Blending of agricultural products via hyperspectral imaging and analysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11250259-B2
Application number	US-201815997301-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2018
Priority date	Nov 19, 2012
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

Provided is a method for blending of agricultural product utilizing hyperspectral imaging. At least one region along a sample of agricultural product is scanned using at least one light source of different wavelengths. Hyperspectral images are generated from the at least one region. A spectral fingerprint for the sample of agricultural product is formed from the hyperspectral images. A plurality of samples of agricultural product is blended based on the spectral fingerprints of the samples according to parameters determined by executing a blending algorithm.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for determining parameters for an agricultural product utilizing hyperspectral imaging comprising:
scanning multiple regions along a sample of an agricultural product using a light source;
generating hyperspectral images from the multiple regions;
forming a spectral fingerprint for the sample from the hyperspectral images;
correlating one or more features of the spectral fingerprint to a cost associated with the sample;
correlating one or more features of the spectral fingerprint to one or more sensory attributes of the sample;
storing data about the spectral fingerprint within a computer storage means; and
determining blending parameters for a new blended product based on the data, the data including the one or more sensory attributes and the cost associated with the sample.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a spectral library within a computer storage means containing spectral fingerprints for a plurality of blended agricultural products.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a physicochemical code for the sample.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light source is positioned to reduce an angle of incidence of each beam of light with the sample.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a light source having different wavelengths.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light source for providing a beam of light includes a light source including a tungsten light source, a halogen light source, a xenon light source, a mercury light source, an ultraviolet light source, or any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensory attributes are related to a year of harvest, a type of tobacco, a leaf location on a tobacco plant, a tobacco grade, a growing region, seasonal weather conditions, or any combination thereof.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Deevi Seetharama C
• Dante Henry M
• Liang Qiwei
• Henry Samuel Timothy

Classifications

• G01J3/28 Primary

  Investigating the spectrum (using colour filters G01J3/51) · CPC title

• A24B15/18

  Treatment of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes · CPC title

• G06T7/0008

  checking presence/absence · CPC title

• G01N21/31

  Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry {(G01N21/72 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B07C5/342

  according to optical properties, e.g. colour {(according to radiation transmittivity B07C5/3416)} · CPC title