Portable composable machine vision system for identifying objects for recycling purposes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10726544-B2
Application number	US-201916353822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2019
Priority date	Mar 4, 2004
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

A machine vision system for automatically identifying and inspecting objects is disclosed, including composable vision-based recognition modules and a decision algorithm to perform the final determination on object type and quality. This vision system has been used to develop a Projectile Identification System and an Automated Tactical Ammunition Classification System. The technology can be used to create numerous other inspection and automated identification systems.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A recycling system, comprising:
a conveyor subsystem;
a feeder subsystem for feeding a recycling stream to the conveyor subsystem, wherein the feeder subsystem and the conveyor subsystem convey objects to be recycled to a machine vision inspection stage;
wherein the machine vision inspection stage includes a plurality of imaging and profiling cameras for simultaneously capturing image data and boundary edges or profiles at different angles associated with the objects to be recycled;
an illumination assembly for uniformly illuminating each object during capture by the cameras in the machine vision inspection stage;
at least one processor for analyzing the image data and boundary edges or profiles to determine physical characteristics of the objects; and
a sorter for directing objects into one of a plurality of corresponding bins in accordance with the physical characteristics.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the objects include glass or plastic objects.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the objects include glass or plastic bottles.

4. The system of claim 1 , where the physical characteristics include object shape.

5. The system of claim 1 , where the physical characteristics include object size.

6. The system of claim 1 , where the physical characteristics include object color.

7. The system of claim 1 , where the physical characteristics include surface markings.

8. The system of claim 1 , where the physical characteristics include text markings.

9. The system of claim 1 , where the physical characteristics include barcodes.

10. The system of claim 1 , where the physical characteristics include possible defects.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the side images and profiles are processed to compare objects to stored object templates.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the objects comprise trash.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the objects fall freely past the cameras.

14. The system of claim 1 , further including a strobe light for uniformly illuminating the objects during capture by the cameras in the machine vision inspection stage.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the cameras and the strobe light are synchronized.

16. The system of claim 1 , including a module for performing an eddy current analysis on the objects.

17. The system of claim 1 , including a module for performing an ultrasound analysis on the objects.

18. The system of claim 1 , including a module for performing a laser spectroscopic analysis on the objects.

19. The system of claim 1 , including a module for performing an interferometric analysis on the objects.

Assignees

• Cybernet Systems Corp

Inventors

• Beach Glenn J
• Moody Gary
• Burkowski James
• Jacobus Charles J

Classifications

• G06T7/0004 Primary

  Industrial image inspection · CPC title

• G06T2207/30164

  Workpiece; Machine component · CPC title

• B07C5/3412

  according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication (sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00) · CPC title

• B07C5/3422

  using video scanning devices, e.g. TV-cameras · CPC title

• F42B35/02

  Gauging, sorting, trimming or shortening cartridges or missiles · CPC title