The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 14, 1997
Filed:
Mar. 18, 1994
Ken R Powell, Centreville, VA (US);
Rusty Driscoll, Leesburg, VA (US);
Environmental Products Corporation, Fairfax, VA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for identifying information contained in deviations in the surface of an article, such as aluminum cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles, has a source for radiating the article to provide a reflection from the deviations. An observing device observes the deviations in the reflection characteristics. A computer algorithm identifies the deviations and determines whether they correlate to a known pattern of surface deviations. The deviations are in the form of a plurality of lines having a predetermined uniquely identifiable spacing, providing a pattern which may be easily detected by its reflection characteristics and compared to a known pattern of surface deviations. The plurality of lines may be arcs orientated relative to a point on the surface of the article to provide an origin for the arcs, thereby permitting the article to be rotated about its origin for easy location and measurement.