Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20050190357?oq=5572193
Timestamp: 2018-03-20 18:03:35
Document Index: 639870917

Matched Legal Cases: ['§119', 'Application No. 60', '§119', 'Application No. 60', '§ 119', 'Application No. 60']

US20050190357A1 - Methods, apparatus, and systems for evaluating gemstones - Google Patents
Methods, apparatus, and systems for evaluating gemstones Download PDF
US20050190357A1
US20050190357A1 US11018743 US1874304A US2005190357A1 US 20050190357 A1 US20050190357 A1 US 20050190357A1 US 11018743 US11018743 US 11018743 US 1874304 A US1874304 A US 1874304A US 2005190357 A1 US2005190357 A1 US 2005190357A1
US11018743
US7382445B2 (en )
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Provisional Patent Application No. 60/532,201, entitled “THE OPTICAL DESIGN OF GEMSTONES,” and filed on Dec. 22, 2003. This application also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Provisional Patent Application No. 60/563,025, entitled “GEMSTONE CUT GRADING,” filed on Apr. 16, 2004. This application also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Provisional Patent Application No. 60/607,191, entitled “GEMSTONE CUT GRADING,” filed on Sep. 3, 2004. The entire contents of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.'s 60/532,201, 60/563,025, and 60/607,191 are hereby incorporated by reference.
In general, polar angle ranges 221-223 can correspond to any three ranges of polar angles in the hemispherical reference frame. In some embodiments, polar angle ranges 221-223 can be selected to correspond to one or more characteristics of a typical viewing environment. For example, range 221 can be selected to correspond to the range of angles from where a diamond receives most of its illumination in a typical viewing environment (e.g., overhead indoor lighting or ambient outdoor lighting). In some embodiments, a lower limit of range 221/upper limit of range 223 can correspond to polar angles of about 20° or more (e.g., about 25° or more, about 30° or more, about 35° or more, about 40° or more, about 45° or more, about 50° or more, about 55° or more, about 60° or more, about 650 or more).
Furthermore, where a color in the image corresponds to a range of ray directions that are typically obscured, the facets that appear that color in the image should appear dark under typical viewing conditions. For example, the blue portions in the image in FIG. 5A correspond to illumination incident on the diamond with polar ray directions of about 75° and greater. Rays from these directions are usually obscured by an observer's head, so these portions should appear dark when viewed under typical viewing conditions. Similarly, the green portions of the image in FIG. 5A correspond to rays having low angles of incidence (i.e., less than 45°), which do not typically provide much illumination intensity under typical viewing conditions. Accordingly, these portions should also appear dark under typical viewing conditions. However, when an observer views the diamond at an angle, instead of from directly above the table, overhead illumination which corresponded to the 45° to 750 range when viewed from above will be incident on the diamond at a lower angle, and at least some of the green portions should appear bright. Accordingly, the color corresponding to range 223 may appear bright or dark depending on the orientation of the diamond, observer and illumination, and may appear to sparkle as the diamond, observer, and/or illumination move relative to each other.
While the color-coded image shown in FIG. 5A was acquired with diamond's table orthogonal to axis 250, in general, color-coded images can be acquired with the diamond at any orientation with respect to axis 250. In some embodiments, color-coded images can be acquired for a diamond at multiple orientations with respect to axis 250. For example, images can be acquired with the table normal tilted by about 1° or more with respected to axis 25 (e.g., about 2° or more, about 3° or more, about 4° or more, about 5° or more, about 8° or more, about 10° or more, about 12° or more, about 15° or more, about 20° or more, about 25° or more, about 30° or more).
Furthermore, in some embodiments, a diamond may be evaluated by acquiring images of the diamond for multiple different configurations of the inner surface of housing 210. As an example, consider a configuration where the inner surface of housing 210 includes only two portions: a white portion corresponding to polar ray directions from 0° to α, and a black portion extending from a to the polar ray direction corresponding to aperture 240. Images of the diamond can be acquired for decreasing values of α until the image displays a predetermined threshold proportion of black, corresponding to a desirable amount of contrast in the diamond's appearance. This value of α provides a measure of how occlusion due to a viewer will impact the diamond's appearance.
In some embodiments, housing 210 can include portions that extend over relatively small polar and azimuthal angular ranges (e.g., about 20° or less, about 10° or less, about 50 or less). For example, in certain embodiments, housing 210 can include one or more relatively small portions (e.g., circular portions or rectangular portions) which reflect white light. Such portions illuminate the diamond with white light over a relatively narrow range of angles. Dispersion of the white light by the diamond can give rise to different facets having different hues as viewed at the imaging device. As dispersion is related to the diamond's fire, such illumination can provide images related to fire.
Where average Dx and/or average Dθ are relatively large (e.g., about the same or more than a Tolkowsky diamond), the diamond can be assigned a good grade for fire. In some embodiments, an average Dx of about 3.0 mm or more (e.g., about 3.2 mm or more, about 3.5 mm or more, about 3.8 mm or more, about 4.0 mm or more) measured on a hemisphere of radius 25 cm, and/or an average Dθ of about 0.75° or more (e.g., about 1.0° or more, about 1.2° or more) can receive a good grade for fire. Alternatively, where average Dx and/or average Dθ are relatively small (e.g., average Dx of about 2.5 mm or less, about 2.0 mm or less, about 1.5 mm or less, average Dθ of about 0.5° or less, about 0.3° or less, about 0.2° or less, about 0.1° or less), the diamond can be assigned a poor grade for fire.
Spread can be quantified as a scaled weight, which is the diamonds actual weight multiplied by a factor related to the diamond's cut proportions. The factor scales the weight of the diamond to by an amount related to departures of the diamond's proportions from a diamond of similar weight and cut that has ideal proportions, i.e., an optimal spread. As an example, in some embodiments, the scaled weight, Ws, can be given by: W s = W × ( A i A ) 3 ,
where W and A are the actual weight and birds-eye-view area of the diamond, respectively, and Ai is the birds-eye-view area of a similar weight diamond with ideal proportions. For example, a princess cut diamond that is 1.45 carats in weight is, in certain estimations, ideally 6 mm by 6 mm in size. Generally, a 1.45 carat princess cut diamond that has a larger area will not appear as attractive, and its grade should be reduced accordingly.
0.0%-8.0% 1
Five princess cut diamonds, referred to as diamonds I-V, were evaluated by acquiring a skin of each diamond using a DiaMension™ tool running DiaVision™ software, both obtained from Sarin Technologies Ltd. (Sarin USA, New York, N.Y.). An “SRN” file was created for each diamond using the DiaVision™ software. For each diamond, a “STL” file was generated from the corresponding “SRN” file using DiamCalc software (obtained from OctoNus Software Ltd., Moscow, Russia). The STL files were ray traced using ZEMAX® obtained from ZEMAX Development Corporation, San Diego, Calif.
Parameter ranges corresponding to grade deductions. [15°] refers to
grades applied to parameters calculated with the diamond oriented at 15° with respect to the source.
Deduction 45° to 75° 75° to 90 70° to 90° Leakage [15°] [15°]
0 35% 8.0%-22.0%* 22.0%-30.0% <35.0% >35% <35.0%
For leakage and the percentage of rays at polar angles 45° to 75°, the larger of the two deductions is made for the measurements at different diamond orientations. For example, for diamond receives a deduction of 0 for the percentage of rays at polar angles 45° to 75° when the diamond is facing the source, but receives a deduction of 1 when the diamond is oriented at 15°. Accordingly, for this grading scheme, diamond 1 receives a deduction of 1 for this parameter. Deductions for each diamond, as well as the diamond's final grade are summarized in Table 11.
providing an image of a gemstone comprising different colors, wherein the different colors correspond to light incident on the gemstone from different ranges of ray directions; and
evaluating the gemstone based on the colors.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the image comprises illuminating the gemstone with light of different colors from different ray directions, and acquiring the image at an observation location while the gemstone is illuminated.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the image comprises using a computer to generate a representation corresponding to light the gemstone directs to an observation location in response to illumination, wherein the representation is the image.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first color in the image corresponds to light directed by the gemstone to an observation location from a first range of polar ray directions with respect to a hemispherical reference frame.
5-24. (canceled)
25. The method of claim 4, wherein the observation location corresponds to a location between about one centimeter and about 100 centimeters from the gemstone.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the observation location corresponds to a location between about 20 centimeters and about 30 centimeters from the gemstone.
determining a proportion of a gemstone that directs light to an observer when illuminated by light from a predetermined subset of illumination directions; and
assigning a grade to a gemstone based on the determined proportion.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein assigning the grade comprises determining values corresponding to multiple characteristics of the gemstone and deducting from an initial grade based on each value and at least one of the characteristics is related to the portion of the gemstone that directs light to the observer when illuminated by light from the predetermined subset of illumination directions.
32. The method of claim 30, wherein the proportion of the gemstone that directs light to the observer when illuminated by light from the predetermined subset of illumination directions is related to a brilliance of the gemstone's appearance.
33. The method of claim 30, wherein the proportion of the gemstone that directs light to the observer when illuminated by light from the predetermined subset of illumination directions is related to a contrast of the gemstone's appearance.
34. The method of claim 30, wherein assigning the grade further comprises determining a value corresponding to a spread of the gemstone and adjusting the grade based on the value.
35. The method of claim 30, wherein assigning the grade further comprises determining a value corresponding to an amount the gemstone disperses incident illumination and adjusting the initial grade based on the value.
36. The method of claim 30, wherein assigning the grade comprises adjusting an initial grade based on the proportion of the gemstone that directs light to the observer when illuminated by light from the predetermined subset of illumination directions.
37. The method of claim 36, wherein the initial grade is adjusted by deducting from the initial grade based on the proportion of the gemstone that directs light to the observer when illuminated by light from the predetermined subset of illumination directions.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein the deduction increases as the proportion decreases.
39. The method of claim 30, wherein the predetermined subset of illumination directions corresponds to light incident on the gemstone from polar angles from 45° to 75° with respect to a hemispherical reference frame.
44. The method of claim 30, wherein the predetermined subset of illumination directions corresponds to light incident on the gemstone from polar angles from 70° or more with respect to a hemispherical reference frame.
45. The method of claim 30, wherein the predetermined subset of illumination directions corresponds to light incident on the gemstone from polar angles from 75° or more with respect to a hemispherical reference frame.
49. The method of claim 30, wherein the gemstone is a diamond.
51. The method of claim 49, wherein the grade is assigned based on a cut of the diamond.
US11018743 2003-12-22 2004-12-20 Methods, apparatus, and systems for evaluating gemstones Active 2026-03-14 US7382445B2 (en)
US53220103 true 2003-12-22 2003-12-22
US56302504 true 2004-04-16 2004-04-16
US60719104 true 2004-09-03 2004-09-03
US11018743 US7382445B2 (en) 2003-12-22 2004-12-20 Methods, apparatus, and systems for evaluating gemstones
US12125364 US7580118B2 (en) 2003-12-22 2008-05-22 Methods, apparatus, and systems for evaluating gemstones
US20050190357A1 true true US20050190357A1 (en) 2005-09-01
US7382445B2 US7382445B2 (en) 2008-06-03
ID=34743696
US11018742 Active 2025-11-19 US7420657B2 (en) 2003-12-22 2004-12-20 Methods, apparatus, and systems for evaluating gemstones
US11018744 Active 2026-05-05 US7372552B2 (en) 2003-12-22 2004-12-20 Methods, apparatus, and systems for evaluating gemstones
US11018743 Active 2026-03-14 US7382445B2 (en) 2003-12-22 2004-12-20 Methods, apparatus, and systems for evaluating gemstones
US11018042 Active 2026-03-01 US7336347B2 (en) 2003-12-22 2004-12-20 Methods, apparatus, and systems for evaluating gemstones
US12125364 Active US7580118B2 (en) 2003-12-22 2008-05-22 Methods, apparatus, and systems for evaluating gemstones
US (5) US7420657B2 (en)
WO (1) WO2005062805A3 (en)
US20060074588A1 (en) * 2004-09-27 2006-04-06 Troy Blodgett System and method for gemstone cut grading
US20070222972A1 (en) * 2006-03-24 2007-09-27 Jose Sasian Systems and methods for evaluating and displaying the dispersion of a diamond or other gemstone
US20070273890A1 (en) * 2004-12-14 2007-11-29 Njo Swie L Method and Device for Measuring Coarseness of a Paint Film
WO2013123510A1 (en) * 2012-02-17 2013-08-22 Gemvision Corporation, L.L.C. Imaging system
US8069688B2 (en) * 2006-12-06 2011-12-06 California Institute Of Technology Gemstones and methods for controlling the appearance thereof
US20080188961A1 (en) * 2007-02-06 2008-08-07 Paul David Marcum Gemstone weight calculating method and system
US7701569B2 (en) * 2007-07-30 2010-04-20 Lumos Technology Co., Ltd. Dark field lighting testing device
GB0813654D0 (en) 2008-07-25 2008-09-03 Diamond Trading Company The Ltd Gemstone viewer
US8289621B2 (en) 2008-10-07 2012-10-16 Gemological Institute Of America, Inc. Reflected dark field method and apparatus
US20100086179A1 (en) * 2008-10-07 2010-04-08 Marc Verboven Automated system and method for clarity measurements and clarity grading
CN102216760A (en) * 2008-10-09 2011-10-12 欧珀生产商澳大利亚有限公司 Modified apparatus and method for assessment, evaluation and grading of gemstones
US9151717B2 (en) * 2009-03-11 2015-10-06 Sarine Color Technologies Ltd. Methods and systems of imaging cut stones
CN106124510A (en) * 2010-01-26 2016-11-16 戴比尔斯英国有限公司 Gemstone sparkle analysis
US9395350B2 (en) * 2010-06-21 2016-07-19 Sy Kessler Sales, Inc. Gem tester
WO2012093408A1 (en) 2011-01-04 2012-07-12 Mistry Janak Arvindbhai Apparatus and method for assessing optical performance quality of a gemstone
WO2012177487A1 (en) * 2011-06-16 2012-12-27 Adamas Vector, Llc Methods, devices and computer program products for measuring light in cut gemstones based on stone-specific attributes
WO2014036460A3 (en) * 2012-08-31 2014-04-17 Gemex Systems, Inc. Gem identification method and apparatus using digital imaging viewer
US9210973B2 (en) * 2012-08-29 2015-12-15 Danog Property And Invest Ltd. Gemstone cut grading method and apparatus
US20170241913A1 (en) * 2014-08-08 2017-08-24 Empire Technology Development Llc Spectroscopic determination of optical properties of gemstones
US9678018B2 (en) 2015-03-30 2017-06-13 Gemological Institute Of America Inc. (Gia) Apparatus and method for assessing optical quality of gemstones
US5118181A (en) * 1989-10-27 1992-06-02 Wellborn Ltd. Method and apparatus for identifying gemstones, particularly diamonds
US5260763A (en) * 1989-02-17 1993-11-09 Masayo Yamashita Instrument for observing jewels' brilliance as diamond, and method of taking photographs with said instrument
US5430538A (en) * 1992-12-18 1995-07-04 Taico Co., Ltd. Apparatus to assist in the qualitative evaluation of faceted gems
US5627638A (en) * 1993-07-01 1997-05-06 Prolaser Ltd. Method and apparatus for detecting defects in lenses
US20020052170A1 (en) * 2000-09-01 2002-05-02 Holloway Garry I. System and method of gem evaluation
US6239867B1 (en) * 1997-12-18 2001-05-29 Imagestatistics, Inc. Apparatus and method for grading, testing, and identifying gemstones
US20100010752A1 (en) * 2004-09-27 2010-01-14 Troy Blodgett System and method for gemstone cut grading
US8095325B2 (en) 2004-09-27 2012-01-10 Gemological Institute Of America, Inc. System and method for gemstone cut grading
US7571060B2 (en) 2004-09-27 2009-08-04 Gemological Institute Of America (Gia) System and method for gemstone cut grading
US8239143B2 (en) 2004-09-27 2012-08-07 Gemological Institute Of America, Inc. System and method for gemstone cut grading
US20100010751A1 (en) * 2004-09-27 2010-01-14 Troy Blodgett System and method for gemstone cut grading
US8773648B2 (en) 2012-02-17 2014-07-08 Gemvision Corporation, L.L.C. Imaging system with motorized positioning of image capture device
US7580118B2 (en) 2009-08-25 grant
US7372552B2 (en) 2008-05-13 grant
WO2005062805A2 (en) 2005-07-14 application
US7382445B2 (en) 2008-06-03 grant
US20080218730A1 (en) 2008-09-11 application
US20050190356A1 (en) 2005-09-01 application
US7420657B2 (en) 2008-09-02 grant
US20050200834A1 (en) 2005-09-15 application
US20050213077A1 (en) 2005-09-29 application
WO2005062805A3 (en) 2008-02-21 application
US7336347B2 (en) 2008-02-26 grant
US20100253907A1 (en) 2010-10-07 Ocular surface interferometery (OSI) devices and systems for imaging, processing, and/or displaying an ocular tear film
US20020052170A1 (en) 2002-05-02 System and method of gem evaluation
US7001038B2 (en) 2006-02-21 Method and apparatus for object viewing, observation, inspection, identification, and verification
US20060074588A1 (en) 2006-04-06 System and method for gemstone cut grading
US20060190292A1 (en) 2006-08-24 Systems and methods for evaluating the appearance of a gemstone
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SASIAN, JOSE;CAUDILL, JAMES;YANTZER, PETER;REEL/FRAME:016474/0653;SIGNING DATES FROM 20050621 TO 20050628