PATENT CLAIM ANALYSIS

Application Number: 16012824
Application Type: Utility
Filing Date: 2018-06
Publication Date: 2018-10
Patent Classification: ["700", "230000"]

Abstract:
Systems and apparatus with circuits that are configured to detect fallen containers upstream or proximate an intake zone suitable for automated evaluation apparatus using different sensors, including at least one lower sensor and at least one upper sensor which is positioned to project an optical signal at a height corresponding to a top portion of an upright container to thereby allow an increased reliability in detection of different orientations and positions of fallen containers. An optional second lower sensor may be used which is longitudinally spaced apart from the first lower sensor and the lower sensors can transmit optical signals across the container travel path that do not intersect.

Claim (Index 1):
An automated misfeed and/or fallen container detection system comprising:\n a conveyor providing a travel path for groups of elongated containers; a rotating wheel in cooperating alignment with the conveyor, the wheel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart pockets, each pocket configured to accept a single upright elongated container; and a plurality of spaced apart sensors including (i) at least one lower sensor configured to transmit a respective optical signal across the container travel path proximate the wheel at a height that is less than a width dimension of the containers, the at least one lower sensor including a first lower sensor that transmits a respective first optical signal across a front edge portion of a pocket of the wheel facing the conveyor at a loading position and (ii) at least one upper sensor that is positioned proximate the wheel configured to transmit an optical signal at a height corresponding to a top portion of an upright container to thereby allow detection of different orientations and positions of fallen containers and/or container jam or blockage conditions.

Metadata:
- Claim Count in Document: 80.0
- Percentile: 94.0
- Lexical Diversity: 1.45455
- Patent Class: 700.0
- Transitional Phrase Type: open
- Component Type: 1
- Foreign Priority: False
- Related Applications: ['13796874', '13854743', '15097410', '13004269', '11425797']

Analysis Scores:
- 35 USC 101 Eligibility (BERT): 0.3456854376948934
- 35 USC 102 Novelty (BERT): 0.5165519969438375
- Combined Prediction Score: 0.3627720936197878
- Mean Citation Score: 186.529572
- Max Citation Score: 335.5239
- Similarity Product: 328.13650959692

Labels:
- Claim Label 101: 1
- Claim Label 102: 1
- Claim Label 103: 1
- Claim Label 112: 1
- Combined Label: 1
- Label 101 Adjusted: 1

Dataset: test