WO2019185993A1

WO2019185993A1 - Extended focal plane imaging by using a gemstone manipulator

Info

Publication number: WO2019185993A1
Application number: PCT/FI2019/050255
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kari Niskanen; Matti OKKONEN; Pekka SUOPAJÄRVI; Jussi Tenhunen
Original assignee: Engemma Oy
Priority date: 2018-03-28
Filing date: 2019-03-28
Publication date: 2019-10-03

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an arrangement, comprising at least one camera (Camera 1 and/or Camera 2), illumination means (R and/or B) and a computer/controller configured to provide illumination control to illuminate an object, such as a gemstone, take an ensemble of images in the illumination from the object by said at least one camera, said ensemble of images representing the object as seen from different angles, and/or in different focal depths and save the images to an image database.

Description

EXTENDED FOCAL PLANE IMAGING BY USING A GEMSTONE MANIPULATOR

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for fast imaging of an object with different view angles.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Optical imaging require use of efficient devices to allow users to produce but also to handle images in great number, especially when an object like a gemological object is about to be imaged for a recognizable resolution from a great number of view angels. The number of images may be in some cases in tens of thousands, even more, and if the images should exhibit authenticity as an ensemble, the imaging needs to be even faster to preserve time to authenticate the images and or the line of the media along which the images are loaded or sent.

[0003] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] FIG. 1 depicts a problem in imaging, how to obtain deeply sharp and/or in-focus images as such,

[0005] FIG. 2 depicts an extended DOF solution, in which an example illustration of an gemstone imaging is shown, wherein a shown number of cameras being represented with different colors,

[0006] FIG.3 depicts a focal plane optimization (FPO) solution,

[0007] FIG. 4A and 4B depict simultaneous bright field and dark field - imaging,

[0008] FIG. 5 illustrates a system of extended focal plane imaging controlling,

[0009] FIG. 6 -FIG.12 illustrate a gemstone manipulator arrangement operation

[0010] FIG 13 illustrates an imaging arrangement according to embodiments of the disclosure, and

[0011] FIG 14A - FIG 14C illustrates camera unit movements in respect of the targeted gemstone according to embodiments of the disclosure DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The following description and the drawings sufficiently illustrate specific embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may incorporate structural, logical, electrical, process, and other changes. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in, or substituted for, those of other embodiments. Embodiments set forth in the claims encompass all available equivalents of those claims.

[0013] Example embodiments described herein provide certain systems, methods, and devices for extended focal plane imaging. The disclosure shows at least three solutions (a to c) that are discussed in short in the following: a) Extended DOF

[0014] FIG. 2 depicts an extended DOF solution, in which an example illustration of a gemstone imaging is shown, wherein a shown number of cameras being represented with different colors. The extended Depth of Field is achieved by placing multiple cameras into same optical axis using beam splitters, each having a different distance to the object.

[0015] Each cameras sees part of the object as sharp along the depth axis and the extended DOF image is achieved by combining these. Combination is achieved using a custom Focus Stacking (FS) method designed especially for non-opaque objects, where traditional FS methods struggle to produce good results.

[0016] An embodied custom FS method is disclosed in short as follows: Each image is registered (i.e. matched/aligned) to the selected main image using a geometric projection method achieved by local correlation computation. After alignment, only the sharp parts of the images are chosen to the final combination image, using adaptive selection techniques based on gradient information.

[0017] It is seems to be possible to use in suitable part in an embodiment variant also chromatic aberration, i.e. the different colored light as red, green and blue (RGB) can have a mutually different refractive index, so the focal points can be at different distances to the camera.

b) Focal plane optimization [0018] As the objects (gemstones) has different sizes and shapes and their dimension in the depth axis varies with orientation, the focal planes are organized in depth dimension to optimize their coverage of the object.

[0019] A 3D calibration step is taken, where the object is imaged with many different angles. A rough, convex-hull 3D model is achieved applying space carving based on the object silhouettes from each angle. With the model and related view angle information, the span of the object in depth axis can be estimated. Focal planes are located e.g. with even intervals to the span of the object. Focal plane optimization is illustrated in FIG 3. c) Simultaneous bright field and dark field - imaging

[0020] The object (i.e. gemstone) is imaged from different angles taking consecutive images while it is rotated. Two different illumination fields are captured simultaneously using two cameras and time division. Illumination fields are achieved by pulsing a led matrix where only certain LEDs are used for each illumination type in the control of a controller. The timings of the cameras and illumination are illustrated in the chart in FIG 4.

[0021] Embodiments of the optional solutions of a) to c) can also be combined, in suitable part. The above descriptions are for purposes of illustration and are not meant to be limiting. Numerous other examples, configurations, processes, etc., may exist, some of which are described in greater detail below. Example embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0022] FIGURE 2 illustrates option a), i.e. such an arrangement that utilizes three different electromagnetic radiation wavelengths in visible light wavelength range. In the example, the wavelengths are referred by the letter R, G, B, for the respective wavelengths red, green and blue. A skilled person realizes from the embodiment that other wavelengths can be used in addition or in option in the embodiment variants in the optical visible light wavelength range. According to a further variant of the embodiment, at least some of the wavelengths can be selected to near ultraviolet range, and/or near infrared wavelength range.

[0023] The Color splitter unit has been illustrated for the RGB-wavelengths, as well as the focal planes at the gemstone location held by the holder 1 and holder 2. The illumination can be produced for example by a diffuse light source. According to an embodiment the light source is a white light source of type of pulse or continuous. According to a further embodiment variant, the light source is sparse continuously illuminating electromagnetic wavelengths emitting source. According to a further variant, the light source can comprise an ensemble of monochromatic light sources selected according to the intended wavelengths of the focal plane location of at least one of the camera units (Camera 1, Camera 2, Camera 3,...). The camera output interface is addressed to a recorder and/or a mass media device, to be stored and/or retrieved.

[0024] FIGURE 3 illustrates option b), i.e. such an arrangement that utilizes focus adjustment of the cameras to correspond the gemstone’s internal (and/or a surface) focal planes, as the gemstone were sliced. The splitters are used to divide the illumination that is received from the targeted object, in the example a gemstone, to the cameras. The images taken by the cameras can be digitally addressed to an image processing algorithm to balance the illumination in suitable part when the images are collected together for the representation of the image. Gemstone model can be used in the calibration of the cameras, their focal planes, and/or the image processing software in use. The focal planes can be thus optimized for the corresponding ensemble of cameras in the apparatus, which comprises in the embodiment at least two cameras. According to an embodiment, the first splitter from the gemstone to camera direction is a 33% splitter. According to an embodiment, the second splitter from the gemstone to camera direction is a 50% splitter. Cameras may use in suitable part polarization detection. The smaller arrows near the indicated cameras in FIG 3 illustrates the focal plane interval adjustments.

[0025] According to an embodiment variant, the option a) can be combined with the option b) and/or c) to adapt to the differently shaped gemstones, and/or even stones in raw, i.e. state before the cut, i.e. uncut.

[0026] FIGURES 4A and 4B illustate option c), i.e. such an arrangement, where an ensemble of time slots are provided for illumination of the object, i.e. gemstone, each time slot representing a duration of illumination at a certain wavelength of electromagnetic radiation according to the selected camera dedicated to the very wavelength. In the example of FIGs 4A and 4B there are only red (R) and blue (B) indicated, but as a non-limiting example of the time slot and wavelength correlations that can be used. According to an embodiment, the cameras (Camera 1 , Camera 2, Camera 3, as forming a camera unit for wavelength specific focuses, with an independently adjustable focuses) can be positioned also according to another embodiment, in suitable part where applicable. FIG 4 A illustrates cameras in an embodied imaging geometry and illumination as such by the illumination source. Cameras of the camera unit are later also denoted by reference number 4 in FIGS 6 to 12. FIG 4B illustrates the time slots for the illumination and the corresponding camera exposure. Although R and B are exemplified, also other wavelengths (i.e. Green G) can be used than red and blue in the wavelength range of visible light. According to an embodiment illumination can have near ultraviolet and/or infrared wavelengths, to be used in the imaging. According to an embodiment variant, the imaging may also utilize fluorescence phenomena, being triggered by for example ultraviolet illumination, the triggered state decay emitted radiation to be observed by a camera in the camera unit that comprises an ensemble of cameras, the particular camera being sensitive to receive a wavelength of the decay-emitted radiation from the fluorescence decay. In such an embodiment the particular triggering illumination duration is timed to be optimized for observation of the fluorescence triggered state decay originating radiation.

[0027] The time slot of the illumination is drawn shorter in duration than the time slot reserved to the camera. This is illustrating that the camera can be used in suitable part for observing potential phosphorescence and/or fluorescence of the object to be imaged. According to a further embodiment, the camera may be then controlled to take the fluorescence exhibiting images to a separate file, or a special camera may be used in the phosphorence and/or fluorescence detection/imaging.

[0028] According to an embodiment variant, the option a) can be combined with the option c) and/or a) so to increase the versatility of the imaging options of the gemstone objects for better definition of the gemstone type, grade, characteristic inclusions, and/or artifacts present, for the recognition of the gemstone and/or the grade or another gemo logical aspect associated with the stone.

[0029] FIGURE 5 illustrates an embodied system that comprises a computer operating as a controller in the example, to control the illumination as such, according to the option c) for example, to illuminate the object embodied as a gemstone. Accordingly, the computer can also control the exposure of the cameras. According to an embodiment the controlling can be made over a communications network using a transmission medium via the network interface device/transceiver. There can be also further cameras as indicated by the three dots in vertical position. The computer/controller can be embodied as a software code that drives the transducers and/or interfaces in the operations related to the illumination and/or image exposure. According to a further embodiment, such computer controller can also use rotational means RM so that the gemstone can be imaged sufficiently, preferably the whole gemstone, but if not possible, as completely as possible, with the help of the rotation to at least one direction, around at least one axel. Orthogonal axels can be defined at least one more to have rotation to another direction, so that the images can form as an imaginary dome over the gemstone, when combined. According to an embodiment the controlling of the illumination and/or cameras, as well as positioning the gemstone and camera in respect to each other can be made over a communications network using a transmission medium via the network.

[0030] According to an embodiment, the controller can be connected to the Internet and/or to a cloud service and/or to a data base, in an embodiment over a communications network using a transmission medium via the network interface device/transceiver, so that the images can be retrieved and/or watched over the internet on the permission of a user of the computer, illustrated by the latch to facilitate such watching to other parties, under surveillance of the user and/or operator of the system. The connections are illustrated by the double headed arrows between the schematic box-elements in the illustration of FIG 5.

[0031] In some embodiments, the computer/controller may be general computer, but in some embodiments part of a portable wireless communication device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop or portable computer with wireless communication capability, a web tablet, a wireless telephone, a smartphone, a wireless headset, a pager, an instant messaging device, an access point, a television, a wearable computer device, or another device that may receive and/or transmit information wirelessly.

[0032] In some embodiments, the computer/controller may include one or more of a keyboard, a display, a non-volatile memory port, multiple antennas, a graphics processor, an application processor, speakers, and other mobile device elements. The display may be an LCD screen including a touch screen. [0033] Although the computer/controller is illustrated as having several separate functional elements, two or more of the functional elements may be combined and may be implemented by combinations of software-configured elements, such as processing elements including digital signal processors (DSPs), and/or other hardware elements. For example, some elements may include one or more microprocessors, DSPs, field- programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), radio- frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) and combinations of various hardware and logic circuitry for performing at least the functions described herein. In some embodiments, the functional elements of the computer/controller may refer to one or more processes operating on one or more processing elements.

[0034] Certain embodiments may be implemented in one or a combination of hardware, firmware, and software. Other embodiments may also be implemented as instructions stored on a computer-readable storage device, which may be read and executed by at least one processor to perform the operations described herein. A computer-readable storage device may include any non-transitory memory mechanism for storing information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, a computer-readable storage device may include read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash-memory devices, and other storage devices and media. In some embodiments, the computer/controller may include one or more processors and may be configured with instructions stored on a computer-readable storage device memory.

[0035] Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term“machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, such as cloud computing, software as a service (SaaS), or other computer cluster configurations.

[0036] The computer/controller may include a hardware processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a hardware processor core, or any combination thereof), a main memory and a static memory, some or all of which may communicate with each other via an interlink. The computer/controller may further include a power management device, a graphics display device, an alphanumeric input device (e.g., a keyboard), and a user interface navigation device (e.g., a mouse).

[0037] The computer/controller may additionally include a storage device (i.e., drive unit), a network interlace device/transceiver and one or more sensors.

[0038] The computer/controller may include an output controller, such as a serial (e.g., universal serial bus (USB), parallel, or other wired or wireless (e.g., infrared (IR), near field communication (NFC), etc.) connection to communicate with or control one or more peripheral devices (e.g., a printer, a card reader, etc.)).

[0039] The storage device may include a machine readable medium on which is stored one or more sets of data structures or instructions (e.g., software) embodying or utilized by any one or more of the techniques or functions described herein. The instructions may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory, within the static memory, or within the hardware processor during execution thereof by the machine. In an example, one or any combination of the hardware processor, the main memory, the static memory, or the storage device may constitute machine -readable media.

[0040] Various embodiments may be implemented fully or partially in software and/or firmware. This software and/or firmware may take the form of instructions contained in or on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Those instructions may then be read and executed by one or more processors to enable performance of the operations described herein. The instructions may be in any suitable form, such as but not limited to source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, and the like. Such a computer- readable medium may include any tangible non-transitory medium for storing information in a form readable by one or more computers, such as but not limited to read only memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media; a flash memory, etc.

[0041] The term“machine-readable medium” may include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying instructions for execution by the computer/controller and that cause the computer/controller to perform any one or more of the techniques of the present disclosure, or that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying data structures used by or associated with such instructions. Non-limiting machine -readable medium examples may include solid-state memories and optical and magnetic media. In an example, a massed machine -readable medium includes a machine-readable medium with a plurality of particles having resting mass. Specific examples of massed machine -readable media may include non-volatile memory, such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)) and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto -optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD- ROM disks.

[0042] The instructions may further be transmitted or received over a communications network using a transmission medium via the network interface device/transceiver utilizing any one of a number of transfer protocols (e.g., frame relay, internet protocol (IP), transmission control protocol (TCP), user datagram protocol (UDP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), etc.). Example communications networks may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), apacket data network (e.g., the Internet), mobile telephone networks (e.g., cellular networks), plain old telephone (POTS) networks, wireless data networks (e.g., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.1 1 family of standards known as Wi-Fi®, IEEE 802.16 family of standards known as WiMax®), IEEE 802.15.4 family of standards, and peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, among others. In an example, the network interface device/transceiver may include one or more physical jacks (e.g., Ethernet, coaxial, or phone jacks) or one or more antennas to connect to the communications network. In an example, the network interface device/transceiver may include a plurality of antennas to wirelessly communicate using at least one of single-input multiple-output (SIMO), multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), or multiple-input single-output (MISO) techniques. The term“transmission medium” shall be taken to include any intangible medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying instructions for execution by the computer/controller and includes digital or analog communications signals or other intangible media to facilitate communication of such software. The operations and processes described and shown above may be carried out or performed in any suitable order as desired in various implementations. Additionally, in certain implementations, at least a portion of the operations may be carried out in parallel. Furthermore, in certain implementations, less than or more than the operations described may be performed.

[0043] Fig 6 illustrates an arrangement to pick, turn and/or position of a gemstone. Such a manipulator can be implemented in means of robotic manipulator as such. It is not the intention of the application to claim a known robotic manipulator structure as such, but to provide means to implement such rotational means (RM) as for example indicated in the Fig 5, being modified for the gemstone manipulation.

[0044] In Figs 6 to 12 same reference numbers and symbols are used, if otherwise not indicated. The gemstone is manipulated in the arrangement so that a gemstone is lifted from the repository platform 13 supported by at least one support 1. The support may be integrated into the platform 13 in an embodiment variant. The repository platform 13 comprises in an embodiment variant a closing lid to prevent dust entry to the repository. The individual gemstones can be fetched to the platform 13 from their repository location by robotic actuators as such.

[0045] Lifting means 8V and 8H, V denoting to vertical lifting and H to horizontal replacement, considered also as lifting, although may be marginal implemented alone without horizontal support or holding by the vertical lifting means 8 V. According to an embodiment the lifting means can be implemented by under pressure heads, at the ending of the guiding tube 9. This way dust can be removed from the arrangement at the entry. The support bar 2 can be used as a robotic arm to adjust the position of a gemstone picking fork jaws 10. The picking fork with the jaws 10 can have an adjustable pair of jaws 10, in which the distance between the jaw members in the jaws-pair can be adjusted by the jaws adjustment actuator 11. The jaws adjustment actuator 1 1 can be supported by the arm lOa, the arm lOa being supported by the support bar 2. The distance of the adjustment actuator 1 1 , and the pair of the jaws 10, to the support bar can be made adjustable.

[0046] According to a further embodiment the pair of jaws 10 can be made rotatable by the adjustment actuator 1 1 with rotatable freedom option. With the rotation, in suitable combination where necessary to the grip of the jaws, it may be easier to grasp to the gemstone as the target of the inspection. According to an embodiment of the invention the jaws can have a robotic touch sense provided with pressure sensitive foil structure on the jaws. The foils may be arranged to provide a strain gauge and/or piezo-electric sensor arrangement for the implementation. The grasping force may be adjustable by the operator, not to exceed the gemstone structural strength, as estimated in accordance of its preliminary classification.

[0047] The robotic arm 2 as a support of the gemstone manipulator actuator (comprising at least the parts 10, lOa, 1 1), can be embodied as having rotational support to the rotation circle 5. The rotation circle 5 can have also other members attached, to rotate with, in a rotating plane of the circle 5, such as the bar 3 to support the camera unit comprising in the FIG 6 three cameras 4 and therein, in the camera unit a splitter S arranged to split the image from the cameras 4 to the wavelength specific cameras 4 that have a camera specific focus, being arranged independently from each other adjustable. The supporting bar 3 can have cradle so that the camera unit holding element 3a can slide along the bar 3 to be positioned accordingly for the gemstone imaging. The rotation of the rotation circle 5 has been illustrated by an arc with two sided arrow to demonstrate the movement directions.

[0048] The camera unit can have a number of images from the gemstone to be imaged simultaneously from different focusses of the cameras of the camera unit. The computer controlling the operations (FIG 5) can combine the images from the different cameras 4, and/or can adjust the focus, if there was something interesting noticed to be in the gemstone for a further inspection. According to an embodiment the computer stores information about the gemstones and their individual features, so it is possible to recall from the memory also the focus related information of the particular gemstone and adjust the cameras 4 and their optics 4L accordingly to correspond the identification situation at the first time, so to repeat the session for re-identification of the gemstone as it was at the first time when the gemstone was introduced to the recognition system.

[0049] In FIG. 6, part 6 has been used as a screening setup member to provide a stray light protection so that the parts 6 shadow the stray light coming from the outside. However, in an embodiment variant the parts 6 comprise light sources so that the gemstone in the gemstone holder can be illuminated for the camera unit.

[0050] The part 15 is a supporting bar to support an actuator to hold, position and/or rotate the gemstone that is held between holders 12 as holder 1 and holder 2 in FIG. 2. The holders are transparent, but may be coated with suitable coating, for example such as DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) that is preferably not harder than the gemstone under imaging. The hardness may be selected according to the Sp2-orbital configuration of the DLC material. At least one holder 12 can be held by a holder support member l2b (or just a holder support l2b for brevity).

[0051 ] According to an embodiment variant, the holder support 12b support one holder 12 in a pair of such holders. As in the FIGs 6 to 12 there are shown an actuator l2a (FIG.7) to handle the holder pair of the holders 12. The actuator l2a has been made adjustable so that the mutual distance of the held holders can be adjusted, so that the gemstone D can be squeezed therebetween gently. The holder support l2b can have a foil coating in the recess into which the holder 12 is intended to mount and fit for the use, so that the foil material selection is so chosen that it facilitates a piezo-electric element and/or a strain gauge sensor arrangement to sense the squeezing force of the holder plates 12 pointed to the gemstone therebetween the holders. The sensor signal being read by the computer and/or a suitable interface to measure the squeezing force. It is to be noted, that when measuring at the edge-side of the holder plate, there is a torque involved to be analysed also so not to break the holder plates 12, when there is a gemstone therebetween.

[0052] The part 7 is a support, arranged to support a holder support l2b in an embodiment variant. According to a further variant the support 7 is supporting a motor 14 that is arranged so that the holder support is rotatable, and there is a shaft 7b that makes the support holder rotatable around it.

[0053] In FIG 6 there is a gemstone D at the middle of the repository platform 13, and in the FIG 7 the manipulator jaws 10 has picked the gemstone D for further placement in the arrangement. In FIG 8 the gemstone D is on a holder plate 12. The camera unit as exemplified by three cameras 4, is rotating around the gemstone on the transparent plate, holder 12. In FIG 9 the down side of the gemstone is imaged by the camera unit. It is also possible to turn the gemstone by the jaws 10, for eliminating total reflection influence from certain directions of the illumination, if such is about occur detrimental way for the image of the gemstone.

[0054] In the example of the arrangement in FIGs 10 and 1 1 , the gemstone D is positioned between two transparent plates 12, holders 12 so that the holder actuator 1 1 can rotate the gemstone therebetween the holders, in respect to the camera unit position. In such an embodiment the camera unit can rotate, and total reflection type imaging issues can be solved from a certain position of the gemstone, by moving the camera unit, comprising at least parts 4, 4L, 4S, in respect to the gemstone D position. FIG 10 illustrates picking and/or placing the gemstone to the holder 12 intermediate position, and FIG 11 illustrates already positioned gemstone between the holders 12.

[0055] FIG 12 illustrates an enlarged view, when the camera unit has rotated further in respect of the gemstone D. [0056] There is a computer that is used in the control of the imaging, image processing and controlling the actuator performance, timing of the turnings and measuring the observation angles of the gemstone D.

[0057] In FIG 13 the imaging arrangement is embodied with the camera unit that is illustrated to be schematically connected to an arm, a bar, to facilitate the movement along the path (cf. FIGs 6 to 12 for example) around the gemstone D as an object to be imaged, . The camera unit is positioned so that it illustrates taking frames, images and/or video, so that there can be also the background Bgrnd. The background can be provided with a plate 6, being passive. The background 6 can be chosen to dark, gray, colored otherwise or white, to enhance the contrast of the object’s visual appearance, and/or to distinguish the measures of character of the object. The object and the background can be embodied to tilt together in an embodiment variant.

[0058] The camera unit can be connected to the control centre of the imaging arrangement as illustrated by the line between the rectangle surrounding the embodied parts therein and the camera unit. The by rectangle illustrated arrangement can be functionally connected to the chassis, camera unit and to the arm for the controls thereof in an example of an embodiment. According to an embodiment, the control arrangement can be embodied as a to comprise a particular control unit Control arranged to control the operations of the device, for example, in the control of the microprocessor mR of a computer, which also can be used to collect the images and/or video frames into the memory Mem that can comprise suitable part volatile and/or permanent memory. Microprocessor also is responsible to authenticate the frames by using authentication means AuthG to generate authentication tag to the suitably predefined frames to form an authentication code for the virtual model of the object to be recognized. The pictorial data is embodied being stored into the database DB that is exemplified as an internal database to the system. However, in suitable part the pictorial data of the virtual model can be also communicated to external databases Ext DB in suitable part by the communication means Com, arranged to communicate with the user via a user interphase and/or to communicate between the system elements, such as the control unit, motor drivers (Servo) and sensing elements (Sense). The data so exemplified can be in suitable part stored to the memory, to the local database, and/or to the remote, external database, Ext DB. According to an embodiment at least one of the databases, (Ext DB for example and/or Memory Mem can be embodied by a cloud. The ADC DAC element in the system is used in digital conversions between analog and digital signals, in measurements and/or in control commands. Robo is illustrative of a control means to control an industrial robot to be used as a manipulator and/or its actuators to handle object to the plates holders, on the base and back to the depository of the objects, gemstones according to an embodiment.

[0059] The authentication generator AuthG as such can be used in providing authentication tags to the frames in the control of the microprocessor and the algorithm to control the measurement and/or recognition to the embodiments in suitable part. The authentication generator can produce tags according to a known algorithm as such to produce a number queues as such, from a suitable starting number to suitable ending number for the tag frames, for example. The so formed code, authentication code (Auth code) can be communicated via the communication means also in suitable part to the external database for example, so that a similar generator can dismantle the code from the meant frames and recognize the virtual model to be an authentic from the communicated authentication code, or its preselected parts. The coding can vary according to a predefined scheme as such as used in the network protocols. The number queues for the tags can be cumulative built so that the next number in queue is a sum of the previous two formers, for example, and/ or cumulative in such a manner that all the numbers are summed for the next number. A skilled person knows based on the embodiments, when read and understood many ways to implement the tags. According to an embodiment, the AuthG can calculate also the location of the frames that are to be provided with the tag, according to the same queue for an embodiment variant, but according to another variant from a different number queue. The number queues can be communicated between the producing site and reading site in a coded and/or secrete form, so that the authentication can be proven when exists.

[0060] Servo illustrates hardware (and software built in suitable part) to drive the arm and the camera unit along the path around the object, but also to drive the tilting and/or rotation of the base, so that the increments DQ and DF can map the imaginary sphere locations to provide the view to the object to be recognized as viewed from the camera distance, corresponding the imaginary sphere, in an object recognition event, in recordings and/or retrievals.

[0061] Sense illustrates sensors means (and software built in suitable part), to measure the ambient conditions of temperature, pressure, humidity, lighting, but also in suitable part pressure of grasp of the robot and/or weight of the object, as well as to take part in measuring electric fields, with respective measuring means for, magnetic fluxes, gas flows, acoustic frequencies, and/or gas pressures, in a maintaining loop and/or adjustment of the conditions in an object recognition event, in recordings and/or retrievals.

[0062] MV illustrates Mechanical Vibration damping system that can be based in passive layers to absorb shocks in an embodiment, but in another embodiment in suitable part active transducers to produce counter-phased vibrations to cancel the mechanical vibrations.

[0063] FIG 14A illustrates imaging in respect of the objected diamond D on a holder plate (Fig 2) and/or in as item 12 in FIGs 6 to 12. The camera unit movements in respect of the target gemstone D are illustrated along the path around the object D, but also to drive the tilting and/or rotation of the base in suitable embodiment variants, so that the increments DQ and DF can be used to map the imaginary sphere locations to provide the view to the object to be recognized as viewed from the camera distance, corresponding the imaginary sphere, in an object recognition event, in recordings and/or retrievals.

[0064] FIG 14B and FIG 14C are illustrative movements of holder plates and the held object accordingly, in embodiment variants in suitable part, in accordance of FIG 14 A.

GENERIC TERMS

[0065] Conditional language, such as, among others,“can,”“could,”“might,” or“may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain implementations could include, while other implementations do not include, certain features, elements, and/or operations. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or operations are in any way required for one or more implementations or that one or more implementations necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and/or operations are included or are to be performed in any particular implementation.

[0066] Many modifications and other implementations of the disclosure set forth herein will be apparent having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific implementations disclosed and that modifications and other implementations are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. An arrangement, comprising at least one camera, illumination means and a

computer/controller configured to:

provide illumination control to illuminate an object, such as a gemstone, take an ensemble of images in the illumination from the object by said at least one camera, said ensemble of images representing the object as seen from different angles, and/or in different focal depths,

controller to save the images to an image database.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein at least partly the ensemble comprises images taken in a wavelength that is different from some other images in the ensemble.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the providing illumination is arranged by using at least one of the following wavelengths of visible light: Red, Blue, Green.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the imaging uses concept of simultaneous bright field and dark field - imaging at at least one of the wavelengths of the illumination.

5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the imaging uses concept of Focal plane optimization.

6. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the imaging optimization is used to at least two focal planes of corresponding cameras.

7. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the imaging uses concept of Extended DOF.

8. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the arrangement comprises a gemstone manipulator arrangement to put, remove and position a gemstone target onto a holder plate in respect of the camera unit into the illumination for imaging of the gemstone.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising:

- providing illumination control for an arrangement of claim 1 to illuminate an object, such as a gemstone, - taking an ensemble of images in the illumination from the object by said at least one camera of the arrangement, said ensemble of images representing the object as seen at least one of from different angles, and/or in different focal depths,

- saving the images to an image database,

- processing images of said ensemble.