Apparatus and method for acquiring an image of an object
OwnerAlexander I. Gilevich, Brian R. Higginsinventors
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Abstract
The present invention is an apparatus and method for acquiring an image of an object and its contents from a stream of objects as they are transported by a conveyor. The image of the object is acquired by projecting a beam of electromagnetic radiation through the object and converting the resultant electromagnetic radiation by a sensor. The sensor accumulates the resultant electromagnetic radiation over a period of time that is a pre-defined relationship or function of the spatial relationship between the position of the object and the beam of electromagnetic radiation. A setup means is provided which allows a user to pre-define a set of constants in the pre-defined relationship.
Claims19
An apparatus for acquiring an image of an object in a stream of objects, comprising:
- an emitter operable to produce and direct a beam of electromagnetic radiation;
- a conveyor configured to transport the object through the beam of electromagnetic radiation;
- a sensor positioned in receiving relation to a portion of the beam of electromagnetic radiation that has passed through the object, and operable to provide a signal in response to an accumulated received portion of the beam of electromagnetic radiation over an integration time interval;
- a controller connected in signal receiving and command transmitting relation to the sensor, and operable to provide image data derived from a plurality of the signals;
- a tracking routine configured to run on the controller and operable to provide a tracked position of the object by computing the position of the object relative to the beam of electromagnetic radiation;
- and
- an integration time control routine configured to run on the controller, and operable to specify the integration time interval based on a pre-defined relationship having predefined integration time constants, and wherein the pre-defined relationship is a function of the tracked position;
- and
- an image memory circuit connected to the controller and operable to receive the image data, and operable to store the image data in an image format.
An apparatus for acquiring an image of an object in a stream of objects, comprising:
- an emitting means operable to project a beam of electromagnetic radiation;
- a transport means configured to move the object in intersecting relation to the beam of electromagnetic radiation;
- a sensing means positioned in receiving relation to a portion of the beam of electromagnetic radiation, and operable to provide a signal representative of the received electromagnetic radiation accumulated over a controlled time interval in response to a request;
- and
- a controlling means connected in transmission relation to the sensor, and operable to provide the request to transmit the signal to the controller, and further operable to gather a plurality of the signals and assemble the signals together to form an image representing the object,
- a timing means which provides a timing pulse in relation to the motion of the object provided by the transport means;
- and
- a parameter coordination means positioned in data receiving relation to the edge detection means, and positioned in pulse receiving relation to the timing means, and operable to specify the time interval for accumulation of the electromagnetic radiation from the object based on an arithmetic relationship that is a function of the data received by the edge detection means and the pulses received by the timing means.
A method for acquiring an image of an object in a stream of objects, comprising:
- providing a beam of electromagnetic radiation;
- transporting the object through the beam of electromagnetic radiation;
- sensing a portion of the beam of electromagnetic radiation that passed through the object;
- tracking the position of the object relative to the beam of electromagnetic radiation;
- computing a time interval using a pre-defined relationship of the function of the relative position of the object in relation to the beam of electromagnetic radiation;
- generating a signal by accumulating the sensed portion of the beam of electromagnetic radiation over the computed time interval;
- and
- assembling the image of the object by organizing a plurality of the signals as the object is transported through the beam of electromagnetic radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.