# US 12,217,410 B2 · Decay detection system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,217,410 B2 - Document ID: US12217410B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/606,497 - Filed: 2020-05-08 - Published: 2022-06-30 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-10 - Assignees: Sunkist Growers, Inc. - Applicants: Sunkist Growers, Inc. - Inventors: Aaron Gorsky; Tim Conway - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12217410B2 ## CPC - G06T 7/0004: {Industrial image inspection} - G01N 21/33: using ultraviolet light (G01N21/39 takes precedence) - G01N 21/4738: {Diffuse reflection (precedence is given to G01N21/55 - G01N21/57 if specular component is taken into consideration), e.g. also for testing fluids, fibrous materials} - G01N 21/6486: {Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells (G01N21/6428 takes precedence)} - G01N 21/85: Investigating moving fluids or granular solids - G01N 21/8851: {Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges (G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002)} - G01N 21/94: Investigating contamination, e.g. dust (G01N21/85 takes precedence) - G01N 33/025: {Fruits or vegetables} - G06T 7/70: Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) - G01N 2021/1765: {Method using an image detector and processing of image signal} - G01N 2021/845: {Objects on a conveyor} - G01N 2021/8466: {Investigation of vegetal material, e.g. leaves, plants, fruits} - G06T 2207/10064: Fluorescence image - G06T 2207/30128: Food products - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - 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) ## Abstract A method may include obtaining a laser image of a food product. The method may include obtaining an ultraviolet (UV) image of the food product. The method may include determining a decay value of the food product, based on obtaining the laser image of the product and obtaining the UV image of the food product. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: obtaining a laser image of a food product, wherein the laser image comprises at least two laser lines; determining a profile value of light within a region between said two laser lines; determining a decay value of the food product based on said profile value; and blurring the laser image in a horizontal direction of the laser image; generating the decay value based on blurring the laser image in the horizontal direction of the laser image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: performing an action associated with the food product based on the decay value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: obtaining an ultraviolet image (UV) of the food product; and determining the decay value based on the profile value and the ultraviolet image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: determining red, green, and blue (RGB) values of pixels of the UV image; and determining the decay value based on the RGB values of the pixels of the UV images. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: locating positions of laser lines in the laser image; determining backscatter profile values based on the positions of the laser lines; and determining the decay value based on the backscatter profile values. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the food product is a citrus fruit. ### Claim 7 A device, comprising: a memory configured to store instructions; and a processor configured to execute the instructions to: obtain a laser image of a food product, wherein the laser image comprises at least two laser lines; determine a profile value of light within a region between said two laser lines; and determine a decay value of the food product based on said profile value, blur the laser image in a horizontal direction of the laser image; and generate the decay value based on blurring the laser image in the horizontal direction of the laser image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to: perform an action associated with the food product based on the decay value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to: obtain an ultraviolet image (UV) of the food product; and determine the decay value based on the profile value and the ultraviolet image. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: locating positions of laser lines in the laser image; determine backscatter profile values based on the positions of the laser lines; and determine the decay value based on the backscatter profile values. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine red, green, and blue (RGB) values of pixels of the UV image; and determine the decay value based on the RGB values of the pixels of the UV images. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein the food product is a citrus fruit. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the one or more processors to: obtain a laser image of a food product, wherein the laser image comprises at least two laser lines; determine a profile value of light within a region between said two laser lines; determine a decay value of the food product based on said profile value; blur the laser image in a horizontal direction of the laser image; and generate the decay value based on blurring the laser image in the horizontal direction of the laser image. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more instructions further cause the one or more processors to: perform an action associated with the food product based on the decay value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more instructions further cause the one or more processors to: obtain an ultraviolet image (UV) of the food product; and determine the decay value based on the profile value of the ultraviolet image. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more instructions further cause the one or more processors to: determine red, green, and blue (RGB) values of pixels of the UV image; and determine the decay value based on the RGB values of the pixels of the UV images. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the food product is a citrus fruit. ### Claim 18 A method for detecting decay of a food product, the method comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a laser image of a food product, wherein the laser image comprises a plurality of laser lines; b) locating the position of at least two of said plurality of laser lines; c) determining a profile value based on the intensity of pixels between the at least two laser lines located in the step b); and d) determining a decay value of said food product based on the profile value determined in step c); and e) blurring the laser image in a horizontal direction of the laser image; f) generating the decay value based on blurring the laser image in the horizontal direction of the laser image. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of: g) obtaining a UV image of said food product, wherein the decay value of said food product determined in step d) is determined based on the profile value determined in step c) and the UV image obtained in step e).