Abstract: A color recognition system is used to distinguish between objects of various colors. A plurality of light sources are arranged at a sensing station to reflect light from the object as it passes the sensing station to a plurality of cooperatively mounted light detectors. The signals produced by the plurality of detectors are compared with a reference voltage and the comparison utilized to differentiate between objects of different colors passing the sensing station. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the color recognition system is incorporated in a ball separator for a pool table to separate the entirely white cue ball from the partially or wholly differently colored object balls and to divert the cue ball into a first storage station and the object balls into a separate storage station.

Abstract: A color recognition system is used to distinguish between objects of various colors. A plurality of light sources are arranged at a sensing station to reflect light from the object as it passes the sensing station to a plurality of cooperatively mounted light detectors. The signals produced by the plurality of detectors are compared with a reference voltage and the comparison utilized to differentiate between objects of different colors passing the sensing station. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the color recognition system is incorporated in a ball separator for a pool table to separate the entirely white cue ball from the partially or wholly differently colored object balls and to divert the cue ball into a first storage station and the object balls into a separate storage station.