Fuji Electric noticed the future prospects of digital image processing technology as an important elementary technology towards the 21st century and has made efforts for its development for many years, putting on the market various image processing devices. Focusing on the vision systems for the automation of visual inspection and measurement in production lines, this paper describes the trends of Fuji Electric's technology with an overview of overview of the technology and market.

The device takes paper cup inside image with TV camera and detects dirt by processing the video signals. The inside surface is divided into several portions and each portion is judged according to the individual settings. Paper cups moving on the conveyor are lit by a stroboscopic light at the inspection station. The image processing unit detects defectives with instantaneous images thus obtained, and outputs the nogood result, which are received by the rejector to remove the wrong cup. Its detectability is approx. 0.5? square and processing speed is 200cups/min. This device has been introduced into the factory production line in place of human inspection.

In the productivity improvement of Japanese agriculture and fisheries, the role of image processing technology has been increasing importance. Image processing in these fields is based on color and shape analyses and requires developing flexible software to meet products. It is applied to the color and shape sorting, 3-D measurement, and surface inspection of products. Fuji Electric has developed several sorting and measurement systems for agricultural products using the general-purpose color image processing unit FAY-700. From among these systems, this paper introduces the eggplant sorting system supplied to Binan agricultural cooperative association.

There is an increasing demand for automatic visual inspection systems to improve electronic parts manufacturing quality and be free from human eye inspection. From among visual inspection themes for electronic parts, this paper introduces automatic inspection systems for epoxy resin molded packages and surface mount devices. Future problems for realizing stable inspection performances are not only automatic calibration of lighting and position deviations, but also optimization of manufacturing processes, inspection of 3-D surfaces, numerical representation of acceptability criteria, improvement in lighting methods, evaluation of system introduction cost performance, etc.

Fuji Electric's general-purpose video sensors have met users' requirements for improving quality control in various fields. Recently, there have been growing needs for inspection systems that combines a video sensor, a conveyor, and an inspection unit, in which Fuji Electric also play a positive part. Particularly introduced is an inspection system for liquid crystal displays using the video sensor unit VR-F for factory automation which is expected to widen the scope of application in future.

This paper describes Fuji Electric's achievements in video surveillance systems for detecting abnormality in plant facilities. An oil leak detection system is cited as an example of application to thermal power plants, and methods of detecting intruders into facilities and reading meters for plant maintenance are introduced as examples of development in image processing systems. These methods are characterized by robustness against brightness deviation and noise. Towards the wide, practical use of these video surveillance systems, improvement in processing speed and optimization of surveillance systems will be continued.

Out of Fuji Electric's money validation technologies, this paper describes the background, progress, and features of bill validator technology for financial institutions and leisure facilities and coin validator technology for vending machines. The technology for banking validators has been accumulated focusing on validation technology and it has been applied also to leisure facility use. The technology for vending machine validators has achieved satisfactory functions meeting market requirements, in pursuit of environmental protection and mass production.

Banking business office systems are being higher automated with the third on-line application. It is demanded to minimize work for exact calculation of cash to reduce labor and also always grasp a cash amount in the business office to improve the efficiency of working funds. To meet there diversified, sophisticated requirements, Fuji Electric has developed an all-denomination full-recycle teller machine aiming at window business automation. This paper introduces its bill unit and coin unit.

Recent pachinko parlors have planned to increase customers by improving the environment and enhancing and game machine functions. Furthermore, the market greatly desires to raise parlor management efficiency. To meet the needs, at the end of 1991, Fuji Electric invented epoch-making bill conveyance technology (grasping and conveying bills) on the basis of its accumulated money handling technology and realized the full-automatic pinball lending system "the recycle." This system automatically conveys and stores the money which customers put in lending machines in between game machines to the row-end money changer and reuse it for exchange.

Fuji Electric has developed money changers utilizing its own highly reliable validation technology. They have general-purpose and multifunction types and are widely used in the game market. The general-purpose changer is slim with an installation area of 250? square and can be used between game machines as well as on a desk or as a stand-alone changer. The multifunction type is a high-grade thin changer which has a function of lending balls or medals for games or can perform system control of a pachinko group besides a money recycling function.

Six years has passed since the recycle type bill validator (BILMEC BM2) for high denomination notes used in pachinko pinball lending machines and money changers was put on the market. This is the smallest bill validator with this class specification in Japan, and its thin depth resulting in easy installation is favorably commented upon by users. Utilizing this technology, Fuji Electric has newly developed general-purpose BILMEC BM3AD which been reduced in size and greatly improved in maintain-ability.

The retail trade such as supermarkets and convenience stores requires preventing payment mistakes in cash register work and improving operating efficiency by speedy adjustment. As a method of solving this problem, Fuji Electric has developed the cash dispenser CSC60 for the retail trade on the basis of money handling device technology for vending machines accumulated for years. The unit is nearly the same in size as the drawer (a safe under the POS) and gives change quickly and exactly linking up with the POS.