Patent EP0233990A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0233990A2
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EP
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Pattern scanner
Assignee: AMF CYBRID LIMITED
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Filing: 1982-11-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-11-08
Abstract
Abstract A pattern scanner (1) comprises a plurality of light-sensitive elements (23) guided in X and Y coordinate directions to scan a screen on which one or more pattern pieces are laid. The scanner detects outer and inner boundaries of the pieces, and analyses the inner boundaries to identify information such as grain direction, piece identity and drill holes.
Inventors
- 👤 Adrian Edmund Bankart
- 👤 Clive Normal Jenkins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 11:44
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K11/00; G06K1/00; G06K1/02; G06K1/06; G06K1/10; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/0002; G06T7/0004; G06T7/0006; G06T2207/00; G06T2207/10; G06T2207/10004; G06T2207/10008; G06T2207/30; G06T2207/30108; G06T2207/30124
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
255 words
A pattern scanner (1) for scanning pattern pieces, comprising an optoelectronic scanning means (9) comprising at least one radiation sensing element (23), guiding means (13,18) for guiding the scanning means in X and Y coordinate directions, control means (15) for controlling the guiding means to cause the scanning means to make uninterrupted scans across a pattern piece in the X coordinate direction, such scans alternating with stepping in the Y coordinate direction in order to scan a matrix of unitary areas encompassing the entire area of said pattern piece within its outer boundary, and means (10) for transmitting the data sensed by the scanning means during the scans in the X direction, characterised in that the scanning means is operable to provide data which identify and locate areas of a first type, corresponding to material of a pattern piece, and areas of second type, corresponding to (a) areas outside a pattern piece, (b) holes within a pattern piece, and (c) an area of a pattern piece having a property, as sensed by said element or elements, corresponding to a hole in said pattern piece, and there are means (105) for storing characteristics corresponding to different types of areas of the second type and for processing said data in comparison with said stored information to identify, locate and distinguish between the external boundary of at least one pattern piece and information conveyed by said at least one pattern piece and defined at least in part by areas of said second type detected within said external boundary.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
255 words
A pattern scanner (1) for scanning pattern pieces, comprising an optoelectronic scanning means (9) comprising at least one radiation sensing element (23), guiding means (13,18) for guiding the scanning means in X and Y coordinate directions, control means (15) for controlling the guiding means to cause the scanning means to make uninterrupted scans across a pattern piece in the X coordinate direction, such scans alternating with stepping in the Y coordinate direction in order to scan a matrix of unitary areas encompassing the entire area of said pattern piece within its outer boundary, and means (10) for transmitting the data sensed by the scanning means during the scans in the X direction, characterised in that the scanning means is operable to provide data which identify and locate areas of a first type, corresponding to material of a pattern piece, and areas of second type, corresponding to (a) areas outside a pattern piece, (b) holes within a pattern piece, and (c) an area of a pattern piece having a property, as sensed by said element or elements, corresponding to a hole in said pattern piece, and there are means (105) for storing characteristics corresponding to different types of areas of the second type and for processing said data in comparison with said stored information to identify, locate and distinguish between the external boundary of at least one pattern piece and information conveyed by said at least one pattern piece and defined at least in part by areas of said second type detected within said external boundary.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
A scanner according to Claim 1, including memory means (101) for recording the data sensed by said element or elements, thereby to produce a memory map corresponding to an area scanned by the scanner, and means for identifying in the memory map areas corresponding to pattern pieces by finding internal and external boundaries thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A scanner as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, and including means (5) for identifying information recorded on said pattern piece in the form of preselected configurations of areas of one of the first and second types.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A scanner as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the means (5) for processing is arranged to sense, as one of a pre-selected configurations of areas, a pattern piece identifying code which varies from piece to piece, thereby to permit scanning, and distinguish between, a plurality of pattern pieces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A scanner according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 and comprising means (5) for identifying grain direction information recorded on at least one pattern piece as a direction indicated by a directional indicator defined by the shape of an area of the second type.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A scanner according to Claim 5 when appended to Claim 4 and comprising means for sensing said pattern piece identifying code within an area of said directional indicator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A scanner according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 and including means (5) for identifying areas of the first type surrounded by areas of the second type on the basis of size.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A scanner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including means (5) for identifying areas of the second type surrounded by areas of the first type and on the basis of size.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A scanner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including means for identifying notches in a pattern piece boundary on the basis of a comparison between the distance measured along the boundary between two points and the separation of those two points.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A scanner as claimed in Claim 9 and further including means for identifying coded information in the form of holes adjacent to a notch in a pattern piece.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A scanner according to any one of the preceding claims, and comprising a plurality of radiation sensitive elements spaced in the Y direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
A scanner according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission means comprises a register (52) for holding the data sensed by said element or elements at each of a plurality of position of the element or elements and means (50) for moving the data serially from said register.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
A scanner according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission means comprises transmitter means (26) for transmitting a radiation beam from a support for said element or elements and means (27) for receiving that radiation beam.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
121 words
A pattern scanner (1) according to Claim 13 when appended to Claim 11, wherein there is a carriage (8) supporting the optoelectronic scanning means (9) and movable in the X and Y directions, and the transmission means (10) comprises means (52) conveyed by the carriage (8) for converting data from said elements (23) into a serial stream of data, the transmitted means (26) being conveyed by the carriage and arranged to convert said serial stream into a modulated beam of radiation transmitted in a direction away from the carriage (8), and the means (27) for receiving said beam being mounted to move with said carriage in said Y direction and being fixed relative to said pattern piece in said X direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A scanner according to Claim 13 or 14, wherein the beam transmitter means comprises means for modulating said beam with pulses.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
A scanner according to Claim 15, wherein said pulses comprise synchronising pulses for synchronising the functioning of said transmitter and receiving means, said synchronising pulses being interspersed with pulses defining said data.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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