IMPROVED METHOD FOR MEASURING PHYSICAL QUANTITIES OF A CONTAINER USING A TIME-OF-FLIGHT SENSOR

Abstract

According to one aspect, a method is proposed for measuring a physical quantity (HEIGHT, LEVEL, DIAMETER, X0, Y0) of a container (12) placed in a detection zone (DET), using a time-of-flight sensor (100). The method comprises, by means of a processor (107B), the following steps: receiving (300) a histogram (H, HD) or even a matrix of histograms (MATRIX, DIFFMATRIX) generated from a light pulse emitted by a time-of-flight sensor and reflected by the container, each histogram (H, HD) being formed of bins (Bj) corresponding to distinct times of flight; extracting (310), from each histogram, a first histogram bin (FSB) characterizing first a rising edge of the pulse, so as to obtain a matrix of first histogram bins (MFSB); and determine (320) the height, diameter, position of the container and / or the container fill height from the matrix of first bins of histograms. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig 3

Claims

15. Time-of-flight measurement system for a physical quantity of a container (12) placed in a detection zone (DET), the system comprising: a time-of-flight sensor (100) configured to generate at least one histogram (H, HD) from a light pulse emitted by a time-of-flight sensor and reflected by the container, the histogram (H, HD) being formed of classes called "bins" (Bj) corresponding to distinct times of flight, and a processor (107D) configured to receive the histogram, to extract, in the histogram, a first histogram bin (FSB) characterizing first a rising edge of pulse, and to determine the physical quantity from the first histogram bin.

16. Beverage dispenser (10) comprising a positioning zone (DET) for a container (12) to dispense a beverage and a time-of-flight measurement system according to claim 15.

17. Beverage dispenser (10) according to claim 16, wherein a beverage dispensing control mechanism in the container is controlled by a physical quantity of the container (12) determined by the time-of-flight measurement system. [Fig. 1] 10 [Fig. 2] [Fig. 3] [Fig. 4] [Fig. 5] [Fig. 6]

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