Method and system for optoelectronic detection and location of objects
First Claim
1. An optoelectronic system for providing information describing an object, comprising:
- an optical sensor that makes light measurements in a field of view;
means for performing a motion process that provides relative motion between the object and the field of view in a direction of motion, such that the object passes through the field of view;
means for performing a capture process that captures a plurality of one-dimensional images of the field of view, whereineach of the plurality of images are responsive to the respective light measurements;
the images are oriented approximately parallel to the direction of motion; and
at least a portion of the images correspond to a plurality of positions of the object relative to the field of view; and
means for performing a process that analyzes at least a portion of the images so as to provide the information describing the object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and systems for optoelectronic detection and location of moving objects. The disclosed methods and systems capture one-dimensional images of a field of view through which objects may be moving, make measurements in those images, select from among those measurements those that are likely to correspond to objects in the field of view, make decisions responsive to various characteristics of the objects, and produce signals that indicate those decisions. The disclosed methods and systems provide excellent object discrimination, electronic setting of a reference point, no latency, high repeatability, and other advantages that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.
116 Citations
68 Claims
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1. An optoelectronic system for providing information describing an object, comprising:
an optical sensor that makes light measurements in a field of view; means for performing a motion process that provides relative motion between the object and the field of view in a direction of motion, such that the object passes through the field of view; means for performing a capture process that captures a plurality of one-dimensional images of the field of view, wherein each of the plurality of images are responsive to the respective light measurements; the images are oriented approximately parallel to the direction of motion; and at least a portion of the images correspond to a plurality of positions of the object relative to the field of view; and means for performing a process that analyzes at least a portion of the images so as to provide the information describing the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An optoelectronic system for providing information describing an object, comprising:
an optical sensor that makes light measurements in a field of view; a motion element that provides relative motion between the object and the field of view in a direction of motion, such that the object passes through the field of view; a capture element that captures a plurality of one-dimensional images of the field of view, wherein each of the plurality of images are responsive to the respective light measurements; the images are oriented approximately parallel to the direction of motion; and at least a portion of the images correspond to a plurality of positions of the object relative to the field of view; a measurement element that analyzes at least a portion of the images so as to produce image measurements; a selection element that selects object measurements from among the image measurements, the object measurements comprising image measurements that are judged responsive to the object; and a decision element that analyzes the object measurements so as to produce the information describing the object. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An optoelectronic system for detecting and locating an object, comprising:
a linear optical sensor comprising a linear array of photoreceptors that makes light measurements in a field of view; means for performing a motion process that provides relative motion between the object and the field of view in a direction of motion, such that the object passes through the field of view and crosses a reference point at a reference time; means for performing a capture process that captures a plurality of one-dimensional images of the field of view, and produces a plurality of capture times, each capture time being responsive to a time at which a corresponding image was captured, and wherein each of the plurality of images are responsive to the respective light measurements; the images are oriented approximately parallel to the direction of motion; and at least a portion of the images correspond to a plurality of positions of the object relative to the field of view; means for performing a measurement process that analyzes at least a portion of the images so as to produce position measurements and score measurements; means for performing a decision process that uses the capture times, the position measurements, and the score measurements to produce an estimate of the reference time; and means for performing a signaling process that produces a signal that indicates the reference time by occurring at a signal time that is responsive to the estimate of the reference time. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. An optoelectronic method for providing information describing an object, comprising:
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using an optical sensor to make light measurements in a field of view; providing relative motion between the object and the optical sensor in a direction of motion, such that the object passes through the field of view; capturing a plurality of one-dimensional images of the field of view, wherein each of the plurality of images are responsive to the respective light measurements; the images are oriented approximately parallel to the direction of motion; and at least a portion of the images correspond to a plurality of positions of the object relative to the field of view; and analyzing at least a portion of the images so as to provide the information describing the object. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. An optoelectronic method for providing information describing an object, comprising:
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using an optical sensor to make light measurements in a field of view; providing relative motion between the object and the optical sensor in a direction of motion, such that the object passes through the field of view; capturing a plurality of one-dimensional images of the field of view, wherein each of the plurality of images are responsive to the respective light measurements; the images are oriented approximately parallel to the direction of motion; and at least a portion of the images correspond to a plurality of positions of the object relative to the field of view; analyzing at least a portion of the images so as to produce image measurements; selecting object measurements from among the image measurements, the object measurements comprising image measurements that are judged responsive to the object; and analyzing the object measurements so as to produce the information describing the object. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. An optoelectronic method for detecting and locating an object, comprising:
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using a linear optical sensor to make light measurements in a field of view; providing relative motion between the object and the optical sensor in a direction of motion, such that the object passes through the field of view and crosses a reference point at a reference time; capturing a plurality of one-dimensional images of the field of view, wherein each of the plurality of images are responsive to the respective light measurements; the images are oriented approximately parallel to the direction of motion; and at least a portion of the images correspond to a plurality of positions of the object relative to the field of view; producing a plurality of capture times, each capture time being responsive to a time at which a corresponding image was captured; analyzing at least a portion of the plurality of images so as to produce position measurements and score measurements; using the capture times, the position measurements, and the score measurements to produce an estimate of the reference time; and producing a signal that indicates the reference time by occurring at a signal time that is responsive to the estimate of the reference time. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68)
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Specification