BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a medicine inspection assistance device, an image processing device, an image processing method, and a program, and in particular, to a medicine inspection assistance device, an image processing device, an image processing method, and a program that identify a kind of a medicine from an image obtained by imaging the medicine.

2. Description of the Related Art

Medicines have information for identifying the medicines added thereon. By reading the identification information, the kind of a medicine can be identified. Methods of adding the identification information include medicines having engraved marks and medicines having printed characters.

Japan Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-232483 (hereinafter referred to as “PTL 1”) describes a technique that uses photometric stereo to create a contour extraction image representing a height in grayscale (luminance) in an image, thereby inspects a scar and a printed character. According to the technique of PTL 1, it is possible to achieve image inspection that is hardly affected by an inclination of a workpiece or illumination and is robust against an environment.

CITATION LIST

PTL 1: Japan Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-232483

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Characters or the like printed on a surface of a medicine have no convexoconcave on the surface. Accordingly, in a case where a contour extraction image is generated as in the device described in PTL 1, printed information cannot be recognized. In addition, it is left unknown whether the identification information has been added to a collation target medicine by mark engraving or added by character printing.

Accordingly, there is a problem in that it is unknown which image processing is preferable for a taken image.

The present invention has been made in view of such situations, and aims to provide a medicine inspection assistance device, an image processing device, an image processing method and a program that appropriately recognize identification information irrespective of whether the identification information is an engraved mark or a printed character.

To achieve the above object, an aspect of an image processing device includes: a master image obtaining unit configured to obtain a master image of a medicine to be dispensed based on prescription information; a taken image obtaining unit configured to obtain a plurality of taken images of a dispensed medicine, with emitting directions of light to a surface of the medicine different from each other; a first image processing unit configured to perform a process of enhancing an engraved mark portion of the medicine, based on at least one taken image among the taken images, and generate a first enhanced image; a second image processing unit configured to perform a process of enhancing a printed character portion of the medicine, based on the at least one taken image among the taken images, and generate a second enhanced image; an image integrating unit configured to integrate the first enhanced image and the second enhanced image with each other, and generate an integrated image; and a determining unit configured to collate the generated integrated image with the master image, and determine whether the medicine to be dispensed is identical to the dispensed medicine or not.

According to this aspect, the taken images of the dispensed medicine in which the light illumination directions to the surface are different from each other are obtained, the first enhanced image generated by performing the process of enhancing the engraved mark portion of the medicine is integrated with the second enhanced image generated by performing the process of enhancing the printed character portion of the medicine to generate the integrated image, and the integrated image is collated with the master image to determine whether the medicine to be dispensed is identical to the dispensed medicine or not. Accordingly, the identification information can be appropriately recognized irrespective of whether the identification information is an engraved mark or a printed character.

Preferably, the first image processing unit performs a process of increasing a luminance value at the engraved mark portion of the medicine, the second image processing unit performs a process of increasing a luminance value at the printed character portion of the medicine, and the image integrating unit compares the luminance value of the first enhanced image and the luminance value of the second enhanced image at corresponding positions with each other, and adopts the luminance value of a higher luminance. Accordingly, the integrated image can be appropriately generated.

Preferably, the first image processing unit performs a process of reducing a luminance value at the engraved mark portion of the medicine, the second image processing unit performs a process of reducing a luminance value at the printed character portion of the medicine, and the image integrating unit compares the luminance value of the first enhanced image and the luminance value of the second enhanced image at corresponding positions with each other, and adopts the luminance value of a lower luminance. In such a mode, the integrated image can be appropriately generated.

Preferably, a medicine detecting unit configured to detect an area where the medicine is imaged, from each of the taken images, is provided, and the first image processing unit and the second image processing unit perform the processes for the detected area. Accordingly, the areas to be processed can be limited, which can reduce the time required to the processes.

Preferably, the taken image obtaining unit obtains three or more taken images, and the first image processing unit generates the first enhanced image, based on the three or more taken images. Accordingly, the engraved mark portion of the medicine can be appropriately enhanced.

Preferably, the first image processing unit obtains three-dimensional information on the surface of the medicine by photometric stereo, and generates the first enhanced image. Accordingly, the engraved mark portion of the medicine can be appropriately enhanced.

Preferably, the second image processing unit performs at least one of a smoothing process, a sharpening process and an edge detecting process, and generates the second enhanced image. Accordingly, the printed character portion of the medicine can be appropriately enhanced.

Preferably, a similarity calculating unit configured to calculate a similarity indicating a degree at which the integrated image is similar to the master image, is provided, and the determining unit determines whether the medicine to be dispensed is identical to the dispensed medicine or not, based on the similarity. Accordingly, it can be appropriately determined whether the medicine to be dispensed is identical to the dispensed medicine or not.

Preferably, the similarity calculating unit calculates similarities between a plurality of the integrated images and a plurality of the master images, and the determining unit determines that the medicine to be dispensed is identical to the dispensed medicine, for a combination of the integrated image and the master image with a highest similarity. Accordingly, it can be appropriately determined whether the medicine to be dispensed is identical to the dispensed medicine or not.

To achieve the above object, an aspect of a medicine inspection assistance device includes: a prescription information obtaining unit configured to obtain prescription information; a master image obtaining unit configured to obtain a master image of a medicine to be dispensed, based on the prescription information; an illuminating unit configured to include a plurality of light sources that irradiate a surface of a dispensed medicine with light in a plurality of illumination directions different from each other; an imaging unit configured to image the medicine; an imaging control unit configured to control the illuminating unit and the imaging unit, and obtain a plurality of taken images of the medicine, with illumination directions of light to the medicine different from each other; a first image processing unit configured to perform a process of enhancing an engraved mark portion of the medicine, based on at least one taken image among the taken images, and generate a first enhanced image; a second image processing unit configured to perform a process of enhancing a printed character portion of the medicine, based on at the least one taken image among the taken images, and generate a second enhanced image; an image integrating unit configured to integrate the first enhanced image and the second enhanced image with each other, and generate an integrated image; and a determining unit configured to collate the generated integrated image with the master image, and determine whether the medicine to be dispensed is identical to the dispensed medicine or not.

According to this aspect, the taken images in which the light illumination directions to the surface of the dispensed medicine are different from each other are obtained, the first enhanced image generated by performing the process of enhancing the engraved mark portion of the medicine is integrated with the second enhanced image generated by performing the process of enhancing the printed character portion of the medicine to generate the integrated image, and the integrated image is collated with the master image to determine whether the medicine to be dispensed is identical to the dispensed medicine or not. Accordingly, the identification information can be appropriately recognized irrespective of whether the identification information is an engraved mark or a printed character.

Preferably, the imaging control unit obtains the taken images of the medicine irradiated with light by two or more light sources among the light sources of the illuminating unit. Accordingly, the printed character portion of the medicine can be appropriately enhanced.

Preferably, the illuminating unit irradiates a front side and a rear side of the medicine with light, and the imaging unit images the front side and the rear side of the medicine. Accordingly, an appropriate taken image can be obtained irrespective of the posture of the medicine.

Preferably, the illuminating unit includes 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. Accordingly, a plurality of taken images of the medicine where light illumination directions to the medicine are different from each other, can be appropriately obtained.

To achieve the above object, an aspect of an image processing method includes: a master image obtaining step of obtaining a master image of a medicine to be dispensed, based on prescription information; a taken image obtaining step of obtaining a plurality of taken images of a dispensed medicine, with emitting directions of light to a surface of the medicine different from each other; a first image processing step of performing a process of enhancing an engraved mark portion of the medicine, based on at least one taken image among the taken images, and generating a first enhanced image; a second image processing step of performing a process of enhancing a printed character portion of the medicine, based on the at least one taken image among the taken images, and generating a second enhanced image; an image integrating step of integrating the first enhanced image and the second enhanced image with each other, and generating an integrated image; and a determining step of collating the generated integrated image with the master image, and determining whether the medicine to be dispensed is identical to the dispensed medicine or not.

According to this aspect, the taken images in which the light illumination directions to the surface of the dispensed medicine are different from each other are obtained, the first enhanced image generated by performing the process of enhancing the engraved mark portion of the medicine is integrated with the second enhanced image generated by performing the process of enhancing the printed character portion of the medicine to generate the integrated image, and the integrated image is collated with the master image to determine whether the medicine to be dispensed is identical to the dispensed medicine or not. Accordingly, the identification information can be appropriately recognized irrespective of whether the identification information is an engraved mark or a printed character.

To achieve the above object, an aspect of a program is a program causing a computer to execute: a master image obtaining function of obtaining a master image of a medicine to be dispensed, based on prescription information; a taken image obtaining function of obtaining a plurality of taken images of a dispensed medicine, with emitting directions of light to a surface of the medicine different from each other; a first image processing function of performing a process of enhancing an engraved mark portion of the medicine, based on at least one taken image among the taken images, and generating a first enhanced image; a second image processing function of performing a process of enhancing a printed character portion of the medicine, based on the at least one taken image among the taken images, and generating a second enhanced image; an image integrating function of integrating the first enhanced image and the second enhanced image with each other, and generating an integrated image; and a determining function of collating the generated integrated image with the master image, and determining whether the medicine to be dispensed is identical to the dispensed medicine or not.

According to this aspect, the taken images in which the light illumination directions to the surface of the dispensed medicine are different from each other are obtained, the first enhanced image generated by performing the process of enhancing the engraved mark portion of the medicine is integrated with the second enhanced image generated by performing the process of enhancing the printed character portion of the medicine to generate the integrated image, and the integrated image is collated with the master image to determine whether the medicine to be dispensed is identical to the dispensed medicine or not. Accordingly, the identification information can be appropriately recognized irrespective of whether the identification information is an engraved mark or a printed character.

According to the present invention, irrespective of whether the identification information is an engraved mark or a printed character, the identification information can be appropriately recognized.

