High throughput automated seed analysis system
US7600642B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 21, 2004 |
| Grant date | Oct 13, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 21, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2035/00188
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A transport subsystem conveys seed holding well trays between a plurality of stations. A loading subsystem is positioned at a first station and is operable to load seeds into individual wells of the conveyed tray. An imaging subsystem is positioned at a second station and is operable to image the seeds contained within the tray wells. A mechanism is provided for flipping the seeds so as to enable the imaging subsystem to obtain multi-side seed images. A sorting subsystem is positioned at a third station and is operable to remove the seeds from the tray wells and sort the removed seeds into a plurality of sort bins. The sorting determination may be made based on an analysis of the seed images obtained by the imaging subsystem.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.