Segmented Fish Counting Container with Optical Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fish counting devices face significant errors in estimating the number and weight distribution of marine organisms, particularly when the weight variation is high, such as between 5 grams and tens of kilograms, which is critical for sorting in sea cages or reservoirs.
Innovation Solution
A high-capacity counting device featuring a transparent or semitransparent registration container with a transfer duct and a registration unit equipped with a camera, inclined mirror, and a feedback loop to optimize fluid flow and optical registration, ensuring accurate counting across all weight classes by controlling the flow and orientation of organisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a standard camera-based registration unit is used to count fishes, then the device complexity is low, but the measurement precision deteriorates when fishes have high weight variation
Solution Approach 1:
The registration container is divided into multiple registration sections (first, second, third sections) with different cross-sectional areas. This segmentation allows fishes of different sizes to be registered in optimized conditions - smaller fishes in sections with larger cross-sections for better visibility, and larger fishes in sections with smaller cross-sections to prevent overlapping, thereby improving overall measurement precision without requiring a completely complex new device design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a longitudinal dimension to the registration container by creating multiple registration sections along the flow direction with varying cross-sectional areas. This dimensional variation allows the system to handle fishes of different sizes more effectively, improving measurement precision for high weight variation scenarios while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure
2Measurement precision
If the cross-sectional area of the registration container is increased to reduce picture overlapping, then the measurement precision improves, but the productivity deteriorates due to reduced flow capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The registration container is segmented into multiple sections with different cross-sectional areas optimized for different fish sizes. Smaller cross-sectional areas in certain sections prevent picture overlapping for larger fishes, while maintaining overall flow capacity by not uniformly increasing the entire container size, thus resolving the contradiction between precision and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the registration container have different cross-sectional areas tailored to local registration needs. Sections dealing with larger fishes have smaller cross-sections to prevent overlapping, while other sections maintain larger areas for adequate flow capacity, achieving both precision and productivity through localized optimization
3Measurement precision
If fishes are led through a pipe to a registration unit, then the device complexity is low, but the measurement precision deteriorates for high density fish populations
Solution Approach 1:
The simple pipe-based transport is enhanced by segmenting the registration container into multiple sections with varying cross-sectional areas. This segmentation improves precision for high density populations by preventing picture overlapping through optimized local geometries, while maintaining the simplicity of the overall transport mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The registration container incorporates variable cross-sectional areas along the flow direction, creating a dynamic geometry that adapts to different fish sizes and densities. This dynamic design improves measurement precision for high density populations while adding minimal complexity to the basic pipe-based transport system
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 device achieves improved accuracy and reduced error rates in counting marine organisms of varying weights, ensuring reliable registration even at high densities and weight distributions, enhancing the efficiency of fish sorting and transfer processes.
Implementation Method 1
a registration unit with at least one camera, the function of the unit is to perform an optical registration of marine organisms which passes through the registration container
Implementation Method 2
a feedback loop to optimize fluid flow and optical registration, ensuring accurate counting across all weight classes by controlling the flow and orientation of organisms
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention discloses a system for the registration of numbers and/or weight distribution of marine organisms (7) in movement, comprising a registration container (2) manufactured at least partly from a transparent or translucent material; a transfer duct (15) connected in fluid communication to the registration container (2) and adapted for the transfer of marine organisms (7) from at least one reservoir (8) to the container (2); and a registration unit (1) comprising at least one camera (3), wherein said registration unit (1) is performing an optical registration of marine organisms (7) passing through the registration container (2); and further comprising at least one outlet duct (27) connected in fluid communication with the registration container (2); and at least one injection duct (28) connected in fluid communication with said registration container (2) in a position mainly upstream of the at least one outlet duct (27); wherein the at least one outlet duct (27) and the at least one injection duct (28) are connected mutually such that the fluid flowing through the transfer duct (15) is directed to the area of the registration container (2) giving the optimal optical registration of marine organisms (7).