Identifying defects in transparent containers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system that is configured to detect a defect in a transparent container, the system comprising:
- an emitter that directs light through a sidewall of the transparent container, wherein the light comprises a color gradient such that color of the light across the sidewall of the transparent container varies across the sidewall of the transparent container, and further wherein intensity of the light across the sidewall of the container is approximately uniform across an entirety of the sidewall of the container;
a camera that is configured to capture an image of the sidewall of the transparent container while the light including the color gradient has approximately uniform intensity across the sidewall of the transparent container; and
a computing system that is in communication with the camera, the computing system comprising a processor and memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising;
detecting a defect in the transparent container based upon the light including the color gradient having approximately uniform intensity across the sidewall of the container as represented in the image; and
outputting an indication that the transparent container includes the defect based upon the image of the sidewall of the container.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein are various technologies related to inspecting transparent containers for both opaque and transparent defects. An emitter is configured to direct a color gradient through a sidewall of a transparent container, such that color of light that passes through the sidewall varies across the sidewall. A camera is configured to capture an image of the sidewall of the transparent container while the color gradient passes through the sidewall of the container. A computing system receives the image and determines whether the sidewall of the container includes either an opaque or a transparent defect based upon the image.
46 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system that is configured to detect a defect in a transparent container, the system comprising:
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an emitter that directs light through a sidewall of the transparent container, wherein the light comprises a color gradient such that color of the light across the sidewall of the transparent container varies across the sidewall of the transparent container, and further wherein intensity of the light across the sidewall of the container is approximately uniform across an entirety of the sidewall of the container; a camera that is configured to capture an image of the sidewall of the transparent container while the light including the color gradient has approximately uniform intensity across the sidewall of the transparent container; and a computing system that is in communication with the camera, the computing system comprising a processor and memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising; detecting a defect in the transparent container based upon the light including the color gradient having approximately uniform intensity across the sidewall of the container as represented in the image; and outputting an indication that the transparent container includes the defect based upon the image of the sidewall of the container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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emitting, by a backlight, a color gradient, such that the color gradient passes through a sidewall of a transparent container that is under inspection, wherein intensity of the color gradient across the sidewall of the container is approximately uniform across an entirety of the sidewall of the container; while the intensity of the color gradient is approximately uniform across the entirety of the sidewall of the container, capturing an image of the sidewall of the container; identifying a defect in the sidewall of the container based upon the color gradient and the intensity of the color gradient being approximately uniform across the entirety of the sidewall of the container as represented in the image; and responsive to identifying the defect, outputting an indication that the sidewall of the container includes the defect. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A container inspection system that is configured to inspect transparent containers, the container inspection system comprising:
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means for directing a color gradient through a sidewall of a transparent container, wherein intensity of the color gradient across the sidewall of the transparent container is approximately uniform across an entirety of the sidewall of the transparent container; means for generating an image of the sidewall of the container while the color gradient is of approximately uniform intensity across the sidewall of the container; and a computing system that is configured to receive the image, detect a defect in the sidewall of the container based upon the color gradient being of approximately uniform intensity across the sidewall of the container as represented in the image, and output an indication that the sidewall of the container includes the defect. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification