US 12,109,593 B2
Classification and sorting with single-board computers
Manuel Gerardo Garcia, Jr., Fort Wayne, IN (US); Nalin Kumar, Fort Worth, TX (US); and Casey Lee Hughlett, Fort Wayne, IN (US)
Assigned to SORTERA TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Markle, IN (US)
Filed by Sortera Alloys, Inc., Fort Wayne, IN (US)
Filed on Oct. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/972,541.
Application 16/852,514 is a division of application No. 16/358,374, filed on Mar. 19, 2019, granted, now 10,625,304, issued on Apr. 21, 2020.
Application 17/972,541 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/752,669, filed on May 24, 2022.
Application 17/752,669 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/667,397, filed on Feb. 8, 2022, granted, now 11,969,764.
Application 17/667,397 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/495,291, filed on Oct. 6, 2021, granted, now 11,975,365.
Application 17/495,291 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/491,415, filed on Sep. 30, 2021, granted, now 11,278,937, issued on Mar. 22, 2022.
Application 17/491,415 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/380,928, filed on Jul. 20, 2021.
Application 17/380,928 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/227,245, filed on Apr. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,964,304.
Application 17/227,245 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/939,011, filed on Jul. 26, 2020, granted, now 11,471,916, issued on Oct. 18, 2022.
Application 17/491,415 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/852,514, filed on Apr. 19, 2020, granted, now 11,260,426, issued on Mar. 1, 2022.
Application 16/939,011 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/375,675, filed on Apr. 4, 2019, granted, now 10,722,922, issued on Jul. 28, 2020.
Application 16/375,675 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/963,755, filed on Apr. 26, 2018, granted, now 10,710,119, issued on Jul. 14, 2020.
Application 16/358,374 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/963,755, filed on Apr. 26, 2018, granted, now 10,710,119, issued on Jul. 14, 2020.
Application 15/963,755 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/213,129, filed on Jul. 18, 2016, granted, now 10,207,296, issued on Feb. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/288,322, filed on Dec. 10, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/490,219, filed on Apr. 26, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/193,332, filed on Jul. 16, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2023/0053268 A1, Feb. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. B07B 13/00 (2006.01); B07B 13/18 (2006.01); B07C 5/342 (2006.01); G06F 18/2413 (2023.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01); G06V 10/46 (2022.01)
CPC B07B 13/003 (2013.01) [B07B 13/18 (2013.01); B07C 5/342 (2013.01); G06F 18/2413 (2023.01); G06T 7/0006 (2013.01); G06V 10/46 (2022.01); G06T 2207/30136 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30141 (2013.01); G06V 2201/06 (2022.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A material handling system, comprising:
a plurality of vision devices each configured to capture images of material pieces, wherein each of the plurality of vision devices is independently controlled by a single-board computer (“SBC”), wherein each SBC is implemented with an artificial intelligence system configured to process the captured images of the material pieces through the artificial intelligence system in order to distinguish a predetermined class of material pieces from other classes of material pieces;
a conveyor system for conveying a mixture of the material pieces past the plurality of vision devices; and
a plurality of sorting devices each configured to sort from the conveyor system the predetermined class of material pieces from the other classes of material pieces.