Patent · US Expired

Object recognition system and method

US6069696A · kind A · utility

243Cited by
18References
49Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 7, 1996
Grant dateMay 30, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 7, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06V20/68
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An object recognition system comprises a sensing apparatus for collecting light reflected from objects presented at a point-of-sale machine. The sensing apparatus includes a mechanism, such as a holographic disk or diffraction grating, for separating the color components of the light reflected from the object and directing, the color components onto an optical detector such as a two-dimensional imaging array, or a one-dimensional imaging array or single photo-sensitive optical cell used in conjunction with a rotating mirror. A pattern recognizer compares the spectral response, including the locations, amplitudes and widths of energy peaks of the different color components, against premeasured characteristics of known objects in order to classify the object. The weight of the object can be measured with a scale, and the density of the object calculated, with the weight and density being used by the pattern recognizer to further classify the object. In one embodiment, a plurality of narrowband illumination sources are operated in time-sequential manner, each illuminating with a different wavelength band of light, in order to allow separate color measurements. The object recognition s…

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