Optical Consumable Identification for Multi-Depth Reflectance Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Physical resource consuming appliances, such as laundry treating machines, struggle to accurately determine the characteristics of consumable resources like treating chemistry during operation, leading to inefficiencies and potential misuse of resources.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an optical reading system that illuminates multiple depths of a composite structure containing a graphic and physical resource, determining reflectance to identify characteristics of the consumable resource, allowing the controller to adjust operation parameters accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single-depth illumination method is used to determine consumable characteristics, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The optical reading system segments the measurement process by illuminating different depths of the composite separately. The controller performs multiple illumination operations at different depths (first depth, second depth, etc.) and combines the reflectance data from each depth to determine consumable characteristics, achieving high measurement precision without requiring a single complex illumination system
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds the depth dimension to the optical measurement process. Instead of using a single illumination depth, the system illuminates multiple depths along the vertical axis of the composite, extracting additional information about consumable characteristics from different layers and depths of the composite structure
2Measurement precision
If multiple depths of the composite are illuminated to determine consumable characteristics, then the measurement precision improves, but the loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical reading system uses periodic illumination actions at different depths. The controller sequentially illuminates the first depth, then the second depth, and potentially additional depths in a structured periodic sequence. This allows the system to gather comprehensive multi-depth reflectance data while maintaining efficient timing through organized periodic measurement cycles
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary identification of which consumable characteristics need to be determined before initiating the multi-depth illumination sequence. Based on this preliminary identification, the controller can optimize which depths to illuminate and in what sequence, reducing unnecessary measurements and minimizing the time loss while still achieving the required measurement precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise determination of consumable resource characteristics, optimizing appliance operation and preventing unauthorized or incompatible resource use, thus enhancing efficiency and performance.
Implementation Method 1
illuminating a first depth of the composite and determining a corresponding first reflectance of the first depth of the composite, illuminating a second depth of the composite, which is deeper than the first depth, and determining a corresponding second reflectance of the second depth of the composite
Data Source
AI summary
The embodiments of the invention relate to a method for determining at least one characteristic of a physical resource for use in a physical resource consuming apparatus.