US 11,726,045 B2
System and method for tracing a gemstones journey from the mine to the consumer by detecting inclusions in the gemstone
Abraham Kerner, Herzliya (IL); Omri Spirman, Even Yehuda (IL); and Shilo Stopper, Ramat Gan (IL)
Assigned to SARINE TECHNOLOGIES LTD., Hod Hasharon (IL)
Filed by SARINE TECHNOLOGIES LTD., Hod Hasharon (IL)
Filed on Jul. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/388,230.
Application 17/388,230 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/206,536, filed on Mar. 19, 2021, abandoned.
Application 17/206,536 is a continuation of application No. 16/344,665, granted, now 11,016,032, issued on May 25, 2021, previously published as PCT/IL2017/005118, filed on Oct. 31, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 248717 (IL), filed on Nov. 2, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2021/0356402 A1, Nov. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. G01N 21/87 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/87 (2013.01) 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for detecting inclusions in a gemstone, comprising:
a. a controller configured to direct an illumination system, an image acquisition device, an image processing system, and a storage system;
b. the illumination system configured to selectively illuminate each of a plurality of spaced apart light entrance areas of a gemstone from corresponding illumination directions, and to provide a number of illumination patterns each defined by a unique combination of such light entrance areas illuminated simultaneously, and produce illumination patterns to simultaneously provide an internal uniform illumination of one or more predetermined light exit regions of the gemstone;
c. the image acquisition device configured to capture images of the gemstone when illuminated by the illumination system;
d. the image processing system configured for processing said images and identifying inclusions in the gemstone based on non-uniformities in the internal illumination detected in said images;
e. the storage system including a computer memory configured to store the images of the gemstone from the image processing system,
f. the controller further configured to compare a gemstone A to a gemstone B by:
i. directing the image acquisition device to capture images of the gemstone A and the gemstone B,
ii. directing the image processing system to analyze the images for the gemstone A and the gemstone B identifying inclusions,
iii. storing, in the storage system, images of the gemstone A and the gemstone B from the processing system, and
iv. comparing the stored images of a gemstone A and the gemstone B, and determining whether the stored images of the gemstone A and the gemstone B are a match and therefore whether a gemstone B is the same gemstone as a gemstone A that was sourced from a particular mine/source.