SORTING SYSTEM

• US 20160207071A1
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avi Cohn
• Original Assignee: Avi Cohn
• Inventors: COHN, Avi
• Granted Patent: US 9,676,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/342 according to optical properties, e.g. colour according to radiation transmittivity B07C5/3416
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3425 of granular material, e.g. ore particles, grain investigation moving fluids or granular solids using optical means G01N21/85
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/1776 Colour camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/845 Objects on a conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8592 Grain or other flowing solid samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/251 Colorimeters; Construction thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/85 Investigating moving fluids or granular solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8901 Optical details; Scanning details per se G02B

Abstract

A system for sorting products using an imaging device and an image processor.

Claims

1. A method of classifying an object comprising the steps of:

(a) sensing a multiple color image of at least a portion of said object while said object is moving;

(b) producing color signals from said multiple color image indicative of a plurality of colors in response to sensing said multiple color image;

(c) transforming said color signals from said multiple color image sensed while said object is moving to a monochromatic color signal; and

(d) variably classifying said object depending upon said monochromatic color signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said monochromatic color signal extends across the entire range of said monochromatic color.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a range of said monochromatic color signal is based upon a setting on a graphic user interface.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said setting is based upon a rectangular region.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said setting includes a first selector.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said setting includes a second selector.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said monochromatic color signal is based upon a range between said first selector and said second selector.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said monochromatic color is one of red, green, and blue.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said transforming said color signals from said multiple color image sensed while said object is moving further includes to a hue signal and a saturation signal and said variably classifying said object depending upon a region defined by said hue signal and said saturation signal.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said multiple color image is sensed as a result of increasing and decreasing the luminance of a light source.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said increasing and decreasing is turning on and off said light source.

10. A method of classifying an object comprising the steps of:

(a) sensing a multiple color image of at least a portion of said object while said object is moving;

(b) producing color signals from said multiple color image indicative of a plurality of colors in response to sensing said multiple color image;

(c) transforming said color signals from said multiple color image sensed while said object is moving to a monochromatic color signal, a hue signal, and a saturation signal;

(d) variably classifying said object depending upon at least one of (1) said monochromatic color signal and (2) a range defined by said hue signal and said saturation signal;

(e) wherein said classification is based upon a graphical interface that displays exemplary objects in a first portion of said graphical interface and displays corresponding range of hue values, range of saturation values, range of monochromatic colors, for a selected portion of one of said objects in said first portion of said graphic interface.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said graphical interface includes an overlay of said first portion of said graphical interface indicating said classification in real time.

12. A method of classifying an object comprising the steps of:

(a) sensing a multiple color image of at least a portion of said object while said object is moving;

(b) producing color signals from said multiple color image indicative of a plurality of colors in response to sensing said multiple color image together with an infrared color signal;

(c) transforming said color signals from said multiple color image sensed while said object is moving to a hue signal; and

(d) variably classifying said object depending upon said infrared signal, where said classifying is based upon a selection on a graphical interface.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said infrared signal extends over at least 25% of the range of infrared light from approximately 750 nm to approximately 1100 nm.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said infrared signal extends over at least 50% of the range of infrared light from approximately 750 nm to approximately 1100 nm.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said infrared signal extends over at least 75% of the range of infrared light from approximately 750 nm to approximately 1100 nm.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said infrared signal extends over at least substantially all of the range of infrared light from approximately 750 nm to approximately 1100 nm.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said infrared signal extends over at least all of the range of infrared light from approximately 750 nm to approximately 1100 nm.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein said variably classifying is based upon a ratio of a monochromatic color signal and an intensity of said infrared signal.