Contamination degree determining apparatus and contamination degree determining method

Abstract

A contamination degree determining apparatus for paper determines a final contamination degree of paper on the basis of values of various contamination characteristics indicating the degrees of, for example, creases, wrinkles or stains obtained from the paper. Values of a plurality of contamination characteristics are input to the contamination degree determining apparatus for paper. The apparatus calculates a plurality of evaluation values from the plurality of input contamination characteristics, the contribution degree of each of the plurality of contamination characteristics, reference vectors reflecting the distribution of the plurality of contamination characteristics, and dispersion parameters reflecting the distribution of the plurality of contamination characteristics. The apparatus determines the final contamination degree of the paper on the basis of the calculated evaluation values and the weight of each of the evaluation values.

1 . A contamination degree determining apparatus comprising:
 an input unit which inputs values of a plurality of contamination characteristics detected from an inspection target;   an evaluation unit which calculates a plurality of evaluation values on the basis of a contribution degree of each of the plurality of contamination characteristics, reference vectors reflecting the distribution of the plurality of contamination characteristics, and dispersion parameters reflecting the distribution of the plurality of contamination characteristics; and   a determination unit which determines a contamination degree of the inspection target on the basis of the plurality of evaluation values calculated by the evaluation unit.   
     
     
         2 . The contamination degree determining apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a storage unit which stores the contribution degree of each of the plurality of contamination characteristics.   
     
     
         3 . The contamination degree determining apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a setting unit which sets the contribution degree of each of the plurality of contamination characteristics on the basis of information input from an operation device operated by an operator.   
     
     
         4 . The contamination degree determining apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an adjusting unit which feedback-adjusts the contribution degree on the basis of the determination result of the contamination degree by the determination unit.   
     
     
         5 . The contamination degree determining apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a weight storage unit which stores a weight corresponding to each of the evaluation values calculated by the evaluation unit,   wherein the determination unit determines the contamination degree of the inspection target on the basis of the plurality of evaluation values calculated by the evaluation unit and the weight corresponding to each of the evaluation values stored in the weight storage unit.   
     
     
         6 . A contamination degree determining method comprising:
 inputting values of a plurality of contamination characteristics detected from an inspection target;   calculating a plurality of evaluation values on the basis of a contribution degree of each of the plurality of contamination characteristics, reference vectors reflecting the distribution of the plurality of contamination characteristics, and dispersion parameters reflecting the distribution of the plurality of contamination characteristics; and   determining a contamination degree of the inspection target on the basis of the plurality of calculated evaluation values.   
     
     
         7 . The contamination degree determining method according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the contribution degree of each of the plurality of contamination characteristics is read from a storage unit.   
     
     
         8 . The contamination degree determining method according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the contribution degree of each of the plurality of contamination characteristics is set on the basis of information input from an operation device operated by an operator.   
     
     
         9 . The contamination degree determining method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 feedback-adjusting the contribution degree on the basis of the determination result of the contamination degree of the inspection target,   wherein the contamination degree of the inspection target is determined on the basis of the plurality of evaluation values calculated by the feedback-adjusted contribution degree of each of the plurality of contamination characteristics, by the reference vectors and by the dispersion parameters.   
     
     
         10 . The contamination degree determining method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 reading a weight corresponding to each of the evaluation values from a weight storage unit,   wherein the contamination degree of the inspection target is determined on the basis of the plurality of calculated evaluation values and the weight corresponding to each of the evaluation values.