Object recognition system and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a housing having an inspection aperture;
a light collection system positioned on one side of said inspection aperture so as to receive light reflected from objects located on the other side of said inspection aperture;
a light separator connected to said light collection system, whereby light collected by said light collection system is separated into different color components corresponding to colors of an object to be identified;
an optical detector positioned so as to receive said different color components, said optical detector having an output signal dependent upon intensities of said different color components, said output signal having energy peaks for each of said different color components present in said object to be identified; and
a pattern recognition system connected to said optical detector and responsive to said output signal, wherein said pattern recognition system classifies said object based upon the relative widths of said energy peaks for a plurality of said different color components.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An object recognition system comprises a sensing apparatus for collecting light reflected from objects presented at a point-of-sale machine. The sensing apparatus includes a mechanism, such as a holographic disk or diffraction grating, for separating the color components of the light reflected from the object and directing, the color components onto an optical detector such as a two-dimensional imaging array, or a one-dimensional imaging array or single photo-sensitive optical cell used in conjunction with a rotating mirror. A pattern recognizer compares the spectral response, including the locations, amplitudes and widths of energy peaks of the different color components, against premeasured characteristics of known objects in order to classify the object. The weight of the object can be measured with a scale, and the density of the object calculated, with the weight and density being used by the pattern recognizer to further classify the object. In one embodiment, a plurality of narrowband illumination sources are operated in time-sequential manner, each illuminating with a different wavelength band of light, in order to allow separate color measurements. The object recognition system may be integrated in a single unit along with an optical code reader, and may share all or part of the same exit aperture therewith. The object recognition system may include thermal detection or a particle source and secondary emission detection device, either alone or in conjunction with other object recognition means.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a housing having an inspection aperture; a light collection system positioned on one side of said inspection aperture so as to receive light reflected from objects located on the other side of said inspection aperture; a light separator connected to said light collection system, whereby light collected by said light collection system is separated into different color components corresponding to colors of an object to be identified; an optical detector positioned so as to receive said different color components, said optical detector having an output signal dependent upon intensities of said different color components, said output signal having energy peaks for each of said different color components present in said object to be identified; and a pattern recognition system connected to said optical detector and responsive to said output signal, wherein said pattern recognition system classifies said object based upon the relative widths of said energy peaks for a plurality of said different color components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method comprising the steps of:
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collecting light reflected from an object through an inspection aperture; separating the collected light into different color components; directing the different color components onto an optical detector; generating an output signal from said optical detector in response to said different color components; detecting energy peaks in said output signal for each of said different color components; measuring widths of said energy peaks; and classifying said object by comparing at least the relative widths of energy peaks for a plurality of said different color components against premeasured characteristics of known objects. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system comprising:
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a light collection system including at least one lens and aperture, said light collection system collecting light reflected from an object to be identified; an optical detector; means connected to said light collection system for separating light collected by said light collection system into different color bands of light corresponding to colors of said object and for directing each color band of light onto said optical detector, said optical detector generating an output signal having an amplitude corresponding to the intensity of light received by said optical detector; a pattern recognition system connected to said optical detector and responsive to said output signal, said object being classified by said pattern recognition system according to measured widths of energy peaks in said different color bands; and an optical code recognizer sharing said aperture with said light collection system, said optical code recognizor comprising a decoder for identifying an encoded symbol affixed to said object. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An apparatus comprising:
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an optical code reader, said optical code reader comprising an optical code reader light collection system including an aperture and a lens, a photosensitive element positioned so as to receive light gathered by said optical code reader light collection system, and a decoder connected to said photosensitive element; and an object recognition system, said object recognition system comprising an object recognition system light collection system sharing said aperture with said optical code reader light collection system. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. An apparatus comprising:
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a housing, said housing having a surface atop which items may be placed and a first aperture and second aperture for viewing said items; a multi-planar optical code reader, said multi-planar optical code reader comprising a first partial field-of-view code reader utilizing said first aperture for viewing said items and a second partial field-of-view code reader utilizing said second aperture for viewing said items, said first partial field-of-view code reader and said second partial field-of-view code reader having at least partially overlapping fields of view; and an object recognition system sharing at least one of said first aperture and said second aperture with said multi-planar optical code reader. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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47. A method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, through an aperture, light reflected from an object; detecting said light using a first photodetector, and generating a first output signal therefrom; attempting to identify, in response to said first output signal, an encoded symbol; dividing said light into color components and detecting the different color components using a second photodetector, and generating a second output signal therefrom, said second output signal comprising energy peaks for said different color components; and attempting to recognize, in response to said second output signal, an object meeting predefined characteristics by evaluating the color of the object as indicated by the color components of said light, and by evaluating the size of the object and its features as indicated by the relative widths and positions of said energy peaks for said different color components. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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49. An apparatus comprising:
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a housing an object recognizor located within said housing, said object recognizor comprising a light collection system; a light separator connected to said light collection system, whereby light collected by said light collection system is separated into different color components corresponding to colors of an object to be identified; an optical detector positioned so as to receive said different color components, said optical detector having an output signal dependent upon intensities of said different color components; and a pattern recognition system connected to said optical detector and responsive to said output signal, said object being classified by said pattern recognition system according to widths of energy peaks in said output signal for said different color components; and an optical code reader located within said housing, said optical reader sharing an aperture with the light collection system of said object recognizor.
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Specification