Patent EP0758081A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0758081A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for spectroscopic product recognition and identification
Assignee: NCR International Inc
•
Filing: 1996-07-31
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2016-07-31
Abstract
Abstract An optical identification system includes a light source with a broad wavelength spectrum that is directed on an object to be identified. Suitable optical components, such as, one or more collimating lenses gather light that is reflected from the object and direct this light into a spectrometer. The spectrometer disperses the collimated light using a dispersing element, such as one or more gratings, prisms or a combinations of both, onto an array of detectors. The array of detectors may be comprised of a linear diode array or a charge-coupled device (CCD) array which indicates the amount of light at each of a finely-spaced set of wavelengths covering a wide spectral range. The detectors are sensitive over a wavelength region, for example, in the case of silicon detectors from near-infrared plus the visible region, e.g., from 250 nm to 1100 nm. The set of signals from the detectors is read with an analog to digital converter, and transferred to a computer in the form of a spectrum. A set of known spectra determine the reference spectra and the unknown test spectrum is compared with the reference sets. A software program in the computer compares the test spectrum with reference spectra sets utilizing a statistical program. The program takes into account how much the known spectra vary from one another in addition to the average values. A display reads out a list of possible matches in rank order that have a probability of match greater than a predetermined threshold. An operator checks that the first listed item is correct and either accepts the first choice or indicates the correct choice. As an alternative, the system could automatically accept the first choice.
Inventors
- 👤 Gordon Albert Thomas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:33
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/25; G01N21/31; G07; G07G; G07G1/00; G07G1/0036; G07G1/0045; G07G1/0054; G01N21/84; G01N2021/8466
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
An optical identification system for recognition of products based on a test spectra produced from light reflected from said products and by comparison to a set of reference spectra corresponding to reference products, said system comprising: spectrometer means adapted to receive and disperse reflected light from said products into a plurality of finely spaced wavelengths; detecting means optically coupled to said spectrometer means for converting said plurality of finely spaced wavelengths of light to corresponding proportional electrical signals thereby producing said test spectra; means for storing said set of reference spectra corresponding to said reference products; and means for comparing said test spectra with said set of reference spectra to identify said reference spectra most closely resembling said test spectra, thereby enabling identification of said products as one of said reference products.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of Claim 1, further including a broad wavelength light source operable to be directed at said products to be identified.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of Claim 1, further including analog to digital conversion means for converting said signals from said detecting means to a digital test spectrum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of Claim 1, wherein said spectrometer means and said detecting means are operable to allow recording of said spectra over a wide wavelength range from the ultraviolet through the visible to the near infrared spectrum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of Claim 4, wherein said a wide wavelength range includes wavelengths in a range from 300 nm. - 1100 nm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of Claim 2, wherein said light source includes a tungsten-halogen lamp.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
209 words
An optical identification system for recognition of products based on a reflected spectrum produced by said products, said system comprising: a broad wavelength light source for shining on an object be identified; spectrometer means adapted to receive light from said light source reflected from said object to be identified and disperse said light into a plurality of finely spaced wavelengths covering a wide range of wavelengths produced from said broad wavelength light source; one or more arrays of detecting means optically coupled to said spectrometer means, wherein individual ones of said detecting means are sensitive to light over a broad spectral range and are adapted to produce an analog signal representative of said reflected light at a portion of said finely spaced wavelengths; analog to digital conversion means coupled to said one or more arrays of detecting means for converting said analog signal from said one or more arrays of detecting means to a digital test spectrum; and computing means coupled to said conversion means, said computing means including a set of reference spectra stored therein and comparison means for comparing said test spectrum to said set of reference spectra, said computing means operative to select at least one of said reference spectra most closely resembling said test spectra.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said light source is operable to produce a spectral range including part of the infrared, all of the visible and part of the ultraviolet range.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said light source includes a tungsten-halogen lamp.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said spectrometer means includes a light gathering window for receiving and collimating said reflected light.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said spectrometer means includes one or more gratings for dispersing said reflected light into said finely spaced wavelengths.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said spectrometer means includes one or more prisms for dispersing said reflected light into said finely spaced wavelengths.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said spectrometer means includes a combination of gratings and prisms for dispersing said reflected light into said finely spaced wavelengths.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said array of detecting means includes photo-diodes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said array of detecting means includes charge coupled devices.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said comparison means includes a mathematical classification software program to classify said spectra from known products using a set of mathematical functions to represent a range of electrical signals contained in said spectra.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of Claim 7, further including display means for displaying an identifying label corresponding to said reference spectra selected by said computing means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said computing means is operable to output a description representative of at least one reference spectra selected by said computing means, wherein said at least one reference spectra has a probability of correctness greater than a predetermined threshold.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of Claim 18, further including control means for choosing a description representative of a correct one of said reference spectra selected by said computing means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said system is operable to give an indication to an operator if said test spectrum is usable for processing by said computing means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
118 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said system is adapted for use at a retail checkout station, said computing means being coupled to a host computing means at said checkout station having a list of prices per unit for said objects to be identified, said host computing means further being coupled to an electronic measuring scale adapted to transmit electronic data representative of the weight of a given object on said scale to said host computing means, and wherein said system is operable to send a description of an identified product to said host computing means, whereby a total price for said identified product may be computed using said weight of said product from said electronic measuring scale.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of Claim 21, further including output means for printing a description and price of said identified product based on said weight.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said detecting means are sensitive over a large wavelength range from 250 nm. - 1100 nm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said computer means is operable to normalize spectra from said products to spectra from a know white substance.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for optically identifying an object based on a reflected spectrum produced by said object, said method comprising the steps of: shining a broad wavelength light source on an object to be identified; receiving reflected light from said light source from said object to be identified and dispersing said reflected light into a plurality of finely spaced wavelengths covering a wide spectral range; optically detecting light from over said range of said finely spaced wavelengths and producing signals proportional to an amount of light received at each of said finely spaced wavelengths; and comparing said signals to a set of reference spectra, whereby at least one identifying label corresponding to reference spectra most closely resembling said test spectra are output for selection by an operator.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of Claim 25, wherein said produced signals are analog signals, said method further including the step of converting said analog signals received over said range to a digital test spectrum.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of Claim 25, wherein said step of comparing and accumulating reference sets of spectra is accomplished utilizing a neural network software program.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of Claim 25, further including the step of weighing said object to be identified and computing a total price for said object once said object has been identified based on price per unit figures.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of Claim 28, further including the step of printing an item description and price for said object based upon said weight.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of Claim 25, further including the step of displaying descriptions of said reference spectra most closely resembling said test spectra along with a probability of matching said reference spectra to said test spectra.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of Claim 25, further including the step of giving an indication if said test spectrum is usable for processing.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of Claim 25, wherein said wide spectral range includes wavelengths in the range from 250 nm. - 1100 nm.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of Claim 25, further including the step of automatically selecting said reference spectra most closely resembling said test spectra.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of Claim 1, wherein said plurality of finely spaced wavelengths include between 50 and 1100 different wavelengths.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of Claim 34, wherein said detecting means includes at least one array of photo-diodes having between 50 and 1100 photo-diode elements.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein said computer means is operable in calibration to convert the position of a detector element of said detecting means to a specific wavelength of light incident on said element.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of Claim 11, wherein said computer means is operable to combine portions of spectra from multiple gratings within said spectrometer means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.