Claims:What is claimed is:

1. A device for counting objects comprising of:

an Infra-Red (IR) based Counter 108 located at near edge of roller bed (110), whereby the IR Counter 108 comprises of: an IR Receiver 108a, and a Transmitter Pair 108b, whereby the IR based Counter 108 at near edge of roller bed 110 with a height difference between an exit from an X-Ray Scanner 102 on the short conveyor 104 and the roller bed 110 enables a height based separation mechanism, whereby the IR based Counter 108 is configured to count the number of objects which are scanned through a X-Ray Scanner 102 positioned on a long conveyor 112; and

an Embedded Platform 202 comprising of: a Micro Controller 202a, and the Infra-Red (IR) based Counter 108 and the Embedded Platform 202 further connected over a network 204, whereby the Embedded Platform establishes connectivity with the IR Counter, whereby the IR Counter 108 is controlled by the Micro Controller unit 202a running software which in turn takes care of data collection, management, distribution and storage as per the requirement of the data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the Transmitter Pair 108b registers the data about the number of objects falling on the conveyor through the signals generated.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the signals transmitted by the Transmitter Pair 108b is received by the IR Receiver108a.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the network 204 further connected to the cloud server 202b and the data obtained from the IR Counter is stored in the cloud server 202b.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the roller bed 110 sends out the scanned and counted objects (106).

6. A method for counting objects comprising of:

mounting of an Infra-Red (IR) Counter 108 at near edge of roller bed 110, whereby the height difference between an exit from an X-Ray Scanner 102 on the short conveyor 104 and the roller bed 110 is done to enable a height based separation mechanism;

passing the object through a long conveyer 112 via an X-Ray Scanner 102 housed on it, whereby dropping of every scanned object 106 on the roller bed 110 from short conveyer 104 ,post scanning comes into effect due to a height difference; and

collecting the object count data by the IR Counter 108 and subsequently transmitted to the Micro Controller 202a to have a final accurate count of the total number of objects 106.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein height difference results into separation of closely placed objects 106 due to the dropping action.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the separated objects is counted by the IR Counter located at near edge of roller bed 110.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the IR Counter ensures that each of the objects 106 is counted as an individual entity.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the height difference results into movement of objects 106 in a drop down fashion than in a linear format. , Description:TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of counting of objects. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to screening of objects to determine the correct count of the objects screened.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Dispensing of objects by scanning them and keeping a count of the same is a cumbersome task. Airports are classic example of a place dealing with objects at a large scale (baggage, cargos etc.). It is not only important to screen the objects but concomitantly keeping a count of the screened baggage is equally essential. Conventional counters have a hard time in being able to distinguish two separate bags from a single one when there is no separation between the two. This leads to chaos and loss of baggage.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0003] The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and it does not identify key/critical elements of the invention or delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0004] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a device and a method for counting objects.

[0005] An exemplary object of the present disclosure is directed towards an easy to use device.

[0006] Another exemplary object of the present disclosure is directed towards successful distinguishing between two objects.

[0007] Yet another exemplary object of the present disclosure is directed towards obtaining more data on the scanned objects with minimal alterations to software and hardware.

[0008] An exemplary aspect of the present subject matter is directed towards an Infra-Red (IR) based Counter located at the near edge of the roller bed, , comprising of: an IR Receiver, and a Transmitter Pair, and the IR based Counter is counts the number of objects which are scanned through a X-ray scanner positioned on a long conveyor.

[0009] Another exemplary aspect of the present subject matter is directed towards an Embedded Platform with a Micro controller, and the Infra-Red (IR) based Counter and the Embedded Platform further connected over a network, the Embedded Platform establishes connectivity with the IR Counter and is controlled by the Micro Controller unit running software which in turn takes care of data collection, management, distribution and storage as per the requirement of the data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[00010] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals have been used to designate like elements, and wherein:

[00011] FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting a device for counting objects, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00012] FIG. 2 is an architecture depicting the interaction between Infra-Red Counter and Embedded Platform, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00013] FIG. 3 is a flow chart depicting the method for counting the scanned objects, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[00014] It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[00015] The use of “including”, “comprising” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. Further, the use of terms “first”, “second”, and “third”, and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.

[00016] According to a non limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 1 is a diagram 100, depicting a device for counting objects. With reference to the current disclosure, the term object may be synonymous with a baggage intended to be scanned and counted in, not limiting to, airports, bus stations, train stations, and the like. The term “object” and “baggage” may be used synonymously in the disclosure. The device in figure 100 includes a long conveyer 112 with an X–Ray Scanner 102, a short conveyer 104, object/objects 106, an Infra-Red (IR) Counter 108, and a roller bed 110. The object 106 intended to be scanned and counted is placed on the long conveyer 112. The long conveyer 112 may be electrically operated and automated. The speed of the movement of objects 106 into the X-ray scanner 102 depends on the speed at which the conveyer is controlled. The objects 106 may not be limited to, a baggage, a box, article, any other packed object intended to be scanned and counted and the like.

[00017] The conveyor (112 and 104) may be made up of material intended to prevent the slipping of objects 106 from the conveyer. The IR based Counter 108 located at near edge of roller bed 110 is used for counting baggage being scanned at the X-Ray Scanner 102. The functioning of the IR based Counter 108 will be discussed in detail in FIG. 2. The short conveyer 104 is the gap between the object 106 which is scanned and is moving towards the IR based Counter 108. After the object (baggage) 106 gets scanned, it comes out on a short conveyor 104 and then moves onto roller bed 110 for further action like pick up by the owner of the baggage and the like. It is at this junction between the scanner’s exit on the conveyor and the roller bed 110 that a height difference is established. Due to this height difference, every piece of baggage drops down onto to the roller bed 110 instead of just moving along in a linear fashion. This dropping action ensures separation of baggage even if they are closely placed together. This separation then in turn ensures that only one bag gets counted by the IR based Counter 108 at a time.

[00018] In accordance with a non limiting exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter, FIG. 2 is architecture 200, depicting the interaction between Infra-Red Counter and Embedded Platform. The figure depicts the interaction between the IR Counter 108 and an Embedded Platform 202 is all connected over a network 204. The network 204 may include, but not limited to, an Ethernet, a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN), e.g., the Internet, or a combination of networks, a Bluetooth low energy network, a ZigBee network, a WIFI communication network e.g., the wireless high speed internet, a cellular service such as a 4G (e.g., LTE, mobile WiMAX) or 5G cellular data service. The network 204 further connected to a cloud server 202b for data storing. According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the Infra-Red Counter may comprise an inbuilt storage for data storing.
[00019] The Embedded Platform 202 comprises of a Micro Controller 202a. The Embedded Platform 202 is thus named as it is configured to perform a single task in real time with the aid of the Micro Controller 202a. The connectivity of the Micro Controller 202a with the IR Counter 108 is crucial. The IR Counter 108 utilizes the IR Receiver 108a and Transmitter Pair 108b which is controlled by a Micro Controller 202a unit running software which in turn takes care of data collection, management, distribution and storage as per the requirement of the data. When the object is scanned, it is at this junction between the scanner’s exit conveyor and the roller bed that a height difference is established. This height difference facilitates each of the objects to fall on the roller bed via the IR Counter 108, thus enabling it to register the data about the number of objects falling on the conveyor through the Transmitter Pair 108b which transmits signals which are received by the IR Receiver 108a.

[00020] According to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 3 is a flow chart 300, depicting the method for counting the scanned objects. The method starts at step 302 by mounting of an Infra-Red (IR) Counter at near edge of roller bed 110. Establishing the height difference between the scanner’s exit conveyor and the roller bed is done to enable a height based separation mechanism at step 304. Passing the object through a long conveyer via an X-Ray Scanner housed on the long conveyer is done at step 306. Dropping of every object scanned on the roller bed from short conveyer post scanning due to the height difference takes place at step 308 which results into separation of closely placed objects due to the dropping action at step 310. Each of the separated objects is counted by the IR Counter located at near edge of roller bed at step 312. The object count data is collected by the IR Counter and transmitted to the micro controller to have a final accurate count of the total number of objects. The IR Counter ensures that each of the objects is counted as an individual entity.

[00021] Although the present disclosure has been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments and illustrations thereof, other embodiments and modifications to preferred embodiments may be possible that are within the principles and spirit of the invention. The above descriptions and figures are therefore to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive.

[00022] Thus the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and includes both combinations and sub combinations of the various features described herein above as well as variations and modifications thereof, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.