Automated coin grading system
First Claim
1. An image capture system, comprising:
- translation means for moving a first object in two dimensions, said two dimensions forming a plane;
rotation means for rotating said first object within said plane;
means including a camera for forming a first electronic image of said first object;
means for storing and retrieving a first electronic image of a reference object, said reference object being of the same type of object as said first object;
means for locating a distinct landmark on said first object;
location comparison means for comparing a location of said distinct landmark with a location of a corresponding landmark on said reference object;
orientation comparison means for comparing an orientation of said landmark with an orientation of said corresponding landmark;
translation and orientation control means for causing said translation means to move said first object a distance corresponding to a difference in locations of said first object landmark and said reference object landmark and for rotating said first object through an angle corresponding to an angular difference in orientations of said two landmarks;
means for causing said camera to form a second electronic image of said first object such that said second image of said first object is aligned with said first image of said reference object, said alignment resulting from movement of said object by said rotation means and said translation means,wherein said translation and orientation control means further comprises means for positioning said distinct landmark on said first object in respect to said corresponding landmark on said reference object, subsequently rotating said first object about the center of said distinct landmark through a computed angular offset between a second landmark on said first object and a second landmark on said second object.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for automated grading of coins involves alignment of a target image of the coin with a reference image by mechanically moving the coin until the target and reference images are aligned, capture of multiple images of the coin under a variety of lighting conditions, and subsequent grading using an expert script made up of individual directives which can be arranged to form different scripts for different grading standards and types of coins to be graded. The system and method provide for identification of the criteria used by an expert in grading an object such as a coin, capture of those criteria, and applying the criteria to the grading of the coin in a manner which is implementable on low-cost and widely available microcomputer hardware. The process by which the system is used to identify and test the criteria for evaluating the coin is interactive, and thus, structural changes need not be made in the system in order to grade the different types of coins or apply different coin grading standards.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. An image capture system, comprising:
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translation means for moving a first object in two dimensions, said two dimensions forming a plane; rotation means for rotating said first object within said plane; means including a camera for forming a first electronic image of said first object; means for storing and retrieving a first electronic image of a reference object, said reference object being of the same type of object as said first object; means for locating a distinct landmark on said first object; location comparison means for comparing a location of said distinct landmark with a location of a corresponding landmark on said reference object; orientation comparison means for comparing an orientation of said landmark with an orientation of said corresponding landmark; translation and orientation control means for causing said translation means to move said first object a distance corresponding to a difference in locations of said first object landmark and said reference object landmark and for rotating said first object through an angle corresponding to an angular difference in orientations of said two landmarks; means for causing said camera to form a second electronic image of said first object such that said second image of said first object is aligned with said first image of said reference object, said alignment resulting from movement of said object by said rotation means and said translation means, wherein said translation and orientation control means further comprises means for positioning said distinct landmark on said first object in respect to said corresponding landmark on said reference object, subsequently rotating said first object about the center of said distinct landmark through a computed angular offset between a second landmark on said first object and a second landmark on said second object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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9. A system as claimed 8, wherein each of said respective means for linearly moving said X and Y tables comprises a stepper motor.
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27. An image capture system, comprising:
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translation means for moving a first object in two dimensions, said two dimensions forming a plane; rotation means for rotating said first object within said plane; means including a camera for forming a first electronic image of said first object; means for storing and retrieving a first electronic image of a reference object, said reference object being of the same type of object as said first object; means for locating a distinct landmark on said first object; location comparison means for comparing a location of said distinct landmark with a location of a corresponding landmark on said reference object; orientation comparison means for comparing an orientation of said landmark with an orientation of said corresponding landmark; translation and orientation control means for causing said translation means to move said first object a distance corresponding to a difference in locations of said first object landmark and said reference object landmark and for rotating said first object through an angle corresponding to an angular difference in orientations of said two landmarks; means for causing said camera to form a second electronic image of said first object such that said second image of said first object is aligned with said first image of said reference object, said alignment resulting from movement of said object by said rotation means and said translation means. wherein said first object and said reference object are coins.
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34. A method of capturing an image of an object, comprising the steps of:
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a. forming an image of a first object; b. locating a distinct landmark in said image of said first object; c. retrieving a stored image of a reference object of the same type as said first object; d. comparing a location and orientation of said first object landmark with a location and orientation of the corresponding landmark on said reference object; e. moving said first object a distance corresponding to a difference in locations of said first and reference object landmarks; f. rotating said first object about a center of said first object landmark through an angle corresponding to an angular offset between a second landmark on said first object and a second landmark on said reference object; g. forming a second image of said first object, said second image being aligned with said image of said reference object as a result of said movement and rotation of said first object. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification