Patent application EP19177023A (EP), filed 2019-05-28
Publication number: EP3745298A1
Title: CLASSIFICATION METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HIGH-THROUGHPUT TRANSPARENT ARTICLES
Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting and classifying defects in high-throughput articles such as syringes, vials, cartridges, ampules, and bottles. The method is particularly suitable for transparent containers.
IPC codes: G06T   7/    00            A I
G06V  10/   764            A I
G06V  20/    66            A I
G06V  10/    10            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: Method for the classification of articles,
wherein the articles each have at least one transparent article wall with a minimum transmission of at least 40% across a wavelength range of at least 150 nm width in the visible wavelength region, such as from 550 nm to 700 nm, the transparent article wall enclosing at least one article volume,
the method comprising the steps,
number: 2
text: Method according to claim 1, including capturing at least a second digital image, wherein first and second images differ in at least one of article position, article orientation, capturing angle and light intensity.
number: 3
text: Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein inspecting the digital image comprises
number: 4
text: Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one classification model within the set of second classification models is specific to a first defect type, and at least one classification model is specific to a second defect type.
number: 5
text: Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein capturing the image comprises
number: 6
text: Method according to claim 5, wherein in the meta information is selected from the group consisting of article position, article orientation, capturing angle, light intensity, camera information, aperture, article movement speed, article rotation speed, type of article and combinations thereof.
number: 7
text: Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the article volume does not contain any liquid and/or solid material.
number: 8
text: Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one, and preferably all of the classification models in the set of second classification models are deterministic models.
number: 9
text: Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the first classification model and/or one or more of the models of the set of second classification models are machine learning models.
number: 10
text: Method according to claim 9, wherein the first classification model and/or one or more of the models of the set of second classification models are machine learning models selected from Support Vector Machines (SVM), Naive Bayes, Decision Tree, Random Forest, (Shallow) Neural Network and combinations thereof.
number: 11
text: Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the defect classes comprise material-related, and non-material related defects.
number: 12
text: Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the stream of articles comprises at least 50 articles per minute.
number: 13
text: Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the articles are containers such as pharmaceutical containers, including syringes, vials, cartridges, ampules, and bottles.
number: 14
text: Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the first classification model and/or one or more of the models of the set of second classification models remain unchanged during productive use of the method.
number: 15
text: System for the classification of articles within a stream of moving articles, comprising
a conveying device for conveying articles,
at least one image capturing device capable of capturing at least a first digital image of an article within a stream of articles comprising at least 30 articles per minute,
at least one computer hardware configured to perform at least the following steps:
number: 16
text: System according to claim 15, wherein the image capturing device comprises one or more cameras.
number: 17
text: Use of the method and/or the system for classifying pharmaceutical containers.
Office action: search_report, dated 2020-12-02
Rejection reasons: novelty_epc_54
Prior art cited: ref_id: US2018232870A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2013142406A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US5459313A
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2015213616A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: EP0441012A2
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: WO9618883A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: EP0441012
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: WO9618883
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2015213616
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
Final disposition: pending (2020-12-02)