Method and Apparatus for Sorting

Abstract

An apparatus for sorting and related methods are described and include acquiring a multiplicity of synchronized image signals of a product stream which is to be sorted; generating a multiplicity of fused sensor signals; forming an image model previously acquired from the objects to be sorted; identifying objects in the product stream, and generating object presence and defect signals; determining a spatial orientation of the objects in the product stream; detecting the defects and removing the defects from the product stream.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of sorting comprising:
 providing a product stream of individual objects of interest and passing the product stream through an inspection station;   acquiring a multiplicity of synchronized image signals of the individual objects of interest from hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices, and wherein the acquired multiplicity of synchronized image signals represent the individual objects of interest traveling in the product stream, and the characteristics and aspects of the individual objects of interest, which are deemed acceptable for further processing, and the characteristics and aspects of the individual objects of interest, which include features that are undetectable to traditional optical detection, and which are deemed unacceptable, for further processing;   providing an image model formed from a multiplicity of previously acquired synchronized image signals from individual objects of interest having acceptable characteristics and aspects, and from individual objects of interest having unacceptable characteristics and aspects that include features that are undetectable to traditional optical detection;   generating a multiplicity of fused image and sensor signals by combining the multiplicity of synchronized image signals by selective synchronization of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices, and by utilizing an operational response of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices to generate a spatial resolution of each of the individual objects of interest travelling in the product stream;   providing a controller that implements a control function;   providing a first control function to predict the presence of acceptable, and unacceptable characteristics in the individual objects of interest in the product stream by applying the image model to the multiplicity of fused image and sensor signals, to facilitate formation of an object presence image signal, and to facilitate formation of a defect image signal;   providing a second control function to identify individual objects of interest travelling in the product stream as being an acceptable agricultural product, or as being an unacceptable agricultural product, by identifying one or more of a group of pixels in each of the object presence image signals and defect image signals which identify objects of interest or defects;   detecting defects within the unacceptable individual objects of interest in the product stream by applying a prior source of knowledge of unacceptable object of interest aspects relative to acceptable object of interest aspects to object images formed of the object presence image signals and the defect image signals;   updating the image model with additional and subsequently acquired object presence image signals and defect image signals; and   providing a third control function which renders operational an ejector, and wherein the third control function is coupled in signal receiving relation relative to an unacceptable defect signal which is generated by the second control function, and which further renders the ejector operational to remove unacceptable objects of interest from the product stream.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the multiplicity of synchronized image signals has discreet signal features. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a known position and orientation of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is used to generate the spatial resolution of each of the individual objects of interest traveling in the product stream. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the operational response of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is further used to align the discrete signal features of each of the multiplicity of synchronized image signals. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the known position and orientation and the operational response of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is further used to align the discrete signal features of each of the multiplicity of synchronized image signals. 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 determining a spatial orientation and location of the identified individual objects of interest travelling in the product stream by applying a prior source of knowledge of acceptable agricultural product characteristics and aspects and unacceptable agricultural product characteristics and aspects, to the object presence image signals and to the defect image signals.   
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising:
 identifying the position and location of the unacceptable individual objects of interest in the product stream.   
     
     
         8 . A method of sorting, comprising:
 acquiring a multiplicity of synchronized image and sensor signals from a plurality of image generating devices and sensors, and wherein the synchronized image and sensor signals represent individual objects of interest which are traveling in a product stream, and which have characteristics and aspects which are deemed acceptable for further processing, and characteristics and aspects which are deemed a defect and which deemed defects include features that are undetectable to traditional optical detection, and unacceptable, for further processing;   generating a multiplicity of fused sensor signals by combining the multiplicity of synchronized image and sensor signals by a selective synchronization of the image generating devices and sensors, and by utilizing an operational response of the respective image generating devices and sensors so as to allow the generation of a spatial resolution of each of the objects of interest travelling in the product stream;   predicting the presence of the objects of interest, and possible defects in the fused sensor signals by applying an image model previously formed from a multiplicity of image signals which were acquired from the objects of interest, and the defects, to the multiplicity of fused sensor signals so as to facilitate the formation of a resulting object presence image signal and a defect image signal;   identifying the individual objects of interest with the object presence, and defect image signals, by identifying one or more of a group of pixels in each of the object presence, and defect image signals;   detecting defects within unacceptable objects of interest by applying a prior source of knowledge of defect aspects relative to object aspects, to the object images formed of the object presence, and defect signals; and   removing the unacceptable objects of interest having defects from the product stream.   
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein each image and sensor signal has discreet signal features. 
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein a known position and orientation of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is used to generate the spatial resolution of each of the individual objects of interest traveling in the product stream. 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the operational response of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is further used to align the discrete signal features of each of the multiplicity of synchronized image signals. 
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the known position and orientation and the operational response of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is further used to align the discrete signal features of each of the multiplicity of synchronized image signals. 
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining a spatial orientation and location of the identified individual objects of interest travelling in the product stream by applying a prior source of knowledge of acceptable agricultural product characteristics and aspects and unacceptable agricultural product characteristics and aspects, to the object presence image signals and to the defect image signals.   
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 identifying the position and location of the unacceptable individual objects of interest in the product stream.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for sorting comprising:
 a conveying device having a conveying surface, the conveying device being configured such that a product stream of individual objects of interest can be conveyed along the conveying surface, one or more of the individual objects of interest have features that are undetectable to traditional optical detection, said features that are undetectable to traditional optical detection are deemed acceptable or unacceptable for further processing;   an inspection station having a plurality of hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices, the inspection station positioned relative to the conveying device such that the product stream passes through the inspection station, each of the plurality of hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is configured to generate a multiplicity of synchronized image signals of the individual objects of interest, and wherein the multiplicity of synchronized image signals represent the individual objects of interest traveling in the product stream;   wherein the multiplicity of synchronized image signals are combined by selective synchronization of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices to generate a multiplicity of fused image and sensor signals, and a spatial resolution of each of the individual objects of interest travelling in the product stream is generated by utilizing an operational response of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices;   a controller that implements a plurality of control functions, said plurality of control functions includes a first control function to predict the presence of acceptable and unacceptable characteristics in the individual objects of interest in the product stream by applying an image model to the multiplicity of fused image and sensor signals, to facilitate formation of an object presence image signal, and to facilitate formation of a defect image signal, the image model is formed from a multiplicity of previously acquired synchronized image signals from individual objects of interest having acceptable characteristics and aspects, and from individual objects of interest having unacceptable characteristics and aspects that include features that are undetectable to traditional optical detection,   said plurality of control functions includes a second control function to identify individual objects of interest travelling in the product stream as being an acceptable object of interest or as being an unacceptable object of interest, by identifying one or more of a group of pixels in each of the object presence image signals and defect image signals which identify objects of interest or defects;   wherein defects within the unacceptable individual objects of interest in the product stream are detected by applying a prior source of knowledge of unacceptable individual objects of interest characteristics and aspects relative to acceptable individual objects of interest characteristics and aspects to object images formed of the object presence image signals and the defect image signals; and   said plurality of control functions includes a third control function which renders operational an ejector, and wherein the third control function is coupled in signal receiving relation relative to an unacceptable individual objects of interest defect image signal which is generated by the second control function, and which further renders the ejector operational to remove unacceptable individual objects of interest from the product stream.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein each of the multiplicity of synchronized image signals has discreet signal features. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein a known position and orientation of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is used to generate the spatial resolution of each of the individual objects of interest traveling in the product stream. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the operational response of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is further used to align the discrete signal features of each of the multiplicity of synchronized image signals. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the known position and orientation and the operational response of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is further used to align the discrete signal features of each of the multiplicity of synchronized image signals. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein a spatial orientation and location of the identified individual objects of interest travelling in the product stream is determined by applying a prior source of knowledge of acceptable individual objects of interest characteristics and aspects and unacceptable individual objects of interest characteristics and aspects, to the object presence image signals and to the defect image signals. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the position and location of the unacceptable individual objects of interest in the product stream are identified. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the image model is updated with additional and subsequently acquired object presence image signals and defect image signals. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus for sorting comprising:
 a plurality of individual objects of interest traveling in a product stream, wherein the individual objects of interest have characteristics and aspects which are deemed acceptable for further processing, and one or more of the individual objects of interest have characteristics and aspects which are deemed a defect and which deemed defects include features that are undetectable to traditional optical detection, and unacceptable for further processing; and   an inspection station comprising a plurality of image generating devices and sensors, the plurality of image generating devices and sensors are configured to generate a multiplicity of synchronized image and sensor signals and wherein the synchronized image and sensor signals represent the individual objects of interest traveling in the product stream;   wherein a multiplicity of fused sensor signals are generated by combining the multiplicity of synchronized image and sensor signals by a selective synchronization of the image generating devices and sensors, and by utilizing an operational response of the respective image generating devices and sensors so as to allow the generation of a spatial resolution of each of the individual objects of interest travelling in the product stream;   wherein the presence of the individual objects of interest and possible defects is indicated in the fused sensor signals by applying an image model previously formed from a multiplicity of image signals which were acquired from the objects of interest, and the defects, to the multiplicity of fused sensor signals so as to facilitate the formation of a resulting object presence image signal, and a defect image signal;   wherein the individual objects of interest are identified with the object presence and defect image signals, by identifying one or more of a group of pixels in each of the object presence and defect image signals;   wherein defects within unacceptable objects of interest are detected by applying a prior source of knowledge of defect aspects relative to object aspects, to the object images formed of the object presence and defect signals; and   wherein the unacceptable objects of interest having defects are removed from the product stream.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein each of the multiplicity of synchronized image signals has discreet signal features. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein a known position and orientation of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is used to generate the spatial resolution of each of the individual objects of interest traveling in the product stream. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the operational response of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is further used to align the discrete signal features of each of the multiplicity of synchronized image signals. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the known position and orientation and the operational response of each of the hyperspectral or multispectral image generating devices is further used to align the discrete signal features of each of the multiplicity of synchronized image signals. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein a spatial orientation and location of the identified individual objects of interest travelling in the product stream is determined by applying a prior source of knowledge of acceptable individual objects of interest characteristics and aspects and unacceptable individual objects of interest characteristics and aspects, to the object presence image signals and to the defect image signals. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the position and location of the unacceptable individual objects of interest in the product stream are identified. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the image model is updated with additional and subsequently acquired object presence image signals and defect image signals.