Apparatus for classifying a material by analyzing the material's surface, and related systems and method

• US 20060133650A1
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies ECBU IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies ECBU IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Xie, Tong, DePue, Marshall Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,583,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/108
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/009 Detecting type of paper, e.g. by automatic reading of a code that is printed on a paper package or on a paper roll or by sensing the grade of translucency of the paper
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8672 Paper formation parameter
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/86 Investigating moving sheets G01N21/89 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus classifies a material, which may include identifying the material, identifying the type of the material, or identifying the type of the material'"'"'s surface. The apparatus includes a detector for capturing an image of a surface of the material, and a processor classifies the material by analyzing the image. When incorporated in a mechanism, this apparatus can classify the material on which the mechanism is operating, and, thus, the mechanism can tune some or all of its settings to the material without inconvenience to and with no susceptibility to error by a human operator. For example, when incorporated in a printer, this apparatus can identify the type of media being printed, and, thus, the printer can tune its print settings to the identified media type without relying on operator input.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a detector operable to capture an image of a surface of a material; and

a processor coupled to the detector and operable to classify the material by analyzing the image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detector is selected from a group comprising a CMOS imager and an integrated pixel array.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a beam source operable to direct a beam of electromagnetic energy onto the surface; and

wherein the detector is operable to capture the image by receiving a portion of the beam reflected from the surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the beam source is selected from a group including a laser, a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser, and an LED.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a beam source operable to direct a light beam onto the surface; and

wherein the image comprises a pattern generated by a portion of the light beam reflected from the surface to the detector, the pattern selected from a group including a speckle pattern, a pattern comprising a picture of the surface, and a diffraction pattern.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the processor is operable to analyze the image by determining a characteristic of the image; and

the processor is operable to classify the material by comparing the determined characteristic to a predetermined characteristic that corresponds to the material.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the processor is operable to analyze the image by generating an analysis of the image, the analysis being selected from a group including a histogram analysis, a spatial-frequency analysis, and a threshold analysis that compares a pixel or a sum of pixels to a predetermined threshold; and

the processor is operable to classify the material by comparing the analysis of the image to a predetermined analysis that corresponds to the material.

8. A computer peripheral device, comprising:

a first detector operable to capture a first image of a surface of a material; and

a processor coupled to the detector and operable to classify the material by analyzing the first image.

9. The computer peripheral device of claim 8, further a housing operable to navigate a surface;

wherein the first detector is disposed in the housing; and

wherein the processor is disposed in the housing and is operable to identify a type of the surface by analyzing the first image.

10. The computer peripheral device of claim 9, further comprising:

a first light source;

a second light source; and

wherein the processor is operable to activate the first light source in response to the surface being of a first type, and is operable to activate the second light source in response to the surface being of a second type.

11. The computer peripheral device of claim 9, further comprising:

a laser operable to direct a laser beam onto the surface; and

wherein the first image comprises a pattern generated by a portion of the laser beam reflected from the surface to the first detector.

12. The computer peripheral device of claim 8, further comprising:

wherein the material comprises a first medium having the surface;

a first receptacle operable to receive the first medium; and

wherein the processor is operable to identify a type of the first medium by analyzing the first image.

13. The computer peripheral device of claim 12 wherein:

the first receptacle comprises a tray; and

the first detector is operable to capture the first image while the medium is disposed in the tray.

14. The computer peripheral device of claim 12 wherein:

the first receptacle comprises a printing pathway; and

the first detector is operable to capture the first image while the medium is disposed in the printing pathway.

15. The computer peripheral device of claim 12 wherein the medium comprises paper.

16. The computer peripheral device of claim 12, further comprising:

a print mechanism operable to impart a printing agent onto the first medium according to a predetermined setting; and

wherein the processor is operable to adjust the predetermined setting according to the identified type of the first medium.

17. The computer peripheral device of claim 12, further comprising:

a second receptacle operable to receive a second medium having a surface;

a second detector operable to capture a second image of the surface of the second print medium; and

wherein the processor is operable to identify the type of the second medium by analyzing the second image.

18. A computer system, comprising:

a computer peripheral device including,

a detector operable to capture an image of a surface of a material; and

a processor coupled to the detector and operable to classify the material by analyzing the image.

19. The computer system of claim 18 wherein the computer peripheral device comprises an optical navigation device.

20. The computer system of claim 18 wherein the computer peripheral device comprises a printer.

21. A method, comprising:

capturing an image of a surface of a material; and

classifying the material by analyzing the image.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

directing a light beam onto the surface at an angle of incidence; and

wherein capturing the image comprises sensing a portion of the light beam that is reflected from the surface at an angle having substantially the same magnitude and an opposite polarity relative to the angle of incidence.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

directing a light beam onto the surface such that a first portion of the light beam reflected from the surface interacts with a second portion of the light beam reflected from the surface to generate a pattern selected from a group including a speckle pattern, a diffraction pattern, and a pattern comprising a picture of the surface; and

wherein capturing the image comprises sensing the pattern.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein:

analyzing the image comprises calculating a characteristic of the image; and

classifying the material comprises,

comparing the calculated characteristic to one or more predetermined characteristic ranges that each correspond to a respective material, and

classifying the material as a material corresponding to the range in which the calculated characteristic resides.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein classifying the material comprises a step selected from a group including identifying the material, identifying a type of the material, and identifying a type of the surface of the material.