Diamond Bow Tie Grading System Using Transition Angle Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The diamond industry lacks a consistent and objective method for grading bow tie dark areas in elongated cut diamonds, such as marquise, oval, and pear shapes, which affects predictability and pricing, as existing understanding of bow tie causes is incorrect and human grading is subjective.
Innovation Solution
A diamond bow tie grading system that includes an observation enclosure with a gemstone-seat, viewport, and tilt angle readout, using structured lighting and ray-tracing technology to determine a transition angle where dark areas brighten, providing a consistent and objective bow tie rating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If human experts visually inspect diamonds to identify bow ties, then bow tie detection is possible, but grading severity lacks repeatability and objectivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces human visual inspection with an automated computer-based system that uses image processing algorithms to detect and grade bow ties. The system captures diamond images through a scope and uses computational methods to objectively measure bow tie severity, eliminating subjective human judgment and achieving consistent, repeatable grading across different diamonds and evaluators.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a computer-based image analysis system as an intermediary between the diamond and the grader. This intermediary captures images through a scope, processes them using algorithms to identify bow tie characteristics, and provides objective measurements. The intermediary translates visual information into quantifiable data that can be consistently analyzed and compared.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the observation enclosure includes a dark circle representing angle of obscuration, then bow tie visibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual representation of the observer's head as a dark circle in the image processing system. This digital copy simulates the angle of obscuration that would naturally occur when a person views the diamond, allowing the system to detect bow ties under conditions that mimic real-world viewing without requiring physical modifications to create actual obscuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the need for complex physical observation enclosures with computational methods. Instead of building elaborate devices to control viewing angles and lighting, the system uses software to simulate obscuration effects and process images accordingly, significantly reducing hardware complexity while maintaining detection capability.
3Measurement precision
If ray-tracing technology is used to find transition angle, then bow tie grading objectivity is improved, but computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies ray-tracing technology selectively rather than to all diamonds or all grading parameters. The system uses ray-tracing specifically to determine the transition angle when bow ties become visible, applying this computationally intensive method only where needed to achieve objective measurements, rather than using it for every aspect of diamond analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A diamond bow tie grading system including a structured lighting environment, and an ability to view a diamond at different tilt angles, using the views to find a transition angle where a dark area on the diamond brightens and assigning a bow tie rating using the transition angle. The diamond bow tie grading system may have an observation enclosure with an interior, a gemstone-seat for holding a diamond, located inside the interior of the observation enclosure, a viewport located on the observation enclosure that provides a view of the gemstone-seat, and a tilt angle readout that provides a tilt angle. The interior around the viewport is a dark circle representing an angle of obscuration. The diamond bow tie grading system may include a gemstone-seat manipulator that changes the tilt angle. The viewport may have two viewport openings to provide binocular vision to an observer.