Patents by Inventor Kenneth A. Cox

Kenneth A. Cox 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).

  • Patent number: 5237621
    Abstract: Images such as product images are identified as substantially similar to one or more reference images by finding pixels which have substantially the same value or values in all or substantially all of the reference images. Image erosion and/or dilation may be used in processing the reference image data to help identify pixels which can always be expected to have the same value in all acceptable images. The values associated with the corresponding pixels in a product image are combined and compared to an expected value, and the dot product between the product image and the discriminant function is equal to a predetermined value. The values associated with pixels which correspond to regions not similar in substantially all of the reference images are combined to produce a discriminant function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Cox, Henry M. Dante, Robert J. Maher
  • Patent number: 5189708
    Abstract: The appearance of a product is determined to be acceptable or unacceptable by computing a discriminant function or image from a plurality of two-dimensional images of products of the kind to be inspected. A two-dimensional image of the product is then formed and processed using the discriminant image to produce an output value which can be compared to a predetermined value used in computing the discriminant image. If the output value deviates from the predetermined value by more than a predetermined amount, the product has been found to have an unacceptable appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Philip Morris Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Cox, Robert J. Maher
  • Patent number: 5165101
    Abstract: The appearance of a product is determined to be acceptable or unacceptable by computing a discriminant function or image from a plurality of two-dimensional images of products of the kind to be inspected. A two-dimensional image of the product is then formed and processed using the discriminant image to produce an output value which can be compared to a predetermined value used in computing the discriminant image. If the output value deviates from the predetermined value by more than a predetermined amount, the product has been found to have an unacceptable appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incoporated
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Cox, Henry M. Dante, Charles N. Harward, Robert J. Maher
  • Patent number: 5146510
    Abstract: The acceptability of the appearance of objects such as consumer products is determined by forming an initial discriminant function as a composite of a relatively small number of images which are known to be acceptable. This initial discriminant function is then used to gather statistical information about how a first relatively large number of images compares to the initial discriminant function. Thereafter, this statistical information is used to select or aid in the selection of acceptable images from a second relatively large number of images, and the images selected as acceptable are used to refine the discriminant function. The refined discriminant function is then used (e.g., during actual product inspection) to determine which objects have an acceptable appearance and which do not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Cox, Henry M. Dante, Robert J. Maher
  • Patent number: 5046111
    Abstract: The appearance of a product is determined to be acceptable or unacceptable by computing a discriminant function or image from a plurality of two-dimensional images of products of the kind to be inspected. A two-dimensional image of the product is then formed and processed using the discriminant image to produce an output value which can be compared to a predetermined value used in computing the discriminant image. If the output value deviates from the predetermined value by more than a predetermined amount, the product has been found to have an unacceptable appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Cox, Robert J. Maher