Product ripeness discrimination system and method therefor with area measurement
First Claim
1. A method for measuring ripeness of a product unit, comprisingmoving the product unit past a sensing station along a conveying path;
- sensing the magnitude of selected reflected light spectra indicative of cross-sectional area from a selected area of the product unit, including receiving reflected light from the product unit, randomizing the received light, and sensing the magnitude of selected spectra of the randomized light as an output indicative of cross-sectional area;
measuring by accumulating pixel output indicative of cross-sectional area using a line scan camera the selected area of the product unit sensed by said step of sensing;
calculating the difference between the pixel output indicative of cross-sectional area of the selected area of the product unit as measured by the line scan camera and the output indicative of cross-sectional area of the selected area of the product unit as sensed by the sensing step;
comparing said difference with a standard.
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Abstract
A product discrimination system using a fiber optic sensing system and a line scan camera sensor for recalibration of the fiber optic system. A plurality of fiber optic sensing stations measure reflected light spectra of products conveyed past the stations. The line scan camera is positioned adjacent one of the fiber optic sensors at one of the stations. A standard object is positioned adjacent conveyor so as to also be viewed by the line scan camera. The line scan camera recalibrates itself based on the standard object and is compared with the adjacent fiber optic station to recalibrate results from the fiber optic system.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A method for measuring ripeness of a product unit, comprising
moving the product unit past a sensing station along a conveying path; -
sensing the magnitude of selected reflected light spectra indicative of cross-sectional area from a selected area of the product unit, including receiving reflected light from the product unit, randomizing the received light, and sensing the magnitude of selected spectra of the randomized light as an output indicative of cross-sectional area; measuring by accumulating pixel output indicative of cross-sectional area using a line scan camera the selected area of the product unit sensed by said step of sensing; calculating the difference between the pixel output indicative of cross-sectional area of the selected area of the product unit as measured by the line scan camera and the output indicative of cross-sectional area of the selected area of the product unit as sensed by the sensing step; comparing said difference with a standard. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification