Patent ID: 6577983
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: G01N,G06K,G07G,H04N

Abstract:
A produce recognition system for recognizing a non-bar coded produce item comprising:a storage medium having a produce database and a look up data file, the produce database stores reference produce data items and item identification numbers; a produce data collector for receiving light data reflected from the non-bar coded produce item and converting the light data to a digitized collected produce data; wherein the produce data collector includes a housing; a window mounted within the housing; and a light source having one or more light emitted diodes for producing a white light spectral distribution, the white light transmitted through the window on to the non-bar coded produce item to create a reflected light; spectrometer having a light-separating element and a photodetector array, the light separating element converts the reflected light received through the window to a continuous band of wavelengths, the photodetector array spatially samples the continuous band of wavelengths to produce discrete signal levels; and a control circuit converts the discrete signal levels to digitized produce data; a transaction software component; a processor and produce recognition software for comparing the digitized collected produce data with the reference produce data items, retrieving the item identification number for the non-bar coded produce item on a successful match of the digitized collected produce data and the reference produce data item, and obtaining a corresponding price for the non-bar coded item from the look up data file; and a display for displaying the price retrieved from the look up data file.