Reflective tag and polarized light sensor for transmitting information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9970862-B2
Application number	US-201414332426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2014
Priority date	Jul 16, 2014
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

Polarized light characteristics are detected and mapped to an application, such as product identification. A process of reflecting a directed light emission through a polarizing filter, and sensing the processed light emission having particular characteristics is provided. The characteristics of the sensed light emission is associated with a “color code” that is cross-referenced within a database of color codes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
detecting, by an optical scanner device, a first light emission through a polarization filter, the first light emission having a first set of characteristics reflected from a target area on a surface of an object;
determining, by the optical scanner device, a color code based, at least in part, on the first light emission;
mapping the color code to a corresponding application including at least one of: component parts information instructions, food characteristics, and recycling information; and
providing or displaying information regarding the application to a device via communications hardware,
wherein:
at least the detecting and determining steps are performed by computer software running on computer hardware of the optical scanner device; and
the first light emission is a polarized reflection from the target area of a second light emission having a second set of characteristics that are different from the first set of characteristics, the second light emission being emitted by the optical scanner device on to the target area.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
directing the second light emission such that the target area reflects the second light emission.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
mapping the color code to a set of product identification data.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of characteristics includes a pre-determined polarization.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the first light emission is performed, at least in part, by a light receiver sensitive to a pre-determined range of light polarization characteristics.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a color code includes identifying spectral information of the first light emission.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target area includes at least one selected from the group consisting of:
a nanomaterial; and
a plastic film.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the polarization filter is adjacent to the target area.

9. A computer program product implemented within an optical scanner, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon:
first program instructions programmed to detect a first light emission through a polarization filter having a first set of characteristics reflected from a target area on a surface of an object;
second program instructions programmed to determine a color code based, at least in part, on the first light emission;
third program instructions to map the color code to a corresponding application including at least one of: product identification, component parts information instructions, food characteristics, and recycling information; and
fourth program instructions to provide or displaying information regarding the application to a device via communications hardware,
wherein:
the first light emission is a polarized reflection from the target area of a second light emission having a second set of characteristics that are different from the first set of characteristics, the second light emission being emitted by the optical scanner device on to the target area.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , further comprising:
third program instructions programmed to direct the second light emission such that the target area reflects the second light emission.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 , further comprising:
third program instructions programmed to map the color code to a set of product identification data.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the first set of characteristics includes a pre-determined polarization.

13. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein detecting the first light emission is performed, at least in part, by a light receiver sensitive to a pre-determined range of light polarization characteristics.

14. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein determining a color code includes identifying spectral information of the first light emission.

15. An optical scanner system comprising:
a processor(s) set; and
a computer readable storage medium;
wherein:
the processor set is structured, located, connected, and/or programmed to run program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium; and
the program instructions include:
first program instructions programmed to detect a first light emission through a polarization filter having a first set of characteristics reflected from a target area on a surface of an object;
second program instructions programmed to determine a color code based, at least in part, on the first light emission;
third program instructions to map the color code to a corresponding application including at least one of: product identification, component parts information instructions, food characteristics, and recycling information; and
fourth program instructions to provide or displaying information regarding the application to a device via communications hardware,
wherein:
the first light emission is a polarized reflection from the target area of a second light emission having a second set of characteristics that are different from the first set of characteristics, the second light emission being emitted by the optical scanner system on to the target area.

16. The computer system of claim 15 , further comprising:
third program instructions programmed to direct the second light emission such that the target area reflects the second light emission.

17. The computer system of claim 15 , further comprising:
third program instructions programmed to map the color code to a set of product identification data.

18. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the first set of characteristics includes a pre-determined polarization.

19. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein detecting the first light emission is performed, at least in part, by a light receiver sensitive to a pre-determined range of light polarization characteristics.

20. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein determining a color code includes identifying spectral information of the first light emission.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Borges Gabriel P
• Falbriard Claude
• Miller Grant D
• Nassar Nader M

Classifications

• G01N21/23

  Bi-refringence · CPC title

• G01N21/21 Primary

  Polarisation-affecting properties (G01N21/19 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N21/55

  Specular reflectivity · CPC title

• G01N2201/12

  Circuits of general importance; Signal processing · CPC title

• G01N2201/10

  Scanning · CPC title