US 5,944,598 A · Method and apparatus for using image analysis to determine meat and carcass characteristics

Abstract

In a process and apparatus for determining grading parameters of a carcass, the outline of an image of the carcass is traced and reference points representing anatomical features of the carcass are identified. Second reference points being located at pre-determined positions relative to the first reference points are then identified. The carcass image is divided into a plurality of sections, the boundaries of each section being determined as a function of the position of the first and second reference points, and the area of each section is determined. A grading parameter predictive equation is determined wherein the grading parameter is included as a dependent variable, and at least one area of a carcass image section is included as an independent variable. Solving the predictive equation provides a value for the grading parameter of the carcass. Other measurements which can be obtained from the carcass image and used as independent variables in predictive equations include distances from dorsal and ventral regions of the carcass image outline to a carcass mid-line, carcass widths, angular measurements between reference points, and measurements of curvature of the carcass image outline. Improved rib eye tracing techniques permit accurate measurement of rib eye parameters. The measured rib eye parameters may be used to determine a quality grade for the carcass or as independent variables in a carcass grading parameter predictive equation, alone, or in conjunction with measurements taken from the carcass image.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A process for determining a quality grade of an animal carcass, comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining an image which includes the rib eye of the carcass, the image being composed of an array of pixels providing colour data representative of colour information at the corresponding part of the image;
(b) discriminating pixels representing muscle tissue from pixels representing fat tissue on the basis of a pixel colour characteristic threshold;
(c) identifying a cluster of muscle tissue pixels within the image that represents the rib eye and tracing the outline of the rib eye muscle to exclude external image sections representing muscle tissue which abuts but is not part of the rib eye;
(d) determining the proportion of pixels within the rib eye outline representing fat relative to the total number of pixels within the rib eye outline to obtain a value of the percentage of intramuscular fat in the rib eye;
(e) repeating steps (b) through (d) for a plurality of reference images of rib eyes of carcasses of pre-determined quality grade to establish a relationship between the percentage of intramuscular fat in the rib eye and the quality grade of the carcass;
and
(f) solving the relationship determined in step (e) for the value of the percentage of intramuscular fat in the rib eye determined in step (d) to determine the quality grade of the carcass.

4 more elements

A process for determining parameters of a rib eye of a carcass, comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining an image which includes the rib eye of the carcass, the image being composed of an array of pixels providing colour data representative of colour information at the corresponding part of the image;
(b) discriminating pixels representing muscle tissue from pixels representing fat tissue on the basis of a pixel colour characteristic threshold;
(c) identifying a target cluster of contiguous muscle tissue pixels within the image, the target cluster including the rib eye, and tracing the outline of the cluster of muscle tissue pixels including the rib eye;
(d) identifying and excising external image sections representing muscle tissue which abuts but is not part of the rib eye, the step of identifying external image sections including:
(i) identifying outward turns in the rib eye outline traced in step (c);
and
(ii) rejecting an outward turn as a potential site to commence a cut to excise an external image section if a first line bisecting the turn would not be substantially parallel to a second line tangent to a first generally elliptical figure surrounding the rib eye outline at a point on the ellipse collinear with the centre of the elliptical figure and the vertex of the turn.

4 more elements

A process for determining grading parameters of a carcass, comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining an image of a view of the carcass, the image being composed of an array of pixels providing data representative of information at the corresponding part of the image;
(b) tracing the outline of the image to produce a carcass image outline;
(c) locating a plurality of first reference points on the carcass image outline, the first reference points representing anatomical features of the carcass, the anatomical features being identified as protrusions or indentations in the carcass image outline;
(d) locating at least one second reference point on or within the carcass image outline, the second reference points being located at pre-determined positions relative to the first reference points;
(e) dividing the carcass image into a plurality of sections, the boundaries of each section being determined as a function of the position of the first and second reference points, and determining the area of each section;
(f) providing a grading parameter predictive equation wherein the grading parameter is included as a dependent variable, and at least one area of a section determined in step (e) is included as an independent variable;
and,
(g) solving the grading parameter predictive equation to provide a value for the grading parameter of the carcass.

5 more elements

An apparatus for determining parameters of a rib eye of a carcass, comprising:

(a) image acquisition means for obtaining an image which includes the rib eye of the carcass;
(b) computing and storage means for:
(i) storing the image as an array of pixels providing data representative of information at the corresponding part of the image;
(ii) discriminating pixels representing muscle tissue from pixels representing fat tissue on the basis of a pixel colour characteristic threshold;
(iii) identifying a target cluster of contiguous muscle tissue pixels within the image, the target cluster including the rib eye, and tracing the outline of the cluster of muscle tissue pixels including the rib eye;
(iv) identifying and excising external image sections representing muscle tissue which abuts but is not part of the rib eye, the means for identifying external image sections including:
(a) means for identifying outward turns in the rib eye outline traced by means (iii);
and
(b) means for rejecting an outward turn as a potential site to commence a cut to excise an external image section if a first line bisecting the turn would not be substantially parallel to a second line tangent to a first generally elliptical figure surrounding the rib eye outline at a point on the elliptical figure collinear with the centre of the elliptical figure and the vertex of the turn;
and
(c) means for providing an output of the parameters of the rib eye.

8 more elements

A process for determining grading parameters of a carcass, comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining an image which includes the rib eye of the carcass, the image being composed of an array of pixels providing colour data representative of colour information at the corresponding part of the image;
(b) discriminating pixels representing muscle tissue from pixels representing fat tissue on the basis of a pixel colour characteristic threshold;
(c) identifying a cluster of muscle tissue pixels within the image that represents the rib eye and tracing the outline of the rib eye muscle to exclude external image sections representing muscle tissue which abuts but is not part of the rib eye;
(d) determining the proportion of pixels within the rib eye outline representing fat relative to the total number of pixels within the rib eye outline to obtain a value of the percentage of intramuscular fat in the rib eye;
(e) measuring the value of at least one standard grading criterium for the rib eye image, the standard grading criteria selected from the group consisting of the area of the rib eye, the percentage of intramuscular fat in the rib eye, the thickness of a subcutaneous fat layer on the rib eye at pre-determined positions, the average thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer on the rib eye, and the width of the subcutaneous fat layer at its narrowest point;
(f) providing a grading parameter predictive equation wherein the grading parameter is included as a dependent variable, and at least one of the standard grading criteria for the rib eye is included as an independent variable;
and,
(g) solving the grading parameter predictive equation to provide a value for the grading parameter of the carcass.

5 more elements

An apparatus for determining grading parameters of a carcass, comprising:

(a) image acquisition means for obtaining an image which includes the rib eye of the carcass;
(b) computing and storage means for:
(i) storing the image as an array of pixels providing data representative of information at the corresponding part of the image;
(ii) discriminating pixels representing muscle tissue from pixels representing fat tissue on the basis of a pixel colour characteristic threshold;
(iii) identifying a cluster of muscle tissue pixels within the image that represents the rib eye and tracing the outline of the rib eye muscle to exclude external image sections representing muscle tissue which abuts but is not part of the rib eye;
(iv) determining the proportion of pixels within the rib eye outline representing fat relative to the total number of pixels within the rib eye outline to obtain a value of the percentage of intramuscular fat in the rib eye;
(v) measuring the value of at least one standard grading criterium for the rib eye image, the standard grading criteria selected from the group consisting of the area of the rib eye, the percentage of intramuscular fat in the rib eye, the thickness of a subcutaneous fat layer on the rib eye at pre-determined positions, the average thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer on the rib eye, and the width of the subcutaneous fat layer at its narrowest point;
(vi) providing a grading parameter predictive equation wherein the grading parameter is included as a dependent variable, and at least one of the standard grading criteria for the rib eye is included as an independent variable;
(vii) solving the grading parameter predictive equation to provide a value for the grading parameter of the carcass;
and,
(c) means for providing an output of the grading parameter of the carcass.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for using image analysis to determine meat and carcass characteristics

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for using image analysis to determine meat and carcass characteristics

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27