System and method for the measurement of repetitive patterns
AssigneeHughes Aircraft Company
InventorJosef K. Holy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the repetitive bar pattern of plaid material is sampled along the length of the goods by means of light reflected therefrom and auto- and cross-correlation functions of groups of said signals are computed so as to define the pattern of the transverse bars of the plaid. This measured pattern is used within a computer-controlled system for cutting the component pieces of clothing items so as to compensate for nonuniformities or distortions in the bar pattern of the material.
Claims19
A system for providing signals which are indicative of the spacing between repetitive transverse bar patterns of a plaid material, said system comprising:
- sampling means for providing sample signals which are indicative of the relative light reflectivity of said material at given increments along a first path which is substantially parallel to one dimension thereof, said one dimension being approximately transverse to said bars;
- and
- a correlation processor which includes means for selecting a group of consecutive sample signals produced from one segment along said first path, and means for generating correlation signals by correlating said selected group of sample signals with groups of sample signals produced from a plurality of segments along said first path, whereby the resulting correlation signals are indicative of the spacing along said first path between the transverse bar patterns.
A system for providing an indication of the spacing between the transverse bar patterns of a plaid material, said system comprising:
- means for providing sample signals which are indicative of the color of said material at given increments along a first path which is substantially parallel to one dimension thereof, said one dimension being non-parallel to said bars;
- and
- a correlation processor which includes means for selecting a group of consecutive sample signals produced from one segment along said first path, and means for generating auto-correlation signals by correlating said selected group of sample signals with groups of sample signals produced from a plurality of segments along said first path, whereby the resulting auto-correlation function signals are indicative of the spacing along said first path between the transverse bar patterns.
A system for providing signals which are indicative of the relative spatial relationship of the generally transverse bars on a plaid material, said system comprising:
- a conveyor for transporting the material;
- first sampling means, disposed relative to said conveyor so as to receive light reflected from said material, for providing first sample signals which are indicative of the color of said material at given fixed increments along a first path which is substantially parallel to one dimension thereof, said one dimension being approximately orthogonal to the nominal orientation of said bars;
- second sampling means, disposed relative to said path so as to receive light reflected from said material, for providing second sample signals which are indicative of the color of said material at given fixed increments along at least a second path which is approximately parallel to said first path;
- and
- a correlation processor which includes means for selecting a group of consecutive sample signals produced from one segment along said first path, and means for generating auto-correlation signals by correlating said selected group of said first sample signals with other groups of said first sample signals and for generating cross-correlation signals by correlating said selected group of first sample signals with groups of said second sample signals;
- whereby the resulting auto- and cross-correlation functions are indicative of the relative spatial relationship of the generally transverse bars.
For use with a material having a plurality of bars forming a repetitive pattern thereon such that said bars are substantially orthogonal to one dimension of said material, a system for providing signals indicative of the spacing between the repetitive bar patterns, said system comprising:
- means for providing sample signals which are indicative of the bar pattern as sampled at given increments along a first path which is substantially parallel to said one dimension;
- and
- correlation means for generating correlation functions of groups of consecutive sample signals, said correlation means including means for selecting a given group of consecutive sample signals produced from one segment along said first path and using said selected group of consecutive sample signals to compute correlation function signals with other different groups of consecutive sample signals that correspond to contiguous segments along said one dimension, whereby said correlation function signals are definitive of the spacing between repetitive bar patterns.
A method for providing signals which are indicative of the spacing between repetitive transverse bar patterns of a plaid material, said method comprising the steps of:
- sampling the relative light reflectivity of said material at given increments along a first path which is substantially parallel to one dimension thereof, said one dimension being approximately transverse to said bars;
- selecting a group of consecutive sample signals produced from one segment along said first path, and
- generating correlation signals by correlating the selected group of sample signals with groups of sample signals produced from a plurality of segments along said first path, whereby the resulting correlation function signals are indicative of the spacing between the transverse bar patterns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.