Code and part associating method and apparatus
First Claim
1. An apparatus for associating codes on parts with part spaces on a conveyor wherein each part has a leading edge and a trailing edge that define a part space and each part is to be marked with at least one code, the apparatus comprising:
- an area scan camera having a two dimensional field of view (FOV), the area scan camera supported adjacent the conveyor so that parts conveyed by the conveyor pass through the FOV;
a processor linked to the area scan camera, the processor programmed to perform the steps of;
(i) receiving images from the area scan camera;
(ii) identifying the locations of codes on parts in at least one of the images wherein a code located is a located code;
(iii) identifying the locations of leading and trailing edges of parts wherein the leading and trailing edges define part spaces; and
(iv) associating each located code with a part space that includes the location of the located code.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for associating codes on parts with part spaces on a conveyor wherein each part has a leading edge and a trailing edge that define a part space and each part is to be marked with at least one code, the apparatus comprising an area scan camera having a two dimensional field of view (FOV), the camera supported adjacent the conveyor so that parts conveyed by the conveyor pass through the FOV, a processor linked to the area scan camera, the processor programmed to perform the steps of receiving images from the area scan camera, identifying the locations of codes on parts in at least one of the images wherein a code located is a located code, identifying the locations of leading and trailing edges of parts wherein the leading and trailing edges define part spaces and associating each located code with a part space that includes the location of the located code.
24 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An apparatus for associating codes on parts with part spaces on a conveyor wherein each part has a leading edge and a trailing edge that define a part space and each part is to be marked with at least one code, the apparatus comprising:
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an area scan camera having a two dimensional field of view (FOV), the area scan camera supported adjacent the conveyor so that parts conveyed by the conveyor pass through the FOV; a processor linked to the area scan camera, the processor programmed to perform the steps of; (i) receiving images from the area scan camera; (ii) identifying the locations of codes on parts in at least one of the images wherein a code located is a located code; (iii) identifying the locations of leading and trailing edges of parts wherein the leading and trailing edges define part spaces; and (iv) associating each located code with a part space that includes the location of the located code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 29)
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17. An apparatus for associating codes on parts with part locations on a conveyor wherein each part has a leading edge and a trailing edge and each part is to be marked with at least one code, the apparatus comprising:
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an encoder associated with the conveyor for generating an encoder pulse count wherein the conveyor moves a known encoder incremental distance along a conveyor trajectory each pulse count; a part presence sensor for detecting leading and trailing edges of parts at a first location on the conveyor; an area scan camera having a two dimensional field of view (FOV), the area scan camera supported adjacent the conveyor so that parts conveyed by the conveyor pass through the FOV; a processor linked to the encoder, the sensor and the area scan camera, the processor programmed to perform the steps of; (i) for each part that passes through the FOV, identifying a leading edge pulse count when the leading edge of the part is sensed by the presence sensor at the first location and identifying a trailing edge pulse count when the trailing edge of the part is sensed by the presence sensor at the first location; (ii) receiving images from the area scan camera; (iii) identifying the location of at least one code on a part in at least one of the images at a first time wherein the code located is a located code; (v) for each of at least a subset of the parts in the FOV at the first time, using the leading edge pulse count and the trailing edge pulse count as well as the encoder pulse count and the known encoder incremental distance to identify a part space defined by the leading and trailing edges of the part at the first time; and (vi) associating the located code with a part space including the location of the located code at the first time.
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18. A method for associating codes on parts with part locations on a conveyor wherein each part has a leading edge and a trailing edge and each part is to be marked with at least one code, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a processor programmed to perform the steps of; (i) obtaining two dimensional images of a FOV that each includes a two dimensional space through which the conveyor moves parts along a conveyor trajectory; (ii) identifying the locations of codes on parts in at least one of the images wherein a code located is a located code; (iii) identifying the locations of leading and trailing edges of parts wherein the leading and trailing edges define part spaces; and (iv) associating each located code with a part space that includes the location of the located code. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification