Patent · US Expired

Devices and methods for optically identifying characteristics of material objects

US6122042A · kind A · utility

571Cited by
9References
66Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 1, 1997
Grant dateSep 19, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 1, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2562/0242
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus for photometric analysis and/or identification of properties of a material object comprises a collection of light sources having substantially distinct wavelength envelopes and activated in a rapid sequence of distinct combinations. The apparatus comprises a collection of spatially distributed light detectors which detect radiation from the object and produce detected signals. A signal processor for controlling the light sources and analyzing the detected signals synchronizes the detected signals with the activation of the sequence of distinct combinations of the light sources to produce associated combinations of detected signals which are then analyzed to determine a physical property of the object and/or compared for similarity to previously detected signals from known objects. The photometric data may be combined and correlated with other measured data to enhance identification.

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