Apparatus and method for processing fruit and the like
First Claim
1. Apparatus for processing items such as fruit and the like;
- comprising;
video signal means for examining an item and developing a plurality of discrete data signals, each said data signal being representative of a condition of a respective portion of said item;
storage means for storing said data signals as they are generated, thereby generating a stored batch of item data corresponding to said item;
batch processing means for processing said batch of data to generate one or more batch reference signals representative of the batch of item data, and process signal generation means for generating at least one process signal by processing at least some of the data of said batch as a function of said one or more batch reference signals; and
means for processing said item as a function of said one or more process signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method for processing fruit and the like, particularly for sorting as a function of variables including color, blemish, size and shape. The apparatus provides an illuminator for substantially uniformly illuminating a portion of the item being examined, and a signal detector array for generating a plurality of signals corresponding to respective different portions of the item being examined. The data signals corresponding to a given item are accumulated and then batch processed to determine sorting signals, while a next item is being examined and data signals for it are being accumulated. For blemish detection, the batch processing includes determination of differences between signals representing adjacent surface portions, and generation of blemish sorting signals as a function of such determined differences.
53 Citations
35 Claims
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1. Apparatus for processing items such as fruit and the like;
- comprising;
video signal means for examining an item and developing a plurality of discrete data signals, each said data signal being representative of a condition of a respective portion of said item; storage means for storing said data signals as they are generated, thereby generating a stored batch of item data corresponding to said item; batch processing means for processing said batch of data to generate one or more batch reference signals representative of the batch of item data, and process signal generation means for generating at least one process signal by processing at least some of the data of said batch as a function of said one or more batch reference signals; and means for processing said item as a function of said one or more process signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. Apparatus for processing items such as fruit and the like said apparatus having light signal means for viewing said items and generating a plurality of data signals corresponding to each viewed item, and means for moving successive items into position to be viewed by said light signal means, characterized by:
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means for illuminating each said item substantially uniformly over the surface thereof being viewed by said light signal means; difference means for obtaining difference signals corresponding to the differences of respective said data signals corresponding to respective adjacent portions of the surface of each said item, and for generating at least one sorting signal for each said item as a function of said difference signals; block data means for receiving all of said data signals corresponding to each given item and batch generating thereform at least one block signal, and for controlling said difference means to process the data signals of said block as a function of said block signal in generating said at least one sorting signal; and sorting means for sorting each said item as a function of said sorting signal.
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23. Apparatus for processing items such as fruit and the like, comprising:
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video signal means having at least one detector diode for examining an item and generating a plurality of digital signals, each said signal being representative of the surface condition of a respective portion of said item, batch processing means for accumulating said digital signals and for batch processing of said accumulated signals to generate item characteristic signals therefrom, selecting means for selecting certain of said digital signals as a function of said item characteristic signals and condition signal generating means for generating at least one condition signal from said selected digital signals, and sorting means for sorting said item as a function of said at least one condition signal. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. Apparatus for sorting items such as fruit, having means for moving successive said items to and past a predetermined location and means for generating a block of item signals representative of each said item as it is about at said location, characterized by means for storing each said block of item signals as said item signals are generated and means for processing said block of signals after all of said item signals in a block have been generated;
said means for processing comprising means for first inspecting each said block of item signals and for developing therefrom one or more block characteristic signals and second means for then processing said block of signals as a function of said determined signal characteristics and for developing therefrom a sorting signal corresponding to each item; and
means for sorting said items in accordance with said sorting signal.- View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A method of processing items such as fruit and the like, comprising:
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examining each item with a video means and generating a block of data signals, each said signal being representative of a condition of a respective portion of said item, batch processing said block to generate an item processing signal, said batch processing including selecting certain of said data signals as a function of predetermined criteria, said selected signals being less than all of the signals of said block, and generating said item processing signal by processing said selected signals, and processing said each item as a function of said item processing signal. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for sorting items such as fruit, utilizing apparatus having means for moving successive items to and past a predetermined location and means for generating a block of item signals representative of each said item as it is about at said location, and means for storing each said block of item signals as said item signals are generated, characterized by
first batch inspecting each said block of item signals to determine one or more block characteristics; -
then processing said inspected block of signals as a function of at least one of said determined block characteristics and developing therefrom at least one sorting signal corresponding to each said item; and sorting each of said items in accordance with said at least one sorting signal. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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Specification