Patent ID: 7633635
Filing Date: 2009-12-15
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
1. A method for automatically identifying non-labeled, manufactured parts, each of the parts having a diameter, the method comprising: storing templates of a plurality of known good, manufactured parts, each of the templates including a part profile and a set of features needed to distinguish the part from other parts, the set of features including at least one of total length, internal length, at least one diameter, thread, and taper wherein each of the features includes a range of acceptable values and wherein each of the templates has a universal product code associated therewith and wherein each universal product code identifies a part and a manufacturer of the part; providing an inclined track; dropping a part to be purchased onto the inclined track so that the part slides down the inclined track by the force of gravity; projecting a plane of light having a width wider than the diameter of the part onto one side of the part as the part slides down the track to obtain left and right unobstructed portions of the plane of light; detecting the left and right portions of the plane of light to image the left and right portions of the outer edges of the sliding part and to obtain a first set of electrical signals; determining a velocity of the sliding part; processing the first set of electrical signals with the velocity to obtain a profile and a value for each of the features of the sliding part without the need to detect a portion of the plane of light obstructed by the sliding part; comparing the profile and the features of the part to be purchased with the profile and corresponding features of each of the stored templates to identify a template which most closely matches the profile and features of the part to be purchased; and automatically generating and transmitting an identification signal representing the universal product code for the part associated with the most closely matched template based on the identified template without the need to detect a portion of the plane of light blocked or reflected by the sliding part.