Inspection system
First Claim
1. An inspection system, comprising:
- a conveyor to convey a plurality of pellet-shaped articles along a path;
at least one camera oriented towards the conveyor so as to image the pellet-shaped articles being conveyed along the path;
a removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera; and
processing resources, including at least one processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the at least one processor to control the inspection system to at least;
process data received from the at least one camera to determine whether the pellet-shaped articles being imaged have a predetermined characteristic;
responsive to a determination that a given one of the pellet-shaped articles has the predetermined characteristic, control the removal unit to remove the given one of the pellet-shaped articles that has the predetermined characteristic;
generate, for output to a display device, operably connected to the inspection system, at least one display section including video output from the at least one camera, as the pellet-shaped articles are being imaged and as the data received from the at least one camera is being processed;
receive input enabling a user to set a plurality of inspection regions, at least one of the inspection regions corresponding to an area internal to an outer boundary of a representative of the plurality of pellet-shaped articles and being defined by user-specification of a geometric shape superimposed on a displayed representation of the representative; and
generate, for output to the display device, the geometric shape superimposed on the displayed representation of the representative.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inspection system is configured for use with a conveyer apparatus including carrier bars. Each carrier bar conveys pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path. The inspection system includes at least one camera unit for sensing a predetermined characteristic of the pellet-shaped articles, a removal unit, and a controller. The removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera unit, removes selected pellet-shaped article(s) from the carrier bar(s) depending on whether the characteristic is sensed by the at least one camera unit. The controller is in communication with the at least one camera unit and the removal unit. The controller provides a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the sensed characteristic. The removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having extended vacuum nozzles along its length, equal to the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar. Each vacuum nozzle selectively removes article(s) from the carrier bar(s) by suction.
158 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An inspection system, comprising:
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a conveyor to convey a plurality of pellet-shaped articles along a path; at least one camera oriented towards the conveyor so as to image the pellet-shaped articles being conveyed along the path; a removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera; and processing resources, including at least one processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the at least one processor to control the inspection system to at least; process data received from the at least one camera to determine whether the pellet-shaped articles being imaged have a predetermined characteristic; responsive to a determination that a given one of the pellet-shaped articles has the predetermined characteristic, control the removal unit to remove the given one of the pellet-shaped articles that has the predetermined characteristic; generate, for output to a display device, operably connected to the inspection system, at least one display section including video output from the at least one camera, as the pellet-shaped articles are being imaged and as the data received from the at least one camera is being processed; receive input enabling a user to set a plurality of inspection regions, at least one of the inspection regions corresponding to an area internal to an outer boundary of a representative of the plurality of pellet-shaped articles and being defined by user-specification of a geometric shape superimposed on a displayed representation of the representative; and generate, for output to the display device, the geometric shape superimposed on the displayed representation of the representative. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19)
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15. An inspection system, comprising:
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a conveyor to convey a plurality of pellet-shaped articles along a path; a plurality of cameras oriented towards the conveyor so as to image the pellet-shaped articles being conveyed along the path; a removal unit, downstream from the plurality of cameras; and processing resources, including at least one processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the at least one processor to control the inspection system to at least; process data received from the plurality of cameras to determine whether the pellet-shaped articles being imaged have a predetermined characteristic; responsive to a determination that a given one of the pellet-shaped articles has the predetermined characteristic, control the removal unit to remove the given one of the pellet-shaped articles that has the predetermined characteristic; generate, for output to a display device, operably connected to the inspection system, at least one display section including video output from the plurality of cameras, as the pellet-shaped articles are being imaged and as the data received from the at least one camera is being processed; calculate inspection statistics based on input relating to the predetermined characteristic; and generate for output to the display device a second display section including the calculated inspection statistics, wherein at least some inspection statistics are calculated on a camera-by-camera basis.
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17. An inspection system, comprising:
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a conveyor to convey a plurality of pellet-shaped articles along a path; at least one camera oriented towards the conveyor so as to image the pellet-shaped articles being conveyed along the path; a removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera; and processing resources, including at least one processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the at least one processor to control the inspection system to at least; process data received from the at least one camera to determine whether the pellet-shaped articles being imaged have a predetermined characteristic; responsive to a determination that a given one of the pellet-shaped articles has the predetermined characteristic, control the removal unit to remove the given one of the pellet-shaped articles that has the predetermined characteristic; and generate, for output to a display device, operably connected to the inspection system, at least one display section including video output from the at least one camera, as the pellet-shaped articles are being imaged and as the data received from the at least one camera is being processed, wherein the conveyor includes at least one row of product receiving pockets, the pockets being structured to convey the pellet-shaped articles along the path, and wherein the memory includes further instructions executable by the at least one processor to control the inspection system to at least calculate at least some inspection statistics on a pocket-by-pocket basis.
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20. A method of operating an inspection system, the method comprising:
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conveying a plurality of pellet-shaped articles along a path via a conveyor; imaging the pellet-shaped articles being conveyed along the path, using at least one camera oriented towards the conveyor; processing data received from the at least one camera to determine whether the pellet-shaped articles being imaged have a predetermined characteristic; responsive to a determination that a given one of the pellet-shaped articles has the predetermined characteristic, controlling a removal unit to remove the given one of the pellet-shaped articles that has the predetermined characteristic, the removal unit being located downstream from the at least one camera; generating, for output to a display device operably connected to the inspection system, at least one display section including video output from the at least one camera, as the pellet-shaped articles are being imaged and as the data received from the at least one camera is being processed; receiving input enabling a user to set a plurality of inspection regions, at least one of the inspection regions corresponding to an area internal to an outer boundary of a representative of the plurality of pellet-shaped articles and being defined by user-specification of a geometric shape superimposed on a displayed representation of the representative; and generating, for output to the display device, the geometric shape superimposed on the displayed representation of the representative. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification