Patents by Inventor Gary E. Seibel
Gary E. Seibel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11882843Abstract: An automated method for crab meat picking which has an image processing system configured with an imaging sub-system and an image processing sub-system acting in cooperation with each other where the image processing system operates in accordance with a processing routine. An image of a crab to be processed is obtained by the imaging sub-system which is transmitted to the image processing system where the processing routine determines appropriate cut lines to be made on the crab being processed based on instructions from the image processing sub-system. The crab being processed is then cut in accordance with the appropriate cutting lines developed.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: University of Maryland, College ParkInventors: Yang Tao, Robert Vinson, Dongyi Wang, Maxwell Holmes, Gary E. Seibel
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Patent number: 11531317Abstract: Intelligence guided system and method for fruits and vegetables processing includes a conveyor for carrying produces, various image acquiring and processing hardware and software, water and air jets for cutting and controlling the position and orientation of the produces, and a networking hardware and software, operating in synchronism in an efficient manner to attain speed and accuracy of the produce cutting and high yield and low waste produces processing. The 2nd generation strawberry decalyxing system (AVID2) uniquely utilizes a convolutional neural network (AVIDnet) supporting a discrimination network decision, specifically, on whether a strawberry is to be cut or rejected, and computing a multi-point cutline curvature to be cut along by rapid robotic cutting tool.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2020Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: University of Maryland, College ParkInventors: Yang Tao, Dongyi Wang, Robert Vinson, Xuemei Cheng, Maxwell Holmes, Gary E. Seibel
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Patent number: 11337432Abstract: A vision guided intelligent system for automated crab meat picking operates in a fully automated or semi-automatic modes of operation using a crab meat picking routine based on (a) the CNN model localization of back-fin knuckles algorithm, and/or (b) the Deep Learning model which accurately locates not only knuckle positions, but also crab legs and crab cores, with a high pixel accuracy (up to 0.9843), and low computation time. The subject system uses a concept of analyzing crab morphologies obtained from digital crab images, and, using a Deep Learning architecture integrated in the system, segments crab images into five regions of interest in a single step with high accuracy and efficiency. The image segmentation results are used for generating crab cut lines in XYZ and angular directions, determining starting cutting points in Z plane, and guiding cutting tools and end effectors to automatically cut crabs and harvest crab meat.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2019Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: University of Maryland, College ParkInventors: Yang Tao, Robert Vinson, Dongyi Wang, Maxwell Holmes, Gary E. Seibel
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Patent number: 10925307Abstract: A system and methods are provided for removal of undesired portions of a fruit or vegetable, such as removal of calyxes from strawberries before they are flash frozen. An automated process for high-throughput fruit or vegetable calyx removal includes a loading system, an identification system, and a removal system. The loading system is configured to transport the fruit or vegetable through the automated process. The loading system may also orient the fruits or vegetables along an axis of the fruit and or align the fruit or vegetables in a desired pattern, orientation, and/or arrangement. The identification system is configured to locate the calyx and determines calyx position data and an optimal cutting path for individual fruit. The removal system uses data received from the identification system to separate the calyx from the fruit or vegetable.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2019Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignees: California Strawberry Commission, University of MarylandInventors: Yang Tao, John Lin, Xin Chen, Gary E. Seibel
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Publication number: 20200379427Abstract: Intelligence guided system and method for fruits and vegetables processing includes a conveyor for carrying produces, various image acquiring and processing hardware and software, water and air jets for cutting and controlling the position and orientation of the produces, and a networking hardware and software, operating in synchronism in an efficient manner to attain speed and accuracy of the produce cutting and high yield and low waste produces processing. The 2nd generation strawberry decalyxing system (AVID2) uniquely utilizes a convolutional neural network (AVIDnet) supporting a discrimination network decision, specifically, on whether a strawberry is to be cut or rejected, and computing a multi-point cutline curvature to be cut along by rapid robotic cutting tool.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: YANG TAO, DONGYI WANG, ROBERT VINSON, XUEMEI CHENG, MAXWELL HOLMES, GARY E. SEIBEL
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Publication number: 20190230972Abstract: A system and methods are provided for removal of undesired portions of a fruit or vegetable, such as removal of calyxes from strawberries before they are flash frozen. An automated process for high-throughput fruit or vegetable calyx removal includes a loading system, an identification system, and a removal system. The loading system is configured to transport the fruit or vegetable through the automated process. The loading system may also orient the fruits or vegetables along an axis of the fruit and or align the fruit or vegetables in a desired pattern, orientation, and/or arrangement. The identification system is configured to locate the calyx and determines calyx position data and an optimal cutting path for individual fruit. The removal system uses data received from the identification system to separate the calyx from the fruit or vegetable.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2019Publication date: August 1, 2019Applicant: California Strawberry CommissionInventors: Yang Tao, John Lin, Xin Chen, Gary E. Seibel
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Patent number: 10285429Abstract: A system and methods are provided for removal of undesired portions of a fruit or vegetable, such as removal of calyxes from strawberries before they are flash frozen. An automated process for high-throughput fruit or vegetable calyx removal includes a loading system, an identification system, and a removal system. The loading system is configured to transport the fruit or vegetable through the automated process. The loading system may also orient the fruits or vegetables along an axis of the fruit and or align the fruit or vegetables in a desired pattern, orientation, and/or arrangement. The identification system is configured to locate the calyx and determines calyx position data and an optimal cutting path for individual fruit. The removal system uses data received from the identification system to separate the calyx from the fruit or vegetable.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2016Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: California Strawberry CommissionInventors: Yang Tao, John Lin, Xin Chen, Gary E. Seibel
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Publication number: 20160255873Abstract: A system and methods are provided for removal of undesired portions of a fruit or vegetable, such as removal of calyxes from strawberries before they are flash frozen. An automated process for high-throughput fruit or vegetable calyx removal includes a loading system, an identification system, and a removal system. The loading system is configured to transport the fruit or vegetable through the automated process. The loading system may also orient the fruits or vegetables along an axis of the fruit and or align the fruit or vegetables in a desired pattern, orientation, and/or arrangement. The identification system is configured to locate the calyx and determines calyx position data and an optimal cutting path for individual fruit. The removal system uses data received from the identification system to separate the calyx from the fruit or vegetable.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2016Publication date: September 8, 2016Inventors: Yang Tao, John Lin, Xin Chen, Gary E. Seibel
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Patent number: 9364020Abstract: A process for automated high-throughput fruit or vegetable calyx removal includes a material handling system, a vision system, and a cutting system. The material handling system is capable of transporting the fruit or vegetable through the automated process. The material handling system may also orient the fruits or vegetables along an axis of the fruit and or align the fruit or vegetables in a desired pattern, orientation, and/or configuration. The vision system identifies the calyx and determines calyx position data and optimal cutting angle for individual fruit. The cutting system uses data received from the vision system to automatically remove the calyx from the fruit or vegetables.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignees: California Strawberry Commission, University of MarylandInventors: Yang Tao, John Lin, Xin Chen, Gary E. Seibel
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Publication number: 20140272055Abstract: A process for automated high-throughput fruit or vegetable calyx removal includes a material handling system, a vision system, and a cutting system. The material handling system is capable of transporting the fruit or vegetable through the automated process. The material handling system may also orient the fruits or vegetables along an axis of the fruit and or align the fruit or vegetables in a desired pattern, orientation, and/or configuration. The vision system identifies the calyx and determines calyx position data and optimal cutting angle for individual fruit. The cutting system uses data received from the vision system to automatically remove the calyx from the fruit or vegetables.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2014Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventors: Yang Tao, John Lin, Xin Chen, Gary E. Seibel