METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING WASTE CONTAINERS BASED ON PATTERN

• US 20140050397A1
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Envac AB (Stena Sphere)
• Original Assignee: Envac Optibag AB (Stena Sphere)
• Inventors: Bdholm, Sven, Torng, Christian, Holmertz, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 9,405,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/165
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 2501/0054 Sorting of waste or refuse
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3412 according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1484 relating to the adaptation of receptacles to carry identification means

Abstract

There is provided a method for identifying and sorting randomly distributed waste containers (1) containing different types of refuse sorted at source, wherein the identification is based on an image analysis of a pattern (2) arranged on each container (1). The method for identifying and sorting comprises the following steps: capturing at least one image of each container (1), analyzing the image by determining following characteristics: a shade and/or color of the pattern; a type of the pattern arranged on the container; calculating a sorting value based on the determined characteristics; comparing the calculated sorting value to a predetermined limit value or predetermined range of sorting values in order to classify the type of refuse contained in the container for sorting thereof.

Claims

1. Method for identifying and sorting randomly distributed waste containers containing different types of refuse sorted at source, wherein the identification is based on an image analysis of a pattern arranged on each container characterized in that the method for identifying and sorting comprises the following steps:

capturing at least one image of each container;

analyzing the image by determining following characteristics;

a shade and/or color of the pattern; and

a type of the pattern arranged on the container;

calculating a sorting value based on the determined characteristics; and

comparing the calculated sorting value to a predetermined limit value or predetermined range of sorting values in order to classify the type of refuse contained in the container for sorting thereof.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pattern comprises at least one well-defined object.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of well-defined objects, and wherein the objects form a cluster.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising analyzing the image by determining the following characteristics:

the number of objects within the cluster;

distances (d1, d2, d3) between the objects of the cluster; and

a size of each individual object.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising analyzing the image by determining the following characteristic:

a surface area of the pattern.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is provided with a color, and wherein the color of the container is different from the color of the pattern.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pattern is arranged on at least one well-defined portion of the container.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pattern is arranged on a plurality of locations on the container.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pattern comprises two or more different colors.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the waste container comprises a thin-walled bag of flexible material.

15. An arrangement for sorting a plurality of waste containers designed to receive a quantity of waste, wherein the containers are provided with at least one well-defined pattern, comprising:

a conveyor arranged to transport the waste containers,

at least one first sensor arranged for analysing a pattern arranged on a container, and arranged to emit a signal when a waste container transported on the conveyor is recorded by the at least one first sensor, and means for sorting the waste containers based on the signal from the first sensor,

characterised in that the first sensor is arranged analyze the pattern arranged on the waste containers according to the method in claim 1.

16. The arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the arrangement further comprises at least one second sensor for analyzing a pattern of a waste container according to the method in claim 1, and for emitting a second signal in response to the second sensor recording the pattern on the waste container provided with said pattern transported on the conveyor, wherein the pattern analysed by the second sensor may be the same or different as the pattern analysed by the first sensor and wherein said sorting means are arranged to sort the waste containers based also on said second signal.

17. An arrangement for the sorting of waste containers comprising a transporting arrangement designed to transport randomly distributed waste containers containing different types of waste sorted at source, each waste container having a predetermined pattern for the type of waste in the container, a number of successively arranged sorting stations each comprising at least one sensor selectively sensitive to the respective patterns and designed to emit a signal when a waste container passes which has a pattern predetermined for the sensor and to which the sensor is sensitive, and separating elements designed, in response to a signal from the sensor, to undertake separation of the waste container in question from the transporting arrangement, wherein at least one sensing arrangement is sensitive to at least one further predetermined pattern on waste containers containing another type of waste,

characterized in that

the sensors are arranged to analyze the pattern provided on the containers based on the method as claimed in any one of claims 1-5 and 10-14 or the method as claimed in claim 1.

18. The arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the sensor is an optical camera for capturing at least one image of each waste container passing by the sensor.

19. The arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the arrangement further comprises an auxiliary sensor arranged to detect an object conveyed on the conveyor.

6. A method for identifying and sorting randomly distributed waste containers containing different types of refuse sorted at source, wherein the identification is based on an image analysis of a pattern, wherein the pattern comprises at least one well-defined object characterized in that the method for identifying and sorting comprises the following steps:

capturing at least one image of each container;

analyzing the image by determining following characteristics;

a shade and/or color of the object;

a size of the individual object; and

and a surface area of the pattern;

calculating a sorting value based on the determined characteristics; and

comparing the calculated sorting value to a predetermined limit value or predetermined range of sorting values in order to classify the type of refuse contained in the container for sorting thereof

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of well-defined objects, and wherein the objects form a cluster arranged on each container.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the method further comprises determining the following characteristic the distances between the objects.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the method further comprises determining the following characteristic

a type of the pattern arranged on the container.