Sensor system

Abstract

Sensor system (1) comprising an arrangement of chemosensors (2, 2') and a control and evaluation unit (3) associated therewith, wherein the chemosensors (2, 2') are capable of detecting foodstuffs by detecting gaseous substances, and wherein the control and evaluation unit (3) is configured to identify foodstuffs and determine the properties of these foodstuffs based on sensor signals from the chemosensor(s) (2, 2'), wherein the sensor system is part of a product tracking system, characterized in that the latter has at least two different chemosensors (2, 2') which form a diverse redundant sensor system.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a sensor system.

[0002] Such sensor systems are increasingly used for automatic product identification in shopping centers such as supermarkets. Suitable sensors are used to detect specific product characteristics, which can then be used to identify products, particularly food items.

[0003] WO 2014 / 063157 A2 discloses a sensor system that uses cameras to detect optical characteristics of products, especially foodstuffs, in order to identify them. RFID sensors, chemisensors, and similar devices can be used as additional sensors for product recognition.

[0004] German patent DE 10 2007 058 593 A1 relates to a device for the automatic billing of food and beverages, which includes means for the contactless acquisition of several measurements attributable to different properties of the food or beverages. Furthermore, a data processing unit is provided. This unit serves to determine and store comparative measurements for the individual food and beverages, to identify individual food or beverages by comparing the acquired measurements with the stored comparative measurements, to enter and store price information for the individual food and beverages, and to determine the price of individual identified food or beverages taking into account the corresponding price information.

[0005] In Broda, S.; Schnitzler, WH: Chemical sensor systems for aroma analysis in food. In: Deutsche Lebensmittel-Rundschau, 94th year, 1998, issue 1, 13-16 (D1), chemical sensor systems for aroma analysis in food are described. These systems allow for the analysis of food samples with regard to their aroma properties. Samples can be identified using pattern recognition methods.

[0006] In Baietto, M.; Wilson, AD: Electronic-Nose Applications for Fruit Identification, Ripeness and Quality Grading. In: Sensors, Vol. 15, 2015, 899-931 (D2), sensor arrays in the form of gas sensors are described, which are used to identify different fruits and assess their ripeness and quality.

[0007] In SANAEIFAR, A. [et al.]: Development and Application of a New Low Cost Electronic Nose for the Ripeness Monitoring of Banana using Computational Techniques (PCA, LDA, SIMCA and SVM). In: Czech Journal of Food Sciences, Vol. 32, 2014, No. 6, pp. 538-548 (D3), a system with chemical sensors is described that determines the ripeness of bananas based on emitted gases.

[0008] US Patent 2018 / 0005295A1 relates to a device for determining the freshness of perishable products, particularly foodstuffs. The device comprises one or more sensors, an evaluation unit for analyzing sensor signals, and a display unit for showing output values. Chemosensors, in particular, can be used as sensors. The device allows the environmental history of products to be tracked.

[0009] The invention is based on the objective of providing a sensor system of the type mentioned above which has a high level of functionality with minimal design effort.

[0010] The features of claim 1 are provided to solve this problem. Advantageous embodiments and expedient further developments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0011] The invention relates to a sensor system comprising an arrangement of chemosensors and an associated control and evaluation unit. The chemosensors detect food products by sensing gaseous substances. The control and evaluation unit is designed to identify food products and determine their properties based on sensor signals from the chemosensor(s). The sensor system is part of a product tracking system. This system includes at least two different chemosensors, which form a diversely redundant sensor array.

[0012] A significant advantage of the invention is that the sensor system consists exclusively of chemosensors, with only one chemosensor being provided in the simplest case.

[0013] Since no sensors with different measuring principles are used, signal processing in the control and evaluation unit is significantly simplified. A further advantage is the compact design of the sensor system with the chemical sensor(s). The chemical sensors can therefore be configured as small units that can be easily installed at the desired locations.

[0014] The control and evaluation unit can form a single unit with the chemosensor(s), so that the entire sensor system can be installed at the respective place of use.

[0015] Alternatively, the control and evaluation unit can form a spatially separate unit from the chemosensor(s). In this case, the chemosensor(s) are connected to the control and evaluation unit via suitable wired or contactless interfaces.

[0016] The chemosensors used in the sensor system according to the invention are generally designed for the reversible detection of gaseous substances, in particular chemical compounds or ions. The chemosensors generate electrical signals depending on the concentrations of such substances. A chemosensor generally comprises a detection system, such as an ion-sensitive layer for detecting ions, and a transducer that converts the signals generated by the detection system into electrical signals.

[0017] The advantage of chemosensors is that they use semiconductor components and can therefore be produced in very small form factors.

[0018] These chemosensors alone can detect gaseous substances in foodstuffs based on their concentration.

[0019] According to the invention, the chemosensor(s) not only identify foodstuffs, but also detect specific properties of the foodstuffs, giving the sensor system according to the invention a high level of functionality.

[0020] The chemosensor(s) are particularly useful for determining the ripeness levels of foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

[0021] Furthermore, information about the remaining shelf life, i.e., the period of time during which the food is still edible, can be obtained from the signals of the chemosensor(s).

[0022] The analysis according to the invention, carried out using the chemosensors, can be used for any foodstuffs that release gaseous substances. Examples include fruits and vegetables, but also fish, meat, sausages, and the like.

[0023] The sensor system according to the invention comprises sensors consisting exclusively of chemosensors. In a particularly simple and cost-effective embodiment, only one chemosensor is provided, although several chemosensors can also be provided to increase the detection reliability and the reliability of the sensor system.

[0024] According to the invention, the sensor system comprises at least two different chemosensors. This provides diverse and redundant sensor technology, which significantly increases the detection sensitivity of the sensor system. Since the differently designed chemosensors generate different signals, they provide more information about the food being detected than a single chemosensor. The signals from the chemosensors can then be appropriately combined in the control and evaluation unit, enabling highly accurate identification of food products or determination of their properties.

[0025] Advantageously, the control and evaluation unit of the sensor system according to the invention is used not only for evaluating the signals from the chemosensors, but also for controlling them. In particular, the control and evaluation unit can be used to provide suitable time control for the chemosensors, for example, so that they detect food simultaneously or alternately over time.

[0026] According to an advantageous embodiment, reference values ​​are stored in the control and evaluation unit, whereby current sensor signals of the chemosensor(s) are compared with the reference values ​​to identify foodstuffs and to determine the properties of these foodstuffs.

[0027] The reference values ​​allow, in particular, the signal range of the chemical sensor(s) to be divided into individual sub-ranges, which can be separate or partially overlapping. Signal evaluation for product identification and the determination of product properties is then carried out by checking in the control and evaluation unit which sub-range the chemical sensor signals fall into.

[0028] It is advantageous that reference values ​​can be specified through parameterization and / or through learning processes.

[0029] This setting is made before the sensor system is put into operation. In principle, the reference values ​​set in this way can then be maintained throughout the entire operation of the sensor system.

[0030] A tracking unit is particularly advantageous, in which self-learning algorithms are implemented, by means of which reference values ​​can be tracked.

[0031] The tracking unit can be implemented as a software module within the control and evaluation unit or in an external unit. The tracking unit is an AI (Artificial Intelligence) module containing self-learning algorithms. These algorithms continuously or at discrete intervals record the signals from the chemosensors detected during food detections during the sensor system's operation. This allows for a more precise determination of the reference values ​​defined before operation and their better adaptation to the food being detected, thereby increasing the detection reliability of the sensor system. New reference values ​​can also be generated.

[0032] One advantageous application of the sensor system according to the invention is that it forms a product identification unit in a shopping center.

[0033] The term shopping center is to be interpreted generally and refers to establishments where food can be purchased, including markets, supermarkets, specialty stores and the like.

[0034] Particularly in larger shopping centers such as supermarkets, separate counters or sales areas may be provided for individual specific food types such as fish, meat, fruit or vegetables, each of which may be equipped with a sensor system to identify the food offered for sale there.

[0035] One example of this is the fruit and vegetable section in supermarkets. These sections typically have scales where customers can weigh their chosen produce. Previously, to identify the item, customers had to enter a multi-digit product code on the scale, which was relatively cumbersome and not very user-friendly. By equipping the scale with a sensor system, the produce can be identified automatically, eliminating the need for tedious product code entry.

[0036] According to another advantageous embodiment, the sensor system is a component of a cash register system as a product identification unit.

[0037] The cash register system allows the respective goods to be weighed, identified using the sensor system according to the invention, and then immediately billed.

[0038] According to an advantageous embodiment, the sensor system according to the invention is a component of a product tracking system and / or quality control system. Generally, several sensor systems can also be components of a product tracking system and / or quality control system, and these can generally form decentralized systems distributed across multiple facilities. In this case, the sensor systems can be distributed across several facilities, for example, in several shopping centers and also in suppliers to shopping centers. The individual sensor systems can then be controlled via cloud servers.

[0039] For the development of a quality control system, it is essential that a sensor system according to the invention not only identifies the respective food products, but also determines their properties, such as their degree of ripeness or, depending on this, their remaining shelf life. Based on this information, product classifications can be carried out in the sensor system. For example, individual quality levels for the food products can be defined.

[0040] For the development of the product tracking system according to the invention, it is also advantageous that the sensor system(s) not only identify food products but also determine their properties.

[0041] Food products can be tracked using distributed sensor systems in spatially separated units. For example, sensor systems can be installed in shopping centers and their suppliers to control procurement processes via a cloud-based computing system. The advantage here is that, based on sensor data such as ripeness levels and remaining shelf lives, it's possible to determine where and how spoiled food is located. This information can then be used to automatically trigger procurement processes for ordering fresh food. Furthermore, the output signals generated by the sensor systems can be used to identify and remove food products or send them for recycling.

[0042] The invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1: First embodiment of the sensor system according to the invention. Fig. 2: Second embodiment of the sensor system according to the invention. Fig. 3: Integration of the sensor system according to Fig. 2 in one scale. Fig. 4: Multiple arrangement of sensor systems in a product tracking and quality control system.

[0043] Fig. Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the sensor system 1 according to the invention. The sensor system 1 comprises only one chemosensor 2 as the sensor. The chemosensor 2 can detect gaseous substances released from foodstuffs. The electrical signals generated by the chemosensor 2 are supplied to a control and evaluation unit 3, which includes a computer unit with at least one processor.

[0044] The chemosensor 2 is connected to the control and evaluation unit 3 via a line 4. A contactless interface is also generally possible.

[0045] The control and evaluation unit 3 serves to control the chemosensor 2 and to evaluate the electrical signals, i.e., the output signals of the chemosensor 2. The evaluation is carried out in such a way that the detected foodstuffs are identified in the control and evaluation unit 3 based on the signals from the chemosensor 2. In addition, properties of the foodstuffs, such as their ripeness or remaining shelf life, are determined.

[0046] For this purpose, 3 reference values ​​are stored in the control and evaluation unit, whereby current sensor signals of the chemosensor(s) 2, 2' are compared with the reference values ​​to identify foodstuffs and to determine the properties of these foodstuffs.

[0047] The reference values ​​can be specified through parameterization and / or through learning processes.

[0048] In this case, a tracking unit 5 is assigned to the control and evaluation unit 3. This tracking unit is a separate computer unit connected to the control and evaluation unit 3 via a further line 6 or a contactless interface. Alternatively, the tracking unit 5 can be integrated as a software module within the control and evaluation unit 3. The tracking unit 5 incorporates self-learning algorithms that continuously adjust the reference values ​​during the operation of the sensor system 1 based on the current food detections.

[0049] Fig. Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the sensor system 1. This differs from the embodiment according to only this: Fig. 1, that two different chemosensors 2, 2' are provided, whose signals are evaluated in the control and evaluation unit 3 for product identification and for determining product properties.

[0050] Fig. Figure 3 shows a first application example of the sensor system 1 according to Fig. 1. The chemical sensors 2, 2' and the control and evaluation unit 3 of the sensor system 1 are integrated into an electronic scale 7. The scale 7 is located, for example, in the fruit and vegetable section of a supermarket. A customer can place selected fruit or vegetables onto the scale 7, which are then weighed. Simultaneously, the sensor system 1 automatically identifies the weighed fruit or vegetable. The result is displayed on a display unit 8 of the scale 7.

[0051] Fig. Figure 4 shows an embodiment with a multiple arrangement of sensor systems 1 according to the Fig. 1 or Fig. 2. The sensor systems 1 are connected via data interfaces 9 to a higher-level computer system, which in this case is a cloud computer system 10. The data interfaces 9 preferably establish internet connections.

[0052] This arrangement forms a product tracking system and a quality control system. The individual sensor systems 1 can, for example, be installed in different shopping centers and supplier facilities.

[0053] The sensor systems 1 are used to identify foodstuffs and determine their properties, especially quality characteristics such as ripeness levels or remaining shelf life.

[0054] The information collected by sensor systems 1 allows for the tracking of foodstuffs, for example, by recording the time-resolved stock levels of individual food items with specific qualities. Based on this data, procurement processes can be automatically triggered. In particular, expired foodstuffs can be identified and, if necessary, removed or recycled. Reference symbol list (1) Sensor system (2, 2') Chemosensor (3) Control and evaluation unit (4) Management (5) Tracking unit (6) Management (7) Scales (8) Display unit (9) Data interface (10) Cloud computing system

Claims

[1] Sensor system (1) comprising an arrangement of chemosensors (2, 2') and a control and evaluation unit (3) associated therewith, wherein the chemosensors (2, 2') are capable of detecting foodstuffs by detecting gaseous substances, and wherein the control and evaluation unit (3) is configured to identify foodstuffs and determine properties of these foodstuffs based on sensor signals from the chemosensor(s) (2, 2'), wherein the sensor system is part of a product tracking system, characterized by , that this has at least two different chemosensors (2, 2') which form a diverse redundant sensor system. [2] Sensor system (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that this is part of a quality control system. [3] Sensor system (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized by , that this generates output signals by which spoiled food can be identified. [4] Sensor system (1) according to claim 3, characterized by , that depending on its output signals, food can be removed or used for waste disposal. [5] Sensor system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that the control and evaluation unit (3) is designed to control the chemosensor(s) (2, 2'). [6] Sensor system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by , that reference values ​​are stored in the control and evaluation unit (3), wherein current sensor signals of the chemosensor(s) (2, 2') are compared with the reference values ​​for the identification of foodstuffs and for the determination of the properties of these foodstuffs. [7] Sensor system (1) according to claim 6, characterized by that reference values ​​can be specified through parameterization and / or through learning processes. [8] Sensor system (1) according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized by, that a tracking unit (5) is provided in which self-learning algorithms are implemented by means of which reference values ​​can be tracked. [9] Sensor system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that this forms a product identification unit in a shopping center. [10] Sensor system (1) according to claim 9, characterized by that this is part of a cash register system as a product identification unit. [11] Sensor system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized by that the ripeness levels of food can be determined using this method. [12] Sensor system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized by , that the remaining lifespans of foodstuffs can be determined using this data. [13] Sensor system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by that can be classified with this foodstuff.

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