Optical volume sensor
AssigneeBayer Aktiengesellschaft
InventorAndrew J. Dosmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical sensor for measuring the volume of an object, the object having a top and a side. The optical sensor comprises a source of light and a light sensor adapted to measure the amount of light reflected off the side and off the top of the object, wherein the measured amount of the light reflected off the side and the top of the object correlates to a height and a diameter of the object. At least one optical device is adapted to direct light reflected off the side of the object to the light sensor, and at least one optical device is adapted to direct light reflected off the top of the object to the light sensor.
Claims61
An optical sensor for measuring the volume of an object comprising:
- a source of light adapted to illuminate a side and a top of the object;
- a light sensor adapted to measure an amount of light reflected off the side and off the top of the object;
- means for directing light reflected off the side and the top of the object to the light sensor, wherein the amount of light reflected off the side and the top of the object correlates to a height and a transverse dimension of the object;
- and
- a processor communicatively coupled to the light sensor, the processor determining the volume of the object from a single height measurement of the object and a single transverse dimension measurement of the object.
An optical sensor for measuring the volume of an object comprising:
- a source of light adapted to illuminate a side and a top of the object;
- a light sensor adapted to measure an amount of light reflected off the side and off the top of the object;
- a mirror being adapted to direct light reflected off of the side of the object to the light sensor;
- a first lens disposed between the mirror and the light detector, the first lens being adapted to image the reflected light directed from the mirror onto the light sensor;
- a second lens being adapted to direct light reflected off the top of the object to the light sensor;
- and
- a third lens disposed between the second lens and the light sensor, the third lens being adapted to image the reflected light directed from the second lens onto the light sensor.
An optical sensor for measuring the volume of an object comprising:
- a source of light adapted to illuminate a side and a top of the object;
- a light sensor adapted to measure an amount of light reflected off the side and off the top of the object;
- at least one optical device being adapted to direct light reflected off the side of the object to the light sensor, wherein the amount of light reflected off the side of the object correlates to a height of the object;
- at least one optical device being adapted to direct light reflected off the top of the object to the light sensor, wherein the amount of light reflected off the top of the object correlates to a diameter of the object;
- and
- a processor communicatively coupled to the light sensor, the processor determining the volume of the object from a single height measurement of the object and a single diameter dimension measurement of the object.
An optical sensor for measuring the volume of an object, the object having a side and a top, the optical sensor comprising:
- a source of light being adapted to illuminate the side and the top of the object,
- a light sensor being adapted to measure an amount of light reflected off the side and off the top of the object;
- a first optical device being adapted to reflect a portion of the light from the source of light;
- a second optical device being adapted to direct light reflected from the first optical device onto the side of the object, the first optical device being adapted to direct light reflected off the side of the object to the light sensor, wherein the light reflected off the side of the object and directed to the light sensor correlates to the height of the object;
- and
- a third optical device being adapted to direct light reflected from the first optical device onto the top of the object, the third optical device also being adapted to direct light reflected off the top of the object to the light sensor, wherein the amount of light reflected off the top of the object and directed to the light sensor correlates to a diameter of the object.
A method of determining the volume of an object, the object having a top and a side, the method comprising:
- illuminating the side and the top of the object with a light from a light source;
- directing light reflected off the side and off the top of the object to a light sensor;
- measuring the amount of light reflected off the side and off the top of the object with the light sensor, wherein the amount of light reflected off the side of the object correlates to a height of the object and the amount of light reflected off the top of the object correlates to a diameter of the object;
- and
- calculating the volume of the object from a single height measurement of the object and a single diameter dimension measurement of the object.
A method of determining the volume of an object, the object having a top and a side, the method comprising:
- simultaneously reflecting the light source off a beam splitter to a first lens and a second lens;
- directing the light through the first lens to a mirror;
- directing the light onto the side of the object with the mirror;
- directing the light through the second lens to a wedge lens;
- directing the light onto the top of the object;
- directing light reflected off the side and off the top of the object to a light sensor;
- and
- measuring the amount of light reflected off the side and off the top of the object with the light sensor, wherein the amount of light reflected off the side of the object correlates to a height of the object and the amount of light reflected off the top of the object correlates to a diameter of the object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.