Patent · US Expired

Edge detection using patterned background

US5065237A · kind A · utility

32Cited by
11References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 1, 1990
Grant dateNov 12, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 1, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S209/90
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus for singulating mailpieces such as envelopes spread out on a moving conveyor belt includes a robot for picking up the mailpiece associated with a leading edge. The conveyor belt has alternate black-and-white longitudinal stripes. A TV camera views the belt surface, and produces video representing the stripes and any mailpieces. The video is processed to produce signals representative of the locations of transitions in the video along the centers of the black and/or white stripes. The location representative signals are processed by calculating lines corresponding to one or more leading edges of the mailpiece, which may then be used for controlling the robot in known manner.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.