Patent ID: 6791683
Filing Date: 2004-09-14
Classification: A01D,G01N

Abstract:
A method for segregating qualities of an agricultural product during processing of the product, said method comprising the steps of:setting a desired range of a measurement value, which represents a property of the product and defines a first quality of the product for which the measurement value is inside the range and a second quality of the product for which the measurement value is outside the range, analyzing the quality of the product that is being processed, said step of analyzing comprising the steps of continuously extracting samples of the product, irradiating each sample by electromagnetic radiation, spatially separating electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths, detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted from the sample, said step of detecting producing intensity signals indicative of detected electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths, determining a sample value of said property of the product from the intensity signals, and determining a measurement value from at least one sample value, and separating the product of said first quality from the product of said second quality.