Claims
- 1. A method of sorting a succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- feeding each successive object through a feeding zone at a rate of at least one per second;
- illuminating the object as it passes thruogh the viewing zone;
- viewing the object as it passes through the viewing zone using at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, each viewer viewing substantially the whole of the profile of the object as presented to the viewer;
- deriving from each viewer signals representative of substantially the whole of the profile of the object as viewed at a particular instant by each respective viewer;
- processing the signals electronically to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls; and
- automatically directing the object into one of at least two paths according to its shape.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the signals electronically includes the step of deriving a signal representative of any optical edge breakthrough at the profile of the object and joining up edges on either side of the breakthrough.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the edge breakthrough signal is derived by determining the rate of change in direction of each incremental length of the edge and categorising a zone of large rates of change in direction as an edge breakthrough.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the signals electronically includes the step of deriving a signal representative of the approximation of the object to a spherical shape.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the spherical shape signal is derived by determining the area of the image and dividing the area by the square of the perimeter of the image.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the signals electronically includes the step of deriving a signal representative of the approximation of the object to symmetry.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the symmetry signal is derived by determining the centroid of the image, dividing the image into two parts along the line passing through the centroid, rotating one part about 180.degree. to superimpose it on the other part, and comparing the mismatch area with the overlapped area.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the signals electronically includes the step of deriving a signal representative of reentrants in the image.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the reentrant signal is derived by determining the difference between the length of the profile and the length of the line which extends around the profile but extends straight across any reentrant.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewers are equi-spaced through less than 180.degree., the angular distance between adjacent viewers being 180.degree. divided by the number of viewers.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein each viewer is connected to means which normalises and digitises the signal from the viewer, thereby providing digital signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed by the viewer.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein digital signals representative of the profile are obtained by tracking round the profile of each respective object.
- 13. A method of sorting a succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- feeding each successive object through a feeding zone at a rate of at least one per second;
- illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone;
- viewing the object as it passes through the viewing zone using at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, each viewer viewing substantially the whole of the profile of the object as presented to the viewer;
- deriving from each viewer signals representative of substantially the whole of the profile of the object as viewed at a particular instant by all the viewers;
- processing the signals electronically to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls, including deriving a signal representative of the approximation of the object to a spherical shape, deriving a signal representative of the approximation of the object to symmetry, and deriving a signal representative of reentrants in the object; and
- automatically directing the object into one of at least two paths according to its shape.
- 14. The method of claim 13, and including the steps of:
- executing a high confidence sort on the basis of combined spherical and symmetry signals and rejecting values below a low threshold;
- executing a high confidence sort on the basis of combined spherical, symmetry and inverse reentrant signals and accepting values above a high thresold;
- executing a high confidence sort on the bais of an inverse reentrant signal combined with combined standard deviation spherical and symmetry signals, and rejecting values below a low threshold;
- executing a medium confidence sort on the basis of combined spherical and symmetry signals and rejecting values below a medium threshold;
- executing a low or medium confidence sort on the basis of combined spherical, symmetry and inverse reentrant signals, rejecting values below a high threshold, and accepting values above a medium threshold.
- 15. Apparatus for sorting a rapid succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- a viewing zone through which each successive object will be fed;
- means for illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone;
- at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, for viewing substantially the whole of the profile of the object as presented to the individual viewers, as it passes through the viewing zone;
- means for deriving from each viewer signals representative of substantially the whole of the profile of the object as viewed at a particular instant by all the viewers;
- sorting means for directing the object into one of at least two paths; and
- electronic processing means for processing said signals to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls, and for giving output signals to said sorting means for automatically directing the object into one of said at least two paths according to the shape of the object.
- 16. Apparatus for sorting a succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- a viewing zone through which each successive object will be fed;
- means for illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone;
- at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, for viewing substantially the whole of the profile of the object as presented to the respective viewers, as it passes through the viewing zone;
- means for deriving from each viewer signals representative of substantially the entire profile of the object as viewed at a particlular instant by each respective viewer; and
- electronic processing means for processing the signals to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls, and for giving output signals which can be used to automatically direct the object into one of at least two paths according to its shape, said electronic processing means comprising means for deriving a signal representative of the approximation of the object to a spherical shape, means for deriving a signal representative of the approximation of the object to symmetry, and means for deriving a signal representative of reentrants in the object.
- 17. A method of sorting a succession of objects according to shape without centering the objects, comprising:
- feeding along a direction of feed each successive object through a viewing zone at a rate of at least one per second;
- electro-optically viewing the object to provide respective images of the object, as seen generally normal to said direction of feeding, at a number of different relative angular positions of the object about said direction;
- electrically sensing substantially the whole of the profile of each of the images, and forming electrical signals corresponding to two-dimensional images of the object as electro-optically viewed;
- automatically computing the shape of the object making use of information derived from sensing the edges of the iamges, to thereby derive a signal representative of the shape of the object; and
- automatically directing the object into one of at least two paths according to said signal representative of its shape.
- 18. A method of sorting a succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- feeding each successive object through a feeding zone at a rate of at least one per second;
- illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone using illuminating means which illuminate simultaneously the whole of that surface which faces the illuminating means;
- viewing the object as it passes through the viewing zone using at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone;
- deriving from each viewer signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed at a particular instant by all of the viewers;
- digitizing the signals and processing the signals electronically to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls; and automatically directing the object into one of at least two paths according to its shape.
- 19. A method of sorting a succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- feeding each successive object through a feeding zone at a rate of at least one per second;
- illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone, using illuminating means;
- viewing the object as it passes through the viewing zone using at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, the viewers being arranged opposite respective illuminating means, whereby the images received by the viewers are of a dark object against a light field;
- deriving from each viewer signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed at a particular instant by all the viewers;
- processing the signals electronically to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls; and
- automatically directing the object into one of at least two paths according to its shape.
- 20. A method of sorting a succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- feeding each successive object through a feeding zone at a rate of at least one per second;
- illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone using illuminating means which illiuminate simultaneously the whole of that surface which faces the illuminating means;
- viewing the object as it passes through the viewing zone using at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, each viewer viewing substantially the whole of the profile of the object as presented to the viewer;
- deriving from each viewer signals representative of substantially the whole of the profile of the object as viewed at a particular instant by all the viewers;
- processing the signals electronically to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls; and
- automatically directing the object into one of at least two paths according to its shape.
- 21. A method of classifying a succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- feeding each successive object through a feeding zone at a rate of at least one per second;
- illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone;
- viewing the object as it passes through the viewing zone using at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, each viewer viewing substantially the whole of the profile of the object as presented to the viewer;
- deriving from each viewer digital signals representative of substantially the whole of the profile of the objects as viewed at a particular instant by each respective viewer; and
- processing the digital signals electronically to determine in which of at least two classes the object falls.
- 22. Apparatus for sorting a rapid succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- a viewing zone through which each successive object will be fed;
- means for illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone, the illuminating means illuminating simultaneously the whole of that surface of the object which faces the illuminating means;
- at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, for viewing the object as it passes through the viewing zone;
- means for deriving from each viewer signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed at a particular instant by all the viewers;
- sorting means for directing the object into one of at least two paths;
- means for normalizing and digitizing said signals to provide digital signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed by each respective viewer; and
- electronic processing means for processing said digital signals to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls, and for giving output signals to said sorting means for automatically directing the object into one of said at least two paths according to the shape of the object.
- 23. Apparatus for sorting a rapid succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- a viewing zone through which each successive object will be fed;
- means for illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone, the illuminating means illuminating simultaneously the whole of that surface of the object which faces the illuminating means;
- at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, for viewing the object as it passes through the viewing zone, each viewer viewing substantially the whole of the profile of the object as presented to the viewer;
- means for deriving from each viewer signals representative of substantially the whole of the profile of the object as viewed at a particular instant by each respective viewer;
- sorting means for directing the object into one of at least two paths; and
- electronic processing means for processing said signals to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls, and for giving output signals to said sorting means for automatically directing the object into one of said at least two paths according to the shape of the object.
- 24. Apparatus for sorting a rapid succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- a viewing zone through which each successive object will be fed;
- means for illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone;
- at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, for viewing the object as it passes through the viewing zone, the viewers being arranged opposite respective illuminating means, whereby the viewers view a dark object against a light field;
- means for deriving from each viewer signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed at a particular instant by all the viewers;
- sorting means for directing the object into one of at least two paths; and
- electronic processing means for processing said signals to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls, and for giving output signals to said sorting means for automatically directing the object into one of said at least two paths according to the shape of the object.
- 25. Apparatus for sorting a rapid succession of objects according to shape, compising;
- a viewing zone through which each successive object will be fed;
- means for illuminating the object as its passes through the viewing zone, the illuminating means illuminating simultaneously the whole of that surface of the object which faces the illuminating means;
- a least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, for viewing the object as it passes through the viewing zone, the viewers being arranged opposite the respective illuminating means, whereby the viewers view a dark object against a light field;
- means for deriving from each viewer signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed at a particular instant by all the viewers;
- sorting means for directing the object into one of at least two paths; and
- electronic processing means for processing said signals to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls, and for giving output signals to said sorting means for automatically directing the object into one of said at least two paths according to the shape of the object.
- 26. A method of sorting a succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- feeding each successive object through a feeding zone at a rate of at least one per second;
- illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone to thereby generate a silhouette of the object;
- viewing the silhouette of the object as the object passes through the viewing zone using at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone;
- deriving from each viewer signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed at a particular instant by all the viewers;
- processing the signals electronically to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls; and
- automatically directing the object into one of at least two paths according to its shape.
- 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the viewers are equi-spaced through less than 180.degree., the angular distance between adjacent viewers being 180.degree.0 divided by the number of viewers.
- 28. The method of claim 26, wherein the feeding of each successive object triggers a flash to illuminate the object.
- 29. A method of sorting a succession of objects according to shape without centering the objects, comprising:
- feeding along a direction of feed each successive object through a viewing zone at a rate of at least one per second;
- illuminating the object to provide a silhouette thereof;
- electro-optically viewing the silhouette of the object to provide respective images of the silhouette of the object, as seen generally normal to said direction of feeding, at a number of different relative angular positions of the object about said direction;
- electrically sensing the edges of the images and forming electrical signals correspondsing to two-dimensional images of the object as electro-optically viewed;
- automatically computing the shape of the object making use of information derived from sensing the edges of the images, to thereby derive a signal representative of the shape of the object; and
- automatically directing the object into one of at least two paths according to said signal representative of its shape.
- 30. A method of sorting a succession of objects according to shape without centering the objects, comprising:
- feeding along a direction of feed each successive object through a viewing zone at a rate of at least one per second;
- electro-optically viewing the object to provide respective images of the object, as seen generally normal to said direction of feeding, at a number of different relative angular positions of the object about said direction;
- electrically sensing the edges of the images and forming electrical signals corresponding to two-dimensional images of the object as electro-optically viewed;
- normalizing and digitizing said electrical signals to form digital signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed by each respective viewer;
- automatically computing the shape of the object making use of information derived from said digital signals, to thereby derive a signal representative of the shape of the object; and
- automatically directing the object into one of at least two paths according to said signal representative of its shape.
- 31. Apparatus for sorting a rapid succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- a viewing zone through which each successive object will be fed;
- means for illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone, to thereby generate a silhouette of the object;
- at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, each for viewing the respective silhouette of the object as the object passes through the viewing zone;
- means for deriving from each viewer signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed at a particular instant by each respective viewer;
- sorting means for directing the object into one of at least two paths; and
- electronic processing means for processing said signals to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls, and for giving output signals to said sorting means for automatically directing the object into one of said at least two paths according to the shape of the object.
- 32. Apparatus for sorting a rapid succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- a viewing zone through which each successive object will be fed;
- means for illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone;
- at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, for viewing the object as it passes through the viewing zone;
- means for deriving from each viewer signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed at a particular instant by all the viewers;
- sorting means for directing the object into one of at least two paths; and
- electronic processing means for normalizing and digitizing said signals to form digital signals and for processing said digital signals to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls, and for giving output signals to said sorting means for automatically directing the object into one of said at least two paths according to the shape of the object.
- 33. A method of classifying a succession of object according to shape, comprising:
- feeding each successive object through a feeding zone at a rate of at least one per second;
- illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone to thereby generate a silhouette of the object;
- viewing the silhouette of the object as the object passes through the viewing zone using at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone, each viewer viewing substantially the whole of the profile of the object as presented to the viewer;
- deriving from each viewer signals representative of substantially the whole of the profile of the object as viewed at a particular instant by each respective viewer; and
- processing the signals electronically to determine in which of at least two classes the object falls.
- 34. A method of sorting a succession of objects according to shape, comprising:
- feeding each successive object through a feeding zone at a rate of at least one per second;
- illuminating the object as it passes through the viewing zone;
- viewing the object as it passes through the viewing zone using at least four fixed electronic viewers spaced in one plane around the viewing zone;
- deriving from each viewer signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed at a particular instant by all viewers;
- normalizing and digitizing said signals to provide digital signals representative of the edges of the object as viewed by each respective viewer;
- processing the digital signals electronically to determine in which of at least two shape categories the object falls; and automatically directing the object into one of at least two paths according to its shape.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
8531396 |
Dec 1985 |
GBX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a Continuation of Application Ser. No. 943,128, filed Dec. 18,1986 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Foreign Referenced Citations (21)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0105452 |
Feb 1984 |
EPX |
2726162 |
Dec 1977 |
DEX |
53197 |
Oct 1977 |
ILX |
WO8701974 |
Apr 1987 |
WOX |
WO8701975 |
Apr 1987 |
WOX |
715619 |
Sep 1954 |
GBX |
853978 |
Nov 1960 |
GBX |
1143541 |
Feb 1969 |
GBX |
1167787 |
Oct 1969 |
GBX |
1449656 |
Mar 1974 |
GBX |
1416568 |
Dec 1975 |
GBX |
1571889 |
Mar 1977 |
GBX |
1571890 |
Mar 1977 |
GBX |
2022824 |
Dec 1979 |
GBX |
2030286 |
Apr 1980 |
GBX |
2037980 |
Jul 1980 |
GBX |
2067753 |
Jul 1981 |
GBX |
2067924 |
Aug 1981 |
GBX |
2080712 |
Feb 1982 |
GBX |
2081439 |
Feb 1982 |
GBX |
2142426A |
Jan 1985 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
"Systems, Computers, Control", vol. 8, No. 3, May-Jun. 1977, pp. 18-20 (Kikuchi & Tzuji article). |
Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie, vol. LXV (1927), pp. 46-48, article by Siegfried Rosch entitled, "Beitrag zum Brillanzproblem". |
Piermatic MKIII Polishing Machine Training Manual. |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
943128 |
Dec 1986 |
|