A plastic container sorter (10) moves labeled plastic containers (14, 20, 48, 54, 58) of various colors and transparencies through an inspection zone (18). A pair of line-scanning color cameras (22, 24) capture respective transmittance and reflectance images of the containers and generate raw transmittance and reflectance image data. The raw container data are digitized, normalized, and binarized to provide accurate transmittance and reflectance container RGB image data and binarized image data for differentiating container image data from background data. Container sorting entails eroding (120) the binarized transmittance image and merging (122) the eroded image with the transmittance image data to yield a transmittance image. The eroded transmittance image is analyzed (124, 126) to determine whether the container is opaque. If the container is opaque, color analysis proceeds by analyzing the reflectance image data. If, however, the container is not opaque, transmittance image data are used to classify the container as green transparent (140), translucent (142), or clear transparent (142). Classified containers are transferred to an ejection conveyor (46). Side discharge of a classified container is effected by an air ejector (64) blast that is timed in response to sensing a particular container adjacent to an appropriate side discharge station (60).

Plastic container sorting system and method

A glass sorting machine optically sorts glass cullet according to different color characteristics by irradiating the cullet with red, green and blue light as the cullet are passed through a sensing region between a light source and light sensors responsive to the different light colors. The attenuation levels of the different light colors are measured by the sensors as the cullet passes through the sensing region. The machine analyzes the attenuation levels to determine the color characteristics of the cullet. A collimator is typically used to enhance shadow definition. In one embodiment, a pixel grid map is made of the sensing region and each cullet that passes through the sensing region. Mapped on to each grid is a red, green, and blue digital signal. Attenuated signals are compared against baseline values to determine the attenuation for given cullet. The pixel grid map may be used with a data erosion technique to compensate for refraction. To reduce errors associated with optical impurities, the machine normalizes the baseline values when cullet are not in the sensing region by taking the derivative of the sensed signal and normalizing the baseline signal when no cullet are present.

Optical glass sorting machine and method

A wireless surveillance system and methods of operating same, providing at least one data input capture device (ICDs), including cameras which have the ability to capture video, audio, and/or data from sensors such as temperature and humidity data, while being newly or retrofittably releasably mountable to a track lighting system.

Wireless surveillance system releasably mountable to track lighting

A sorting apparatus according to the present invention includes a conveyor belt having a solid translucent sheet segment for carrying a stream randomly-arranged articles, ones of which are translucent and others of which are opaque Preferably, the translucent articles are pieces of post-consumer plastic products (eg, beverage containers) and the opaque articles are foreign matter, such as aluminum or polypropylene container tops or caps of the beverage containers The conveyor belt carries multiple articles simultaneously through an inspection zone A background light source is positioned in the inspection zone opposite the translucent sheet segment from the articles to direct light through the translucent sheet segment toward the articles A video camera is positioned to receive light from the background light source transmitted through the translucent sheet segment and translucent ones of the articles The opaque ones of the articles prevent light from the background light source from reaching the video camera The video camera generates a video signal from which a system processor identifies the opaque articles and activates a separator to remove the opaque articles from the stream of articles

Backlight sorting system and method

A surveillance system and method with at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) and/or another ICD, including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR and/or ICD searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them; providing DIR interface and setup options, for providing a secure surveillance system having wireless communication for monitoring a target environment.

Video surveillance sharing system and method

A method of sorting plastic items by measuring the effect an item has on light directed at a stream of items from a light source, then selectively removing items from the stream based on a comparison of the light measured and the light emitted from the detector is provided. The invention also includes an apparatus for separating plastic items which comprises a light source, a detector for measuring the effect an individual item has on light emitted from the detector, and sortation means for selectively removing items from the stream based on a comparison of the light emitted by the light source and that measured at the detector. A method for separating single plastic bottles from engaged interlocked bottle clusters comprising directing an air jet at an item sufficiently forceful to displace a single bottle to a collection means but insufficiently forceful to displace an interlocked bottle cluster is also provided.

Method and apparatus for sorting plastic items

Masses of differently optically transmissive materials, such as plastic bottles of different composition or color, are separated using the different transmissivity to separate masses in a moving stream

Sorting optically different solid masses

A method of sorting plastic items by measuring the effect an item has on light directed at a stream of items from a light source (224), then selectively removing items from the stream based on a comparison of the light measured and the light emitted from the detector (226) is provided The invention also includes an apparatus for separating plastic items which comprises a light source (224), a detector (226) for measuring the effect an individual item has on light emitted from the detector, and sortation means (229) for selectively removing items from the stream based on a comparison of the light emitted by the light source (224) and that measured at the detector (226) A method for separating single plastic bottles from engaged interlocked bottle clusters comprising directing an air jet (125, 128) at an item sufficiently forceful to displace a single bottle to a collection means (136) but insufficiently forceful to displace an interlocked bottle cluster is also provided

Paul H. Steagall

Papers

Method and apparatus for sorting plastic items

Sorting optically different solid masses

Method and apparatus of sorting plastic items