Patent · US Active

Smoking article inspection system and associated method

US9844232B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
137References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 11, 2014
Grant dateDec 19, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 19, 2035

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06T2207/30128
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Smoking article inspection systems configured to inspect smoking articles are provided. The systems may include imaging devices configured to capture images of an exterior of the smoking article and an analysis unit configured to analyze the images captured by the imaging devices. The analysis unit may execute an edge detection tool configured to determine a position of the smoking article based on an edge location of the smoking article and a defect detection tool configured to determine whether the smoking article is defective after the position of the smoking article is determined. The imaging devices may be configured to capture images of the smoking articles during the assembly thereof. Thereby, the analysis unit may determine any operations during assembly causing damage to the smoking article from analysis of the images of the smoking article captured during assembly. Related methods are also provided.

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