US 8,150,633 B2 · Seafood physical characteristic estimation system and method

Abstract

Systems and methods for estimating a physical characteristic of a seafood product are provided. In one system, the estimate is based on a slope defined by a ratio of changes in peak resonant amplitude and frequency of an electromagnetic resonant circuit in loaded and unloaded states. In another system, a first probe of a plurality of probes is driven with a test signal when the plurality of probes is loaded by a seafood product and the estimate is based on received test signals at one or more of the other probes. In another system, the estimate is based on the loading effect of a seafood product on an electromagnetic resonant circuit, which is also used to read an ID from an RFID associated with the seafood product. The systems and methods may be used for individual specimens, or to determine an average estimate for multiple specimens at one time.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

determining, by a controller, a minimum peak resonant frequency Fresonant—min and peak resonant amplitude Aresonant—min at Fresonant—min of an electromagnetic resonant circuit when loaded by a seafood product;
and
estimating, by the controller, a physical characteristic of the seafood product based on a slope defined by:
(Aresonant—ref−Aresonant—min)/(Fresonant—ref−Fresonant—min),
where Fresonant—ref is a reference peak resonant frequency of the electromagnetic resonant circuit in an unloaded state, and Aresonant—ref is a reference peak resonant amplitude of the electromagnetic resonant circuit in the unloaded state.

2 more elements

A system comprising:

a sensor comprising an electromagnetic resonant circuit;
a controller, functionally connected to the electromagnetic resonant circuit, that:
determines a minimum peak resonant frequency Fresonant—min and peak resonant amplitude Aresonant—min at Fresonant—min of the electromagnetic resonant circuit when the electromagnetic resonant circuit is loaded by a seafood product;
and
estimates a physical characteristic of the seafood product based on a slope defined by:
(Aresonant—ref−Aresonant—min)/(Fresonant—ref−Fresonant—min),
where Fresonant—ref is a reference peak resonant frequency of the electromagnetic resonant circuit in an unloaded state, and Aresonant—ref is a reference peak resonant amplitude of the electromagnetic resonant circuit in the unloaded state.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

12/274,009Filed 19 Nov 2008 · us provisional application

Priority

19 Nov 2007

Published

US 2009/0132174 A121 May 2009

Granted

3 Apr 2012

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G01N 27/023
By investigating impedance: where the material is placed in the field of a coil
A22C 29/005
Processing shellfish or bivalves, e.g. oysters, lobsters; Devices therefor, e.g. claw locks, claw crushers, grading devices; Processing lines:…
G01N 33/12
Food: meat; Fish
G01N 22/00
Investigating or analysing materials by the use of microwaves or radio waves

Seafood physical characteristic estimation system and method

Life of this patent

Seafood physical characteristic estimation system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31