Sorting grain during harvesting
US6791683B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 10, 2002 |
| Grant date | Sep 14, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 12, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2001/021
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method for segregating qualities of an agricultural product during processing of the product comprises the step of setting a desired range of a measurement value (2). The measurement value represents a property of the product and defines a first quality of the product for which the measurement value is inside the range and a second quality of the product for which the measurement value is outside the range. The method further comprises the step of analyzing (4) the quality of the product that is being processed. The step of analyzing comprises the steps of continuously extracting samples of the product (4a), irradiating each sample by electromagnetic radiation (4d), spatially separating electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths (4e), and detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted from the sample (4f). The step of detecting produces intensity signals indicative of detected electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths. The step of analyzing further comprises the steps of determining a sample value of said property of the product from the intensity signals, and determining a measurement value (4g) from at least one sample value. The method further comprises the step …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.