightness of the particle and identifies the fine
particle corresponding to the transmitted light particle that is not associated with any
reflected particle as a dark-color particle having a brightness level lower than the
brightness threshold value used for identifying the level of the brightness of the particle.
15 5. The particle measuring device according to claim 2,
wherein the reflected light image generating unit generates a dark-background
reflected light image that is acquired by imaging the fine particle in a state in which the
device light emitting face luminance of the second light is set by the illumination control
device such that the brightness level of a background of the reflected light particle on the
20 reflected light image is lower than a first brightness threshold value used for identifying a
level of the brightness of a particle,
wherein the reflected light image generating unit generates a bright-background
reflected light image that is acquired by imaging the fine particle in a state in which the
device light emitting face luminance of the second light is set by the illumination control
25 device such that the brightness level of a background of the reflected light particle on the
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reflected light image is higher than a second brightness threshold value, which is a
brightness threshold value lower than the first brightness threshold value, used for
identifying the level of the brightness of the particle,
wherein the reflected light particle detecting unit specifies a pixel area in which
5 pixels having high brightness levels are aggregated in the pixel coordinates of the
reflected light image as an area in which the reflected light particle is present based on a
brightness distribution of an image that is acquired by binarizing the dark-background
reflected light image using the first brightness threshold value and detects position
coordinates of the pixel located within the area in which the reflected light particle is
10 present,
wherein the reflected light particle detecting unit specifies a pixel area in which
pixels having low brightness levels are aggregated in the pixel coordinates of the
reflected light image as an area in which the reflected light particle is present based on a
brightness distribution of an image that is acquired by binarizing the bright-background
15 reflected light image using the second brightness threshold value and detects position
coordinates of the pixel located within the area in which the reflected light particle is
present, and
wherein the particle information calculating unit identifies the fine particle
corresponding to the transmitted light particle that is associated with the reflected light
20 particle that is present within the dark-background reflected light image as a bright-color
particle having a brightness level higher than the first brightness threshold value,
identifies the fine particle corresponding to the transmitted light particle that is associated
with the reflected light particle that is present within the bright-background reflected
light image as a dark-color particle having a brightness level lower than the second
brightness threshold value, and identifies the fine particle corresponding to the
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transmitted light particle that is not associated with any of the reflected light particles as
an intermediate-color particle having an intermediate brightness level between the bright
color particle and the dark color particle.
5 6. The particle measuring device according to claim 2,
wherein the reflected light image generating unit generates a dark-background
reflected light image that is acquired by imaging the fine particle in a state in which the
device light emitting face luminance of the second light is set by the illumination control
device such that the brightness level of a background of the reflected light particle on the
10 reflected light image is lower than a first brightness threshold value used for identifying a
level of the brightness of a particle,
wherein the reflected light image generating unit generates a bright-background
reflected light image that is acquired by imaging the fine particle in a state in which the
device light emitting face luminance of the second light is set by the illumination control
15 device such that the brightness level of a background of'the reflected light particle on the
reflected light image is higher than a second brightness threshold value, which is a
brightness threshold value higher than the first brightness threshold value,
wherein the reflected light particle detecting unit specifies a pixel area in which
pixels having brightness levels higher than a predetermined brightness level are
20 aggregated in the pixel coordinates of the reflected light image as an area in which the
reflected light particle is present based on a brightness distribution of an image that is
acquired by binarizing the dark-background reflected light image using the first
brightness threshold value and detects position coordinates of the pixel located within the
area in which the reflected light particle is present,
cle detecting unit specifies a pixel area in which
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pixels having brightness levels lower than a predetermined brightness level are
aggregated in the pixel coordinates of the reflected light image as an area in which the
reflected light particle is present based on a brightness distribution of an image that is
acquired by binarizing the bright-background reflected light image using the second
5 brightness threshold value and detects position coordinates of the pixel , located within the
area in which the reflected light particle is present, and
wherein the particle information calculating unit sets the fine particle
corresponding to the transmitted light particle that is associated with the reflected light
particle that is present within the dark-background reflected light image as a candidate
10 for a bright-color particle having a brightness level higher than the first brightness
threshold value, sets the fine particle corresponding to the transmitted light particle that is
associated with the reflected light particle that is present within the bright-background
reflected light image as a candidate for a dark -color particle having a brightness level
lower than the second brightness threshold value, identifies the fine particle
15 corresponding to the transmitted light particle that is associated with both the reflected
light particles that is present within the dark-background reflected light image and the
reflected light particle that is present within the bright -background reflected light image
as an intermediate-color particle having an intermediate brightness level between the
bright-color particle and the dark-color particle, identifies the candidates for the
20 bright-color particle that is not identified as the intermediate-color particle as the
bright-color particle, and identifies the candidates for the dark-color particle that are not
identified as the intermediate-color particle as the dark-color particle.
7. The particle measuring device according to claim 2,
25 wherein the illumination control device, in a case where the brightness level of
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the reflected particle on the reflected light image is higher than a brightness threshold
value used for identifying the level of the brightness of the particle, and N is a natural
number, can set first device light emitting face luminance to N-th device light emitting
face luminance of which the brightness levels satisfy "first brightness level < second
5 brightness level < ... < N-the brightness level" to the second light,
wherein the reflected light image generating unit generates first to N-th reflected
light images in a state in which the device light emitting face luminance of the second
light is set to the first device light emitting face luminance to the N-th device light
emitting face luminance,
10 wherein the reflected light particle detecting unit, based on a brightness
distribution of an image that is acquired by binarizing the first to N-th reflected light
images using a brightness threshold value used for identifying a level of the brightness of
the particle, specifies a pixel area in which pixels having brightness levels lower than a
predetermined brightness level are aggregated in the pixel coordinates of the first to N-th
15 reflected light images as an area in which the reflected light particle is present and detects
position coordinates of pixels present within the area in which the reflected light particle
is present,
wherein, when n = 1 to N, the association processing unit compares a position
and a size of the reflected light particle detected in the n-th reflected light image with the
20 position and the size of the transmitted light particle (in the case of n = 1, all the
transmitted light particles) that is not associated with the reflected light particle detected
in the (n-1)-th or a prior reflected light image and associates the transmitted light particle
cle having differences in the position and the size are within
herein the particle information calculating unit identifies the brightness level
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of the fine particle corresponding to the transmitted light particle that is associated with
the reflected light particle that is present within the first to N-th reflected light images as
first to N-th brightness levels (first brightness level < second brightness level < ••• < N-th
brightness level) and identifies the fine particle corresponding to the transmitted light
particle that is not associated with any reflected light particle as a particle having a
highest brightness level.
8. The particle measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
wherein the fine particle is a falling dust that is originated from an iron manufacturing
10 plant according to a blast furnace method.
9. The particle measuring device according to any one of claims 2 to 7,
wherein the transmitted light particle information calculating unit additionally
calculates a diameter of the transmitted light particle, and
15 wherein the particle information calculating unit additionally calculates the
diameter of the transmitted light particle as a particle diameter of the fine particle.
10. A method of measuring a position, a size, and a brightness level of a fine
particle by using a particle measuring device including:
20 a stage on which a transparent substrate having an opaque fine particle sprayed
thereon is placed or the fine particle is directly sprayed;
an imaging device that is disposed on a placement face side of the stage and
images the fine particle;
a reflected light illuminating device that is disposed on a placement face side of
25 the stage and emits first light having predetermined device light emitting face luminance
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toward the stage; and
a transmitted light illuminating device that is disposed on a side of the stage that
is opposite to the placement face and emits second light having predetermined device
light emitting face luminance toward the stage, the method comprising:
5 generating a transmitted light image acquired by imaging the fine particle using
the imaging device in a state in which the device light emitting face luminance of the
second light is predetermined luminance other than zero, and the device light emitting
face luminance of the first light is zero;
generating a reflected light image acquired by imaging the fine particle using the
10 imaging device in a state in which the device light emitting face luminance of the second
light is predetermined luminance set in accordance with one or more conditions, and the
device light emitting face luminance of the first light is predetermined luminance other
than zero; and
image processing by associating the transmitted light particle and the reflected
15 light particle having a difference between the positions and the sizes within a
predetermined range, by comparing positions and sizes of one, two, or more transmitted
light particles that are identified as candidates for a captured image of the fine particle
within the transmitted light image and positions and sizes of one, two, or more reflected
light particles that are identified as candidates for a captured image of the fine particle
20 within the reflected light image, calculating the position and the size of the transmitted
light particle as a position and a size of the fine particle, and calculating a representative
brightness level of the reflected light particles or the transmitted light particles as a
brightness level of the fine particle, based on a result of the association.
11. The particle measuring method according to claim 10, wherein the fine
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particle is a falling dust that is originated from an iron manufacturing plan according to a
blast furnace method.