Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for classifying articles according to their color

US5557414A · kind A · utility

2Cited by
7References
38Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 8, 1993
Grant dateSep 17, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 8, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01J3/513
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for classifying articles according to their color, wherein a first pair of wavelengths is selected on a plurality of light reflection curves in terms of a reflected light wavelength spectrum. An article to be inspected is illuminated with light comprising the first pair of wavelengths and light reflected therefrom is measured to detect light reflection values corresponding to this first pair or wavelengths. A primary signal is produced, which represents a resulting difference between the detected light reflection values, this signal being indicative of the color of the inspected article. At least one secondary wavelength is selected on the reflected light wavelength spectrum, and the inspected article is illuminated with light comprising this secondary wavelength and light reflected therefrom is measured to produce a secondary signal which is further indicative of the color of the inspected article. A computer provides a classification frame comprising a first pattern consisting of a first and second crossing set of lines respectively defined by mathematical analysis, this classification frame defining a plurality of color classes. The computer classifies the…

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