Method for bakery product measurement
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for determining the approximate volume of a bakery product using computer imaging comprising:
- placing a bakery product in a lighted field so that there is sufficient contrast between the bakery product and the supporting surface on which the bakery product is placed in order that computer imaging software may distinguish between the bakery product and the support surface;
capturing an image of the bakery product in the field such that the area of the bakery product can be determined from the image;
making a vertical slice in the bakery product;
placing a vertical slice of the bakery product in the lighted field;
capturing an image of the vertical slice of the bakery product; and
calculating the volume of the bakery product based upon the captured images of the bakery product and of the vertical slice of the bakery product.
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Abstract
The computer imaging analysis of bakery products for quality control and other purposes is disclosed. Apparatus and methods useful in such analysis are disclosed. The methods are useful on all types of bakery products. They can be used to analyze for parameters, such as size, shape, area and volume. They can also be used to analyze holes, grain or crust. Viewable images may be provided. The parameters can be compared with prescribed specifications and can be used on a plurality of products to determine substantial uniformity.
39 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for determining the approximate volume of a bakery product using computer imaging comprising:
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placing a bakery product in a lighted field so that there is sufficient contrast between the bakery product and the supporting surface on which the bakery product is placed in order that computer imaging software may distinguish between the bakery product and the support surface;
capturing an image of the bakery product in the field such that the area of the bakery product can be determined from the image;
making a vertical slice in the bakery product;
placing a vertical slice of the bakery product in the lighted field;
capturing an image of the vertical slice of the bakery product; and
calculating the volume of the bakery product based upon the captured images of the bakery product and of the vertical slice of the bakery product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 13)
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6. A method for determining the approximate size and shape of a bakery product using computer imaging comprising:
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making at least one vertical slice of a bakery product;
placing a vertical slice of a bakery product in a lighted field so that there is sufficient contrast between the bakery product and the supporting surface on which the bakery product is placed in order that computer imaging software may distinguish between the bakery product and the supporting surface in captured images;
capturing an image of the vertical slice of a bakery product; and
determining the length of the major axis, length of the minor axis, area, roundness and calculating the square of the perimeter divided by the area using the captured image of the vertical slice of bakery product. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for determining the grain of bakery product using computer imaging comprising:
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making a slice in a bakery product in such a manner as to expose the internal grain;
illuminating the exposed internal grain of the bakery product in such a manner that computer imaging software may distinguish grain holes;
capturing an image of the exposed internal grain of a bakery product and determining a grain area; and
calculating the porosity of the bakery product by dividing said grain area by the total area of the bakery product. - View Dependent Claims (12, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for determining the area of holes and crust of a bakery product using computer imaging comprising:
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cutting a slice at or near the midsection of a baked bakery product;
illuminating the cut surface of the slice in such a manner that computer imaging software may distinguish holes and baked crust;
capturing an image of the cut surface of the slice; and
determining the area of the holes of the bakery product and the area of the crust of the bakery product. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification