Did You Know...
...that in 1800 ether was first used by partyers as a fun diversion? Sniffing the gas led to hilarious and raucous laughter as people watched each other become more and more intoxicated and silly. Several doctors independently realized the value ether would have to anesthetize surgery patients. Of those who claimed rights to the "discovery," none had a happy ending. One had a seizure and died defending his rights. Another spent his life in an asylum because he had been denied acclaim. A third became addicted to chloroform and, in a New York City jail, he soaked a cloth in the drug, severed an artery and bled to death.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7372978 | System and method for determining a seed vigor index from germinated seedlings by automatic separation of overlapped seedlings A system and method for automatically determining a seed vigor index for a lot of seeds by analysis of a scanned image of a plurality of seedlings grown from lot of seeds, including automatically separating and analyzing overlapped seedlings. According to one aspect... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7369075 | Output circuit, digital/analog circuit and display apparatus An output circuit, a digital/analog conversion circuit and a display apparatus can reduce the number of required input voltages and the number of transistors to save the necessary area. The output circuit and the digital/analog conversion circuit comprise a selectio... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7212654 | Measurement of fruit particles Apparatus and methods to characterize and measure fruit pieces in food products are provided. A sample is spread on a viewing cell and illuminated. The image is captured by a camera and fed to a computer with imaging software. Information useful for quality control ... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7151606 | Method for evaluation of vegetables and fruits and evaluation apparatus therefor One form of evaluation apparatus comprising a plurality of light sources vertically arranged by one side of a carrier line in width direction Y perpendicular to carrying direction X of the carrier line; and a light-receiving section arranged by an opposite side of t... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7129918 | Electronic device and method of driving electronic device Problems such as insufficient brightness, caused by a reduction in duty ratio (the ratio of a light emitting period and a non-light emitting period), are improved upon in accordance with using a novel method of driving and a novel circuit in an electronic device. Si... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7128024 | System and method for measuring animals A system and method for measuring an animal includes a light source and an optical source. The light source, which is preferably an array of monochromatic light emitting diodes, at least partially backlights one or more of the animal's legs. The optical sensor or de... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7123750 | Automated plant analysis method, apparatus, and system using imaging technologies The present invention relates to an apparatus, method, software algorithm and system for evaluating plants for conditions or characteristics. In one aspect, the method can include imaging at least a portion of the plant and evaluating the image for discriminating co... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7103207 | Spectral assessment of fruit Apparatus for the spectral assessment of fruit includes a sensor head (10) positioned adjacent a near infrared light source (11). The sensor head is coupled to a spectrometer via fibre optics (30). The sensor head is positioned close to the peri... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7068816 | Method for using remotely sensed data to provide agricultural information The present invention is directed to a method for producing agricultural information on an area of interest, with the information based on raw, remote imaging data that is typically produced by a sensor associated with a satellite or aircraft. In one embodiment, the... | 06/27/2006 |
| 6943824 | Image processing spout control system A spout control system controls and aims a spout and a spout cap of a crop harvesting vehicle with respect to a separate crop hauling vehicle moving with the harvesting vehicle. The control system includes a video camera which is mounted on the cap and which views a... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6882740 | System and method for determining a seed vigor index from germinated seedlings by automatic separation of overlapped seedlings A system and method for automatically determining a seed vigor index for a lot of seeds by analysis of a scanned image of a plurality of seedlings grown from lot of seeds, including automatically separating and analyzing overlapped seedlings. According to one aspect... | 04/19/2005 |
| 6804629 | Production management system and system for checking operating conditions of product processing apparatuses A production management system 1 includes a production line 2, a plurality of image-taking components 22 and a communications line 5. The production line 2 includes a combination weigher 2a and a bagger 2b | 10/12/2004 |
| 6750898 | Topdressing method and apparatus therefor A method of and apparatus for performing a topdressing operation on an agriculture field have been provided. The method comprises the steps of: individually and continuously taking pictures of crops planted on a field to obtain crop picture data; processing the crop... | 06/15/2004 |
| 6683970 | Method of diagnosing nutritious condition of crop in plant field A method of diagnosing nutritious condition of crop in a plant field is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: locating a camera equipped with a plurality of image elements in a predetermined central depression angle with respect to the plant field... | 01/27/2004 |
| 6654048 | Calibration of imaging systems The calibration of an imaging system having a camera (20) for capturing colour data for a target object (carcass 10) includes a primary calibration to obtain a primary transform for RGB data to enable compensation for variations in the camera operation or... | 11/25/2003 |
| 6434257 | Size recognition system with method for determining price of a commodity The present system and apparatus use image processing to recognize object size with a scene. The system includes novel image processing apparatus and method to segment one or more object images from a background image of the scene. A processed image (that... | 08/13/2002 |
| 6344872 | System for transporting and imaging a textile material The present invention relates to a system for transporting and imaging a textile material. In particular, the present invention is directed toward a system comprising a motorized conveyor capable of moving a sheet of textile material around the far outer ... | 02/05/2002 |
| 6310964 | Produce size recognition system The present system and apparatus uses image processing to recognize object size within a scene. The system includes novel image processing apparatus and methods to segment one or more object images from a background image of the scene. A processed image (... | 10/30/2001 |
| 6201885 | Method for bakery product measurement The computer imaging analysis of bakery products for quality control and other purposes is disclosed. Apparatus and methods useful in such analysis are disclosed. The methods are useful on all types of bakery products. They can be used to analyze for para... | 03/13/2001 |
| 6198834 | Meat imaging system for palatability yield prediction An image analysis (IA) system for scoring characteristics predictive of palatability and yield of a meat animal carcass or cut. The IA system uses an imaging device, a data processing unit for processing image data, and an output device for output of proc... | 03/06/2001 |
| 6097425 | Device for monitoring overloading of products from working machine to transporting vehicle A device for overloading products from a working machine having a driver's stand to a transporting vehicle has an overloading unit provided in the working machine, and a monitor assembly for monitoring overloading of the product from the working machine t... | 08/01/2000 |
| 6061086 | Apparatus and method for automated visual inspection of objects The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the automated inspection of objects for the presence of visual anomalies. The apparatus includes a first wide angle camera for acquiring an image of the object, a processor for detecting targets... | 05/09/2000 |
| 6005959 | Produce size recognition system The present system and apparatus uses image processing to recognize object size within a scene. The system includes novel image processing apparatus and methods to segment one or more object images from a background image of the scene. A processed image (... | 12/21/1999 |
| 5960098 | Defective object inspection and removal systems and methods for identifying and removing defective objects Image processing system using cameras and image processing techniques to identify undesirable objects on roller conveyor lines. The cameras above the conveyor capture images of the passing objects. The roller background information is removed and images o... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5956079 | Agricultural vehicle monitoring system A monitoring system for an agricultural vehicle. The vehicle is provided with a video camera and an associated video monitor. The video monitor is located in a cab of the vehicle and the video camera is oriented facing the rear of the vehicle. When an agr... | 09/21/1999 |
| 5903305 | Apparatus for monitoring water quality using aquatic living thing An apparatus for monitoring a water quality by raising an aquatic living thing in a monitoring water tank 1. The monitoring water tank 1 is taken through a camera 12 to be displayed on a television 14. A monitoring area E comprising a plurality of sensor ... | 05/11/1999 |
| 5818953 | Optical characterization method This invention includes an optical characterization method capable of determining various characteristics of samples that preferably include naturally-occurring color deviations. In the preferred embodiment, this method is used in connection with food pro... | 10/06/1998 |
| 5793879 | Image analysis for meat Evaluation of carcass, or carcass portions, by object image definition processing comprising the steps of: recording a first image of a background taken from a viewing point; positioning the carcass or carcass portion in the background; recording a second... | 08/11/1998 |
| 5781230 | Method and apparatus for illuminating translucent and semi-transparent material A machine vision system and method of enhancing the imaging of an article which is comprised of optically translucent or semi-transparent material. Generally, the system includes a vision processor, a video camera, a computer, and an illuminator. The illu... | 07/14/1998 |
| 5732147 | Defective object inspection and separation system using image analysis and curvature transformation Image processing system using cameras and image processing techniques to identify undesirable objects on roller conveyor lines. The cameras above the conveyor capture images of the passing objects. The roller background information is removed and images o... | 03/24/1998 |
| 5668634 | Quality control and grading system for meat Automated grading of meat (carcasses or cuts, particularly pork legs) employs the steps of: a) obtaining a representative image, or representative images, of a meat cut; e.g. using video cameras; b) processing said representative image or representative i... | 09/16/1997 |
| 5550927 | Vegetable peel fraction inspection apparatus At least a representative fraction of the peeled vegetables which have passed through a steam peeler, and abrasive peeler, or both, is presented to a video camera for inspection. The camera output is analyzed by a computer controller to determine the amou... | 08/27/1996 |
| 5488479 | Machine vision system for inspection of agricultural commodities The present invention is directed to a device and method for analysis of peanut pods in a machine vision system. A method of classification of the pods is based on a maturity class system wherein various colors of the pod determine its maturity and theref... | 01/30/1996 |
| 5398818 | Center shot sorting system and method A system and method for sorting items (16) computes the geometric center ("centroid") (156) of any item containing a defect (26) or multiple defects, and directs an ejection air blast at the centroid of the defective item rather than at the location of th... | 03/21/1995 |
| 5305894 | Center shot sorting system and method A system and method for sorting items (16) computes the geometric center ("centroid") (156) of any item containing a defect (26) or multiple defects, and directs an ejection air blast at the centroid of the defective item rather than at the location of th... | 04/26/1994 |
| 5267168 | Apparatus for and method of controlling slicing machine A slicing machines includes a control system having a camera (6) which views a cut face (5) of a product being sliced. Image data from the camera (6) is processed to determined a parameter characteristic of the cut face (5). The step of processing the ima... | 11/30/1993 |
| 5253302 | Method and arrangement for automatic optical classification of plants For automatic optical classification of plants an image of in each case one plant is captured by a color video camera. The color video signals furnished by the color video camera are digitized and classified pixelwise in predetermined color classes which ... | 10/12/1993 |
| 5235649 | Cigarette inspection method Method for determining when a cigarette in a bundle is unsuitable which uses a statistical value based on gray scales.... | 08/10/1993 |
| 5164795 | Method and apparatus for grading fruit A method and apparatus is disclosed for grading the surface of generally apherical fruit according to surface characteristics such as color and blemish. The fruit are moved in single file past a scanning camera while being rotated about a transverse horiz... | 11/17/1992 |
| 5060290 | Algorithm for gray scale analysis especially of fruit or nuts A technique of characterizing histograms using unique serial code words for discrimination between look alike acceptable and unacceptable items. The histogram is processed by normalizing the captured histogram image pixels preferably to the largest pixel ... | 10/22/1991 |
