System and method for image acquisition for inspection of articles on a moving conveyor
First Claim
1. A system for inspecting a moving container, said system for use with a container handling apparatus that moves the container, said system comprising:
- a speed monitor for generating a signal representative of the speed of the container;
a light source for illuminating the container;
a camera for generating a plurality of successive images of portions of the illuminated container, said images each including a plurality of pixels, said pixels each having a value representative of an optical characteristic of the images; and
an electronic control receiving and responsive to the speed signal for controlling the camera to generate the successive images as a function of the speed of the moving container, said electronic control having an image processor for acquiring a two-dimensional image of the container from the successive images generated by the camera and for processing the two-dimensional image as a function of the pixel values to detect edges in the image for inspecting the container.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for inspecting a moving container on a conveyor. An encoder assembly detects movement of the conveyor and generates a signal representative of the speed of the container as a function of the movement of the conveyor. A light source adjacent the conveyor illuminates the container and a camera adjacent the conveyor generates a plurality of successive images of portions of the illuminated container. The images each include a plurality of pixels, each having a value representative of an optical characteristic of the images. The camera is controlled to generate the successive images as a function of the speed of the moving container. An image processor acquires a two-dimensional image of the container from the successive images generated by the camera and processes the two-dimensional image as a function of the pixel values to detect edges in the image for inspecting the container.
79 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A system for inspecting a moving container, said system for use with a container handling apparatus that moves the container, said system comprising:
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a speed monitor for generating a signal representative of the speed of the container; a light source for illuminating the container; a camera for generating a plurality of successive images of portions of the illuminated container, said images each including a plurality of pixels, said pixels each having a value representative of an optical characteristic of the images; and an electronic control receiving and responsive to the speed signal for controlling the camera to generate the successive images as a function of the speed of the moving container, said electronic control having an image processor for acquiring a two-dimensional image of the container from the successive images generated by the camera and for processing the two-dimensional image as a function of the pixel values to detect edges in the image for inspecting the container. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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2. A system for inspecting a moving container, said system for use with a container handling apparatus that moves the container, said system comprising:
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a speed monitor for generating a signal representative of the speed of the container; a light source for illuminating the container; a camera for generating a plurality of successive images of portions of the illuminated container, said images each including a plurality of pixels said pixels each having a value representative of an optical characteristic of the images; and an electronic control receiving and responsive to the speed signal for controlling the camera to generate the successive images as a function of the speed of the moving container, said electronic control having an image processor for acquiring a two-dimensional image of the container from the successive images generated by the camera and for processing the two-dimensional image as a function of the pixel values to detect edges in the image for inspecting the container, said electronic control also having a memory associated with the image processor for storing the acquired two-dimensional image of the container, said memory defining the size of the two-dimensional image in pixels, and wherein the number of successive images generated by the camera per container is based on the defined size of the two-dimensional image. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6)
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10. A system for inspecting a moving container, said system for use with a container handling apparatus that moves the container, said system comprising:
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a speed monitor for generating a signal representative of the speed of the container; a light source for illuminating the container; a first camera for generating a plurality of successive images of portions of the illuminated container, said images each including a plurality of pixels, said pixels each having a value representative of an optical characteristic of the images; a second camera for generating another plurality of successive images of portions of the illuminated container, said first and second cameras each having an optical axis, said optical axes being generally perpendicular to an axis of symmetry of the container; and an electronic control receiving and responsive to the speed signal for controlling the camera to generate the successive images as a function of the speed of the moving container, said electronic control having an image processor for acquiring a two-dimensional image of the container from the successive images generated by the first camera, for acquiring a two-dimensional image of the container from the other successive images generated by the second camera and for processing the two-dimensional images as a function of the pixel values to detect edges in the images for inspecting the container. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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17. An encoder assembly for use with a container handling apparatus for moving containers, said container handling apparatus including a conveyor having a moving belt, said encoder assembly generating a signal representative of the speed of the conveyor belt, said encoder assembly comprising:
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a pair of pulleys; a tracking belt received by the pulleys and extending thereacross, said tracking belt engaging the conveyor belt so that movement of the conveyor belt causes a corresponding movement of the tracking belt; and a rotary encoder engaging one of the pulleys for generating the signal representative of the speed of the conveyor belt as a function of the movement of the tracking belt. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A system for inspecting a moving container on a conveyor, said conveyor having a belt for moving the container, said system comprising:
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an encoder assembly for detecting movement of the conveyor belt and generating a signal representative of the speed of the container as a function of the movement of the conveyor belt; a light source adjacent the conveyor for illuminating the container; a camera adjacent the conveyor for generating a plurality of successive images of portions of the illuminated container, said images each including a plurality of pixels, said pixels each having a value representative of an optical characteristic of the images; and an electronic control receiving and responsive to the speed signal for controlling the camera to generate the successive images as a function of the speed of the moving container, said electronic control having an image processor for acquiring a two-dimensional image of the container from the successive images generated by the camera and for processing the two-dimensional image as a function of the pixel values to detect edges in the image for inspecting the container.
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21. A method of inspecting a moving container on a conveyor, said conveyor having a belt for moving the container, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning an encoder assembly on the conveyor belt for detecting movement thereof; generating a signal with the encoder assembly representative of the speed of the container as a function of the movement of the conveyor belt; illuminating the container on the conveyor belt; controlling a camera to generate a plurality of successive images of portions of the illuminated container as a function of the speed of the moving container, said images each including a plurality of pixels, said pixels each having a value representative of an optical characteristic of the images; acquiring a two-dimensional image of the container in a memory from the successive images generated by the camera; and processing the two-dimensional image as a function of the pixel values to detect edges in the image for inspecting the container. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29)
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27. A method of inspecting a moving container on a conveyor said conveyor having a belt for moving the container, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning an encoder assembly on the conveyor belt for detecting movement thereof; generating a signal with the encoder assembly representative of the speed of the container as a function of the movement of the conveyor belt; illuminating the container on the conveyor belt; controlling a camera to generate a plurality of successive images of portions of the illuminated container as a function of the speed of the moving container, said images each including a plurality of pixels, said pixels each having a value representative of an optical characteristic of the images; controlling another camera to generate a plurality of successive images of portions of the illuminated container as a function of the speed of the moving container; acquiring a two-dimensional image of the container in a memory from the successive images generated by the camera; acquiring another two-dimensional image of the container from the successive images generated by the other camera; and processing the two-dimensional images as a function of the pixel values to detect edges in the images for inspecting the container.
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Specification