Color and trash measurements by image analysis

• US 6,735,327 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2000
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shofner Engineering Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Shofner Engineering Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Shofner, Frederick M., Shofner, Christopher K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Phuoc
• Application Number:
  US09/663,502
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/111, 382/141, 382/143, 382/162, 382/165, 382/209, 382/217, 382/218, 382/224, 356/238.1, 700/130, 348/88
• US Class Current: 382/111
• CPC Class Codes: D01G 31/003 Detection and removal of impurities
• CPC Class Codes: D01G 31/006 On-line measurement and recording of process and product parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/27 using photo-electric detection G01N21/31 takes precedence; circuits for computing concentration logarithmic circuits G06G7/24; photometric circuits in general G01J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/274 Calibration, base line adjustment, drift correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8915 non-woven textile material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/127 Calibration; base line adjustment; drift compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/362 material before processing, e.g. bulk cotton or wool

Abstract

An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is provided which aid in the diagnosis of patient conditions by providing access from the ultrasound system to a library of reference ultrasonic images. The image library is cataloged in accordance with an image characteristic such as the type of examination, the part of the body or the type of pathology shown in the image, and the images of the library are accessed in accordance with these characteristics. The image library may he remotely located and accessible by a number of ultrasound systems over a network, or it may be located on the ultrasound system itself such as on a system disk drive. In a preferred embodiment reference images are concurrently displayed with patient images to aid in discerning the patient'"'"'s condition.

Claims

1. A system for acquiring an image for classifying an unknown sample of cotton, said system comprising:

an optical imaging device having a defined object field of view;

an element for positioning the unknown sample of cotton in the object field of view; and

at least one reference material in the object field of view;

whereby said optical imaging device acquires images of both the unknown sample of cotton and the reference material in the same field of view.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said optical imaging device comprises a scanner intended for scanning documents.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said reference material is selected from the group consisting of cotton standards, Munsel papers, color charts, standardized paints, and ceramic tiles.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said optical imaging device outputs a digital image file.

5. A system for classifying an unknown sample of cotton, said system comprising:

an optical imaging device having a defined object field of view;

an element for positioning the unknown sample of cotton in the object field of view such that said optical imaging device acquires an image of the unknown sample;

at least one reference material in the object field of view such that said optical imaging device acquires an image of the reference material in the same field of view as the image of the unknown sample; and

a processor connected to receive a digital image file from said optical imaging device and operable to compare data corresponding to the image of the unknown sample with data corresponding to the image of the reference material to determine a cotton color measurement.

6. The system of claim 5, which further comprises a storage device for storing the digital image file for subsequent reconstruction and viewing.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein:

there are a plurality of cotton standards as reference materials in the object field of view; and

wherein

said processor is operable to compare data corresponding to the image of the unknown sample with data corresponding to images of the reference materials to determine the closest match.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein:

there are a plurality of color samples as reference materials in the object field of view; and

wherein

said processor is operable to determine a color calibration from images of the reference materials and to adjust data corresponding to the images of the unknown sample in view of the color calibration to determine color values.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein said optical imaging device comprises a scanner intended for scanning documents.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein said reference material is selected from the group consisting of cotton standards, Munsel papers, color charts, standardized paints, and ceramic tiles.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein said processor is co-located with said optical scanning device.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein said processor is located remotely from said optical scanning device.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein said processor is further operable to measure trash within the unknown sample.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein said processor is further operable to measure preparation of the unknown sample.

15. A method for classifying an unknown sample of cotton, said method comprising:

employing an optical imaging device to acquire, within the same object field of view, an image of the unknown sample of cotton and an image of at least one reference material; and

employing a processor to compare data corresponding to the image of the unknown sample with data corresponding to the image of the reference material to determine a cotton color measurement.

16. A system employing a computer network for classifying an unknown sample of cotton, said system comprising:

an optical imaging device having a defined object field of view;

an element for positioning the unknown sample of cotton in the object field of view such that said optical imaging device acquires an image of the unknown sample;

at least one reference material in the object field of view such that said optical imaging device acquires an image of the reference material in the same field of view as the image of the unknown sample; and

a connection via the computer network for transmitting a digital image file from said optical imaging device representing the object field of view to a remote location.

17. The system of claim 16, which further comprises an image display device at the remote location whereby a human observer can classify the cotton by comparing an image of the unknown sample with an image of the reference material.

18. The system of claim 16, which further comprises a processor at the remote location connected to receive the digital image file from said optical imaging device and operable to compare data corresponding to the image of the unknown sample with data corresponding to the image of the reference material to determine a cotton color measurement.

19. A method for classifying an unknown sample of cotton, said method comprising:

employing an optical imaging device to acquire, within the same object field of view, an image of the unknown sample of cotton and an image of at least one reference material;

constructing a digital image file representing the images; and

transmitting the digital image file via a computer network to a remote location.

20. The method of claim 19, which further comprises employing an image display device at the remote location to display images of the unknown sample and the reference material in the same field of view whereby a human observer can classify the cotton by comparing the images.

21. The method of claim 19, which further comprises employing a processor at the remote location to compare data corresponding to the image of the unknown sample with data corresponding to the image of the reference material to determine a cotton color measurement.