TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present subject matter relates, in general, to a gemstone machine and,
particularly but not exclusively, to a gemstone verification unit.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Gemstones are naturally occurring deposits of minerals and can include,
for example, diamonds, quartz, opals, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and topaz. Since the gemstones are rare, they are highly valued for use. The value of these gemstones results from their color, luster, and the manner in which they transmit, refract, or reflect rays of light. For the enhancement of such properties, rough gemstones are analyzed and processed, by various techniques, such as planning by way of pre-processing and cutting, faceting, shaping, and polishing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0003] The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying
figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.
[0004] Figs. 1A-1E schematically illustrates different views of a gemstone
machine, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0005] Figs. 2 illustrates a method for automatic verification of gemstones, in
accordance with another embodiment of the present subject matter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0006] The present subject matter relates to aspects relating to automatic
verification of gemstones.
[0007] Rough gemstones are unfinished or unprocessed form of gemstones which
undergoes different processing techniques to transform into a finished gemstone.

Usually, rough gemstones are irregular in shape and size and undergo a number of steps such as planning, estimating, measuring physical attributes, sawing, bruting, polishing, and final inspection thereof. Such steps involve a number of machines such as gemstone-planner machine, gemstone cutting machine. Primarily, the gemstone-planner machine scans the rough gemstone to measure basic geometry thereof, for example, shape, dimensions (length, width, and height). Thereafter, the gemstone-planning machine estimates the physical attributes of the gemstone based upon the geometry of the gemstone. The physical attributes generated may be transferred further to the gemstone-cutting machine for further cutting process.
[0008] Generally, after the rough diamond/gemstone is marked, operators stick the
rough gemstones on gemstone holders by applying adhesives, such as glue. The gemstone holders are then sent to the oven so that adhesive on the gemstone holders sticks properly. After this process, the operator compares the characteristics of a particular gemstone with pre-requisite or desired characteristics. The comparison may be performed by the operator though naked eyes or a vision system, such as a monitor. The characteristics to be compared may include position of gemstone on the gemstone holder, parallelism of table line, etc., through a vision system, such as a display monitor. Since, the gemstones are a rare and valuable item, very high accuracy is desired in the gemstones. Even a small level of inaccuracy may lead to substantial decrease in the value of gemstones.
[0009] However, conventional gemstone verification process involves a
substantial degree of skill on the manual labor and any absence of that skill may lead to low quality of processing of the gemstone. Further, the entire process is low on productivity. For example, the table line and its relative marking line detection is done manually by setting and rotating the gemstone at various degrees to fetch the starting point of cutting the table portion of the gemstone for initiating the cutting process. Such manual setting increases the setting time and hence the number of gemstones processed in a given period of time is substantially low. Also, this setting of gemstone

requires a high level of expertise and any lack of it may lead to a loss in value of the processed gemstone. In addition, there is low consistency in centering and adjustment of the gemstone, since the assessment is subjective and varies from person to person. In addition, there is no verification as to whether the gemstone that is being mounted and processed is the same as the one for which the planning information is being used for mounting and processing.
[0010] To this end, apparatus and method for automatic verification of gemstones
affixed to gemstone holders, are described herein. The automated apparatus and method for automatic verification of the gemstones, overcome the above-described problems associated with manually verification of the gemstones and ensure that the gemstones are correctly placed or aligned with respect to pre-requisite characteristics.
[0011] Various embodiments of the apparatus and method for automatic
verification of gemstones described herein are presented in context of a gemstone planner machine. The described embodiments are provided as non-limiting examples of the apparatus and method for automatic verification of gemstones.
[0012] In one embodiment of the present subject matter a gemstone verification
unit is described. The gemstone verification unit receives a plurality of gemstone holders. Further, images of the gemstone on the gemstone holders are obtained which are then compared with pre-requisite characteristics for gemstones. Based on the comparison and conformance of the images of the gemstones with pre-requisite characteristics, the gemstone holders are sorted through which the gemstones holders with characteristics that match with the pre-requisite characteristics are separated automatically from the gemstone holders that do not match with pre-requisite characteristics. A processing unit is configured to execute the movement of gemstone holders in the gemstone verification unit, capture images of the gemstones on the gemstone holders and then sort the gemstone holders. Thus, the verification of the gemstone holders is carried out through an automated process without requiring any

manual intervention. The disadvantages and limitations of verifying gemstones manually is therefore inhibited.
[0013] Thus, the present subject matter relates to the technique of verifying
gemstones paced on a gemstone holder using an automated verification unit. The automated verification unit is controlled by a processing unit, such as a processor or a computer, etc. The processing unit involves low-cost hardware equipment and has limited or no manual intervention. Therefore, the gemstone verification achieved in accordance with the techniques of the present subject matter provides a considerably accurate verification of the gemstones and involves substantially low cost in generating the finished gemstone with zero or very limited manual intervention. In other words, the gemstone verification executed in accordance with the present subject matter, achieves increase in accuracy of verification of the gemstones and reduction in time involved in verification of the gemstones with reduced cost.
[0014] These and other advantages of the present subject matter would be
described in greater detail in conjunction with the following figures. While aspects of gemstone planning can be implemented in any number of different configurations, the embodiments are described in the context of the following device(s) and method(s).
[0015] Fig. 1A illustrates a perspective view of a gemstone machine 100, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. Fig 1B illustrates a front view of the gemstone machine 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. Fig 1C illustrates a top view of the gemstone machine 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. Fig 1D illustrates a right-hand side view of the gemstone machine 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter, Fig 1E illustrates a left-hand side view of the gemstone machine 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. For the sake of brevity and clarity, the detailed description of Figs 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E have been explained in conjunction with Fig 1A.

[0016] The gemstone machine 100, according to the present subject matter,
includes a gemstone verification unit (not shown). The gemstone verification unit receives a plurality of gemstone holders each carrying a gemstone on a rotatable plate 102. The rotatable plate 102, as the name suggests is capable of moving in a rotary motion. The rotatable plate 102 comprises of a plurality of slots 104. The slots 104 are configured to receive the gemstone holders. The slots 104 are positioned at the circumference of the rotatable plate 102. Further, the slots 104 are positioned separately on the rotatable plate 102 at pre-requisite angles at a homing position, an imaging position and a sorting position. The homing position is one where the rotatable plate 102 receives the gemstone holder. The slots 104 take one of the positions when the rotatable plate 102 rotates through a pre-requisite angle.
[0017] For example, the different slots 104 may be originally positioned at the
homing position, imaging position and the sorting position of the rotatable plate 102. When the rotatable plate 102 moves through the pre-requisite angle, the slot 104 at the homing position will move at the imaging position. Subsequently, the slot 104 at the imaging position will move to the sorting position. In a similar manner, the gemstone holders carrying the gemstones placed in the slots 104 will move from one position to another when the rotatable plate 102 rotates.
[0018] The gemstone verification unit further includes an image capturing device
106. The image capturing device 106, as the name suggests, is configured to capture images of the gemstones on the gemstone holders. The image capturing device 106 is located at the imaging position. Accordingly, the image capturing device 106 captures images of the gemstone on the gemstone holders at the imaging position of the rotatable plate 102. The captured images may be stored for further processing.
[0019] The gemstone verification unit further includes a sorting mechanism 108.
The sorting mechanism 108 compares images of the gemstones on the gemstone holders captured by the image capturing device 106 with pre-requisite characteristics

for gemstones. The pre-requisite characteristics may be for example, that a table line of a gemstone to be perfectly horizontal. The sorting mechanism 108 sorts the gemstone holders based on comparison or conformance of the captured images of the gemstones on the gemstone holders with the pre-requisite characteristics for the gemstones. For example, the sorting mechanism may analyze a section of the captured image of the gemstones on gemstone holder, for example an upper portion of a gemstone or a table of a gemstone, by conforming is a pre-requisite characteristic is present in the gemstone.
[0020] The gemstone verification unit further includes a processing unit 110.
According to the illustrated aspect, the processing unit 110 includes processors which may be implemented as microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, state machines, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that manipulate signals based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the processors may fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory not shown coupled to the processors of the controller. The memory may include any non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including, for example, volatile memory e.g., ram, and/or non-volatile memory e.g., EPROM, flash memory, NVRAM, memristor, etc. The memory may be internal or external to the processing unit 110. The functions of the processing unit 110 may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing computer-readable instructions.
[0021] The processing unit 110 is operable coupled to the rotatable plate 102, the
image capturing device 106 and the sorting mechanism 108. In other words, the processing unit 110 is configured to operate the rotatable plate 102, the image capturing device 106 and the sorting mechanism 108. The processing unit 110 indexes or rotates the rotatable plate 102 by a pre-requisite angle. Accordingly, a slot 104 carrying the gemstone holder at the homing position rotates and reaches the imaging position of the rotatable plate. Subsequently, another slot 104 in the rotatable plate 102

that reaches at the homing position receives another gemstone holder. The processing unit 110 then controls the image capturing device 106 such that the image capturing device 106 captures one or more images of the gemstone on the gemstone holder. The processing unit 110 then indexes the rotatable plate such that the slot 104 at the imaging position moves to the sorting position and the slot 104 at the homing position moves to the imaging position. Further, subsequently another slot 104 in the rotatable plate 102 arrives at the homing position and receives another gemstone holder. The processing unit 110 controls the sorting mechanism 108 to sort the gemstone holder present at the sorting position.
[0022] It is to be noted that one of the gemstone holders is present at one of the
homing position, the imaging position and the sorting position. In other words, it can be said that at least three gemstones holders are present on the rotatable plate 102 at a time. For example, one gemstone holder is present at each of the homing position, the imaging position and the sorting position of the rotatable plate 102.
[0023] According to the illustrated aspect, the gemstone machine 100 includes a base plate 112. The base plate 112 provides support to the gemstone machine 100. Further, the gemstone machine 100 includes a feeding conveyor belt 114 where the gemstone holders are initially placed. Moreover, the gemstone machine 100 includes an optical sensor 116 that detects the positioning of the gemstone holders on the rotatable plate 102. The gemstone machine 100 has a SMPS (Switched-Mode Power Supply) 118 which is a power supply that uses a switching regulator to control and stabilizes the output voltage by switching a load current ON and OFF. Further, the gemstone machine 100 includes a display 120 that shows information provided by user. Furthermore, the gemstone machine 100 includes a tower light 122. The tower light 122 is configured to indicate process stage or status of the gemstone verification. In one embodiment, the tower light 122 may use sound or light or both for indicating progress or status the gemstone verification process. For example, the tower light 122

may produce a red light with a buzzer which may either indicate that the verification process is complete or that there is an error in the verification process.
[0024] In accordance with one embodiment, the processing unit 110 is configured
to index the rotatable plate 102 through an electric motor. In other words, the processing unit 110 operates the electric motor which in turn rotates the rotatable plate 102. The processing unit 110 may operate the electric motor in a manner such that the rotatable plate 102 rotates through a pre-requisite angle.
[0025] In accordance with one embodiment, a conveyor belt 124 is configured to
transfer the plurality of gemstone holders to the slots 104 in the rotatable plate 102. The conveyor belt 124 is placed in adjacent to the rotatable plate 102. The processing unit 110 operates the conveyor belt 124 to transfer the plurality of gemstone holders which are then received by the slots 104 in the rotatable plate 102 at the homing position.
[0026] In accordance with an embodiment, a proximity sensor 126 is configured
to detect presence of the gemstone holders on the conveyor belt 124. The proximity sensor 126 thus ensures that all the gemstone holders to be processed are present on the conveyor belt 124.
[0027] In accordance with an embodiment, the slots 104 in the rotatable plate 102
are of semi-circular shape. However, the slots 104 may be of other shapes, such as circular shape. In some cases, the shape of the slots 104 may be dependent on a section of the gemstone holder, such as lower portion of the gemstone holder.
[0028] In accordance with an embodiment, the image capturing device 106 is a
camera. In some other case, the image capturing device 106 may be a video camera.
[0029] In accordance with an embodiment, the sorting mechanism 108 is a
segregate conveyor belt. As the name suggests, the segregate conveyor is configured to separate the correct gemstone holders from the incorrect ones. The correct gemstone holders are those whose characteristics match with the pre-requisite characteristics for

gemstones, while the incorrect gemstone holders are those whose characteristics do not match with the pre-requisite characteristics for gemstones. Further, the segregate conveyor belt may be connected to a tray (not shown) which further has two parts, a correct gemstone holder section 128 and an incorrect gemstone holder section 130. The gemstone holders having pre-requisite characteristics are collected in the correct gemstone holder section 128, while the gemstone holders that do not have pre-requisite characteristics are collected in the incorrect gemstone holder section 130.
[0030] In an illustrates aspect, if ‘n’ number of gemstone holders are to be verified
to check if pre-requisite characteristics are present in the gemstone holders. All of the ‘n’ gemstone holders are first placed on the conveyor belt 124. The proximity sensor 126 detects the presence of all the gemstone holders on the conveyor belt 124. After the gemstone holders are detected they are transferred to the slots 104 in the rotatable plate 102. The gemstone holders arrive at the slots 104 which are present at the homing position. The gemstone holder present at the homing position are then moved to the imaging position by the rotation of the rotatable plate 102 by a pre-requisite angle. The image capturing device 106 present at the imaging position captures one or more images of the gemstones on the gemstone holder. The captured images are used for matching with required pre-requisite characteristics for the gemstones. After conformance of the captured image of the gemstones on the gemstone holders with the pre-requisite characteristics, the segregate conveyor belt sorts the gemstone holders by dividing the gemstone holders into two parts, the correct gemstone holders and the incorrect gemstone holders. The correct gemstone holders are then transferred to the correct gemstone holder section 128 and the incorrect gemstones are transferred to the incorrect gemstone holder section 130. If the sum of the gemstone holders collected in the correct gemstone holder section 128 and the incorrect gemstone holder section 130, the tower light 122 may indicate that the verification process for gemstones has ended.
[0031] Fig 2 illustrates a method for automatic verification of gemstones, in
accordance with aspects of the present invention. The order in which the method 200

is described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks can be combined in any appropriate order to carry out the method 200, or an alternative method. Additionally, individual blocks may be deleted from the method 200 without departing from the substance of the subject matter described herein. The method 200 may be performed by a gemstone verification unit.
[0032] At block 202, a gemstone holder carrying a gemstone is received at a slot
104 in a rotatable plate 102 at a homing position. In one embodiment, a conveyor belt 124 is configured to transfer the gemstone holder to the slot 104 present at the homing position.
[0033] At block 204, the rotatable plate 102 is indexed or rotated at a pre-requisite
angle. Upon rotation or indexing, the slot 104 present at the homing position moves to an imaging position and the slot 104 present at the imaging position moves to a sorting position. Further, subsequently, a gemstone holder is received at the slot 104 resent at the homing position.
[0034] At block 206, an image capturing device 106 captures one or more images
of the gemstones on the gemstone holder at the imaging position. The captured images may be stored for further processing of the gemstone holders.
[0035] At block 208, a sorting mechanism 108 sorts the gemstone holders at the sorting position. The soring mechanism 108 performs the sorting process by comparing the captured images of the gemstones on the gemstone holders with the pre-requisite characteristics for the gemstones.
[0036] The verification process as described by the present subject matter requires zero or very limited manual intervention. Different processes such as arrival of the gemstone holders at the rotatable plate 102, capturing images of the gemstones by the image capturing device 106 and sorting the gemstone holders by the sorting mechanism 108 are performed in an automated manner. Thus, the present subject matter prevents manual intervention and the disadvantages associated with manual

verification of gemstones. The present subject matter thus reduces time involved in verification of gemstones. Further, efficiency of verifying gemstones increases significantly. Thus, good quality of gemstones having high value are obtained. Further, due to automation of different processes yield increases significantly.
[0037] Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the subject matter, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the subject matter. It is therefore contemplated that such modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the subject matter as defined.

I/We Claim:
1. A gemstone verification unit for a gemstone machine (100), the gemstone
verification unit comprising:
a rotatable plate (102) comprising a plurality of slots (104) to each receive a gemstone holder carrying a gemstone, the plurality of slots (104) formed at the circumference of the rotatable plate (102) formed at an angular distance along the circumference, each slot (104) in the rotatable plate (102) being configured be positioned at a homing position, an imaging position, and a sorting position by rotatably indexing the rotatable plate (102);
an image capturing device (106) configured to capture an image of the gemstone on the gemstone holder at the imaging position of the rotatable plate (102);
a sorting mechanism (108) to sort the gemstone holder based on conformance of the captured image of the gemstone with pre-requisite characteristics; and
a processing unit (110) operably coupled to the rotatable plate (102), the image capturing device (106), and the sorting mechanism (108), wherein the processing unit (110) is configured to:
index the rotatable plate (102) to move a first slot carrying the gemstone holder from the homing position to the imaging position, wherein upon indexing, a subsequent gemstone holder is received at a second slot in the rotatable plate (102) and is positioned at the homing position;
control the image capturing device (106) to capture the image of the gemstone at the imaging position;
index the rotatable plate (102) to move the first slot from the imaging position to a sorting position, wherein upon indexing, the second slot and the

subsequent gemstone holder therein is moved to the imaging position, and further subsequent gemstone holder is received at a third slot in the rotatable plate (102) and is positioned at the homing position;
control the sorting mechanism (108) to sort the gemstone holder in the first slot of the rotatable plate (102), when the gemstone holder is in the sorting position.
2. The gemstone verification unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing unit (110) is configured to index the rotatable plate (102) through an electric motor.
3. The gemstone verification unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a conveyor belt (124) is configured to transfer plurality of gemstone holders to the slots (104) in the rotatable plate (102) at the homing position.
4. The gemstone verification unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein a proximity sensor (126) is configured to detect the gemstone holders on the conveyor belt (124).
5. The gemstone verification unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slots (104) are of semi-circular shape.
6. The gemstone verification unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image capturing device (106) is a camera.
7. The gemstone verification unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sorting mechanism (108) is a segregate conveyor belt.

8. A method for automatic verification of gemstones, the method comprising:
indexing, by a processing unit (110), a rotatable plate (102) to move a first slot carrying
a gemstone holder having a gemstone from a homing position to an imaging position,
wherein upon indexing, a subsequent gemstone holder having a gemstone is received
at a second slot in the rotatable plate (102) and is positioned at the homing position;
controlling, the processing unit (110), an image capturing device (106) to capture image of the gemstone at the imaging position;
indexing, by the processing unit (110) the rotatable plate (102) to move the first slot from the imaging position to a sorting position, wherein upon indexing, the second slot and the subsequent gemstone holder therein is moved to the imaging position, and further subsequent gemstone holder is received at a third slot in the rotatable plate (102) and is positioned at the homing position;
controlling, by the processing unit (110), a sorting mechanism (108) to sort the gemstone holder in the first slot of the rotatable plate (102), when the gemstone holder is in the sorting position.
9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processing unit (110) is configured to index the rotatable plate (102) through an electric motor.
10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein a conveyor belt (124) is configured to transfer plurality of gemstone holders to the slots (104) in the rotatable plate (102) at the homing position.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein a proximity sensor (126) is configured to detect the gemstone holders on the conveyor belt (124).
12. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the slots (104) are of semi-circular shape.
13. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the image capturing device (106) is a camera.
14. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sorting mechanism (108) is a segregate conveyor belt.