# US 9,752,991 B2 · Devices, systems, and methods for acquisition of an angular-dependent material feature > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,991 B2 - Document ID: US9752991B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/304,720 - Filed: 2014-06-13 - Published: 2015-12-17 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-13 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Francisco Imai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752991B2 ## CPC - G01N 21/8806: {Specially adapted optical and illumination features} - G01N 21/4738: {Diffuse reflection (precedence is given to G01N21/55 - G01N21/57 if specular component is taken into consideration), e.g. also for testing fluids, fibrous materials} - G01N 21/8851: {Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges (G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002)} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract Systems, devices, and methods for detecting light obtain a first light-measurement objective, wherein a light-measurement objective defines one or more of an intensity of emitted light, a spectrum of emitted light, a spectrum of detected light, and a reflectance angle of detected light; obtain a second light-measurement objective; obtain an angular-dependence objective, wherein the angular-dependence objective defines a difference between a first light-reflection angle and a second light-reflection angle; select first settings values for one or more first illumination-emission devices and one or more first illumination-detection devices based on the first light-measurement objective; select second settings values for one or more second illumination-emission devices and one or more second illumination-detection devices based on the second light-measurement objective; and select a speed of an object conveyor based on the angular-dependence objective. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for inspecting materials, the system comprising: an object conveyor that has an adjustable speed; one or more illumination-emission devices; one or more illumination-detection devices; and one or more processing units that are configured to cause the system to control the speed of the object conveyor, the emission of illumination by the illumination-emission devices, and the detection of illumination by the illumination-detection devices, receive light-measurement objectives, and configure the speed of the object conveyor, the emission of illumination by the illumination-emission devices, and the detection of illumination by the illumination-detection devices based on the light-measurement objectives. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processing units are further configured to cause the system to adjust one or more illumination-emission settings of the one or more illumination-emission devices and to adjust one or more illumination-detection settings of the one or more illumination-detection devices. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination-detection devices include one or more of the following: a vector of cameras, an array of cameras, and a line sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination-emission devices include one or more of the following: an LED and a laser. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the light-measurement objectives include identifying an angular dependency of light that is reflected by a target object that is positioned on the object conveyor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein, to configure the speed of the object conveyor, the emission of illumination by the illumination-emission devices, and the detection of illumination by the illumination-detection devices based on the light-measurement objectives, the one or more processing units are further configured to cause the system to determine target light-reflection angles based on the light-measurement objectives; select target positions of an object on the object conveyor based on the target light-reflection angles; and calculate the speed of the object conveyor based on the target positions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein, to configure the speed of the object conveyor, the emission of illumination by the illumination-emission devices, and the detection of illumination by the illumination-detection devices based on the light-measurement objectives, the one or more processing units are further configured to cause the system to generate one or more settings values for the illumination-emission devices and one or more settings values for the illumination-detection devices based on the target positions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more settings values for the illumination-emission devices are illumination-emission-settings values and the one or more settings values for the illumination-detection devices are illumination-detection-settings values. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more settings values for the illumination-emission devices are illumination-timing-settings values and the one or more settings values for the illumination-detection devices are illumination-timing-settings values. ### Claim 10 A method for measuring reflected light, the method comprising: obtaining a first light-measurement objective, wherein a light-measurement objective defines one or more of an intensity of emitted light, a spectrum of emitted light, a spectrum of detected light, and a reflectance angle of detected light; obtaining a second light-measurement objective; obtaining an angular-dependence objective, wherein the angular-dependence objective defines a difference between a first light-reflection angle and a second light-reflection angle; selecting first settings values for one or more first illumination-emission devices and one or more first illumination-detection devices based on the first light-measurement objective; selecting second settings values for one or more second illumination-emission devices and one or more second illumination-detection devices based on the second light-measurement objective; and selecting a speed of an object conveyor based on the angular-dependence objective. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: configuring the one or more first illumination-emission devices and the one or more first illumination-detection devices according to the first settings values; activating movement of the object conveyor according to the speed; activating the one or more first illumination-emission devices; activating the one or more first illumination-detection devices to generate first illumination readings; configuring the one or more second illumination-emission devices and the one or more second illumination-detection devices according to the second settings values; activating the one or more second illumination-emission devices; and activating the one or more second illumination-detection devices to generate second illumination readings. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: determining an angular dependency of reflected light based on the first illumination readings and the second illumination readings. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: calculating a time interval based on the angular-dependence objective and the speed of the object conveyor, wherein activating the one or more second illumination-detection devices is performed when the time interval has elapsed since activating the one or more first illumination-detection devices. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: selecting the one or more first illumination-emission devices and the one or more first illumination-detection devices based on the first light-measurement objective; and selecting the one or more second illumination-emission devices and the one or more second illumination-detection devices based on the second light-measurement objective. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein a setting value for an illumination-emission device defines a value for one of the following: spectral band, intensity, illuminance, and polarization. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein a setting value for an illumination-detection device defines a value for one of the following: exposure, spectral band, gain, and dynamic range. ### Claim 17 A device for inspecting materials, the device comprising: a computer memory; and one or more processing units that are coupled to the computer memory, to an object conveyor that has an adjustable speed, to one or more illumination-emission devices, and to one or more illumination-detection devices, wherein the one or more processing units are configured to cause the device to obtain an angular-dependence objective, wherein the angular-dependence objective defines a difference between a first light-reflection angle and a second light-reflection angle; select a speed of the object conveyor based on the angular-dependence objective; initiate motion of the object conveyor at the speed; configure one or more first illumination-emission devices and one or more first illumination-detection devices according to first settings values; activate the one or more first illumination-emission devices; activate the one or more first illumination-detection devices to generate first illumination readings; configure one or more second illumination-emission devices and one or more second illumination-detection devices according to second settings values; activate the one or more second illumination-emission devices; and activate the one or more second illumination-detection devices to generate second illumination readings. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, wherein the one or more processing units are further configured to cause the device to select the speed based on respective positions of the one or more first illumination-emission devices, on respective positions of the one or more second illumination-emission devices, on respective positions of the one or more first illumination-detection devices, and on respective positions of the one or more second illumination-detection devices. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, wherein the one or more processing units are further configured to cause the device to calculate a time interval based on the speed of the object conveyor; and activate the one or more second illumination-detection devices when the time interval has elapsed since activating the one or more first illumination-emission devices. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The device of claim 19, wherein the one or more processing units are further configured to cause the device to configure one or more third illumination-emission devices and one or more third illumination-detection devices according to third settings values; activate the one or more third illumination-emission devices; and activate the one or more third illumination-detection devices to generate third illumination readings.