# US 10,502,691 B1 · Systems and methods for inspection and defect detection

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- Number: US 10,502,691 B1
- Document ID: US10502691B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/370,297
- Filed: 2019-03-29
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2019-03-29
- Assignees: CaaStle, Inc.
- Applicants: CaaStle, Inc.
- Inventors: Alyssa Packard; Shannon Gramley; Lindsey Winland
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502691B1

## CPC

- G01N 21/93: Detection standards; Calibrating {baseline adjustment, drift correction}
- D06H 3/00: Inspecting textile materials
- G01N 21/8803: {Visual inspection (measuring projectors G01B9/08)}
- G06F 9/543: {User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]}
- G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
- G06V 20/20: in augmented reality scenes
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- D06H: MARKING, INSPECTING, SEAMING OR SEVERING TEXTILE MATERIALS (seaming by sewing D05B)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING

## Abstract

A method of inspecting an article with a defect detection tool includes receiving one or more articles at an inspection station and inspecting one of the received one or more articles at the inspection station by evaluating the article for at least one physical defect with the defect detection tool. The defect detection tool includes a clear body including a surface element sized to correspond to the at least one physical defect in the article, and an inspection surface configured to contact a surface of the article.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of inspecting an article with a defect detection tool, comprising:
receiving one or more articles at an inspection station; and
inspecting one of the received one or more articles at the inspection station by evaluating the article for at least one physical defect with the defect detection tool, the defect detection tool comprising:
a clear body comprising a surface element sized to correspond to the at least one physical defect in the article, the surface element including at least one of a linear element or a circular element, the surface element formed as a depression, a through-hole, or a portion of the body having a color different than the clear body, and
an inspection surface configured to contact a surface of the article,
wherein evaluating the article for at least one physical defect with the defect detection tool comprises:
applying the defect detection tool against the article to align the surface element with a potential physical defect in the surface of the article, and
determining that the at least one physical defect is present based on a size of the potential physical defect, wherein the size of the potential physical defect is equal to or larger than a size of the linear element or a size of the circular element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the article is a wearable item.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the wearable item is a garment.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the surface element includes the circular element, the circular element formed as a depression, a through-hole, or a portion of the body having a color different than the clear body.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the surface element includes the circular element, and the method further includes comparing a size of a textile pill on the wearable item to the size of the circular element.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the surface element includes the linear element, and the method further includes comparing a size of a potential snag defect on the wearable item to the size of the linear element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further including:
comparing a first potential snag defect in a first area of the article to a first linear element of a plurality of linear elements;
comparing a second potential snag defect in a second area of the article to a second linear element of the plurality of linear elements, the first linear element and the second linear element having different sizes; and
determining that the at least one physical defect is present based on a size of at least one of the first potential snag defect or the second potential snag defect, wherein the size of the first potential snag defect is equal to or larger than the first linear element or the size of the second potential snag defect is equal to or larger than the second linear element.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the surface element includes the circular element and the linear element, and evaluating the article includes comparing a size of a potential pilling defect on the wearable item to the size of the circular element and comparing a size of a potential snag defect on the wearable item to the size of the linear element.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further including, based on a presence of the at least one physical defect in the article, determining that the article failed the inspection and recording a failed inspection with an inspection processor.

### Claim 10

An inspection defect detection tool for detecting at least one physical defect in an article, comprising:
a clear body having a surface element sized to correspond to the at least one physical defect in the article, the surface element including at least one of a linear element or a circular element, the surface element formed as a depression, a through-hole, or a portion of the inspection surface having a color different than the clear body; and
an inspection surface formed on the clear body, the inspection surface configured to contact a surface of the article such that the surface element is approximately aligned with a potential physical defect in the article.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The inspection defect tool according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of surface elements are provided, the linear element forms a first surface element and a circular through-hole is provided as a second surface element.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The inspection defect tool according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of linear elements are provided, the linear elements having different lengths corresponding to respective areas of the article.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The inspection defect tool according to claim 10, wherein the article is a wearable item.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The inspection defect tool according to claim 13, wherein the wearable item is a garment.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The inspection defect tool according to claim 13, wherein the surface element includes the circular element, and wherein a size of the circular element is compared to a size of a textile pill on the wearable item.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The inspection defect tool according to claim 13, wherein the surface element includes the linear element, and wherein a size of the linear element is compared to a size of a potential snag defect on the wearable item.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The inspection defect tool according to claim 13, wherein the surface element includes the circular element and the linear element, and wherein a size of the circular element is compared to a size of a potential pilling defect on the wearable item and a size of the linear element is compared to a potential snag defect on the wearable item.