EP0081702A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Electro-optical system for color monitoring
Assignee: Kollmorgen Technologies Corp
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Filing: 1982-11-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-11-23
Abstract
Abstract A color monitoring system (32, 33) is disclosed which is capable of distinguishing between colors used in color-coding schemes or between colors that indicate acceptable and unacceptable quality in products to be sorted or toleranced as part of a manufacturing process. The system utilizes parallel measurements (10-18) in a number of spectral bands of the reflectance from samples (7) being tested. Simultaneous complete referencing (22-30) for each spectral band of reflectance is provided to compensate for variations in the intensity and spectral output of the light source (1) used for illumination of samples (7).
Inventors
- 👤 Stanley J. Kishner
- 👤 Ernest D. Park
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 01:20
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01J; G01J3/00; G01J3/02; B; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/34; B07C5/342; G01J3/0205; G01J3/0218; G01J3/46; G01J3/50; G01J3/51; G01J3/513; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/47; G01N21/4738; G01N21/474; G01J3/28; G01J2003/2866
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
A color .monitoring system for making decisions regarding the color of a sample under test comprising (a) an illuminating means for illuminating the sample; (b) an illumination reference measuring system for measuring the intensity of emitted Tight emitted by said illuminating means in a plurality of spectral bands to obtain an illumination measurement; (c) a sample reflectance measuring system for measuring the intensity of reflected light reflected by the sample in a plurality of spectral bands to obtain a reflectance measurement, the plurality of spectral bands used for measuring said emitted light being equal in number to the plurality of spectral bands used for measuring said reflected light; and (d) computinq means for dividing said reflectance measurement by said illumination measurement to normalize said reflectance measurement and for comparing said normalized reflectance measurement to one or more stored reference measurements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
A color .monitoring system for making decisions regarding the color of a sample under test comprising (a) an illuminating means for illuminating the sample; (b) an illumination reference measuring system for measuring the intensity of emitted Tight emitted by said illuminating means in a plurality of spectral bands to obtain an illumination measurement; (c) a sample reflectance measuring system for measuring the intensity of reflected light reflected by the sample in a plurality of spectral bands to obtain a reflectance measurement, the plurality of spectral bands used for measuring said emitted light being equal in number to the plurality of spectral bands used for measuring said reflected light; and (d) computinq means for dividing said reflectance measurement by said illumination measurement to normalize said reflectance measurement and for comparing said normalized reflectance measurement to one or more stored reference measurements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The color monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said illuminating means is a pulsed flashtube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
133 words
The color monitoring. system of claim 1 or 2 wherein said illumination reference measuring system includes (a) a first optical system for collecting a portion of said emitted light; (b) a first filtering system for filtering said portion of said emitted light into said plurality of spectral bands; and (c) a first photoelectric system for converting said portion of said emitted light filtered by said first filtering system into a plurality of first electric signals; and (d) a second optical system for collecting said reflected light; (e) a second filtering system for filtering said reflected light collected by said second optical system into said plurality of spectral bands; and (f) a second photoelectric system for converting said reflected light filtered by said second filtering system into a plura- litiy of second electrical signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The color monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said computing means is an electronic device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 3 wherein the first optical system includes a beamsplitter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 3 wherein each of said first and second filtering systems covers a plurality of spectral bands.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
25 words
The system of claims 1 to 6 wherein said first plurality of spectral bands and said second plurality of spectral bands are equal in number.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 7 wherein each of said first plurality of spectral bands encompasses a corresponding one of said second plurality of spectral bands.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of spectral bands covered by said first filtering system encompasses the plurality of spectral bands covered by said second filtering system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the computing means is a microprocessor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said illuminating means includes a fiberoptic bundle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
139 words
A color monitoring system for making decisions regarding the color of samples under test comprising (a) a pulsed flashtube for illuminating the samples; (b) an illumination measurement system for measuring the intensity of pulses from said pulsed flashtube in a plurality of spectral bands including a first optical system, a first filtering system and a first photoelectroc system; (c) a reflectance measurement system for measuring the intensity of light reflected by the samples in a plurality of spectral bands including a second optical system, a second filtering system and a second photoelectric system; and (d) a computing means for obtaining a normalized second signal by dividing a second signal generated by said second photoelectric system by a first signal generated by said first photoelectric system, and for comparing said normalized second signal to one or more stored reference signal(s).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
139 words
A color monitoring system for making decisions regarding the color of samples under test comprising (a) a pulsed flashtube for illuminating the samples; (b) an illumination measurement system for measuring the intensity of pulses from said pulsed flashtube in a plurality of spectral bands including a first optical system, a first filtering system and a first photoelectroc system; (c) a reflectance measurement system for measuring the intensity of light reflected by the samples in a plurality of spectral bands including a second optical system, a second filtering system and a second photoelectric system; and (d) a computing means for obtaining a normalized second signal by dividing a second signal generated by said second photoelectric system by a first signal generated by said first photoelectric system, and for comparing said normalized second signal to one or more stored reference signal(s).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The color monitoring system of claim 12 wherein each of said first and second optical systems has a plurality of branches, the plurality of branches of each of said first and second optical systems being equal in number.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 13 wherein each of said first and second filtering systems has a plurality of optical filters, each optical filter corresponding to a different spectral band and filtering one of said plurality of branches.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 12 wherein said computing means is a microprocessor.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for monitoring colors of samples under test for the purpose of making decisions regarding the handling of the sample comprising (a) illuminating a reference sample from a light source; (b) measuring the intensity of light from said light source in a plurality of spectral bands; (c) measuring the intensity of light reflected by the sample in a plurality of spectral bands; (d) normalizing said measurement of the intensity of light reflected by the sample by dividing it by said measurement of the intensity of light from said light source to obtain a reference measurement; (e) storing said reference measurement; and (f) comparing subsequent normalized reflectance measurements obtained from samples under test with one or more of stored reference measurements.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for monitoring colors of samples under test for the purpose of making decisions regarding the handling of the sample comprising (a) illuminating a reference sample from a light source; (b) measuring the intensity of light from said light source in a plurality of spectral bands; (c) measuring the intensity of light reflected by the sample in a plurality of spectral bands; (d) normalizing said measurement of the intensity of light reflected by the sample by dividing it by said measurement of the intensity of light from said light source to obtain a reference measurement; (e) storing said reference measurement; and (f) comparing subsequent normalized reflectance measurements obtained from samples under test with one or more of stored reference measurements.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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