Optical Sensor Product Counting for Bakeable Food Production Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mass-produced bakeable food products require manual visual confirmation for quality control, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors in process supervision and management.
Innovation Solution
A computer vision system using an optical sensor and processor module to automatically count and supervise bakeable food products by capturing images, identifying product pixels based on color contrast, and updating a product counter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual visual confirmation is used for quality control, then product customization and flexibility are maintained, but productivity and measurement precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical visual inspection system with an automated optical sensing system. An optical sensor captures images of products on the conveyor belt, and a processor automatically analyzes these images to count products and verify their presence, eliminating manual intervention while maintaining high precision through digital image processing algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy of the physical product scene by capturing images with an optical sensor. This digital representation is then processed to extract product count and presence information, allowing automated decision-making based on accurate visual data without requiring physical manual counting.
2Measurement precision
If automated optical sensing is implemented, then productivity and measurement precision are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical sensor system serves multiple functions: it captures images for product counting, verifies product presence on the conveyor belt, and can potentially detect product defects or variations. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing comprehensive quality control capabilities from a single integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor acts as an intermediary between the optical sensor and the control system. It processes the raw image data, applies algorithms to count products and verify presence, and outputs results to the control system, simplifying the overall architecture by centralizing the complex processing tasks in a dedicated component.
3Reliability
If continuous product supervision is implemented, then reliability is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical sensor operates continuously to capture images of products as they move along the conveyor belt, providing uninterrupted supervision. This continuous operation ensures that every product is accounted for and verified, enhancing reliability by eliminating gaps in monitoring that could allow errors to go undetected.
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
The system enables immediate and accurate automatic counting of products, reducing human error and improving process efficiency by providing continuous supervision and error detection.
Implementation Method 1
capturing, by the optical sensor, an image of the bakeable food products as they pass through the inspection area
Implementation Method 2
identifying, by a processor module, a number of pixels in the captured image that correspond to a food product, based on a colour contrast threshold
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method and a system for counting bakeable food products. It comprises: arranging an optical sensor in an inspection area through which food products conveyed by a conveyor belt pass; capturing, by the optical sensor, an image of the bakeable food products as they pass through the inspection area; identifying, by a processor module, a number of pixels in the captured image that correspond to a food product, based on a colour contrast threshold; determining, by the processor module, the presence of a product in the inspection area if the number of identified pixels is greater than a pre-established minimum threshold; and updating a product counter, adding one unit each time the presence of a product is determined.