Produce data collector and produce recognition system

A produce data collector for processing a produce item as part of a transaction in a transaction establishment comprising:

• a housing containing an aperture;
• a window in the aperture;
• a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) within the housing which collectively produce substantially white light with substantial spectral uniformity for illuminating the produce item as it rests upon the window during the transaction;
• a mount for the LEDS within the housing which anchors the LEDs and which orients the LEDs in circular fashion and around and substantially equidistantly from a center line through the aperture in an orientation sufficient to provide uniform luminosity illumination across the window;
• a linear variable filter (LVF) within the housing for splitting light collected from the produce item into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths;
• a number of mirrors within the housing for directing the collected light to the LVF;
• a baffle within the housing between the LEDs and the LVF for shielding the LVF from the light from the LEDs;
• and
• a detector within the housing for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals which contain information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining its unit price, including a photodetector array.

A produce recognition system for processing a produce item as part of a transaction in a transaction establishment comprising:

• a checkout station for completing the transaction;
• a produce data collector in the checkout station including
• a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) within the housing which collectively produce substantially white light with substantial spectral uniformity for illuminating the produce item with substantially uniform light as it rests upon the window during the transaction;
• a linear variable filter (LVF) for splitting light collected from the produce item into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths;
• a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals;
• control circuitry within the checkout station which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item;
• a database of reference digital spectra;
• and
• a computer within the checkout station and coupled to the control circuitry and the database which compares the digital spectrum from the produce item with the reference digital spectra to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining its unit price and which adds the produce item to the transaction.

A system for processing a produce item as part of a transaction in a transaction establishment comprising:

• a checkout station for completing the transaction;
• a produce data collector in the checkout station including
• a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) within the housing which collectively produce substantially white light with substantially spectral uniformity for illuminating the produce item with substantially uniform light as it rests upon the window during the transaction;
• a linear variable filter (LVF) for splitting light collected from the produce item into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths;
• a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals;
• control circuitry within the checkout station which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item;
• a first database of reference digital spectra;
• a second database of price information correlated to item identification information;
• a scale in the checkout station for providing weight information from the produce item;
• and
• a computer within the checkout station and coupled to the control circuitry, the first and second databases, and the scale, which compares the digital spectrum from the produce item with the reference digital spectra in the first database to determine item identification information for the produce item, which obtains unit price information from the second database using the item identification information for the item, and which determines a price for the produce item from the unit price information and the weight information, and which adds the price of the produce item to the transaction.

A method of identifying a produce item as part of a transaction in a transaction establishment comprising the steps of:

• (a) illuminating the produce item with substantially uniform white light with substantial spectral uniformity during the transaction by a plurality of matched light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in circular fashion and substantially equidistantly from the produce item and oriented at angles sufficient to concentrate substantially all of the light from the LEDs at the produce item;
• (b) splitting light collected from the produce item into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths by a linear variable filter (LVF);
• (c) converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals;
• (d) digitizing the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item;
• and
• (e) comparing the digital spectrum to reference spectra to identify the produce item.